Chapter 6 January

"Senior Brother, please say something. This giant sword is something I have been waiting for a month to find. How about this: the treasures I found before were all sold for three thousand taels. If Senior Brother wants it, I can sell it for one thousand taels... uh, I will give it to Senior Brother for free, no charge." The thin young man, perhaps accustomed to this, spoke fluently, but upon seeing Xu Yun take a step forward, he immediately broke into a cold sweat and changed his words.

The midday scorching sun poured down on Black Rock Mountain, and the air in the mountains was unusually dry. The tender green leaves curled slightly, as if striving to avoid the sunlight. The birds in the mountains chirped listlessly, and everything exhibited a languid demeanor

From his conversation with the lean young man Hou Yuan, Xu Yun learned that the girl in green, Lin Qiao'er, seems to be the granddaughter of a significant figure from Ziji Peak. Although he was unaware of the specific details, it was evident from Lin Qiao'er's extravagant demeanor and the numerous treasures she possessed that she was not someone to be trifled with. However, this young lady had a somewhat absent-minded personality, often discarding used items carelessly and possibly forgetting about them for a long time.

Time passes little by little like this

Xu Yun strode down the mountain with a giant sword in hand, leaving behind the emaciated figure of a young man, who looked on resentfully at Xu Yun's increasingly distant silhouette. "Even if he is a master, he should at least pay for what he took from me. But fortunately, he only came to Black Rock Mountain by chance and is not here for Lin Qiao'er’s treasure. There will still be business opportunities in the future"

The emaciated young man was originally studying the precious giant sword he had just obtained when he suddenly sensed a violent aura emanating from the mountain peak. While he was still puzzled, a large amount of debris began to fall, prompting him to hurriedly flee down the mountain. At that moment, he felt something happen behind him, rushing through the air at high speed, which filled him with even greater dread. With a soft chirp escaping his lips, a golden bird-like phantom suddenly appeared around him, completely enveloping his body. He then began to float in place, as if preparing to soar into the sky.

As soon as Xu Yun's voice fell, a tattered figure suddenly emerged from the ground with a "puff" sound. It was the emaciated young man, who, with a mournful expression, cautiously glanced at Xu Yun for a while. After confirming that Xu Yun truly would not kill him, he couldn't help but voice his complaints: "Senior Brother, all I did was follow Lin Qiao'er and pick up a few treasures. If you want them, just say so. Is it really necessary to go to such lengths?"

"Hunting the Star Beasts may take a long time." A resolute expression appeared on Ye Qingchen's cold face

... ...

Xu Yun let out a light sigh, raised his hand to grasp the giant sword beside him, and an immense aura surged forth from his body. The originally calm ground was suddenly swept up by a fierce gust of wind.

As Xu Yun descended, he reached out to grasp the giant sword that was falling vertically. In an instant, he felt the weight of a thousand pounds pressing down on him. Despite this, his body plummeted rapidly, leaving a distinct footprint on the hard ground.

Flight? A beast-shaped star of the natural system? Xu Yun furrowed her brow. Based on the speed of this young man just now, his strength is comparable to that of the girl in green. It should not be difficult for me to deal with him, but now...

"You are back." Ye Qingchen, stepping out of the attic, looked at Xu Yun, who was carrying a giant sword with a proud expression on his face. She felt somewhat puzzled, wondering how he could go out for just one day and return with such a large item.

Oh... oh, you're back. Just as Xu Yun was coming to his senses, he noticed that Ye Qingchen was carrying a package on her back, as if she were about to go out. He was immediately a bit puzzled and asked, "Where are you going?"

Who is Lin Qiao'er?" Xu Yun felt a bit confused at that moment

Interestingly, when the lean young man Hou Yuan encountered Xu Yun again, he was so frightened that he fled in panic. However, upon learning about Xu Yun's purpose of ascending the mountain for cultivation, he unexpectedly gave a thumbs-up, displaying a look of admiration. Every time Xu Yun visited Heiyan Mountain, Hou Yuan would actively come out to greet him, which amused Xu Yun greatly. However, since then, they had not seen Lin Qiao'er appear on Heiyan Mountain again, leading Hou Yuan to frequently exclaim how lucky Xu Yun was to always avoid the young lady Lin Qiao'er at the right moment.

Xu Yun was so immersed in joy that he did not even notice he had returned to his residence, and it seemed he was still inclined to move forward

Seventeen acupoints, perfectly mastering the 'Falling Star'; even I am curious about how great this power will be. Xu Yun's eyes narrowed slightly, and in the next moment, the phantom of his natal star emerged behind him. The ground beneath his feet sank an inch with a loud crash, and as he swung his arm, the giant sword instantly struck down to the ground

When Xu Yunfei hurriedly arrived at the clearing where the girl in green had practiced her star techniques, he only saw a thin young man running down the mountain with a giant sword in tow, while the girl's figure was nowhere to be found. A sudden tightness gripped his heart as he thought of a troubling possibility. With a cold snort, he shot forward like a cannonball, closely pursuing the thin figure. As he charged ahead, dark runes appeared around him, and electric sparks instantly coursed through his body, doubling his speed, allowing him to catch up to the figure in an instant.

Upon seeing this, Xu Yun couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Then, with a shift in thought, he began to discuss Lin Qiao'er with the young man.

It is time to leave. Regarding the changes on the surface, Xu Yun seemed completely unconcerned, a charming smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he shouldered his great sword and leisurely walked down the mountain.

