Chapter 78 Behind every seemingly unwilling touch from the scheming woman lies…
Starlight surged on the fragments of the law, creating a path for the two who had finished their comprehension.
Bai Ye and Huo Lan stepped onto the starlight passage one after the other, heading towards the next fragment of the law.
She had initially thought that, with Xiao Jin's help, she would be the one who comprehended the fragments the fastest. Unexpectedly, that flea from the Hundred Refinements Sect had already surpassed them by several fragments.
"How can he be so fast?" Bai looked around. The old guys were still stuck on the first star fragment, while only that big flea was far ahead, as if comprehending the laws was a piece of cake for him.
“Look at the astrolabe in his hand,” Huo Lan reminded him.
Bai also stared intently and saw that the other person held an ancient star chart in their palm, with stars flowing on it, perfectly matching the trajectory of the Zhou Tian Star Array.
"Is this the foundation of a weapon-refining sect?" Bai was somewhat astonished. "They can even refine treasures like this?"
"Don't be foolish. That star chart is clearly an ancient artifact, at least tens of thousands of years old. Even the Hundred Refinements Sect shouldn't be able to replicate it now. Moreover, such an ancient artifact must have a limited number of evolutions, so he can't be too far ahead."
“Yes, relying on external things is ultimately not as good as relying on yourself.” Bai also nodded in agreement. Although she also had her own advantages, at least she had also gained some insights herself.
The two stepped onto a new fragment of the law once again, enveloped in starlight.
Having learned from the first experience, Bai sat down cross-legged this time and released his divine sense to imprint the law. The backlash struck, causing him to vomit blood. Xiao Lü repaired his injuries, while Xiao Jin began to dismantle the law.
After going through this process, comprehending even a single fragment is as easy as spitting out a mouthful of blood. And as for spitting out blood, you get used to it after a while.
As Bai's understanding of the laws of the stars deepened, he increasingly felt the power of the Way of the Stars.
Previously, when she absorbed the first fragment of the law, she merely witnessed the birth of a star. Now, comprehending this Zhou Tian Star Array, she is personally participating in the construction of the universe.
The difficulty involved is beyond description, just as two-dimensional beings can never comprehend three-dimensional beings.
With the help of Xiao Jin, this two-dimensional being, Bai Ye managed to overcome the seemingly insurmountable difficulty of the Star Laws.
After Bai Ye's comprehension speed increased, Huo Lan's speed also increased significantly. She instantly realized that the other party must have been waiting for her earlier, so they deliberately slowed down.
The two figures traversed the fragments of laws, and in just a few days, they passed the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect.
Bai didn't take the other party seriously, but the guy seemed to have his eye on the two of them. When he saw them appear, the Hundred Refinement Sect's big flea was so angry that his eyes turned red. "It's you again! How dare you show your face in front of me?"
Bai Ye, who originally didn't want to cause trouble, couldn't hold back any longer. She turned to look at the person and said, "Are you out of your mind? Is this Immortal Emperor's inheritance your family's? Why do you bark like a dog?"
"Aaaaah, I'm going to kill you!" The Hundred Refinement Sect's giant flea was furious, but he was helpless against the two of them.
Once anyone steps onto a fragment of the law, they cannot leave unless they have fully comprehended the law itself; they cannot even fight if they wish.
Bai rolled his eyes and mimicked the other person's voice, shouting, "Ahhh, I'm going to kill you! Come and kill me, you big idiot!"
"You just wait!!!" The Hundred Refinement Sect's giant flea said menacingly, his face contorted.
Huo Lan shook her head and chuckled, "Alright, don't waste your energy."
She pulled on Bai Ye's sleeve and stepped into the next fragment. Starlight enveloped them like flowing water, isolating them from the noise of the outside world.
......
Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.
The people inside the Immortal Emperor's remains were already exhausted. The continuous comprehension of the laws had pushed everyone's souls to their limits.
The deeper one goes, the more obscure and difficult to understand the laws contained in those star fragments become. Often, it takes several days to comprehend even one fragment.
Unlike the others who were exhausted, Bai Ye and Huo Lan seemed extremely relaxed.
The two sat facing each other on the star fragments, with a small jade table between them.
