Chapter 373: Intense Battle

In today's world, Legends were prohibited from engaging in fights to the death against one another.

On one hand, all those involved were top-tier figures of humanity, and with demonic creatures lurking, fighting among themselves would only weaken the human race.

On the other, the nature of starlight made it difficult for them to kill each other.

Thus, when a legendary feud reached its breaking point, victory was often determined when one side was forced to the point where they had to rely on their starlight form to survive.

In the battle between Li Pin and Xiao Qianyuan, when Xiao Qianyuan first transformed into his starlight form, he could still argue that he had used that method to dodge, and that he hadn't yet reached the point of being cornered with no escape.

However... what happened just now was a true, absolute kill. Had he not transformed into his starlight form, he would have already been dead facing the sword light that shredded him.

I died at the hands of a Martial God? Someone who hadn't even reached the Legendary level? This was... A shame! An absolute shame!

I would end up like Cang Shengdao, forever nailed to the pillar of shame. Any discussion involving Celestial Force Fields or Martial Gods would relentlessly bring up my defeat!

This was worse for Xiao Qianyuan. Since Cang Shengdao was already dead, he wouldn't know if people continued to slander him. But Xiao Qianyuan would!

This was why Xiao Qianyuan was enraged, his heart consumed by a wave of murderous intent.

***

Li Pin let out a long laugh. "

Hahaha!

Well done!"

His enhanced physique, the intense surge of his Celestial Magnetic Field, and his fighting spirit only grew stronger as the battle went on, as did his indomitable will.

These forces intertwined and surged into his Sword of Destiny, transforming into a dazzling sword light that tore through the heavens. It clashed directly with the Rage Halberd as it came crashing down with Xiao Qianyuan's murderous intent.

The brilliant starlight surrounding the halberd looked like a sword of judgment falling from the sky, instantly engulfing Li Pin.

Yet, amidst this starlight, a sword light surged forward. It clashed with the light, exploding layer by layer, defying the flow, surging upwards.

The two forces collided head-on with no fancy maneuvers, unleashing visible waves of energy that scattered in all directions, forming a hurricane that triggered violent changes in the sky.

The clouds at a thousand meters spiraled, and the hurricane stretched across the skies, drawing the attention of the entire imperial capital.

"Legendary! This power... This is a battle of Legends!"

"That's Prince Xiao Qianyuan! And... Prince Xiao Qianyuan has actually released his murderous intent!? Who could force him to unleash such lethal intent above the imperial capital!?"

"I think I heard him mention Li Pin's name! Li Pin? Is that the Martial God path founder, the sect master of the Celestial Martial God Hall? Isn't his level on par with a Master Astral Cultivator? How can he fight a Legend?"

"Quick! Activate a level-one disaster alert! Notify everyone in Zones East 3, East 4, and East 5: no one should look directly at the sky! Any discomfort or consequences will be their responsibility! The murderous intent of a Legend... even from a thousand meters away, is beyond what ordinary people can endure!"

Countless Astral Cultivators cried out in alarm, rushing to act.

The number of civilians caught in the battle was unknown. Those beneath the clash suffered the most. Many witnessed Xiao Qianyuan's full murderous release—their hearts pounded wildly, their blood ran cold, and some even suffered heart attacks or died on the spot.

This was all happening even with the battle taking place up in the sky. Had it been on the ground... even the mere aftershock from a brief Legendary battle would flatten a metropolis of over twenty million people, like the imperial capital.

In the air, Li Pin fixed his gaze on the radiant starlight bursting from the Rage Halberd, directly facing this once-disastrous power.

This force, having once almost seemed like an unstoppable disaster, now appeared almost within reach—though only

almost.

Legends, as heaven's chosen ones, constantly bathed beneath the starlight to replenish their strength.

Moreover, Legends could dominate the will of celestial bodies with their own, wielding power akin to crafting nuclear forces with their bare hands. Although Li Pin denied Xiao Qianyuan the chance to fully unleash this power, his attacks continuously evolved as he tapped into the Atomic Will.

The intensity of the particle flow within the starlight grew layer by layer, quickly surpassing Li Pin’s limits in mere moments.

Under the onslaught of this sword-like starlight, Li Pin was driven downward, falling relentlessly.

Soon, he plummeted like a meteor toward the earth.

Their clash tore through the sky with such cataclysmic force that if Li Pin struck the ground, the shockwaves would blast through the surface. It was no exaggeration to say that the entire area they were at would be reduced to ruins.

The lives of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, in the area were at imminent risk. By then... the resulting casualties would be beyond calculation.

Despite his drive to test his absolute limits, Li Pin knew he had to choose.

