A divine move

"What?!" Gu Yuena was abruptly startled.

Then she noticed that, among the human powerhouses, the two phoenixes and a Fallen Angel had already left at some unknown point.

In the core region of Star Dou Great Forest, ancient trees towered into the sky, and dense mists of life drifted slowly through the woods.

"Oh my, Sister, that so-called Co-Lord of Soul Beasts isn't much after all. We've been gone so long, and she still hasn't reacted."

"Sister, let's complete Fenfeng's task first. No slacking."

"Tch~"

With that, the sisters divided their work clearly and began rounding up their prey in the dense forest.

Behind Leng Yaozhu, the Heavenly Phoenix's wings spread wide, blazing golden-red flames circling her body; beside her, Leng Yulai's Dark Phoenix surged with black flames, their cold, eerie light like a man-eating curtain of night.

One rare Soul Beast after another fled in terror, and furious, frightened roars rang incessantly through the woods.

Leng Yaozhu's Heavenly Phoenix flames spread into a vast net of fire, sealing off the Soul Beasts' forward escape routes. The heat scorched the air, forcing them to turn; Leng Yulai's Dark Phoenix flames wound silently around them, turning into binding chains that caught the limbs of the charging behemoths. They deliberately held back their most lethal killing moves, seeking only to capture them alive.

Then Leng Yulai took out the Soul Tool, the God-Sealing Platform, and continuously drew the resisting high-ranking Soul Beasts inside.

The desperate Soul Beasts rammed their cages, but could only stir rings of Soul Power ripples. Throughout the dense woods of Star Dou's core, their defiant howls echoed everywhere.

Just as the capture reached a fever pitch, the clouds high above abruptly tore apart.

A tall, straight figure in white tore through the air, the Heavenly Spear gleaming with white light, its tip piercing the clouds and mist.

It was Yun Ming.

Having received word of the calamity befalling the Soul Beasts within Star Dou, he had rushed over alone, regardless of everything, hoping to charge into the woods, rescue the trapped Soul Beasts, and stop this slaughter.

Of course, saving these Soul Beasts was secondary. Above all, he did not want to see them fall into the Spirit Pagoda's hands.

But a gray-white figure abruptly blocked his path.

It was Qian Chenyue.

Eight dusky Fallen Angel wings spread fully behind her, and hazy gray fallen divine power unfurled into a vast Fallen Angel domain, forcibly interposing itself between Yun Ming and the forest.

"Pavilion Master Yun Ming, please stop here." Qian Chenyue's cool voice rang across the sky.

Yun Ming's brows knitted tightly. He pointed the Heavenly Spear forward, and the light at its edge surged. "Qian Chenyue, I don't want to tear away all pretense of civility with you."

"I'm afraid I cannot comply."

Qian Chenyue's wings beat fiercely, and countless gray-black feathers turned into sharp hidden weapons, stabbing toward Yun Ming in a sky-blotting barrage.

At the same time, the Fallen Angel's spiritual corrosion spread along the feathers, and ominous dark clouds corroded this entire stretch of sky.

Yun Ming flicked his wrist, thrusting and sweeping the Heavenly Spear again and again, shattering every feather filling the sky. The Whole-Area Air-Banishing Domain activated instantly, suppressing all flying Martial Souls in the air.

Qian Chenyue had anticipated this. She folded her wings and abruptly dropped, fallen Soul Power gathering in her palm into a massive double-bladed axe, which she cleaved savagely toward Yun Ming.

Spear and axe collided with a thunderous crash. A dazzling shock wave exploded outward, and the air currents high above churned wildly.

Yun Ming swept his spear across, his immense Soul Power forcing Qian Chenyue back repeatedly. But as a Quasi-God, with the ever-changing Fallen Angel Martial Soul, Qian Chenyue still did not crumble even when meeting the Heavenly Spear's attacks head-on. She kept Yun Ming firmly entangled, seeking not to wound him severely but only to delay him, denying him any chance to charge into the forest to help.

In the forest below, Leng Yaozhu glanced back at the two figures locked in fierce battle high above, a trace of coldness crossing her lips.

"Yulai, pick up the pace."

"Understood!"

The Dark Phoenix's black flames abruptly expanded. Countless black fire chains shot in every direction, binding the Soul Beasts fleeing all around. The God-Sealing Platform's cages landed one after another, and still more Soul Beasts became captives.

Above the heavens, spear light and gray mist collided without pause.