On the table were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion: spirit fruits, roasted meat, a jar of chilled wine emitting a cold aura, and several delicate snacks.
Huo Lan leaned lazily against the table, her slender fingers holding a bunch of crystal grapes, occasionally picking one and putting it into her mouth.
Bai finished a piece of grilled meat, picked up the wine glass on the table, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh, "Ha~ After studying, I really need to have a big meal. I feel like I've come back to life."
Huo Lan chuckled and said, "I told you before that there was no need to rush. It was you who insisted on pushing forward without rest, driving those guys behind you crazy."
Behind the two, several old men and the Hundred Refinement Sect's big flea were all clutching their heads in pain, their hair disheveled, their eyes bloodshot, looking as if their life force was about to be exhausted.
Even so, I still can't keep up with their pace.
Seeing Bai and Huolan eating and drinking so leisurely at this moment made everyone so angry that they almost vomited blood.
"Never mind them, let's eat. Don't just eat fruit, eat some meat. Let me tell you, when you're tired from studying, you need to eat meat to replenish your energy." After Bai finished speaking, he grabbed a piece of roasted meat and stuffed it into Huo Lan's hand.
The two were not as relaxed as they appeared. The long period of meditation had taken a huge toll on their souls, otherwise they would not have chosen to take a short break to replenish their energy.
After eating and drinking his fill, Bai casually put away the table, relaxed his body, lay back on the star fragments, closed his eyes slightly, and lazily rubbed his stomach.
"Want to take a nap?" Huo Lan lay down beside her and asked softly.
Bai also half-opened his eyes and looked at her. Under the starlight, Huo Lan's delicate features seemed to become much more blurred, as if she were a woman he hadn't seen for a long time.
She reached out to touch it, but then realized halfway there that it was Huo Lan, not Zhong Jiuli. She mumbled a "hmm," and said, "Stay away from me, let me take a nap."
Huo Lan found it amusing to look at her dazed appearance; the more this stinky tiger tried to keep her away, the more determined she became to get closer.
She grabbed Bai Ye's arm and wrapped it around her neck, then gently nestled into her embrace.
The starry sea stretched endlessly, silent and still. The two slept in each other's arms, their hair intertwined, inseparable.
When Bai woke up, the first thing she felt was the warm, soft touch in her arms. Huo Lan was nestled in her arms, her slender waist held close by Bai's embrace, their bodies pressed tightly together, so close that they could feel each other's heartbeats through the thin fabric of their clothes.
For a moment, Bai was also a little dazed. She couldn't remember when they had hugged each other.
"You had just fallen asleep when she snuggled into your arms." Xiao Wang explained her confusion.
Bai also fell silent; she had discovered a very serious problem.
She never seemed to truly resist Huo Lan's approach, from their first meeting when he stopped her, to his repeated crossing of her bottom line.
In fact, every seemingly reluctant touch concealed her indulgence. If she truly didn't want to, Huo Lan would have no way to get close.
There's only one answer: she's a truly awful woman!
This realization shocked Bai as well. She and Zhong Jiuli had only been separated for a little over a year, yet she could now sleep peacefully in the arms of another woman.
"What are you thinking about? Your heart is beating so fast?" Huo Lan propped herself up on her palms and looked down at her.
Bai shook her head blankly; she needed time to process this terrible fact.
Seeing her absent-minded appearance, Huo Lan chuckled and reached out to tap her cheek. "Did you sleep so much that you're silly?"
"I have a Daoist partner now." Bai said this and rolled out of Huo Lan's encirclement like a gourd.
After putting some distance between them, Bai got up from the ground. She straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, avoided Huo Lan's gaze, and looked into the distance. "Let's go now that we've rested enough. Those people are catching up soon."
Huo Lan slowly stood up, a slight smile on her lips, and said leisurely, "Why did Fellow Daoist Bai bring up Daoist partners again? I didn't say anything just now."
Bai felt uncomfortable under her gaze, so he turned around and walked directly towards the next fragment of starlight, almost as if he were fleeing in panic.
Huo Lan watched her hastily departing figure, her smile deepening.
