Uninvited Guests

The meeting ground between both parties was anything but calm. For starters, Shenni didn't even bother restricting his aura. Even though he wasn't flaunting, he sent a fiery blaze across the sea of stars. With just a single breath of air, he quaked all existence within this realm.

Yang Mei resisted Shenni's presence with no problems. He stood in space with his arms folded behind his back and a dignified look upon his white bearded face. As someone who existed on the same level as Shenni, he was not one bit inferior to the Beast Emperor's power. His own aura magnified out of him pressuring Earthly Sky, Shen Feng, and Taotie.

"I've heard rumours and this only confirmed it. Congratulations on returning to the Great Principle Chaos Immortal realm," Shenni said with flimsy praise. His tone treated the conversation as if it was unimportant and merely a formality.

"Shenni what are you doing here?" Yang Mei told him bluntly.

Where was no sense of reverence towards an emperor, no any acknowledgement of his current supposed status. Shenni narrowed his eyes at Yang Mei casualness towards him and felt anger bubbling down beneath him.

'I wonder. You were of the same status as master, are you not also enraged by that filth's actions? Why are you not destroying this filthy world? Do you lack the same pride as us?'

Yang Mei kept to himself within the Primitive World having only interacted with a select few. What Shenni had heard from his, Huoyun's, and Sichen's actions pissed him off to no end. Four invincible godfiends standing at the peak tragically struck down, achievements stolen, power regressed.

Yet none of these three showcased any anger at this humiliation.

It was insulting.

"I have no business with you Yang Mei. Leave and sort your business elsewhere," he said dismissively.

While Taotie didn't show much of a reaction to Shenni's actions, the same could not be said for Earthly Sky daoist and Shen Feng. The latter two were visibly panicking.

This was Yang Mei not some no name godfiend!

"H…hey Shenni," Earthly Sky attempted to say. But after one flex of Shenni's aura he wisely shut his mouth. Shenni didn't even look back at him.

"Hmph," Yang Mei snorted. "Explain yourselves first. I quite like the Starry Skies and I won't take kindly to anyone causing trouble. Especially with your treatment of the Great Wilderness." The elder immortal took a brief and very missable glance at the Lunar Star afterwards.

Shenni felt pangs of irritation course through his veins. In his annoyance he didn't bother speaking to Yang Mei anymore. Instead he indicated with his head for Taotie to speak in his place.

"We're looking for a turncoat of our group. Lu Ya took his majesty's hospitality and spat upon it. I'm sure you can understand why we cannot let this pass."

Yang Mei creased his brows but nodded in acknowledgment anyway. He had good relations with Lu Ya but ultimately their business concluded long ago. Seeing no point in his interference he stopped interfering and left the area. He however kept a keen focus on Shenni's group.

Shenni headed for the Solar Star while he headed for the Lunar Star. Both celestial bodies had Unfortunately drifted closer in recent years so they were too close for his liking. But as long as they kept to themselves he had no real reason to come into conflict with them.

In the out skirts of the Lunar Star he saw Wangshu standing on her palace terrace looking directly at him. Her presence blended in to the environment of the Lunar Star making it difficult to properly sense her. Just another privilege for one who'd refined the supreme star of extreme yin.

"They're scanning the Solar Star?" Was the first thing Wangshu said. "Should I be concerned? That's my Solar Star they're intruding upon."

Yang Mei shook his head. "You shouldn't be too worried. Shenni doesn't seem interested in the stars at all. He's only hunting for a specific individual. Lu Ya to be specific."

Wangshu's eyes widened in recognition. "Was that not the person you mentioned to have burned impurities off of Tian Hai?"

"Do NOT call him!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"It is the same Lu Ya," Yang Mei confirmed.

"Okay."

Tian Hai has so far been indisposed having disappeared completely beneath the pool of Three Brilliance Sacred Water. They knew he was still alive down there but otherwise became inactive. Neither knew what was going on with him at the moment and Yang Mei didn't personally care to ask.

…

Two individuals began digging through layers upon layers of raging fire. Both Great Unity Golden Immortals who'd accompanied Shenni were the first to act yet found it extremely difficult to approach the Solar Star despite their relatively high power level. Neither had expected this result and both were somewhat embarrassed at being held back by the celestial body.

Unlike the Lunar Star which had a solid surface and a tangible environment, the Solar Star was exactly the same as any other sun. A gigantic ball of fire giving off tremendous amounts of light and heat. It was so scorching hot that even Chaos Immortals like Taotie felt toasty beneath its influence.

