The dense stars within the Kilostar Domain brightly shone. One would remain concealed even when casually roaming the starry sky. Of course, this kind of concealment was nowhere as good as hiding within the stars themselves.
"The trouble is, they spread out and arranged for their people to explore each star. No matter where I hide, they’ll eventually find me. I wonder if there’s any areas where ordinary people can't enter?"
Along the way, Tianming had come across a lot of people, all of whom were pillars of the five divine realms. Most of them were in their fifties or older. There were few young faces.
"The nine people I killed were most likely lower-ranking disciples.”
Even if he was much stronger than he was during the Number One Summit, danger lurked in every corner. He was cautious, hiding in the starry sky and searching for refuge.
Time flew by and a day passed in the blink of an eye.
When he stepped into a certain star field, he felt a sudden movement on his body. Looking down, he noticed that a part of the Dragonhide had appeared and was giving off a faint glow. Then it directed Tianming's right hand, pointing it at a star at the end of the horizon.
It was an enormous blue star with a surface area of more than forty times the size of Taiji Peak Lake. Judging by its color, it was probably an ocean star and its surface was completely covered by cold seas. The presence of rolling clouds suggested strong winds and a storm set off monstrous waves, all of which was visible from Tianming's position.
"The bigger the star, the more suitable it is for us to hide in. But why’s the Dragonhide guiding me there?”
How extraordinary!
"Does Great Emperor Xuanyuan have something to do with the Kilostar Domain? I wonder who’s behind the sealing formation here.”
Since the Dragonhide had given him a target, Tianming immediately headed in that direction. Thus far, it seemed there were people from the five divine realms on every star.
This wind-ocean star was no exception. When Tianming arrived, he discovered how massive it was. It could certainly accommodate tens of millions of cultivators.
The vast sea and terrifying storms covered the entire star. This small world was constantly wracked with storms and the roar of the wind and sea shook Tianming’s heart.
Quietly landing on the star, he arrived on the violent seas. The turbulent storm sent waves hundreds of meters tall crashing into his body. It was difficult for Tianming to stabilize his body. The torrents beneath were equally powerful when he ventured underwater. If hundreds were to enter, it would still take them several months to fully explore the star, due to its magnitude.
"If I manage to stay hidden and wait it out here with them, they might not be able to find me even if they search the stars. After all, I'm not going to sit still in one place.”
Tianming thought the wind-ocean star was pretty good.
By now, the Dragonhide had stopped moving. Tianming wandered around the star, trying to find the reason he had been led there. He traveled across the shallow seas and faced the storm and ocean currents. After two hours, he heard movement ahead.
"There are people there.”
Holding his breath to better conceal himself, Tianming quietly approached to see what they were doing. By the sound of it, there were at least hundreds of people gathered in discussion.
"Why are they gathered here instead of spreading out and searching?”
Beneath the waves, Tianming raised his third eye to look in their direction.
"It looks like there’s some kind of formation.”
Upon closer inspection, Tianming discovered a vast heavenly pattern formation in the center of the storm and waves. At least two hundred people surrounded the formation and rushed to attack it.
Eyes and ears flushed, they looked almost fanatical, which suggested there was something in the heavenly pattern formation to cause such a reaction. Tianming was curious about what he would find in the Kilostar Domain.
"Perhaps whatever’s in this heavenly pattern formation is the reason the Dragonhide led me here.”
It was too chaotic over there. If he wanted to see clearly, he would have to get closer.
"Be careful, I don't want to be hunted down,” said Ying Huo.
"Don't worry. I won’t be interested if it's nothing special.”
Right now, his life was of utmost importance.
As he drew nearer, Tianming realized there were more than two hundred people from the five divine realms trying to break the formation. However, they were blocked by countless dragons and couldn’t enter. The dragons were formed by heavenly patterns; this was a tribulation pattern formation.
Tribulation pattern formations could only be created by tribulation patternscribes. Like tribulation elders, they were divided into four levels—first-origin, second-origin, third-origin, and fourth-origin. The fact that it could perturb more than two hundred experts meant it was at least a first-origin tribulation pattern formation.
What could it be protecting?
Tianming continued his approach, his gaze passing through the thick fog. Finally, when a certain cloud dissipated, he laid his eyes upon the objects within the formation.
"Holy shit!”