The two figures gradually disappeared into the distance through the starlight passage, while the cultivators trapped on the star fragments behind them practically spit fire in their eyes.
They were extremely unwilling to accept this. They had already arrived at the place of inheritance, but they were going to miss out on the Immortal Emperor's inheritance because their comprehension speed was not fast enough. This was even more unacceptable than never having entered at all.
The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect gripped the star chart tightly in his hand. The star chart, which was originally in good condition, was now covered with cracks.
"Everyone, if we continue to fight like this, we are destined to have no chance of inheriting the Immortal Emperor's legacy." The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect looked at the people behind him. He was not actually much behind Bai Ye and the other two, but he knew that he could not catch up with them.
"Bullshit!" the red-haired giant roared. "When those two old geezers from your Hundred Refinements Sect blocked our way earlier, why didn't you talk about cooperation? Now that we can't catch up with them, you suddenly want to cooperate?"
“Exactly, who knows what tricks you’re up to this time,” one of the cultivators chimed in.
The old man carrying the coffin, who had been immersed in comprehending the laws, opened his eyes and looked at everyone, saying, "Everyone, please don't be in a hurry. Let's listen to Young Master Bai's suggestion before making a decision."
A hint of heartache flashed in the eyes of the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect, but he still raised the star chart in his hand. Although the star chart had cracks, it could still be used after repairing it when he got back if he didn't force it to be activated.
"This object is called the Zhou Tian Star Chart. It is a relic left behind by the Immortal Emperor. It can deduce the changes of the stars in the heavens and can also affect the operation of the great formation."
Everyone was shocked upon hearing this, even the red-haired giant suppressed his anger and stared intently at the star chart.
Seeing that everyone was interested, the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect pressed his advantage and said, "As long as you all help me activate this plate, we can go straight to the place where the Immortal Emperor's inheritance is located."
“Young Master Bai, you must not be trying to deceive us.” A cultivator dressed in blue robes questioned, “If we could truly reach the location of the inheritance, wouldn’t your Hundred Refinements Sect monopolize the opportunity?”
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over them, instantly sobering everyone up. Indeed, there's no such thing as a free lunch; if something does fall from the sky, it's bound to be poisoned.
The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect scoffed, "Do you all think that I, the young master, would be willing to joke around with an imperial weapon?"
“Each time this star chart is activated, it requires the full strength of several Mahayana cultivators. Do you all think that I, the young master, do not want to activate it? Moreover, this Zhou Tian star chart will disintegrate after at most one more cycle.”
The crowd, who had initially retreated, now looked at the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect with gleaming greed in their eyes.
That's the gambler's mentality. Even though they know there's a high chance of dying, they can't resist their greed and try to win that one percent chance.
"The Immortal Emperor's inheritance is right before our eyes, yet you are all so hesitant and timid. I, the young master, have chosen the wrong allies." After saying this, the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect put away the star chart and turned to leave.
"Wait!" a young cultivator dressed in white shouted. "Young Master Bai, please wait. I am willing to lend you a hand."
The shout shattered the silence, and soon another cultivator stepped forward, saying, "I'm willing too."
"Me too!"
"Count me in."
A chorus of responses echoed across the starry sky, and the initially hesitant cultivators responded one after another.
The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect had his back to everyone, his smile growing increasingly sinister. When he turned around, he had returned to normal, still with the same calm and composed demeanor as before.
"You are all indeed wise men. However, we are all currently trapped on star fragments, and each of us has a different star path, so we are isolated from each other and it is difficult to work together." The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect paused deliberately at this point.
Once everyone's attention was focused on him, he continued, "Fortunately, this item can be used as a conduit for blood essence. Each of you only needs to offer a drop of blood essence and drip it into the array plate to mobilize the spiritual power within your body and activate the great array."
Upon hearing that essence blood was required, hesitation and wariness flashed across everyone's faces. The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect took in everyone's reactions and sneered inwardly. Sure enough, there weren't many fools among those who could obtain the Starfall Token.
"It seems you all still have concerns, so I, the young master, will demonstrate first." After saying that, he lightly drew a line with his fingertip, and a drop of bright red blood immediately seeped out.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the drop of blood essence slowly fell. The moment it touched the array plate, countless tiny starlight rose from the plate, forming a miniature star map in the air.
