Identity Exposed

"They may or may not be crazy. I'm the one feeling a little dizzy."

Even Xu Guifen found it inconceivable. Whose nerves had the Forbidden Path touched?

If her guess was right, the Heavenly Star Manor would certainly send a large number of experts to seize this opportunity. Black River would soon become incredibly lively.

After all, how difficult was it to advance to Star Lord? Even if Xu Changfeng continued working hard for several hundred years, it would be useless without someone backing him from above.

In fact, a Star Lord could command any star palace to act for him. Who could resist that privilege alone? Once he took the position, even his descendants would become super second-generation elites.

But in Xu Guifen's understanding, if Xu Changfeng had to choose, he would never choose the Star Lord reward. He would choose the Dao Yang Furnace instead.

The Dao Yang Furnace was the Heavenly Star Manor's guardian treasure, and its value was absolutely incomparable to the Flood Dragon Ship.

According to rumor, the Dao Yang Furnace had been refined over an incredibly long period using the essence of the Dao Star as its foundation. It was inscribed with the supreme mysteries of boundless stars and was also a legacy treasure passed down from the Ancient Zhou Dynasty!

It was even said that the Dao Yang Furnace was connected to the destroyed Ninth-Rank Star!

Three years of secluded cultivation inside the Dao Yang Furnace could cultivate a constitution no weaker than a supreme-grade treasure body. Within the Star Gazing Manor, how could such a spot be anything less than worth a fortune? It was practically impossible to obtain.

After all, the Dao Yang Furnace could not be used casually. Only Successor Disciples of the Star Gazing Manor were qualified to use it.

"Is the Forbidden Path really that cruel? Could it be a cultivation method that devours living people?" a beautiful female disciple asked in confusion.

"I only heard that it could help mortals rise up."

"What? Hahahaha!"

The disciples shook their heads and laughed. Mortals? Things no better than weeds, without any cultivation talent, wanting to defy heaven and change their fate? What nonsense!

In a world where Star Masters were revered above all, Xu Guifen also felt that such a claim was utterly absurd. She reckoned there were even bloodier cases, but they had simply never been made public.

"If these legends aren't true, why are they searching so thoroughly?"

Chen Fusheng raised a question. "Could it be that the star palaces need the Forbidden Path's cultivation chapters?"

"Chen Fusheng, don't say things like that carelessly."

Xu Guifen warned him, "Whatever the people above intend to do, all we need to do is follow their orders. Don't concern yourself with anything else."

The surrounding disciples fell silent as cicadas in winter. The matter involved the nerves of a Star Lord—who dared speak recklessly?

"Senior Sister is right. I was talking nonsense."

Chen Fusheng's mood was somewhat low. After walking all the way to the Other Shore Realm, this path was also a broad and righteous avenue!

Could the Meditation Method and the Contemplation Method truly be destined to oppose each other?

He could not figure it out, nor could he understand it. He could only remain silent as his desire to grow stronger surged like madness.

Otherwise, he would die!

Soon, the treasure ship reached the shore.

A large number of Imperial Guards surrounded them. Chen Fusheng could sense how terrifying this force was. Once the order was given, five hundred Imperial Guards would form a battle formation capable of shaking heaven and earth.

Even more frightening was the faint, terrifying divine sense sweeping over them.

A powerhouse—an absolutely terrifying powerhouse!

He was being scanned and seen through. All his secrets were about to be exposed, and cold sweat rose all over his body.

Chen Fusheng knew that fleeing would be meaningless. The powerhouse stationed in the starry sky was simply too terrifying and could cross the distance in an instant.

Chen Fusheng had already envisioned the storm that would follow his death. Yet the immense pressure of impending death suddenly receded like a tide.

His face pale, he looked around and discovered that the surrounding disciples were in the same condition as him.

Chen Fusheng's violently trembling heart steadied. Had they really gotten away with it?

That gaze just now saw my qi sea. It should have seen the star map too. Why didn't it make a move? Could it be that it didn't see the star map?

Chen Fusheng was filled with intense joy. This object could help him block the probing of powerful experts!

When Xu Guifen faced the Imperial Guards conducting the inspection, her expression was cold as she tossed over a token.

