146: Feeling the stars

"Indeed," she turned her gaze back to the sea of stars, "When I was young, my Physique was weak, and my progress in offensive arts was slow. Watching my fellow Disciples advance by leaps and bounds, I felt very discouraged."

"It was my Master who discovered that only here on this Star Gazing Platform did my sensing of Star Power far exceed that of ordinary people. She brought me here and told me that the world is vast, and there is no need to be confined to just one path."

She paused, continuing in a soft voice: "Back then, I would often be here alone, watching the stars and feeling the subtle resonance between their light and the Spiritual Veins of the earth beneath my feet. While other Disciples were practicing sword techniques and Spells, I would be here, using my fingers to trace the trajectories of the star charts, using my heart to feel the rhythm of the stars' rotation."

Lin Feng listened quietly. He could imagine the scene of a thin, frail young girl on this lonely high platform, keeping company with the stars day after day. This was quite different from the growth path of a Sect Genius he had imagined—it had less dazzle and more loneliness and persistence.

Qu Yunshang smiled slightly and raised her hand to point to the brilliant Star Domain in the east: "Look there, the Jiao, Kang, Di, Fang, Xin, Wei, and Ji mansions are connected, their shape like an Azure Dragon; these are the seven mansions of the eastern Azure Dragon."

Lin Feng looked in the direction she pointed, trying his best to distinguish them.

"You see, the jiao mansion star power is particularly sharp, suitable for Breakthroughs; the Kang mansion's power is more enduring and tenacious, like flowing water, suitable for defense." Qu Yunshang explained while pointing at the seven mansions of the Azure Dragon, "These are the different inherent characteristics of the star mansions."

Lin Feng focused his mind. Relying on the keen spiritual perception granted by the heaven-stealing vine, he gradually captured the subtle differences: "Indeed... the light of the Jiao mansion feels piercing; the light of the Kang mansion is much gentler."

The look of appreciation in Qu Yunshang's eyes deepened, then she changed the subject and pointed to the east of the mountain range beneath their feet, "Look again at the 'Dragon Roar Gorge' at the eastern foothills of my Qingyun Sect. Does the spiritual power fluctuation of the Spiritual Vein beneath it subtly match the sharpness of the Jiao mansion?"

Lin Feng sensed carefully and indeed discovered that the Spiritual Vein power coming from the eastern foothills carried a sharp characteristic similar to the starlight of the Jiao mansion.

"This is not a coincidence." Qu Yunshang's tone carried reverence for the wonders of heaven and earth, "Great beings in ancient times discovered that there is a profound correspondence between the celestial star mansions and the earth's Spiritual Veins. The power of the Jiao mansion naturally gathers in places with steep terrain and vigorous earth Qi, like Dragon Roar Gorge."

"My Qingyun Sect ancestors established the 'Azure Dragon Array Eye' here and set up the 'Azure Dragon Breaking Evil Formation'. Setting up an array is not about creating something out of nothing, but guiding the power that already exists in heaven and earth. Only by following its nature can one exert maximum power."

She paused, a trace of reminiscence appearing in her eyes: "Back then, I observed here day and night, feeling the resonance between the Jiao mansion's Star Power and the Dragon Roar Gorge's Spiritual Vein. It took me three full years to successfully insert the first Formation Flag, which guides the Jiao mansion's power, into the Spiritual Vein node."

"At that moment, the starlight cascaded down like a waterfall, merging seamlessly with the Spiritual Vein beneath my feet... I knew then that I had chosen the right path."

"It is truly enviable that Senior Sister can resonate with the stars," Lin Feng said sincerely.

Qu Yunshang's gaze turned to the scorching Star Domain in the south: "Look over there, the Jing, Gui, Liu, Xing, Zhang, Yi, and Zhen mansions, shaped like a spreading Vermilion Bird. Their starlight carries a scorching aura."

She pointed to a mountain peak south of the Sect that faintly glowed red, "That is the Blazing Sun Peak, and the bottom of the peak connects to the earth fire vein. When the Vermilion Bird starlight falls there, it makes the earth fire more active. The Sect's 'Crimson Flame Burning Heaven Formation' is built there."

She shook her head slightly, with a smile of nostalgia: "When I was thirteen, I tried to guide the Vermilion Bird starlight to set up an array for the first time, but I couldn't control that scorching heat and almost melted the array base. Master punished me to face the wall for three days, telling me to understand that invoking Star Power is not child's play and must be done with reverence."

