As the words "Get lost!" echoed through the air, many witnessed a scene they would never forget. One after another, blindingly bright beams of light pierced through the piled-up beasts, erupting with a thunderous roar. Then a massive, rapidly expanding, platinum-white ring of flame appeared. This ring combined sonic and pressure forces, generating an indescribably terrifying crushing power.
"Boom!"
The solidified ring of flame spread relentlessly. All martial artists and beasts it touched along its path were crushed as if by a colossal wheel. Their bodies emitted cracking sounds under the overwhelming pressure, violently repelled and hurled away.
Like debris floating on the ocean's surface, they were violently tossed by a colossal wave. The martial artists on the battlefield were all struck rigid by this immense, formidable, terrifying force. Eyes wide, faces taut and motionless, they stared fixedly at the direction from which the ring swept in. A gale swept across their faces, whipping their hair tightly against their cheeks and scalps. Yet it could not stir the wild, swelling shock and awe surging within their hearts.
Sarl, who commanded all, felt the smile freeze on his face. He stared fixedly at the point where the ring erupted, seemingly momentarily lost for reaction.
Seconds later, every pupil in the arena contracted sharply. They witnessed a figure emerge, resplendent and radiant, like a star of pure white gold. It was still… Lu Sheng.
"Hmph—"
He exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes flickering with an unusual light. He had now entered the second combustion stage of the Immortal cells, the Main Sequence Star form of the Stellar Dao. After half a year, re-entering this Main Sequence Star state brought him a fresh, overwhelming sense of power. Yet Sheng was more preoccupied with savoring the peculiar sensations triggered by that earlier "Get lost!"
Truthfully, even he hadn't anticipated that a casual shout could unleash such immense might. He only recalled that he had just entered his Main Sequence Star form and then, drawing upon a fraction of the power from the 330,000 Immortal Cells within his body, he bellowed, "Get lost!"
But somehow, just as these words were about to leave his lips, the colossal Immortal Dao Golden Core within his dantian—a sphere virtually comparable to a planet in size—was also activated. It released immense energy, merging with the divine power of the hundreds of thousands of Immortal Cells to ultimately forge that terrifying platinum flame sonic ring.
It was somewhat akin to the 'Lion's Roar' frequently featured in martial arts novels of his past life. But it was billions of times more powerful than the 'Lion's Roar'. It could truly be called a formidable divine ability! Moreover, this divine ability was born from the fusion of the Martial and Immortal Daos. This was truly extraordinary.
"It proves my approach was correct—Immortal Dao + Martial Dao is far more than just 1+1=2!"
Sheng's heart swelled with joy, glimpsing the dawn of Immortal-Martial fusion.
'So, I now have 330,000 Immortal Cells and the terrifying power unleashed by these Cells is sufficient to amplify even the most ordinary action to unimaginable levels. Every word, every deed, every movement, even every breath… could rival the devastating power of an ordinary mortal's divine technique. This must be what they mean by… When great power resides within, divine techniques form naturally.'
In a good mood, Sheng idly pondered as he took a step forward with a "swish."
A platinum-white beam instantly appeared in the arena. The beam darted about. Each time it pierced a beast or a traitorous martial artist, the latter's body burst like a water balloon pricked by a needle. They exploded with a sharp "pop". In the blink of an eye, the number of traitorous martial artists on the field dwindled by over a dozen. Now, the eyes of those remaining finally changed completely.
Level 12... When did level 12s become so fragile? Absolutely no defensive capability whatsoever. Getting slaughtered without mercy. The kicker is… The one reaping them is still only level 11!
"Damn it!"
At this very moment, those words echoed in the minds of everyone present, regardless of faction. None were more stunned than Saya and Tang Dun. As the two closest to Sheng within the entire team, they watched him mow down level 12 martial artists and beasts like grass. Both fell into a daze. For a fleeting moment, they wondered if everything since boarding that recruitment ship bound for the alternate battlefield had been nothing but a dream.
"Damn it! Damn it."
Even Sarl, the mastermind orchestrating everything, was shaken by the power Sheng displayed, his face contorting in shock. He never imagined an operation that had proceeded smoothly would be disrupted by a level 11 warrior who appeared out of nowhere.
By now, the casualties among his traitorous subordinates and beasts far exceeded expectations. If this continued, even if the planned mission was ultimately completed, he would likely face severe punishment from his Master upon return. At this thought, the orange flames in Sarl's eyes flared intensely.
"Die. You must die!"
Instantly, a torrent of crimson energy surged from his body. The currents swirled around him, coalescing into a dazzling orange nebula. Simultaneously, five brilliant silver ribbons appeared on his body. Five silver Rule Galaxies!
With the emergence of the power of these five Rules, Sarl's aura surged to an unprecedented peak in an instant. The orange nebula swirling around him spun so fiercely it seemed ready to ignite. A terrifying, crushing pressure erupted from him with a thunderous boom, violently repelling everything around him. Even the void itself warped around him, distorting like melting glass.
"BOOM!"
A fierce, volatile surge of psychic energy erupted from his body, locking onto the rapidly shifting platinum beam in the arena. The two guides' expressions shifted slightly. Staring at Sarl before them, they instinctively retreated a considerable distance. If the Sarl they had faced earlier felt powerful and invincible, then the Sarl before them now felt like… Approaching would mean certain death. He was at least three times stronger than moments ago.
Was this Sarl's true power? Their scalps prickled. Glancing back at Sheng, now transformed into that platinum beam, their earlier confidence in his terrifying combat prowess evaporated. Witnessing Sarl unleashing his full might, doubt and apprehension began to creep in.
"Can he hold against a Sarl like this?"
The round-faced guide gritted his teeth. "Even if he can't, stalling for time should be manageable. By then, Sir Haiji Dao might have arrived."
"Let's hope so."
The stern-faced guide exhaled deeply.
In that very instant, Sarl vanished from her field of vision. He reappeared abruptly, blocking the path of the platinum light that Lu Sheng had transformed into. Their clash was about to erupt. At that moment, the attention of everyone present was drawn to this confrontation.
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Translation notes by dhoo
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Main Sequence Star form, the second stage of combustion of Sheng's Immortal Cells
Sheng's turned some of his cells into special cells, which used to be called the Star Seeds of the Stellar Dao and were renamed Immortal Cells after he inherited and incorporated elements of the Immortal Dao into his Martial Dao (made of various Daos including the Stellar Dao).
The first stage of combustion: all Immortal Cells ignite, it's the Protostar form
Second stage of combustion: all Immortal Cells burn more brilliantly, it's the Main Sequence Star form