139: Four-star Dou Zun, the Danger of Hua Zong

"Flower Sect was attacked?!" Xiao Chen abruptly opened his eyes, a cold light bursting forth from them! The Flower Sect was a crucial ally of the Pill Tower, renowned for its illusion techniques and wood-attribute cultivation methods. Its sect master, Sect Master of Flower Sect, also had a deep friendship with Xuan Kongzi. The Soul Hall and Heavenly Nether Sect daring to openly attack it meant that the conflict between the two sides had completely escalated, leaving no room for reconciliation!

He rose to his feet and stepped out of the secret chamber. Xuan Kongzi's main body was already waiting outside, his face ashen.

"Teacher, what's the situation?" Xiao Chen asked in a deep voice.

"We just received a desperate plea for help from Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect, transmitted at the cost of her life." Xuan Kongzi waved his sleeve, and a light screen appeared, showing the tragic scene outside Hundred Flowers Peak: a dense army of the Soul Hall and Heavenly Nether Sect, like locusts, besieging the Hundred Flowers Peak's protective formation! The formation's light screen flickered violently, riddled with cracks, clearly on the verge of collapsing! Inside the light screen, the Flower Sect disciples suffered heavy casualties, and Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect and several elders were fighting valiantly, but they were clearly outnumbered! Even more terrifying, among the allied forces, there were two terrifying existences whose auras had reached the Five-Star Dou Zun level!

"It's the Four Heavenly Venerates of the Soul Hall and the Nether Bone Old Monster of the Heavenly Nether Sect!" Xuan Kongzi gritted his teeth. "With these two old monsters personally making a move, the Flower Sect will be hard-pressed to resist! We must rescue them immediately!"

"This disciple is willing to go!" Xiao Chen said without hesitation. If the Flower Sect were destroyed, the Pill Tower would lose a crucial support, and the alliance's morale would also suffer a heavy blow.

"Good! But this trip is extremely perilous!" Xuan Kongzi said solemnly. "The Soul Hall's move is likely a strategy to besiege a point and draw out reinforcements, intending to lure our Pill Tower powerhouses away from the Pill Tower Holy Domain and ambush them! Although you have broken through to Four-Star Dou Zun, facing a Five-Star Dou Zun is still extremely dangerous! I will have Elder Heavenly Thunder Master accompany you, and mobilize a contingent of elite Pill Guards to go with you! Remember, prioritize rescue and do not get entangled in prolonged combat!"

"This disciple understands!" Xiao Chen nodded. He was well aware of the risks involved, but the Flower Sect could not be left unrescued.

A moment later, at the entrance of the Pill Tower Holy Domain, a massive Starry Flying Ship was already prepared. On board the flying ship, besides Xiao Chen, there was Elder Heavenly Thunder Master (early Five-Star Dou Zun), and a hundred elite Pill Tower guards, all of whom had cultivation levels above Dou Zong! The lineup was truly luxurious.

"Depart!" Elder Heavenly Thunder Master gave the order, and the Starry Flying Ship transformed into a streak of light, tearing through space, and sped towards the Myriad Flowers Mountain Range where the Flower Sect was located!

Inside the flying ship, the atmosphere was solemn. Elder Heavenly Thunder Master's expression was serious as he said to Xiao Chen: "Xiao Chen, during this rescue mission, the Soul Hall will surely have an ambush. Although your strength has greatly increased, remember not to act impulsively, and follow my commands in everything."

"Elder, rest assured, Xiao Chen knows the gravity of the situation." Xiao Chen said in a deep voice. He spread his soul perception, vigilantly probing the surrounding void. Sure enough, not long after the flying ship left the Pill Tower Holy Domain, he vaguely sensed several obscure auras following closely from a distance.

"There really are tails." Heavenly Thunder Master snorted coldly, but did not pay them any mind. The top priority now was to reach Hundred Flowers Peak as quickly as possible.

Under full-speed flight, in just half a day, the Myriad Flowers Mountain Range was already in sight. From afar, one could see energy lights soaring into the sky in the direction of Hundred Flowers Peak, with continuous 轟鳴, clearly indicating that a fierce battle was in full swing!

"Accelerate! Charge through!" Heavenly Thunder Master roared, and the Starry Flying Ship's speed increased again, crashing towards the battlefield like a meteor!

