The golden orb contracted and expanded, swallowing and expelling. Five figures were "spit" back out. Each was mangled and incomplete, nearly missing entire sections of their bodies. Some were headless, others missing their entire upper halves.
"Aaaah—"
Accompanied by piercing screams, two ethereal souls darted out from within the golden orb. Both souls wore expressions of utter terror. But they barely managed to drag half their bodies out of the golden sphere's range before freezing in place.
Immediately, a powerful suction seemed to emanate from within the sphere, violently dragging both souls back inside.
"Hiss-!"
In the arena, whether they were those who had surrendered or those who clung stubbornly to their last stand, everyone who witnessed this scene couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
A profound sense of dread and chill welled up from the depths of their souls, instantly spreading throughout their entire bodies.
Five twelfth-level powerhouses. Gone in the blink of an eye? Not even a single soul escaped.
What kind of monstrosity lurked within that golden orb? Such terror! The vast majority witnessed only the instant annihilation of the five twelfth-level martial artists by the golden orb, unaware of what truly existed within it.
Except for a handful.
Such as the two defectors who had also targeted this area but missed the coordinated attack. Or… Saya.
The first two stood frozen in place for several seconds, watching as the golden orb gradually contracted, revealing Lu Sheng's figure within. Their bodies trembled violently. Without a word, they turned and fled.
The latter, however, stood with his mouth agape, frozen in a dazed expression, utterly speechless.
Lu Sheng stepped out from the golden orb. Now, his entire being shimmered with brilliant golden light, as if he were an ancient deity emerging from a star.
During the Interstellar Martial Arts Tournament, Lu Sheng possessed only 80,000 immortal cells. To defeat a Level 12 opponent, he had to ignite his second immortal flame, enter the main sequence star form, and even unleash his ultimate technique—the Stellar Grip.
But now, with his immortal cell count soaring to 330,000, Lu Sheng's combat power had reached unprecedented heights.
This more than fourfold surge in immortal cells meant that even by merely igniting the divine power, Lu Sheng could effortlessly crush a Level 12 opponent. The ease of the process was akin to slicing through melons and vegetables.
"Crush opponents across an entire tier and dominate without equal—that's only normal..."
Lu Sheng was quite satisfied with his current strength. He raised his gaze, casually scanning the battlefield.
Lu Sheng's figure shifted slightly. The next second, the head of a Level 12 martial artist locked in fierce combat suddenly exploded.
Lu Sheng casually withdrew his hand, glancing at the stunned Stonehead Tang Dun, who stood before him, momentarily disoriented by the sudden loss of his opponent.
He gave a slight nod. He then turned his head, his gaze sweeping indifferently across the battlefield. His eyes seemed to contain some unfathomable power.
Wherever Lu Sheng's gaze fell, people immediately retreated in panic, as if they had seen some terrifying beast. In an instant, a vast empty space was cleared amidst the chaotic battlefield.
Such an overwhelming presence!
"Quite interesting."
Sarl, perched high above the battlefield with a commanding view, narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing them firmly on Lu Sheng.
"Never expected this team to conceal such a hidden talent. Truly a pleasant surprise… Effortlessly taking down five Level 12s—albeit the most basic kind who've only fused with a single Law Galaxy. Still, that's quite impressive."
The crucial point is that the opponent displayed an ability level of merely Level 11.
A Level 11, crushing five Level 12 practitioners working together. That was downright terrifying.
Though Sarl deeply resisted it, he had to admit that this unexpectedly powerful newcomer possessed martial arts talent and aptitude that likely far surpassed his own.
Gazing at that dazzling figure, radiant as a star and moving through the battlefield as if unopposed, a wild fire of jealousy flared within Sarl's heart.
"You all attack together. Kill him..."
Sarl commanded the traitors who had returned with him in a chilling tone. Obeying his order without question, the group flashed their eyes and swiftly dove toward Lu Sheng.
