Chapter 386: Light Transmission Brings Contempt

In the endless void connecting the present world to the Star River battlefield, unseen by all, a towering building stretched from heaven to earth.

Countless starlights stretched like tentacles toward all directions.

Yet countless starlights also returned from all directions, as if probing every change.

This was the main tower of Zhaixing Tower, unknown to the mortal world.

The top floor of this main tower was built by the Supreme Dao Emperor himself to suppress this world.

Though called the top floor, the roof of Zhaixing Tower's main tower resembled the apex of the starry dome, where countless dim and bright starlights shimmered and flowed, revealing the myriad changes of this world.

This world underwent countless changes with every breath, causing the starry dome's apex to glitter like a sea of stars—magnificent beyond compare.

Suddenly, in the southern region of the starry dome, a star ignited like a spark, swiftly rising above the rest.

Within mere breaths, its brightness surged beyond all others.

In that instant, the brightness of the entire southern quadrant of the starry dome surged dramatically.

Previously, the brightest cluster of stars lay in the east.

But as that single star fully ignited, the brightest region of this world's starry dome instantly shifted to the south.

The moment this star brightened was precisely when the leader of the Bowu Divine Sect broke through to the ninth rank.

Due to this extreme shift in brightness, the entire main tower of Zhaixing Tower trembled slightly.

Within the vast star-sea, a presence stirred awake by the tower's tremor—a flash of light crossed the Star River and arrived above the starry dome of this world.

"An anomaly in Zhaixing Tower's main tower?"

"A star fully ignited?"

"Has a disciple broken through to the ninth rank?"

"That's quite fast."

Within that speck of starlight, a calm voice carried a thread of delight—it was the Supreme Dao Emperor, the creator of Zhaixing Tower's main tower.

Though long departed from this world, due to Zhaixing Tower, he could still sense major events occurring within it.

But when he attempted to connect with Zhaixing Tower's main tower to examine the details, the starlight shuddered abruptly.

Not one of his lineage disciples!

The disciple among his lineage with potential to break through to the ninth rank had not yet ignited a star.

This disciple who broke through was not his own?

Could it be one of theirs?

After a moment's thought, the Supreme Dao Emperor flicked out two specks of starlight, which instantly vanished into the star-sea.

Where he stood, the starlight shimmered and transformed into a grand palace; he sat upon a cushion within, yet remained only a hazy silhouette of starlight, barely discernible—a single flywhisk visible.

Above, no sun or moon; time shifted endlessly.

Perhaps a finger-snap, perhaps days later, two specks of starlight leapt from the Star River, one after another, falling into the palace of starlight.

The Supreme Dao Emperor swept his flywhisk—a gesture of greeting.

"I offer my congratulations to both of you," the Supreme Dao Emperor said as the two seated.

"What is there to celebrate?"

The Xuan Cheng Emperor and Hua Qing Emperor both paused, puzzled.

"A few days ago, the Dao-suppressing artifact I left in this world stirred—then a star surged skyward like the moon rising. I sensed it briefly and realized someone had broken through to the ninth rank, forming their Destiny Star and shifting the world's fortune."

"Yet none of my lineage disciples broke through."

"Naturally, it must be one of your disciples—I came to offer congratulations," said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

"This—"

Upon hearing this, the Xuan Cheng Emperor and Hua Qing Emperor simultaneously activated their secret methods to sense. After several breaths, both opened their eyes—starlight streamed from their pupils—but both shook their heads.

Instantly, the Supreme Dao Emperor was startled. "Not my disciple. Not yours either. Yet the Destiny Star rose like the moon."

He swept his flywhisk, projecting the starry dome's scene of Zhaixing Tower's main tower before them.

The several Dao Emperors exchanged glances.

A Destiny Star had indeed formed and risen—but it belonged to none of their three lineages.

"Supreme Dao, this world is your foundation for attaining Dao—you know best! If not one of our three lineages' disciples, who else could form a Destiny Star like the moon?" asked Hua Qing Emperor.

The Supreme Dao Emperor paused, then said, "You both know this world well—it is extraordinarily complex, with deep origins and ancient roots. Otherwise, you two would not have schemed for millennia to challenge me."

The Xuan Cheng Emperor and Hua Qing Emperor nodded in unison.

"Therefore, the lineages capable of forming a Destiny Star in this world are not limited to our three!"

"But now, merely forming a Destiny Star like the moon is not enough."

