"Defeat me before the Star Fortune Coin hits the ground?"
Hearing such an arrogant declaration, Zhao Xing immediately used his interface panel's detection function to scan the opponent's information.
[Name: Jing Yan]
[Occupation: Dao Soldier Mechanist]
[Cultivation: Void Stage Perfection]
[Dao Field: Boundary Star, Eighth Tier]
[Fortune: Derivation Eleven]
[Age: 3,996]
[Remaining Lifespan: 1.9 Eras]
[Void Techniques: Machine Spirit Control, Void Armament Manifestation, Taiyin Galo, Ghost God Soldier Traversal, Ghost God Five Elements Dao, Mustard Seed Frenzy, Primordial War Spirit, Advanced Battle Technique Optimization, Primordial Dispersion, Void Tremor…]
[Lesser Divine Abilities: Military Prohibition, Ghost God War]
"Two Lesser Divine Abilities? Seems like I ran into a strong one… an Imperial citizen?"
After reviewing the data, Zhao Xing was a little surprised.
The Star Fortune Coin was a specialty of the Red Star Empire. The opponent's accent was distinctly Imperial, and combined with the fact that Imperial citizens were naturally competitive, Zhao Xing immediately knew that he had encountered a talented Second-Stage cultivator from the Red Star Empire.
But the Red Star Empire was located on the opposite end of the Shenluo Barren Domain!
To travel all the way to the Ancient Kingdom of Yuanhai, he would have had to cross nearly half the Xuanling Star Domain.
Anyone daring to take such risks in foreign lands was definitely not ordinary.
Moreover, the Ghost God Soldiers originated from the Red Star Empire, and from the Void Techniques listed, many of them were directly designed to work with the Ghost God Soldiers.
"So, he's a fellow Imperial citizen."
Zhao Xing licked his lips and accepted the challenge without hesitation.
In his past life, he had also been an Imperial citizen, making the Red Star Empire his first home in the universe.
Boom!
The Dao Field erupted, unleashing scorching waves of energy. Purple Yang Star and Purple Yin Star manifested, and Zhao Xing attacked immediately.
His Dao Field was currently at Seventh-Tier Boundary Star level, but the simultaneous activation of two Primordial Sources significantly enhanced its power.
"You're not bad."
Jing Yan flickered in place.
In the next moment, eight towering silver pillars, each 1,000 meters tall and inscribed with void runes, embedded themselves in the void.
Four stood vertically, two were placed horizontally, and one was angled diagonally.
The four vertical ones were Void Stabilizing Pillars, which acted as "void anchors", ensuring spatial stability.
As a Shennong, Zhao Xing's Dao Field had a strong interference effect. His dual-source power of Yin and Yang allowed him to shift frequencies billions of times per second.
This was his home field, as he had personally fine-tuned the environment. For him, this was a battle on home turf.
For Jing Yan, however, it was the worst possible battlefield.
The Chaos Coefficient in the area immediately spiked above 80 when Zhao Xing attacked, completely disrupting Jing Yan's ability to sense spiritual energy.
Using Void Stabilizing Pillars ensured that his own spellcasting and mechanical control remained stable.
Boom!
Zhao Xing's Dao Field surged forward, sweeping across the mountain peak where Jing Yan stood.
The 1,000-meter-high peak melted instantly, like ice under the blazing sun.
However, the area guarded by the Void Stabilizing Pillars remained unaffected. Light shimmered within, and though the protective field trembled slightly, Jing Yan himself was completely unharmed.
The four vertical pillars served a defensive purpose, while the two horizontal ones were Path-Breaking Needles.
Although called "needles," they were actually 1,000 meters long and 4.5 meters thick.
The Path-Breaking Needles specifically targeted Dao Fields.
The two needles, positioned 1,000 meters apart, connected through interwoven energy beams, forming a dark, rhomboid-shaped light drill.
Shhhk!
The black light drill penetrated Zhao Xing's Dao Field.
It was like a military knife slicing into flesh—deep wounds instantly appeared, spreading outward.
To his surprise, the damage didn't regenerate immediately.
Jing Yan's Dao Soldiers had exceeded the threshold of Zhao Xing's Eighth-Tier Dao Field, preventing its natural restoration.
Jing Yan didn't even move. The small baton-like weapon in his hand remained idle, and the Ghost God Soldiers floating behind him didn't react.
In his mind, Zhao Xing should have already admitted defeat after seeing how easily his Dao Field was breached.
After all, it was just a temporary resting spot, not something worth fighting to the death over.
But Lord Zhao thought differently.
He had never let someone steal his land before—why should he start now?
If it had been a Grand Divine Ability cultivator, he might have conceded.
But since they were both Second-Stage cultivators, there was no reason to back down.
