The Nenjiang was a Star Destroyer. No wonder its travel speed through hyperspace was so agonizingly slow, taking an eternity. Gu Xiechen had barely managed a round trip to the lair of Mochaolonggen before it arrived.

The entirety of the Star Destroyer’s hull was pitch black, its shape an exact replica of the massive head dominating the center of Mochaolonggen—a colossal dragon head. But the sheer scale of this head was staggering; the former Earth was less than a third of its size. Countless scales covered the enormous skull. Each scale spanned more than ten meters square. The scales were riddled with protuberances resembling toad skin, dotted with rows of vicious, razor-sharp barbs pointing backward.

, Wan

When the Star Destroyer burst out of subspace, the resulting energy storm swept across nearly half the Heaven Star Domain. The fiery waves stirred up by the ongoing Doomsday Judgments were instantly torn to shreds by the surge of pale blue energy. Hundreds of fire-plasma bubbles, large and small, slammed into the Star Destroyer, managing only to kick up sparks—they failed to inflict even the slightest damage.

Gu Xiechen’s divine sense instantly enveloped the entire Star Destroyer. What a jumble of auras! Flying swords, daggers, various treasure pearls, long banners, great flags—the spiritual lights and illusory shadows of every conceivable artifact flickered across the destroyer’s surface. These spiritual phantoms had lost their sentience; they retained only the faintest traces. Only someone with Gu Xiechen’s unique ocular power could perceive these fleeting streams of light, vanishing like sparks from flint and steel.

All these spiritual phantoms were bound together by a thick, corrosive black light, forged into a single, unified mass.

Without needing further thought, Gu Xiechen understood the origin of this Star Destroyer. Mochaolonggen must have devoured an untold number of ancient artifacts. It absorbed the spiritual energy and sentience from those treasures to replenish its own energy consumption, but it reforged the physical bodies of those artifacts into a single unit, which then constituted the Star Destroyer.

The space where Mochaolonggen was trapped was one of the primary battlegrounds during the fierce conflict between the numerous Deities of the Ancient Heavenly Court and the Primordial Sages of the New Universe. Countless immortals and foreign deities had perished. The treasures collected by the Elder Council were likewise innumerable. The vast majority of those treasures became fodder for Mochaolonggen, their physical forms recast into the Star Destroyer.

It was evident that Mochaolonggen had utilized its innate True Fire to forge this terrifying warship, which explained why the Star Destroyer’s hull was so utterly impenetrable. Even a small-yield Doomsday Judgment bombardment merely caused a dazzling flash on the hull, leaving no mark whatsoever once the light subsided. This was the very same Doomsday Judgment that had just annihilated an entire allied fleet of the Star Alliance, yet it could not scratch the Star Destroyer.

Gu Xiechen snatched out a communicator and, at maximum speed, issued a command: retreat. Evacuate Heaven Star and flee toward the Thirteen Consecutive Star Domain with all possible haste.

The armies stationed on Heaven Star were already prepared. Upon receiving Gu Xiechen’s order, all soldiers immediately boarded their vessels at top speed, abandoning massive amounts of heavy equipment. They evacuated Heaven Star as fast as they could. Those left behind to face the allied Star Alliance forces on Heaven Star were the most elite soldiers of the Earth Federation and the Yafik Empire; their efficiency was remarkable. In less than five minutes, even before the Star Destroyer had fully reoriented from its subspace cruise, tens of thousands of transport vessels of varying sizes lifted off from Heaven Star, scattering in all directions in a seemingly chaotic manner.

Witnessing this, Gu Xiechen smiled lightly. He gazed toward the distant Star Destroyer, raised the silver sword in his hand, and swept it through the air.

The ten-thousand-meter-long Sage Seed Qi consumed a full minute before finally striking the surface of the Star Destroyer. However, this strike, launched with all the Holy Power concentrated in Gu Xiechen’s body, only elicited a blinding flash across the destroyer’s hull. When the light faded, the surface of the Star Destroyer remained smooth as a mirror, without even the slightest trace of abrasion.