"If it advances further—like the sun traversing the heavens—then after millennia of struggle among us three, we'll have merely served as servants to another. Would we not be laughed at by our peers?" said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

"Indeed! But I never expected one of my disciples to be so unworthy! Nine times out of ten, he took the petty path of power struggles and forgot the simplicity of the Great Dao," said Hua Qing Emperor.

"We finally opened the mountain gate, only to find a bunch of useless fools! If not for this world's uniqueness, I'd ignore it entirely," said Xuan Cheng Emperor.

The Supreme Dao Emperor swept his flywhisk but said nothing.

"Supreme Dao, what will you do?" After a long silence, Xuan Cheng Emperor suddenly asked.

"This is my foundation for attaining Dao—I cannot let it become another's inheritance. But I previously made an agreement with you two, hence I summoned you."

"I intend to guide and assist," said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

"How will you guide?"

Hua Qing Emperor frowned. "We have already transcended the Middle World. We cannot re-enter to guide directly—our influence is severely limited. Even issuing decrees is bound by Heaven's Dao—we can only place distant moves."

"Supreme Dao, this world is your foundation for attaining Dao—you must have a way," said Xuan Cheng Emperor.

Hearing this, the Supreme Dao Emperor did not refuse. "Indeed. Before I left this world to attain Dao, I left behind Zhaixing Tower's main tower to help future generations suppress this realm. Within it resides one Star Spirit—an artifact spirit."

"But when I departed, fearing the spirit might turn against its master, I imposed severe restrictions."

"Previously, I observed this realm and found my lineage split into several branches, each serving its own master. I assume yours are the same."

"Though we cannot command them directly, we can use the Star Spirit to guide and assist—this is possible," said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

"How?" asked Hua Qing Emperor.

"Earlier, I sensed a Divine Dao essence entering this realm, which enabled this sudden ninth-rank breakthrough and the formation of the Destiny Star."

"This method is currently unworkable."

"But now, someone has paved the way for us—proving this method is viable."

"Thus, we may also descend Divine Dao essence to aid those with affinity, helping them achieve the ninth rank and form a Destiny Star."

"At least, we can contend with this rogue Destiny Star, preventing it from becoming a sun that traverses the heavens and robbing us of this realm," said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

Upon hearing this, Xuan Cheng Emperor hesitated. "But the Dao must not be lightly transmitted!"

"And how can we ensure the Divine Dao essence lands in our own disciples' hands?" Hua Qing Emperor added, uncertain.

In truth, they feared the Supreme Dao Emperor would manipulate the process.

After all, he was the final distributor; they were merely providers. "I understand your doubts, and I know the Dao must not be lightly transmitted—otherwise, it will be despised."

The Supreme Dao Emperor swept his flywhisk. "I propose lifting the Star Spirit's restrictions and entrusting this task to the Star Spirit itself. You may also inject divine awareness to monitor its actions."

"As for the method—"

"As the Destiny Star rises like the moon, the many secrets long sealed in this world will naturally unseal."

"We shall cast the Divine Dao essence, letting the Star Spirit guide all participants."

"Those with affinity, those with great ability, shall receive the Divine Dao essence."

"This fulfills the principle: 'The Dao must not be lightly transmitted.'"

"It also mirrors the spirit of a great age of contention."

"What do you think?"

Xuan Cheng Emperor and Hua Qing Emperor exchanged glances, then asked, "Our access to this Star Spirit is only monitoring?"

"Not only that—you may jointly set the Star Spirit's operational rules with me," said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

"If so, then this plan shall proceed!"

"We cannot let this rogue star become a sun that traverses the heavens—otherwise, all our efforts will be in vain," said Xuan Cheng Emperor.

"I agree. But when setting the rules, do not make them too simple."

"The Dao must not be lightly transmitted—light transmission brings contempt!"

"Naturally."

"Then let us begin."

"Good. You two must provide the Divine Dao essence, a thread of divine awareness, and ten percent of your authority—all to be injected into Zhaixing Tower's main tower," said the Supreme Dao Emperor.

Immediately, a vast and majestic aura rose.

When his divine awareness fully contacted and locked onto the fragment within the Star Dipper True God's statue, Xu Jin's joy was indescribable.

He fully understood—and his doubts vanished.

Xu Jin had long wondered: why could the Star Dipper True God's statue both absorb and store immense star power, yet also attract and store vast divine soul energy?

He had even studied the two statues he personally shattered.

He wanted to uncover the mystery within the Star Dipper True God's statue!