Lin Feng listened quietly, but his thoughts drifted involuntarily to his own Cultivation Technique. The Nine Profound Sword Heart Art was all-encompassing and could smelt spiritual power of various attributes, which was originally his advantage. But as his cultivation deepened, this advantage instead became a problem.

At first, Lin Feng thought the problem lay in the incomplete Five Elements. He had already nurtured the gold, wood, water, and fire Sword Essence within his body, but he lacked the earth attribute, making it impossible to form a complete Five Elements mutual generation cycle, which often led to stagnation in the flow of spiritual power.

Later, he accidentally cultivated the Seven Heavens Thunder Lure in the Xuanlei Valley, and an even more violent and untamable thunder spiritual power was added to his body. Although his power increased, coordination became increasingly difficult. While these forces of different attributes could coexist within him, they were difficult to operate harmoniously when facing an enemy, often resulting in neglecting one thing while attending to another, failing to exert the power they should have. This problem was like a thorn that had pierced deeper and deeper into his heart.

At this moment, listening to Qu Yunshang explain how the star mansions each perform their duties and together form the celestial star chart, a brand-new idea shone into the fog like starlight:

Why must he be obsessed with forcibly fusing all powers?

Since the Nine Profound Sword Heart Art can be all-encompassing, why can't there be both Fusion and separation?

Like these celestial star mansions, they each shine and guard one side, yet they can echo each other and form a celestial phenomenon together.

Could he do the same?

When facing an enemy, if a thunderous strike is needed, he can invoke the White Tiger metal spirit to unleash a killing sword stance that focuses on offense; if he needs to maneuver and trap the enemy, he can operate the Black Tortoise water spirit to set up a dense sword stance that focuses on defense; if he needs a protracted battle, he can rely on the Azure Dragon wood spirit to unleash a restorative sword stance that is endless.

This thought made his heart beat faster. The problem that had been troubling him seemed to find a viable direction at this moment. A sense of sudden enlightenment washed away the previous heaviness, making him almost want to let out a long howl. He forcibly suppressed this impulse, but the light in his eyes could not be hidden.

Qu Yunshang took in all of Lin Feng's subtle changes in expression, from the initial contemplation to awe, and then to the irrepressible excitement at this moment. She curled her lips slightly and said softly: "It seems Junior Brother Lin has gained something. However, talking on paper is always shallow; it is better to experience it personally."

Starlight appeared on her fingertips, outlining a simple star chart in the Void Realm: "To perceive Star Power, you need to release your Divine Sense and touch the starlight lightly like a spider web. Remember to proceed step by step, starting with the gentlest starlight." She demonstrated by extending a strand of Divine Sense toward the Jiao mansion starlight, and the starlight flowed around her fingertips as if it were alive.

Lin Feng tried as instructed. At first, he only felt the starlight was cold and piercing. But when he operated his Cultivation Technique, the Slug on his shoulder suddenly emitted a faint light, and the starlight before his eyes suddenly became layered, and the differences between the mansions could be clearly distinguished. This unexpected discovery shocked him.

"Very good." A flash of surprise appeared in Qu Yunshang's eyes, "You can actually directly invoke starlight into your body? It seems your affinity with Star Power far exceeds that of ordinary people." She warned cautiously, "But do not be greedy. With your current cultivation, you can guide at most three strands of starlight at the same time."

Lin Feng suppressed his excitement and carefully guided the sharp Star Power of the Jiao mansion through his Meridians. At first, it was just a subtle resonance with the metal-attribute Sword Essence in his body, but as he gradually adapted to this sharp aura and tried to combine it with his own metal-attribute Sword Essence, an unexpected change occurred.

The starlight that had been faintly gleaming around his body suddenly brightened a little, and the rich Star Power around the Star Gazing Platform seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, turning into nearly invisible threads of flowing light, slowly gathering towards him.

What was more obvious was that the crystal platform beneath his feet actually produced faint golden ripples, echoing the Jiao mansion starlight in the night sky, sending out a faint but truly perceptible pulse.

Seeing the bright starlight around him, Qu Yunshang couldn't help but marvel secretly.

She originally just wanted to let this Junior Brother feel the characteristics of Star Power, but she didn't expect him to be able to directly use starlight for Body Refining.

Such talent is indeed worthy of the recommendation of Martial Uncle Lu.