Shi Yan sat on the cold stone floor inside, narrowing his eyes to gaze ahead at the veiled woman imprisoned by the two Old Gods from the Broken Hall, just outside his door.
The veiled woman, unable to move an inch, possessed a pair of clear, moon-like eyes that nevertheless shone with a captivating divine radiance.
Ban Yu stood to one side, his tone grim. “Friends from the Broken Hall, our Giant Wave Merchant Guild’s affairs are not for outsiders to meddle in. This merchant vessel, without the permission of our Ironclad City Lord, is off-limits to outsiders. We request that you depart immediately!”
The Giant Wave Merchant Guild held immense wealth and power across the vast Star River, earning deference even from the God Clan. Though the Broken Hall was strong, it still depended on the Guild in certain aspects.
Hearing Ban Yu speak thus, the two from the Broken Hall frowned deeply, a hint of hesitation stirring within them.
“He clearly isn’t one of your Guild members, so how can he be aboard this merchant ship? Is your Guild violating the agreement, unafraid of being questioned by the Thousand Illusions Sect?” the cultivator at the first Heaven of the Old God realm scolded, his bravado masking inner uncertainty.
“This is the Giant Wave Merchant Guild’s business, and it’s not for the Broken Hall to inquire about! I made it perfectly clear just now: without our Ironclad City Lord’s consent, outsiders cannot set foot here. His presence implies he has received our City Lord’s blessing, a privilege you two do not share. Please leave!”
Ban Yu’s expression hardened, and he looked up towards the other merchant vessels. Several war chariots suddenly flew over, and dozens of Giant Wave Guild martial artists adopted hostile postures.
The two elders from the Broken Hall were named Wei Yun and Xing Shang. Wei Yun was at the first Heaven of the Old God realm, while Xing Shang had reached the second Heaven, a cousin to Xing Ming and notorious within the Broken Hall for his fierce loyalty to him.
The Broken Hall was composed of scattered halls and temples. Xing Ming had been a loyal subordinate to Xi Ze’s father in those days, responsible for managing these disparate sections. It was he who linked them, forging the fractured power of the Broken Hall into a single entity.
During the time Xi Ze’s father held authority, Xing Ming’s power was limited, with Xi Ze’s father deciding most matters.
However, when Xi Ze took over the position of Hall Master, his prolonged focus on arduous cultivation meant he rarely concerned himself with the Broken Hall’s daily affairs. Consequently, Xing Ming came to govern the multitude of scattered halls.
Xing Ming’s authority swelled to monstrous proportions, turning him into the de facto ruler of the Broken Hall. Hall Masters and Temple Leaders from every faction reported solely to him on all matters.
Xing Ming leveraged his influence to benefit his own family, diverting many of the Broken Hall’s precious materials to the Xing lineage. This enabled the Xing family to produce numerous powerful experts, subtly positioning them as the strongest force within the Broken Hall, even showing signs of gradually supplanting Xi Ze’s own family.
Xing Shang, being Xing Ming’s cousin, was part of the Xing family. He showed deference only to Xing Ming and was accustomed to acting with impunity within the Broken Hall.
Yet, Xing Shang understood that while the Broken Hall was not weak, it could not afford to utterly alienate the Giant Wave Merchant Guild. Thus, seeing Ban Yu’s firm stance, he sobered up, preparing to rein in the ferocious arrogance he had cultivated over the years and back down from this merchant ship.
Xing Shang glared at Wei Yun beside him, silently blaming him for suggesting a reckless move that had caused their current embarrassment. He snorted, “Let’s go. We can just switch to another merchant ship.”
He gestured for Wei Yun to take the woman and leave.
“Tear!”
Suddenly, the veil covering the woman’s face ripped apart with an eerie sound, scattering into shreds that fluttered down like autumn leaves.
A face of exquisite beauty was suddenly revealed. Her skin, fair as jade, exuded a faint, ethereal moonlight glow—a sight so pure and captivating it defied earthly description.
The Giant Wave Guild martial artists aboard their war chariots, who had been covertly maintaining their guard, were instantly captivated when the veil dissolved. Every single one stared at the woman, displaying the raw fascination of normal men encountering peerless beauty.
“It really is you,” Shi Yan murmured in astonishment.
The woman was none other than Ouyang Luoshuang, who cultivated the power of Moon Radiance and was once the Moon God of the Three God Sect. She had been sealed within a meteorite in Skyfall City for a thousand years, using moonlight to purify her soul, achieving an extremely profound and subtle cultivation realm.
The moment she entered this merchant ship, Shi Yan felt a resonance in his spirit. This was because Ouyang Luoshuang cultivated the divine power of Moon Radiance, which was intrinsically similar to his Starry Mystery—a marvelous ancient technique passed down from the God Clan tens of thousands of years ago, resulting in remarkably close auras between them.
Now, Ouyang Luoshuang had actually reached the first Heaven of the Old God realm, radiating an aura of pure, untainted sanctity. It was clear her cultivation must have become even more refined and esoteric.
Shi Yan was secretly amazed. His own rapid cultivation speed stemmed from devouring mysteries, and although Ouyang Luoshuang only specialized in one profound mystery, her progress shouldn't have been so swift. Reaching the first Heaven of the Old God realm at this juncture still surprised him greatly.
He understood that Ouyang Luoshuang must have encountered another extraordinary fortune in recent years; otherwise, her cultivation simply wouldn't have been this explosive under normal advancement speeds.//Fastest text update from Book Fan Tower www.shumilou.com no pop-ups no ads//
“What are you trying to do?” Wei Yun, seeing Ouyang Luoshuang’s veil shattered, flashed a deeply hidden glint of lust in his eyes before abruptly humming and glaring coldly at Shi Yan. “Young man, you’d best not interfere in the Broken Hall’s affairs.”
