Splitting the Heavens

Although Lightning Master's method of attacking the Origin Pillar to collect origin qi appeared rather crude, it was actually quite efficient, at least several times more effective than that of Vortex Observer.

Following Lightning Master's assault, Sage Cat and Graceful Lady quickly joined in. Naturally, both ladies chose to cooperate.

After the eight Sages had joined forces to form the battle formation, they continued to conceal their personal identities, but their cultivation levels were inevitably exposed during the process.

Sage Cat, who had always exuded an air of mystery, turned out to be only at the second star, clearly the lowest among the eight.

That meant her participation during the journey had always felt minimal, and in moments of danger, she had often become the weakest link.

Fortunately, the others understood the principle of mutual survival and took turns supporting her. Perhaps because they were both women, Graceful Lady had helped her the most. So, when the two decided to act together, it wasn't surprising to the rest.

Of course, the cooperation between those two Sages wasn't just a matter of personal alliance, it symbolized the collaboration of their factions, their respective worlds, and perhaps even the union of two different Heavenly Fields.

Their method was intriguing. Graceful Lady made the first move, extending a pathway that seemed to be made of silk from her Star Ship, linking one end to a portion of the Origin Pillar.

The moment the silk draped over the pillar, a strange sound echoed through the void.

Hiss....

As if a giant cat hidden within the veil was clawing at the surface of the pillar with sharp talons, the scraping sounds could be heard non-stop.

The two worked remarkably well together. Graceful Lady's silk bridge seemed capable of preventing the origin qi fragments peeled from the pillar from dissipating, while Sage Cat focused entirely on tearing at the pillar itself.

Their efficiency was naturally quite high, though perhaps still not exceeding Lightning Master. Moreover, the origin qi they collected would ultimately need to be shared between them.

At that moment, Shang Xia had also finished gathering his strength. He had no time to hold back. He swung his arm, the Seven Star Mace in hand. At the same time, he summoned the projection of the Crimson Soul Tablet on it. Boosted by the power of his Star Ship, he unleashed the Shattered Starry Skies, striking the Origin Pillar from afar.

A sharp crack rang out, echoing across the void and stopping the other Sages in their tracks. Even the three who had not yet acted paused and turned toward the source of the sound.

The Seven Star Mace returned to Shang Xia's hand. On the Origin Pillar nearly 1,000 miles away, a large crack had started to spread from the impact point. Three to five watermelon-sized chunks broke off, followed by another seven to eight fist-sized pieces. After that, many smaller fragments were sent flying. Some of the finer debris had already begun to dissolve into pure origin qi.

In the next instant, a giant hand created from origin qi swept through the void, scooping up most of the fallen fragments. Only a few tiny bits scattered, but the divine light they emitted lit up the previously dim surroundings with dazzling color.

Everyone was stunned by Shang Xia's display. Not only had he collected more origin qi in one blow than Lightning Master, Vortex Observer, Graceful Lady, and Sage Cat combined, but the sheer power behind his strike left them reeling.

They had already acknowledged Shang Xia's strength, even believing he surpassed Sage Loudmouth despite both being at the fifth star.

Yet no matter how high they thought they had evaluated, they had still underestimated Shang Xia's true power.

Seeing their reactions, Shang Xia smiled and explained, "Everyone, this Origin Pillar is formed from solidified origin qi. Its outer layer is naturally the hardest. The deeper you go, the weaker it becomes. Otherwise, how could the foreign cultivators have established their spatial gate within the pillar?"

As it turns out, the deeper into the pillar, the more fragile it is.

The other Sages, upon hearing his explanation, intensified their attacks. The remaining three who had not acted, Sage Loudmouth, Lord Actor, and Mister Drama, also launched their strikes one after another.

When Sage Loudmouth made his move, it attracted attention. While he wasn't as strong as Shang Xia, he was still a fifth star Sage, and with a super Star Ship backing him, one would expect his output to be close.

However, although Sage Loudmouth managed to dig a hole in the pillar, the resulting fragments amounted to less than half of what Shang Xia had collected.

As for the last to act, Mister Drama's strength had clearly diminished. Even with the aid of his Star Ship and disciples, the rate at which he stripped the pillar matched only the third star Sages like Graceful Lady and Lord Actor, perhaps even slightly less.

That said, Mister Drama's method was somewhat unique. His innate inner qi, when channeled through the pillar, produced a corrosive effect, making it easier for him to break it down. As a result, despite being the last to act, he quickly caught up to and even surpassed the yields of Graceful Lady and Vortex Observer.

By the time all eight Sages had acted, regardless of differences in method or output, the Origin Pillar, formed entirely of solidified origin qi, had been reduced to a pitted mess. Even though it was enormous in size, it looked scarred and battered from afar.

Throughout this process, the two high-level Sages from the other Star Field who had earlier retreated, never reappeared to stop the destruction.

That, ironically, disappointed the Sages who had remained on alert. Their wariness only deepened, along with a growing sense of unease.

They knew full well that the elites of the outer Star Fields could never allow them to destroy the pillar and collapse the spatial gate. The fact that they hadn't intervened yet only meant one thing... They were preparing a larger counterattack. The longer they waited, the more devastating that retaliation was likely to be.