Chapter 462

October 2, in the Luomei Star Region, before the Star Gate.

Xu Jin regarded the seven hundred plus alien beings gathered here, along with two thousand young humans captured by the Blood God Sect, his expression grim.

"Did you all memorize what I told you?" Xu Jin barked.

"We did!"

The two thousand young humans and seven hundred plus aliens answered in unison, their accents differing but their voices unified.

Every single one looked at Xu Jin with fear, dread, and reverence.

"Good. Once I leave, within ten to twenty breaths, I'll send the order to Heimu Wang—then, at once, you'll leap through the Star Gate in sequence."

"At that moment, anyone who disobeys or disrupts order—will meet the same fate as them!"

As he spoke, Xu Jin snapped his fingers lightly.

BOOM!

Five bolts of lightning struck down.

Four alien beings and one human youth, bound nearby, were simultaneously struck.

In an instant, not even a scream escaped—they were reduced to charred corpses!

Everyone froze instantly; some even involuntarily held their breath.

The four aliens were troublemakers, conveniently brought forward to set an example.

But the human youth had been brainwashed too deeply—he'd secretly contacted other youths and familiar aliens during training, inciting them to assassinate Xu Jin.

Loyal, yes—but dim-witted.

Xu Jin meant to save these youths, but those too brainwashed to think for themselves received no mercy.

"Prepare, bind, then form ranks!"

As Xu Jin's voice turned cold, the results of days of training became fully evident.

The two thousand human youths, three per group, precisely approached one alien of fifth or sixth rank.

These aliens swiftly strapped one youth to their back, secured with ropes, then gripped two more—one in each arm—also bound tightly.

Soon, the seven hundred plus aliens formed two long lines, faint star energy rising around them, awaiting the signal.

This was Xu Jin's idea from a few days ago—the Human Vessel.

Starships were unattainable.

But human vessels? Possible.

Each alien carries three, reducing the formation from over two thousand to just seven hundred.

Crucially, fifth- and sixth-rank aliens move swiftly—they can leap out and leap back in, if all goes well.

They can cut the transit time from fifteen minutes to under a hundred breaths, even less.

These adult aliens, once trained, are less prone to accidents and more stable.

For safety, Xu Jin divided the seven hundred aliens into ten large squads, each subdivided into ten small squads, then layered them with soul-seal imprints to control their lives and deaths.

Xu Jin controlled only the lives of the ten squad leaders.

They, in turn, controlled those beneath them.

Responsibility placed on every alien, maximizing security for the coming operation.

Another thousand aliens, all fifth- and sixth-rank, waited nearby, also organized into ten large squads.

But command over all rested with Heimu Wang.

"Heimu, when the token in your hand shatters, that's the signal to act."

"If I send you a signal and within two breaths I see no one emerge, you know the consequences!"

"Even if I've left, I can return and kill you at any moment—understood?" Xu Jin barked.

"Understood, my lord, I swear it! But, my lord, once you've left, what should I do?" Heimu asked cautiously.

"Just carry on as your king. If anyone comes, keep serving them—stay alive!"

"I'll return again, after some time," Xu Jin said.

"Understood."

The moment he finished speaking, Xu Jin stirred his will.

BOOM!

Wind and clouds gathered in the heavens; thunder rolled as Xu Jin's form surged upward, rapidly growing.

In an instant, he became a colossal giant.

As the youths and aliens stared in terror, Xu Jin looked down upon them and said, "To follow this True God is your honor!"

While the youths and aliens remained stunned, Xu Jin transformed into a streak of starlight and instantly pierced through the Star Gate of the sixth-rank Luomei Star Region.

The mortal world, inside the Luomei Estate bunker.

Two eighth-rank, eight seventh-rank cultivators stood scattered around, waiting silently.

The seven-day deadline had passed, yet they possessed enough patience to remain still.

The importance of this sixth-rank star region, in some ways, outweighed their own lives.

At that very moment, an elderly eighth-rank beginner, deep in cultivation, suddenly opened his eyes.

"He's here!"

Instantly, all around them, star energy surged, and star towers materialized behind them.

Countless starlights rained down from the sky above the bunker.

Each of them had pushed their personal power to its limit, ready to unleash at once.

