Splitting the Heavens

Chapter 1149: Breaking Out

Shang Xia had been sapping away 30 percent of the power of starlight the Stargazers of the Star Origin City used to power the grand formation of the prison every day.

Because he was hidden deep in the prison beneath the Star Observatory, Shang Xia seemed a lot more unrestrained in his actions. As time passed, even though he didn’t know too much about the art of formations, he was still able to slowly expand the range of which he was absorbing the power of starlight from the formation node he was using.

After 5 or so days passed, Shang Xia reached the limit of what he could absorb without being detected. According to his estimates, he was able to eat away at 50 to 60 percent of the power of starlight used to power the grand formation!

One had to know that the Star Observatory channeled 30 percent of the energy they absorbed to the prison, while the rest were used to replenish the reserves of the Dao Field.

During the entire time Shang Xia had been absorbing the power of starlight to raise his cultivation level, the power of suppression on the first and second floors of the prison was greatly weakened.

Even those in the Star Observatory didn’t know what was happening in the prison!

Without the Star Origin Lord, their Star Origin Guards Commander, and even Xing Xingtian, the Camp Commander responsible for the Star Observatory, things were starting to go south really quickly.

According to Shang Xia’s estimates, the Martial Extermination Realm cultivators captured on the first floor might not be able to feel the difference from the weakening suppression, but those in the Martial Dipper Realm who were housed on the second floor of the prison would definitely be able to feel the effects.

However, there hadn’t been any commotion on either floor of the prison at the moment.

Everyone seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and they seemed to be waiting for something. A strange atmosphere filled the prison. As the jailors were mere mortals, they were unable to feel the changes happening in the prison.

Those trapped on the third floor of the prison weren’t so lucky. After all, it was where the power of suppression was the greatest. There was also Liu Jiuzhen, and with his cultivation realm, he would have discovered any changes the moment it happened.

Shang Xia could disrupt the power of suppression that affected the prison from his formation node, but he chose not to weaken the suppression on the third floor at the moment. That was because he wasn’t sure of the Star Origin Guards’ complex relationship at the moment and if Liu Jiuzhen would alarm the Star Origin Guards of the Seventh Camp or those in the Star Observatory the moment he noticed the change.

Several more days passed uneventfully, but suddenly, the Crimson Soul Tablet seemed tired of absorbing the impure power of starlight that filled the prison!

No matter how Shang Xia tried to urge it on, the Crimson Soul Tablet was no longer absorbing the power of starlight as greedily as before.

Due to the poor rate at which the Crimson Soul Tablet was absorbing the power of starlight, the energy that it provided him basically disappeared. Under such circumstances, trying to regain his lost energy was going to be difficult, and cultivating would naturally become a lot more difficult.

Shang Xia knew that the time for him to leave had arrived.

Even though he didn’t know why Feng Ziying and Kou Chongxue hadn’t contacted him, from how his actions hadn’t caught the attention of those in the Star Observatory, those 2 probably hadn’t exposed themselves. They might have run into some other pressing matters and had no choice but to delay the entire operation.

Both sides seemed to be waiting for each other, but Shang Xia was no longer willing to wait for them.

Since he couldn’t contact either of them, he decided just to do it himself.

As Shang Xia forced the Crimson Soul Tablet to continue absorbing the power of starlight, some energy was converted and produced by it. However, Shang Xia didn’t use them for himself. Instead, he started to send it to the first and second floors of the prison.

The power of suppression was practically non-existent in those floors at the moment. Since the cells didn’t really stop the flow of heaven and earth qi, everyone had been slowly recovering the past few days as they tried to restore themselves to their peak state so as to launch a counterattack. With even denser energy pouring into their cells, they would need a lot less time to recover.

…

One day, when the jailors were sending food to the third floor of the prison, a majestic aura descended all of a sudden before they could leave. A loud blast came after as the prison started to tremble along with the mighty Star Observatory above it.

When Liu Jiuzhen and the Star Origin Guards of the First Camp trapped on the third floor were still in shock, a strange roar came from the floors above.

Along with low rumbles as multiple cells were torn open from the floors above, rays of extermination light and dipper qi filled the prison. At the same time, the anger and resentment that had been building up for god knows how long from those who had been trapped in there burst forth as the gates of the prison were blown open.

The Star Origin Guards who were stationed outside the prison reacted quickly, and at least 3 squads rushed over under the leadership of Captain Fang.

What they saw when they arrived caused their hearts to sink.

The gates to the prison had been blown apart, and the runnel that was filled with runes leading into the prison had been shattered.

A massive hole that was 300 or so feet in length could be seen as those who had been trapped in the prison rushed out. At the same time, they were causing greater destruction and a larger opening to the prison as they escaped. They were also trying to continue to wreak havoc to affect the Star Observatory above.

Despite the might of the squads Captain Fang brought, they were unable to stop the prisoners from escaping. There were just far too many of them, and as soon as they escaped, the prisoners didn’t bother grouping up to fight. Instead, they scattered and ran in all directions.

“Deputy Camp Commander, what do we do now?”

Every single squad of the Star Origin Guards had the combat might of an expert at the peak of the Martial Dipper Realm. The squad where Captain Fang was in charge had the strength to challenge a True Immortal, but no one knew what to do when faced with such chaos. After all, there were too many cultivators trying to escape!

Captain Fang growled, “Let’s not bother with those who escaped for now. Everyone, follow me and seal off the hole to the prison!”

“Deputy Camp Commander, there are also a lot of them trying to destroy the Star Observatory… Also, from how they are able to cause such destruction in the prison… A True Immortal was definitely behind this!” A captain of the Seventh Camp reminded. It was clear he was warning Captain Fang that Liu Jiuzhen might be the person behind everything that was happening. After all, he was the only True Immortal they knew who had been imprisoned!

As the Dao Field had already hidden itself in the void and created a spatial barrier around itself, there was no way for those who escaped to run away. That was why Captain Fang didn’t care about those who escaped for the time being and was more interested in sealing off the prison. After all, if the Star Observatory was really affected, their Dao Field would truly be at risk.

Glaring at the captain, Captain Fang growled, “There are people protecting the Star Observatory and Grandmaster Xiao is taking charge of things there. We don’t have to worry. I’ll say this once more… Everyone, follow me to seal off the hole to the prison!”

With Captain Fang bringing 3 squads over to seal off the hole, 2 other squads arrived as reinforcements.

Captain Fang roared with rage when he saw them. “Who the hell ordered you to come?! Fuck off and protect the Star Observatory!”

The Star Origin Guards who came to help started to hesitate. One of the captains eventually muttered, “Deputy Camp Commander… Grandmaster Xiao ordered us to come over. He said that only a True Immortal is able to break out from inside the prison, and the only True Immortal in there is Liu Jiuzhen…”

Before Captain Fang could retort, a powerful ray of starlight descended from the sea of stars onto the Star Observatory. A massive phantom that resembled Xiao Shengyi appeared above the Star Observatory the next moment.

Xiao Shengyi’s enraged cry also rang through the skies, “Who dares to infiltrate my Star Observatory?!”