Zhou Zixi showed no reaction upon seeing Liang Junxia and the others. He didn’t think Liang Junxia’s arrival was a good thing, as he was well aware of the Ghost Tribe members’ strength.

Even Wu Liangli, who had deliberately restrained herself and hadn’t used star meridian power for many years, was not to be underestimated now that she was getting serious again.

Liang Junxia knew about Zhou Zixi’s emotional deficiency and felt helpless at his indifferent reaction.

He couldn’t let them take him away.

Who knew what heartless things these people would do after taking Zixi away?

Before taking action, Qiu Lang glanced at Wu Liangli, his words carrying a hint of warning: “You’d better keep an eye on him.”

Wu Liangli stood in front of Zhou Zixi and said, “Don’t push me too hard. I didn’t come here voluntarily.”

Qiu Lang laughed silently and coldly, rushing toward Liang Junxia with a clear target.

The other two white-masked Ghost Tribe members flashed away, each attacking Liu Zhuo and Hong Xiu.

The domain of the Divine Brilliance Illusion expanded to trap everyone within. Hong Xiu’s eyes emitted dark red arcs of light, star power encircling her body. She smiled at the white-masked Ghost Tribe member who flashed toward her: “Just covering your face won’t help you escape the control of the Heart Meridian.”

The white-masked Ghost Tribe member gripped a short dagger, slashing through the illusion before him. In the empty street, he activated his Heavy Eyes Meridian. Sensing the star power, he turned his head to avoid Hong Xiu’s attack, countering with another slash that again cut through an illusion.

Successive illusions approached silently, and the white-masked Ghost Tribe member precisely avoided each fatal attack before shattering the illusions.

His counterattacks showed no panic at all. Hong Xiu could even sense his extreme calmness. Even trapped in the Divine Brilliance Illusion that slowed his actions and thoughts by controlling his spirit, he showed no fear.

This was absolute confidence, rationality, and the composure of a powerful fighter.

But Hong Xiu’s goal wasn’t to defeat him, but to trap him with the Divine Brilliance Illusion. Their objective was to take Zhou Zixi away.

Outside the Divine Brilliance Illusion, Liu Zhuo drew his sword and flashed toward Zhou Zixi. Wu Liangli seemed motionless, but as Liu Zhuo approached, black eyes suddenly opened on the ground.

Liu Zhuo’s brows furrowed slightly. As he dodged, he flashed into the air, but enormous black eyes also opened in the sky above, staring at him, forcing him to evade and land.

They were within Wu Liangli’s Eight Meridian Formation. She looked at Liu Zhuo, who had retreated into the air after flashing, and kindly reminded him: “We’re all Eight Meridian Awakened. Your Heart Meridian advantage will diminish over time.”

Qiu Lang, who had broken free from the technique alongside Liang Junxia, looked back at her: “Why are you giving them all these unnecessary reminders?”

Wu Liangli spread her hands, her tone somewhat innocent: “I just want them to recognize the difficulty and retreat, to not waste time.”

The other white-masked Ghost Tribe member also emerged from Hong Xiu’s Divine Brilliance Illusion and closed in on Liu Zhuo.

Wu Liangli continued: “Don’t think about finding a breakthrough from me. This Thousand-Layer Thread Formation isn’t so easy to break. Although I set it up somewhat hastily and am a bit rusty, theoretically, even if all three of you were at the Life-Death Realm, you couldn’t break it before dawn.”

“If you want to take Zixi away, then defeat him first!” Wu Liangli raised her hand to point at Qiu Lang. “After all, I take orders from him.”

Qiu Lang drove Liang Junxia back with a slash, and without turning his head, said to Wu Liangli: “Shut up.”

Wu Liangli shrugged and fell silent.

Liang Junxia’s movement technique was strange and fast, making it difficult for the pursuing Qiu Lang to catch him. After initial surprise, Qiu Lang became focused.

“Besides being fast and good at running away, what else can you do?” Qiu Lang taunted.

*

Liang Junxia wasn’t Eight Meridian Awakened. The only meridian he hadn’t awakened was the Heart Meridian, but this didn’t affect his cultivation. Apart from never being able to reach the Eight Meridian Completion stage and become a pilgrim in this lifetime, he was happy learning the Yin-Yang Dual Meridian healing technique from Director Yu Heng.

He had been training at North Star under Director Yu Heng since he was six years old. Before six, he had experienced hardships; after six, he had the care of elders, the help of fellow disciples, and more junior brothers and sisters with each passing year, moving from receiving help to helping others.

Though not Eight Meridian Awakened, Director Yu Heng often boasted about his first disciple to Qu Zhuyue and others, praising how quickly and well he learned the Yin-Yang Dual Meridian healing technique, saying his talent even surpassed his own. He firmly believed that after many years, Liang Junxia would become a supreme expert of the Yin-Yang Dual Meridians, no less impressive than any Life-Death Realm or pilgrim.

At first, Liang Junxia felt shy and embarrassed, but after hearing it so often, and with his master’s conviction, he gradually gained confidence and worked even harder.