What's more, this was only the Solar Star's surface, who knew how hot it could get deeper in. In this way, the Solar Star's secrets were much harder to grasp than the Lunar Star.

Shenni tapped his foot impatiently. Seeing this Taotie also moved forward and called for Earthly Sky and Shen Feng to move aside.

"If Lu Ya chooses to hide then lets remove his cover!"

Truth be told, none of them were shire wether Lu Ya had fled here or not. Though chances were high, it was equally likely he may've used this obvious yang focused local as cover to hide somewhere else. Nevertheless, Taotie opened his mouth and sucked with all his might.

His stomach made gargling sounds and torrents of Pure Yang Sun Fire began flowing into his mouth. The supreme fire produced by the Solar Star, the sun of the Primitive World was so hot that Taotie took extreme care with his body so as to not be burned.

He funneled the flames through corridors created within his throat and stomach to safely escort them away for digestion. His aim was to cleave away the surface layers of the Solar Star. Unfortunately, the Solar Star had so much mass that Taotie's attempts were pathetic.

Taotie was flushed in embarrassment. He was well known to be a big eater who could digest anything. Yet Pangu's creations were truly dangerous to behold. He could feel smoke rising from within his stomach and the thrumming of faint agony. Eating this fire turned out to be a mistake.

"Stop!" Shenni commanded towards the three.

The Beast Emperor stepped up to make his own move. He clapped his palms together with fingers pointed towards the Solar Star. The force of his move blew out into a gargantuan wave of air. The gust rended apart the sea of flames digging deep into the Solar Star.

FOOM!

Torrents of Pure Yang Sun Fire rose and fell like tides of water. Fire blazed and flickered across space burning through residual qi left behind by Shenni's attack. The Beast Emperor's attempt was much more fruitful yet also costly.

Shenni used far more power then he believed was necessary to tear away at the star. He managed to rip apart two percent of the surface level revealing some of its interior. Ultimately though, the Solar Star morphed back into its original shape as if nothing happened at all.

Briefly, the image of an iris and pupil appeared over the surface of said star. An eyeball that was identical to the leftmost gaze of Pangu. A testament to what this star once was.

"No wonder the Starry Skies is so much more stable compared to the Great Wilderness. It needed to contain these monsters," Earthly Sky daoist muttered.

"Ggrrhh!" Shenni growled barring his fangs. His mane danced wildly in the air and the burly man roared.

"FILTH!"

The unleashed waves upon waves of punches rapidly through space directly into the Solar Star.

FOOM!

FOOM!

FOOM!

…

"Hey hey hey!" Wangshu clenched her fist and looked to want to interfere. But Yang Mei quickly held her back.

"Calm down girl. There is not need for rashness," he lectured.

Flickers of fire residue flashed through the outer atmosphere of the Lunar Star even as he talked. They lit the sky ablaze in a unique orange colour that seemed to wipe away the blueish filter present on the Lunar Star.

"This is getting absurd. Tell them to leave!" Wangshu demanded. "Else I'll tell them to leave."

"Idiot! Learn to pick your battles girl. This Shenni? He's not someone you'll want to face in a match even with you being Lunar Star empowered. Trust me on this," Yang Mei said with raised voice. There was a hint of anxiety as he mentioned Shenni.

"That guy…he's improved so much."

Not far away from them, beneath large quantities of water. Despite the trance like state he's entered. The eight headed snake raised his neck instinctively.

…

"No no no!"

FOOM!

"Shit shit shit!"

FOOM!

Lu Ya was in a frenzied panic as the walls of fire separating him from the greater expanse of space was being forced apart. He could already see fist prints entering the Solar Star and could easily deduce who's fist prints these were.

Shenni was hardly tame when it came to showcasing his might. His barrages of punches was steadily digging into he Solar Star nearly reaching where Lu Ya had made his haven.

As the Sun Demon God, Lu Ya could had an affinity for yang attribute qi. He's usage of the Solar Star was both for safety and to heal the injuries Shenni's subordinates did him. He was able to enter deeper into the Solar Star then any other so despite this hiding place being rather obvious, he was confidant in his safety.

But who knew Shenni was such a madman?

Rage, fury, and a thirst for vengeance. Lu Ya could identify all these feelings through the imprints of Shenni's fists. The vast amounts of desire for violence manifested in blazing power and a drive for improvement that pushed Shenni to begin surpassing his former superiors.

