Splitting the Heavens

Chapter 1164: Starfire Refinement

Shang Xia didn’t think that his act of activating the Crimson Soul Tablet and drawing over the power of the stars would affect the overall situation to such an extent.

However, after the starlight dissipated and the identities of those fighting within the region of distorted space were revealed, Shang Xia already determined the identities of the last 2 experts shrouded in starlight.

On one side were Xing Xingtian, 5 experts from the Spirit Mammoth World, Spirit Abundance World, and the Spirit Tinkle World, and the last person should be Starry Pavilion Master, Tong Yutang!

There was no doubt they were fighting Zhuge Xiang, the Star Origin Guards Captain! After all, he was the only person Shang Xia knew they would target and would be able to withstand their combined assault.

He could also guess the reason behind the attack. Tong Yutang wanted to replace Zhuge Xiang as the Star Origin Guards Commander.

For Tong Yutang to be able to gather such an impressive force meant that obtaining the position of the Star Origin Guards Captain wasn’t the only objective. There had to be even more hidden goals and extensive motivation behind the attack.

Despite all of that, what Shang Xia really wanted to know was the reason behind their daring betrayal despite the creator of the Star Origin Dao Field, a Seventh Order expert!

No matter what, Zhuge Xiang’s identity as the Star Origin Guards captain was something the Star Origin Lord supported. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to take up the position in the first place!

Shang Xia was appalled that Tong Yutang and the others would dare to work together to scheme against Zhuge Xiang.

What Shang Xia didn’t know was that his interference caused the starlight shroud around them to disappear and caught everyone involved by surprise. They wanted nothing more than to tear the fucker who exposed their acts to the world to shreds!

What Shang Xia did basically exposed their interference in matters related to the inner workings of the Star Origin Guards! Even if they succeeded, it would be a massive bomb waiting to erupt in the future. There was also the issue of the Star Origin Lord, and despite numerous rumors going around, no one had seen it for themselves.

When the high-level experts hidden in the void were guessing the identities of the final 2, Shang Xia had already started thinking of how he should take advantage of the current situation to gain the greatest benefits for the Tongyou Institution and the Spirit Luxuriant World.

Shang Xia continued to travel around the border of the region of distorted space, and he hid his tracks to the best of his abilities. He changed his position constantly to confuse anyone paying attention to him, and he slowly drew closer to the battle. At the same time, he looked for the best opportunity to join in the clash.

Be it Tong Yutang’s party of 7 obtaining the victory or Zhuge Xiang escaping from the encirclement, everything would affect how the Spirit Luxuriant World would deal with the aftermath.

As for Zhuge Xiang turning the tables and killing his opponents… Shang Xia felt that there wasn’t even a need to think about that possibility. Unless the Star Origin Lord appeared, there was no way to turn the situation around!

Well… If the Star Origin Lord could appear, none of that would be happening in the first place.

Actually, for Zhuge Xiang to be able to hold out against the battle formation formed with 1 fourth tier True Immortal, 2 third tier True Immortals, 3 second tier True Immortals, and 1 first tier True Immortal, was something Shang Xia didn’t expect.

Even when the entire region was shrouded by the power of the stars, none of their combat abilities would be affected. In fact, all of them should have their abilities boosted by 30 percent or so.

At that moment, Shang Xia wasn’t the only expert circling the battlefield.

It was impossible for the movements of so many True Immortals to be hidden from those involved. They quickly detected many hidden experts hidden in the void and those 6 True Immortals who had already been exposed started to gather their strength again. Starlight was drawn over and they were quickly covered in it.

At the same time, the starlight that scattered earlier showed signs of returning.

When they were covered in starlight again, those 6 True Immortals rejoined the battlefield.

Since Shang Xia had been approaching the battlefield, he managed to examine the runes around the Star Robes that lit up as they absorbed the starlight that returned. He couldn’t be more familiar with them. A good portion of them looked exactly like those he had created in his rank six Secret Formation Talismans for Tong Yutang.

As he examined the other runes that lit up, he noticed how many of them had connections he created.

There was no doubt about it. Of the True Immortals who took part in the battle, other than Xing Xingtian whose Star Robes belonged to the Star Origin Guards, the robes the others wore were treasures that had been replicated with the same effects. In fact, even Tong Yutang might be wearing fake Star Robes.

When Shang Xia was still surprised by his discovery, the battlefield in the distance started to transform once again.

With the help of the 6 who rejoined the battle, the central ball of starlight started to swell. When it reached a certain point, it started to ignite with brilliant Starfire.

Experienced True Immortals in the surroundings couldn’t help but yelp in fright, “Starfire Refinement! It’s said that when the battle formation of the Star Origin Guards reached the limit, Starfire would be produced. It was said that Starfire possessed the might of the Seventh Order and only the Star Origin Lord had the qualifications to display its might. We haven’t seen a real Starfire Refinement in hundreds of years, but who would have thought that we would be able to see it again today?!”

