Star Chart Mutation!

Chen Fusheng fell silent and visualized his qi sea. The Star Chart Heavenly Pillar was still in its original state, and the carved patterns still shone brightly. Naturally, it could still be activated.

But strangely, the Star Chart radiated a mysterious aura that severed the connection between him and the Heavenly Pillar.

From the outside, the Star Chart emitted a hazy gray mist that shrouded its edges.

Within the mist, specks of glittering light flickered faintly.

Chen Fusheng's expression shifted between suspicion and astonishment. "The Heavenly Pillar hasn't changed, but the Star Chart has. Could it be that the Heavenly Pillar and the Star Chart aren't one entity?"

"The Heavenly Pillar contains the strange man's original process of creating the technique. Then what exactly is the Star Chart?"

Chen Fusheng had no idea whether this was good or bad. Could it be inevitably connected to his recent breakthrough into the Other Shore Realm?

"When something abnormal happens, there must be a demon behind it. But for now, I should leave first."

Chen Fusheng had no time to dwell on it. He plunged into the Black River, kicked his legs rapidly, and swam away.

The Starry Sky Phenomenon was currently slowly retracting. Chen Fusheng had no intention of returning to the Flood Dragon Ship. After all, how terrifying was the Black River's pulsating, murderous force? Returning like this would inevitably make people suspicious.

Afterward, he could disguise himself as gravely wounded, be swept away by the wind and waves on the river, and claim to have survived by sheer luck.

Having set foot on the path to the Other Shore Realm, he now possessed the ability to survive in the Star Gazing Manor. And what about the Heavenly Cold Jade he had obtained in the Flood Dragon Nest? If he made good use of this enormous stockpile of resources, would finding resources to nourish his physical body still be difficult?

With Chen Fusheng's current perception, he could also effectively avoid demon beasts. But gradually, he sensed that something was wrong.

He calculated that he was now more than five hundred li from the Flood Dragon Ship. Yet from the distant region came an extremely low rumbling, sounding like a large treasure ship crossing the water.

He even sensed a certain killing intent—especially frenzied and icy—causing the atmosphere across this black, mist-shrouded stretch of river to turn countless times colder.

Some rumbling sounds were moving away, while others were approaching this stretch of river. Judging by the situation, these treasure ships had scattered and were searching for something.

"It sounds like more than a dozen large treasure ships are moving rapidly. What happened? Could the Flood Dragon have been gravely wounded, bringing reinforcements from the Star Gazing Manor to search for it?"

"Something isn't right. Could it be related to the Starry Sky Phenomenon? After all, the Star Palace has absolute control over the starry sky. Could they have discovered something?"

Chen Fushen's face darkened as he saw a large treasure ship approaching him.

No matter how fast he swam, he could never outrun that treasure ship.

Powerful mental fluctuations even surged through the area, scanning everything. If he hid and was discovered, the problem would only become worse.

Then he suddenly thought of the Fire Scale Sword, and confidence surged within him.

"A treasure ship formed from stellar energy?"

When the treasure ship illuminated a vast expanse of black mist and appeared in his field of vision, an immense wave of stellar energy rushed toward him.

The treasure ship also bore distinctive markings originating from the Star Palace.

Dozens of figures in silver robes stood atop the ship, all wearing Star Official badges.

The badges on their chests were engraved with sword forms.

"They're the Star Palace Enforcement Team!"

Chen Fusheng's heart sank. A mental fluctuation at the Three Realms level had already locked onto him. It belonged to a clean-shaven old man standing at the bow, dressed in a black robe.

"Ling Yao!"

Chen Fusheng also saw the mangy dog standing beside the old man. His head began to ache, but he pretended to be weak and shouted, "Sir, save me! I'm a disciple of the Star Gazing Manor. I was swept here by the battle storm just now."

The Black Robe Old Man looked over coldly. He roughly sensed that Chen Fusheng was not particularly strong and was somewhat disappointed that he was not the person he was looking for.

"Chen Fusheng, you're still alive!"

Ling Yao's eyes immediately reddened. Wasn't he dead? Hadn't he been shredded into scraps? How could he still be alive?

Thinking of his younger brother's miserable death and the humiliation he had suffered during this period, boundless fury erupted in Ling Yao's heart. He said in a low voice, "Sixth Uncle, we can't let our guard down. It might really be Chen Fusheng!"

"He's Chen Fusheng?"

Ling Yunshan's face turned cold. On the way here, Ling Yao had told him everything that had happened recently. Before Ling Chen died, he had even been slapped by Chen Fusheng?

And because of his defeat in the contest, the Royal Grandson Your Highness was exceptionally furious with the Ling Family!

"Arrest him first and hand him over to the Star Palace for investigation!" Ling Yunshan ordered coldly. "He's nothing but a muddy-legged nobody."

"Yes, sir!"

The dozens of enforcers watched coldly. Ling Yunshan was a Second Order Star Official, with a status far above theirs. The Star Palace had also issued a death order: everyone of unknown origin was to be detained and taken back.

"Ling Yao, are you planning to abuse public power for private revenge? I'm one of the Palace Master's people. What good will arresting me do for you?"

Chen Fusheng shouted furiously, "Although we have some grievances between us, do you really have to go this far?"