Boom!
A thunderclap burst from the upper left Void Stabilizing Pillar.
Jing Yan felt a sharp, irritating noise and a mild electric numbness.
His pupils shifted colors—from blue to green, then from green to red—cycling through multiple Dao Vision modes until he finally identified the source of the attack.
Above them, eight dim stars had silently appeared.
Nine giant Yin Thunder Stars had begun generating smaller Yin Thunder Stars, which were now colliding against his Void Stabilizing Pillars and Path-Breaking Needles.
"Yin Thunder Techniques? How insidious."
Jing Yan adjusted his senses. It had taken him seven frequency adjustments of Dao Vision to even perceive the attack's source.
After assessing the power level and frequency, he willed his Void Stabilizing Pillars to reveal eight pitch-black openings.
"Star-Shattering Cannons!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Eight cannons fired simultaneously, blasting out pure Solar Source Energy.
The Fire Element Primordial Cannons were a hard counter to Yin-element lightning.
Each shot was equivalent to a full-force attack from a perfected Second-Stage cultivator.
Buzz!
The Yin Thunder Stars shattered under the bombardment.
Jing Yan calculated quickly—it had taken sixteen shots to destroy eight of Zhao Xing's Yin Thunder Stars.
"This guy's overall combat strength is no joke. At least thirty times the standard Second-Stage limit."
By measuring against a Second-Stage cultivator at full power, Jing Yan concluded that Zhao Xing's strength exceeded the standard by a factor of thirty.
However, Jing Yan wasn't worried.
His own combat power was far superior. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to venture into Southfall 88, where even Third-Stage cultivators roamed freely.
The black light drill had already locked onto Zhao Xing's life signature and was mere moments away from striking.
Jing Yan's targeting parameters were set to push Zhao Xing back by 500 million kilometers.
Given the instability of the Starwheel Labyrinth, forcing Zhao Xing that far out would essentially remove him from the battlefield.
Crack… Crack… Crack!
Just as Jing Yan thought he had secured victory, the Void Stabilizing Pillar in the lower right corner suddenly lost power, its glow flickering and dying out.
[Warning: Stability coefficient within a thousand-mile radius is rapidly decreasing!]
The artifact spirit issued an alert!
"What's getting in?"
Jing Yan was startled.
He hadn't sensed anything unusual, yet his artifact spirit had given a warning.
A drastic drop in stability coefficient meant that his basic spellcasting platform had been breached!
He scanned hundreds of millions of times in an instant, yet he still couldn't pinpoint what was causing the drop in stability.
"Primordial Dispersion!"
A blazing light radiated from Jing Yan's shoulders, illuminating the endless darkness like a lighthouse.
The universe was a vast ocean, and he was the beacon—any spell, mechanism, or object that entered his domain would be immediately detected.
But there was nothing!
"Void Tremor!"
The metal staff in Jing Yan's hand finally moved.
It vibrated at an imperceptible frequency, sending ripples across the entire spellcasting space.
This was his custom-made "Universal Dao Soldier".
A Dao Soldier Mechanist relied on three key components.
First was a stabilization artifact like the Void Stabilizing Pillars, which required half a lifetime's wealth to craft.
Without a stable spellcasting platform, nothing else mattered.
Even the Path-Breaking Needles weren't as crucial.
Mastering the supporting spells was equally important—no mechanist dared to wander outside without refining these techniques.
Second was the artifact spirit—a Dao Soldier Mechanist's artifact spirit was as vital as a second self.
The artifact spirit was completely rational—if the mechanist fell under illusion spells or lost consciousness, their only lifeline would be the artifact spirit.
Third was the Universal Dao Soldier—a personalized weapon unique to mechanists.
It was an integration of artifact and spell, something no other profession could replicate, and useless in anyone else's hands.
Its applications were vast, and right now, Jing Yan was using his Universal Dao Soldier to perform a multidimensional filter scan of the stabilized spellcasting space.
Buzz—
A thousand-mile radius flashed in vibrant hues of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, as if a prism had refracted the void itself. Occasionally, chaotic void currents flickered into existence.
All of this was caused by Jing Yan's Universal Dao Soldier.
"There! It's the wind?"
Jing Yan was stunned.
In his enhanced vision, countless particle-sized air currents had infiltrated his Void Stabilizing Pillars.
These wind particles were interfering with the environment, some even approaching his body.
"What kind of Yin Wind Technique is this? So sinister!"
Boom!
Jing Yan swung his staff, dispersing the wind particles. The spellcasting space stabilized once more.
Yin Wind Technique—Fetal Breath!
Zhao Xing sensed his technique being broken and sighed.
He was very familiar with Imperial mechanists and their Dao Soldier combat styles.
