Maiden Galaxy

The vast fields were covered in thousands upon ten thousands of li of drifting snow.

Atop a ten kilometer high snowy peak, space broke apart, and two figures walked out. When they appeared, an intense snowstorm was blown apart. Purple light more scorching than the sun instantly thawed the extreme cold before ever it reached them.

"This place is the Blue Frost Star Field's ‘Congealed Dream Mountain Range.'¹ The Earthly Palace is most likely at the end. It should take you a day and a night to reach there. The Earthly Phoenix Palace is hidden at that place.

Chen Mo once again marveled at the School Of Diplomacy's overwhelming abilities, to be able to travel through several thousand Star Fields at will. To them, a distance of light-years was a meaningless existence. Of course, this was because Dream In A Millennium was too powerful.

The Snowfield Star Kingdom's location was to the south of the Central Star Field, yet it possessed Star World's harshest environment.

Approximately more than a hundred Star Fields had this type of extremely cold environment, a ten thousand li tundra, and not just in name. Even Star Generals were not very fond of the kind of environemnt, which was also considered barren and showed few signs of human habitation. It was because of this that the Heavenly Phoenix Earthly Emperor was able to control the Snowfield Star Kingdom's several dozen Star Fields.

"You must be careful of Wang Mang." Su Mian exhorted.

"Isn't she one of your people?" Chen Mo asked.

"Not quite. This Palace is unable to see through Wang Mang." Su Mian shook her head. "Before she was made a Star Marquis, Wang Mang was courteous and respectful, possessing a very good reputation. However, after she obtained the Star Marquis Seal, her ego began to inflate. She viewed herself as unexcelled and became insufferably arrogant, and she has even only pretended to comply with the Central Star Field's orders but never actually executed them."

"Rumor has it that she has even dispatched people to spread a fate ploy, to make This Palace overthrow her." Su Ming's face could be said to be filled with disdain when she said this. She did not have a favorable opinion of people who acted high and mighty over a tiny achievement. Back then, if not for Liu Xiu being too humble, and Wang Mang conducting herself like the Duke of Zhou reincarnated, her father would perhaps not have made Wang Mang a Star Marquis.

Chen Mo thought to himself that this was mostly the same as the historical Wang Mang.

In Chinese history, Wang Mang was born to a branch family of the wealthy and illustrious Wang Clan, which held significant power over the court and the masses. The Wang Clan saw nine of its members made marquis in succession and another five assuming office as Great Ministers of War. They were the most distinguished family of the Western Han Dynasty. Many of their members became generals or dukes. They lived lavishly and extravagantly, competing with each other ostentatiously. Only Wang Mang observed tranquility. He lived simply and frugally, conducting himself politely and modestly. He was also diligent in his studies and accumulated great moral character.

Later, his reputation skyrocketed. The masses supported him when he replaced Emperor Ping of Han and established the Xin Dynasty, an act that history labeled Wang Mang's usurpation of the Han. However, Wang Mang afterwards initiated and failed in his reforms, leading to a rebellion, becoming the short-lived Wang Dynasty. The interesting thing was that Wang Mang was called a "regressor"² because of his "nationalization of the land" policy that banned private transactions of land under the equal-field system as well as for his reforms that were unlike the Shang and Zhou's well-field system; they were a bit similar to modern society. But back then, society's production capacity was fundamentally unable to support his reform prospects, and in addition to a string of natural disasters, led to shattered dreams. In comparison, after Liu Xiu established the Eastern Han, she conferred the "Twenty-eight Generals of the Cloud Terrace" to preserve this class' benefit, thus becoming an influential emperor.

"She has the ‘Four Auxiliary' generals, but they actually are not very strong. With your current strength, you can handle them easily enough. Of course, you had best not make enemies of her. At least for now, we do not need another enemy."

Chen Mo looked quizzically at at Su Mian. She appeared to not care in the slightest about Wang Mang's life or death. She even seemed to hint that she was fine with him killing her.

"The Sixteen Star Marquis were so invested back then by my father for the sake of maintaining order in Star World. This Palace does not care for this at all." Su Mian matter-of-factly answered.

"Fine, then." Chen Mo nodded. If he obtained the Vermilion Bird's soul, his Four Symbols would be complete.

"Right. Since you told me about the Vermilion Bird's soul, I should do something for you." Chen Mo smiled.

