Chapter 1070: The Most Crooked One
The last topic for discussion was centered around how they would retaliate against the Demons.
It was almost impossible for humans to enter outsider realms, except through the Dead Star Sea.
The teleportation portals the outsiders had left in the human world many years ago that connected to their worlds had very high flesh aura requirements to access. It would be very dangerous for humans to access them.
Besides, no one knew what lay on the other end of them.
There had been cases where desperate humans had entered such teleportation portals, but almost none of them had ever returned.
The most plausible way to deal with the Demons was to fight them in the Dead Star Sea.
First of all, the Demons had set up many defensive lines and strongholds in the Dead Star Sea. Secondly, unlike Demon realms, the Dead Star Sea wasn’t wreathed in raging Demon Qi year-round.
Humans wouldn’t be at too much of a disadvantage to fight the Demons in the Dead Star Sea.
Therefore, the last issue for discussion was the Sons of the Stars arranging for their powerful subordinates to coordinate with Chu Rui, who was currently their commander in the Dead Star Sea, and launch retaliations against the Demons.
Afterwards, Mou Luo’s domains would be awarded to the Sons of the Stars according to their contributions in the battle.
Those who made the greatest contributions would be allowed to choose first.
Such a proposal was clearly in Sikong Cuo’s favor.
Even though his cultivation base wasn’t the highest among the Sons of the Stars, his force had become the strongest among the Sons of the Stars now that he had enlisted Mou Luo’s former subordinates.
Judging by their strengths, he would be the Son of the Stars who would most likely make the most contributions in the upcoming battle against the Demons in the depths of the Dead Star Sea.
Chu Rui, Mo Heng, and the elders didn’t oppose this proposal put forth by Luo Wanxiang.
Mou Luo had been killed by Demon grand patriarchs. Whoever could deal the heaviest blow to the Demons would be allowed to choose from and purchase Mou Luo’s domains with contribution points first. This seemed fair and reasonable.
Soon, all of the Sons of the Stars except Nie Tian took turns to express their support for Luo Wanxiang’s proposal, and their resolution to gather and march their most powerful subordinates into the Dead Star Sea.
Vice sectmaster Chu Rui smiled at Nie Tian from within the mirror in his seat, and asked, “What about you, Nie Tian?”
Sikong Cuo grinned. “I don’t think it’s necessary for my seventh martial brother to join this battle against the Demons. It’s not that I don’t have confidence in him. He only joined us recently, yet he has already accumulated a considerable amount of contribution points. This is more than enough evidence for his abilities.
“However, his own cultivation base is still rather low, and his strongest subordinate, Jing Feiyang from the Domain of Heaven Python, is only at the middle Saint domain.
“I heard that he only brought one Saint domain and two Void domain subordinates with him when he went to assist Hou Chulan, the Divine Daughter of the wood element sect, in the Domain of Heaven’s Origin.” With these words, Sikong Cuo shook his head slightly. “That’s clearly not enough to make a difference in our upcoming battle.”
Luo Wanxiang nodded. “It’d be better if Nie Tian furthered his cultivation and enlisted late Saint domain subordinates before joining our operations in the Dead Star Sea. There are plenty of opportunities in the future. Why rush it?”
Apparently, he shared Sikong Cuo’s repulsion towards Nie Tian.
Even though Nie Tian’s cultivation base wasn’t impressive, he had repeatedly astonished people with his incredible means in the floating continent and the Domain of Nether Heaven.
What if he performed outstandingly in the Dead Star Sea...?
Considering that Chu Rui, the other vice sectmaster, was in charge of all affairs in the Dead Star Sea, if Nie Tian actually astonished everyone with his performance, even Luo Wanxiang would have a hard time masking his brilliance.
With a warm smile, Chu Rui said, “Nie Tian is a Son of the Stars. His cultivation base and the strength of his subordinates might be limited, but he should still be allowed to join our operation in the Dead Star Sea if he wants to. So I want to hear your opinion, Nie Tian.”
Just as Nie Tian was about to speak, grand elder Mo Heng chimed in with a plain tone, “I agree with vice sectmaster Luo. I don’t think Nie Tian should join this operation in the Dead Star Sea.”
Nie Tian didn’t have much interest in fighting this battle in the first place. Upon hearing Mo Heng’s words, he gave a faint smile and said, “I’m still young. And there are plenty of opportunities to prove my worth in the future. I think I’ll pass on this one.”
“Alright, that’s all of the issues that need to be addressed. Meeting adjourned,” Luo Wanxiang said.
The soul shadows within the mirrors rapidly faded and vanished.
Chu Rui’s soul shadow took one last deep look at Nie Tian before vanishing as well, Mo Heng after him.
At the same time, the Sons of the Stars walked out of the grand hall successively. Nie Tian and Fang Yuan walked out shoulder to shoulder.
Then, as the two of them headed towards the Vast Heaven Pavilion together, Fang Yuan said with a worried expression, “I’ve got to make preparations and march into the Dead Star Sea again. I’m afraid Sikong Cuo will be unstoppable with Luo Wanxiang’s help this time. If there are no mishaps, his contribution to the upcoming battle in the Dead Star Sea will most likely be the greatest.
“If that happens, then he’ll have the right to choose from Mou Luo’s domains first. First, he enlists Mou Luo’s powerful subordinates. Then, he takes over his domains. It’s like giving a tiger a set of wings. I’m afraid he’ll overshadow all of us soon.”
“Why did you choose Ji Yuanchuan?” Nie Tian asked curiously.