The key to defeating a mechanist was to disrupt their spellcasting platform.
The silent infiltration of a Yin Wind Technique was the most efficient and low-cost method.
Unfortunately, Jing Yan's Universal Dao Soldier had countered it, using Void Tremor and Primordial Dispersion to reveal the hidden Yin Wind Technique.
Zhao Xing's Fetal Breath Technique had reached the Void Stage, allowing it to merge seamlessly into the void, much like a colorless, tasteless substance dissolving into water.
For most, it was undetectable.
But Jing Yan's Universal Dao Soldier and spell techniques had exposed it completely!
"What a shame… Hm?!"
Zhao Xing flashed into light, instantaneously repositioning himself.
Boom!
As he activated the Cloud-Folding Technique to evade, a massive crater appeared in the spot he had just left.
Jing Yan had gone all out, finally revealing his true strength.
His Ghost God Soldiers had activated—a total of seven arch-shaped artifacts, glowing in shades of red, purple, and green—rushing toward Zhao Xing through the Path-Breaking Needles' opening.
An exchange of courtesy—both Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had invaded each other's spellcasting domains, forcing both to relocate under enemy fire.
For spell cultivators, combat wasn't like martial artists' brute-force battles.
Instead of exchanging punches, they infiltrated and disrupted each other's spellcasting stability—which was akin to placing a dagger against their opponent's throat.
In a mere instant, both had crossed blades, with spells grazing each other's necks.
Bang!
Jing Yan's left hand withdrew a miniature firearm from his waist, firing at the falling Star Fortune Coin.
The coin bounced back into the air, continuing to float above their heads.
Jing Yan's eyes burned with fighting spirit as he stared at Zhao Xing.
"Another round! Let's go!"
"Fine!"
Zhao Xing grinned in excitement—there was no doubt that Jing Yan was a formidable opponent.
According to Imperial dueling customs, the second renewal of a Star Fortune Coin's descent signified respect—Jing Yan now acknowledged Zhao Xing as a true rival, unlike before.
At the same time, if Zhao Xing still remained standing after the second renewal, Jing Yan had the right to claim a unique trophy from him.
It was a symbol of honor—many Imperial warriors prided themselves on collecting trophies from worthy duels.
Shhk! Shhk! Shhk! Shhk! Shhk! Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
The black light drill accelerated, slicing through the Dao Field like fabric.
At the center of the rift was Zhao Xing himself.
Ghost God Soldiers came in various versions—Jing Yan wielded the Twelve Ghost Gods, an elite model.
The twelve arch-shaped constructs emitted more than just twelve secret techniques—at their full power, they unleashed sixty-four types of attacks.
With enough comprehension, the number of combinations was virtually infinite.
Zhao Xing was immediately bombarded—this attack was thirty times stronger than the previous exchange!
The moment the Ghost God Soldiers deployed, their attacks had already reached Zhao Xing's face.
This is Void Technique—Ghostly Traversal.
The Ghost God Soldiers' attacks weren't random bursts but followed the Five Elements Yin-Yang Dao.
Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal, Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood.
Wood also generates Lightning and Wind, and there was also the division of Yin and Yang—this interplay of elements led to endless transformations in attack variations.
Each wave of assault, whether successful or not, would never be dispersed by the enemy. Instead, it would immediately fuel the next attack, creating a cycle of stacking power that, in theory, could be infinitely amplified!
"Purple Wind!"
"Blood Cloud Realm!"
"Tidal Surge!"
Zhao Xing didn't dare to be careless—he immediately activated Boundary Falun.
The Boundary Falun was originally a curved shield, but it could transform into a fully enclosed sphere at any time.
After accumulating wealth over the past two hundred years, Zhao Xing had upgraded his Boundary Falun from a Four Realm Flow to a Twelve Realm Flow.
This meant that he now had twelve layers of defense and twelve layers of amplification.
Each layer of defense weakened the attacks before they reached his Dao Body, reducing their power significantly.
Void Technique: Purple Wind, Blood Cloud Realm, and Rain Technique: Tidal Surge were all Yang-based techniques.
Wind was formless, yet it could deflect incoming attacks.
Clouds had substance, and the Blood Cloud Realm could absorb part of the attack's power and strengthen itself.
Rain Technique: Tidal Surge—each raindrop was like a crystal prism, causing enemy attacks to refract unpredictably.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ground split apart, shattered, and turned into a sea of flames!
As their battle intensified, they had already fought down to the magma layer!
But just defending wasn't Zhao Xing's style.
Moreover, long-term defense was bound to fail—the power of the Ghost God Soldiers was continuously increasing.
