"I implore you!" From the other side, it wasn't just Hei Luo, Tuolei, and Tuolie; every expert from Black Sky God Standard, save for the Four Great Elders, pleaded in unison.
As time crawled by, they could feel their vitality ebbing away, the shadow of death slowly enveloping them. An invisible hand had clamped firmly around their throats, leaving them gasping for air with every passing moment. Benyuan Zhi Du kept his head bowed, his eyes half-lidded as if dozing off. "Little fellow..." Gu Dan finally spoke, hesitating before saying, "They indeed deserve to die, but surely, we have a greater threat looming in the heavens, don't you think?" "Even if they live, it won't amount to much; they might as well die sooner," Benyuan Zhi Du muttered under his breath. Under the might of the Ghost Demon King, who could stand against him?
All the experts from the Meteor Sea Star Field combined would be annihilated in an instant, in Benyuan Zhi Du's eyes, whether they were saved or not made no difference. They were already doomed! "Let others play the villain; Hei Luo, Tuolei, and Tuolie were all driven to desperation," Gu Dan continued his persuasion.
"Hmm, I know they were cornered, which is why they didn't get poisoned! Let those who deserve death meet their end. If those three had spoken a single inappropriate word earlier, they would already be dead," Benyuan Zhi Du remained unmoved but glanced up at Gu Dan. "Old Grandfather, you are too soft-hearted. Villains should be punished!" "This..." Gu Dan paused, unsure how to press further.
Benyuan Zhi Du paid no mind to Hei Luo, Tuolei, and Tuolie from the opposing Meteor Sea Star Field. He seemed utterly determined to poison the entire group across from them, remaining impassive.
Not only that, but Benyuan Zhi Du quietly deployed another force, attempting to strike at those suspended in the sky from Tianlu, the Death Alliance, and the Demon Cave.
Though the Master of Tianlu, the Alliance Master of the Death Alliance, and the Lord of the Demon Cave possessed profound cultivation, their proficiency in this specific area was shallow. Benyuan Zhi Du, being a creature uniquely condensed from the myriad toxins between heaven and earth, had achieved a terrifying level of mastery in the art of poison. No one, except perhaps the Ghost Demon King, who was a being of the same strange nature, could detect his movements.
The Ghost Demon King, situated amidst the somber gray mist above, suddenly fixed his blank gaze upon him and stated, "If you make a move, I will instantly kill everyone beside you!"
Benyuan Zhi Du looked up, exchanging a glance with the Ghost Demon King. He then looked at Gu Dan and Shang Bingjie beside him, hesitated for a moment, and finally withdrew his toxins.
He was confident he could poison the masters of Tianlu, the Death Alliance, and the Demon Cave, but he knew it would be incredibly difficult to poison the Ghost Demon King. If he hadn't been discovered, it would have been fine, but now that the King had sensed him, proceeding willfully would likely result in no one around him surviving.
Before leaving with Ji Changkong, Ji Changkong had specifically instructed him to look after Gu Dan and Shang Bingjie. He could disregard the lives of others, but he had to be cautious regarding these two. Thus, he ultimately chose to stand down. Within the Vast Star Domain.
An iron ship sailed slowly. Ji Changkong, immersed in a state of cultivation, abruptly awoke from his wondrous trance. The pinpricks of starlight marking his acupuncture points instantly vanished, and he rose to his feet. Ding-Ling-Ling-Ling-Ling-Ling-Ling
A crisp series of sounds emanated from the circular disc before him. The disc spun of its own accord and pointed toward a peculiar, triangular symbol.
His expression immediately darkened. He reached out and pressed the symbol to sense it, letting out a cold snort as he murmured, "They are indeed fast."
This symbol indicated that this 'Dark Star' vessel had been targeted. It was originally a treasure of the Zack race. Although he had temporarily seized it, the Zack race must have placed some kind of tracking mechanism on the 'Dark Star.'
A 'Dark Star' vessel was priceless, and he had killed Shan Lu of the Zack race. It was only logical that the two who escaped would pursue him, following the signal from the 'Dark Star.' He simply hadn't expected them to arrive so quickly! Should he abandon the ship?
He began to hesitate. As long as the 'Dark Star' remained in his possession, it was equivalent to pointing the Zack race toward his location, and they would undoubtedly follow the signal. If he abandoned the 'Dark Star' and left alone, even with their immense power, they would hardly be able to find him in the boundless expanse of the star sea.