Lu Ya braced himself as this small section of the Solar Star wobbled.

"LU YA! I CAN FEEL YOU!"

Shenni's unmistakable roar nearly ruptured the godfiend's ears. As Shenni carved further and further into the Solar Star, coupled with Lu Ya's own panic and by extension a lack of focus. Shenni could now identify Lu Ya from the sea of solar fire.

"Well I'm glad he came along. Only he can brute force it like this," Shen Feng quipped.

"Silence fool. That's your majesty you're talking about," Taotie retorted. "You're no longer a free godfiends of the Chaos Sea anymore. You're subordinates under the Beast Emperor."

Shen Feng bristled with indignation. 'I wouldn't be here if you guys weren't threatening to kill us who wont join you! I should never have gone to that banquet.'

Earthly Sky was having similar thoughts but godfiends pushed these treacherous thoughts down for now.

"Damn you Shenni!" Lu Ya screamed as he burst forth from the Solar Star. His sudden appearance came with the creation of a firebird construct. It spread its wings out and rushed forwards as if it were an endless rolling storm made of cosmic fire.

"Lu Ya re you looking down on me?" Shenni felt the urge to scoff at the pitiful display.

Lu Ya had also returned to the Great Principle Chaos Immortal realm just as he. Yet his attack did not pack anywhere near as much punch despite looking impressive. No doubt some of his injuries caused earlier was preventing him from unleashing more.

Lu Ya's firebird acted as a distraction. But Shenni grew into a hulking giant a hundred and eight thousand kilometres tall. His burly frame filled the cosmos like titan and his muscular hands ripped the bird of fire apart with ease.

"DIE!"

Shenni's red mane of hair flickered and twisted, wriggling everywhere. His strands combined and grew into needles shooting out at Lu Ya.

Seeing danger, Lu Ya fled away from Shenni. His feet transformed into appendages resembling fiery talons and he ran across a trail of sunlight. Within his arms though, a circular object appeared spinning.

The object was similar in appearance to a ring or a band. Light reflected off of its metallic surface with gusto. Its appearance was ornate and appeared to resemble trails of fire along the circle. This was Lu Ya's most powerful weapon, the Sun Chakram.

Unlike the 12 Petals White Lotus of Purification, this top grade xiantian spiritual treasure predated the Primitive World and luckily was not destroyed when Pangu created this current universe. Lu Ya was fortunate to recover it else someone else might've arrested it.

Using this chakram, Lu Ya spun it long his index finger. This resulted in the creation of a spinning tornado of fire. At the ends of the spinning tornado, two beaks appeared and cried with a frightening screech.

Shenni felt his appendages burn. He retracted his hair and roared. His humanoid face transformed into bestial features. His skin turned furry and his face scrunched as his now slightly elongated jaw opened.

Shenni's somewhat resembled both a dog and a lion. His attack came from his mouth and was simple in its make up. Just a blast of energy that pierced through Lu Ya's defences.

The Sun Demon God's fire was broken and he was directly hit. He cried in pain and felt large parts of his vitality sap away. 'If this goes on I'll be a goner for sure.'

Ever since Shenni made his first move, Taotie and the rest also pursued Lu Ya. In order to aid Shenni they moved in a way to entrap Lu Ya in a pincer move. Taotie on one side and the two weaker immortals on the other.

Shen Feng and Earthly Sky would not be able to stop Lu Ya even in his critically injured state. But by working together they can stall him long enough for others to catch up.

Lu Ya glanced around in panic. He did not wish to die no matter what. He had to think of a way.

It was in this instant that he glanced towards the Lunar Star. He instantly met the gaze of Yang Mei and sent him a pleading look. Simultaneously he began dashing towards the Lunar Star.

Meanwhile atop said star, Wangshu waved her arms. The Lunar Star was encased in a crystalline energy akin to ice and shone with silvery blue light. The dim radiance of the supreme star of yin acted as a barrier between the Lunar Star and the outside world similar to the fire of the Solar Star.

Lu Ya felt his heart sink at their actions.

Shenni expectantly became enraged when he saw the Lunar Star.

The Lunar Star and the Solar Star were paired entities with the same origin. Both of them were eyeballs of Pangu, the right and left respectively. As such both stars inherited enormous amounts of power just like Mt Buzhou. Similarly, both stars could be easily identified as parts of Pangu if one payed attention.