After inspecting it, the Imperial Guard commander respectfully returned it. "My lord, according to the highest order sent down by the star palace, the entire territory of the Tian Yuan Kingdom is under lockdown. Do not go out for the time being."

"I understand." Xu Guifen nodded.

Chen Fusheng looked up at the sky. He had thought that leaving Black River would mean safety, but it turned out he had merely broken through one encirclement.

He now understood the power of the Heavenly Sun Star Palace. An ancient kingdom with hundreds of millions of people could be locked down with a single order.

After they returned to the Star Gazing Manor, a heavy atmosphere permeated everything inside and out.

Chen Fusheng slightly clenched his fists. "Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, I'm still an Outer Sect Disciple. There's an old person bedridden at home, so I'll head back first."

The disciples all nodded with solemn faces. If Xu Changfeng fell, Chen Fusheng's days would become difficult, and they would suffer along with him.

Chen Fusheng hurried toward the Outer Sect. There were some things he had to ask clearly.

Devouring Moon was definitely a supreme-grade Star Skill!

Then was the Devouring Moon Blade also supreme-grade? If it really was, then Huang Tiancheng's former identity and status had probably been comparable to that of a Star Lord!

"Grandfather, I feel that continuing this search will make it difficult to find anything."

Xuan Yuanchang was stationed in the central region of Black River. He walked into the tent of the ruler of a kingdom. Inside sat a dignified old man who radiated an extremely terrifying vitality.

"We must dig it out. This is a gift from heaven to our Tian Yuan Kingdom!" The kingdom lord's eyes shone like lightning.

"How many years has it been since the Contemplation Method appeared in the world? The more valuable the fish that slipped through the net, the more valuable it is. We might even be able to follow the clues and dig out a whole group!"

The kingdom lord said, "Even the Star Lord who came from headquarters has some dealings with me. The merit can be recorded under my Xuan Yuan Family!"

"But the Heavenly Sun Star Palace's reaction is a little too great, isn't it?" Xuan Yuanchang was delighted, but also puzzled. Was this really necessary?

"You don't understand."

The kingdom lord replied indifferently, "Judging from the scale of the phenomenon, the Contemplation Method cultivator's talent and comprehension are probably extraordinary. His potential is difficult to estimate. At the very least, he can be compared to a Heavenly Star Master!"

"And in all those years, among the members of the Forbidden Path we captured, almost none of them had triggered a Starry Sky Phenomenon!"

Only then did Xuan Yuanchang suddenly understand. So it was related to the phenomenon. No wonder it had touched the nerves of the Heavenly Sun Star Palace.

"Extraordinary potential, and the ability to seize the power of the stars. This person, hehe, possesses the orthodox Forbidden Path chapters. It is absolutely not some forbidden text passed around among the common people!"

The kingdom lord said, "The Contemplation Method lineage was eradicated long ago. Therefore, behind those absolutely orthodox chapters, there is very likely an invisible force concealed. If we can crack this case, the day my Xuan Yuan Family rises will come next spring."

"Grandfather, I understand. Since this fortune has come to us, how could it escape our grasp?"

After Xuan Yuanchang respectfully withdrew, an attendant following him approached. "Your Highness, a female disciple from the Star Gazing Manor has come to see you. She wants to ask about Ling Yao. She says Ling Yao has been missing for several days."

"Ling Yao, that good-for-nothing!"

Xuan Yuanchang's gaze turned cold. "Since she wants to ask, she'll have to pay some price. That will make it easier for me to find him."

He now held great authority and acted swiftly and decisively. Any deployment of a treasure ship required his approval.

Black River was currently in chaos. Demonic beasts were fleeing everywhere, triggering large-scale slaughter, and the Star Gazing Manor had suffered heavy casualties as well.

"Your Highness, you may not know this, but this female disciple is quite beautiful. She is currently waiting in your tent."

"Mm, that's more like it."

An evil fire surged within Xuan Yuanchang. Mu Zhen had resisted him for so long, and he had even lost the Gathering Star Pearl. He had long wanted to vent some of his frustration.

When he returned to his tent and saw Huang Li standing properly inside, he merely glanced at her before walking coldly behind the jade table and sitting down.

The guards tactfully withdrew and ordered the patrol teams on both sides to move farther away.

