Captured

Yinying Yan unleashed his oppressive aura as soon as he appeared within Hu Jin Shen's boundaries. With a simple flex of his aura he broke any meaningful security measures the prince or his soldiers would've put in place. He also didn't bother being stealthy as the phantom saw no need to do so. Hence he effortlessly smashed apart any barriers in the way.

The moment he did so Yi Guang felt it before he even heard it. As a peak Human Immortal he immediately sprung into action using his spear to slash at the unknown assailant. By the time everyone else heard the sound of glass breaking as a result of all security breaking down Yi Guang had long since attacked Yinying Yan.

But who was Yinying Yan, he wasn't just another nobody. No this was something else entirely. He may not be the strongest, smartest, quickest, nor most talented like Yi Guang, Hu Jin Shen, or Yun Xiao Che. But he was something they were not. He was a True Immortal.

True Immortals, living gods who had transcended the mortal flesh and posses incomprehensible power as a True Immortal who had bonded with heaven. Some had called them living stars who could trample entire worlds underfoot. Yinying Yan was one such being.

Speak what you will about him, his loses being many, but this man was indeed such a legendary figure. Yi Guang was incredibly powerful for Human Immortals, so strong hat he could be mentioned alongside Hu Wenxi who at full power as a Human Immortal crossed into the realm of True Immortals. But there was one glaring problem, Yi Guang was not the emperor, he was not a True Immortal.

BOOM!

Within moments Yi Guang was forced onto his knees his body buckling under the weight of Yinying Yan's oppressive aura. Dark markings simmered on the gaunt male's skin and thick black flame like aura danced around the room blowing the entire roof off.

Hu Jin Shen's retinue was situated in a private mansion outside the main star palace complex. It had a large yard and was quite spacious, it was able to accommodate 100 people. Yinying Yan blew the roof off of the entire mansion while forcing Yi Guang onto his knees. For Hu Jin Shen who was relaxing on a rocking chair in open grass to see his greatest general humiliated like this right in front of him sent shivers down his spine.

Yinying Yan stood hovering slightly above ground level in the centre of the main hall. He arrogantly looked down on all those around him. The soldiers and servants could not even move. "GRR" Yi Guang's knees buckled as it tried to lift the man up. The general pulsed his Qi and released his power to the limit.

"AH?" Yinying Yan looked appraisingly at the general. It would seem that he was resisting the pressure. 'What a mighty fellow' the gaunt man thought mockingly before bearing down with his power once more. The stone tile floors below them, enchanted with powerful magical stones, cracked and gave way to Yi Guang.

"Damn it" the general gripped his spear hard, the high grade Sacred Artefact hummed with boundless might. "ROAR" for a brief moment the general broke the pressure and charged for a massive strike at a widened eyed Yinying Yan.

"Enough or your prince gets it" a voice sounded out. As it did so a man materialised behind Hu Jin Shen holding a khopesh at the prince's throat. Immediately Yinying Yan unleashed more energy to bind Yi Guang. The gaunt man formed a hand sign with both his palms.

Black bindings materialised from the air and wrapped around the general constricting both his physical movements and usage of Qi. Yi Guang was finally securely held in place.

"What a fellow" Yinying Yan complemented looking quite impressed. Secretly in his heart he was fearful of Yi Guang, the man was already so strong as he was now that he could easily surpass him as a True Immortal which wasn't actually saying much. 'This man is comparable to 16th young master' he thought.

Out of the darkness an old gentleman in battle armour held Hu Lan Yue unconscious in one hand and a bound Hu Tong Shan in the other. "Both targets secured" he said. Th pale skinned man nodded with a smile, "Thank you Lao Wu" he said happily. In fact he looked to be ready to break out in dance with how overjoyed he was.

"Fuck" Hu Jin Shen said seeing Yi Guang's bound kneeing position, his bound brother and his unconscious sister. "Fuck indeed the pale skinned man behind him added. Above them radiant star light compressed and formed into the image of the big dipper. It resembled a chariot of stars made to carry an emperor.

"You should not have come here my dear prince. Now your father will suffer for your mistake" an old woman along with several others descended from the skies. "If he had just handed the Mandala Amulet over and not humiliated us this wouldn't have happened".

The group of cultivators strolled nonchalantly into the mansion looking disdainfully on the group of servants. "This is the quality of cultivators in an upper ream? Pitiful" a young man among them snorted. Hu Jin Shen despite his compromised position eyed the man, his power was leagues above his own. However the prince did not panic and responded, "How pitiful, to compare yourself to the lowest common denominator".

"WHY YOU" the young man moved to attack the prince. The pale skinned man however frowned, "Hold on Kuang yuan, with your strength you'll kill him, better to keep him alive". The young man looked pissed at that but restrained himself. The pale skinned man commanded high authority below 16th young master.

"I don't understand why we need him, Hu Wenxi is who we need" he grumbled. Hu Jin Shen kept silent in all this just observing the people around him. He had little idea about what is going on but he could identify some parts. He could see the formation formed in the sky was not the famed Star busting formation but something far far far greater. He could also see that the people keeping him hostage are at least Human Immortals or perhaps higher as someone like Yi Guang was completely restrained.

