Outside Bull Dragon Island.
From afar, Yu Xian, Little Nora, and Sima Gao saw a staff piercing through the heavens.
If it came crashing down, the entire island would likely be split in two. With a mere thought from Yu Xian, Tiangang Star sprang into action immediately.
Indeed.
In truth, Yu Xian had no need to speak aloud to command Tiangang Star; after all, everything about Tiangang Star belonged to him, allowing him to effortlessly control the creature's every move.
Inside the grand hall.
Niu Kaitian was riddled with wounds. Due to the incantations of the Bai Ze Diagram of Ten Thousand Names, he couldn't unleash even ten percent of his strength; defeat was practically sealed.
The guests who had initially been watching from the sidelines—those lacking restraint—had already jumped into the fray. His son, Niu Gandang, and daughter-in-law, Youquan, were both pinned down and battered by multiple Star-rankers, while several other Star-rankers stormed into the inner hall and began looting.
Sun Shenhou's strikes grew heavier and swifter with every swing of his staff, his mocking words flying in tandem to disrupt Niu Kaitian's focus.
"Starting today, the Niu family will be completely wiped from the Death Calamity Sea! Niu Kaitian, how does it feel?"
"Your grandson hasn't been named yet, has he? Why don't I give him one?"
"After all, on this full-month banquet, he'll only get to live until his one-month milestone."
"Let's call him Sun Baitian—Hundred-Day Sun, because he'll only live a hundred days!"
"Ahahahaha!"
Watching Niu Kaitian parry with waning strength, Sun Shenhou laughed wildly.
Moments ago, Niu Kaitian had still managed a few desperate counterattacks, but now he was reduced entirely to defense. Clearly at the end of his tether, he was not far from death.
Sun Shenhou's gaze hardened. He abruptly raised the Sea-Calming Divine Needle. In an instant, the needle rapidly extended, piercing through the hall's roof and stabbing straight into the clouds.
He intended to hit Niu Kaitian with something massive—to cleave all of Bull Dragon Island in two, forcing Niu Kaitian to watch the island's destruction with his own eyes. Only that would utterly break Niu Kaitian's spirit.
Yet the very next second, the Sea-Calming Divine Needle vanished from his grip.
Not yet realizing the Sea-Calming Divine Needle was gone, he swung the nonexistent staff at Niu Kaitian with all his might. Only when he stumbled forward did he snap to reality: *Where's my staff?*
Niu Kaitian was stunned as well, but quickly reacted, swinging his axe toward Sun Shenhou with ferocious force. Yet Sun Shenhou was faster after all, effortlessly dodging the axe strike before delivering a kick to Niu Kaitian's jaw, using the recoil to put distance between them.
It wasn't that he didn't want to press his advantage, but without knowing where the Sea-Calming Divine Needle had gone, he had no stomach to continue fighting.
At that moment, someone approached from outside the doors. He immediately retreated further, forming a three-way standoff with the newcomers at the entrance and Niu Kaitian across from him.
Yu Xian, Little Nora, and Sima Gao walked in from outside, followed closely by Tiangang Star gripping the Sea-Calming Divine Needle. When Sun Shenhou saw his staff, he instantly summoned it back. But the staff remained firmly clutched in Tiangang Star's hand, utterly unresponsive.
This Sea-Calming Divine Needle was Sun Shenhou's System-rank divine weapon. Not only had hundreds of Sea-Calming Divine Needles been fused into it, but he had also re-refined it with countless priceless materials until it became one with him. Under normal circumstances, it was impossible to steal.
He couldn't fathom why his staff refused to return.
"Benefactor, Duckie, the black-robed, dark-haired man up on the platform using the Ten Thousand Soul Banner is the Black Lotus Sect Master. The one holding the bone whip is the White Lotus Peak Master," Sima Gao said at once to Yu Xian and Little Nora after sweeping his gaze across the hall.
Yu Xian looked toward the raised platform behind the main seat and immediately saw Lu Junye ganging up with several Star-rank powerhouses to pummel Niu Gandang, while on the other side, Cai Du and several other Star-rankers were beating down Youquan.
"Let's take care of business first, then," Yu Xian said.