However, just as the flying ship was about to rush into the Hundred Flowers Peak's range, an unexpected change occurred!

"Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!"

Three massive spatial cages appeared without warning from the void, trapping the Starry Flying Ship firmly in the center in a triangular formation! Outside the cages, three figures emanating terrifying auras slowly appeared!

The one in the center, with his black robes fluttering and exuding a deathly aura, was an old acquaintance—the Five Heavenly Venerable of the Soul Hall! His arm injuries seemed to have recovered, and his aura was even stronger than before, subtly touching the threshold of the late Five-Star Dou Zun stage! To his left was a gaunt figure like a skeleton, with green ghost fire flickering in his eye sockets, none other than Elder You Ming of the Heavenly Nether Sect (early Five-Star Dou Zun)! To his right was a woman shrouded in ice-blue mist, her aura chilling to the bone, the Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate of the Ice River Valley (Peak Four-Star Dou Zun)!

The three great powerhouses had joined forces to set up a deadly trap!

"Heavenly Thunder Master, Xiao Chen! This Venerate has been waiting for a long time!" The Five Heavenly Venerable sneered. "Today, this Myriad Flowers Mountain Range will be your burial ground!"

"Despicable!" Heavenly Thunder Master's hair stood on end with rage, and lightning flashed around his body. The terrifying aura of a Five-Star Dou Zun fully erupted, intending to forcibly break open the spatial cage!

"Form the array! Three Talents Soul Lock Array!" The Five Heavenly Venerable and the other two simultaneously formed hand seals. The spatial cage's light intensified, and countless chains of resentful souls crisscrossed, tightly entangling the flying ship. Furthermore, a powerful soul suppression enveloped them, greatly restricting even Heavenly Thunder Master's movements!

"Pill Guards, listen to my command! Form the Zhou Tian Star Array to protect the flying ship!" Heavenly Thunder Master remained calm in the face of danger, commanding in a sharp voice. A hundred Pill Guards immediately formed the array, and the light of the stars connected into a single expanse, barely resisting the attacks of the resentful soul chains.

But the situation was precarious! The Three Talents Soul Lock Array was incredibly powerful, and with three powerhouses presiding over it, Heavenly Thunder Master was temporarily unable to escape! And the sounds of explosions from the direction of Hundred Flowers Peak grew more and more frequent, clearly indicating that the protective formation was about to collapse!

"We must break this situation quickly!" Xiao Chen's eyes were cold, and his Heavenly Realm Soul Power frantically circulated, searching for flaws in the array. At the same time, he transmitted a message to Heavenly Thunder Master: "Elder, I have a method that might be able to break a corner of this array, but I need you to hold back the Five Heavenly Venerable!"

"Are you confident?" Heavenly Thunder Master looked at Xiao Chen.

"Seventy percent!" Xiao Chen's gaze was firm. After breaking through to Four-Star Dou Zun, his control over the star origin was stronger, and with the dragon phoenix essence blood enhancement, he was confident enough to try.

"Good! This Elder will create an opportunity for you!" Heavenly Thunder Master no longer hesitated, letting out a roar, his internal lightning source power frantically burning! "Nine Heavens Lightning Prison, break!"

He clasped his hands together, and a lightning ball condensed with destructive lightning instantly formed, slamming fiercely towards the Five Heavenly Venerable! Wherever the lightning ball passed, space shattered, and resentful souls wailed!

"Hmph! A dying struggle!" The Five Heavenly Venerable sneered, fully activating his death qi to resist! Elder You Ming and the Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate also attacked simultaneously, reinforcing the array!

It was at the moment when the three great powerhouses' attention was drawn by Heavenly Thunder Master!

"Now!" Xiao Chen's eyes burst with brilliant light! The star origin imprint on his brow suddenly shone to its utmost, and the dragon phoenix essence blood within his body furiously burned! The immense Dou Qi of a Four-Star Dou Zun perfectly merged with his Heavenly Realm Soul Power, all pouring into his fists!

"Starry Indestructible, Dragon Phoenix Unity! Heaven Opening Axe Intent, fused into my fists! Starry Dragon Phoenix Break!"

