Chapter 2066: Desolate Forbidden Region Pt.9

The turbulence that shrouded the space above the Desolate Forbidden Region continued to churn the void, and it was only becoming more intense.

The Sages of the Floating Star Region could naturally see that if they wished to completely destroy every breach, they had to start from within.

If they merely destroyed the part of the passage close to the surface, they wouldn’t be able to fix the root cause. Before long, the experts of Taming Star Field would surely reopen it.

Thus, even though they knew that there were Taming Star Field experts guarding the depths of every passage, they still had to push deeper into the array passages to attempt their destruction.

For that reason, the clashes between the Sages of the Floating Star Region and the Taming Star Field experts showed no sign of ending. However, because the Sages varied in cultivation level and combat strength, and because their opponents were of differing cultivation, it was not difficult to damage a passage, but to completely erase one was exceedingly difficult.

For Shang Xia, it was a great opportunity. While supporting Wanggui in delving deeper into the Desolate Forbidden Region, he could seize the chance to absorb as much of the special, pure energy formed from the clashing of Star Fields as possible.

Yet since Shang Xia had no plans to enter the depths himself, if he wished to capture enough of that energy, he would have to rely on Wanggui’s strength.

Since the situation had changed, Shang Xia immediately adjusted his plan and decided to assist Wanggui further in defeating the Taming Star Field enemy before them.

In the next instant, while Wanggui was engaged in a fierce battle with his opponent, the pillar of starlight that had been gathered behind Shang Xia suddenly concentrated. Immediately, a body entirely formed of starlight, another Shang Xia, appeared behind him.

Before either side could react, the figure clad in starlight leaped forward, transforming into a streak of flowing light that slammed into the high-level Sage of the Taming Star Field.

From start to finish, none of the Taming Star Field expert’s defensive means or domain were effective against the streak of starlight. Everything happened in an instant, so quickly that neither side had time to react. After the flowing light entered the Taming Star Field expert’s body, Wanggui and his opponent instinctively broke off and stepped back, each pondering what had just occurred.

Yet it seemed as if nothing had happened.

At least, after that streak of light entered the Taming Star Field expert’s body, it did not immediately cause harm. But the next second, Wanggui suddenly recognized the familiar feeling it gave off. He had experienced it before, back in the Star River near the edge of the Chaotic Sea of Stars!

Wanggui had personally touched it before and had even been trapped by Shang Xia in a repeating cycle of time.

The streak of light that had just flown past him was extremely similar to the Star River.

Or more precisely, Shang Xia was using the brilliance of the stars to simulate, and even attempt to recreate, the Star River that carried powers of space and time!

If that were true, then could it be that the light entering his opponent’s body truly had no effect?

Wanggui did not believe it. He could not accept that Shang Xia, whose depth he still could not fathom, would do something meaningless.

Their pause lasted only the span of a single breath before they both struck out again, fiercer and more vicious than before!

Wanggui, with parts of his body twisted and mutated, wielded his writhing tendrils in the air, slipping them into gaps and flaws in his opponent’s attacks. His inner qi carried a strong corrosive force, and in contest with his enemy’s domain, it accelerated the other’s consumption, gradually weakening and exhausting him.

His opponent, a high-level Sage of the Taming Star Field, hid his form with the aid of the tangled restrictions, and his true strength was not much greater than Wanggui’s.

But by taking advantage of the terrain and even harnessing parts of the surrounding power, he managed to hold his ground.

It was for that reason that he could withstand Wanggui, who had unleashed his mutations to boost his power, and even counter-suppress him, until...

Once more locked in battle without regard for damaging the tunnel that was opened, the Taming Star Field expert not only suppressed Wanggui, but even forced him to retreat step by step.

Yet without warning, the Taming Star Field expert suddenly felt the life force within him begin to vanish into nothingness.

The fatigue and aging that followed were not as terrifying as the fear caused by that inexplicable loss of vitality!

It was that very streak of starlight! The Taming Star Field expert tried everything, mobilizing his inner qi to search and expel the intrusive light that was stealing his life force, but in the end he could find nothing. His vitality continued to flow away, slowly but inexorably.

Meanwhile, the drain brought mounting fatigue and weakness. His reactions dulled, his strikes slowed and weakened, and the advantage he had over Wanggui reversed almost immediately, collapsing in what could only be called a sudden and precipitous downfall.

Though his opponent’s sudden sluggishness was strange, Wanggui was not surprised. In fact, when he sensed it, an expression of realization appeared on his face.

Seizing the opening, three tentacles whipped out from his back. Though two were hastily severed by his opponent, the third struck home.

The impact shattered much of the defenses surrounding the Taming Star Field’s expert, sending him tumbling through the air.

