Chapter 249: Ambush

A massive void vessel pierced through the furious waves, racing at high speed toward an island hidden deep within the sea fog, braving the storm that shook the fabric of space.

"Everyone, we're about to reach the pirates' lair."

The bald man in silver robes scanned the occupants of the void vessel and said gravely: "This fog sea obscures perception and hides all traces of qi—it's why the Flo pirates, despite being weak, have evaded eradication for so long. After we land, you must block them from fleeing into the fog; otherwise, chasing them again will be a nightmare."

The orderkeepers all prepared themselves, though some were tense.

Though the plan, based on intelligence, had a high success rate, accidents could still happen.

More than a few orderkeepers had died on patrol missions.

But most orderkeepers here were Void beings with no background—they could only acquire resources, treasures, and legacies through the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance.

So they had no choice but to risk it.

"Fog sea?"

At this moment, Lin Qing's main focus was on the hidden expert, but he still paid slight attention to the fog-shrouded island harboring the pirate force.

He had deliberately chosen this mission location—the fog would conceal his movements and make action easier.

As the void vessel surged through layer upon layer of mist, a vast island—roughly thousands of kilometers across—finally came into view.

Suddenly, a surging aura erupted skyward; a massive beam of light spread outward, and in an instant, over half the island was shrouded in a hazy glow.

"This is…"

"A divine artifact!"

"These bandits actually have a divine artifact?"

"They've only been raiding for tens of thousands of years—how could they afford one?"

"Even a single-color divine artifact costs over a hundred million void coins."

From the glow enveloping the entire island, its power and aura clearly came from a barrier formed by a domain-type divine artifact.

Even a single-color divine artifact was an unattainable price for over 99.99% of Void beings—millions of void coins might take a lifetime to earn, let alone hundreds of millions.

Only those experts who had created their own third- or fourth-phase divine arts, and who were lucky enough to join major factions, could afford a single-color divine artifact after accumulating for millions of years.

But even single-color divine artifacts held little importance for experts at this level.

Thus, among Void beings, those possessing divine artifacts were exceedingly rare.

No wonder these orderkeepers, with no background, were astonished and envious.

"Hmph. So they really have a single-color divine artifact—looks like they've made a fortune from raiding."

The bald man in silver robes stood at the front deck of the void vessel, his face icy. With a wave of his hand, a gray, destructive storm spontaneously formed, then transformed into pure black blades that sliced through layers of space, slashing straight toward the hazy glow.

Though he couldn't afford a single-color divine artifact, he had mastered the Void Wind Art and created his own four-phase divine art—when combined, it made him one of the strongest among third-rank orderkeepers.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared take on this cleanup mission.

"Boom—"

The wind blades that cut through space tore open the barrier formed by the domain artifact, and the void vessel crashed violently into the island.

At the same time, the bald man in silver robes flipped his hand, and endless gales engulfed the thousands-of-kilometers-wide airspace.

"Attack!"

The moment the void vessel vanished, the bald man in silver robes let out a low roar and transformed into a violent tornado, hurtling toward the palace complex on the island.

Pirates were already emerging from the palace complex, gathering in formation.

Most of the orderkeepers followed closely behind, flying toward the pirates according to plan.

"Boom!"

A violent storm of space erupted instantly, reducing the entire palace complex to dust—and countless pirates vanished with it.

Even the scattered remnants of this power were enough to overwhelm most Void beings who weren't skilled in defense.

In an instant, over eighty percent of the pirates were annihilated; only a few held on.

"Damn it!!"

A roar echoed across the island as a gray-haired man shot out like a streak of light. Though the hazy domain couldn't directly dispel the storm, it drastically weakened the destructive power of the divine art.

The surviving pirates immediately felt less pressure, no longer fearing for their lives.

Yet even under this single strike, over a hundred pirates had died—only twenty or so remained.

Flo, the pirate leader who had directly endured the attack, had absorbed ninety percent of the power, yet was still blasted back hundreds of kilometers—uninjured.

"Another defensive divine artifact?" The bald man in silver robes glanced at him with surprise.

His self-created four-phase divine art was a flight technique, but its offensive power rivaled that of a third-phase divine art.

The spatial subtleties in the opponent's move were crude—at best second-phase—yet they had blocked his strike. Clearly, another divine artifact!

