The cultivators on both sides of the conflict all gasped reflexively. Although they had already been shaken by Bai Xiaochun’s power, none of them could ever have imagined that he would reach such an unbelievable level!
“This… this is impossible!!” Chen Hetian in nascent divinity form was shaking uncontrollably. Although he had already guessed that Bai Xiaochun was a demigod, he had assumed that he would be on roughly the same level as the Giant Ghost King and Patriarch Starry Sky, and could potentially fight one of the other two demigods. How could he have ever guessed… that Bai Xiaochun could actually sustain divine ability attacks from both of them, and not even be injured!?!?
Only the most powerful among demigods could possibly attempt to interfere with two other fighting demigods, much less forcibly stop them from fighting!
Bai Zhentian was equally shaken. He was also well-versed in knowledge of demigods, and thus, was completely terrified by Bai Xiaochun.
“How could this be?” Bai Zhentian murmured to himself. “He’s only been away for a few years….” His mind was in complete chaos, and he could hardly think straight.
Few people in the River-Defying Sect knew much about the subject. However, Patriarch Spirit Stream had a much better understanding of things, and was being battered by waves of shock. The fact that Bai Xiaochun had demigod battle prowess was so preposterous that he almost wondered if he was seeing things.
More shocked than anyone down below were the Giant Ghost King and Patriarch Starry Sky. The Giant Ghost King was especially taken aback; his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull as he pointed at Bai Xiaochun and said, “You little punk! How… how did you change so much!? You’re so strong!!”
Patriarch Starry Sky was not as familiar with Bai Xiaochun as the Giant Ghost King was. However, Bai Xiaochun was a member of the Starry Sky Dao Polarity Sect, and had made a deep impression on the sect after becoming a deva.
Therefore, Patriarch Starry Sky was just as shocked, and was even trembling with apprehension!
The fact that Bai Xiaochun had reached such a level of power so quickly was astonishing to the ultimate level.
“He’s not a demigod!” Patriarch Starry Sky murmured, his pupils constricting. As a demigod himself, his keen senses enabled him to detect that, despite having the battle prowess of a demigod, he had not formed a true demigod divine soul.
Patriarch Starry Sky wasn’t the only one to reach this conclusion. The Giant Ghost King could also see the clues. And yet, that didn’t reduce the level of shock that either of them felt: it actually increased it!
“He’s… not actually a demigod!!”
“The great circle of the Deva Realm…. How is this possible? In my entire life, I’ve never seen anyone in that level as strong as him!!”
Even as the two demigods reeled in shock, Bai Xiaochun took a deep breath, then hurried to clasp hands in formal greeting to both of them.
After rising from his bow, he spoke in a bitter voice. “My old pal Giant Ghost. Patriarch Starry Sky. Stop fighting. Enough people have been killed. There’s no point in this war between the Wildlands and the Heavenspan region!!”
Both the Giant Ghost King and Patriarch Starry Sky frowned, but didn’t respond immediately. A long moment passed, whereupon Patriarch Starry Sky snorted coldly. Eyes flashing, he said, “Fellow Daoist Bai, if the River-Defying Sect wishes to stay out of the war, fine. I have the authority to make a decision on the matter. Take your people and leave. However, even with your demigod battle prowess, you can’t end the war just by telling everyone to stop fighting!”
Although it didn’t seem like Patriarch Starry Sky was being particularly polite, anyone who was familiar with him would realize that he was actually restraining himself to a considerable degree.
He had no choice but to admit to how powerful Bai Xiaochun was. Furthermore, as the demigod patriarch who controlled the entire eastern Heavenspan region, he had the power to allow a Middle Reaches sect to be exempt from the fighting. As far as he was concerned, that was more than enough of a concession.
It was also a method to prevent Bai Xiaochun from defecting to the Wildlands.
Even as Patriarch Starry Sky spoke, the Giant Ghost King looked deeply at Bai Xiaochun. Visible within his eyes was a flicker of warmth; he knew that Bai Xiaochun had the best of intentions, and hoped to stop the war. However, the Giant Ghost King happened to agree with Patriarch Starry Sky. The war couldn’t be stopped just because Bai Xiaochun demanded it.