“This damn thing!” Gu Xiechen muttered a curse.

“What in the blazes is that!” Peng Hua, Banruo, Mo He, and others rushed over, leaving trails of light. Aside from Siren and Aredia, who could not show themselves, and Jiaomei’er, whose own body clashed violently with Holy Light making it impossible to disguise herself as a believer, the strongest combatants near Gu Xiechen had arrived.

The Star Destroyer seemed utterly uninterested in Gu Xiechen. It simply focused its draconic maw directly onto the star at the heart of the Heaven Star Domain. After about thirty seconds, a seemingly slender beam of black light suddenly shot out from the dragon’s mouth, instantly piercing the star’s body.

The luminosity in the void suddenly intensified several tens of times. A colossal pit, tens of thousands of kilometers in diameter, collapsed on the surface of the star. Within that pit, the fleeting silhouettes of several hundred thousand angels were briefly visible before they vanished without a trace in the black light.

A massive contingent of angels erupted from the surface of Heaven Star. The thirty thousand Seraphim dispatched by Hatanglongyin to protect Heaven Star flew upward expressionlessly, beating their wings toward the Star Destroyer.

From the facing deck of the Star Destroyer, tens of thousands of black crystal spikes suddenly extended. These columns ranged from about a thousand meters long to no less than several hundred meters high. Wisps of black light coiled and writhed around the spikes. In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of extremely fine black beams tore through the void, lancing out toward the approaching Seraphim.

The void shuddered slightly. All the Seraphim simultaneously raised the longswords in their hands and spat forth a beam of white light. The thirty thousand white beams converged, forming a protective curtain several meters thick that enveloped the entire host. The tens of thousands of black beams struck the curtain, scattering like countless hailstones on water. Numerous blinding flares, mixed black and white, erupted instantly. The curtain vibrated violently, its thickness rapidly eroding as the energy sustaining it depleted at an alarming rate.

The black light emanating from the Star Destroyer was relentless, raining down in continuous streams. By Gu Xiechen’s estimation, the destructive power of each black ray was roughly equivalent to the full-power strike of a peak Void Realm cultivator. Among these thirty thousand Seraphim, only a few dozen possessed Void Realm cultivation. The fact that the light screen could persist for more than ten seconds under the bombardment proved the overall quality of the Seraphim Legion was exceptionally formidable.

However, the gap in absolute strength was undeniable. When the white light curtain held out until the thirteenth second, it disintegrated entirely, dissipating into countless white light motes. Tens of thousands of black beams pierced through tens of thousands of Seraphim, punching through their bodies to create transparent holes the size of washbasins. The bodies of the Seraphim paused in the void for a few seconds before disintegrating, releasing a chaotic flurry of white feathers drifting in the air, looking like the aftermath of a heavy artillery shell hitting a chicken coop.

The black light struck again and again, waves of it ceaselessly assaulting the Seraphim. These angels, however, seemed to have lost a crucial part of their intellect; they stupidly flew straight toward the fatal black beams... After flying less than a hundred kilometers, the entire host of thirty thousand Seraphim was wiped out. The void was littered with the remnants of their disintegration—white light clusters and feathers—a truly horrific scene.

Gu Xiechen felt his limbs grow numb. The weakest of these Seraphim possessed Nascent Soul level cultivation. Thirty thousand Seraphim of Nascent Soul level and above were slaughtered in mere seconds. The power of this Star Destroyer was simply too overwhelming. Even the combined might of the Earth Federation and the Yafik Empire now stood no chance against this monstrosity.

But thank the Heavens for the Angels!

Gu Xiechen suddenly made the sign of the cross over his chest with profound sincerity. He raised his silver sword and cried out to the heavens, "O Lord, have mercy on us!"

