"Good!"
Lin Yuan's offer to volunteer drew a slight nod from Gu Shuangshuang, a trace of approval showing in her eyes.
But she did not send Lin Yuan in straightaway. She had Wu Junru go first to show him how it was done.
"No problem."
Tall and long-legged, Wu Junru carried a blood-red longsword as she strolled into the valley.
She picked out an isolated Earth Desolate Bull Beast. Though she stood just under six feet tall, she looked tiny and vulnerable before the beast towering over twenty-six feet high.
Yet her expression was utterly calm. She tilted her head to look up at the bull, the teasing gone from her crimson eyes. Only coldness remained, along with a killing intent she could not help but reveal.
"Moo—"
The Earth Desolate Bull Beast lowered its head and regarded the human who had entered its territory. A glint of intelligence flashed in its round eyes.
Rather than charging mindlessly like a Fierce Beast, it took a step back. Its eyes darted around as though it were wary of something.
It's so intelligent!
Lin Yuan was secretly astonished.
Apart from its inability to speak, the bull seemed almost as intelligent as a human.
"That's another frightening thing about Star Beasts," Captain Gu said at the right moment.
"Star Beasts are truly intelligent beings. They're born with awareness, and their minds are no weaker than ours."
"Not only are they gifted with great power, they're remarkably clever... which means they're craftier, too, and far more dangerous to hunt."
Lin Yuan nodded.
An enemy with a brain was far harder to deal with than a beast that knew only how to throw its brute strength around.
Boom!
The fight below began.
Wu Junru stepped forward and provoked it. The Earth Desolate Bull Beast sensed no one else nearby, and its inborn arrogance made it regard other species as ants.
Now that it had been challenged, anger rose in its eyes.
It stamped forward. A mighty force of earth erupted, turning the ground before it into rolling waves that surged toward the human in layer upon layer.
Its innate gift—Earth Tremor!
Even a mere One-Stripe Rank Star Beast can reshape the terrain?
Lin Yuan could hardly believe what he was seeing.
Stellar Behemoths really are blessed by nature. They're born able to wield power like this...
Whoosh!
In an instant, Wu Junru sprang into the air, nimble as a crane among the clouds.
She struck with her sword. Brilliant blue light gathered along its blood-red edge and became a crescent of Sword Qi that shot straight at the Star Pattern in the center of the Earth Desolate Bull Beast's forehead.
Crescent Sky Rush!
Lin Yuan recognized the Stellar Force Secret Art at once: Crescent Sky Rush.
Though it was only Common Grade, it was highly destructive and relatively easy to learn. Most Starry-Sky Warriors considered it an essential Secret Art.
Whoosh!
The crescent of Sword Qi, several yards long and razor-sharp, arrived at the critical instant just after the Earth Desolate Bull Beast had unleashed its innate gift.
It had no time to dodge. The strike hit squarely between its eyes.
Splurt!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
The power of a Stellar Force Secret Art was nothing to scoff at.
A single wisp of Natal Stellar Force carried the weight of a hundred thousand catties. Condensed into a Stellar Force Secret Art, its power surged still further.
Even the Earth Desolate Bull Beast's tough hide and bones could not withstand it.
The Sword Qi tore through its skull, scattering blood and flesh and exposing a brilliant blue crystal shaped like a Star Core.
"That's the source of a Star Beast's power and the core of its life—its 'Boundary'!"
As Lin Yuan and the others stared without blinking, Captain Gu spoke beside them.
"Star Beasts are incredibly tenacious. All their essence, including their souls, is held within the Boundary inside them."
"Piercing their hearts or even cutting off their heads won't kill them for good."
"Only by utterly destroying their Boundaries can you end their lives..."
Boundary?
The crystal that holds all a Star Beast's power and its soul?
What an extraordinary species...
As she spoke, Wu Junru bore down from above and lashed out with a powerful flying kick. The Earth Desolate Bull Beast, panicking now that its Boundary was exposed, toppled to the ground.
Boom!
It was a staggering sight.
A woman had kicked over a Stellar Behemoth more than twenty feet tall. Its massive body slammed into the earth with a heavy crash.
Crescent Sky Rush!