A streak of starlight erupted from the Star Gate; in an instant, every soul's awareness locked onto it.

But they locked—without attacking.

"Only one? Sixth-rank, first layer?" The lead eighth-rank mid-stage elder frowned slightly, waved a hand, and all present experts reined in their star arts, barely held back.

Xu Jin, landing amid a surge of starlight, was taken aback.

He'd prepared—had rehearsed this moment hundreds of times, had planned how to survive the barrage.

He'd even infused twenty Earth Core Earth Resonances into the Fish Curtain Golden Bell.

And yet—no attack?

But for Xu Jin, this was better.

He landed; Earth Root activated instantly.

In that instant, his defense surged by at least fifty percent.

"What is your name?"

The lead eighth-rank mid-stage elder suddenly asked Xu Jin.

"Traveler!"

Xu Jin replied casually, "You're the deputy head of the Blood God Sect?"

The elder nodded slightly. "Where is the Heavenly Authority we requested?"

"And where is the gift you prepared for me?" Xu Jin asked.

"Once we see the Heavenly Authority, the gift will be presented!"

"Ah, you're treating me like a fool! If I bring out the Heavenly Authority, do you think I'll live?" Xu Jin sighed.

At these words, the eighth-rank mid-stage elder's face twisted with mockery. "Actually, you're still a fool."

"Oh? Why's that?" Xu Jin was curious.

"You're alone. If it's not on you, it's in the star region! We only wanted to confirm the location of the Heavenly Authority."

"Now we know."

"So you're the fool!" Perhaps emboldened by victory, the elder added more—or perhaps he was merely observing.

"So you're not the deputy head of the Blood God Sect?" Xu Jin asked.

"Who says I'm not?" the elder retorted.

"Your vision is too narrow."

Xu Jin's words turned the elder's face dark; at once, laughter erupted from all around the bunker.

A middle-aged man, elegant and pale-skinned, stepped down as a streak of starlight. "You're young, yet you possess keen eyes."

With a compliment, he waved his hand—countless starlights fell, piling upon the ground: thousands of star jade tablets, celestial herbs sealed in jade boxes, sixth-rank supreme-grade star armor.

"Now, do I have both vision and sincerity? Hand over the Heavenly Authority!"

"You've shown vision and sincerity—I'll take it."

Xu Jin stepped forward, swept his sleeve—and collected all the star jade tablets, the agreed-upon celestial herbs, the sixth-rank supreme-grade star armor into his Numinous Space.

As he collected them, two eighth-rank cultivators tensed, ready to strike—but the middle-aged refined man silenced them with a glance, allowing Xu Jin to take everything.

Only after Xu Jin finished did the refined man smile. "You've taken the gifts—now, hand over the Heavenly Authority. If you do, I'll invoke my Star Tower to swear a Great Dao Oath and let you leave safely."

"When did I say I'd hand over the Heavenly Authority just because I took the gifts?" Xu Jin suddenly said, serious.

"You—!"

The elder roared, star energy surging—but again, the refined man held him back.

"Young brother, your confidence baffles me. Surrounded by three eighth-ranks and eight seventh-ranks, how can you remain so calm?" the refined man chuckled.

"Even if eight-ranks come to rescue you, I guarantee you'll die before they break in!"

Xu Jin raised his thumb toward the middle-aged, refined man. "Clever. There are indeed three eighth-rank cultivators here to meet me."

"How many?"

Even if three eighth-rank cultivators are here to meet you, I guarantee you'll be dead before they break in.

As for four or even more eighth-rankers.

The middle-aged, refined man chuckled and shook his head. "If this territory had so many eighth-rankers slip in silently, we'd have no business left at all."

"You guessed right—only one eighth-ranker came to meet me!" Xu Jin smiled, extending one finger.

"Only one?"

The middle-aged man's smile widened, more carefree than before. "Young brother, life is beautiful—you can only enjoy it if you're alive!"

I'll give you one piece of advice: before I change my mind, hand over the Heavenly and Earthly Authority of the Luomei Star Domain, and I'll let you leave alive.

The eighth-ranker who came to meet you won't have to die here either."

"I don't believe you!"

