Chapter 304 - 303: The Wonderful Use of the Star Array Map

They had been talking in circles forever, and somehow Liu Wushuang had managed to steer the conversation right back to the topic of participating in the battle. Qin Yang figured that after this experience, Liu Wushuang’s fixation was bound to reach a new level; he’d be even more eager to self-destruct in the future.

This left Qin Yang speechless.

’Why is this guy so obsessed with self-destructing!?’

’Did I really lead him that far astray?’

But little did he know, it wasn’t just Liu Wushuang who thought this way. Right now, the entire outside world, including the Nine Celestial Venerables, saw the Heaven-Blasting Gang in the exact same light.

Fearless in the face of death.

A whole pack of lunatics!

"Alright, let’s go."

Qin Yang waved to Liu Wushuang, not wanting to dwell on the issue any longer for fear the misunderstanding would only deepen. "Elder Wushuang, let’s head back to the district."

「A moment later.」

「Inside Jianghai City.」

The streets were desolate. Strong winds from the Da Li Mountain Range had swept through the city’s streets and alleys, leaving discarded produce scattered everywhere.

The citizens were left reeling. The aftershocks from Qin Yang’s earlier battle had struck the city. Even though the fight had been far away in the Da Li Mountain Range, its impact was significant.

The scene was one of devastation, with plastic bags drifting on the wind.

......

「Fuhai District.」

"According to the latest situation report... ashes, losses are currently being tallied... The Star Martial Police Bureau has already dispatched..."

A TV host was reporting on the situation.

But in the empty living room, no one was listening.

Outside in the courtyard, Xia He was counting the black helicopters flying overhead. At a rough glance, four or five squadrons had already passed by, all of them special field teams from the Star Martial Police Bureau.

The Li Sisters stood beside him, watching the spectacle in the sky with worried expressions.

It had been five hours since Qin Yang left. The sky was growing dark, but there was still no sign of his return. Instead, squadron after squadron of helicopters flew past.

"Jeez, what a terrifying display!"

Xia He lowered the finger he’d been using to count, sucking his teeth. "It’s been a while since I’ve seen the Bureau make such a big move," he remarked. "Old Qin really stirred the pot this time. I wonder how he’s doing."

"Something bad didn’t happen to Senior Brother, did it...?"

Li Zixuan tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear and looked up at the sky, her delicate face filled with worry. "He’s been gone for so long."

"Tch! You two... stop your pointless worrying!"

Li Qinghe sat on a chair in the courtyard with her legs crossed, taking a crunchy bite of a pickled cucumber. "Come on. With Master’s personality, if he really decided to act, you know he’d have everything planned out. No one can hurt him."

She didn’t say anything more.

She was afraid of letting the secret slip.

’After all, I made a promise to Qin Yang. I absolutely can’t reveal certain things.’

Just then.

VWOOM!

The very air in the courtyard began to vibrate.

The figures of Liu Wushuang and Qin Yang emerged, stepping out of the vibrating air and appearing in the courtyard.

"Huh!?"

"You’re back!?"

"That was so fast!"

Once they had landed, the three of them—Xia He and the sisters—clamored and rushed over. Li Zixuan was the first to reach them.

"How did it go, Senior Brother?"

Li Zixuan rushed to Qin Yang’s side. Her eyes flickered over him, and she started to reach out a hand before cautiously pulling it back. "Those people from the Venerable Alliance... they didn’t hurt you, did they?"

"...Mmm."

Seeing the worry etched on her face, Qin Yang paused. ’How am I going to spin this? How can I explain away this battle?’

"The Young Master is fine, but the overall situation is grim."

Liu Wushuang’s expression was grave. Seeing Qin Yang remain silent, he assumed he was too distraught to speak and took over. "If you want to hear what happened, you need to brace yourselves. I witnessed the whole thing, and the outcome... it’s not good..."

The moment he finished speaking.

The courtyard fell silent.

Xia He stopped watching the helicopters.

Li Qinghe lowered her pickled cucumber.

The atmosphere grew tense.

"Please, tell us," Li Zixuan asked softly, biting her lip. "We can take it... probably... How are the elders now?"

"They... all sacrificed themselves. A total of six Venerables... The three elders who joined our rescue, as well as the senior uncles who took your places... every one of them died to kill Meng Tianxuan. They took the members of the Venerable Alliance down with them..."

Liu Wushuang’s voice was low, and by the time he finished, it had dropped to a near-whisper.

"They acted without a shred of hesitation. They were worthy of the name of the Heaven-Blasting Gang..."

"What?!"

At his words, Li Zixuan and Xia He stared in shock. The light in their eyes seemed to dim, as they never could have imagined such an outcome.

’They all died?’

’All for the sake of juniors like us, only at the Innate Realm...’

’The Heaven-Blasting Gang actually sent six Venerables?’

’To think they valued us so much... It’s far beyond anything we could have imagined!’

"May the elders rest in peace."

Everyone was plunged into sorrow, except for Xiaobai, who was standing nearby, pressing her lips together and trying desperately to hold back her laughter, her small face turning bright red.

PFFT—

Hearing Liu Wushuang’s story, she was practically bursting with laughter on the inside.

’These silly humans. Master has them completely fooled.’

Qin Yang felt a stir from the Beast Slave seal and the sudden wave of joy that came with it. He shot a glare at Xiaobai, warning her not to blow their cover, then quietly moved to slip away from the group.

"Master, where are you going?"

Li Qinghe caught Qin Yang leaving out of the corner of her eye and went to call out to him, but Li Zixuan quickly grabbed her sleeve.

"Don’t bother him, Sister Qinghe..."

Li Zixuan frowned and gently shook her head. "The Heaven-Blasting Gang just lost so many senior uncles. As the Young Master, he must be devastated... Let’s just let him be alone."

"Alright..."

...

Listening to their exchange, Qin Yang kept his expression cold. He didn’t say a word, not bothering to correct them as he returned to his room alone under everyone’s sympathetic gazes.

’I was actually worried I’d have to go to the trouble of explaining everything to them.’

’But with Li Zixuan helping to sell the lie, it saves me a lot of trouble.’

A short while later, Qin Yang was back in his room, sitting alone on the sofa. Enjoying the solitude, he began to accept his reward from the system.

BOOM!

Knowledge rushed into his mind like water from a burst dam.

Soon.

Qin Yang understood how to use the Star Array.

He focused his mind for a moment.

Specks of brilliant light appeared in the center of his palm, gradually connecting into lines to form a unique, sharply angled seal.

’In this world, every person has a central point that corresponds to the immense Star Power from the black hole above.’ Qin Yang opened his palm, studying the dazzling, starlit seal as he mused, ’...and with this Star Seal, granted by the Star Array Map, I can seize their central points and channel their Star Force for myself.’

To put it simply.

After I implant a Star Seal into someone, I can use it as a conduit to drain their power and temporarily gather it within my own body!

A massive boost to my combat power!

’The power of thousands, all gathered in me?’

In his room, Qin Yang’s thoughts reached this point, and his eyes glinted as he stared at the Star Seal hovering above his palm.

’If I could find an Earth Venerable Realm expert, or even someone on the Celestial Venerable Level like Meng Tianxuan, and plant a Star Seal in them... the terrifying power I could accumulate....’

’Tsk, tsk... I’m going to be invincible!’