Chapter 232: The Nation-Protecting Dao Artifact

Too late!

By the time Hu Zhen arrived, Qi Shanye and the Demon Arrow Mo Ji had already rushed into the star gate before them.

From the faint energy fluctuations emanating from the star gate, Hu Zhen already knew what rank of star realm lay beyond.

It should be a sixth-rank star realm!

Two fifth-rank peak cultivators have entered!

If only one had gone in, Hu Zhen's hatred might have eased slightly.

A fifth-rank Dou Gathering peak cultivator entering a sixth-rank star realm alone is nearly certain death.

Even a one-in-ten chance is extremely rare.

Alone in a foreign realm, under the hostile will of heaven and earth, endless alien races keep pouring in; the intruder grows more desperate and more tormented by the moment.

That sensation is akin to hell itself.

The Tianyang Star Temple has had countless such experiences before.

But if two enter together, their survival rate increases exponentially.

They would hardly experience that hellish torment.

Their survival probability rises above twenty percent.

This made Hu Zhen suffer immensely.

He failed to kill his enemy himself, and now the enemy had escaped into the star realm—there was even a chance they might live.

Memories of Hu Changyan's past days of joyful devotion at his knees suddenly flashed through Hu Zhen's mind, deepening his anguish.

Hu Changyan's status was far more than just Hu Zhen's most talented grandson!

Hu Zhen had raised Hu Changyan as his heir—otherwise, he would never have assigned a sixth-rank elite to guard him personally!

"Damn it!"

In the next instant, Hu Zhen let out a thunderous roar.

Instantly, the sky seemed to explode with boundless thunder; within a hundred-meter radius around Hu Zhen, all trees and plants were shattered to dust.

Shilong County, over ten miles away, was jolted awake by the roar, its lanterns flickering on in scattered lights.

In fact, many in Shilong County, especially cultivators and officials, had already been awakened long ago.

They had been roused the moment Qi Shanye and Mo Ji shattered the void and opened the star gate.

County Magistrate Wang Zhi, accompanied by the County Commandant and a few low-level government office runners with cultivation, cautiously approached to investigate.

They had barely left the city when the roar struck them.

Many government office runners even spewed blood from their ears and noses.

Instantly, Wang Zhi's face turned pale—he had seen it before.

At such a distance, a single roar with this power could not be achieved by a fifth- or sixth-rank cultivator.

Seventh-rank!

Possibly even higher than seventh-rank!

"Retreat! No more investigation! Return to the city! This man is beyond our reach—we must report to the Juncheng and let them handle it." As he spoke, Wang Zhi turned to head back.

Suddenly, Wang Zhi noticed several of his runners trembling uncontrollably, their eyes filled with utter horror.

Wang Zhi instantly realized something—he spun around and saw Hu Zhen, wreathed in murderous aura, hovering in midair, gazing coldly at him.

Wang Zhi was chilled.

Yet even as he trembled, he straightened his robes and bowed, "I am Wang Zhi, County Magistrate of Shilong County, Taohua Prefecture, Songzhou, Chen Guo. I pay my respects to your reverence!"

"May I ask what brings you here? Is there anything I can assist you with?"

Hu Zhen stared at Wang Zhi without expression, his eyes swirling like star seas; seeing Wang Zhi's unyielding composure, a foul fire rose in his chest, yet he suppressed his rage and spoke.

"Do you know the origin of this star gate?"

"Your reverence, I do not know. This is my first time seeing such a star gate," Wang Zhi replied.

"Go. Immediately bring me the county's secret archives."

This star gate could not have appeared here spontaneously.

The time had not yet come.

Second, if this were a genuine star gate manifesting, massive numbers of aliens would have poured out.

Nor could those two bastards have created this gate themselves. After careful thought, Hu Zhen suspected it was a historical relic—a star gate that had once descended but was inadequately sealed.

He intended to investigate these records to uncover the gate's origin or distinctive traits, then locate its passage on the Star River Battlefield and enter.

He could not enter himself, but the Tianyang Star Temple had countless others who could.

Under heavy rewards, countless cultivators would volunteer to become domain lords.

Then, send ten or even twenty sixth-rank cultivators in—they would surely bring him the heads of those two bastards.

Even if they died, he demanded their corpses be returned!