Xu Jin shook his head. "The one who came to meet me—he told me he's quite strong."

"Quite strong?"

Hearing this, the middle-aged man laughed. Every eighth-ranker here is strong.

As the middle-aged man glanced at the elderly eighth-ranker, the old man proudly declared, "In my prime, I was formidable—I ruled the Great Hong Empire for thirty years!"

Hiss!

Xu Jin sucked in a sharp breath. "That really is quite strong."

"So, will you hand over the Heavenly and Earthly Authority?"

The middle-aged man smiled. "There's one thing you might not know—my preparations for you go beyond this!"

"What else?"

In the next instant, a figure stepped through the bunker's entrance. The moment he entered, the overwhelming stellar energy he carried crushed every heart with instant pressure!

Eighth-rank peak!

An eighth-rank peak expert!

In that same instant, Xu Jin's expression changed sharply.

Eighth-rank peak?

Where did he come from?!

The known world has only six eighth-rank peaks!

Is this a new one?

Or one of the six already known?

If he's one of the six known, then the Blood God Sect is truly terrifying—able to make the strongest elites of the known world serve them?

Or perhaps—

"I checked—the outside has no eighth-rank energy at all!" The eighth-rank peak figure, shrouded in starlight, his face and aura utterly blurred, stepped in and blurted out without preamble.

Just those words made the middle-aged man laugh harder. "Young brother, to lie so convincingly—that kind of composure is one in a million!"

Hand over the Heavenly and Earthly Authority. Hand over your Divine Soul. Join the Blood God Sect!

Otherwise, next year today will be your anniversary of death!"

At these words, the energies of the four eighth-rankers and eight seventh-rankers locked onto Xu Jin with deadly intent.

If Xu Jin uttered even one word of refusal, he'd be reduced to ash in an instant.

At this moment, Xu Jin was fully activating the Mingji Star Pattern—but sensed not a single ripple from the eighth-rank peak's energy. Surprised, his smile grew even wider.

Four eighth-rankers!

The Blood God Sect, for him, deployed four eighth-rankers at once—and stationed an eighth-rank peak outside to search!

The setup is grand—and cautious.

The Blood God Sect is hunted by all, yet has endured to this day—for good reason!

Fortunately, the State Advisor gave him a hidden aura seal infused with cultivation—otherwise, he'd have been found!

But even if they found him—what then?

What Xu Jin is doing now is merely trying to uncover the true identity of the Blood God Sect's deputy leader.

He'd assumed it was the middle-aged man.

But now, it might not be.

"You say you found no eighth-rank energy outside? That's impossible," Xu Jin suddenly turned to the star-shrouded eighth-rank peak.

The eighth-rank peak sneered, clearly too disdainful to answer.

He'd scoured the area outside—he had that confidence.

"Alright, then—what if I call my partner to attack?"

"Go ahead and call!"

"Call as loud as you want—no one will come!" The middle-aged man laughed. "I suggest you reconsider my offer."

Hearing this, Xu Jin turned mysteriously toward the outside and whispered, "State Advisor—act now!"

"State Advisor?"

At these words, everyone present—especially the top-tier eighth-rank peak—froze. Their spiritual senses surged outward, sweeping the bunker's exterior.

But outside the bunker, there was no movement.

"Are you from Chen Guo?" asked the eighth-rank peak.

"No one's there—you're mocking us?" The middle-aged man's face darkened. "Looks like you're determined to—"

Before the word "die" left his lips, the eighth-rank peak's expression twisted into sheer terror!

A torrent of stellar energy erupted outside the bunker—a six-colored meteor slammed through the entrance, vaporizing everything in its path, including the bunker's door.

It struck the eighth-rank peak instantly.

Only then did the booming chime of the Nine Sheng Bells sound from outside.

"No! It's Cheng Cheng Yuexiao!" The eighth-rank peak screamed, unleashing every ounce of his starlight. Behind him, a star-tower materialized; a pagoda-shaped spiritual treasure flared brilliantly, shielding him and holding firm against the six-colored meteor.

Simultaneously, chaos erupted.

The other three eighth-rankers and eight seventh-rankers all focused their attacks on Xu Jin at once!

Without warning, Xu Jin vanished from his spot.

Boom! Boom!

