Chapter 304: Sikong Zhen, a cultivator in the early stage of Nirvana

Just then, a thunderous roar of battle erupted from another part of Zhao Country. Blood-soaked guards stumbled and crawled over, yelling hoarsely: "Lord Suzaku! The western barrier has been breached! The Hunter of Stars' vanguard has broken through!"

Li Qiqing's heart sank. He looked up to see the western night sky dyed black, countless dark figures pouring through the breach in the barrier. Wherever they went, flames shot to the sky and screams were incessant.

Each of these dark figures was clad in black armor, their weapons emitting an eerie glow that seemed to devour light—the standard equipment of the Hunter of Stars.

Leading them was Cui Zhi, the Fifth Ancestor of the Immortal Remnant Clan, a cultivator at the late stage of Ascension!

"It's the Blood Soul Banner!"

Mei Ji's expression was grave. She glanced at the soul banner in the sky, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes: "This is a Blood Star artifact. It's said to be able to corrupt spiritual power. I'm afraid they've secretly sabotaged the energy source of the grand formation."

The cultivator on the right seized the opportunity to sneer, "Now you know fear? Let me tell you, the Hunter of Stars' 'Soul Devouring Cannon' is about to blast open the spatial rift. By then, not just you, but all living beings on Suzaku Star will become our nourishment!"

"What did you say?!"

Li Qiqing's head snapped around, his eyes bloodshot, and he roared, "You want to use the living beings of Suzaku Star as nourishment?!"

"Otherwise, who do you think the Spirit Seizing Grand Formation was prepared for?" The cultivator on the left said with a sinister smile, clutching his wound.

"Sikong Zhen doesn't just want cultivation star crystals; he also wants the ten thousand years of accumulated souls on this planet. Once we refine these souls, breaking through to the Yin Void Stage will be a matter of moments."

These words were like sharp knives piercing the hearts of all the Zhu Que Country cultivators. Zhang Kuang clutched his broken longsword, his knuckles white from gripping it tightly: "You beasts!"

"Beasts?"

The cultivator on the right suddenly burst into wild laughter, his eyes full of contempt: "In the cultivation world, the weak are like ants, and being devoured by the strong is destiny! If you have the ability, then come and devour us!"

Before he finished speaking, the man suddenly felt a chill down his spine, a feeling different from spiritual pressure, more like being locked onto by a power originating from the depths of his soul.

He spun around abruptly, only to see that from the direction of Qiongshan, the wooden carving artifact left by Lin Che was emitting an increasingly intense golden light. The eyes of the wooden carving slowly opened, revealing a pair of pupils burning with flames!

"What is that?"

The cultivator on the right instinctively took a step back.

Li Qiqing was also stunned. He could feel the wooden carving absorbing the residual energy of the city-protecting formation, and even drawing upon the Suzaku bloodline power within his own body.

This drawing was not a plunder, but more like a resonance, as if a slumbering ancient giant was awakening.

"It's Senior Brother Lin Che's artifact responding!"

Li Qiqing's eyes blazed with hope: "It's absorbing the power of all Suzaku bloodline holders!"

Mei Ji looked up at the wooden carving, suddenly recalling a legend recorded in ancient texts: "Legend has it that Lin Che once used his own essence blood as a guide to seal the primordial will of Suzaku Star within this artifact. Could it be…"

Mei Ji's words were interrupted by a phoenix cry that resounded through heaven and earth. The wooden carving on Qiongshan suddenly cracked open, and a giant flame shadow, ten thousand feet tall, burst forth from the wood—it was a true Suzaku!

It spread its wings, covering the sky and sun, its tail feathers trailing flames for a thousand miles. Every cry made heaven and earth tremble, and the black armor of the Hunter of Stars began to melt under the fiery glow!

"This… This is the true body of Suzaku?!"

The cultivator on the left immediately turned pale, his face contorted in a grimace: "Impossible! What kind of artifact is this, to be able to unleash such astonishing energy??"

The Suzaku's gaze slowly swept across the entire scene, finally resting on the twin cultivators.

The moment they were gazed upon, both felt as if their souls were about to be incinerated. Their previous arrogance vanished, replaced by a bone-deep fear.

"Run!"

The cultivator on the right was the first to react, turning to tear open space and flee.

But the Suzaku merely flapped its wings lightly, and an invisible flame barrier enveloped the entire imperial city, locking down all spatial fluctuations.

"On the land of Suzaku Star, no one can escape."

Li Qiqing's voice carried an unprecedented firmness. He walked to Mei Ji's side, looking at the giant flame shadow in the sky.

"It seems the person we're waiting for hasn't arrived yet, but the protection he left behind has never left."

Mei Ji looked at the light and shadow beneath the Suzaku's wings, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She knew this was only temporary.

Though the true body of Suzaku was powerful, it required a vast amount of star core energy, and Suzaku Star was already greatly weakened by the Spirit Seizing Grand Formation.

Indeed, after letting out a cry that shook the entire scene, the flames on the Suzaku began to dim.

It looked down at Li Qiqing, then at Mei Ji, and finally let out a long, mournful cry. Its massive body gradually transformed into a sky full of fiery rain, scattering across the entire city.

The fiery rain fell on the Hunter of Stars, instantly reducing them to ashes. It fell on the injured Zhu Que Country cultivators, however, transforming into a gentle warm current that healed their wounds.

When it fell on the twin cultivators, they couldn't even scream before being burned into two scorched marks.

The spatial rift above the imperial city was still expanding, but the Hunter of Stars' vanguard had been completely annihilated.

Li Qiqing looked at the dark figures stirring in the depths of the rift and took a deep breath: "Ancestor Mei Ji, it seems the real tough battle is just beginning now."

Mei Ji gripped her slender sword, and pink flames ignited once more: "At least we still have time. As long as we hold out until Lin Che returns…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but everyone understood her meaning. Waiting for Lin Che to return would likely not be so easy.

Li Qiqing looked up at the starry sky, as if he could see a distant star field through the rift: "Senior Brother, we will protect your home."

In the night wind, on the ruined city walls, the surviving Zhu Que Country cultivators raised their weapons and let out a deafening roar.

The Five Ancestors of the Immortal Remnant Clan led their people in a frenzied attack on the cultivation sects within Zhao Country. With his late-stage Ascension Great Perfection realm, annihilating these Infant Transformation Stage ants was more than enough.

Cui Zhi grabbed an Infant Transformation Stage cultivator by the neck and said indifferently, "I didn't expect those two Ascension cultivators to die so quickly. They really are useless for success and only good at screwing things up."

"Senior Sikong Zhen, if you don't act soon, I'm afraid Suzaku Star will be difficult to become your training ground!"

As Cui Zhi's voice fell, the sky above Zhao Country was instantly torn open by a special energy, revealing an endless expanse of stars.

And from within the rift, Sikong Zhen, covered in lightning-attribute energy, stepped out. The oppressive aura he exuded caused everyone to feel an unprecedented shock and fear.

With his appearance, several mountains within Zhao Country instantly collapsed with thunderous roars, and the rivers seemed to boil, stirring up monstrous waves.

At that moment, all cultivators on the entire Suzaku Star felt a terrifying sensation, as if ten thousand mountains were pressing down upon them!