Hu Jin Shen knew every high tier expert in the empire by name and most peak experts by face. He did not know these men. From that he could see they were foreigners who worked with the Celestial Star king.

"Hu Wenxi knows of the Madala Amulet, he keeps it hidden. If we wantonly kill his family he may do something rash like self destructing" the old women said with a lecturing tone. The young man named Kuan Yuan looked unhappy but obeyed. The pale skinned man suddenly pulled Hu Jin Shen's hair back, "And you shut up" his khopesh pressed against the prince's that drawing small bits of blood from a tiny thin wound. This was a mistake.

The moment blood was drawn, dense sandy light flooded the area in an explosion of power. It indiscriminately struck out hitting everyone in the area throwing them all off their feat. Thankfully it was more of an energy push then an attack else all the maids and soldiers would've been killed.

The pale skinned man was thrown back hitting the grass 5 meters away. Hu Jin Shen remained seated on his chair and said, "I wouldn't do that my father is quite invested in me". The pale skinned man got onto his feat and looked around. Throughout all this Yinying Yan was the only one to remain standing and even he looked slightly shaken.

Hu Jin Shen knew his father likely set up measures to protect him. He just wasn't expecting it to activate upon him drawing blood. 'How does this work' he wondered briefly. Deep down he knew he was still trapped, Yinying Yan was more then capable of capturing him with his measly cultivation.

"Nice trick" the pale skinned man stood before the prince. He arched his hand back and punched the prince. Instantly Hu Jin Shen was thrown back shattering his seat. He suffered a surprisingly light blow as he wasn't injured by that.

"So blunt force trauma will not trigger it eh?" Hu Jin Shen got onto all fours when the pale skinned man approached him. Hu Jin Shen looked around him in frustration.

Suddenly above them a massive impact noise was heard. This drew their attention up at the sky. "Its starting" Yinying Yan commented. Above them the colossal forms of a shark and a dragon were in an intense confrontation with the big dipper chariot above.

The battle was quick. The two demons did not last long and where heavily burned. Hu Jin Shen looked up in shaken at what he had just witnessed. He knew the strength of the two great demons quite well. In fact when he had seen them above he thought they could save him.

Long Chi Bai was second only to Hu Wenxi so to see him getting his ass handed to him so quickly was mind boggling.

The most unacceptable thing was that this was the Celestial Star king doing so. The big dipper above formed a chariot that was being ridden by the figure of the Celestial Star king. The Celestial Star king who was unremarkable among the peak experts in the empire. That same king just severely injured the famed dragon.

Even Yinying Yan who was a True Immortal looked at the formation in awe. The Grand Chariot North Star Supreme formation was a project a thousand years in the making. It was with the covert movement of many recourses including those provided by the pale skinned man as well as the genius of the current Celestial Star king that saw it through.

Hu Jin Shen looked as if he had lost all hope at the scene above him. Two great demons had been thoroughly thrashed. Yinying Yan looked at several of his cohorts. They immediately understood and formed many seals to restrain Yi Guang. The general recognised the feel of their auras, "You're all Human Immortals" he said.

The gaunt man grabbed the crown prince by his hair and pulled him up. "Call your daddy, we need a word with him" he threw the prince onto the ground besides the pale skinned man who lifted his khopesh ready to stab into the prince.

Hu Jin Shen grunted but looked at the pale skinned man anyway. He saw into his intelligent black eyes and felt cold. This man was like an icy flame that burned with frigid iciness. The pale skinned man prepared his blade to stab down into the prince side.

"Hold" just then a fast green shadow swooped down grabbing the prince. It streaked away towards the other two royals. "Catch him" the pale skinned man commanded and the Human Immortals sprung into action. These experts reached out at the green shadow who dodged and weaved around him reaching the unconscious princess and bound Tong Shan.

"I won't let you" the old lady grabbed a stone warhammer out of the void and smashed at the green shadow. The shadow formed the shape of the famed Human Immortal Nan Fan one of two royal physicians. "HMF" Nan Fan snorted and jumped backwards carrying all three royals. He easily dodged the woman's hammer.

"Come back here" Yinying Yan reached out with a shadow claw. In response the doctor flew high into the sky. The shadow claw expanded out into it became a large mass of darkness. Beneath the luminous beacon that was the Grand Chariot North Star Supreme formation, the shadow claw resembled the devil reaching into the heavens.

Nan Fan stopped mid air abruptly to which Hu Tong Shan and Hu Jin Shen were shocked by. "What are you doing run!" He commanded but Nan Fan stayed still. It was then that sandy gear like construct appeared around the doctor forming dozens of interlocking gears. It generated a sandy light barrier that blocked the shadow claw.

"What?" Yinying Yan was stunned. "Gah!" "Watch out!" Screams erupted behind the True Immortal. He turned quickly meeting the enraged ace of Yi Guang cloaked by sandy light spear raised up high ready to strike, behind him were several bloody corpses of those who had tried to restrict him.