Once you have opened up more of your acupoints, it would be beneficial to obtain some star cores. With the assistance of star cores in your cultivation, even if your aptitude is somewhat lacking, it will not be of great concern. After saying this, Ye Qingchen patted Xu Yun on the shoulder and walked away into the distance

As Xu Yun thought of this, he let out a cold snort, his foot striking the ground. A water-blue starry phantom emerged, unexpectedly utilizing the "Falling Star" technique that he had not yet fully mastered. His body instantly vanished, and when he reappeared, it was beside the young man high in the air. Under the astonished gaze of the young man, he seized the young man's arm and violently hurled him towards the ground

One month later

Once, while Hou Yuan was flying with the help of the star essence, he happened to pass by Black Rock Mountain and found a treasure left behind by Lin Qiao'er. Overjoyed and with a sense of luck, he remained hidden at the foot of Black Rock Mountain, and over the course of a year, he managed to collect more than ten treasures, earning several tens of thousands of taels of silver. It was not until the appearance of Xu Yun that he faced a tragedy.

The girl in the green dress is cultivating down there; be careful not to let this stone cause any trouble.

The lean young man, upon reaching this point, listened to the increasingly faint sounds from the mountain. He pressed his lips together, as if having made a certain resolution, and strode back towards the open area of the mountain, his expression quite urgent

This is truly an unexpected delight

After a while

"Good stuff," Xu Yun muttered. In the next moment, his figure flashed directly to the side of the humanoid hole, a smirk crossing his lips: "Stop playing dead. If I really wanted to kill you, you would have been dead just now."

"Senior brother, please stop teasing me. If you don't know who Lin Qiao'er is, how could you come to this Black Rock Mountain to pick up treasures? This place is usually a forbidden area. I only dared to come up here with the mindset of being prepared to be severely injured." The young man spoke urgently without a moment's hesitation.

Xu Yun heard these words, glanced at the giant sword in his hand, and suddenly realized that the girl in green holding the giant sword must be Lin Qiao'er. That name is quite nice. However, he then looked at the thin young man with tears and snot streaming down his face, who had a pitiful expression. Xu Yun awkwardly chuckled a few times, realizing that he had misunderstood this young man.

Xu Yun did not consider himself a good person; otherwise, he would not have come to the Yuandao Demon Sect. However, he had no enmity with the girl in green; one could say it was merely a misunderstanding. In fact, he felt an inexplicable fondness for her, perhaps because her character reminded him of certain individuals from his past life

Hehe... After a long time of excitement, Xu Yun finally calmed down. He looked somewhat speechless at the ground, which had been completely destroyed by his punch, as large amounts of rubble were sliding down the mountain. Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, his expression stiffened, and he swiftly dashed downward.

Xu Yun restored his health through a night of cultivation. Remarkably, during the arduous practice, he successfully opened two more acupoints. In the days that followed, he would go to Heiyan Mountain during the day to practice "Falling Stars" and return to his residence at night to harness the power of the stars to impact the acupoints. Initially, he intended to stay at Heiyan Mountain permanently; however, practicing outside at night proved to be somewhat dangerous. Although he knew that absorbing star energy would be easier at the summit of Heiyan Mountain, after careful consideration, he ultimately decided that it was not wise to take such risks. In the days that followed, he continued this routine of daytime practice at Heiyan Mountain and nighttime cultivation at his residence.

Heiyanshan, as is well known, is the cultivation place of Lin Qiao'er. Anyone who ascends without permission will meet a dire fate. Thus, this ten-thousand-meter-high peak appears exceptionally silent, becoming a forbidden area within the outer sect. Those with low strength dare not provoke it, while those with high strength are aware of the underlying secrets and are even more reluctant to stir trouble.

Hurry up and clear that vacant area, otherwise Lin Qiao'er will change her place of cultivation, and where will I go to find her

However, it is strange that there has been no change whatsoever on the ground

The sensation of a thunderous rumble reverberated through the mountains once again, and a distinct human-shaped hole emerged on the ground

With a sigh, Xu Yuncheng gazed at the somewhat dim sky. Shaking his head to dispel his thoughts, he stood up and walked into the loft, directly sitting cross-legged on a mat, striving to restore his body. When night fell, he began the arduous struggle of opening his meridians and acupoints.

Regardless of how the lean young man thought, Xu Yun, who was walking towards his residence, was exclaiming in admiration, stroking the giant sword in his hand, with excitement clearly visible on his face

Xu Yun's figure sprang out from the smoke and dust, coughing violently a few times. With a dazed expression, he looked at his own hands, his lips trembling with excitement: "Treasure, this 'Falling Star' is definitely a treasure. It's just that I can't control it autonomously on the first use, yet it allows me to exert a force of no less than ten thousand pounds. If I can master this star technique skillfully, wouldn't that be defying the heavens"

Star Beast? A hint of interest appeared on Xu Yun's face, but he soon sighed lightly: "It's better to fully master 'Falling Star' first; otherwise, even if I form a team, no one would be willing to pay attention to me."

As Xu Yun descended from Heiyan Mountain, he noticed that his body felt somewhat fatigued and heavy due to the two uses of "Falling Star." This sensation, in the understanding of star cultivators, should not exist at all. It seems to be a side effect of "Falling Star." However, he did not pay much attention to it; it would be strange if a star technique that stimulates the body's potential had no side effects at all. Once he fully mastered this star technique, it should not pose any significant issues.

On the hillside, in the exclusive clearing of Lin Qiao'er, Xu Yun raised his head to greet the sunlight, with a giant sword planted in the ground beside him. His face, which had appeared somewhat pale and weak after years of studying, now showed a hint of darkness after a month of sun exposure. This tan was not pronounced, but it made the fifteen-year-old boy seem a bit more mature. Although this boy possessed a soul that transcended maturity, the posture he displayed at that moment was surprisingly charming