Star Pavilion

Celestial stars shone bright. Once Qin Sang stepped into the sword formation, the sword-forged stars gradually grew brighter, hanging high like a multitude of luminous moons. Starlight poured across the sky. The starlight was sword light; the stars were sword stars. Cascades of sword light poured down upon Qin Sang! A chill ran through his entire body. Feeling as though he were being watched by an ancient ferocious beast, he raised his guard to the utmost. At the same time, he linked his mind with the Heavenly Eye Butterfly and gazed up into the starry sky. Since anomalies had been visible from outside, there had to be a reason—the sword formation was likely undergoing some change that was impacting the Five Elements restriction. At a cursory glance, the lunar mansions were spread wide, and the sword stars seemed forged from pure killing intent, chilling the heart and daunting the soul. Convinced that his judgment was correct, Qin Sang scrutinized the sword formation with this assumption in mind. Sure enough, he discovered something unusual: two sword stars were slightly out of position, failing to align perfectly with the heavenly star chart. The degree of deviation was miniscule, easily overlooked amid the vast motion of celestial bodies. Yet within a sword formation, the aura of every single sword star was linked, coalescing into an indivisible whole. A shift in even one sword star could easily trigger a chain reaction, affecting the entire formation's operation. This was especially true given that the Seven Mansions Sector Sword Formation was embedded within the Five Elements Divine Restriction. Any shift within the sword formation would disrupt the cyclic generation of the Five Elements, and the resulting backlash from the other divine restrictions would compound from within and without, magnifying the disruption even further. To anyone attempting to break the formation, therein lay the flaw! With this discovery, Qin Sang's expression relaxed slightly, and he concentrated on observing. The sword stars capable of shaking the formation and drifting out of place were definitely not limited to these two. As long as he could identify a portion of the shifted stars, he could deduce the underlying pattern and chart a path through the sea of stars. Breaking the formation this way would not require an excessive expenditure of energy. The point where Qin Sang had entered corresponded to Kui Mansion, the first mansion of the White Tiger. The two shifted stars he had spotted were located within Kui Mansion. The other mansions were obscured by Kui Mansion's brilliant starlight and constrained by the sword formation itself; even pushing his Heavenly Eye ability to its limit, he could not determine which stars in those mansions had shifted. The star chart imprinted itself upon Qin Sang's mind. Yet before he could analyze it thoroughly, the celestial bodies abruptly accelerated. In an instant, the sword stars vanished, leaving behind silver-white trails in the night sky that converged into rivers flowing without end. As the stars turned, only streaks of silver thread remained across the sky, a dizzying spectacle. The starlight pooling over Qin Sang grew increasingly dense until it nearly concealed his figure. Relative to the starry sky, he seemed to stand at the very center of a river of stars. In truth, any intruder, regardless of where they stood, felt the same sensation—the stars of the heavens were singling them out, leaving nowhere to hide. Right on its heels came a surge of deadly intent, a killing aura that pierced straight to the marrow. Qin Sang felt the stars blaze with blinding brilliance, reaching their peak in an instant, and then endless sword light rained down from the sky. The stars unleashed their murderous design. Ten thousand swords surged like a tidal wave! Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly, and with a thought, he summoned the Jinchen Sword. The spiritual sword gave a clear hum as its shadows multiplied, dividing into countless streaks of sword light. It whipped up a river of swords that surged upward against the tide, meeting the falling light blade for blade. Pfft! Above and below, the two waves of sword light collided. At the same time, the astral fire barrier enveloping Qin Sang wavered slightly. Seizing the opening, he moved like lightning, maneuvering swiftly through the sword formation. Unexpectedly, the formation shifted once more. In an instant, Qin Sang felt an inexplicable force hauling him upward, lifting him off the ground and dragging him into the boundless starry sky, plunging him into a sea of stars. This was no illusion. Once the sword formation finished shifting, Mount Dishou had vanished. Qin Sang was suspended in the night sky, encircled by stars, with neither ground beneath his feet nor sky above his head. Looking around, he saw countless massive sword stars drifting in the void, each rivaling the sun. A sense of insignificance and isolation welled up in his chest. Boom! A sword star cleaved down toward him, bearing world-destroying might that could effortlessly crush this mere "fly." Indeed, that single strike concentrated the full power of the entire sword formation. Had it been someone of weaker resolve facing the impact of such a strike, they might well have perished on the spot. Undaunted by the danger, Qin Sang was not cowed by the awe-inspiring sight. Seeing through the illusion, he remained certain that his physical position had not changed—he was still in Kui Mansion. What he needed to do now was not fight the sword formation head-on, but depart from Kui Mansion, traverse the seven mansions, and seek out the other shifted stars. With the Jinchen Sword and the astral fire barrier shielding him, and by deliberately evading direct blows, the Seven Mansions Sector Sword Formation, supreme killing array though it was, could not pose an immediate fatal threat to him. Great minds think alike. Qin Sang was not alone. Su Zinan and the Poison King's groups were doing the exact same thing. For a time, the three parties wandered unpredictably through the sword formation. Their assessments of the formation differed, their routes varied, and the formation itself was exceedingly vast, so they