One spot was particularly bright, which was the location of the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect.
"Have you all seen it clearly?" The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect stood with his hands behind his back, raising his chin as he looked at the crowd.
Several young cultivators, unable to contain themselves any longer, immediately bit their fingertips and flung the blood beads toward the star chart.
As the blood droplets fell one after another, the stars on the star chart were lit up one by one. Each time a star lit up, an extremely thin red thread connected the corresponding cultivator to the star chart.
Seeing this, everyone followed suit.
The only ones who could remain calm in the arena were probably just a few old monsters, including the old man carrying the coffin.
The star map in the sky became increasingly brilliant, and many star map positions had been lit up. The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect could no longer suppress the smile in his eyes, and he laughed wildly.
"Many thanks to all fellow Daoists for your great help! Once I obtain the Immortal Emperor's inheritance, I will certainly offer a proper sacrifice to all of you departed souls."
The red-haired giant's expression changed. As one of the people with the highest cultivation level in the room, he was the first to notice that the bloodline connected to the star chart was draining his life force.
"Hmph, a mere trick." The burly man sneered, drawing his long sword. Even without the aid of spiritual power, he still unleashed a crimson blade of light imbued with bloodlust.
The blade's light landed on the star chart, but it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, leaving no ripples. The star chart remained motionless, continuing to absorb the cultivators' essence and blood.
Those cultivators with slightly lower cultivation levels were the first to give out.
"Ahhh, help!"
A series of shrill screams rang out as the cultivators' bodies withered and shrank at a visible speed, their cultivation and essence turning into streams of light and disappearing into the star chart.
The red-haired giant was extremely powerful. Even under these circumstances, he was still able to resist. His muscles were bulging, and red mist was rising around him. His powerful blood energy formed a blood-red barrier on his body, which blocked the star plate from devouring him.
The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect caught a glimpse of this scene, and a sinister look flashed in his eyes. These body-refining cultivators were indeed troublesome, too tough to crack.
He secretly regretted it; he couldn't wait any longer and had to get to the core of the formation first. He quickly formed hand seals, and the star chart that had been suspended in mid-air instantly returned to his side.
The moment the star chart moved, several powerful auras erupted simultaneously.
Black smoke billowed from the coffin behind the old man carrying the coffin. The black smoke roared and transformed into black chains that tightly bound the star chart.
"Young Master Bai, it's not a good habit to eat alone." The green-robed cultivator sneered, his natal flying sword coiling around the star chart like a dragon.
The red-haired giant was even more ferocious. He laughed loudly, grabbed the crimson bloodline with his backhand, and his blood and energy exploded instantly.
"Get the hell over here!" the big man roared, and with a sudden burst of strength in his arms, he used the momentum of the flying star disk to forcibly pull himself off the star fragments.
The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect was ashen-faced. These old foxes had indeed kept their trump cards up their sleeves. They had clearly planned this all along, intending to use his star chart to force their way into the formation.
Seeing that the natal chart is being pulled by various forces, it may collapse on the spot if it is not activated soon.
Left with no other choice, he gritted his teeth and activated the secret technique. The star chart suddenly took off, dragging a long line of hitchhikers towards the core of the great formation.
Bai Ye and Huo Lan were unaware of the changes that had occurred behind them, as they had already stepped onto the Star Fragment and were immersed in their comprehension.
When they finished comprehending the fragmented laws and stepped into the starlight passage, they saw that the cultivators who had been far behind them had already reached the deepest part of the secret realm and were scattered on the Taiyin and Taiyang stars.
Bai also looked back, but there was no one in the sky above the star fragments. She was a little puzzled, "Why are there only a few people left?"
Huo Lan also turned her gaze forward and replied, "I don't know, but something is bound to happen."
"These guys are cheating." Bai Ye muttered under her breath. She was at most providing off-field assistance, but these people were directly exploiting bugs to reach the finish line. It's no wonder they can't obtain the Immortal Emperor's inheritance like this.
"We don't need to care about what others do; our path lies beneath our feet." Huo Lan said this with great composure.
