153: Chapter 153 The Remnants of the Star Palace Appear!

Chapter 153: The Remnants of the Star Palace Revealed!

It was a stone platform, appearing lofty and imposing simply because its length and width already spanned hundreds of meters, and it also stood a hundred meters tall. Directly in front of it was a staircase of several hundred steps leading straight to the platform's summit.

Most importantly, although the entire platform seemed ordinary, paved with grey stone, it was actually enveloped by a layer of white light that completely encased it.

Within that light, a brilliant azure radiance emanated. The closer one got, the more intense the glow became, making it difficult to keep one's eyes open. It was truly impossible to stare at for long, lest one risk being blinded by its brilliance.

In addition, frost covered its edges. Each crystal of frost was translucent, transforming the entire high platform into an extraordinarily beautiful place.

Upon seeing this high platform, a look of joy naturally appeared on Zhao Changsheng's face, for this was his final destination—the location of the void heaven cauldron. However, he needed to enter it first to retrieve the cauldron.

Zhao Changsheng didn't observe it for too long before directly ascending the steps, his figure ultimately disappearing into the light barrier.

But just after he vanished, two figures suddenly appeared.

The appearance of these two figures was truly shocking.

"I never imagined he would dare to come here. Since he's actively come to deliver himself to death, then for the sake of the Two Holy Lords, we absolutely cannot let him go. No matter the cost, we must trap him forever within this Void Heaven Palace, or we will have failed the mission entrusted to us by the Two Holy Lords."

One of them, a kindly-looking old man, sneered coldly, his words dripping with venom.

"That's right. Whatever the cost, he must remain here forever. Once the time comes, he will undoubtedly die. No matter how strong he is, what can he do? He's not a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator; it's impossible for him to break free from here."

The other, a middle-aged man with a somewhat dull expression, nodded in full agreement.

The reason these two could remain within the Void Heaven Palace was primarily due to generations of the Star Palace's research on the palace, allowing them to stay hidden without Zhao Changsheng's detection, following him all the way here.

Their goal was to utilize the power of this place to trap Zhao Changsheng forever within the Void Heaven Palace.

This way, Zhao Changsheng would pose no threat to them whatsoever.

As long as Zhao Changsheng was trapped here, they were confident they could gather all the Star Palace's hidden Elders and Disciples, thereby restoring the Star Palace's former glory and re-establishing it as the paramount power in the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

After all, once Zhao Changsheng died here, their plan would have a chance of realization. No matter what, the Star Palace was once the foremost power in the Chaotic Star Sea. How could it be so easily and thoroughly destroyed by Zhao Changsheng?

"But can we truly trap him here forever? I always feel the methods he possesses are far beyond what he previously displayed. For instance, the power that destroyed the entire Star Palace was an utterly terrifying force. If he uses that power again, I'm afraid we stand no chance of trapping him here."

The middle-aged man with the dull face voiced his greatest concern: the Martial Ancestor's Power Zhao Changsheng had previously borrowed.

If it happened again, it would be something they simply couldn't contend with. Under these circumstances, they naturally harbored worries.

"It's too late for regrets now. Moreover, we must avenge the Two Holy Lords. No matter what, we cannot let him leave alive. This is also our only chance. If we fail, then rebuilding the Star Palace later will be an impossible task."

The kindly-looking old man's face grew even more sinister, showing not a hint of remorse.

"You're right. It seems we have no choice but to regret. We can only rely on the power of this Void Heaven Palace to trap him here for good."

"And just who are you planning to trap here? I knew it—I had a feeling someone was following me. So it was you two Elders. I believe we've met before. What a pity you're so ruthless, determined to end me here. But do you really think such tricks can kill me?"

Just as the two were preparing to activate the hidden Restrictions within the Void Heaven Palace, a voice suddenly rang out from the high platform. Immediately after, they saw Zhao Changsheng emerge once more from the white light barrier.

"Impossible! How could you have discovered us? We've been using the Restrictions here to conceal our presence all this time; discovery should be impossible. Even if you were a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, detecting us would be extremely difficult!"

Upon seeing Zhao Changsheng emerge, the two Elders' faces turned extremely ugly, even panicked to the extreme. They wanted to flee but found they lacked even the will or strength to run—a fear so profound it robbed them of the ability to escape.

"You two have been waiting for me here a long time, haven't you? Just waiting for me to enter so you could activate the Restrictions within the Void Heaven Palace and trap me here forever. Then, once the cleansing Restrictions activate at the appointed time, I'd be doomed. But have you considered one thing: can you actually succeed?"

"It's completely impossible. So, what you're doing now is incredibly foolish. However, considering your arduous cultivation, if you are willing to join or submit to me, I wouldn't mind sparing your lives. If you refuse, then I'll have no choice but to end you. That's not difficult for me, as you well know."

Zhao Changsheng's words left the two remnant Star Palace Elders staring at each other, completely baffled by his sudden benevolence. This didn't match their impression of him at all; it was entirely beyond their expectations.

"What do you want us to do?"

The middle-aged man with the dull face asked the most crucial question. He didn't believe Zhao Changsheng could be so kind-hearted; such a thing was absolutely impossible.