“The enmity between the Arch-Emperor Dynasty and the lands of Heavenspan goes back many years, Xiaochun,” he said. “I know you mean well, but you should just leave. And please, take Zimo with you….” With that, he turned to face Patriarch Starry Sky.
When the gazes of the two demigods met, they both flashed as if with fire. Neither of them had prevented their words from echoing down onto the battlefield. Down below, the cultivators from both sides, whether they wanted to or not, no matter how bitterly they felt about it, began to stoke their killing intent.
Bai Xiaochun could see that fighting was only moments from breaking out again. At that point, the determination in his eyes grew more intense. He knew that if he couldn’t even stop this one battle, then he couldn’t possibly do anything to make the Celestial and the gravekeeper agree to stop the war as a whole.
Furthermore, he couldn’t allow the situation to end in an unbalanced way…. If he did, then it would make it even more impossible to convince the Celestial and the gravekeeper to agree with him.
Lowering his head, he spoke in voice that pulsated with determination. “You people want a fight…? Well then… fight me! Kill me in whatever way you’d like. I’m done with all this!
“But, if you can’t beat me… then I don’t care if you’re a ‘majestic’ demigod, you’d better not try to fight anyone else in my presence!
“You’re up first, Patriarch Starry Sky. If I can’t convince you with words, then I’ll have to beat you into submission. And as for you, Giant Ghost, old pal, you just wait until I’m done putting Patriarch Starry Sky in his place. Then you’ll have your turn!” Chuckling coldly, he looked up at the two demigods, his eyes completely bloodshot.
Both Giant Ghost King and Patriarch Starry Sky were visibly taken aback. However, the Giant Ghost King knew Bai Xiaochun better than his demigod counterpart. Although he wasn’t very happy with what Bai Xiaochun had just said, he did nothing more than glare at him.
But Patriarch Starry Sky did more than that. He began to laugh with increasing volume, until the sky vibrated and distorted. Moments ago, the sun had been shining brightly, but now it seemed as dark as night. Furthermore… an unfamiliar starry sky was visible overhead!
This was Patriarch Starry Sky’s Daoist magic, something that could replace the starry sky overhead. It was as if his will had surpassed the will of the world itself!
“What you just felt a moment ago was only a tiny fraction of the power of my divine ability, Bai Xiaochun. Other than the Celestial and the gravekeeper, no one alive qualifies to talk about beating me into submission!”
“Time will tell,” Bai Xiaochun replied coolly. Based on his brief interchange with the two demigods, and seeing the regenerative powers of his own Undying Blood in action, Bai Xiaochun was fairly certain… that he was even stronger than he had thought before.
“Fine!” Patriarch Starry Sky said. Chuckling angrily, he pointed up at the starry sky above him, and then waved his finger down. In response, the stars began to shine dazzlingly, and then, seemingly in response to Patriarch Starry Sky’s orders, sent streams of starlight down from above.
It was a majestic sight to behold. Everyone below shivered nervously at the seemingly transcendent power of this demigod patriarch. It was as if the power of a divine being were on display, power that could rock the foundation of the very world!
“Spear of the Starry Sky!” he said coolly. In response to his words, the swirling starlight converged in front of him, radiating intensely powerful energy as it took the shape of an enormous spear!
The spear seemed to fill the entire sky, and as Patriarch Starry Sky pointed his finger in Bai Xiaochun’s direction, the spear began to rotate, and then stabbed toward him!
An intense sensation of imminent crisis filled Bai Xiaochun’s heart. At the same time, the ground trembled, causing rocks and rubble to rise up into the air, and filling the hearts of the cultivators with profound sensations of dread.
“Be destroyed!” Patriarch Starry Sky said, his eyes shining with cold light.
Intense energy exploded out, causing cracking sounds to fill the air around Bai Xiaochun. Almost immediately, his skin began to sink in, revealing countless spinning vortexes. His hair began to whip about, and as the spear closed in, his eyes began to shine with blood-red light!
