Immortality and cultivation begin with full comprehension.

Chapter 864 Interstellar Voyage, A New World (Seeking Monthly Tickets)
The final moments inside the "Divine Cloud Palace" were filled with a touch more of the everyday life of ordinary people than usual.

Li Yunjing shed his sharp edge, his plain white robe trailing behind the steps. He sat around a jade table with his six Daoist partners, chatting about sect matters and the growth of spiritual plants. Occasionally, their laughter would fall into the morning mist, making them seem like ordinary couples waiting for the sunrise.

They both knew that the solemnity hidden in their eyes was a tenderness before parting.

The farewell bells finally shattered the tranquility.

As dawn broke, the sea of ​​clouds in front of the main hall of the Cloud Palace was still tinged with pale gold. Li Yunjing stood on the steps, his breath lighter than the morning dew, as if he would melt into the mist at any moment.

Yu Yunyi and the other six stood side by side, their elegant attire accentuating their ethereal beauty. Six pairs of eyes were fixed on him, as if trying to etch his image into the depths of their souls.

Li Yunjing's gaze slowly swept over each face, and finally, with a light wave of his sleeve, six streams of light shot out: "Yunyi, the Xuan Turtle Spirit Shield blocked the attack of the Nascent Soul stage. Keep it safe."

A cyan light landed in Yu Yunyi's palm, and the tortoise-shell pattern that had appeared on the shield disappeared in an instant; "Ruyan, the Bewitching Bell is compatible with your technique, and can be used to harass the enemy in both offense and defense."

A silver bell hung from Liu Ruyan's fingertip, its delicate sound barely audible as it trembled. "Ruoxi, the Ice Soul Cold Light Sword is of the Yin and Cold nature, which is a perfect match for your swordsmanship."

The longsword landed in Lü Ruoxi's hand, its scabbard covered with a thin layer of frost; "Qi'er, the phoenix-patterned jade hairpin contains the vitality of the Yi wood element, protecting your body and soul."

A jade hairpin drifted into Zhao Qi's hair, its phoenix pattern reflecting the morning light; "Stars and moon, the sun and moon in harmony, can protect you, and can also sense and support you in times of crisis."

The two rings landed in the sisters' palms respectively, and a warm light emanated from them when they touched.

He then handed over the jade bottle and talismans: "These pills for healing and the talismans for escaping are all made by my own hands."

The elixirs in the bottle glowed with a luminous light, and the runes on the talismans were faintly visible; they were all top-quality treasures.

The six women silently accepted it, their fingers clenching it tightly.

This is not a protective item; it is clearly the embodiment of his heavy worries.

Li Yunjing: Owner of "Xingyue Trading Company", Standing Director of "Tianlan Alliance", and the top expert of "Tianlan Star"

[Cultivation Level: Mid-stage of the Ninth Heaven of the Nascent Soul Realm]

[Spiritual Roots: High-Grade Heavenly Five Elements Spiritual Root, Peak Heavenly Thunder Spiritual Root]

[Divine Body: Chaotic Thunder Body (Ninth Level of Nascent Soul)]

[Divine Sense: Spiritual Manifestation (radiating over 1,500 li), comparable to the ninth level of the Nascent Soul realm]

[Magic Power: All the power of various laws is above the Nascent Soul stage, among which the power of thunder is comparable to the peak of the ninth level of the Nascent Soul stage]

[Spirit Stones: 5700 Top-Grade Spirit Stones]

[Medicinal Pills: 3 "Ten Thousand Poisons Life-Snatching Pills", 3 "Nine Heavens Thunder Essence Pills", 3 "Mysterious Essence Gathering Spirit Pills", 2 "Nine Revolutions Mysterious Yin Pills"]

[Talismans: 5 "Protective Talismans", 2 "Invisibility Talismans", 5 "Five Elements Divine Thunder Talismans", 28 "Six Ding Six Jia Talismans"; Tier 4 Supreme Items "Jade Flower Heavenly Brush" and "Mountain and River Grinding Stone"]

[Formations: Fourth-tier top-grade "Immortal Cloud Misty Array", Quasi-Immortal Array "Nine Heavens Cloud Movement Wind and Thunder Array", "Six Ding Six Jia Twelve Star Palace Grand Array", "Seven Star Dao Canon", Immortal Array "Nine Heavens Demon-Controlling Immortal Array"]

[Magic Items: Tier 4 Supreme "Yin Yang Five Elements Heavenly Evolution Sword", "Swift Wind Boots", "Five Dragon Wheels", "Heavenly Thunder Emperor Seal", "Myriad Paths Glazed Furnace"; Tier 5 High Grade "Yin Yang Treasure Mirror", Tier 5 Mid Grade "Purple Gold Gourd", Tier 5 Low Grade "Myriad Manifestations Lotus Lamp", Mysterious Thunder Origin "Thunder Divine Mace", Tier 5 Supreme Grade "Bronze Ancient Bell", Tier 5 Low Grade "Sky Patrol Ship", Ancient Immortal Artifact "Black Tortoise Shell", "Starry Sky Robe" Quasi-Immortal Artifact, Immortal Artifact "Ten Thousand Demon Tower", Demon Artifact "Nine Nether Soul Devouring Spear"]

[Cultivation Techniques: Nine Heavens Responding to the Origin Thunder Scripture, Heavenly Absolute Poison Scripture, Fifth-Order Yin-Yang Harmony Scripture, Starfall Secret Manual, Four Symbols True Scripture, Fifth-Order Dragon Emperor Scripture, Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs True Scripture]

[Spells: Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Fist, Thunder Tribulation Divine Fist, Great Zhou Tian Star Technique, Three Heads and Six Arms Great Divine Power, Samadhi True Fire, "Creation Divine Eye"]

[Materials: Fragment of the Three Lives Stone, Source of All Demons]

[Puppets: 128 low-grade Tier 4 "Puppet Mechanical Beasts"]

[Token: Meteorite Token]

[Secondary Positions: Peak Fourth-Tier Talisman Crafting Grandmaster, Peak Fourth-Tier Array Formation Grandmaster, Beginner Fifth-Tier Weapon Refining Master, Peak Fourth-Tier Puppet Grandmaster, Peak Fourth-Tier Alchemy Grandmaster, Peak Fourth-Tier Celestial Mystery Grandmaster]

[Industries: Qiwu Mountain Villa, Chaos Palace, Xingyue Trading Company]

At this moment, Li Yunjing only had fifteen personal magic treasures left. His third and fourth-tier pills had long since been used up, and he only had a few talismans left for setting up formations.

Even their pet dog, Xiao Huang, was entrusted to Yu Yunyi.

As for the "Ten Thousand Demon Tower," it remains locked in the forbidden area of ​​"Tianlan Star," and even the projection has not been moved.

After confirming that everything was correct, he took out a communication talisman, and a stream of light quietly entered the void, only to be sent to a few people including the Nine Heavens True Monarch and Lin Xuan.

He glanced deeply at Yun Gong and the six women before saying in a calm but resolute voice, "I'm leaving."

"Take care of yourself."

The six women responded in unison, their voices trembling slightly at the end, but they forced smiles on their faces.

Li Yunjing turned and stepped into the air. When he looked back for the last time, the Cloud Palace, the Mountain Gate, and the entire Tianlan Star were all imprinted in his eyes. Then he transformed into a stream of light and soared into the sky, tearing through the clouds and disappearing into the horizon.

Before the Cloud Palace, Yu Yunyi gazed at the sky in a daze, Liu Ruyan quietly wiped away her tears, Lü Ruoxi gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, Zhao Qi tightened her jade hairpin, and Xing'er and Yue'er nestled together.

The sorrow of parting in the air hides a silent vow.

She must diligently cultivate herself and live up to her husband's expectations.

When the message arrived, Lin Xuan was dealing with sect affairs. The jade slip slipped from his hand and he bowed deeply to the void: "Teacher, have a safe journey. Your disciple will certainly live up to your expectations!"

"A fledgling eagle spreads its wings and soars into the sky."

Inside the "Divine Firmament Secret Realm," Ming Lingchuan opened his eyes, a look of satisfaction flashing in them: "Yun Jing, your stage is the vast universe."

The three True Monarchs of the Nine Heavens also stopped their cultivation and looked towards the void.

As one era comes to an end, another vast era awaits these young people to explore.

In the depths of the starry sky, Li Yunjing stood suspended for a moment, looking back at the light spots that "Tianlan Star" had transformed into, and the warmth in his eyes gradually turned into the unwavering determination of an ancient star.

The "Sky Patrol Ship" slid out from his sleeve and soon returned to its true form, like a giant city floating in space, its dark blue hull gleaming with a deep luster under the starlight.

"gone!"

Li Yunjing sighed, moved, and stepped onto the bridge. The star power core hummed, and a hundred puppet mechanical beasts took their positions. On the three-dimensional star map, the coordinates of "Heavenly Emperor Ancient Star" were already locked.

"Target locked, 'Heavenly Emperor Ancient Star'."

"Initiate spatial jump."

As the command was given, the array patterns on the ship's hull suddenly lit up, the space in front of it distorted like water ripples, and the dimensional portal opened with a roar.

The "Sky Patrol Ship" transformed into a streak of light and plunged into it, leaving only a few ripples in space before being swallowed up by the silence of the universe.

Within the dimensional space, the light bands twisted like the aurora borealis, and fragments of laws collided like meteors, bursting forth with a destructive brilliance.

The "Sky Patrol Ship" is like a small boat on a raging sea. Relying on the stability of the Ten Thousand Years of Sky Blue Stone and the power of the "Star River Eternal Gold", it travels through the energy flow, and the defensive array patterns flicker.

Li Yunjing stood in the observation room, his Chaotic Thunder Body sensing the violent laws. The Nine Heavens Responding Thunder Scripture operated spontaneously, and the lightning around him gradually took on a strange and unpredictable flavor!

This deadly chaos, however, became the catalyst for his enlightenment.

I don't know how much time passed, maybe a few days, maybe even less.

With a jolt, the "Sky Patrol Ship" returned from dimensional spacetime and reappeared in the main universe.

My eyes suddenly opened up.

The deep, cold, and boundless darkness is the eternal keynote.

In the distance, countless stars, like diamonds set in black velvet, radiate light that is sometimes bright, sometimes dim, sometimes cold, sometimes fiery.

Nebulae, like splashes of colorful ink, create magnificent yet hazy bands of light that stretch across billions of miles of space.

Occasionally, a shooting star breaks the silence, leaving a brief trail of light; it may be a wandering celestial body, or some kind of cosmic creature.

The stars here are no longer arranged in the familiar pattern centered on "Tianlan Star", but are in a completely unfamiliar star map.

An unprecedented sense of loneliness and freedom surged into my heart at the same time.

Here, there are no sect ties, no longing for one's homeland, only oneself, the Great Dao, and the endless unknown ahead.

Li Yunjing controlled the "Sky Patrol Ship" to maintain its cruising speed while slowly spreading his divine sense.

At the ninth level of the Nascent Soul realm, his powerful divine sense, radiating for 1,500 miles, seemed insignificant on this cosmic scale, yet it was enough for him to perceive the general situation of the nearby star field.

He "saw" a cold, lifeless rocky planet, its surface riddled with craters from meteorite impacts; he "saw" a blazing star in its early stages of life, constantly undergoing violent fusion reactions and spewing out destructive prominences; he also sensed some faint energy fluctuations, possibly originating from some rare cosmic minerals, or... other beings traversing the sea of ​​stars.

Following the star map obtained from the "Meteor Order" and combining it with the "Sky Patrol Ship's" own star navigation system, he continuously corrected his course.

According to the star chart, "Heavenly Emperor Ancient Star" is an ancient and prosperous sacred place for cultivation, extremely far from "Tianlan Star". Even at the current speed of the "Sky Patrol Ship", it would take multiple jumps and a long journey to reach it.

As for continuously entering dimensional spacetime?
The "Sky Patrol Ship" is not capable of operating at high loads for extended periods; after each time jump, it requires a period of recovery.

Moreover, this extreme method of traveling consumes too many resources.

Li Yunjing had already given all the high-grade spirit stones to his woman, and he only had the top-grade spirit stones left.

There are not many top-grade spirit stones. When cultivating magic power, one must also absorb the energy from top-grade spirit stones. The puppet mechanical beasts also need top-grade spirit stones to activate them.

Such a precious resource is even more reluctant to be used.

Today, the "Sky Patrol Ship" is propelled entirely by the transport of the grotto world within the "Purple Gold Gourd".

Having participated in several major battles, the cave world now possesses at least nine fifth-order spiritual veins!

These spiritual veins have made the cave world as solid as a rock, almost indistinguishable from a normal world.

The Chaos Palace has also been upgraded to the fourth-order low-grade level in the cave world!
The grotto-heaven world has even evolved various laws of heaven and earth, giving rise to the five elements of spiritual beings and the primordial energy of heaven and earth.

These vital energies ensured that the "sky patrol ship" could sail normally without any problems.

This is also why Li Yunjing dared to hand over all his resources and travel light.

The journey is long.

For most of the time, the universe is lifeless.

Only the stars float eternally, radiating a cold light.

Li Yunjing did not waste this time.

He would occasionally enter the main meditation room, activate the "Zhou Tian Gathering Spirit Array" to absorb the power of the stars and the sparse spiritual energy in the void, consolidate his cultivation at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul realm, and try to integrate the trace of chaotic intent he had sensed in the subspace into his own chaotic lightning.

Sometimes, he would practice his supernatural powers in the training ground. In the weightless environment, moves such as "Thunder Tribulation Divine Fist" and "Great Zhou Heavenly Star Technique" showed completely different forms and powers compared to when they were on the surface of a planet, giving him a new understanding of the use of power.

Occasionally, he would sit in the observation room for days on end, simply watching the ever-changing starry sky outside the window, feeling the vastness of the universe and his own insignificance. In these moments of quiet contemplation, his Dao heart was cleansed and became increasingly clear and firm.

During this time, he also encountered some dangers common in interstellar travel.

A sudden storm of high-energy particle streams caused the "Sky Patrol Ship's" defensive array to fluctuate violently, and it took a lot of energy to stabilize it.

It once strayed into a region of gravitational anomalies, where it felt as if an invisible giant hand was tearing at the hull. It was only thanks to the powerful propulsion and precise control of the "Sky Patrol Ship" that it narrowly escaped.

He even detected a massive interstellar beast migration from afar. These giant star beasts, varying in shape and size, exuded a chilling aura and formed a mighty procession that traversed the star field.

Li Yunjing cautiously chose to remain hidden and observe, without disturbing the situation.

Time flies, and ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Like a silent traveler, the "Sky Patrol Ship" traverses eternal darkness and starlight, crossing countless light-years.

On this day, when it completed a routine jump and broke away from the dimensional space, the three-dimensional star map showed that it had entered an unfamiliar star field that was not marked in detail by the "Meteorite Order" star map.

As usual, Li Yunjing spread his divine sense out to routinely explore the surrounding environment.

At first, what I perceived was still the familiar desolate planet and barren star belt.

However, when his divine sense swept across a certain direction, it suddenly stopped!
In the core region of that star field, a huge star, radiating a soft cyan-blue halo, floats silently.

Unlike ordinary stars, this star's surface is not cold rock or blazing fire, but is covered with vast blue oceans and emerald green landmasses, surrounded by a thick atmosphere, where the rolling clouds reveal a breathtaking vitality!
What made Li Yunjing's gaze sharpen even more was that he clearly sensed that on that star, there existed countless life forms of varying strengths, but all of them were of extremely high quality!
Among them, the most powerful auras were hidden and profound, and he felt that they were no less powerful than the Nascent Soul True Monarchs on "Tianlan Star"!
"Life Star!"

"Moreover... it's not a barbaric land; a mature cultivation civilization exists there!"

Li Yunjing was greatly encouraged.

After a decade of tedious sailing, we finally reached a point where it was worth stopping.

He immediately controlled the "Sky Patrol Ship" to slow down and activated the highest level of concealment array. The dark blue luster on the surface of the ship became even deeper, almost blending into the background starry sky.

At the same time, he activated his "Creation Divine Eye" to the fullest extent, and chaotic lightning flashed in his eyes, piercing through layers of atmospheric barriers to look into the interior of the star.

The scene that came into view surprised him slightly.

The cultivation system of this world is completely different from the cultivation civilization of "Tianlan Star"!

He saw a cluster of towering, strangely styled spires, their tops inlaid with huge, colorful crystals that constantly absorbed energy from the heavens and earth, emitting strong elemental fluctuations.

It was filled with the rich elements of fire, water, wind, and earth... and even the aura of light and darkness!
He saw figures flying not using their own magic, but riding in various strangely shaped "magical vehicles" made of metal and wood and engraved with complex runes, shuttling through the air.

The figures were dressed very differently from the style of "Tianlan Star," mostly wearing long robes and tight-fitting clothes, and carrying items such as staffs and rune swords.

In his perception, the "spiritual energy" permeating this world was also quite special. It was not as unified as that of "Tianlan Star", but was differentiated into various clearly identifiable elemental energies, as well as a more ethereal "magic power" or "sacred power" that seemed to be related to spirit and faith.
"Elemental power?"

"The power of faith?"

"And...that's...battle aura?"

Li Yunjing muttered to himself, his eyes filled with curiosity and inquiry.

He saw warriors clad in heavy armor, wielding greatswords, their bodies surging with a fiery and violent "qi," quite different from the true essence and magical power of cultivators, focusing more on the explosion of physical body and will.

"Magician?"

"knight?"

"priest?"

"And...those druids who seem to manipulate the forces of nature?"

With his powerful divine sense and the insight of the "Creation Divine Eye", he quickly identified several mainstream cultivation professions.

The cultivators in this world seem to focus more on borrowing and controlling specific energy rules from the outside world, rather than pursuing the unity of themselves with heaven and earth, refining the golden elixir and the nascent soul like true cultivators.

While this star may be slightly less vast and prosperous than "Tianlan Star," it is still an extremely powerful advanced cultivation world!

"Interesting...truly interesting!"

A slight smile appeared on Li Yunjing's lips.

His original goal was the "Ancient Star of the Heavenly Emperor", but he encountered such a unique civilization along the way. If he did not explore it, it would be a waste of this journey through the stars.

Witnessing different civilizations—that's the greatest opportunity for interstellar travel!
If you just pass by without experiencing it firsthand, wouldn't you be wasting this opportunity?

With this in mind, Li Yunjing maneuvered the "Sky Patrol Ship" to quietly approach this special star.

He chose a remote, large mountain range with relatively calm energy fluctuations as his landing point.

The ship silently pierced through the atmosphere, like a shadow blending into the background, and landed in a deep canyon.

The surrounding trees are tall and unique, emitting a faint elemental glow, and the air is filled with a fresh scent that is completely different from that of "Tianlan Star", containing active elemental particles of various systems.

Li Yunjing was not in a hurry to leave the "Sky Patrol Ship".

He first dispatched several "puppet mechanical beasts" skilled in concealment and reconnaissance, transforming them into the forms of common local birds or small animals, and sent them out to gather information and learn about the world's language, customs, power distribution, and power system.

Meanwhile, he himself sat in the observation room, his divine sense like an invisible network, cautiously covering a radius of a thousand miles, capturing fragments of information flowing in the air, and analyzing the laws governing this unfamiliar world. "The elements are arranged in an orderly and stable manner, but lack the flavor of chaos and evolution… The power of faith is pure but carries an exclusive quality… The fighting spirit is powerful but lacks staying power…"

As he sensed it, he compared it with the cultivation system he was familiar with, verifying the Great Dao.

Several hours later, the puppet mechanical beasts began to send back messages.

Through the language fragments, cityscapes, and conversations of some low-level cultivators they captured, Li Yunjing gained a preliminary understanding of this world called "Arcane Holy Star".

This is a prosperous civilization composed of multiple races and professions.

Humans, elves, dwarves, orcs... many races coexist.

The Mage Council, the Knights' Temple, the Nature Council, and the various temples are the main representatives of the forces.

The cultivation levels are roughly divided into Apprentice, Formal, Elite, Master, Legend, and Saint Realm. Although they differ from the cultivation realms he knew, the top "Saint Realm" experts are said to possess the power to move mountains and fill seas, comparable to gods, and roughly correspond to the Nascent Soul realm.

"The Holy Domain... I wonder, in this world, are the Holy Domain experts stronger or weaker than the Nascent Soul True Monarchs?"

A hint of fighting spirit flashed in Li Yunjing's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.

His purpose in this trip was to travel and seek opportunities, not to provoke conflict.

After a moment's thought, he decided to experience the world for himself.

With a thought, the quasi-immortal artifact "Starry Robe" on his body shimmered with light and its style subtly changed, transforming into a deep blue starry robe commonly seen on high-level local mages. His aura also simulated that of a "legendary mage" proficient in lightning magic.

"Let me go and see the local customs and culture of this 'Arcane Holy Star' as a legendary mage who travels the world."

Li Yunjing stepped out of the "Sky Patrol Ship," and the ship shrank accordingly, disappearing into his sleeve.

Just as Li Yunjing put away the "Sky Patrol Ship" and was about to use his escape technique to leave this primeval jungle and head to the nearest human settlement to gather information, a violent energy fluctuation and the sound of weapons clashing, mixed with the roars of beasts and the shouts of humans, came from the dense forest not far away.

With a slight movement of his consciousness, he instantly "saw" the scene several miles away.

A small party of about seven or eight adventurers is in the midst of a fierce battle.

Their opponents were a pack of wolf-like magical beasts, known as the "Shadow Erosion Wolves," covered in dark purple scales, with a single horn on each head, and spewing corrosive acid from their mouths.

These demonic wolves are roughly equivalent to the mid-to-late Foundation Establishment stage in terms of individual strength, but they are social creatures. There are more than twenty of them surrounding the adventurers at the moment. One of them is an exceptionally large wolf with scales that shimmer with a metallic sheen, and its aura has reached the early Golden Core stage.

The composition of the adventurer party is quite classic.

A male human knight, wielding a giant shield, clad in heavy armor, and radiating a pale golden aura of battle spirit, stood at the forefront, struggling to fend off the wolf's pounce.

A female elven ranger, clad in emerald green leather armor and moving with agility, continuously fired arrows imbued with natural energy from the flanks, aiming precisely at the wolf's eyes, joints, and other vulnerable points.

A human female priestess dressed in a white robe and holding a holy symbol chanted prayers, continuously casting healing spells and protective auras on her teammates.

There was also a young human male mage dressed in a fiery red robe, waving his staff, chanting incantations, and unleashing spells such as fireballs and wind blades, but he was clearly expending a lot of mana, and his face had turned somewhat pale.

In addition, there were two or three soldiers with slightly inferior equipment providing support.

The battle situation is not optimistic.

The knight's shield was covered in acid corrosion marks, and his battle aura was dimming; the ranger's quiver was almost empty; the priest's healing speed was gradually falling behind the rate at which his teammates were getting injured; and the mage's fireballs were also beginning to weaken.

The cunning leader of the Golden Core stage demonic wolf roamed the perimeter, occasionally letting out low growls to command the pack, searching for an opportunity to strike a fatal blow.

"Their teamwork is good, but unfortunately the difference in strength is too great."

Li Yunjing concealed all his presence, observing the battle in this other world with great interest, much like an onlooker.

He was quite interested in the knight's refined fighting spirit, the elven ranger's precise use of the forces of nature, the priest's pure faith and healing power, and the mage's way of manipulating elemental energy.

"It seems that the 'legendary' level in this world roughly corresponds to the Nascent Soul Realm."

“These little guys, even the strongest knight and mage are only ‘elite’ level, they are indeed struggling to deal with this pack of demon wolves.”

Seeing that the wolf leader seemed to be losing patience, it let out a low growl, and dark energy gathered around its body, transforming into an incomparably swift black shadow that pounced on the knight who was already at his last gasp, its claws wrapped with terrifying destructive energy.

"Now is the time."

Li Yunjing's heart stirred.

His actions weren't purely driven by goodwill; rather, he wanted to observe the world's power system up close and find a plausible excuse to integrate into the local community.

A "legendary mage" who lends a helping hand in times of crisis is undoubtedly an excellent identity for gaining trust and information.

He did not use his true Chaos Divine Lightning, as that would be too astonishing.

Instead, it simulates the lightning magic of this world, but deliberately suppresses its power.

He casually raised his hand without even chanting a spell, which was not difficult for the "legendary mage".

With a flick of the fingertip, the barely perceptible Geng metal divine thunder, flashing with lightning, shot out.

"Hey!"

A lightning arrow, only as thick as an arm but incredibly condensed and bright yellow, appeared in the sky above the battlefield as if teleported, striking the wolf leader who was pouncing on the knight with perfect accuracy!

There was no earth-shattering noise, only a soft "plop" sound, as if something had been pierced.

The wolf leader's ferocious forward lunge suddenly froze, a small charred hole appeared on its forehead, the fierce light in its eyes instantly went out, and its massive body crashed to the ground with a "thud," twitching twice before falling still.

The shadow energy that had gathered on its body also dissipated rapidly, like mist being dispersed by sunlight.

This sudden turn of events brought the entire battlefield to a standstill.

All the Shadow Wolves sensed the passing of their leader and the destructive aura contained in that lightning bolt that made their souls tremble.

They let out terrified whimpers, tucked their tails between their legs, and without hesitation turned and darted into the depths of the dense forest, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The adventurers, who had survived the ordeal, stood frozen in place, panting heavily, staring incredulously at the corpse of the wolf leader. Then, their eyes all turned toward the direction from which the lightning arrow had been shot.

Only then did they see the clearing in the woods where Li Yunjing had leisurely walked out.

At this moment, Li Yunjing was wearing a dark blue star-patterned robe. His appearance was somewhat blurred by the mysterious aura that the robe carried. However, his aura of profound composure and integration with the surrounding elemental energy, as well as his composure in instantly killing the Golden Core Demon Wolf with a "lightning arrow" with a simple gesture, all demonstrated his status as a powerful figure.

"Your Excellency, Venerable Master!"

The leading knight was the first to react. He endured his injuries, sheathed his greatsword, placed his right hand on his chest, and gave a standard knightly salute. His tone was filled with utmost respect and gratitude: "Thank you for your help! If it weren't for you, our 'Grey Eagle' squad would probably have been wiped out here today."

His Common Language had a slight accent, but Li Yunjing understood and mastered it instantly with his powerful divine sense.

The elven ranger also sheathed his longbow and bowed gracefully.

The priestess quickly cast a healing spell on the most seriously injured knight, while giving Li Yunjing a grateful look.

The young red-robed mage looked at Li Yunjing with eyes full of admiration and awe.

"I was just passing by when I sensed the energy fluctuations, so I did it on a whim."

Li Yunjing nodded slightly, his voice calm, carrying a hint of indifference and profundity befitting a "legendary mage": "Are you the 'Grey Eagle' adventure team?"

His gaze swept over the crowd, lingering for a moment on the knight's battle aura, the mage's elemental affinity, and the priest's light of faith, secretly analyzing the essence of these powers.

At the same time, he also noticed the injuries and fatigue on these people, as well as the insignia on their equipment that represented their status and rank.

"Indeed, Your Excellency."

The knight quickly replied, "I am Captain Aaron Ironshield. This is the elven ranger Arya Breeze, the fire mage Ferre Flame Staff, the priestess Luna Dawnlight, and our comrades..."

He introduced each of the team members one by one.

Li Yunjing understood; this was indeed a standard setup for an adventure team.

"This jungle doesn't seem to be peaceful."

He then asked, "Are you on a mission here?"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Captain Aaron gave a wry smile: "We accepted an investigation mission from the Mercenary Guild to investigate the cause of the strange monster activity deep in this 'Shadow Forest,' but we didn't expect to encounter such a large pack of Shadow Devouring Wolves..."

"I don't know your surname?"

He paused, then asked cautiously, "Are we heading to the nearby 'Emerald City'?"

“My name is Li Wutian, a traveling monk.”

Li Yunjing had already prepared his explanation and said calmly, "That is indeed the intention. We will go to 'Emerald City' for a short rest."

Master Li Wutian?
The name is somewhat unusual, but powerful mages are always a bit unconventional.

"Sir! You saved our lives!"

Aaron, unsuspecting, warmly invited, "If you don't mind, please allow us to be your guides and lead you to the Emerald City!"

"Our team also needs to return to the city to rest and report on our mission."

This is exactly the result Li Yunjing wanted.

He pretended to ponder for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

Seeing that Li Yunjing agreed to go with them, the members of the Gray Eagle Squad breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took the time to treat their injuries and recover their strength.

Priestess Luna chanted healing prayers softly, and a gentle white light enveloped the most severely injured knight, Aaron, whose wounds healed slowly at a visible speed.

The elven ranger Arya vigilantly surveyed her surroundings, wary of any monsters that might return.

Fire mage Frey and two other warriors collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, and taking their own energy potions.

Li Yunjing did not disturb them; his attention was focused on the corpse of the Shadow Wolf leader who had been killed.

He strolled over, his gaze sweeping over the wolf carcass.

Unlike the demonic beasts of the cultivation world, this demonic wolf's corpse did not emit a strong demonic or bloody aura after it died; instead, the shadow energy dissipated rapidly.

He pointed his fingers like a sword, and a tiny blade of wind precisely sliced ​​through the hard skull of the wolf leader.

Instead of the expected demon core rolling out, what appeared instead was a multifaceted crystal about the size of an egg, dark purple in color, with what seemed to be a slowly flowing liquid shadow inside.

"This is... the crystal core?"

Li Yunjing remotely took the crystal into his hand. It was slightly cool to the touch, and he could clearly feel the pure energy contained within it, which was biased towards darkness and shadow.

Although this energy is enormous, its structure appears... somewhat "rigid" and "simple".

He separated a wisp of his divine consciousness and carefully probed into the interior of the crystal core.

It was completely different from the feeling of touching a miniature life source, containing fragments of the life imprint and innate supernatural abilities of a demon beast, when exploring a demon core.

The interior of this crystal core is more like an intricately structured but relatively fixed "energy storage tank".

Although the shadow energy inside is pure, its arrangement follows a fixed structure similar to "law runes," lacking the endless vitality and growth potential of a demon core.

On "Tianlan Star", the demon core of a demon beast is the essence of its cultivation, a combination of life, energy, and some understanding of the laws.

Demon cores not only contain immense energy, but also the inherent attributes and innate abilities of the demon beasts themselves. In some cases, demon cores of powerful demon beasts may even contain fragments of their ancestors' inheritance.

Alchemists can use demon cores as the main ingredient to refine elixirs that enhance cultivation and even awaken supernatural powers; weapon refiners can also refine demon cores into magical artifacts, endowing them with special attributes and powers.

The "Shadow Erosion Wolf" crystal core in his hand is more like a highly condensed "solid energy block" with specific attribute tags.

Its value lies primarily in the purity of its energy and its corresponding properties.

Li Yunjing speculated that on this "Arcane Holy Star," these crystal cores were most likely used by magicians to directly absorb energy, replenish magic power, or serve as an energy source for magic circles and magical artifacts, or as materials for certain potions and alchemy.

It is more like a "resource" than a "fruit of the Tao".

"interesting."

Li Yunjing realized in his heart, "The demon core in the cultivation world is the prototype of the 'inner world' condensed by life cultivation. It is connected to the soul and bloodline, and it is more important for 'spirituality' and 'growth potential'."

"The magical beast cores of this 'Arcane Holy Star' are more like specific 'energy crystals' formed within living organisms under the influence of the rules of heaven and earth, emphasizing 'attributes' and 'practicality'."

"Does this reflect the difference in the two civilizations' understanding of energy and life?"

He then recalled his previous observations: the magicians of this world manipulated external elements, the knights condensed their battle aura, and the priests borrowed the power of faith... all of which seemed to focus more on "borrowing" and "controlling" the existing, categorized rules and powers of the outside world.

Cultivators, on the other hand, pursue becoming the universe themselves, refining their inner core and nascent soul, evolving their own Great Dao, and ultimately living as long as heaven and earth, or even transcending heaven and earth.

"One leans towards 'borrowing rules' and 'controlling energy,' while the other leans towards 'internal evolution' and 'transcendence and freedom.'"

"Different paths lead to different destinations, but each has its own merits."

A knowing glint flashed in Li Yunjing's eyes.

This tiny crystal core gave him a more fundamental understanding of the cultivation system of the "Arcane Holy Star".

He weighed the crystal core in his hand, sensing the stable fluctuations of shadow energy within it.

This thing is not of much use to him personally. His Chaos Thunder Essence can simulate, transform, and even devour various kinds of energy, and the energy purity of this crystal core is not enough to arouse his interest.

However, it's worth keeping; perhaps it can be used as currency or a commodity in this world.

Of course, if there were higher-grade crystal cores, could they replace top-grade spirit stones and become the energy source for the "Sky Patrol Ship"?

Just as Li Yunjing was about to kill an even more powerful monster, the members of the Gray Eagle Squad had basically regained their ability to move.

"Sir, you killed this Shadow Wolf, and according to the rules of adventurers, its loot naturally belongs to you."

Captain Aaron walked over and saw the crystal core in Li Yunjing's hand. A hint of envy flashed in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and said respectfully, "This level 5 Shadow Crystal Core is quite valuable. It can be exchanged for a lot of gold coins or magic materials in Emerald City."

Li Yunjing nodded noncommittally and casually put away the crystal core as if it were just an ordinary item.

His calm demeanor further convinced Aaron and the others that he was a knowledgeable and unfathomably powerful hermit mage.

"How are your injuries?"

"Are you ready to go?"

Li Yunjing asked.

"Thank you for your concern. Luna's healing spell was very effective. We are now much better and can depart at any time."

Aaron answered quickly.

So, guided by the Gray Eagle Squad, Li Yunjing followed them toward "Emerald City".

Throughout the journey, he maintained his persona as "Master Li Wutian," occasionally asking about basic facts about Arcane Saint Star, such as the currency system, major cities, and the general situation of various forces.

Aaron and the others spoke frankly, their words filled with gratitude and respect for their savior.

Led by the Gray Eagle Squad, the group walked to the edge of the dense Shadow Forest, where the path gradually changed from a muddy trail to a smooth stone road.

More and more people were coming and going on the official road. In addition to adventurers like the Gray Eagle Squad, you could also see caravans loaded with goods, travelers riding various tamed magical beast mounts, and some mages dressed in colorful robes, hurrying along.

The magical elements permeating the air became increasingly active, and in the distance, the outline of a magnificent city gradually became clear amidst the lush trees.

That was the "Emerald City".

True to its name, the entire city appears to be carved from a giant jade boulder. The city walls have a warm, emerald-green hue and are not made of natural stone, but rather some special material that has been magically enhanced.

(End of this chapter)