Maiden Galaxy

Several days later, Dongxia Star Field.

The Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat traversed the void sea of stars, entering the Star Field. The Divine Boat was like a sinister vajra, emerging from space, setting out towards the Dongxia Star Field's capital of West È City.¹

Yang Su left her quarters and stood on the deck.

"Lady Yang Su." Shen Guang was in good spirits. When she recalled that she could receive the Tyrant's Purple Qi and ascend to Heavenly Star, the woman was somewhat unable to hide the excitement in her heart.

Yang Su flatly glanced at her, showing nothing towards her mood.

"Did the Monarch promise to make you a Heavenly Star and induct you into the Nine Elders Of Sui?"

"Yes. The Monarch is generous. Shen Guang can finally break through in Realm." Shen Guang did not hid this.

"Then I shall ask you, why has the Monarch asked me to come along on this trip to recruit the Heavenly King Of Dongxia?"

Shen Guang laughed: "Lady Yang Su is so smart, can it be you have not thought of the reason?" The Corporeal Flying Immortal's tone was filled with mockery and derision, not longer respectful like before.

"The Heavenly King Of Dongxia previously refused to join the Sui Ye Star Kingdom. Let alone that the Da Ye was defeated just now, we are even less likely to persuade her. Unless…" Yang Su trailed off.

"Unless there is a condition that the Heavenly King Of Dongxia is unable to refuse…For example, killing a first-rate Star General, obtaining her Star Energy, and breaking through to Divine Phoenix Realm. I believe no one could refuse such a benefit." Shen Guang finished her sentence.

"The Monarch is prepared to offer me as a gift to the Heavenly King Of Dongxia?" Yang Su faintly smiled.

Shen Guang gave Yang Su a very sympathetic "even I knew this" look. "Great deeds unsettle the Monarch. Lady Yang Su, your only mistake was that your deeds were too great. Even the Nine Elders Of Sui are unable to tolerate you. You also cultivate Confucianism, which, to the Monarch, is a great eyesore." She shook her head. The Nine Elders Of Sui had Four Great Generals among them, but whether it was in qualifications or Realm, Yang Su was comparable to Shi Wansui. However, that she was nevertheless unable to be one of the Four Heavenly Kings demonstrated the bias in Yang Guang's heart.

Although Yang Su had always loyally served the Sui Ye Star Kingdom with all her might, to the Tyrant, Yang Su's Confucian style was displeasing.

The Tyrant did things as she pleased and was very temperamental. When even Yu Juluo of the Four Great Generals could become a pawn, then in her eyes, Yang Su was just another pawn, too. 

Now that Yang Su the pawn was defeated at Mount Hua and tarnished the Sui Ye Star Kingdom's prestige, Yang Guang's painstaking plan fell apart. This fury required that the Cold Blooded Beauty bear it.

"Great deeds unsettle the monarch? To think that I, Yang Su, had shown nothing but loyalty to the Da Ye. Although I do not dare to compare to the ‘Eternally Loyal General,' I have a bitter conscience." Yang Su mocked herself.

Shen Guang: "Loyalty. My lady presumably has realized that in Star World, strength is more valuable than loyalty. I am very loyal to the Monarch, yet never have I been valued by the Monarch. If not for Lady Yang Su's defeat, how could I, Shen Guang, be able to receive the Monarch's reward."

"This Tyrant is truly short-sighted. With just a few years, I, Yang Su, will still be able to recover to peak state." Yang Su heaved a long sigh: "But…a few years, to an assiduous heart etched with hatred, is too long and slow."

Shen Guang could not help but by sympathetic.

Not long after, West È City was already gradually coming into view.

Shen Guang glanced at Yang Su with some sympathy. She recalled that she formerly worked hard under Yang Su. Although she was arrogantly ordered around, she received Yang Su's care. The woman could not help but say: "My lady, we have arrived at West È. I wonder if there is anything else that milady would like to say."

"If I had known earlier, I should have just died at that man's hands." Yang Su quietly said. She knew that her current situation was inescapable, given the Corporeal Flying Immortal's speed.

Her heart was filled with regret. If she had died to that man back then, her Star Name would have instead become more valuable.

