Firmament Sword

”This isn’t serious business?” Xu Luo’s mouth twitched. ’I really can’t figure out what on earth this woman is thinking.’

”Of course not,” Ling Fengxian said with a smile. ”The real business is that the Central Plains Star Continent is about to fall into chaos!”

”Chaos?” Xu Luo raised an eyebrow, looking at Ling Fengxian.

”That’s right. Chaos. Or to be more precise, a great calamity is upon us!” Ling Fengxian’s smile faded as she spoke seriously. ”I’m sure you’ve heard the rumor.”

”A treasure in Cangqiong, which grants immortality to its possessor?” Xu Luo asked.

Ling Fengxian nodded. ”That’s the one. But do you know what it’s actually referring to?”

Xu Luo shook his head to show that he didn’t. ’I have my suspicions, but they’re just guesses, after all.’

”There’s a very old legend,” Ling Fengxian said softly, her eyes glinting. ”In ancient times, a star fell from the sky. Legend has it that this star was Beidou’s Eighth Star!”

’Beidou’s Eighth Star...’ Xu Luo’s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly recalled the ancient Star Map he had seen in the Earth Palace. When he drew near, a star would light up beside the Big Dipper, and when he moved away, it would vanish.

”I was once fortunate enough to see some ancient records. According to those texts, Beidou... truly did have an eighth star, long, long ago!” Ling Fengxian said.

”But today, Beidou only has seven stars in the sky,” Xu Luo said.

Ling Fengxian said, ”Which means Beidou’s Eighth Star has fallen into the mortal realm!”

”That... how is that possible?” Xu Luo found it hard to believe. ”That’s just absurd, isn’t it?”

”Honestly, I find it absurd too. How could a star possibly fall into the mortal realm?” As Ling Fengxian spoke, she stared intently into Xu Luo’s eyes, as if trying to read something in them.

Xu Luo’s eyes were clear as he calmly met Ling Fengxian’s searching gaze.

Ling Fengxian sighed softly, averted her eyes, and said, ”Originally, it was just an old legend. But with the arrival of certain people in the Central Plains Star Continent, that legend has suddenly become valuable!”

”So what?” Xu Luo said.

Ling Fengxian gave a slight smile. ”To an ordinary person, it means nothing, of course. But do you know what kind of people have entered the Central Plains Star Continent? They possess ancient legacies, and their power... is strong enough to make you shudder. Any one of those beings from other continents has destructive strength. This... will be a catastrophe for the entire Central Plains Star Continent!”

”Are you saying they’ll go on a killing spree?” Xu Luo asked.

”Perhaps. Who can say for sure? At the very least, slaughter and bloodshed will be unavoidable during the search for Beidou’s Eighth Star.” Ling Fengxian sighed. ”This is also why so many sects have poured into the secular world. On the one hand, they want to gather all sorts of resources to bolster their own strength. On the other... could it be they’re also trying to hide from something?”

After a moment of silence, Xu Luo asked, ”How do you know all this in such detail?”

”Heh, a fortunate coincidence, you could say. I have a few connections with some people on that side. The news about Beidou’s Eighth Star appearing in Cangqiong was actually divined by a Saint from the Ancient Race,” Ling Fengxian said quietly. ”That line, ’A treasure in Cangqiong, which grants immortality to its possessor’... they’re the ones who spread that rumor. The goal is to flush out their target!”

”Flush out their target?” Xu Luo asked, confused. ”What, is the Eighth Star... just going to jump out on its own?”

”Of course not.” Ling Fengxian gave a knowing smile. ”But countless people will start searching for Beidou’s Eighth Star because of that rumor. There’s strength in numbers. I’m sure... it will be found eventually. And that’s when it will be harvest time for the Ancient Race! It’s also when the calamity for the Central Plains Star Continent... will begin!”

”This doesn’t really have anything to do with me, does it?” Xu Luo said.

”The totem of the Cangqiong Empire is the Big Dipper. Every hundred years, they perform a ritual to the heavens, and it had never once failed until now. This time, the Star Festival failed... and you, you experienced a bizarrely rapid rise right after. Before the Star Festival, you were just a boy with a frail constitution, someone who would grow so weak on starless nights that you’d pass out...” Ling Fengxian’s gaze was piercing as she looked at Xu Luo. ”So tell me... does this have anything to do with you?”

*Hiss...* A chill went down Xu Luo’s spine. ’This information isn’t exactly top secret, but it’s not common knowledge either. Lianyi would never have told her these things. For her to have dug up such a detailed history on me... this wasn’t the work of a day or two.’

