Chapter 1990: 3V1?

“Gu Yi, since you’re here, why don’t you show yourself?” With the Star Origin Lord’s prompt, Shang Xia immediately noticed something amiss and shouted at the void.

In response, Yuan Ling's expression suddenly changed. Until Shang Xia spoke, he had not detected any trace of another Sage in the range of his divine soul.

Yet just as Shang Xia’s voice fell, the concealed Gu Yi revealed himself. Only then did Yuan Ling finally catch a trace of his presence.

Rather than calming him, the late discovery only made Yuan Ling feel even more anxious.

Since his concealment had been exposed, Gu Yi no longer attempted to hide. He directly tore open the void and flew toward the area where the three high-level Sages were gathered.

From what they could feel, Gu Yi’s method of void traversal was peculiar. He was like a massive bird gliding with outstretched wings. His movements were swift and strange and he suppressed the spatial turbulence he caused to a minimum.

This time, not only Yuan Ling, but even Shang Xia and the Star Origin Lord showed signs of caution.

It was clear that if he hadn't been successively detected by the Star Origin Lord and Shang Xia, once the three had engaged in battle and space was disturbed, Gu Yi’s movements could have been completely concealed.

Had he chosen that moment to launch a sneak attack, with his unusual method of traveling through the void, he might very well have succeeded.

It was also then that Yuan Ling suspected that he would likely become the target. After all... He was the only one who failed to detect Gu Yi’s presence. That was also why when Gu Yi appeared, Yuan Ling showed signs of hostility.

But just as he was about to make a sarcastic remark, Shang Xia unexpectedly spoke first. "I should congratulate Sage Gu Yi for becoming a high-level Sage. But... Why did you choose to spy on us from the shadows? What were your intentions?"

Yuan Ling had misjudged one thing. If Shang Xia had known his thoughts, he would’ve clarified that had Gu Yi attempted a sneak attack, the likeliest target would have been Shang Xia himself.

The Star Origin Lord’s power was too profound, and Yuan Ling had no past enmity with Gu Yi.

Only Shang Xia had previously thwarted Gu Yi's plans against the Essence Luxuriant World. In fact, he did it multiple times. Given their history, Shang Xia was clearly a thorn in Gu Yi’s side, someone he likely wished to eliminate.

In response to Shang Xia’s question, Gu Yi’s aura remained gloomy and he growled, "Since the battle has already begun in the Essence Du Heavenly Field, I simply wondered what the three of you had gathered here for."

Yuan Ling sneered, "You could have asked. Why hide in the shadows like a suspicious fool?"

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Gu Yi replied in a frosty, emotionless tone, "I’ve only just become a high-level Sage. I wouldn’t dare strut around in front of the three of you.”

The Star Origin Lord laughed suddenly, "Since all of us are here, why not lay everything on the table and take what each of us needs? There’s no need to fight."

Gu Yi revealed a thoughtful look. "So you've given up on the Essence Du Heavenly Field?"

The Star Origin Lord merely smiled and said nothing.

Gu Yi turned to Shang Xia and Yuan Ling while still speaking in a low voice, "What’s the matter? Are we really not going to fight to our heart’s content?”

By then, Yuan Ling seemed to realize that although Gu Yi had been scheming against them, he bore no direct malice. He replied with a smile, "We were just about to start, but after your arrival, the Star Origin Lord seems to have changed his mind."

The implication was clear. The possibility of the three joining forces had made the Star Origin Lord wary, hence his new suggestion.

Gu Yi, whether pretending to be dense or just blunt, responded directly, "Right, in that case, we have to fight! The Star Origin Lord’s reputation needs no elaboration, but I don't believe you're not all curious about his true strength!"

With that, Gu Yi turned to Shang Xia. "You and I both hail from the Heaven Observation Star Region. The rise of the Four Essence Heavenly Field poses an obvious threat to both of us. Your Heavenly Field was also born in our Star Region, and now, the Essence Worlds in the Four Essence Heavenly Field trace back to the Heaven Observation Field. Surely I don't need to explain what that means for your world?"

Shang Xia remained unfazed and replied calmly, "Matters of my world are not for you to meddle in."

Gu Yi didn’t take offense and simply turned toward the indifferent Star Origin Lord. "In that case, I shall make the first move!"

Without any visible action from Gu Yi, the Star Origin Lord took a step back. The space between them expanded rapidly.

In the next instant, the void that separated Gu Yi and the Star Origin Lord originally was severed. Two flashes of cold light crisscrossed and slashed down simultaneously.

From his position, Shang Xia could faintly discern the two streaks of light. They were void fissures, identical to the wing-like presence that appeared when Gu Yi first appeared.

Shang Xia was shocked to realize that those ‘wings’ had not been illusions from a secret technique, but actual weapons!

Before Gu Yi could act again, the Star Origin Lord, now having widened the gap, suddenly waved his sleeve. Behind him, the once-empty void was instantly filled with starlight, illuminating everything in it path.

Gu Yi’s formless strike started to fade as the threat was seemingly neutralized.

Of course... At his level, the Star Origin Lord wouldn’t strike at one enemy.

As his starlight neutralized Gu Yi’s attack, it also began to fill the surrounding void. Shang Xia, Yuan Ling, and Gu Yi all felt their bodies pinned in place by starlight from every direction.

From all sides, the void exerted a pulling force, as if the very next moment it would tear them limb from limb.

"Facing three opponents at once... Star Origin Lord, you are bold indeed!" Yuan Ling sneered. A ripple of void energy, almost visible to the naked eye, burst outward with him at its center. It pushed back against the starlight until it formed a radiant halo around him.

"Careful, the Star Origin Lord has reached the seventh star!” Shang Xia yelled suddenly, warning the other two.

At the same time, a dazzling array of stars manifested in the void above him. Rays of starlight converged and descended, forming a shield around him. Those rays collided and canceled out the Star Origin Lord's starlight. Shockingly enough, when the radiant starlight from both sides canceled each other out, there was no brilliant flash. Instead, it became a dark abyss, as if capable of devouring everything.