The power of the stars.

In this day and age, if you were to name the foremost expert on the path of the stars, the answer would undoubtedly be Sen Yue.

Possessing the Taiyin Sacred Body, Sen Yue had earned the title of "Young Venerable" from the public for his many astounding victories.

In the public’s eye, Sen Yue was considered a peer to the Eternal Life Daoist Venerable and comparable to the Thunder Saint Venerable—absolutely another unparalleled prodigy.

So now, upon sensing that the stellar power in Fang Yang’s hand was similar to Sen Yue’s, Second Uncle Fang and Fang Min were both utterly shocked.

They were forced to believe that Sen Yue was pulling strings for Fang Yang!

Meanwhile, Fang Yang, the subject of their gazes, narrowed his eyes and stared at the Tier Four fated treasure in his hand.

[Meteorite]

As if by a stroke of inspiration, the name naturally surfaced in Fang Yang’s mind.

This was a Meteorite that could be considered a form of divine iron, and it possessed a unique stellar power.

By holding it, Fang Yang could let his spirit roam the cosmos on the night of every full moon, allowing him to sense and communicate with that desolate star.

It should have remained dormant at the bottom of the Great Yanshi River, but it had resurfaced due to the fierce battles between great demons and Dao aspirants, as well as the ebb and flow of the tide.

If Fang Yang hadn’t arrived at Heart Lake Island at this exact moment, it would have likely remained submerged, buried in the Great Yanshi River.

’...Communicate with a star on the night of the full moon.’

’...Wait, Sen Yue walks the path of Taiyin. With this Spiritual Object as a foundation, perhaps I can follow his example.’

’...That’s right. My Carp Eagle Spirit Body possesses the powers of both thunder and fire, giving it a natural trace of the ultimate yang attribute. If the path of the Kunpeng proves impassable, I could consider pursuing the path of the Sun Saint Body.’

As this thought crossed his mind, a slight smile played on Fang Yang’s lips.

This Tier Four treasure was good. Very good, in fact.

At least it gave him another option.

While the path of the Kunpeng was incomparably powerful, its requirements were far too demanding.

Especially the [Tai Chi Yin Yang Diagram Vision].

Whether it was witnessing the vision just once or obtaining its inheritance, both were incredibly difficult—akin to ascending to the heavens. Fang Yang had to be prepared for failure!

The tide receded, and the moon was full.

Fang Yang and his group boarded their boat, left Heart Lake Island, and returned to the encampment.

...

「Night.」

The silver moonlight was brilliant and enchanting.

Fang Yang held the [Meteorite], a Spiritual Object, and silently sensed the spiritual energy within it.

Bathed in the moonlight, he felt his body grow increasingly light, as if it were floating.

It was as if a gust of wind could blow him into the sky.

Gradually, he drifted into a state between dream and wakefulness.

He felt as if he had transformed into a Wild Beast Carp Eagle, taking the form of a Fire Eagle and drifting through the empty cosmos.

Inadvertently, he once again ventured into that Star Realm and sensed the desolate star.

The last time, he hadn’t managed to inscribe his brand upon this desolate star.

And this time, he was not in a hurry either.

He calmly followed the feeling in his heart, silently descending until he landed on the desolate star.

Finally, his feet touched the ground.

The sensation felt incredibly real, as if he were standing on a bluestone floor.

Immediately, he spread his wings, unleashing his aura to his heart’s content.

He wanted to merge with the desolate star, to reawaken it and make it bloom with divine light.

But just a moment later, he awoke with a jolt, snapping out of the hazy, dream-like state.

’Is my strength still too weak?’

’Heh... but regardless, the path of the stars can serve as one of my backup options.’

’Wait, my strength has grown significantly.’

Fang Yang stood up.

With a single thought, the phantom of his Carp Eagle appeared, assuming the form of a Fire Eagle.

The talons of this Fire Eagle phantom had already solidified to 80%!

Once they reached 100%, he would naturally break through to the Tier Three Elementary realm!

Such a speed of progress was astonishingly fast.

No one would doubt it if you claimed he possessed a perfect-grade Spirit Body.

’The night of the full moon?’

Fang Yang smiled. "Not bad at all."

He was quite satisfied with his current rate of progress.

Of course, it would be even better if the Little Whale Swallowing Skill could evolve from a Tier Three devouring art into a Tier Four, or even a Tier Five, art.

If that happened, his rate of growth could be boosted even further!

His solution to this was to activate the [Profound State].

He believed that as long as he was willing to pour in a large amount of Yuan Stones, he could definitely use the [Profound State] to evolve the Little Whale Swallowing Skill.

’The prized true inheritance from the Ecstatic Demon Venerable couldn’t possibly fail at something like this, could it?’

...

The morning dawn, like a gradually unrolling, color-gradient scroll, quietly spread across the horizon.

Sunlight pierced through the high palace walls, casting a dazzling glare upon the glazed tiles of the Aquamarine Palace.

It was a pleasant, crisp autumn day. A gentle breeze wafted through the Aquamarine Palace, keeping it cool and preventing any stuffiness for those within.

Today was the farewell banquet that Fang Min was holding for Fang Yang.

Aside from Second Uncle Fang, the guests included Chen Xing, Chen Yuan, Qing Wenxi, and a host of other generals—all of whom were influential figures from the Golden Clan.

One by one, serving maids filed into the room, carrying in a succession of exquisite, aromatic dishes.

Roast goose, milk tea, roasted lamb, and steamed buns were just a few of the delicacies laid out in a dazzling spread, all of which showed how highly Fang Min regarded Fang Yang.

"Ah Yang, although the Leran Grassland is far from the front, that doesn’t mean the Five Races Alliance won’t covet it."

"Above all else, you must prioritize your own safety."

"As long as you live, you will have a chance to wash away any humiliation."

"Never let your reputation needlessly block your own path of retreat..."

Fang Min, like a thoughtful older sister, whispered the essentials of warfare to Fang Yang, her words meant for his ears alone.

Onlookers like Chen Xing and Chen Yuan couldn’t hear what they were saying; they only saw Fang Yang nodding from time to time in agreement.

After that, Fang Min stopped talking and began to eat.

Then, Chen Xing stood up, wine cup in hand, and offered a toast to Fang Yang. "Commander, I hope you can once again fight your way into the top three hundred on the list of battle merits and spread your renown far and wide."

"Thank you. I hope you also achieve what you’re striving for," Fang Yang replied, returning the toast.

Nearby, Chen Yuan remained silent, merely gazing at Fang Yang from a distance.

She knew that the distance between her and Fang Yang would only grow wider and wider.

She recalled how she had once looked down on Fang Yang during the [Flying Fish Cloud Sea Hunting], and couldn’t help but smile self-deprecatingly.

"Ah... Ah Yang, this is just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you won’t mind," Qing Wenxi said, a hint of bashfulness flashing across her lovely face.

She presented a brocade box to Fang Yang, gesturing for him to open it.

"How could I possibly mind? Thank you, Clan Sister Wenxi." Fang Yang smiled and slowly opened the box.

Instantly, a brilliant white, divine light erupted from the box, filling the hall and startling many of the guests.

[Frost-fall Peach Blossom Tree]

Although this was only a seed from a Frost-fall Peach Blossom Tree, if cultivated carefully, it was guaranteed to grow into a Tier Three Spirit Plant!

Furthermore, rumors whispered that the [Frost-fall Peach Blossom Tree] was a Spirit Plant possessing a luck-based attribute.

Its mystical properties were in no way inferior to those of the [Silver Flower Fire Tree]!

"This is truly a generous gift. Thank you, Clan Sister Wenxi," Fang Yang said solemnly as he closed the brocade box.

Fang Yang knew that a Spirit Plant like this must have cost Qing Wenxi all of her accumulated battle merits.

Although Qing Wenxi was a daughter of the Qing clan, she wasn’t highly regarded by the clan elders due to her limited innate talent.

She couldn’t be like Cyan Aura, casually abandoning an Electric Python Fierce Beast.

Every single battle merit was extremely important to her.

This was a truly significant gift!

Therefore, Fang Yang knew he had to repay this gesture properly. Whether Qing Wenxi accepted it or not, he had to show his gratitude.

"No, no, I’m the one who should be thanking you," Qing Wenxi said, quickly waving her hands with a gentle smile.

For a time, the hall was filled with a joyous atmosphere.