A Master

Chen Fusheng's mind went somewhat blank. The old man was fishing for a flood dragon??

What the hell was Dragon Seeking Bait? Could it lure a flood dragon over and let it bite down and carry it away?

That was a flood dragon! Its cultivation reached through heaven and earth. What did a Three Realms Star Master amount to before a flood dragon? Yet this old man actually wanted to fish for one...

A superior expert—absolutely a superior expert!

Chen Fusheng glanced at the Purple Gold Bamboo Pole the old man was carrying. Terrifying, complex patterns seemed to flicker in and out of sight, and he could vaguely sense frightening materials within it.

His heart trembled, and he fell silent as he recalled Huang Tiancheng's description of the Abyss Realm's situation. Boundless kingdoms, countless star palaces—what did their region amount to?

Wang Lie's lifelong pursuit was to become an Other Shore Realm cultivator, achieve the rank of star official in the future, then marry a wife, establish a household, and live worry-free for the rest of his life.

But there was always someone beyond the person, and a heaven beyond the sky.

The lean old man casually tossed the treasure turtle onto the bamboo raft, then turned and looked at the premium spirit fish. "Raise it for a hundred years, and there's still hope that it will leap to the extreme. Little friend, I'm willing to trade the treasure turtle for the spirit fish."

Chen Fusheng was somewhat troubled, but still said, "Since Senior needs it, this junior will naturally comply."

"Why does it sound like you're unwilling?"

The woman in the white dress glanced at the drenched young man before her and the wounds covering his flesh. Apparently, this was a cultivator at the very bottom.

"The spirit fish's value surpasses the treasure turtle, but if we hadn't helped just now, could you have carried it up?" the woman in white said coldly.

"How would this junior dare be unwilling? Miss, you've misunderstood me. Also, I forgot to thank this big brother for his righteous assistance earlier."

Chen Fusheng cursed inwardly. I could've carried it up even without you.

"I'm a woman." The ghostlike shadow spoke in a slightly hoarse voice.

Chen Fusheng's body stiffened. He hurriedly smiled apologetically. "Sister, please don't blame me. This lowly one's eyesight is truly poor, and I had no fortune of seeing your immortal countenance."

"Stop being slick and trying to curry favor!" Han Yu Rou's face was as cold as frost.

Chen Fusheng swallowed his anger, thinking, I didn't provoke her!

"You've only just entered the path of cultivation, yet you were able to wrestle with a premium spirit fish in the water for so long. Yu Rou, you're in the Star Guiding Realm, but you didn't have the courage to enter the Black River and fight this big fellow."

The lean old man chuckled faintly. Han Yu Rou was displeased and said, "Grandfather, that isn't right. When it comes to physical strength, who have I ever been afraid of?"

The lean old man smiled without speaking. Chen Fusheng had just fought with such ferocity that he had nearly died together with the spirit fish. How could such courage be something one merely talked about?

The mortal world had never lacked super-talents, but such boldness was certainly not something everyone could cultivate.

And there had also been his killing techniques in the water just now, along with that body combining hardness and softness. He had clearly trained bitterly for many years, stirring the old man's appreciation for talent.

Only... the lean old man looked at Chen Fusheng's Root Bone. At his age, if he were in the Other Shore Realm, he would be worth cultivating somewhat, but reaching the Star Guiding Realm at fifteen was a little too late.

He also saw that Chen Fusheng did not possess an Innate Treasure Body.

"Meeting one another is fate. Little friend, take your spoils and go ashore."

"Thank you, Senior!" Chen Fusheng was overjoyed. A superior expert really is a superior expert—he actually looks down on a premium spirit fish!

He was astonished to discover that the bamboo raft had already reached the shore. This speed was simply absurd...

The sky had yet to brighten, and there was no one around the riverbank. Enduring the pain in his body, Chen Fusheng hoisted the spirit fish onto his shoulder in one motion.

"Grandfather, this spirit fish can evolve into a fish king. How can you..."

Dissatisfaction surged across Han Yu Rou's exquisite face. She then looked at Chen Fusheng. "Hey, brat, you're being rather tactless. I told you to leave, and you really were going to leave? Fine, I'll make up the difference with three thousand star stones. Leave the spirit fish with me."

"Old Senior, this junior will never forget your kindness in helping me earlier. How about this? I'll cut off a section of the fish's tail and stew you some fish soup." Chen Fusheng turned and looked at the old man.

"Who wants to drink that stuff? You wouldn't be trying to demand an exorbitant price, would you? Don't assume we're easy to talk to."

Han Yu Rou grew impatient, and an indescribable fluctuation involuntarily spread from within her body.

The vast Black River seemed to explode. The girl in white appeared divine, hanging high in the heavens, emanating an incomparably sharp and terrifying aura.

What cultivation level was this?

This woman was only eighteen or nineteen, yet her strength was simply capable of reaching through heaven and earth!

She even seemed like a towering greatsword, possessing peerless splendor that could tear the firmament apart. As her starry eyes opened and closed, surging sword light rolled forth, vast and majestic, growing ever more turbulent.

Such a transformation in aura was truly impossible to look at directly. Chen Fusheng's eyes were filled with shock, as if an ant were gazing up at a dragon.

"She's actually a Divine Weapon Star Master!"

Chen Fusheng clenched his fists. A sword-type Divine Weapon Star Master!

Star Master professions came in all shapes and forms. Once someone reached the Other Shore Realm, their Natal Star could be discerned through communication, and the Divine Wandering domain could erupt with tangible manifestations.

