Darkness. No, not pure darkness. Rather, a gray space where chaos and stars intertwined, like the primordial membrane of the universe at its birth, viscous, heavy, as if capable of swallowing all light and sound. Lin Chen floated in this gray space, his body enveloped by warm chaos qi, every inch of his skin greedily absorbing the most fundamental nourishment.
Looking inward with Stellar Eye, he could see the gray vortex within his dantian spinning wildly. The meridians originally covered with cracks were healing at visible speed under the scouring of chaos qi. Broken bones reconnected, damaged internal organs regained vitality. Even... his cultivation steadily increased. The backlash from forcibly reversing the star vortex to break the formation earlier was slowly being soothed by this boundless chaos qi. But in Lin Chen's heart, there was no joy.
In his mind echoed the last sentence from the stone tablet: "Star Pattern is both gift and curse, kindred conflict, victor devours loser's Star Pattern, gains their power. Caution!" Kindred conflict... devouring... This meant all Star Pattern bearers were potential enemies. Once they met, it would be a life-and-death battle. Either you die, or I perish. "Father... did you also face such pursuit back then?" Lin Chen murmured, gaze looking deep into the gray space.
There floated a fragmented stone tablet. It was the Star Tablet fragment he saw earlier in the abyss, which had fallen into this chaos space with him. On the tablet surface, ancient runes slowly writhed, emitting faint silver radiance. Lin Chen arduously moved his body, swimming toward the tablet.
The resistance of chaos qi was immense, every inch forward felt like trudging through mire. But the resonance from the Star Pattern between his eyebrows grew stronger, as if urging him: Faster, even faster! Three zhang. Two zhang. One zhang... Finally, Lin Chen's hand touched the tablet edge.
A cold sensation transmitted, and the next moment, vast information like a breached dam madly surged into his mind!
"Chaos Star Pattern Network... In ancient times, Chaos Stellar Body wasn't unique, but had three thousand six hundred Star Pattern bearers forming a Star Pattern network covering myriad realms and worlds."
"At the network center lies the 'Chaos Star Core,' releasing stellar source tides every thousand years. During tides, all Star Pattern bearers could resonate through the network, sharing cultivation insights, even... transmitting power across distances."
"But three thousand years ago, a cataclysm descended. The Star Pattern network was polluted by unknown forces. All bearers fell into madness, began hunting and devouring each other."
"Devourer gains the devoured's Star Pattern power, cultivation skyrockets."
"And the devoured... body and spirit extinguished, not even reincarnation chance."
"Ultimately, of three thousand six hundred bearers, only nine survived. These nine, called the 'Star Pattern Nine Ancestors,' each established their own forces, hid their identities, secretly continuing the hunt..."
Information abruptly stopped.
Lin Chen suddenly opened his eyes, forehead drenched in cold sweat.
He finally understood why father wanted to hide the Star Pattern secret. Why father suddenly vanished. Why Netherworld Palace... was so fixated on Star Patterns.
Because... this was a hunting game lasting three thousand years!
All Star Pattern bearers were prey. Also hunters.
And he himself, just awakened his Star Pattern, still ignorant, had already stepped into this bloody net!
Memory fragments surged like tide.
That rainy night ten years ago, father Lin Xiaotian hurriedly returned, covered in blood, but only tightly embraced him, voice hoarse: "Chen'er, remember, never reveal the mark between your eyebrows before others. If anyone asks, say... it's a birthmark."
He was only six then, nodding ignorantly.
Next day, father vanished.
Only left behind an ancient storage ring, and words carved inside the ring: "Chaos stars, nine revolutions to sagehood. Star Pattern undying, divine soul eternal."
These years, he endured endless bullying, called "trash," "jinx," yet always hid his Star Pattern extremely well. Even in most desperate moments, never used Star Pattern power.
Because he remembered father's instruction.
But now... he finally understood.
Father back then was likely also a Star Pattern bearer.
Moreover, likely being hunted by the "Star Pattern Nine Ancestors"!
Missing for ten years, life or death unknown.
Perhaps... already met misfortune.
Thinking this, Lin Chen's heart felt like squeezed by an invisible giant hand, almost suffocating.
But he forced himself to calm.
Anger and sorrow would only cloud judgment.
Now most important... grow stronger!
Strong enough to tear this net!
Strong enough to find father, regardless life or death!
