Star Odyssey

Chapter 4243: Fourfold Blade Path

Greater Sancte Awe Gate met Chang Tian’s gaze. “She is doing very well. You don’t need to worry about her. All you need to do right now is fulfill your promise.”

Chang Tian looked troubled.

“What is it, do you not want to keep your word?”

“It’s not that, but-”

Suddenly, both Lu Yin and Greater Sancte Awe Gate turned to look into the distance, as did Chang Tian. The void in the direction collapsed, and then a figure slowly emerged, radiating a terrifying killing intent.

The murderous aura was so fierce that space itself trembled. It felt as if the entire universe was swaying.

Chang Tian’s expression changed. “You two need to leave, quickly!”

“Can we get away?” Awe Gate frowned and looked up at the starry sky. “Senior Chang Tu, it has been a long time.”

The man’s eyes were as sharp as blades, yet carried the sense of a world just born. One eye seemed to rise, the other to fall. A single glance made it feel as though one’s body was being stripped from the void and dragged toward an indescribable realm.

After just one look, Lu Yin instinctively took a step back.

While Awe Gate was staring upwards, she did not meet the newcomer’s gaze directly.

“Oh?” The man stared at Lu Yin in surprise while slowly descending to stand in front of Chang Tian. For a moment, he ignored Awe Gate, focusing solely on Lu Yin.

Lu Yin let out a breath and looked back at the man. By this time, the man’s eyes had returned to normal, revealing nothing unusual whatsoever.

He met the man’s gaze.

The newcomer’s eyes showed absolute astonishment.

Chang Tian had not expected Chang Tu to appear. Chang Tu was known as the Longevity Civilization’s strongest expert, an Immortal who resonated with two cosmic laws. Why would such a person appear in this place?

“Child, what is your name?” Chang Tu asked with open interest as he stared at Lu Yin.

Lu Yin felt immense pressure. Chang Tu was extremely formidable, and he was absolutely no weaker than Old First. The green man also boasted the strongest killing intent that Lu Yin had ever encountered, radiating a domineering majesty, as though he alone stood above all.

He slowly cupped his hands. “This junior is Lu Yin, from a human civilization.”

Chang Tu nodded. “I know you are from human civilization. I simply didn’t expect your people to be able to produce such a formidable Aberrant. To be able to meet my gaze while only taking one step back is more than what many Immortals can do.”

Chang Tian also turned to stare at Lu Yin. He had not realized that Lu Yin was so powerful. If he had met Chang Tu’s eyes and only retreated a single step, Chang Tian had absolutely underestimated the young man.

Lu Yin replied, “You flatter me, Senior. I’ve intruded upon your people, and I beg your forgiveness.”

Chang Tu sneered and turned to Awe Gate. “Xiao Zhi, back then, you said that you would never return. You can’t even honor your own promise, and yet you still have the nerve to demand that others keep theirs?”

Awe Gate’s eyes narrowed sharply. “Whether I keep my word is my own business, and whether Chang Tian keeps his word is his business. If someone owes you money and refuses to pay, does that give you the right to avoid paying your own debts?”

Chang Tu barked a cold laugh. “Still as sharp-tongued as ever! Leave. The Longevity Civilization does not welcome you.”

Awe Gate clenched a fist. She had not expected Chang Tu to make an appearance. She had planned to enter the Longevity Civilization, lure out Chang Tian, and then have him secretly help Lu Yin acquire the Jumping Line of Sight, just as he had once secretly helped her take Qing Yun away.

Instead, Chang Tu had personally shown up, and the old man had always disliked Awe Gate.

He was the one who had offered her those two choices all those years ago.

Seeing the expression on Awe Gate’s face, Lu Yin understood that things were looking bad. He turned to Chang Tian. At this juncture, this man was the only one who might be able to help them.

“Old man, you didn’t like me from the very start, thinking I wasn’t worthy of anyone from your Longevity Civilization. Well, I am an Immortal now too, and I’m telling you that, now, Chang Tian is unworthy of me!” Awe Gate suddenly said.

Her words instantly enraged Chang Tu. “What did you just say? That someone from my Longevity Civilization is unworthy of you? Girl, don’t think that just because you broke through to the Immortal realm that you’re something special! There are differences even among Immortals. You couldn’t withstand even one move from me!”

