Summoning of War Beast

Qin Wentian's gaze remained fixed on Murin's seemingly "gentle" smile as he posed a question, "What happens if I disagree?"

The response didn't come from Murin, but from the lady at his side. Her eyes brimmed with arrogance and pride as she condescendingly addressed the members of the Qin Clan. "You'd better agree. Grandmaster Murin is a second-level weaponsmith, just a step away from reaching the third level. Given your Qin Clan's current position, his offer is an act of kindness. You should consider it an honor to accept. Do you understand?"

Qin Wentian could sense the overwhelming arrogance radiating from the trio. Their pride was deeply ingrained, and they didn't seem to care about his opinion or the feelings of the Qin Clan members. If it weren't for Qin Wentian possessing a few perfectly crafted inscriptions of second-level divine imprints, they probably wouldn't have bothered to engage with him at all.

The elder from the Star River Association chimed in, emphasizing the opportunity this presented for Qin Wentian. At this moment, Qin Wentian couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. Their haughty demeanor was infuriating. They disregarded him, his clan, and their opinions. The only reason the Qin Clan had pinned their hopes on the Star River Association was because of Murin's promise to Qin Wentian.

"Why did you ask us to seek refuge with the Star Association if you already had this in mind?" Qin Ye's tone was icy, his anger palpable. The members of the Qin Clan had placed all their hopes on the Star River Association, solely based on Murin's assurance.

Murin casually swept his gaze over Qin Ye and replied in a cold, indifferent tone, "Even if Qin Wentian accepts my proposal, you won't fall under the protection of the Star River Association."

"Foul play! Your protection means nothing to me!" Qin Ye erupted in rage, his fist striking the air like a roaring tiger, heading straight for Murin.

A razor-sharp glint flashed in Murin's eyes. With a flick of his finger, a thunderous boom echoed through the air. Qin Ye was suddenly overwhelmed by a tremendous pressure. A manifestation of a fiery ember lion charged at him, sending his body soaring into the air.

"This is the Star River Association. I don't want to resort to violence, but there won't be another chance," Murin's expression remained composed as he delivered his ultimatum. The gulf between a cultivator of the Yuanfu Realm and one of the Arterial Circulation Realm was insurmountable. Even though Qin Ye had reached the 8th level of the Arterial Circulation Realm, he couldn't withstand a single blow from Murin.

Fury and frustration painted the faces of the Qin Clan members. However, they knew better than to provoke the Star River Association. This humiliation cut deep.

"What's your decision?" Murin turned his gaze to Qin Wentian. If Qin Wentian agreed, not only would he survive, but he would also become a member of the Star River Association. Refusing would be the choice of a fool from every perspective.

Qin Wentian glanced at Qin Yao and the others before responding. "The Qin Clan doesn't breed cowards," Qin Yao declared firmly.

"The Qin Clan doesn't breed cowards!" echoed the resolute members of the clan. They were prepared to face humiliation or even death rather than submit to this indignity.

"Today's humiliation... If I survive, I'll etch this moment in my heart forever." Qin Wentian turned away from Murin and began walking toward the exit of the Star River Association. It was Murin who had baited them with promises of safety, leading the Qin Clan into this dire situation.

The members of the Qin Clan followed Qin Wentian, their gazes filled with anger directed at Murin.

"Clear a path for them and let them go. Don't bring your personal vendettas into my Star River Association," Murin's words were ice-cold as he addressed Ye Mo and the others standing by the exit.

Ye Mo and his companions stepped aside, creating a way for the Qin Clan members to leave. Now, the lives and destiny of the Qin Clan rested in Murin's hands.

Qin Wentian and his companions emerged from the Star River Association, finding themselves in a vast public square, with all the exits sealed shut. There was no escape from this predicament.

"During our journey here, you asked me if there was a way for us not to come. Did you already anticipate this outcome?" Qin Wentian whispered, his gaze fixed on Luo Huan standing beside him.

