Chapter 856 - Let Them Stink!

"It's impossible! The Blazing Yang Star Barrier must be malfunctioning!”

"There should be a view from the Million Starlight Palace; someone will come to fix it soon!"

"But, but... people are injured, people are dead!”

Their faces were charred, their spirits shattered, some even crying out.

From the bravado of moments ago to being as wretched as a drowned rat, it hadn’t been even a quarter of an hour.

"Brother Yang, what on earth is going on?"

Two Samsara Disciples gathered around Yang Yang, their voices trembling as they asked.

The Blazing Yang Star Barrier had attacked Yun Xiao for ages without subduing him, but then it burst forth with such might, devastating their entire party!

"It must be a malfunction with the barrier...” Liu Liu muttered hoarsely, still stuck in a daze.

"The Grand Assembly Arena is prepared meticulously! Everyone's Taiyi Sourcecores start out the same! No barrier's power would behave like this, much less surge with so much power!" Yang Yang suddenly exclaimed harshly.

He knew better than anyone; the might of the Extreme Yang Star Barrier had just tripled, as if the power of the entire formation had been siphoned and unleashed all at once.

But normally, to protect the entirety of the star, the barriers were not meant to focus and unleash power in one spot; their protection was meant to be evenly distributed!

The more details he knew, the more Yang Yang found this situation inconceivable.

He suddenly looked up, staring intently at Yun Xiao.

That slave, still hovering in the air, wore a blood-chilling smile that killed without spilling blood.

His demeanor was not of a man coming to die but to play a game, to toy with them all!

“Did you tamper with the Blazing Yang Star Barrier? Do you realize, such actions are against the rules, and could get your Harmony Divine Palace kicked out?” Yang Yang ground out the question.

His manner of asking made those around him crumble even more, bewildered at this slave they had once looked down upon.

From that moment, Yun Xiao’s smile started to make their skin crawl...

“Since the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects began, the Star Barriers have all been the same, right? If I have the capability to control them, how is that against the rules? Which rule did I violate? Is it written in the details?” Yun Xiao countered.

With that, the truth was all but confirmed.

Suddenly, the whole of the Blazing Yang Star Barrier’s atmosphere shifted dramatically. All the storms of fury converged again around him alone, as if he commanded 100 raging dragons, overlooking this group before him.

Once Yun Xiao seized control of the Blazing Yang Star Barrier, the disciples within their own domain suddenly became outsiders!

The method was simple. It was the fifth form of the Prison Warden Sigil, Formation God.

“These Star Barriers in the Grand Assembly Arena, designed to adapt the Parent Flags at any moment, lay the Star Nexuses bare before me. Others struggle to comprehend the Star Nexuses in short order, but with Formation God, I can control them in an instant.”

Yun Xiao had discovered this during his time on the Extreme Yin Star, even giving it a trial then.

On the Extreme Yin Star, with the Extreme Yin Star Barrier under his command, it shifted from a defensive posture to an offensive one.

Here, it was a direct reversal of roles!

Yun Xiao went to the Taiyi Sourcecore, taking charge as if he owned the place, his own formation striking decisively.

Now, with hundreds of fire dragons roaring by his side, his divine might further validated everything he had claimed.

"You spineless coward! Revel in your moment now, for a specialist will soon come to capture and eliminate you!" Yang Yang, his spirit tearing, cursed venomously.

“What joy will there be for you if that happens? You won’t get your revenge,” Yun Xiao asked.

Yang Yang was left speechless, infuriated to his core.

However, he was right. Back in the MIllion Starlight Palace, the ten revered seats of the Heavenly Deity Alliance were now in utter chaos.

Elders and powerhouses from all sides wore grave expressions, debating incessantly.

“This slave’s Life Sigil has special formation-controlling capabilities! He exploited a loophole!

“According to the rules of the Grand Assembly Arena, the Star Barriers are meant to protect its owners. Here, this slave has turned them into his own weapon, upending their purpose, which is naturally against the rules! Severe penalties are a must!”

The head of the Blazing Yang Sect, Yang Qingtian, having lost a prodigy and now witnessing such an unbelievable event, was naturally livid. He stood up and made an appeal to the ten revered seats of the Heavenly Deity Alliance.

“The Grand Assembly Arena tests the command and battle prowess of various young talents. In a real battlefield, celestial formations that can be easily controlled do not exist; so, this eunuch’s actions truly disrupt the fairness of the assembly.”

The head of Wind Pool Valley, Chi Wushuang, with a sharp glint in her eyes, glanced up at the lone Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen above and coldly sneered.

“I wondered why the Harmony Divine Palace, revered in the Heavenly Deity Alliance, would stoop to send a lowly slave to fight. It turns out there was such a clever use after all! It seems you all, in your eagerness to rank among the top ten, have cast aside fairness and even your dignity.”

Their leading attacks indeed sparked a wave of outcry, with voices of unfairness rising everywhere, stirring up widespread indignation.

“A member of the Heavenly Deity Alliance, with its talents withered, can only rely on an incapable slave resorting to cunning means. How shameful and indeed unfair!” The head of the Thunder Devil Sect, Lei Zhenyuan, was unforgiving, his scornful laughter fueling many flames of anger.

The Golden Dragon Emperor said nothing, but those stirring trouble were his diehard followers, clearly reflecting his stance.

At the Heavenly Deity Alliance's side, people remained silent for the moment.

All eyes were on the Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen...

