Chapter 2216: KNOCK KNOCK MOTHERFU

After hearing the full accounts from the Giant Ape Emperor and Sun Haiwei, Shang Xia had gained a clear understanding of Kou Chongxue’s expedition, and of the Star Origin Lord’s greater scheme hidden behind it.

There was no doubt the entire operation had been another of the Star Origin Lord’s plans directed against the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field.

This time, however, the target had not been the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field itself, but its network of spies within the Six Essence Heavenly Field. The Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field had more than a few channels of intelligence there. Beyond Youshang, several hidden informants had been planted long ago in the former Spirit Worlds that made up the Six Essence Heavenly Field’s current structure. Even under its strict isolation, those information channels still managed to transmit valuable information outward.

It was precisely because of the accuracy and reliability of these prior reports that both Kou Chongxue and Shang Xia had believed the Star Origin Lord’s supposed operation to retrieve an Essence World elsewhere was genuine.

In the end, Kou Chongxue led the fleet to shadow the Six Essence Heavenly Field, intending to strike like a mantis stalking the cicada, only to fall into the Star Origin Lord’s trap.

In truth, the entire setup had originally been aimed at Shang Xia. In the past, such missions to deal with external problems were always his responsibility, while Kou Chongxue remained behind to guard the Heavenly Field.

According to the Star Origin Lord’s plan of diversion, if Shang Xia had taken the bait and left the Heaven Observation Star Region, the Star Origin Lord’s clone would have entered the Illusory Sea of Stars to seize his real target. At the same time, he would have formed an alliance with the Dong Jin to merge the Illusory Sea of Stars into the Chaotic Sea of Stars, accelerating the ascension process into a Grand Star Field.

Yet fate loved toying with plans. Kou Chongxue, who had been bored out of his mind, personally led the fleet instead, while Shang Xia stayed behind to hold the line. It was precisely because of the reversal that Shang Xia discovered the hidden void passage at the former Essence Jing World had already been secretly reopened. With both strength and initiative on his side, he dared to infiltrate the Illusory Sea of Stars himself.

Alone, he battled across half its Heavenly Fields against multiple Sages, until at last, by striking the Star Origin Lord’s Fate Star, he disrupted the migration of an entire Star Region and ruined the Star Origin Lord and Dong Jin’s plan to hasten the fusion with the Chaotic Sea of Stars.

Even so, the Star Origin Lord’s clone had still managed to bring a damaged Essence World back to the Chaotic Sea of Stars ahead of him. Though that world had been heavily battered during the clash with Shang Xia, its core structure remained intact. Once it returned to the Six Essence Heavenly Field, the Star Origin Lord’s resources would surely restore it swiftly, aiding in the creation of the Seven Essence Heavenly Field.

From all the intelligence Shang Xia had gathered, once that happened, the Star Origin Lord would be on the very brink of ascending to the Eighth Order. Everything would be ready and all he needed to wait for was the ascension of the Chaotic Sea of Stars.

That thought made Shang Xia’s eyes flash with cold brilliance. Without another word, his figure vanished from his residence.

Within the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field, although Kou Chongxue’s grave injuries and the fleet’s disastrous losses had already spread among the upper ranks, no widespread panic occurred. Everything still ran in a precise, orderly fashion.

The land fragments retrieved from the expedition, believed to be remnants of worlds from foreign Star Fields, were now being pieced together under Chu Jia’s supervision. Following established procedures, they were accumulating origin qi to form an embryonic World Origin Source. Once Kou Chongxue emerged from seclusion, he would infuse the fragments with the Essence Luxuriant World’s energy, build up the heavenly screen, and shape those fragments into the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field’s sixth auxiliary Spirit World.

After a brief moment of thought, Shang Xia sent messages to the Giant Ape Emperor, Sun Haiwei, and Chu Jia, then quietly departed the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field once more.

Though Kou Chongxue was in deep seclusion within the Dao Field, that state also meant his consciousness had merged more profoundly with the Heavenly Field, allowing him to command more of its World’s Will, and even grow stronger than before. Of course, that also deepened his karmic bond with the Heavenly Field, but that was the fastest path for him to recover.

Outside the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field, Shang Xia could clearly sense that the origin qi from the eight foreign Star Fields had increased again. Its fusion with the Chaotic Sea of Stars’ essence had deepened.

Meanwhile, the near-collapse of the barrier between the Illusory Sea of Stars and the Chaotic Sea of Stars had allowed more origin qi from the Illusory Sea of Stars to flow into the Heaven Observation Star Region. Though that influx was gradually dispersing outward, the signs of transformation were undeniable.

"A new form of origin qi is fusing," Shang Xia murmured to himself as he hovered in the void. "Once it completes, the Chaotic Sea of Stars will become a new Grand Star Field. That will be the very opportunity for the powers driving its ascension to step into the Eighth Order."

His tone then darkened. "But before all that settles, it’s time to collect the debts owed to us."

When Shang Xia appeared outside the Six Essence Heavenly Field, he immediately sensed great changes within. It was visible even through the surrounding maelstrom of spatial turbulence.

He could guess what was happening. They were repairing the shattered Essence World taken from the Illusory Sea of Stars, preparing to integrate it into their Heavenly Field and complete the promotion to the Seven Essence Heavenly Field.

But... Since the Star Origin Lord could fuck with the Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field, who was stopping Shang Xia from fucking with the old man? He had precisely come to ensure the process went far less smoothly.

Since the day the Star Origin Lord began constructing his unique multi-Essence World centered on the Essence Ping World, no one had ever dared to break into it. Shang Xia intended to be the first.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

As the surrounding void currents suddenly roiled in reaction, it was clear that the Star Origin Lord had already sensed his presence. Shang Xia smiled faintly, stepped forward, and endless starlight fell through the void. The turbulent space ahead split apart, revealing a straight, shimmering path of starfire leading directly into the heart of the Six Essence Heavenly Field. His figure disappeared into it, and moments later, the void currents surged back, closing the path completely.

The instant Shang Xia crossed the boundary, the starlit passage behind him collapsed. The Star Origin Lord’s soul descended upon him, seeking to suppress the man.

Shang Xia stood calmly beneath the crushing weight of the power of the Star Origin Lord’s domain and said with faint disdain, "To replace the World’s Will with your own... By right, the might you command should far exceed that of an ordinary Sage. So why does it feel so underwhelming?"