never crossed paths. Yet none of the three parties knew that an uninvited guest was also within the Seven Mansions Sector Sword Formation, secretly watching them from the shadows. This was none other than the Daoist nun who had departed from the Sunflame Divine Restriction. To break the formation, Qin Sang and the others had to search for shifted stars and endure wave after wave of lethal attacks. Though their lives were not in immediate danger for the moment, they were scrambling about in considerable disarray. The Daoist nun was different. She moved freely through the formation, and it never attacked her. Her figure shifted between solid and illusory. She could drift along with the star trails or treat the sword stars as stepping stones, vanishing from one and reappearing on another. To be so close to the sword stars, surrounded by the fierce, slaughtering sword intent of the White Tiger constellation, yet remain completely unharmed was truly bizarre. Her aura could even blend seamlessly with the sword intent, showing no noticeable discord, allowing her to use the sword stars to conceal herself. In a matter of moments, the Daoist nun skipped across dozens of sword stars before coalescing again. She did not fully reveal herself, keeping her figure concealed within the brilliance of a sword star, looking somewhat ethereal. Perched atop the sword star, she looked down and saw two figures weaving and dodging through the formation. One had a poison cloud hovering above his head, which manifested the shapes of various venomous insects—each grotesque, ferocious, and sinister. This was the Poison King. His striking looks, surrounded by these phantasmal insects, carried an added touch of eerie allure. Yet the power of that poison cloud was not to be underestimated. Whenever a sword star struck, the poison cloud dispersed and converged, stalling the star's momentum, and with a light, airy motion, the Poison King slipped free of its lock. Master Huaiyin presented an even more imposing presence. Blood and vitality surged into both his fists, sending forth a flurry of punches that carried the colossal strength of dragons and elephants, violently blasting open a path. To say nothing of the two joining forces, even if either moved alone, neither showed any sign of exhaustion in the short term. Watching their performance, the Daoist nun's gaze turned dark and cold. She never deliberately concealed her moods. As displeasure took hold, a slight tremor ran through her aura, spurred on by the gnawing sensation of hunger. Right at that moment, Master Huaiyin's ear twitched faintly. He abruptly looked up, his eyes turning brilliant gold at some point to shoot out two nearly corporeal beams of golden light. His gaze pointed straight at the sword star where the Daoist nun was hiding! Fortunately, her perception of auras in this place was exceptionally acute. The instant Master Huaiyin moved, she reverted to an illusory state and melted directly into the sword star, narrowly avoiding exposure. Failing to detect anything amiss, Master Huaiyin frowned slightly. "What is it?" the Poison King asked, noticing the monk's reaction and shifting his gaze over. Master Huaiyin was a body cultivator, and the Buddhist sects were skilled in tempering the six senses, possessing specialized techniques for each. Master Huaiyin had certainly practiced them, and his senses were sharper than those of other cultivators of the same realm. Such a reaction had to have a reason. The Poison King knew he was inferior to Master Huaiyin in this regard; neither his gu insects nor his poison arts were suited for perception, and he had noticed nothing just now. Master Huaiyin pointed toward the sword star where the Daoist nun had been hiding. "A moment ago, this monk's auditory consciousness was stirred. There seemed to be an unusual disturbance from that star." The Poison King looked over but could see nothing out of the ordinary. However, he noticed another sword star beside it and remarked, "That star has shifted by a fraction. It was probably influenced by that..." Master Huaiyin remained silent, still doubtful and not entirely convinced. Just then, in a deeper region of the starry sky in that direction, a sword star suddenly flashed with light before returning to normal, accompanied by a faint ripple of energy. Such a phenomenon indicated that someone else was likely battling the sword formation there, and not far from them; otherwise, they would not have been able to see the disturbance. Seeing this, the two immediately moved in that direction. Master Huaiyin put his suspicions aside as well. In all likelihood, the disturbance here had been caused by the distant battle. Only after the two had moved far away did the Daoist nun take shape once more. That had been a close call. Fortunately, someone else had drawn near and misled their judgment, or she would have been exposed. She had not expected this bald monk to possess such keen perception. With a dissatisfied snort, the Daoist nun vanished into thin air. She resumed skipping between sword stars, completely forgetting the close shave she had just experienced as she trailed after the Poison King and his companion. Before long, the Poison King and Master Huaiyin caught up with another group, and the Daoist nun quietly drew near as well. This time, having learned her lesson, she did not take physical form, remaining concealed within a sword star to spy on them in secret. To her disappointment, the two sides did not fight. The other party was Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao. Upon crossing paths, both Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao were greatly surprised, even as they quietly raised their guard. Aside from Master Huaiyin, the other three men present were all familiar with one another's reputations. Wary of each other, they nevertheless communicated without hindrance. The Poison King introduced Master Huaiyin's origins and proceeded to ask several questions. Mo Xingdao remained taciturn. For reasons of his own, Su Zinan answered almost every question the Poison King posed, openly sharing his knowledge of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect and the identities of Zhu Wudao and the others. The Poison