Pain.
Lin Chen opened his eyes, his entire body felt shattered. Left arm fractured, two ribs broken, right leg numb.
But alive.
A cave, three zhang square. Stalactites dripped water; cave walls carved with stellar patterns—even more ancient and mysterious.
His glabella burned hot.
The Star Pattern manifested, pale silver radiance. The patterns on the cave walls rotated, detached, transformed into dancing points of light, reassembling into a three-dimensional star chart—nine stars encircling chaotic mist.
"Nine stars... chaos..."
A voice echoed in his mind—aged, weary, yet authoritative.
"Chen'er."
Father.
"If you hear this, it means you have entered the 'Star Source Cave'. An ancient relic. The stellar diagrams on the cave walls record the foundational cultivation method of 'Chaos Stellar Scripture'."
He held his breath.
"Listen well, I'll only say this once," the voice was grave. "The Chaos Stellar Body is one of the nine Ancient Sacred Bodies. Its core is 'balance'—the nine-attribute source spirit qi: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, darkness—must be absorbed and refined simultaneously, coalescing in the dantian into a 'chaos star vortex'."
"Focusing on a single attribute will imbalance the star vortex; at best, cultivation will be ruined; at worst, the body will explode and perish."
"Now, I transmit to you the first-layer heart method incantation."
Abstruse characters branded his consciousness.
"Chaos begins, star vortex self-generates. Nine qi return to origin, all dharmas empty..."
He memorized it instinctively.
"Operate this formula, activate the Star Pattern, absorb the 'chaos source qi' within the cave," the voice grew fainter. "Remember, cultivation is like rowing upstream. Three years from now, when the Stellar Tower appears, you must be at least Spiritual Light Realm·Sun Radiance Stage to qualify for the competition for opportunities..."
The voice vanished.
The cave fell silent; the star chart rotated.
Lin Chen endured the pain, sitting cross-legged.
He operated the heart method.
At first, no reaction—Condensation Stage Level 3 spiritual power was too weak.
He didn't give up.
Once, twice, thrice...
Sweat soaked his blood-stained clothes; excruciating pain assailed his nerves. Several times, he nearly fainted.
The Star Pattern on his glabella grew slightly warm, encouraging him—you are the successor of Stellar Peak, you must not fall.
"For me... open!"
The seventh time, a low roar.
Thin spiritual power circulated along the route, completing the first minor celestial cycle.
"Hum—"
The Star Pattern suddenly brightened.
The cave air flowed—no, it was chaos source qi.
Points of light seeped from the cave walls, water droplets rose, rock emitted them. Nine colors: gold, green, blue, red, yellow, cyan, purple, white, black.
Nine kinds of light points madly surged toward his glabella.
"Hiss—"
Simultaneously torn by nine kinds of forces. Metal sharpness, wood vitality, water flexibility, fire ferocity, earth solidity... wind swiftness, thunder violence, light purity, darkness devouring.
The nine forces rampaged wildly.
"Balance... must balance..." He gritted his teeth, operating the heart method.
The Chaos Stellar Scripture acted like a precise regulator, guiding the nine source qi to fuse proportionally. Metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal—the five elements mutual generation cycle established.
Wind, thunder, light, and darkness slowly integrated, centered on the five elements.
The pain was extreme.
His body seemed about to burst. Nine-colored patterns emerged on his skin—red, blue, gold alternating...
He held on.
He felt an unprecedented compatibility—this body was born to contain nine attributes.
"Boom!"
A dull sound from his dantian.
In his empty dantian appeared a tiny rotating vortex. Chaos-colored center, nine-colored light bands surrounding—chaos star vortex, formed!
Opened his eyes; nine-colored radiance flashed.
Injuries mostly healed. Fractures reduced, ribs joined, meridians filled with surging power.
Cultivation breakthrough.
Condensation Stage Level 4.
No, not just that.
The star vortex rotation accelerated, absorbing source qi faster.
Level 5.
Level 6!
Stopped at Condensation Stage Level 6 peak.
Dumbfounded.
One night, from Level 3 to Level 6 peak, breaking through three levels in a row?
Chaos Stellar Body + chaos source qi + ancient heart method—incredible effect.
"Hoo..."
Let out a long breath, the air column like an arrow.
Stood up, moved without hindrance. Strength several times stronger than before.
"This is... the power of the Chaos Stellar Body?"
Walked to the cave wall, touched the stone carving.
The Star Pattern automatically manifested.
The stellar patterns brightened again, projecting an image—a massive underground labyrinth, central tower phantom.
"Star Tower Trial?" came an aged, ancient voice from the image. "Successor of the Chaos Stellar Body, to obtain the complete inheritance, you must pass nine layers of trials. The first layer entrance lies beneath the 'Star Stele' in Meteorite Valley."
The image ceased.
The light extinguished.
He memorized the labyrinth and tower phantom.
"Star Tower Trial... complete inheritance..."
Clenched his fist.
Three years, from Condensation Stage Level 6 to Spiritual Light Realm·Sun Radiance Stage, passing nine layers of trials...
Difficult.
Harder than ascending to the blue sky.
But—
Fire ignited in his eyes.
If I can't even overcome this difficulty, how can I talk about saving father? Revitalizing Stellar Peak? Surviving the Stellar Tower competition?
"Then let it begin now."
Looking around, a stone platform in the corner, a yellowed beast-skin book.
"Basic Application of Star Pattern."
"Another left by father?"
Picked it up, opened it.
"Star Pattern is the imprint of stars. Can sense stars, store items, amplify combat power..."
Quickly browsed, heart startled.
The Star Pattern was far more powerful than imagined. Not only could it store items—opening an independent space—but it could also resonate with specific stars to obtain special abilities. Big Dipper—combat intuition; Polaris—direction perception; and...
"No wonder father said not to expose it."
Closed the book, took a deep breath.
Possessing a treasure invites crime.
If people knew I possessed this heaven-defying Star Pattern, the entire Azure Cloud Kingdom would be plunged into bloody turmoil.
"Must be careful."
With a thought, the Star Pattern on his glabella slightly brightened.
The beast-skin book vanished into thin air.
Another thought, the book appeared in his hand.
"Really... can store items?"
Tried several times, confirmed the ability. The Star Pattern space was small, about one cubic meter, but sufficient for storing important items.
"Excellent."
Secrets could be carried with him, not afraid of being searched.
Searched the cave again, found nothing else. Memorized all stellar patterns on the cave walls—can't understand now, might be useful later.
Finally, walked to the entrance.
Outside, steep cliff face; climbing up would take half an hour. Sky not yet bright, poor visibility, dangerous.
But no hesitation.
Must return.
Zhao Hu might still be searching; if he discovers the disappearance, suspicion will arise. Need to return to Outer Sect, disguise as a 'cultivation waste', cultivate in secret.
"Three years..."
Looked up, through a crack in the cliff, saw stars twinkling in the night sky.
"I will become strong."
"Strong enough to change everything."
Took a deep breath, began climbing.
His figure on the steep cliff face, inching upward.
Deep in the cave, the final stellar pattern—the nine-star alignment star chart—quietly flickered.
As if foretelling something.