Huang Li had dressed herself up carefully and pleaded bitterly with Xuan Yuanchang. She no longer cared whether Ling Yao lived or died.

Chen Fusheng was already dead, but he was ultimately her nominal younger brother. Because of Ling Chen's accidental death and Ling Yao's disappearance, someone from the Ling Family had pointed at her nose and called her a disaster star.

Huang Li felt utterly wronged. What did any of this have to do with her? It was all because of Chen Fusheng. Even after dying, he had left behind a complete mess.

Xuan Yuanchang, however, was different. He was a true member of the nobility and had inherited the position of manor lord. As long as he said a word, how could the Ling Family dare make things difficult for her?

Seeing Xuan Yuanchang reading an ancient book without paying her any attention, Huang Li approached cleverly and began kneading his shoulders. "Your Highness, I won't hide it from you. I'm actually Chen Fusheng's elder sister."

Xuan Yuanchang's mighty body trembled slightly. Huang Li explained in terror, "Your Highness, please listen to me. I'm not related to him by blood, and we lost our sibling bond long ago..."

Huang Li suddenly froze because she saw the contents of the ancient book in Xuan Yuanchang's hands. Somewhat puzzled, she studied the diagrams on it.

She frowned. The diagrams looked very familiar.

"What are you looking at?"

Xuan Yuanchang knew about her little movements without even looking. The Contemplation Method chapters in the ancient book were copies he had transcribed from the Heavenly Star Manor.

He had been studying them these past few days, wondering whether this thing could really be cultivated.

"N-nothing. I just think the diagrams on this look a little familiar," Huang Li said.

"Boom!"

Xuan Yuanchang's qi sea trembled violently. He abruptly turned his head and stared at Huang Li without blinking, scorching beams of light erupting from his eyes.

He stood up in shock. Forbidden texts had never circulated in the outside world!

Previously, he had copied a few pages by hand out of curiosity. Yet Huang Li, a mere disciple of the Star Gazing Manor, had actually seen them before?

"Your Highness, what are you going to do?" Huang Li's breathing quickened as she retreated in terror.

"Where did you see it?" Spiritual ripples burst from between Xuan Yuanchang's brows, and his voice rang in Huang Li's ears like the tolling of a great bell.

"I—I..."

Huang Li clutched her head, unable to resist Xuan Yuanchang's mental pressure.

Terrified, she could not help describing the scene in her mind. Huang Tiancheng had suddenly fallen ill, and his condition was not optimistic. She had searched through the house for valuables, preparing to arrange the old man's funeral, when she discovered a yellow scroll beneath Chen Fusheng's bed.

The human-body diagrams carved on it were very similar to those in Xuan Yuanchang's ancient book, but they were absolutely more profound than the ones carved on the scroll.

She had looked at it before, but had not thought it was a cultivation scripture and had paid it no mind.

"Chen Fusheng? Are you sure?"

Xuan Yuanchang was shaken, then overwhelmed with delight. "The Successor of the Forbidden Path is him? It's actually him? Are you sure it was Chen Fusheng?"

"What?" Huang Li felt as though five thunderbolts had struck her head. The people outside were searching for Chen Fusheng? What kind of Star of Disaster was he?

"It was his, but this has nothing to do with me. I only glanced at it. I definitely didn't cultivate it."

Huang Li hurriedly explained, "If Your Highness doesn't believe me, you can test me by any means you wish."

"Ha, hahaha!"

Xuan Yuanchang could not help laughing loudly. From the incident involving the Flood Dragon Ship to the Starry Sky Phenomenon, all of it proved that Chen Fusheng had not died!

He was still alive, and he had broken through to the Other Shore Realm. While communicating with the stars, he had triggered a Starry Sky Phenomenon!

Everything made sense. It all made sense!

Xuan Yuanchang laughed wildly without stopping. "Chen Fusheng, hahaha, let's see how he can possibly be reborn!"

"Someone, come quickly!"

Inside the tent, Huang Li's mind was somewhat blank. Chen Fusheng was not dead?

She was frightened, worried, and regretful, but the complex emotions in her eyes were ultimately devoured by greed. Capturing the Successor of the Forbidden Path alive would allow her to become a Star Lord. As the first person to report it, surely she would at least be granted the status of a high-ranking female Star Official?