125: Shura retreats

The Star Palace wasn't idle either.

Lin Xuan had said he wanted to warn those rats in the gutters.

Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace, that old guy, despite usually being lazy, was a professional when it came to such 'dirty work'.

He personally selected Ye Chen, You Ye, and several other disciples who had performed exceptionally well in the Void Palace and excelled in stealth and assassination, forming a temporary 'clean-up squad'.

This group consisted of true 'professionals'.

Ye Chen, needless to say, had an unbelievably low presence, You Ye's illusionary techniques were superb, and Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace himself was a spatial master.

They didn't follow the usual path, instead using the Void Palace's teleportation network to precisely locate the intelligence dens and black markets that were most active in spreading rumors or were suspected of taking on shady jobs.

Today, in one such black market, several individuals who were vehemently slandering the Star Palace suddenly convulsed and fainted as if they had seen a ghost.

When they awoke, all memory of spreading rumors was gone, and they had become imbeciles.

No one saw who had done it.

Tomorrow, at a secret base of an assassin organization, the occupants woke up to find their warehouse emptied, and on the wall, written in blood, were large characters: "Loose tongues and grasping hands will lose their heads next time."

The signature was a crooked skull, which looked rather cute.

There was also an underground merchant guild specializing in handling 'dirty goods'.

Overnight, all 'stolen goods' related to the Star Palace vanished without a trace, and beside the guild master's pillow lay a still-beating heart, with a note that read: "Return to sender, no next time."

As soon as these incidents occurred, the clandestine circles in the Immortal Realm exploded!

"Holy crap! The Star Palace guys are too ruthless!"

"These methods… appearing and disappearing like ghosts, how can we defend against them?"

"Damn it, this business deal was a huge loss; I didn't make much money and almost lost my life!"

"From now on, whoever wants to take on jobs related to the Star Palace can have them; I'm out!"

The effect was immediate.

Rumors about the Star Palace quickly decreased by more than half, at least no one dared to spread them openly anymore.

The assassins and organizations who worked for money also chickened out; it was too unprofitable to offend a force that possessed an Immortal Venerable, was extremely vengeful, and had such bizarre methods, all for a bit of cash.

Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace returned with his people, their deeds unsung, and reported the results to Lin Xuan: "The most active strongholds have been cleaned up, the methods were clean, and no loose ends were left.

It should be quiet for a while."

Lin Xuan nodded in satisfaction: "Well done.

We need to let these guys know what happens when they provoke us."

The minor external troubles were temporarily suppressed, and the internal development of the Star Palace was even more bustling.

Massive amounts of Blood Sea Soul Crystals were put to full use.

Su Yuan devised an efficient energy extraction and conversion array, and the disciples' cultivation speed soared.

Chu Xinghe used the best materials to upgrade the sect's grand array inside and out repeatedly.

Now, the Star Palace, if not impenetrable, would at least make an Immortal Venerable trying to force their way in lose a few teeth.

The disciples' magic treasures were also upgraded, greatly increasing their power.

Yun Qingyao, Leng Yuechan, and the other newly promoted Immortal Monarchs had also completely stabilized their realms, and their strength was terrifying.

Now, the Star Palace's high-end combat power included Lin Xuan, an abnormal Immortal Venerable, with Bai Li and Bi Xiao, Elder of the Void Palace as two veteran Immortal Venerables in the middle, and below them, Yun Qingyao and five other rising Immortal Monarchs, plus a large number of late-stage and peak Golden Immortal disciples, and an elite army of millions… This power configuration, placed anywhere in the entire Immortal Realm, was a colossal entity that no one dared to underestimate!

Lin Xuan watched the sect grow stronger day by day, feeling immensely pleased.

It was time to settle accounts with those who dared to trip them up in the dark!

The first target was the Asura Clan!

If it weren't for Blood Butcher, that grandson, colluding with Xuan Gu to ambush them, the old ghost You Ku wouldn't have taken the opportunity to attack later, and they wouldn't have been forced into such a dire situation in the Blood Sea Domain.