There are still nearly ten fragments ahead of them. They need to understand all of these fragments thoroughly before they can reach the end.
"Well, there's no use in rushing. Just keep trying to understand it." Bai said, then sat down cross-legged and began a new round of contemplation.
While they enjoy their peaceful life, those people up ahead are practically ready to tear their brains out.
As soon as the young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect landed, the red-haired giant charged forward with his sword, the sharp blade light carrying immense force as it slashed down, shouting, "You little beast, prepare to die!"
The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect dodged the big man's attacks in a sorry state. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "You brute! Didn't you see those old fogies were all going to find their inheritance? You still want to fight me?"
The red-haired giant slowed his attack for a moment, his eyes wide as he scanned his surroundings. The Sun and Moon stars were enormous, not the previous fragments of stars, but a complete star with mountains and rivers inside, like a whole world.
Those old men scattered as soon as they landed and have long since disappeared.
"Heh." The burly man grinned coldly. "I hate being schemed against more than anything in my life. You little beast, you dare to scheme against me? If I don't chop you into mincemeat today, I'll change my surname to yours!"
"You brute! I don't have time to waste on your madness." The young master of the Hundred Refinements Sect roared, flung out a puppet, and his true form transformed into a stream of light that shot straight into the depths of the Sun Star.
The burly man cleaved the puppet in two with a single stroke and chased after it.
After Bai Ye and Huo Lan finished comprehending the fragments of the laws, when they reappeared, they found that there was no one in front of them. "This place feels a bit haunted. There are fewer people every time we come out."
Huo Lan flicked her head lightly with her finger, "Stop talking nonsense."
Bai also covered her forehead, staring blankly at Huo Lan. Zhong Jiuli also liked to flick her forehead.
Huo Lan clearly realized something as well. She turned her face away somewhat awkwardly and explained softly, "The Immortal Emperor may have some lingering resentment. If you continue to talk nonsense like this, be careful that she doesn't come out to teach you a lesson herself."
"Oh." Bai responded listlessly and walked forward through the starry sky passage. She didn't want to talk to the other person anymore. The more she spent with this woman, the more she felt that the other person was like Zhong Jiuli.
Bai also felt that this was wrong. She couldn't use another woman as a substitute just because she missed Zhong Jiuli. That would be too despicable.
Seeing her dejected appearance, Huo Lan had no choice but to follow.
Without those people to disturb them, the two were completely immersed in comprehending the laws. Several days passed in the blink of an eye, and the last few fragments of the laws were finally fully understood.
Bai Ye and Huo Lan opened their eyes and found two passages in front of them.
The passage on the left leads to the Sun Star, where a fiery passage formed from the true fire of the sun burns fiercely in the starry sky, and a three-legged golden crow circles and cries out above the passage.
The passage on the right is formed from the moonlight, emitting a faint silver glow, with a cassia tree standing at the end of the passage.
Two passages appeared simultaneously, one on the left and one on the right. The Daoist principles of Yin and Yang flowed through the starry sky, resembling two Yin-Yang fish, head to tail.
"Does this mean we each have to choose one side?" Bai muttered softly.
Huo Lan reached out and rubbed her head. "Then we'll take our leave here. Little one, please be careful."
Bai turned his head away from the overly intimate touch, saying, "Which passage do you like? You choose first."
Huo Lan ignored her evasiveness and stepped into the Taiyin Passage.
Bai watched as her figure was gradually swallowed by the silver light until she could no longer be seen before stepping into the Sun Passage.
The moment the boot sole landed on the solar tunnel, a terrifying heat wave shot straight to the top of the head!
"Hot! Hot! Hot!" Bai jumped around to avoid the scorching sun. "You know that's not fair!"
"Why didn't you burn those people who came in just now? Why did you only burn me?" Bai said angrily. "A Celestial Emperor as clueless as you will never find a suitable successor. Luckily, I've already been burned by the True Fire of the Sun once, otherwise I would definitely have been burned to death by you."
In the fiery passage, a blurry humanoid figure of fire appeared. Her figure was hidden in the flames and almost indistinguishable. She looked at Bai Ye, who was howling in the firelight, and chuckled softly.
"A little tiger with thick skin~"
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