Chapter 567

Star Palace.

Wu Quxing Hall, starlight serene, eternal as ever.

Space rippled slightly; Chen Mu stepped forth in one stride, his star robe unstained by dust, his aura beneath the mask deep as a still pool, steady and profound.

The brief clash with the three Heavenly Palace Beasts and Lei Ting's theft of the object left not a single wound on him; relying on the mysterious control of the Great Luo Turning Heaven Hand and the precise teleportation of the Star Seal, he returned unscathed and floating like a leaf.

He opened his palm; the item seized from the beast god's bloody altar now hung silently in midair.

The unsettling dark red aura on its outer layer dissipated quickly under Chen Mu's true energy cleansing, revealing its plain, even lifeless true form.

A roughly human-head-sized egg, entirely colored in an ancient dark bluish-gray, its surface covered with petrified, dimmed, and blurred ancient beast totems that had long lost all spiritual radiance.

A jagged, penetrating crack marred the shell, its edges gray and dead, like an incurable scar, declaring the complete exhaustion and dispersal of its internal life source.

No life fluctuations, no energy aura—cold, heavy, like a stubborn stone dredged from the depths of an ancient riverbed.

"An ancient giant beast's egg… dead."

Chen Mu's gaze beneath the mask swept calmly over the dead egg.

The Beast God organization went to such lengths—three Heavenly Palace Beast Gods stationed, that evil blood pool altar erected—for this egg, utterly devoid of vitality?

Was this beast's bloodline so extraordinary that even in death, its shell and residual patterns held incalculable value?

Or did the Beast Gods possess some secret method to revive or extract something from it?

Chen Mu attempted to probe with his true energy; the eggshell offered no response, only hardness and chill.

He confirmed that, aside from its unusual material and ancient totems, it held no direct use for him at present.

"Since it's the mission objective, I'll submit it per protocol."

Chen Mu ceased further thought, tucked away the dead egg, and communed with the Star Seal; his figure vanished from Wu Quxing Hall.

Starlit Hall.

Near the central announcement zone, a figure in dark red star robe and mask awaited—none other than Tan Lang Star Lord.

His aura was inwardly restrained, yet a hardened, battle-worn malice subtly clung around him.

Chen Mu walked from the entrance toward Tan Lang.

The two nodded slightly across the space, without words.

Tan Lang scanned Chen Mu, seemingly confirming his safety, then turned first toward the side of the hall—the "Star Platform" zone reserved for mission handovers and reward settlements.

Chen Mu followed at a slow pace.

The Star Platform zone consisted of several floating platforms formed entirely of pure starlight, each engraved with complex stellar arrays.

Through the arrays, the two exchanged their mission.

Then Chen Mu retrieved the dark bluish-gray dead egg, suspending it at the center of the Star Platform, where it was scanned and recorded by a gentle beam of starlight.

The dead egg, wrapped in starlight, slowly sank beneath the platform.

Mission completed!

Base reward: five hundred Star Points. Bonus for successfully seizing the target item: three hundred Star Points. Total: eight hundred Star Points. Per standard cooperative mission protocol, to be equally divided among participants.

Starlight flickered; both Chen Mu's and Tan Lang's Star Seals vibrated faintly, each showing four hundred Star Points credited.

Handover complete—clean and efficient.

The two nodded again; Tan Lang showed no intention to converse, his form dissolving into a streak of light that shot toward the opposite side of the hall, vanishing swiftly into the boundless starlight.

Chen Mu remained where he stood.

He turned and walked toward the information posting zone, where dozens of blank Star Columns stood.

He selected an unused Star Column and, through his Star Seal, inscribed his request within it.

"Wanted: Special locations, secret realms, trials, or treasure clues capable of effectively enhancing, refining, or aiding in the comprehension of Sword Intent. Must be genuinely effective for Star Realm Sword cultivators. Information must be detailed and reliable. Reward: Two hundred to five hundred Star Points, depending on value. Poster: Wu Qu."

Upon completion of the inscription, the Star Column's surface glowed with soft white light, and a line of stellar runes appeared.

This reward range, within the Star Palace's information trade, was mid-to-high tier—sufficient to attract Star Gods who held valuable leads but not absolute secrets.

After posting the request, Chen Mu did not linger; he activated his Star Seal and returned to Wu Quxing Hall.

The hall stood empty and silent, with starlight eternal.

Chen Mu sat cross-legged, entering his regular cultivation and wait.

Time slipped away quietly in the stillness of cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

On this day, the Star Seal resting beside him suddenly vibrated with a rhythm unlike before—light, almost joyful—and emitted a faint ring of red light.

"Hmm? The request was accepted?"

Chen Mu opened his eyes, a flicker of anticipation passing through them.

This was the notification that his posted request on the blank Star Column in the Starlit Hall had been claimed and a valid lead provided.

He rose at once, adjusted his mask, and communed with his Star Seal; starlight flashed, and his figure appeared at the entrance of the Starlit Hall.

He entered the hall and approached the Star Column where he had posted his request.

Before it stood a figure.

The person's star robe glowed a warm, dawn-tinted pale red; their face was masked—it was Hong Luan Star Lord.

Seeing her, Chen Mu's lips beneath the mask twitched almost imperceptibly.

Hong Luan Star Lord was one of the few individuals within the Star Palace with whom he had interacted—and whose impression he held favorably.

"Hong Luan Star Lord."

Chen Mu spoke first, his voice calm and flat through the mask.

"Wu Qu Star Lord!"

Hong Luan Star Lord turned; her mask seemed almost alive as a clear, melodious, slightly amused female voice rang out, "I knew it was you. Just returned to the Star Palace and saw your post—what a coincidence! I just happened to have a lead on 'Sword Intent comprehension'—felt it suited you perfectly, so I took it."

"I'm all ears," Chen Mu cut straight to the point.

"Quite so." The Red Phoenix Star Lord didn't drag it out; he stepped closer, lowered his voice slightly, tinged with the thrill of sharing a secret, "You've heard of the Huang Long Road, right? That region bordering the Great Wilderness Marshes is full of toxic mists and swamps, wild ancient forests."

Chen Mu nodded.

The Huang Long Road lies in the northwest of the Zhou Empire, bordering the Western Heaven Road.

"In the southwestern part of the Huang Long Road, near the edge of 'Ten Thousand Poisons Ridge,' there is a treacherous gorge called 'Demon Wind Gorge.'"

Hong Luan continued, "That place is perennially plagued by howling dark winds, visible to the naked eye, with terrifying destructive power. The gorge is teeming with poisonous insects and thickened malevolent energy; deeper inside, it is said there are natural labyrinth arrays and earth-sha traps—ordinary cultivators dare not venture in."

"But roughly three thousand years ago, a mighty sword cultivator of the Ten Thousand Forms Realm, known by the honorific 'Purple霄 Sword Sovereign,' engaged in a life-or-death battle with a formidable foe deep within the Demon Wind Gorge. That battle shook heaven and earth; it is said to have stirred the earth veins and altered parts of the mountain terrain."

Purple霄 Sword Sovereign?