C1225 Natural Selection

A palpable grief and despair, too dense to dissipate, emanated from the approaching ship. The Star Race clansmen aboard bore ashen faces, their eyes filled with the gray of death.

Aware that death was inescapable, they harbored no hopes, wishing only for a swift end.

What chance did they stand against the vast Demons?

Any celestial being unlucky enough to encounter the Demons was doomed to perish.

As Wan Jing gestured, Yu Yuan's gaze fell upon the warship's deck, strewn with the bodies of the Star Race aristocracy from the Illusion Starfield.

Many of the corpses bore signs of torture, with wounds so severe that bones were visible.

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed in concern.

Gheirat, the ruler of the Illusion Starfield, felt a surge of rage at the sight of the warship. His eyes, bloodshot, mirrored the fury of a provoked Celestial Star Beast.

Leo's expression darkened, and he quickly grasped Gheirat's arm, cautioning him against any hasty actions.

Meanwhile, on the Demian warship, where the relentless "Blood Boiling War Drum" echoed, the Star Race's Great Sage Beru and the Platinum Asura Ciara also caught sight of the emerging vessel.

Beru's frame trembled, his complexion turned ghostly, and a heavy guilt weighed on his heart.

Had he and Leo not ventured into the Illusion Starfield, would these kinsmen have met such a tragic fate?

He remembered many from the Scattered Star Realm, who had once knelt before him, pleading for his blessings, considering a word or glance from him an honor.

Now, most lay dead, and the few survivors were living a fate worse than death.

Great Sage Beru's face was devoid of any trace of a smile, his eyes growing colder by the moment.

"Elder Zhu! Mr. Pei!"

Cao Jiaze, concealed within the towering palace wielding the Heaven Palace Seal, greeted the two figures behind the warship with a smile of relief.

Zhu Huan, a formidable practitioner in the late Unrestrained Stage, was a preeminent force in the Primordial Yang Sect, second only to the Sect Master and Lee Tianxin.

He was the undisputed titan of our expedition.

Hunched over, Zhu Huan caught a glimpse of the unassuming Cao Jiaze from a distance, offering a nod and a squinted smile in lieu of a formal greeting.

Zhu Huan found Xu Jingyao to be more agreeable and easier on the eyes.

After all, Xu Jingyao was the promising newcomer of their sect.

Standing next to Zhu Huan was a tall, strikingly handsome man with an air of nobility. He greeted Cao Jiaze with a radiant smile.

His gaze effortlessly drifted past Cao Jiaze and settled on Chu Yao, who stood by the lightning token, giving a slow nod of acknowledgment.

Chu Yao hurriedly paid his respects, exclaiming, "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Pei. My master instructed me before I left to take good care of you should I be fortunate enough to encounter you."

With newfound assurance, Chu Yao, who had previously been stooping and bowing his head, now stood tall and straight.

"Your master flatters me. He simply wishes for me to look after you, to prevent any hardships during your travels," the man replied with an easy smile, gesturing for Chu Yao to relax.

On the meteor, the Dragon Slash Platform within Yu Yuan's Heart Aperture stirred subtly.

Yu Yuan, already observing the man named Pei, used his soul consciousness to sense the unique spatial vibrations emanating from him, which had activated the platform.

"A Pei surname, familiar with my Senior Brother, and versed in the intricacies of space..."

After a brief reflection, a name zipped through Yu Yuan's mind like a bolt of lightning.

He instantly understood how Xu Jingyao and his companions had managed to arrive so swiftly.

It was because of Pei Yuling!

Pei Yuling, akin to a carefree wanderer, had made his name three hundred years ago, spending his years traversing the Outland Star River and constructing Galaxy Crossings for the five paramount forces of the Vast Expanse.

Naturally, Pei Yuling's services were not without cost—he always worked for a fee.

Whether it was for the three grand upper sects, the Devil Palace, or the Demon Palace, he was adept at creating Galaxy Crossings in the Outland Star River or space teleportation arrays within the Vast Expanse.

