Chapter 2105: The Betrayed Essence Mu World

"This is..." Mei Jingya looked at the talisman Shang Xia handed her, hesitation flashing across her face.

From what she had gathered, she knew Shang Xia was a rare rank seven Talisman Grandmaster. But she herself was already a fourth star Sage. An ordinary rank seven talisman could not be said to be useless, yet it would hardly be enough to achieve a decisive outcome if she fought anyone she couldn’t defeat herself.

All the more so, when she was leaving the space around the Essence Mu World to meet with the other Sages of the Towering Star Region.

If she could keep matters hidden, all would be well. But if exposed, a battle could break out immediately. She might face two or three, or even more Sages! In such a situation, what good would a single talisman do?

She felt that Shang Xia was merely offering it out of goodwill.

Before she could respond, Shang Xia seemed to read her doubt. He smiled and explained, "This is a rank seven Emberkindled Legacy Talisman. At the critical moment, it will let you borrow part of my strength. At close range, it can also channel a strand of my divine soul. With it, I can hear how the Sages of the Towering Star Region intend to deal with you. And if things turn sour, I can react in time."

Strictly speaking, this talisman was somewhat like surveillance, for with it in her possession, all her actions would be within Shang Xia’s senses.

But Mei Jingya understood his true intention was to aid her and she nodded seriously. "I will keep it well."

After she departed, Shang Xia, to avoid suspicion, remained in the residence on the floating continent in the void around the Essence Mu World. Curiosity drew his gaze to the Essence Mu World itself. Through the heavenly screen, he probed the interior.

Though distance and the heavenly screen blurred what he could see, he still saw the Essence Mu World contained 29 continents.

At key nodes of the heavenly screen, he sensed several powerful auras and energy that was different from world origin. He could tell that they held a Dao Field and 11 Elysiums.

What intrigued him most was that a portion of the world origin source and the Dao Field weren’t connected to the Essence Mu World.

"So it’s a floating continent within the world itself. The Dao Field lies atop it... That’s probably Sage Mei’s sect." Shang Xia carefully assessed the revealed strength of the Essence Mu World.

Just then, his expression shifted.

His attention moved from the Essence Mu World to the Emberkindled Legacy Talisman.

By the time he started to pay attention to the situation over on the other side, she had run into three Sages of the Towering Star Region. They were Rong Ding of the Essence Yi Heavenly Field, the only high-level Sage among them, Gong Sunliang of the Essence Qing Heavenly Field, who was at the same level as Mei Jingya, and Tian Xing of the Essence Xing Heavenly Field, a second star Sage.

"It seems we arrived late, Sage Mei has already driven the enemy away!" Rong Ding revealed a trace of disbelief when he saw her.

Mei Jingya did not hide her displeasure and sneered, "Heh, thank you for at least remembering our Star Region has an Essence Mu World.”

Rong Ding heard the sarcasm in her voice but only smiled, glancing at Gong Sunliang.

In response, he coughed lightly. "How many of them came to attack you? How strong were they? Right... Since you don’t look injured, it shouldn’t have been difficult for you to drive them off?”

Mei Jingya chuckled in a cold voice, "So... This is how we’re going to uphold the defense alliance we have all agreed on? I wonder if your worlds face the same challenge one day, how will you deal with it...”

By rights, news of the attack on the Essence Mu World should have reached the others the second it happened based on their defensive network. Aid should have arrived instantly.

Instead, she had fought bitterly alone, until Shang Xia secretly lent a hand. Only then did she manage to turn the situation around, forcing her opponent to flee. Even after Shang Xia captured the foreign expert, they found some time for an interrogation before the Sages of the Towering Star Region arrived.

Her questioning tone left Tong Ding and Gong Sunliang displeased. Deep frowns formed on their faces, but they had nothing to say in response.

Instead, it was Tian Xing, the weakest of them who snapped, “Sage Mei, do you realize that as you fought, the rest of us were holding back the experts of the foreign Sages at the origin of the void currents? Otherwise, do you think only one of them would have been here to fight you?”

Mei Jingya’s expression sank instantly. “Oh? So you do know that the Sage who came was from the Gathered Sea of Stars?”

Tian Xing faltered for a moment before snapping in embarrassment, "Who else could stir trouble here? Surely not outsiders from other Star Regions sneaking past us?"

Mei Jingya failed to hold back her laughter, and her mockery-laced voice caused the other three to frown even deeper.

"What do you mean by that?!" Once again, Tian Xing stepped forward to speak for the others.

"If no outsiders can enter, then how did the Star Origin Lord of the Heaven Observation Star Region come over and take away the Essence Zhen World under our very noses?!”

Their expressions were ugly to the extreme as Tian Xing tried to argue, "That was only because of a sudden surge in the void currents! It was a one-off event..."

No matter how hard he tried to argue, even his comrades couldn’t find it in them to believe him.

The mocking smile on Mei Jingya’s face faded to one of extreme chill. "Heh, since my world is safe, thanks for the trouble of coming over. However, the space here is too fragile to bear your presence. I will not send you off. Please leave.”

The next second, she turned back to her world, ignoring their ugly complexions.

"Wait!" Rong Ding’s voice stopped her. "The collapse of the Essence Zhen Heavenly Field left a gap in our defenses. To fill it, we need a world to temporarily replace its position. Your world is the nearest. So it has to be moved there."

Her body trembled, but she did not turn. "My world is a mere Essence World. How can it replace a Heavenly Field? Moreover, I already have a role here. If a substitute is needed, go find a Heavenly Field.”

Rong Ding sighed. "That is impossible. Every Heavenly Field bears great burdens, none less vital than the Essence Zhen Heavenly Field. Shifting one will weaken our defenses. Only your world can fill the gap! This is the best solution and it’s all for the bigger picture.”

"The bigger picture?" She whispered softly but gave no further reply. She didn’t stop either as she returned to her world.

In the void, watching her go, Gong Sunliang mumbled, "Her reaction is odd. Did she learn something from the person who went to attack her?"

Rong Ding said nothing, but Tian Xing snorted in response. "It benefits the Gathered Sea of Stars too. Why would they reveal anything? She’s just angry we came late."

Gong Xunliang glanced at him, then back at Rong Ding. "She didn’t agree. Pushing this may not be easy."

Tian Xing started to speak, but Rong Ding silenced him with a glare. He continued calmly, "This is the decision of our Star Region. She has no choice."

Though his tone was mild, his words carried a finality that made both companions shiver.

Then Rong Ding added in a strange voice, "Her ability to force back their Sage is truly surprising. Initially, I thought she had some hidden trump card. However, now that I’m here... I can feel another presence watching us.”

Tiaan Xing blurted, "She had help? Who is it?"

Rong Ding shook his head. "Why don’t you storm the Essence Mu World and see? Perhaps her helper is still there."

"This... this..." Tian Xing laughed awkwardly.

Gong Sunliang mused, "If there was help, to slip past our defenses unseen is no small feat. Unless it was someone like the Star Origin Lord himself..."

"But he cannot appear again and again. I suspect her ally may be from the Gathered Sea of Stars!"

"Impossible!" Tian Xing cried. "Wouldn’t that make the attack on her world nothing but a staged farce?"

"Why not?" Gongsun replied coolly. "Perhaps she has already colluded with them, or perhaps the Gathered Sea of Stars is divided, with factions with different objectives."

Through it all, Rong Ding’s face was calm.

Eventually, he concluded, "Enough. Speculation is useless. This is still our Star Region and the time left for her to play tricks is running short. Let’s see what else she can pull...”