Maiden Galaxy

The woman was already charging forth. For a haughty Star General, she would not allow nor did she need the protection of a man when fighting against a group of beasts. The woman had recovered a bit of Star Energy over the past few days. She was no longer as feeble as she was originally.

In a flash.

An Ironback Wolf whimpered as it was the first to be run through the lower jaw by the woman. Her spear pierced through, spraying blood, killing with a single strike. The Ironback Wolf's whole body stiffened to be as hard as iron. It got the name Ironback because of this. A warrior's fists and weapons required great force in order to be able to harm them, however, Ironback Wolves were not necessarily completely invulnerable. There were several weaknesses over their body, and the lower jaw was the most fatal spot. However, Ironback Wolves did their utmost to protect it, never easily showing such a weak point while hunting, but this woman was extremely vicious.

In such a small gap, she seized the opening during its pounce to land her deadly strike, demonstrating her superb combat experience and skill.

The first Ironback Wolf did not even need half a second to be dispatched.

With her second strike, the woman used this Ironback Wolf as a shield to obstruct another Ironback Wolf's pounce. Then, she retracted her spear, thrust and slashed, motions completed in a single breath. A sidekick landed on the second Ironback Wolf's jaw, directly shattering its bones. The Ironback Wolf shrieked as it was sent flying, and the woman's hands gripped her spears as she jumped into the sky, skewering this midair Ironback Wolf.

This movement was like using a bamboo strip to stake a locust.

With a fling.

This unfortunate Ironback Wolf was treated as a sandbag, slammed into two more incoming Ironback Wolves. Seizing this chance, the woman then attacked the rightmost isolated Ironback Wolf.

The Ironback Wolf's claws slashed at her, baring its jaws to bite her in the neck.

A fervent smile appeared on the woman's lips. She grabbed the incoming claw with one hand and slashed along another of the Ironback Wolf's weak points, stabbing it in the genitals and carving upwards in a ghastly disembowelment.

Roar, roar.

Two Ironback Wolves pincer attacked left and right. No matter if it was the jaw or the lower body weak point, they covered them extremely well. A Qi And Blood warrior would definitely have to first retreat to avoid this swift attack before following up with a counterattack. Perhaps against a Qi And Blood Seven or Eight Turns warrior, he would be relaxed, but Chen Mo felt a bit suffocated watching this woman.

How could he have anticipated that the woman would advance further instead of retreating, meeting the bites of the two Ironback Wolves head-on.

A flame spread over her spears. This fire was a weapon of itself, suddenly smashing them. With miserable yelps, the two Ironback Wolves' eyes were blinded in a fraction of a second, their hard hides split by the flaming spear-light. The last Ironback Wolf was impaled on the woman's spear, the spear-light running from its mouth straight through its organs. With its internal organs shredded, it abruptly ceased to draw breath.

A sad and mournful eyeball dropped next Chen Mo's foot. In a pool of blood, the eyeball still spun about. Clearly, that Ironback Wolf had yet to understand just what had happened.

Chen Mo dry swallowed.

Fierce.

Violent.

Savage.

Chen Mo watched the entire process, yet the woman's actions could be described with a few words. In her attacks against five Ironback Wolves, her strikes did not have a single superfluous movement, and they were all targeted at the Ironback Wolves' practically impossible to find weak points.

Each attack was inevitably a fatal if not crippling strike on an Ironback Wolf. She did not give even the slightest chance of resistance.

This kind of formidable combat experience made Chen Mo understand for the first time why Star Generals were also called Fiend Stars in Star World. The battle prowess of a martial general was honestly too powerful. Even in her most weakened state, she needed to use only a few seconds to completely eradicate five Ironback Wolves. Chen Mo put himself in their shoes. If she fought him, she would probably need even less time.

Thinking of this, Chen Mo's head perspired profusely.

The woman shook off her spear, the blood that stained her clothes was evaporated by flames, and that helical speartip drew a few wonderful arcs. She looked at Chen Mo; she was like a burning multiflora rose in the snow, blossoming with a brash and sexy beauty.

Every word of her reply was full of an arrogance that burned everything.

"I am ‘King Of Extinguished Ashes' Zhongli Mo!"¹

Zhongli Mo?

Isn't she one of the Five Great Generals serving under the Hegemon of Western Chu?

Chen Mo's mouth hung agape, stupefied.

…

Bonfire, a graceful aroma.

The previously killed Ironback Wolves were now already turned into wolf meat hotpot. As Chen Mo chewed on the wolf meat, he felt the flavor was a bit like dog meat. Although they had the name Ironback, the quality of the meat was very tasty, extremely chewy. While he ate, he looked at the woman in front of him.

He never imagined she would be Zhongli Mo.