The very next second, without Tiangang Star so much as flinching, two severed heads appeared in his grip: the heads of Lu Junye and Cai Du. Their eyes were wide in shock, only just realizing they were dead. Before their consciousness faded into darkness, both caught sight of Sima Gao.
They recognized Sima Gao, and in that instant, everything became clear...
"Run!"
Seeing Lu Junye's and Cai Du's heads inexplicably materialize in Tiangang Star's hands, Sun Shenhou realized danger was imminent. He shot straight up into the air, bursting through the ceiling in a desperate bid to escape.
"The one fleeing is Sun Shenhou, accomplice to Bai Chonghu and Zhou Eyang!" Sima Gao called out immediately.
Yu Xian nodded. Tiangang Star gave a slight twitch, and Sun Shenhou's head was already sitting in his hand. Moments later, Sun Shenhou's headless corpse plummeted from the sky, crashing back through the roof and slamming onto the floor.
In that instant, dead silence fell over the grand hall.
Niu Kaitian dared not move; Niu Gandang dared not move; Youquan dared not move; and the remaining Star-rankers dared not move either.
"Alright, that matter's taken care of. Now it's your turn," Yu Xian said, looking at Sima Gao.
Sima Gao nodded. "Benefactor, the Vine King is on Bull Dragon Island. The intelligence I received said he came to attend the full-month banquet for the Bull God's grandson."
"What a coincidence, then," Yu Xian said happily.
Then, turning to the crowd in the hall, he asked, "Has any of you seen the Vine King?"
"My Lord, the Vine King went to the inner hall," blurted Yuan Zhengwei, who had been hiding in a corner. The moment Yu Xian and his companions left the grand hall, he was going to bolt.
He had to run.
Niu Kaitian hadn't died, but Sun Shenhou had. Remaining on Bull Dragon Island now meant certain death.
Yet he didn't dare make a move just yet. Yu Xian was still standing right there; if he ran and the guy acted like a toad swatting anything that twitched, he'd be squashed flat on the spot.
"Thanks for the directions. Let's go," Yu Xian said to Yuan Zhengwei. Then, swaggering into the hall, he headed straight for the inner quarters.
Snapping back to his senses, Niu Kaitian shot a glance at Yuan Zhengwei and hurriedly spoke up: "Benefactor, I know the inner hall of Bull Dragon Island like the back of my hand. Please follow me."
"You're quite a nice fellow," Yu Xian replied nonchalantly with a chuckle.
In truth, every person who had stepped into the fray was now consumed by bitter regret—their insides practically green with remorse.
They had acted far too hastily.
Believing the Niu family was doomed, they had jumped in early to secure merit backing the new regime, hoping to gain favor once Sun Shenhou and his allies took power. Yet in the blink of an eye, the tables had dramatically turned: Sun Shenhou's monkey head had been plucked right off his shoulders, while Niu Kaitian was still very much alive.
Once Niu Kaitian began settling scores, they were thoroughly finished.
Fortunately, as Star-rank powerhouses, if this place wouldn't have them, somewhere else surely would.
Staying in the Death Calamity Sea was out of the question. Once Niu Kaitian led the mysterious powerhouse into the inner hall, they would decisively take flight. The only trouble was the bastards among the Star-rankers who hadn't taken sides and were now watching them like hawks.
Those scoundrels were likely already scheming to give chase the moment they fled, using their severed heads to curry favor with the Bull God—just as they themselves had planned to use the heads of Niu Gandang and Youquan to curry favor with Sun Shenhou.
Three, two, one.
The moment Yu Xian and the others entered the inner hall, many of the Star-rankers who had joined the attack shot toward the main entrance. Niu Gandang and Youquan immediately gave chase, and many Star-rankers who had held back and merely watched quickly joined in. The hunt was on.
"Young people these days sure are lively," Yu Xian remarked with a smile to Little Nora, naturally sensing what was happening in the main hall.
In truth, among everyone present, he was undeniably the third youngest: the youngest was Niu Kaitian's grandson, followed by Little Nora, and then him.
Even Sima Gao, who looked quite young, was actually no spring chicken.
Chapter 395