The pitch-black night had silently receded, and the first sliver of dawn stretched down, bathing his ** bare body.

The sunlight seemed like liquid, lingering upon him, a minuscule infusion of solar energy strangely permeating his body, drilling down into his heart.

Looking up calmly at the rising sun, Shi Yan’s mind was placid, utterly tranquil.

The essence qi from Chen Duo, Dongfang He, and others, transformed by the mysterious Martial Soul, became wisps of wondrous, alien power. Most of it merged with his own vital essence, surging into his two arms, completing the mutation of his right hand and turning his left hand a dark purplish-red, heavy beyond measure.

A small portion of the alien power seeped into the Star Martial Soul, making it even more magical and endowing it with the ability to absorb solar energy.

Gazing at the morning light, Shi Yan’s spirit drifted, recalling his ordeal on the Abyss Battlefield.

In that bizarre desert, he had gained the might of the Sun Essence, and even the mysterious greatsword within his Blood Rune Ring originated from that same Sun Essence.

That upheaval had actually changed his Star Martial Soul. After returning from the Abyss Battlefield to the Endless Sea, every time he stood under the midday sun, he would feel that strange sensation of his Star Martial Soul being able to absorb sunlight.

But the feeling was never distinct, often making him suspect it was a mere illusion. Today, however… it was different.

The sunlight struck his ** upper body. Within the scorching rays, the faint solar power seeped in, piercing one by one into his heart, gradually heating it up. This sensation was too clear, definitely not an illusion.

He simply gazed upward at the sun, settling his mind to deeply comprehend the sensation…

After a long while, he could finally confirm it: following this infusion of mysterious alien power into his Star Martial Soul, it could now begin to absorb the very essence of the sun, in addition to the power of the stars.

Of course, his current ability to absorb sunlight was vastly inferior to Tang Yuannan’s, perhaps even weaker than most core disciples of the Three God Sect who possessed solar absorption capabilities.

He was aware of this, yet he still found it miraculous, utterly incredible.

Because, within the Three God Sect, there had seemingly never been a Martial Soul capable of absorbing both starlight and solar energy!

—It was unheard of.

He stood up silently, attempting to swing his left arm, feeling the terrifying energy coiled within the muscles of that limb, his eyes growing brighter.

The physical mutation had already spread to both arms. As long as he continued to kill his way forward, he believed it wouldn't take long for the transformation to encompass his entire body. By then, every muscle in his body would be brimming with explosive power; he believed he would be even stronger then!

The ancient essence tree in the strange space within the vortex in his lower abdomen vanished once more. However, as he rose, the vortex—formed by the fusion of the Profound Ice Cold Flame, the Holy Spirit God, and the Earth Core Fire—began to churn again, unleashing a flood of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy which the vortex converted, creating new vital essence that replenished the strange space.

That strange space was the fundamental source of a martial artist’s power.

Shi Yan understood that the overflowing spiritual energy was due to the presence of the Holy Spirit God.

This peculiar life form naturally gathered nearby Heaven and Earth spiritual energy; it was, in itself, an energy body condensed from pure spiritual energy. Because of its existence, Shi Yan no longer suffered the affliction of being unable to recover his vital essence.

The sun gradually grew hotter.

Shi Yan stood on that square stone for a moment, his gaze indifferent as he glanced at the two lovely female corpses before him. Then, he suddenly unfurled his Star Wings and shot straight up into the sky.

……

Beneath Star Island.

Sun God Tang Yuannan bowed slightly, speaking to Moon God Ouyang Luoshuang in a chamber carved from pure white jade depicting a vast, boundless sea of stars.

The Moon God was entirely veiled in moonlight, misty and indistinct, lending her an unreal quality, like a fairy from a dream.

She quietly observed the lifelike stars etched within the stone chamber, listening to Tang Yuannan’s narration without offering a comment, seemingly lost in thought.

Star Island was long deserted; no human inhabitants remained, and most of the restrictions had vanished. This place had historically been forbidden to all outsiders, and the disciples of the Three God Sect dared not set foot upon it. Yet, these constraints held no sway over the Demon People.

The Demon Emperor’s Divine Vessel hovered between Moon Island and Star Island. The many Demon People aboard it rode savage demonic beasts, flying everywhere. Many of them had visited Star Island, circling it for long periods but finding nothing, eventually dismissing the location and departing.

No one knew that beneath Star Island lay the Hidden Star Palace, sunk a thousand meters beneath the surface, shielded by twelve layers of barriers that isolated all soul exploration.

Even the Crimson Flame Demon Emperor, after striking above Moon Island, extended his divine sense across tens of thousands of miles, yet failed to detect the existence of the Hidden Star Palace, or the Sun God and Moon God concealed beneath it.

The Three God Sect had stood firm in the Endless Sea for millennia, frequently becoming the dominant power among all factions there. The depth of this sect’s foundation was far from ordinary.

