Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 498: Gambling On Mount Hua

The Pangu Splits Heaven chess stars were shattered one after another.

The Amrita Seven Grands, Nine Elders Of Sui, three Great Star Marquis, Two Beauties and Five Generals, and God Of War Made Duke Guo Ziyi along with millions of Star Soldiers were a force that left even Sleeping Immortal Chen Tuan's Heaven Rank barely able to last. 

"Yu Juluo, go protect Yingmeng and the others as they depart from the back mountain." Chen Tuan saw her Heaven Rank was about to breached and gave instructions to Yu Juluo.

"How can This General just flee." Yu Yanluo categorically refused.

"I am making you protect them, not making you run." Chen Xian'er looked at Yu Yanluo. The girl's eyes were indifferent, filled with a compulsory forcefulness.

"Tan Daoling, go with Yu Juluo."

"Ancestor!" Tan Daoji was unwilling.

Chen Xian'er softly said, "Go." The Soldier Of Crafty Ways grit her teeth, then she followed Yu Juluo, making haste towards the back mountain.

"Yue Fei, Xiao Mohe, neither of you are Mount Hua's disciples. There is no need to remain here." Chen Xian'er continued.

Heaven Swallowing Demon King apologetically said: "Apologies, Ancestor. Your Servant heeds only His Highness Chen Mo's orders. Furthermore, This General has already fled from Yang Guang once. There will be no second time. This time, Your Servant is here, not for Mount Hua, but for myself."

"Li obeys Her Majesty Mian's command to defend Mount Hua. They will have to step over Li's dead body." "Eternally Loyal General" Yue Fei was unshakeable.

Chen Xian'er knew full well she was unable to persuade them, so she said nothing more.

Mount Hua let out an earth-shattering noise, like that of when Heaven and Earth first split. The Pangu Star Array surrounding Mount Hua was suddenly destroyed. The clouds parted to reveal the moon, and the three Great Star Marquis' people descended.

"Chen Tuan, I will give you once more chance. If you hand over Zhao Kuangyin, we will only expel you from Mount Hua and will spare your life." Zhu Xi shouted.

Chen Xian'er extended her palm and gently rotated. The All Things Omnipresent Stars' chess pieces endlessly swirled and transformed, becoming a series of ancient star patterns. "As expected of the Sleeping Immortal. She still has energy after using her Heaven Rank." Guo Ziyi said, impressed.

"Enough idle chatter. Destroy Mount Hua, now!" Yang Guang was infuriated. She hated Mount Hua down to her very bones, and she wanted only to get rid of this place that had humiliated her as quickly as possible. The Golden Age Tyrant raised her hand. Her Star Weapon was a sword-spear, a weapon that was seemingly a mix of both. It was shaped like a Buddhist stupa, and nine stars glittered in the center.

This sword was the "Buddhist Stupa Under Heaven,"¹ which contained the quintessence of all things Buddhist.

Countless Buddhist-lights descended from the sword. Multitudinous sword-lights pounded apart Chen Tuan's chess pieces. Flying Phoenix General Li Milu's Quiet Phoenix Cry moved, releasing a clear phoenix cry. A red gemstone array appared in midair and stopped the remaining force.

The Nine Elders Of Sui Zhang Xutuo, Shi Wansui, Han Qinhu, Heruo Bi, and the others already made their moves, each using Phoenix Earth Rank.

"Eighteen Arhats Exterminate Demons!"

"Destroy All Countries!"

"Ten Thousand Bounds Crimson Dragon Primeval Ancient!"

"Great Thousand Heavenly Dragon Sword!"

At the same time, Wu Zhao and Fu Jian's subordinate Star Generals also attacked.

This force was unstoppable.

Chen Tuan blocked the last wave in the end. The All Things Omnipresent Stars' chess pieces were practically all disintegrated, leaving only a few left. "You lose this one." Yang Guang sneered. She flung the Buddhist Stupa Under Heaven.

The sword manifested a stupa's appearance. Her sword-qi was like an ocean, boundless.

"Earth Rank: Common Masses Sea Of Bitterness!"²

Xiao Mohe's body was restrained by the sea of bitterness. Yue Fei's expression turned perplexed, for she surprisingly felt very strained. Her Dragon Guts God Killing Spear unleashed the fearless spirit it contained. 