’If she knows all this, does that mean... others know too? And will they make the same connections?’

A chill suddenly ran through Xu Luo. ’Even though I don’t think I’m this Beidou’s Eighth Star, the Seven Star Souls in my Dantian are a secret that can never be told.’

’I’m not afraid of the experts on the Central Plains Star Continent, but the Ancient Race Continent...’

’Just think of the powerful Su Qingyi, and then that pair of martial brothers, the chubby one included, who just died by my hand... All of them were just the younger generation from the Ancient Race Continent.’

Xu Luo suddenly didn’t dare to think any further. ’If other people start thinking like Ling Fengxian, won’t I become a target for everyone?’

Seeing Xu Luo fall suddenly silent, a hint of a smile flashed in Ling Fengxian’s eyes. She sat back leisurely, lifted her teacup, and took a gentle sip. ”Excellent tea! It’s hard to find leaves of this quality even in the sects. It seems the top nobles of the secular world really live well!”

”If you like it, I’ll have someone send some over to you later,” Xu Luo said, snapping out of his thoughts with a smile.

”What, you’re not worried?” Ling Fengxian was surprised he could regain his composure so quickly. She couldn’t help but marvel inwardly, ’This young man is truly extraordinary!’

”It really has nothing to do with me, but if that’s what everyone chooses to think, there’s not much I can do...” Xu Luo shrugged, feigning indifference.

”Most people from the Ancient Race Continent know that Beidou’s Eighth Star wields Star Power,” Ling Fengxian said lightly. ”And... they can recognize it.”

Xu Luo suddenly recalled that pair of martial brothers from the Ancient Race. They had correctly identified the power within his body as Star Power. ’How can I hide my power?’ he wondered.

’Then, he suddenly remembered what the Holy Beast, the White Flood Dragon, had said in the Small World during the sect assembly—the way it had seemed on the verge of saying more, and the reverse scale it had given him that could conceal one’s aura...’

’My aura can be concealed... but the moment I fight... my Star Power is bound to leak out. It seems... this is a massive problem!’

Seeing the young man’s brow furrow slightly, Ling Fengxian was inwardly shocked. She had only been speculating before, not at all certain, but Xu Luo’s reaction now gave her much to think about.

Then, with a light smile, Ling Fengxian produced an ancient text. ”This might be useful to you,” she said.

She then handed the old book to Xu Luo.

Xu Luo took it. The book was only a few pages long and looked extremely ancient, made of some unknown material. The moment he opened it, he was stunned.

The book was almost identical to the Transformation Skill he had received from the Ancient Pine Tree in the Small World!

Furthermore, its contents were far more complete than the version Song Banban had taught him!

To be precise, the two versions were complementary. This new book made it clear that the Transformation Skill Song Banban had given him was incomplete and flawed!

A true Transformation Skill could not only permanently change one’s appearance, but it could even alter one’s aura, Cultivation Technique, and power!

The only catch was that to achieve this total transformation, the skill could only be used to become one specific person!

In other words, while the Transformation Skill itself could allow Xu Luo to take on countless appearances, to completely alter his aura, Cultivation Technique, and power, he could only transform into a single, specific individual!

Even so, the value of this text was immeasurable!

Holding the book, Xu Luo looked up at Ling Fengxian. ”Why?”

”Because you’re the man in Lianyi’s future! Because you’re Beidou’s Eighth Star! Because... as long as you can stay alive, you will one day become an unbelievably powerful expert!” Ling Fengxian said, beaming at Xu Luo. ”And I... am simply doing a small favor ahead of time. It’s that simple...”

”You must be joking. How could I possibly be Beidou’s Eighth Star? I’m just an ordinary human,” Xu Luo said. Of course he wouldn’t admit it—even he didn’t believe it.

”Whether you are or not isn’t important. What’s important is what other people think,” Ling Fengxian said. ”As far as I know, many people are already investigating everything about you, so you must be extremely careful. If you ask me... if things get too difficult, you should go out and train for a while. Leave the Central Plains Star Continent... get away from this mess, and only come back when you’re truly strong enough.”

”And where would I go?” Xu Luo gave a bitter smile. ”If those people truly believe I’m this Beidou’s Eighth Star, they’ll stop at nothing to hunt me down. The world may be vast, but there would be no place for me to hide.”

”But you have the Transformation Skill!” Ling Fengxian said. ”Just transform into someone else, conceal your aura, Cultivation Technique, and power, and no one will ever know who you are!”

”But... I have a family!” Xu Luo said.

”Your family... I can promise you that in your absence, I will help look after them,” Ling Fengxian said earnestly.