Splitting the Heavens

As the massive palm was pierced by the stone rod, the spindle-shaped Star Ship seized the opportunity to swiftly retreat and rejoin the fleet.

At that moment, Shang Xia's voice echoed from the void behind. "For a dignified Sage to strike repeatedly against lower-leveled cultivators... Such behavior is truly beneath your status!"

From the depths of the void came a cold snort. "You entered this Star Region and took what you pleased without permission. That makes you a thief. Thieves deserve only one fate and that is to be killed. Why bother talking about status and dignity?"

Within the void, 'Shang Xia' revealed his identity. He looked in a certain direction, his expression full of disdain. "My Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field saved these worlds from the void current. When they were on the brink of being swallowed by the great spatial vortex, did any of you from the Original Stars Corner even remember them? Did any of you attempt to help?"

His words left the unseen Sages momentarily speechless.

After a short pause, another voice came from the void. "Enough talk. If you want to take these worlds from our Star Region, you'll have to fight for it."

Shang Xia laughed. "It should have been this way from the beginning. Why put on such an act?"

"Heh, you're merely a newly advanced fourth star Sage. What gives you the confidence to break through our blockade?" It was the first Sage who had spoken earlier, still harboring resentment over being rebuked by Shang Xia.

Shang Xia sneered. "Why don't you make the first move and find out?"

"Very well. I have been stuck at the third star for years without progress. Let me see what a mid-level Sage is really made of!"

As his words fell, a flash of cold light flickered in the depths of the previously dark void.

Shang Xia's expression shifted slightly, and he vanished in an instant. A moment later, the area he had just stood in was ravaged by a spark of fire that erupted and burned the void into a tattered mess.

"Heh, so that's all he's got!"

The voice rang out again from the depths of the void, laced with scorn. "With just that level of skill and cultivation, you dare to drag two Spirit Worlds before us all? Truly reckless!"

Though they had only exchanged two blows, and Shang Xia had focused solely on evasion without direct confrontation, his opponent had already seen through his cultivation level. They were confronting a third star Sage!

Perhaps Shang Xia had concealed it somewhat, but at most he was at the peak of the third star. It was impossible he had reached the mid-level of the Martial Emptiness Realm.

As for Shang Xia's supposed aura at the fourth star... It was clearly a bluff, a tactic to deter possible enemies.

Realizing his cultivation level had been exposed, Shang Xia immediately withdrew toward the Star Ship fleet.

Once within the fleet, with the protection of its massive formation, even a peak third star opponent would struggle. Shang Xia could hold his own against a fifth star Sage and likely retreat unscathed.

Of course, dragging along two Spirit Worlds made matters more complicated. Whether he could actually take both of them down with him was uncertain.

Still, the Sages from the Original Stars Corner who had managed to intervene never truly expected a full victory. Their aim was simply to split a slice of Shang Xia's pie.

After all, the spatial vortex had plunged every Heavenly Field in the Original Stars Corner into crisis. Several Sages had already perished, worsening the situation. Most Sages were focused on stability, unwilling to take risks.

Even so, those who had come couldn't just watch Shang Xia reach his fleet unchallenged.

Sage Zhuo of the Original Stars Corner was the first to reveal himself. As he approached Shang Xia, he extended his right hand to grab at him.

His arm was clad in a golden-silver gauntlet. The next instant, a hand of intertwined gold and silver origin qi emerged. It was much smaller but far more condensed than the previous palm. It extended toward Shang Xia and immediately froze the surrounding void, halting his movement.

But even as the void around him froze, Shang Xia's body began to emit a hazy starlight that flowed into the surrounding space.

He was only paused for a brief moment before moving again, retreating to the fleet at even greater speed. Behind him trailed a long stream of starlight stretching dozens of miles.

The very next moment, that starlight trail was shattered by dozens of rays of chilly light. They then regrouped and turned into a volley of glowing arrows that shot through the void, not toward Shang Xia, but at the dozens of ships behind him.

Shang Xia didn't even turn his head. He showed no intention of intercepting them and instead looked on with visible contempt.

The second attacker, though also a peak third star Sage, lacked the power to break through the fleet's heavily fortified formation. It was especially so when he split his attack into dozens of projectiles. Its power was divided.

Yet just as Shang Xia was about to reenter the fleet, a sudden and violent burst of killing intent erupted from behind the formation. In an instant, a blazing meteor-like light tore through space and pierced the fleet's protection, crashing into the fleet itself.

"Mid-level Sage!"

Shang Xia, now only a step away from the fleet, looked at the fiery meteor descending into the formation. His face showed surprise and shock, but there wasn't a trace of panic.

As the radiant meteor crashed into the formation, the barrier shattered in the blink of an eye.

The next moment, the dozens of icy arrows, previously dismissed as ineffective by Shang Xia, rained down and struck the hulls of many medium and large Star Ships.

Clearly, everything had been a premeditated trap. It was carried out with a degree of coordination that was truly impressive.

Had it been the fleet of any other Heavenly Field, nine times out of ten, such a carefully orchestrated strike would have torn apart the formation completely.

Unfortunately for them, they were kicking a steel board here. They ran into the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field's fleet, one that had long since been prepared to be attacked.

Moreover, the real Sage commanding the fleet had not yet taken any action. In fact, even his presence was still unknown to the attackers.