But whether the Qiuye Island statue or the Huoyun Star Region statue—especially the one in Huoyun—the statues were nothing but clay and wood.

Ordinary building materials, nothing more.

This time, in the Lanshan Star Region, Xu Jin had intended to capture the Star Official Deng Ruiyang alive and question him about the statue's mystery.

He planned it as preparation for some future idea.

But this fool had abysmal combat awareness—pathetically fragile—and was instantly obliterated.

It prevented Xu Jin from further interrogating the method of constructing this idol.

But now, when Xu Jin's divine sense probed into the idol's interior and encountered the fragments radiating vast, majestic energy, everything became clear.

The ability to store stellar power and divine soul energy had nothing to do with the idol itself—the root lay entirely in these mysterious white fragments.

As soon as Xu Jin directed his divine sense into the white fragment, he immediately sensed a vast quantity of stellar power and divine soul energy within.

Moreover, within the white fragment was a divine soul imprint.

Without hesitation, Xu Jin unleashed a single Strike to Shatter Evil.

One strike failed to shatter it.

Xu Jin then unleashed five consecutive Strikes to Shatter Evil, finally smashing the divine soul imprint—immediately, a torrent of divine soul energy surged in, beginning to refine it like a stellar artifact.

Inside the Star Worship Sect's celestial domain, the Five Directions True Person who had just begun cultivation suddenly shuddered and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The next instant, he spat out another mouthful of blood.

After spitting five times, his aura finally stabilized.

"Lord, the divine soul imprint within the bone fragments from the Lanshan Star Region has been shattered—it will surely be refined soon." The True Person in charge of the bone fragments reported.

"True Person, you've endured hardship. Once the truth is uncovered, if the mastermind is indeed the reclusive True Person Chai Ce, I will dismantle his bones and shatter his soul. If not, I will still find the true culprit and avenge today's insult."

As he spoke, the Star Dipper Divine Seal atop the sect lord's head drew a thread of starlight from the Star Dipper True God idol and infused it into the Five Directions True Person's body. Within just a few breaths, his aura rapidly recovered, and his complexion turned ruddy.

Within ten thousand meters of the Star Dipper True God idol standing at the center of the sect's celestial domain, tens of thousands of devotees knelt, bowing toward the idol, praying devoutly.

In addition, countless alien devotees also knelt and prayed there.

From the sect lord's perspective, countless threads of power flowed from these devotees' kneeling prayers into the Star Dipper True God idol, coalescing into an ocean of energy!

This was the true foundation of his Star Worship Sect!

In the Lanshan Star Region.

Xu Jin spent nearly half an hour before fully refining the mysterious white fragment.

After complete refinement, Xu Jin was stunned once again.

The space within the white fragment seemed infinite—beyond the vast stellar power and divine soul energy already stored within, it appeared capable of holding even more.

After refinement, whenever Xu Jin willed it, the immense stellar power and mysterious energy within could be summoned forth.

Currently, Xu Jin could only make the white bone fragment emit stellar power, but could not make it absorb stellar power.

He could sense vast amounts of stellar power existing outside, yet could not draw it in.

"There must be some special method to draw in or activate stellar power—I simply don't know it yet."

"It seems I should capture a Star Official alive when the chance arises, to fully uncover the secrets of the Star Worship Sect. If I ever get the opportunity, I might even create my own divine soul source."

The white fragment was neither metal nor jade; after observing it for a long while, Xu Jin felt it was more like bone.

If it was bone, whose bone could it be?

What kind of being possessed such power?

Xu Jin had been slowly drawing upon the divine soul energy within the white bone fragment, but the stellar power could be used immediately.

Following his original plan, Xu Jin began drawing stellar power from the white bone fragment to rapidly and directly elevate the eleven star cores of the Star Officials that had not yet reached their peak.

Less than half an hour into cultivation, hundreds of alien warriors arrived.

It was the Fire Spirit King leading the elite of the Fire Spirit Clan.

Xu Jin smiled.

Perfect—they had come to him; he might as well deal with them.

Especially the Fire Spirit King—would he possess the Fire Image Star Pattern?

Fifteen minutes later, after capturing the Fire Spirit King, Xu Jin laughed when he learned the fellow possessed the Fire Image Star Pattern—though only at Fifth Rank Lower.

The Fire Image Star Pattern was finally secured!

"Concentrate the fifteen inherited bloodlines of the Fire Image Star Pattern for me, and I'll spare your life!" Xu Jin commanded.

(End of Chapter)