283: Chapter 283 The Final Test

Boom!

A powerful aura, several times more terrifying than it had been half a month ago, surged from his body and shot into the sky!

His cultivation still remained at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer Late Stage, yet that aura had become refined and domineering to an inconceivable degree!

He slowly stood up and casually threw a punch.

He didn't use any spiritual energy; it was merely pure physical strength.

However, the Void Realm before him shattered like a broken mirror, emitting a series of overwhelmed 'crackling' sounds!

After half a month of Cultivating the Star Body Refining Art and being tempered by a massive amount of Meteor Star Power, his spiritual energy and Physical Body had reached a preliminary state of deep Fusion!

Now, although his Realm remained unchanged, his close-combat prowess was already far beyond what it used to be!

Gao Feng had absolute confidence that if he encountered those two Demon Flame Captains again, he could easily suppress them entirely on his own without needing help from his teammates!

He could clearly feel that his spiritual energy reserves at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer Late Stage had accumulated to a limit, leaving him only a single step away from the barrier leading to the Third Layer!

Although this improvement had only taken half a month, its difficulty was far beyond anything he had faced before.

If not for a top-tier Cultivation Technique like the Star Body Refining Art and the extremely pure resources here, it might have taken him several years to reach his current height.

This also made him realize once again that on the path of cultivation, every step of improvement becomes increasingly difficult the further one goes.

The seven of them met again, and seeing the transformative changes in one another, they couldn't help but exchange smiles.

They knew that the day they stepped out of this hall would be the day the entire Myriad Race Allied Forces of the Meteor Realm would tremble!

Half a month of secluded bitter cultivation had allowed the entire team's strength to undergo an astonishing metamorphosis.

Everyone had obtained the Opportunity they dreamed of; whether it was Cultivation Techniques, Magical Artifacts, Medicinal Pills, or Talismans, everything had been elevated to a brand-new level.

"Alright, this is no place to linger. We'll leave immediately after collecting these meteorite essence crystals and Materials!"

Gao Feng felt the surging power within his body, his heart filled with lofty aspirations.

He had a premonition that when their transformed team reappeared on the battlefields of the Meteor Realm, they would surely stir up a bloody storm that would strike fear into the hearts of all the myriad races!

Everyone nodded and began to carefully collect the priceless meteorite essence crystals and ancient Materials scattered around the stone tablet.

However, the moment Chu Lan transplanted the last companion grass of a Star Spiritual Plant into her portable medicine garden—

Rumble—!

The entire Star Body Refining Hall suddenly shook violently without any warning!

The bronze doors they had forced open together slammed shut with a piercing metallic screech and a loud 'bang'!

A Star Seal, even thicker and more powerful than before, instantly enveloped the entire entrance!

"What's going on?!"

Lin Yue's expression changed, and he immediately held the star tortoise shell out in front of him.

"Everyone be careful! Something is coming out!"

Gao Feng's gaze instantly became incredibly sharp as he stared fixedly at the Star Stone Tablet in the center of the hall!

The stone tablet, which had been emitting a soft glow, now burst with light. Countless strands of Meteor Star Power converged frantically toward the top of the tablet like a hundred rivers returning to the sea!

A humanoid silhouette three zhang tall, composed of pure Meteor Star Power, slowly took shape within the light!

It was clad in Star Battle Armor and held a long spear condensed from starlight. Though its features were blurred, the terrifying pressure radiating from it, as heavy as a mountain and as deep as an abyss, made everyone present tremble from the depths of their Souls!

Foundation Establishment Third Layer Late Stage!

This pressure was even more terrifying than all the enemies they had encountered before combined!

"Star Guardian..."

The records from the ancient Jade Slip instantly flashed through Gao Feng's mind.

He had thought this was merely a benevolent place of Legacy, but he hadn't expected the true test to descend quietly at the final moment!

This was not a slaughter, but a tempering! It was the final trial left by the ancient powerhouse for these inheritors!

"Fight!"

Gao Feng didn't hesitate for a second, spitting out only a single word!

However, the Star Guardian was even faster than him!

It casually pointed the Star Spear forward!

"Star Burst!"

A cold, emotionless, and grand voice echoed in everyone's minds.

In the next instant, the countless stars upon the hall's dome seemed to be detonated simultaneously!

Tens of thousands of star fragments shimmering with destructive brilliance, carrying the most violent Meteor Star Power, bombarded the seven of them like a doomsday meteor shower!

Every single star fragment contained enough power to severely injure a Foundation Establishment Second Layer Cultivator!

"Spatial Barrier!"

Su Ning had the fastest reaction. She gritted her teeth and pushed her newly realized Spatial Folding technique to its limit!

