Chapter 1207: Volume 7 Across the Human World Chapter 1202: Battle of the Star Palace (Part 3)

Surrounded by numerous spirit boats, three sky-supporting giant pillars stood towering at a height of a hundred zhang. Each pillar was a pale yellow color, emanating a wave-like azure-red radiance that continuously surged into the skies, blending seamlessly with the “muslin cloak” shrouding the massive island.

When Han Li witnessed this scene, he immediately recognized these pillars as the legendary Flame Columns. Naturally, the cultivators aboard the semi-magical vessels were members of the Starfall Coalition assigned to guard these pillars. At a glance, their numbers appeared to be around two to three thousand.

To avoid alerting the enemy, Han Li refrained from using his spiritual sense to scan too carefully. However, he was certain that among them, there must be Nascent Soul cultivators standing guard–this was an undeniable fact.

As for whether the Sect Master of the Thousand Gates of Enlightenment was present, only the heavens knew.

There were a total of one hundred and eight Flame Columns. It couldn’t be such a coincidence for the three in front of him to be the ones he sought, could it? Han Li mused silently to himself.

But if they were indeed here and intended to obstruct him, he wasn’t sure whether it was a stroke of bad luck for himself or simply misfortune for the Sect Master of the Thousand Gates of Enlightenment.

Speaking of the rumored Wind Fire Extinction Array, its reputation was indeed significant. However, based on Han Li’s understanding, this array had been designed specifically to attack fortified strongholds of cultivation sects, targeting mostly low- to mid-tier cultivators and their protective formations. Against an individual cultivator with extraordinary divine abilities, it was far less effective.

With his skills, traversing the array would at most be a minor inconvenience. Capturing him within its bounds was an unlikely outcome.

After deliberating for a long time, Han Li decided not to hesitate any longer. He adjusted the trajectory of his streak of light, bypassing the spirit boats and the three copper pillars directly ahead, and headed instead toward the peripheral areas, shooting toward the layer of azure-red radiance in the distance.

At this moment, beneath the three sky-supporting pillars and where they plunged into the sea’s surface, a three-story tower ship floated motionlessly. Though the ship was massive, its entirety was crafted from a delicate green jade, exuding unparalleled opulence.

At the topmost level of the tower ship, several cultivators sat around a square jade table, conversing amicably with smiles on their faces. On the jade table were a few dishes of rare and peculiar spirit fruits, and all their expressions appeared calm and leisurely.

“Elder Long, I’ve heard that Alliance Leader Wan has already promised that if we successfully capture the Star Palace this time, he will hand over Tianrui Island, one of the three great spirit isles of the Myriad Gates of Enlightenment, to your Golden Lotus Sect. Is this true?” A scholar wearing a white robe asked with a smile, facing an elderly man with a faint green tint to his complexion.

“Nephew Ning, you are indeed well-informed. Fellow Daoist Wan did mention this to me. The spiritual veins of Tianrui Island are stronger than those of my current residence. For the long-term development of my sect, I graciously accepted the offer,” the green-faced elder said, glancing at the scholar casually, his tone carrying an air of seniority.

“Elder Long, you must be joking. The quality of Tianrui Island’s spiritual veins is renowned throughout the entire Scattered Stars Sea. Moreover, the island produces numerous rare spirit flowers and grasses. If the Golden Lotus Sect were to acquire it, it would surely ascend to the next level in no time,” a middle-aged Taoist in a gray robe commented with a light laugh.

“Daoist Huai, don’t tease this old man. Haven’t you, too, acquired a dozen or so exceedingly rare materials? Otherwise, someone as reclusive as you wouldn’t have rushed out to support Brother Wan,” the elder replied with a chuckle, seemingly unconcerned.

Among the trio on the tower ship, two were early Nascent Soul cultivators, while the white-robed scholar, despite only being at the late Core Formation stage, displayed neither humility nor arrogance when interacting with the other two, clearly indicating his noteworthy background.

When the middle-aged Taoist heard the elder’s response, he smiled subtly and was about to say something further. Suddenly, the enormous copper pillar standing before their tower ship emitted a low, resonant hum. The azure-red radiance it radiated began to tremble violently, as though affected by some invisible force.

“Not good, someone’s breached the array!” The Taoist exclaimed in a low voice, immediately rising to his feet.

The elder with the family name Long and the scholar both changed their expressions and stood up, casting their gazes toward the copper pillar.

“In the southwest direction! Huh, it seems they’ve entered from the outside. Those stationed at the perimeter are utterly useless; they couldn’t even stop one person.” The Taoist glanced at a magical disc that had appeared in his hand. His fingers rapidly traced incantations while he fixed his gaze on the array, then furiously berated after seeing the situation.

“Let’s go, Daoist Huai! Anyone daring enough to breach the external defenses and enter the Wind Fire Extinction Array is no ordinary individual. The breach isn’t far from here; with the Wind Fire’s power, they won’t reach Heavenly Star City anytime soon,” the elderly man sneered, an azure light briefly flashing across his face.

“Very well. This person may indeed be a cultivator of the same level as us. Let’s deal with them together.” After a brief moment of thought, the middle-aged Taoist nodded cautiously before turning to the scholar. “Nephew Ning, we’ll leave this place temporarily in your care.”

“Rest assured, honored elders. I will guard this place diligently. May you both display peerless might!” The white-robed scholar accepted their request without hesitation, slipping in a well-placed compliment that drew smiles from both the Taoist and the elder.

Without hesitation, the elder flicked his sleeve, summoning a miniature jade vehicle about a few inches long. As it soared into the air, it expanded rapidly, growing to several zhang in size.

