Star Martial Soaring Cloud

The moment the light screen shattered, the few people who had been clamoring to escape and cowering in the corner could no longer restrain themselves.

Instead of rushing towards Ansei Ichiro, they scattered and fled.

"I don't want to die here!" one of them shouted hysterically as he ran.

"My life is my own! I'm not going to stay here and wait to die with you!" Another person also ran wildly.

A third person, a fourth person...

"Zhang Lian, let's fight this bastard to the death!" Li Yu said angrily, struggling forward, but fell to the ground after taking only one step.

They had no strength left. They had given their all.

Only the timid and selfish hold back.

An Shengyi didn't even glance at the fleeing people; he simply raised one foot slowly and then gently stepped down.

The ground trembled violently, and several thick stone pillars suddenly rose from the ground, like giant beasts from the earth baring their fangs, piercing the bodies of those people with perfect accuracy and lifting them high into the air.

"ah--!"

Screams rose and fell, shrill and piercing, as blood slowly flowed down the stone pillar, staining the ground and the surrounding rubble red, a horrifying sight.

The men were hoisted high by the stone pillars, their limbs hanging limply, muttering to themselves, "I don't want to die... I don't want to die..."

But death came faster than their thoughts, and the piercing screams came to an abrupt end.

The series of unexpected events had driven Ansei Ichiro to the brink of rage.

Those juniors trying to break through the barriers, that cultivator who set up the formation, and these fleeing ants actually dared to play tricks on him and challenge his authority.

He is one of the Five Ninjas of Fusang, a powerful figure in the Dragon Gate Divine Realm, and the ruler of this world, not to be trifled with in the slightest.

"Except for you few girls," he smiled at the female cultivators, then the killing intent in his eyes almost overflowed, "the rest of you, die."

He raised his hand, about to form a hand seal, preparing to unleash a fatal blow and kill all the men present—

"Snapped!"

The crisp sound was particularly jarring in the silent camp.

A large foot landed hard on his face.

An Shengyilang was kicked so hard that he staggered back a few steps, leaving a clear shoe print on his face.

He was stunned.

His previous authority and arrogance vanished instantly.

He never expected there to be someone on the side.

Everyone was stunned.

They followed the figure and looked at the person who had fallen from the sky—Sun Heilei.

She stood in the center of the field, her massive body like a towering mountain, steadily protecting everyone behind her.

Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were covered in dust and pebbles, clearly indicating that she had just escaped from somewhere and had rushed here.

Yuan Kong had lured her into a chaotic rock formation on the volcanic plains, intending to get rid of her entanglement. However, he did not expect that the rock formation was so intricate and complicated that she was trapped for a long time until she finally found a way out not long ago.

She followed Yuan Kong's aura all the way here, but what she saw was Wu Chen sacrificing himself in battle and everyone being trapped in a desperate situation.

She knew she was merely a cultivator at the peak of the Fish Leap stage, and she also knew that An Shengyilang in front of her was a powerful expert at the Dragon Gate Divine Realm.

His actions were undoubtedly like a moth drawn to a flame, or an egg striking a rock.

But she still chose to step forward, without hesitation or doubt.

She wanted to protect him, and she wanted to protect everyone.

"What do you want to do?" Sun Heilei's eyes widened in anger, exuding an aura that brooked no dissent.

She spread her arms wide, protecting everyone behind her.

Her mountain-like body had become a real mountain at that moment.

No one is born great; it is through choice that we become great.

"die."

An Shengyilang coldly uttered a single word and struck out with his palm.

The earthen-yellow palm print crashed down on Sun Heilei like a mountain, carrying an overwhelming force, determined to shatter her with a single blow.

The palm print pierced through her body, and blood gushed from her chest, staining her clothes, the ground beneath her feet, and the eyes of those she was protecting.

An Shengyilang was still not satisfied and unleashed another palm strike, even more powerful than the previous one. He wanted to ensure that this arrogant woman in front of him would be reduced to ashes and never be reincarnated.

