Within the golden barrier of Thunder Mountain Residence's Cultivation Room, starlight swirled without end, and traces of Hongmeng Dao aura flowed faintly through the air. Yun Ce sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, the aura around him growing ever more concentrated and mellow. With every breath, the power of the stars in the heavens quietly poured into his body, nourishing the Mustard Seed World in his dantian and his pure Stellar True Essence. Ever since entering seclusion, he had immersed himself wholeheartedly in comprehending the fifth stage of the Hongmeng Stellar Art, "Void-Piercing Creation." He was assimilating the Void-Piercing Early Stage cultivation base the system had converted for him, tempering the newly formed pure Stellar True Essence within his body, and studying how to use Stellar True Essence to command the power of space. Step by step, he was consolidating his current realm and advancing the initial evolution of the embryonic form of his Inner Universe.
Ordinary Void-Piercing Realm cultivators could only catch a first glimpse of the mysteries of space. Even touching its barriers was difficult, let alone tearing space apart. But the Hongmeng Stellar Art was extraordinary, defying the heavens. The foundation of its fifth stage, Void-Piercing Creation, was built upon the stars and modeled the principles of Hongmeng's evolution. This allowed Yun Ce to command the power of space with his pure Stellar True Essence even in the Void-Piercing Early Stage. His talent and strength had long surpassed those of cultivators at the same level, and this opportunity had all come from the system's gift.
His mind sank into his dantian as he carefully sensed the Mustard Seed World that had just taken shape—the embryonic form of his Inner Universe. Though it was only a tiny pocket of space, it contained the Starry Path and the principles of creation behind Hongmeng's evolution. Points of starlight flickered within, traces of star power gathering and driving the evolution of his Inner Universe. With just a thought, the Mustard Seed World trembled faintly, releasing a subtle ripple of spatial energy. Yun Ce tried directing his pure Stellar True Essence, gathering the power of space at his fingertip. A slight movement of his finger sent ripples through the air around him. An almost invisible spatial rift quietly appeared, then slowly closed under his control without the slightest energy leaking out.
"Hahaha, I did it!" Yun Ce slowly opened his eyes, a brilliant starlight flashing in them as the spatial fluctuations around his fingertip gradually subsided. He could clearly feel that he was now able to wield the power of space to a limited extent with his pure Stellar True Essence. He couldn't yet shift through space over a large area, but he could tear open the space of the Mortal Realm with ease and even briefly conceal himself within the Mustard Seed World—the embryonic form of his Inner Universe. This level of strength would make him one of the very best even among Void-Piercing Late Stage cultivators.
One had to understand that in the Mortal Realm, anyone capable of tearing space apart was a high-level Loose Immortal on par with a Heavenly Immortal of the Upper Realm. Those Loose Immortals spent millennia honing their skills before barely mastering the ability to tear through the Mortal Realm's space. Yet Yun Ce was only in the Void-Piercing Early Stage. By relying on the extraordinary foundation of the Hongmeng Stellar Art, he had achieved this with nothing but pure Stellar True Essence. This opportunity was practically defying the heavens, and it made him all the more eager to unlock the realms ahead and continue advancing the evolution of his Inner Universe.
Yun Ce rose to his feet. The stellar aura around him shifted freely at his command. With a wave of his hand, the golden barrier around him quietly vanished as if it had never existed. He felt the surging yet docile, controllable Stellar True Essence within him, along with the power of space lingering at his fingertips, and felt fully confident. Now, in the Hidden Dragon Continent, he had enough strength to protect himself. Even if he encountered an Emptiness Realm expert, he could fight back—and keep Qin Yu and Black Feather safe.
"Xiao Yu and Black Feather must have been cultivating for quite some time. I wonder how long I've been in seclusion. I should go check on them." A smile curled Yun Ce's lips. He took a step, and his pure Stellar True Essence quietly began to circulate. The spatial power of the fifth stage followed, and he vanished from the Cultivation Room like a phantom. When he appeared again, he was standing outside the gates of Thunder Mountain Residence. His instantaneous shift hadn't stirred even the slightest ripple of spiritual energy, a testament to how deftly he had mastered his Stellar True Essence and the power of space.
Outside Thunder Mountain Residence, the spiritual energy in the depths of the Great Wilderness remained dense. Lush forests stretched into the distance, ancient trees towering overhead. The occasional roar of a demon beast carried through the air, both dangerous and brimming with life. With a thought, Yun Ce sent his spiritual sense surging out like a tide, covering several thousand li in every direction. A Void-Piercing Early Stage cultivator's spiritual sense already surpassed that of a Nascent Soul cultivator by far. And with the Hongmeng Stellar Art nourishing his soul with the power of the stars, Yun Ce's range was several times that of an ordinary Void-Piercing Realm cultivator. He could clearly make out even the slightest rustle of grass and trees or the breathing of a demon beast.
