Chapter 316: Domain of Stars! Guardian, Is This the Power of Stars?!

Li An and Yuigahama Yui stood before a massive crystal sphere, their eyes filled with curiosity and wariness.

An old man in a white robe smiled at them, as if he had long known of their arrival.

"Welcome to the Domain of Stars. I am the guardian here, the Star Elder." The old man spoke slowly, his voice like an ancient bell tolling, echoing through the entire space.

Yuigahama Yui nervously gripped Li An's hand.

Li An, however, met the Star Elder's gaze with a steady look, fearless.

"Star Elder, why have we come here? My friends are still outside; we need to get out as soon as possible." Li An said directly, his tone carrying an unquestionable dominance.

The Star Elder smiled faintly, seemingly quite appreciative of Li An's directness: "Young man, I have seen your strength and courage with my own eyes, but since you have come here, it is fate! This crystal sphere hides the greatest secret of the Star Sacred Ground, and it is the true purpose of your journey."

"Oh? What secret?" Li An raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity and urgency in his tone.

The Star Elder walked up to the crystal sphere and gently stroked its surface; the light of the sphere seemed to soften even more.

He said slowly: "This crystal sphere is the core of the Star Sacred Ground. It contains the Power of Stars, capable of granting a person limitless potential and strength. But likewise, it also conceals tremendous risk. Without sufficient strength and willpower, one is very likely to be devoured by the Power of Stars."

A flash of fervor passed through Li An's eyes. He knew his own strength and willpower well, and his longing for the Power of Stars grew ever stronger: "I am willing to try."

The Star Elder looked at Li An, a glint of approval flashing in his eyes: "Very well, but before that, you must pass my trial. Only by passing the trial can you prove you are worthy of receiving the Power of Stars."

"A trial? Hmph, bring it on. What has I, Li An, to fear!" Li An snorted coldly, his tone brimming with confidence and dominance.

The Star Elder smiled faintly, then his figure flashed and vanished on the spot. When he reappeared, he was already opposite Li An, a longsword shimmering with starlight now in his hand.

"The first trial: the Star Sword Formation. If you can hold out within this sword formation for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, you shall pass~." Before the Star Elder finished speaking, his figure flickered again, instantly transforming into countless sword shadows that surged toward Li An.

Li An let out a great shout, his figure darting through the sword shadows like a phantom, his longsword swinging as it clashed with the Star Elder's sword shadows, producing ringing after ringing of metallic strikes.

Yuigahama Yui stood anxiously to the side, watching the fierce battle between Li An and the Star Elder, silently praying for him in her heart.

The more Li An fought, the braver he became; every clash with the sword shadows felt like a struggle against the Power of Stars itself.

His movements grew faster and faster, his sword strikes increasingly fierce, gradually gaining the upper hand within the formation.

The time it took an incense stick to burn passed in an instant. The Star Elder's figure coalesced once more, his gaze at Li An carrying a hint of surprise and admiration: "Young man, your strength and willpower have both exceeded my imagination. You have passed the first trial."

Li An sheathed his sword and stood, his breathing slightly ragged, but his eyes filled with resolve and dominance: "This is only the beginning. I, Li An, am determined to obtain the Power of Stars!"

The Star Elder nodded slightly, then flicked a finger; a ray of light shot toward the crystal sphere. The light on the sphere's surface instantly blazed fierce, and a powerful suction force emanated from within, drawing Li An entirely inside.

Yuigahama Yui turned pale with shock and tried to rush forward to grab Li An, but was held back by the Star Elder: "Don't worry, he will be fine. This is the inheritance process of the Power of Stars; he must face it alone."

Inside the crystal sphere, Li An felt as if he were standing in a sea of stars, countless stars twinkling around him, each one containing tremendous power.

He took a deep breath, feeling the fluctuations of the Power of Stars around him, a strong yearning welling up within his heart.

Just then, the most dazzling of stars suddenly flared brilliantly and flew toward Li An.

Without hesitation, he stretched out both hands to welcome this baptism of the Power of Stars.

The Power of Stars surged into Li An's body, instantly flowing through his meridians, bringing an unprecedented sense of power.

But at the same time, a searing pain swept through his entire body, as if ten thousand blades were slicing through his flesh and bones.

Li An clenched his teeth, his eyes wide, the veins on his body bulging.

This was the trial of the Power of Stars; only by enduring could one obtain true power.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Pain and power intertwined within Li An's body as his will waged a silent contest against the Power of Stars.

Finally, when the pain reached its peak, the Power of Stars within Li An seemed to find an outlet and burst forth in an instant.

His aura instantly surged to its peak, his entire being seeming to merge as one with the Power of Stars.

"Ah——!" Li An roared toward the sky, his voice brimming with dominance and power.

The radiance around his body gradually drew inward, but those eyes shone like stars, radiating an awe-inspiring presence.

When Li An stepped out of the crystal sphere, he seemed utterly transformed, his aura utterly different from before.

Yuigahama Yui gazed at the Li An before her, an inexpressible feeling of awe and admiration welling up in her heart.

"Lord Li An..." Yuigahama Yui's voice trembled, tears glistening in her eyes.

Li An smiled gently and reached out to lightly wipe the tears from the corner of her eye: "It's alright, Yui. I have obtained the Power of Stars; we can leave now."

The Star Elder looked at Li An, his eyes full of approval: "Young man, you truly have not disappointed me. Now, you may take your friends and leave the Star Sacred Ground."

Li An nodded slightly, then took Yuigahama Yui's hand; his figure flashed and vanished on the spot.

When they reappeared, they were already outside Shi Lin.

Teacher Hirasawa Shizuka and Yukinoshita Haruno were waiting anxiously for them; seeing Li An and Yuigahama Yui return safely, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Li An, are you alright?" Teacher Hirasawa Shizuka stepped forward quickly and asked with concern.

Li An smiled and shook his head: "We're fine, we succeeded. Now, we can continue exploring the Star Sacred Ground."

Yukinoshita Haruno looked at Li An, curiosity and awe glinting in her eyes: "Lord Li An, you... you obtained the Power of Stars?"

Li An smiled faintly, did not answer directly, but raised his hand and gave a gentle wave.

A wisp of the Power of Stars gathered at his fingertip, transforming into a brilliant ray of light that shot toward the distant Shi Lin.

A massive boulder in Shi Lin was instantly shattered into pieces, scattering into a rain of rubble.

"This... this is the power of the Power of Stars?" Yukinoshita Haruno's eyes widened, her face full of disbelief.

Li An nodded, a hint of dominance in his tone: "That's right, this is the power of the Power of Stars. With it, we will surely be able to find the true treasure of the Star Sacred Ground."