113: Chapter 113 Star Sword Fusion, Bloodbath at the Altar

Above the altar, the air solidified like iron.

The Old Woman's pitch-black eyes slowly lifted, her gaze falling upon Lin Yue and Star Radiance, a bizarre curve forming at the corner of her mouth.

"Little brat from the Star Track Pavilion... and the Lin family boy."

Her voice was hoarse and dry, like two pieces of dry wood rubbing together, "You've come just in time. The Old Ancestor's blood debt must be repaid."

Before her words faded, she lightly tapped her skull-headed cane.

Buzz—

The dozen or so Black Lotus Cult followers surrounding the altar simultaneously opened their eyes!

Their eyes were equally pitch-black, but deep within, there was an additional trace of a lifeless, vacant stare.

"Kill."

The Old Woman gave the order.

The dozen or so followers erupted like marionettes, chaotic auras ranging from Late Foundation Establishment Stage to Early Golden Core Stage bursting from their bodies as they madly charged forward!

They had been completely controlled by the Spirit Devouring seeds, reduced to Puppets that only knew slaughter and devouring!

"Be careful, don't let their blood splash on you!"

Star Radiance urgently shouted, her hands forming Seals as thirty-six starlight runes materialized around her.

"Star Aegis Formation, rise!"

The runes danced, transforming into a protective grand Formation of flowing starlight, shielding the two at its center.

The first three followers to arrive crashed into the Star Aegis Formation; the Formation's light flickered, repelling all three.

But after landing, they self-detonated their Dantians without the slightest hesitation!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three clouds of black-red blood mist exploded, blood containing intense corrosive power splattering onto the surface of the Star Aegis Formation, emitting a sizzling, eroding sound!

The Formation's radiance visibly dimmed by a fraction!

"They're using self-destruction to deplete the Formation!"

Lin Yue's eyes turned cold as the spirit slaying star scar left its sheath.

"We can't defend passively. Star Envoy, maintain the Formation. I'll deal with those two Lotus Venerables."

He stepped out of the Star Aegis Formation, his figure like lightning as he charged straight toward the two Early Golden Core Stage Lotus Venerables beside the altar.

Seeing Lin Yue charging, the two exchanged a glance and attacked simultaneously.

One formed Seals with both hands, nine black lotus phantoms manifesting behind him; the lotus petals bloomed, spewing thick, black-red corrosive spiritual light.

The other opened his mouth and spat out a bone-white Flying Sword, its blade entwined with countless vengeful spirit phantoms, emitting shrill, piercing shrieks.

"Petty tricks."

Lin Yue's sword momentum remained unchanged as the spirit slaying star scar's blade lit up with all its star patterns.

"Star Scar·Evil Breaker!"

A single horizontal sweep of the sword.

Brilliant Star Scar Sword Qi poured forth like moonlight; wherever it passed, the black lotus phantoms, corrosive spiritual light, bone-white Flying Sword, vengeful spirit phantoms... all vanished like snow meeting the sun!

The two Lotus Venerables' expressions drastically changed.

They knew Lin Yue had killed the Black Fiend Lotus Venerable, but according to intelligence, he was merely at the Early Golden Core Stage—how could he be this strong?!

"Retreat!"

One urgently shouted, pulling back to flee.

But it was already too late.

Lin Yue's second sword was faster.

The sword light streaked like a meteor, precisely piercing that person's Dantian.

The spirit slaying star scar's Spirit Devourer-countering property erupted; the Sword Qi instantly destroyed his Dao platform, along with the Spirit Devouring seed within his body!

"Ah—!"

The scream abruptly ceased as the corpse fell to the ground.

The other Lotus Venerable was so terrified his Soul Flew Away and Spirit Scattered; he turned and fled.

Just as Lin Yue was about to pursue, Star Radiance's urgent cry suddenly came from behind:

"City Lord Lin, beware of the Old Woman!"

He sensed something and abruptly sidestepped.

A pitch-black bone spear grazed past his shoulder; the Death Qi emanating from the spear caused a sharp pain in his right arm.

The Old Woman had somehow appeared ten zhang behind him, a second bone spear coalescing at the tip of her skull-headed cane.

"Junior, seeking death."

Black light surged in her eyes as the bone spear shot out again!

This time, the bone spear was faster, its trajectory more bizarre, actually splitting into nine mid-air, blocking all of Lin Yue's escape routes from different angles!

"Star Chains!"

Star Radiance shouted sharply; twelve of the thirty-six starlight runes flew out, transforming into twelve starlight chains attempting to entangle the bone spears.

But the Death Qi on the bone spears' surfaces was too dense; the starlight chains corroded and snapped upon contact.

Just as the nine bone spears were about to strike Lin Yue—

"Haotian, Origin Simulation—Star Body!"

Lin Yue urgently called out in his mind.

Within the cave world, the Haotian main trunk trembled.

Three-tenths of the starlight spiritual fluid stored in Starfall Lake instantly evaporated!

Vast amounts of star Origin power poured through the cave world imprint, infusing into Lin Yue's body.

A faint layer of star-golden luster appeared on his body's surface, with star patterns faintly visible flowing beneath his skin.

Star Body, temporarily activated!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!... The nine bone spears struck the star-golden luster, emitting crisp metallic clangs.

All were repelled!

"What?!"

For the first time, shock appeared in the Old Woman's eyes.

This strike of hers would surely kill an ordinary Late Golden Core Stage cultivator; even an Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivator wouldn't dare be careless.

Yet this Lin Yue... was completely unharmed?!

"Old monster, my turn."

Lin Yue's eyes were icy as he raised the spirit slaying star scar high.