A moment later, Yun Ce's gaze shifted, and a knowing smile appeared on his face. His spiritual sense had clearly detected Qin Yu and Black Feather fighting a demon beast in a valley in the Great Wilderness, over a thousand li from Thunder Mountain Residence. The young man and the eagle worked together with perfect coordination. They were struggling somewhat, but neither showed the slightest panic.
"They've certainly become independent, heading out to gain experience without waiting for me to emerge from seclusion." Yun Ce murmured, his eyes full of approval. He took another step, driving the power of space to its limit. His figure flashed toward the valley and arrived outside it in an instant, moving so quickly that he seemed to break through the limits of space. He stopped quietly, careful not to disturb the battle inside.
The battle in the valley was raging.
A gigantic Great Strength Demon Ape roared and swung its thick arms at Qin Yu. Every swing came with a rushing gust of wind, and the ground trembled faintly beneath it. The Great Strength Demon Ape was black all over, its hair standing stiff like steel needles. It was over three zhang tall, with bulging muscles and violent earth-attribute spiritual energy radiating from its body. Its eyes, as large as copper bells, gleamed with ferocity, and its fangs jutted out from its mouth. It was a Golden Core Mid Stage demon beast with an exceptional gift: its physical strength far exceeded that of other demon beasts at the same level.
Qin Yu wielded a High-Grade Spirit Artifact longsword, nimbly dodging the Great Strength Demon Ape's attacks. Purple Nebula True Qi swirled around him, and each swing of his sword sent a fierce slash imbued with the power of the stars toward the demon ape. Black Feather spread his enormous wings and soared through the air, occasionally spitting out a stream of thunderflame. Wind-attribute spiritual energy mixed into the flames, multiplying their power as they struck the Great Strength Demon Ape's back. The two attacked and moved in perfect coordination, leaving the demon ape no chance to catch its breath.
Standing at the valley's entrance with his hands behind his back, Yun Ce watched the battle calmly and nodded to himself. At a glance, he could tell that although the Great Strength Demon Ape was a Golden Core Mid Stage demon beast, its attack and defense far surpassed those of others at the same level, rivaling a human cultivator in the Golden Core Late Stage. Great Strength Demon Apes were known for their powerful bodies and immense strength, and this one was especially gifted. Its body was as tough as a mid-grade spirit artifact. An ordinary Golden Core Mid Stage cultivator would be no match for it; the slightest mistake could leave them severely injured—or mauled to death.
But Qin Yu's performance exceeded Yun Ce's expectations.
Qin Yu was only in the Nebula Early Stage—the Golden Core Early Stage—but he was holding his own against the Great Strength Demon Ape with the pure Nebula True Qi cultivated through Stellar Transformations and the formidable body he had tempered by perfecting the Three Heaven-Reaching Charts. He moved nimbly, his swordwork fierce. Each slash contained dense star power. Though he couldn't pierce the Great Strength Demon Ape's defenses outright, he could leave faint wounds on its body, gradually wearing down its strength. His own body had also taken several of the demon ape's attacks head-on. His clothes were torn, and a few shallow red marks remained on his skin, but he hadn't suffered any serious injury. Even a Golden Core Mid Stage cultivator would struggle to match such physical toughness.
"Not bad, kid. You've made quite a bit of progress." Yun Ce felt gratified, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "As long as nothing unexpected happens, he'll be able to slay this Great Strength Demon Ape. This battle is excellent practical training for him. It'll temper his body and help him improve his control of the power of the stars."
In the valley, Qin Yu dodged one of the Great Strength Demon Ape's heavy punches and used its force to retreat several steps. He breathed a little harder, fine beads of sweat gathering on his forehead, but his eyes remained resolute. He showed no hint of retreat. He could feel how powerful the Great Strength Demon Ape was and how formidable its defenses were. Killing it would be no easy task. But his focused cultivation during this time had not only made his stellar foundation more secure, it had also steadied his mind. Facing a powerful foe, he was calm and composed rather than panicked.
"Xiao Hei, back me up! Let's end this!" Qin Yu sent a message to Black Feather through their spiritual connection. Nebula True Qi surged wildly around him as he prepared to unleash everything in one strike.
