Previously on I Pick Up Talents on the Interstellar Battlefield...
Qin Tian and his companions successfully defeated the magical beasts. Afterward, they were confronted by Shengongsi Hao Er, an heir of the Shengongsi family, who demanded the treasures from the Ice God Treasure Vault. Despite his arrogant threats, Zhuge Yu denied any knowledge of the vault. Shengongsi Hao Er, enraged by their defiance, ordered his followers to attack.
A gesture from the opponent caused a dark barrier to materialize, within which a violent gale howled and three terrifying shikigami emerged: the Nun with a Longbow, the winged Tengu, and the Chain-wielding Jorogumo, all radiating a dense, malevolent aura.
"Onmyoji Technique, Shikigami Summon!"
Zhuge Yu’s gaze sharpened as the array plate in his hand spun rapidly. "Taishi Feng, engage him directly. Huo Yuansheng, keep him occupied. I will control the battlefield!"
Before he could finish, a burly man wreathed in crimson flames, like flowing lava, lunged forward. His fists clenched, condensing the flames into fiery gauntlets, poised to strike Taishi Feng with incinerating force.
"Someone from the Kusanagi Family, show me what you've got!"
A spark of combat intent ignited in Taishi Feng’s eyes. His golden Qi and Blood surged, and gripping his Heaven-piercing Halberd horizontally, he met the fiery punch head-on.
"Boom!"
Gold and fire clashed, unleashing shockwaves that splintered the ice field like a shattered mirror. Taishi Feng’s arms vibrated with the impact, yet his stance remained firm. The crimson fire warrior, however, was pushed back several steps, his flames flickering and his gaze hardening.
"Tier Six Nine Stars!"
Meanwhile, the warrior cloaked in purple fire eschewed close combat. Hovering in the air, he conjured basketball-sized orbs of purple fire, emanating a corrosive stench, and launched them like a barrage toward the shikigami.
The purple fireballs detonated on impact, carving deep, black chasms and melting the ice into dark, acrid water, their potent toxicity evident.
"Leave this to me!" Huo Yuansheng moved like a phantom, evading the fiery projectiles. His longsword, gleaming with cold light, weaved agile strikes, unleashing Sword Qi that sliced through the incoming fireballs.
His Spiritual Energy, now more refined, coupled with his nimble footwork, rendered the dense barrage harmless.
The most formidable adversary was the swordsman, clad in a tight black robe, a katana sheathed at his hip. His movements were as fluid as wind, his footwork uncanny.
Seizing the instant Huo Yuansheng was occupied, he flashed like a sudden gust behind him, his katana drawing with a sharp hum, unleashing a blur of white Wind Blades with astonishing speed.
"Guard!"
Zhuge Yu uttered a soft command, and the array plate in his hand pulsed, conjuring a jade-green energy shield behind Huo Yuansheng.
"Clang!"
The Wind Blade struck the shield, sending ripples across its surface. Though it held firm, a hairline fracture appeared.
Huo Yuansheng’s expression remained composed; he trusted Zhuge Yu’s protection.
He spun swiftly, his longsword meeting the katana in a rapid exchange,
The steel rang out in a frantic rhythm, "ding-ding dang-dang."
The swordsman’s blade danced with lightning speed, executing Steel Slash and Wind Barrier in quick succession, unleashing a torrent of Wind Blades that forced Huo Yuansheng to retreat.
Yet, Huo Yuansheng’s swordsmanship was equally formidable. Utilizing his agile body technique to evade and parry, they fought to a standstill.
Zhuge Yu alone stood against two onmyoji and their three shikigami, bearing the brunt of the assault.
The Eight Trigrams Array beneath his feet blazed, its energies of Thunder, Fire, Ice, and Wind erupting in a chaotic symphony. Lightning scourged the ghost spirits and shikigami, fire consumed the sinister aura, ice ensnared the talismans, and wind dispersed the ghostly flames.
The Nun’s arrows were disintegrated by lightning, the Tengu’s Wind Escape met the array’s barrier, and the Jorogumo’s chains were seized by frost. The onmyoji’s talismans disintegrated upon nearing, ensnared by the array’s power.
"Wuhou Eight Trigrams Array, quite troublesome." The onmyoji on the left gritted his teeth, astonished that a Tier Six, Six Stars array master could simultaneously hold them and their shikigami at bay; a testament to the Zhuge Family’s legacy.
He formed another hand seal, chanting an incantation: "Shikigami Fusion!"
The three shikigami dissolved into beams of light, merging into a colossal Evil Ghost Shikigami, ten feet tall, wielding a massive axe. Its malevolent aura surged as it swung the axe in an air-rending arc towards the Eight Trigrams Array.