Eyes wide, Tianming stretched out his right hand and rubbed all three of his eyes.
"No way!”
He must be mistaken or having hallucinations. After all, how could this be possible?
There were more than two hundred people desperately trying to charge into the formation, preventing him from getting any closer. Only when the storm had momentarily calmed did he catch a glimpse of the magnificence within this formation.
After confirming it three times, Tianming was finally certain. These people were from three different camps—namely the Hexapath Sword Sect, Quadform Oceanic Sect, and Heptastar Aerial Sect.
Why were they behaving like mad dogs? It was because there were countless tribulation manna inside. Each of these treasured tribulation manna floated all around like trash.
Tianming could hardly count them. He estimated there were at least tens of thousands. Even if they were only first- or second-grade tribulation manna, ten thousand of them was still a staggering number. However, Tianming had actually seen fourth-grade tribulation manna, and judging from his experience, these were at least fifth-grade. They might even be sixth- or seventh-grade!
Ninth-grade tribulation manna was considered the highest. Seventh-grade tribulation manna could give lifebound beasts more than seven hundred stars, which was considered the pinnacle in the divine realm. Many third-origin tribulation elders’ lifebound beasts only had about that many stars.
One or two such tribulation manna was nothing, but there were tens of thousands.
"Even the Nonahall Ghost Sect wouldn’t have that many in their possession right now. Because the Archaion Sect lacks tribulation manna, the lifebound beasts of the Heaven Branch disciples don't even have four hundred stars. There’s hundreds of thousands of tribulation elders in the sect, and most of them are normal first-origin tribulation elders. These tribulation manna will be of great use to them. If every one of them progresses, Tribulation Peak would be at least thirty percent stronger!”
It’s no wonder these people were going crazy. This wasn’t just any treasure; this was a treasure capable of transforming a sect.
"That’s why the Nonahall Ghost Sect wants to hunt for treasure before going to war. This is the kind of thing they’re looking for! When these treasures fall into their hands, their fighting powers will soar and they’ll crush the four sects!”
The side with this much treasure will have the upper hand. Even if such treasure existed, Tianming had assumed it would be well-hidden. But surprisingly, they floated in the sea, protected only by a tribulation pattern formation.
Despite being the first ones to discover the treasure, the cultivators of the Quadform Oceanic Sect, Hexapath Sword Sect, and Heptastar Aerial Sect didn’t dare lust after it. They had sent people to inform the upper ranks of their sects, while the rest scrambled to break the formation.
“With a large enough spatial ring, one person could take ten thousand tribulation manna!”
At this moment, Tianming's eyes were fiery, his heart ablaze as he stared at the tribulation manna floating in the sea. His spatial ring was big enough!
"Xian Xian, I’m sorry!” Tianming said.
"What’s wrong?”
"I'm going to toss your ingredients.”
He had a pile of frozen meat meant for Xian Xian’s snacks in his spatial ring.
"You’re a devil! No way, I don’t accept this!” Xian Xian wailed loudly in his lifebound space.
"Don't cry. When this is all over, I’ll compensate you ten times over. I’ll make you barbecue every day,” Tianming promised.
"That’s more like it!” Grinning widely, Xian Xian turned around and continued playing.
Tianming was stumped for words. Sure enough, women’s emotions are like a roller coaster ride! Even a “mother tree” was no different.
"Are you crazy? There’s more than two hundred people here, and there must be even more experts coming. When that happens, it’ll be impossible to escape,” Meow Meow mocked.
"Meow Meow, think about it. The one who’s going to have trouble escaping will be you,” Tianming said.
"Meow?”
It stared blankly, suddenly recalling that in the event of an escape, Tianming would require its speed.
"No, it's too dangerous. I protest. There’s too many of them, and they’re all more powerful than the previous ones. I refuse to take this risk,” Meow Meow said despondently.
"Your protest is invalid,” Tianming replied.
"Are you really going to do this?” Ying Huo asked in surprise.
"You won’t gain anything if you aren’t willing to take risks. Most importantly, I don't want treasures that can determine the outcome of the war to fall into their hands. I’d rather they be destroyed than given to our enemies. If they aren’t, then sooner or later, these treasures will become weapons against the Archaion Divine Realm.” Tianming grit his teeth.
Of course he was aware of the dangers, but that was just how life was. There was no way around this, since they had encountered it.