When Wangshu activated her defenses, the outer crust of the Lunar Star flashed with an illusionary image. Just as how the Solar Star reacted to Shenni's punches, the Lunar Star flashed with the image of a pupil.

It was an eye every current innate god looking at it would easily recognize.

"PANGU!"

"Wait your majesty!" Taotie attempted say. But who in this world can stop a wrathful Shenni?

His whole life from the moment he was reborn has been defined by one thing and one thing only. Rage, rage was all that he'd felt ever since heaven was split from earth. Rage all centered around the hairy loincloth wearing, axe waving giant that was Pangu.

It was to a degree where any logical person would deem him insane. Rationale was the last thing on Shenni's mind when anything Pangu would be brought up.

His next assault, a furious roar thundered throughout the cosmos. It sailed past Lu Ya scrapping his Sun Chakram lighting sparks and into the outer shell of the Lunar Star.

THOOM!

"Gah!" Wangshu was sent into a crouch at the sudden attack by a Chaos Immortal. She spat out a mouthful of blood and stood wobbly on her feat. Between gasps of breath, she looked up with bloodshot eyes filled with both shock.

"Shenni what is the meaning of this?"

Yang Mei's figure flickered into open view right above the Lunar Star. The elderly immortal flared up his own cultivation base encompassing the Starry Skies with a chilling air of fury. The hard image of a willow tree flickered in and out of view with swaying roots and dancing leaves.

"You protect Pangu's remnants?" Shenni spat with a maddened look. Through blood tinted goggles, all Shenni could see were sinful people.

Lu Ya, Yang Mei, Luohu, and all his brethren who'd rather live in this sickening sinful world.

…

"Shenni…no your majesty hear me out. If you're so forthcoming in this goal then people will unanimously hate you. You need to establish a power base and recruit a following to clear the way for you. Else the combined strength of all godfiends can destroy you."

"You expect me to lie and hide behind false niceties?"

"Like it or not, many of our former brethren see this Primitive World as an opportunity to polish their skills and attain resources. The environment of this world is bringing into existence augmentative treasures all over the place. People are not just going to accept the destruction of the world just like that."

…

'Hundun, how can you ever expect me to live as such? How can you expect me to tolerate this?'

Remembering his conversation with his strongest ally so many years ago was not a pleasant memory for him. But he listened anyway cause Demon Ape listened to Hundun. Hundun was smart, Hundun was wise, Hundun was the greatest advisor to the god of war.

But Shenni just could not stomach it.

His fist met the barrier in the palm of Yang Mei with brutal force. Brutal knuckles met disc like qi construct.

BOOM!

The Starry Skies trembled as a wave of immortal power rolled through the sea of stars. Reality suffered ripples threatening to rend it apart and spill the contents of this dimension into the void between realms.

Yang Mei grunted as his technique disappeared from his palm. Despite the separation, his flesh and bones still suffered damage from Shenni's terrifying power.

Yang Mei's eyes glowed and a circular wheel spiraled out of his form. It resembled a spinning octopus as the wheel unraveled into long roots attached to each other at a convergence point.

"Spinning Willows End!"

Shenni disengaged from Yang Mei fleeing for a small distance. He scrunched his face and smashed down with his own counteroffensive. Along his arms, the images of billions of furious asuras screamed out in indignation and fury.

They chanted war songs, spat curses, laughed and celebrated the opportunity to do battle. They wailed in tears, mourned, and sought vengeance with raised swords and swinging fists. In that instant Shenni's arms transformed into entire battalions of immortal soldiers who willingly walked to their deaths. All for the opportunity to battle.

BOOM!

The cosmos was enveloped in an explosion visible from all corners of the Primitive World. Particles, remnants of whatever immortal qi both combatants put into their attacks rained throughout the battlefield becoming a backdrop to a standoff.

Before either would make another move, a silver star attacked Shenni's exposed body.

"Hmph." Shenni barely gave it another look even as it neared him. He chopped down with his left hand with a thunderous crack. This obliterated the silver star. "Another filthy spawn of Pangu?"

The one who sent the attack, Wangshu glared hatefully at Shenni.

"Hiding and consorting with filth, no wonder you never came to my banquet."

"Your rudeness and open hostility was noted aeons before that," Yang Mei snorted. "Meeting you now only confirmed I was right. Insanity really has claimed you."

"EOUGH! You're dead. Taotie, Earthly Sky, Shen Feng kill that bitch down there. I'll kill this traitor myself," he demanded without a second thought.