In this moment, the pressure on her was immense, like the weight of a myriad mountains, or even as if the entire starry sky pressed down upon her!

The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen took a deep breath. "So, this was why my older sister highly recommended this slave. Indeed, there was a profound reason..."

Initially, she could not see any hope. But now, she felt a glimmer of hope stirring within her!

With that, a fierce fire ignited in her heart, emboldening her to lift her head and face the thousands of cold stares. She pulled out a book, proclaiming loudly, "Talk is cheap. All I know is that after scouring this book of battle regulations in my hands, there's not a single line stating that controlling a celestial formation is forbidden!

"These regulations were left by the ancestors, and the Assembly of Myriad Sects has already begun. If anyone intends to disrespect and overwrite our ancestral rules, they should stand forth themselves, instead of letting the dogs bark chaotically!"

She knew that the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm had no way back. So, rather than compromising, it was better to fight with all her might, showing the spirit and resolve of the Harmony Divine Palace and confronting everything head-on!

Certainly, there would be those who disagreed and others who would kick her while she was down. But as she stood there, representing the honor of the Harmony Divine Palace, no one could bow her spine or make her lower her head, not supporting her own representatives!

She knew that speaking out might drag the reputation of the Harmony Divine Palace into a deep abyss. But it no longer mattered. It hadn’t been great to begin with!

The Second Founder had started the practice of celestial slavery. Although it had been reduced greatly in recent years, their reputation had already soured. And the chronic issues of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm were difficult to resolve.

If so, why not gamble for a chance to break into the top ten? If that failed, then the only hope was to produce a true Boundless Immortal!

With two paths still open, what was there to fear?

Holding the book of battle regulations, the Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen stood resolute and fearless.

Her words indeed stirred up a tempest, with many of the lesser powers decrying the injustice.

Most of these factions had already aligned themselves with the Southern Divine Dragon Realm...

As the situation teetered on the brink of chaos, no one else among the ten members of the Heavenly Deity Alliance spoke against the Harmony Divine Palace. That's when the Golden Dragon Emperor suddenly said to Yang Qingtian, "It's time to let it go."

"Let it go?" Yang Qingtian was taken aback.

"What else?" The Golden Dragon Emperor gave a cold smile. "A slave gaining a small advantage through a formation—what good does that do? The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen has already tarnished the Harmony Divine Palace’s reputation for this petty gain, sparking universal outrage. Naturally, we should let them continue to hold this advantage, to further sully their name."

Yang Qingtian chuckled in realization. "That's brilliant!"

"These wretched women, stinking to high heaven, everyone's up in arms against them. Let them stink to the utmost; when they're finally gone, no one will mourn them..." Chi Wushuang also smirked.

All of them understood the Southern Divine Dragon Realm's plan!

To obliterate a member of the Heavenly Deity Alliance, universal condemnation was the perfect groundwork.

"Besides..." the Golden Dragon Emperor pointed at the Blazing Yang Star on the Million Starlight Sky Screen and said, "Your son, Yang Yang, is about to obliterate that slave in his fury."

"Hmm!" Yang Qingtian's face was a mask of cold fury, his aura murderous.

Around them, the curses aimed at the Harmony Divine Palace were numerous. Yet, no one from the Heavenly Deity Alliance stepped forward to support them.

In such times, no one would stand with the Harmony Divine Palace.

Their silence, too, was meant to let the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm stink...

The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen understood all this. But she had no choice but to have faith!

"Yun Xiao..."

Her gaze fell on the white-robed youth amidst the flames of fury.

His eyes, tranquil yet deadly, shone like a lamp in the darkness.

"Don’t lose! Survive. With your ability to control the formations, you can swiftly conquer many sects!"

In her eyes, Yang Yang and Liu Liu had already become a vast chasm before Yun Xiao!

"Fight on!"

?ι══????????══ι?

Outside the Blazing Yang Star hovered a figure with white hair and pink eyes. She was a ghostly presence, remaining unseen by the Million Starlight Sky Screen.

It was Si Ji, the Snow Lineage Diva!

Yu Ji and Wan Ji stayed behind on the Extreme Yin Star to protect Feng Yao.

Si Ji was naturally worried about Yun Xiao’s demise! So, she followed alone, watching over everything he did.

Beheading, the blood sacrifice, and controlling the formation—it was done in one fluid motion!

This was no timid celestial slave. It was the conduct of a celestial overlord!

"His control over the Life Sigil shows a profound talent in the art of sigils." Si Ji, an Inscription Immortal herself, understood the intricacies better. "There really is something remarkable about him..."

Watching the white-robed youth, her feelings became a complex mix, difficult to articulate.

Truth be told, she was somewhat astonished!

"These two disciples from the Blazing Yang Sect are not weak." Si Ji watched as the pair, like twin flames, furiously advanced on Yun Xiao. Her heart tightened, and her pretty face frosted over.

Her fingers danced with snowflakes, ready to strike down any who dared threaten him!

Whoever attacked this celestial slave would face her wrath!

After all, Yu Ji was the one who insisted they participate in the Grand Assembly Arena battle!

Si Ji never believed they could make it into the top ten; it was impossible.

So from the start, she saw only one path. To break through to become a Boundless Immortal, and turn the heavens upside down!

Amidst the flickering flames, her pink eyes surged with a snowstorm.

"He might just be a slave, but he's also the only one who allows me to relieve my pent-up frustrations... Whoever dares touch him will wish they were dead...!"