Yun Ming tried to break through, while Qian Chenyue risked her life to intercept him.

In Star Dou Great Forest, one above and one below, two battlefields boiled over at once.

Smoke and dust had yet to clear from the entire collapsed valley. Within the deep crater, after Gu Yuena had overdrawn her divine essence, the power borrowed from the Dragon God's Heart rapidly faded, and her aura likewise plummeted. She steeled herself: As long as the green mountains remain, there will be firewood to burn! Soul Beasts, I'm sorry-time to run!

Although the others had not faced that terrifying strike directly, its escaping shock waves had already gravely wounded them. Everyone knew that, with their strength alone, it would be very difficult to trap this Silver Dragon King again.

Just as Gu Yuena sidestepped a blast of Blazing Golden Toad Soul Power and was about to leap away through the air.

On the distant horizon, a thick, warm pillar of Soul Power light abruptly pierced the clouds.

The earth trembled faintly, and a rumble drew nearer from afar.

A burly, imposing figure strode through the sky, clad in a full suit of dark-gold Battle Armor. Vast, mighty earth-attribute Soul Power crashed down like mountain ranges stretching for ten thousand miles.

Yue Zhengen!

"Don't even think of leaving!"

His sharp shout shook the valley.

Yue Zhengen slammed both fists into midair. Divinity Soul Power manifested out of nothing as countless chains, crisscrossing and entwining to seal off the entire airspace instantly, cutting off every direction in which Gu Yuena could escape.

Gu Yuena's expression changed drastically. All her remaining Dragon God's Power erupted, and silver-white blades of light slashed at the chains in succession.

"Stop her!" Yue Zhengen shouted.

Yuanen Zhentian and Yuanen Tiandang exchanged a glance, unleashing their titan bloodlines to the fullest. Two towering figures lunged forward, blocking Gu Yuena's escape routes firmly from left and right.

Wang Hongchen scattered scarlet-gold corrosive Soul Power, continually eating away at the defensive shield around her. Yi Hongchen drove his Illusion Domain at full strength, disrupting Gu Yuena's judgment of spatial displacement. Han Tianyi marshaled all his spiritual power to lock onto her divine soul, preventing her from drawing on the Dragon God's Heart from afar again.

Yu Mengdi leaped to Qian Gu Fenfeng's side, sending a steady stream of Divinity Soul Power into him, temporarily stabilizing his God Level foundation on the verge of collapse, stopping his bleeding and protecting his soul.

Beset on all sides, Gu Yuena had already severely overdrawn her divine essence by activating the Dragon God's Heart. As she repeatedly resisted the successive fierce assaults of several powerhouses, her movements gradually slowed.

Yue Zhengen seized a fleeting opening. Every part of his Battle Armor burst with light, and, wielding the Angel Holy Sword, he slashed viciously into Gu Yuena's back.

Bang!

The silver protective barrier shattered at the impact. Agonizing pain spread throughout Gu Yuena's body, and she staggered forward.

The Sea God Helmet flew from Yue Zhengen's sleeve. The ocean's power within it flowed without end, winding around her in layer upon layer. Runes that suppressed divinity were engraved on the chains, which coiled around Gu Yuena's limbs, waist, and neck.

Gu Yuena struggled with all her might, her Dragon God Origin repeatedly battering the shackles. The runes shone with dazzling light, firmly suppressing the power within her.

At this point, Gu Yuena was captured.

Yue Zhengen did not stop. His gaze swept toward the wounded, despairing Ferocious Beasts on the valley's outskirts.

"Take them all as well!"

Divinity Soul Power spread out, blotting out the sky and covering the earth.

Di Tian, gravely wounded and powerless; Xiong Jun, grief-stricken and furious but already unable to resist; the Myriad Demon King, Bi Ji, and the Scarlet King.

The Angel Legion had arrived.

Sealing shackles descended one after another.

The Five Great Ferocious Beasts were all firmly bound.

The smoke and dust slowly settled.

Yue Zhengen turned, walked to the edge of the deep crater, and respectfully lowered his head to look at Qian Gu Fenfeng, whose whole body was stained with blood and whose aura was faint.

"Councilor, I have fulfilled your trust."

Qian Gu Fenfeng struggled to lift his bloodstained eyelids. Looking at the Ferocious Beasts bound in layer upon layer of shackles, he drew his lips into a faint smile.

In Star Dou Great Forest, the outcome was settled.