He must grind those two bastards to dust and scatter their ashes to avenge his blood-deep hatred!

This was his most beloved, most cherished bloodline descendant—the one he had poured the most effort into cultivating!

Secret county archives?

Wang Zhi paused, then said solemnly, "Your reverence, according to Chen Guo law, secret county archives may not be released without official order. If you are an official of Chen Guo, please reveal your identity and present your imperial seal."

"If you are not, please obtain official documentation from the Chen Guo Court or the Yanzhou Prefectural Office!"

"Given your stature, this should be a mere word from you!"

"Then I shall gladly present the Shilong County archives with both hands!"

Wang Zhi believed his words were perfectly reasonable, respectful, and even offered a solution.

But in the next instant, Hu Zhen's expression turned sharp, and he sneered.

"Bold!"

Wang Zhi opened his mouth to speak, but Hu Zhen suddenly spread his fingers, then clenched them.

Instantly, Wang Zhi was lifted by invisible hands, his chest and abdomen visibly crushed as if about to burst.

His entire face turned crimson, as if he would explode at any moment.

"Will you fetch them?" Hu Zhen coldly asked.

"Your reverence, only… one order…"

Boom!

The next instant, Hu Zhen exerted a fraction of force—and Wang Zhi, County Magistrate of Shilong County, Taohua Prefecture, Songzhou, Chen Guo, exploded like a watermelon into fragments.

The surrounding runners and the County Commandant were stunned.

"The County Magistrate is dead!"

One runner cried out.

Another, splattered with red and white matter, shrieked in terror.

"Enough noise!"

Hu Zhen's expression turned fierce; he flicked his finger, and icy-blue starlight erupted in all directions.

Instantly, fifty runners and the County Commandant were shattered into pieces by the icy-blue starlight.

After killing them, Hu Zhen flashed forward, heading straight for the Shilong County Government Office!

Along the way, anyone who screamed or cried out—he merely flicked his finger, instantly killing them. Hundreds fell before he reached the government office.

Spotting an old clerk, he seized him and barked, "Where is the County Commandant?"

In a county, only the County Magistrate and County Commandant could access the secret archives.

"The County Commandant just left with the County Magistrate!"

The clerk stammered—Hu Zhen's fury surged as he recalled the other four-rank Condensing Star cultivator beside the magistrate, whom he had already killed!

Both the County Magistrate and County Commandant were dead—he could no longer obtain the archives through normal channels.

The thought made Hu Zhen burn with rage.

"Do you know where the secret archives are?"

"I… don't know."

Boom!

The moment the clerk said "don't know," Hu Zhen crushed him into pulp.

One didn't know? Ask another!

Within the government office, Hu Zhen interrogated every official, one after another.

Those who couldn't answer—he crushed them instantly.

In barely a dozen breaths, a thin layer of blood coated the entire government office, spilled from those he had crushed.

Only after crushing the County Magistrate's wife and children in the rear courtyard did he realize: no one in the government office remained alive.

Yet he still had not obtained the information he needed!

This ignited Hu Zhen's fury anew.

Today, he must learn the origin of the star gate outside this city—then send someone in to avenge his son!

Before the gate was sealed, one could enter.

But without knowing its origin, no return gate could be constructed on this side.

He could trick one or two sixth-rank cultivators into entering with promises of great reward—but ten or twenty? Impossible!

He must uncover its origin, rebuild the return gate, then send in a large force of sixth-rank cultivators to avenge his son!

The entire Shilong County had descended into chaos because of his actions.

Cries, screams, curses, and shouts merged into a single chaos.

This only fueled Hu Zhen's rage further!

In the next instant, Hu Zhen's voice rang across the entire city like a god's decree.

A starlit finger pointed toward the vortex star-gate hanging in the air beyond the city walls, and Hu Zhen's commanding voice boomed, "Who knows the origin of that star-gate outside the city? Tell me at once!"

"If no one knows, in five breaths, I will begin slaughtering the city!"

The words "slaughter the city" slipped from Hu Zhen's lips as if weightless, devoid of any gravity.

But this was a small county town, ninety-nine percent populated by ordinary civilians.

How could these common folk have ever faced such a scene?

They couldn't be silenced by his aura the way cultivators could.

