Maiden Galaxy

Li Xiaxi had never seen such an overexaggerated weapon. That staff was at least a thousand catties. Just lifting it would be exhausting. Only a Star General that cultivated Star Energy would be capable of playing around with such a weapon in her hands. A normal warrior using such a weapon was suicide, for they would be completely unable to exhibit even a bit of their martial arts. But Chen Mo waved this staff around without any hindrance at all.

Li Xiaxi's left finger pointed, using Coronation Finger.

A ray of blood-qi became a sword, piercing through clouds, splitting stone, breaking space itself as it flew straight at Chen Mo from the front. Then, Li Xiaxi's figure warped, taking hold of Absolute Breaker and following up with another slash. Sword-light glowed, becoming a glittering snow-light.

Although Chen Mo's iron staff appeared quite swift and fierce, Li Xiaxi was not afraid of it in the least. His Absolute Breaker had already been casted to Two Star, classifying it as a Star Weapon. No matter how swift or fierce it was, this bare chested man's iron staff was only an ordinary weapon. The two of them were fundamentally different classes.

Coronation Finger could catch Chen Mo off-guard, and then he would close the distance for his sword swing, absolutely cutting him in two.

Carrying such self-confidence, Li Xiaxi's practically Qi And Blood Nine Turns power swelled, its might like a tide. Once he defeated this guy, this Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Treasure Chest would be his. Thinking of this, Li Xiaxi was already somewhat unable to contain his excitement.

"Xiaxi, you stop this!!" Ting Nanyuan was incomparably enraged. Without another thought, she used Dark Yang Finger.

"Princess, please calm down!" A grave and stern figure obstructed her. Qing Yu's expression was as sharp as a knife, saying: "Princess, this man's origins are unclear. You absolutely cannot be naive. This Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Chest may be related to Her Highness' life. Please reconsider."

"Roll away."¹ Ting Nanyuan roared.

Qing Yu did not dare face her with all his might. He could only use the Spirit Snake Fist's entangling arts to stall Ting Nanyuan and buy time for Li Xiaxi. Behind him came a rumble. Qing Yu thought that Li Xiaxi had killed Chen Mo, which delighted him, but then he heard Li Xiaxi let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"Ah!" The color drained from Ting Nanyuan's face.

Qing Yu turned his head to look and was stupefied by the scene before him.

Li Xiaxi's Coronation Finger had been stopped by Chen Mo's staff. The former was pleased with himself as he seized an opening, his sword thrusting out, his killing intent like a tiger about to shred Chen Mo until he surrendered, but Chen Mo was incomparable. After Northern Dipper caught his finger attack, it smashed straight towards his head.

A weapon that was without a Casted Star against a Star Weapon?

Unless yours was a Destined Star Weapon, this was merely suicide.

Even though the giant staff was as heavy as gold, Li Xiaxi's Absolute Breaker was practically a thousand catty guardian lion, not something that would crumble as easily as tofu. Without another thought, he swung his sword down to sever both this ugly staff and Chen Mo together.

Clang-clang.

The tip of the sword let out a painful groan. Li Xiaxi's expression changed, and his hand went numb. A tyrannical force shook the Absolute Breaker into ringing. This powerful energy was transmitted from the tip of the sword down to his hand, then hurt his whole body immediately afterwards.

Chen Mo exerted his strength at this close range. The Northern Dipper's force was enough to make a Qi And Blood Nine Turns warrior's power unable to resist. The Northern Dipper rose, then fell, smashing a second time.

Li Xiaxi's eyes were dazzled. He was extremely frightened.

So fast.

How can it be so fast.

The Northern Dipper struck in succession.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

In a short instant, Chen Mo had launched more than ten strikes, as swift as lightning, as rapid as thunder.

Wave after wave of energy shook Li Xiaxi's body. All of his meridians and flesh ached. Li Xiaxi did his utmost to circulate his qi and blood, nevertheless, the Li Xiaxi whose qi and blood had been refined into his meridians was unable to bear the pain racking his whole body, his muscles and bones.

Li Xiaxi's eyes widened, not daring to believe this as he shrieked.

His muscles and bones split apart, his qi and blood were in disorder, spurting from his throat, squirting like a fountain.