Shen Guang cautiously looked at Yang Su.

Outside West È City.

A woman dressed in Brahamanistic clothes and armor was in the middle of meditation. Her figure was tall, her skin healthy and beautiful, extraordinarily mighty.

When the boat was above her, the woman opened her eyes, which were like copper bells. Her face was like a bodhisattva, and seeing the Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat approach, she slowly rose to her feet, a seeming smile on her face. "Yang Su, Ganlin² has waited a long time for you."

"Lady Yang Su, please." Shen Guang gestured with her hand.

Zhang Xutuo stretched her neck, cracking it. The woman's fist pounded her palm, assuming an aggressive stance.

"My lady!" Shen Guang saw Yang Su hesitate, and she spoke with a stricter tone.

"The Tyrant sees us as pawns. One day, the same will befall you." Yang Su said.

Shen Guang smiled: "How can we create immortal Star Names without borrowing the Purple Rose Qi of a Star Marquis. Though Your Servant may be a pawn, she will be one who absorbed milady's teachings and operate carefully."

"My lady, please make one last contribution for the Da Ye!" Shen Guang said. Yang Su was so weak, how could she not think of killing her and obtaining the Cold Blooded Beauty's Star Energy, which was sufficient to ascend her to Heavenly Star. But considering the pros and cons, she still gave up on this idea.

Yang Su looked up at the sky and sighed. She had wanted to tower over the world and cross through the three realms. In the end, she wound up with fistfuls of dirt. All of a sudden, she was a bit envious that Yu Juluo was able to receive Mount Hua's protection, but after she left the Central Star Field's Confucian school, she had nowhere else to turn to.

Yang Su leapt off the Divine Boat.

Zhang Xutuo scrutinized the Cold Blooded Beauty and clicked her tongue: "Yang Su, oh, Yang Su. I heard you were humiliated by a man. Truly a pity."

"Zhang Ganlin, would you be willing to join the Sui Ye Star Kingdom to create a the Da Ye with the Monarch and me." Yang Su calmly said.

Zhang Xutuo laughed: "I already told Yang Guang. So long as she presents you to me, I would be willing to join her banner."

"Oh, you would not be unaware of my Realm. With just one year, I can recover. When that time comes, if you and I join hands, nothing can stop the creation of the Da Ye." Yang Su joked cheerfully.

Zhang Xutuo was impressed: "What excellent Confucian Noble True Qi. Even at death's door, you can still be so calm. You even talk to me."

"The Monarch is merely blinded temporarily by rage. You should be very aware how great the aid I provided the Sui Ye Star Kingdom was." Yang Su spoke with deliberation.

"Go on, Yang Su, keep flapping that glib tongue, see whether or not you can extinguish My anger." Zhang Xutuo said slowly.

"Words end here. Make your move." Yang Su closed her eyes.

Zhang Xutuo chuckled: "Cold Blooded Beauty, you will not resist?"

"If I kill you, I can charge into Divine Phoenix Realm. Then, borrowing the Tyrant's Purple Rose Qi, I can even step into Xuannü Realm…Yang Su, oh, Yang Su. Your life truly is but nourishing rain to me. How could I let you go."

"Then allow me, Ganlin, to take revenge on that man for you."

Finished mocking Yang Su, Zhang Xutuo stamped on the ground.

The earth jolted. Yang Su surprisingly lost her balance and tumbled onto the ground.

The woman moved, extending a hand towards Yang Su's soft neck.

Endless indignation sprouted in Yang Su's heart, but right now, she could only swallow it down to preserve the little face her Star Name had left. "I only hope that man will make you all rue killing me this day."

"Ha, ha, to actually count on the man who humiliated you to redeem your face. Yang Su, die."

Just at this moment, a shadow rose steeply from the ground, appearing suddenly like a swarm of demons. The speed was swift, and the pair unexpectedly did not sense it at all. A weapon poked out from the darkness, stabbing straight at Zhang Xutuo's palm.

The Heavenly King Of Dongxia was taken aback, and she focused Star Energy to her palm.

An enormous palmprint flew out.

This was Yellow Rank "Heavenly King Palm."

