Paragon of Sin

"The potential of that star is much higher than we thought!" Jia Yang exclaimed greedily. This single statement resonated in the hearts of every last cultivator from the Endless Voyage Realm! Despite their incredibly imposing display and reveal, not a single cultivator from the Endless Voyage Realm felt true terror at the sight of the colossal, planet-sized Sky Destroyers. Instead, they felt shaking excitement at the prospects and depths of that Solar Star with a Mystic Radiance Belt!

The Crimson Moon-robed Librarian bit her lower lip anxiously as she longingly stared at the planet she had unfortunately left behind, feeling indescribable gloominess and scorching rage rising from her chest. The planet was likely hiding unfathomably precious treasures! Her gaze focused on Yang Chaoyue. This plague-like witch!

Su Nianzu's helmet moved in a steady yet swift up-and-down motion, nodding agreeingly to Jia Yang's statement. Within the opening of his helmet, two orbs of prismatic light that were his eyes shone passionately.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Clan's momentum surged into the Dark Void in an unstoppable, irresistible, and invincible charge! The planet-sized Sky Destroyers split the Dark Void, their offensive cannons charged as mystic light of its inherent formations whirled into thunderous activity, and their defensive shielding established themselves, forming a golden atmospheric layer with depictions of the vast, endlessly moving starry sky. It was exceedingly beautiful to observe as each Sky Destroyer resembled a tiny universe!

The Earthly Saints on board piloted the Sky Destroyers or shot explosively forth, weapons in hands, Mystic Auras fully unleashed, at the invading Ascended beings beneath the Earthly Saint Phase. A terrifyingly swift ripple of mana, space, and light spread throughout the Dark Void from Heaven's Sky Palace, unleashing a starfield-wide suppression force. Imperial Pressure!

Those Earthly Saints holding planets or those who delved into the depths of fixed space to extract the cores of Secret Realms or World Realms were forcibly rebuffed by this power! They were either cast out of various layers of space or their Mystic Power manifestations crumbled like paper mache.

Several Ascended beings, Earthly Saints included, spat out wads of saliva or reeled violently from the backlash. Especially the Earthly Saints, their expressions drastically and dramatically changed as they felt a suppression enforce itself on their Mystic Souls, restraining their Mystic Auras and flow of Mystic Power.

WHIRL!!

Suddenly, each Earthly Saint near the colossal Sky Destroyers, totaling thirteen, found themselves sealed within a World Prison. This World Prison derived its power from the planets, realms, and outposts, and was controlled by the colossal Sky Destroyers' Captains and crew. The crew consisted of thousands upon thousands of Exalted, Venerables, and Highlords!

In a setting of war, coordinated numbers joined in a single goal, directed by exquisitely designed formations and arrays, could easily eclipse a single individual! THIS WAS WAR!

BAM! BOOM! BANG!!

"WHAT IS THIS?" The Earthly Saints locked down sent attacks at the Ascension Art blasting at the World Prison. They held little back, relying on their peak Mystic-Earth Armaments and strong foundation, yet besides a few cracks and bulges, the World Prisons were like an unbreakable spatial cage reinforced by the starfield's greatest sources of power!

"Let us out!"

"Damnit! Screw this! Take this! THIS!"

Resistance was wild and forceful yet none of them could break out. Some tried spatial arts, others resorted to talismans, but regardless of what they used, the World Prisons seemed to be able to rapidly calculate the strength of their resistance and attempts and either adjust or impede their escape.

The Imperial Advisor stood calmly at the helm of a colossal Sky Destroyer, her eyes flowing with calculating light as a series of wisps of Enlightened Scholarly Mists circulated about her body, intertwined mystically with her tens of thousands of Mystic Runes. She resembled a thunderous sage enraged by the world, enlightened by murderous inclinations!

"They're capable of trapping so many of our Earthly Saints without tapping into their Solar Star's core! The value of those planets and realms..." Jia Yang was salivating at this point, his wrinkled skin was in frantic motion, and he could barely contain his desire.

"Tian Taizong has already revealed himself! We know where he is and can see that he's restrained! Are we going to allow our members to die for an unnecessary test?" As Jia Yang said this, the perception of the two Worldly Saints as if the world was in slow motion, and they could see the four colossal Sky Destroyers revving up for a devastatingly focused concentration of mystic energy, aiming at each of the World Prisons. While some might survive, they would lose at least half.

While they rapidly spoke, the Earthly Saints of the Imperial Clan had long since soared into the Dark Void and met the Venerables and Highlord level cultivators of their realm, clashing with an overwhelming advantage, and had even put some close to death. If not for their protective talismans, they would have died pathetic deaths. Fortunately, it was significantly easier to acquire Earthly Saint-forged talismans than Worldly Saint-forged talismans. Even the Worldly Saints of the Endless Voyage Realm didn't feel like spending a few years making these things unless it was for their descendants or assignments from their clans.

"Each of those ships is equipped with a series of offensive formations that could injure ordinary World Emperors if they're careless. They must be powered by a significant amount of Mystic World Stones. However, do you think this is all they have? Tian Taizong has had tens of thousands of years to prepare for an invasion with that Solar Star's presence elevating his environment! There's more!" Su Nianzu intelligently evaluated. He didn't think the so-called Aeternal Sky Divine Emperor of this starfield ONLY had this much. If before they saw the atmosphere with Yang Chaoyue and the others, then this must be the earthen crust. Where was the planetary core?!

"..." Jia Yang frowned. After thinking for a short while, he then suggested: "We should send the couple in."

"Hm?" Su Nianzu perked at the possibility. Then, after thinking about it, he decided that doing so could mitigate losses and force out any hidden trump cards. "I'll tell them to move now." He didn't need much time to consider.

WOOOOOOO!!!!