Shouting the battle cry, Gu Xiechen led Peng Hua, Banruo, and Mo He, transforming into four streaks of light rushing toward the Star Destroyer. Their gazes were utterly resolute, their expressions solemn, radiating the peculiar brilliance of martyred saints. Their speed of approach—one had to admit—was at least ten times slower than their usual escape velocity. It was comparable to a great Roc descending to the ground, waddling awkwardly as if racing a snail.

, but

A violent wave of Holy Light surged upward from the surface of Heaven Star. Hatanglongyin, standing a thousand meters tall with two silver wings erupting boundless silver flames, burst forth in near madness, wielding a golden mace resembling a wolf’s tooth club, charging toward the Star Destroyer.

Hatanglongyin was not flying; he was teleporting. A single beat of his silver wings instantly traversed several light-seconds of space. In the blink of an eye, he crossed the vast void and appeared before the Star Destroyer.

With a roar, Hatanglongyin poured all his strength into a vicious blow, slamming it directly onto the dragon’s mouth facing him on the Star Destroyer.

Like a mountain range collapsing, the golden mace pulverized the void, trailing thin black spatial rifts as it descended. A bright flash illuminated the area. Even Gu Xiechen and the others, tens of thousands of miles away, clearly felt the subtle tremor in the void. Hatanglongyin was thrown backward, his hands still clutching the weapon, which was embedded in one of the crystal spikes extending from the Star Destroyer’s maw. The thousand-meter crystal spike had largely shattered, the mace buried deep within it, continuously pulsing with golden flames.

Another beam of black light shot out from the Star Destroyer’s maw. Hatanglongyin, flung back by the recoil, had no time to evade. The black light grazed past both his thighs. A puff of white smoke erupted; both of his legs were severed cleanly at the hip. His lower body was instantly dissolved by the black light, leaving behind a surface as smooth as glass, shrouded in a layer of black mist—a highly corrosive vapor that was constantly devouring his flesh.

With a pained howl, Hatanglongyin flapped his double wings and shot toward Gu Xiechen and the others in a stream of light. He swept his massive hand, gathering the four of them into his palm, then beat his wings with desperate effort, fleeing rapidly. His speed was terrifying; with a single spread of his wings, he instantly traversed thousands of light-seconds. In the time it took to draw a breath, he vanished without a trace.

Millions of angels surged chaotically from the star. Led by twelve Archangels, they formed a dense formation and charged toward the Star Destroyer. Ahead of this charging host marched three hundred and sixty handsome men and beautiful women, wearing tall triangular hats and flowing white robes. They raised long horns and blew a high, stirring fanfare. Stimulated by the battle horns, intense Holy Light rose from the angels. The combined radiance of millions of angels merged into one, resembling a star made entirely of flame, hurtling toward the Star Destroyer.

The pitch-black Star Destroyer remained utterly still. The terrifying dragon head faced the charging angelic army. Slowly, the dragon’s mouth on the Star Destroyer began to open, widening gradually until it revealed hundreds of thousands of densely packed, needle-sharp, triangular teeth. These teeth appeared to be made of a material distinctly different from the one forming the main body of the Star Destroyer; they looked like true dragon fangs, not the byproduct of melted artifacts. These black-purple fangs were naturally etched with countless intricate demonic runes, possessing an unsettling, strange beauty.

Hatanglongyin, who had spirited away Gu Xiechen and the others at top speed, circled widely in the void, stealthily shrinking his form before returning with the group near Heaven Star. From a distance, they watched the charging angelic army and the gaping maw of the Star Destroyer. Hatanglongyin’s severed legs had regenerated, and the new limbs seemed to have no adverse effect on him. Gu Xiechen only sensed that Hatanglongyin had expended a small amount of power, which was rapidly being replenished by the continuous influx of faith energy.

“That thing has incredibly powerful energy shielding, so strong that even I could not breach its defense,” Hatanglongyin murmured, gazing at the Star Destroyer. “But when it attacks, its energy consumption is rapid—extremely fast. I have a premonition that it will exhaust that energy reserve soon.”

