Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 366: A Distance Of Ten Thousand Li, More Than Enough To Kill

Highest point of Mount Hua, Tool Casting Hall, main hall.

The curtain of night was dense, the tens of thousands of stars twinkling.

The radiance of stars and the boundless mist-covered waters, a boundless galaxy unfolded in the sky over Mount Hua. Chen Mo stood at the summit, bathing in the glow of the Ancient Starlight.

This time, however, Chen Mo was not doing so for cultivation.

An array was already set in front of him. This array was arranged according to the stars, forming a carriage shape, and Chen Mo was positioned at the carriage's seat. The ancient Star Manual Of Masters Gan And Shi had a saying: "The Northern Dipper is known as the Seven Heavenly Bodies, the rulers of Heaven, and is also known as the emperor's carriage. It referred to the seven stars of the Northern Dipper as the vehicle of the emperor, capable of traveling unimpeded anywhere, anytime, in any climate.

Chen Mo originally did not know this, but luckily, he understood a few of the stars' mysteries as he endlessly cultivated his Star Manual.

The Star Manual was originally Star World's most mystical cultivation method, able to condense magic energy into a galaxy and turn a cultivator into a Star Warrior. The cultivation method within took the stars of Star World as its path, and Chen Mo established a new comprehension upon this path. Using the "Northern Dipper Imperial Carriage Array," Chen Mo's casting of the Ursae Majoris Stone this time was much easier than the previous one, and he could refine the Star Stone more thoroughly as well.

Chen Mo's Divine Intent moved. The Northern Dipper Staff hovered in the middle of the array, and the Gamma Ursae Majoris Stone was taken out of his Astral Bag. It orbited the Northern Dipper Staff like a star.

When the two of them appeared together, Chen Mo immediately sensed a resonance arise between them.

After condensing the first Alpha Ursae Majoris Stone, "Northern Dipper" finally had the aura of a Star Weapon. "Gamma Ursae Majoris, go!" Chen Mo's eyes glowed.

The Gamma Ursae Majoris Stone spun several cycles, then it flew into the Northern Dipper Staff's third slot. Chen Mo activated the Star Manual. His eyes were like stars, and all his thoughts flew out. Each one became a shimmering starlight, and several tens of thousands of thoughts flew towards the slot, concentrating into a raging flame of starlight.

The Book Of Casting said that embedding the "Northern Dipper Seven Star Stones" required using the most continuous Star Energy to fuse them. Only then could they be more complete. Back when he embedded the Alpha Ursae Majoris, Chen Mo's Star Energy was very weak, and the results of the embedding could only be described as tolerable, far from reaching the level of "one with the Star Weapon." Now, he possessed Thousand Year Star Energy. Naturally, he would not be stingy.

Following the combustion of Star Energy, the Gamma Ursae Majoris Stone seemed to melt into fluid starlight. The Northern Dipper Emperor Carriage Array began to continuously temper and refine the Star Stone of its impurities, slowly purifying it.

It was even more brilliant than Mount Hua's starry sky.

The intent of a boundless Vast Desolation Starlight slowly manifested.

This refinement would take a long time.

…

"Clear Empty Shadow" Jiang Kui emerged from her White Stone Fairyland, arriving at the courtyard of Mount Hua's main hall.

The Lord Of Heaven Daoist Shang Zhao Yunchen that Ancestor Chen Tuan invited over from Dustless Mountain was currently sitting on the ground delivering a sermon to a few disciples. Rather than Daoism, it would be more appropriate to say he was talking about some gossip of the past Mount Hua.

Daoist Shang Zhao Yunchen previously cultivated at Mount Hua a century ago. Back then, he also knew Ancestor Chen Tuan. Although the Mount Hua of that time was not of awe-inspiring fame, they were still teeming with worshippers and innumerable talents.

However, "Sleeping Immortal" Ancestor Chen Tuan's time to impart Daoism was not ample at all, far from the peerless strategy of "Zhuangzi" of back then. In addition, after they were targeted by Yang Guang, more and more disciples left Mount Hua, and the place gradually became increasingly cheerless.

Jiang Yuezhuo did not care all that much for so-called atmosphere. To a Daoist, more people did not mean better. On the contrary, fewer was much more tranquil.

Li Su listened to Zhao Yunchen's gossip with great enthusiasm.

