Chapter 213: Chapter 204: Plucking the Stars (Part 2)
Seeing Zhaang Ye’s trajectory, the youths were all stunned. They realized that Zhaang Ye wasn’t hesitating at all—he was heading straight for the enormous star in the center of the True Hall!
"Does Zhaang Ye actually want to pluck that biggest star? He’s completely overestimating himself!"
"Yeah, that Central Star is immense. The Cultivation Technique carved on it must be even better than a Top-grade Cultivation Method. But a technique like that isn’t easy to get. Even though Zhaang Ye took first place in the test, his strength isn’t necessarily greater than mine. There’s no way he can take that star!"
"The movement pattern of that Central Star is exceptionally profound. Even Situ Houtu didn’t dare to make a move, yet Zhaang Ye actually has the guts to try. He’s so arrogant!"
Jiang Ailiang had never liked Zhaang Ye. Seeing him dare to go after the Central Star, a mocking smile appeared on his face. "Hmph, just you wait. Zhaang Ye is bound to come back empty-handed and will have to just grab a random star instead."
As Situ Houtu watched Zhaang Ye head straight for the most massive star, a look of shock flashed in his eyes. He thought, ’Zhaang Ye is really going for that enormous star! Could he actually be confident he can pluck the Central Star? If he really does it, his Computation Power and Comprehension will be even more incredible than mine!’
Seeing Zhaang Ye make his move, even the Hall Masters were slightly moved. The Great Hall Master chuckled. "This largest Star Luo Stone was left behind by the very first Hall Master of the True Hall. Thousands of years have passed, and while all the other Star Luo Stones have been plucked by someone at some point, this one alone has never been taken. Not even I know what Cultivation Technique is carved upon it. I hope this young fellow Zhaang Ye can give me a surprise and show me what kind of technique it is."
The Second Hall Master wasn’t as optimistic about Zhaang Ye’s chances. He smiled faintly and said, "His spirit is commendable, but plucking this Central Star is no easy task."
The Third Hall Master nodded slightly, agreeing with the Second Hall Master’s judgment. This Central Star was the hub of the entire Array and had been operating in the center of the True Hall for thousands of years. Over these millennia, countless geniuses had tried to take it, yet it remained hanging steadily in its place. This just went to show how profound its movements were. For Zhaang Ye to try and pluck such a star, his chances were undoubtedly slim...
This Central Star operated at a height of a full ninety-nine zhang. Without a unique Body Technique, reaching such a distance was simply impossible.
But Zhaang Ye possessed the Power-Borrowing Technique. While the distance was great, it wasn’t enough to trouble him. SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! With a few soft sounds, Zhaang Ye’s sleeves swept out like the wind. His body instantly borrowed power to rise, arriving over ninety zhang in the air. Before the eyes of the crowd, Zhaang Ye suddenly took a single step!
In that single step, Zhaang Ye’s body arrived right before the Central Star, one hand reaching out to grab it from a distance.
This star, which had been sitting in the center of the True Hall, looked like a fat man who had eaten his fill, moving sluggishly. But the moment Zhaang Ye’s hand reached out, it reacted instantly. With a soft flash, it reappeared over ten zhang away.
Seeing Zhaang Ye’s grab miss, a gloating look appeared in the eyes of the youths. Zhaang Ye was now a hundred zhang in the air. Even with the Power-Borrowing Technique, he couldn’t stay there for long. If he couldn’t pluck the star on his first try, his momentum would falter, making it much harder to succeed.
Situ Houtu’s gaze, however, turned grave. Others might think that this was the extent of Zhaang Ye’s abilities. But Situ Houtu had crossed paths with Zhaang Ye before; he knew deep down that Zhaang Ye’s power was definitely not limited to this.
Just then, a slight smile touched the corners of Zhaang Ye’s mouth, a hundred zhang up in the air. His body suddenly took two more steps.
Those two steps Zhaang Ye took were simply sublime. Before he stepped, there was clearly empty space beneath his feet. But after he stepped, two stars instantly appeared right under them, and he landed squarely on both!
"Ah!"
Seeing Zhaang Ye take those two steps, all the youths were dumbfounded. It was clear that he had calculated the trajectories of the stars before stepping. Moreover, he had calculated for two stars!
In other words, Zhaang Ye’s Computation Power and Comprehension were far more formidable than Situ Houtu’s!
’What terrifying Computation Power and Comprehension!’ Situ Houtu couldn’t help but be horrified. He had always prided himself on his superior calculation and comprehension, but just now, calculating the trajectory of a single star had wracked his brain. He never imagined Zhaang Ye could so easily calculate the trajectories of two stars. This was truly terrifying to the extreme!
Seeing Zhaang Ye’s performance, even the Second Hall Master was moved. He looked at the Fourth Hall Master and said with a wry smile, "Fourth Brother, you’ve really taken on a fine disciple! Situ Houtu is a genius seen only once every five hundred years, and he merely calculated the trajectory of a single star. I never expected this disciple of yours could calculate the trajectories of two. That Computation Power and Comprehension are truly impressive."
The Fourth Hall Master was also somewhat surprised by Zhaang Ye’s performance. He chuckled and said, "Although he can calculate the trajectories of two stars, this Central Star isn’t so easy to pluck. Let’s hope Zhaang Ye has the strength, the Comprehension, and the good fortune for it."
The three Hall Masters all nodded slightly. To pluck this Central Star, one needed not only formidable strength and formidable Comprehension, but also immense good fortune. Not one of these three conditions could be missing.
Over thousands of years, the number of geniuses who had come to the True Hall to pluck stars was practically countless. Among them, there was no shortage of people with strength greater than Zhaang Ye’s, nor was there a lack of those with Comprehension superior to his. But because they never possessed the strength, Comprehension, and good fortune all at the same time, none of them had ever been able to pluck the Central Star.
Zhaang Ye’s Comprehension was excellent, and his strength was as well. Now, it all depended on whether he had the good fortune.
Before the eyes of the crowd, Zhaang Ye’s body suddenly shot out over ten zhang, once again heading for the Central Star.
This Central Star was like a cunning fox. The instant Zhaang Ye moved, it reacted again, instantly appearing behind him.
It was as if Zhaang Ye knew the Central Star would appear behind him. He spun around abruptly, took a small step, and once again landed on another star, continuing his charge toward the Central Star.
One man and one star chased each other endlessly, a hundred zhang high in the True Hall. Though Zhaang Ye was high in the air, every step he took was guaranteed to land on a star. That precision, backed by terrifying computation power, made Situ Houtu’s face pale. As for Jiang Ailiang and the other youths, they had long since clamped their mouths shut, their eyes flashing with utter shock.
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH—
Zhaang Ye’s figure moved faster and faster. Although the Central Star’s movements were incomparably profound, it was as if Zhaang Ye had seen through them completely. With every move he made, he closed the distance a little more. After nearly an hour, Zhaang Ye was getting closer and closer to the Central Star—only a little over one zhang away!
WHOOSH!
Zhaang Ye once again executed a profound Footwork Technique. He made a grasping motion with his palm, and a powerful Devouring Power flared to life in his hand. Under Zhaang Ye’s Devouring Power, the Central Star’s movement faltered for a split second.
In that brief moment of hesitation, Zhaang Ye laughed heartily. His body abruptly crossed the one-zhang gap, and his five fingers shot out like five Flood Dragons, instantly locking down a patch of empty space and seizing the Central Star! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with Recommendation Tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