The Ghost God Five Elements Dao was an exceptionally powerful system, and the Twelve Ghost Gods represented one of the peak-tier weapons that could be wielded at the Second Origin Realm.
Zhao Xing multitasked, immediately jumping from the innermost core of the Boundary Falun to the space between the twelfth and eleventh layers.
"Primordial Magnet Lightning Storm!"
Zhao Xing let out a low roar, his body transformed into pure lightning, surging like a tree-shaped network of electric arcs.
Using his own body as a decoy, he exchanged direct damage for the perfect counterattack opportunity.
At that moment, Jing Yan's attack rhythm faltered slightly.
And Zhao Xing seized that opening!
BANG!
Zhao Xing's body was sent flying back a hundred miles. As he soared, his body expanded, and his feet landed in the magma.
Titan Pillar of Treasure Mountain Technique!
Flames, lightning, and frost surged over him, but he channeled the impact through his legs into the ground, dispersing the force.
"Damn! Another Yin-based technique?!"
Jing Yan grimaced in pain—rust rapidly spread across his entire body.
At last, their spell-forged blades landed directly on each other's flesh!
Zhao Xing had taken a direct hit from Jing Yan's Seed Tide and the Twelve Ghost Gods' strongest move—Grand Yin Kalavinka.
The Seed Tide targeted the soul, while Grand Yin Kalavinka specialized in obliterating an opponent's Dao Body.
If Zhao Xing's Sea of Consciousness were a palace, then at this moment, it was riddled with countless tiny holes.
The damage didn't reach his Three Divinities Destiny Palace, but the outermost shell had been pierced thousands of times.
His Dao Body suffered mild frostbite and corrosion, but overall, they were minor injuries.
But hidden within the technique, the real offensive core of Jing Yan's attack wasn't Grand Yin Kalavinka, but Seed Tide!
On the other hand, Jing Yan had been struck by Zhao Xing's self-created technique—Golden Body Erosion!
He had used Primordial Magnet Lightning Storm as a decoy, mirroring Jing Yan's technique-within-a-technique approach.
The real attack was Yin Rain Technique: Golden Body Erosion—in an instant, it bypassed the Void Stabilizing Pillars, and the highly corrosive raindrops seeped into Jing Yan's body.
...
...
A blazing inferno raged around them, distorting the very fabric of reality.
For a brief moment, both combatants paused simultaneously.
The Star Fortune Coin had been scorched red-hot, about to fall into the magma.
Zhao Xing stared at Jing Yan.
If Jing Yan renewed the Star Fortune Coin for the third time, the meaning would completely change.
The first renewal had a slightly arrogant undertone but was ultimately a casual fight.
The second renewal represented respect and acknowledged the opponent's honor in battle—it was a duel of knowledge, not a fight to the death.
But if there was a third renewal, it would mean a battle to the bitter end.
Neither had used their trump cards yet.
Neither had unleashed their divine abilities.
If they fought again, it would be a battle of life and death.
"I concede."
Jing Yan let the Star Fortune Coin fall into the magma, where it drifted away with the currents.
His entire body glowed, and his injuries rapidly healed.
Zhao Xing did the same—his flames and wounds faded instantly.
Both of their auras weakened slightly—their total spiritual power had been reduced.
Zhao Xing's decline was a bit less severe, since he possessed a dual-origin Dao Body.
But Jing Yan wasn't too far behind either—he had perfected the Second Origin Realm, while Zhao Xing was still in mid-stage Second Origin Realm.
The injuries were trivial—the only real casualty was the devastated battlefield.
Jing Yan looked at Zhao Xing, his eyes filled with mutual admiration.
"Didn't expect to see such a genius Shennong in a place like this."
He grinned.
"My name is Jing Yan. Brother, what's your name?"
"Zhao Xing."
Zhao Xing asked, "You're from the Empire?"
"Is it that obvious?" Jing Yan laughed. "Yeah, I'm from Red Star Empire's North Wild Star System."
"Oh?" Zhao Xing was slightly surprised. "That's not too far from the North River Star System."
"You've been to North River Star System?" Jing Yan raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
Zhao Xing switched to Imperial tongue and said, "I lived on its homeworld for quite a while."
"Hahaha! Your North River dialect is impressive!"
Jing Yan laughed heartily. "That makes us half-countrymen—I ascended from North River Star."
"No wonder your combat style felt so familiar."
It wasn't just familiarity—Zhao Xing had developed his battle habits in the Red Star Empire.
After all, his universe-version combat training had been conducted there.
"Come on, Zhao Xing—pick something."
Jing Yan waved his hand, and a dazzling array of divine weapons unfolded in the air.
"All the ones on the left are Dao Soldiers I crafted myself. My name is inscribed on each of them," Jing Yan said. "The ones on the right are my personal collection."