"Right, Daoist Priest Yunchen, legend says that after Zhuangzi's Star Name was extinguished, she left the legacy of Daoism at Mount Hua. Is this true?" Lu Xiujing issued an inquisitive question.

Li Su rolled her eyes, "Lu XIujing, are you still unmilling to give up on Zhuangzi's legacy?"

"Mount Hua is in dire straits right now. If we can at least retrieve Zhuangzi's legacy, then we can definitely save Mount Hua from disaster. Presumably, that Yang Guang is also coming for the legacy." Lu Xiujing solemnly said.

"Zhuangzi's Legacy" Zhao Yunchen chuckled: "Indeed, there is such a legend. However, when Poor Daoist came to Mount Hua, I did not see Zhuangzi herself, but I know that back then, Zhuangzi released her Star Name and left the ‘Southern Hua Treatise' that she herself refined behind at Mount Hua. The rumor is that it is located at the place she disappeared. If you can obtain the ‘Southern Hua Treatise,' you can also receive Zhuangzi's unparalleled Daoist quintessence. You would reach Heaven in a single bound, so to speak."

As he spoke, an expression of slight yearning was in Zhao Yunchen's eyes.

"Zhuangzi" Zhuang Die was a genius separate from "Laozi" ever since the founding of Daoism, a sage of equal fame. The Southern Hua Treatise recorded Zhuangzi's lifetime of Realm and powers, and it was a collection comparable to the Four Books and Five Classics.

"Is Daoist Priest unaware of its location, too?"

"Since Zhuangzi left the legacy behind, it is naturally waiting for its fated person. You cannot force this." Zhao Yunchen's frame of mind was very calm.

Lu Xiujing sighed in disappointment.

At this time, Jiang Yuezhuo walked over. Li Xiao waved her hand: "Yuezhuo, it's rare to see you come out of your White Stone Fairyland. Hee-hee, how's your Sequel to the Treatise on Calligraphy coming along? Done?"

"Your Servant greets Daoist Priest." Jiang Yuezhuo elegantly gave her salutations and wore a slight smile, answering: "The Sequel to the Treatise on Calligraphy is not finished yet."

"The Literary Excellence Convention is soon, isn't it?" Lu Xiujing said.

Jiang Yuezhuo nodded, "The Sequel to the Treatise on Calligraphy has met with a slight problem."

"Lady, Poor Daoist knows not what the Sequel to the Treatise on Calligraphy is written about, but perhaps Poor Daoist could help you." Zhao Yunchen asked.

"Daoist Priest, thank you for your consideration, but Yuezhuo's Sequel to the Treatise on Calligraphy is a study of calligraphy. I fear that you will be unable to help with script, Daoist Priest."

"Indeed, this is not Poor Daoist's expertise." Zhao Yunchen was helpless.

"Yuezhuo's Sequel to the Treatise on Calligraphy writes about all of Star World's scripts and calligraphy. If it can be completed, then it can definitely astound everyone at the Literary Excellence Convention and ascend yours to be a Single Character Star Name." Lu Xiujing said with regret.

"Yuezhuo recently thought of going to look at other Star Fields." Jiang Yuezhuo said.

"?"

"Yuezhuo has always been unable to comprehend some of the best calligraphies and wants to go personally see them, perhaps attain some comprehension."

Lu Xiujing thought this was a good idea, too. In the end, working in isolation was a disadvantage.

"But it's a bit dangerous for you to go alone right now. When Yang Guang is currently eyeing our Mount Hua, it's best that we not arbitrarily come and go." Lu Xiujing was afraid that the Tyrant would play sinister tricks. In the past, there were Mount Hua disciples who encountered misfortune after leaving the mountain.

"I'll go together with Yuezhuo." Li Xiao volunteered.

"A single Earthly Star won't be much help, don't strain yourself. The top priority is still to stay at Mount Hua. Wait until after Yu Juluo recuperates, then we will train together with Sister Shanxue and advance our martial arts to handle the Nine Elders Of Sui." Lu Xiujing overruled.

"Right, isn't Yingmeng scheming on concocting a holy medicine to increase your Realms." Jiang Yuezhuo softly laughed, her gaze drifting to North Star Hall.

Lu Xiujing knowingly smiled: "I actually feel that Chen Mo can accompany Yuezhuo."

"Let Chen Mo go?"

