A Problem?

Clang!

The blade's ring pierced the ears, a flash of cold light vanishing in an instant.

Zhuang Chenxing shuddered, like a shattered porcelain vessel, countless cracks spreading across his body as torrents of starlight burst from the fine fissures.

Yet the corpse did not fully collapse, as if crushed together by some force.

Or rather, from the moment the judgment began, he had already been pinned by an invisible gravity.

Li Qingshan sheathed his blade, lifted the corpse, and with a light step of his right foot, paced upward through the void.

The auditorium ceiling silently turned to powder, clearing the path.

Tu Shen flew behind, carrying a cluster of cameras, all lenses trained on the young man's back.

In a few steps, he was beyond the atmosphere.

Li Qingshan released his grip, and the corpse instantly disintegrated, endless starlight erupting as a fractured river of stars flowed from his palm, drifting into the cosmic void.

"The coiled dragon poisoned for a million years, weaving a net to shroud a patch of stars, but..."

Li Qingshan withdrew his hand, gazing at the dispersing river of starlight.

"When the fallen star's light illuminates the net, the judgment is not confined to the execution ground."

"Where the blade's edge breaks dawn, the human torch will burn away the rot!"

Clang!

The long blade unsheathed again.

Li Qingshan faced the camera, his voice cutting through every livestream.

"Whoever devours the flesh and blood of kin, the star sea has no end, and the blade will reach!"

"The Demon Subjugation Division never closes a case!"

The solemn proclamation echoed through every livestream screen, reverberating across planets, across the entire starry sky.

All viewers stared blankly at the screen, at the young man in the frame, at the drifting river of stars behind him.

No one doubted the weight of that warning!

It was a reputation forged from 38 shattered star rivers, 38 fallen Eighth Order powerhouses!

Yama Li's blade was enough to awe the star sea!

Pupils reflected the young man's figure, the chilling long blade, faces gradually igniting with excitement.

The barrage exploded in an instant.

"Director Li is mighty! Yama Li is mighty!"

"Slaying evil without mercy—this is the true nature of the Demon Subjugation Division!"

"Yama takes roll call, the net is purged! Under Yama's blade, 38 Eighth Order powerhouses fall—who dares show their face now?"

"A blade spanning light-years, instantly killing an Eighth Order powerhouse... Director Li isn't already Eighth Order, is he?"

"Upstairs, if you don't know, don't talk nonsense. Director Li isn't even a hundred yet—how could he be Eighth Order?"

"Exactly. To advance to Eighth Order, you must undergo the Body as Celestial Body, enduring ten thousand years of erosion. No matter how fast, it can't be this fast."

"So... Director Li is still Seventh Order Divine Form, slaying Eighth Order from below?"

"What 'from below'?! Are you blind?"

"Exactly. Killing Eighth Order like chickens, and 38 of them in a row—can you still call that 'from below'?"

"Indeed. The phrase 'from below' doesn't fit here. A blade spanning light-years is already a true Eighth Order technique. Even Feng Boyong back then couldn't do it."

"Haha, I was wondering why Black Scale Auction House started running interstellar courier business in the last decade—turns out it was to provide coordinates for Director Li!"

"Speaking of which, it's one thing for Feng Boyong to slay an Eighth Order from below, but Director Li is this strong and still Seventh Order Divine Form?"

"What's the mystery behind Seventh Order Divine Form? How can it be this powerful?"

"Who cares? Anyway, on the future Epoch Paragon Ranking, Director Li's name will surely appear!"

"No need for the future—I think Director Li's blade is already no weaker than Yue Zhen's fist."

Qiongqi Auction House, headquarters.

Lei Yao's eyes bulged, staring blankly at the barrage refreshing on the light screen, at the young man in the frame.

"Divine Form, this is f*cking Divine Form?!"

A curse burst out, his face flushing red, his gaze flicking to the "Black Scale" mark in the corner of the page, his expression like he'd eaten shit.

"A loss, a huge loss!"

"That Shi Yan kid—he's hit the jackpot this time!"

Knock, knock!

A knock sounded.

The secretary pushed the door open and entered, speaking softly:

"President Lei, the Palace of Insatiable Greed..."

Lei Yao cut her off with a wave, snapping:

"Tell Cao Wuyan to go to hell!"

The secretary froze for a moment, then quickly withdrew.

"Good thing I was smart back then!"

Lei Yao breathed a sigh of relief, patted his chest, and his expression gradually brightened, even gaining a hint of a smile.

"I took a loss, sure, but at least I didn't lose my life or fortune."

"Heh, when Cao Wuyan gets the news, I wonder what his face will look like?"

White Marsh Auction House, headquarters.

Ying Shilan sat upright at her desk, with her secretary Huo Wei standing respectfully behind her.

A light screen stood upright on the desk.

Both women stared at the screen, their gazes fixed on the young man at the center of the image, lost in thought.

After a long while, "Phew!"

Ying Shilan let out a long breath, her eyes sweeping over the frenzied barrage of comments, and she shook her head lightly.

"Netizens really are forgetful."

Last time, the comments were all singing the praises of "Director Zhuang."

Now, they were nothing but flattery for "Director Li."

"Miss, that's not the point!"

Huo Wei swallowed hard and reminded her:

"Director Li's earth-shattering move, his blade shaking the starry sky, cutting down thirty-eight Eighth Order Myriad Manifestations in one go—the 'opportunity' we've been waiting for..."

Her voice trailed off, growing weaker and less confident.

They had been waiting for Li Qingshan to be mired in a quagmire before stepping in to invite him, but now...

Quagmire, my ass!

Li Qingshan's long blade spanned light-years, cutting through every net and snare, and in less than twenty breaths, he had completely flattened the quagmire they had in mind.

"Heh, you think the quagmire I meant was just Zhuang Chenxing and the others?"

Ying Shilan chuckled and shook her head, tapping her fingers on the desk.

"Wrong. The real quagmire is the Azure Dragon Council!"

"Huh?!"

Huo Wei was taken aback and quickly reminded her:

"Miss, Li Qingshan produced evidence and held a public trial..."

"That's exactly the problem—the trial!"

Ying Shilan cut her off with a soft sigh:

"Li Qingshan's move this time was indeed earth-shattering, cutting through the mess with lightning speed, catching everyone off guard."

"But in the Azure Dragon Star System, a deputy director is already a major power, and their appointment or dismissal requires a resolution from the Azure Dragon Council."

"Li Qingshan, however, killed Zhuang Chenxing and Zou Bai in one fell swoop, not to mention the other thirty-six Eighth Order Myriad Manifestations!"

"The Demon Subjugation Division might let it slide, but will the News Department just take it lying down? What about the forces behind those other thirty-six Eighth Order cultivators?"

"And besides..."

Ying Shilan paused, her gaze fixed on the screen as she gestured:

"The trial is over. Why do you think Li Qingshan hasn't shut down the livestream yet?"

Huo Wei's eyes darted as she quickly caught on, exclaiming in surprise:

"Miss, you mean Li Qingshan anticipated this and wants to use public opinion..."

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

A continuous tremor sounded from the screen.

Huo Wei's words caught in her throat as she stared blankly at the screen.

Ripples spread through the void, figures materialized out of thin air, and cracks tore through space...

A faint smile curled at the corner of Ying Shilan's lips as she said with certainty:

"Just watch. The 'opportunity' we've been waiting for is about to arrive."