In Zhu Xian, people start to rise from plundering entries

The pressure from someone at the peak of the Star Realm is terrifying!
Su Han gritted his teeth and frantically circulated his star power to resist, but it was like an ant trying to shake a tree; he couldn't budge an inch. The difference in their cultivation levels was too great; it couldn't be bridged by swordsmanship or willpower.

"Well? It's not too late to change your mind now." Youmingzi walked slowly closer, his tone leisurely.

A resolute glint flashed in Su Han's eyes. He would rather die in battle than surrender.

Just as he was preparing to burn his life essence in a desperate fight, the Moon Goddess Pendant in his arms suddenly emitted a soft white light, forming a protective shield around him. The pressure from Youmingzi was blocked by the shield, and Su Han immediately felt relieved.

"Oh? The Moon Goddess Pendant?" Youmingzi raised an eyebrow. "That girl Yuehua is quite devoted to you. Unfortunately, this Moon Goddess Pendant can only withstand three of my attacks at most. What happens after that?"

He slowly raised his hand, and black light gathered at his fingertips.

Su Han's mind raced as he considered a way to escape. A direct confrontation was out of the question; he had to outsmart the opponent. But the difference in strength was too great; any scheme would seem futile in the face of absolute power.

Just then, a long howl suddenly came from the sky.

"You Mingzi, how dare you attack my Ziyang Sect disciples in Qingyun City!"

A streak of purple light pierced through the air and landed in the courtyard, transforming into the figure of Master Ziyang. His hair and beard stood on end as he glared angrily at Youmingzi.

"Old Daoist Ziyang?" Youmingzi frowned, then sneered, "What, you want to protect him?"

"Su Han is a disciple of my Ziyang Sect, so naturally I must protect him." Master Ziyang stepped forward, blocking Su Han's path. "But you, the dignified Vice Sect Master of the Heart-Eating Sword Sect, actually attack a junior? Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?"

"Ridiculous?" Youmingzi laughed loudly. "The victor is king, the loser is villain; it's always been this way. As long as we get the whereabouts of the Tianya Sword and the Jade Balance, who cares about the process?"

"You!" Master Ziyang roared in fury, his purple aura surging and his aura rising steadily.

"Peak of the Star Realm?" A hint of surprise flashed in Youmingzi's eyes. "I didn't expect you, old man, to break through as well. But, having just broken through, how many moves can you withstand from me?"

The two clashed, creating a deafening roar in the air, and cracks began to appear on the walls and ground of the courtyard. Had it not been for the protective array, the entire courtyard would likely have been reduced to ruins.

Even inside the Moon Goddess's protective shield, Su Han still felt suffocated. The mere aftershocks of the confrontation between two peak Star Realm experts were enough to kill Star Palace Realm experts.

"Youmingzi, private duels are strictly prohibited during the Hundred Sects Assembly. Do you intend to violate the rules of the assembly?" Master Ziyang said sternly.

"Rules?" Youmingzi scoffed. "Rules are for the weak. I'm taking him away today, what can you do about it?"

"Then let this old man see just how much you, the Vice Sect Master of the Heart-Eating Sword Sect, really amount to!"

Master Ziyang waved his sleeve, unleashing a purple palm print that crackled with the sound of thunder. Youmingzi neither dodged nor evaded, but instead pointed a finger, a black light like a venomous snake's tongue spitting out, colliding with the palm print.

"Boom—"

A deafening roar shook the heavens, and shockwaves surged. Master Ziyang retreated three steps, but Youmingzi remained completely still.

High judgment.

“Ziyang, you are no match for me.” Youmingzi shook his head. “Retreat now, and I will pretend nothing happened.”

Master Ziyang's face turned ashen. Although he had broken through to the peak of the Star Realm, it had only been a short time and his foundation was unstable. He was indeed no match for a veteran expert like Youmingzi.

But he couldn't bear to watch his sect disciples be taken away.

Just as Master Ziyang gritted his teeth and prepared to fight to the death, another voice came.

"Youmingzi, what a magnificent display of power."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a sharp edge, as if it could pierce the heavens. Before the words had even finished, a streak of azure sword light descended from the sky, landing in the courtyard and transforming into a middle-aged man in a green robe.

The man carried a long sword on his back, his face was cold and stern, and his eyes flashed with sword light as he opened and closed. The moment he appeared, the air in the entire courtyard seemed to freeze.

"Sect Master of Heavenly Sword, Ye Gucheng?" Youmingzi's expression changed slightly.

"It is indeed I, Ye," Ye Gucheng said calmly. "Youmingzi, does your Heart-Eating Sword Sect intend to openly violate the rules of the Hundred Sects Assembly?"

