Offer Head for Reward

Chen Fusheng was startled. At present, mottled matter drifted through his qi sea. After crossing for two days and two nights without knowing fatigue, he had absorbed some of the medicinal power from the spirit pills along the way, and the roots of his physique had grown even sturdier.

He had already reached the fourth layer of the Other Shore Realm. Now, as he visualized the slightly trembling Star Chart, he scanned the light mist that had emerged around him. Within it, crystalline white beams flickered.

What was this?

It looked like a stretch of fine sand as white as jade, drifting around the Heavenly Pillar. It was so dense that he could not count it.

Chen Fusheng frowned. Did this fine sand have some kind of effect? It was as tiny as dust, but the colors of some grains were slowly changing.

For now, he still could not communicate with the Star Chart Heavenly Pillar. Otherwise, with the Flood Dragon Diagram to probe the workings of heaven and earth, he could find a chance to break out.

But now, this fine sand emitted a special radiance, like stars filling the heavens and drifting across the Star Chart. Even more bizarre fluctuations spread outward, surging vast and mighty.

"Look!"

A thunderous, earth-shaking roar suddenly erupted from the riverbank, and everyone found it utterly inconceivable.

It was clearly broad daylight, yet stars suddenly blazed across the sky, brilliant and boundless, as though pressing down upon the earth and bringing the world endless suffocation and dread.

The experts guarding the riverbank were all aghast. This phenomenon was far more violent than it had been several days ago. The great stars of the heavens seemed to have been turned upside down and hung overhead, their radiance making the Black River dazzling beyond compare.

The treasure ships sailing across the river and the enforcers from every faction all raised their heads, their eyes filled with shock. They could not help feeling that an unimaginable powerhouse had arrived!

"Ang, ang!"

A booming horn blast suddenly exploded. It had come from the depths of the Black River, carrying fluctuations of intent that summoned them to battle.

"Quick, the entire army moves out!"

The treasure ships from every faction raced madly toward the place where the horn had sounded. Along the riverbank, large numbers of experts soared through the air and skimmed across the waves, rapidly approaching the treasure ships.

This was the highest mobilization order. Experts of the Three Realms and all enforcers had to reach the scene immediately.

In the world stirred by the horn's call, the powerhouse commanding from the rear wore a grim expression.

Judging from the strength of the phenomenon, the person was undoubtedly an expert who had cultivated the Contemplation Method. There was a high probability that he was deep within the Black River!

It might even be more than one person. The strength of the two phenomena was completely different. Were they planning to catch an entire nest of criminals?

The commander speculated that their only route of retreat was toward the Abyssal Sea. If they returned to the riverbank, they would simply be throwing themselves into a trap.

After all, the Star Gazing Manor had a Star Lord stationed there, sealing off the exit. Anyone of questionable identity would be suppressed and separately interrogated.

Fortunately, the Flood Dragon Ship had already crossed over and was positioned in the central region between the Black River and the Abyssal Sea. With the Flood Dragon Ship's power, it could completely block the passage.

"Shut the door and beat the dog. Hopefully, it goes smoothly."

The commander muttered coldly. The front and rear routes had already been sealed off, and more Star Masters were still hurrying toward the Black River.

Even if they had to turn the Black River upside down or drain the entire Ten Thousand Li Black River, they would dig that person out!

This was the highest order of the Heavenly Sun Star Palace.

"The treasure ships have gone far away? What's going on with this phenomenon? And the powerful guards along the riverbank seem to have left too?"

Chen Fusheng lay low in hiding. The Starry Sky Phenomenon seemed to have some major connection with the Star Chart?

"Looks like my life isn't meant to end yet. With the powerful guards withdrawing, I have a chance to fight my way out."

Chen Fusheng approached the outskirts of the Black River with a cold expression. The closer he drew to the riverbank, the more the surging Life Essence Blood spilling in all directions made his heart tremble.

He saw a shocking sight: groups upon groups of heavily armored Imperial Guards stood along the riverbank, one post every ten steps.

Even in a calm state, the Imperial Guards exuded a heaven-shaking murderous aura. As it surged, it intertwined into a vast layer of blood-qi clouds, spreading across hundreds of miles of landscape and pressing down over the entire sky.

Clearly, these were the Imperial Guards of the royal family. The ruler had mobilized them overnight to guard the waterway and strictly prohibit anyone from entering or leaving.

"The commander has withdrawn, but a force of five hundred Imperial Guards is absolutely beyond my ability to match."

"But with my strength, if I unleash the Fire Scale Sword, can I tear open a passage and break out in the short term?"

Chen Fusheng analyzed calmly. "This route is definitely viable, as long as they don't complete an encirclement. But after I fight my way out in a lightning assault, what then?"

