Chapter 217.1: The Star Golden Core Displays Its Might Again

Thunder stood atop the mountain peak, his voice trembling slightly. "They've all gathered.”

The three ancient gods beside him appeared utterly confused. As former alliance members familiar with the area around Sunset Slope, they were brought along by Thunder to serve as guides. Even they didn’t know why they had been waiting here for so long.

Fire Lotus glanced at Qi Yuan, who was stretched lazily on a tree branch. She couldn’t help but admire how calm and carefree he remained in the face of so many enemies.

At that moment, Qi Yuan stood up, a faint smile curling at his lips. "Since they're all here, let's send them off to lie down together."

His words were cryptic.

Thunder's breathing grew rapid, his eyes locked on Sunset Slope. Fire Lotus and the other ancient gods had question marks practically floating above their heads.

Qi Yuan raised his head toward the heavens. "Appear, my sun! My White Moonlights, enjoy my passion to your hearts' content!"

As his voice fell, time itself seemed to freeze. The entire world, already tinted faint red by the blood-colored star in the sky, shifted subtly in hue.

All the Great Venerables and ancient gods experienced a moment of confusion.

The sunlight changed color?

Three Flames and the other Great Venerables on the Sunset Slope also paused in confusion.

Wanshan quickly declared, "Heaven and earth changing color, what a great omen! It foretells that Great Venerable Three Flames will surely sweep through the Qingheng Continent!"

Three Flames forced a smile. "A great omen? Not bad, not bad."

The new gods also laughed. Meanwhile, some of the ancient gods sneered inwardly at Wanshan’s spinelessness. If flattery like this worked, they should have done it themselves.

Just then, a Great Venerable said in surprise, "Look at the sky! There seems to be a star falling..."

Everyone looked up. Among the dense celestial stars, a blazing star was streaking rapidly across the heavens, its trajectory unknown. It accelerated, its light intensifying with each passing moment.

"No way. Is it falling into the Mortal Heart World?" someone murmured.

A chill shot through every True God's heart. It actually seemed to be the case!

"It doesn't matter. Even if it does, it has nothing to do with us," Three Flames said, though his expression was complicated.

Power of this magnitude was far beyond a Great Venerable like him. At the same time, he was also aware that one Yang Spirit resided within the pillar, while another lingered beyond the barrier of this world.

He was certain the attack was aimed at another Yang Spirit, and that it was bound to fail. What chance did a mere star projection stand against a true Yang Spirit?

Wanshan chimed in again. "Even the stars fall in response to Your Excellency."

Three Flames smiled faintly. "As a mere Fifth Step to Heaven, I am unworthy."

Besides, this was no ordinary star. Two types of stars shone in the sky. The ones that shone with their own light were Yang Spirits, while the rest were merely ordinary Yin Spirits.

After all, a Yin Spirit’s star was granted by a Yang Spirit; its starlight was merely borrowed radiance. The field marshal of Qingheng Continent—Three Flames' superior—had one such star.

Shaking off these thoughts, Three Flames continued watching the sky.

Boom

.

Within a split second, the entire Mortal Heart World flared with blinding brilliance. Everyone's vision blurred as a massive star projection hung suspended in the sky.

"It really is falling into the Mortal Heart World!"

"Which Yang Spirit is attacking?!?"

"Is this a warning?" a Great Venerable muttered.

Another scoffed. "

Hmph

. Some foreign Yang Spirit dares to meddle across countless spaces? That's courting death!"

All the True Gods’ expressions varied. The descent of a star projection was an event of immense terror. Yet none of them stirred, convinced that they were some uninvolved third parties.

However, in the next instant, everyone's expression changed.

"What's happening? It's heading toward the Northern Lands!"

"Not good, its target isn't the Blood Sun Great Sage!"

Anxiety gripped everyone. The star fell faster and faster, carrying an aura of total destruction.

The sun seems to be coming for us? Does the name Sunset Slope carry a bad omen after all?

Even Three Flames' smile froze.

Something is wrong. Very wrong.

There was no time to respond. The enormous star projection crashed violently into Sunset Slope.

An ancient voice echoed in their ears. "Radiant Great Sun, illuminating all directions! I don dark robes and decree the Nine Edicts!"

In that instant, the star projection expanded and exploded. Endless heat and light compressed into the tiny span of Sunset Slope, powerful beyond imagination.

Over a thousand True Gods were engulfed in the boundless blaze. They melted away in flames that could burn all things to ash.

***

On the mountaintop, Thunder stared at Sunset Slope as if gazing at a new sun.

Fire Lotus trembled inwardly. The intense light illuminated her face, making it seem even redder. Her expression froze as she slowly turned to look at Qi Yuan, her phoenix eyes filled with shock and complicated feelings. The other ancient gods also turned toward him.

"My lord, was that sun yours?"

Qi Yuan shrugged, sounding wistful. "Too far away. The power wasn't great."

This time, he had summoned his second Star Golden Core. However, perhaps due to the distance, the blast felt subpar.

Silence fell.

How is that not powerful enough?! It's overkill!

More than thirty Great Venerables and over a thousand Venerables were reduced to nothing!

Qi Yuan looked at the distant Sunset Slope, where the light was fading akin to a dying star. Under the blazing tyranny of the sun, life was laid bare in its fragility, and humanity appeared unbearably small before nature.

He felt oddly melancholic. "Some die, and their deaths weighs heavier than Mount Tai. Some live, yet they are already dead. My White Moonlights, though you have perished, you've left me a vast ocean of EXP and countless evil god spiritual energy. Your deaths weigh more than Mount Tai. Don't worry about me, I won't be sad. I'll turn grief into appetite and enjoy a grand feast. My White Moonlights, rest in peace!"

At the end of the day, his white moonlights had fallen. He felt it appropriate to offer a few words, lest anyone think him cold and ungrateful, feasting on their extinction.

Thunder listened, utterly dumbfounded. Fire Lotus stared at Qi Yuan, most of the brilliance in her eyes fading. The lofty image she had painstakingly built of him collapsed in that instant.

Qi Yuan stretched lazily. "Let's head back and feast!"