He looked at the tablet again, trying to find more information.
But the runes on the tablet had already dimmed, as if the information transmission earlier depleted its last power. Only a blurry map remnant flickered faintly on the tablet surface. That seemed... the direction to Meteorite Valley?
Lin Chen tried to memorize, but the map was too fragmented, impossible to piece together a complete route.
He reached out, stroking the tablet surface, feeling rough and cold. Fingertips traced those dim runes, faintly sensing a thread of weak divine soul fluctuation. This tablet... seemed to still retain ancient Star Pattern bearers' lingering obsessions.
At that moment, the Star Pattern between his eyebrows suddenly violently trembled!
Not resonance, but... warning!
Danger! Extremely dangerous!
Lin Chen's entire body hair stood on end, without thinking, his body madly rolled left!
Almost simultaneously
Roar!!!
An earth-shaking beast roar came from deep within the gray space!
Sound waves substantial, shaking chaos qi violently turbulent!
The position where Lin Chen floated earlier was blasted into a huge concave pit by sound waves!
Close call!
His heart chilled, body continuously changing directions in mid-air, creating distance.
But the beast roar didn't stop.
Instead... getting closer!
Thump! Thump!! Thump!!!
Heavy footsteps sounded.
Each step shook the entire space!
Gray mist was torn apart by brute force, a behemoth slowly revealed itself.
It was a... rhinoceros?
No, not an ordinary rhinoceros.
It was over three zhang long, nearly one zhang shoulder height, whole body covered in dark purple scale armor, each scale edge shimmering with cold lightning. Most eye-catching was the horn on its forehead, three chi long, entirely silvery white, surface entwined with crackling purple electric arcs.
Thunder-horned Rhino!
And... Condensation Stage Level 8 peak thunder attribute demon beast!
Lin Chen's pupils sharply contracted.
He'd seen descriptions of this demon beast in ancient texts: thick skin and tough flesh, immense strength, especially adept at lightning attacks. Same-stage cultivators encountering it often retreated respectfully.
More troublesome, Thunder-horned Rhinos were extremely sensitive to chaos qi, clearly attracted by the chaos qi here.
Now, this behemoth fixed its crimson eyes, tightly locking onto Lin Chen.
Within its gaze, brimming with violence, greed, and... naked killing intent!
It regarded Lin Chen as prey!
"Trouble..." Lin Chen slowly rose, chaos star vortex operating at full capacity.
Though injuries recovered seventy to eighty percent, cultivation grown to Condensation Stage Level 7 early stage, facing Condensation Stage Level 8 peak Thunder-horned Rhino... victory chance still slim.
Moreover, Shi Meng wasn't by his side. When falling into the abyss earlier, the two were scattered by spatial turbulence. Shi Meng's whereabouts unknown.
Now... could only face alone.
Roar!!!
Thunder-horned Rhino roared again, crimson eyes locking onto Lin Chen, four hoofs fiercely stamping ground!
Boom!!!
The entire space felt struck by a thunder god's hammer, gray mist blasted open, creating a vacuum channel!
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The Thunder-horned Rhino's enormous body transformed into a purple lightning streak, charging towards Lin Chen at terrifying speed!
Before its horn, condensed a three-chi diameter lightning ball, surface electric arcs jumping, emitting destructive aura!
"Can't take this head-on!" Lin Chen instantly judged, Star-shifting Steps fully performed!
Body like floating willow catkins, at the last possible moment, horizontally shifted three zhang!
Boom!!!
The lightning ball skimmed past his clothes, smashing into the gray mist behind, erupting with blinding lightning radiance!
Chaos qi scattered and splattered, ground leaving a half-zhang deep scorched black pit!
Residual shockwaves swept over, Lin Chen only felt back numb, protective stellar radiance instantly dimmed thirty percent!
"So strong lightning!" His heart chilled, dared not hold back further.
Stellar Eye, fully operating!
Within his vision, the Thunder-horned Rhino's muscle texture, energy flow, lightning movement trajectory... everything clear!
But... where's the weakness?
Thick skin, tough flesh, sturdy scale armor.
Lightning protection, close proximity dangerous.
The only weakness... possibly the eyes?
No, eyes too small, and protected by lightning, hard to hit.
The abdomen? The abdomen also scale armor covered, defense not weak.
"Then... first test!"
