Having left the gloomy, resentment-ridden territory of Lanruo Temple, even the air seemed several degrees fresher. Though the surroundings still bore the desolation of late autumn, the bone-deep chill and the ever-present phantom wails had finally faded away, making everyone secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
After the continuous high-intensity battles and constant mental strain, even Su Yan, whose cultivation had improved, felt sincerely exhausted. Though Star Vortex remained vigilantly at his side, the star vortex at its tail slowed its rapid rotation. From time to time, it nudged Su Yan's hand with its head and let out a faint, dependent purr, clearly needing rest as well.
"Let's find somewhere safe nearby and recover first," Mo Hen suggested. He was inspecting the Mechanical Beasts that had been badly damaged in the tower, his face full of distress. "My old companions need major repairs, and we're nearly out of supplies. We need to restock."
Everyone unanimously agreed with the proposal. Growing stronger was important, but knowing when to push and when to rest was the path to lasting progress. According to the map, roughly a hundred li from Lanruo Temple was a cultivator settlement built around a small Spirit Vein called Flowing Cloud Gathering. While it was nowhere near as prosperous as the great cities Outside Great Tang, it had basic supplies, repairs, and intelligence exchange services, making it ideal for their current condition.
The group no longer hurried along, slowing their pace as they regulated their breathing and recovered while heading toward Flowing Cloud Gathering. They occasionally encountered ordinary monsters around level 30, but Su Yan and Mo Hen did not need to lift a finger. One Starlight Breath or a swift pounce from Star Vortex easily dealt with them. It was a good chance for it to familiarize itself with the increased power gained after evolving, while also providing the group with scattered experience and materials.
"Tsk, tsk, Brother Su, I'm truly jealous of you now." Watching Star Vortex neatly slap a Tusker Wild Boar into white light, Mo Hen could not help sighing again. "A partner with limitless potential and such loyalty is worth an entire set of top-grade mechanisms. Looks like I need to find a summoned beast egg or catch a young beast to raise too."
Su Yan smiled and patted Star Vortex's cool, hard shell, his heart filled with gratification. From the weak Sea Hairy Caterpillar it had once been to the imposing Star Vortex Guard it was now, the feeling of growing alongside it truly could not be matched by outside aid. "When the opportunity comes, it will come naturally. Brother Mo Hen is skilled in mechanisms and ingenious crafts. If you can find a suitable mechanical or elemental summoned beast, it may complement you even better."
Bai Zhi softly added, "The Buddhist sect also has sacred beasts such as guardian heavenly dragons and golden-winged birds, though such affinities are hard to find." She looked at Star Vortex with a gentle smile in her eyes. "Star Vortex is exceptionally spirited now. For Brother Su to share such a connection with it is truly a rare blessing."
Even Yun Ji, who was usually aloof, gave a slight nod in agreement. "The Star Vortex Guard possesses an extraordinary bloodline. Its path of evolution may be tied to the laws of the stars. Its future is promising."
Having received everyone's praise, Star Vortex seemed to understand. It raised its head and let out a faintly smug growl, while the star vortex on its tail unconsciously sped up for several rotations, leaving pale silver traces in the air.
Amid their laughter and conversation, the outline of Flowing Cloud Gathering came into view. It was a small town built on a level stretch of valley land, its blue-gray rooftops spreading out in an unbroken expanse. Simple wooden fences surrounded it, and a faint fluctuation from a Defense Array could vaguely be felt. Cultivator guards stood at the entrance. After checking Su Yan and the others' identity Jade Tablets—the player identification credentials granted by the system—they allowed them through.
The streets inside the town were not wide, but they were quite clean. Shops lined both sides: Hundred Herbs Pavilion sold pills and talismans, Gold Stone Workshop forged and repaired weapons, and Curio House purchased all sorts of materials. There was even a small Immortal Guest Inn that offered simple lodging and cooking services. Though it could not compare with the bustling traffic of Chang'an, it had its own lively atmosphere. Many players and NPC cultivators in the robes of various sects, ranging from level 20 to 35, moved through the streets.
The long-missed presence of other people gave Su Yan and the others a sense of familiarity. They first went to Gold Stone Workshop, where Mo Hen left behind the Mechanical Beasts and damaged mechanism tools that required major repairs. After paying a considerable repair fee, he grimaced in pain. Su Yan also had his worn equipment repaired and maintained.
Next, they went to Hundred Herbs Pavilion, where Bai Zhi replenished a large supply of spirit-restoring pills, Golden Wound Medicine, and Clearheart Powder for dispelling negative statuses. Su Yan also bought some high-grade pet food suitable for Star Vortex, along with several good-quality Moonlight Stones. They contained gentle moonlight energy and benefited star-attributed summoned beasts. Star Vortex showed immense interest in the Moonlight Stones, crunching them happily in its mouth.