Awe Gate gave a frosty laugh. “Really? Then how many moves can Chang Tian take from you?”

Chang Tu was about to answer, only for Awe Gate to cut him off. “Have some shame and answer honestly.”

Chang Tu opened his mouth yet again, only to be interrupted once more. “Don’t embarrass the Longevity Civilization.”

“You wretched girl, so arrogant! With Chang Tian’s ability, he could survive no more than two moves from me, and that’s the truth.”

“Fine. I’ll take three moves from you.”

Chang Tian was horrified. “Xiao Zhi, are you trying to die?”

“Shut up!” Awe Gate snapped.

Chang Tian clenched his teeth. “Xiao Zhi, you absolutely cannot take three moves from him. Just go!”

Awe Gate sneered. “A man who doesn’t even dare to keep his promises has no right to talk. Taking our daughter away back then was absolutely the right choice. If she had stayed here with you, she’d only be embarrassed.”

Lu Yin’s brows shot up. Those were some truly vicious words.

Chang Tian clenched his teeth and looked at Chang Tu. “Senior.”

Chang Tu snorted contemptuously while glaring at the other man. “Get out of my way. Since this wretched girl dares to look down on our Longevity Civilization, I’ll show her just how vast the cosmos really is.

“You think that becoming an Immortal makes you invincible?” He stared at Awe Gate. “Wretched girl, three moves it is. You said it yourself, so if you die, don’t blame me.”

Awe Gate drew Awecloud and pointed the spear at the distant Chang Tu. “If I die, I will have no regrets.”

“Good!” Chang Tu shouted. There was no wind, and yet the air around them started to move on its own. It was as if the void was being pushed aside in a massive horizontal sweep.

Chang Tian and Lu Yin were both forced back by the irresistible pressure.

Awe Gate held nothing back. Gripping Awecloud, she thrust it forward. Heartrift power fell from above, enveloping her surroundings as multiple gates appeared around her spear: Cloud Manifestation.

Lu Yin’s eyes flickered. She was not using the Nirvana Tree Path, which meant that this was Awe Gate’s peak power when the Nest civilization had first attacked.

Chang Tian was astonished. He had seen Awe Gate take action in the past, back when she had just broken through to the Immortal realm. At that time, she had snuck into the Longevity Civilization to steal Qing Yun, but her strength had been far inferior to what she was currently revealing. Chang Tian could even sense pressure from the woman.

Still, it was not nearly enough for her to survive three attacks from Chang Tu, perhaps not even two.

Chang Tu sneered and drew a deep breath. As the heartrift power descended, he suddenly roared. Even without actually attacking, just the sound alone shattered the void. It was as if countless blades had been released within the rift, slicing through it and ripping the heartrift power apart. Awe Gate’s face grew pale even as her Cloud Manifestation closed in, the spear thrusting straight for Chang Tu’s face.

The man raised a hand and extended a single finger. At its tip, a faint blade glimmered with cold light. When it met Awecloud, a shrill tearing sound rang out.

The gates spinning around the spear shattered one by one. Awecloud was clearly very long, but the spear bent beneath Chang Tu’s one finger as the blade at his fingertip pressed closer and closer to Awe Gate.

Lu Yin’s gaze shook. Such ferocious killing intent, such fully bared edge. This was the sharpest presence he had ever encountered.

Awe Gate stared at the approaching blade, clenching her teeth as she sent a surge of heartrift power down her arms, forcing Awecloud to straighten back out.

“Hm? Girl, if I recall correctly, you’ve always carried this weapon. Do you not want it anymore?”

“I said that I would take three of your moves, so I will take three of your moves!”

With a casual sweep, Chang Tu flicked Awecloud from her grasp. The spear spun away to stab into the ground. Awe Gate staggered back several steps, her arms trembling as blood dripped from her palms.

Chang Tian stepped forward. “Xiao Zhi.”

Awe Gate raised a hand. Both of her arms were still shaking. Chang Tu had held back, or else his strike would have completely shattered Awecloud.