Lin Chen took a deep breath, both palms forming seals.
"Stellar Fall Fist·Meteor Descent!"
Dantian chaos star vortex wildly rotating, nine-attribute source spirit qi flowing through meridians, ultimately gathering at his right fist!
Fist radiance brightened dazzling stellar radiance, transforming into a meteor, tearing through gray mist, directly blasting toward the Thunder-horned Rhino's side abdomen!
The Thunder-horned Rhino didn't dodge, didn't avoid, just body turned, bumping!
Thud!!!
Fist and scale collided, erupting with metal-clashing deafening roar!
Lin Chen only felt his fist like hitting thousand-year profound iron, rebound force made his entire arm numb, staggering back three steps!
And the Thunder-horned Rhino... only scale armor left a shallow white mark, not even skin broken!
"This defense... too abnormal!" Lin Chen's heart heavy.
But the more desperate the situation, the more he couldn't retreat.
Father back then facing "Star Pattern Nine Ancestors' pursuit," likely situation ten times more dangerous.
Could he survive?
Lin Chen didn't know.
But he knew, if he couldn't even handle a Condensation Stage Level 8 demon beast, how could he talk about finding father? How could he talk about tearing this net spanning three thousand years?
Intention thus settled, within his dantian, the chaos star vortex suddenly violently trembled!
Originally dim stellar radiance due to injuries, actually erupted with unprecedented brilliance in this desperate situation!
Nine-attribute source spirit qi like ignited, madly flowing through meridians!
Lin Chen could clearly feel, his cultivation... was breaking through bottleneck!
Condensation Stage Level 7 mid-stage... late stage... peak!
Only a thread away, could step into Level 8!
But now, not breakthrough time.
Must first resolve the immediate threat!
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the soaring cultivation.
Now needed... calmness, and precision!
But the Thunder-horned Rhino clearly enraged.
It raised head, howling to sky, forehead horn lightning blazing, one after another purple electric arcs like living creatures spreading across its entire body!
Next moment, its four hoofs fiercely stomped ground!
Rumble!!!
With it as center, surrounding ten zhang ground instantly transformed into lightning pool!
Countless electric arcs shot up from ground, like venomous snakes coiling toward Lin Chen!
"Star-shifting Steps·Water Transformation!"
Lin Chen's figure transformed, like swimming fish in water, shuttling and dodging within the lightning pool.
Each step perilously close, electric arcs skimming past clothes, leaving scorched marks.
But the lightning pool too vast, impossible to escape!
Moreover... the Thunder-horned Rhino was charging second wave attack!
Its forehead horn already condensed a human-head size purple lightning core, emitting destructive fluctuations, making the entire space tremble!
"Must interrupt it!"
Lin Chen's eyes flashed resolve.
He didn't dodge anymore, instead charging toward the Thunder-horned Rhino head-on!
"Seeking death!"
The Thunder-horned Rhino's crimson eyes flashed mockery, horn lightning core fiercely erupted!
A bucket-thick purple lightning column, tearing space, instantly devoured Lin Chen's figure!
But the instant lightning column reached his body
Lin Chen's body suddenly transformed into three afterimages, respectively scattering left, right, upward!
"Stellar Illusion Body!"
This was the life-saving secret art recorded in the "Stellar Perception Chapter," using stellar radiance to condense doppelganger illusions, true body hidden for one breath.
One breath... enough to get close!
True body appeared at the Thunder-horned Rhino's left side, three chi away, left palm like blade, directly thrusting into its neck scale armor gap!
There... was the energy node seen by Stellar Eye!
The Thunder-horned Rhino reacted extremely fast, turned head, bumped!
Horn like sharp sword, stabbing toward Lin Chen's chest!
But Lin Chen didn't dodge, didn't avoid, only slightly turned body, letting the horn skim past ribs!
Shred!!!
Robe torn, skin split open, flesh ripped, blood sprayed!
Intense pain like tide surged, Lin Chen clenched teeth, cold sweat instantly drenched back.
But his left palm's movement, not the slightest pause!
Five fingers like iron hooks, deeply pierced into scale armor gap!
Palm touching, was a cluster of wildly jumping lightning core!
Here exactly!
"Chaos... Explode!"
Dantian chaos star vortex madly reversed!
All stellar radiance power, like breached flood, along palm madly injected into Thunder-horned Rhino's body!
