by <unknown>
The two Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators who had put on their Ares Extensions and motivated their combat ability to maximum collided. However, the immense blast that everybody expected was not triggered. Instead, they were like two blackholes that had crashed, and a fatal attraction force was generated.
The scraps, debris, and Grand Illusionary Soldiers were all drawn close to them.
When they were two to three meters from the two of them, they would all be blown into smithereens because of the high-frequency vibration.
Luo Xingzi roared in the communication channel, "Hurry and attack the jade wall!"
The five Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators gritted their teeth and bypassed the two of them, focusing their attention on the jade wall.
Xiao Xuance's shrieks were almost painful. He turned into dozens of streaks of golden brightness, darting in various directions, trying to attack the five Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, only to be blocked by Luo Xingzi each time.
Li Yao's eyes shuddered. He felt that something was not right, but there was no time to think about it carefully in the middle of the fierce battle.
He did not join the group to attack the jade wall. Instead, he stood behind them and dealt with the endless Grand Illusionary Soldiers together with the Core Formation Stage Cultivators.
They destroyed thousands of Grand Illusionary Soldiers within a minutes, but there were countless Grand Illusionary Soldiers deployed on Heavenly Phantom.
The Grand Illusionary Soldiers crowded in through the pathways, the damage, and the fractures like an incessant tide of iron!
Under the blow of the iron tide, the vitality of many Core Formation Stage Cultivators was withering. Several Cultivators even burnt furiously into gray statues in midair before they perished silently!
"Professor, how long till you activate the virus and paralyze the star brain?" Li Yao shouted in his personal channel.
"Two minutes and thirty seconds!" Professor Mo Xuan was shouting coarsely, too.
Right then, a cracking noise echoed behind Li Yao.
Under the collective attack of the five Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, the jade wall was finally blown up!
All the Cultivators were exclaiming joyfully in the communication channel.
However, behind the crumbling and collapsing wall was not the star brain but another wall.
Thousands of broadcasting rune arrays had been installed on the wall. They looked like thousands of densely distributed swirls. In the center of every swirl, a weird bluish crystal was glittering, as thousands of deep eyes were gazing at them without blinking.
Li Yao was suddenly alarmed.
They had all been fooled!
They had thought that the jade wall was translucent and that they would see the star brain after the wall was broken.
But the fact was that the jade wall was not translucent. It was a large rune array that displayed illusions!
What exactly were—
Hum! Hum! Hum! Hum!
Before Li Yao get to sort through his messy thoughts, the thousands of broadcasting rune arrays all started shaking violently. High-frequency soundwaves indistinguishable to the human ears swept across the entire bridge like tornadoes. Countless tiny bubbles were appearing in midair like thousands of mini swirls that were crashing and combining!
What the heck!
Li Yao was greatly surprised. The abrupt changes must have been Xiao Xuance's arrangement.
The problem was that, except for the impressive visual and sound effects, he did not feel in the least harmed. On the other hand, he felt quite refreshed and energetic!
But unceasing grunts and screams were echoing inside the communication channel. All the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, including Luo Xingzi, seemed to have suffered a critical strike. Their auras were lower than ever.
The Nascent Souls that had been glittering were now flickering like candles in the wind. They shrank in size and soon disappeared inside their bodies.
"Our Nascent Souls have been suppressed!"
"I cannot enter the Nascent Soul Stage right now!"
"What—what is this array?"
Suppressed by the ultrasounds, Xiao Xuance was not able to summon the capability of the Nascent Soul Stage, either.
Yet, he burst into laughter crazily.
"Luo Xingzi and the rest of the brainless brutes, you didn't see this coming, did you?
"I spent decades perfecting the 'New Era Plan'. Of course, I considered the possibility that I might be attacked by several, or even more than ten, Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators at the same time.
"Although I'm the best expert of the Flying Star Sector, I've never overestimated my combat ability. I was scared that I would be harassed. Very scared!
"It would be quite a nuisance if three Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators attacked me together, not to mention six!
"That's why I devised this trap to treat you guys!
"This array is named 'Great Empyrean Soul Stirring Array'. It has been developed by the Imperium of True Human Beings over several decades for the purpose of taming the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators!
"There are thousands of broadcasting rune arrays here. A 'Dragon Demon Crystal' is installed in the center of every one of them.
"I have allocated almost half of the spiritual energy of the main crystal reactor of Heavenly Phantom to stimulate them. The ultrasounds that they trigger are enough to suppress any Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators within the range of the soundwaves to below the Nascent Soul Stage!
"Before the crystals are broken, they can work for at least one minute. During that minute, none of us can enter the Nascent Soul Stage and can only stay at the peak of the Core Formation Stage at best.
"Hehe. You wanted to play the decapitation move on me because you thought that the Immortal Cultivators were short of top warriors. We had too few Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, and the regular Grand Illusionary Soldiers are not enough to stop you!
"Right now, neither side has Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, but I still have thousands of Grand Illusionary Soldiers. How are you going to fight me?"
The faces of Luo Xingzi and the other Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators paled. "…We've been tricked!"
Li Yao was dazed. "Huh?"
