Chapter 23: Tandem Dance of the Three Stars

With a flick, Elder Xiu’s Firebolt Sword sent a thunderbolt straight deep into the ground. Ignoring the damage he was inflicting on Grand Border City, Elder Xiu’s greed for Su Xing’s Astral Treasure made him willing to pay any price to kill Su Xing.

“Elder wants to see how much longer you can last.” Elder Xiu’s Divine Intent had already locked on to Su Xing. Before a stronger star cultivator, running and hiding were pointless. With another red swing, the Firebolt devastated another storehouse. The streets teemed with fleeing citizens and soldiers, their screams all blending together.

Su Xing hid behind a statue, gasping for breath. With his energy rapidly depleting, the Astral Treasure was also slowly dimming.

Is this my limit?

Su Xing stole a glance at Elder Xiu, who now stood atop a roof. This devious Nebula Middle Stage cultivator did not give Su Xing even a chance at escape. Not only was he using the Firebolt Sword at full power, but a bright lightning aura protected his body. He was not afraid of letting Su Xing get close to him; with Su Xing’s current cultivation and Star Energy, there was no way for him to overcome this Nebula Middle Stage cultivator’s defenses.

Is there anything I can do??

Su Xing exhaled. With a gaze that refused to admit defeat, he suddenly sprang out, lifting Silver Blade and letting loose a bullet.

It was a dazzling silver glimmer in the darkness, like a sword to tear apart fiery red lightning.

SFX: Peng! (Bang!)

The bullet was stopped before Elder Xiu by his aura.

Elder Xiu exerted his Star Energy. The Firebolt Sword was just like a torrential downpour, and its fire-lightning instantly destroyed the area Su Xing was standing in. The scene was as if a bomb had went off. Rubble was strewn everywhere, with thick, oily smoke billowing out of the burnt husks of buildings. That Elder Xiu had completely demolished the entire 100 meters surrounding Su Xing.

“And where do you think you’re running off to?” Elder Xiu sneered. “You can die peacefully after having survived against my weapon for this long.” The Firebolt sword was poised to deliver the killing blow, but at this instant, a figure came flying in, glowing spear aimed towards his weak point.

Elder Xiu didn’t dare receive the attack directly, and instead, he himself attacked, clashing against that light.

Forced to take a step back, after the initial shock faded, in front of Su Xing stood a warrior maiden with cold spear in hand, protecting him.

“Lin Chong!!” Elder Xiu exclaimed in shock.

“Young Master, you can leave the rest to me!” Lin Yingmei’s face was stern, with an icy fire burning within her beautiful eyes. Her entire body emitted a powerful killing intent, the Astral Crest on her forehead shimmering brightly.

Knowing Lin Yingmei was safe, Su Xing felt just a little bit relieved. The Knowledge Star Wu Xinjie had indeed saved the Majestic Star.

“We can retreat first if you can’t handle this.” Su Xing suggested. Against this Nebula Middle Stage practitioner, he really hadn’t a good idea how to overcome the difference in ranks; stretching past two ranks seemed to be his limit.

“He must pay!” Lin Yingmei said firmly.

“Lin Chong, weren’t you trapped? How is this possible?” Elder Xiu could not understand. He recalled what Su Xing said before, that Su Xing had a backup plan? This damned Star Master irritated Elder Xiu immensely. This was the first time a Stardust Cultivator had fooled him. “So what if you’re here now. I’ll just send you both to the Liangshan Maiden.”

Elder Xiu changed hand seals, and the Firebolt surged to full power.

In an instant, thunder and lightning struck towards the two.

SFX: *Crash!*

Lin Yingmei raised her Arctic Star Spear to forcefully block the thunderbolt. “Fire!!” Elder Xiu shouted, throwing out the Firebolt sword that was within his hand.

With a dazzling lightning that blinded the eyes, Lin Yingmei was unable to decisively block the attack, her body shaking. The Firebolt sword shone through the night and pierced through the wall of Grand Border City.

The Arctic Star Spear then fired a cold light towards the enemy.

However, Elder Xiu was a capable fighter. After throwing the sword, he threw several paper talismans, and those talismans became 50-60 fireballs to block Lin Yingmei’s attack.

