Firmament Sword

Xu Luo had only three requests. After Li Ye finished reading the piece of paper, it spontaneously combusted, turning to ash and dissipating into the air. This ability, much like a Divine Technique, left Li Ye marveling.

The first two points, in particular, made Li Ye’s skin crawl. From hiding everywhere before, terrified that someone might discover his location, to now actively publicizing it, as if afraid people *wouldn’t* know...

Although he hadn’t known Xu Luo for long, Li Ye understood the kind of person he was.

”He’s furious. He’s going to trap and kill them all!” Li Ye told his brother. ”I just don’t know what kind of methods and trump cards he has, to dare to... take on all the Martial Artists in the world by himself!”

As for the third point, it filled Li Ye with gratitude, but at the same time, he felt a visceral, blood-soaked killing intent that seemed to leap off the paper and assault his senses.

Originally... he had actually wanted to go and watch the spectacle. After all, such an event was unheard of in ages, a truly grand occasion!

To miss it would be a regret he’d carry for the rest of his life.

But Xu Luo had stated it plainly, telling him directly not to go. Those few simple words conveyed concern for a friend, but they also hinted at an endless, monumental crisis, causing a potent fear to rise in Li Ye’s heart.

”Is it really that frightening?” Li Hua had come into a great opportunity, and his strength had already reached the Fifth Layer of the Divine Power Realm. He, too, wanted to go see the spectacle on that island in the middle of the Endless Ocean.

”More frightening than you can imagine!” Li Ye sighed softly, standing up. He said faintly, ”Perhaps, before long, the very structure of our world... will be... completely changed because of this!”

Missing this grand occasion might bring regret, but that’s far better than losing your life just to witness a spectacle!

”Are all those people fools? Why are they so determined to go there and die?” Li Hua asked, completely baffled.

”When the potential rewards are great enough, countless people will flock toward them like moths to a flame, even knowing it means death... all for that one-in-a-million chance,” Li Ye said coolly. From this moment on, the young prodigy from the Sect Continent truly began to mature, mastering strategy and intrigue, and eventually growing to become a titan of his era.

...

On a nameless island in the Endless Ocean, Xu Luo’s figure sat cross-legged at its highest point.

This was a massive mountain of reef. The entire island was a single, complete block of stone that rose from the seabed like a sword, piercing the ocean’s surface and pointing straight toward Cangqiong.

The moment Xu Luo laid eyes on this island, he was captivated. He decided then and there that this was where he would lay the Beidou Soul Star Array.

The island wasn’t large, only a few hundred miles in area. It was covered with vegetation unique to such islands, though it was somewhat sparse and not as lush as an inland forest.

A sea breeze swept across it, carrying the salty tang of the ocean.

Xu Luo sat there silently. Through the seven great stars overhead and the memories of Beidou’s Eighth Star that had awakened within him, he had gained things beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. Not even a Saint could have hoped for such a fortuitous encounter.

Xu Luo’s eyes seemed to contain the sun, moon, and stars. They were so profound that a single glance could make one feel as if they were being pulled into their depths.

In terms of his cultivation realm, he was still at the Peak of the Third Level of the Divine Power Realm; he hadn’t used any external power to break through. When the stars appeared in broad daylight... when the Seven-Star Pearl aligned and the Five-Colored Divine Light stirred the heavens and the earth, the only thing about Xu Luo that truly changed was his innate talent!

If he had wanted to, he could have taken that step right then and there, ascending to the Saint Realm. It wouldn’t have been impossible at all.

For that was a tremendous stroke of fortune, created by gathering the Star Power of the seven stars of Cangqiong!

But Xu Luo hadn’t done so. He had merely bestowed that great fortune upon his friends and family. As for himself, he only used the world-shaking phenomenon to awaken the memories of the Eighth Star and... transform his body’s innate aptitude!

In the past, Xu Luo had a mortal body.

A mortal body, meaning the constitution of a mere mortal.

No matter what realm he cultivated to, he could never escape the fundamental fact that he was human.

Even if he entered the Divine Domain and became a so-called god in the eyes of the world... in essence, he would still be a mortal.

The true Eighth Star was born amidst the primordial chaos of the universe, a wisp of Spiritual Qi that embodied the original will of heaven and earth!

Therefore, the celestial phenomena of that day had changed Xu Luo’s fundamental constitution!

He had been transformed from a mere mortal into an Innate Spirit Body!

A constitution of this kind was one of a kind, unseen in all of history!

Xu Luo had gone from being an Innate Spirit Body to being reincarnated as a mortal, and now had returned to being an Innate Spirit Body once more. It was as if he had completed a grand cycle. This process required... not just time, but a singular, unique karmic opportunity!

And that opportunity... belonged to him and him alone: Xu Luo.

Thus, even though he was still at the Third Layer of the Divine Power Realm, not even a fledgling Saint could hope to suppress him with their aura, let alone kill him with a single glance!

On the contrary, Xu Luo’s body contained boundless Divine Power. He could kill an expert of the same Divine Power Realm with a single glance!