Other True Immortals chuckled with schadenfreude, “The secrets of the Star Origin Guards have actually been displayed by several True Immortals not a part of them… hehehehe, after this battle, I believe the position of the Star Origin Guards is going to shift…”

Even with the various True Immortals conversing with each other, the moment the power of the stars became Starfire, Shang Xia’s Crimson Soul Tablet started to pulse once again. It even seemed like it was about to leap out of his sea of consciousness happily. It only meant one thing, and Shang Xia understood that Starfire was of higher quality than the power of the stars it had absorbed back then.

Squeezing his glabella, Shagn Xia quickly suppressed the tablet that felt like it was about to emerge.

He didn’t continue to advance closer to the battlefield. Instead, he started retreating despite the indication of the Crimson Soul Tablet to move closer. He retreated without hesitation.

What the fuck? Of course I’m not going closer. That's the energy of the Seventh Order!

At the same time Shang Xia retreated, an enraged roar came from within the ball of flames. Even the restrictions that had been laid down failed to stop the soundwaves from emerging.

“Tong Yutang, you actually leaked the secrets of the Star Origin Guards to outsiders!”

Zhuge Xiang’s voice was recognized by all.

His enraged cry was the first sound to be produced during the battle, and it was a signal that the battle had reached a critical point. Both sides were not able to perfectly control their powers anymore.

From the angry cry that emerged, it seemed as though Zhuge Xiang was angrier that the secrets of the Star Origin Guards had been revealed compared to the betrayal he had received.

Also, Shang Xia’s guess was accurate and Tong Yutang was really the leader of the other group.

“Hmph. As long as the Star Origin Guards maintain control of the Star Robes, and I become the Guards Commander, how can you say that the secret leaked?” Tong Yutang’s voice also rang through the void.

Shang Xia was no stranger to the Pavilion Master’s voice.

“You colluded with outsiders, and the prestige of the Star Origin Guards would take a big hit regardless whether you succeed or not. Hmph, you won’t be able to maintain the reputation and image of the Star Origin Guards in the eyes of the various worlds… Even if you become the Guards Commander, how are you supposed to maintain your position?” Zhuge Xiang growled. Even though he seemed like he was asking the question, Shang Xia could hear the weakness and helplessness in his voice due to his inability to change the outcome of what was happening.

It seemed as though he was an arrow at the end of his flight!

Facing Zhuge Xiang’s question, Tong Yutang didn’t seem too concerned. He sneered nonchalantly, “The prestige of the Star Origin Guards never came from you in the first place. Our Star Origin City never relied on the strength and reputation of the Star Origin Guards to establish our might in the various worlds. Everything stems from the Star Origin Lord! Zhuge Xiang, you took matters into your own hands and intentionally hid news of the Star Origin Guards and the Dao Field. You also severed the connection between the various worlds… What qualifications do you have to remain as the Guards Commander?”

“You did everything because of this?! Hah… Haha…” Zhuge Xiang’s cold laughter rang through the void. “You know nothing… None of you know anything!”

Tong Yutang’s enraged cry came next. “Of course we don’t! You have been hiding everything from us, even news of the Star Origin Lord. You even tried to steal the lord’s strength… Otherwise, how can you enter the level of Returning to the Origin to become a fifth tier True Immortal?!”

“Heh, you really don’t know anything…” Zhuge Xiang said the same thing, but everyone could hear that he wasn’t in the best of state.

“Zhuge Xiang, you should understand the concept of Starfire Refinement better than anyone else here. Hand over the Star Origin Lord Robe and I’ll let you die with dignity.” Tong Yutang roared. Even though victory was at hand, Tong Yutang still seemed to be concerned about the Star Origin Lord Robe on Zhuge Xiang.

With that, the saying that all Star Robes were equal seemed to be slightly contradictory.

However, that was also within expectations. After all, that was the robes worn by the Star Origin Lord. It didn’t come as a surprise that it was of a higher quality than the rest.

Also, the Land of Star Origin had been established for close to 1000 years. The cultivation of every Guards Commander was in the fourth tier of the Martial Void Realm or higher, and all of them would hold their posts for a hundred or so years. Moreover, with few opportunities for them to make a move, even members of the Star Origin Guards wouldn’t know much about the special properties of the Star Origin Lord Robes.

“You don’t know anything… None of you do!” Zhuge Xiang croaked, but he seemed to have caught a second wind as he regained his clarity the next moment. “I won’t allow you to succeed! The Star Origin Lord Robe can never land in your hands!”

Shang Xia’s consciousness jolted the next moment, and he seemed to realize that something was about to happen.

“You…” Tong Yutang was interrupted by the sudden change before he could say more.

In the middle of the ball of Starfire, a massive ball of light rushed out before soaring rapidly through the fragmented space while fleeing in a certain direction.

The True Immortals hidden in the void around the battlefield noticed a figure that was slowly turning more and more blurry as he rushed out from the ball of flames. It was the final desperate struggle of a True Immortal who was burning his Void Origin!