188: Chapter 188 Comprehending the Starry Sky Domain

Chapter 187: Peak of the Great Sun Realm

The surging Yao Race army's offensive stalled at this moment, their countless Yao eyes filled with terror.

Li Wen had returned, but that top-tier Marquis Level Leader of the Snake Department had not appeared.

The Great Sun Realm Yao Race commander in charge of this offensive felt a chill rising in his heart.

He had no time to consider how the Leader of the Snake Department had fallen—was he killed by Li Wen, or had he encountered interception from other Human Race powerhouses?

He only knew one terrifying fact—the plan had failed!

If they didn't retreat now, this elite force of the Yao Race would likely be wiped out.

"The plan has failed! Retreat! Retreat quickly!" The Yao Race commander's shrill roar drowned out the battlefield noise as he issued the most desperate order.

"Stay."

The cold voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of every Yao, like a pronouncement of death.

Before the voice had faded, Li Wen's figure had transformed into a streak of thunderous saber light that tore through the air, crashing ruthlessly into the retreating Yao horde.

It was still flashing light, but this time, it was the light of death, harvesting lives.

Li Wen's blade had already stepped into the Dao Realm, drawing upon the power of the surrounding heaven and earth for reinforcement.

Wherever the saber light passed, space itself seemed to be sliced open with a subtle fissure.

Those elite Yao, who appeared to have formidable defenses and agile movements in the eyes of ordinary Great Sun Realm Divine Demons, now seemed incredibly clumsy and fragile.

There were no earth-shattering explosions, only the sounds of air being pierced by strikes of extreme sharpness.

The saber light was like a swimming dragon; with every flash, a row of Yao would stiffly collapse.

Sturdy scales and energy shields were easily sliced through like thin paper before absolute power and Saber Intent.

Heads flew, bodies were severed, cores were pierced—Li Wen's figure rapidly weaved through the Yao horde.

Every strike was precise and efficient, taking the lives of several Yao; he was invincible, with no enemy able to withstand a single blow.

The Yao Race's panicked retreat instantly turned into a one-sided massacre of defeat.

Their formation completely collapsed under Li Wen's assault, and the remaining Yao soldiers screamed in terror, fleeing desperately toward the Interstellar Gate.

The battle ended extremely quickly.

When Li Wen sheathed his blade and stood still, there was not a single Yao left standing in the entire battlefield surrounding the Interstellar Gate fortress.

The ground was piled high with dense remains of the Yao, and the air was thick with the scent of blood and the charred smell of burnt energy.

In the end, fewer than three out of ten Yao managed to flee back to the Interstellar Gate.

After a brief silence, there were earth-shaking cheers.

The surviving Divine Demon warriors had bloodstains and exhaustion on their Faces, but their eyes erupted with intense light—the excitement and release of having struggled back from the edge of death and winning a brutal victory.

"Clear the battlefield, treat the wounded, collect the spoils!" Ling Feng suppressed his surging blood and quickly issued orders.

The warriors immediately took action, searching for comrades in the debris, treating the wounded, and efficiently stripping valuable Yao Materials—these were indispensable resources for the Human Race to resist the Yao.

Ling Feng hurried to Li Wen's side, his eyes filled with concern and lingering fear, but even more so with incredulous questions: "Junior Brother Li! You—how did you escape danger? That Leader of the Snake Department—"

He couldn't imagine how Li Wen had survived returning from the hands of a top-tier Marquis Level assassin and made it back to the battlefield in time.

Li Wen's expression was calm. Following the Principal's instructions, he replied quietly: "The Principal intervened. His Clone arrived in time and killed the Leader of the Snake Department."

He did not describe the details further.

"The Principal's Clone?!" Ling Feng's pupils constricted, then he exhaled a long breath, a look of sudden realization and immense reverence appearing on his Face. "So that's it! I knew it—that's great! Thanks to the Principal!"

This explanation was perfectly reasonable and completely dispelled his doubts.

The Principal's power was unfathomable.

The battle at the Changning City Interstellar Gate fortress had come to an early end on New Year's Eve.

High above the distant Changning City, the bell for midnight had long since rung, and brilliant fireworks were still blooming one after another in the night sky, their colorful light illuminating the city of ten thousand lights.

Laughter and sounds of celebration were faintly audible.

On the streets, crowds were still immersed in the festive atmosphere, completely unaware of the brutal slaughter that had just ended at the nearby Interstellar Gate fortress, which had determined the fate of the city.