Yet, he felt a pang of reluctance. This 'Dark Star' vessel was exceptionally precious, and he now knew how to operate it. In the future, using the 'Dark Star,' he could not only traverse the star domains directly but even evacuate the entire contingent of masters from Xuanyuan Valley. The thought of this marvelous prospect made him want to take a gamble. Damn it, he would risk it! At worst, he could use the Vast Star Sea Chart to escape at any moment!
After carefully weighing the pros and cons, Ji Changkong finally made up his mind: he would temporarily keep the 'Dark Star' and see which formidable Zack experts were pursuing him.
If he could fight, he would fight! If all hope were lost, he would immediately activate the Vast Star Sea Chart and flee. With that escape route available, he wasn't overly concerned about his own safety—which is why he dared to gamble. Move. After some time, Ji Changkong, still inside the 'Dark Star,' traced the constantly turning disc. His expression shifted slightly, and his heart sank. He was truly astonished. He could feel it!
It was two 'Light Star' vessels—a higher tier of 'Traveler' than the 'Dark Star'! The Zack experts in pursuit must surely be more formidable than the two who had escaped!
At this moment, he was nearing the dead star, the one where Benyuan Zhi Du and his maternal grandfather were stationed. What should he do?
Ji Changkong found himself facing a dilemma once again. The pursuit behind him was clearly serious, undoubtedly comprising super-experts from the Zack race. He could either abandon the ship immediately or continue forward.
Abandoning the ship didn't guarantee safety, but continuing would certainly bring the threat directly to that dead star. This was vexing.
Suddenly, an unusually malevolent fluctuation emanated from the dead star. He sensed an intensely familiar, massive energy wave. Holding his breath, he focused his perception carefully. Ji Changkong looked stunned, murmuring, "It's him?"
His eyes shone brightly. A series of ideas flashed through his mind, and suddenly, he reaffirmed his decision, piloting the 'Dark Star' onward toward the dead star. Boom-boom-boom! Boom-boom-boom! Suddenly, a deafening, colossal roar echoed from the distant sea of stars. The people on the dead star visibly changed expression, all looking up into the cosmos.
The Ghost Demon King's vacant eyes suddenly blazed with a ferocious, bloodthirsty light, snapping toward the direction of the sound. A gigantic iron vessel, spewing serpentine flames from its entire hull, slowly navigated the vast ocean of stars, shoving aside the chaotic forces within the stellar currents. It approached with an immense aura of energy.
"Dark Star!" The Master of Tianlu's face changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm, "Leader, the Dark Star is a peculiar artifact crafted by the artisans of the Heavenly Craft race. Anyone possessing a Dark Star capable of traversing the star domains must belong to a higher race within the Endless Star Domain!"
Upon seeing the 'Dark Star' appear, the Master of Tianlu immediately linked it to the powerful races of the Endless Star Domain, causing him considerable panic.
"It is him!" the Ghost Demon King responded emotionlessly. He glanced down at Benyuan Zhi Du and declared, "He has returned. This time, I will consume both of you!" "Hmph!" Benyuan Zhi Du let out a cold snort. Boom-boom-boom!
Amidst the tremendous roar, the 'Dark Star' slowly approached and gradually descended onto the dead star from the sea of stars. Once the 'Dark Star' finally came to a halt, the fiery serpents spewing from its hull ceased entirely. Crack!
A dark, gaping maw split open on the 'Dark Star,' and Ji Changkong abruptly flew out. Standing atop the vessel, he merely glanced at the Ghost Demon King before his expression turned grim, and he shouted, "Ghost Demon King!" "Kong Kong, he has fused with the demonic creature that appeared on the Haijiu Continent; his body and soul are now approaching perfection!" Benyuan Zhi Du reminded him from below. "Oh!" Ji Changkong gasped, staring deeply at the Ghost Demon King for a moment before finally showing a look of genuine horror. It was true!
With just one look, at such close quarters, he perceived that the Ghost Demon King indeed carried another distinct aura—the energy signature of the demon born on the Haiwu Continent that he had slain. The fusion of two evil beings into a new Ghost Demon King meant he must be even more terrifying!
Taking a deep breath, Ji Changkong's expression remained unchanged. He even nodded slightly toward the Ghost Demon King and said calmly, "Congratulations on your latest breakthrough."
"It's all thanks to you!" The Ghost Demon King's wooden pupils suddenly sharpened with a fierce gleam. "I have waited for you for a long time. You have finally arrived; it was not in vain for all my meticulous planning! Today, I will devour both of you alive and utilize your life seeds to achieve true perfection!"