Zhao Xing took a glance. He had to admit—Jing Yan had that classic Empire contract spirit, meticulous and precise. He had even laid out Breaking Dao Needles and Twelve Ghost God components.
"This one," Zhao Xing chose a particular item. It was a set—four square boxes stacked together, with a blue sphere in the middle, resembling a fractured Rubik's cube on the verge of breaking apart.
This artifact was called the Star Land Oscillator, an explosive device for planetary destruction, categorized as a single-use consumable.
Of course, Zhao Xing had no idea what level this thing was exactly. But judging by its quality, it was likely one of the more valuable pieces among Jing Yan's self-made Dao Soldiers.
He didn't pick from the right side—choosing from Jing Yan's personal treasures would be making an enemy.
If Zhao Xing wanted money, he could dig up graves anytime. It was better to make friends with a genius Mechanist.
"Haha, great choice!" Jing Yan laughed, waving his hand and tossing the Star Land Oscillator to Zhao Xing. Meeting a genius Shennong in a foreign land, especially someone who had even visited the Red Star Empire, made him eager to befriend Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing's spells were all Yin-based, but his character was solid.
"Oh, right. According to the rules, this is yours too." Jing Yan grabbed the Star Fortune Coin and handed it over to Zhao Xing.
With both items in hand, Zhao Xing didn't even bother checking the Star Land Oscillator. Instead, his focus was entirely on the Star Fortune Coin.
"You're really giving it to me?" Zhao Xing asked, somewhat surprised.
What did this Star Fortune Coin do, exactly?
It increased his Fortune by one level!
Since arriving in the cosmos, Zhao Xing's Fortune Level had never changed—he had remained at Derivation Nine this whole time.
Fortune became increasingly difficult to improve. But with this Star Fortune Coin, he could temporarily reach Derivation Ten!
Ten and Nine—though just one rank apart—belonged to entirely different levels.
"Of course! I have plenty more." Jing Yan didn't seem to mind. "No need to worry about me losing any Fortune."
Zhao Xing took a closer look. Even after giving away this Star Fortune Coin, Jing Yan's Fortune Level remained Derivation Eleven.
"No wonder…" Zhao Xing murmured as he put the coin away.
"What?" Jing Yan didn't catch his words.
"Nothing. I was just saying—you're a generous guy." Zhao Xing chuckled.
In truth, he was reviewing their last battle exchange in his mind.
He had realized that his lightning technique had been interfered with by some unexpected factor.
Unexpected interferences were impossible to eliminate in battle.
In their final clash, Jing Yan had used a double-layered hidden technique, landing both attacks on Zhao Xing.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xing had only managed to hit him with Golden Body Erosion.
The unexpected factor was luck!
Jing Yan's Fortune Level had undoubtedly played a role.
If not for that, Zhao Xing's lightning strike should have also landed successfully.
—
There's a saying: "No fight, no friendship."
Before long, Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had become quite familiar with each other.
Both were young, with long lifespans ahead of them, and Jing Yan wasn't in a hurry to explore.
So, for several months, they sparred and conversed.
Zhao Xing was more than willing—his cultivation advanced quickly, but his self-created techniques lacked practical tempering.
Jing Yan was an excellent sparring partner.
"I have two minor divine abilities—one is Military Technique Seal, the other is Ghost God Sky," Jing Yan casually revealed.
"Ever heard of them? These are exclusive to the Red Star Empire!"
Empire citizens were blatantly proud of their country, and Jing Yan was no exception.
But in truth, his pride was justified.
In the entire Xuanling Star Domain, only the Red Star Empire was a nation-level native superpower.
The likes of Reincarnation Divine Palace, Primordial Hill, and Origin Heaven Palace were all extraterrestrial forces that had merely set up bases in the Xuanling Star Domain.
The Ancient Kingdom Alliance of the Barren Domain was a coalition of 100,000 ancient nations, and couldn't be considered a single country.
Only the Red Star Empire had started as a mere ancient kingdom but had gradually grown into a dominant superpower.
"I've heard of Ghost God Sky, but only vaguely of Military Technique Seal," Zhao Xing responded. "Does Military Technique Seal make Dao Soldiers malfunction?"
"Exactly." Jing Yan grinned with pride. "If I use it, all your Dao Soldiers would be disabled—probably only the Boundary Falun could still function."
"Even if it still works, its effectiveness would drop to Four Realm Flow."
"At the Boundary Star Dao Soldier level, almost none can resist Military Technique Seal—even top-grade ones won't work."
"The only ones completely immune would be at the Grand Yin Dao Soldier level."
Zhao Xing nodded. Every profession had its own core abilities—Mechanists' divine techniques could indeed produce such effects.