Chen Mo coldly grunted, sending Li Xiaxi flying with another strike. The man's head was smashed into the cave wall. Like a kite with its string severed, he thoroughly lost the capability to continue battle.

"Young Duke."

"Don't kill him."

Qing Yu was very astonished. He immediately attacked Chen Mo. The man's Qi And Blood Nine Turns had been refined into his heart and mind. Seething in anger, his spirit snake became an enormous python, and his limbs merged with the rest of his body. The large cave was shaken by him, sending sand and stone fragments tumbling down continuously.

Qing Yu's fists descended like a downpour, pounding against Northern Dipper. An ordianry weapon would have long disintegrated under his barrage, but Chen Mo's Northern Dipper Great Overflow was the secret art of Star Energy. No matter how Qing Yu flailed, Northern Dipper showed no signs of budging.

Qing Yu's expression was increasingly unsightly. Each blow upon the staff split his own skin.

Just what the hell was this weapon, for even his Qi And Blood Nine Turns to be unable to move it.

Chen Mo received his chilling barrage of punches. Then, he suddenly raised Northern Dipper, his bones producing blood, turning his blood and qi into boundless strength.

The iron staff was merciless, its staff-shadows numerous, its power pressing down on him.

This staff struck Qing Yu heavily against the chest. The man's ribs broke, and all of his body's pores sprayed qi and blood.

"Don't kill them." Ting Nanyuan urgently needed to stop Chen Mo's finishing blow. Her Dark Yang Finger changed into Three Yang Opens Tai, forming three crimson swords. These sword-lights stabbed towards Chen Mo's head, torso, and lower body.

Clang, clang, clang.

Three crisp sounds.

Chen Mo blocked them with his staff and struck his palm into the girl's chest, forcing her back.

Ting Nanyuan took a dozen steps back, finally colliding against the wall. The uneven rocks dug painfully into the girl's back. Ting Nanyuan already had injuries, and this nearly made her faint. Chen Mo could not bear this, but in the end, he steeled his heart and did not go over to support her.

"Do not kill them." Ting Nanyuan bit her lip, forcing herself to speak.

Chen Mo looked around at the Qing Yu and Li Xiaxi gasping for breath; they were already unconscious.

Chen Mo's hand quivered, but not from fear at all. Rather, he spent too much energy using the Northern Dipper just now. Practically every swing of the weapon wasted ten percent of his qi and blood. Despite Chen Mo heavily injuring two Qi And Blood Eight Turns and Nine Turns warriors with a few strike, the fact of the matter was that he was a bit exhausted, nearly unable to hold up the staff.

His hand moved, sending Northern Dipper back into the Astral Stone. Chen Mo breathed deeply, secretly activating the Nose Locking Art, slowly recovering his dissipated qi and blood.

Seeing Chen Mo store his weapon, Ting Nanyuan was relieved. The girl stared at this ruthless man with a complex expression.

This man was so strong.

Not even at Qi And Blood Nine Turns, but he was able to beat two top-notch Qi And Blood warriors into cripples. She did not know just what abnormal cultivation method he practiced to be so unreasonably strong. If it was not for her seeing Chen Mo's bare arms and chest releasing qi and blood energy, Ting Nanyuan would have believed him to be a Star General.

"If you can help me, then I will owe you a favor. In the future, the mansion of Prince Yang will definitely remunerate you." Ting Nanyuan meditated, taking out several Marrow And Blood Pellets, however, using the Marrow And Blood Pellets consecutively in a certain period would diminish the effects. After ingesting them, the girl's qi and blood merely recovered a smidgen.

"If that's true, I won't be stingy." Chen Mo said. He was not a fair or reasonable person. If it was not for Li Xiaxi and Qing Yu forcing him, he would not have gone to war against them. However, to defeat two powerful warriors in his first time taking action made Chen Mo a bit elated.

These months spent cultivating were not in vain.

Receiving Chen Mo's commitment, Ting Nanyuan was at ease.