"Are raids this profitable?" The bald man in silver robes felt a bad premonition. "In just tens of thousands of years, they bought two divine artifacts?"

Even single-color divine artifacts—two of them would cost two or three hundred million void coins.

Many experts at his level, even after accumulating for tens of millions of years, wouldn't have that kind of wealth.

"Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance?"

Flo's face darkened as he coldly scanned his remaining subordinates. "There's a traitor—otherwise, how could the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance have found this place?"

He had no time to investigate further. He immediately stood with his remaining men, facing the bald man in silver robes across hundreds of kilometers, and said coldly: "You're a third-rank orderkeeper of the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance, aren't you? Leave now, and I'll pretend this never happened."

The bald man in silver robes sneered, about to speak—when he saw the opponent suddenly radiate blinding light.

Immediately, a luminous, crystal-like pearl floated upward, hovering above the opponent's head, unleashing a crushing domain of light.

In an instant, the storm winds vanished completely.

The third-phase domain divine art was utterly dispelled within seconds by the pearl's domain.

An even more terrifying pressure and binding force spread outward, instantly turning the orderkeepers' faces pale.

"This is… a two-color divine artifact?"

The bald man in silver robes's expression changed.

His mastered flight technique was the Four Phases, equal in power to the opponent's domain artifact, but the very thing that most restrained him was a domain of the same level!

At the same time—

"Boom!"

Another astonishingly powerful aura erupted; in the pirate leader Flo's hand appeared another weapon—a circular, blade-like longsword—its edge seemed to slice through empty space, and merely sensing its cutting intent from afar was enough to make the heart tremble.

"If you don't want to leave, then don't leave," said Pirate Leader Flo, gripping the circular longsword artifact, his expression cold as he stared at the bald silver-robed man.

The bald silver-robed man's face paled slightly, staring at the opponent in disbelief.

"Another two-color artifact..."

He stared at the opponent in disbelief, "Two two-color artifacts? How is that possible?"

Two two-color artifacts were worth at least two to three billion, possibly even more!

Even if he lived for hundreds of millions of years, he wasn't sure he could ever earn two billion Void Coins!

The opponent had only been a Void Pirate for tens of thousands of years—how could he have amassed so much in tens of thousands of years?

Without even thinking, it must be due to some extraordinary fortune.

"Since the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance already knows..."

Pirate Leader Flo's icy gaze swept over the Orderkeepers, his voice filled with murderous intent echoing through the air: "Before you flee, die here—all of you."

"Run!"

The bald silver-robed man shouted sharply, sweeping up two close subordinates with a wave of his hand, then transforming into a violent Void tornado and fleeing toward the misty sea beyond the island!

He knew well: his flight technique, though reaching the Four Phases level, was utterly suppressed by the opponent's domain artifact—and the opponent also possessed a weapon of lethal attack. If he stayed here, death was certain!

"Now you want to run?"

Pirate Leader Flo sneered; above his head, the pearl artifact blazed with endless light, wildly binding and sweeping through the Orderkeepers, while he himself charged toward the bald silver-robed man.

With the domain power of this artifact, he didn't even need to act personally—the domain alone could annihilate ordinary Orderkeepers!

At that moment—

"Boom!!"

A terrifying surge erupted; the dazzling light domain collapsed instantly, transforming into a dead, darkened realm.

With a terrifying aura bursting forth, a black-robed man stood midair, holding a book shrouded in endless darkness—his terrifying aura was clearly the source of this dead realm!

"You know, when you act, just act—why force us to reveal ourselves?"

The black-robed man holding the dark book artifact sighed, his eyes showing irritation as he looked at Pirate Leader Flo.

He had originally planned to appear only after Flo killed the silver-robed bald man; since no one was to be left alive anyway, it would avoid suspicion from the Cosmic Star Patrol Alliance.

But he hadn't expected this petty pirate leader to also sweep the other Orderkeepers with his domain, forcing his group to expose themselves.

"Forget it."

The black-robed man slowly shook his head, "If it's like this, then all of you—reveal yourselves."

As his words fell, one after another astonishing auras erupted—each the power signature of an artifact—and figures landed from all directions, as if surrounding someone for extermination.

Every pirate froze; Pirate Leader Flo was utterly stunned.