King Of Extinguished Ashes Zhongli Mo, King Of Bronze Yu Ziqi,² King Of Xiulin Ji Bu,³ King Of Nine Rivers Ying Bu,⁴ and King Of Qiankun Long Ju⁵ together were called the Five Great Generals of the Hegemon of Western Chu, Her Excellency Xiang Yu,⁶ all very famous. 

Remembering that she initially said something about Han Xin, it could not be the case that they were killed by Han Xin, too, right? Chen Mo could not help but give a wry smile as he recalled the stories behind the Han Xin and Zhongli Mo of historical fact. In history, Zhongli Mo once said to Han Xin, "If I die today, you, sir, will follow soon after." Afterwards, Han Xin brought Zhongli Mo's head to pay respects to the King of Han, yet he was kidnapped and brought to the imperial court before being executed at Changle Palace.

"What are you smiling at?" Zhongli Mo asked.

Chen Mo fake coughed, "Just that I never thought I'd be able to see one of Xiang Yu's legendary Five Great Generals. I was very happy for the moment."

"You know that I'm one of Xiang Yu's Five Great Generals, yet you still do not kill me?" Zhongli Mo curiously smiled. "If you wait until I recover my Star Energy, you won't have even the slightest chance then."

"Don't compare me to the average cultivator. I have no evil intent towards a Star General whatsoever…I return kindness with kindness!" Chen Mo implied that if someone did not offend him, he would likewise not offend them. He did not cherish those who would obtain power by relying on trickery.

"What a surprise to be able to see a cultivator as interesting as you. You're still young, This King wonders how long you can maintain such thinking. However, Sanmei⁷ isn't that sort of person who repays favor with hostility. Brat, Sanmei shall remember your kindness." Zhongli Mo guffawed.

"Sanmei? Is this your true name? Lady Sanmei's name is truly pleasant." Chen Mo praised.

"So long as you have sufficient strength, anything will sound pleasant." The woman with Star Name Zhongli Mo, True Name Zhongli Sanmei, disagreed.

Yet Chen Mo disapproved of what she said.

"I have a question I've always wanted to ask you." Seeing their atmosphere was much more harmonious, Chen Mo then asked about the biggest mystery.

"Ask."

"How were you sealed into that treasure chest, was it Han Xin's doing??"

As soon as he spoke, the flames in Zhongli Sanmei's bright, gem-like eyes burned even more fiercely than before. This clearly was a very humiliating incident. "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't." Chen Mo made an allowance.

"Haha, there is nothing that I, Sanmei, cannot speak about." Zhongli Sanmei magnanimously said.

Her story needed to be traced back to more than a thousand years ago. In those days, the world was caught in the struggle between the legions of Heavenly Spirits and Earthly Fiends that the Purple Rose Star Emperor led and the Great Song Dynasty. In Star World, because of the existences of Star Maidens, the truth was that the status of men was extremely low.⁸ But this Purple Rose Star Emperor was none other than a man, and he unexpectedly commanded an enormous corps of Star Generals.

Han Xin was one such character in this army.

Han Xin had the reputation of "Soldier Immortal,"⁹ with formidable fame for her martial prowess in Star World. She actually had a good relationship with Zhongli Sanmei, asking several times for Zhongli Sanmei to join that man's camp, overthrow the Great Song, and ascend Maiden Mountain.

But who was she kidding.

She, Zhongli Sanmei, was wholeheartedly dedicated to Xiang Yu and basically could never betray her. It was for this reason that the two of them fell out with each other. In a Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Treasure Chest, Han Xin devised an ambush and forced Zhongli Sanmei into a Gu Array. Afterwards, she slumbered for a long, drawn-out thousand years.

Struggles like the "Purple Rose Star Emperor War" a thousand years ago, the "Star Fields Warring States" a few centuries ago, and the "Holy Son Subjugation Force" were all very famous, but other than Star Generals, very few people knew the full details. Upon first hearing the Thousand Year Star General, King of Extinguished Ashes Zhongli Mo, actively narrate those legendary tales, Chen Mo was overwhelmed. Since a person from a thousand years ago could lead a Star Field and ascend Maiden Mountain, why can't I do it.

For the first time in his life, Chen Mo had that legendary desire to go to the Central Star Field and scale that Maiden Mountain.

Zhongli Sanmei did not know about Chen Mo's disordered thinking at all, but even if she did, she would only feel that he was dreaming. Right now, the woman's thoughts already returned to a thousand years ago, serving the Hegemon with her life, setting out on campaigns with Han Xin, and more.

"Han Xin! That a coward like her did not dare to kill This King, I will make her regret it." Zhongli Sanmei gnashed her teeth, each word bursting with intense hatred.

"I actually think she was protecting you, to stop you from being killed by the Purple Rose Star Emperor." Chen Mo pondered.

"From This King's perspective, this is more shameful than death." Zhongli Sanmei coldly said.

Chen Mo thought as much. With the King Of Extinguished Ashes' fiery temper, how could she bear to be sealed for a thousand years.

Pausing for a moment, Zhongli Sanmei asked: "What is the current state of the Star Fields, speak with Sanmei."

"I heard that the Purple Rose Star Emperor defeated the Great Song in the end and unified the Star Fields. Afterwards, he seemed to have gone to Maiden Mountain." The war back then lasted a hundred years, spreading to a majority of the Star Fields. Practically everyone was able to recount the war detail for detail.

"Maiden Mountain?" Zhongli Sanmei was taken aback: "He went to Maiden Mountain?"

"I think so."

"Good, then Sanmei shall charge Maiden Mountain and tear Han Xin limb from limb." Zhongli Sanmei nodded.

Chen Mo said, "You'd better conserve your strength for now. Recover your Star Energy first." Chen Mo looked at Zhongli Sanmei's weakened state. Right now, she was only Earthly Star level. Let alone scaling Maiden Mountain, she perhaps did not even have the qualifications to enter the Inner Star Field.

"You should be able to believe in me enough right now to come back with me, right?" Chen Mo earnestly said, "Among the warriors coming to kill you, there are several Three Flowers Overhead. They won't be easy to handle, but Azure Dragon Mountain is so vast. Circle around back to my mansion with me right now, rest for a couple months. It's better to wait for this to blow over."

Zhongli Sanmei stared at Chen Mo. Her luminous eyes were like a flame, very moving and very haughty.

"No." She still refused Chen Mo's kindness.

"Do you really intend on dying? No matter how big Azure Dragon Mountain is, they will still find you." Chen Mo's tone was stern.

"To unexpectedly be the object of concern of a hairless boy,¹⁰ I truly never thought I would ever fall to such a state one day. If that bitch Han Xin knew about this, that would simply be extraordinary shame and humiliation."

"What do you mean hairless, don't make such a judgment so arbitrarily. You don't even have the strength right now to resist me pushing you down." Chen Mo twitched his lips.

"As you say. To be able to face that many warriors on your own, even those men that believe themselves to be capable of supporting Heaven and Earth would not be able to achieve this." Zhongli Sanmei laughed aloud, actually rejuvenated to receive Chen Mo's correction.

"Tell it me straight. Just what are you planning to do? Since you are one of Her Excellency Xiang Yu's Five Great Generals, you ought to have some plan?"

"En. This King's Star Energy is too weak right now. I need to recover it as soon as possible, and this mountain contains the method to restore it."

"What method?"

"The array that sealed me is the Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Taiyi Star Array. It requires a Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose treasure to act as support. If This King hasn't miscalculated, that Heavenly Spirit Earthly Fiend Purple Rose Treasure Chest from back then should still be in this mountain. As long as I find the treasure chest, This King can recover some Star Energy. Hmph, insignificant warriors, those Three Flowers Overhead, This King shall utterly destroy them." Zhongli Sanmei sneered.¹¹

"Treasure chest." Chen Mo's heart stirred. "But legend says there is a Demon Beast in the deepest reaches of Azure Dragon Mountain. It won't be easy to handle, and with so many people searching for you, finding a treasure chest won't be that easy."

"You don't need to worry about this." Zhongli Sanmei already resolved herself. To have her go to Chen Mo's home and quietly wait for her Star Energy to recover, it would be better for her to put her all into this herself. Even if she were to die, she would have to die in a blaze of glory. This was her, the King Of Extinguished Ashes, nature.

Chen Mo knew he could not persuade her.

"Then I'll go with you."

"You have no need to die for This King. This King will not be moved." Zhongli Sanmei bluntly said.

Chen Mo smiled: "Who cares if you're moved or not. They say that a Star General's martial arts are the strongest in Star World. I've got nothing to do at home. Following you is perfect for learning from the experience of you Star Generals."

This manner of speaking was outside of King Of Extinguished Ashes Zhongli Sanmei's expectations. The woman stared at Chen Mo for awhile before finally letting out a laugh.

This man was more interesting than those men that instantly became yes-men upon hearing a Star General's Star Name.

"This King likes you just a tad."

1. ‘滅燼王’鍾離眛 ↩
2. 青銅王虞子期 ↩
3. 秀林王季布 ↩
4. 九江王英布 ↩
5. 乾坤王龍且 ↩
6. 西楚霸王項羽麾下 ↩
7. 三昧, in a Buddhist context, this is the word "Samadhi" ↩
8. Sort of explains why most Star Maidens look down on men. ↩
9. 兵仙 ↩
10. She's calling him prepubescent. ↩
11. Apparently, this chest is separate from the one that sealed her. ↩