Splitting the Heavens

In Five Pillars City in the Jiao Continent of the Essence Luxuriant World...

After advancing to the Martial Emptiness Realm, Kou Chongxue could no longer remain within the Elysium. However, he preferred to remain in the Jiao Continent, and he generally disliked being disturbed.

As he had once said casually to his old comrades, he had little interest in managing the affairs of the institution and far preferred to live and cultivate like a hermit.

Back then, he had no choice. When the You Continent was on the verge of destruction and the world faced crisis after crisis, he had to step up to deal with everything.

With the world ascension and the growth of the You Continent, along with the rise of the Tongyou Institution to a level that could dominate the entire world and its younger generation flourishing, Kou Chongxue felt he could finally let go and live his life as he pleased.

Thus, in recent years, Kou Chongxue had essentially been living in semi-seclusion within the Jiao Continent.

There wasn't a need to mention the Essence Luxurant World. Even in the institution, only the deputy patriarchs knew about it.

Also, all they knew was that Kou Chongxue was hiding somewhere in the Jiao Continent.

One day, a streak of starlight suddenly descended outside Five Pillars City. Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar remained suspended in mid air. Despite the crowds flowing in and out of the city, including many mid to high-level cultivators, no one noticed the figure above.

Moments later, as if sensing something, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar's figure blurred as he passed the city's grand formation, arriving at the end of a quiet street before a secluded courtyard.

Compared to the bustling city, the area was serene, with lush vegetation lining both sides of the street. There was a layer of cool tranquility.

Strolling leisurely down the nearly empty street, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar approached the lone courtyard and knocked gently on the door.

With a creak, the twin wooden doors opened inward, revealing a modest courtyard within.

Surprised, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar remarked, "Huh? Why isn't that Yun Clan disciple here today?"

"He has advanced in cultivation. I sent him to the Elysium to enter seclusion." Kou Chongxue's voice drifted from within the house as the door opened, and his figure soon appeared.

Grunting once, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar dropped the topic. Instead, he focused on Kou Chongxue and praised, "Your qi is completely harmonious. It's as if you're one with the world around you. If I didn't know better, I would never know you were the patriarch of our Tongyou Institution and a mighty Sage."

Kou Chongxue gestured for him to sit at a stone table in the courtyard before pouring a cup of water into a bamboo cup. "Is your true body returning?"

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar sipped the water slowly and touched his chin before replying, "You should've received word already. My true body isn't far from our world now."

Kou Chongxue nodded. "So you came just to inform me of this?"

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar said, "It's about a shift in our Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field's position in the void. I was afraid my true body would be annoyed, so I came to warn you to avoid any misunderstanding."

Kou Chongxue looked at him expressionlessly. "If that's all, you can rest easy. I know what I'm doing."

Not noticing anything off in his tone, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar smiled. "Good. After all, your guidance helped me a lot in the past, and we worked together for the world ascension. Our current prosperity wasn't easily won. There is no need for a trivial issue to sour our relations."

Kou Chongxue casually poured himself another cup and mumbled, "Why would it? After all, even though Little Shang wasn't here, you were. You saw firsthand how dire things were. Naturally, once he returns, he'll learn the truth from you."

A flicker of discomfort passed across Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar's face, but he kept smiling. "Of course! But since my true body and the fleet has returned, isn't it time we lift the lockdown on our Heavenly Field?"

Kou Chongxue suddenly smiled, eyes gleaming with a trace of mockery. "The lockdown never stopped your true body from entering or leaving."

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar's expression shifted instantly. Before he could react, the scene around him changed. The quiet courtyard vanished and he found himself above the heavenly screen. A formation that was centered around Kou Chongxue imprisoned him.

At the same time, the power of the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field was drawn by Kou Chongxue, and they poured into him endlessly. His combat strength catapulted to a mid-level Sage from the second star.

He had laid a trap specifically to suppress Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar using the full might of the Heavenly Field.

After all... Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar never expected a casual visit to turn into a trap.

The real shock was not the ambush. It was the sudden rupture between both Sages. Was Shang Xia and Kou Chongxue about to fight among themselves?

"Patriarch Kou, what are you doing?!" Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar screamed in panic.

Kou Chongxue ignored him, only tightening the suppression.

"Patriarch Kou, I know my true body often outshines you, and even refused to return to the institution you founded, but it was necessary for our world's development. You can't be so narrow-minded!" His voice echoed like metal striking stone, booming through the world as if to notify everyone.

Still, Kou Chongxue offered no reply, relentlessly intensifying the suppression.

"Ge Qingzhu, Sun Haiwei, Chu Jia, Yuan Qiuyuan, Yan Ming... I know you can hear me! Will you let him treat me like this? Shang Bo! Shang Bo! He's attacking your grandson! Are you really going to stand idle?!" Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar yelled, calling out to others for help.