Because... every person now surrounding them wielded an artifact whose power clearly surpassed his own!

At least three-color artifacts!

And the black-robed man at the front—his artifact's aura was even more terrifying, likely of even higher rank!

Technique or artifact—

A single rank difference meant power multiplied several times; two ranks apart meant dozens of times greater!

Even a few times' difference was a one-sided slaughter—let alone dozens of times!

Pirate Leader Flo's heart turned icy with despair; not a single spark of resistance stirred within him.

The gap was this vast—even if the black-robed man stood alone with his book, he could effortlessly slaughter them all, let alone the ten other experts!

"Is this necessary? To send this force against me?" Flo felt it was absurd.

At that moment—

"Mr. Mirrorlight."

The black-robed man looked toward a figure among the Orderkeepers and smiled: "Still hiding? Come out and talk."

Lin Qing stepped forward, his appearance reverting to that of Mirrorlight.

This new form was merely the most basic transformation method—anyone with even slight observation could see through it, and he had intended precisely for them to see through it.

"Mr. Mirrorlight, a Star God, would you really take part in such a low-level mission just to escape?" the black-robed man smiled.

"Star God?"

Both the pirates and the Orderkeepers stared at Lin Qing in bewilderment.

A Star God, if he wanted money or resources, could obtain them effortlessly—why participate in such a low-tier mission?

"You think I'm running?" Lin Qing's gaze swept the surroundings, his voice calm: "Are you the only ones? Where's Weiluo?"

"Mr. Mirrorlight is quite perceptive."

As the familiar voice sounded, the void ahead rippled—and a high-grade Void vessel quietly emerged above the island.

Lin Qing looked up.

On the vessel's deck, besides Weiluo and the golden-haired masked woman beside him, stood a long-haired man clad in lavish black-gold robes, his demeanor noble and transcendent, like a celestial deity.

"Weiluo, you've come with such force—what do you intend?" Lin Qing spoke.

The Void vessel vanished; Weiluo, protected by the golden-haired masked woman, landed silently opposite Lin Qing, while the noble long-haired man still floated midair.

"Did you really think you could keep hiding?" Weiluo shook his head slightly. "The day you impersonated a Sacred Land Star God, you should have anticipated this day of exposure."

"Oh?" Lin Qing said. "Is that the will of the Void Sovereign from the Tianyuan Seat Sacred Land?"

"Lord Xinyin has already unmasked you—still trying to hide?"

Vilro frowned slightly, then spoke in a cold voice: "Hand over the Proof of the King, and I will give you a chance to commit suicide."

Lin Qing laughed and asked: "Are you mad? You want the Proof of the King, and you also want my life?"

Vilro sneered and said: "You can resurrect after dying, but if you lose the position of Star God, can you become a Star God again?"

As he spoke, he looked up at the noble-looking long-haired man in mid-air and said with slight respect: "Mr. Mo Feng, please make your move."

In mid-air, Mr. Mo Feng, wearing a magnificent black-and-gold robe, heard this, and his aura erupted. A black long blade emitting a destructive aura appeared in his hand, a crimson canopy hovered above his head, and he stood upon a shadow resembling a small mountain.

"Three... three four-colored Divine Artifacts!"

The pirate leader below and Vilro's personal guard were unable to help but feel shocked.

The standard equipment for the personal guard is three-colored Divine Artifacts, while the captain possesses one four-colored Divine Artifact.

Yet this Star God named Mo Feng possesses as many as three!

"A Star God killing a Star God, you should understand the consequences, right?" Vilro stared at Lin Qing.

As he spoke, the masked golden-haired woman behind him took a single step forward, and an even more terrifying aura of Divine Artifacts spread out with a boom; even the Star God Mo Feng in the air seemed somewhat dim in comparison.

The group of pirates was completely numb.

They were merely a small raiding faction; when had they ever seen so many powerful figures?

But at this moment, they dared not move rashly, only hoping that once these powerful figures finished their business, they would spare the weak like them.

"Hand it over, or not?" Vilro said indifferently.

Under countless gazes, the terrifying momentum and intimidation focused entirely on Lin Qing; ordinary void creatures would likely be unable to resist.

At this moment, Lin Qing actually laughed.

"Is that all of you?"

(End of this chapter)