"The Star River Association has always been independent, seldom meddling in the affairs of other factions. However, their strength is truly formidable. They value practicality above all else. I was concerned that what you offered might not match what the Ye Clan was presenting. But it seems I was mistaken. They wanted to recruit you, but you declined," Luo Huan calmly explained, sending a shiver down Qin Wentian's spine.

"In that case, they probably contacted the Ye Clan even before this." Qin Wentian drew a deep breath, clenching his fists tightly. Murin's arrival coincided with that of the Ye Clan members, all while he was asked about his decision. If he had agreed, he would have been entirely under Murin's control, and if he had disagreed, Murin could have sentenced them to the abyss with a single word—how ruthless and cold.

Glancing back at Murin, Qin Wentian noticed that he and the woman beside him were now standing on a stage, their disdainful gazes directed at him, as if they were mocking his naivety.

The soldiers in front of them had formed their battle formations, their spears aimed at Qin Wentian and his group, exuding a palpable aura of death.

From both the left and right sides, more figures approached.

Over at the Star River Association, Asura Wu and Ye Mo, the two Yuanfu Realm cultivators, were leading the soldiers.

"The heavens seem to have decreed the fall of my Qin Clan," Qin Ye cried out, his voice filled with despair. The Qin Clan members wore expressions of defeat; there was no way out of this situation, only death awaited them.

In the distance, countless onlookers watched silently, sighing in their hearts. The Qin Clan, as of today, would become a mere relic of history.

Luo Huan gazed up at the sky. In one direction, a black eagle spiraled gracefully, soaring high above. If the Qin Clan had to fall today, the Emperor Star Academy would have no choice but to forcibly take Qin Wentian and retreat.

Qin Wentian gripped the star-shaped artifact that Uncle Black had given him tightly, channeling the excess Astral Energy from his body into it. As Ye Mo made a sweeping motion with his hand, a grim determination washed over the faces of the Qin Clan members. They had no choice now but to give it their all, clinging to a glimmer of hope as they prepared for the impending battle.

In this critical moment, an explosion of brilliant radiance erupted from Qin Wentian's body.

"Ahh..." a voice filled with agony rang out, and spectators watched in horror as the star-shaped object unleashed a surge of terrifying power, seemingly eating away at Qin Wentian's arms. To their astonishment, the corrosion progressed rapidly until his entire arm was submerged.

What emerged was an incredibly thick and robust arm, reminiscent of a demonic beast's.

This bizarre transformation left everyone dumbfounded. Soon, the corrosion continued to consume Qin Wentian's body, and it appeared as though a monstrous beast was materializing, threatening to devour him.

"Wentian, release it quickly!" Qin Ye urged, his eyes locked on the star-shaped object in Qin Wentian's hands. But the current Qin Wentian felt an overwhelming surge of power coursing through his body. How could he simply let it go?

In an instant, Qin Wentian's entire body was engulfed by the corrosion, and an enormous demonic ape with a savage and tyrannical aura seemed to manifest out of thin air. Qin Wentian's figure was faintly visible, blending into the creature's form.

Though massive and brimming with boundless energy, Qin Wentian was acutely aware that he had become like a spent arrow, nearing the end of its flight. The burden of this newfound power was almost unbearable. But he had no choice; he gritted his teeth and pressed on.

"Boom." With immense effort, Qin Wentian took a single step forward, causing the ground to tremble violently. The sheer force of that step left the crowd and the Qin Clan members stunned, completely caught off guard by the sudden transformation.

"Kaboom! The colossal demonic ape erupted into a frenzied gallop, and its humongous palm came crashing down like Thor's own hammer onto a hapless group of soldiers, setting off a symphony of terrified screams.

The sheer force of that palm shattered the air, cleaving through the earth itself, and blood spurted out as the unfortunate soldiers were squashed into oblivion. It was as if Mount Tai had decided to throw its weight around.

But the demonic ape wasn't done yet. It extended its massive hand, which transformed into a celestial hammer, and with a sudden, explosive motion, it turned flesh into pulp and painted the skies red with the blood of 4-5 unfortunate souls.