Just like how martial artists had Golden Body Divine Abilities—some were so strong that even if struck by a Boundary Star Dao Soldier, they'd only feel an itch and wouldn't be harmed in the slightest.
Du Yun was a perfect example.
That great divine ability user was so outrageous that even someone at the Dao Domain Realm wielding a Grand Yin Dao Soldier wouldn't be able to harm his core.
But then again, Du Yun was a top-tier genius from an Ancient Kingdom—such monsters were rare.
"Brother, I noticed something—your Heavenly Timing is solid, and your Earthly Advantage is strong… That first time we fought, you used a spell from Treasure Mountain Technique, didn't you?" Jing Yan suddenly asked.
"You know about Treasure Mountain Technique? Haven't you only been in this region for a few years?" Zhao Xing was surprised.
That technique was relatively obscure.
After all, Treasure Mountain Technique belonged to Martial Shennongs. Anyone who cultivated it qualified as a rare profession, eligible for subsidies and tax deductions.
"Of course I know." Jing Yan laughed. "Wu Tian, the creator of Treasure Mountain Technique, is locked up in our Red Star Empire—at Erliang Slope."
"Right." Zhao Xing suddenly understood.
"But… he's in Erliang Slope now?"
Zhao Xing remembered differently—Wu Tian hadn't originally been imprisoned there.
Then again, his current timeline and his past life's timeline weren't perfectly synchronized.
It made sense if Wu Tian had been transferred later.
"Yeah, that guy is stubborn and overly mystical, plus he has some tricks that can manipulate people's minds. About six hundred years ago, he was transferred to Erliang Slope Prison. No idea how he's doing now. I haven't been back in a long time," Jing Yan said.
Making friends definitely had its advantages… Zhao Xing thought to himself.
At least now, he had a lead for the Treasure Mountain Technique quest.
"That guy got it bad, ending up in Erliang Slope," Zhao Xing clicked his tongue.
Erliang Slope Prison was a unique place. No matter how powerful a person was, no matter their cultivation level, the moment they entered that prison, their body weight would be reduced to only two liang.
For a Heavenly Luck-level martial artist, their body was already massive, and Origin Stage cultivators were as large as mountains.
Even Dao Domain Realm cultivators, who were typically spellcasters, wouldn't be small.
Yet, the moment they stepped inside, they'd only weigh two liang—it was pure torment.
Zhao Xing, however, had no plans at the moment.
Erliang Slope Prison was mobile, constantly carried around by some powerful cultivator.
Since everyone inside weighed only two liang, the prison itself wasn't big either—just a ring worn on someone's finger.
Breaking in and rescuing someone? Impossible.
The only option was to wait until Wu Tian got transferred, or until his status as a high-risk criminal was downgraded.
"Why did you decide to come explore this place?" Zhao Xing asked.
"A person has to go out and see the world," Jing Yan replied. "I've been away from home for a thousand years, traveling through every nation in the Xuanling Star Domain."
"How was it?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Not great," Jing Yan laughed. "Most of the ancient kingdom capitals are run-down and shabby. Home is still the best."
Zhao Xing merely smiled.
Only an Empire citizen would dare to mock the ancient kingdoms like that.
Then again, he wasn't entirely wrong.
When analyzing data from the Ancient Kingdom Alliance of the Barren Domain, Red Star Empire always had to be excluded.
Whether it was population statistics, void passage construction, rare resource production, or even Dao Soldier consumption, including Red Star Empire would make the averages completely skewed.
Red Star Empire was constantly cultivating new life-supporting star systems.
If you included their numbers, then the total number of habitable systems in the Xuanling Star Domain was increasing.
If you excluded them, it was declining.
If you factored in Red Star Empire, then Xuanling Star Domain wasn't even a barren domain at all!
One statistic Zhao Xing remembered vividly was that over 70% of King-level rare plant species in the Xuanling Star Domain were inside Red Star Empire.
Why?
Because Red Star Empire had the strongest "Self-School" Shennongs, and it was the gathering hub for Self-School cultivators.
"Alright, let's stop talking about home. The more I talk, the more I miss it," Jing Yan clapped his face. "Brother, do you want to explore somewhere else with me?"
"This Starwheel Labyrinth has been searched countless times already. I've been coming here every ten years for fifty years, and I still haven't figured it out. Why not go somewhere else? Like Crescent Moon Mountain—maybe I'll find the entrance there?"
Over the past few months, Jing Yan had truly come to see Zhao Xing as a friend.
"I mean, I could… but I have some trouble on my hands. I don't want to drag you into it," Zhao Xing admitted.
"What kind of trouble? Who did you piss off?" Jing Yan asked.
"A Dao Domain Realm cultivator," Zhao Xing said.
