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Above Ling Wu City, Cosmic Pursuit
The bowstring stretched taut, the Big Dipper constellation behind Lan An solidifying, its stars gleaming with celestial might.
Lan An's face paled slightly. The Big Dipper Bow, a Middle Heaven-Grade artifact, drained immense energy at his current strength.
The Big Dipper, also known as the Seven Stars, comprised the brightest stars in the Great Bear constellation.
Only two of the seven stars flickered now, Lan An barely sustaining their power.
Yet, to fell a Spirit Blossom cultivator…
It was enough.
Thousand-Mile Piercing Sight locked onto the target.
His hand released.
WHOOSH!
A sound tore the silent sky.
The arrow, forged of Violet Phoenix Flame, surged forth.
A violet streak blazed across the heavens, rippling space in its wake.
"No!" The Fourth Elder's face blanched, death's grip tightening, driving him to madness.
He was certain now—a terrifying force backed this youth, surpassing even Ninth-Grade sects.
Eerie techniques, terrifying movement arts, the ninth-ranked Strange Fire, and now a Heaven-Grade artifact…
"What monster is this? Even the Golden Generation in their youth pales before him!" the elder screamed inwardly.
"Fight!"
His Spirit Blossom instincts screamed the arrow was unavoidable. He staked everything.
"Explode!"
His body swelled, choosing self-destruction to survive.
BOOM!
The sky erupted, a mushroom cloud enveloping the heavens, shockwaves ravaging all directions.
The violet flame arrow vanished in the blast.
Countless cultivators looked up, faces pale.
A Spirit Blossom's self-destruction?
The question echoed in their minds.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Many soared toward the site, eager to investigate.
Within the chaos, a tiny figure resembling the Fourth Elder fled, moving with blinding speed.
His Nascent Soul.
He'd sacrificed his body to counter the arrow, letting his Nascent Soul escape to seize another vessel.
Though his strength would plummet, he'd live, biding time for recovery.
A Spirit Blossom's Nascent Soul was a second life, holding all memories and experience.
The elder's cunning shone, finding a lifeline in near-certain death.
But his foe was a pay-to-win player.
Lan An scanned the chaotic sky. The Nascent Soul was minuscule, nearly invisible.
With Thousand-Mile Piercing Sight, he barely tracked the fleeing figure.
His three cauldrons—Mysterious Water, Spirit Earth, and Blazing Heart—frenziedly absorbed ambient spiritual energy. The Blazing Heart Cauldron hummed, forming another violet arrow.
The arrow left the bowstring, vanishing instantly.
The Nascent Soul, mid-escape, was pierced by a violet flash.
No chance to scream.
The tiny figure burned to nothing.
A Spirit Blossom titan fell.
"No wonder he's Spirit Blossom. Without the Big Dipper Bow, even my Strange Fire couldn't stop him," Lan An mused.
"Time to condense more cauldrons," he muttered, sensing approaching auras. Stomping his Earth Battle Boots, he vanished with Phantom Charm Wander Step.
Ling Wu City
Qin Meng Ying hovered above, her hand flipping.
The sprawling Qun Lin Inn, rooted to the earth, trembled violently.
Under countless stunned gazes, the massive structure rose, shrinking rapidly into her delicate palm.
Days ago, she'd stopped accepting guests, as promised to Lan An—she was leaving.
Glancing at Duo Bao Pavilion, she transmitted: "I'm off. Send my regards to your young miss."
"Till we meet again. I'm returning to the Saintess," Cheng Bi replied, smiling. Her mission at Ling Wu's Duo Bao Pavilion auction complete, she too would depart.
Qin Meng Ying nodded, her misty eyes scanning the city. This was where she met him.
"When I'm free, returning with him wouldn't be bad," she murmured, smiling. Her hand traced the void.
A spatial rift appeared, her enchanting figure stepping through.
Countless admirers watched her vanish.
Void Refinement cultivators could manipulate space, traversing it to shorten distances vastly.
As the saying went: "Below Void Refinement, all are ants," a testament to their terrifying prowess.
Shortly after her departure, in a secluded city corner, a youth with a sly face emerged.
Watching the closing rift and glancing toward the city gate, he produced a feather fan, fanning himself. His slyness vanished, his eyes deep as stars, his demeanor calm, as if orchestrating the heavens.
"Young Master An, what skill, capturing the Hundred-Faced Fairy's heart so swiftly. My lord will be most intrigued," he muttered, as if to himself.
Had Qin Meng Ying been present, she'd be shocked. Few knew her "Hundred-Faced" title.
Crushing a jade pendant, a spatial gate opened after moments.
A low voice echoed: "Strategist Tran, pleasant journey? Our lord misses you."
"More than pleasant," the youth smiled, stepping through.
The void closed, silence returning.
One Month Later, Hidden Valley
Lan An inspected a storage ring, muttering: "Worthy of Tian Mu's young master. Quite the haul."
He inventoried Muo Hao's ring, finding 1,500 Supreme Spirit Stones and numerous techniques.
Muo Hao had brought such wealth for the auction, now Lan An's fortune.
A Lower Earth-Grade technique intrigued him most.
"Ten Thousand Forest Canopy, the elder's trapping skill," Lan An nodded. Without his Strange Fire, escape would've been impossible.