Instead, their terror exploded—children and women screamed louder than ever, reigniting Hu Zhen's fury.

"Filthy vermin! If you want to die, I'll grant your wish!"

In the next instant, Hu Zhen rotated his hands slightly, and instantly, countless starlights converged above Shilong County.

"Whoever can tell me the origin of the star-gate outside the city lives!"

As he roared these words, Hu Zhen thrust his hands forward—and instantly, icy rain began to fall over Shilong County.

Precisely speaking, it was an ultra-large-scale Ice Rain Technique!

Even an ordinary Ice Rain Technique, cast by an eighth-rank powerhouse like Hu Zhen, became terrifying beyond measure.

Beneath Shilong County, it rained as if the heavens themselves had opened—countless icicles fell like rain.

Each streak of icy rain, when it struck a person, felt like being hit by a powerful crossbow bolt.

Limbs were severed, bodies pierced, some even exploded outright!

The thudding impacts and screams blended into a deafening chorus.

Countless civilians perished under the onslaught of the Ice Rain Technique.

Yet in the sky, the Ice Rain Technique continued unceasingly.

Amid their panic, the common folk found a way—many rushed into rooms, hid beneath buildings, trying to escape these lethal ice arrows!

In the sky, Hu Zhen loomed like a god, gazing down upon the tens of thousands of civilians scurrying like rats, watching these fools flee in terror, yet not a single soul answered or even considered his question.

His fury deepened!

"Then die—all of you!"

In the next instant, Hu Zhen willed it—and countless starlights plummeted from the heavens, instantly doubling the power of his massive Ice Rain Technique.

Shhh-shhh-shhh-shhh!

The sound of arrows fell like rain.

One house after another collapsed under the relentless bombardment; some were pierced clean through.

Some were crushed beneath falling buildings; others barely escaped only to be obliterated by the endless hail of ice—killed in an instant!

In barely a dozen breaths, Shilong County became a living hell!

"Very well. My son walks alone—he needs company. You'll serve him as his beasts and slaves!"

"Serve my son!"

Hu Zhen sneered, continuing to fuel the vast star technique.

In the distance, a streak of starlight raced toward this location—it was Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao.

Upon learning Hu Zhen's exact location, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao had flown nonstop toward Shilong County.

Still five or six hundred li away, Cheng Yuexiao suddenly saw starlights plummeting from the sky.

Instantly, his face turned ashen.

This was direct invocation of the celestial stars.

Someone was unleashing a star technique of colossal power!

What the hell is Hu Zhen doing?

In the next instant, Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao accelerated again, flying at full speed regardless of the cost.

Even with no regard for exhaustion, it took him dozens of breaths to cover nearly five hundred li.

When he drew near, he saw a scene too horrific to behold—a living hell.

In barely dozens of breaths, under Hu Zhen's destruction, Shilong County had become a charnel house—ruins everywhere, corpses piled high, rivers of blood.

"Hu Zhen!"

A hundred li away, Cheng Yuexiao roared like thunder.

Hu Zhen naturally noticed Cheng Yuexiao—but when he saw the furious Grand Master, he merely glanced sideways and sneered, "Perfect timing. My son died in your Chen Guo territory—I'm here to settle accounts with you!"

As Cheng Yuexiao drew within fifty li and saw the blood-soaked streets and corpses littering Shilong County, he exploded in rage.

"Hu Zhen, you deserve to die!"

In the next instant, three-colored starlight erupted from a thousand meters away and blasted Hu Zhen.

Simultaneously, the Nine Sheng Bells materialized; three fingers swept across them, and the thunderous chime of the bells sent starlight arrows streaking across the sky, shattering Hu Zhen's massive Ice Rain Technique hovering above Shilong County.

"My grandson Hu Changyan died in your Chen Guo territory! If you don't give me justice today, I'll slaughter the entire Songzhou Prefecture!"

"Try it and see!"

Grand Master Cheng Yuexiao, enraged beyond measure, struck again—the Nine Sheng Bells rang continuously, each chime launching another starlight meteor streaking toward Hu Zhen.

In his fury, Cheng Yuexiao unleashed his full power!

Caught off guard, Hu Zhen was blasted backward over ten li, spewing blood from his mouth.

Hu Zhen had never imagined Cheng Yuexiao would dare attack him with full force!