The Divine Weapon Series belonged to professions with peerless offensive power. There were hammer, axe, saber, sword, shield and armor, and all kinds of weapon forms!

There were also other professions, such as the Five Elements Series, Exotic Beast Series, Constellation Series, Sun and Moon Series, Physique Series, Beast Taming Series, Formation Series, Illusion Series, Soul Series, and so on.

A Star Master's profession definitely depended on the condition of their Natal Star.

Chen Fusheng knew that even the weakest sword-type star belonged to the sixth-grade sequence. Then there was a chance she was a Heavenly Star Master!

"Yu Rou, when did you learn to bully the weak with your strength?"

The lean old man shouted sternly, "You may have been born lucky, but that doesn't mean you can Manifest Divinity. The situation in the Abyss Realm is so complicated, and there are countless capable people and strange talents. Put away your foul temper!"

While he was saying this, the lean old man had already shifted Chen Fusheng ashore with a sweep of his sleeve.

"Grandfather, I—I didn't do anything just now. Your granddaughter was only worried about your injuries. I didn't intend to do anything to him."

Han Yu Rou said somewhat aggrievedly, "And—and Manifesting Divinity... Grandfather, your expectations of me are really high."

"You have talent but no breadth of heart. How are you any different from someone whose poverty has shortened their ambition?" the old man roared angrily.

Han Yu Rou pleaded pitifully, "Grandfather, your granddaughter knows she was wrong. Please stop lecturing me."

The old man sighed. "All right. My injuries aren't that serious. The Cold Abyss Poison is only at thirty percent; it won't take my life yet. That said, even the top Silver Moon Fish King can't cure it completely."

"Unless..."

A bolt of lightning flashed in the depths of the old man's eyes. He said coldly, "The Abyss Realm's Sacred Star reappears!"

The ghostly guard said, "My lord, in the Ancient Era, the Abyss Realm's only Sacred Star perished along with the Abyss Realm Sovereign. Could the Sacred Star really have a day when it reappears?"

"I'll ask Heaven when I get back and see whether it has an answer."

"..." Han Yu Rou.

She also knew that the reappearance of the Abyss Realm's Sacred Star was merely a legend.

The Abyss Realm had been torn apart by the ancient war back then. The supreme Sacred Star had vanished with it, and the Dao Star Masters now stood supreme in the Abyss Realm.

Tens of thousands of years had passed, yet even those experts had been unable to find the Sacred Star. It seemed the Abyss Realm no longer had a lord of the stars.

"My lord, we've reached the territory of Tian Yuan Kingdom. Should we, as usual, notify the Star Palace and investigate those suffering from the Cold Abyss Poison?"

"Go ahead and verify it as soon as possible."

The lean old man's deep pupils looked down over the boundless rivers and mountains. After ten years of traveling throughout the Abyss Realm, his patience was almost exhausted.

At the riverbank, taking advantage of the darkness, Chen Fusheng quickly found his robes.

He had no time to recuperate. He wrapped the barely-living premium spirit fish in his long robe, hoisted it onto his shoulder, and hurried back to the Star Gazing Manor.

How could he dare use the main entrance? He followed the path through the rear mountain and rushed uphill, inevitably tense.

A fifty-kilogram premium spirit fish—if even the slightest rumor leaked, it would bring disaster and death.

As he neared the East Courtyard and heard a rooster crow, Chen Fusheng involuntarily slowed his steps. After a moment's thought, he prepared to find somewhere to hide the spirit fish and retrieve it at night.

But after thinking it over again and again, Chen Fusheng truly could not feel at ease. He pulled off a green vine and tied the precious fish around his waist.

Chen Fusheng hurried home. As he looked at the courtyard at the foot of the mountain, his heart suddenly jolted when he was about to reach it. He was just about to turn around and leave, but in an instant, he calmed himself and continued forward.

The sky had grown faintly pale. A broad-shouldered, burly middle-aged man happened to be walking toward the gate of his courtyard.

Teng Supervisor turned his head and looked at the disheveled young man approaching from afar. His gaze turned cold.

"Teng Supervisor, what brings you here personally? Oh, right—I went looking for you a few days ago, but you weren't at the Outer Gate Hall." Chen Fusheng smiled as he went up to him.

Teng Supervisor glanced at Chen Fusheng's tattered treasure robe. A strange light flashed in his eyes. By sheer coincidence, the premium treasure fish suddenly flicked its tail, and a few fish scales sliced through the robe.

The strange light in Teng Supervisor's eyes grew stronger. The scales on the tail were silver-white and gleaming, clearly no ordinary object.

"Teng Supervisor, please come inside." Chen Fusheng opened the courtyard gate. At this point, he could only gamble that Teng Supervisor had not recognized this as a spirit fish.

Besides, the spirit fish was on the verge of death and emitted no vigorous signs of life. Otherwise, Teng Supervisor would know what the robe contained without even looking.

Teng Supervisor stood rooted to the spot. His deep, cold eyes allowed Chen Fusheng to see a certain greed.

His head began to ache. Normally, Teng Supervisor relied on his cultivation to run rampant through the Outer Gate, squeezing even oil from stones. How could he let such a fine item slip away?

"Little Chen, this fish weighs at least fifty kilograms. It's quite a rare thing," Teng Supervisor said indifferently. "I'll take it. Name your price."

"What price? Later, I'll definitely cut off ten or so kilograms and send them to your home." Chen Fusheng smiled casually.

"I said, name your price!"