Chapter 1204: Battle at the Star Palace (1)
After hearing the information provided by the two Core Formation cultivators, Han Li was feeling a lot more assured.
It was quite clear that Ling Yuling had requested for his help through the use of the Myriad Distance Talisman so he could oppose the Sect Master of the Myriad Gates of Enlightenment. Speaking of this Wan Tianming, Han Li had actually seen him in the Heavenvoid Hall before.
This man had left him with a rather negative impression, and he always appeared as if he were plotting something. However, Han Li was quite surprised to hear that this man was able to reach the late-Nascent Soul Stage.
The Heavenly Star Sages, who had perished along with the Archsaint of the Six Paths and Wan Sangu, would clearly have been unable to anticipate this. In their minds, the Star Palace would've surely already defeated the Starfall Coalition and reigned supreme over the Scattered Star Seas again, so there would be no need to request any external assistance.
However, Han Li really didn't see this Wan Tianming as much of a threat.
This Sect Master Wan had progressed to the late-Nascent Soul Stage even later than he had, so there was no way that he was a match for Han Li. Following his period of seclusion, Han Li had further bolstered his cultivation base, and his spiritual sense had also become vastly more powerful. Even if he were to come up against a Deity Transformation cultivator, he had the resources to ensure self-preservation, albeit just barely.
With that in mind, Han Li's thoughts quickly turned to the Divine Essencefused Light, as well as that legendary Divine Essencefused Mountain.
The Divine Essencefused Light cultivation art wouldn't be difficult to obtain. Apparently, this cultivation art wasn't exactly a well-guarded secret, so he would most likely be able to find a copy somewhere in the Scattered Star Seas. Even without recruiting the assistance of the Star Palace, he would also be able to find it as long as he was willing to expend some time.
However, the Divine Essencefused Mountain was an extraordinary object, and it was difficult to say whether there would even be another mountain of a similar nature in the human world.
He didn't know whether this mountain was a mandatory element for cultivating the Divine Essencefused Light, but many high-grade cultivators in the Scattered Star Seas were aware that the Heavenly Star Sages had only begun using this cultivation art after discovering the Divine Essencefused Mountain. As such, this mountain was at least very helpful to those cultivating the Divine Essencefused Light. Otherwise, as aforementioned, this cultivation art was not that difficult to obtain, and far more people would be using it, but that was clearly not the case.
With these thoughts racing through his mind, Han Li nodded absentmindedly toward the two Core Formation cultivators and left some parting words of gratitude before flying away as a streak of azure light.
Throughout this entire process, he hadn't asked anything about why the two were fighting, nor which of the two sides they had pledged their allegiance toward.
The two of them stood on the spot and looked on with respectful expressions at Han Li's departing figure. Only after the azure streak of light truly disappeared into the distance did they turn to each other in unison, upon which hints of animosity reappeared in their eyes.
However, after Han Li's interruption, neither of the two were in the mood to fight anymore, and after trading a few verbal insults, both of them departed in a rather sheepish manner.
At this point, Han Li was already over 50 kilometers away.
...
Over the surface of the ocean several tens of thousands of kilometers away from the Heavenly Star City, there were a dozen or so streaks of light hurtling toward the city.
This group consisted of cultivators who varied in age, but all of them wore identical attire, so it was quite apparent that they belonged to the same sect or power.
Perhaps it was due to the fact that they had gotten close to Heavenly Star City, but hints of complacency had crept onto their faces, and some of them had even begun conversing through voice transmissions.
Right at this moment, a sudden turn of events abruptly unfolded.
Brilliant white light erupted from the surface of the ocean beneath the group of cultivators, following which a dozen or so pillars of white light shot forth from down below. Following a string of rumbling explosions, all of the cultivators were struck aside from the three Core Formation cultivators with the highest cultivation bases, who had barely managed to evade the surprise attack just in the nick of time.
Howls of anguish immediately erupted as these people were reduced to nothingness amid the pillars of white light.
The three remaining Core Formation cultivators were naturally shocked and infuriated upon seeing this, and they immediately summoned their respective treasures as they hurriedly cast their eyes downward.
Right at this moment, seven or eight streaks of light emerged from within the ocean, rising up into the air before surrounding the three Core Formation cultivators.
One of the remaining elderly cultivators seemed to have recognized one of the people that they had been surrounded by, and a resentful expression appeared on his face as he cussed, "Starfall Coalition dogs!"
A middle-aged man with a set of sinister features chuckled coldly as he asked, "Hehe, If it isn't Brother Lu of the White Water Sword Sect? Going by your logic, doesn't that make the three of you Star Palace dogs? Also, hasn't your sect declared itself to be completely neutral? Why are you heading to the Heavenly Star Island?"
"Hmph, why do you insist on asking a question you already know the answer to? Our White Water Sword Sect has always been a branch of the Star Palace, so it's naturally our duty to provide the Star Palace with our assistance during its time of need. That's enough chit-chat; let's go!" The elderly man aimed a vicious glare at the opposing middle-aged man before barking an instruction to the two Core Formation cultivators beside him.
The three cultivators then swayed and transformed into three streaks of light as they flew toward a certain direction. Furthermore, as they rushed away into the distance, the three streaks of light suddenly combined into one massive pillar of intertwining red, yellow, and white light several tens of feet in length, sweeping toward the opposing Starfall Coalition cultivators in that direction with astonishing.
It appeared that the elderly man knew that his trio would be no match for such a large number of enemies, and he immediately decided to escape.