Known for his expertise in space transfer secret arts, Pei Yuling was a renowned figure, especially after his confinement in the Sword Prison.

He had few friends, yet he and Zhong Chichen, Yu Yuan's Senior Brother, shared an immediate and profound connection.

Yu Yuan, recalling his Senior Brother's words from three hundred years ago, had never met Pei Yuling, who was always active beyond the stars. He hadn't expected...

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

One after another, Yang cultivators launched themselves from the warship. Without a word, they joined forces with Cao Jiaze and his companions to strike at the frenzied, bloodthirsty Asura.

Loo Rui, Huang Baiqi, and Wan Jing were all individuals Yu Yuan had previously encountered.

"Is that Gheirat?"

With a defiant look, Xu Jingyao turned to face the ruler of this realm. With a condescending, indifferent tone, he asked, "You once led the Star Race's warriors and killed many of our people. What exactly are you angry about?"

Bang!

A venerable elder of the Star Race, an uncle of Gheirat's, was struck down by a single slap from him. His bones shattered, and blood gushed forth.

"Those who emerge from the crucible of training are naturally our hunting targets. Likewise, if we fall to your strength, we accept our fate. Isn't this the way of life? The principle of survival of the fittest is something we've learned from you."

Xu Jingyao burst into laughter, "Uncle Zhu, isn't that the truth?"

Zhu Huan of Secluded Sun Mountain remained expressionless, "It has always been this way."

The next instant.

The slender Zhu Huan appeared in a flash above the warship where Beru, Ciara, and Demian were stationed, like a blazing fireball intent on incinerating all life.

"I can detect the scent of the Frost Well from the Dark Domain! What, you dare to call upon Sabonis?"

From the fiery orb, Zhu Huan's mocking laughter echoed, and suddenly, a shower of fire rained down from the heavens.

Each fiery droplet homed in on its target with precision.

The Asura Clan warriors, locked in battle with the Yang cultivators, became alert as their souls and blood felt ignited.

Overcome by an unbearable heat, they pounded their chests and howled, their ferocity intensifying.

"Cease the Blood Boiling War Drum!"

Ciara's face drained of color as she instinctively sensed danger. She realized that the warriors, driven mad by the "Blood Boiling War Drum," could explode at any moment under Zhu Huan's provocation.

Simultaneously, an impenetrable darkness began to stealthily spread from within Ciara.

In the starry expanse devoid of any realm, the sheer cold and darkness seemed to amplify in power, far surpassing that within the Plover Realm.

"Beru, please look after the others."

Ciara's voice emerged from the darkness as she communicated with Demian through secret arts. A surge of dense dark light shot up, confronting the sky filled with fiery rain and Zhu Huan, who blazed like a meteor.

The pounding of the Blood Boiling War Drum finally ceased. Demian, the Platinum Asura from the Dark Domain, unleashed a roar akin to that of a ferocious beast.

"Understood."

Beru acknowledged, transforming into a shooting star as he left the shroud of darkness and joined the central ranks of the Asura warriors.

The nearest star suddenly radiated a gentle starlight, which caused the fiery rain to vanish silently before it could touch the Asuras.

"Is that Yu Yuan? What's he up to? Just spectating?"

Xu Jingyao of the Primordial Yang Sect flicked his fingers, setting the remaining members of the Star Race ablaze, then eyed Yu Yuan with a peculiar gaze.

Yu Yuan responded with a detached air.

"Hey, I heard that Tang Can suffered terribly at your hands at the bottom of the Ember Waters?" Xu Jingyao called out, "And what about the Evil Cauldron? Show it to me! Oh, and the Dragon Slash Platform, not to mention the sheath of the Divine Sword. You sure have a lot of treasures."

"Indeed, I do," Pei Yuling replied with a nod and a smile.

Ignoring Xu Jingyao from the Primordial Yang Sect, Yu Yuan's expression darkened as he fixed his gaze on Pei Yuling. Pointing to the acupoint on his chest, he declared, "The Dragon Slash Platform is here. If you have the courage, come and take it."

"Hong Qi, your reputation precedes you."

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