An incredibly thick Spatial Barrier shimmering with silver light instantly unfolded above everyone's heads!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Countless star fragments slammed violently into the Spatial Barrier, erupting in a series of deafening roars!

Su Ning's pretty face instantly turned deathly pale!

She felt waves of unimaginable, terrifying power frantically battering her Divine Soul! That seemingly indestructible Spatial Barrier was covered in spiderweb-like cracks after the first wave of attacks, looking as if it would completely collapse the next second!

"Star Battle Song!"

Luo Li's zither music became more impassioned and high-pitched than ever before!

She poured her entire understanding of melody into this brand-new battle song! The Meteor Star Power within the hall seemed to be drawn by her; no longer acting as a violent enemy, it transformed into streams of gentle energy that flowed continuously into everyone's bodies, boosting their combat power and increasing their resistance to Meteor Star Power!

"Eight Directions Dragon Lock! Secure!"

Chu Lan also acted simultaneously, creating layers of defensive formations made from Star Spiritual Plant vines. They continuously reinforced the crumbling Spatial Barrier, greatly offsetting the impact of the star fragments!

"star demon suppressing talisman! Go!"

Tian Xin threw out several of his most powerful, newly drawn Talismans!

Those Demon-Suppressing Talismans, shimmering with brilliant starlight, transformed into golden chains in the air, temporarily restricting the Star Guardian's movements and greatly interfering with its subsequent Spells!

"Star Healing Pills, ready!"

Yao Guang took out her successfully refined Medicinal Pills, ready at any moment to provide timely treatment for any potential injuries!

"Star Protection!"

Lin Yue roared, pouring all his spiritual energy into the star tortoise shell! An incredibly thick, earthy-yellow light shield firmly protected everyone within!

"Kill!"

The moment everyone took their positions and constructed a line of defense, Gao Feng moved!

He circulated the Star Body Refining Art he had just initiated. His massive Foundation Establishment Second Layer Late Stage spiritual energy and his incredibly tough Physical Body reached an unprecedented level of deep Fusion at this moment!

Holding his vajra sword, he charged toward the sky full of star fragments like a golden meteor flying against the current, heading straight for the overbearing Star Guardian!

He would use his own body to hold up the first and strongest line of defense for his teammates behind him!

"Ant."

The Star Guardian watched Gao Feng charging head-on and once again spat out cold words.

It abandoned its area-of-effect attacks and instead concentrated all its power together.

"Star Domain!"

Buzz—!

A pressure several times more terrifying than the previous Demon Flame Domain descended instantly!

Within this Domain, the spiritual energy circulation of the seven became incredibly sluggish, and their combat power was slashed by nearly thirty percent out of thin air!

Tian Xin, Luo Li, and the others with weaker cultivation were even shaken by this massive pressure until their blood surged and a trace of blood leaked from the corners of their mouths!

Gao Feng, bearing the brunt of it, felt as if he had fallen into a deep quagmire; every step forward required several times more strength than usual!

"Break... for me!"

Gao Feng's eyes were bloodshot as he let out an unyielding roar!

Without any hesitation, he frantically integrated the newly upgraded Myriad Spirit Liquid from his portable space and a massive amount of meteorite essence crystals into his body as if they cost nothing!

He pushed the Star Body Refining Art to its full capacity!

Boom!

Within his body, it felt as if something had been completely broken through!

Under the frantic catalysis of that massive amount of resources, his spiritual energy and Physical Body finally crossed the final threshold, reaching an unprecedented state of perfect, total Fusion!

Faint star patterns, filled with a sense of mystery and power, began to slowly emerge on the surface of his skin!

Initial Stage Star Battle Body—Achieved!

This was a special combat form created after the perfect Fusion of spiritual energy and the Physical Body!

In this form, Gao Feng's close-combat power surged by thirty percent out of thin air! The Star Domain that could suppress everyone else was now like a gentle breeze to him, no longer having any effect!

"Break!"

Gao Feng's combat power soared frantically at this moment!

The vajra sword in his hand seemed to feel its master's transformation and let out an excited hum!

He swung his sword!

A sword light of extreme brilliance, like a divine beam that could split the heavens and earth, forcibly cleaved a massive gap through the overbearing Star Domain!

"Hellfire Burns the Heavens!"

Gao Feng's figure instantly appeared before the Star Guardian!

He was no longer just using a punch or just a sword!

It was a combination of both!

The fist burning with Seven-Colored Hellfire and the sword light shimmering with starlight perfectly merged into one at this moment, turning into an attack capable of destroying everything as it slammed violently toward the energy core of the Star Guardian!