He also longed to be Eight Meridian Awakened, but due to his innate talent deficiency, he harbored a mental barrier, feeling he would disappoint his master. Occasionally, he thought, “If only I were Eight Meridian Awakened.”

Although he enjoyed learning the healing technique from his master, he hadn’t initially wanted to specialize in it.

But Liang Junxia kept these thoughts well hidden.

Whenever Dong Yeyun returned injured from fights outside, he would go directly to Liang Junxia, dragging his battered body and saying: “If you let a second person know about this, I’ll make you look the same.”

Liang Junxia couldn’t beat him, so he yielded to the threat.

As this continued, Liang Junxia’s healing technique became increasingly proficient.

Dong Yeyun said, “Your healing technique is almost as good as your master’s now.”

After consuming much star power, Liang Junxia lay on the bed and irritably kicked at the person standing beside him, who dodged. He rolled his eyes and said, “It was bad enough when it was just you coming alone. Now you’ve brought Qing Ying and Zixi out too. When they return injured after going out fighting with you, they don’t dare seek my master or Director Yao Guang either, so they all run to me!”

“Isn’t that good?” Dong Yeyun said confidently. “It gives you practice, refining your healing technique ability.”

“How is that good?!” Liang Junxia said irritably. “I’m warning you, stop coming to me covered in wounds all the time. Don’t you know the word ‘careful’? Don’t you ever caution Qing Ying and Zixi! If one day you lose an arm or a leg, even a pilgrim’s healing technique won’t bring it back, you hear me?”

“Losing arms or legs won’t happen,” Dong Yeyun looked back at him. “The rest is because we believe you can handle it.”

Dong Yeyun had both hands wrapped in bandages. While struggling to put on his clothes, he raised his hands to gesture: “As long as we don’t die out there, no matter how badly injured we are when we return, you can fix it. So we can fight more freely when we’re out.”

Liang Junxia: “…”

He got up and kicked Dong Yeyun out.

But because of these words—because his ability gave those around him a sense of security—Liang Junxia suddenly developed a strong interest in the Yin-Yang Dual Meridian healing technique.

He finally crossed that mental barrier, telling himself it didn’t matter if he wasn’t Eight Meridian Awakened; he still could protect those around him.

*

Director Yu Heng had once told Liang Junxia that his Body Technique Meridian was as strong as his Yin-Yang Dual Meridians, but his combat talent wasn’t high. He could win through speed—either opponents couldn’t touch him, or even if injured, he could minimize the threat with his healing technique.

Since specializing in the healing technique, Liang Junxia rarely fought others, though he persisted in practicing the flash movement of his Body Technique Meridian daily.

So in terms of speed, Qiu Lang was indeed inferior to him.

But Liang Junxia’s intention was too obvious. Qiu Lang didn’t need to chase him; he just needed to stand between him and Zhou Zixi.

After being forced back in the air yet again by Qiu Lang’s staff blade, Liang Junxia clicked his tongue lightly, finding the situation somewhat thorny.

“Want to get past?” Qiu Lang blocked the middle, looking at him. “Perhaps your speed isn’t as fast as you imagine.”

Qiu Lang glanced at Zhou Zixi, who was bound by shattered light star threads against the wall behind him, and mocked: “North Star disciple, is this all your senior brother is capable of?”

Zhou Zixi also mocked: “You’re not blocking him with speed.”

“Fine, let’s compare speed—let’s see who dies faster.” Qiu Lang twisted his wrist, spinning the staff blade rapidly, then suddenly accelerated, flashing into the air to appear before Liang Junxia.

Both sides decided to confront each other directly. Although Liang Junxia was bare-handed, his Body Technique Meridian’s spiritual technique enhanced his physical abilities. Using the Beast Spirit Possession technique, he temporarily gained various beasts’ abilities to fight Qiu Lang.

The injuries from Qiu Lang’s staff blade slashes were minimized by Liang Junxia’s healing technique. Each strike seemed severe, but caused no substantial damage.

“You don’t seem as formidable as I imagined.” Liang Junxia’s lightning punch was blocked by Qiu Lang’s horizontal blade. Lightning flashed between them, reflecting in each other’s eyes. “Your blade technique is like performing acrobatics.”

Qiu Lang snickered upon hearing this. “Yin-Yang Dual Meridians, healing technique.”

These words carried deeper meaning.

Liang Junxia smiled cunningly: “Fighting someone with the Yin-Yang Dual Meridian healing technique must be very unrewarding.”

No matter how threatening the opponent, all attacks, regardless of how powerful, were like punching cotton when they hit the enemy.

Qiu Lang met Liang Junxia’s lightning punch by withdrawing and tossing away his staff blade, countering with the same spiritual technique. Lightning flashed above the street.

Liang Junxia neutralized nearly ninety percent of the damage using his healing technique. With a burst of energy, he smashed both fists down, striking Qiu Lang from the air to the ground, creating a deep crater.

Lightning threads still flickered in the crater. Qiu Lang, fatally wounded and covered in blood, lay on the ground. Liang Junxia stood on the fallen staff blade, looking down at him.

Qiu Lang grinned: “Not going for the kill?”

