Chapter Nineteen: The Return of the Star of Heaven's Wrath

A long, drawn-out howl exhausted every ounce of Xia Boling’s strength. She collapsed weakly onto the ground, her unfocused pupils unable to gather themselves, muttering over and over, “I tried so hard… How could it end like this… How could it…”

A biting wind howled through the land, cutting to the bone. Suddenly, Xia Boling felt a warmth wrap around her shoulders—a tattered old coat was draped over her.

“You are not the one at fault. It’s the world that’s wrong,” Xiang Jiuxi said with a gentle, radiant smile that instantly melted her defenses. She was about to speak, but Li Kaishan’s scowling face cut her off with a shout, “Are you done with your performance? Then go to hell!”

With that, Li Kaishan swung his axe down, and the giant brought his massive blade down as well. Instantly, a demonic gale erupted. At the center of the monstrous wind spun a pitch-black hurricane, whirling straight toward Xiang Jiuxi and Xia Boling.

The hurricane was ferocious, like a great, gaping dragon devouring everything in its path. Wherever it swept, rocks and sand were torn away, leaving a deep, raw furrow in the ground.

Witnessing the devastating force, Xiang Jiuxi couldn’t help but glance at Xia Boling. He needed her—not only because he sought the land where the sun rose, but because he fancied himself a savior, and believed rescuing the downtrodden was his duty.

Without hesitation, Xiang Jiuxi scooped Xia Boling into his arms and dashed away from the hurricane’s onslaught.

The storm was as swift as lightning, impossible for an ordinary person to evade. Yet Xiang Jiuxi’s legs exploded with inhuman power, propelling him forward at a speed beyond comprehension, dodging the black hurricane with seeming ease.

A thunderous roar followed, as the hurricane rampaged on, splitting the hills behind them into a vast chasm before, finally, rushing off into the distance with a shrill, rocky cry.

“Whew! That was close!” Xiang Jiuxi set Xia Boling down gently and shielded her behind him, then fixed Li Kaishan with a cold, steely gaze.

Li Kaishan, shaken by Xiang Jiuxi’s extraordinary display, returned the stare with a complicated expression, his thoughts unreadable.

They remained locked in this silent duel for a long time, as if testing each other’s willpower, the air between them dropping to an icy chill.

Xia Boling studied the two men’s faces; both appeared equally calm and collected. There was no discernible difference. At last, Li Kaishan’s lips twitched ever so slightly—he was nearly at his limit.

“You’re impressive,” he said at last, breaking the stare and offering a half-hearted compliment.

Xiang Jiuxi offered no reply. Instead, he began to roll his shoulders and flex his joints, which cracked and popped audibly, before launching into a series of punches at the air—as though testing the limits of his own body.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh!

His punches were free of elaborate techniques—only the simplest fighting moves, yet each strike was fierce and swift, every blow slicing through the air.

The sound of fists breaking the air mingled with the gusts they created. Li Kaishan’s face grew grim, and after a long hesitation, he spoke slowly, “From the beginning, I knew there was something off about you. Did you find a glowing stone here?”

Xiang Jiuxi stopped, arms folded across his chest, chin raised in disdain. “And what if I did?”

Li Kaishan suppressed his anger, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Judging by your attire… you’re a refugee from this wasteland, aren’t you? I’ll offer you a way out—come with me! I’ll show you a life of luxury and wealth. What do you say?”

On one hand, glory and riches; on the other, a formidable enemy. It was a choice anyone could understand.

Xiang Jiuxi glanced back, curious to see Xia Boling’s reaction.

Her bright eyes flickered, but she said nothing and dared not meet Xiang Jiuxi’s gaze again. Despite her efforts to compose herself, he noticed her hands trembling, pale as death.

That moment of helplessness struck a chord in Xiang Jiuxi’s heart. He gripped her icy hand and gave her a reassuring nod.

Then, Xiang Jiuxi strode forward and called out to Li Kaishan, “It’s a tempting offer, but compared to you, I believe her future shines much brighter.”

Xia Boling’s body trembled. She stared blankly, murmuring, “That’s not a good idea.”

Li Kaishan lowered his head, bloodshot eyes half-hidden, his voice dropping to a menacing growl, “And so?”

“And so, I’ll help her destroy you!”

Boom!

Before the echo faded, a shockwave exploded beside Xia Boling. In the blink of an eye, Xiang Jiuxi vanished from her side, leaving only a pair of deep footprints behind, while a blurred afterimage appeared beside Li Kaishan.

Crash!

A muffled grunt escaped Li Kaishan as Xiang Jiuxi reappeared, landing a fierce uppercut to his jaw, sending the giant reeling backward.

The towering giant collapsed with a thunderous crash, stirring up a massive cloud of dust.

Within the swirling haze, the sound of fists breaking the air thundered relentlessly, each blow stronger than the last. The once-mighty Li Kaishan had no chance to retaliate—he could only stand there, dumbly taking the punishment.

It was a one-sided massacre that lasted a full ten minutes before the sounds within the dust finally ceased.

Xia Boling’s eyes widened in disbelief. When she saw Xiang Jiuxi emerge unscathed from the settling dust, she murmured in awe, “So this is the power of an Imperial Artifact…”

Xiang Jiuxi wiped the sweat from his brow, noting that several of his knuckles were broken. No matter—it wouldn’t take long to heal. He steadied his breath and flashed a grin at Xia Boling. “Now, will you answer my questions?”

Xia Boling was just about to smile when her expression froze. She pointed at the space behind Xiang Jiuxi, hands trembling, unable to speak.

“Heavenly Killing Star, take your place!”

A murderous aura enveloped Xiang Jiuxi. Two blood-red demonic eyes rose from the dissipating dust, casting a crimson glow over the land.

Caws and shrieks erupted as birds took flight for miles around, and countless wild beasts sensed the danger, fleeing from their burrows into the distance.

“What a murderous intent!” Xiang Jiuxi’s heart leapt into his throat. He wasted no time and ran for his life.

As the dust finally cleared, Xiang Jiuxi saw the truth: the demonic eyes belonged to the giant’s face. Now, the giant’s form faded into nothingness, wavering as it entered the gravely wounded Li Kaishan’s body.

With a furious roar, the red light vanished, and Li Kaishan awoke at its dying edge.

Xiang Jiuxi’s brow knitted with worry. He had spent every ounce of his strength pummeling Li Kaishan for ten minutes and was nearly spent—he had no confidence left to face this unknown foe.

“Luckily, that brute is clumsy. He shouldn’t be able to keep up with my speed.”

The thought brought him a measure of relief. With several quick strides, he reached Xia Boling, scooped her slender waist, and took off running.

But they hadn’t gotten far when a coarse, resonant voice rang out behind them: “You’ve achieved all this after just fusing with the Divine Stone. You could have had a bright future. Unfortunately, you chose the wrong answer! Roar!”

With a thundering shout, Li Kaishan sprang up, whirling a pitch-black cyclone around him. Riding the dark wind, he easily caught up to Xiang Jiuxi.

I still underestimated him! Xiang Jiuxi forced himself onward, summoning every last ounce of strength in his legs, trying to push himself even faster. But exhaustion dragged at him, and his speed fell far short of what he needed—though he still managed to put some distance between himself and Li Kaishan.

Yet the black cyclone surged faster and faster, relentlessly closing in.

Sweat beaded on Xiang Jiuxi’s brow from the mounting pressure.

Xia Boling saw his struggle and bit her lip. “His target is me. Leave me behind and run—you might still have a chance.”

“What nonsense are you spouting? I carry the bloodline of the Overlord. How could I ever stoop to something so contemptible?”