C1059 Death Crane
The distant echo of the crane's call still resonated across the far-flung starry river.
Yet, every combatant in the fray, be it a Human Yang cultivator, a Bloodline warrior, or a Golden Rock Beast, sensed their life force ebbing away at the sound of that crane.
Take the Ninth Level Golden Rock Beast, Jin Lih, for instance, who felt a sudden tightness in his chest.
"Death Crane!"
The Golden Rock Beast, as imposing as a mountain, shattered the Star Race's crystal face light shield and sent Asa's released colossal star wheel spinning away. Its eyes, normally wild with fury, now reflected an unexpected clarity and composure.
Jin Lih urgently searched for Yue Mu.
And there he was, Yue Mu, enveloped by sword intent like water dragons, his demeanor relaxed and content amidst the swirling colors of the cloud sea, now gathering his previously carefree focus.
Their gazes met across the void.
"Move out!"
Man and monster alike, their soul thoughts rippled through the air, instantly conveying their commands.
Crack!
An Eighth Level Golden Rock Beast snapped the neck of an elder from the Star Race, but instead of continuing its frenzied attack on another warrior, it transformed into a bolt of golden lightning and vanished, landing on a meteorite floating outside the warship.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
One by one, the Golden Rock Beasts hunting the Star Race swiftly returned to the meteorite beneath them.
Jin Lih, the mightiest among them, drew in his massive claws, morphing them into hoof-like forms, and stood upon the four largest meteorites. In the ancient tongue of demons, he commanded, "Return to your places!"
The scattered meteorite fragments obediently drifted towards him from all directions, like chess pieces to a board.
In an instant, the stones coalesced into a single, swift Demon Palace known as the "Gale Formation."
The assembled meteorites, now a resplendent golden sea of light, surged toward a shadowy, pitch-black region with clear intent and direction.
Almost simultaneously.
Yue Mu vanished from the vibrant cloud sea with a flicker, and in the next moment, he reappeared on the meteorite where Huang Baiqi, Loo Rui, and the woman from the Cold Yin Sect stood.
Huang Baiqi's forsaken sword, now a streak of lightning, returned to him in a flash.
"Fernand, your survival now hinges on your own prowess," he said, gripping the hilt of the Heavenly Water Sword and sliding it gently back into its sheath. He then bowed to Yu Yuan, expressing his regret, "I apologize, Senior, for I cannot repay the kindness you bestowed upon me three hundred years ago."
The gentle sound of flowing water rose from the meteorites beneath his feet. Dozens of streams, in shades of dark green, azure, and deep blue, wove together in a miraculous dance, buoying the meteorite as they sped to join the cluster where the Golden Rock Beast resided.
They were uncertain when the Death Crane, harbinger of demise, would arrive. Nor did they know if other formidable members of the Divine Soul Sect and the Babel Chamber of Commerce accompanied it. What they did know was that the Babel Chamber of Commerce and the Divine Soul Sect's bold choice to convene in the Oblivion Starfield, calling upon the mightiest from various races, indicated a confidence in their preparations.
Neither Yue Mu nor Jin Lih were fools; they understood their mission was solely to collect intelligence. On the fringes of the Oblivion Starfield, should they inadvertently be ensnared by the Death Crane, escape would be impossible once the reinforcements from the Babel Chamber of Commerce and the Divine Soul Sect arrived.
"Yue Mu sure knows how to make a swift exit," Peach Madam mused, her discontent palpable as she stood beneath a resplendent peach tree amidst the swirling, colorful clouds. She had been ready to unleash her true power in a showdown with Yue Mu, but he had departed without a word. It was like throwing a punch full of vigor into a cushion—frustratingly futile.
"Big brother..." In a moment of courage, Pattinson of the Shadow Clan finally ventured forth from the Gloomy Paradise. He approached the meteorite where Rony had met his end, knelt on one knee, and pressed his hands against the blurred mess that was Rony's chest, his efforts in vain. Rony's organs had been reduced to pulp by Huang Baiqi's lightning sword, his soul extinguished by the electric assault. Rony was beyond any hope of revival.
With a thunderous crash, Elena, now an Eighth Level Bloodline warrior, broke free from her constraints. She landed with force beside Yu Yuan, standing protectively in front of Fernand. "Old man, are you okay? You can make it through this, right?" Fernand's mouth was awash with blood, his chest pierced by sword wounds, bleeding profusely.
The Asura General, standing as rigid as a lance, was overwhelmed with emotions he could not express, words trapped behind a silent facade.
At that moment, the force emanating from Yu Yuan and the sword net woven by Yue Mu began their first contact.
Fernand's nerves and heartstrings were taut with tension.
"Benin, we're really lucky."
In the corner of the Star Race battleship, Hart gazed at the three bloodied corpses before him, the image of the Star Race members being ripped apart by the Golden Rock Beast causing his lips to quiver.
With only a Seventh Level bloodline, he had miraculously survived the onslaught of the demon army.
Benin, her face as pale as marble and beaded with sweat, finally breathed a sigh of relief, barely able to stand.
