The three arrows of red light rushed forth. The lethal three arrows that dissolved nearly all of the Star Energy in Yan Qing's body were immediately launched.
Three twinkling arrows just like the red radiance of the sun successively faded away without warning.
The Ghost Cavalry King only saw a wisp of bright red flash by in front of him. Then, the three arrows penetrated into his stomach. There was howling and shrill scream, and a wide expanse of red light burst out from the Ghost Cavalry King's body. The ghost's body seemed to be branded a complete red. Suddenly, he was all split up and in pieces, a frightening heat that forced everyone to look away.
"En." Yan Qing groaned. The Three Arrows Lethal Crossbow disappeared in her hand, and the girl lost her strength, her body turning limp.
Su Xing barely caught her with one hand, but that still was not enough as he collapsed onto the ground.
Roar!
A section of the black clouds shrouding Stone Tablet City ignited, then slowly dissipated. The broken down shadows again condensed into the Ghost Cavalry King's body, only that this time, his body was dim without light, even more feeble than when he had just emerged from the Devil Suppressing Stele.
Su Xing's heart sank when he saw him. He bitterly smiled.
The Ghost Cavalry King proved himself to be the formidable character that a generation ago could contend against Emperor Liang. Struck by the Three Arrows Lethal Crossbow, the Divine Ghost had been nearly extinguished, but he still was not completely wiped out. The hearts of everyone present could not help but turn up a feeling of powerlessness.
"You damned Star Generals!" The Ghost Cavalry King's voice was deep and low, a coarse crowing that was also filled with surprise; the Ghost Cavalry King immersed himself in Yin martial arts for several dozen years. He practiced the Ghoul Clan's Clan Suppressing Devil Art "Supreme Ghost Body"1 to become the Ghoul Clan's absolute genius to stand off against Emperor Liang. He had never experienced the era of a Star Duel before, and he was only limited to hearsay regarding the famous name of the Liangshan Maiden's Star Generals.
Although he had heard of a legend of offering the Star Generals as a tribute to the gods, the Ghost Cavalry King actually very much felt it beneath his dignity. In his eyes, that was nothing more than the softhearted game of women; but this time nevertheless thoroughly shocked him. His Supreme Ghost Body practiced to nearly the peak contributed to his inextinguishable body. Originally, Emperor Liang only relied on the Devil Suppressing Stele in order to subdue him, and now, the strange killing moves of two famous Star Maidens had almost exterminated the supernatural beings he so meticulously refined. Indeed, it was inconceivable.
Up until now, the Ghost Cavalry King had considered himself to understand why he originally heard people called Star Generals as Fiend Stars Under Heaven. The martial arts, unique skills and weapons of these Star Generals simply were outrageously valiant.
However, in Wu Xinjie's eyes, the Ghost Cavalry King was indeed clueless of his own strength. The five Star Generals already exhausted their strength, but this Ghost Cavalry King still had not fallen. This still was was a Ghost Cavalry King that lost his arrogance. Breaking away from the Devil Suppressing Stele, he greedily wanted to consume a Star General, yet he was not able to immediately be restored to his peak.
"Hè."
The Ghost Cavalry King angrily shouted, raising all of his magic energy. The Ghost's Godsbane flung into the sky, and a black light circulated. Ghosts converged, and in the blink of an eye, the Demon Blade formed an imposing and seething Evil Dragon.
The Ghost Cavalry King formed seals with both hands, already determined to consume these Star Generals to restore himself.
"Six Paths of Reincarnation, Evil Dragon Swallows the Gods! Ghost's Godsbane, kill!!"
The Evil Dragon opened its big mouth and screamed as it went to swallow everyone.
Su XIng breathed deeply, clutching the Profound Star Barrier to put up one last fight.
Just at this moment, a solemn incantation that seemingly came from beyond the Nine Firmaments mysteriously and inexorably sounded. That voice was like a Buddhist chant in paradise, yet also like the light singing ode of the Xuan Nǚ2 above the clouds of the Nine Firmaments. The words of the voice passed in a disciplined fashion that even the deaf could hear…
Stone Tablet City's dark clouds dispersed, the dim light receding.
Green light penetrated the black clouds and fell straight into this mundane world. In the blink of an eye, it became a deep black torrential downpour that beat on the Evil Dragon. The green rain splashed and dispersed, flecking spots of dark light. The imposing fiendish demon dragon immediately underwent repeated lashings and became a black Demon Saber, but this Demon Saber was indeed fierce. Even if it had been violently brushed by this green rain, it still unstoppably chopped towards Su Xing.
"Su Xing!" Shi Yuan cried.
She threw the Devil Suppressing Stele, and Su Xing easily caught it. Lifting it, the Devil Suppressing Stele transformed into an enormous mountain that pressed towards the Ghost's Godsbane.
