Xing Ming hung his head, bowing repeatedly, tossing out the matching key for the Primordial Spirit Lock. He cupped his hands towards Shi Yan with sincere deference, "I truly did not know this lady was yours. Please forgive my ignorance, Honored Lord. My cousin was mistaken in this matter, and we will give you an explanation."

He glanced at Xing Shang, deliberated for a moment, and said, "Sever one of your own arms."

Xing Shang's face turned ashen, his lips trembling, tears threatening to fall but unable to escape.

Xing Ming’s gaze turned cold, and he gave a subtle look. Xing Shang’s spirit quivered; gritting his teeth, he drew a sharp blade and directly severed his left arm, his whole body convulsing in agony.

"Are you satisfied, Honored Lord?" Xing Ming (ShuShu5.com for the fastest updates) looked towards Shi Yan.

Everyone turned their eyes to Shi Yan.

Ban Yu, Hao Feng, Xing Ying, and the others all looked slightly pale. Xing Shang’s act of self-mutilation felt as if a sharp blade had been driven into their own bodies. For some unknown reason, their hearts tightened, and they felt a stinging pain.

"Wait a moment, I need to clarify things," Shi Yan’s expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't noticed Xing Shang severing his arm at all. He took the key and, following the method Ban Yu had previously described, proceeded to unlock the Primordial Spirit Lock.

The Primordial Spirit Lock had a groove serving as the keyhole. As soon as the key entered, it activated a faint trace of divine power. With a crisp "click," the lock suddenly sprang open. The fragmented soul of Ouyang Luoshuang, tethered inside the lock, shot out like an invisible spirit snake, instantly melding into Ouyang Luoshuang's mind, becoming seamlessly integrated with her main soul. All restrictive forces upon her divine body were simultaneously lifted.

Once unbound, Ouyang Luoshuang first shot Shi Yan a hateful glare. Then, she remained standing close to him, her demeanor affectionate.

She understood that her freedom, and the deference shown by Xi Ze leading to Xing Shang's severed arm, all stemmed from one sentence uttered by Shi Yan: She is my woman...

To maintain all of this, to regain a life of freedom, she needed to continue the performance.

Therefore, she could only press herself tightly against Shi Yan’s body, a look of bashful affection blooming on her exquisite face. Though inwardly furious that Shi Yan was taking advantage to be intimate, she had no choice but to follow his lead.

"Shuang'er, what do you think?" Shi Yan asked gently.

The moment he spoke, he distinctly felt Ouyang Luoshuang’s posture stiffen where she leaned against him. He chuckled inwardly, yet maintained a serious expression, his tone remaining tender, "Shuang'er, if that is not enough, I can order another arm severed..."

He glanced toward Xing Shang.

Xing Shang felt an icy chill permeate his entire body, his meridians trembling uncontrollably.

Ouyang Luoshuang looked from Xing Shang to Xing Ming, her eyes turning coldly distant. She said lightly, "Do not interfere further with the remaining matters. As long as I can move freely, I can contact my Master. Afterward... he will handle things for me."

Shi Yan paused, momentarily stunned.

The people from Xi Ze also showed a flicker of surprise, then broke into relaxed smiles, apparently unconcerned by Ouyang Luoshuang's words.

"Honored Lord, please proceed to Illusory Star," Ling Xiang said with a slight smile, seeing the situation resolved. He nodded to the Primeval God who had delivered the message and stated, "Hao Feng is not suited for the position of Illusory Butterfly Captain. Please inform his elders."

The man nodded and respectfully accepted the instruction.

In the distance, Hao Feng's face was ashen, his eyes filled with despair and helplessness. He knew that Ling Xiang’s words were tantamount to a death sentence for his career; he would never rise within the Thousand Illusions Sect again.

He gazed at Shi Yan’s retreating back from afar, his heart overflowing with pain and regret. He knew that for the rest of his life, he likely wouldn't have a chance to seek revenge against Shi Yan—a figure who commanded such respect that their own Sect Master personally came to greet him. He and his family could only look up to such power; any rash move would result in his entire family being expelled from the Thousand Illusions Sect. He could only swallow this bitter pill and choose to forget the matter forever.

In stark contrast to him, Xing Ying's eyes shone, filled with utter infatuation. She gazed deeply at Shi Yan’s back, her heart brimming with amorous longing.

In her eyes, the cool and majestic Shi Yan was undoubtedly the most perfect man in the world. To have even a single night with such a man would be worth dying for.

As for Hao Feng, with whom she had shared pleasure just yesterday, she had completely cast him aside. She didn't even spare a glance for his misery and despair, feeling no desire to offer a single word of comfort. She turned and sashayed away, heading towards her father, Xing Ming, without looking back once.

To her, Hao Feng was already a thing of the past.

"I also learned from the President of the Giant Wave Merchant Guild that you would be coming, which is why Xi Ze and Luolin have been waiting here for you. However, since we weren't sure of your arrival time, we couldn't prepare a proper reception. I deeply apologize for the minor complication midway..."

Ling Xiang led the way with a light, casual smile, offering polite apologies intermittently.

Xi Ze, Luolin, and Layna accompanied them. The group crossed the outer light ring of Illusory Star and descended directly onto the planet itself.

Xing Ming, Gu Lian, Ban Yu, and the others followed behind, not departing immediately.

"Ban Yu, your journey has been arduous; please rest here on Illusory Star. I will send someone to arrange provisions from the merchant vessel. You should join us." Gu Lian of the Thousand Illusions Sect, having received a subtle cue from Ling Xiang, took the initiative to invite them.

Ban Yu was intensely curious about Shi Yan's identity, and Gu Lian’s words perfectly matched his intentions. He readily agreed, calling out, "Then we shall impose upon you. All the items you ordered are on the merchant vessel; please receive your goods according to the usual arrangements."