This grievance had to be avenged!

"Gather the forces!" Lin Xuan commanded, "This time, we will take the initiative!"

Soon, a 'debt collection' army, personally led by Lin Xuan, with Yun Qingyao, Leng Yuechan, Mo Sha, and Kong Ming, the four newly promoted Immortal Monarchs, and one hundred thousand elite disciples, all at least late-stage Heavenly Immortals, set off majestically!

Their target was a large forward fortress of the Asura Clan's occupied territory in the Immortal Realm—the Obsidian Fortress.

This place was an important stronghold for the Asura Clan, stockpiling a large amount of supplies and troops.

The Star Palace army didn't bother to conceal their movements; they simply rode upgraded war immortal ships, bristling with fearsome cannons, and crushed everything in their path.

Some scattered Asura patrol teams encountered along the way were terrified by this display, losing all thought of resistance, turning around and fleeing to report the news.

The Asura commander of the Obsidian Fortress turned green when he heard the news.

"What?! The Star Palace army is attacking?! And the leader is Lin Xuan, that evil star?!"

The commander nearly slid off his chair, "Quick! Send for reinforcements from the rear! Activate all defensive arrays! All troops, prepare for battle!"

The entire Obsidian Fortress instantly descended into chaos; alarm bells shrieked, and all Asura soldiers rushed onto the city walls in a panic, watching the dark, terrifyingly ominous fleet of immortal ships on the distant horizon, their legs trembling.

Lin Xuan stood at the bow of the flagship, looking at the Obsidian Fortress, which was like a startled hedgehog, fully activating its defenses, and sneered.

"Chu Xinghe, give them a 'greeting'."

"Alright, Master!" Chu Xinghe excitedly rubbed his hands and activated the newly loaded super main cannon on the immortal ship, powered by Blood Sea Soul Crystals—the "Chaos Bombardment Cannon"!

Boom—!!!

An incomparably thick, dark beam of light, mixed with chaotic currents and destructive energy, erupted from the main cannon of the immortal ship like a divine punishment, instantly traversing tens of thousands of miles and slamming heavily into the Obsidian Fortress's defensive light barrier!

Rumble rumble rumble!!!

A deafening roar resounded!

The defensive light barrier, which was strong enough to withstand continuous attacks from an Immortal Monarch, twisted and flickered violently like an eggshell struck by a hammer, and then… with a bang, it exploded into countless specks of light!

One shot! Just one shot!

It shattered the fortress's turtle shell!

The Asura commander and soldiers inside the fortress were all dumbfounded, their jaws dropped, with only one thought in their minds: What's the point of fighting now?!

"Attack!" Lin Xuan waved his hand!

"Kill!!!" The Star Palace disciples, like tigers descending a mountain, piloted various immortal ships, rode flying mounts, or flew directly through the air, surging towards the undefended Obsidian Fortress like a tide!

Yun Qingyao led the charge, wielding her Ice Soul Divine Light Sword, freezing large sections of the city wall into ice sculptures, which then shattered!

Leng Yuechan's Nirvana Sword Intent, like a death ray, specifically targeted and killed the Asura officers attempting to organize resistance!

Mo Sha roared, directly smashing through the fortress gate, and charged in with the Ancient Demon Battle Group, hacking down anyone he saw!

Kong Ming's Buddha's Light shone universally, buffing his teammates while purifying the Asura Demonic Qi and weakening the enemies!

It was practically a one-sided slaughter!

Although the Asura Clan soldiers were fierce, the disparity in strength was too great.

The Star Palace side had at least Heavenly Immortals, well-equipped, working in perfect coordination, and with Immortal Monarchs leading the charge.

The Asura Clan, on the other hand, generally had lower strength, their morale collapsed, and they couldn't organize effective resistance at all.

In less than an hour, the battle was basically over.

The Obsidian Fortress was completely occupied, the stubbornly resisting Asura Clan was wiped out, and a large amount of supplies became the Star Palace's spoils of war.