Just at this moment, a clump of purple qi appeared over the sea of bitterness. From this vortex of purple qi, a delicate woman walked out. She stepped forth elegantly, poised with grace. Every one of her movements was a breeze through the trees, graceful and imposing.

The purple clothed girl waved her hand at Yang Guang's "Common Masses Sea Of Bitterness," seemingly dispelling the clouds and restoring the sun, pulling the sky. A cloud of purple qi completely wrapped up the sea of bitterness. At the same time, a dozen Xuannü-like heavenly immortals flew out from the nine firmaments. They pointed at the Buddhist Stupa Under Heaven's pagoda, and it promptly disintegrated, dispelled completely into nothingness, leaving no trace.

"God Of War Made Duke" Guo Ziyi's brow rose. She fiercely attacked, aiming for Li Milu. The "Empress Wa" double-ended sword slashed, producing sword-shadows.

Chen Mo's figure moved unbelievably quickly, like the Azure Dragon riding the wind. In a few breaths' time, he seemed to pass through several Star Field to arrive at Li Milu's side, countering Guo Ziyi's slash. The Northern Dipper Staff intercepted the sword, and Guo Ziyi grunted, as if she was a bit surprised.

The Black Turtle and White Tiger were together. Guo Ziyi sensed a powerful force suddenly strike, as if the Four Symbols White Tiger was pouncing out at her. The girl's body was steady, withstanding Chen Mo's strength, surprising him greatly.

"How bold you all are. It seems you wish to kill even This Palace?"

The purple qi receded. Su Mian's was simple and elegant, and she spoke flatly. She looked at Gu Ziyi, and with a thrust of a finger, the rock-steady Guo Ziyi was immediately sent backwards. The girl's figure flickered, and she blinked.

"We greet Your Majesty Mian." Guo Ziyi faintly smiled and greeted her with etiquette.

Between Heaven and Earth, everything fell silent in an instant.

Su Mian then looked at the three Great Star Marquis. Zhang Xutuo and the others followed Guo Ziyi in greeting her.

"Zhu Xi, what is the meaning of this." Su Mian asked. "You are one of Confucianism's Four Sages, why lead an army to attack Mount Hua. Such intense killing intent disgraces the Confucianism that cultivates ‘boundless noble spirit.'"

"Yang Guang, Fu Jian, Wu Zhao. What do you think you are doing leading an army without This Palace's command?"

The Central Star Field had ruled for several centuries. Su Mian's every frown and smile, her every word and action, were all filled with the supreme dignity of ten thousand stars. Even the Star Marquis felt pressure.

"Your Majesty, were you not attending the Literary Excellence Convention?" Zhu Xi calmed down and put on a smile. It should have been that the Literary Excellence Convention was not yet finished.

"This Palace heard that someone wanted to revolt. Therefore, This Palace came to take a look. En, Little Sisters, is this the case?" Su Mian softly asked.

"Your Majesty, this is about Zhao Kuangyin."

"This Palace stationed Li at Mount Hua for the purpose of monitoring Zhao Kuangyin. Are you all blind?!" Su Mian coldly said: "That you actually raised your hand against Li, do you feel that This Palace, master of the Central Star Field, is unable subdue you?" The Seventy-two Outer Void Flying Immortals Swords manifested seventy-two True Spirits. Her Flying Swords were not like the average kind. These seventy-two swords were all crafted using Star World's most precious materials, and because they were personally forged by the Purple Rose Star Emperor and immersed in the radiance of the stars for a century, they themselves possessed seventy-two Star Crests. The one hundred and eight Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends concentrated original fate, and each of the sword spirits was equivalent to a True Phoenix Realm Star General. 

True Phoenix Ninth Stage Star Generals would need to be very afraid of them.

Yang Guang, Fu Jian, and Wu Zhao glanced at one another. They were adepts of three Great Star Kingdoms, and they also had Guo Ziyi as support. Currently, there were only Su Mian and Yue Fei on the other side. This was an exceptional opportunity to assassinate them. Even if this Su Mian was the daughter of the Purple Rose Star Emperor, with the bloodline of a Primordial Star Name, she did not have the Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends Legion. Perhaps this many people could bring her down.

From the moment they accepted Dongzi's order to attack Mount Hua, Yang GUang and the others were very aware that they had crossed a divide with the Central Star Field's Su Family.

Yang Guang's internal bloodlust stirred restlessly.