Two thunderclaps sounded at the exact same moment.

The first thunderclap—Cheng Cheng Yuexiao stepped into the bunker, holding the Nine Sheng Bells, unleashing a bolt of lightning as thick as a water barrel onto the eighth-rank peak.

The second thunderclap—Xu Jin teleported to the opposite side of the bunker, unleashing his Five Elements Divine Thunder.

This was the full-power Five Elements Divine Thunder he could muster now, infused with twenty Nine Heaven Thunder Rhythms!

"Wu Lao, take the others and kill that brat! The rest of us, fight Cheng Cheng Yuexiao!" The middle-aged man gave orders instantly.

But his voice had barely ended—he froze.

The Wu Lao he'd spoken of—the eighth-rank beginner—had been reduced to ash like a baby under the five-colored thunder.

Xu Jin grinned broadly.

Indeed, his power had surged greatly lately.

Previously, when he killed the eighth-rank beginner Ju Chu Xuan, he'd needed fifty Nine Heaven Thunder Rhythms after repeated strikes.

But this one—twenty were enough to turn him to dust.

Felt a bit wasteful.

But it also proved his recent breakthrough, combined with upgrading the Lei Lei Yuanxing Pattern to Level Eight, had massively amplified the Five Elements Divine Thunder's power.

Yet this was only a fleeting emotion—almost the instant he unleashed the Five Elements Divine Thunder, the eight seventh-rankers' combined assault struck him.

Their energies had been locked onto him the whole time, star techniques ready to fire.

Though he'd teleported to the opposite side, they found him instantly.

The assault was already pouring down.

The combined strike of eight seventh-rankers was no trivial matter.

Xu Jin's two hastily erected spatial barriers shattered instantly; even the Fish Curtain Golden Bell, infused with twenty Earth Core Earth Rhythms, trembled violently.

Frankly speaking, the combined assault of eight mid-to-late seventh-rankers could instantly kill an eighth-rank mid-tier.

Xu Jin had to give everything he had!

His massive Thunder Wings spread behind him—only to be vaporized in an instant.

Xu Jin pushed the Earth Roots to its limit, frantically replenishing the Fish Curtain Golden Bell's energy.

It was only because the Bell held firm that Xu Jin gained that precious instant.

Seven Kill Dragon Stakes!

In an instant, Xu Jin vanished again.

He reappeared at his original location.

The combined assault missed—just as the eight seventh-rankers turned to search for him again, Xu Jin reappeared and unleashed the Five Elements Divine Thunder downward.

The moment the Five Elements Divine Thunder struck, it split into five!

Star Pattern Chain!

Instantly, the five seventh-rankers aiming at Xu Jin had to divert their attention to the terrifying Five Elements Divine Thunder!

This was a strike that could kill an eighth-ranker—they couldn't afford to be careless.

At the same instant, Xu Jin transformed into a blinding meteor, hurtling toward one of the mid-tier seventh-rankers.

The Yellow Dragon Sword was already in hand.

Star Technique: Move the Mountain—activated instantly.

Fivefold Flowflare!

Shhh!

In the instant the sonic barrier of extreme speed tore through the air, the seventh-rank mid-stage cultivator had his skull shattered outright by Xu Jin under Fivefold Flowflare!

Second kill!

But using Flowflare in such a confined space was also a challenge for Xu Jin himself.

In killing the enemy, he would also smash himself against the wall.

Yet Xu Jin dared to use it because he had specifically trained for this tactic.

The next instant, just as Xu Jin was about to collide with the wall, he vanished again!

Seven Kill: Evading Dragon Stake!

The sudden shift from extreme speed to stillness left Xu Jin with an indescribable sensation of vertigo.

At the moment he landed using Seven Kill: Evading Dragon Stake, blind and without sight, he locked onto the incoming aura via Mingji Star Mark and unleashed a direct strike of Five Element Divine Thunder.

Boom!

In the instant the thunder struck, the second-weakest seventh-rank mid-stage cultivator was reduced to ash by the Five Element Divine Thunder.

Focused fire again!

But now, the number of seventh-rank elites targeting Xu Jin had dropped from eight to six!