Blood gushed out incessantly, and Sun Heilei's massive body swayed, like a mountain about to collapse.

The mountain is about to collapse.

But she didn't fall, because she felt a pair of hands, steady and gentle, pulling her into their arms.

Yuan Kong appeared in the arena at some point, his back to An Shengyilang, using his body to shield Sun Heilei.

A sharp palm strike landed on his back, and the golden light of Buddhism flickered a few times before quickly dimming.

A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth, but he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound. He just used all his strength to hold Sun Heilei tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to meld her into his body and never separate her again.

"Hmm?" An Sheng Ichiro narrowed his eyes, looking at the suddenly appearing Yuan Kong. A hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes, and he subconsciously stopped his attack, not daring to make any rash moves. "The Dragon Gate Divine Realm?"

The monk's sudden appearance caught him completely off guard, which made him feel uneasy.

What An Shengyilang didn't see was that blood was slowly seeping from Yuan Kong's lower abdomen, staining his monk's robe red. He deliberately concealed it, which is why no one noticed.

He has indeed reached the crucial moment of breaking through to the Dragon Gate Divine Realm. He is only one step away from crossing that threshold and becoming a true peerless powerhouse.

But he sensed she was in danger, so he came.

He didn't want to have any regrets himself, nor did he want Sun Heilei to have any regrets.

He had something to worry about, so he didn't take the final step.

"You've come..." Sun Heilei leaned against Yuan Kong's chest, looking at him, blood continuously spilling from the corner of her mouth, but there was no pain in her eyes, only a deep sense of gratitude and joy.

"Can you kiss me?" Her voice was soft, as soft as the wind. "They say... a kiss is sweet... I want to taste it..."

Tears welled in her eyes and slid down her dusty cheeks, leaving a clear tear stain.

"Actually, I also want to... to live a normal life... I also want someone to care for me... to love me... I also want to be cherished and cared for like other women..."

She spoke haltingly, her voice growing weaker and weaker.

Yup!

Is it her fault that she is ugly and obese?

She is also a woman, with a soft and fragile heart, who longs for warmth, companionship, and to be treated gently.

But because of her appearance, how many cold shoulders, how much discrimination, how much ridicule did she suffer?

Should being fat be looked down upon?

Does being ugly disqualify you from living in this world?

When did appearance, background, and wealth become the yardstick for measuring a person?

Are being ugly, poor, or born into a bad family inherently sinful?

Aren't they also trying to live?

Aren't we also trying to repair this broken world with our own hardworking hands?

Don't they also bravely step forward to protect everything they want to protect when danger comes?

They are human beings too! Living, breathing human beings just like everyone else!

One word: "fatso!" Another: "ugly monster!"

How long will it take them to recover?

Why does the world harbor such malice towards them?

Why...

Without hesitation, without delay.

Yuan Kong lowered his head and kissed her.

The kiss was light and gentle, like a spring breeze brushing across a lake, like moonlight gently caressing a mountaintop.

Sun Heilei's eyes widened, then slowly closed, but the smile on her lips grew wider and wider.

She reached out, wanting to touch Yuan Kong's face, wanting to touch the person she had been entangled with and longed for for so long, but halfway up her hand, she had no strength left, and her hand slipped off her body, never to rise again.

She left with her world.

Perhaps this is why Sun Heilei has been clinging to Yuan Kong—only by his side can she feel the warmth of the world and feel that she is cared for.

He had long since grown accustomed to her entanglement and her presence.

Otherwise, how could there be such a thing as family matters?

What is Buddha?

Where is Buddha?

So this is Buddha.

Yuan Kong held her, motionless.

At this moment, he didn't want to let go; he just held on, quietly, as if he were holding a fragile treasure.

The wind blew, ruffling his tattered monk's robe and her disheveled hair, creating a scene of silence and sorrow.

Does Buddha shed tears?

Seeing the empty circle in the center of the field, everyone had their answer.

