Chapter 98: The Secret of Starfall

The trip to the Ghost Market, while failing to strike directly at the Shadow Tower's nest, had resulted in the killing of three gold-medal assassins, especially one at the peak of the Late-Stage Soul Formation. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Shadow Tower and once again demonstrated Lin Xuan's tough methods and unfathomable strength to all factions in the Imperial Capital.

Returning to Qingyun Cottage, Lin Xuan first carefully inspected the storage bags obtained from the three assassins. In addition to a considerable number of spirit stones, various insidious hidden weapons, and elixirs, he found a black token made of special material, with a blurred ghost head carved on the front and a number "Seven" on the back. This should be an internal identity token of the Shadow Tower, which might come in handy later.

The biggest gain was a jade slip recording the mission found on the lead assassin. The content of the jade slip was encrypted, but how could that stump Lin Xuan? He forcibly washed it with Chaos spiritual power, and within moments, the restriction was broken.

The information inside the jade slip made his gaze narrow.

The mission target pointed clearly to him—Lin Xuan. Mission requirements: capture alive if possible, to obtain all items and inheritances related to "Chaos" and "Stars" on his person; if capture alive was impossible, kill without mercy, ensuring his soul and spirit were completely destroyed, leaving no future trouble. Mission level: Top Secret, Grade A-Superior. Issuer: Anonymous, but guaranteed through the Zhao Clan's channels with a partial deposit paid.

"The Zhao Clan!" Cold light flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes; it was indeed them! And the mission level was actually "Grade A-Superior," showing just how highly the Shadow Tower, or rather the employer behind them, valued him.

In addition, the jade slip also contained some "analysis" information about him, including descriptions of some of the methods he had revealed when he struck in Black Rock City, Star Burial Valley, and Ancient Green Wood City, as well as an assessment that his strength might have reached "Late-Stage Soul Formation, mastering suspected domain power, and possessing special Chaos-attribute spiritual power." The detail of the information made even Lin Xuan feel a trace of shock; the Shadow Tower's intelligence capability was truly not to be underestimated.

"It seems the Zhao Clan is determined to fight me to the end." After memorizing the contents of the jade slip, Lin Xuan destroyed it casually. He was not afraid; instead, it stirred up an even stronger fighting spirit. The crazier the enemy, the more it showed they felt threatened.

After dealing with these, he turned his attention back to the unknown Star Iron. The battle outside the Ghost Market, as well as the previous battle with Ye Chen on the Dao Discussion Platform, had given him new insights into his own power, especially the use of Star Power.

He sat cross-legged, placing the Star Iron in his palm, the Chaos Dao Seed rotating slowly, pure Chaos spiritual power mixed with a trace of Star Core origin carefully channeled into the Star Iron.

"Hum—"

The Star Iron was activated again, and that incomplete three-dimensional star map was projected, rotating slowly. Unlike before, this time the star map seemed a bit clearer, especially one star that had been extremely dim, which now glowed slightly, producing a stronger resonance with the Chaos Dao Seed in his dantian!

A larger, yet relatively more orderly stream of information flowed into Lin Xuan's sea of consciousness.

This time, the information was no longer just vague coordinates and incomplete body-refining techniques, but included a more complete guiding technique, as well as fragmented descriptions of that coordinate location!

The guiding technique was named "Star-Guiding Technique," not an attack or defense technique, but a secret method specifically used for connecting to specific star power and opening some kind of portal or beacon. And that place pointed to by the coordinates was referred to in the information as—the outskirts of the "Starfall Mystical Realm," a ruin called the "Star-Gazing Platform"!

"Starfall Mystical Realm!" Lin Xuan's heart shook violently! This was exactly the elusive small world mentioned in the Tianji Pavilion jade slip where the Star Palace mountain gate was located!

This piece of Star Iron was actually a token or key to open a ruin on the outskirts of the Starfall Mystical Realm?!

That incomplete "Star Body-Refining Technique" seemed to be just the basic part that could only be obtained in full inheritance on that "Star-Gazing Platform"!

The information also mentioned that the Starfall Mystical Realm was not completely closed, and its outer barrier would have periodic weak points due to the movement of the stars in the heavens. With the help of the "Star-Guiding Technique" and this Star Iron (referred to in the information as the "Starfall Token"), one could open a short-lived passage to the "Star-Gazing Platform" at a specific time and place!

"The next passage opening cycle is..." Lin Xuan quickly deduced based on the star movement laws in the information, "Three months later! The location is... 'Star-Falling Lake,' three thousand li north of the Imperial Capital!"

Everything seemed to be connected!

The Star Palace hunted down the Azure Luan Feng Xi to take its origin to sacrifice to the Star Tower and stabilize the Starfall Mystical Realm. And the "Starfall Token" in his hand was the key to opening the ruins on the outskirts of its Mystical Realm! Perhaps the Star Palace successor at that time wasn't entirely for the Azure Luan, but might have sensed the aura of the Star Iron?