"En. Chen Mo's Star Energy is very strong, and he has some proficiency with writing, those inscription tablets or whatever that past Star Generals left behind. Perhaps this can give him enlightenment." Lu Xiujing said.

Li Xiao pondered upon it. In Mount Hua, it seemed only he was the best suited.

"I wonder how Chen Mo's Northern Dipper casting is going." Li Xiao said: "Actually, there's something about Chen Mo I don't understand. Lu Xiujing, have you ever thought about it?"

"And what would that be?"

"Just what kind of Star Weapon is that Northern Dipper?" Li Xiao wrinkled her brow: "There're many Heavenly Stars who wield large staffs as Star Weapons, but I've never seen that Northern Dipper, and he's actually inlaying it with the Northern Dipper Seven Star Stones. Don't you feel that it's very weird?"

Lu Xiujing also felt this was odd. According to her understanding, there seemed to be no such Destined Star Weapons at all that were like this.

"It's probably an Ancient Divine Weapon." Lu Xiujing was unable to say why, but this was the only explanation she had. However, she also knew this assertion was actually very weak. Ancient Divine Weapons all had an old, primordial air about them, and Chen Mo's weapon did not have that kind of feeling of antiquity.

"I'm just afraid that weapon will prove detrimental to Chen Mo." Li Xiao heard rumors that some Demon Weapons would recoil against a Star Warrior.

"You're overthinking. Junior Brother Chen Mo treats the Northern Dipper with such great care and concern, I feel that there is a story behind that." Jiang Yuezhuo said.

"Hm?" The two women looked at her.

"I can tell." Jiang Yuezhuo's mind was very attentive. If it could be said that a weapon was the pen in a warrior's hands, then each and every movement was a brushstroke. When a scholar wrote characters, those characters were like bones, and the turns of the stroke represented the scholar's inner mind. The blade a warrior wielded was also like this. Jiang Yuezhuo sensed from Chen Mo's battles the level of love that the man had for the weapon.

It was not destined, yet it surpassed destiny.

The group listened absentmindedly. Zhao Yunchen smiled at this time: "It is rare for so many people to be here at once. Poor Daoist shall speak of the ‘Cloud Trunk Seven Records.'"

"Without shedding form and without wavering essence, a mind returned to quiet can live long. The root of life is determined on this Way…"

…

Third night.

The flames of starlight finally dimmed bit by bit. The starlights that apparently filled the sky all flowed into the Gamma Ursae Majoris Stone, and following Chen Mo's final engraving, the entire stone was completely embedded into Northern Dipper. The two were completely one without any flaws.

It glittered like a star.

Chen Mo's Divine Intent moved, and the Gamma Ursae Majoris Stone glowed with starlight. In a flash, the staff began to chance inside the array, adopting the shape of a bow.

The water-blue bow was like a crescent moon, and the positions of the Northern Dipper Seven Star Stones formed the Seven Stars with the Moon. It appeared very exquisite, with the Gamma Ursae Majoris in the center linking the moonlight. The imposing bowstring was like mist, appearing indistinct, but when he took hold of it in his hand, it brimmed with more power than a dragon's muscles.

A bow!!

The Northern Dipper's Gamma Ursae Majoris Stone weapon was surprisingly a bow. This was a bit outside of his expectations.

Chen Mo curiously took up the "Northern Dipper Divine Bow." The instant his fingertip touched the bow, all of a sudden, the starlight of the world disappeared, and thereupon a vast prehistoric world appeared.

Chen Mo suddenly looked. This primeval world had a single mountain peak, and atop the peak stood a woman flourishing with a heroic bearing.

The woman wore formfitting palace dress, and her black hair flowed like a river. She gracefully drew her bow, her beautiful curves highlighted. The woman's profile was absolutely beautiful, especially her eyes, the brilliance of which outshone the sun and moon.

The bowstring was drawn to a full moon and released.

An extremely beautiful arrow immediately shot through the primeval world. The sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers were all pierced by her arrow, producing an enormous ripping sound.

This arrow's ample might left Chen Mo stupefied.

What powerful spirit!

"A distance of ten thousand li, more than enough to kill!"¹

A graceful, icily arrogant voice slowly came from the woman's mouth.

The elegant scene promptly vanished.

1. Any guesses as to who this might be? 🙂 ↩