I couldn't refuse the Twelve Rhythms' proposal. In fact, I was even glad that he offered such words, given that I had come here for the duel. Moreover, he was even willing to tell me the whereabouts of the Monday Star among the Seven Stars! If I could just hold on for three seconds, there was a possibility.
I climbed onto the dueling platform with my spear and said,
"Can you tell me the whereabouts of the other Seven Stars besides Monday?"
"I wish I could, but I don't know anything else."
"... Can I ask one more question?"
"Go ahead."
I cautiously asked,
"Why did the Seven Stars scatter all over the world? If they were blessed by the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, doesn't that mean the ancient Yin Dynasty possessed all of them?"
"The fall of the Yin Dynasty was due to the Seven Stars."
The Twelve Rhythms continued, reciting the verses of the Milky Way.
"I don't know the details, but I understand that the Seven Stars caused the Fengshen War. At the end of the war, the Grand Minister of the Yin Dynasty used his magic to scatter the Seven Stars across the world. That's why one of them might be found hundreds of thousands of miles away."
"Fengshen War, huh."
"Want to learn more? You could ask the Dao Mai. Although, it's an ancient matter, so I'm not sure if there are any records."
"I have one more question."
I swallowed hard and said,
"If we gather all the Seven Stars and combine their power, could we eliminate the beings known as Sea Gods and Evil Spirits?"
"......"
This question seemed unexpected, as the Twelve Rhythms paused for a moment before answering with a bitter smile.
"I don't know. The power of the Seven Stars is indeed formidable, but the power of the Sea Gods and Evil Spirits is strong enough to shake the entire realm of immortals. We won't know until we gather them all."
"Um..."
The Twelve Rhythms firmly said,
"But there is a possibility. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, who bestowed the Seven Stars, are on par with the Sea Gods. The Seven Stars, which opened the era of humans, are certainly capable of it."
I realized something from the Twelve Rhythms' words. He, too, was someone who desperately wished for the Seven Stars to be gathered. After all, they were the only means to defeat the evil gods, a goal he had been pursuing for generations.
"Which of the Seven Stars is the Sea God?"
The Twelve Rhythms sighed.
"Hey, aren't you asking too many questions? Let's make this your last one. It's not good to keep chatting like this on the dueling platform."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
"I'll tell you. The Sea God belongs to the Wood Star. It enhances the power of the Divine Tree, reinforcing the barrier. That's why it can shake off the powers of the Sea God and Evil Spirits."
I felt a sense of relief. If the Sea God had been the Moon Star, I would have been in trouble, so this was a guarantee.
"I understand."
"Shall we begin?"
Swoosh
The Twelve Rhythms' Milky Way Whip sounded. The whip moved like a living snake, and I could tell that this was due to the peak flow of his inner energy. The silver glow enveloping his body was threatening, and it soon began to coalesce into a massive form.
[The Whip of the Milky Way.]
Boom!
A giant ice dragon suddenly rose from the air. Though it seemed like an illusion, it was actually the result of the Twelve Rhythms freezing the surroundings with his technique. I was stunned.
'Impossible... a human controlling nature...!!'
Mastering!
Before I could express my shock, the Twelve Rhythms' Milky Way Whip moved at an invisible speed, unleashing hundreds of ice dragons. I could barely discern three of them, but the rest were completely beyond my perception. I had no choice but to rely solely on the power of Lei Feng Xiang Bo and Leiming to dodge them.
Crack
Boom
My body crackled with lightning as I used the Leishen Flow to move. Even though my speed was dozens of times faster than usual, I could barely dodge the ice dragons the Twelve Rhythms launched. If I hadn't used Lei Feng Xiang Bo and Leiming, I would have frozen and exploded during this move.
Another fleeting moment. I sensed the Twelve Rhythms' intent.
[Impressive! Take this second move.]
The Whip of the Milky Way
Liu Fa Qin Na Xi Chou Dan Bao
"......!!"
The aura of the willow tree blocked the space around me, the attack of the Fa slowed my movements, and the energies of Qin and Na seemed to grab my spear. With four advanced techniques deployed simultaneously, I had no way to resist.
A brilliant attack and a profound technique!
This was proof that he was a supreme master.
After stopping me with Liu Fa Qin Na, the Twelve Rhythms used Xi Zi Jue to pull me in and then Tui Zi Jue to expel my energy. I was in so much pain from being beaten like a club that I couldn't regain my senses.
Thud!
Boom!
I was thrown up into the air, feeling my body rise through the ceiling. I was lifted to a height where I could see the Divine Tree. I had no idea how high I had been thrown, but I was certain that I couldn't continue the fight.
'What... did I just face...?'
With a loud thud, my body fell back to the ground. To avoid dying, I used the landing technique to minimize the impact.
I forced myself to stand up, my limbs numb and blood streaming from my body.
"Ugh..."
"Excellent. You lasted three seconds."
"... Are you mocking me?"
I gritted my teeth. I had thought that using Lei Feng Xiang Bo and Leiming simultaneously would make me a match for Yi Guang, but that thought was shattered. The Twelve Rhythms had toyed with me from the first attack to the final three seconds. He chuckled and said,
"Anyone else wouldn't have lasted. You survived because the two secret techniques you used subconsciously activated a protective aura. You have earned the right to hear about the whereabouts of the Monday Star."
"Protective aura?"
"It doesn't seem to be a protective aura in the sense of a cultivation realm."
The Twelve Rhythms retracted his Milky Way Whip and continued,
"Your terrifying inner energy, the secret acupuncture technique, and powerful breathing combined to form a defense that surpassed a simple protective aura. You deserve praise."
"......"
I was speechless.
'Too strong...'
While the leaders of the Four Great Families and the Zhaoyi Immortal Sect were also powerful, they weren't this strong. The Twelve Rhythms was a supreme expert who had transcended the boundaries of peak and super peak. The title of the supreme protector of the Eastern martial world was well-deserved.
The Twelve Rhythms said,
"Let's treat your injuries first... Ah, there's no need?"
Swoosh
As he said, my body was already healing, with minor abrasions visibly closing and deep wounds, burns, and frostbite rapidly recovering. This was thanks to the synergy between Lei Feng Xiang Bo and Leiming, which had dramatically increased my vitality. I wobbled and said,
"I'm a doctor, so you don't need to worry about me."
"Heh, you have some spirit. I like that."
After chuckling, the Twelve Rhythms finally said what I most wanted to hear.
"The secret treasure of the Monday Star is in the possession of the Emperor of Dongying."
"The Emperor of Dongying?"
"Yes."
The Twelve Rhythms explained,
"The secret treasure of the Monday Star is known as the Heavenly Sword of the Clustered Clouds, one of the Three Divine Treasures."