Youmingzi's eyes flickered. He wasn't afraid of Ziyang Zhenren alone, but with the addition of the Heavenly Sword Sect Master, the outcome was uncertain. Moreover, this was Qingyun City; if things escalated, the Heart-Eating Sword Sect would be in the wrong.

"Sect Leader Ye is too kind. I've only come to catch up with young friend Su and have no ill intentions," Youmingzi suddenly laughed, his killing intent completely vanishing. "Does catching up require violence?" Ye Gucheng asked expressionlessly.

"I was just itching to spar with Brother Ziyang," Youmingzi said calmly, looking at True Person Ziyang. "Brother, don't you agree?"

Master Ziyang snorted coldly and did not reply.

“Since Sect Master Ye has stepped forward, I will give the Heavenly Sword Sect some face today.” Youmingzi gave Su Han a deep look. “Young friend Su, we’ll meet again.”

After saying that, he swayed and disappeared into black smoke.

With Youmingzi gone, the pressure in the courtyard instantly dissipated. Su Han breathed a sigh of relief, dispelled the light shield of the Moon Goddess Pendant, and bowed respectfully to Master Ziyang and Ye Gucheng.

"Thank you, Master. Thank you, Sect Leader Ye."

"No need for formalities." Ye Gucheng waved his hand, his gaze falling on Su Han, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, "You are Su Han? Not bad, you have courage and insight, and your sword heart is clear. No wonder Ling Xiao speaks highly of you."

"Sect Leader Ye, you flatter me," Su Hanqian said.

"I know a little about your grudges with the Heart-Eating Sword Sect," Ye Gucheng said thoughtfully. "They won't dare to make a move openly during the Hundred Sects Conference, but they will definitely launch an attack after the conference ends. Do you have any plans?"

Su Han shook his head with a wry smile: "Let's take it one step at a time."

“If you have nowhere to go, you can come to my Heavenly Sword Sect,” Ye Gucheng said. “Although my Heavenly Sword Sect is not afraid of the Heart-Eating Sword Sect, we dare not say that we can completely protect you. However, within the sect, they would never dare to act recklessly.”

Su Han was deeply moved. He and Ye Gucheng were complete strangers, yet the other was willing to offend the Heart-Eating Sword Sect for him; such friendship was truly rare.

"Thank you for your kindness, Sect Leader Ye, but I have my own path to walk," Su Han politely declined. He was entrusted by Senior Sister Yuheng to go to the Central Region to find a cure and could not stay in the Eastern Region for long.

Ye Gucheng didn't insist, and nodded, saying, "In that case, be careful. Keep this sword talisman. If you encounter danger, crush it; it can block a full-force attack from a Star Realm expert, and I will sense it."

He handed over a blue jade talisman with a small sword engraved on it.

"This is too valuable..." Su Han hesitated.

"Please accept it," sighed Master Ziyang. "Don't let Sect Leader Ye's kindness go to waste."

Su Han then accepted it and thanked him again.

"Alright, get some rest. There's another match tomorrow." Ye Gucheng said, then transformed into a beam of sword light and disappeared.

Master Ziyang gave Su Han a few more instructions before returning to his residence.

Silence returned to the courtyard, as if the danger had never occurred. But Su Han knew this was merely the calm before the storm. Youmingzi would not let it go; the real crisis would come after the Hundred Sects Assembly.

"Strength... I need to be stronger!"

Su Han clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with fury.

He returned to his room, sat cross-legged, took out all the star stones, and began to absorb them frantically. Star power surged into his star sea like rivers flowing into the ocean, constantly impacting the invisible barrier.

The transition from the Star Sea Realm to the Star Palace Realm represents a qualitative leap. It requires condensing the Star Sea into a Star Palace and opening up the dantian to accommodate more stellar power. This step is extremely difficult, and countless cultivators are stuck here, unable to break through in their entire lives.

Su Han's mind sank into the sea of ​​stars, guiding the stellar energy to continuously compress and condense. At the center of the sea of ​​stars, the outline of a blurry palace slowly emerged, the prototype of the Star Palace.

Time passed slowly, and the starstones crumbled into dust. Cold sweat beaded on Su Han's forehead, and his body trembled slightly. Condensing a star palace was extremely taxing on the mind; the slightest mistake could lead to the complete loss of all previous efforts, or even the collapse of the star sea and the ruin of all cultivation.

But he did not back down. The pale face of Senior Sister Yuheng appeared in his mind, as did the cold eyes of Youmingzi, and the hardships and dangers he had encountered along the way.

"I can't fall... I absolutely can't!"

Su Han gritted his teeth and poured the last bit of star power into the nascent star palace. The hazy palace gradually became clear, with bricks, tiles, beams, and pillars appearing one by one. When the last tile took shape, the entire star palace trembled and burst forth with dazzling light.

The Star Palace is complete! (End of Chapter)