Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

"What audacity! Yi Chengzi, you truly regard everyone as beneath you. I hope your cultivation is as steadfast as your sharp tongue."

High above the heavens, Situ Zhaixing could no longer contain the fire raging in his chest upon seeing Yi Chen completely disregarding him, his attention fixated instead on Li Yan and He Xian standing behind him.

Previously, when he broke through his realm and barely entered the Dao Mastery stage, he already had the urge to spar with Yi Chen. However, He Xian intercepted him, suggesting that they wait until he could advance no further before challenging Yi Chen. Sword Immortal Li Yan also voiced his agreement with this.

Thus, Situ Zhaixing tempered his eagerness and dove back into intensive cultivation.

Finally, on a star-filled night three days ago, he successfully cultivated to the pinnacle of Dao Mastery. And at that very moment, a sudden thought burst forth like lightning.

The desire for battle burned stronger than ever!

Only by repeatedly defeating powerful foes under the gaze of the myriad stars could he earn their favor, forge an unyielding will of invincibility, and continue his meteoric rise!

With the secret arrangements and advice of He Xian and Li Yan, before standing in front of Yi Chen today, Situ Zhaixing had already defeated the chosen star candidates of the other two kingdoms.

And today's battle would be his third challenge to prove himself!

The victories in the previous two great battles brought him immense rewards. Under the witness of the stars, his cultivation broke through not once but twice, elevating him to the second stage of the Stepping Heaven Realm.

Such rapid advancement instilled great confidence in Li Yan and He Xian's hearts. They regarded it as nothing short of a miracle and, after secretly consulting with Sect Leader Zhan Xingzi, devised a cultivation plan centered on Situ Zhaixing!

"Yi Chengzi, do you still think my cultivation is the same as it was back in Star Moon City?"

Situ Zhaixing's aura surged higher and higher, his gaze turning colder and more merciless, resembling a star in its bleak remoteness.

Suddenly, a ruthless Heavenly Wind began to howl across the firmament.

"I am the favored child of the stars! Whatever cannot kill this humble Taoist will only make me stronger!"

"You utterly fail to comprehend the extent of my astonishing wisdom!"

Situ Zhaixing murmured as if speaking to himself. He took a single step forward, suspended in mid-air, his Daoist Robe flaring wildly, dancing with the violent Heavenly Wind.

As his aura climbed, stars inexplicably appeared in the daylight above Xuanwu Country, a celestial phenomenon spanning thousands of miles. Countless starlights began converging upon Situ Zhaixing's form, their brilliance casting him in the divine image of a celestial being.

In the depths of the Xuanwu Kingdom's palace, Bai Chenzi sighed apologetically toward the elder before him. In the next instant, his form became a Streaming Light as he abruptly appeared before Li Yan and He Xian.

"Li Yan, He Xian, it seems you have a great fondness for this young man."

Bai Chenzi turned around and spared a glance at Situ Zhaixing. "Hmm, indeed, a dragon among men. You do have an eye for talent!"

"Why not call off today's battle?"

The White-Haired Taoist's expression was complex as he gazed at Yi Chen, who stood silently observing from above, his face devoid of emotion. The old Taoist let out a sigh and flicked his sleeve, causing the starlight across the sky to vanish in an instant.

If he could, he truly wished not to witness today's battle. Why provoke the reincarnated form of the ancestral master for no reason?

But bound by his promise to Yi Chen, he could not frankly speak to Li Yan and He Xian about it.

"Martial Uncle? I didn't expect you to take such a fancy to Yi Chengzi, this junior, that you'd make an exception and come out of seclusion to guide his cultivation."

"However, Martial Uncle, a battle between the chosen children of the stars is inevitable. Now, Situ Zhaixing is like an unsheathed Divine Sword, and this duel cannot be avoided!"

"Today, I ask Martial Uncle not to interfere in the battle."

Bai Chenzi held a high position in the Heavenly Star Sect, and many, including the Eight Immortals of Tianxing, had received his guidance in the past. Li Yan and He Xian immediately bowed in unison.

After a brief pause, He Xian gently opened her red lips and spoke softly to reassure him further.

"Martial Uncle, please rest assured. With us here, you don't have to worry about Yi Chengzi damaging his foundation in this battle. Whether it's Situ Zhaixing or Yi Chengzi, there will be no danger to their lives in today's battle."

"It's not that I fear..." Bai Chenzi sighed deeply, his countless thoughts condensed into one long, drawn-out breath. His figure flickered and transformed into Streaming Light, vanishing in the direction he had come from.

Though he could not fathom why Li Yan and He Xian seemed to harbor some resentment toward the reincarnated form of the ancestral master, he no longer wished to concern himself with it.

After all, the ancestral master was the endgame; everything else was merely the icing on the cake.

This change inevitably stirred widespread discussion among the spectators below. Yet Bai Chenzi's arrival was naturally shielded by barriers, leaving the onlookers clueless about what transpired. Only two or three individuals, including the King of Xuanwu, recognized Bai Chenzi's identity, their expressions turning grave as a result.

Soon enough, however, Situ Zhaixing's actions interrupted the crowd's murmurs.

"Yi Chengzi! So your arrogance stems from attempting to have your sect's elders intervene and mediate for a truce? I, Situ Zhaixing, am utterly ashamed to be counted as a fellow star candidate alongside you!"

"I had initially believed that, at worst, you lacked morality in private. To my surprise, you're secretly scheming like this!"

"So this—is the foundation of your arrogance?"

"Are you—afraid?"

In an instant, Situ Zhaixing's aura soared dramatically, changing thrice in the blink of an eye.

Amid the stunned gazes of the crowd, the phenomenon of stars appearing in daylight reemerged.

The Dao Sword behind Situ Zhaixing unsheathed!

Starlight poured down like the Tianhe, enveloping the Flying Sword he had summoned to the sky!

"With a shining blade in hand, scorching the great sun,

From caverns of immortality, eternal treasures sprung!"

"Mountains, rivers, heavens through coalescence forge,

Stars, moon, and sun bound by fate undone!"

"Star Reincarnation Sword Intent—Strike!"