Chapter 635 – Choosing the Life Star, Returning to the Central Plains - Part 1

Eastern Sea’s Immortal Domain.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed.

The group had completed another expedition into the Hall of Life.

They had returned to the Immortal Domain and thrown themselves into comprehension, working to fully absorb what they had gained from the experience.

In another month and a half, Li Yuan would accompany them once more into the hall.

The third time would take them to its very end.

After that, Li Yuan would leave.

Now, at this moment, a strange sense of relief crept into everyone’s hearts, subtle, complex, but undeniably present. Whatever the ending might be, it was drawing near. And with that certainty, the torment of waiting was gone.

Li Yuan continued studying the Life Star Art.

The presence of the secret art stele let his sight transcend the earthly realm. He now saw the vast canopy of stars across the sky.

The stars in this world were unlike those of his former life. They were not impossibly distant, not separated by thousands, tens of thousands, even millions of light years.

Here, they were close.

But paradoxically, they were also unreachable. Unlike the stars of his old world, which could be landed on.

On Earth, before he crossed over, humanity could send spacecraft into space. They had walked on the Moon, explored Mars. News reports had even covered an experimental mech in high orbit making the first autonomous landing on the lunar surface.

But here, each star could only be seen, never touched. Unless you found the entry point into a star, even if you hurled yourself toward its position in the sky, it would be no different from chasing a mirage in the desert.

Li Yuan needed to choose one of those stars. That would become his

life star

.

Time was running out. He had to make his decision soon.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

Night fell.

Candlelight flickered. Outside the circle of warm glow, all was shrouded in a gentle dimness.

A young maid in green robes stood behind him, silently kneading his shoulders.

The chaos and clamor of the past were gone. As the end of the world quietly crept closer, the only one still at Li Yuan’s side was Ying Zhuoyao.

He told her directly about his need to choose a life star using the Life Star Art.

The maid said nothing at first.

“How much do you know?” Li Yuan asked.

The maid shook her head. “Young Master, let me think.”

Li Yuan smiled and lifted a finger.

The maid obediently tilted her chin past his shoulder, and her soft lips began to draw out his life essence.

The loss of longevity felt like a cool breeze to Li Yuan, faint and distant, barely perceptible.

But the maid only became more radiant. In the bronze mirror, her reflection shimmered with a vitality that defied words.

Li Yuan watched that mirror and saw her brows knit in concentration.

At length, the maid said quietly, “Don’t respond to the stars. I heard the Northern Dipper once say something like that.”

Li Yuan asked, “Is it dangerous?”

She shook her head, then said softly, “Young Master, I don’t know.”

Li Yuan went on, sharing his thoughts and theories about the stars.

“Maybe each star is actually a terrifyingly powerful being. They’ve created entire worlds of their own, and from the perspective of mortals like us, they appear as stars in the sky. All that starlight we see, it might just be the brilliance of their energy radiating outward. So when people say not to respond to the stars, maybe it’s because they’re afraid those beings might notice us.”

The maid blinked, startled. “That can’t be right, can it? If the heavens are filled with such powerful beings, why would the Northern Dipper and Polaris be so intent on fighting over this piece of land?”

The moment those words left her lips, Li Yuan froze.

That light, almost offhanded remark, what seemed like a meaningless question, suddenly lit up the most important realization of all. The land beneath their feet...could it be a star?

The Northern Dipper and Polaris and even the Southern Dipper and Valley Obscura were battling over this land. What if they weren’t just fighting over territory, but for dominion over the star that

was

this land?

And if that were the case...was it possible for

him

to make this very land his life star?

After all, if such mighty powers were vying for it, its value was beyond question.

More importantly, he

knew

this land. He had lived here, walked its roads, survived its trials.

Could there be a more fitting choice?

A flicker of joy rose in Li Yuan’s heart. He turned and pulled the maid into a tight embrace. “You really are my lucky star.”

She let him hold her, silent and still.

“When we get through the end of this age, let’s keep walking this land together, through hardship and joy, through honor and disgrace. And when the new era dawns, I’ll marry you. We’ll begin again, as husband and wife,” Li Yuan said.

“You were born with the gift to draw longevity. And I...” He smiled softly, “I can give it to you. Maybe this time, we can truly walk side by side. For a long, long time.”

The maid, clearly moved, returned his embrace. She held him tight and whispered, happiness lacing her voice, “Mhm.”

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The next day.

Li Yuan began the test.

He returned to the very first step of the Life Star Ar, Star Observation.

But this time, he wasn’t looking up at the sky.

He was gazing down at the earth beneath his feet.

His heart was uneasy, full of anticipation and doubt.

Half an hour later, when he opened his eyes again, they were shining with delight.

He’d been right. This land, formed by the Ancestral Lands, Western Extremes, Great Wasteland, Sunset Rainforest, and Eastern Sea, was indeed a star.

He had heard its voice.

Perhaps because he was already standing on it, the voice didn’t come to him as a single, distinct tone like the others had. It was a cacophony, a chorus of countless sounds blended into one.

He heard the wind rustling through forests, waves crashing on rivers, wild beasts calling across the plains, human voices echoing over the earth, everything.

He couldn’t make out the words. But somehow, he knew this was the voice of the star.

Li Yuan paused for a moment, then pressed his palm to the stele again. Following the instructions of the secret art, he let his consciousness drift outward, slowly, deliberately, reaching for that voice.

