Chapter 349: Stellar Techniques

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

(TL Note: Extra chapter 3/5)

Lu Yang felt that although he wasn’t exactly handsome, it wasn’t to the extent that someone would mistake his gender.

He wanted to say he was a man, but considering that the other person was infatuated with a senior brother, he hesitated.

He thought about saying he was a woman, but then he’d be paying too high a price just to buy the star chart for fun, guessing Eldest Senior Sister’s Golden Core.

Better to just make a quick escape.

The senior brother immediately regretted his words, wanting to slap himself. What kind of nonsense was that?

His two followers were even more embarrassed; this was a common problem with their senior brother—he tended to say the wrong things when nervous.

The bad news was that he was often nervous.

Rumor had it that their Palace Lord had suggested he switch to a practice of silent meditation.

“No, I meant to say, Senior Brother, this star chart is needed by my beloved senior brother for cultivation. Could you part with it?”

He paused, deciding to start by introducing himself to gather his thoughts.

“I am Gu Qisheng, a disciple of the Rainbow Palace, at the early stage of Foundation Building. I’m here to participate in the grand competition. I see that you appear to be around my age; you must also be here for the competition.”

Gu Qisheng, not yet eighteen, had already reached the early stage of Foundation Building—a cultivation speed that ranked in the top five in Rainbow Palace’s history.

Although cultivators at higher stages can change their appearance at will, based on Gu Qisheng’s experience, if the person were an old Golden Core or Nascent Soul Stage master, they wouldn’t be buying things at such a place. Those old monsters lived long lives, had plenty of experience, and had their own sources for purchases.

Lu Yang had heard of Rainbow Palace, a top-tier sect in Jizhou, but knew little else about it.

“I am indeed here to participate in the competition, and perhaps we’ll meet on the stage. As for the star chart, you may have it, Junior Brother.” Lu Yang took another step back.

Seeing Lu Yang retreating further, Gu Qisheng hurriedly explained, “I misspoke earlier; it’s actually my senior sister who needs the star chart for her cultivation.”

Hearing this, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou both sighed in relief. Meng Jingzhou had been so startled earlier that he almost unleashed his Single Curse Fist.

Lu Yang smiled and said, “I’m only interested in the star chart, but it’s not as important as Junior Brother Gu’s romance.”

Overjoyed, Gu Qisheng took out fifteen hundred Spirit Stones and bought the chart.

Fifteen hundred Spirit Stones was a significant amount for him, but it was worth it to please his senior sister!

He eagerly opened the star chart, only to find it covered in bloodstains, making it nearly illegible.

“What’s going on?!” Gu Qisheng fumed. He had worked hard to buy a star chart, only to end up with a blood-soaked piece of paper.

The vendor calmly explained, “I did mention, didn’t I? The star chart was painstakingly drawn by me, and it’s normal to cough up some blood while making it.”

Lu Yang: “…”

Why did this marketplace seem to be full of scams?

Meng Jingzhou transmitted a message to Lu Yang, “Most things in these markets are fakes. One of the challenges in the Meng family’s coming-of-age ceremony is to buy something genuine from the marketplace.”

“I see. Wait, isn’t the coming-of-age ceremony at sixteen? How come I never heard of you going back for it?”

The entry age for the Dao Seeking Sect was before sixteen, and Lu Yang had never seen Meng Jingzhou return to the Meng family.

Meng Jingzhou replied matter-of-factly, “I ran away from home! Who bothers with a coming-of-age ceremony after that?”

Gu Qisheng continued arguing with the vendor, “If that’s the case, why don’t you redraw the star chart?”

“That’s where you don’t understand, customer. The stars hold great secrets. Over the past few centuries, no one has successfully drawn a star chart. Even when one is completed, it ends up destroyed for various reasons.”

“Moreover, those who draw the charts can’t remember the star layouts. It’s already a rare feat that part of this chart isn’t stained with blood. Selling it to you for fifteen hundred Spirit Stones is a bargain.”

Gu Qisheng naturally didn’t believe the vendor’s nonsense, but he recalled that his senior sister had never possessed a star chart. Given her status, this shouldn’t have been the case.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou had never heard of such a thing—who would just casually observe stars and remember their positions? However, Lu Yang thought of Eldest Senior Sister’s Golden Core and found some credibility in the vendor’s words, so he entered his mental space to wake up the fairy.

“Huh? You called me?” Everlasting Fairy mumbled, yawning groggily.

Lu Yang repeated what the vendor had said, which piqued Everlasting Fairy’s interest.

She temporarily borrowed Lu Yang’s body and looked up at the sky. Although it was daytime, she could still see the stars hidden behind the sunlight.

She returned Lu Yang’s body.

“So? Is there a barrier set up by Eldest Senior Sister’s Golden Core that prevents people from observing which star is Eldest Senior Sister’s Golden Core?”

“I’m not sure if it’s Little Yun who set it up, but there’s definitely a barrier that blocks recognition, making it impossible to remember the positions of the stars unless you observe them directly in the sky.”

Lu Yang pondered, convinced that it was likely Eldest Senior Sister’s doing, but he couldn’t guess the purpose.

Was it to prevent enemies from pinpointing her Golden Core’s location?

Or was Eldest Senior Sister trying to stop people from cultivating stellar techniques?

As stars had been refined into the land beneath their feet, stellar techniques were no longer as powerful as they were in ancient times. After all, the power of stellar techniques derived from the stars in the sky.

Still, some stubbornly believed that ancient techniques were superior and insisted on cultivating stellar techniques.

“You’ve come to Qingzhou for the festival? Come, let this immortal show you the discerning eye of an immortal!”

Lu Yang regretted waking Everlasting Fairy up. She was full of energy once awake, lively and restless.

Lu Yang walked past a stall displaying various books, mostly historical ones that recorded all sorts of hidden histories.

“Lu Yang, look at that book called ‘Secrets of the Ancient Era.’ Buy it so I can see what it says!” Everlasting Fairy exclaimed excitedly.

“Boss, how much for this book?”

“Three thousand Spirit Stones.”

Lu Yang frowned, feeling it was too expensive. The vendor seized the opportunity to say, “Don’t think it’s overpriced, guest. You must know how many unknown opportunities are hidden within the secrets of the ancient era. If you’re lucky and discover a hidden opportunity from this book that no one else has noticed, you could soar to the heavens and roam the world freely!”

“This is the latest edition of the ancient secrets, documenting the latest scholarly research on the ancient period!”

“Here’s three thousand Spirit Stones.”

Lu Yang paid, and three thousand Spirit Stones weren’t much for him. Not to mention the mysteriously missing patent fees, just the future revenue share from the Nine Nether Sect made three thousand Spirit Stones a mere trifle.

Meng Jingzhou, curious about ancient secrets, leaned in to read.

The first chapter of the book read: “In ancient times, Ying Tian Immortal was fond of beautiful women, particularly those already married, and impregnated countless of them.”

Lu Yang was utterly confused and entered his mental space to ask, “Was Ying Tian Immortal really like this?”

Everlasting Fairy looked innocent. “Who’s spreading this rumor? Ying Tian Immortal wasn’t that kind of person.”

(End of the chapter)