Ming Qi had no idea how vast the star field truly was, nor did he have any way of knowing. His only concern now was to hunt star monsters while ensuring his survival, obtain the Heavenly Star Crystals, and then cultivate the Nine Heavens Star Attraction Technique.
When engaged in battle, his concept of time faded, until he could barely register the passage of time.
It was unknown how much time had passed, a month, or even a year; Ming Qi couldn't remember exactly. He remained constantly vigilant, avoiding powerful star monsters and specifically hunting those with strength comparable to that of the Flying Ant King.
At this point, Ming Qi held only a handful of bean-sized Heavenly Star Crystals.
The energy contained in these Heavenly Star Crystals was modest; even ten of them wouldn't necessarily be enough for him to condense a Transcendent Nebula and complete the first level of the Ninth Heaven Realm. However, Ming Qi held no thought of giving up.
Training in the star field was a journey of life and death.
After obtaining several Heavenly Star Crystals, Ming Qi found a secluded spot and began to slowly refine them.
A month later, Ming Qi set out again, still searching for a Star Demon of comparable strength.
This repetition, countless moments between life and death, markedly strengthened his character and resolve.
Finally, one day, after refining the last Heavenly Star Crystal, the star power that had long been accumulating within him suddenly unleashed its full force. After thoroughly washing through his limbs and bones, it finally condensed into a single spot near his dantian.
The Transcendent Nebula, condensed.
At the same moment, Ming Qi opened his eyes, and a faint starlight began to emanate from them, establishing a subtle connection with the star power of heaven and earth.
Condensing the Nebula signified the complete entry into the Nine Heavens Star Attraction Art, enabling greater communication with the star power, radiating its interplay with the star power of heaven and earth, and enabling smoother manipulation of star power during battle.
Gazing high up, Ming Qi waved his hand and gently pointed. A beam of starlight descended from the heavens, completely enveloping him.
The faint starlight quickly transformed into tiny specks of light and merged into Ming Qi's body. The next moment, he felt a warm current begin to flow through his body, causing everything to become slightly boiling.
"This is the power of Star Attraction. It's truly extraordinary."
After countless years of tempering, Ming Qi had eliminated many things. He now looked as unfathomable as a deep pool. Although his strength remained at the innate realm, he exuded an unfathomable pressure.
This was partly due to the effects of Star Attraction, but also because Ming Qi himself was undergoing an extraordinary transformation, a transformation that was incredibly long. Despite having endured countless life-or-death trials, his transformation had only just begun.
Successfully activating the Star Attraction only brought Ming Qi a brief moment of joy; it was no longer enough to excite him. He desired much more, or rather, he had entered a state of indifference, a state that even he himself could not fully explain.
Under the faint starlight, Ming Qi once again embarked on a solo journey.
A few days later, he tracked down a powerful star demon, a ferocious wolf-like beast. It was ten meters long and four or five meters tall, its entire body covered in foot-long, silver-white hairs, each one as sharp as a needle.
Judging from its aura, its strength was clearly a level above his own. Ming Qi also had a vague feeling that the wolf demon was deliberately luring him to a suitable battlefield so that he could kill and devour him.
Ming Qi ignored this. This was a game of hunter and hunted. His burning desire for battle was completely ignited and could not be quenched.
Finally, at a large, sunken pit hundreds of meters in radius, the wolf demon stopped. It raised its head and let out a few long howls, then turned to stare at Ming Qi in the distance. Its eyes were like stars painted in a brilliant black, their coldness radiating an endless chill.
Ming Qi advanced a distance and stood still, Fire Emperor Sword in hand, staring at the wolf demon opposite him.
This was the quiet before a life-or-death battle, and also the moment that would ultimately determine who would be the prey.
Ming Qi first cast Star Attraction on himself, enveloping his entire body in a faint aura of starlight. Then, he launched his attack.
Using Blood Shadow Step, he instantly transformed into a whirlwind of blood, charging towards the towering wolf demon ahead.
This had become a habit. Every battle would begin with Blood Shadow Step, followed by a series of violent, stormy attacks, his blood-controlling technique, often used to its fullest extent, inflicting both harm to the enemy and himself.
Although Ming Qi knew full well that this fighting style wasn't the best, in the star field, where every step was filled with murderous intent, there was no such thing as a perfect method. The only thing to consider was how to kill the enemy as quickly as possible.
This was the nature of the star field. Even if it meant risking one's life, whoever remained standing would be the victor.
Ming Qi's Blood Shadow Step had been unleashed to its fullest potential. Each step he took stirred up layers of blood mist, but this mist remained within a meter of his surroundings, not even a trace of it spreading.
The swirling blood aura concentrated all the murderous intent within it, so intense that even the nearby demon wolf was oblivious.
To the demon wolf, the prey was simply rushing towards them at top speed, but it perceived no threat at all.
The demon wolf shifted its massive body, eager to see what tricks its lured prey was up to. However, Ming Qi, empowered by the Star Attraction, had nearly doubled his speed. In the split second the demon wolf hesitated, Ming Qi had already rushed in front of it, trailing a trail of afterimages.
The demon wolf was startled. The prey's speed was completely beyond its expectations. However, its cunning and ferocious nature made it fearless as it lunged towards its prey. Its massive form resembled a small mountain, stirring up gusts of wind.
A flash of blood crimson flashed in Ming Qi's eyes. The Fire Emperor Sword in his hand seemed to instantly ignite with blood. Raging power poured out from the Fire Emperor Sword like a flood, and a fiery crimson flame instantly shot out three feet!
The Fire Emperor Sword, imbued with immense power, twisted strangely before the demon wolf's eyes, heading straight for its chest and abdomen.
It was only then that a tremendous murderous intent suddenly erupted.
But when the demon wolf sensed such terrifying murderous intent, it felt as if it had been completely mired in the raging force. The crisscrossing air currents intertwined to form a vast net, clinging to its chest and abdomen like a demon.
The crisis came without warning, but the fear was all too real. The demon wolf's front paws, barely able to strike, quickly retracted their force and attempted to dodge sideways, but it was too late.
The blood-red sword's edge finally slashed through all obstacles, like a blooming blood-stained rose, completely enveloping the demon wolf's entire body.
Ming Qi spat out a mouthful of blood, then swung the Fire Emperor Sword in his hand with a lightning-fast turn before stabbing again.
After dozens of such frequent stabs, he finally collapsed to the ground like a deflated ball.