Turning to the besieged side, Lu Sheng's sudden ascent had greatly boosted everyone's morale.
"Damn, I never expected that our ranks harbored such a monster..."
The two guides locked in fierce combat both wore expressions of profound delight upon witnessing Lu Sheng's explosive power.
"This kid's strength might just rival ours."
"With him here, we might just hold out until Lord Haiji Dao arrives."
The guides weren't fools; they doubted Sarl's words. Compared to his claim that some Lord of Oblivion had erased Lord Haiji Dao's memory, ensuring reinforcements would never arrive, they were far more convinced that he had been delayed en route by some unforeseen circumstance.
As long as they held out, dawn would surely break.
Before, their strength was meager, and their hope of holding out was faint. Now, Lu Sheng's arrival had suddenly amplified that hope immensely.
But before the two could rejoice for long, they saw Sarl unleash a horde of traitors and a vast swarm of beasts, all charging toward Lu Sheng. The scene resembled a surging black tide, determined to extinguish the barely kindled spark.
"No!"
Their faces paled, and they were about to rush forward to help. But a figure had already stepped in front of them.
"Snap, snap—"
Sarl gently cracked his neck and shoulders, the joints popping like gears turning.
"Where do you two think you're going? Care for a little playtime with me?" Sarl's smile was thin, his eyes cold as venomous snakes.
The two guides' expressions darkened instantly. Glancing back toward Lu Sheng, they could only see the figure symbolizing hope rapidly engulfed by darkness. Their hearts sank instantly.
"Damn it..."
Eight traitors, ten defectors, and countless monstrous beasts. Level 11, Level 12… At least one-third of the vast battlefield's forces had been mobilized, converging entirely upon Lu Sheng.
Such terrifying might would crush even a Level 12 powerhouse who had fused two galactic laws into oblivion without leaving a trace, let alone a mere Level 11. The combined energy unleashed by over forty Level 12s caused the void above Lu Sheng's location to violently warp inward.
The faces of the resisting warriors paled in terror. Some hesitated to charge forward for aid, then quietly retreated. Facing such overwhelming assault, charging in would only seal their fate—at best, they'd join Lu Sheng in death.
Saya snapped out of his earlier shock, crying out urgently, "Lu Sheng!" He tried to charge forward, but his power was too weak. He couldn't even breach the outermost barrier of energy pressure, resembling an ant frantically circling outside a glass wall.
Tang Dun fared little better.
Despite being a Level 12, he could only barely tear a small opening in the energy barrier before being swiftly entangled by two beasts that burst through elsewhere, leaving him unable to escape.
Thus, the two could only watch helplessly.
Watch as one by one, their faces twisted into cruel grimaces, their forms distorted into hideous, terrifying shapes, rapidly engulfing them.
Surrounding Saya and Tang Dun were the triumphant, maniacal laughter of the traitors, the shrill, piercing howls of Level 12 beasts, and the agonized screams of wounded comrades.
The cacophony seemed to play a symphony of madness, blood, death, and despair in everyone's ears. Lu Sheng's figure was completely lost from sight. A wave of sorrow washed over the group, including the two guides.
Regret, pity... and the despair of seeing the faint glimmer of hope they'd just kindled extinguished once more.
For Saya and Tang Dun, who could be considered Lu Sheng's comrades, the anguish was multiplied several times over.
"Lu... Lu Sheng..."
Saya's expression twisted in agony, a wrenching pain gripping his heart. Hot liquid threatened to spill from his eyes.
In stark contrast, Sarl—the instigator of it all—wore a smile that stretched to the very edges of his face.
He reveled in the expressions now etched upon these people's faces, a profound sense of accomplishment washing over him as he savored the feeling of controlling everything.
And then, at that very moment, a calm voice cut through the air. Drowning out all the clamor within the arena, it rang out with crystal clarity in every ear.
"Shut up."
"Get lost!"