Su Mian softly chuckled: "This Palace's judgment certainly is very good."

Chen Mo flipped this hand, and a jade strip appeared with several bottles in his palm.

"Hm?"

"Zhu Yuanzhang obtained a Universe Eternity Spirit Treasure. I will give you the ‘Uttara Map.'" Chen Mo's Uttara Map was obtained from that cultivator back then, and it was also a Universe Eternity Spirit Treasure. However, the materials it required were too extravagant. One person alone could not possibly complete it. After he arrived in the Inner Star Fields, Chen Mo had kept this Uttara Map stored away all this time.

Seeing Su Mian help himself like this, Chen Mo remembered this treasure.

With Dream In A Millennium's status as the ruler of Central, perhaps she alone in Star World was capable of completing this Uttara Map.

"Uttara Map." Su Mian was also very surprised. A Universe Eternity Spirit Treasure map was exceedingly rare. Star Generals did not have them, and only cultivators would retain them.

Seeing the materials on it, even Su Mian was a bit dazed. She could not complete it even if she used up all of the Snowfield Star Kingdom's precious materials. "Then I shall not be modest." Su Mian accepted Chen Mo's kindness. If she spent some thought on this grand Spirit Treasure, perhaps there was still some hope.

"Be careful then." Chen Mo exhorted her.

Su Mian smiled warmly: "You, too."

They stared at each other. A moment later, they could not help but knowingly smile at each other.

…

Congealed Dream Mountain Range, a certain place.

"Heavenly King Of Wudao" Ran Youli stepped out of space and onto the frozen ground. She gazed at the boundless snow-capped mountains, her expression all the more lonesome. The woman's black muslin was already in tatters, appearing rather sorry. Her twin spears were also chipped and nicked.

"Xiang Yu, how can you just turn tail, Hegemon King. You truly disappoint me so much. However, to be able to force me to use Heaven Rank, you can die gratified, Hegemon King." Ran Youli swept over the mountains, muttering to herself. Her Heaven Rank "Ancient Barbarian Culling Order" concentrated all killing intent from every one of her slaughters from the moment her Star Name was born, unleashing it as a burst when her Heaven Rank was used.

Among the Sixteen Star Marquis, she was the most solitary but at the same time, was an existence the other Star Marquis were willing to make contact with. Ever since Ran Youli cultivated by herself, she had used her Heaven Rank only once and against the powerful Purple Rose Star Name "Lowly Dragon Sparrow" Helian Bobo. But several centuries had already passed since that time. In the interim, her "Culling Order" was even more concentrated.

This Heaven Rank's might was sufficient to destroy Xuannü Realms.

Xiang Yu was worthy of being a Star Name above Purple Rose Stars. Suffering her Heaven Rank, she surprisingly still had the strength to flee.

"Congealed Dream Mountain. Earthly Phoenix Palace…Seems you want to use the Vermilion Bird's soul to recover your power?" Ran Min tightly pursed her lips. She seemed to have found her target. "God Tears" and "Ghost Tears" stirred restlessly. She strode with her slender jade legs, already crossing a thousand li.

…

The Congealed Dream Mountain Range was enormous, stretching more than ten million hectares. To find the Earthly Phoenix Palace that was concealed under the mountains was simply like finding a needle in a haystack. Su Mian herself was not very clear on the position of the Earthly Phoenix Palace, but this "Phoenix Pendant" that she gave him was refined from one of the Vermilion Bird's feathers; it was able to respond to the Vermilion Bird's soul.

Chen Mo searched for the Vermilion Bird based on the brightness of the jade pendant's light.

Suddenly, a hundred li away, a terrifying storm gusted. A heaven-shaking explosion echoed through the mountains, and a fierce avalanche rumbled atop the mountain.

Chen Mo sensed a powerful Star Energy.

"Could it be Wang Mang?" Chen Mo wondered to himself. He looked with the Deva Eyes and spotted a petite figure being chased by a woman. That woman wielded divine weapons, splitting the mountains and earth.

That woman's Realm was at least True Phoenix Ninth Stage. Chen Mo absolutely did not want to interfere and prepared to stand on the sidelines, but he stopped after taking only a step. The tiny girl was very sorry-looking, her gaze like a frightened rabbit, panicked and restless.