A loud rumbling sound.
The Demon Saber wailed, and it was executed on these grounds.
The Devil Suppressing Stele released a golden light that immediately severed the Demon Saber's Divine Intent. The Ghost Cavalry King changed, spitting out a mouthful of black fog. His entire spirit void body became even dimmer, just like how a flickering candle could extinguish at any moment in the wind.
When the legendary Star Maidens conducted their Star Duels, the unconcerned and the like would all withdraw. With this sudden change, the Ghost Cavalry King even believed he had truly broken a taboo. Though his heart was resentful beyond compare, he knew it was ill-advised to stay for long. Hatefully glancing at Su Xing, the Ghost Cavalry King did not further dare to delay, turning into a spirit and escaping.
Stone Tablet City in a split second dispelled the clouds and saw the sun, restored to clear and bright conditions.
"We unexpectedly won." Wu Xinjie said blankly.
"Su Xing (Young Master) (Big Brother)"
A tender shout, and Lin Yingmei and the rest were too late to be glad they made a narrow escape. Su Xing saw the crisis was averted, and his whole body immediately lost its strength. Only at this time did he feel that all the bones in his body had completely shattered. Not a single one of his muscles or internal organs was intact. This kind of Star Master that would definitively hand over his life for his Star Generals made Yan Qing moved when she witnessed it.
An Suwen hastily spread medicine to staunch his bleeding, the Child and Mother Linked Hearts Needles sticking into several of Su Xing's crucial acupuncture points.
"Big Brother, hang on!" The Divine Physician unceasingly yelled.
Su XIng's consciousness was more and more heavy. Through his hazy consciousness, it seemed like he saw a young girl in the sky make a peeping expression from within the clouds. He glimpsed her gracefulness, and then he finally lost consciousness completely.
Seeing Su Xing finally could be counted as stable, the girls breathed a sigh of relief. Wu Xinjie had Shi Yuan tidy up the surroundings, and then she looked at the equally utterly weak and vital energy debilitated Skilful Star.
"Yan Qing, do you want to sign a contract with Young Master Su Xing?" Wu Xinjie asked. If she signed a contract with Su Xing, not only could he completely recover, Yan Qing also could restore herself. On the basis of the Three Arrows Lethal Crossbow that Su Xing moved Yan Qing to mobilize just now, she believed Yan Qing could not possibly have thoughts of not signing a contract.
Yan Qing's expression was extremely light. Glancing at Su Xing, she did not at all conceal that she took a liking to him, yet she declined: "Yan Qing can sign a Star Duel Covenant with anyone, but I cannot contract with him."
"What do you mean?" Lin Yingmei's beautiful brows rose, indistinctly unhappy. This kind of unhappiness purely originated from her Master being rejected.
Wu Xinjie did not feel this was out of expectations at all. She thoughtfully smiled: "Are you feeling whether or not our Master has Lin Chong yet?"
Yan Qing nodded. Su Xing having four Star Generals was already universally shocking.
Wu Xinjie laughed, "You truly are just as Bao Xiaoyu described, the type that tries to not offend anyone." The Knowledge Star sighed. The Star Generals used schemes to find their contractors. Unlike Yan Qing who unexpectedly felt because Su Xing's Star Generals were too many in number that violated established duels, the other Star Generals would not sign if things were unfair.
"You have met her?" Yan Qing's tone was slightly cold.
"Don't be like this." Wu Xinjie waved her hand: "We did not harm the Savage Star at all. On the contrary, it was she who informed us of your matter of recruiting a master. We heard that you helped refine her weapon to One Star. Xinjie still is not too convinced, but right now, I am sure of it. You truly are an exceptional sister."
Yan Qing did not doubt her words. If she was not excessively trusting, the Savage Star still could not possibly inform others of secret matters such as her Star Weapon. But to make the Savage Star God of Death be this confident in them, the Skilful Star truly felt that the man in front of her eyes was more and more mysterious.
Wu Xinjie then added: "It is out of the question that our Master is a good person, but neither is he an unscrupulous person for the sake of the Star Duels. Perhaps it is because of this that he can contract with we four sisters. Skilful Star Wanderer Yan Qing, if you wish to be chivalrous, then as you wish, but just how many people can you save like this? Besides, you intended to recruit a master, and it may be assumed that you are not a naive person."
Yan Qing muttered to herself, brooding.
Wu Xinjie knew that she need not say any more. Yan Qing seemed apathetic and heartless when, in fact, her heart was as meticulous as needles. Otherwise, she would not pose a riddle challenge to arrange a Heavenly Star's Master Recruitment.
"Let's quickly leave, strong enemies are approaching." Wu Xinjie called out. "In the event you are willing to become sisters with all of us and wait upon Master, then please, come with us. If you do not wish so, we will not say anything more. As long as you are not an enemy someday, Yan Qing, when we meet, we can still enjoy wine and song. Come for a refined mind of a 'willow pond locked in smoke.'"