"What do I want you to do? Let me think. Actually, it's not too difficult. Just tell me everything you know about the Restrictions related to the entire Void Heaven Palace. Because I plan to take control of the entire Void Heaven Palace next. That way, this place will be entirely my territory, free from any interference or disturbance. Don't you think that's a particularly good thing? So, that's what you need to do now."

Zhao Changsheng's answer made the faces of the two remnant Elders even more grim. They wanted to refuse but found they couldn't even utter the words.

"You have no time to consider. You must make a decision now. If you don't, you can die right here. For me, exterminating the two of you isn't difficult. On the contrary, it's very easy. A mere wave of my hand is enough to finish you off. You've lived long enough to understand that. Still, the fact you've survived this long shows you have some skill. Honestly, I didn't expect Star Palace Elders to persist this long, holding out until now just to use this place's power to kill me. I must admit, your plan is quite clever."

"It far exceeds my imagination and expectations. Your ideas and methods are very thorough. Unfortunately, you encountered a formidable Cultivator like me. So, you must decide now. If you can't make a decision, then you can die. I'm not joking with you; you should understand that clearly."

Faced with Zhao Changsheng's words, the two remnant Star Palace Elders, despite their extremely ugly expressions, still chose to muster their final strength to resist. However, they discovered they couldn't mobilize a single shred of their True Essence Mana.

"What have you done to us?"

The kindly-looking old man's face turned extremely ugly as he pressed for an answer.

"Done to you? Aren't you overthinking? Of course I haven't done anything to you. I'm just letting you think things over. However, if you resort to violence during this period, I'll have no choice but to kill you. Honestly, I really don't want Elders as capable as you to die. That would be a loss for me. After all, the emergence of a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator is a great boon to any faction. Don't you agree? I think that's the truth. So, I hope your minds can be a bit brighter and not do anything stupid. That wouldn't be good for you."

"We can agree to your conditions and choose to submit to you, but you must also agree to one thing."

Gritting his teeth, the middle-aged man with the dull face spoke words that shocked the kindly-looking old man beside him. He truly hadn't expected the middle-aged man to agree to Zhao Changsheng's proposal.

"As expected, a wise man submits to circumstances. Speak. As long as it's not too unreasonable, I can consider agreeing. If it's too demanding, then I won't be able to comply. I hope you can understand that. Go ahead."

Zhao Changsheng's face was all smiles, and his words also allowed the kindly-looking old man to breathe a slight sigh of relief, as he hadn't expected Zhao Changsheng to be so accommodating.

"We can represent the Star Palace and join your Star Sea Empire, but you must guarantee the Star Palace's continued existence."

As soon as this condition was stated, Zhao Changsheng immediately understood its implication and laughed.

"So you want me to help rebuild a Star Palace, or have the Star Palace reappear in the Chaotic Star Sea. That way, the Star Palace wouldn't be completely annihilated. You could then smoothly become Star Palace Elders again and no longer be hunted. I must admit, your idea is very clever, very perfect. I can't help but admire your sharp mind. You don't look very smart, but you're actually quite shrewd. I can consider agreeing to your condition."

"Not 'consider agreeing'—you must agree. Because we have endured far too many years of pursuit and slaughter, with many Elders and Disciples dying in the hunts. So, I want the Star Palace to reappear. As for the enmity between us, I will also try my best to resolve it. You can rest assured on that; there won't be any problems."

The words of the middle-aged man with the dull face made Zhao Changsheng nod, and then he continued.

"Since you're being so sincere, what more can I say? I can agree. But you must promise me one thing: you will spare no effort in resolving this feud. Whether it can be resolved depends on the sincerity of both sides. To be honest, I never originally intended to annihilate the Star Palace. But there was no choice; your Two Holy Lords pushed things too far. I had no other option. If there had been any other way, I wouldn't have taken this path."

"They pushed too hard."

Zhao Changsheng's words left the two Star Palace Elders exchanging glances. They naturally knew the truth of the matter, but it was ultimately their own affair. There was nothing to be done; no one could say much about it.

"Alright, give me everything you know. Once I leave, I will definitely act according to our agreement. But I also hope you won't disappoint me. If you do, your end will be extremely miserable. I think you should understand that clearly."

Zhao Changsheng's warning made the two Star Palace Elders nod immediately and agree, because they understood that to survive, they had to agree. There was simply no other choice; otherwise, it was certain death.

Subsequently, without further ado, the two told Zhao Changsheng everything they knew. Through the information they provided, Zhao Changsheng quickly gained a much more detailed understanding of the Void Heaven Palace. If nothing went wrong, he could take control of the entire Void Heaven Palace in a short time.

Zhao Changsheng didn't inform the two Star Palace Elders of any of this, lest they try to play tricks again. He truly couldn't bring himself to trust these two Star Palace Elders, or at least not fully. If they weren't somewhat useful to him, he wouldn't have bothered with them at all and would have simply eliminated them.

That would have been the simplest and easiest method for him, requiring no other tactics.

Thus, after obtaining what he wanted, Zhao Changsheng let the two Star Palace Elders leave, while he himself continued his research.

To this, the two Star Palace Elders had no objections whatsoever.