Flame Star Behemoth

At Chen Beixun's command, a hundred Demon Island Vine tendrils instantly surged in size, forming a massive web that swept toward the Flame Star Behemoth like a deluge from the heavens descending upon the mortal realm.

Suddenly, a flash of blood-red light erupted, centering on the Flame Star Behemoth to form a tiny, crimson star nine kilometers in diameter.

"Universe-level, third rank?" Chen Beixun was startled. Before he could react, the crimson star bloomed with a blinding red radiance.

It underwent visible changes, shifting from blood-red to sunset-red, then to white, and finally to a deep purple. The celestial body expanded several times over, ejecting foam-like gases from its surface and triggering intense solar flares.

The terrifying energy output even caused minor, localized disturbances within the Linkong.

The Demon Island Vine, however, disregarded this; the celestial body's temperature of several thousand degrees felt like cool water to the vines, which suddenly lashed out in a scarlet frenzy.

In the silent, dark expanse of space, there was no sound—as sound cannot travel through a vacuum—save for a few intense flashes of light.

The purple star erupted and dissipated. The Flame Star Behemoth was nowhere to be found, having vanished into thin air, leaving the void empty save for a few drifting clusters of gas.

"Where is it?!" Chen Beixun exclaimed in shock. "It managed to escape even under the full coverage of my telekinesis?" Suddenly, a strange white light flickered behind him.

Chen Beixun whipped around, frowning. "It's gone again."

The white light was intensely bright, and its eerie disappearance forced Chen Beixun to remain on high alert. I thought this would be an effortless crushing.

I underestimated it.

It is, after all, one of the most peak bloodlines among the Starry Sky Behemoths. Chen Beixun then transformed into countless afterimages, weaving back and forth through the void to launch his assault.

At that moment, the white light flared again. Chen Beixun's eyes turned cold as he shot toward it, unleashing a continuous barrage of soul attacks.

"Useless?"

"The soul attack failed?" Chen Beixun was taken aback. He veered away, flying several miles out, and produced a white crystal in his hand, preparing to throw it.

"Wait!" Qishan shouted anxiously. "Don't! The Flame Star Behemoth will absorb and convert the energy released by the Fire Crystal's explosion."

Chen Beixun hurriedly stowed the Fire Crystal, scanning his surroundings with vigilance.

"According to intelligence, the Flame Star Behemoth's ability to conceal its form is exceptionally profound; to detect it, one must be at least one major rank higher."

Chen Beixun frowned at this thought and communicated with Qishan via consciousness.

"Use the Linkong's sensors."

Qishan smiled faintly at the request, and a radar panel appeared before him.

"Five o'clock direction, 98 miles."

Chen Beixun's telekinesis surged, causing the Tianqu Cone to assemble into a flying wheel that streaked toward the target.

The Flame Star Behemoth, hidden in the void, felt a chill. It saw a white, wheel-like object hurtling toward it. A flash of white light erupted, and a thousand-degree heatwave swept the surroundings, followed by the rise of deep blue flames that circled and shot upward—a Flame Domain!

The Tianqu Cone, imbued with the Laws of Water, radiated endless cold. The two forces intertwined and reacted.

BOOM!

A sudden explosion sent ice crystals and sparks of fire drifting across the starry sky.

"Go!"

Chen Beixun extended his hand, and several scarlet vines shot out, arriving in an instant.

The Flame Star Behemoth shook its body, erupting with several purple beams of light, and spat a black ray from its maw that struck the Demon Island Vine directly. Space immediately twisted into a vortex—the Devour and Transform ability of the Demon Island Vine.

Seeing this, the Flame Star Behemoth ceased its attack, transformed into a tiny star, aged, collapsed, and vanished.

"One o'clock, 66 miles," Qishan reported.

Chen Beixun's eyes turned bloodshot as he launched a soul attack!