Gu Xiechen glanced at Hatanglongyin in shock and anxiously asked, “Then, aren't those Lords in danger?”

Hatanglongyin’s lips twitched slightly, and he let out a low, cold laugh. “And so what if they are?”

Turning to look at Gu Xiechen, Hatanglongyin stated flatly, “Your piety is unquestionable, but your devotion belongs only to me. Swear fealty to me, and that is enough.”

Seeming to sense a lingering hint of doubt in Gu Xiechen, Hatanglongyin proceeded to explain some internal matters concerning the Angel race.

Although the Angels shared a common Progenitor, they were divided into different factions based on their origins. The two largest factions were the opposing groups of Battle Angels and Missionary Angels. Seraphim belonged to the Battle Angels, while Archangels belonged to the Missionaries. Missionary Angels were responsible for spreading doctrine and vying for faith; Battle Angels were tasked with fighting, conquering, and utterly eradicating all existence that opposed the Angelic faith.

The problem was that when Missionary Angels secured desirable territories rich in faith, the lands they allotted to the Battle Angels were invariably the most barren.

Hatanglongyin subtly dropped a few hints to Gu Xiechen, who immediately understood: it was a struggle for profit. This was a competition between two major interest groups within the Angel race, and it had nothing to do with him, nor did he care about such matters. Thus, Gu Xiechen could only sigh wistfully while looking at the vast expanse of white light and feathers in the distance. “What a shame about your thirty thousand subordinates. Moreover, among those Lords still charging, there must be some of yours, too?”

The thirty thousand Seraphim stationed on Heaven Star were dead. Of the millions of angels currently charging, at least half were under Hatanglongyin’s command… Gu Xiechen feigned concern for Hatanglongyin, expressing worry and apprehension for the Seraphim.

Hatanglongyin pursed his lips in a strange smile and suddenly began to laugh deeply. “Oh, all the warriors of the Seraphim Legion are combat puppets we manufactured. Their demise merely consumes some materials and faith energy. But the twelve Archangel Legions they lead—all their warriors are their direct descendants and devout believers.”

Accompanied by a whoop that sounded like a wolf stumbling upon a plump hen, Hatanglongyin leaked a little more internal Angelic lore to Gu Xiechen.

For Battle Angels like Hatanglongyin, who constantly engaged in fierce battles and campaigns into the territories of heretics, their legions suffered extremely high casualty rates. Therefore, the legions led by the War Angels of the Angel race were all handcrafted puppets manufactured by the Creation Angels. The Angel race would feel no pain in consuming vast resources to create such puppets.

Conversely, the angelic legions led by the Missionary Angels, due to their need to spread doctrine, consisted entirely of true Angels—specifically, the direct descendants and offspring of these very Archangels. Hatanglongyin wouldn't even blink if he lost a hundred million puppets, but if the Archangels lost one legion, it would truly cripple them financially.

“I see now,” Gu Xiechen said with a knowing smile. “Then, how many direct descendants does Lord Hatanglongyin have?”

Hatanglongyin, who had been grinning broadly, suddenly dropped his cheerful expression. He snorted coldly a few times, and after a long pause, said grimly, “War Angels do not waste precious energy on such pointless matters. We focus all our primordial power on tempering our own bodies. Why would we bother creating so many descendants?”

Gu Xiechen regarded Hatanglongyin with a strange look. Feeling somewhat awkward, and perhaps due to his growing affinity for Gu Xiechen, Hatanglongyin vaguely disclosed a few more secrets of the Angel race.

The Angelic kin were all nurtured in various celestial bodies through the painstaking efforts of their Progenitor, who sowed seeds and cultivated them across the vastness of the cosmos. Due to differences in the celestial bodies where they were gestated, even though they were all Angels, they were divided into Missionary Angels born from stars, Creation Angels born from nebulae, War Angels born from collapsed stellar bodies like neutron stars and white dwarfs, and even, legend had it, Destruction Angels gestated within black holes.