As Hart expressed his relief, a look of utter exhaustion crossed Benin's face.
Hart was unaware that their safety was thanks to Benin, who had been using her newly awakened bloodline talent to keep them hidden in the blind spots of sight and perception.
The Golden Rock Beasts that swarmed the battleship and the Yang cultivators of the human race didn't notice them first.
They had become inconspicuous, easily overlooked...
This was, in fact, a unique talent of the Void Spirit Succubus.
"I've lost many of my people."
Wilson, clad in heavy armor and wielding a massive broadsword, thrust it several times into the carcass of a Golden Rock Beast before looking up sharply at Benin. "It could have been avoided if we hadn't pursued the Gloomy Paradise."
Benin hung her head, feeling guilty.
"Out of twelve Star Cannons, seven are destroyed. The warship's crystal face is severely damaged. We've lost fifteen of our people, including three with Eighth Level bloodlines!"
Asa, placing a large rotating star wheel on the warship's custom stone platform, mourned with a grief-stricken face.
He too suspected Benin's sudden visit was not well-intentioned.
Without her, Wilson might not have recklessly pursued the elusive Gloomy Paradise and would not have run into the formidable hunters of the Hao Yu.
"When we reach the Oblivion Starfield and see your teacher, I expect a reasonable explanation," Wilson stated icily.
Benin remained silent, her head bowed.
Then, to the astonishment and ire of Wilson and Asa, she abruptly seized the bewildered Hart and, with the splendor of radiant wings, they vanished back into Gloomy Paradise.
Wilson's complexion turned a livid shade of blue. "That woman has the audacity to disrespect me!"
In a bid to curry favor with Benin and demonstrate his might, he had ordered a pursuit into Gloomy Paradise, nearly falling victim to the formidable hunters of Hao Yu.
Having already paid a steep price, and considering Fisher's relationship with Benin as her teacher, he had barely managed to restrain himself from immediate retribution.
Yet Benin, in a display of sheer ingratitude, took Hart and departed as soon as the crisis had abated, her actions striking him like a resounding slap across the face, leaving him seething with humiliation.
"This young lady is truly vexing," Asa muttered, his own frustration evident.
Benin was obviously exploiting them, using their strength to aid the outlaws of Gloomy Paradise, or perhaps... someone else?
Once the incident had concluded, she left without a word of explanation. Did she think the members of the Colman family were fools?
Clang!
In a fit of rage, Wilson cast his massive broadsword to the ground and stormed out of the dilapidated Galaxy Ancient Starship, in hot pursuit of Benin and Hart.
"Repair the warship, tend to the injured, and dispose of the demon carcasses," Asa instructed hastily, concerned that the devious hunters might have laid traps for Wilson, and he quickly followed suit.
Wilson was pivotal to the Colman family's fortunes, and as a family elder, Asa knew he had to prioritize what mattered most.
"That man..."
At the ship's bow, Becker's gaze, filled with the twinkle of stars, settled on Yu Yuan in the distance.
He hailed from the Curtis family, the most formidable within the Star Race, privy to intelligence far beyond the reach of the waning Colman family. He had previously overlooked both Peach Madam and Yu Yuan, missing crucial details.
Recently, Yu Yuan had made a move against Loo Rui and unleashed the Evil Cauldron upon a woman of the Cold Yin Sect.
In that moment, a significant name from the Boundless Land surfaced in Becker's mind—a name his family had warned him to watch carefully: Yu Yuan.
"It should be," Becker said, taking a deep breath. Following Wilson and Asa, he too departed from the battered warship.
"How's it going?"
Hu Caiyun, who had absorbed the colorful clouds into her being, approached Yu Yuan from behind, casting a glance at the extremely tense Fernand and the concentrated Yu Yuan. "I've heard some rumors about the sword net Yue Mu left behind. It can't be forcibly broken; any attempt to do so without finding the right approach will only cause a backlash."
"Your well-intentioned efforts to save him might actually hasten his death," Peach Madam kindly cautioned.
If Fernand's eyes could talk, they would surely be pleading, "Yes, that's right, listen to her. Don't do anything rash!"
"Old fellow, you seem quite frightened, don't you?" Elena remarked, her curiosity piqued.
Fernand was on the verge of tears.
With a swoosh, Benin, accompanied by Hart from the Silver Scale Clan, descended upon Gloomy Paradise, yet they avoided the land where Yu Yuan and the others were situated. Hart's bloodline was too low; without the sanctuary of Gloomy Paradise, he would suffer from the corrosive effects of the Galaxy Extraordinary Talent.
"Benin!" Wilson from the Colman family, unable to contain his anger, pursued the stationary Star Race warship to Gloomy Paradise and demanded, "I've changed my mind. You owe me an explanation now! Are you aiding the outlaws or those two damned individuals?"
"It's none of your concern," Benin replied, her expression cold.
"Haha! None of my concern? After losing so many of my kin, destroying several Star Dome Cannons, and sustaining damage to our warships, you're telling me it's none of my concern?" Wilson's face twisted with rage.