Nine-attribute source spirit qi, within demon beast's meridians, rampaged horizontally!
Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, darknessnine completely different energies, within narrow meridians madly conflicted!
Attributes mutually restraining!
Energy running amok!
Roar!!!
The Thunder-horned Rhino emitted miserable, extreme scream!
Enormous body violently trembling, four limbs uncontrollably convulsing!
Within its body, lightning power and chaos stellar radiance madly slaughtered, like two berserk primordial beasts fighting life-and-death!
Scale armor surface, began appearing spiderweb-like cracks!
Purple lightning radiance seeped from cracks, illuminating entire gray space like daylight!
Lin Chen also shaken by rebound force, arm bones fractured, but he death-gripped scale armor, refusing to loosen!
Because he knew, this was the only chance!
Once loosened, Thunder-horned Rhino recovered breath, dead would be him!
"Give me... break!"
Lin Chen roared, right fist again condensed stellar radiance!
"Stellar Fall Fist·Comet Strike!"
All strength, no reservation, blasted toward Thunder-horned Rhino forehead horn rootthat was its whole body lightning power gathering core!
Crack!!!
Crisp shattering sound, like colored glaze breaking.
Silvery white horn, from root broken!
Purple lightning core lost carrier, instantly out-of-control exploded!
Boom!!!
World-destroying lightning radiance, devoured everything.
Lin Chen blown away by shockwaves, like broken kite string, fiercely crashing onto gray stone wall behind!
Thud! Stone wall cracked like tortoise shell, dust billowed.
Throat sweet, blood like fountain gushed from mouth.
Whole body meridians seemingly all broken, dantian chaos star vortex dim without light, Star Pattern between eyebrows blurred.
Heavily wounded. Near death.
But he... won.
Lightning radiance gradually dispersed.
Thunder-horned Rhino's enormous body collapsed with a loud bang, its dark purple scale armor scorched and broken, blood gushing from its seven orifices.
Life aura... completely extinguished.
And above its corpse, floated a fist-size purple light sphere.
Sphere surface, entwined with dense electric arcs, inside was a crystal-clear lightning internal pill.
Pure thunder attribute source spirit qi, emitted from within, creating wonderful resonance with surrounding chaos qi.
Lin Chen arduously climbed up, each movement, whole body like sliced by thousand knives.
But he gritted teeth, step by step, dragging to corpse side, reaching hand grasping internal pill.
Warm touch transmitted, thunder power along arm flowed into body, creating wonderful resonance with chaos stellar radiance.
Nine attributes... finally all gathered.
As long as refined this internal pill, he could completely integrate thunder attribute into chaos star vortex, nine attributes balanced, cultivation... perhaps could at once breakthrough to Condensation Stage Level 8! Even... touch Spiritual Light Realm threshold!
But now, he didn't immediately refine.
Because... Stellar Eye saw, behind Thunder-horned Rhino corpse, deep within gray stone wall, still a weak golden light flickering.
What's that?
Lin Chen forcibly endured intense pain, walked to stone wall front, reaching hand touching.
Stone wall surface, appeared ring after ring ripples.
Immediately after, a crack barely large enough for one person, slowly opened.
Deep within crack, golden light brighter.
Faintly visible... a fragmented stone slab, floating mid-air.
Slab surface, carved densely packed stellar path trajectories, among them one route, clearly pointing towards a locationMeteorite Valley.
Lin Chen's pupils contracted sharply.
Stellar path map... second fragment?
He reached hand probing into crack, wanting to extract stone slab.
But the moment fingertips about to touch stone slab
Hum!
Slab surface, suddenly appeared a line of ancient text:
"Star Pattern Nine Ancestors, each holds one. Nine maps combined, Chaos opens."
Text flashed thrice, then vanished.
Immediately after, stone slab transformed into a golden light, merging into Lin Chen's forehead!
Boom!!!
Mind exploded!
Another segment of information surged in!
"Meteorite Valley, ancient battlefield, Chaos Star Core fragment landing location. Valley contains 'Stellar Fall Secret Realm,' deep within secret realm, hides third map fragment, and... Chaos Star Pattern Network pollution truth."
"But secret realm opens once every hundred years, next opening, three months later."
"To enter secret realm, must pass three trials: Stellar Power, Stellar Soul, Stellar Fate."