Inside the fortress, the warriors were silently cleaning the battlefield and bandaging wounds. The lingering smell of gunpowder and blood in the air formed a stark, silent contrast to the brilliant lights and festive noise in the distance.

Li Wen stood at the fortress's observation port, his gaze piercing through the night to look at the warm lights of the city center, then sweeping over the land beneath his feet that had just undergone a baptism of blood and fire, remaining silent.

On the first day of the New Year, after a brief and intense clash, Changning City returned to a surface-level peace.

But every warrior in the fortress knew that beneath this peace, undercurrents had never ceased to surge.

Time slipped away quietly amidst cultivation, patrols, and guard duties; more than two months had passed since the Yao Race's first full-scale offensive.

In the end, relying on the activation of contingency plans and the valiant fighting of various powerhouses, the Human Race successfully repelled the Yao Race's offensive with relatively minor losses, and the situation on Blue Star temporarily returned to a tense calm.

galactic calendar year 236, April 3rd, early morning.

When the cool morning light passed through the window lattice and scattered light spots on the floor of the quiet room, Li Wen, who was sitting cross-legged, slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within those eyes, saber light seemed to be hidden, steady and restrained.

With a slight movement of his mind, a light blue virtual interface appeared before his eyes:

[Name: Li Wen]

[Age: 28]

[Realm: Great Sun Realm Late Stage (59.3 → 59.8)]

[Profession: Scholar Lv15 (65180 → 116480 / 1638400)]

[Arts: Blade Technique - Dao Realm (30%)]

[Cultivation Technique: God-Shocking Sting - Level 7 (100%)]

For over two months, his regular routine had not changed in the slightest.

Six hours of high-intensity reading and study in the morning to accumulate Scholar experience.

In the afternoon, he immersed himself in the world of the Dao of the Blade, comprehending the mysteries of the Law.

At night, he focused on operating the "Nine Heavens Divine Body - Great Sun Chapter" to temper and polish his Physical Body.

Day after day of persistence led to steady growth in Scholar experience, and his Blade Technique Realm also successfully improved to a 30% comprehension level of the Dao Realm.

However, what he was most focused on at this moment was still that progress bar for his Physical Body Realm: 59.8.

He was only 0.1 levels away from the Peak of the Great Sun Realm.

A clear and strong premonition lingered in his heart; that thin barrier had reached the moment of being broken through, very likely today.

The gate to becoming a Marquis was within reach.

Once his Physical Body advanced to the Peak of the Great Sun Realm, it meant he had satisfied the most core condition for attempting to break through to become a Marquis-level Divine Demon.

With the Foundation of his "Nine Heavens Divine Body" which was complete up to the ninth layer, once he successfully became a Marquis, his Physical Body combat power would directly leap to the top-tier Marquis Level.

At that time, the total amount of his Primordial Spirit Power would surge, and the power of his "God-Shocking Sting" would be able to approach the threshold of the King-rank.

And his normal combat power, with the initial Fusion of Primordial Spirit and Physical Body power, would easily step into the Peak Marquis Realm.

This would be an all-encompassing, qualitative leap.

Thinking of this, even with Li Wen's current state of mind, he couldn't help but feel a hint of eager anticipation.

He collected his thoughts and got up to wash.

No matter how critical his personal improvement was, the duty of protection could not be neglected.

He changed into his garrison uniform and began his daily routine patrol work.

Although the Yao Race spies and Shadow Organization members lurking inside and outside Changning City had clearly restrained themselves much more since the battle on New Year's Eve, Li Wen had never let his guard down.

His parents lived in this city; this was the source of his motivation for cultivation and a bottom line he would never allow to be touched.

His Primordial Spirit Power, like an invisible, precise network, swept rapidly through the city's streets and alleys as he moved, sensing every subtle energy fluctuation and abnormal Aura.

A moment later, he arrived at the most prosperous commercial district in Changning City.

His Primordial Spirit scan swept at high speed over the rows of towering buildings, and various streams of information flooded his mind.

Just as he was about to move this area out of his focus range, a clear name, "Li Wen," mixed with noisy commotion, crashed into his perception.

He paused his steps, his gaze accurately cast toward the entrance of a luxuriously decorated restaurant by the street.

A dispute was unfolding there.

Several young men and women in flashy clothes, reeking of alcohol, were blocking the entrance. The leader was a young man holding a woman with heavy makeup, who was arrogantly lecturing a middle-aged man in a manager's uniform who looked distressed.

