“After all, you’re not just any successor of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. You’re a Son of the Stars.”
Yue Yanxi’s soul shadow gave a vast, resounding soul echo, shaking Guan Fu and Jian Tong to their souls.
Guan Fu and Jian Tong, who were still standing in front of the palace gate, shuddered violently.
They were so shaken that even their soul shadows flickered and split into countless flying wisps.
With wide eyes, they turned to look at Yue Yanxi, who was standing within an arm’s reach of them, and asked, “Is he really a Son of the Stars?!”
Yue Yanxi nodded vigorously. “How would he be acknowledged by this palace so easily if he wasn’t? You heard him yourself that everything in this place was left for no one but him by the grand patriarchs of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. Why would they treat him like that if he were just an ordinary disciple?”
Guan Fu and Jian Tong pondered the matter for a while before nodding to agree with him.
The Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace had numerous disciples, let alone their subordinate forces. Therefore, they wouldn’t be very concerned with the death of an ordinary disciple.
However, it was completely different with their Sons of the Stars, who they cultivated carefully as candidates for their future Lord of the Stars.
Even though the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries was separated from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s headquarters by endless space, they knew perfectly well what being a Son of the Stars meant.
They had heard that every Son of the Stars of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace was a bright star in the depths of the starry river.
Not only did every Son of the Stars have extremely high cultivation bases and battle prowess, but they also had countless followers and subordinate forces.
In the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, only Sons of the Stars were allowed to take in followers and build up their own forces.
Aside from their personal strength, the strength of their subordinate forces would even be taken into consideration when they competed for the position of Lord of the Stars.
The more powerful experts and sects they had as their subordinates, the more likely they would become Lord of the Stars.
Since this magical heaven and earth had been meant for Nie Tian, this Son of the Stars, it was very likely that the nearby domains would be absorbed into his empire once he had grown to a certain point, along with all of the cultivator forces in those domains.
That was because every Son of the Stars had done this.
Furthermore, many sects would take the initiative to play up to Sons of the Stars and try to cling onto these colossi.
Qiao Yunxi and Yin Yanan, who were standing close to them, heard their conversation and muttered in disbelief, “He’s a Son of the Stars?!”
Meanwhile…
Yue Yanxi’s soul shadow continued to explain to Nie Tian how the other Sons of the Stars had built up their own forces, which they would use to compete for the position of Lord of the Stars in the future.
According to him, now that Nie Tian had this magical place as his base, he would most certainly include the nearby Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries into his territory when he became powerful enough.
That was, unless he died prematurely.
Nie Tian listened attentively, realized his destiny as a Son of the Stars, and understood the path he should take.
“Build my own forces, take in powerful experts and sects, expand my influence to nearby domains, and dominate a certain area of the starry river…”
Soon, a firm look appeared in his eyes as he said to Yue Yanxi, “So I’d better not kill those people from the Bliss Mountain Sect, right?”
Yue Yanxi nodded and said, “I think you’ve already inspired enough awe and fear. As long as they understand the meaning of your identity, they’ll never dare to enter this place again, and they won’t try to do anything to harm you at the risk of having their sect annihilated. And again, my sect has had strife with their sect, but you don’t.
“You can make the decision yourself.”
Nie Tian nodded. “Okay.”
Then, he steered the Star Boat towards the golden starship where the Bliss Mountain Sect disciples were stranded.
The Bone Blood Demon, who had finished off Ke Jinpeng and the other experts, traced Nie Tian’s aura and also flew towards that area.
Moments later, the Bone Blood Demon and the Star Boat arrived in front of the ancient golden starship simultaneously.
Standing in the starship, Jiang Feng’s face was very grim as he saw the Star Boat and the Bone Blood Demon, as if he had given up all hope.
Mu Biqiong, Yao Zhilan, and the others also looked as if they had lost their parents, completely losing their previous arrogant and domineering manner.
The surviving Bliss Mountain Sect disciples were mostly at the Profound realm and the Soul realm. Misery filled their eyes as they gazed at the Star Boat and the Bone Blood Demon.
They had already learned from Jiang Feng that Nie Tian had slaughtered the five Void domain experts from the Thousandsword Mountain Sect.
Even their discarnate true souls hadn’t escaped Nie Tian’s hands, and had been refined by him with a mysterious tool.
This meant that, considering their current strength, if Nie Tian was bent on killing them, every one of them would die beyond the shadow of a doubt.
A bitter expression filled Jiang Feng’s face as he stepped to the prow and looked up at Nie Tian in the Star Boat. “Nie Tian… I know what you did to Ke Jinpeng and the others with him. Are you here to kill us with the same manner?”
“No,” Nie Tian answered, looking very calm.
The flame of hope reignited in the eyes of the Bliss Mountain Sect disciples as soon as they heard this.
Jiang Feng gasped. “Then what are you…”
Nie Tian didn’t answer him right away.
Instead, he glanced around, and realized that the Bliss Mountain Sect disciples hadn’t touched a single blade of grass in their surroundings. Everything remained the way it had been.