He was cultivating the Seven-Star Heaven-Slaying Skill, one of the world’s Great Divine Techniques. As for his cultivation realm... that was no longer the most important thing to him.

He had been waiting these past few days. The tasks he had given Li Ye were a matter of cause and effect. The ”cause” was that he had helped Li Ye, saved Li Hua, and returned the treasure. In doing so, Li Ye now owed him a massive debt of gratitude. This debt was a karmic ”cause” for both Li Ye and Xu Luo.

Every cause has an effect. If this debt wasn’t repaid, it might not affect Xu Luo much, but it would form a huge mental block for Li Ye.

If that block... was not resolved, it would one day become a massive bottleneck, obstructing Li Ye’s path to his next breakthrough.

Xu Luo considered Li Ye a friend and didn’t want to harm him, which was why he had made those three requests.

By fulfilling them, Li Ye would no longer owe him anything, and no terrible karmic consequence would form in the future to block his path.

A flash of golden light streaked across the distant horizon. A golden figure strode through the void, seemingly arriving above the island in a single step. He stopped just outside the seven great stars suspended high in the sky, gazing dispassionately at the figure on the island below.

”Xu Luo, come out and fight!”

The figure let out a sharp cry, his voice echoing between heaven and earth, cold and domineering.

Xu Luo opened his eyes, his expression impassive as he gazed up at the golden figure high in the sky.

He was clad in a Golden Battle Garment that radiated boundless divine might. The garment seemed alive, with streams of golden light flowing across its surface.

”Who are you?” Xu Luo asked calmly.

”God.” The youth in the Golden Battle Garment’s expression was glacial as he looked down at Xu Luo and uttered that single word.

”Hah.” Xu Luo cracked a mocking smile. ”There are no gods in this world.”

”And yet, here I am,” the youth said coldly.

”Are you also... one of those who wish to refine me?” Xu Luo asked quietly, remaining seated.

”Correct.” The Golden Battle Garment billowed around the youth, seeming to hum with a thirst for battle. Sheets of golden radiance burst from his body, slamming into the great star that blocked his path.

”You are not worthy,” Xu Luo replied, then closed his eyes and resumed his cultivation.

”Arrogant!” the youth’s voice was ice-cold, his expression impassive. ”Don’t think you can look down upon the world just because you’re the reincarnation of Beidou’s Eighth Star. You... are not yet worthy of that!”

”If you want a fight, then come get me,” Xu Luo said coolly, his eyes still closed.

”It’s just an Array. Watch me break it!” The youth sneered. His Golden Battle Garment suddenly erupted with a light as scorching as the blazing sun, shooting directly toward one of the great stars.

WHOOSH!

The beam of light tore a gaping hole in the void, leaving a long fissure in its wake as it instantly struck the great star.

HUMMM!

The surrounding space suddenly trembled. The great star, which had been rotating slowly, began to spin with incredible speed the moment the light hit.

It stirred the Endless Ocean below, raising colossal waves thousands of meters high!

At that same moment, the other six great stars also began to rotate at high speed, and an invisible protective barrier emanated from all seven.

The youth’s attack, powerful enough to tear through the void, had been completely nullified!

The self-proclaimed god’s expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected this. There was no trace of surprise in his eyes. Then, an object suddenly flew out from his body.

At first, it was only the size of a palm. It was triangular, shaped like a miniature mountain, and black as ink, emitting an indescribable aura. Then, the tiny mountain began to grow, swelling with the wind at an incredible speed!

In the end, it transformed into a colossal mountain peak millions of zhang high!

It was an entire, incomparably massive mountain that had been refined into a magical artifact!

It radiated a boundless pressure, so heavy that its aura alone was enough to suffocate a person.

”Suppress!” the youth uttered mercilessly.

The great mountain hurtled directly toward the great star.

RUMBLE—!

An earth-shattering explosion rang out, like two planets colliding. A massive fireball erupted in the sky, its flames soaring to the heavens!

Under the force of this blow, the very laws of the void became chaotic, and all sorts of celestial phenomena began to manifest.

The seven stars radiated endless Star Power, communing with heaven and earth and exuding a boundless, profound rhythm that sent the great mountain flying back.

The youth’s expression finally changed slightly. He muttered, ”He’s only just awakened and already possesses this level of Divine Power?”

Then, he gave a disdainful smile. ”You’re just borrowing the power of Beidou. If your real body dared to show itself, I could slap you to death with a single palm!”

”Is there any point in spouting such nonsense?” On the island, Xu Luo spoke coolly, his eyelids lowered, surrounded by swirling Star Power. ”If I were to come out, you wouldn’t be able to withstand a single one of my moves. But for me to come out for you alone? You’re not worthy.”

”Once I break this Array of yours, I will kill you!” Anger appeared on the youth’s face. His Golden Battle Garment, as if sensing its master’s now-surging battle intent, began to flow frantically, emitting a fearsome crackling sound and a terrifying aura.

The youth then took an item from his person, his expression solemn. He sighed softly and said, ”I never thought I would have to use you in this realm, but... the world is full of surprises. So be it. Today, I will use you to break the Array laid by Beidou’s Eighth Star. It will be no insult to your name!”