Chapter 18: Celestial Star Lock, Spatial Compression

“Little girl, watch carefully. Within three seconds, I will definitely leave them unable to rise!”

As the words fell from the Azure Nine Nether Phoenix, a combined technique of wind and fire erupted from beneath his enormous wings, carrying a destructive force that seemed intent on annihilating everything as it descended upon the Celestial Blue Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape.

“Boom!”

A tremendous explosion echoed through the heavens and earth, causing the ground to tremble.

The Azure Nine Nether Phoenix blew away the swirling dust his attack had raised, and just as the three seconds elapsed, the petrification effect on the Celestial Blue Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape dissipated, leaving both gravely wounded and collapsed on the ground.

Due to the petrification, although their injuries were not visible on the surface, severe internal damage had been inflicted upon them.

The Celestial Blue Bull Python’s condition was worse than that of the Titan Giant Ape. Thanks to its formidable physical defense, the Titan Giant Ape still retained the ability to counterattack once.

But the Celestial Blue Bull Python was different; its physical strength was inherently inferior to the Titan Giant Ape’s. Without the ability to use soul energy for defense, it could not withstand the Azure Nine Nether Phoenix’s assault, and its body was now on the verge of collapse.

In the sky, Qian Yunyu flew to the side of the Azure Nine Nether Phoenix. Seeing the Celestial Blue Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape utterly powerless below, she turned and smiled at him: “Nine Nether, thank you for your hard work!”

The Azure Nine Nether Phoenix huffed proudly, then asked, “They have massive bodies. If you want to capture them alive, how do you plan to bring them back? Surely you don’t expect me to drag both of them back for you?”

His deep blue eyes locked onto Qian Yunyu, flames faintly flickering in his pupils, as if just a nod from her would ignite his gaze.

“Of course not,” Qian Yunyu smiled, revealing eight translucent small cubes emitting golden light in her left palm.

“What’s that?” The Azure Nine Nether Phoenix looked on with curiosity at the strange objects in her hand.

“You’ll see soon enough,” Qian Yunyu replied with a mysterious smile, teasing him.

By the lakeshore below, the Celestial Blue Bull Python lay weakly on the ground, but his mind was quicker than the Titan Giant Ape’s. Facing a near-death crisis, the two brothers knew only one could escape.

The Celestial Blue Bull Python cast a glance at the Titan Giant Ape: “I’ll do my best to hold them off. Brother, you run while you can!”

Having lived together for a hundred thousand years, the bond between the Titan Giant Ape and the Celestial Blue Bull Python required no words. A single glance was enough for the Titan Giant Ape to understand his elder brother’s resolve.

Yet the Titan Giant Ape was reluctant. After a hundred thousand years of sharing life and death, how could he abandon his elder brother and flee alone?

“Second brother, that mysterious soul beast from ten thousand years ago and that human have stopped attacking us. They must want to capture us alive. This is our only chance before they act. Also, I sense the rock cubes in that human’s hand are very dangerous. You must escape before she uses them!” The Celestial Blue Bull Python’s voice echoed solemnly in the Titan Giant Ape’s mind.

The Titan Giant Ape had always obeyed his elder brother. Despite his reluctance to flee alone, he accepted the plan after hearing his brother’s repeated urgings.

Qian Yunyu then flew above the two, flipping her right hand to reveal another eight rock cubes, adding to the four in her left hand for a total of sixteen.

“Celestial Star Lock, activate.”

She threw the rock cubes from both hands toward the Celestial Blue Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape. The eight cubes in each set spun several times in the air before settling in eight directions, shooting golden light that connected to form two massive cubes, enclosing the two soul beasts.

“Spatial Compression.”

Qian Yunyu’s clear voice rang out as her fingers danced rapidly, and two complex talismans appeared before her, with golden light linking to the cubes below.

As she poured her soul energy into the talismans, the huge golden cubes formed by the rock cubes began to shrink gradually.

The Celestial Blue Bull Python did not understand the purpose of the golden transparent cubes, but instinctively knew never to let his body touch the golden light walls surrounding him.

As the golden cubes shrank ever closer to him and the Titan Giant Ape, he made a desperate move.

A violent surge of soul energy burst from the Celestial Blue Bull Python, causing the Azure Nine Nether Phoenix’s gaze to darken instantly. He shouted urgently to Qian Yunyu, “Watch out, little girl! That bull-headed beast is about to self-destruct!”

A self-detonation by a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast was a force even peak Douluo might struggle to withstand, no wonder the Azure Nine Nether Phoenix was alarmed.

Qian Yunyu’s brow furrowed as her expression turned grim. She said nothing, focusing all her soul energy on the talisman linked to the cube enclosing the Celestial Blue Bull Python, trying to hasten the spatial compression.

Yet her efforts were feeble, barely speeding the contraction at all.

The Azure Nine Nether Phoenix flew over, releasing his soul energy. Without a technique to directly stop a soul beast’s self-detonation, he could only assist Qian Yunyu in suppressing the Celestial Blue Bull Python’s explosion through sheer cultivation power.

While both were fully occupied suppressing the Celestial Blue Bull Python, they neglected the Titan Giant Ape, who seized the opportunity.

Qian Yunyu had poured nearly all her soul energy into one talisman to restrain the Celestial Blue Bull Python, leaving the other talisman weakly energized. The spatial compression of the other golden cube slowed, and its surrounding golden barrier became increasingly transparent, as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.

“Second brother, run... you must escape...” the Celestial Blue Bull Python’s voice sounded once more in the Titan Giant Ape’s heart. Tears welled in the Titan Giant Ape’s eyes as he cast a reluctant, final glance at his elder brother, then charged fiercely at the golden barrier.

Covering his entire body with soul energy and relying on his tough physique, the Titan Giant Ape shattered the barrier, which was now so transparent that even its golden glow was fading.

Breaking through, the Titan Giant Ape immediately sprinted at full speed toward the outskirts of the Star Dou Forest. In his hurried flight, he inadvertently brushed against one of the rock cubes below, which then adhered to him.

The faint crack of the barrier breaking reached Qian Yunyu and the Azure Nine Nether Phoenix’s ears. Qian Yunyu’s eyes darkened as she commanded, “Nine Nether, the Titan Giant Ape escaped. Go after him quickly.”

“No!” The Azure Nine Nether Phoenix refused outright. “If I leave, the suppression will fail. You can’t withstand the force of that bull-headed beast’s self-detonation alone.”

Qian Yunyu replied firmly, “Nine Nether, trust me. I can hold him down. His self-detonation won’t succeed.”

The Azure Nine Nether Phoenix remained silent, focusing solely on restraining the Celestial Blue Bull Python’s explosive power.