Benyuan Zhi Du was a novel species created by Wu Yi, and Ji Changkong's body contained the essence blood of the Four Holy Beasts. To the Ghost Demon King, the value of Ji Changkong and Benyuan Zhi Du was a hundred times greater than ordinary beings! This was precisely why he had been searching for them across the Vast Star Domain!
Two months prior, after fusing with the demon creature on Tianyun Continent, the Ghost Demon King had swept across the continent with absolute evil power, inflicting heavy losses on the supposedly invincible 'Tianlu,' ultimately leading even the Master of Tianlu to surrender.
The fused Ghost Demon King had reached a terrifying level of evil power, and his intellect had also evolved again, making him not only wicked but possessing supreme wisdom.
Only a month later, with the assistance of the Master of Tianlu, the Ghost Demon King had successively subdued the Death Alliance and the Demon Cave, gaining control over the three most powerful evil factions in the Solar Star Domain.
From that time, the Ghost Demon King had been preparing to return to the Five Elements Continent. Having fused with the demon creature, the Ghost Demon King no longer feared the chaotic forces within the Vast Star Domain.
However, just as he was preparing to venture to the Five Elements Continent alone, the spies of the Master of Tianlu detected Ji Changkong's traces in the vast sea of stars of the Solar Star Domain. The Master of Tianlu immediately analyzed the various intelligence reports and then gathered news from elsewhere, learning that experts from the Shang family and Feihua had gone to the border region between the Meteor Sea Star Domain and the Solar Star Domain.
The Master of Tianlu combined this intelligence, confirming that Ji Changkong would go there. He informed the Ghost Demon King, who immediately gathered the demonic forces and headed toward this location.
After investing so much effort, what the Ghost Demon King desired was everything belonging to Ji Changkong and Benyuan Zhi Du!
"Devour us alive?" Ji Changkong sounded surprised, then offered a slight smile, looking up toward the distant star sea. "We can discuss that matter later. For now, let's prepare for battle."
"Prepare for battle?" The Master of Tianlu's face changed. He stared at the 'Dark Star' for a moment, then barked, "Where did you get this Dark Star? Did you... did you seize it from another high-tier race?"
"Heh heh, as expected of the Master of 'Tianlu,' you guessed correctly," Ji Changkong smiled and nodded. "Yes, this 'Dark Star' was indeed taken from the Zack race. Furthermore, I have two 'Light Stars' following me; I imagine those Zack experts will arrive soon." "Damn it!" The Master of Tianlu cursed loudly. Boom-boom! Boom-boom-boom!
A deafening roar resonated from the distance. Two dark gold behemoths were tearing through streaks of starlight, flying rapidly. Each ship was hundreds of meters long, resembling massive asteroids etched with intricate, mystical patterns.
Brilliant beams of light flared across those strange markings. The very front of the great ships was covered in circular apertures of varying sizes, from which emanated an eerie, chilling light. Whoosh-whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!
Suddenly, beams of intense light shot out from those apertures—brilliant, searing rays that charged straight toward the dead star.
The Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars from Tianlu, the Death Alliance, and the Demon Cave floating above the dead star were the first to be struck. Upon being hit by the intense light, their souls were instantly scattered.
The experts from the Solar Star Domain and the Meteor Sea Star Domain, witnessing the proud masters of Tianlu, the Death Alliance, and the Demon Cave being annihilated by the fierce light, panicked and scattered in every direction to evade. Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!
The powerful light bombarded the dead star. Where the light struck the rock-hard surface, deep, bottomless chasms suddenly appeared, stretching into unknown depths.
In an instant, the Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars, both above and on the ground, fled in disarray. Under the relentless barrage of brilliant light, shrieks of despair filled the air.
At this moment, the forces of the Solar Star Domain, the Meteor Sea Star Domain, and the Ghost Demon King temporarily ceased their standoff, focusing only on preserving their own lives.
The 'Light Star' was a higher tier of 'Traveler' than the 'Dark Star.' The 'Light Star' could not only navigate the Vast Star Domain but also possessed terrifying offensive capabilities, truly excelling in both attack and defense.
Under the intense beams of the 'Light Star,' the spiritual souls of the Nine Palaces Heavenly Scholars exploded, their marks of life erased.
The Ghost Demon King, caught in the onslaught, was struck by hundreds of beams of intense light, his body riddled with holes. Yet, in the next instant, he recovered completely. "Courting death!"
The Ghost Demon King roared, enraged by the sudden attack. He charged alone toward the 'Light Stars,' sending torrents of dark energy surging through the Vast Star Domain like a black ocean sweeping toward the vessels!