“Daoist Huai, my Heavenly Wind Car can double its speed within the array; we won’t let the intruder escape if we pursue them with it,” the elder said as he stepped onto the vehicle in a single motion.

“Then I’ll count on you, Elder Long,” the middle-aged Taoist replied before stepping lightly onto the vehicle as well.

With an incantation from the elder, a veil of azure light enveloped the Heavenly Wind Car. It shuddered before seamlessly merging into the azure-red radiance of the array, disappearing as if it had become one with the formation.

“Marvelous! This humble Daoist has long heard of the Heavenly Wind Car’s reputation but didn’t expect it to possess such extraordinary abilities within the Wind Fire Array. No wonder Brother Wan stationed you at this position, second only to the formation’s core. He must have had this in mind,” the Taoist remarked, stroking his beard in admiration as he observed the jade vehicle moving through the radiance without the slightest hindrance.

“Perhaps. Since advancing to the late Nascent Soul stage, it’s been difficult to discern Fellow Daoist Wan’s true intentions,” the elder replied with a laugh, though his tone carried a hint of indifference.

The Taoist merely smiled and refrained from commenting further.

Underneath their feet, the Heavenly Wind Car’s speed proved to be faster than that of a mid-Nascent Soul stage cultivator. Coupled with the elder’s magical disc for tracking, the two quickly covered several dozen li with ease.

“Be cautious. The target is just ahead. This person seems quite capable; they’ve broken through most of the restrictive formations and are on the verge of escaping the Wind Fire’s power,” the elder warned solemnly, his expression turning serious as he stared at the jade plate in his hand. Before the Taoist could respond, the elder began chanting incantations, swiftly forming seals with his fingers.

The azure-colored spiritual light of the jade vehicle surged, rendering both the car and its passengers indistinct. In the blink of an eye, they vanished entirely within the azure-red light.

The elder had employed a secret technique to cloak their presence, granting them a strategic advantage in both attack and retreat.

The middle-aged Taoist nodded subtly at this display. Without activating their spiritual senses, the two carefully maneuvered the jade vehicle higher into the formation, their speed notably reduced.

After traveling a few more li, they finally caught sight of the intruder in the distance–only to reveal looks of astonishment on their faces.

The cultivator breaching the array appeared unnaturally young, seemingly no more than twenty years of age. What was even more startling was that he carried no visible magical artifacts. Protected only by a layer of azure light around his body, he disintegrated the incoming azure-red radiance with ease as he leisurely traversed the array, appearing utterly at ease.

“Who is this person? Could he be a mid-Nascent Soul stage cultivator?” Both the elder and the Taoist were struck with a simultaneous wave of dread, each entertaining the same thought.

A curious twist of fate.

If it had been other high-level cultivators from the Starfall Coalition, they might have recognized Han Li instantly. Due to the Heavenvoid Cauldron incident, Han Li’s face had been widely made known. Despite the passage of years, the extraordinary memories of cultivators would have ensured instant recognition. However, these two happened to be newly recruited Nascent Soul elders brought forth by Wan Tianming.

Their sects, though not insignificant in power, had kept to themselves, focusing on seclusion and cultivation. Rarely did they involve themselves in the affairs of the Scattered Stars Sea.

If not for Wan Tianming’s enticing offer of great rewards, these two might never have emerged from their meditation.

As a result, the two were utterly unfamiliar with Han Li, thrown into a state of befuddled suspicion.

Still, neither the elder nor the Taoist truly feared for their safety. With their combined abilities, they were confident enough to face a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator head-on. Moreover, they weren’t entirely certain that the young man was a mid-level Nascent Soul cultivator in the first place.

Though their knowledge of Scattered Stars Sea’s formidable figures may have been patchy, they were still acquainted with most mid-Nascent Soul cultivators of note.

Relying on the exceptional cloaking capabilities of the Heavenly Wind Car, Elder Long hesitated only briefly before continuing to maneuver the vehicle toward the top of the young man’s head in stealth.

The entire approach was silent and undetectable!

When the jade car reached thirty zhang above Han Li’s head without alerting him, the elder and the Taoist held their breaths, observing the young man closely once again.

From what they could see, the man’s appearance was ordinary. He wore a simple azure robe, adorned only with a storage pouch and a spirit beast pouch at his waist. There was nothing remarkable about him, and his origins remained a complete mystery.

Frowning slightly, Elder Long turned his head and exchanged a glance with the middle-aged Taoist.

With only a brief moment of hesitation, Daoist Huai nodded slowly.

Immediately, both of them placed a hand on their storage pouches, taking a deep breath as they prepared to unleash a devastating joint strike upon the young man below.

But at that precise moment, Han Li suddenly tilted his head upward, revealing a faint smile directed toward the air above him. In an instant, a pair of wings materialized behind him. With a single flutter, he vanished on the spot without a trace.

“Not good!”

These two men were seasoned Nascent Soul cultivators, not ordinary ones. The moment they witnessed this uncanny development, Elder Long didn’t bother to retrieve any of his magical treasures. Instead, he stomped sharply on the jade vehicle beneath him and channeled his mana into it wildly.

Instantly, the car’s cloaking spell dissipated, revealing a dazzling azure light that enveloped both the vehicle and its passengers.

The middle-aged Taoist hastily retrieved a black-and-white Eight Trigrams Mirror from his storage pouch and flung it above his head without delay.

(First update! To be continued. If you wish to know what happens next, please visit www.wuxiaworld.site. More chapters await, support the author, and support legitimate reading!)