Four concentrated beams of mystic energy, so condensed that they split apart space and time, lanced toward each imprisoned Earthly Saint. The beam was wide enough to encapsulate a tiny-sized planet, fast enough to outrace Earthly Saints, and bright enough to blind ghosts and gods. For those in their World Prisons, they couldn't escape. The Imperial Clan's members had long since used this brief respite to establish significant distance from those trapped and the other Ascended beings, staying in place and refusing to budge as if terrified of being caught in the range of the Sky Destroyers' attack!

The beams sundered the world, ripping apart the fabric of space, distorting time, and twisting light. The imprisoned Earthly Saints were engulfed. Before their fates were sealed, bestial roars of unyieldingness and rage echoed out as terrifying last-ditch efforts were unleashed in an unrestrained manner. The resistance at death's door wasn't swift or powerful enough to save themselves, however.

Tian Taizong sat on his throne in hemp robes. His head slightly inclined as his hazel-gold eyes shone with starry light, observing the battle intently. "So they've made a move. But who are these two?" As his words were muttered outward, the situation in the Dark Void of the Aeternal Sky Starfield changed unexpectedly!

The beams were enough to eviscerate half a dozen Earthly Saints. They were sealed and unable to move, essentially living targets, and they couldn't break free despite their every effort. However, they weren't dead!

Standing in the Dark Void, a valiantly handsome young man and a devastatingly beautiful young woman floated together. Their appearance seemingly attracted everyone's attention. Behind them was every single imprisoned Earthly Saint. They looked as pale as death, their breathing extremely labored, and their hearts violently pounding, yet the gratefulness in their eyes as they respectfully gazed at the two was as tangible as could be.

The two resembled an immortal couple from myth and folklore. They were as brilliant as the stars and as natural as breathing.

"Thank you, Senior Zhen. Thank you, Fairy Peng." An Earthly Saint clasped hands in haste. Despite the severe fright he had been given, with these two on the scene, all problems felt fleeting and inconsequential.

Zhen Yang slightly nodded to the Earthly Saint, casually acknowledging his existence, while Peng Yue returned a faint, heartwarming smile. The gentleness in her gaze was enough to placate hellish monsters and ravaging beasts.

The Earthly Saint absentmindedly stared at Peng Yue, his heart skipping a few beats. He had heartfelt admiration and heartrending envy. He hurriedly caught himself and looked away, retreating with the others, yet when he glanced at the two, especially at Zhen Yang, he couldn't help but scream in his heart: "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME!"

His thoughts aside, the situation had greatly changed!

The Imperial Advisor's eyes were focused intently on the duo. The world seemed to have been changed to their pace, its cadence dancing to their natural, harmonic tune.

"So the real experts have shown themselves," the Imperial Advisor said as she controlled her colossal Sky Destroyer. She was priming it for a fierce battle.

Peng Yue's eyes lightly fell on the Imperial Advisor. The Imperial Advisor was wearing a neatly organized white robe with puddings of metallic armor on her shins, legs, feet, arms, elbows, and shoulders. She cut a tall valiant figure, exuding experience and age, wisdom and strength, and despite her early fifty-year-old appearance, she was elegantly imposing.

A proper warrior.

Within her hands was a greatsword with runic markings etched all over, stabbed downwards next to her, and her eyes were tightly closed with faint forbidding light leaking from its edges.

"She's interesting," Peng Yue lightly commented. Her voice was like the music of the Dao, enchanting and soul-stirring, spreading across the Dark Void and slithering into the ears of anyone within half a million miles!

When the Imperial Advisor heard this, her expression hurriedly changed. She shouted loudly and forcefully! The sonic waves of her scream instantly twisted half the Aeternal Sky Starfield's mana into a frenzy. The ears of her crew, the crew of the other colossal Sky Destroyers, and the others bled. It only affected those from the Imperial Clan.

Peng Yue was taken aback. She didn't think she would find someone who grasped Awakened Sound Intent to this degree. "You are interesting," her voice now lacked that musical quality that could lure souls and snare hearts.

"You can play with the other three-I'll take her," Peng Yue said with a faint smile.

Zhen Yang nodded silently. Then, he vanished!

"Defend!" The Imperial Advisor ordered as she activated the colossal Sky Destroyer's defenses. The four colossal Sky Destroyers were a fair distance apart, but they weren't too far. When Zhen Yang vanished, they all simultaneously heeded the Imperial Advisor's orders, solidifying their atmospheric barrier-like defenses to their maximal limits.

Unfortunately...

Zhan Yang landed directly on the surface of one of the barriers. The barrier pulsed violently to send him away, yet his feet were latched tightly onto its surface. "How strong is this?" With a palm, he lightly pressed downward.

Mystic Heart Intent!

Sword Heart Intent!

Yang Sword World Rune!

The two gathered as one, forming a complete power under the Mystic Dao. A dazzlingly bright golden sword light reached upwards for millions of miles and soared into existence! Then, the barrier and the colossal Sky Destroyer were sliced directly in half!!

The Imperial Advisor's eyes widened.

Whoosh!

A gracefully beautiful figure appeared at the edge of her colossal Sky Destroyer's golden starry barrier. Peng Yue lightly outstretched two fingers, forming a faint sword light, and then gently waved it from top to bottom. The sword light sliced into the barrier, ripping as easily as frail fabric.

Mystic Heart Intent!

Sword Heart Intent!

Yin Sword World Rune!

"Show me how interesting you are. If you surprise me, I might consider keeping you as a maidservant," Peng Yue said as she stepped directly through the colossal Sky Destroyer's barrier, standing no more than a few hundred of miles away from the Imperial Advisor!

Grim-faced, the Imperial Advisor's closed eyes winced as she gripped her greatsword tightly to the point her knuckles turned white.