"Cheng! How dare you!"

"You dared slaughter a city—what am I afraid of?"

Cheng Yuexiao stared down at the blood-soaked ruins of Shilong County, his heart aching beyond words—he hated Hu Zhen with every fiber of his being.

Above the nine heavens, five starlights plummeted directly into the Nine Sheng Bells; Cheng Yuexiao flicked his finger.

BOOM!

A sound like the great bell of heaven rang through all creation.

The night sky over all of Songzhou blazed with light in that instant.

Hu Zhen was stunned.

Cheng Yuexiao had summoned the power of the celestial stars—and activated Chen Guo's national treasure, the Nine Sheng Bells.

Was he trying to kill him here?

Shocked, Hu Zhen nonetheless reacted with all his strength.

Two star artifacts hastily emerged, and simultaneously, three starlights plummeted from the heavens.

But it was too late.

In the instant the starlights fell, the three-colored meteors from the Nine Sheng Bells pierced straight through Hu Zhen's chest!

BOOM!

Ripples of energy spread outward from Hu Zhen's chest.

Puh-puh-puh!

Hu Zhen spat blood, and chunks of his internal organs flew out with it.

But such wounds were not fatal to an eighth-rank powerhouse.

"Cheng Yuexiao, you're dooming Chen Guo!"

Hu Zhen roared.

But in the next instant, the three-colored meteors struck again.

This time, Hu Zhen dodged—yet the starlight meteors tracked him like living arrows, relentlessly pursuing him.

In the next instant, he was struck from the side.

His left arm was blown clean off; his second star artifact cracked inch by inch, its glow dimming, then vanishing into his body.

DONG!

Another thunderous bell tone rang out.

The three-colored meteors struck Hu Zhen again!

This time, Hu Zhen had no breath left to curse.

He felt—Cheng Yuexiao was insane.

He was truly trying to kill him.

Suddenly, Hu Zhen remembered the Star Lord's mocking words about Cheng Yuexiao—"Crazy Cheng!"

Damn it!

Is he really insane?

Trying to kill me, Hu Zhen, right here?

He'd already suffered a major setback—he was already slightly weaker than Cheng Yuexiao, and he'd assumed Cheng wouldn't go for the kill. Now he'd suffered two crushing blows, severely wounded.

If he wasn't careful, he'd be exterminated right here.

After his death, the Tianyang Star Temple would avenge him.

But what good would it do to destroy Chen Guo?

Even if they wiped out Chen Guo, Hu Zhen would still be dead.

He must survive.

In the next instant, Hu Zhen suddenly turned and charged toward the nearly ruined Shilong County!

Ding!

Almost at the same moment, the Jiusheng Bells rang again, and the Three-Colored Meteor slammed toward Hu Zhen once more.

But as it launched, Cheng Yuexiao sucked in a sharp breath, waved both hands rapidly, eyes bulging, and exerted all his strength to alter the meteor's trajectory.

Bang!

In the next instant, the Three-Colored Meteor struck the mountain outside Shilong County, obliterating half the peak.

At that same instant, blood appeared at Cheng Yuexiao's lips!

"You claim to love your people like your own children!"

Hu Zhen taunted Cheng Yuexiao furiously, "Come on, let's fight right here!"

"Whatever way you want to fight, I'll match you!"

Cheng Yuexiao's gaze pierced like arrows, fixed on Hu Zhen—then he let out a cold laugh. "You're just as shameless as ever!"

"Fine, let's fight right here!" Hu Zhen snapped.

Cheng Yuexiao's expression grew even darker.

Though Shilong County was a sea of blood and nearly in ruins, tens of thousands of civilians still lived there.

If he fought Hu Zhen here, those civilians would surely die!

"Hu Zhen, if you still have any shame, come out and fight me beyond the heavens!" Cheng Yuexiao roared.

"Cheng, you struck first—how dare you call me shameless!" Hu Zhen shot back, trading insults with Cheng Yuexiao.

As he spoke, a dozen streaks of starlight suddenly shot in from behind Cheng Yuexiao.

At their head were none other than Left Sacrificial Officer Meng Yanhui and Chief Steward Peng Lao!

In an instant, Hu Zhen's face changed.

He panicked.

Why hadn't the Star Palace arrived yet!

(End of Chapter)