The Soul Awakening cultivator looks down at his chest.
Then he raises his head.
His gaze locks onto Chu Feng as the aftermath of the explosion fades.
He sees clearly,
Chu Feng's aura has already fallen back to the Sublimation Stage.
"You…"
He takes a step back.
For a Soul Awakening cultivator, the heart is no longer a fatal weakness.
Even without it, they do not die immediately.
Only the brain remains a true vital point.
But losing the heart still weakens him severely.
His combat strength drops sharply.
If Chu Feng and Shi Yang were not here, he could have regenerated a new heart with ease.
But now,
He knows he will not get that chance.
"This is not over."
His eyes burn with cold fury.
A promise of retaliation.
Then he turns.
And flees.
Chu Feng and Shi Yang exchange a glance.
No words are needed.
They understand each other completely.
They cannot let him escape.
Both of them force their remaining energy into motion.
Chu Feng moves first.
"Dragon Roar!"
He opens his mouth.
A thunderous roar bursts forth.
The sound shakes the sky.
Waves of sonic force surge forward at terrifying speed.
They crash into the fleeing cultivator.
His body jolts.
He struggles.
The sound binds him.
Presses into him.
The force seeps into his body.
Strikes his already damaged organs.
His injuries worsen instantly.
His aura flickers violently.
Like a candle in a storm.
At the same moment,
Shi Yang raises his hand.
Light gathers.
Forms a bow.
A pure white bow of condensed energy appears.
He draws the invisible string.
Pulls it back.
Further.
Further.
To the limit.
His veins bulge along his arm.
Then,
A golden string forms.
Along with it,
A golden arrow.
Radiant.
Sharp.
He releases.
The bow shatters into light.
Its energy flows into the arrow.
The arrow shoots forward.
Faster than thought.
The Soul Awakening cultivator sees it coming.
His eyes widen.
He roars.
Forces his remaining strength outward.
A violent burst of energy erupts.
He breaks free from the sound waves.
But,
Too late.
The arrow is already in front of him.
It pierces his right chest.
Then,
Explodes.
Golden energy floods his body.
Destroys everything inside.
All remaining organs,
Pulverised.
His body becomes hollow.
Empty.
Yet,
He does not die immediately.
He remains suspended in the air.
Swaying slightly.
His aura fades.
Rapidly.
His consciousness begins to slip away.
Darkness closes in.
Suddenly,
A figure appears beside him.
A handsome young man with blond hair and glass-like eyes.
He catches the falling cultivator with one hand.
The dying cultivator's eyes widen.
Alarm flashes through them.
"Nox… why are you here?"
Nox glances at him calmly.
"I came to help you."
The cultivator burns his soul to remain conscious.
His fading aura flickers violently.
"How… are you going to help me?"
Nox's lips curl into a faint grin.
"If you die like this…"
"Your name will become a disgrace in history."
"A Soul Awakening cultivator…"
"Killed by two Sublimation Stage juniors."
The cultivator curses inwardly.
His mind sharpens.
Every instinct screams danger.
He prepares to escape.
Within the Star Singer Tower, Nox is an outlier.
Someone no one wants to approach.
The Law he cultivates,
Feared.
Avoided.
Nox continues, voice calm.
"So, to preserve your name…"
"I decided to devour you."
The cultivator reacts instantly.
His soul tears free from his body.
Fleeing.
Chu Feng and Shi Yang witness this,
Shock fills their eyes.
At the same time, they notice Nox's silver robe.
Star Singer Tower.
Reinforcements.
They act without hesitation.
Swallowing pills.
Forcing their bodies to absorb spiritual energy.
Trying to recover even a fraction of strength.
But what follows,
Stuns them.
The Soul Awakening cultivator is not escaping toward safety.
He is fleeing,
From Nox.
Desperately.
Without dignity.
Nox raises his hand.
Opens his palm.
"Star Devour."
A black hole forms instantly before him.
Small.
Yet terrifying.
It spins violently.
Devouring everything in front of it.
Clouds distort.
Winds collapse inward.
Even light bends.
Pulled into the darkness.
The fleeing soul is caught.
Dragged.
It struggles,
But only for a moment.
Then,
It is swallowed.
Without resistance.
Without escape.
Silence follows.
Then,
Nox casually lifts the lifeless body.
And tosses it into the black hole.
The body disappears.
Consumed completely.
The black hole contracts.
Then vanishes.
Nox exhales softly.
And burps.
Then he turns toward Chu Feng and Shi Yang.
In the next instant,
Tears fill his eyes.
"Ben… you were such a good person…"
His voice trembles.
"Knowing you could not defeat them…"
"You sacrificed your life to help me win…"
He wipes his tears.