Fang Yuan smiled bitterly. “Ji Yanchuan hasn’t sided with either vice sectmaster. Like Luo Wanxiang, Ge Ling has long since determined that Sikong Cuo will be the best choice for our future sectmaster, and has thus been cozying up to him.
“As for Peng Siyi, who vice sectmaster Chu Rui voted for, she has placed high hopes in senior martial sister Wang Meijia, as does Chu Rui.
“Only Ji Yanchuan is like grand elder Mo Heng, who doesn’t overtly lean towards any Son of the Stars.”
Nie Tian’s expression flickered with surprise. “Vice sectmaster Chu Rui has high hopes in senior martial sister Wang Meijia?”
Fang Yuan nodded. “Yeah.”
“Elder Han Wanrong is on your side, isn’t she?” Nie Tian asked.
Fang Yuan didn’t try to hide the truth as he said, “That’s right. But who knows? Perhaps she’ll switch to second martial brother Fang Zhe in the future.
“Both Fang Zhe and I are from the Fang Clan, which is one of our sect’s many subordinate clans.
“Elder Han has been grateful to our clan because we provided him with significant help before.”
Nie Tian was at a loss for words for a brief moment before asking with shock written all over his face, “Your clan has actually cultivated two Sons of the Stars?!”
Fang Yuan smiled and said, “Well, a talented member of my clan’s previous generation became a Son of the Stars as well. However, he died rather young, and didn’t even have a chance to compete for the position of the Lord of the Stars. As for now, the head of my clan saw the potential in me and has bet the entire clan on me. Fang Zhe, however, came from a remote branch of my clan, and didn’t receive much support from my clan when he was growing up.
“He grew to resent my clan, and declared that he was no longer a member of my clan many years ago, when he became a Son of the Stars.
“Now, I have my clan’s support. But what if something happened to me? Would the head of our clan place his bet on Fang Zhe instead?”
Nie Tian was stunned, not knowing what to say.
He hadn’t expected the Fang Clan’s internal affairs to be in such a tremendous muddle. It reminded him of grand elder Mo Heng’s clan.
As they spoke, the two of them arrived in front of the Vast Heaven Pavilion. Fang Yuan patted Nie Tian’s shoulder and said, “Fang Zhe isn’t fond of me. Seeing that you and I are pretty close, I doubt that he’ll treat you nicely. Now that he’s stronger than our entire clan now, he even pisses on our clan with every chance he gets. Luckily, like me, he’s also going to march into the Dead Star Sea, so he won’t be able to cause you any trouble for now.”
Nie Tian smiled. “I’ll be fine, even if he tries something funny.”
Fang Yuan laughed heartily and bid him farewell.
All of the other Sons of the Stars made preparations and braced themselves for the upcoming battle against the Demons in the Dead Star Sea.
Nie Tian, however, stayed in the Vast Heaven Pavilion. His original plan was to visit the Domain of Heaven Python upon returning to check on the situation there, but he somehow felt that Mo Heng’s wisp of soul awareness might still be in the Realm of Fragmentary Star, and that he might have something to say to him. Therefore, he remained in the Vast Heaven Pavilion.
He had a feeling that grand elder Mo Heng had placed his bet on him.
Days passed...
He sensed something while channeling flesh power from outsider corpses to nourish his bloodline aura.
As he had expected, Mo Heng’s soul shadow show up.
It flew soundlessly through the stone door to Nie Tian’s room as soon as Nie Tian opened it, and immediately said, “The information the Divine Daughter of the wood element sect gave us about what happened in the Domain of Heaven’s Origin was very limited.”
Facing him, Nie Tian instinctively felt an uncle’s solicitude from him.
Then, he explained everything that had happened in the Domain of Heaven’s Origin in detail, including how the flame spark had devoured the Domain-corroding Flames, and how he had dealt Froste a heavy blow.
Mo Heng listened attentively.
Only after he finished did Mo Heng say in a soft voice, “I didn’t know you actually had such dangerous encounters in the Domain of Heaven’s Origin. Hou Chulan, He Lianxiong, and you were almost killed there... Where did you get that flame spark? The Domain-corroding Flames are very hard to get rid of, how is it able to do that?”
“It was a gift from the Divine Flame I encountered in the Domain of Flame’s End,” Nie Tian said.
Mo Heng gasped with astonishment. “That Divine Flame from the Domain of Flame’s End?! Why did it give you a spark of its flame?”
“If fact, it was more of an exchange,” Nie Tian explained. “It gave a flame spark to me in exchange for a few drops of my Blood Essence.”
“So it’s your bloodline all over again...” Mo Heng muttered in a low voice.
Nie Tian’s eyes suddenly lit up. Looking unblinkingly at Mo Heng he asked, “Do you know something about the origin of my bloodline? Do you know my father?”
He finally asked the question he had longed to ask for years.
Mo Heng fell silent.
Only after a long time did he slowly open his mouth. “Your father was the reason why I am who I am today... If he hadn’t shown me the right path, I wouldn’t have been able to join the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, much less become the grand elder. Instead, I probably would have given myself up and idled my time away because I didn’t have a cultivation attribute.
“Also, it was him who first put forth and experimented with the idea of mixing outsider bloodlines with humans to create hybrids.
“It’s just that major mishaps occurred during the process, which forced him to stop. Many of his experiments and thoughts were considered wildly crooked.
“If we’re talking about crooked human forces, he’s the ultimate one. Compared to the road he took, the ideas and doings of the Nether Spirit Society, the Death Curse Sect, and the Blood Spirit Sect aren’t even worth mentioning.”