Chapter 444: The Heartbroken Arrow

Chaos Mountains.

A black meteor streaked across the sky.

Puff!

A seven-legged, eight-armed Chaos Beast bore a fist-sized hole straight through its body.

It roared, then instantly dissolved into Chaos energy.

"Neutron Star Body… is the ultimate path of invincibility, even granting a gravitational innate divine art."

This "gravitational innate divine art" allows Fang Xing to freely manipulate gravity within a certain range centered on himself, attracting or repelling at will.

At its peak, it can effortlessly crush countless Foundation Establishment ninth-layer cultivators!

"This sensation… is somewhat akin to how Chaos Beasts naturally comprehend the Chaos Principle…"

Fang Xing flapped his wings, becoming a black meteor, hurtling toward another Chaos Beast's territory.

"Roar! Roar!"

The leader of this territory had thirty-six arms, its face blurred, lacking eyes, ears, nose, or mouth—it let out a screech.

Whoosh!

A "Micro-Chaos" formed, its entire body deep cyan, round like an egg, engulfing Fang Xing.

The powerful Chaos Principle immediately began repelling all other principles.

This was the fifth level of Principle Comprehension—the Master-level "One Thought, Principle Arises" state!

"Damn… Before, I'd have turned and run. But now?"

Fang Xing let out an excited howl, the black meteor's momentum unbroken, slamming straight into the Chaos Beast!

At this level, he had abandoned most techniques and forms… only one word remained—Crash!

With extreme speed and an overwhelmingly powerful physique… he became the sharpest spearhead!

Puff!

The black meteor pierced through layers of Chaos and struck the Chaos Beast leader.

Its tough Chaos body offered no resistance—Fang Xing pierced through scales, flesh, bones… even its origin!

Crack!

Fang Xing flew out from the beast's back, gazing at the fist-sized hole that had torn clean through its body.

The Chaos Beast roared, then instantly dissolved into streams of Chaos energy, scattering into the heavens.

"Even a Chaos Beast leader isn't that strong… Their Principle Comprehension may be advanced, but their physique and the quality and quantity of their cultivation energy are insufficient… An Emperor's Heir who breaks into Nascent Soul can easily defeat them… assuming one-on-one."

Fang Xing flapped his small wings, pulling out a communication token as large as his body: "Within the Pangu Secret Realm, even Grand Void Illusion's connection is severed… but the effects of my earlier secret art still linger—I can roughly sense positions."

He instantly teleported away.

…

In a certain part of the Chaos Mountains.

A white jade dragon was fleeing in disarray.

"Shi Qing…"

Ao Xin sped forward, roaring: "I've already sent word to the two Emperor Heirs of this mountain… if you don't retreat, you'll die."

Chasing Ao Xin behind was Shi Qing, the Empress Daughter of the Azure Emperor's Palace; her eyes were entirely white, her face utterly expressionless: "If Elder Black Dragon were here, little sister would be overjoyed… After our parting all those years ago, retribution is finally due!"

In her hand, the Moon Blade Bow flashed—dozens of green arrows instantly formed.

Both women were now Nascent Soul cultivators.

One was Nascent Soul fifth layer; the other, only Nascent Soul third layer.

After all, Nascent Soul Fluid is incredibly precious—even with a Heavenly Demon Master, one might not afford to spare much.

Moreover…

Even if one had enough Nascent Soul Fluid, it still requires vast time to absorb, cultivate, and break through!

No matter how gifted these Emperor Heirs and Imperial Princes are, none could surge straight to Nascent Soul ninth layer—most would stall at the transition from third to fourth, or sixth to seventh.

Even if they could break through in one go, they wouldn't dare—risking a shaky foundation.

The Pangu Secret Realm opens for a long time; slow, steady progress is the true way.

Fang Xing, who after breaking into Nascent Soul threw all his Nascent Soul Fluid into body refinement, is an outlier among outliers.

Yet his will is unbendingly strong—even after being forcibly enhanced to Master-level Neutron Star Body, he still perfectly controls it, unleashing the combat power of a Nascent Soul ninth-layer Emperor Heir!

In the Chaos Mountains right now, he can crush all Emperor Heirs.

Too bad… his enemies don't know this.

Puff! Puff!

Dozens of green arrows shot forth—the white jade dragon instantly split into nine illusions, yet eight were struck and instantly erased.

"Puff!"

Ao Xin's true form reappeared as the white jade dragon; she spat out a massive gout of essence blood.

"So strong…"

She transformed the essence blood into a secret art, wrapping her body in crimson light—her speed surged as she dashed into the territory of a Chaos Beast leader.

"Roar! Roar!"

The Chaos Beast immediately roared, summoning a Micro-Chaos that swallowed both Ao Xin and Shi Qing.

"Die!"

Shi Qing's eyes were pure white; behind her, a demonic beast's shadow emerged.

"Perfect opportunity!"

Ao Xin, however, exhaled sharply and activated another secret art to flee: "If I hadn't broken into Nascent Soul and awakened a few bloodline arts, I'd already be dead… Where are Qiong Bai and Black Dragon? Why haven't they arrived yet?"

