Lin Chen climbed the steep cliff face, fingers gripping rock crevices, toes seeking footholds. Every upward step made his entire bones protest. But the Star Pattern on his glabella continued to heat up, as if guiding the way.
Halfway up, the Star Pattern suddenly burned intensely hot. Lin Chen turned his head, looking at the left cliff wall—thick vines covered it, but in the Star Pattern's perception, faint stellar power fluctuations emanated from behind the vines.
"Another secret?"
He moved laterally, pushed aside the vines. Indeed, a crack barely wide enough for one person was revealed. Inside was deep and dark, but the Star Pattern sensed strongly.
"Let's go in and see."
Squeezing sideways into the crack, he walked a dozen steps; the space suddenly opened up. This was a larger underground hall than the previous cave, dome about five zhang high, covered with fluorescent crystals, twinkling like a starry sky. In the center of the ground stood a black stone stele three zhang tall.
The stele surface was smooth as a mirror, carved with countless fine runes. Lin Chen approached; the runes glowed faintly under Star Pattern sensing, but arranged chaotically, their meaning unclear.
"Need Star Pattern activation?"
With a thought, the Star Pattern on his glabella manifested. Pale silver radiance projected onto the stele.
"Hum—"
The stele vibrated, surface runes flowing and reorganizing, transforming into a three-dimensional star chart. Nine stars encircled central chaotic mist, rotating ceaselessly. Simultaneously, an ancient, weathered voice directly echoed in his mind:
"Chaos begins, stars self-generate. Nine qi return to origin, all dharmas empty."
"This is the introductory chapter of 'Chaos Stellar Scripture'. The cultivator must possess the Chaos Stellar Body to withstand the nine-attribute source spirit qi. Condensing the chaos star vortex in the dantian marks the beginning of foundation building."
Lin Chen held his breath, focused intently, memorizing every word.
"The nine attributes: metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, darkness. Must be absorbed simultaneously, balanced and refined. Imbalance will cause the star vortex to collapse, body perish, Dao extinguished."
"The cultivation incantation is as follows..."
A passage of abstruse scripture branded his consciousness. Though Lin Chen didn't comprehend all meanings, his body instinctively remembered the circulation route.
The voice continued: "When the star vortex initially forms, you enter the Dawn Realm·Condensation Stage Level 1. Thereafter, each level ascended, the star vortex expands twofold. Nine levels complete, you can assault the Spiritual Light Realm."
"Remember: Cultivating the Chaos Stellar Body is arduous, but peerless within the same realm. Moreover, Star Pattern bearers have a sensing network; resonance occurs when close. Blessing and calamity coexist; be prudent."
The voice gradually weakened; the star chart's light convergence.
Lin Chen stood in place, digesting the information. So his physique was called the Chaos Stellar Body, requiring balanced absorption of nine attributes. Previously absorbing chaos source qi in the cave was merely initial awakening; now was formal entry.
"Begin cultivation."
Sitting cross-legged before the stele, he operated the incantation. Within his dantian, the originally blurry chaos star vortex began rotating, drawing surrounding source spirit qi.
In the hall air, nine-colored light points appeared—golden sharpness, green vitality, blue softness, crimson ferocity, yellow solidity, cyan swiftness, purple violence, white purity, black devouring. They simultaneously surged toward Lin Chen.
"Hiss—"
Nine kinds of forces tore at his body, more intense than last time. Because this was formal cultivation, requiring precise balance proportions.
Metal attribute too sharp, scraping meridians painfully; fire attribute violent, nearly burning internal organs; darkness attribute devouring, pulling at soul...
"Balance... must balance..."
Gritting teeth, he persisted, guided by the incantation. The chaos star vortex acted like a precise regulator, slowly absorbing the nine-colored light points, arranging them in five elements mutual generation sequence: metal generates water, water generates wood, wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal. Wind, thunder, light, darkness then attached to the five elements cycle.
The process was extremely painful.
Nine-colored patterns emerged on his skin surface, alternating flickering. Bones emitted soft "crack" sounds, seemingly reshaping. Blood boiled, every inch of muscle trembled.
But Lin Chen held on.