As he fell to within three hundred meters of the imperial capital's ground, he took a deep breath. Both the greatly weakened Great Sun Infinite and the nearly useless Blood-Seething Secret Art erupted at once, his fierce battle intent igniting his mental spirit to a near-transcendent state.

Empowered to his utmost, he raised the Sword of Destiny and swung it fiercely into the blinding, particle-streaked starlight above.

Chirp!

With a piercing cry, a phantom of the Great Sun Golden Crow appeared in the sky, flooding the sky with dazzling light.

The Great Sun Golden Crow used Li Pin's will and qi and blood as fuel, transmitting through the Celestial Magnetic Field, releasing endless light and heat. The starlight from the sword strike added to this, creating a brilliant spectacle in the sky, like a nuclear explosion.

A blazing white fireball, over a hundred meters in diameter, appeared out of nowhere.

The radiance, capable of invoking deep-rooted fear in any modern person, surged and spread freely. The intense light and terrifying heat radiated in all directions, spreading unchecked.

Along with the light and heat, the atmosphere compressed rapidly, forming a visible shockwave.

Rumble, rumble!

Below, countless antennas, added equipment, and illegal structures atop countless skyscrapers were blown over or shattered by the shockwave.

Many glass windows were shattered by the shockwave descending from the sky. In highly flammable or explosive areas, explosions ignited fires that spread quickly. The resulting economic losses were unimaginable, likely amounting to billions.

Carried by the explosive light of the Great Sun Golden Crow, which shattered the starlight torrent, Li Pin instantly merged with the Celestial Force Field!

The Celestial Shift Technique erupted.

In the blink of an eye, he was already a thousand meters away.

"Li Pin!"

Xiao Qianyuan's enraged roar followed from behind. His fury stemmed not only from the damage caused to the imperial capital but also from his inability to defeat Li Pin despite using all his strength.

Li Pin glanced at the battlefield below.

Many areas were ablaze.

However, this world was different from Blue Planet. There were Astral Cultivators here. Furthermore, since this was the imperial capital, the fire department would likely have the flames under control soon.

Li Pin began to rise again, soaring higher into the sky.

Xiao Qianyuan relentlessly pursued from behind. By the time Li Pin reached an altitude of nine thousand meters, Xiao had already intercepted him.

With another swing of his halberd, brilliant starlight echoed through the heavens and earth.

In this vast space, Li Pin no longer had to worry about causing massive destruction with his full power. His movements and attacks were executed with unrelenting speed and precision.

He had realized that at the Legendary level, particularly among Master Astral Cultivators, they were heavily reliant on Atomic Will.

Most of their attacks were delivered through Atomic Will. To some extent, they acted like leaders, with the Atomic Will as the executor. However, this reliance came at the cost of precision. They could no longer control their powers as precisely as before.

Nevertheless... it was somewhat understandable.

Ordinary martial artists might consider the subtleties of Overt, Covert, and Transformative Forces, but cultivators like them preferred to rapidly amass power, without needing to refine or control every ounce of their strength.

It was also because they couldn't precisely control their power that their combat skills appeared quite crude. Though their conventional attacks were beyond Li Pin's ability to resist, his exquisite swordsmanship allowed him to repeatedly turn their force against them, guiding himself into the trajectory aligned with Gaia's Celestial Force Field.

Each time he aligned with the Celestial Force Field, a fierce counterattack awaited Xiao Qianyuan, one so sharp it was nearly impossible to block.

Had it not been for Xiao Qianyuan's Starlight Body, which, in conjunction with the life imprint, made him nearly immortal, he would have been killed by Li Pin at least eight to ten times.

In the sky, vast, fluctuating energy continued to spread in all directions.

Each direct confrontation not only caused violent hurricanes and deafening booms but also scattered starlight and flames in every direction.

Many Master Astral Cultivators watched from afar, forming an invisible encirclement, seemingly to prevent Li Pin from escaping.

However, the longer they observed, the heavier their hearts grew.

"His Highness Xiao Qianyuan... seems to be at a disadvantage!? Could it be..."

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! His Highness is a true Legend! He possesses several legendary astral equipment, making his combat strength far beyond those newly ascended Legends. How could he lose?!"

"Don't let His Highness's current disadvantage fool you. With the strength of his Starlight Body, he can make multiple attempts—dozens, even hundreds—but Li Pin... all His Highness needs is to seize just one opportunity, and he will be doomed!"

Though the Master Astral Cultivators harbored uneasy suspicions, they dared not voice them.

Yet, the worry in their eyes was evident.

What if? What if His Highness Xiao Qianyuan is "killed" by Li Pin hundreds of times, yet Li Pin remains unharmed? What consequences would that bring?

The Royal Empire... would fall under Li Pin, a Martial God. What face would we have left?

With this thought, several royal Master Astral Cultivators exchanged glances and secretly sent out a distress signal.