Firmament Sword

This was not the first time Xu Luo had entered this mysterious, starry expanse. A feeling grew stronger within him: ’This place... it seems to truly exist!’

Though he entered this space as a soul, it would solidify into a physical body upon arrival, one that could even be resurrected after death. Logically, this should have been an illusory space, governed by laws completely different from his own world.

But this time...

To ensure a perfect breakthrough into the Divine Power Realm, Xu Luo had undergone an arduous and brutal trial. He had not only traversed an ancient Star Path, fighting in over a thousand battles of all sizes, but had also spent a hundred years meditating on the Martial Dao beneath a small tree on some nameless planet.

That small tree... it had grown into a large tree. While the harsh environment had prevented it from becoming a towering giant, the little tree had undeniably grown.

This gave Xu Luo a powerful feeling: the world beneath this mysterious starry sky... was real!

That was why Xu Luo had said what he did when he left the tree.

When he opened his eyes, the grotto was still quiet. Looking around, Xu Luo had no idea how much time had passed.

But based on his previous experiences, it had likely only been ten days or so.

Yet at this moment, Xu Luo felt as if a lifetime had passed.

He vigorously rubbed his young face, a bitter smile on his lips. ’A normal person would probably be driven mad by a feeling like this,’ he muttered.

As he spoke, Xu Luo’s brows suddenly shot up in surprise. ’They actually found this place?’

Then, a strange thought occurred to him. ’Since they’re here, why haven’t they come down? Are a few Great Sword Saints... actually afraid of a mere brat like me?’

With that, Xu Luo extended his Divine Sense to probe the area outside. A moment later, a grave expression appeared on his face.

The trials on the ancient Star Path had given him an incredible wealth of experience. Faced with this predicament, Xu Luo couldn’t help but frown. ’A group of mighty experts at the Sword Saint Realm, so afraid I’d escape that they set up a Grand Array to wait for me to walk right out...’

’How very generous of them!’

”Damn them, this is too much!” Xu Luo couldn’t help but curse as he wracked his brain for a counter-strategy.

It had to be said that Huo Wanzhang’s caution, bordering on shamelessness, had indeed created a huge problem for Xu Luo.

If it had only been the five of them waiting outside, Xu Luo might very well have managed to escape again.

Now that he had stepped into the Divine Power Realm, Xu Luo’s mastery of the Shaking Light Step had reached a new level. Given the slightest chance, he could vanish without a trace.

’If I just stay in here... will they really just wait outside forever?’ Xu Luo frowned, thinking it was a distinct possibility.

He didn’t know how many days they had been waiting, but it surely wasn’t just for a day or two. They had even gone so far as to set up an array. They clearly wouldn’t give up until they had him.

With that in mind, Xu Luo steeled himself, his heart gradually calming. No matter what, he had to face this head-on. He couldn’t run.

He could certainly hide in here forever, but doing so would deal a massive blow to his heart of invincibility.

At the very least, it would cast a great shadow over his future path, looming over him constantly.

It could even cause him to suffer a cultivation deviation at a critical moment!

”’One’s will must remain unobstructed,’” Xu Luo muttered, then strode forward and headed outside.

...

”He’s coming out!” Huo Wanzhang suddenly shot to his feet, his face lit with pleasant surprise.

It was quite a sight for a mighty expert of the Sword Saint’s Third Realm. The white-haired, youthful-faced Huo Wanzhang was beaming, looking like a child who’d just been given candy.

The others were the same, all beaming with joy as if they’d just found a bag of gold.

Huo Danqiong sneered. ”So he finally couldn’t take it anymore? He certainly has some patience!”

Huo Jinwu said, ”I thought I’d have to guard this place for half a year before he showed himself!”

Huo Jinwen slapped his belly and laughed. ”As long as he’s out! We can report back soon!”

Huo Wei nodded. ”I’m already starting to feel a little homesick.”

Huo Wanzhang laughed heartily. ”When we get back, I’ll request commendations for all of you!”

The five of them stared like hungry tigers at the small cave entrance. The moment Xu Luo emerged, the array would activate and trap him. At that point, not even a pair of wings could get him out of there.

THUMP!

A deep, muffled sound suddenly rang out from below.

Then...

THUMP! THUMP!

Two more thumps, seeming to pound directly on their hearts. The sensation was deeply unsettling.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! ... THUMP-THUMP!

It was like someone beating a drum. The muffled sounds came one after another until they blurred into a continuous rhythm.

The earth... began to tremble!

”What... is happening?” The five of them exchanged astonished glances.

”Is that... drumming?” Huo Wei said.

”Impossible! Is he crazy? Why would he be beating a drum in there?” Huo Jinwu frowned.

BOOM! BOOM!

The ground beneath their feet suddenly began to collapse.

”He’s discovered us!” Huo Wanzhang’s expression turned grim. He leaped into the air and hovered there, sneering, ”Does he think this will break the array? How naive!”

”This brat’s realm... he seems to have broken through quite a bit. My heart... it feels heavy,” Huo Danqiong said, her face pale as she clutched her chest.

”Me too...” Huo Wei and Huo Jinwen said in unison.

”I feel some pressure, but nothing significant,” Huo Jinwu said in a low voice.

Among them, besides Huo Wanzhang at the Sword Saint Third Realm, Huo Jinwu was the strongest, being at the Sword Saint Second Realm.