At this time, Su Mian said: "Dongzi has become confused out of worry for the Su Family. This Palace already had arrangements for this. Star Marquis, withdraw. This Palace will not pursue this matter. Wait for the Central Star Field to issue an imperial order, for This Palace wants a few Star Marquis to eliminate ‘Sun And Moon True Dragon' Zhu Yuanzhang together!"

"What, eliminate Zhu Yuanzhang?"

Hearing Su Mian's words, everyone was flabbergasted, thinking they had misheard.

"Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this. Could it be you are preparing to get rid of us Star Marquis one by one?" Yang Guang's tone lowered.

Fu Jian and Wu Zhao also felt grim. Zhu Yuanzhang was but the number three Star Marquis. Her individual power was unprecedented in strength. She was a character able to pull through impossible odds through her own strength alone, and her personality was extremely callous. Back then, when the Sun and Moon Star Kingdom produced an absolute genius Purple Rose Star Name, "Brocaded Dragon Emperor" Zhu Di, Zhu Di only wanted to establish the Eastern and Western Depots as part of the Brocaded Uniform Guard to slowly chisel away at Zhu Yuanzhang's power. The result was that her tiny desire to supersede the Sun And Moon True Dragon was for her to be destroyed by Zhu Jiujiu with no effort at all.

Ruthless to the extreme.

"At the Literary Excellence Convention, Zhu Jiujiu murdered the Seven Sages Of The Bamboo Grove, destroyed the Ten Thousand Sages Hall, and incurred the wrath of all of Star World. If she is not destroyed, heavenly law will not exist. This Palace has already sent word to Dongzi, and she is already convening the other Star Marquis as we speak. Tomorrow, we march on Zhu Yuanzhang." Su Mian's tone was neither rushed nor slow: "In this expedition against the Sun And Moon True Dragon, whosoever slays her shall receive a Star Marquis Seal."

"Zhu Jiujiu invaded the Literary Excellence Convention to kill the Seven Sages?"

"This is impossible, how can she be so stupid."

"Your Majesty, is this true?"

"How can This Palace be playing a trick when a matter like subjugating Zhu Yuanzhang is so significant. Set aside the matter of Mount Hua for now. Zhu Jiujiu killed the Seven Sages and has thus become the public enemy of Star World. Everyone, now is the chance to avenge Star World's spiritual generals, to make a lasting name for yourselves." Su Mian said.

Hearing her words, Fu Jian and the others lowered their guard a bit. Killing Zhu Yuanzhang could garner them a Star Marquis Seal, and they could avenge the spiritual generals, inevitably leaving behind a good reputation to stand for centuries. Such a mission was far more meritorious than subjugating Mount Hua. Even if they had baseless charges upon which to suppress Mount Hua, it was the source of Daoism, after all. Someday, they would definitely face censure. Besides, Fu Jian only wanted Mount Hua's Purple Cypress Divine Fruit; there would be other opportunities later, but all things considered, killing Zhu Yuanzhang was clearly a more attractive choice.

"Mount Hua harbors evil. Since we are already assembled here, we cannot just let matters go. Your Majesty, please watch. We will first dispatch that Purple Rose Star Name, then we can be worry free in killing Zhu Yuanzhang." Yang Guang beamed. She hated Mount Hua to the bone and was completely unmoved.

"Fu Jian, Wu Zhao. How can we leave matters unfinished when there is a royal decree. Are we to let Her Majesty see a laughingstock?"

Fu Jian and Wu Zhao's hearts shivered. Killing Zhu Yuanzhang was good, but very obviously, if they let go of this chance to destroy Mount Hua, perhaps there would never be another one. And right now, when Zhu Yuanzhang had revolted against the Central Star Field, this had caused Su Mian to be a bit apprehensive about them. If they also rebelled, this would give Su Mian a bigger headache.

The Star Marquis were all brilliant, thinking rapidly on how to exploit this opportunity of Zhu Yuanzhang's revolt to force Su Mian to the sidelines.

War was on the verge of breaking out, when at this moment, the cry of a Holy Beast came from the heavens. Clear-light coiled in the sky above Mount Hua, and a Snow Walking Crimson Eyed Beast emerged. A woman with sleeves wide like a phoenix spreading its wings appeared before everyone.

"Sisters, you are truly rowdy. How was I not invited?"

The woman sneered. She was none other than Qilin Martial Emperor Liu Hongyu.

1. 天下浮屠 ↩
2. 蒼生苦海 ↩