He unleashed both fists, not an axe aura, but two fist imprints condensed to the extreme! The left fist had stars flowing, and the right fist had a dragon and phoenix circling! The two fists combined, transforming into a nine-colored light pillar that tore through chaos, fiercely blasting towards the energy node of the Three Talents Soul Lock Array—the position guarded by the Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate!

This strike contained Xiao Chen's latest understanding of power fusion, and its might had already surpassed his previous "pseudo-Heaven Opening" axe aura, infinitely approaching the full power strike of an early Five-Star Dou Zun!

"What?!" The Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate's face changed drastically. She had never expected Xiao Chen's attack to be so terrifying! In haste, she fully activated her ice-attribute Dou Qi, condensing a giant profound ice shield!

"Boom—!!!"

The nine-colored light pillar slammed fiercely into the giant profound ice shield! The shield couldn't even hold for a single breath before it exploded! The light pillar's momentum remained undiminished, directly blasting onto the Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate's body!

"Pfft—!"

The Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate was struck hard, her protective cold qi instantly dissipated, and she spat out blood, her body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, her aura instantly wilting! A corner of the array was instantly breached!

"Opportunity!" Elder Heavenly Thunder Master seized the moment, unleashing the full power of his lightning ball, forcibly shaking off the entanglement of the Five Heavenly Venerable and Elder You Ming, and punching towards the shattered array node!

"Crack!"

The Three Talents Soul Lock Array broke in response! The spatial cage dissipated!

"Charge! To Hundred Flowers Peak!" Heavenly Thunder Master let out a long roar, controlling the Starry Flying Ship, transforming into a streak of light, breaking through the obstruction, and heading straight for Hundred Flowers Peak!

"Bastard! Chase!" The Five Heavenly Venerable was furious, stomping his feet, and along with Elder You Ming and the heavily injured Ice Fiend Heavenly Venerate, they frantically pursued!

However, with that delay, the Starry Flying Ship had already rushed into the Hundred Flowers Peak battlefield!

At this moment, Hundred Flowers Peak's protective formation had already shattered! The allied forces of the Soul Hall and Heavenly Nether Sect surged into the peak like a tide, engaging in a tragic slaughter with the Flower Sect disciples! Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect was covered in blood, desperately contending with the Four Heavenly Venerates of the Soul Hall and the Nether Bone Old Monster, constantly in peril!

"Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect! Hold on! Pill Tower reinforcements have arrived!" Heavenly Thunder Master's voice was like a thunderous bell. He controlled the flying ship like a war god descending, and a thick pillar of lightning swept out, instantly clearing a large area of enemy troops!

"Heavenly Thunder Master! Xiao Chen!" Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect's spirits lifted upon seeing the reinforcements.

"Kill!" Xiao Chen didn't answer, his figure shooting out like lightning. The phantom of the dark-gold Starry Battle Axe condensed, and a "Void Breaking" axe aura slashed towards the Nether Bone Old Monster, who was slaughtering Flower Sect disciples!

"Brat, you're courting death!" The Nether Bone Old Monster sneered, his withered claw meeting the attack!

"Clang!"

A metallic clang erupted as the axe and claw met! Xiao Chen's figure swayed slightly, but the Nether Bone Old Monster actually took half a step back, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes!

"Four-Star Dou Zun?! Boy, you've made quick progress! Unfortunately, you're still going to die!" The Nether Bone Old Monster's killing intent surged, and he joined forces with the Four Heavenly Venerates to attack Heavenly Thunder Master, Sect Master of Flower Sect, and Xiao Chen!

The great battle completely erupted! The clashes of Five-Star Dou Zun level power were world-shattering! On Hundred Flowers Peak, blood flowed like a river!

Xiao Chen fought the Nether Bone Old Monster alone, displaying the full extent of his Four-Star Dou Zun strength. Using Star Immortal Fist and Heaven Opening Axe Intent alternately, he actually fought the old monster to a standstill! His power once again shocked the entire scene!

And just as the battle was at its most intense, no one noticed that deep within Hundred Flowers Peak, behind a seemingly ordinary ancient tree, a blurry phantom quietly appeared. In his hand, a black and white chess piece pointed towards Xiao Chen, who was in the thick of the battle, and a strange arc formed on his lips.

"The chess piece has been placed... Next, it's time to harvest."