Wu Junru's gaze stayed cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she gathered Star Power along her blade again and sent out another crescent of Sword Qi.
This one was larger and stronger.
She had poured more than one wisp of Natal Stellar Force into it, making it far more terrifying.
Crack—
The Sword Qi swept through the air and struck the exposed Boundary in the center of the Earth Desolate Bull Beast's forehead.
A hairline crack appeared. Then, like falling dominoes, cracks multiplied and spread outward in a spiderweb.
"Moo—"
Its Boundary shattered, the Earth Desolate Bull Beast gave a mournful cry.
Its life force plunged away to nothing. It would never move again.
The One-Stripe Rank Earth Desolate Bull Beast was dead!
The entire fight had lasted less than ten seconds. Wu Junru had made no wasted moves: two strikes of Sword Qi and one flying kick had settled it.
Clean and decisive!
Her movements had flowed like clouds and running water. Beneath their apparent simplicity lay deep skill and years of battle experience.
Even Lin Yuan could not help admiring her.
She puts plenty of men to shame...
He could also tell that she had far more Natal Stellar Force than they did. She certainly had more than just a few wisps, or even a dozen.
Otherwise, she could never have used two Stellar Force Secret Arts in succession and still made it look effortless.
"In the First Realm of the Stellar Martial Path, each set of nine wisps of Natal Stellar Force marks a new stage."
"Nine wisps make the first stage, eighteen the second... until all nine sets are complete. With eighty-one wisps of Natal Stellar Force, a warrior reaches the peak of the Mortal Transcendence Realm and can begin trying to break into the Second Realm."
I wonder which stage Junru has reached...
While Lin Yuan was pondering this, Wu Junru returned victorious, her steps light and her figure graceful. Her full, pale breasts bounced with each step, an arresting sight.
"Did you see it clearly?"
Captain Gu nodded slightly, then turned to Gu Yiyi and Lin Yuan.
"Yes."
The two nodded and exchanged a glance.
A fierce eagerness for battle flashed in both their eyes.
Star-Martial Prodigies yield to no one!
Even facing a Star Beast for the first time, their pride would not fade. It would only grow sharper.
"Good."
Captain Gu was pleased.
She led them to the other side of the valley to find another isolated Earth Desolate Bull Beast.
This time, Lin Yuan would fight!
"Stay cautious. Watch for your opening. Kill it in one strike."
Captain Gu's advice was brief and direct.
Lin Yuan smiled faintly and stepped forward.
"I wonder how many exchanges it'll take young Lin Yuan to bring that brute down..."
Watching the young man walk away without a trace of fear, the women of the Goddess Luo Squad smiled.
Hu Meiniang, a voluptuous beauty, looked at him with an amorous gleam and let out a soft, teasing laugh.
"How many exchanges? Meiniang, you think rather highly of Lin Yuan..."
"I'd say he'll have to fight it for at least a few dozen."
"No, no. A few dozen exchanges would be selling a Special Constitution far too short... I think he can win within ten."
"It's his first fight against a Star Beast, and he's only just become a Starry-Sky Warrior. He's got one wisp of Natal Stellar Force, and once he uses it, it's gone. Winning at all would be impressive. How can you worry about the number of exchanges?"
"That goes for other people. Is young Lin Yuan an ordinary person? You know how powerful a Special Constitution can be."
"I say within ten exchanges, too. Young Lin Yuan doesn't look ordinary. You can't fake that composure or confidence..."
"Hmph, you're all underestimating Lin Yuan! I bet it won't take more than three!"
"Oh? Yiyi's already standing up for her sweetheart? Last I heard, he hadn't even said yes to you."
"Three exchanges is a bit much. You're seeing him through rose-tinted glasses... I'll bet on ten. That's safer."
The women chattered excitedly, guessing how Lin Yuan would fare in his first fight.
Apart from Gu Yiyi, most of them thought it would take him around ten exchanges to win.
Ten would already be astonishing. Still, Lin Yuan had made a good impression on them, and they thought it was possible.
"Hmph. Just you wait..."
The young woman pouted and watched the young man's figure without blinking, her gaze slowly turning dreamy.
Even the way he walks away looks so good, aaaah...
Before you continue