Holding the Star Evolution Token, Lin Yuan returned to Starfall Peak. As soon as he announced the good news that Feng Qinghuang was about to enter the Star Source Pool to receive the Emperor Ancestor's protection and reshape her Dao Foundation, the entire peak erupted in chaos!
The menial disciples cheered with joy, as if they saw the dawn of Starfall Peak's rise. Elder Gu Chen was so excited he was almost incoherent, rubbing his hands and muttering, "Star Source Pool! That's a legendary place!" He then looked worriedly at Feng Qinghuang, whose face was still pale, "Feng girl, that place... I've heard it's very dangerous. You must hold on!"
Deep within Feng Qinghuang's cold eyes, a flame of hope ignited. The Star Source Pool! The Emperor Ancestor's Protector! This was her only chance to repair her Dao foundation and break free of her shackles! She looked at Lin Yuan and solemnly bowed: "Thank you, Master, for your kindness! This disciple will certainly not fail your expectations!"
Lin Yuan looked at the resolute light in Feng Qinghuang's eyes, feeling both gratified and worried. He solemnly placed the Star Token into Feng Qinghuang's hand: "Take this! This is your pass! Once inside, listen to the Ancestor's words. Be reckless when you need to be, and cautious when you need to be... cough, cautious! Remember, coming out alive is more important than anything else!"
Feng Qinghuang held the warm, smooth token, feeling the vast stellar power contained within and her master's weighty entrustment, and nodded gently: "Disciple will remember."
Just then, a crack silently appeared in the space above Starfall Peak. An old man, dressed in a simple robe with star patterns, his face indistinct but his aura unfathomable, stepped out and his gaze fell directly on Feng Qinghuang.
"By imperial decree, I guide Feng Qinghuang into the Star Origin Pool." The old man's voice was calm and even, yet carried an undeniable authority. He was none other than the Star Palace envoy.
Feng Qinghuang glanced at Lin Yuan one last time, her eyes filled with complex emotions. Then, without further hesitation, she followed the Star Palace envoy and stepped into the spatial rift, disappearing from sight.
Lin Yuan stared at the closed spatial rift, feeling a sense of loss. He then clenched his fist and said, "Old Gu! Keep an eye on the house! I'm going to study the outer perimeter of the Star Palace, and while I'm at it... I'll refine a 'Chaos' for the Ancestor to play with!" He needed to seize the time to improve himself and complete that absurd "alchemy" task.
"Rest assured, Peak Master! As long as I am here, the Peak is here!" Gu Chen patted his chest and assured him.
Lin Yuan didn't delay any longer and activated the Star Evolution Token. The token emitted a soft starlight, enveloping him, and he instantly disappeared from the spot.
...
Deep within the Hall of Dharma Transmission, in the area surrounding the Star Palace.
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged on a relatively isolated starlight platform, surrounded by several orbs of light representing basic stellar cultivation techniques. Before him lay the jade slips of the *Zhou Tian Xing Chen Jue*, specifically the [Star-Guiding Chapter] and [Star-Building Chapter], their obscure and profound texts resembling celestial scripture. He attempted to circulate his spiritual energy according to the methods of the [Star-Guiding Chapter], trying to sense the power of the stars.
However, the meager spiritual power of the Qi Refining Realm was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, unable to even attract a ray of starlight.
"Damn it! This thing is definitely not for Qi Refining Realm cultivators!" Lin Yuan scratched his head in frustration and decisively gave up. He should finish the "Alchemy" task first! With a thought, the iconic "Starry Night Wok" and a small wisp of hazy, seemingly all-consuming "Chaotic Origin Qi Guide" given by the system appeared in front of him.
"Refining chaos...organizing it into a nascent star core and nurturing a spirit..." Lin Yuan stared at the restless, pulsating wisp of chaotic primordial energy, his scalp tingling. Just looking at this thing made him uneasy. He steeled himself, recalling the descriptions of energy organization and the power of "creation" in the [Star Pill Explanation], and placed his hands on the star runes on the pot's wall. He mobilized his pitiful spiritual power at the Qi Induction Realm, carefully guiding the star power around the platform into the pot.
Buzz!
The wok glowed faintly, and starlight formed a small vortex inside.
Lin Yuan held his breath and, like a bomb disposal expert, used his spiritual power to envelop the wisp of chaotic primordial energy and slowly sent it into the center of the star power vortex.
laugh--!
The moment the chaotic primordial energy came into contact with the stellar power, it was like cold water being poured into boiling oil, violently churning and twisting! A chaotic, disordered, and terrifying aura, seemingly capable of assimilating and annihilating everything, erupted! The stellar power vortex inside the pot instantly became violent and unstable, the pot trembled violently, and emitted a hum that seemed unable to bear the strain!
