The Stars Beyond

Chapter 423: Who Has A Say In The Immortal Realm

Amid all the chaos, Heng Jun turned ghastly pale as he experienced the deep, disturbing pain of losing an arm—something rare for someone of his caliber. Not only had he suffered a grievous injury, but he also lost hold of the supreme treasure, the Ascension Banner, intensifying his distress and panic.

"Ascension Banner!" Desperate to reclaim what was his, Heng Jun nearly lost his mind, channeling peerless celestial light in an attempt to retrieve it. He had been significantly more emboldened when he had the Ascension Banner in his hands.

Yet, his situation grew dire as he faced obstacles and deadly attacks. A sword light, aimed precisely at his forehead, threatened to pierce through and cripple even a supreme being like him.

Dodging the lethal strike, Heng Jun roared, "Come back!" His severed limb glowed, indicating a fragment of his spiritual essence within, turning into a feeble extension of himself.

"The mortal realm isn't dictated by the likes of you!" a voice echoed across the ancient lands, resonating above An City. "Nor is the immortal realm at your behest!" the pair of shadows declared. Their simple statements imposed a profound deterrence, highlighting their unmatched status.

Earlier, their words might not have caused much concern, but now, their statements sent out ripples of fear. The pair's unparalleled strength left Heng Jun at a significant disadvantage.

The woman shook the radiant scroll of the Old Covenant, and Heng Jun's attempt to reclaim his arm was thwarted. The Ascension Banner, influenced by the Old Covenant, resisted Heng Jun's call as it strove to escape.

The appearance of the Old Covenant scroll on this day was truly astonishing and impactful, drawing the focus of all present.

Naturally, many moved to seize the moment and capture the Ascension Banner. The 'Elders of Blood' were decisively making their move, each formidable in their own right. Their demeanor was usually affable, but when it came to matters of interest, they were all ready to reap benefits ruthlessly.

The strife between the supreme beings promised to be even more terrifying. Amidst the turmoil, some even took the opportunity to launch stealth attacks on Heng Jun.

The mysterious figure in the golden robe beside Heng Jun underwent a rapid succession of emotional shifts: initial shock, followed by disbelief, and finally, a glimpse of viciousness. Even he had harbored desire for Heng Jun's supreme treasure, the Ascension Banner.

"Let's eliminate Heng Jun first; at the very least, we need to shatter that arm to prevent him from reconstituting his body!" declared one of the Blood Elders. "Kill Heng Jun!" echoed another. Their voices resonated through the realm.

The Blood Elders' legion, comprised of unparalleled beings, unleashed its wrath. The sky was masked with their devastating attacks—punches that darkened the heavens, sword lights that cleaved through the immortal realm, and formidable laws thundering with power, all mercilessly directed at Heng Jun.

"Ascension Banner, return!" Heng Jun evaded the relentless onslaught, desperately maneuvering through the immortal realm to regain control over the Ascension Banner.

In the decrepit palace within the fragment of the blessed land, the man with a half-exposed skull sighed, "So they found the Old Covenant. I ventured into the depths of the Earth's heart palace in search of that very thing, believing it was here. All efforts were futile in the end."

Possession of the Old Covenant could have elevated him to legendary status, allowing his physical form to endure eternally amongst mortals rather than succumbing to decay as it now did.

"The Old Covenant—once cast into the depths of the universe to meld with its rules and reveal itself upon countless life-bearing worlds—has been found," the man in the black robe spoke, finding himself in a predicament amidst the day's events.

"The Old Covenant intertwines with the supreme laws of the immortal realm. As mythologies draw to their twilight, it can transform into the kindling for the fire of civilization, forging treasures unique to a transcendent civilization," explained the woman from the heart of the Earth, her eyes filled with longing but also fear.

"There's no need for concern; it's merely the Old Covenant. What is there to fear when a curtain is pulled aside? Those born to dominate should harbor no dread in their hearts," the ethereal enemy stated, confronting the duo head-on.

His ability to escape the previous night without being vanquished on the spot was testament enough to his extraordinary might. This transformation from warrior to draconic menace marked him as one of the rare formidable beings from ancient times.