"Don't you go around and ask who I, Li Li, am?"

The young man held his chin high, his spit almost spraying onto the manager's Face. "My cousin is Li Wen, the Captain of the Changning City Divine Demon Garrison! Forget about just eating a meal at this dump of a hotel; even if the municipal official of Changning City came, he would have to greet me politely upon seeing me! Do you understand the rules?"

"Exactly! For Young Master Li to be willing to come here is a huge honor for your hotel! It's us looking highly upon you! And you dare to keep talking about money? Are you looking for trouble?"

A similarly drunk companion standing nearby immediately chimed in, his tone arrogant.

The hotel manager's forehead was beaded with sweat, and he bent his waist even lower, his voice full of helplessness. "Young Master Li, please—please don't be angry. How would we dare to offend you? It's just—just that you've patronized us seven times in these past two months, and every time it's been the highest-grade banquet—even calculating by cost, our small establishment is truly—unable to sustain it."

He had clearly verified Li Li's background, which was why he was suffering in silence.

The other party always put it on a tab, the consumption was often shocking, and the frequency was becoming more and more frequent. They would bring friends along almost every four or five days, and the hotel really couldn't handle it.

"What do you mean?!" Li Li glared, shoved the woman in his arms away, and stepped forward aggressively. "Are you saying that I, Li Li, am eating and drinking for free, mooching off your place?!"

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, Young Master Li, you've misunderstood!" The manager waved his hands repeatedly in fear, his Face turning pale. "This little one absolutely wouldn't dare to have that meaning! It's just—"

"What 'just'? What 'just'?" Li Li interrupted him impatiently, his finger almost poking the tip of the manager's nose. "Cut the crap! Call your boss over here right now, immediately! I want to see who gave you the guts to speak to me like this! Do you believe that with one word, I can have this dump of a hotel closed down by tomorrow?!"

The manager was so terrified he didn't dare utter a sound, his lips trembling as he looked at Li Li's unrelenting, bullying Face. In the end, he could only lower his head in resignation, his eyes full of bitterness and powerlessness.

Just as he was gritting his teeth, ready to concede once again to get these pests to leave, a voice rang out: "Li Li."

A calm, rippleless voice came from behind the crowd.

The voice was not loud, but it carried a strange penetrating power, instantly drowning out the noise at the scene.

Li Li was in the middle of a heated rant and hadn't seen who had arrived. Thinking it was some blind busybody, he cursed without turning his head: "Who the hell is meddling in—uh?!"

When he jerked his head around and saw that familiar Garrison uniform, along with that calm yet extremely oppressive Face, the rest of his words instantly stuck in his throat.

His arrogant Aura was like a punctured balloon, instantly deflating completely.

The color drained from his Face in a flash, and he was even sobered up from the alcohol by fear, leaving only eyes full of terror and disbelief.

"Brother—Brother Wen?! How—how are you here—" He stammered, his tongue seemingly tied in knots, and his body subconsciously shrank by half.

Li Wen did not look at him, but turned his gaze to the hotel manager who was nearly collapsing: "How much was the specific loss?"

The manager snapped out of his daze. Looking at the truly renowned guardian deity of Changning City before him, he was both excited and terrified, unable to speak clearly: "Captain—Captain Li! It's—it's not much, I wouldn't dare ask you for—"

"Tell the truth." Li Wen's tone remained calm, yet carried an unquestionable weight.

The manager swallowed his saliva, trying hard to calm his mood, and then reported a specific number.

After listening, Li Wen nodded and completed the transfer directly through his personal terminal.

Looking at the incoming payment notification, the manager bowed repeatedly in gratitude: "Thank you, Captain Li! Thank you for upholding justice!"

"I am the one who should apologize. My family discipline was lax, and allowing my relative to harass merchants is my oversight."

Li Wen nodded slightly, then his gaze returned to the ashen-faced Li Li and his few terrified companions.

"Enforcement Squad." Li Wen spoke three words clearly into his communicator.

Soon, a team of uniformed enforcement officers arrived quickly.

Li Wen pointed at Li Li and the others: "These people are suspected of multiple counts of malicious consumption and disrupting market order. Take them back for investigation and handle them according to the Law."

"Yes! Captain Li!" The Enforcement Squad captain accepted the order solemnly and stepped forward without hesitation, handcuffing Li Li and the others—who were already terrified out of their wits and had forgotten how to beg for mercy—and taking them away.

It wasn't until he was pushed onto the hovering police vehicle that Li Li seemed to wake from a dream and let out a desperate wail, but the sound was quickly cut off.