Ten crystals formed a killing formation: three above, five in the middle, and two below. The top three acted as the vanguard, tearing open a breach instantly. Against an opponent whose soul strength was inferior to his own, the Twilight Art was an overwhelming force.

The middle five split into two, acting like hooks to pry the breach wider. The middle three drove straight in, while the bottom two took the place of the two that had split off, allowing them to merge back into the middle five.

Once the middle five reintegrated, they split into five branches, striking in five directions to divide or annihilate portions of the soul.

Seeing the moment was ripe, Chen Beixun clasped his hands together, merging the ten crystals into one, and initiated soul enslavement.

The Flame Star Behemoth, already half-dead, glared at Chen Beixun with unwilling resentment.

Gradually, the Flame Star Behemoth's gaze shifted from resentment to reverence.

"It's done." Chen Beixun's face lit up with joy. He then communicated with the Flame Star Behemoth via consciousness: "How did you get in here?"

The Flame Star Behemoth replied respectfully: "I do not know. I have been here since birth."

Chen Beixun pondered for a moment, then cautiously used soul communication: "Do you have inherited memories? If so, summarize them."

The Flame Star Behemoth paused, then replied via soul communication: "I do. In addition to inherited memories, I possess innate secret techniques."

"The inherited memories are records from various ancestors of the Flame Star Behemoth, containing numerous secret techniques and a vast amount of intelligence."

"There are two innate secret techniques: 'Formless,' primarily for concealment, and 'Devour and Transform,' for attack and growth."

Hearing this, Chen Beixun remained expressionless, thinking to himself: Since it lacks a cloning technique, there is no need to perform soul possession.

Chen Beixun then asked via soul communication: "Do you know which races possess cloning techniques? And they must be widely distributed throughout the universe."

The Flame Star Behemoth pondered for a moment before replying: "The Cliff Candle Beast of the Demon royal family, the Mowen Race, the Ink Vine Insect, the Golden Horned Behemoth, the Frost Behemoth, the Magnetic Terror Race..."

Chen Beixun considered this for a few moments, then asked: "What about those near the human territory... no... those within the human territory itself!"

The Flame Star Behemoth raised its icy eyes and communicated through soul transmission: "Ink Vine Insect, Golden Horned Behemoth, Frost Behemoth..."

Chen Beixun curled his lip at these words, then replied via soul transmission: "You hide yourself first."

The Flame Star Behemoth vanished immediately upon hearing this.

He also returned inside the spaceship.

Inside the spaceship...

"What were you discussing with that Flame Star Behemoth? Let's hear it," Qishan said, watching Chen Beixun as he returned.

Chen Beixun clapped his hands and said, "Nothing much, just asked which species has the most formidable life-preservation methods."

Chen Beixun then sat on a long chair, took a sip of wine, and continued: "I want to perform a soul transfer!"

Upon hearing this, Qishan offered a suggestion: "You must cultivate to the ninth rank of the Universe level to inherit all of the master's legacy. By then, you will have a five-star account and can try your luck at the auction house; you might be able to bid on a species with an innate secret technique for clones, and then perform the soul transfer."

Chen Beixun nodded, gently swirling the wine in his glass, the liquid shimmering like a crimson sunset reflecting on water.

Qishan looked up and asked in a deep voice: "How much is in the master's sub-account?"

"Uh," Chen Beixun said, "10 Hunyuan units."

"That is enough," Qishan said. "Judging by your current progress, you can steadily reach the ninth rank of the Universe level in 30 years, or 10 years if you push for speed."

Speed is fast, but foundations are the most important.

"First, head to the outside world and exchange the treasures for wealth."

"With a three-star account, I can just make it to the Xuyu Universe Kingdom auction."

"Let's see if I can bid on some treasures."

"To prepare things for you, Luoduo, and the Flame Star Behemoth."

As Qishan spoke, he maneuvered the spaceship, shuttling into the Dark Universe.

"Mm." Chen Beixun shifted from a sitting position to a cross-legged one and began cultivating the Twilight Art.

Time passed...