In the dim surroundings, even a little light could sting people's eyes so badly that they could not keep them open, making them instinctively shut their eyes to protect them.
But the ball of light Yang Zhen suddenly conjured was too big and too bright. How could everyone get out of the way in time?
The cultivators who had opened their eyes wide because of the darkness, trying to see just how many stars of power Yang Zhen had encountered, were hit especially hard. They screamed and clapped their hands over their eyes.
"Bastard! That shameless Yang Zhen must have done it on purpose! How could anyone encounter such terrifying starlight? This, this... it's even more terrifying than the light of ten stars!"
"There's got to be a limit to lying, doesn't there? Starlight that bright-don't tell me you obtained a divine-grade cultivation method?"
The crowd complained nonstop, glaring fiercely at Yang Zhen as if they wanted nothing more than to beat him to death.
Princess Changyang had spotted Yang Zhen's sneaky wink and closed her eyes beforehand. Even so, she had been startled. She looked at him in surprise and asked, "Young... Young Master Yang, was the starlight you saw really like that?"
Before Yang Zhen could nod, Zhang Zongjin snorted beside him and said contemptuously, "Utter nonsense. If he really saw starlight like that, I, Zhang Zongjin, would gladly remain unable to break through the Foundation Establishment Realm for the rest of my life!"
Yang Zhen was amused to hear that. He gave Zhang Zongjin a meaningful look and said, "Brother, I wonder if you've ever heard a saying?"
"What saying?" Zhang Zongjin sneered. The light of ten stars was the most powerful inheritance in the Dao Comprehension Stele. Throughout the ages, many people had successfully comprehended it, but not one had surpassed the light of ten stars.
Yang Zhen had seen a ball of starlight that big?
Zhang Zongjin was a million percent certain that the bastard Yang Zhen was talking nonsense.
Yang Zhen clicked his tongue in wonder and looked Zhang Zongjin up and down. "The saying goes, 'The sins of heaven may be forgiven, but one cannot live after sins of one's own making.' I hope your Heart Demon comes at you even harder. Staying in the Foundation Establishment Realm for the rest of your life would be pretty good too. With your brains, it'll save you from suffering a huge loss someday."
"You..." Zhang Zongjin's face turned livid. He snorted and said nothing more.
Clearly, he had realized that he could not gain the slightest advantage by exchanging words with Yang Zhen.
Zhang Zongjin was about to speak again when Su Qingyu and Fang Shenhe suddenly walked past him and over to Yang Zhen, looking at him with strange expressions.
Yang Zhen's expression changed. He moved farther away from Fang Shenhe, practically pressing himself against Su Qingyu, and stared at Fang Shenhe with utmost wariness. "What are you doing? Don't look at me like that. I don't like men!"
Fang Shenhe had been about to speak, but Yang Zhen's words choked him into a violent coughing fit. He stared at Yang Zhen, speechless.
There really was something wrong with this brat!
Seeing Fang Shenhe's effeminate expression, Yang Zhen's face changed again, and he edged closer to Su Qingyu. The gap between them was now less than a fist's width.
Su Qingyu carried a refreshing fragrance like an orchid. Unlike Princess Changyang, who was as lovely as a rose, Su Qingyu's delicate beauty lifted the spirits.
Perhaps Yang Zhen had pressed too close. Su Qingyu was a little uncomfortable, and her body stiffened where she stood. She took a small step back without leaving a trace, then smiled at Yang Zhen.
Yang Zhen could not help feeling that, among the so-called prodigies of these great sects, the men fell far short of the women.
Princess Changyang was approachable. Though she always kept her distance, she was the easiest to trust. Su Qingyu, meanwhile, knew exactly how to read a man's thoughts. That one small step had kept her from being too embarrassed without making Yang Zhen lose face in public.
Su Qingyu looked at Yang Zhen for a long while before slowly saying, "Although Young Master Yang's account is somewhat exaggerated, it is not impossible."
"Ah!" Princess Changyang seemed to remember something. She said in surprise, "Sister Su, are you talking about that legend of the Dao Comprehension Stele?"
