Chapter 2064: Desolate Forbidden Region Pt.7

The Floating Star Region housed a total of 11 Heavenly Fields. With the Essence Yue Heavenly Field and the Essence Rong Heavenly Field destroyed, only nine remained.

At the Desolate Forbidden Region, however, 12 Sages had gathered. Aside from Shang Xia and Wanggui, one among them, roughly a third star Sage, did not belong to any Heavenly Field but hailed from a Dao Field that existed independently within the Floating Star Region. His existence caught Shang Xia’s attention.

Another was the Floating Star Region’s other high-level Sage, Sage Xin Zhi of the Essence Passing Heavenly Field. Shang Xia could sense his cultivation at the seventh star, and he might not have comprehended his martial intent. He was just like Shang Xia.

When Shang Xia observed him more closely, he found Xin Zhi’s vitality waning. There was a decaying aura around him. Clearly, his years were numbered. Chen Hu even mentioned it during introductions, noting Xin Zhi had already been alive during the invasion 1,000 years ago. He was too weak to fight then. From their situation, Shang Xia discerned that the Floating Star Region’s Sages were divided into two factions, each led by a high-level Sage.

As Chen Hu introduced the gathered Sages, Shang Xia also spared part of his attention to watch Wanggui’s reactions. He suspected Wanggui came from the Floating Star Region, but the other’s self-control was too deep and his restored human features were too rigid. Shang Xia found no hint of recognition or emotion toward anyone.

Meanwhile, the Floating Star Region Sages were equally curious about the veiled figure covered in starlight behind Shang Xia. Chen Hu, too, knew nothing of his background.

Eventually, Shang Xia followed their prearranged pact and said lightly, "This is Sage Wanggui, whom I rescued from beyond the Chaotic Sea of Stars, deep in the boundless void."

His introduction was deliberately vague, leaving Wanggui’s origins unclear.

Yet the Floating Star Region Sages looked shocked, not at Wanggui himself, but at Shang Xia’s casual mention of venturing past the edge of the Chaotic Sea of Stars into the boundless void.

"Sage Shang, did you discover anything there?" The one who asked was none other than Sage Xin Zhi.

Shang Xia shook his head. "I was only hunting a slumbering rank seven beast emperor sleeping in a star. Meeting Wanggui was an accident. As for that place... Danger lurks everywhere. If there was a discovery, I can only say there was a colossal Star Beast Nest used to create Beast Warriors."

Of the Star River’s existence, he said nothing.

Xin Zhi, seeing Shang Xia’s evasiveness, did not press further.

In truth, Shang Xia’s mention of Beast Warriors was deliberate, to see if anyone present knew more. But not even Xin Zhi seemed aware.

Chen Hu quickly interjected, "The tides still ravage our Heavenly Fields. Let us seal the Desolate Forbidden Region first, after that, we may speak more."

All nodded in agreement. Chen Hu turned to Xin Zhi and Lu Xin. "How should we divide our strength?"

Both high-level Sages looked toward Shang Xia before Xin Zhi said, "Why not have Sage Shang join the two of us?"

Shang Xia smiled and declined. "I am but an outsider, unfamiliar with the Desolate Forbidden Region. Give me the easier task instead."

On the way over, Chen Hu had already explained the plan. They would seal the seven breaches where the Beast Tides had punched through the Desolate Forbidden Region’s tangled restrictions. To avoid a counterattack from the experts from the Taming Star Field lurking within, all seven had to be sealed simultaneously.

With the Essence Yue Heavenly Field and the Essence Rong Heavenly Field destroyed, the Floating Star Region’s Sages were short-handed. Shang Xia and Wanggui’s arrival filled the gap, with Shang Xia’s strength even surpassing Lu Xin’s.

Yet... They were still in the Floating Star Region at the end of the day. No one would force him into the hardest role.

Soon, more details were shared.

Of the seven breaches, the largest was left to Xin Zhi and Lu Xin. Of the remaining six, Shang Xia volunteered for the second largest, bringing Wanggui with him. The other five were split among the eight remaining Sages.

Soon, all of them dispersed.

Shang Xia carried a rough chart marking the breaches. The Desolate Forbidden Region was nearly as vast as a continent of an Essence World, shaped like a crooked pentagon. The largest breach lay near the center, and Shang Xia’s target, the second largest, was on the lower flank.

The other five lay roughly at the corners.

Along their way, Shang Xia turned to Wanggui and asked, "Are you truly certain? You can see I can use the power of the stars and my Star Origin Talisman to restrain your mutation and shield you from further erosion by the Star River. I can extend your life another 20 years. But... If you step into it, there might be no way back."

Wanggui only smiled. "I should have died long ago. I strayed for survival, became another’s pawn. Now, with your help, I’ve broken free. I will never walk that road again." He paused, then added, "The Desolate Forbidden Region is perilous, but the restrictions there were woven by both the experts of the Taming Star Field and the Chaotic Sea of Stars, later scoured by both worlds’ origins. The tangled mess is a labyrinth, yes, but within are pockets of wondrous regions of space. There may lie my cure."

As he spoke, they reached the breach.

The restrictions were invisible to the eye, but in Shang Xia’s senses, it was layered like nets piled atop one another. Among them lay a passage. It wasn’t clear, but it seemed much safer than everywhere else.

Yet Shang Xia soon saw it was a trap. It was like a fish-basket, easy for those inside to leave, deadly for those trying to enter. Any misstep would trigger a cascading collapse.

That collapse, he realized, would only destroy the outer layer. The inner passage deeper within would remain, perhaps even guarded by powers of the Taming Star Field.

He told Wanggui, who only nodded.

"The Taming Star Field must have planned this for a long time. Though the Beast Tides were forced to emerge early, their passages would have been reinforced." His expression grew serious. "What I wonder is, who was it that located all seven breaches so precisely?"

Shang Xia ignored the question. He’d thought the same long before. Instead, he asked, "You still want to enter from here?"

Wanggui tossed him a crystal sphere. "Anyway... Everything you want to know... Everything I know is here.”

Shang Xia caught it, glanced at it once, before asking, "Anything else you wish to leave behind?"

Wanggui paused, then, without looking back, said, "If you can, keep an eye on the Essence You Heavenly Field."

Shang Xia blinked twice. Essence You Heavenly Field? The Heavenly Field of Lu Feiyuan he nearly killed?

Wanggui, without turning around, seemed to sense Shang Xia’s surprise. He laughed out loud before leaping into the breach.

At once, Shang Xia summoned a stream of starlight and dove in after him. The beam did not destroy the passage. Instead, it destroyed the loose restrictions along the way, reinforcing the space around him and making it sturdier.

Shang Xia’s action was the very opposite of the Floating Star Region Sages’ plan. Where they sought to collapse the breaches, he was fortifying one.