What the Knowledge Star said seemed sincere and plain when actually, she secretly used "enjoy wine and song" as well as the "Absolute For All Eternity" to lock in Yan Qing, not worried that she would not be moved.
Yan Qing was taciturn. Propping her body up, she walked towards a corner.
"Little Yi…" Li Shishi's appearance was unsightly pale.
"This servant is very regretful for this affair. This servant must trouble you to use several silvers to console the common people that suffered this calamity…" Pausing, Yan Qing continued to say… "From now on, please do not use any further the name of Li Shishi…"
Li Shishi inarticulately nodded. Because she deliberately arranged everything, she was not opposed. Seeing a rare peculiarity appear on that cold and detached face of Little Yi's, she subconsciously asked: "Little Yi, where are you going?"
Yan Qing turned her head to look at the backs of Wu Xinjie and the rest lending their arms to carefully support Su Xing. That worry that hung on the Panther Head Lin Yingmei was reflected in her eyes. Not only did the Majestic Star who never signed a contract actually sign a contract, she was even concerned about her contractor. All of this made Yan Qing feel touched.
"Little Yi has already found her Master…"
She lightly answered.
—
A vortex roamed in the sky above Stone Tablet City, the clouds turning and rolling. A nondescript and dust free girl stretched forward her real body. Those eyes clean to the point of lacking the slightest amount of filth turned, then she hid into the clouds, escaping towards another place.
Soon after, an even more powerful figure descended.
—
Emperor Liang found the Fourth Prince Zhao Cheng huddled in a corner of a park. Seeing the battered and exhausted appearance of his own son, this monarch of the Great Liang Dynasty's golden age did not say much at all.
After Zhao Cheng awakened from his fear, he then saw an imposing back on the balcony, wearing a magnificent dragon brocade, adorned with a tasseled golden dragon crown. Although it was only his back, a kind of powerful pressure forced him to sweat profusely.
He was precisely the current head of the royal family, Emperor Liang!
"Imperial Father!" Zhao Cheng's voice shook.
"You have made Imperial Father very disappointed…" Emperor Liang held both hands behind his back, his voice calm. "Originally, you chose the Ghouls' Secret Arts. We3 then knew what you were planning. We were under the impression that you ought to have known you were unable to manage that Ghost Cavalry King. What a pity, ah, what a pity…"
"This child and subject4 should die." Zhao Cheng was ashamed and uneasy. "If it was not for Lin Chong's Master, This child and subject and Yan Qing would already…"
"A dispute is a weakling's conduct." Emperor Liang softly said.
Zhao Cheng immediately closed up his mouth.
"Defeat is precisely defeat!" Four words that were light yet resounding and powerful.
"This child and subject has received instruction."
"En. Cutting off your arm shall act as your price. Always remember him. Are you aware of how much trouble the release of supernatural beings can give rise to? However, that is not at all the worst matter. Imperial Father was already a monster in those sects."
"A general achieves renown over the dead bodies of ten thousand soldiers is a natural law!" Zhao Cheng's pupils spun as he promptly blurted out.
"A general achieves renown over the dead bodies of ten thousand soldiers! Well said. You have not yet made Us completely disappointed." Emperor Liang laughed heartily, pleased. Standing on the hall, he tilted his face as he gazed into the distance, overlooking the boundless earth underfoot. He did not know just how many bones of the dead he buried.
Just at this time, a star in the sky flickered with crimson light.
Zhao Cheng saw this scene, and his expression was even more unsightly.
"That legend at last has begun…"
Emperor Liang's voice was faintly discernible.
—
Three Clear Fields.5 A flying sword hung in the air, and on the sword was a youth of faintly discernible immortal wind. The immortal's light on his body protected him, sixteen Quiet and Secluded Immortals' Swords6 formed a powerful Sword Array nearby. The youth calmly directly shot this Crimson Star.
—
Lifeless Hall's Six Paths Summit. A black haired man holding a black steel épée stopped his sword dance as he raised his head.
—
In front of a not well-known discarded palace, the Immortal Hero Princess Gong Caiwei sat on the halls and slightly looked up. The Resourceful Strategist Zhu Wu slightly lifted her eyes.
—
Zhao Hanyan and the Steadfast Star Dong Junqing also continuously gazed at that newly born Crimson Star.
At this very moment.
All living things under heaven each lifted their heads to look up.
The Holy Lord of Draconic Demon left the Divining Star Platform perfectly contented, a purple marked jade pendant already in his hand. The Crimson Star in the sky was dazzling, and he burst into loud laughter.
"Has the Birth Outline finally begun?!!"
First Volume: Liangshan Outlaws, end.