However, the two Starfall Coalition cultivators situated in that direction weren't flustered in the slightest at the sight of the oncoming three-colored pillar of light. Instead, they merely glanced at one another before raising their hands in unison.
A vast expanse of azure light suddenly erupted from their hands without any premonition, catching the three-colored pillar of light completely off guard before ensnaring them within the azure light.
The two of them then began to chant something, and azure light flashed as a massive azure net was revealed, trapping the three Core Formation cultivators. All three of them were attacking the net with all their might, but were still unable to break free.
"Haha, cease your futile struggles, Brother Lu. This All-Encompassing Net was given to us by an elder of our sect. With your Core Formation Stage cultivation bases, there's no way that you'd be able to break free from it. Besides, even if you did manage to escape, it wouldn't do you any good anyway. The entire Heavenly Star City has been surrounded by our Starfall Coalition, and it'll only be a matter of time before it's vanquished. Allow me to send you three on your way first!" The middle-aged man chortled as he abruptly opened his mouth. A small white sword shot forth from within, flying directly toward the three Core Formation cultivators trapped within the net.
"Oh? From the sounds of it, Heavenly Star City seems to have been surrounded for some time already. Can you tell me about the situation here?" An unfamiliar male voice suddenly rang out nearby, and was clearly audible to everyone present.
"Who's there?!" The middle-aged man's heart jolted with shock as he hurriedly surveyed his surroundings with a wary expression.
The other Starfall Coalition cultivators also hurriedly released their spiritual sense, and they also began to look around with bewilderment and caution on their faces.
However, their search proved to be completely futile, and all of them could only look at one another with confusion in their eyes.
"What are you all looking for? I'm right here, aren't I?" The unfamiliar chuckled coldly, following which azure light flashed in front of the three ensnared White Water Sword Sect cultivators, and a humanoid figure was revealed.
This was an azure-robed young man who appeared to be in his twenties, and he was appraising the Starfall Coalition cultivators around him with an indifferent expression.
The two Starfall Coalition cultivators closest to the young man swept their spiritual sense toward him, upon which their expressions changed drastically, and they exclaimed in unison, "A Nascent Soul cultivator?"
Even though they couldn't ascertain Han Li's exact cultivation base, there was definitely no mistaking the fact that he was a Nascent Soul cultivator.
The middle-aged man's expression also changed upon hearing this. He carefully sized up the young man before him, and a look of astonishment and horror suddenly appeared on his face. Immediately thereafter, he made a hand seal without any hesitation and fled into the distance as a streak of white light. Following just a few flashes, he was already several hundred feet away.
Not only was Han Li slightly surprised to see this, the other Starfall Coalition cultivators were also quite flabbergasted.
Even if this young man were a Nascent Soul cultivator, with so many Core Formation cultivators present, they should still have been able to at least put up a fight. Furthermore, that middle-aged man was the leader of the group, and his cultivation base was the pinnacle of the late-Core Formation Stage, so why was he fleeing the scene before they had even verified whether this young man was friend or foe?
"You recognize me?"
This young man was naturally none other than Han Li, who had finally gotten here after over a month of intensive traveling.
His expression darkened as he casually flicked a finger toward the distance, upon which a red line immediately shot through the air amid a piercing whistling sound.
The red line swayed and completely disappeared. Meanwhile, an anguished cry suddenly rang out from within the streak of white light several hundred feet away.
The white light dissipated, and a humanoid ball of fire plummeted into the ocean, where it sank like a lead weight.
Han Li merely waved a hand through the air in a nonchalant manner, and that same sharp whistling sound erupted again as that red line flashed through the air, disappearing into the Han Li's hand in the blink of an eye.
Han Li turned his gaze toward the other cultivators, and asked, "Are you willing to answer my questions now?"
Even though Han Li's voice wasn't very loud nor deliberately menacing, all of the Starfall Coalition cultivators felt chills run down their spines.
Only then did they realize why the middle-aged man fled without so much as a second thought.
The man standing before them was clearly unfathomably powerful, and they didn't appear to have any chance of victory even if they were to attack all at once. Most importantly, he seemed to be harboring a lot of enmity toward their Starfall Coalition!
With the precedent of the middle-aged man being insta-killed, all of the other Starfall Coalition cultivators were feeling quite weak in the knees, and none of them dared to act recklessly.
After a while, a man with a hook nose cleared his throat and forced a smile onto his face as he asked, "What questions do you have for us, Senior?"
"Didn't I already state my question? Do you want me to repeat myself?" Han Li turned toward the man with a cold expression.
The hook-nosed man's heart jolted, and his smile stiffened even further as he hurriedly replied, "My apologies, Senior, I'll answer your question right away. The Star Palace has indeed been surrounded by our coalition already. Otherwise, we wouldn't dare to appear in an are so close to the Star Palace."
"I see. Looks like your Starfall Coalition decided to attack before the announced date to catch the Starfall Palace off guard. You'll also be able to kill all of the cultivators loyal to the Star Palace in the process. What a great ploy you've devised." A hint of a smile appeared on Han Li's face as he spoke.
"I'm not aware of the specific details. Our cultivation bases are not very high, and we only did as we were told," the hook-nosed man replied with a sheepish smile.
"But even if the Starfall Coalition has gained the upper hand in this battle, Heavenly Star City is an extremely massive place; even with tens of thousands of cultivators gathered, there's no way that they'd be able to surround the entire city, right?" Han Li asked.