Chapter 2018 — Entering the Starry Sky

After spending a few days in the library, Yuan went back to his room, where he tried to learn Supreme Sword Aura.

Despite having the understanding, memories, and experience of using Supreme Sword Aura as Tian Xin, Yuan couldn’t use it for some reason, almost as if his attempt was being blocked by an unseen force.

After failing several times, Yuan stopped trying and began focusing on his soul strength instead. Since there was no limit to how strong his soul strength could get, it was his current priority.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed since Yuan received permission to visit the Holy Sword Temple.

Once the preparations were complete, Li Bowen notified Yuan and brought him outside, where a golden carriage awaited. Naturally, this was no ordinary carriage. It was a flying treasure crafted by the Holy Sword Clan, reserved for journeys to the Holy Sword Temple.

"The carriage will take you to the Holy Sword Temple, which will take two months. Also, just in case you didn’t know, you still have to pass a trial to enter the Holy Sword Temple. Right now, you only have permission to visit the place and partake in the trial," Li Bowen said.

Yuan nodded.

"I am aware."

"Alright. Whenever you’re ready." Li Bowen opened the door and gestured for him to enter.

The moment Yuan stepped into the carriage, he found himself in a surprisingly spacious room, as though he’d entered another world. High-grade flying treasures like the golden carriage were crafted with spatial techniques, allowing their interiors to be far larger than their outward appearance suggested.

"Good luck at the Holy Sword Temple," Li Bowen said before closing the door.

The golden carriage departed soon after, ascending swiftly into the skies before piercing through the clouds and vanishing into the boundless void in the blink of an eye.

Inside the room, Yuan approached the window and gazed outside. Beyond the glass stretched a vast expanse of darkness, illuminated by countless flickering stars of varying sizes.

Lan Yingying emerged from Yuan’s dantian to look at the starry sky since this was her first time traveling beyond the Nine Heavens.

"So this is what the starry sky looks like up close..." Lan Yingying muttered with a look of awe on her face.

Feng Yuxiang and the others also appeared.

"I find it rather dull," Feng Yuxiang remarked. "The place is mostly empty, and when you do find something, it’s usually just useless rocks. That said, the starry sky holds some of the rarest and most precious treasures in the Nine Heavens—so there’s still reason to explore it."

"How does one explore the starry sky?" Lan Yingying asked.

"Well, there are treasures out there that help you find other treasures. However, they are extremely rare and expensive. Other than that... I guess you’ll just have to rely on your luck and wander the place until you find something."

"What if you get lost?"

"It’s hard to explain, but once you reach a certain cultivation, it’s almost impossible to get lost even in the starry sky. You will instinctively know where you are and where to go. Of course, people still take precautions and have teleporting treasures just in case. Nobody is foolish enough to enter the starry sky without life-saving treasures, either."

"Life-saving treasures? Is the starry sky that dangerous?" Lan Yingying asked.

"Of course. With no rules in the starry sky and distances too vast to call for help, you can only rely on yourself," Feng Yuxiang said.

"So what happens if we encounter someone?"

"Well, since we’re in a flying treasure and won’t be venturing too far away from the Nine Heavens, even if we do encounter someone, it is very unlikely that anything will happen. We’re also in the Holy Sword Clan’s signature carriage. I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to attack us."

Yuan smiled and said, "You’d be surprised at how many bold individuals are out there."

"Even if someone attacks us, we’ll be fine since you’re here, Young Master." Feng Yuxiang chuckled.

However, Yuan shook his head and said, "As long as they’re not in the God Ascension realm, I’ll be able to handle them."

"But you’ve already defeated several God Ascension realm cultivators," she said.

"No, I only destroyed their physical bodies," Yuan replied. "Besides, God Ascension realm cultivators have restricted power within the Nine Heavens, just as the lower heavens impose their own cultivation limits. However, that restriction will be lifted once they leave the Nine Heavens."

"Really? I didn’t know that God Ascension realm cultivators have their strength restricted in the Nine Heavens..." Lan Yingying said with a surprised look on her face.

God Ascension realm cultivators possessed the strength to shatter stars with a mere clench of their fists. If they were free to wield such power within the Nine Heavens, that world would have long since ceased to exist.

"I can only fight God Ascension realm cultivators in the Nine Heavens. Once we leave... even I am powerless against them until I learn Celestial Qi," said Yuan.

"Is that so..."

Lan Yingying continued asking questions, her curiosity about the starry sky growing with each passing moment as she gazed out the window. It was as if she were instinctively drawn to it, like a moth to a flame.

Time passed swiftly, and before they knew it, nearly two months had gone by.

"Hey... I think I see something..." Lan Yingying, who had spent most of her time gazing at the void, suddenly said.

"What do you see?" Feng Yuxiang asked as she sipped on her tea at the couch.

Lan Yingying narrowed her eyes and murmured uncertainly, "I think... it’s some kind of serpent—a white serpent."

"What?" Feng Yuxiang raised her eyebrows.

"And I think it’s consuming stars..."

"What?!"

The moment Yuan heard this detail, he stopped cultivating at once and sprang to his feet, rushing to the window.

And sure enough, when he looked outside, he saw a tiny, serpent-like entity drifting through the void. Wherever it passed, the flickering stars vanished—almost as if they were being devoured.

"It can’t be..." Yuan murmured in disbelief.