Lu Yin stared at Chang Tu. The man had not been exaggerating. He was even stronger than expected. Without the Nirvana Tree Path, Awe Gate truly would not be able to withstand three moves from the old man. Even with that added strength, it was uncertain if she would be able to endure or not.

“Xiao Zhi, Senior will not hold back with his second move. He will use the Fourfold Blade Path. That first strike was only a test. Leave now. You absolutely cannot withstand three moves.”

Awe Gate stared at Chang Tu. “I’ve heard of the Fourfold Blade Path. Rumors claim that the fourth step’s strike can slay any creature in the Aevum Inch.”

Chang Tu clasped his hands behind his back. “That’s an exaggeration.

“...Though not by much.

“Girl, for my second move I will indeed use the Fourfold Blade Path. I advise that you give up now. The strength you just displayed is quite good and certainly worthy of praise. It’s not much worse than this brat Chang Tian. You’ve proven your talent for combat, and I admit that you are deserving of someone from my Longevity Civilization. However, once a choice is made, there is no room for regret. Leave.”

Awe Gate’s gaze remained firm. “Do it, old man! Use your second move.”

“Xiao Zhi!” Chang Tian shouted.

Chang Tu cackled, bloodlust distorting his features. “You really don’t know how high the sky is nor how deep the earth runs. Fine. If you wish to die, I will oblige you.”

With that, the man’s fingers spread out, and a blade appeared in his hand. It was simple and unadorned, yet clearly ancient and timeworn. As the blade rose, Chang Tian hastened to step in front of the older man. “Senior, I will take your second move.”

“Out of my way!” Chang Tu roared.

Awe Gate’s figure flickered across the way. Awecloud flew back to her hand as she fiercely charged at Chang Tu.

He twisted the blade in his hand and brought it down in a single slash.

The same instant the blade fell, a harsh sharpness spread out in a circle, enveloping both Chang Tu and Awe Gate. Chang Tian tried to rush in, but he was repelled by the killing intent. He would not be able to force his way through in time.

Awe Gate watched as the blade fell towards her. The entire universe was replaced by that single knife.

This was the Fourfold Blade Path.

When she had last visited the Longevity Civilization, even before becoming an Immortal, she had heard of this battle technique. Countless members of the civilization yearned to learn and train it, yet almost none ever succeeded.

Chang Tu’s blade was truly a killing blade.

As the knife descended, his eyes floated behind the edge, demonic in their intensity.

Lu Yin’s eyes narrowed. This was a suffocating slash. Very few in the entire human civilization could withstand such a blow. Immortals at the level of the humanoid Verdant Sage, the droplet-shaped Verdant Sage, or even Kang Tian would unquestionably be slain by it.

Faced with this world-shaking slash, Awe Gate raised Awecloud to meet the blade directly, actually hoping to meet force with force.

Chang Tian was stunned by her response, and even Chang Tu was taken aback. Was the woman seeking death?

In the next moment, heartrift power erupted with a roar. Using the Nirvana Tree Path to fuse with Greater Sancte Mi Jin’s spirit seed, Awe Gate’s strength suddenly flared and caught Chang Tu off guard. Awecloud collided with his blade, splitting the universe with a massive crack that transformed into countless dark fissures. It looked as if the entire universe had been sliced apart.

Countless members of the Longevity Civilization looked up in horror, sensing a power that could be described as anything but ordinary.

Awe Gate braced herself, holding the blade back while shocking Chang Tu. Had she actually stopped it?

Chang Tian was just as stunned. How could Xiao Zhi erupt with such overwhelming strength?

Lu Yin’s expression grew grim. This was bad. Just the old man’s second attack had already forced out Awe Gate’s full power of fusing with Mi Jin’s spirit seed. What could she do for the third strike?

Lu Yin had originally thought that Awe Gate would be able to rely on her original strength to withstand two moves and then unleash her true power. However, the very first strike had already pushed her to her limits. The second had drawn out the full power of her Seed Transfusion with Mi Jin’s spirit seed. It was practically impossible for her to endure a third blow.

With a dull boom, the blade withdrew. Awe Gate retreated, blood trickling from her hand and down Awecloud’s shaft as her face turned ashen.

Chang Tian stared on blankly. Xiao Zhi had indeed surpassed him.