"Zhao bro, you're really something," Jing Yan raised an eyebrow. "It takes a special kind of talent to offend someone at that level."
"But if you're still walking around freely, that means your trouble has some limits, right?"
In Jing Yan's understanding, Dao Domain Realm cultivators always had strong backings, and they wouldn't personally make a move.
"Third Stage Rule Domain cultivators can take action against me," Zhao Xing nodded.
"Oh, that's it?" Jing Yan waved dismissively. "I thought it was something serious."
"You and I, together? We can definitely survive against a Third Stage Rule Domain cultivator."
"Besides, I'm an Empire citizen—they won't dare kill me so easily. They'll hesitate."
"And if things really go south, well… at least I can collect your corpse for you," Jing Yan grinned.
"Hahaha!"
Hearing that, Zhao Xing couldn't hold back a laugh. "Since we've already said this much, why would I refuse?"
"If Jing bro wants to bring me along for some fortune, and is willing to lend a helping hand, of course I'll go."
"But don't be in such a rush to leave yet."
"I've actually figured something out about the Starwheel Labyrinth."
"Oh?" Jing Yan's eyes lit up. "Tell me more."
Zhao Xing led Jing Yan to a high-altitude lookout.
"The labyrinth itself is the first major obstacle," Zhao Xing explained.
"Everyone suspects there's a tomb here, but no one can find the entrance."
"Southfall 88 is a high-grade star land. Blasting it randomly won't work—it could take forever to find anything. That's why so many Third Stage Rule Domain cultivators gave up and left."
"The real difficulty is that you can't confirm your position. No matter how you enter, you'll just loop back and exit through another path."
"And while you explore, you run into Guardian Beasts and Tomb Defenders, which makes it a bad investment for most people."
"That's true," Jing Yan nodded. "Brute-force searching won't work in the Starwheel Labyrinth. This place is a tough nut to crack."
"But if I can confirm our position, and you use your skills in mechanisms and formations, we might just open this tomb."
Jing Yan narrowed his eyes at Zhao Xing. "You can confirm the position?"
"My Starry Sky Compass and Earth Meridian Detector both go haywire in here."
"I can," Zhao Xing replied firmly.
He had his interface's map function, which came with coordinate tracking—allowing him to lock down their exact location.
The map couldn't directly find the entrance, but positioning alone was a huge advantage.
For the past two hundred years, Zhao Xing had encountered many strange tombs where Yin and Yang were obscured, and the Five Elements couldn't be sensed.
It was only by relying on his map for position tracking that he had been able to dramatically improve his efficiency.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's do this!" Jing Yan got excited. "I had a feeling that coming to the Starwheel Labyrinth this year would bring me luck. Turns out, it's because of you! Hahaha!"
For Jing Yan, a Third Stage Rule Domain tomb was extremely tempting.
Mechanists had money, but they were always short on money—especially those who specialized in Dao Soldiers, since their costs were sky-high.
Jing Yan was also an adventurer at heart.
With their interests aligned, the two quickly reached an agreement and began their journey into the Starwheel Labyrinth.
As Zhao Xing and Jing Yan stepped into the Starwheel Labyrinth, a large realm vessel descended onto the Western Continent of Southfall 88.
For small-scale expeditions, adventurers typically used small realm vessels since it was easier to navigate through the void formations of Moonfall Mausoleum, and there were more void passages available. However, the presence of a large realm vessel signified a major expedition, requiring extensive resources and spiritual energy reserves for long-term activity in Moonfall Mausoleum.
A click echoed as the hatch opened.
A procession of attendants, clad in luxurious brocade robes and golden crowns, exited in a well-ordered manner. They walked in perfect synchronization, each holding a radiant solar lantern high above their heads. The light from these palace lanterns illuminated the surroundings as if turning night into day.
The environment stabilized under the glow of these small artificial suns, compensating for the lack of stellar illumination on Southfall 88.
At the center of the formation, surrounded by attendants, a tall and elegant young woman made her appearance.
She wore a dark brocade robe embroidered with celestial birds soaring through the clouds, the intricate embroidery swaying gently with her movements, as though stirred by the wind.
The celestial birds were so lifelike, they seemed ready to leap off the fabric, an emblem of supreme nobility.
A jade belt encircled her waist, adorned with countless dazzling gemstones. Each precious stone reflected the lantern light like a constellation of stars in the night sky.
This display of grandeur naturally attracted the attention of many prying eyes from the Western Continent.
"That's the Tian Yue Realm Vessel from Yuetanhou Manor!"
"The Tian Yue Realm Vessel? Does that mean Yuetanhou himself has arrived?"
"No, it's the young lady of Yuetanhou Manor, Lu Yuehan. I heard she was a lost descendant, only returning to recognize her ancestry 1,500 years ago."