At last, Kou Chongxue growled in a chilly voice, "What kind of grandson calls his grandfather by their full name when begging for help?"

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar froze, then abruptly went still. His gaze sharpened. "You knew. When did you start to suspect?"

But Kou Chongxue gave no answer, fully focused on maintaining the formation and augmenting its power.

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar's demeanor suddenly changed. The Star Origin Robe flared with energy despite the intense suppression.

"If you release me now, everything will be fine. Otherwise... You might be able to suppress me, but will your world be able to pay the price if you really try to take me out?" Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar's voice grew heavier, and the power swelling within him showed signs of losing control. The moment it happened, catastrophe would descend.

Kou Chongxue was sweating not just from strain, but from fear of the damage it would bring to the Essence Luxuriant World.

"Well, Patriarch Kou, have you made up your mind? You know you can't stop the energy within me from rising." Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar sneered, confident that Kou Chongxue wouldn't risk everything.

"When did a swordsman like you become so hesitant? The longer you wait, the more power I gather!" He pressed again.

He could already see Kou Chongxue nearing his limit. The inner qi Kou Chongxue could gather was starting to lag behind the consumption of the formation.

But just as Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar was certain he had the upper hand, Kou Chongxue suddenly looked up and asked, "Right, I've been wondering. Just how much power can you store?"

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar paused and then felt a hand land silently on his shoulder from behind.

Instantly, the raging power inside him poured into that hand like a breached dam.

He tried to look back, but his body locked up. He couldn't even blink.

Kou Chongxue released his control over the grand formation the next instant, relieved of its burden. He instantly heaved a sigh of relief.

Along with the dissipation of the formation, several True Immortals emerged from the void. They quickly retreated far away from the monstrous experts.

"True body... Shang Xia!" Though frozen, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar recognized whose hand was on his shoulder.

What shocked him more was that Shang Xia had returned so quickly. And yet, he had sensed nothing.

A quiet chuckle came from behind before Shang Xia's voice boomed in his mind. "Wondering how I returned so quickly?"

Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar remained silent, expecting him to reveal the answer.

But Shang Xia chuckled again, "Thinking I'd tell you, Star Origin Lord?"

"How did you know?" For the first time, panic flashed across Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar's face.

Shang Xia replied calmly, "Since I already know what happened, why will I tell you anything else?"

More than half the energy in his Origin Star Avatar had been drained. With Shang Xia personally suppressing him, even self-detonation was impossible.

Resigned, Shang Xia's Origin Star Avatar asked again, "How did you know?"

Shang Xia thought for a moment before asking, "You took the wrong path from the start. You tried to find and trace my Fate Star through my Origin Star Avatar. Shame my Fate Star isn't what you imagined. What you saw was only what I allowed you to see."

He sounded as if he was addressing his Origin Star Avatar, but his words were clearly directed to the foreign presence deep in the void.

A look of realization dawned on the face of his Origin Star Avatar.

"So that's it... You didn't refine the legacy of the Heaven Observation Sect or improve it. You truly managed to forge another cultivation system! Remarkable indeed!"

But Shang Xia wasn't interested in letting him stall further as he pressed his palm down harder on his avatar. The body shattered instantly, releasing all its energy. In the end, only the Origin Star Robe was left fluttering in the void.

With a wave, Shang Xia sent the cloak flying toward Kou Chongxue. The low hum of a sword rose as the Origin Star Robe was shredded to nothingness.

Keeping his Hidden Frost Sword, Kou Chongxue looked at Shang Xia and asked, "Any hidden danger in the energy you absorbed?"

Shang Xia knew what he meant and replied with a calm smile. "Don't worry. I know how to cleanse it of all foreign interference."

Kou Chongxue nodded, still shaken. "Good thing you returned in time. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten out of this so easily."

Shang Xia chuckled, "I was too greedy. I knew the Origin Star Robe was strange, but still tried to use it to probe the Star Origin Lord. We nearly lost everything."

Kou Chongxue waved him off and sighed, "At least the result was good. The energy it borrowed... Did it belong to the Star Origin Lord?"

Shang Xia nodded. "Once I purify it and inject it into the World Origin Source, we can develop a new continent or two."

Kou Chongxue blinked before gasping in surprise. "That much?"

Shang Xia grinned. "It's not just from the Star Origin Lord. I got good stuff while traveling."

Kou Chongxue laughed while nodding. "Alright, let's go. Someone is probably about to come look for us. Let's go meet them."

Shang Xia laughed while following behind Kou Chongxue, "You foresaw this and shifted the Heavenly Field from the Four Essence Heavenly Field... Haha! Otherwise, the Star Origin Lord might have arrived even sooner."