Ethereal yet formidable, he unleashed a galactic barrage of light with a mere gesture. The remnants of transcendent laws stirred violently, causing the void itself to collapse and explode under his power.

Across from him, the male figure among the shadowy pair struck out with his palm, unleashing a blinding burst of light that collided hard with him, instantly shattering his incomplete rule of power. In this era, within the real world, those who could wield such broken rules were exceedingly rare and powerful, and yet here they were, engaged in such a confrontation.

"Right, I've stepped beyond the great veil; I'm no longer bound by the old covenant!" the man in the black robe declared, fearlessly.

"Is that so? But who in this universe lives without constraints? Every ascendant who enters the great veil essentially agrees to abide by the old covenant," responded the female figure, holding the ancient covenant. She slashed it towards the man in black, causing his blood to surge violently, and he spat blood repeatedly.

He had entered the present world in his primary form, the first of his kind to return fully from the realm of immortals using a precious treasure. His physique was supposed to be extraordinarily strong.

Yet, under the illumination of the old covenant, his foundation was severely shaken by that light. In a sense, the old covenant possessed the properties of a great treasure.

"The old covenant is indeed fading, but I don't need its vessel to diminish you," said the woman. Though she was merely a faint shadow, her presence was overwhelmingly powerful.

With a thunderous crash, as she approached, a piercing light burst forth in the void, as if a real woman was materializing, radiating pure white light, stepping forward!

The man in the black robe resisted with all his might, but to his astonishment, he found himself trembling helplessly before her pristine white fist. He couldn’t strike back and was instead sent reeling, blood flowing from every orifice.

His head spun with the realization that he was in deep trouble. Without the constant oversight and intimidation from Heng Jun wielding the great treasure, the Feathered Banner, they would be in grave danger.

The woman was extraordinary, still a shadow but occasionally manifesting transcendent power with stark white fist imprints that materialized and struck her opponent.

"Please, let Daoist Mu return. We will withdraw," the man meditating in the decayed grand palace at the heart of the earth spoke up, pleading with the two supreme beings to release the woman.

The woman named Mu, her body desiccated and trapped in the battle, was unable to break through the blockade.

"Do you think you can come and go as you please? Who do you think we are! Since you have harbored the intent to kill and acted on it, you must be prepared to leave your lives behind!" the male figure among the shadows declared forcefully, not sparing any face for the man in the grand palace, clearly intent on killing the exceptional female warrior named Mu.

"Friends, you two cannot control the ancient covenant's vessel for long. I suspect you want to use it to forge a supreme treasure. Using it repeatedly now might lead to problems. I apologize; let us make peace," the man in the grand palace responded calmly, his voice devoid of joy or sorrow.

Though he spoke of reconciliation and requested the release of the captive, there was an undeniable aura of authority emanating from him, indicating he was confident and powerful, truly a legendary figure capable of residing permanently in the world in his physical form.

In the decayed grand palace at the earth's core, the few disciples that remained were only alive because of his protection. His seated presence was a bulwark against the erosion of the modern world.

"I will not release her. You would do well to shut the grand palace and stay out of this!" the female shadow spoke up, clearly displeased and determined to settle the matter today.

"What thousands of miles away manifestation, it's merely a strand of spirit essence causing mischief. Disperse!" the male shadow said, and with a loud crash, he struck from above the city of An, obliterating the remotely manifested seated figure.

"Hmph!" The man in the grand palace scoffed coldly, now blind to everything above the surface. He spoke indifferently, "Once the ancient covenant fades, if I emerge into the world, who will be able to stand against me in battle?"

A warning voice transmitted through the ancient covenant reached the heart of the earth, "You better behave yourself, or even after the covenant dissipates, you might still fall!"

In the night sky above An City, a terrifying scene unfolded under a resurgence of heavy rain and dark clouds. Lightning intertwined as if a golden-winged roc was soaring ninety thousand miles up into the heavens, shaking the world.

"Are those two supreme divine beings chasing after the three now?" In An City, many extraordinary beings felt bewildered by the day's shocking events.