It could also detonate the forest, burying foes within, though the elder spared Muo Hao.
"Wood Form Palm, Ancestral Tree Shelter, and Ten Thousand Wood Bind are decent, but only Mysterious-Grade. Not my interest," Lan An sighed.
Ten days ago, he'd parted with Uncle Wu, gifting him spirit stones and a Mysterious-Grade weapon from Muo Hao's ring, concluding their bond.
Chirp, chirp.
A youthful cry sounded.
A small beast leapt onto Lan An's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek.
Lan An smiled, petting it.
The creature, dog-sized, had sleek silver-purple fur, agile limbs, a lion's body, and an eagle's head and wings.
Violet Thunder Griffin Lion.
A hybrid of noble blood—its father a terrestrial king, its mother a sky sovereign, barring divine beasts.
Hatched from the egg Lan An summoned half a month ago, he was thrilled with his new companion. Its rare Violet Thunder, rivaling Mysterious Water or True Earth, could fly, and its majestic form promised greatness.
Yet, it was young, consuming many spirit stones, only a Second-Order Early-Stage beast, akin to an Early Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Open the Lucky Shop," Lan An thought, five items appearing:
Middle Mysterious-Grade Technique: Tiger Subduing Fist, 1,000 Prestige Points Middle Mysterious-Grade Movement: Cloud Riding Steps, 1,000 Prestige Points Beast Nurturing Pills (1 jar): 5,000 Prestige Points Lower Earth-Grade Artifact: Double Yang Sword, 2,000 Prestige Points Supreme Earth-Grade Armor: Shadow Cloak, 5,000 Prestige Points
"Nice finds," Lan An selected two.
Beast Nurturing Pills (1 jar): 12 pills, each sustaining a beast for a month, boosting spiritual energy absorption and growth.
Shadow Cloak: Conceals wearer's aura, blending into darkness, undetectable below Void Refinement.
"Purchase," Lan An confirmed. After prior spending, his 20,000+ Prestige Points dropped, but over 10,000 remained.
Ding! Successfully purchased Beast Nurturing Pills and Shadow Cloak, stored in system space.
"Little Lion, let's go," Lan An scooped up the Violet Thunder Griffin Lion, vanishing.
Within the Spirit Blossom Orb
Lan An appeared, seeing Ji Bing sleeping peacefully, Bai Su Mei immersed in Heart Unity Sword Art, and nearby, a stunning maiden.
Her silken hair flowed, her skin snow-white, cheeks rosy with dimples, lips cherry-red, eyes large and dark, gazing complexly at Lan An.
"Bored?" he asked gently, sitting beside her.
Li Zhu Luan shook her head. Cultivators often secluded for years; a month here was nothing.
"Any plans?" Lan An asked, feeling a pang of guilt.
Her eyes clouded. Before, she'd have blushed at his proximity, but his daily visits eased her shyness.
"I don't know," she murmured. Muo Hao and the Fourth Elder's deaths likely threw Tian Mu into chaos.
Li Lin perished in the battle's aftermath.
She bore Lan An no grudge, only guilt, disappointed by Li Lin's greed.
"Join me. With Muo Hao and Li Lin dead, Tian Mu might assume you perished. Appearing now could bring their wrath on your Li Clan," Lan An advised.
"I worry for my parents and master," she bit her lip, evoking a protective urge.
"It won't be long. In a year, we'll join Sacred Lotus Academy. By then, even Tian Mu won't dare touch your clan," he reassured.
"Okay," she nodded, her cheeks flushing at the thought of following him.
"Recognize these techniques?" Lan An handed her three scrolls.
"Ten Thousand Wood Bind, Ancestral Tree Shelter, Wood Form Fist," she gasped, renowned Tian Mu skills.
"Have you practiced them?"
"Tian Mu requires contribution points for techniques. I've only been there three years, not yet accessing these," she whispered.
"Take them to pass the time. If you're bored, I'll take you out," he said, pressing the scrolls into her hands.
Her heart warmed. As his "spoils," others might've harmed her, but he respected and cared for her, stirring sweet feelings.
"Okay," she nodded, accepting the techniques.
Chirp! Little Lion pecked Lan An, jealous of his kindness, making Li Zhu Luan giggle.
The Earth-Grade Ten Thousand Forest Canopy required Late Golden Core, so he held it back.
Lan An approached a corner of the Spirit Blossom Orb, where an ancient coffin lay, exuding an aura of desolation.
The Soul-Settling Coffin, won at the auction, though Qin Meng Ying paid.
His White Moon Soul-Seizing Eye found no seams.
"Don't rush, Young Master. The Soul-Settling Coffin needs at least Void Refinement soul power to open," Jin'er cautioned.
"Void Refinement Soul Cultivator?" Lan An's mouth twitched, understanding Duo Bao's helplessness.
Soul Cultivators were rare on Bing Tian, let alone Void Refinement ones—needle in a haystack.
"But with the Immortal Genesis Scripture, your soul power at Spirit Blossom might suffice," Jin'er consoled. Taboo-grade arts defied norms.
"We'll see," Lan An shelved his curiosity. Spirit Blossom soul power was no easy feat.
Gazing at the three radiant women each uniquely stunning he grinned, muttering: "Is this my golden house of beauties?"