Finally, they rented two superior rooms at Immortal Guest Inn and settled in for the time being. Su Yan and Mo Hen shared one room, while Bai Zhi and Yun Ji shared the other. At last able to lie on a soft, clean bed and fully relax, Su Yan felt as though every bone in his body had gone limp.
He did not immediately fall asleep. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the bed, sank his consciousness into his body, and carefully sensed the changes brought by reaching level 32. The vortex of Star Power within his dantian had become more solid, automatically absorbing the faint Power of Stars in the air as it rotated. Though slow, it was constant. The circulation paths of the Star Qi Drawing Art and Star Refining Body Art also seemed to have widened slightly, allowing Star Power to flow more smoothly. His Spiritual Power had likewise become tougher after the battle against the ghost general and his frequent use of the Compass.
He tried circulating the Star Contemplation Method, and the image of the starry sky in his mind grew ever clearer. He could even faintly sense an extremely weak resonance from certain distant stars. He knew this was a sign that his affinity with the stars had increased.
He then turned his attention to the Compass in his arms. After its restoration level reached 60%, its silver body had become more mellow, while the crack in the central needle seemed to have healed by an almost imperceptible amount. With a thought, he attempted to activate the newly unlocked Energy Trace function.
As Spiritual Power flowed into it, the Compass flashed with silver light. Extremely intricate energy patterns appeared across its face, weaving together like stellar tracks. He recalled the various energies he had encountered before: the foul power of the End Times Cult, the battle intent of Mount War God, and the yinsha resentment of Lanruo Temple... The patterns on the Compass shifted subtly, as though establishing an archive of energy signatures.
It really works! Su Yan was delighted. With this function, tracking the End Times Cult's movements or identifying unknown energy attributes would become far more convenient in the future.
Next, he looked at the Star Map in his mind. The gray area representing Lanruo Temple had faded considerably, and the phantom "Seal" character at the ancient tower's location had completely vanished, indicating that the danger there had essentially been removed. Meanwhile, the Netherworld Beacon marking the direction of the Netherworld entrance still flickered. The black skull mark left by the Sower beside it remained like a parasite clinging to bone. It had not disappeared with the Compass's restoration, only been firmly suppressed by the silver light.
"The mark of the Well of Guixu..." Su Yan furrowed his brow. It had always weighed heavily on his mind. He tried using the Compass's Energy Trace function to analyze the mark, but the information returned was nothing but chaos and deathly silence, filled with the meaning of destruction and ending. Its level was far too high, beyond anything he could touch at present.
"It seems that a journey into the Netherworld will not only mean facing the End Times Cult and local ghosts, but also guarding against the influence the Well of Guixu might exert through this mark." The weight on Su Yan's shoulders grew heavier.
Just then, something stirred in his heart, and he took out the three Netherworld Guiding Incense sticks given to him by the monk Hui Ming. The incense sticks were long and slender, dark enough to be nearly black, cold to the touch, and gave off an indescribably chilly fragrance, as though they could draw in souls. According to Hui Ming, they had to be lit beside waters where yin and yang converged and resentment ran deep in order to possibly attract the ferryman.
"The River of Forgetfulness... the ferryman..." Su Yan murmured. This was undoubtedly a relatively "proper" route into the Netherworld, but its risks were equally unknown. What would the ferryman demand as fare? And the River of Forgetfulness itself was an incomparably dangerous river in myth and legend.
He carefully put away the guiding incense, then took out the Tattered Military Token dropped by the ghost general. The token felt heavy in his hand, its edges damaged. A blurred character, "Xiao," was engraved on its front, while its back bore an incomplete image of a battlefield lit by beacon fires. He poured Star Power into it once more, and the blurry phantom of a map emerged, pointing toward a place called the Blood Barrier.
"The edge of an Ancient Battlefield... unstable space..." Su Yan recalled Hui Ming's description. This was clearly another high-level area, perhaps connected to an important side quest or hidden storyline, but it was definitely not somewhere they could go now.
Temporarily suppressing these stray thoughts, Su Yan began planning their next move. He had reached level 32, mastered his new skills, completed Star Vortex's evolution, and strengthened the Compass's functions. Their basic objectives had been achieved. The next priority was preparing to enter the Netherworld.
Should they immediately find a suitable location to use the guiding incense and attempt to contact the ferryman? Or should they first use the Compass's Energy Trace function to continue clearing End Times Cult strongholds in the mortal realm, further increasing their strength while gathering more intelligence about the Netherworld?
Just as he weighed the pros and cons, an extremely faint black streak of light, almost impossible to notice, silently crossed the night sky above Flowing Cloud Gathering like a meteor flying in reverse. Its direction seemed to be toward Lanruo Temple.
Su Yan did not notice this anomaly. But deep within his sea of consciousness, the black skull mark suppressed by the Compass's silver light gave a cold, nearly imperceptible pulse.
The night deepened, and Flowing Cloud Gathering gradually fell quiet. Yet beneath its calm surface, the undercurrents seemed never to have stopped flowing.
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