As three of the No-Boundary Mountain's seeds, they must watch each other's backs.

Now, she could only hope the other two arrived soon.

Otherwise, even with the Chaos Beast buying time, death was certain.

Whoosh!

Ao Xin, drenched in blood, flew out of the Micro-Chaos's range.

Behind her, a sky-blue world twisted and clashed with the egg-shaped Chaos realm, each eroding the other.

Two masters of "One Thought, Principle Arises" were battling for dominance.

Chirp!

Suddenly, nine arrows shot out, forming a phoenix that danced across the nine heavens.

The phoenix crashed down, then split into nine arrows, piercing the Chaos Beast leader's vital points. The colossal beast shuddered, then collapsed, dissolving into torrents of Chaos energy midair.

"No good—they're catching up."

Ao Xin cried inwardly, accelerating further.

But the next instant, she felt as if struck by invisible arrows—her soul trembled, and she tumbled from the sky.

"My soul treasure… no—it's a will arrow!"

Ao Xin finally fell into utter despair.

Even as a Royal Bloodline cultivator who had broken into Nascent Soul, she was no match for an Emperor Heir.

"Wait… you could've killed me from the start. If you'd used your will art, I couldn't have defended at all."

Ao Xin suddenly realized something, her pupils contracting violently: "You're using me… to lure out Black Dragon?"

"Thank you, sister…"

Shi Qing floated down, a faint smile on her face: "He's already here!"

Shhh!

A flash of light appeared in the void—Fang Xing had arrived via teleportation.

"Shi Qing?"

Seeing her, Fang Xing raised an eyebrow.

Ao Xin, seeing Fang Xing's size—no bigger than a black four-legged snake—gasped: "Black Dragon… you've finally revealed your true form?"

"Have you ever seen a stone dragon with wings?"

Fang Xing retorted.

He could use the Size Alteration Art to return to his original form.

But after trying a few times, he found his power regressed the moment his body grew larger.

To fully unleash the Neutron Star Body, this fist-sized demonic form was perfect!

"Elder Black Dragon, after decades apart, little sister truly misses you."

Shi Qing smiled softly, as if she were Fang Xing's longtime friend.

"Empress Daughter Qing…"

Fang Xing grinned, revealing his fangs: "I've missed you too…"

Whoosh!

The moment he finished speaking, he became a streak of light, charging straight at Shi Qing.

Even with a thousand secret arts, facing Shi Qing's unreasonable "One Thought, Principle Arises," he'd still be suppressed and repelled by her Principle Realm…

Better to discard all else and return to the most basic combat.

In the end, it all comes down to one word—Crash!

Whoosh!

Fang Xing flapped his wings, his body, sized like a Stone Dragon child, transforming into a black arrow that slammed toward Shi Qing's heart.

Shi Qing twisted her waist, bending into a terrifying arc that made it seem as if her spine might snap.

On her Moon Blade Bow, streams of lunar radiance emerged, forming a curved blade as she spun.

Shhh!

Among experts, victory or defeat hinges on a mere instant!

The Moon Blade slashed Fang Xing, but met immense resilience—barely piercing a few scales before sliding aside.

Fang Xing felt no pity; he immediately pierced through Shi Qing's chest!

"Hm?"

He landed behind her, staring at her shattered armor and the gaping hole in her chest, frowning: "Did I miss by just a bit?"

Thud!

Thud!

Shi Qing was an Imperial Heir; her demonic body was immensely robust, layered with multiple defenses—yet now a black dragon arrow had pierced her clean through, severely damaging her heart, leaving Ao Xin stunned.

A massive hole gaped in Shi Qing's chest, her heart grievously wounded, yet her face showed little expression.

After all, Nascent Soul cultivators could survive even if their bodies were destroyed—by escaping their soul!

But Fang Xing's simple impact carried a force that annihilated souls, crushing her Nascent Soul along with her demonic form.

At that moment, accompanied by violent heartbeats.

From within Shi Qing's heart, a three-colored peach appeared, actively sealing the wound, sending forth countless roots that fused with her original vessels.

"Replacing the heart with a peach? Peach God?"

Fang Xing, seeing this, nodded: "Though I don't know what pact you made with the Peach God… within the Pangu Secret Realm, you will die!"

Within this secret realm, many Imperial Heirs' life-saving trump cards are suppressed.

Death here means true death.

Since they were already enemies, Fang Xing did not hesitate—he transformed again into a black dragon arrow and charged fiercely.

Puff!

His speed was astonishing; he knocked aside the imperial artifact and struck Shi Qing's heart once more.

The peach heart shattered instantly, revealing a crimson pit within.

"No!"

A roar erupted—seemingly from afar, yet as if right beside the ear.

Boom!

Above the Chaos Mountains, the sky split as a black thunderbolt crashed down, striking Shi Qing directly.

The next instant.

Shi Qing vanished beneath the thunder, her imperial artifact reduced to ash.

"This…"

Fang Xing and Ao Xin stared at the scene, speechless.

"So… the Peach God intended to use Shi Qing to deceive heaven… but my strike wounded her, exposing her true nature? Triggering the realm's backlash?"

Fang Xing instantly understood.

(End of Chapter)