Li Wen did not leave immediately.

He asked the hotel manager in detail about Li Li's specific behavior over the past two months.

The manager did not dare to hide anything and explained it one by one.

Fortunately, listening to it all, although Li Li relied on his status to eat and drink for free and had a terrible attitude, he had not yet done anything more outrageous like hurting people, extortion, or other heinous acts.

It was more that he was surrounded by a group of fair-weather friends, his vanity was at play, and with the deliberate instigation of others, he became increasingly unscrupulous.

Understanding this, the anger that had originally risen in Li Wen's heart calmed down slightly, but matters of principle could not be tolerated.

After handling the hotel matter, Li Wen continued his routine patrol.

The city awoke in the morning light, bustling with traffic and activity, a busy scene as if the farce that just occurred had never happened.

At noon, Li Wen, who had just finished six hours of immersive reading and study, had his communication terminal ring. The caller ID showed his parents.

He answered the phone, and his mother's anxious and worried voice immediately came through: "Xiao Wen! Your uncle and his family came looking for us, saying Xiao Li was taken away by the Enforcement Squad. This—do you think you could—"

Li Wen listened quietly to his mother's account, his tone gentle yet firm: "Mom, Dad, don't worry. I know about Li Li's matter. He went too far this time, using my name to eat and drink for free, which damages the reputation of the entire Changning City Garrison."

"Letting him go inside to calm down for a few days and learn a lesson will be good for his future. I have looked into the nature of the matter; it is not serious. The Enforcement Squad will handle it according to the Law and will not wrong him."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment; obviously, his parents were still worried for their relatives.

But in the end, hearing his son's steady explanation and thinking of the responsibilities and position his son carried, Father Li's voice came through, carrying understanding: "—Alright, as long as you have a handle on it yourself. Handle it however you see fit; don't worry too much about us."

They were, after all, reasonable people who understood the weight of right and wrong regarding their son.

After pacifying his parents, Li Wen hung up the phone.

He knew his uncle's family might have some complaints, but rules were rules, and the bottom line could not be crossed.

The peace of Changning City needed to be maintained by everyone, including his own relatives.

The quiet room returned to silence.

Li Wen closed his eyes, feeling the powerful, surging energy within his body that was on the verge of breaking out of its cocoon.

That final 0.1-level barrier was clearly perceptible, thin as a cicada's wing.

The Breakthrough would be today.

The afternoon sunlight poured in through the skylight, casting long, slanted spots of light on the ground.

Li Wen's figure moved through the interplay of light and shadow, the long saber in his hand transforming into a flowing silver light.

There was no earth-shattering momentum; every slash, every turn was precise and smooth, stirring up subtle ripples of energy in the surrounding space.

The saber tip sliced through the air, leaving behind a nearly invisible trail. It was the natural extension of his Dao Realm Saber Intent, as if tracing some mysterious rhythm between heaven and earth.

The saber light was sometimes like a sudden clap of thunder, swift and fierce; at other times, it was like a babbling brook, dense and continuous.

He was immersed in the world of Blade Technique, his mind and Saber Intent highly unified, combing the restless Qi within his body to be more harmonious and fluid. His entire spirit and energy continued to climb to the Peak during the continuous practice.

Time slipped away quietly under his focused Cultivation, and night fell.

After more than five hours of focused Blade Technique tempering in the afternoon, Li Wen's state had already reached its Peak.

He sat cross-legged and took out a Medicinal Pill the size of a longan, its surface surrounded by a faint golden glow; it was the Spirit Medicine used to increase Cultivation.

The Medicinal Pill melted the moment it entered his mouth, turning into a scalding and majestic warm current that instantly rushed into his four limbs and hundred skeletons.

Li Wen immediately circulated the ultimate Cultivation Technique of the "Nine Heavens Divine Body: Great Sun Chapter."

In an instant, an invisible storm seemed to blow through the quiet room.

The dense, inseparable Qi surged out from his Dantian and Sea of Consciousness, and under the guidance of the Cultivation Technique, it launched a final assault toward that "thin as a cicada's wing" barrier, like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

His Meridians emitted a faint humming sound under the scouring of the massive energy. His bones and flesh underwent a deeper level of tempering and reorganization, his Sea of Consciousness was expanding in synchronization, and his Primordial Spirit Power became more condensed and pure.

The entire process was full of a sense of power, yet under his strong control, it appeared exceptionally stable.