Crying can be so quiet, I never knew.

Ansei Ichiro finally figured out the state of the circle.

"So you're just a piece of trash who hasn't even broken through to the next realm, yet you dare to show off your skills in front of me." He sneered, his initial fear vanishing, replaced by boundless rage. "Too many surprises. I thought I had everything under control, but who knew you ants would dare to challenge my authority time and time again? Then die!"

An Shengyilang formed hand seals, and the earthy yellow spiritual light around his body surged to its peak, making his aura increasingly violent.

A massive rocky mountain rapidly materialized in the void, blotting out the sky and the sun, like a thick, dark cloud pressing down heavily on everyone's heads.

"Earth Release·Iwayama!"

The rocky mountain crashed down with a devastating force, crushing everything in its path and slamming into the crowd. This time, it didn't even spare Yan Zixi and the others; it intended to smash them all into a bloody pulp.

Despair enveloped everyone.

At the moment the rocky mountain collapsed, only one sound remained between heaven and earth—crushing.

That was the sound of air being crushed inch by inch.

Heavy, slow, yet unstoppable.

Exhausted, the group struggled to even lift their hands; all they could do was close their eyes.

Yan Zixi closed her eyes.

But as the rocky mountain drew closer and the wind pressure arrived first, she instinctively tensed her body.

The palpable aura of death, cold and heavy, pressed her to the spot like an invisible hand.

Her dress was pressed tightly against her body, her long hair was blown backward, and the wound on her arm was torn apart by the wind pressure, causing blood to seep out.

She could smell the earthy odor.

The strong, earthy smell, reminiscent of a grave being dug up, was like the stench that wafted out.

The smell grew stronger and stronger, so strong it was pungent and suffocating.

She instinctively held her breath, but the earthy smell still seeped into her nasal cavity and into her lungs.

So death has a taste.

She suddenly wanted to laugh.

Su Qinhe also closed her eyes.

Would I have any regrets if I died like this?

There will definitely be regrets—that Wang Xiao wasn't by my side, that I didn't get to see him successfully break through to the next level, that I haven't yet learned Lin Yueyao's cooking skills, and that I couldn't sit down and have a cup of tea with Yan Zixi in a peaceful manner.

The wind pressure is getting stronger and stronger.

Her ears began to ring, a sharp, piercing sound made when air is compressed to its limit.

She could feel her heartbeat, fast as a drum, thumping louder and faster with each beat.

Strangely, the faster her heart beat, the clearer her mind became.

I was acutely aware that the rocky mountain was approaching, and I was acutely aware that death was imminent.

Lin Yueyao did not close her eyes at first.

She turned around and looked at the stone chamber.

The stone gate was tightly shut, and nothing could be seen.

But she knew he was inside.

She had promised to wait for him to come out.

But we couldn't wait any longer.

Her eyes reddened, but she didn't cry.

I heard from an old woman in the tribe that tears are for the dead, and the living don't need tears.

But now that she's dying, will he shed tears for her?

She suddenly found it very funny.

Because she firmly believed he would live.

The wind pressure was so high that she could no longer stand.

Her body was trembling, not from the cold, but from the immense power that overwhelmed her, so much so that her body instinctively felt fear.

She gritted her teeth and stubbornly refused to collapse.

Then she felt a hand grasp her hand.

It was Su Qinhe. She didn't open her eyes, but quietly and firmly grasped her hand.

Lin Yueyao finally closed her eyes.

Is this what death is?

How much longer? Three breaths? Two breaths?

They counted silently in their hearts.

Some say death is a long process, but isn't this a bit too long?

Why hasn't Yanshan fallen yet?

Everyone instinctively opened their eyes, and then they saw a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives—

A tall figure stood proudly, one arm outstretched to the sky, palm facing upward, steadily supporting the towering, all-encompassing rock mountain!

The afterglow of the setting sun poured down, enveloping him completely and gilding him with a golden light.

And this light illuminated everyone!