Splitting the Heavens

Chapter 1576: Face to Face

While the battle formation of the 3 World Alliance was engaging with one of the Star Origin Lord's clones, the 7 True Immortals from the Star Origin Lord Manor were also engaged in a massive battle with another.

In an instant, within the void above the hidden heavenly screen of the Essence Ping World, a total of 4 clones made by the Star Origin Lord stopped the intruders.

If the battle formation from the Spirit Abundance World was still active, it would be possible to verify whether the Star Origin Lord could indeed separate 5 Martial Emptiness Realm clones at once. Unfortunately, they chose a different path that might help the Star Origin Lord accelerate his control over the Essence Ping World by weakening the World’s Will.

Under the cover of the huge battles, Shang Xia quietly passed through the heavenly screen and entered the Essence Ping World. When he arrived, he found himself on a vast plain enveloped by the dark night sky.

Without a doubt, the area where Shang Xia was located was already under the control of the Star Origin Lord. The dark night sky that was glowing in starlight above was clear evidence.

Putting away the Six Harmony Teleportation Talisman, Shang Xia shook off the Star Origin Lord Robe that was draped over his shoulders.

Shang Xia had originally prepared to activate the Six Harmony Teleportation Talisman to stealthily enter the Essence Ping World, but unexpectedly, when he raised the robes he wore, he found that the heavenly screen didn’t stop his entry.

He was reminded of the time when Zhuge Xiang was hunted down by experts from the various factions and opened a spatial tunnel straight into the Essence Ping World while wearing the Star Origin Lord Robe.

Although Shang Xia was not Zhuge Xiang, nor a Star Origin Guard, it was obviously much simpler to pass through the heavenly screen that didn’t reject him than to open a spatial tunnel in the Essence Ping World.

It was just that when Zhuge Xiang forced his way into the Essence Ping World back then, he alarmed the Star Origin Lord’s consciousness.

Even though Shang Xia had prepared for the worst and was confident in his ability to protect himself, he couldn’t help but feel tense at the sight before him. Even though there were 4 clones fighting the battle formations of the various factions outside, the starry skies didn’t seem affected in the slightest.

Did the Star Origin Lord already take over the World’s Will to such a level where a clash involving Sages above the heavenly screen wouldn’t affect the Essence Ping World?

Shang Xia seemed to detect something at the edge of his divine soul and he turned around abruptly to stare at the void thousands of feet away.

There, the space suddenly rippled like water. It collapsed before reforming again, forming a figure whose appearance was identical to the Star Origin Lord's clones above the heavenly screen. However, the light in his eyes and the expressive face told Shang Xia the figure who appeared was different from the clones.

"Star Origin Lord?!" Shang Xia faced the person before him as if he were facing a great enemy. Even though he could tell that the figure that appeared before him hadn’t reached the Martial Emptiness Realm, he still prepared for battle.

"We've met before, haven't we?" The unremarkable-looking Star Origin Lord clone suddenly smiled and spoke.

Rather than lowering his guard, Shang Xia became even more cautious.

"What are your intentions?" Shang Xia's fist clenched around the Six Harmony Teleportation Talisman once more.

"You come uninvited. Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" The figure Shang Xia suspected to be the Star Origin Lord chuckled in response.

"Who wouldn’t be curious when such a massive world is discovered?” Unaware of whether the clone knew what they were after, Shang Xia decided to fish for more information.

The Star Origin Lord's clone seemed to see through Shang Xia’s intention instantly. A smile appeared on his face and he grinned, "You seemed eager to take action against me just now. Why didn't you?"

"If we can talk, why resort to fighting?" Shang Xia responded as if it were only natural.

The Star Origin Lord's clone looked puzzled. "Aren't you afraid I'm just stalling for time to gather strength to deal with you?"

"Star Origin Lord... If you need to stall for time to gather strength to deal with me, what's there to be afraid of?" Shang Xia sounded a lot more relaxed than before.

The smile on the face of the Star Origin Lord's clone slowly faded and his tone became harsher, "You are very confident, unlike those who came here seeking advancement."

Shang Xia's mind stirred and he grunted, “Looks like both the Spirit Mammoth World and Spirit Abundance World have experts at the grand completion stage of the Martial Void Realm... I wonder if Zhuo Gudao also came? Did others come as well?”

"Zhuo Gudao?" A trace of contemplation flashed across the face of the figure standing before him. "I remember before I entered slumber in the Essence Ping World, he was just a newly promoted True Immortal-level Captain. He attended a few of my lectures where I shared knowledge of cultivation. I didn’t think he would live till now...”

Shang Xia carefully watched the person before him, trying not to miss any change in expression, then seriously said, "He not only took over as the third Star Origin Guard Commander, he also reached the grand completion stage of the Martial Void Realm several years ago. Not long ago, he ascended to the Martial Emptiness Realm to become a Sage in the Star Origin Dao Field. Now, he’s dragging the Star Origin Dao Field over.”

Under Shang Xia's gaze, the Star Origin Lord's clone, which had already reigned in his smile, revealed a sinking expression. When he heard the last part of Shang Xia’s statement, his expression became even more unpleasant. “Traitor!”

However, just a moment later, when the Star Origin Lord's clone raised its head again, his gloomy expression had disappeared. It was replaced by a smiling face. "It seems you are trying to provoke me. Are you trying to get me to tell you something?”

"I wouldn’t dare," Shang Xia scoffed before he continued, “You seem very concerned about Zhuo Gudao's actions. After all, the Star Origin Dao Field is your place of martial teaching. Now, Zhuo Gudao occupied it and is using it against you...”

"A very naive attempt at provocation," The Star Origin Lord's clone maintained the smile on his face. "But you succeeded anyway. I am not pleased by his actions."

"But you seem unable to do anything about him," Shang Xia continued probing, "At least not now! Otherwise, he wouldn't dare to bring what originally belonged to you to use against you."

"Are you really trying to piss me off?" The Star Origin Lord's clone asked.

As if he hadn’t heard, Shang Xia continued, "Previously, the grand completion stage True Immortals came here to seek advancement and you couldn’t stop them and had to let them leave unharmed. Otherwise, the Spirit Mammoth World and the Spirit Abundance World wouldn’t dare to act so brazenly against the Essence Ping World.”

Seeing that the clone wasn’t responding, Shang Xia persisted, "Your clones out there are at the Martial Emptiness Realm, but you’re not. Are you unable to wield the power of a Sage in the Essence Ping World?”

"Enough!" The Star Origin Lord's clone shouted sharply, "Do you really think I can't deal with you?!"

The voice of the Star Origin Lord suddenly began to amplify, and by the end, it seemed to resonate with the surrounding space. It merged into the world and it seemed to be questioning Shang Xia on behalf of the Essence Ping World.