"Stay calm! Stay calm!" Veins bulged on Lin Yuan's forehead as he desperately circulated the calming method recorded in the [Star Pill Explanation], trying to guide stellar power to "pacify" the raging chaotic primordial energy. It felt like trying to tether a furious ancient beast with a thin thread!
Just as Lin Yuan was completely focused on battling that wisp of chaotic primordial energy, and his spiritual power was about to be drained—
Boom!
The entire outer area of the Star Palace trembled violently without warning! A vast stellar force, far more powerful and pure than when Feng Qinghuang broke through, seemingly originating from the very source of the universe, erupted from the deepest part of the Star Palace like a bursting dam! Through layers of spatial barriers, Lin Yuan could "see" an enormous, azure vortex of stellar force spinning and collapsing wildly in the core area of the Star Palace! Countless tangible pillars of starlight pierced through the void and converged within it! The terrifying pressure, even across the vast distance and numerous restrictions, made his soul tremble!
The Star Source Pool! It's open! The Phoenix's Ascent has begun!
"Disciple! Hold on!" Lin Yuan shouted in his heart, cheering for Feng Qinghuang.
However, under the cover of this earth-shattering burst of stellar power, a sudden change occurred!
At the edge of the starlight platform where Lin Yuan was located, in the void shadow that was originally flowing with soft starlight, several "ink marks" that seemed to blend into the darkness itself suddenly began to wriggle without warning!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three eerie figures, almost blending into the shadows of the Star Palace, appeared silently like ghosts! Their speed was extreme, their auras concealed as if they were dead objects, only the three thin, cicada-wing-like short daggers in their hands, gleaming with a ghostly blue poisonous light, carrying a chilling killing intent, aimed straight at Lin Yuan's three vital points: his back, throat, and dantian!
Shadow Eclipse! The most elite assassination organization in the Southern Wilderness! They actually infiltrated the outer perimeter of the Star Palace and precisely seized the perfect moment when the Star Source Pool opened and the star power erupted to cover up all fluctuations! Their target was none other than this seemingly harmless Qi Refining Realm Peak Master!
A deadly intent, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around Lin Yuan's entire body! He didn't even have time to react! His mind went completely blank!
That's it! That was Lin Yuan's only thought!
At that critical moment, when Lin Yuan was about to be riddled with holes—
"Ding! Deadly crisis detected! Passive skill [Wok Hei Protection] (has a very low probability of triggering when the host suffers a fatal attack and is holding a Starry Wok) successfully triggered!"
"Judgment: Chaotic Origin Qi is being processed inside the wok; the energy level is too high! Trigger probability increased to 100%!"
"Skill Effect: Starry Night Wok automatically protects its owner! Wok here!"
Buzz—!!!
The star wok in front of Lin Yuan, which had been battling with the chaotic source energy and trembling violently, seemed to be stimulated and suddenly burst out with an unprecedentedly dazzling silver light! All the star runes on the wok instantly lit up, as if it had come to life!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Three deafening, thunderous sounds, like the roar of a great bell, exploded in the Star Palace!
Those three poisoned, dark blue daggers, as if crashing into an ancient sacred mountain, pierced fiercely into... the huge pot that suddenly shifted and blocked behind Lin Yuan!
The violent star power mixed with the chaotic and disordered annihilation power of the primordial energy erupted with a roar the moment it came into contact with the dagger, as if it had found an outlet!
Puff! Puff! Puff!
The astonishment on the faces of the three Shadow Erosion assassins froze instantly! Their prized Spirit-Breaking Poison Daggers shattered like paper! Immediately afterward, the terrifying shockwave, a mixture of stellar power and chaotic annihilation power, surged through the dagger fragments like a raging dragon, crashing into their bodies!
"Ugh—!"
A bloodcurdling scream, inhuman in its intensity, rang out! The three assassins were struck as if by a high-speed starship, their bodies twisting and cracking in mid-air! The raging stellar energy ripped apart their meridians, and the chaotic annihilation power directly wiped out their life force! Even their souls couldn't escape, instantly being reduced to nothingness!
Three plumes of blood mist, mixed with shattered bone fragments, exploded amidst the dazzling starlight, only to be instantly evaporated by the violent aftershocks of energy! As if they had never existed!
Only three shattered fragments of azure dagger clattered and fell onto the starlight platform, testifying to the deadly clash that had just occurred in a flash.
Lin Yuan: "???"
He kept his hands pressed against the sides of the wok, stiffly turned his head, looked at the still gleaming silver wok behind him, which seemed to have only vibrated slightly, and the empty edge of the platform, his brain completely shut down.
What... happened?
Where are the three dark figures?
Was it...shattered by the pot?
"Ding! Passive skill [Wok Hei Protection] activated! Successfully withstood a fatal attack! Killed 3 enemies!"
"The host persevered in refining the chaotic primordial energy under life-or-death circumstances, willpower +1! The 'wok hei' body tempering effect has been triggered! Physique slightly improved!"