His expression changes.
Cold.
"You two…"
"Will not get away after killing my friend."
Chu Feng and Shi Yang do not respond.
They have already seen everything.
There is no illusion left.
No misunderstanding.
No hope.
They understand clearly,
Nox is far more dangerous than the one they just defeated.
Without hesitation,
They burn their vitality.
Their auras erupt.
Shi Yang shines with a blinding golden radiance.
Holy.
Sacred.
Chu Feng's body floods with deep blue light.
Cold.
Vast.
Like the ocean itself.
The light intensifies,
Then collapses inward.
When it fades,
Neither of them looks human anymore.
Shi Yang's eyes lose all emotion.
Cold.
Empty.
Divine.
A pure angelic presence surrounds him.
Four pairs of wings spread behind his back.
Each feather is glowing with holy light.
No humanity remains.
Only ruthless divinity.
Chu Feng transforms completely.
His body becomes that of a humanoid ocean dragon.
Blue scales cover him.
His presence shifts,
Ferocious.
Instinctive.
Primal.
The consciousness of a dragon overtakes him.
If Nox were not here,
They would already be trying to kill each other.
But now,
They sense something greater.
A danger beyond both of them.
They move together.
Attack.
Chu Feng opens his mouth.
A torrent of blue dragon flame erupts.
Roaring forward.
At the same time,
Shi Yang raises his sword toward the sky.
A radiant mirror forms above him.
It absorbs the sunlight.
Condenses it.
Then releases it,
A blazing beam of pure light crashes downward toward Nox.
Nox does not move.
He lifts his hand again.
"Star Devour."
The black hole appears once more.
It swallows both attacks.
Consumes.
Crushes.
But,
This time,
It is not enough.
The two forces resist.
Push back.
Explode partially within the devouring field.
The backlash strikes Nox.
His body trembles.
Blood spills from his mouth.
For the first time,
He is injured.
Chu Feng and Shi Yang do not hesitate.
They charge.
Their bodies dissolve into streaks of light.
Blue.
Golden.
They vanish,
Then reappear in front of Nox.
Their attacks strike simultaneously.
Nox raises both hands.
Blocks.
The impact shakes the air.
Then,
All three disappear.
Blue.
Gold.
Black.
Three streaks of light collide across the sky.
Again and again.
Each clash releases violent shockwaves.
The sky trembles.
Below them,
The forest is devastated.
Trees are uprooted.
Earth splits apart.
Magic beasts flee in terror.
Running blindly for their lives.
Farther below,
The dragon shield protecting Biyun trembles.
It wavers under the pressure.
But does not break.
Above,
The battle continues.
Relentless.
Unforgiving.
The clash continues.
Blue, gold, and black light tear across the sky.
Each collision heavier than the last.
Each strike carries killing intent.
But after a few minutes,
Nox's expression shifts.
He begins to calculate.
He can win.
But not cleanly.
Not without cost.
Serious cost.
His eyes narrow slightly.
Then,
He stops holding back.
A low whisper leaves his lips.
"Star Devouring Field."
Power surges outward.
Not just energy,
Vitality.
Spirit.
Law.
Soul.
All of it combines.
The space around him distorts.
A field forms.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
Complete.
In this world, only Soul Awakening cultivators and above can form such a field.
Because it requires the awakening of the soul itself.
Ben could have used this.
Could have ended the earlier battle instantly.
But he underestimated his enemies.
And paid the price.
Nox does not make the same mistake.
His arrogance is not careless.
It is the arrogance of a beast.
A predator.
A lion does not toy with prey.
It hunts with everything.
Always.
The field expands.
Engulfs Chu Feng and Shi Yang.
Instantly,
Their movements are slow.
As if the air has turned into chains.
Their energy flow becomes sluggish.
Their attacks weaken.
The pressure seeps into their bodies.
Crushing.
Suppressing.
Nox steps forward.
Calm.
Certain.
He is ready to end it.
Quickly.
Cleanly.
But,
At that moment,
Something changes.
A ripple.
Subtle.
Yet absolute.
From far away,
A presence arrives.
Following cause and effect.
Crossing distance in an instant.
Merin appears.
Above the battlefield.
Without a word,
He raises his hand.
And strikes.
A massive virtual hand forms.
Condensed.
Heavy with law.
It slams down onto the field.
The Star Devouring Field shatters.
Like glass.
Cracks spread instantly.
Then,
Break.
At the same moment,
Merin's hand moves again.
A second motion.
Precise.
Effortless.
The broken field parts.
Chu Feng and Shi Yang are seized.
Lifted.
Pulled out.
Removed completely.
Before Nox can react,
Merin raises his other hand.
And slaps downward.
Toward him.