This kind of communion was meant to be gradual. And when the connection was finally complete, a deep and lasting bond would be forged between him and his life star.

In that moment, Li Yuan forged a bond with the land itself. His power could now be anchored to this earth, so deeply, so thoroughly, that even if he were to die a thousand times, ten thousand times, he could still reclaim it. In a world where eternal youth wasn’t enough, he had finally taken a step toward something closer to true

indestructibility

.

To be honest, the coming Great Upheaval of Heaven and Earth still frightened him.

The worst possible outcome was a phenomenon known as spiritual backlash. Anyone who had ever cultivated with spiritual energy could suffer a sudden, catastrophic collapse when that energy vanished, bodies withering, life force draining, death swift and cruel.

Li Yuan might have eternal youth, but spiritual backlash could cripple him completely down to his very marrow.

Imagine it, stripped of all cultivation, his body shriveled and broken. Wouldn’t that be death in every sense that mattered?

But now, with the Life Star Art, and with this very land as his life star, he no longer had to worry.

As for the possibility of the land being destroyed and him losing everything, Li Yuan scoffed at the idea. Besides, he wasn’t anywhere near powerful enough yet to entertain such cosmic concerns.

Hours passed.

Li Yuan felt a hint of fatigue.

But the connection had begun. The link between him and the land was slowly taking shape.

It would be a long process, yes, but he had planned for this. He’d given himself enough time.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

In a blink, another month and a half had passed.

Li Yuan stood with his companions, ready to set out once more.

But just then, the little black crow returned, bringing news from the Central Capital. Xie Yu still hadn’t been found.

Zhen'er said, “Mother must be hiding.”

There was no need to ask why.

Xie Yu, younger sister to Xie Wei, and wife to Li Yuan... Of course she knew about the Deathless Tomb. She would’ve known that, in the chaos of the world’s collapse, Li Yuan would seek her out and offer her sanctuary there.

And yet, she had chosen to disappear. Chosen to vanish without a trace.

She had refused him, not in words but in action.

She would rather die alone than accept another ounce of protection from him.

Her heart, it seemed, had been closed off to him long ago.

She had made up her mind. She would never forgive Li Yuan.

And for a moment, he truly didn’t know what to do.

A flicker of anger stirred in him.

What kind of woman, he wondered, could be so stubborn? So blind, so unwilling to see reason?

Maybe sensing his frustration, Ping'an spoke up gently. “Father, we’re all pretty much ready now. Why don’t we just head straight for the end of the Hall of Life this time? After that, you’ll be free to take care of your own matters.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Bai Xinxuan and Meng Xingxian.

Bai Xinxuan said, “My Lord, I’m more or less done as well. After so many trips studying the painting, there’s not much left to gain. Better to go to the end of the hall sooner, it’ll give us more time to prepare for whatever might happen.”

Meng Xingxian nodded in agreement.

Li Yuan looked at each of them.

None of them objected.

“Alright then. This time, we’ll go straight to the heart of the hall.” Then, he hesitated for a beat and asked, “Have you all...”

Bai Xinxuan smiled. “You mean our final wishes? Don’t worry, we’ve all taken care of them.”

It wasn’t really a big deal. After nearly five thousand years of life, most of their old friends and enemies were long gone.

Even those who had descendants and clans still around were now separated by countless generations. Whatever ties had once existed had long since faded into unfamiliarity.

They still called ancestors sure, but that was just a title now, not much different from addressing a stranger.

Li Yuan said nothing.

He simply reached out and gave Ping'an’s shoulder a firm pat.

This time was different, completely different from every time before. He’d once left Ping'an behind at the Holy Tree Temple. He’d sent him away to the Eastern Sea. But now, he truly had no confidence in what was to come.

The man, his temples streaked with gray, pressed his lips together, his face set with quiet resolve. Then, he turned and wrapped Li Yuan in a strong embrace before laughing brightly.

“Your son’s going to reach second rank before you, old man. I’ll get a head start and check out what’s waiting beyond. Don’t be jealous when you catch up.”

Li Yuan thumped his back with a chuckle. “You little brat!”

After the brief exchange, Li Yuan looked around and asked, “Where’s Han Feng?”

This time, it was Meng Xingxian who poked her head out and answered, “Han Feng’s not doing well. She’s fallen into a deep sleep. Right now it’s that little Wolfmother who’s surfaced, but her body’s weak, bedridden, like she’s come down with some terrible illness.”

“Zhangsun Sanniang,” Li Yuan murmured.

Meng Xingxian couldn’t remember the Wolf mother’s real name anymore. She just nodded.

Off to the side, the former Sect Master suddenly spoke up. “Alliance Leader, we’re ready in spirit, but there are still some supplies and resources we didn’t bring. They were supposed to be part of the next trip.”

Li Yuan nodded. “Then let’s not rush. Everyone, gather your things properly. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

The others all agreed. Since plans had changed, there were many things they would now need to take with them. After all, once they set out this time, there might not be a return journey.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

That night.

Li Yuan sat alone on the stone steps outside the Lotus Heart Pavilion.

The air was cool.

The little maid brought him a bowl of hot soup, sat quietly beside him, and together they stared up at the stars.

Neither of them spoke.

The entire night passed in silence.