The palmprint and the dark weapon slammed into each other with a violent collision. Zhang Xutuo did not expect the interloper's Realm to be high. This palm attack was unable to shake them.

Her second palm was unleashed. Her current Realm was already practiced to the point she could execute Yellow Rank Heavenly King Palm freely and with extreme deadliness each time.

That shadow brandished its sword.

The sword-light it fired was a black flower. That flower was like a basin containing the palm-shadow. Then, the black light rolled, covered Yang Su, and prepared to leave.

"You dare steal my prey." Zhang Xutuo roared. She was like a vajra bodhisattva, half merciful, half cruel. She stamped her legs, and the ground once again quaked, her Star Energy fiercely jolting. This was her Innate Skill, "Earthquake." It was able to shake entire armies within a range of ten li to the ground.

The shadow also staggered unsteadily.

Zhang Xutuo did not care to kill the shadow. Her top priority was to first kill Yang Su so as to avoid someone else stealing her.

Shen Guang spotted someone abruptly abduct Yang Su down below. Astonished, she immediately issued orders for the fifty thousand Jiedi Soldiers to prepare a support array. All of a sudden, she felt that something was not right. She heard a bloodcurdling scream from behind the Divine boat, and a killing intent as powerful as a hurricane bowled over the Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat.

This is bad, an ambush.

Shen Guang perspired nervously, feeling fear. Without another though, she used her qinggong to first jump off the boat.

On the ground, Zhang Xutuo's battle with the shadow was increasingly violent. The Heavenly King Of Dongxia roared furiously like her namesake, her True Phoenix Realm reaching its peak. Spikes appeared on her knuckles,³ creating demonic fangs. The other hand was like a bodhisattva with their eyes shut. Both knuckles stuck together to depict the vivid scene of an arhat and bodhisattva felling a demon.

These knuckle spikes were her Destined Star Weapon, called the "Felling Demons, Suppressing Devils."⁴

She punched, Dark Rank "Trembling Of Devils."

"How can a demon withstand a demon god." That shadow sneered, "I will have to teach you a lesson another day, Heavenly King Of Dongxia." A deadly sword-light sliced over. A polo flower seemed to bloom on the sword and then wither.

What, the opponent's Realm was the same level as her own. Zhang Xutuo's Dark Rank seized no advantage, realizing only then that her foe's Realm Was high. That shadow rolled up Yang Su and rocketed straight into the sky.

"How can you escape the Dongxia Star Field." Zhang Xutuo smirked. She suddenly froze.

The shadow boarded the Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat. Then, countless Jiedi Soldiers fell, smashing like boulders into the ground.

The Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat's thousand year Black Iron glowed with a black light.

Zhang Xutuo gnashed her teeth. She resentfully looked up and soared steeply upwards.

The moment she boarded the boat, her opponent shot another light to stop her. This adversary clearly came prepared, planning everything meticulously. By the time Zhang Ganlin attacked with another heaven-ripping palm, the Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat had already broke through space and entered the void sea of stars, vanishing from the Dongxia Star Field.

Seeing her prey was snatched right out of her hands, Zhang Xutuo's resentment could not be drained even into the five lakes and the four seas.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

…

Aboard the Sea Of Bitterness Divine Boat, Yang Su was taken aback. Upon seeing her rescuer's face, her heart sank again. From the dark shadows, a familiar person emerged. Or perhaps it should be said an even worse enemy.

"Very well, to die at your hands is better than being treated as some tribute, Heaven Devouring Demon King."

"Heaven Devouring Demon King" Xiao Mohe coldly glared at Yang Su. She itched to savor destroying every inch of this graceful woman's skin. The woman reached out and grabbed Yang Su.

Yang Su felt suffocated.

The Heaven Devouring Demon King's scorching breath was upon her face.

Humiliated one time after another, Yang Su's heart at this time was already dead.

"Bore, you cannot kill her. Do not forget His Highness' instructions this time." A familiar voice came from the door.

Yang Su was startled. She turned to look.

A familiar figure appeared before her.

1. 西鄂城 ↩
2. 甘霖 ↩
3. 拳刺 should be push dagger, but the way the author describes it is more like brass knuckles. ↩
4. 降妖·伏魔 ↩