Chapter 2187: Too Late

Before reentering the Star River, Shang Xia had already considered the possibility of encountering Sage Star Thief again, and perhaps even more than one of the so-called Star River Stowaways.

However, he had never expected that not only would he run into Sage Star Thief himself, but that three stowaways led by him would ambush him at once, and even more shockingly, they had somehow managed to predict his reentry point with such precision that they were able to encircle him almost instantly.

Realizing that there was no chance of a peaceful resolution, and knowing he would never submit, Shang Xia immediately steeled himself for a 3v1 battle, determined to fight his way out no matter the cost.

Yet his opponents clearly had no intention of letting him go. They had come prepared to seize from him the precise spatial coordinates of the Chaotic Sea of Stars and attacked without hesitation.

Even though Shang Xia had been ready to strike back, the combined assault of three high-level Sages supported by three Eternal Golden Boats quickly drove him into disadvantage. Under their coordinated barrage, his defenses faltered, and for a moment, he appeared to be barely holding his ground.

To be fair, compared to his last clash with Sage Star Thief, Shang Xia’s strength had risen considerably. He believed that even if each of these then had an Eternal Golden Boat, he could handle any one of them alone. It wouldn’t be impossible to gain victory.

In truth, had the three not intended to capture him alive to force open the Chaotic Sea of Stars’s location, the situation might have been far worse.

Their tactics were especially sharp. They harnessed the turbulence of space and time in the Star River itself to seal him from multiple directions, clearly to sever his connection to the stars drifting within the current.

In their previous encounters, Sage Star Thief had been thwarted precisely because of the sudden eruptions from the stars in the Star River.

The first time, he had been caught completely off guard. But when it happened again during their second battle, there was no double about it. He understood that Shang Xia had a way to trigger them.

The old man was terrified, and secretly envious, of how Shang Xia could somehow manipulate distant stars within the Star River, calling forth their catastrophic tides at will. In normal times, he would never have risked provoking such a foe.

But now, the universe was changing. The merging of the eight Star Fields into the Chaotic Sea of Stars promised the chance to enter the Eighth Order, a temptation that was irresistible to any of the exiled stowaways struggling to survive in the Star River.

Thus, Sage Star Thief and his two companions were absolutely determined to seize Shang Xia and extract the exact coordinates of the Chaotic Sea of Stars.

Shang Xia, knowing the gravity of the situation, did not dare to hold back. From the start, he summoned the Crimson Soul Tablet, which transformed in his hand into a crimson mace as he unleashed his Seven Star Mace Technique to meet their assault.

But the sudden appearance of an Eternal Artifact... One forged into a weapon, only ignited the greed of the three Star River Stowaways. Even though Sage Star Thief had already warned his temporary allies of the tablet’s existence, the sight of it made their covetousness burn all the more fiercely.

What Shang Xia himself had not anticipated was that, after the Crimson Soul Tablet’s complete restoration, every swing of his weapon felt like awakening a slumbering primordial beast. It grew stronger with every blow.

Sensing the change, Shang Xia made a decisive choice. Ignoring the heavy drain on his inner qi, the Big Dipper Star Origin and its seven auxiliary stars instantly burned with brilliant light. He unleashed his martial intent without the slightest hesitation.

Star Shifting Constellation Transformation!

"Careful! The youngster’s martial intent lets him harness the Star River’s power of space and time itself!" Sage Star Thief’s warning rang out immediately.

That, more than anything else, was the ability that had both fascinated and terrified him during their previous battles.

Unlike other cultivators, Shang Xia could control the power of space and time of the Star River directly, without relying on any external medium. His secret arts embodied those same powers.

The Star River Stowaways, on the other hand, could only manipulate those forces by channeling them through their Eternal Golden Boats.

The three of them moved almost simultaneously, each driving their respective Eternal Golden Boat to unleash the Star River’s chaotic energy, converging upon Shang Xia’s martial intent.

The opposing currents of the power of space and time clashed violently, consuming each other again and again. Yet in the end, Shang Xia’s strength began to wane under the pressure of three enemies.

Still, his goal had never been to overpower them directly. Unleashing his martial intent was merely a delay, an opening gambit to buy himself just enough time.