The enforcers all frowned. He belonged to Xu Changfeng's faction? The Palace Master's authority was overwhelming, and he was also a Fourth Realm expert. There was no need for them to charge ahead for the Ling Family!

"Heh, you're trying to use Xu Changfeng to pressure us?"

Ling Yao gave a savage laugh. "Xu Changfeng failed to command his troops properly and can barely protect himself. How could he spare any thought for a mere Outer Sect Disciple like you?"

"Get up here."

Ling Yao swept out his broad sleeve. A powerful surge of air boiled forth and sucked the feigning-weak Chen Fusheng onto the treasure ship.

"Clatter!"

At the same time, he tossed out a set of shackles, crouched down, and sneered. "Put the shackles on yourself. You might suffer a little less."

Chen Fusheng glanced at the silent enforcers around him. Finally, he looked toward Ling Yunshan and said, "I haven't done anything wrong, have I? And you're just going to watch your clansman commit violence, sir?"

Ling Yunshan grew irritated. Was he questioning me?

Ling Yunshan, who occupied a high position, grew angry. What use was there in keeping these things that refused to submit to control? They were less obedient than a dog he raised.

Ling Yao secretly rejoiced. He knew Ling Yunshan's temper very well. An ordinary person refusing to obey a Star Official's order? Touching the authority of those high above—wasn't that courting death?

Of course, Ling Yunshan appeared calm. The enforcers around him were all watching, and many people were eyeing his position. On the surface, he could not leave behind any evidence against himself.

"You're merely at the Star Guiding Realm, yet you managed to escape the Black River storm alive. It seems you truly have a serious suspicion of secretly practicing the Forbidden Path." Ling Yunshan had found the best excuse.

"The Forbidden Path? What Forbidden Path? I don't understand what you're talking about."

Although Chen Fusheng had anticipated the worst possible outcome, hearing Ling Yunshan say it aloud still made his mind tremble violently.

Faced with this deadly crisis, his mental power tensed to its limit, and countless possible outcomes flashed through his mind.

"Ah, Sixth Uncle, you really shouldn't say that."

Ling Yao gave a sinister laugh. "He has only cultivated for two months, yet he managed to defeat someone with a Superior Treasure Body and cross hundreds of li of the Black River. Who knows? He may really have secretly practiced some evil Outer Dao."

"That's reasonable."

Ling Yunshan nodded. "It seems this child is highly suspicious and needs to be given special attention."

"Ling Yao, have you gone mad wanting to kill me? What does being good at swimming have to do with the evil Outer Dao?" Chen Fusheng rebuked angrily.

"Heh, how would we know whether there's a connection without investigating?"

Ling Yao spoke ominously. "The Forbidden technique has reappeared in the world, and the time the Starry Sky Phenomenon occurred just happens to coincide perfectly with the time you left the Flood Dragon Ship. Your suspicion isn't merely great—I say you're the culprit!"

"Crack!"

Ling Yao opened the shackles and clamped them directly around Chen Fusheng's head. His fist followed through and hammered into Chen Fusheng's chest. He said coldly, "The Sin Slave inspection is complete. Sixth Uncle, you can proceed to the next stretch of river to search."

Chen Fusheng lay limp on the treasure ship with a pale face, forcing blood from the corner of his mouth. The surrounding enforcers merely glanced at him with pity.

Even if Chen Fusheng survived, he would probably be left crippled.

Ling Yunshan secretly signaled to Ling Yao with his eyes: find an opportunity to let him die in the Black River!

He had not forgotten that Xu Changfeng had won the wager and obtained the Gathering Star Pearl. Chen Fusheng should therefore be carrying a huge fortune!

Ling Yao revealed a demon-like smile and slowly raised his foot, bringing it down toward Chen Fusheng's face.

"You humiliated me, defeated me, and even defeated the Royal Grandson Your Highness. You really have no idea what the word 'death' looks like."

"Do you know? Killing you now would be as easy as stepping on an ant!"

Ling Yao wished he could hack him into a thousand pieces right then and there. Yet before his foot touched Chen Fusheng's face, every hair on his body suddenly stood on end.

The thousand-jin shackles on Chen Fusheng's shoulders abruptly shattered, and his figure shot upright at terrifying speed.

Madness gleamed in his eyes as he wielded the fiery-red sword embryo and charged toward Ling Yunshan.

Ling Yunshan frowned and turned around. The sight that entered his eyes filled him with instinctive terror.

Was this really a frail, weak young man? It was as if a slumbering Flood Dragon Elephant had come back to life, or a terrifying savage beast were charging straight at him!

Just as Ling Yunshan activated the energy in his qi sea to resist, the Fire Scale Sword erupted across the sky, spewing stellar matter and forming a heaven-devouring blaze!

"Ah, that's a star weapon!"

Ling Yunshan's expression changed drastically. The Fire Scale Sword seethed with terrifying stellar matter, like an ancient qilin furiously trampling heaven and earth as it unleashed a sound explosion that shook the heavens and earth.

"Die!"

Chen Fusheng growled, wielding the greatsword to tear apart the qi-sea energy around Ling Yunshan. The fiery-red blade split open his waist, spraying a vast sheet of blood-red light.