King and Master Huaiyin exchanged a glance. Many of their doubts were resolved, though they certainly did not believe Su Zinan was acting out of goodwill, nor did they take his words entirely at face value. Still, none of that mattered for now. The Poison King's true objective was the scar-faced man, so he asked after his whereabouts. Ever since the Poison King appeared, Su Zinan's eyes had been wandering over him. Exercising a measure of restraint, he did not stare too brazenly, and upon hearing the question, he let out a chuckle. "So you two came chasing after them. No wonder Old Ghost Qiling was injured by your hands. Might I ask what heinous crime he committed to incur such wrath? Perhaps I could lend a hand, Fellow Daoist?" Sensing his demeanor, the Poison King felt a wave of disgust and replied coldly, "I appreciate Fellow Daoist Su's kind offer. That man was originally a disciple of my Mount Wandu who betrayed the sect and murdered several elders. I must slay the traitor with my own hands to appease the hatred in my heart!" "Is that so!" Su Zinan exclaimed with an understanding nod. "However, I do not know where he went either. When the immortal estate was opened, we were indeed together, but after entering, we went our separate ways. To this moment, I have not seen him again." "Cave Master Qiling is nowhere to be found either?" the Poison King pressed. When he had used his gu insects to search before the jade gate, they had clearly detected them on the mountain! Su Zinan nodded, recalling, "Now that you mention it, Fellow Daoist, I do remember something. Before going up the mountain, Old Demon Zhu mentioned in passing that Old Ghost Qiling would likely cooperate with that man to ascend first and seek the treasures on the mountain. However, when we broke the first variation of the grand formation, we were all transported to the main hall at the formation's entrance, yet neither of them was anywhere to be seen. Could they have been faster than the two Daoist masters and already crossed the Five Elements Divine Restriction?" With that, he turned to glance at Mo Xingdao beside him. Mo Xingdao gave a slight shake of his head. "Before Old Demon Zhu broke the formation, the Five Elements Divine Restriction was completely intact. It is unlikely they could have achieved much." "Perhaps they are trapped in some divine restriction," Su Zinan said, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. As they conversed, the four kept shifting their positions. Though they had reached no formal agreement to cooperate, all of them were seasoned veterans. Without needing words, they coordinated with tacit understanding, and their pace quickened considerably. In the span of a few remarks, they had already pinpointed two shifted sword stars. Seeing this harmonious display, the Daoist nun knew there would be no opportunity to fish in troubled waters. She began moving again, heading toward a different quarter. She sensed that only a single person was there! Qin Sang was utterly unaware that he had once again become the Daoist nun's target. He was diligently tracing the star chart, unraveling the formation's patterns. He had already marked several star points upon the chart and drawn a few broken threads. These represented flaws and escape routes, but only by connecting the threads could a complete path take shape. As one shifted sword star after another was identified, he grew increasingly adept. His only lingering curiosity was that he had yet to encounter anyone else, leaving him wondering where Daoist Zilei and the others had gone. *A few more shifted stars, and with some deduction, I should be able to...* The thought had barely crossed his mind when Qin Sang's eyes narrowed sharply—the Fire Jade Centipede had stirred awake again! *Has that person come after me again?* Qin Sang's pupils constricted slightly. He immediately ceased his deductions, merged his consciousness with the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, and pushed his Heavenly Eye ability to its absolute peak. In an instant, sword stars flooded his vision. However, it never occurred to Qin Sang that someone could merge into a sword star; his focus was primarily on the void between the stars, and he found nothing. Meanwhile, the Fire Jade Centipede grew increasingly agitated inside his sleeve, indicating that the other party was drawing nearer! *Even the Heavenly Eye cannot pierce through their trace?* Qin Sang's mind tightened. This was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre opponent. With the Jinchen Sword circling his body and the astral fire barrier held steady, Qin Sang acted as if nothing were amiss, appearing to study the celestial stars while secretly forming hand seals, fully prepared for an attack. Yet after such careful vigilance, what followed took him completely by surprise. The Fire Jade Centipede's agitation subsided, and it grew drowsy once more. The other party seemed to have abandoned the attempt, ending the pursuit as abruptly as it began. *Did they sense danger? Or did they decide I would be too difficult to deal with?* Qin Sang was thoroughly perplexed. On the other side, having given up once more, the Daoist nun was in a foul mood. None of the fellows in this sword formation were easy prey; the gap between them and the two from Yutai Sect was simply too vast. Furthermore... The Daoist nun beckoned with her jade-like hand toward a sword star. The star trembled, but did not respond with the effortless compliance of an extension of her own limbs. The sword formation was fundamentally different from the other divine restrictions after all; the sword intent rooted here was its true foundation. She could manipulate the Sunflame Divine Restriction to a certain degree, but the sword intent here was too pure, far less pliable, becoming an impediment instead. "Two peaches kill three warriors..." The Daoist nun's delicate brows furrowed. Old memories churned within her as she recalled an allusion from a book this body had once read, murmuring those words under her breath. Her eyes brightened. Leaping across several stars in quick succession, she finally arrived at a star situated in the direction of Bi Mansion. This was no sword star—it was a Star Pavilion!