Chapter 802: Why Is There Music? |
At this moment, the six Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators finally realized that Xiao Xuance had summoned his Nascent Soul and fought against seven by himself not because he was arrogant, not because he thought he could defeat them alone, but because he was baiting the seven of them into releasing their Nascent Souls so that the array would cause the greatest shock to their soul!
The Core Formation Stage and the Nascent Soul Stage had a vast difference. If they were restricted to the peak of the Core Formation Stage, it was quite possible that the torrent of Grand Illusionary Soldiers would drown them!
Besides—
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Dozens of Immortal Cultivators suddenly flew out from various directions of the bridge. They were all wearing crystal suits and Ares Extensions. Their auras were as intimidating as the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators'!
Heavenly Phantom, as the home camp of the Immortal Cultivators, was naturally not guarded by Xiao Xuance and the Grand Illusionary Soldiers alone. There were a lot of experts on aboard, too.
Those experts might not have been in the Nascent Soul Stage, but now that the great array had created a special battlefield where there was no Nascent Soul Stage, the Cultivators' advantage of having top warriors was lost, while the Immortal Cultivators' advantage in numbers was maximized!
"Xiao Xuance has been long aware that the only way to win the battle is the decapitation strategy!
"Therefore, he set up a fatal trap with himself and the star brain as the bait, one that was designed to hunt the best warriors in the world of Cultivators!
"And we've conveniently stepped into the trap!"
All the Cultivators realized what was going on. Their brains and their hea
rts were grasped by desperation as if they had fallen into a bottomless abyss.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
Luo Xingzi struggled to form the Nascent Soul under the suppression of the array.
However, just when his will was melted with his spiritual energy and about to take the shape of a baby, it was minced apart by invisible waves. His soul was shocked again, and his brain was cast into a surging ocean. He could not help but vomit a mouthful of blood, and his face was paler than that of a dead person!
Hiu! Hiu! Hiu! Hiu!
Thousands of mystic rays, bolts of lightning, and blade auras attacked the dozens of Cultivators.
A great array that could suppress the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators could not last for long no matter what. Xiao Xuance only had one minute before the array was broken. Therefore, he did not give any moment of rest to the Cultivators and simply asked the Immortal Cultivators and the Grand Illusionary Soldiers to launch the strongest attack!
All the Cultivators were caught in the tide of destruction!
The half-gloomy-half-sunny face on the breastplate of Xiao Xuance's Heavenly Lord Battlesuit laughed and shrieked together with all the other Grand Illusionary Soldiers. "Stop struggling! I've planned this for decades! Every tiny detail has been calculated. All the changes are within my control. You stand absolutely no chance!"
BOOM!
Luo Xingzi was blown away by three Immortal Cultivators, only to be surrounded by more than ten Grand Illusionary Soldiers.
Although he gritted his teeth and slashed the Grand Illusionary Soldiers into scraps instantly, he was half a second slower. One of the Grand Illusionary Soldiers detonated itself near him. The spiritual energy resembling a volcanic eruption almost knocked him over, and the flames flooded in through the holes in his crystal suit, biting his flesh crazily and burning his bones!
In its unfortunate days, a tiger might be bullied by a dog. The strong Cultivator in the Nascent Soul Stage was likely to be seriously wounded by several Immortal Cultivators and dozens of Grand Illusionary Soldiers when his Nascent Soul was suppressed!
If so, even if he persisted for one minute, his bones would be fractured, his internal organs would be torn apart, and his soul would be damaged.
By then, even if he was able to condense the Nascent Soul again, there would be nothing he could do anymore!
Luo Xingzi was dizzy and anxious.
He spared part of his attention to observe the battlefield. The other Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators were displaying a similar performance to him. They were all drowned in the torrents of Grand Illusionary Soldiers, and their spiritual energy was continuously weakened because of the self-detonations.
On the other hand, the performance of the Core Formation Stage Cultivators was much better since they were used to fighting in the Core Formation Stage.
It was because of their struggles that the defense line of the Cultivators did not collapse.
However, as more and more Grand Illusionary Soldiers rushed into the bridge, they had almost occupied every inch of the room. Everybody could tell that the Cultivators were on the losing side. Another half minute was the best they could do!
However—
Luo Xingzi thought of something. He had not seen Bai Xinghe for a long time.
Where had the cunning guy gone?
Scanning the battlefield with his telepathic thoughts, Luo Xingzi felt his heart turn heavy again.
Maybe because he was wary of the cunningness of the space pirate, Xiao Xuance had selected Bai Xinghe as a primary target. The man had been surrounded by hundreds of Grand Illusionary Soldiers, which sealed him like a giant iron ball dozens of meters in diameter.
Even Bai Xinghe has been blocked…
Luo Xingzi was suddenly grasped by desperation.
Was today really the end of the Cultivators of the Flying Star Sector?
Since the attack of the 'Great Empyrean Soul Stirring Array' was indiscriminate, Xiao Xuance's own Nascent Soul had been suppressed, too. Therefore, he was very prudent and stayed out of the battle. He triggered his endless computational ability together with the star brain and commanded the Grand Illusionary Soldiers to launch suicidal attacks, while he jeered at everybody to disturb their mind.
