Chapter 393: Trying to Flee, But Failing

Sword light was grim, killing intent icy.

With just one sword thrust forward, boundless snow-white sword light bloomed like ten thousand lotuses, interweaving into an unbroken net.

The entirely black biological weapon was unremarkable in the deep cosmic space, save for the faint, flickering violet glow beneath its scales—like a violet tidal wave about to drown the entire star system.

Even the starlike manifestation seemed frail before that violet flood.

Yet as the dense snow-white sword net expanded, it stood like an immovable dam before the raging torrent.

In the silent, dark void, shattered scales, bones, and fragments of flesh drifted.

Biological weapons below the Spirit Transformation Stage shattered instantly upon touching the snow-white sword light; even several beasts rivaling Spirit Transformation let out agonized roars, driven back by the blade glow.

One man held back nearly all the biological weapons!

At this moment, the Spirit Transformation Stage cultivators from the Yu Yao star system and surrounding systems burst forth from the great array, staring in stunned disbelief at the manifestation that had nearly blocked every biological weapon.

The strongest among them were barely late-stage Spirit Transformation; those who had reached Spirit Transformation peak had long since departed to rich regions across the stars or the Central Continent seeking the chance to return to Void.

Even late-stage Spirit Transformation cultivators felt their scalps prickle upon seeing the biological weapons surge like a tidal wave.

Especially those dozens rivaling Spirit Transformation—only a group of several could restrain one, at best one-on-one!

How much less could anyone stand alone and block every single biological weapon like this?

The true weight of the young generation's number one was finally revealed!

You Hao was among them; now, gazing at the chilling manifestation, bitterness rose once more in his heart.

Others knew nothing of the truth, but he knew clearly.

Compared to him, his centuries of cultivation were wasted—worse than trained into a dog!

Ahead, Chi Jiuyu could not hold back all the biological weapons for long; realizing he could not withstand them head-on, he let them flow around both flanks.

Chi Jiuyu's sword light was peerless in sharpness, but its range was ultimately limited.

In an instant, countless biological weapons had slipped past the sword net's blockade and surged forward.

"Manifestation! Unleash!"

A chorus of soul-shouting cries echoed through the lonely cosmic void; one after another, manifestations stretched their forms and charged toward the incoming biological weapons.

But You Hao did not immediately unleash his manifestation.

'Maybe now is the chance to flee…'

Everything I did on Yu Yao Star can no longer be hidden—if reported, I won't die, but I'll lose a layer of skin…

Now, with this sudden upheaval, even the Star System Warden has no time to spare—this is truly a perfect chance to escape!

The stars are vast; I am a Spirit Transformation cultivator, capable of plucking stars and seizing moons as easily as breathing—where can't I go?

I'll hide in one of the Alliance of Orthodox Sects' star systems!

After all, the Alliance of Orthodox Sects just reformed their star governance codes—can the Silutang of the Xiang Jianzong forcibly cross borders to hunt me down?

The likelihood is very low…

The more You Hao thought, the more feasible it seemed; he immediately sent a message via prearranged contact to his son and steward still at the Yu Ling Interstellar Hotel.

Whether they saw it or not, the message would self-destruct in three minutes.

Whether the prodigal son and the steward could escape in time to join him was up to their fate.

If they couldn't escape in time…

Then he could do nothing.

Instantly, he shifted his intent; his entire body dissolved into pure yang energy and swiftly drifted away.

Spirit Transformation cultivators are one with their spirit-body, possessing the wondrous ability to scatter and condense at will—scatter as energy, condense as form!

In this situation, the Spirit Transformation cultivators who came with him were busy resisting the biological weapons, while the later-arriving Nascent Soul cultivators didn't notice a thing.

Soon, many Nascent Soul cultivators also unleashed their manifestations, charging forward to block lower-tier biological weapons—Nascent Soul and Jin Dan level.

At last, the biological weapons' assault began to slow.

At the front, Feng Tianrui, the Star System Warden, battled two Void Return-level biological weapons; behind him, Chi Jiuyu alone held off five Spirit Transformation-level beasts, while countless lower-tier weapons surged behind them.

The snow-white sword net sealed all directions; anything brushing against it died instantly, anything touching it perished.

Beyond them were other Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators.

They lacked Chi Jiuyu's peerless combat power; even one-on-one was difficult, so they had to work in threes or twos just to barely restrain one beast.

Finally came the Nascent Soul cultivators, tasked with clearing the remaining lower-tier biological weapons.

Amid the fierce battle, a wisp of pure yang energy drifted past—no one noticed!

It reached the battlefield's edge, just as he was about to fully escape and gain freedom!

"Roar!"

A deafening roar shook the void, sending out twisted waves—a soul-striking, magic-breaking sound!

You Hao, still in pure yang energy form, was suddenly struck—he was violently forced out of that state before he could fully regain awareness; a terrifying shadow, reeking of blood, lunged to tear him apart!