"Tsk, quite the grand display. She's only in the Second Stage Rule Domain, yet she has multiple Third Stage cultivators accompanying her. It seems Yuetanhou Manor holds her in high regard."
"Yuetanhou has many sons, but very few daughters. Of his three legitimate daughters, two are already married, leaving only Lu Yuehan. It makes sense for Yuetanhou to pamper her to compensate for her lost years."
"Withdraw your scanning devices. There are powerful cultivators clearing the perimeter."
The moment this was said, all probing devices and spiritual senses quickly retracted.
For those who didn't react in time, their devices were either shattered or confiscated by the powerhouses beside Lu Yuehan.
A Third Stage Rule Domain steward stood respectfully by Lu Yuehan's side and inquired, "Miss, we have arrived at Southfall 88. So far, two Third Stage tombs have already been unearthed on this star land."
"There are sixteen suspected burial sites. Which one would you like to explore first?"
Standing on a luxurious carpet, Lu Yuehan exuded nobility and cold elegance. Her face was as flawless as jade, her swan-like neck glowing with a radiant sheen.
Her high-bridged nose and slightly upturned lips carried a faint, enigmatic smile, making it difficult for anyone to discern her true emotions.
"Mr. Hong," Lu Yuehan said, her voice calm and measured, "I don't have a particular preference. But from what I've heard, most adventurers on Southfall 88 usually start by exploring the Starwheel Labyrinth."
Hong Qi nodded. "Understood, Miss. We will head to the Starwheel Labyrinth first."
With a simple wave of his hand, a team of cultivators immediately moved out to pave the way.
Hong Qi was a Third Stage Dao Scholar, and he was accompanied by numerous Third Stage cultivators, including Mechanists, Martial Artists, Shennongs, and Fate Officers. Their formation was impeccable.
Their equipment was top-tier, and even their transport vessels were medium-sized realm vessels.
Upon reaching the mountains where the Starwheel Labyrinth was located, Hong Qi issued an immediate command. "Gao You, mobilize the Yuan Di Army and seal off the entire Starwheel Labyrinth. No one is allowed to enter or exit."
"Yes, sir." A Third Stage Martial Artist led a group and swiftly took action.
Hong Qi's authority was immense—he directly mobilized an army to provide escort protection. The moment he declared the area off-limits, it was effectively turned into a restricted zone.
"Wang Yun, Zeng Zhuo." Hong Qi then turned to a Mechanist and a Fate Officer. "The two of you will scout the Starwheel Labyrinth. Within three years, I expect to see a cracking solution for the labyrinth."
"However, do not completely disable the formation arrays. The young lady enjoys the thrill of solving mysteries. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." Both cultivators took off immediately.
With Hong Qi's commands rapidly executed, the entire expedition moved into motion.
Once all instructions were given, Hong Qi returned to Lu Yuehan's side.
Meanwhile, deep inside the Starwheel Labyrinth, Zhao Xing and Jing Yan had already been exploring for three months.
Unaware that the labyrinth had been sealed, the two remained focused on their journey.
Thanks to Zhao Xing's ability to confirm their location, Jing Yan's Mechanist skills made disabling the smaller traps effortless.
On the 95th day, the endless maze-like walls suddenly vanished, revealing a vast underground chamber.
"Zhao bro, you're amazing!" Jing Yan cheered, "You're the most directionally-gifted Shennong I've ever met, hahaha!"
"Getting lost? Who do you think I am?" Zhao Xing chuckled. The past three months had been mentally exhausting—while there weren't any major dangers, the continuous small traps kept them on high alert.
After all, this was the tomb of a Third Stage Self-School Shennong. And since Self-School Shennongs were notoriously wealthy, their tomb formations and mechanisms were always highly advanced.
"We've cleared the first obstacle. Now, let's see what's truly hidden here." Jing Yan waved his hand, releasing tens of thousands of tiny spherical drones.
The spheres emitted soft beams of light, illuminating the underground darkness while simultaneously scanning the surroundings.
Having a Mechanist companion was incredibly convenient—Zhao Xing quickly got a clear view of the underground chamber.
Strange towers lined the area, arranged in perfect symmetry. Between the towers, the ground pathways were smooth, as if this place had been carved out of a mountain range.
"There are defenders inside the towers—Tomb Guardian Puppets," Zhao Xing pointed out. "Jing bro, can you disable them without waking them up?"
Zhao Xing knew very well that these Tomb Guardian Puppets were at Second Stage Rule Domain level!
If they activated, things would become extremely troublesome.
Jing Yan smirked. "Ah, now this is where my signature technique, "Battlefield Restriction," comes in handy."