"Taishi Feng!" Zhuge Yu called out urgently.
Breaking free from his engagement with the fiery warrior, Taishi Feng infused the Heaven-piercing Halberd with golden Spiritual Energy. He leaped into the air, unleashing a devastating blow, "Cleave Mount Hua," the halberd’s radiance colliding with the descending giant axe.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion echoed as Taishi Feng was sent flying backward. However, the Evil Ghost Shikigami also recoiled, a visible crack marring its immense axe.
Witnessing this opening, the crimson fire man lunged towards Taishi Feng, his fiery fists aiming for his opponent's back.
"You won't get away with that!"
Huo Yuansheng's figure blurred, disengaging from his duel with the swordsman. His longsword darted towards the crimson fire man's hindbrain.
The crimson fire man was forced to defend, and Huo Yuansheng, using the momentum, gracefully disengaged, resuming his confrontation with the swordsman.
Simultaneously, the purple fire man seized his chance, conjuring a colossal purple fireball and launching it directly at Zhuge Yu's Eight Trigrams Array.
The fireball met the array with a violent detonation, unleashing a tidal wave of purple flames that relentlessly corroded the array's patterns. The Eight Trigrams Array began to fade considerably.
A pained groan escaped Zhuge Yu as his complexion paled. Gritting his teeth, he maintained control of the array plate, channeling the Power of Thunder to forcefully disperse the encroaching purple flames. A Thunder Dragon erupted from the array, striking the purple fire man.
The icy expanse descended into chaos, a vibrant medley of gold, red, blue, purple, and green swirling together. The air thrummed with the clash of weapons, the detonations of energy, the mournful cries of ghost spirits, and the roars of shikigami. Taishi Feng, bolstered by his Tier Six Nine Stars' formidable physique, withstood the combined assault from the crimson fire man and the Evil Ghost Shikigami. Gripping the Heaven-piercing Halberd tightly, his golden Qi and Blood mingled with Spiritual Energy. Though pushed back, he remained resolutely firm.
Huo Yuansheng moved like an agile phantom, weaving between the swordsman and the purple fire man. His superior swordsmanship proved a constant nuisance to his adversaries, and he managed to land occasional surprise attacks, leaving distinct sword marks upon them.
Despite facing suppression, Zhuge Yu's Eight Trigrams Array maintained a steady control over the battlefield. It continuously unleashed energies such as thunder and fire, effectively restraining the two onmyoji and their remaining shikigami, thus preventing them from rendering aid elsewhere.
The trio's coordinated efforts were impeccable. Although outnumbered by five powerful foes, they held their ground, displaying remarkable strength following their recent breakthroughs.
Ten days prior, such a confrontation would have been insurmountable. However, with the now Tier Six Nine Stars Taishi Feng, Huo Yuansheng, and the Tier Six Six Stars Zhuge Yu, supported and protected by the array's integration, their combined might now matched that of their opponents.
On another part of the battlefield, Qin Tian and Shengongsi Hao Er remained suspended in mid-air, their gazes fixed on the unfolding battle below. Neither made a move, yet an invisible contest of their auras permeated the surroundings, causing the very air to become heavy and stagnant.
Initially, Shengongsi Hao Er had paid little attention to Qin Tian, considering Zhuge Yu to be the linchpin of the squad. After all, the Zhuge Family's Wuhou Eight Trigrams Array was legendary throughout the Empire, and Zhuge Yu's presumed efforts were likely key to breaching the Ice God Treasure Vault.
However, as the battle progressed, he began to sense that something was amiss.
While Zhuge Yu's trio fought valiantly, it was the black-clad man opposite him who truly captured his attention.
This individual hovered silently in the air, his aura calm and steady. He neither unleashed Spiritual Energy nor showed any inclination to join the fray, appearing utterly detached from the intense conflict raging below.
Yet, the subtle pressure emanating from him unnerved Shengongsi Hao Er, a Tier Seven, Three Stars Holy Blood cultivator, instilling a vague sense of dread. This seemingly ordinary pressure felt immeasurably deep, far surpassing what would be expected of a Tier Six Spiritualist.
Shengongsi Hao Er's brow furrowed gradually, a flicker of apprehension crossing his eyes. A sudden realization dawned upon him: his initial assessment was flawed. The true core of this squad was not Zhuge Yu, but this unassuming black-clad figure, who seemed as unfathomable as an abyss.
"Who are you?"
Shengongsi Hao Er inquired. Prior to entering the relic, he had meticulously studied the profiles of Holy Blood Descendants and other elite Golden Bloodline talents. However, he had no recollection of the man standing before him.
Qin Tian observed him quietly before responding slowly:
