The Shining Star Above The Heaven-Chapter 370: The Battle Beneath the Surface

Slash! Clang!

"Arghhh!"

"Hold them back! Don’t let them—Uargh!"

Screams of horror and panic echoed through the underground base of the devils as Aldrian and the Paladin knights launched their assault. The knights led the charge, cutting down their foes in a ruthless slaughter, while Aldrian at the rear.

Upon entering the hideout, they were immediately met by many devils that caught off guard by the sudden invasion. Many fell before they could even react. The presence of three King-stage cultivators was too much for the small fry devils, whose leaders resided in the deeper sections of the hideout.

There was little suspense as the Paladins began their slaughter. The strongest enemy they had encountered so far was only at the Duke stage—far from a real threat. While the Paladins cut down the devils before them with their holy swords, Aldrian remained behind, observing their battle and clearing any trap formations along the way.

The underground base was vast, with wide passageways that allowed the knights to fight freely without fear of striking their own friends. The sheer size of the space worked in their favor, enabling them to unleash their techniques without restraint.

Aldrian was impressed by the display of power before him. Though their enemies were far weaker, the Paladins fought with lethal efficiency, cutting down their foes with practiced precision. Slashes and thrusts of their holy swords raged through the underground base, and in mere moments, hundreds of devils had already fallen.

They pressed forward until they finally sensed a few powerful auras rapidly approaching from ahead. Moments later, five King-stage devils stood before them—three at the middle King stage and two at the high King stage, blocking their path.

"Capture at least one of them. We need to find out how they discovered this place," one of the high King-stage devils commanded before the others launched their attack.

Arthur, however, merely cast a glance at the incoming enemies before striking. With a single swing of his Heaven’s Judgment Sword, he unleashed a devastating attack.

The peak Heaven-grade holy sword radiated overwhelming power, its aura and holy energy surging as Arthur channeled his formidable technique. The entire underground base trembled as if on the verge of collapse. His slash carved through the devils in its path, cutting down many devils before striking one of the high King-stage devils. The devil gritted his teeth, struggling to block the attack—only to be cleaved apart in an instant, along with everyone standing behind him.

The remaining King-stage devils, witnessing their comrade’s swift demise, wasted no time in using their devil forms. However, it made little difference. The Paladins, having effortlessly slaughtered the small fry, now turned their attention to these stronger foes with eager determination.

Two high King-stage Paladins were more than enough to dominate the battlefield, cutting down the King-stage devils in mere moments. Paladin knights were chosen for their exceptional strength and potential, each capable of fighting opponents above their cultivation level. Against devils of the same stage, even in their devil forms, the difference was negligible—let alone against those weaker than them.

They had long since lost count of how many enemies they had slain. From the moment they entered the hideout, their only thought was to kill—again and again. Their armor already soaked in devil blood, and their breaths had grown slightly uneven from the endless waves of enemies. Yet, they pressed forward, cutting down every devil that appeared until they finally reached a junction. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm

Aldrian glanced at Arthur and the others.

"You take the left path. I’ll go right. I can sense a few powerful devils on that side, so be careful. As for the trap formations, you don’t need to worry—I’ve already cleared them."

One of the Paladins hesitated before speaking.

"Your Eminence, shouldn’t you at least take one of us to guard your back?"

"It’s okay. You three will have your hands full over there. If you split up, it’ll only become more troublesome and dangerous. There are still thousands of devils on that side—it’s better if you watch each other’s backs," Aldrian replied.

Arthur nodded. "Then we’re going, Young Master. Be careful on your hunt," he said. Knowing Aldrian’s strength, he trusted him completely and didn’t hesitate to take the left path, followed by the other two Paladins.

Aldrian watched them go before turning toward the right path alone. Why did he choose this route? Because this was where the most powerful devil resided, along with the stronger devils and the summoning formation.

He walked leisurely until a group of devils came rushing toward him, wielding swords and shields. The commotion had undoubtedly alerted the stronger devils inside, and by now, they were fully aware that their hideout had been breached.

The devils attacked Aldrian with elemental techniques, unleashing blasts of wind and earth, but he paid them no mind. Suddenly, every single one of them dropped dead, as if their souls had been destroyed from their bodies in an instant. Terror was frozen on their faces, their expressions twisted in horror as their souls collapsed.

Aldrian had used his illusion technique, which had grown even more terrifying as his strength increased. Now, as a Duke-stage cultivator, he could not only instantly kill opponents of the same cultivation level if they were trapped in his illusion but also drive low Grand Duke-stage cultivators insane if they failed to break free.

This surge in his illusion’s power wasn’t just due to his growing strength. His comprehension of illusion laws had also deepened. Through countless visions and encounters with beings and phenomena beyond mortal understanding such as the heavens themselves, he gained new insights and inspiration. As a result, his illusions could become an undeniable reality within the minds of his victims.

After walking for more than fifteen minutes and killing hundreds of devils along the way, Aldrian suddenly stopped, his gaze locking onto a specific direction.

"Oh, so you’re finally going to activate the summoning formation," he thought.

The devils had now decided they needed to use the summoning formation, a clear sign that they were about to trigger chaos in the city ahead of schedule.

"They must think this base has already been compromised by the Church, so they’ve chosen to summon a giant beast and cause as much destruction as possible before making their escape."

Aldrian smirked at their desperation. He sensed more devils rushing toward him from the dark hallways, but he had entertained them enough for now.

"Like I’d let you do that."

In an instant, he vanished from where he stood. The devils approaching from the opposite direction were momentarily confused, but their wariness heightened as they sensed Aldrian’s presence had suddenly disappeared.

--------------------------------

A few seconds ago.

In a vast underground hall, dozens of devils gathered around a giant summoning formation. They channeled their devil energy into it simultaneously, their expressions filled with focus. However, one devil stood apart, watching the process with a deep frown.

He was the strongest devil in this underground base and the one responsible for the plan’s implementation in Arbares City. He hadn’t expected the hideout to be discovered by outsiders, especially after ensuring that no one could possibly uncover their lair.

"Did that bastard Cardinal get caught by the Church and reveal our hideout?" he thought.

The only man in the Church who knew about them was Cardinal Carsius. He was the one who had helped them operate unnoticed, ensuring that Church members remained unsuspecting of any devil activity within the territory.

He could sense that the intruders who had breached their base were powerful and they were getting closer. One of them was even heading straight toward him. However, something about the situation unsettled him.

"Why is the one coming this way the weakest among them?"

He could sense Aldrian’s aura from where he stood, and it was clear that Aldrian was alone after splitting from the others. He didn’t know what kind of plan they were using, but before he could think further, he suddenly sensed Aldrian vanish, deepening his frown.

Even with his Emperor-stage senses, he couldn’t detect Aldrian’s presence. Before he could investigate further, a sudden force sent all the devils surrounding the giant summoning formation flying across the hall.

"Argh!"

"Ahh!"

Many of the devils, unprepared for the sudden intrusion, were injured as a powerful wind technique swept them away. The summoning process was abruptly interrupted by the appearance of a mysterious young man who now stood at the center of the formation. They watched in shock as he calmly swept his gaze over them, a smile playing on his lips.

"Good evening, gentlemen. I’ll be taking care of this formation, so excuse me."

Aldrian then injected his devil energy into the formation, leaving every devil in the hall stunned.

"Stop him! Don’t let him complete the summoning process!" roared the strongest devil.

His instincts screamed of danger, if he allowed the young man to finish what they had started, the consequences would be disastrous.