Lin Yingmei easily dispersed the fireballs, but at this time, the elder revealed just how cunning he truly was. With a twitch of his finger, the thrown Firebolt sword followed the motion and became a bolt of lightning, returning and targeting Lin Yingmei.

Having already executed an attack, it was too late for Lin Yingmei to defend herself. But suddenly at the last second, the fiery red lightning aura blossomed into a cold white light. With a terrific roar, the Firebolt’s attack was completely stopped.

This was not the doing of some other outsider, but Su Xing.

Throwing out the last bit of power from the Profound Star Barrier, he successfully stopped the sword’s attack.

Elder Xiu hurriedly retreated in shock.

But Lin Yingmei wasn’t about to give him a chance.

The Arctic Star Spear broke his shielding aura, and the tip of the spear stabbed into Elder Xiu’s left shoulder. The only thing to be seen was a girl holding her spear, and she tossed aside Elder Xiu with a swing of that spear, as if she was throwing away garbage.

At the same time, Su Xing wasn’t going to let him catch his breath.

Bullets, like wild beasts, rushed towards him.

However, Elder Xiu’s speed was quick, and he used a technique to escape into the earth the moment he landed.

“You two goddamned brats, Elder cannot wait to reap your souls!” Elder Xiu emerged from the other side with a sinister smile and the Firebolt Sword having already been recalled to his hand.

“Bullying my sister, the one who wants to die is you, isn’t it, you old geezer?!” Someone suddenly jeered.

Elder Xiu started and brought the sword to his side.

Clad in a red cape, a beauty with red hair stood on a rooftop, taunting haughtily. With a burning nine chain link saber, at first glance, she looked like a demon from hell.

And she really was a demon…the Red-Haired Demon, Liu Tang!

Su Xing blanked out. This was plain bad luck. Of all the times to meet her… Lin Yingmei was just as upset.

It looked as if all of the Deviance Star’s hostility was directed at Elder Xiu for the moment. Lifting up her Blaze Refining Saber, she sneered, “Old men should just enjoy what time they have left. Be careful, coming out fighting and killing, no one here wants to collect your body.”

“Liu Tang, you aren’t being respectful at all.”

Another voice, this one playful, came from behind Elder Xiu.

This time, it was another beauty, the Knowledge Star Wu Xinjie.

Wu Xinjie gave a small laugh. Playing with a copper lock, her body emitted Star Energy at maximum strength, making Elder Xiu break into a cold sweat.

“Don’t mind us, old man. Once you’ve been blasted to pieces, there’s no need to collect a body.”

In fact, Elder Xiu was stonefaced.

Three Star Generals!

There were now actually three Star Generals.

An aghast Elder Xiu looked at Su Xing. Just who is this brat, to be able to call upon 3 Star Generals at once.

“Shut up!”

Majestic Star Lin Yingmei gripped the Arctic Star Spear, with a completely icy killing intent directed at Elder Xiu.

The Deviance Star Liu Qing’er coldly grunted, her Blaze Refining Saber spewing out a cruel flame. And lastly, the Knowledge Star Wu Xinjie clearly threw out the copper lock and a “Wind Kill” talisman.

Facing the 3 Star Generals’ attack, in the center of this triple front, Elder Xiu at this instant fell into the depths of despair. “Elder will drag your man with me to the grave, even if it’s the last thing I do!”

The Firebolt Sword shot towards Su Xing.

1. Properly, this is supposed to be translated as “Heavenly Lightning Earthly Fire Sword,” as Amery did. For conciseness, I have adjusted the name so that it is shorter without losing all of its meaning.
2. Previously translated as Shu Jing.
3. Previously translated as Astral Artifact.
4. Actually, the pronoun he uses here is 老夫. This is a pronoun used by older people to proclaim their seniority. Some may use the phrase “This old man…” but I decided to try and use something different.
5. Previously translated as “Star Symbol.”
6. Previously translated as “Wu Xinxie.”
7. Previously translated as “Arctic Star Serpent Spear,” retained but shortened to Arctic Star Spear for conciseness.
8. Previously translated as “Blaze Refining Nine Prisons Saber,” I am opting to use “Blaze Refining Nine Hells Saber” and “Blaze Refining Saber” for short.