“From your words, I can confirm you’re Ghost Tribe, which is even more reason not to kill you.” Liang Junxia crouched to look at him, extending a finger to his throat. “But there are many ways to restrain a Ghost Tribe member.”

Liang Junxia’s fingertip emitted white light, preparing to trap Qiu Lang in a near-death state, but he saw his strange smile. A sense of crisis instantly descended, causing Liang Junxia to retreat rapidly.

A black light appeared at Qiu Lang’s fingertip, shooting toward Liang Junxia like an infinitely extending black blade that pierced his chest and pinned him to the wall.

Liang Junxia vomited a large mouthful of blood, incredulous.

Why could this damage bypass his healing technique defense?

Liu Zhuo wanted to rush over but was blocked by another white mask. He could only frown and look toward Liang Junxia.

A star thread finished off Qiu Lang, allowing him to revive and stand up. Standing in the crater, he twisted his neck, making cracking sounds.

“Others might find fighting healers boring, but unfortunately, you’ve encountered me.” Qiu Lang tipped his staff blade with his toe, grabbed it, and walked leisurely toward Liang Junxia. His other hand pointed at him, black light flickering at his fingertip. “Yin-Yang Curse Technique: Shadow Blade.”

The Yin-Yang Dual Meridian curse technique was the only attack spiritual technique that could bypass healing technique defenses.

Liang Junxia immediately decided to protect his Heart Meridian, but healing techniques were useless against Yin-Yang curse damage. Before he could decide what to do, the shadow blade in his chest was withdrawn. Blood splattered, and Liang Junxia fell from the high wall, crashing to the ground.

Qiu Lang shouldered his staff blade and walked toward Liang Junxia: “It seems you’ve won, since you’re dying faster than I.”

Zhou Zixi’s brows furrowed slightly, and he said softly: “Wu Liangli.”

His tone carried a cold warning.

Qiu Lang flashed to Liang Junxia, raising his staff blade to behead him, but a cold blade pressed against his throat. He froze, his peripheral vision scanning the person behind him.

“What’s the meaning of this?”

The blade, pulled by star threads, pressed down without hesitation, forcing Qiu Lang to back away from Liang Junxia. He turned to look at Wu Liangli, who stood at the formation’s center.

Wu Liangli gripped the star threads and said, “I’m only responsible for bringing Zixi back. He’s been captured, but you’re wasting time on irrelevant people. I’m getting impatient and a bit upset.”

Liu Zhuo seized the opportunity to slash through the white-masked Ghost Tribe member and flashed to Liang Junxia’s side.

Qiu Lang withdrew his sidelong glance from Liang Junxia and stared at Wu Liangli with a cold smile.

Zhou Zixi spoke in a tone that made his emotions indiscernible: “You can continue wasting time. See if her formation can hold me.”

Qiu Lang walked toward Wu Liangli. He was a head taller than her, and his shadow covered her white mask as he stood before her.

Wu Liangli didn’t look up, but the eyes beneath her white mask watched Qiu Lang’s movements. Under this tall shadow, Qiu Lang reached out and grabbed the star threads in her hand, expressionlessly breaking them.

“Sorry, you know my Eight Meridian Formations aren’t as proficient as Zixi’s. Some accidents are inevitable. Fortunately, you weren’t hurt.”

Wu Liangli also released the star threads in her hand, allowing them to disappear, and spoke innocently.

Qiu Lang laughed coldly but didn’t say much. Instead, he said to the other two white-masked Ghost Tribe members with furrowed brows: “Let’s go.”

Suddenly, formation circles spread open on the ground. Liang Junxia, with one eye barely open, could see they were very similar to Zhou Zixi’s transfer formation.

Hong Xiu’s Divine Brilliance Illusion was broken, and she reappeared on the street with the white-masked Ghost Tribe member, raising an eyebrow slightly as she saw the severely injured Liang Junxia and the ground formation.

Qiu Lang stood with his back to everyone, looking at Zhou Zixi. Meeting those cold, indifferent black eyes, he said softly: “If you had left with me back then, you wouldn’t have become like this.”

Wu Liangli, hearing these words, turned her head slightly to look at the two.

As the formation was about to complete the transfer, everyone sensed an unusual circulation of Qi in heaven and earth. Star power pressure swept across the entire imperial capital, and a bright red star flashed in the night sky.

A star that had disappeared from the sky returned to its place.

Zhou Zixi slowly raised his head to look at the star in the night sky that belonged to a pilgrim, and in the next instant, he vanished from the imperial capital.

*

A bright red star suddenly appeared in the night sky, its light brilliant. Even where thick clouds obscured the moonlight, even in daylight, nothing could block this star’s radiance.

It signified that someone had broken through the boundary—another Eight Meridian Completion pilgrim had been born on the Tong Gu Continent.

At North Star, Dong Yeshou looked up at the sky. At the foot of North Star Mountain, as the teleportation formation appeared, several black shadows landed.

Standing on the Haotian Tower of the Imperial Martial Alliance, watching the battle from afar, Yuan Lu clapped his hands and said to the woman beside him: “Let’s go take a look and personally ask about your brother’s whereabouts.”

Cui Yaocen’s face remained cold as she flashed toward the western palace wall.