Chapter 1786: Using Everything

After the collapse of Heaven Observation Field's Star Curtain, aside from the intense battle in the space around the Spirit Abundance World involving the Star Origin Lord, Zhuo Gudao, and Sage Jin, the overall situation in the Heaven Observation Field remained strangely calm. Contrary to expectations, there was no large-scale chaos affecting the entire domain, and clashes between multiple Sages never materialized.

Initially, Shang Xia assumed it was merely the calm before the storm until he received a transmission from the Star Observatory. Only then did he realize that the surrounding worlds had already started their covert operations. Everyone was racing to secure as many benefits as possible before open warfare erupted.

However, the external forces encircling Heaven Observation Field did not include Gu Yi from the Essence Xing World, or Chen Ji and Yu Tang from the Essence Xing World.

Gu Yi had initially coveted the former Spirit Luxuriant World, but it had become the powerful Essence Luxuriant World.

As for the Essence Xing World, they hadn’t even been aware of Heaven Observation Field's existence at first. It wasn’t until the Spirit Luxuriant World’s Stargazers discovered a crack in the barrier leading toward their Heavenly Field that they became involved. Even then, due to the existence of Star Beast Best No.2, they had no clear passage to the Heaven Observation Field. That was until the Spirit Luxuriant World back then was forced to retract its influence to support their ascension, giving the Essence Xing World an opening. But by then, it was too late.

Still, neither Gu Yi nor the Essence Xing World was willing to give up the opportunity to divide the Heaven Observation Field and strengthen themselves. Even more so, they would not stand by and watch as Essence Luxuriant World built its own Heavenly Field.

Thus, after the complete collapse of the Star Curtain, the Sages from both Essence Worlds joined forces without hesitation.

By the time Shang Xia realized what was happening, Gu Yi had already descended in person and entered the space around the Essence Luxuriant World to intercept him. Simultaneously, Chen Ji and Yu Tang had already set out for the Azure Qing World, determined to interrupt their ascension and destroy it.

Seeing through their plan immediately, Shang Xia struck first.

Fully aware of how dangerous his opponent was, Shang Xia didn’t hold back.

He instantly drew upon Essence Luxuriant World’s Will while drawing the projection of the Crimson Soul Tablet. At the same time, the Seven Star Mace that had finally been crafted from the refined meteorite essence also appeared in his other hand.

The Seven Star Mace closely resembled the Crimson Soul Tablet, and as soon as he brought it out, the projection of the Crimson Soul Tablet fused with it. With a swing, the power of the Essence Luxuriant World swung at Gu Yi.

After becoming a Sage, cultivators would gain partial control over their world. They could exert their will on a world to a certain extent, like how Sage Jin severed a continent and a section of the heavenly screen from the Spirit Abundance World with a single strike, leaving lasting damage for centuries. Shang Xia now wielded similar power.

Of course, the ability to exert their will on a world varied.

As the key figure behind the Essence Luxuriant World’s ascension and its greatest contributor, Shang Xia was favored by the World’s Will. His authority over the power he could draw from the Essence Luxuriant World far exceeded that of other Sages at the same level. It would only grow as his cultivation advanced.

And that was without accounting for the added might of the Crimson Soul Tablet.

Gu Yi immediately felt the pressure. Even though he had already tried to expect the highest level of danger from Shang Xia’s power upon discovering his advancement to the third star, he still found himself shocked at how much he had underestimated him.

Shang Xia’s strike perfectly fused the energy of his Big Dipper Star Origin, the energy drawn from the 7 suns, and the power of the Essence Luxuriant World. It was a fusion of the heavens, earth, and man as all the different powers aligned and crashed down on Gu Yi.

Gu Yi’s expression shifted, but he remained composed. A pair of strange wings unfurled behind him, instantly widening the distance between them.

Even though he couldn’t avoid Shang Xia’s lock-on, the wings created enough spatial distortion to stretch the gap between them, slowing Shang Xia’s attack and buying him just enough time to respond.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The next moment, Shang Xia’s mace landed.

The feathered shield formed by Gu Yi’s wings shattered instantly. But behind it, Gu Yi had already vanished.

Shang Xia didn’t panic. He lifted a finger with his left hand and pointed into the void. A streak of starlight pierced through the sky, dispersing the afterimage Gu Yi had left behind.

Suddenly, the void behind Shang Xia split apart. A neat fissure threatened to slice the entire space with him in it in half.

But a tiny flicker of Star Fire, lit unbeknownst to anyone, appeared at Shang Xia’s back. The faint light melted the void before it could fracture and reforged it completely.

That same glow seeped into the void’s fissures and spread rapidly, igniting Gu Yi’s wings mid-flight.

His location was instantly revealed, but just as quickly, with a subtle tremor of the wings, the flame was extinguished.

Still, his exposure allowed Shang Xia to strike again, Seven-Star Mace in hand. This time, he simply extended his finger toward Gu Yi’s location.

The 10,000 miles wide void before him started to compress before collapsing completely.

From the fractured space, a single grey-black feather spun around. The next moment, it was sliced into countless pieces and disappeared into the crumbling void.

Before Shang Xia could savor his advantage, the void around him suddenly ruptured. Countless feathers shot at him like arrows from every direction.

In response, Shang Xia activated a Myriad Tinted Cloud Talisman, creating a fortress of cloud and radiance around him.

Naturally... A peak rank six talisman couldn’t stop the assault of a fifth star Sage! The cloud fortress was riddled with holes by the feather barrage and it collapsed entirely. By the time the cloud disappeared, Shang Xia was nowhere to be seen.