Stellar energy is volatile and manifests outwardly. Thus, Missionary Angels easily achieved energy exchange to bear offspring.

Nebulae are the nurseries of stars; Creation Angels do not require energy exchange with kin to gestate new Angels.

The matrices for War Angels are stellar remnants like neutron stars and white dwarfs; their energy essence is heavy and condensed. Unless they advance to the Seraphim realm, they do not have offspring.

As for the Destruction Angels? Legend holds they devour everything. They cannot possibly have offspring; any progeny would be consumed within their own bodies before they could even be fully gestated.

These differences in energy attributes caused significant variations in the Angels’ appearances. Missionary Angels favored opulence, grandeur, and solemnity, as this better appealed to and charmed believers, leading them to submit more readily to the Angelic race. Consequently, Missionary Angels often sported six or eight wings on their backs, and some of their newly born descendants even possessed twelve wings, yet possessed pathetically low actual combat prowess.

Pure combat Angels like the Seraphim valued practicality. They possessed only a single pair of wings to signify their status, seeing no need for excessive embellishment on their backs. In Hatanglongyin’s words, a single pair of wings offers immense auxiliary benefit in combat, but twelve pairs? One would have to worry about which wing to flap first during a fight—wasn't that inviting trouble?

As for Creation Angels and Destruction Angels, Creation Angels are said to be closer to the Angelic Progenitor. They possess no wings on their backs. Hatanglongyin had never seen a Destruction Angel, so he did not know what they looked like.

After hearing these classified secrets revealed by Hatanglongyin in rapid succession, Gu Xiechen and the others felt their eyes light up. Their understanding of the Angel race had deepened considerably. It explained why Morofi and Hammer, whose strength was clearly mediocre, possessed twelve wings, while Hatanglongyin, whose power faintly approached that of a Golden Immortal, possessed only a single pair of silver wings.

After a lengthy diversion, the charging angelic army had closed the distance to within ten thousand kilometers of the vibrating Star Destroyer. From Gu Xiechen’s distant vantage point, it looked as though the Star Destroyer had opened its giant mouth, poised to swallow the massive angelic host whole. The formation of millions of angels perfectly filled the gaping maw—it looked, by all appearances, like the angels were willingly walking into a trap designed for their demise.

Under the cold gaze of Gu Xiechen, the gleeful scrutiny of Peng Hua and Mo He, the detached indifference of Banruo, and the excited anticipation of Hatanglongyin, a beam of black light nearly ten thousand kilometers thick suddenly erupted from the wide-open dragon mouth of the Star Destroyer.

The entire angelic host was engulfed within the black beam. The beam remained continuous for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Countless tiny specks of white light drifted out from within the black column, followed by a slow drift of scattered, fragmented white feathers, trailing tattered white halos, emerging from the light pillar.

When the black beam finally dissipated, the massive angelic army was completely gone. All that remained floating silently in the void were twelve faintly glowing, strangely shaped weapons: a longsword, a spear, a large shield, a scepter, and so forth. Golden light still circulated on these artifacts, but they seemed soulless, suspended motionlessly in the vacuum.

Hatanglongyin drew a sharp breath, then fixed a savage grin on the Star Destroyer in the distance. “Deploy… Destroy or capture this warship. Those Creation Angels will take a keen interest in this thing!”

With a sharp command, Hatanlongyin’s form materialized instantly beside the golden cudgel embedded in the Destroyer Starship’s maw. Gu Xichen’s eyes narrowed. The depths of this Hatanlongyin’s scheming were profound! His divine sense clearly perceived that Hatanlongyin had utilized that golden cudgel to establish a spatial coordinate, allowing him to instantly teleport directly to that spot. He had been preparing for this exact assault since his previous strike. (To be continued)

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, Wan Bibi Bei