"Star Palace... Starfall Mystical Realm... Star-Gazing Platform..." Lin Xuan's gaze burned. This was undoubtedly a huge opportunity! As an ancient orthodoxy, the Star Palace's Mystical Realm must hide countless secrets and treasures, especially the possible complete inheritance regarding the Primordial Dao Ancestor and the Star Dao!

But at the same time, this also meant huge risks. Once he tried to open the passage, he would inevitably attract the attention of the Star Palace, and might even face Star Palace powerhouses directly. Moreover, the Zhao Clan and the Shadow Tower were watching from the sidelines.

"Opportunity and risk coexist..." Lin Xuan pondered for a moment, a trace of determination flashing in his eyes. "This Star-Gazing Platform, I must go! However, I need to make full preparations."

He needed to improve his strength as much as possible within these three months and prepare means to deal with various emergencies. At the same time, he had to use this time to further uncover the movements of the Star Palace and the Shadow Tower.

In the following days, Lin Xuan entered a state of staying behind closed doors again. He spent most of his time in Qingyun Cottage, trying to use the "Star-Guiding Technique" to trigger the power of the Star Iron (Starfall Token) to deepen his connection with it; while bitterly cultivating the fusion of the "Universal Star Technique (Fragment)" and the Chaos Dao Seed, constantly consolidating his foundation, and steadily moving toward the peak of the Late-Stage Soul Formation.

Saintess Yun Yao's injuries had also basically healed, and her strength had recovered to about eighty percent. Blue flames flowed around her body, and she was exceptionally divine. She would occasionally fly out of the cottage and circle over the Imperial Capital, both to stretch her muscles and as an invisible deterrent, making many covetous people dare not act rashly. The combination of Lin Xuan and the Azure Luan had already become a unique landscape in the Imperial Capital.

During this period, many people tried to visit Lin Xuan. There were aristocratic families wanting to recruit him, sects hoping to make friends, and cultivators who were purely curious. But Lin Xuan declined them all on the grounds of closed-door cultivation, only paying slight attention to the visiting cards sent by the scholar from the Tianji Academy and Huangfu Hao, but he did not respond immediately.

He knew that now was not the time for extensive socializing; his own strength was the foundation.

On this day, he was practicing the various changes of the newly comprehended "Star-Nether Lightning Prison" in the courtyard, controlling the strands of dark-purple lightning as if they were his own arms, when he suddenly heard a steady sound of footsteps outside the courtyard, stopping at the door.

The visitor's aura was thick, carrying an official majesty, not like those who had been spying before.

"Imperial City Division Commandant, Wang Gang, by the Imperial Lord's oral decree, invites Fellow Daoist Lin Xuan to enter the palace for a chat." A loud voice rang out outside the courtyard.

The Imperial Lord's oral decree? Enter the palace?

Lin Xuan's movements paused, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes. Imperial Lord Huangfu Tianji, this supreme existence who ruled the Tianyuan Imperial Dynasty, actually wanted to see him?

Was it a blessing or a curse?

He pondered for a moment, tidied his robes, and waved his hand to open the courtyard gate.

Outside the door stood a middle-aged general wearing golden spirit armor, with a resolute face and an aura like an abyss or the sea. His cultivation had actually reached the peak of the Late-Stage Soul Formation, only one step away from Spirit Transformation! It was indeed the Imperial City Division Commandant Wang Gang. Behind him were two teams of elite Imperial City guards.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, please." Wang Gang saw Lin Xuan, cupped his hands in a salute, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, but there was a trace of scrutiny and curiosity deep in his eyes. Obviously, he had also heard about the Dao Discussion Platform.

"Sorry to trouble Commandant Wang to lead the way." Lin Xuan's expression was calm, but his thoughts were flying. Why did the Imperial Lord suddenly summon him? Was it because he had defeated Ye Chen and demonstrated enough value? Or was it because he had killed people from the Shadow Tower in the Ghost Market, attracting the attention of the Imperial Family? Or... was it related to that Starfall Token?

Regardless, the trip to the Imperial Palace was destined not to be ordinary.

He glanced at Saintess Yun Yao on his shoulder. Saintess Yun Yao understood, blue light erupting, and she restored herself to her divine form of several zhang in size.

Lin Xuan stepped onto Saintess Yun Yao's back.

"Let's go."

The Azure Luan let out a long cry, spread its wings, and rose, leading the way under Wang Gang and the guards toward the most majestic and mysterious Imperial City in the center of the Imperial Capital.

The Imperial City summons—was it an opportunity or a new whirlpool?

Lin Xuan looked calmly at the magnificent palace complex with dragon energy soaring into the sky, his heart fearless, only his Dao heart growing firmer. ===== CHAPTER 99 =====