The carnage unfolded before the astonished eyes of the Qin Clan members. The demonic ape was now performing a deadly dance with its hammer, executing a deadly set of moves known as 'The Tempered Thousand Hammer Refinement Art.'

Qin Wentian was hanging on by a thread, his energy reserves dwindling. But he channeled every ounce of his remaining strength into this hammer technique, pushing past his limits and obliterating his foes.

The path the demonic ape had taken was a wasteland, devoid of life, and panic had gripped the members of Ye Mo. The Arterial Circulation Realm cultivators desperately fled, knowing they couldn't withstand a single blow from this demonic behemoth.

Meanwhile, in the distance, Mustang and the Star Emperor Academy members were racing to the scene, utterly stupefied by the sight of Qin Wentian's shadow within the demonic ape.

"Could this be... a war beast summoned by a constellation?" Mustang muttered in disbelief. It defied all logic. Qin Wentian was merely at the Body Refinement Realm with just one Astral Soul. Where had this demonic ape come from? As far as Mustang knew, no one in Chu Country possessed the ability to summon an Astral Soul from a constellation. It was beyond his comprehension.

"ATTACK!" Qin Ye charged forward, rousing his fellow Qin Clan members from their daze, and they joined the fray against the encroaching soldiers.

Mustang, recognizing the dire situation, dashed forward like a hurricane, followed by the Emperor Star Academy students, ready to lend their strength.

As the demonic ape left a trail of destruction in its wake, it soon reached Ye Mo and Asura Wu, sending chills down their spines. They summoned their Astral Souls, ready for a showdown.

The demonic ape wielded the Heavenly Hammer with unrivaled might, swinging it towards Ye Mo. Ye Mo concentrated all his Astral Energy, his palms transforming into colossal peaks that crashed down with earth-shaking force, colliding with the oncoming hammer.

"Boom!" The impact shattered the peaks, launching Ye Mo into the air, his body hurtling straight toward the Star River Association, leaving a trail of awe and chaos in its wake."

"Even stronger than Ye Mo, a formidable Yuanfu Realm Cultivator!" The crowd's expressions wavered as they watched in awe. The demonic ape charged forward, heading straight for Ye Mo. Suddenly, feathered wings sprouted from Ye Mo's back, and he took to the skies. But the demonic ape, with a mighty stomp, sent shockwaves through the Star River Association's building. The entire structure quaked as the demonic ape launched itself into the air, wielding the Heavenly Hammer.

"Rumble!" Ye Mo's body crashed into the ground, his face drained of color. The demonic ape landed shortly after, half-kneeling as if it had expended its last ounce of strength.

A human-sounding voice, Qin Wentian's voice, echoed from the throat of the demonic ape. "DIE!" it roared, its eyes blazing with fury and a thirst for blood as it advanced toward Ye Mo.

Pale and battered, Ye Mo stared at the colossal silhouette before him. He uttered a chilling ultimatum, "Qin Wentian, if you dare to kill me, both Qin Wu and Qin Chuan will be buried with me."

"Rumble."

Before his words could fade, the Heavenly Hammer descended, transforming back into Astral Light and vanishing into nothingness. Ye Mo was reduced to an unrecognizable, bloody pulp.

The demonic ape, its steps heavy and purposeful, moved toward the exit of the Star River Association, holding the rapt attention of the onlookers.

"ROAR." A furious roar sent shivers down Asura Wu's spine, prompting him to flee, soaring through the skies with an unsightly expression. Witnessing Ye Mo's demise and Asura Wu's escape, the remaining soldiers lost their will to fight, broke ranks, and scattered in panic.

Initially, Qin Ye and the others had planned to pursue the fleeing soldiers, but Qin Wentian, utterly drained of strength, collapsed to the ground as he emerged from the demonic ape's form.

"Wentian!" Qin Yao cried out in worry, sprinting toward him. At the same moment, the demonic ape turned its head, gazing at Qin Wentian's limp body. Its expression flickered, and in the fearful eyes of Qin Yao, the gigantic ape knelt down, gently cradling the unconscious Qin Wentian. A tender smile graced its features, and its eyes held traces of love and gentleness.