He figured that he would demand something from these people from the Bliss Mountain Sect, yet he hadn’t thought of what to demand yet.
He pondered the matter in silence for a while before his eyes suddenly landed on Mu Biqiong and he said with a smile, “I’ll reverse the grand spell formation later. Then, the restrictions in the layer of mixed energies that wreaths this continent will be lifted, and you’ll be able to sail away in this golden starship. I’ll allow you to leave, but you’ll have to leave your Holy Daughter here.”
“Our Holy Daughter?!” Jiang Feng went blank, fixing Mu Biqiong with a confused look.
Mu Biqiong, however, looked surprisingly calm as she said, “Alright, I’ll stay as long as you let them go.”
“Why do you want our Holy Daughter to stay, Nie Tian?” Jiang Feng asked, frowning.
The other Bliss Mountain Sect Qi warriors also looked secretly furious, though none of them dared to say a word.
“Perhaps I’ll visit the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries and have a good talk with your sect in the near future,” Nie Tian said in a meaningful fashion.
“Talk?” Jiang Feng pondered Nie Tian’s intentions. “Little Qiong’s beauty is known throughout the entire Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries. Could it be that he’s after Little Qiong’s unearthly good looks? That must be it! He’s at the right age. It seems that the man is a lecher! I should have thought of it long ago, considering the way he treated Yin Yanan and Qiao Yunxi!”
With these thoughts in mind, not only did Jiang Feng not get angry, but he even got a bit excited.
“Little Qiong is more beautiful than either of those girls. Plus, Little Qiong is very smart and knows how to use her beauty. If she takes the initiative, this green hand will surely throw himself at her feet!
“He’s from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace and the owner of this blessed land. His future will be very promising!
“If Little Qiong is to win him over and become his wife, then the Bliss Mountain Sect will be able to cling to the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, this invincible colossus!”
A train of thoughts rapidly flashed across Jiang Feng’s mind, a smile slowly appearing at the corner of his mouth.
“Fine! We’ll let Little Qiong stay here with you!” Jiang Feng said, not sounding reluctant at all.
Nie Tian smiled. “Good. Besides that, I’d like for you to keep the fact that I’ve killed those people from the Thousandsword Mountain Sect a secret.”
Jiang Feng glanced around at his sect members, and said to Nie Tian with a solemn tone, “Don’t you worry about that. All these survivors are old members with tight lips. After our return, we’ll tell people that we never saw Xing Beichen or people from the Thousandsword Mountain Sect.
“This is such a vast region, and outsiders came as well. Xing Beichen could have died anywhere.”
With an approving look in his eyes, Nie Tian nodded and said, “I like talking to smart men like you. Alright, it’s about time your Holy Daughter came with me.”
“Wait!” After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Feng asked with an embarrassed expression, “Could I have a few words with Little Qiong in private?”
“Sure, I’ll be over there waiting for you.” With these words, Nie Tian steered the Star Boat away from the ancient golden starship.
After watching the Star Boat fly away, Jiang Feng took a deep breath and said to Mu Biqiong, delight and excitement filling his face, “Kiddo, I’m afraid that guy has his eyes on you!”
A furious look appeared in Mu Biqiong’s eyes as she asked, “Is he not keeping me as his prisoner and a hostage?”
Jiang Feng shook his head. “I don’t think so. You must have noticed yourself that he’s been taking good care of Qiao Yunxi from the Divine Flame Sect and Yin Yanan from the Beast-controlling Sect. The way I see it, the reason why the Divine Flame Sect was able to cling to him was mostly because of Qiao Yunxi! Hahaha, but that girl is green and inexperienced. How can she compete with you?
“Little Qiong, whether our sect will be able to win the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s favor and rise to a whole new level will depend on you.”
The fury in Mu Biqiong’s eyes grew even stronger as she spat, “You want me to cater to his pleasure?”
“You’ve got to understand that this is a good chance for you, kiddo!” Jiang Feng tried hard to persuade her. “He’s from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, and I’m afraid the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace attaches great importance to him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been acknowledged by this palace! If you can marry him, your future achievements will no longer be limited to the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries!”
“Yin Yanan and Qiao Yunxi are not enough, and he still wants me?!” Mu Biqiong said with an icy expression. “Men like him are so disgusting!”
“Don’t act on impulse here!” Jiang Feng said, frowning. “This is for your own good!”
“I’ll never take the initiative to approach him!” Mu Biqiong said with great determination.
After hearing Jiang Feng’s words, both Yao Zhilan and Tian Ziping realized the opportunities that lay behind this, and thus joined him in an attempt to persuade her.
However, Mu Biqiong still shook her head and refused to listen to them.
Finally, Jiang Feng was at his wits’ end. He let out a sigh and said, “How about this: you won’t have to take the initiative to approach him, but don’t ever offend him. Consider this a favor to our sect. Okay?”
“Okay, I’ll try,” Mu Biqiong said reluctantly.
Jiang Feng waved at her. “Now go. He’s waiting for you.”