He could feel his body resonating with the nine attributes. Metal attribute strengthened bones; wood attribute nourished meridians; water attribute made blood vessels flexible; fire attribute tempered blood; earth attribute consolidated internal organs. Wind, thunder, light, darkness bestowed special abilities—wind swiftness, thunder violence, light healing, darkness concealment.
Time passed.
Unknowingly after how long, all nine-colored light points were absorbed. Within his dantian, the chaos star vortex solidified twofold, center chaos color profound, periphery nine-colored light bands flowing clearly.
"Succeeded!"
Lin Chen opened his eyes; nine-colored radiance flashed then vanished. His cultivation officially entered Dawn Realm·Condensation Stage Level 1.
And more than that. Because of the foundation laid by previously absorbing chaos source qi, he directly reached Level 1 peak, just a hair away from Level 2.
Stood up, moved his body; injuries completely recovered. Strength several times stronger than before; five senses much sharper. Could even faintly perceive the distribution of nine-attribute source spirit qi in the air.
"This is the power of the Chaos Stellar Body?"
Walked to the stele; Star Pattern sensed again. New text surfaced on the stele surface—this time, the complete heart method of 'Chaos Stellar Scripture' first layer, and matching martial skill 'Starfall Fist' first move 'Meteor Descent'.
"Starfall Fist... Meteor Descent..."
Memorized the content. This fist technique was based on stellar power, capable of mobilizing any one or multiple attributes among the nine for attack. First move Meteor Descent emphasized speed and burst, suitable for ambush.
Attempted operation. Fist surface glowed with pale silver luster, internally containing metal attribute sharpness and fire attribute ferocity.
"Boom!"
Punched toward adjacent rock wall. Rocks exploded, leaving a deep pit.
"Power not bad."
Nodded satisfied. With this fist technique, finally had an attack means.
About to continue research, suddenly heard faint human voices from outside the crack.
"Search carefully! That waste must be hiding nearby!"
Zhao Hu's voice. They hadn't left yet.
Lin Chen's eyes turned cold. The debt from being chased and jumping off the cliff—time to settle.
But reason told himself, now wasn't the time. Zhao Hu Condensation Stage Level 6, still had five subordinates. Though he broke through, lacked actual combat experience, and Starfall Fist just grasped—not suitable for head-on clash.
"Leave first."
After memorizing stele content, turned toward the crack. But just two steps, Star Pattern suddenly transmitted intense sense of crisis.
"Ambush?"
Instantly halted, Stellar Eye activated—this was the visual ability bestowed by Star Pattern, could discern energy fluctuations. Sight penetrated rock wall, saw two people ambush outside crack, holding crossbows aiming.
"Indeed treacherous."
Lin Chen sneer. Since you want to play, then accompany you to play.
Pretended unaware, continued walking toward crack. Just about to step out, suddenly side-rolled.
"Swoosh! Swoosh!"
Two crossbow arrows brushed past, nailed on rock wall.
"Take action!"
Outside two people rushed in, holding blades slashing.
Lin Chen unhurried, Star-shifting Steps executed, easily avoided first slash. Simultaneously right hand clenched fist, Starfall Fist·Meteor Descent break out.
"Bang!"
Fist struck left enemy's chest. Metal and fire attributes Double outbreak, rib fracture sound clearly audible.
"Ah!" That person screamed flying backward, crashed against rock wall unconscious.
Right enemy horrified, movement stalled. Lin Chen seized opportunity, kicked his wrist, long blade disarmed. Followed with a punch, struck abdomen, opponent knelt vomiting blood.
In mere three breaths, resolved two people.
Lin Chen searched bodies, found some healing medicine and Broken silver, stored. Then stripped one's outer garment, changed into it, disguised as ordinary Outer Sect disciple.
"Time to return."
Walked out of crack; outside moonlight clear cold. Distant more searching sounds, but Lin Chen already mastered Stellar Eye, could Avoid in advance.
He like ghost Traversing the mountains and forests, quickly returned to back mountain foot. Further ahead, was Outer Sect disciple residential area.
Looked back toward cliff direction.
"Zhao Hu, this time count you lucky. Next time meeting, won't be this simple."
Clenched fist, within dantian chaos star vortex slowly rotated. That tiny chaos star vortex, yet was the first step changing fate.
But outside cave, pursuers still hadn't left.
Real trouble, just began.