Even as he endured the assault, Xu Jin repeated the same maneuver—Seven Kill: Evading Dragon Stake—and vanished once more.

Meanwhile, the State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao and three eighth-rank cultivators had instantly clashed together.

Almost the moment they charged forward, Lei Guang blasted the eighth-rank ninth-layer peak cultivator into retreating, spitting blood.

Just as Cheng Cheng Yuexiao moved to pursue, the eighth-rank mid-stage elder and the refined middle-aged scholar both lunged forward.

"Die!"

As State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao coldly shouted, the Nine Sheng Bells rang again, and six-colored meteors instantly slammed into the eighth-rank mid-stage elder.

"Watch out!"

The mysterious eighth-rank peak cultivator suddenly cried out.

But it was too late.

The eighth-rank mid-stage elder who had just charged forward took the full impact.

Under the six-colored meteor strike, his body shattered like an egg against a rock.

One strike—instantly killed!

His Nascent Soul instantly fled, his expression filled with utter terror.

But even greater terror gripped the mysterious eighth-rank peak cultivator and the refined middle-aged scholar.

They were stunned by how Cheng Cheng Yuexiao had obliterated an eighth-rank mid-stage cultivator with a single blow.

They knew State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao of Chen Guo was strong.

But they had only ever heard rumors.

They had never fought him.

Yet now, in this first clash, they realized—State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao of Chen Guo wasn't just strong. He was absurdly powerful!

That elder had been a seasoned eighth-rank. Who could have imagined he'd be obliterated in one strike?

At that very moment, they also noticed their eighth-rank early-stage companion had been reduced to dust by Xu Jin's sixth-rank Five Element Divine Thunder.

Fear rose simultaneously in their hearts!

In this battle today, who was truly the prey?

In the first round of combat, both eighth-rank cultivators were dead!

Even he, the eighth-rank peak, was wounded!

Yet the two they had treated as prey remained nearly unscathed!

This—

In a flash of thought, the mysterious eighth-rank peak cultivator made his decision.

"Retreat!"

"Liu Lao, hold them off. Your descendants will surely rise to eighth-rank!"

Both these phrases were spoken by the mysterious eighth-rank peak cultivator via soul transmission.

Extremely fast!

Almost simultaneously, the mysterious eighth-rank peak cultivator and the refined middle-aged scholar shattered their Spatial Teleportation Seals.

At that same instant, the eighth-rank mid-stage Liu Lao—whose body had been shattered, leaving only his Nascent Soul—his expression turned frenzied, as flames erupted violently over his soul, stars igniting like wildfire, and he charged at Cheng Cheng Yuexiao without regard for life or death!

Self-ignition of the Nascent Soul!

Boom!

Heavenly Thunder rained down in succession.

State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao unleashed two consecutive Heavenly Thunder strikes, annihilating the self-igniting Liu Lao into nothingness before he could reach him.

But the strange spatial fluctuations vanished.

The refined middle-aged eighth-rank mid-stage cultivator and the mysterious eighth-rank peak cultivator had vanished into thin air.

At this moment, Xu Jin had just completed his second kill, having narrowly evaded the second wave of focused fire from six seventh-rank cultivators.

In that same instant, the six seventh-rank cultivators, seeing the eighth-ranks vanish completely, finally realized the truth.

In an instant, each palm revealed a Spatial Teleportation Seal for survival.

But State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao sneered, "Do you think you can escape?"

As he spoke, one seventh-rank cultivator was obliterated by Cheng Cheng Yuexiao.

Simultaneously, Five Element Divine Thunder struck again, killing another seventh-rank.

With no eighth-rank to block them, and the seventh-ranks now solely focused on fleeing, Xu Jin and State Tutor Cheng Cheng Yuexiao unleashed their full killing power—slaughtering the fleeing seventh-ranks like animals.

At the same moment, inside the Lord Tianyang Branch Temple of Meizhou, the Deputy Temple Master was intensely sensing the sudden, violent star-force fluctuations detected near Meishan.

The next instant, the Deputy Temple Master's face turned ashen, and he roared.

"Quickly, report to the Star Temple! Deep within Meishan, at least five eighth-rank auras have appeared—among them, at least one eighth-rank peak!"

(End of Chapter)