Splitting the Heavens

Perhaps it was the sudden appearance of three Sages, plus Shang Xia, who was fighting the third star Sage outside, making four, Sage Zhuo, who had intercepted the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field's fleet, discovered that taking them down wouldn't be easy. He settled for the next best thing, demanding one of the two Spirit Worlds.

To such an unreasonable demand, Shang Xia couldn't be bothered to argue. He simply snorted. "Guess we'll have to settle this with our fists."

At that moment, the one who was truly uneasy became Sage Zhuo.

Even though multiple Sages across the Original Stars Corner had already reacted to the presence of four Sage-level auras, their interference was ultimately symbolic. They were too far to offer timely support.

What Sage Zhuo really feared was the fate of his two companions who had entered the fleet's battle formation. He couldn't imagine how a fourth star Sage and a third star Sage could be swallowed by the battle formation without making any waves.

He wanted to force his way past Shang Xia's interference and take a closer look. But he was afraid he would be trapped by the battle formation. In the end, he started to hesitate and his exchange with Shang Xia became a little awkward.

Watching him, Shang Xia simply stepped aside and smiled. "Why not go have a look yourself, Sage Zhuo?"

Sage Zhuo's eyes narrowed. He replied coldly, "Bastard scammer, I won't fall for your bait. I refuse to believe you can escape under so many gazes!"

But as if to mock his words, the moment he finished speaking, the void around the fleet, calm just a moment before, suddenly erupted. A turbulent tide of origin qi surged forth, as if it intended to sweep away all existence.

Yet before that tide could spread, a sea of endless starlight descended. Countless stars in the dim void burst into brilliance, as if responding to a cosmic summons.

Even Sage Zhuo, locked in combat with Shang Xia, could feel it clearly. Starry radiance from all around seemed drawn toward the fleet.

Before the origin qi tide could stir up the void, it was already suppressed by the vast starlight.

Though the phenomenon flared and faded in moments, the resulting shockwaves rippled through the void, forcing smaller Star Ships of the main Essence Luxuriant Fleet to retreat hundreds, even thousands of miles away. The smaller ships eventually stabilized themselves before quickly reorganizing to form their battle formations to suppress the turbulent void.

Without another word, Sage Zhuo turned and fled deep into the void, away from both the fleet and Shang Xia. To prevent being chased, he ignited his origin and sacrificed a Divine Artifact to disrupt the space behind him before tearing through the void for a hasty escape.

No one understood what had just happened better than Sage Zhuo, even though he hadn't witnessed it directly.

From the disturbance that was created, he knew that one of his companions, the third star Sage, had perished within the fleet's battle formation without so much as a sound. The other fourth star Sage, had barely escaped by summoning the power of his Heavenly Field, consuming a massive portion of his origin world's World Origin Source to open an emergency escape route.

Even so, the fourth star Sage had surely been gravely wounded, and his origin world would have taken serious damage. What was worse, the coordinates of his world's location in the void had likely been exposed.

These three had not been casual collaborators, they were close allies. All of them knew the others' Heavenly Field well. Even before their ambush, they had left behind special communication signals so they could feel the presence of the others.

At first, when the other two forced their way into the battle formation, Sage Zhuo could still sense their presence through the special methods they left behind. The next second, the third star Sage's aura vanished completely. Following it, the fourth star Sage drew on the power of his origin world to escape.

That was the ultimate life-saving move of a Sage.

What kind of power existed inside that fleet that could force a mid-level Sage to use such a desperate escape technique?

And what kind of power could kill a third star Sage so quickly that he didn't have a chance to use his escape technique?

Sage Zhuo didn't know, and he didn't want to know. His only goal was survival.

When did the lives of Sages, who stood at the peak of Star Regions, become so cheap?!

Since the mutation of the spatial vortex, eight Sages from different Heavenly Sages had ventured in. At least two were said to have died in there.

Later, a few Sages from the Original Stars Corner reportedly tried to exploit others on the outskirts of the spatial vortex by taking advantage of those who left, and ended up killed when they messed with the wrong target.

The Heavenly Fields of those fallen Sages had instantly shown signs of instability. Many outside forces had begun to probe and exploit the chaos.

Sage Zhuo had no intention of letting his own Heavenly Field become the spoils of war for the next Sage.

With Sage Zhuo fleeing for his life, not even Shang Xia could catch up.

Once his figure vanished completely into the void, Shang Xia turned back to stare in the direction of the Original Stars Corner. He could clearly sense that over half of the threatening auras from various Heavenly Fields had suddenly vanished. Some even stirred the void deliberately to obscure their location, clearly to avoid being traced.

Shang Xia responded only with a mocking smile. His figure flickered and, moments later, he returned to the reformed battle formation of the Essence Luxuriant Fleet. He appeared on the deck of the You Continent.

There, standing at the prow, was his true body. His hands were clasped behind his back as he looked into the depths of the void.

Sensing the presence behind him, Shang Xia didn't turn around. He simply smiled and asked, "So, how much energy did you expend this time?"