With that blow, Wanggui fully stepped into the depths of the Desolate Forbidden Region, planting his footing and effectively rendering the passage lost.

At the same moment, Shang Xia’s transmission came through the passage behind him. Hearing it, Wanggui paused slightly, but when he was ready to move again, he discovered that the Taming Star Field’s expert he had just struck away had already vanished into the maze-like wilderness.

Wanggui did not bother looking. After sensing the remnants of the damaged restrictions around him, he quickly chose a direction and left.

Above the passage, Shang Xia let out a helpless sigh. Clearly, after entering the forbidden region, Wanggui did not wish to be controlled further by him.

However... Wanggui still retained the Star Origin Talisman that Shang Xia had given him, showing he did not wish to break away completely.

After all, Shang Xia truly had the power to suppress his mutations and restore his sense of reason.

That talisman was Wanggui’s final means of survival should he fail to save himself.

Even he knew that keeping it meant Shang Xia could track him at any time, and surely Shang Xia had left other measures upon it as well.

Shang Xia had not concealed this fact. His secret transmission earlier had clearly explained the talisman’s function.

Though Wanggui had not helped him strengthen the passage, he had not refused Shang Xia’s request to draw on the talisman and siphon the special energy produced during their conflict.

As Wanggui moved deeper into the forbidden region, Shang Xia’s sense of him through the talisman grew weaker.

But perhaps because Shang Xia’s cultivation had risen and his abilities had grown more profound, though the connection weakened, it never broke.

The Desolate Forbidden Region, shrouded by countless layers of restrictions from both Star Fields, resembled a tangled mass. Yet its integration with the void meant the floating continent was never fully sealed. Dim starlight from the void still trickled through, scattering everywhere.

Thus, through the Star Origin Talisman, Shang Xia could absorb the strange energy from within the forbidden region, and with the stars as a medium, channel it into his Crimson Soul Tablet.

That was a way to absorb the energy that leaked out during the clash, but for now, he had a faster way. The very passage that had been breached and was momentarily unguarded.

How long he could continue drawing energy from it was unknown.

Sure enough, before long, the Taming Star Field expert who had been driven back earlier returned, attempting to temporarily seal the reinforced passage.

But Shang Xia was unwilling to allow it. The instant the man appeared, he gathered the starlight at the passage’s bottom into another streak of flowing light that shot toward him.

The Taming Star Field expert, recalling how a similar technique had robbed him of so much vitality, panicked and immediately fled, vanishing back into the restriction mess.

That streak of light, however, dissolved harmlessly against the surrounding restrictions, making no disturbance. It had only been a bluff.

Still, it bought Shang Xia more time to draw the strange energy.

Yet the time was again short-lived. The disturbances in the other directions of the forbidden regions dwindled, signaling that the other six passages had already been destroyed by the Sages of the Floating Star Region, while only his pillar of starlight still blazed.

Before long, several streams of light arrived from different directions. First came Lu Xin and Xin Zhi, both high-level Sages. They frowned in puzzlement but did not question him immediately. Instead, they were drawn to the passage filled with starlight, exchanging glances that seemed to carry silent communication.

Compared to their calm, the other Sages were less polite.

As soon as Zhu Ran arrived, he grumbled, "Sage Shang, your cultivation is unmatched. Why have you not yet destroyed this passage?

Mm...

"

Almost at the same time, Supreme Chen Hu arrived and said in surprise, "Sage Shang, why are you alone? Where is your companion? Surely he hasn’t charged into the forbidden region, has he?"

Shang Xia ignored Zhu Ran’s complaint and instead curiously asked Chen Hu, "In the past, had no one from the Floating Star Region ever ventured into the Desolate Forbidden Region? Did any survive?"

Chen Hu started, then glanced instinctively at Xin Zhi before answering, "Of course, some lived. But while entry is easy, leaving alive is rare. The survivors all had different fates. Some gained something, some nothing, some returned wounded, others near death. All say the inside is filled with entangled restrictions and deadly perils, where the slightest misstep means death..."

Shang Xia cut him off. "Yet now the Taming Star Field experts have clearly carved a safe passage through it!!"

Chen Hu froze and frowned. "Sage Shang, you mean..."

Shang Xia smiled. "My companion, after driving off the Taming Star Field’s expert, has already gone inside to see with his own eyes how far their infiltration has spread. If we wait some time, keeping this passage open gives us another way to learn of the Taming Star Field’s designs."

"No!" Before Shang Xia finished, someone cut him off firmly. Without waiting for Shang Xia to ask why, he declared loudly, "You all must understand, the Beast Tides rampaging through the Heavenly Fields are secretly driven by the Taming Star Field. Only by utterly destroying these passages can we sever their link to the Beast Tides. That is the only direct way we have to prevent their invasions!"