The star patterns on the sword blade were unprecedentedly brilliant, as if real stars were being born, falling, and undergoing Reincarnation within.

"Star Scar·Annihilation!"

A single downward slash.

No dazzling Sword Qi, no earth-shaking commotion.

Only a thread-thin, yet extremely condensed Star Scar filament silently sliced through the Void Realm.

The Old Woman's pupils contracted sharply as she frantically retreated.

But as fast as she retreated, the Star Scar filament was faster.

The filament cut in from her left shoulder and out from her right waist.

Squelch—

The Old Woman's figure froze mid-air.

She looked down at the fine blood line on her body.

The blood line rapidly widened.

Rip!

Her left shoulder, along with a small half of her torso, slid off and fell to the ground.

At the cross-section, no blood sprayed; only thick, black-red liquid slowly seeped out, countless tiny black worms wriggling frantically within the liquid.

That was the true form of the Spirit Devouring seed!

"You... actually wounded me..."

The Old Woman's voice twisted and distorted as her remaining half-body began to violently swell and mutate.

Beneath her skin, countless black rootlets burst forth, wildly flailing like tentacles.

Her head split open, a huge, blooming black lotus emerging from within.

At the lotus's center was a mouth filled with sharp teeth.

"I will... devour you!"

The fully mutated Old Woman—or rather, the complete Spirit Devouring Parasite—let out an inhuman roar, charging toward Lin Yue like a black storm!

"City Lord Lin, fall back!"

Star Radiance's voice rang out.

She had somehow already dispelled the Star Aegis Formation, both hands cradling a fist-sized silver crystal.

The crystal's surface was densely carved with star runes.

"star core fragment... you actually brought this?!"

Lin Yue recognized it at a glance—it was a miniature version of a star core fragment!

Though only one-tenth the size of a true star core fragment, the star Origin power contained within was still astonishingly vast!

"In my name, I summon the stars to descend upon this world."

Star Radiance bit the tip of her tongue, spitting a mouthful of essence blood onto the crystal.

The crystal's light blazed brilliantly!

A thick starlight pillar ten zhang in diameter pierced down from the Void Realm above the abyss, precisely enveloping the charging parasite!

"Ah—!!!"

The parasite emitted an extremely shrill scream.

The pure Power of the Stars contained within the starlight was a natural bane to the Spirit Devouring Clan.

The black rootlets on its surface began to dissolve; the black lotus rapidly withered; the sharp teeth in its mouth shattered one by one.

But the parasite's vitality was terrifyingly tenacious.

It actually continued charging toward Star Radiance, enduring the starlight pillar's purification!

"Star Envoy, move aside!"

Lin Yue roared, raising the spirit slaying star scar once more.

This time, he held nothing back.

Within the cave world, Haotian mobilized all the stored starlight spiritual fluid, pouring it all into the sword blade.

The spirit slaying star scar's sword light shifted from star-golden to blazing white—the manifestation of Power of the Stars condensed to its extreme!

"Slash!"

The sword light poured down like a celestial river inverted.

Merging with Star Radiance's starlight pillar, it formed an unprecedented torrent of stars.

The torrent completely engulfed the parasite.

Sizzle—!

The piercing purification sound lasted a full ten breaths.

When the light dispersed, only a pool of continuously wriggling black-red flesh paste remained on the spot.

Within the flesh paste, a walnut-sized black crystal core was faintly visible.

That was... the core of the Spirit Devouring Parasite!

"Finally... dealt with."

Star Radiance's face was as pale as paper; she swayed, nearly falling from the air.

That last strike had consumed nearly half her essence blood and all her spiritual power.

Lin Yue wasn't much better off; the cave world's starlight spiritual fluid reserves were nearly depleted, and after the Star Body state faded, a wave of weakness surged over him like a tide.

But both forced themselves not to collapse.

Because on the altar, there was still one last enemy—the escaped Lotus Venerable, now standing at the altar's center, both hands pressed against that black crystal, frantically injecting spiritual power!

"He's going to detonate the altar, completely destroying the Seal!"

Star Radiance's expression drastically changed.

Once the altar exploded, the Seal's fissure would expand several times over; the Spirit Devouring Imprisoned Soldiers inside might break free prematurely!

"Stop him!"

Both charged simultaneously.

But the distance was too great; they wouldn't make it in time.

A crazed smile appeared on the Lotus Venerable's face:

"The Cult Leader is eternal... Spirit Devourers... long live!"

He detonated his own Dantian, along with the altar crystal—

Boom—!!!

A terrifying explosion shockwave swept through the entire abyss floor!

Lin Yue and Star Radiance were blasted backward, crashing heavily against the rock wall.

Amidst the billowing dust, the altar had turned to ruins.

And that three-zhang-wide Seal fissure... had now expanded to ten zhang!

From deep within the fissure came heart-palpitating roars, chewing sounds, and... the sound of chains snapping.

The Spirit Devouring Imprisoned Soldiers were about to emerge.

"Cough..."

Lin Yue coughed up several mouthfuls of stagnant blood, struggling to rise.

Star Radiance also propped herself against the rock wall to stand; the two exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.

"The Seal won't hold much longer."

Star Radiance looked toward the fissure, "At most... three hours."

Lin Yue tightened his grip on the spirit slaying star scar.

"Three hours is enough for us to do two things."

"Which two?"

"First, go down and retrieve the true star core fragment."

Lin Yue pointed deep into the fissure, "Second..."

He looked at Star Radiance.

"Find that 'Dragon' and take its essence blood."

"Then, before the Spirit Devouring Imprisoned Soldiers break free..."

"Repair the Seal, or..."

"Bury them all here."