"Stellar Power trial: cultivation must reach Spiritual Light Realm·Starlight Stage."
"Stellar Soul trial: must condense Star Pattern divine soul."
"Stellar Fate trial: must obtain 'Stellar Fall Token'."
"Stellar Fall Token, nine total, scattered nine dangerous locations across Azure Cloud Mountains."
"First, within 'Netherworld Palace Azure Cloud Branch' forbidden ground, guarded by branch master 'Netherworld Old Ghost'."
"Netherworld Old Ghost, Spiritual Light Realm·Moon Radiance Stage Level 3, adept at Netherworld Demonic Arts, three protectors under him all Starlight Stage peak."
"To obtain Stellar Fall Token, must first break branch."
Information stopped here.
Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes, pupils stellar radiance flowing.
Three months... time urgent, but not impossible.
Spiritual Light Realm is first threshold, Stellar Fall Token second.
And Netherworld Palace branch... perfect, new hatred old grudges settled together!
Father back then pursued, Netherworld Palace definitely involved.
Perhaps, that "Netherworld Old Ghost" is one of Star Pattern Nine Ancestors' lackeys!
This debt, sooner or later must settle!
But now, must first survive.
First breakthrough! First grow stronger!
Strong enough to kill Poison Elder on arena, strong enough to charge into Netherworld Palace branch, strong enough to... within Stellar Fall Secret Realm, seize third map fragment, uncover Chaos Star Pattern Network pollution truth!
Path, one step can't be wrong.
Life, one moment can't stop.
Three months... Spiritual Light Realm... Stellar Fall Token... Netherworld Palace branch...
A clear path, unfolding before eyes.
But premise... first survive.
He looked down at lightning internal pill in hand, then looked at his near shattered body.
Must first heal injuries.
Then... refine internal pill, breakthrough!
Distance arena match, still four days.
Within four days, must breakthrough to Spiritual Light Realm!
Otherwise, death.
No third path.
Lin Chen sat cross-legged, placed internal pill in palm.
"Chaos Stellar Scripture," fully operating!
Surrounding chaos qi, like finding home, madly surged over.
Thunder power within lightning internal pill, also threads penetrated meridians, merging with chaos stellar radiance.
Nine attributes balance, establishing.
Injuries, slowly recovering.
Cultivation, steadily growing.
But time... running out.
Lin Chen closed eyes, excluding all distracting thoughts.
Now, his heart only one thoughtgrow stronger!
At any cost, grow stronger!
Because only growing stronger, can survive.
Only growing stronger, can find father.
Only growing stronger, can... tear this bloody net spanning three thousand years!
Within gray space, time seemingly lost meaning.
Only chaos qi ceaselessly flowing, only lightning internal pill gradually dimming, only Lin Chen's body aura... growing stronger.
Unknown how long passed.
Perhaps one day, perhaps two days.
Lin Chen suddenly opened eyes.
Pupils, stellar radiance like stars, lightning flickering.
He slowly stood up, whole body aura... actually already Condensation Stage Level 8 peak!
Distance Spiritual Light Realm, only... last layer paper window!
But now, he didn't continue breakthrough.
Because... Stellar Eye sensed, distant gray mist, transmitted familiar fluctuations.
Shi Meng!
He still lived!
And... heading towards this direction!
But simultaneously, another cold, evil, killing intent-filled aura, also rapidly approaching!
That... Netherworld Palace pursuers!
Lin Chen clenched fist, eyes flashed cold light.
"Coming perfectly."
He just needed... a battle, to consolidate cultivation, to temper killing intent, to... verify Star Pattern power!
Beside Thunder-horned Rhino corpse, chaos qi slowly flowing, wiping battle traces little by little.
But within air, residual lightning scorching aura, and that faint Netherworld demonic qi, foretold this gray space... about to welcome greater turbulence.
Lin Chen stood beside corpse, gaze like lightning, aura internally restrained.
Injuries recovered seventy percent, cultivation stabilized at Condensation Stage Level 8 peak.
Only needed an opportunity, could breakthrough to Spiritual Light Realm.
And this opportunity... perhaps within the coming battle.
In the distance, Shi Meng's fluctuations grew closer.
And the aura of Netherworld Palace pursuers, like maggots clinging to bone, held tight and refused to let go.
But in Lin Chen's heart, not slightest fear.
Only... boiling fighting intent!
New storm, brewing.