And at last, that moment arrived.

Within his dantian, the Star Rinsing Muslin hovering above his Big Dipper Star Origin, having long been refined and nourished by his inner qi, finally completed its transformation, becoming the Starlight Curtain.

Though far smaller than a true Starlight Curtain, too small to serve as a ship’s sail upon an Eternal Golden Boat, its secondary function was perfect for Shang Xia’s purposes.

Amidst the lingering clash of starfire and turbulence, Shang Xia gestured into the void. The Starlight Curtain rose from his dantian and wrapped around his body, then, in the blink of an eye, he merged completely into the Star River and vanished.

"It’s the Starlight Curtain!"

Zhong Heng yelled the warning, his facial expression tightening. He raised his hand sharply, and from the mast behind him unfurled a shimmering sail woven entirely from the same material. Though no wind stirred, it billowed. However, his Eternal Golden Boat remained motionless in the current.

Almost at the same instant, Sage Star Thief and Fang Suo did the same, their own sails falling from the masts. Three radiant veils spread wide like immense fishing nets, sealing off the surrounding space of the Star River.

Once the trap was set, the anchors of the three Eternal Golden Boats shot outward, dragging heavy chains across the confined region, sweeping every direction in search of their target.

But as time passed, no trace of Shang Xia appeared within the encirclement.

At first, the three thought he was merely hiding, waiting for a chance to strike. Yet as the minutes stretched on, even Sage Star Thief’s patience began to fray. Finally, Fang Suo, unable to contain himself, muttered, "Is he still here? Could he have already escaped?"

"No!" Sage Star Thief grunted. "We sealed the perimeter the instant he entered. Do you truly believe anyone could flee from that in so short a time?"

Both Fang Suo and Zhong Heng shook their heads, but hesitation flickered in their eyes.

Unaware, Sage Star Thief continued with grim certainty. "If we cannot do it, then neither can he. He must still be here. My guess is that he’s using some exquisite movement art, slipping between the links of our anchor net at the very last instant each time."

But then Zhong Heng spoke up suddenly. "We are all familiar with the Starlight Curtain. Tell me, if one were using it to conceal oneself, could you, even then, hide as well as this?"

Fang Suo frowned. "You mean you’ve noticed something?"

Zhong Heng shook his head. "Not yet." Though that was what he said, his expression had grown grave.

Sage Star Thief’s eyes flashed with realization. "The starlight!" He murmured, "It’s the light of the stars in the Star River!"

"The starlight?" Fang Suo and Zhong Heng both looked startled at his sudden outburst.

Sage Star Thief turned sharply toward the nearest blazing star that illuminated their region of the river and shouted, "We must block out its light, now!"

Zhong Heng was the quickest to act. His sail suddenly cast an expanding shadow, spreading outward to shroud the distant star.

The other two moved to follow suit, but just as they did, Shang Xia’s voice rang out through the darkness. "Too late!"

The nearest star, the primary light source of that sector of the Star River, suddenly went dark.

It’s extinguished?!

The three froze in shock as the entire region plunged into absolute blackness.

That was his sixth form of his Seven Star Mace Technique, Dipper Annihilation!

Without light, there could be no shadow.

In that instant, the three sails made of Starlight Curtain, once acting as an inescapable net, lost all effect.

Only a breath or two later, the extinguished star reignited, blazing once again across the Star River.

But in that brief gap of darkness, Shang Xia had already reappeared, far beyond the encirclement of the three Eternal Golden Boats.

Sage Star Thief and the others reacted with impressive speed. The moment they realized he might have escaped the trap, each immediately raised defenses around themselves and their Eternal Golden Boats, leaving Shang Xia no chance for a counterattack.

Yet the tables had turned. Shang Xia was free and no longer at a disadvantage.

Fang Suo couldn’t help but yell, "Wait! Fellow cultivator, perhaps we can make a deal!"

Shang Xia ignored the voice behind him. He had no intention of lingering to spar further. With a sudden burst, he sped deeper into the Star River, disappearing completely from their sight and divine soul moments later.

"Crossing the Star River without an Eternal Golden Boat?" Fang Suo sneered. "Let’s see how long he lasts! Sooner or later, we’ll catch up to him!"