"Understood!" Black Feather's voice came through their spiritual connection. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he suddenly beat his wings. A gale howled up, stirring clouds of dust. At the same time, he spat out a dense ball of thunderflame. A cone-shaped spirit artifact gleamed faintly within it as the flames transformed into a fire dragon and hurtled toward the Great Strength Demon Ape's head, drawing its attention. It was the High-Grade Spirit Artifact Thunder Shadow Awl that Xiao Hei had crafted using the Refining Room at Qin Yu's Thunder Mountain Residence.
The Great Strength Demon Ape roared at the sight and swung its thick arm at the ball of thunderflame. With a loud boom, the flames scattered, sparks flying everywhere. But they left a patch of charred black on its arm, and the Thunder Shadow Awl pierced through it as well. The burning and piercing pain sent the Great Strength Demon Ape into an even greater frenzy. Ignoring its injuries, it charged at Qin Yu again, both fists swinging as it tried to pound him into pulp. That damn black eagle was far too fast for it to land a solid attack, so it could only focus on the human first.
Qin Yu's eyes sharpened. He stopped dodging, and Nebula True Qi surged around him, gathering in the High-Grade Spirit Artifact longsword in his hand. The blade glowed with brilliant purple light as star power and Nebula True Qi intertwined.
"Starry Domain! Open!"
Qin Yu shouted.
Faint patterns of the stars emerged on the blade. A fierce sword slash, far more powerful than any before, shrieked through the air toward the Great Strength Demon Ape's chest.
This strike contained all of Qin Yu's strength. It was also a perfect display of his mastery of Stellar Transformations: the fluidity of Nebula True Qi, the dominance of the Starry Domain, and the sharpness of a High-Grade Spirit Artifact combined to unleash overwhelming power, enough to break through the Golden Core Mid Stage Great Strength Demon Ape's defenses.
The Great Strength Demon Ape sensed the deadly threat of the strike, and a trace of wariness flashed in its eyes. But it still refused to retreat. The ferocity in its nature made it thrust out its chest and try to withstand the blow with its powerful body.
Pfft—
The sword slash struck the Great Strength Demon Ape in the chest, instantly cutting through its tough hide and muscle and leaving a deep wound. Black blood gushed out, carrying a faint, rank stench. The Great Strength Demon Ape let out a shrill roar and staggered backward several steps. The ferocity in its eyes faded, replaced by fear and weakness, and its aura instantly weakened by more than half.
Qin Yu gave it no chance to catch its breath. He darted forward like a phantom and swung his longsword again and again, sending out a series of fierce sword slashes. Each one struck precisely at the Great Strength Demon Ape's wound, steadily draining its life and leaving it no chance to counterattack.
Black Feather seized the opportunity to attack as well. Thunderflame and wind-attribute spiritual energy intertwined as one attack after another slammed into the Great Strength Demon Ape's back, worsening its injuries. Its enormous body could barely hold itself up and began to sway.
Yun Ce stood at the valley's entrance with no intention of intervening. He knew this battle was an excellent opportunity for Qin Yu to gain practical experience. It would test the results of his recent cultivation and help him grow quickly in the midst of combat, grow familiar with wielding the power of the stars, and temper his mind. It would also lay a firm stellar foundation for his future travels through the depths of the Great Wilderness and the cultivation world. If Yun Ce intervened rashly, Qin Yu would lose this chance to gain experience.
He had already made plans. The Hidden Dragon Continent was only the starting point of Qin Yu's growth. In the future, the Undersea Demon Cultivator World, the Turbulent Star Sea, and the Soaring Dragon Continent—worlds teeming with millions of cultivators, full of hidden masters—would be where the two of them, master and disciple, truly shone. Now that Yun Ce could wield the power of space with his pure Stellar True Essence, his extraordinary strength from the Hongmeng Stellar Art's principle of "building a foundation with the stars and evolving Hongmeng" was more than enough to keep Qin Yu safe. Once Qin Yu and Black Feather had improved further, broken through to the Golden Core Mid Stage, and strengthened their stellar foundation, they would set out for the Undersea Beast World to seize a few opportunities, then continue on to the Soaring Dragon Continent and begin a new journey.
The battle in the valley was nearing its end. The Great Strength Demon Ape was covered in wounds, its aura reduced to a feeble shadow of what it had been. The fury that once filled it was gone, replaced by despair. Its massive body swayed, and even standing had become difficult. Qin Yu's gaze remained firm as he raised his longsword high. Nebula True Qi gathered around him once more, and the purple light on the blade grew brighter. Star power condensed to its limit as he prepared to deliver the final blow and end the battle for good.
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