"Only..."

What worried Chen Fusheng most was that an expert was stationed within the Star Palace, observing the overall situation and directing everything from behind the scenes.

But no matter what, Chen Fusheng knew this was his final opportunity. He was even more worried that an even larger army would charge into the Black River!

"For now, I can only take a gamble. I'll wait until nightfall to act and risk trying it as a disciple of the Star Gazing Manor."

Chen Fusheng realized he had no choice!

Who knew whether they would overturn the Black River and dig him out? All he could do was gamble that they would not discover he cultivated the Contemplation Method.

Chen Fusheng decided to act after dark. He silently left the area. There were many islands around the outskirts of the Black River, and with the treasure ships gradually departing, he boldly climbed onto a small island on the far side of the bank.

Chen Fusheng moved through the weeds, preparing to dig open an underground cavern and hide inside to cultivate, using all his resources to raise his realm as much as possible.

However, just as he began to act, a treasure ship returned from the depths of the river. Chen Fusheng's heart jolted, and he immediately lay low where he was.

Yet his bodily senses told him that a familiar energy fluctuation was coming from the treasure ship.

"It's her!"

He raised his head and looked at the woman in the red dress at the bow. Wasn't she Liu Bai's girlfriend?

There was no enforcement squad aboard the treasure ship, only a dozen or so elite disciples of the Star Gazing Manor. They seemed to be from the Xu Family line.

Chen Fusheng fell silent for a moment, then suddenly stripped off his robe and waved toward the treasure ship while shouting.

"Senior Sister!"

Xu Guifen's face held no smile. The losses on this trip had been too great. Moreover, the ruler of the Tian Yuan Kingdom was currently the commander, and he had berated Xu Changfeng for incompetence as soon as he arrived.

Xu Changfeng had clearly been given the cold shoulder. He had even been ordered to pilot the Flood Dragon Ship to the deepest part of the Black River and take charge of the most dangerous defensive mission.

At present, Xuan Yuanchang's orders held supreme authority throughout the Star Gazing Manor. Fortunately, Xu Changfeng still possessed some prestige, allowing her to take charge of escorting a batch of precious catches back.

Having gotten what he wanted, Xuan Yuanchang did not make things difficult for them any further. It could also be confirmed that none of the members aboard the Flood Dragon Ship cultivated the Contemplation Method.

"Hm?"

Xu Guifen gazed at the disheveled young man on the island, slightly startled. This little junior brother was still alive?

She ordered the treasure ship over. The disciples aboard also widened their eyes. Chen Fusheng was a celebrity now. Hadn't it been said that he had died in the Flood Dragon battle?

"Senior Sister, I finally found our people. Along the way, I ran into many enforcement squads, but none of them were willing to take me with them."

Chen Fusheng panted heavily. As he boarded, he cursed and described what had happened to him. He was even more grateful that Xu Changfeng had given him a Vajra Talisman; otherwise, he would never have survived.

"My cousin did have a Vajra Talisman. Looks like he traded it to you for the Gathering Star Pearl. You were lucky. The shockwaves of the battle swept you to the outskirts of the Black River. Otherwise, your life would have been in danger."

Xu Guifen's mood suddenly improved somewhat. If she had lost her position, so be it. After winning the Gathering Star Pearl, Xu Changfeng still had a chance to turn things around!

Some of the tension in Chen Fusheng's mind eased. His identity and status had always been verifiable, and Xu Guifen held no suspicion toward him.

After all, with such terrifying commotion and such a massive manhunt, who would believe they were searching for an Outer Sect Disciple?

"Senior Sister, why have you returned? How's the Flood Dragon? So many people came to hunt it down—can they succeed this time?" Chen Fusheng sat in the ship's cabin, panting heavily.

The disciples all still felt shaken. This time, they had truly been cursed with rotten luck and had nearly died in the Black River.

"They weren't here for the Flood Dragon."

Xu Guifen's eyes gleamed seductively. "I heard they discovered a cultivator who had taken the Forbidden Path, so they mobilized an army to hunt him down."

"What's the Forbidden Path?" Chen Fusheng asked, stunned.

"It's no wonder you don't know. Even my understanding is extremely limited."

Xu Guifen shook her head slightly and said, "In short, orders have come from the Heavenly Sun Star Palace. They're to capture him and bring him to justice at any cost. The one who earns first merit may choose one of the following rewards: one Top Grade Star Artifact, three years of cultivation in the Dao Yang Furnace, and promotion to Star Lord!"

"I want to cut off my own head and carry it over to claim the reward."

Chen Fusheng's words made them laugh, while they also found it utterly inconceivable. The status of a Star Lord? A Top Grade Star Artifact? Had they gone mad?