"The chaotic primordial energy has undergone a mutation under the intense energy impact; processing progress: 1% → 5%!"
A series of system notifications finally pulled Lin Yuan's dazed mind back to normal.
Looking at the Starry Sky Wok that had performed such a great service and was now slowly losing its light, with the wisp of chaotic primordial energy inside seemingly becoming more "obedient," an indescribable sense of absurdity and ecstasy rushed straight to his head!
"Holy crap! Brother Pot! Awesome!!!" Lin Yuan was so excited he almost hugged and kissed the pot! This isn't just a wok! This is a divine artifact! A guardian artifact!
However, before he could even rejoice for two seconds, an even colder, sharper, and more terrifying killing intent, like an ancient glacier, instantly locked onto him! This killing intent was far stronger than that of the three assassins from before, carrying a resolute determination to fight to the death!
In the distance, a figure almost entirely blended into the shadows, his aura as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, slowly emerged. He wielded a twisted, serpentine short sword, its tip tip a dark red, like congealed blood, radiating a chilling, cursed aura. He was none other than the leader of Shadow Eclipse's operation—the ace assassin codenamed "Nightmare"! Peak Immortal King Realm!
Youyan witnessed the bizarre scene of three elite subordinates being obliterated by a single cauldron, and his heart was filled with unbearable horror! But he had a mission to complete, and his target had not yet been eliminated! The opening of the Star Source Pool had caused too much of a commotion, and he didn't have much time left!
"A Qi Refining Realm cultivator... possesses such a bizarre magical treasure?" Youyan's voice was like sandpaper scraping, carrying an extreme chill. "But... this ends here!"
His figure flickered, vanishing from his spot as if by teleportation! The next instant, he appeared above Lin Yuan's head! The serpentine cursed short sword, carrying terrifying power capable of piercing through the void and annihilating life, silently pierced towards Lin Yuan's crown! This strike was fast! Accurate! Ruthless! It contained his life's cultivation and the power of his curse! Let alone a Qi Refining Realm cultivator, even an ordinary Immortal King would find it difficult to escape death!
Lin Yuan didn't even have time to react! The shadow of death instantly enveloped him completely!
"Master—!!!"
At this critical moment! A shrill, anxious cry, as if tearing at the soul, exploded like thunder from the center of the raging star source vortex deep within the Star Palace!
It's Feng Qinghuang's voice!
With this shout, a beam of icy blue starlight, condensed to its extreme and imbued with supreme majesty and a sense of destruction, shot forth from the direction of the Star Source Pool as if traversing time and space, ignoring the Star Palace's numerous restrictions! Arriving first despite being later!
This starlight was no longer the "straight line of starlight" of the Breaking Illusion Realm, but carried a trace of... the ancient pressure and decisiveness belonging to the Emperor! At the last second, it struck the serpentine short sword that the Nightmare Thrust was about to strike with perfect precision!
Boom—!!!
Like stars colliding!
The terrifying shockwave from the explosion instantly sent Lin Yuan and the pot flying! Youyan let out an incredulous groan as the snake-shaped cursed short sword in his hand shattered into pieces! He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, spitting out black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs, his aura instantly weakening to the extreme! His eyes were filled with extreme horror and fear!
The power of an emperor... the supreme emperor?! That girl... how is that possible?!
He dared not linger for a moment. Using the force of the explosion, his body instantly transformed into a wisp of black smoke, merging into the shadows as he fled for his life! The mission had failed utterly! If he stayed any longer and alerted that being, he would surely die!
Lin Yuan was slammed against the edge of the starlight platform by the shockwave, his bones feeling like they were shattered, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Ignoring the pain, he struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with shock and worry as he looked towards the Star Source Pool!
That starlight just now… was it Feng Qinghuang?! Wasn't she… wasn't she rebuilding her Dao foundation? How could this be… and that power…
Just then, deep within the Star Palace, the Emperor Ancestor's aged yet slightly surprised voice resounded in Lin Yuan's sea of consciousness:
"Huh? The Seal of Annihilation is loosening... Has the fragment of my past life's Dao Fruit awakened prematurely?"
"Little brat, your disciple... the karma he has is deeper than I ever imagined."
"Alright, the crisis is over. You, continue refining your 'Chaos'. As for that girl..." The Emperor's voice carried a hint of amusement, "She's fine for now, but... when she comes out, she might give you a 'surprise'."
Lin Yuan: "???"
Surprise? More like a shock! That last attack... almost sent his master and the assassin to their deaths!
He looked at the chaotic Starlight Platform, then at the wisp of Chaos Origin Qi in the pot that seemed to have been "tamed" a little by the power of the Emperor and the impact of the explosion, and then touched his head, which had almost been cracked open, and felt like crying.
This Star Palace... it's way too damn dangerous! Just refining some Chaos, is it really necessary to make such a huge commotion?!