Su Qingyu nodded. "It has been so long since anyone was able to trigger that existence that people have probably forgotten the legend by now. If what Young Master Zhang said is true, then the starlight he encountered in the Dao Comprehension Stele was very likely the one from that legend."
"What?"
Zhang Zongjin staggered back three steps. With a splutter, he spat out a mouthful of blood that sprayed over a fellow disciple's face like a fountain. He dropped to the ground with a thud, his face ashen.
"How is that possible? That legend-how could Yang Zhen have such great talent? No, this must be a lie... Haha, I'm not mad! It's all fake! All of you are fake! You're all my Heart Demons! Master, save me!"
Zhang Zongjin ran off into the distance, stumbling all the way but moving so fast that the fellow disciples chasing him actually lost him.
Yang Zhen clicked his tongue in wonder. Su Qingyu's words had also left him bewildered, and he asked, "What legend?"
Su Qingyu said gravely, "According to legend, besides inheritances below the saint grade, the Dao Comprehension Stele also contains existences connected to the Heavenly Dao. Only heaven-favored talents rarely seen in the world can awaken them. If you really saw something that bright... wait, you saw it but didn't obtain it?"
Yang Zhen waved a hand and said with great regret, "That thing was as fast as a shooting star. I reached for it, but I couldn't catch it."
Hiss!
The surrounding crowd drew a collective sharp breath and looked at Yang Zhen with pity, though no matter how one looked at them, they seemed to be gloating over his misfortune.
Su Qingyu was also taken aback. A disappointed look appeared on her face, and she shook her head. "That really is a shame. Every one of those hidden treasures is something people dream of obtaining. They say the lowest among them is a saint-grade cultivation method, and there are even divine-grade cultivation methods and Forbidden Techniques!"
Saint-grade cultivation methods, divine-grade cultivation methods, Forbidden Techniques!
As Su Qingyu spoke the three names, the crowd drew a sharp breath at each one, and the looks of pity they gave Yang Zhen grew deeper.
That unlucky child had let those things slip away right under his nose for nothing. He was probably regretting it to death now.
If any one of those things spread into the Cultivation World, it would probably send shock waves through the great sects. Yet Yang Zhen had just let it slip away like that?
Even if Yang Zhen's heart did not ache, the hearts of the people around him ached in waves.
"There's nothing I can do about it. If I gain it, I am fortunate; if I lose it, it is my fate. Perhaps those hidden treasures were never meant to be mine."
Looking into Su Qingyu's eyes, Yang Zhen spoke with an air of wistful disappointment.
"'If I gain it, I am fortunate; if I lose it, it is my fate.'" Su Qingyu murmured the words to herself. A glimmer flashed in her eyes, and she said to Yang Zhen, "Young Master Yang, what profound understanding you have. Although it is a pity, perhaps, as you said, it is not yet time for those hidden treasures to appear in the world."
At that, Su Qingyu gave Yang Zhen a deep look, a hint of a smile appearing between her brows. "It was only after speaking with you that I realized your state of mind was actually higher than ours. How fortunate! Qingyu feels as though we should have met long ago."
"It's not too late, not too late!" Yang Zhen was delighted and hurriedly said, "They say it takes ten years of cultivation to share a boat crossing, and a hundred years to share a pillow. We'll have plenty of time for in-depth exchanges in the future. How about I treat you to malatang tonight, Miss Qingyu?"
A brilliant light suddenly burst from Su Qingyu's eyes, and she stared at Yang Zhen in a daze.
Yang Zhen thought Su Qingyu had been won over by his malatang. He was just about to loot a burning house-er, seize the momentum and press on-when he heard her say, "'Ten years of cultivation to share a boat crossing, and a hundred years to share... a pillow.' Young Master Yang, you have a brilliant way with words. Could you have some connection to Buddhism? And what is malatang?"
Seeing the faint blush on Su Qingyu's jade-like face, Yang Zhen felt immensely pleased with himself. Just as I thought, the profound and timeless sayings of my blue planet are the most useful after all.
As they listened to Su Qingyu and Yang Zhen happily trading questions and answers, the jaws of the men around them nearly came unhinged.
Fang Shenhe coughed lightly. "You two, shouldn't we discuss how to get out of here?"