Lin Xuan barely even made a move, simply holding down the fort from the rear.

After occupying the fortress, Lin Xuan had someone send a message to the Asura Clan's rear, the content of which was simple:

"The Blood Sea Domain's debt, this is just the beginning.

Either get out of the Immortal Realm, or wait for me to uproot your strongholds one by one!"

The news reached the Asura Clan's high command, directly causing a major earthquake.

Blood Butcher Prince was still severely injured, and the affairs were being handled by several other Asura Royal Family members and Demon Lords.

They gathered together, their faces looking grimmer than the last.

"This is too much! This Lin Xuan is simply too much!" a Demon Lord roared.

"The Obsidian Fortress is just gone… Our losses are too great!"

"We must retaliate! Assemble a large army and fight the Star Palace to the death!"

"Fight? With what?" a relatively calm veteran Demon Lord poured cold water on them, "That Lin Xuan is already an Immortal Venerable! He has a bunch of Immortal Monarchs under him!

On our side, Blood Butcher is severely injured, and several Ancient Asura War Generals and Soul-Devouring Demon Monarch sent to the Blood Sea Domain are also missing, probably having met with misfortune!

We don't have the advantage in high-end combat power right now!

How can we fight?"

"Are we just going to let it go?!" another Royal Family member roared unwillingly.

"What else can we do if we don't let it go?" The old Demon Lord sighed, "Something happened with the Mother Worm, and the energy supply has been very unstable recently.

The Nether Skeleton Emperor and several other Emperors seem to be planning more important things and can't spare their hands to deal with the Star Palace for now.

Relying solely on our current strength to go head-to-head is just suicide!"

The meeting hall fell silent.

Although they were unwilling to admit it, what the old Demon Lord said was true.

The current Star Palace was no longer something they could easily manipulate.

"Issue the order…" Finally, the highest-ranking Royal Family member spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse, "All frontline strongholds, contract the defense lines… abandon those outlying fortresses that are difficult to defend… Temporarily… avoid the Star Palace's edge."

As soon as this order was given, the entire Asura Clan frontline was in an uproar, but there was nothing they could do.

Circumstances were stronger than individuals; if they didn't retreat, the losses would be even greater.

Thus, under the close attention of various forces in the Immortal Realm, the Asura Clan began a large-scale retreat, abandoning a large amount of hard-won territory and strongholds, consolidating their forces into several most important core fortresses, presenting a posture of full defense and temporary avoidance of the sharp edge.

This news, as if it had grown wings, quickly spread throughout the Immortal Realm.

All forces were shocked!

The Asura Clan, which dominated one side and had a fearsome reputation, was actually forced to retreat by the Star Palace?!

This Lin Xuan, this Star Palace, had now become so formidable?!

For a time, the attitudes of various forces in the Immortal Realm towards the Star Palace underwent subtle changes.

There were those who revered them, those who feared them, and countless more who wished to befriend and attach themselves to them.

The Star Palace's prestige reached an unprecedented peak!

Lin Xuan returned triumphantly with his army.

Along the way, he received respectful gazes from countless small forces and rogue cultivators.

This battle was exhilarating and satisfying!

Not only did it avenge them, but it also established the Star Palace's formidable reputation!

Upon returning to the sect, there was naturally another enthusiastic celebration.

However, Lin Xuan knew in his heart that the Asura Clan's retreat was only temporary.

The changes with the Mother Worm, the Nether Skeleton Emperor's plotting, and that dormant "Ancient Burial Lord" as well as the Xuan Gu Remnant Soul, who knows where he was causing trouble… Future troubles would certainly not be few.

However, he wasn't flustered at all.

When soldiers came, he would block them; when water came, he would cover it with earth.

He now had the strength and confidence.

"Next, I should carefully consider how to settle all accounts with the old ghost You Ku and that Skeleton Queen and Soul-Devouring Demon Lord…" Lin Xuan stroked his chin, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.