For such an innocent and adorable girl to be hunted to death was simply revolting to men and gods alike.

Chen Mo found he was unable to harden his heart. His Divine Intent moved, and the Meng Zhang Seven Stars glowed. Chen Mo exercised the Carefree True Qi. In a flash, his figure vanished.

"I will properly bury you, stop running. This disgraces that insufferably arrogant Star Name of yours." "Heavenly King Of Wudao" Ran Min brandished her weapons, surging with killing intent, like an avalanche.

The girl grit her teeth and ran. Her entire body was covered with wounds from Ran Min's power.

Ran Youli thrust both her spears. An avalanche closed off Xiang Yu's escape route.

"I will just bury you right here." Ran Min showed no mercy. God Tears and Ghost Tears unleashed an eddy of light, as if opening a gate to a different time and space.

"Earth Rank – Soul…"

All of a sudden, a dragon roared, flitting by with extreme speed. Ran Youli was caught off guard, too late to activate her Earth Rank. She immediately thrust her spear.

Spear-light became a rainbow line.

Chen Mo used the Carefree True Qi. His every movement was untrackable, and add on the spirit of the Azure Dragon, even the Heavenly King Of Wudao was unable to see him clearly. Chen Mo thus whisked Xiang Yu away.

"Ah!!" Ran Min was startled. She used her Purple Rose True Qi to immediately give chase.

The speed of a Purple Rose Star Name was far faster than the Azure Dragon, but Chen Mo had the Carefree True Qi. In mere moments, Chen Mo's figure had vanished into the boundless snowscape.

"Dammit!!!" A snowy peak was completely leveled under Ran Youli's fury.

"Who are you, such swift speed? A Star Marquis? As if I would give my prey to you." Her vermilion pupils swirled, and Ran Min looked everywhere, following the faint traces of True Qi.

…

Xiang Yu was completely uncertain what had just happened when a man scooped her up into his embrace. The Hegemon King Of Western Chu struggled briefly, even using her teeth to bite Chen Mo.

"Don't be afraid, you're safe now." Chen Mo soothed her.

"Hmph." The girl had an unresigned expression, but she honestly was unable to persist. After a brief struggle, she finally lost consciousness.

"That was a Purple Rose Star Marquis just now…Why would she be so intent on killing such a small girl?" Chen Mo looked in bewilderment at the girl he carried. He sensed that this girl possessed a certain powerful Star Energy.

He was unable to figure it out and was disinclined to think it through. How bad could such a frail and pitiable girl be.

…

Xinmang Star Field, Yuanshi City collapsed.

The head of the Snowfield Star Kingdom's great "Four Auxiliaries," Heavenly Spring Star "Confucian Style Stops Dagger-axe" Xie Ai gripped her Star Weapon, the battle-axe "Horizonless Extermination," and persevered, "My emperor will inevitably be reborn and kill all of you."

"Your Phoenix Emperor will soon accompany you." Yu Ziyu killed Xie Ai, a famous general of the Sixteen Kingdoms Period's Former Liang, with a stroke of her sword.

"Wang Mang fled?"

The Five Elements Heavenly Kings gathered together, and Long Ying asked.

"We did not expect Wang Mang to surprisingly have the assistance of ‘Divine Monk Of Astral Mist' Fotu Cheng.³ This let her escape." Zhongli Mo regretfully said.

"Wang Mang is heavily injured. We must kill her." Yu Ziyu said.

"I fear she has gone to the Earthly Phoenix Palace. Legend says that place contains the soul of the Four Symbols Vermilion Bird. If she is able to consume the soul, a Star General's Star Name will be reborn a True Phoenix." King Of Qiankun Long Ju muttered. She had heard of this before.

"That would be troublesome." "King Of Beautiful Forests" Ji Bu spat. She was injured right now. If Wang Mang recovered, the one to die this time would perhaps be herself.

"We must hurry and intercept her." Long Ying said: "Ji Bu, Fan Zeng, you two stay here for now. Ziyu, look after them. Their injuries are severe, and they are in no condition for pursuit."

Yu Ziyu nodded.

"We must settles this completely before the Hegemon King returns." Long Ying took a deep breath, suddenly feeling somewhat uneasy.

1. 凝夢山脈 ↩
2. Transmigrator/world-crosser in the raw ↩
3. ‘氣緯神僧'佛圖澄 ↩