It was a biological weapon shaped like a tiger, its entire body clad in black scales, its spine and joints bristling with bony spines!

And it rivaled Spirit Transformation!

For some reason, it had broken through—and 'coincidentally' encountered him!

"Damn!"

He had been so close to escaping!

You Hao's heart was in shambles, but facing the ever-present threat, he decisively mobilized his magic power.

"Manifestation! Unleash!"

Light of myriad laws surged forth, blooming from within the biological weapon's gradually closing jaws, forcibly prying open its bloodied maw!

A hand as vast as Shenshan reached out, gripping the beast's face with iron force!

Shake it off!

Keep running!

Otherwise, when reinforcements arrive, there will surely be a Dao-Union cultivator among them—then you'll have not the slightest chance of escape!

…………

The war beyond the star system is intense, yet the fourth planet of Yu Yao is far from peaceful.

The vast majority of the planet's residents have taken shelter in underground evacuation facilities, and the protective array has been activated.

Foundation Establishment cultivators maintain order, while Jin Dan cultivators eliminate the occasional bio-weapons that breach the array's blockade.

Although the array possesses the power of a Return-to-Void cultivator, each bio-weapon is infused from birth with countermeasures against arrays.

Added to that, their numbers are simply too great, and they can even split to a certain degree—so a few always manage to break through the blockade and enter.

At the roof of a classroom building at Yu Yao No. 1 Middle School.

Zhang Yunlu held a longsword, icy as crystal, emitting a chilling aura, silently watching the sky.

This longsword had originally been a reward from a combat trial, but after her continuous cultivation and borrowing the Sword-Nurturing Secret Realm gifted by her uncle to her senior sister, its rank had risen significantly.

"Bio-weapons…"

She had thoughts about these creatures…

Every single detail—every single one—was etched in her memory!

They could reasonably be called living beings.

Her impression of bio-weapons remained vivid, for it was the first time she had seen a Return-to-Void cultivator manifest their Dharma Form…

Moreover, on a later trial planet, the bio-weapon's central core had caused her immense trouble.

But now, facing bio-weapons unimpeded by suppression, just how would she fare…?

A flicker of anticipation passed through Zhang Yunlu's eyes; her grip on the sword tightened, and even the flow of her magic power seemed to quicken slightly.

Hummm~

The blade trembled gently; its faint sentience seemed to sense its master's thoughts.

At that moment, a streak of teleportation light arrived from afar and landed behind her—it was You Hao's deputy.

Before he could speak, the chilling sword intent swirling in the air pierced his third eye, sending a cold shiver through his brow and making every hair on his body stand on end.

But in the next instant, that bone-chilling sensation receded like a tide.

The Xiang Jianzong emissary turned to face him: "Have any bio-weapons breached the defenses?"

The unhidden "anticipation" in her eyes made the deputy uneasy.

Wait—do all Xiang Jianzong sword cultivators act like this?

He swallowed hard, then bowed respectfully: "The 'Moon Eye' Surveillance System has detected several bio-weapons that have breached the array's blockade; they are expected to land seven hundred li southwest of here."

The 'Moon Eye' Surveillance System was in fact the moon in the sky—its engraved arrays and embedded magical artifacts could, when necessary, monitor the entire star system's status.

"I and some of the school's teachers are preparing to head there…"

Here, the deputy suddenly fell silent.

Would the Xiang Jianzong emissary think they were holding her back?

If she truly thought so, they could just stay behind…

"I understand," Zhang Yunlu nodded. "I will go."

"... Thank you, emissary."

Soon, a streak of swordlight sliced through the night sky, heading toward the location seven hundred li southwest.

……

……

Inside an underground evacuation facility.

The crowd was crowded; everyone was uneasy.

In a corner, Xu Xing leaned against the wall, chatting with a boy of average height.

The boy was at Qi Condensation Fourth Layer, of ordinary appearance, wearing a school uniform—someone easily lost in a crowd.

His name was Gu Wangjun; his parents were first-generation immigrants to the fourth planet of Yu Yao, but after an accident, both died, leaving only him and his younger sister to rely on each other.

"So, you've been taking care of your sister all these years?"

"Mm," Gu Wangjun answered absentmindedly.

He was worried about his sister—he simply couldn't muster the energy to chat.

Xu Xing didn't mind; he glanced at the black ring hanging on the boy's chest: "Your cultivation seems to be going poorly."

Again, this situation—yet it truly was not good.

Gu Wangjun paused, but for some reason, he answered: "It wasn't always like this."

His talent had never been exceptional, but it was certainly not poor—he reached Qi Condensation Fourth Layer in his third year of middle school, already outstanding among his peers.

But for some reason, after that, his spiritual energy ceased to grow at all.

Even after receiving a "stroke of fortune," his cultivation remained stuck at Qi Condensation Fourth Layer.

Moreover, his body grew worse day by day—he suspected he had some strange illness, but hospital checks showed everything normal. (End of chapter)