"Six of the seven Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators triggered the full capability of the Nascent Soul Stage just now because of my temptation. Your Nascent Souls were locked onto by the great array, and your souls have all been severely shocked!
"But Bai Xinghe was sleazy enough to keep himself in the peak of the Core Formation Stage just now and did not expose his Nascent Soul!
"However, it is useless, Bai Xinghe. You've just reincarnated. Your soul is very unstable right now. My array has the effect of suppressing the soul in the first place. You won't persist for long before you are burnt to ash!
"As you did not show your Nascent Soul just now, you will not be able to see it again! Haha. Hahahaha!"
BOOM!
In Xiao Xuance's wild laughter, another Grand Illusionary Soldier held Luo Xingzi's leg and detonated itself.
The close-distance explosion dealt serious damage to Luo Xingzi. His entire right leg was almost blown apart.
Although he managed to maintain the functions of his bones and his veins with his immense spiritual energy, the excruciating pain made him unable to stay in the peak of the Core Formation Stage!
Luo Xingzi's capability plummeted, as did his desperate mood.
The other Cultivators were all groaning in pain in the communication channel, not just for themselves, but also for the dark future of the Flying Star Sector!
However, just when everybody's heart hit the rock bottom—
They heard music.
The music that was more and more loud, violent, and passionate!
The suffocating drumming, the flawless flutes, the soul-stirring pipa and huqin…
They seemed to be being played together with hammers, anvils, flames, and blood. Every listener felt that they had to roar and bring out the brilliance of their life!
Moreover, in the simmering music, they could vaguely hear a coarse voice singing with unfathomable fervor.
"Look, the dense clouds cannot stop the running sea of stars.
"Endless darkness will disperse. Lights of life will illuminate the sky."
All the Cultivators and Immortal Cultivators were dumbfounded, including Xiao Xuance.
"Why—why is there music?"
"Somebody is singing? What is going on?"
After a moment of hesitation, everybody looked at the big 'iron ball' that enshrouded Bai Xinghe.
They had all distinguished that the music of iron and fire was coming from the ball!
"Do excuse me. This is my own BGM. It's called 'Conquer the Universe'."
A clear and peaceful voice echoed inside the giant iron ball made of hundreds Grand Illusionary Soldiers, piercing through the steel, the explosions, and the spiritual waves and shocking every Cultivator and Immortal Cultivator.
"B—BGM?"
Luo Xingzi slashed a Grand Illusionary Soldier into pieces, dragging his bleeding leg, while he roared, "What is that?"
Surrounded by the hundreds of Grand Illusionary Soldiers, Li Yao explained calmly, "My core is different to yours. When it is triggered to the maximum, it will spin at a speed of more than nine thousand and nine hundred revolutions per second while it pulsates like a heart.
"All in all, it is in an extremely unstable state, and it will emit earsplitting noises!
"I estimate that it is a side effect from when I surpassed the peak.
"I was troubled and worked hard on it for a long time, but I was not able to keep my core stable or eliminate the earsplitting noises. I could only guide it and make its vibrations more rhythmic. It sounds much less annoying when it is a piece of music.
"It can't be helped. I don't want to so arrogant that I play a long clip of background music whenever I trigger my best capability, either. But it really cannot be removed. Please try to igno
re back. Just consider it as a battle hymn to cheer us up!"
Luo Xingzi and the other Cultivators present were struck speechless.
Xiao Xuance burst into fury. "You are still acting all mysterious toward the end of your life? I'm going to blow you up right now!"
BOOM!
The dozens of Grand Illusionary Soldiers that constituted the giant iron ball were detonated at the same time. The scraps and the flames condensed into a giant metal rose.
However, from the depths of the flower, an enormous hand more than ten meters long suddenly extended out!
With the debris of the Grand Illusionary Soldiers as the bone and the spluttering electric arcs as the veins, the giant hand snatched at Xiao Xuance!
All the Grand Illusionary Soldiers standing between the giant hand and Xiao Xuance were torn to pieces immediately!
Xiao Xuance was greatly shocked!
"It's impo—"
Before he finished the last word, the best expert of the Flying Star Sector was smacked away by the giant hand brutally, crashing into four Grand Illusionary Soldiers, one Immortal Cultivator who was almost killed, and the cabin wall after an earsplitting explosion. All the crystal processors in the dozens of square meters nearby were pulverized into powder!
Shocked!
All the Cultivators and the Immortal Cultivators would not have been more shocked even if the world was overturned right now!
They did not realize until this moment that the hundreds of Grand Illusionary Soldiers did not surround 'Bai Xinghe' but were attracted by the bizarre force inside his body and unable to move. They had formed the best shield and protected him while he triggered the unparalleled capability that far exceeded anybody else's without any worries!
Zi! Zi! Zi! Zi!
The Grand Illusionary Soldiers near Li Yao had all been melted into orange mud by the extremely high temperature and blossomed like petals.
In the center of the petals, a crystal suit slowly rose up and stood in midair, surrounded by thousands of Grand Illusionary Soldiers. It was entirely different from the Dragon King Battlesuit that everybody had seen just now.
"How did you—"