“For the time being, instruct the core disciples to hide in the secret deep-sea locations and keep off the surface for a short while. You must maintain contact with the leaders of the various Endless Sea factions and discuss the details of jointly eradicating the Demon People,” the Moon God’s voice was crisp, her back to Tang Yuannan as she spoke faintly. “…As for Shi Yan, keep a close watch on his movements; do not let him slip beyond our control. Now that all factions wish him dead, this presents both a crisis and an opportunity. Only if he survives the relentless pursuit of these forces will he be worthy of ascending to the Star God position. If he perishes… notify me immediately. I must take his heart to preserve the inheritance of the Star Martial Soul.”

Tang Yuannan’s expression grew solemn, and he nodded slowly.

“Chiyan, merely using the corpse of a Heavenly Position realm human martial artist, he wielded such formidable strength. If his true body arrives, few in the Endless Sea could possibly defeat him. I have only just stepped into the Divine Connection realm and require time to familiarize myself with it. Do not disturb me during this period,” the Moon God concluded.

Tang Yuannan nodded silently, saying nothing more, then bowed deeply. His figure gradually blurred until he vanished.

……

The seashore of a barren island.

A dozen desiccated corpses floated on the sea surface; these included men and women, humans and Demon People.

Three twenty-meter-long shuttle vessels were moored quietly near the shore, completely empty. Two strange, sharp-beaked demonic beasts lay torn apart in a bloody mess on the damp ground beside the ships.

A pungent, metallic smell of blood hung in the air, with several patches of the sea stained a deep crimson by the heavy scent of gore.

A majestic figure, whose back bore starlight resembling wings, hovered above the center of the three vessels. After a brief pause, he transformed into a streak of light and departed.

One hour later.

In a small city under the jurisdiction of the Dongfang family, this man appeared at the largest brothel, “Drunken Life, Dead Dream.” There, he summoned three voluptuous women, and through intense passion and friction, he purged the killing intent from his system.

Late into the night, he slipped away from the brothel and reappeared in the sea regions frequented by Endless Sea martial artists and Demon People. As long as he spotted either, regardless of whether they were engaged in battle or otherwise occupied, he would mercilessly strike, eradicating both sides completely.

Among these victims, if there happened to be a woman with a graceful figure and beautiful features, he would take her directly, saving himself a trip to the brothel.

Time rushed by, and half a month passed in a blink.

In that half-month, the number of Endless Sea martial artists and Demon People killed by him exceeded a hundred. Among the deceased were seven or eight Heavenly Position experts and dozens of Nirvana realm cultivators.

Endless Sea martial artists and Demon People traversing that frequently contested sea would occasionally spot desiccated corpses floating on the surface—sometimes one or two, sometimes ten or more.

As soon as these corpses were sighted, whether they were warriors from the various Endless Sea powers or the ferocious Demon People, a chill would involuntarily run through them, and they would instinctively scan the surroundings, wondering if the perpetrator was nearby.

The man’s ruthless cruelty had spread throughout the Endless Sea within those two weeks.

Both Demon People and the martial artists of the major Endless Sea powers regarded him as their most terrifying adversary, a predatory beast lurking in the shadows.

……

The barren island, inside a dark stone cave.

A man, ** bare, with eyes glowing crimson and a savage, tyrannical expression, panted heavily while violently thrusting into a female demon of the Dragon Horn tribe.

The males of the Dragon Horn tribe were ferocious and ugly, but the females were sensually attractive, possessing ample, lush hips and an intoxicating beauty.

Despite belonging to the same tribe, the disparity in appearance between the male and female Dragon Horns was extreme; if not for the identical curved horns atop their heads, they would look as if they belonged to different species.

Beside him, two hot Dragon Horn female tribeswomen, clad only in leather harnesses, lay quietly on the ground, their thighs spread, faces still bearing the flush of ultimate satisfaction, but their breaths were entirely gone.

Half an hour later, with a sound like a wild beast’s roar, his majestic body convulsed violently.

During his tremors, his upper body emitted a purplish-red glow; his muscles bunched up like cast iron, brimming with a fierce, powerful beauty that could intoxicate women.

However, at that precise moment, the Dragon Horn female beneath him suddenly reacted, her eyes blazing with insane hatred. Her sharp nails shot toward the blood vessels in his neck.

“Snap! Snap! Snap!”

The female Dragon Horn’s fingernails shattered, and her hand bones fractured along with them. Her exotic face filled with panic, and she struggled with her lower body. A burst of violent energy suddenly erupted from her straight, sensual legs.

The instant the energy surged out, she screamed sharply in the human tongue: “Die, you madman!”

The man pressing down on her showed a mocking look. He suddenly thrust upward, and a chilling power, like an ice shard, instantly permeated the woman’s abdomen.

In an instant, her entire body froze, becoming a seductive, tempting ice sculpture, the allure in her face perfectly preserved.

His heart suddenly stirred, as if sensing something. He immediately withdrew from the woman’s body, casually pulling a long robe from his Illusion Ring to bind around his waist. He walked out of the dark cave bare-chested, his face grim.

Outside the cave, a dignified and noble beautiful woman stood, clad in a snow-white dress. Her beautiful eyes were like deep, still pools, overflowing with mysterious depth.

From her back, snow-white wings stretched out, about five or six meters long, resting quietly on the ground.

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