Chen Mo walked near the treasure chest, carefully inspecting it. From the outside, the treasure chest permeated an ancient aura due to the passage of time. On the banner that was stuck into it, the banner had a totem of interlocking stars, vaguely emitting a faint spiritual power. Chen Mo attempted to move the treasure chest, only to find that the treasure chest and the ground had merged. It showed no signs of budging.

Chen Mo furrowed his brow. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Ting Nanyuan checking Li Xiaxi and Qing Yu for breathing. The girl was quite a bit on the old-fashioned side, only relaxing her taut face when she saw they were merely dying.²

"Why don't you open the treasure chest?" Ting Nanyuan asked when she saw that Chen Mo was standing by the treasure chest motionlessly.

The girl walked over with heavy footsteps.

"Don't you find it very odd?" Chen Mo was pensive.

"What are you thinking?" Ting Nanyuan slowly said. The Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Treasure Chest was a thousand year legend in Star World. In truth, there indeed were Star Cultivators who had meteoric rises in their cultivations after inadvertently opening a treasure chest.

These treasure chests were scattered throughout the three thousand Star Fields, their swamps, valleys, tombs, and wastelands; it was not even odd for one to appear in the yard of a peasant family.

Recalling the arrays from before and the treasure chest placed here, Chen Mo felt strange.

The person who designed this place definitely spent a lot of effort. There was no reason to go so far for this treasure chest.

But to ponder over this was no solution. Since he was here, there was no reason to return empty-handed. "Be on your guard." Chen Mo said.

Ting Nanyuan grunted. In her heart, she grumbled that he did not have this kindness a moment ago when he landed that palm strike. Despite this, Ting Nanyuan still circulated her qi and blood, remaining fully vigilant. Chen Mo took off the treasure chest's banner. A burst of dazzling light changed several times in the chest's surroundings. In the end, it became particles that dissipated.

Staring at the Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Treasure Chest before him, Chen Mo took a deep breath. With rapt attention, he slowly opened the chest.

Crimson light rays flooded out from inside the chest, pouring out like thick haze, rising up and pervading the entire space.

The mist dissipated, and Chen Mo impatiently and expectantly gazed into the chest.

When he saw the thing inside the chest, Chen Mo was immediately struck dumb as a wooden chicken.

What is this??

"Is there spirit medicine in the chest?" Seeing Chen Mo stare, Ting Nanyuan urgently asked.

"They ever say that a Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Treasure Chest can contain a person?" Chen Mo turned his head back and stiffly asked.

"How can a person be hidden inside a treasure chest." Ting Nanyuan disdainfully said.

"See for yourself." Chen Mo shook his head.

Ting Nanyuan looked into the chest and was also stunned.

The chest did not contain any treasures or medicines at all. On the contrary, the body of a woman was curled up inside, practically occupying the entire thing, as if she was a slumbering flame.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ting Nanyuan was shocked. She had never heard of the chests containing people.

While the two of them were lost in thought, all of a sudden, a red Star Crest flashed across the body of the woman in the chest.

"Wait, this is…" Ting Nanyuan's pupils shrunk, and the Wuyang Princess retreated several steps in terror.

This cry startled the woman in the chest.

A powerful flaming energy burst out from the chest, spread and attacked in all directions. The two of them were unable to react in time and were struck by the flames. Chen Mo's bodily essence was honestly formidable, barely resisting, but that flame was truly frightening. His flesh was singed, and even his organs were battered. If it was not for tempering his Star Energy past the first layer, perhaps his organs would have been ruptured.

Ting Nanyuan was not so fortunate. She was shaken by the fire's magic energy. The Wuyang Princess was directly tossed to the ground, knocking her unconscious.

Chen Mo felt she still had a faint pulse, allowing him to sigh in relief.

The changes in the treasure chest were still continuing.

Red clouds rose up in spirals.

Inside the haze, a tall woman slowly rose from the chest.

Her eyes were like shiny rubies. She glanced disdainfully at Chen Mo. On the woman's forehead, a red Star Crest continuously flashed. 

Upon seeing this scene, Chen Mo took a deep breath, feeling chills all over his body.

Star General!!

1. In Chinese, to tell someone to "roll away" is the same as telling them to back off. ↩
2. Relieved that they are dying, not dead. What a funny way to celebrate that distinction. ↩