The ethereal shadow was fleeing. With a loud crash, the man in the black robe was struck, half of his body exploding in a shower of blood that stained the night sky.

"Do you think you can escape back underground?" the male and female duo called out in challenge.

The woman surnamed Mu dove towards the earth. She had fought with all her might, but the trio was not united, each harboring their own thoughts and considering their escapes.

Now, her intent to retreat was clear; she sought refuge in the decayed grand palace, believing the man at the earth's core could save her.

A dazzling scroll surged downwards, wrapping around her and violently shaking her. She screamed in agony as her rotting and dried flesh fell off, stripped away.

The ancient covenant's vessel inflicted a terrible corrosion on her, reducing her to a skeleton with cracks forming in her bones, threatening to explode, and even her spirit essence developed fine cracks.

"No!" She fled in panic into the deep earth.

She felt as if she was about to burst apart, that strike so devastating it destroyed her peerless foundation and filled her with uncontrollable rage.

Sensing that the duo had gone after the mysterious shadow and the man in the black robe, she confirmed their pursuit. In fact, the man in the black robe, who was the first to step out of the immortal realm in his primary form with the help of the Feathered Banner, was now being bombarded by the pair.

Underground, the infuriated Mu, her courage fueled by rage, moved through the soil towards An City, seeking Wang Xuan. She wanted his physical body as a crucible for her own use, intending to take it over.

Gender is no longer an issue in the face of survival. What she needed was to stay and alive and protect the foundations of her cultivation. Beneath the night sky, Wang Xuan, with the Godslaying Banner in hand, rustling in the wind, raced out of the city, driven by a sensed threat.

In the wilderness, he donned the special armor he had worn when battling Zheng Yuantian, covering even his face to ensure that no one could predict his next moves.

In one hand, he held the Godslaying Banner, and in the other, he carried an unremarkable furnace cover, standing alone in the desolate wilderness.

"The supernatural materials in the present world have dried up; there shouldn't be such commotion," he muttered to himself.

"What are you talking about? Why aren't you running?" The woman named Mu, now a skeletal frame crisscrossed with cracks, appeared. Her presence was so diminished and concealed that she almost thought she had pursued the wrong person.

In an instant, she attacked, reaching out for Wang Xuan as her spirit essence tried to leap into his physical body to seize control.

"Crushed by someone to the point your foundation shattered, your flesh disintegrated, removed from the extraordinary—do you still think you can overpower me?" Wang Xuan had been observing the battle closely with his spiritual eye, so he was not alarmed at all.

"Die!" The woman's spirit essence, fierce and determined, almost reached Wang Xuan, right in front of him.

Wang Xuan shielded himself with the Godslaying Banner in his left hand, while his right, holding the mundane furnace cover, slammed it forward.

"Thud!"

A deep, thumping sound like distant thunder echoed, followed by a series of crackling noises as the woman's skeletal frame exploded into fragments, turning into dust.

Her spirit essence took the brunt of the blow from the furnace cover and shattered into pieces, torn apart by an unknown force.

Wang Xuan swiftly wrapped the fragmented spirit essence, already weakened from being destroyed, in the Godslaying Banner. Golden patterns spread across, beginning to annihilate it.

Meanwhile, in the realm of immortals, Heng Jun, disheveled and in utter disarray, found his situation dire. The prospect of reclaiming the treasure was far from his thoughts, his life hanging by a thread.

The “patriarchs” of the Hades Blood Sect, each more ruthless than the last, were convinced that killing Heng Jun was the safest bet, ensuring he could not merge with that arm and claiming the Feathered Banner for themselves.

"Heng Jun, you owe me a favor. When will you repay it? Use the treasure to settle the debt!" one of the Hades Blood sect leaders shouted.

Hate filled Heng Jun; today, his downfall was caused by repaying a favor. He turned to flee.

"Pfft!"

A sword light flashed, piercing his chest. From behind, another sect leader yelled, "Heng Jun, you owe me your life!"

"Heng Jun, pay up with your life. In this realm of immortals, among the listed immortals, it's we, the Hades Blood Sect, who decide!" another voice boomed.