"Very well, I will arrange it," Gu Lian replied with a smile, leading Ban Yu and several high-level martial artists from the Merchant Guild, following Ling Xiang, Shi Yan, and Ouyang Luoshuang towards Illusory Star.

Hao Feng walked with his head down, saying nothing, as he quietly departed on the Illusory Butterfly, his silhouette lonely and desolate.

Xing Ying paid no attention to his departure. She offered a perfunctory remark to Xing Shang, "Uncle, you can’t blame my father for this. His Highness gave the order; my father couldn't do anything about it."

"You rest well. It’s only one arm. Once things settle down, I guarantee I will restore you to your original state. I recognize your service in this matter and will treat you well," Xing Ming remained behind specifically to soothe Xing Shang, speaking earnestly and promising recovery to prevent demoralizing his subordinates.

He knew he lacked the formidable martial power of Xi Ze. He was self-aware enough to understand that maintaining his stable position within the Fragmented Hall depended on having a strong core of subordinates. His current standing in the Fragmented Hall was largely due to his aptitude for winning people over.

"I just want to know, who exactly is he?" Xing Shang asked, his severed arm having stopped bleeding but still twitching, his face pale.

At his words, Xing Ying, Wei Yun, and the other Fragmented Hall martial artists all focused their attention, looking towards Xing Ming with shared curiosity.

This was the mystery that plagued all of them.

Who exactly is Shi Yan?

"The new Lord of Bloodthirst, the one who obtained the Origin Fruit this time. If nothing unforeseen happens, this person will be the true overlord of the Star Sea for the next ten thousand years," Xing Ming sighed softly, then comforted Xing Shang, "We accept this loss. But since he is no longer pursuing the matter, you will be fine. Furthermore, he has only just ascended to the position of Honored Lord; the Hall Masters naturally show deference. If he manages to survive and inherit the power of that predecessor, he truly will strike fear into everyone in the future."

Xing Ying, Xing Shang, Wei Yun, and the others were utterly horrified, their complexions shifting rapidly between shades of fear and shock.

"So it was him. No wonder..." Xing Shang said bitterly.

The Bloodthirst faction, a power that once stood even above the God Race, was known in every corner of the world. The notion that the Bloodthirst lineage would rise again to command the heavens after ten thousand years had begun circulating throughout the Star River since Shi Yan acquired the Origin Fruit.

All powers in the Star Sea believed that only the Bloodthirst lineage in the Vast Star Sea could rival the God Race, capable of replacing them to become the protagonist for the ensuing millennia.

They had the misfortune of provoking the future overlord of the Star River; how could they possibly expect to gain an advantage?

Xing Shang and Wei Yun could only accept their misfortune.

However, starlight flickered within Xing Ying’s pupils. To her, Shi Yan’s already astonishing charisma had been magnified exponentially by this revelation of his identity.

She was determined to seize every opportunity to hold onto a man like this! She must not let him slip away!

She secretly made her resolve.

Outside the perimeter of the Phantom Domain.

A chaotic area composed of six meteorites possessed an extremely peculiar force field, resembling six rivers converging at a single point.

A luminous, pure Moon Crystal Core traveled from the far distance, descending like a falling moon, heading toward the six meteorites.

Upon the crystal core sat a man with a languid expression, sipping fragrant wine and eating crystalline fruit, slowly descending. His eyes were slender, his facial contours soft like a woman’s, and his temperament gentle and watery—quite peculiar.

The man wore wide, flowing robes everywhere, the cuffs appearing excessively broad, seemingly concealing infinite marvels.

The Moon Crystal Core beneath him was the essence of the bright moon, refined by him recently from a lunar star; it was intended for his disciple's cultivation.

This area was the meeting place he had agreed upon with his disciple. After landing, the languor on his face gradually receded, replaced by a sacred light in his eyes that illuminated the surroundings. It was as if he were meticulously replaying the scenes from several months prior in his Sea of Consciousness. He silently observed the space beside him, his expression gradually turning grim. After a long pause, he let out a cold snort: "People from the Fragmented Hall—they dare to hold my disciple hostage? They truly do not know the immensity of heaven and earth."

With those words, he lightly tapped the Moon Crystal Core. Instantly, billions of moonbeams shot out like silver needles, incredibly sharp.

Crack, crack, crack, crack!

In the blink of an eye, the six massive meteorites shattered. Fragments erupted like cannonballs, surging into the Phantom Domain and creating a fierce storm that ravaged the vicinity.

Many Thousand Illusions Sect martial artists active within the domain suffered greatly, being tossed about by the residual force of his wrath. Many Void God realm experts died tragically.

Thus, a storm erupted in the Phantom Domain, starting from the outer edge and slowly sweeping inward, directly rushing towards Illusory Star before finally being blocked by the concentric light rings surrounding the planet.

The man, riding the Moon Crystal Core, charged ruthlessly, slaying many Phantom Beasts in his path with single strikes, relentlessly piercing through everything as he sped toward the main star of the Thousand Illusions Sect.

Within the Forbidden Land's Sea of Blood.

On the Island of Corpse Power, a wisp of Ming Hao’s soul suddenly manifested and entered Frielit’s sleeping quarters.

Frielit and Xuan He were discussing important matters. Seeing his spectral form descend, both wore expressions of displeasure.

Ming Hao’s soul drifted, speaking with gravity, "The situation has changed. I have received intelligence that Xiaoyao has gone to Illusory Star."

At these words, Xuan He and Frielit’s expressions shifted dramatically, and they sprang to their feet.

The name Xiaoyao was one Xuan He and Frielit understood deeply. Upon hearing that he had gone to Illusory Star, their faces instantly changed, and they began preparations to rearrange their plans.

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