If not for Shi Yan’s presence on this merchant ship suggesting some level of status, Wei Yun would have already attacked.
“Young friend, I was only ordered to escort you; I am not responsible for your safety,” Ban Yu warned with a frown.
Xing Shang’s face was sullen. He looked coldly at Shi Yan, then at Ban Yu beside him, his eyes flashing fiercely, but he did not immediately declare his stance.
Shi Yan ignored the words of the three entirely, focusing only on Ouyang Luoshuang, studying the shackles on her delicate wrist.
He did not share any uniquely profound bond with this woman. However, since he could cultivate the Starry Mystery because of her ancestors, he inherently owed the Ouyang family some measure of gratitude.
Furthermore, Ouyang Luoshuang was from the Divine Grace Continent. After merging with the Continent’s origin, he subconsciously considered all its martial artists and living beings as his own people. Seeing her imprisoned, he contemplated whether to intervene and rescue her.
Ouyang Luoshuang’s eyes were clear; she simply gazed at him, devoid of any plea.
Yet, under that silent scrutiny, Shi Yan felt a touch of awkwardness. He cleared his throat lightly. “She is my friend. Hand her over to me, and I will explain the matter to Xi Ze.”
He said this with an air of natural authority.
Although Xi Ze was the Hall Master of the Broken Hall and a figure renowned throughout the Star Sea, Shi Yan’s current status and standing were equal to or higher than Xi Ze’s. Even if there was still a considerable gap in cultivation realm, his qualification as the Bloodthirsty Venerable was enough to bridge any discrepancy.
He felt this was a matter of course, but others did not see it, nor did they agree.
Wei Yun and Xing Shang, the two Broken Hall warriors, grew cold upon hearing his words, their gazes filled with icy hostility.
Xi Ze, the Hall Master, though uninvolved in the Broken Hall’s internal affairs, was its backbone, highly respected, even more so than his father had been. Even Xing Shang, who acted recklessly within the Broken Hall and knew his cousin Xing Ming held terrifying power, still harbored an ineffable reverence for Xi Ze.
Because Xi Ze was an Immortal!
Among the sparse few Immortal experts in the boundless Star Sea, Xi Ze was the foundation and the pride of the Broken Hall!
Here, an unknown youth was casually speaking the Hall Master’s full name, doing so with such nonchalance, as if Xi Ze amounted to nothing. This felt like a profound insult to Wei Yun and Xing Shang—an insult to their entire Broken Hall!
Ban Yu of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild also wore a strange expression, his eyes filled with undisguised mockery.
Xi Ze, the Broken Hall Master, the most famous martial fanatic in the Star Sea, an Immortal cultivation, a figure who commanded half the world—even true powerhouses might never have the chance to meet him. This youth of unknown origin spoke such audacious words, his attitude clearly showing no respect for Xi Ze as a senior master.
So ignorant of the world’s height! Ban Yu mentally labeled Shi Yan.
“Is the name of our Broken Hall Master something you can shout so freely? Only the President of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild, the Sect Master of the Thousand Illusions Sect, or the Palace Mistress of the Heavenly Water Palace are qualified to address my Hall Master by his given name. You mere child have no right! Since you are so brazenly presumptuous, do not blame me for teaching your elders’ lesson to you!” Wei Yun sneered, moving to attack.
Xing Shang smirked. “Don’t kill him; just break his limbs. Going too far isn’t good.”
“Don’t fight on my merchant ship!” Ban Yu shouted when he saw the situation deteriorating rapidly.
“Then capture him and drag him outside,” Xing Shang, wary of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild, nodded to Wei Yun, signaling him to show the Guild respect and avoid unnecessary conflict.
The surrounding Giant Wave Guild martial artists showed surprise, glancing between the two Broken Hall experts and then at Shi Yan, finally looking to Ban Yu for instruction.
Ban Yu remained expressionless, tacitly permitting the Broken Hall to discipline Shi Yan. He felt Shi Yan was meddling unnecessarily by tearing the captive woman’s veil and showing disrespect to Xi Ze. He believed it was appropriate for Xing Shang and Wei Yun to administer a lesson so the youth would understand the harsh realities of the world.
He viewed Shi Yan as a junior novice, unaware of the dangers of the Star Sea and the fact that some powers should not be offended lightly.
“Teach me a lesson?” Shi Yan grinned, a chilling, icy light flickering in his eyes.
He turned his head, looking toward the illusory figures of Wei Yun and Xing Shang within the superimposed spatial layers beside him. He activated his Soul Altar, and his physical body seemed to ripple, instantly sweeping outwards.
In that instant, Wei Yun and Xing Shang within the overlapping spaces were as if violently injected with surging vitality. They gained a semblance of life, breaking free from the spatial barriers and emerging emotionlessly from the merged space, strangely lunging toward their real bodies—like demons manifesting from a mirror to slay the true form.
Wei Yun and Xing Shang froze, screaming in terror, their minds reeling. Having lingered in the Illusionary Domain for so long, they deeply understood its strange intricacies and knew the Thousand Illusions Sect could use phantoms to attack. Seeing their own illusions tearing through the void toward them, they instinctively suspected an intervention by the Thousand Illusions Sect.
As they watched in horror, Shi Yan narrowed his eyes. Five chains of starlight extended from his gaze, instantly locking onto Ouyang Luoshuang and pulling her directly into the room.
He then stepped out calmly, sneering, “Teach me a lesson? Forget you two—even Xi Ze is not qualified!”
……(To be continued)