In the Divine Power Realm, ascending each layer was like ascending to a new heaven.

The Sword Saint has Nine Heavens, and each heaven is different from the last.

That was why Huo Wanzhang was unaffected by the drumming, and Huo Jinwu only felt a slight pressure. But Huo Wei, Huo Jinwen, and Huo Danqiong, the three experts at the Sword Saint First Layer Heaven, all felt a deep sense of discomfort.

”He’s truly something else! But the more this is the case, the happier I am!” said Huo Wanzhang. ”This proves, in all likelihood, that he is Beidou’s Eighth Star!”

As he spoke, a powerful aura erupted from Huo Wanzhang, enveloping Huo Danqiong and the other two from the First Layer of Divine Power Realm.

The pressure on the three of them lessened instantly, and they let out a collective sigh of relief.

RUMBLE!

With another violent tremor, the entire hill suddenly caved in, and a streak of light shot out!

”You little bastard, you’re not going anywhere!” Huo Wanzhang roared, charging to meet him.

The God-Trapping Array... activated in an instant!

Countless beams of light flared up from all directions, weaving a great net across the sky that trapped Xu Luo within.

From outside the net of light, Huo Wanzhang thrust a palm toward Xu Luo. ”Let’s see you run this time!”

BOOM!

The powerful force of his palm struck the net, and it shattered with a boom, dissolving into countless specks of light that rained down on Xu Luo!

’Poison!’ Xu Luo was instantly alarmed. He truly hadn’t expected it. Five experts of the Sword Saint Realm, with the aid of such a powerful array, and they still resorted to poison... ’How utterly shameless do you have to be to come up with such an insidious trick?’

And the poison was delivered by shattering the Grand Array itself, making it almost impossible to defend against!

A powerful aura instantly erupted from Xu Luo’s body. Vast Star Power formed a defensive barrier around him.

But a few specks of light still landed on him, and Xu Luo immediately felt his body weaken.

”Shameless!” Xu Luo spat. The Grand Array was destroyed. He didn’t show the panic Huo Wanzhang expected, nor did he turn to flee. Instead, with a flash of his sword, he sent a beam of Sword Qi slashing toward Huo Danqiong.

”You dare!” Huo Jinwu bellowed, charging at Xu Luo bare-handed. He raised his hand, and a massive green palm materialized in the sky, striking down at Xu Luo!

The wind from the palm carried a nauseating stench... It was poison again!

”A bunch of shameless old fools!” Using his Shaking Light Step, Xu Luo moved with unbelievable speed, dodging Huo Jinwu’s palm. His Sword Qi flared, reaching Huo Danqiong in an instant!

Though Huo Danqiong was an old woman, she was still an expert of the Divine Power Realm. She didn’t fear Xu Luo’s attack. In fact, she was furious. ’Of the five of us, this little bastard picks me as his target? Does he think I’m weak because I’m a woman?’

”You little beast... Die!” A powerful aura erupted from Huo Danqiong as a colossal Dharma Aspect rose behind her.

It was one of the Ancient Deities, its hair and beard clearly visible. It had an unsettling, demonic appearance and sat cross-legged in mid-air like a true god.

This was the difference between the Divine Power Realm and the Transformation Realm!

The Dharma Heaven and Earth of the Divine Power Realm was a true Dharma Aspect, a world unto itself.

The deity’s Dharma Aspect reached out to grab Xu Luo’s Sword Qi.

Xu Luo sneered. ”Courting death!”

BOOM!

The Dharma Aspect was instantly shattered by the Sword Qi!

Huo Danqiong cried out and spat a mouthful of blood as Xu Luo’s figure appeared right in front of her!

He raised his sword and brought it down on her head!

”You’re courting death!” Huo Wanzhang roared. An Ancient Deity’s Dharma Aspect rose behind him, wielding a Blood-Colored Greatsword as it slashed at Xu Luo.

THWACK!

Huo Danqiong’s head tumbled to the ground!

A geyser of hot blood shot high into the air!

It sprayed high into the air before raining down, instantly filling the area with the stench of blood.

Xu Luo’s speed was simply too fast. Despite being poisoned, he was still just as ferocious and tyrannical!

”Ah! Dan Qiong!” Huo Wei and the others looked on, their eyes practically splitting with rage. They all charged at Xu Luo, unleashing their Dharma Heaven and Earth to land a killing blow.

At this moment, they had completely forgotten their order to take him alive.

Xu Luo let out a hearty laugh. That sword strike had been as smooth as flowing water, utterly exhilarating!

On the ancient Star Path, he had used this move to slay countless experts. To use it now in the real world felt completely natural, a perfect execution.

He swung his sword horizontally, slashing at the gaunt old man, Huo Jinwu, who was charging toward him.

Huo Jinwu’s Dharma Aspect was a giant white ape. It stood tall enough to touch the sky, holding a massive black staff that it swung in a sweep powerful enough to shatter the heavens.

CLANG!

The Seven Star Sword struck the white ape Dharma Aspect’s greatstaff, letting out a piercing shriek. The black staff was instantly severed. Xu Luo used the force of the impact to retreat. With his back to the charging Huo Wei, Xu Luo roared.

”Shaking Light Burst!”

BOOM!