Chapter 1122: Chapter 341: Stars and Moon Remain the Same
It had been some time since I last visited Star Moon Plain, but everything here remained unchanged.
Xiang Country and Xu Country were still unable to lay their hands on this place, leaving only a few small forces living here idly. Calling them "forces" is an overstatement, given that there were no cultivators even at the level of the Inner Mansion; the strongest among them were merely at the Ascending Dragon Realm.
These small factions had probably replaced their members several times, or maybe they were still the same people from before—Jiang Wang had no recollection... In any case, it wasn’t very important.
Once more, he came here, still avoiding the densely populated areas and sitting alone under the night sky.
The routine cultivation had been completed, and now he let go of his body and mind. Through the Burning Fire Bone Lotus on his back, at this place closest to the Star Vault in the mortal world, he communicated with Star Power.
While accumulating Star Power, he also tried to send a message to Guan Yan, inserting his own emotions requesting communication into the Yuheng Star Power—whether Master Guan Yan could feel it was uncertain.
Master Guan Yan also had his own affairs to attend to in the Forest Sea Source Realm, including his own arduous and long cultivation. It shouldn’t be expected that he would gaze into the mortal world every day, let alone await Jiang Wang’s messages daily. The fact that he did not find Jiang Wang’s endless questions bothersome was already an extremely gentle gesture...
From Jiang Wang’s perspective, every communication with Master Guan Yan happened through Yuheng Star Power.
This method was highly covert, showing outwardly as nothing more than a slight thickening of Yuheng Star Power, and he, at this moment focused on accumulating Yuheng Star Power, used this fact to cover up the "anomaly."
It seemed that any conversation with Master Guan Yan should be imperceptible to outsiders. After all, communicating with a cultivator in the mortal world from the distant and unfathomable Forest Sea Source Realm by leveraging Star Power was somewhat unimaginable.
Whether he was willing to communicate, however, depended on Master Guan Yan’s mood.
Only Guan Yan had the ability to establish a channel for communication; Jiang Wang could only choose to participate or not.
After waiting a while without a response, Jiang Wang quietly continued accumulating Star Power, not doing anything else.
The Burning Fire Bone Lotus had become more spirited after the bath in the heavens.
And through deep research into the Fire Realm Art, Jiang Wang’s development of totems had grown deeper, incomparable to before.
A clear sign of this was... the rate of accumulating Star Power had increased substantially.
The last time he visited Star Moon Plain, it had taken three nights just to fill the Burning Fire Bone Lotus with Star Power.
By the current pace, it would likely only take about two nights.
The first night at Star Moon Plain passed while he accumulated Star Power.
Come daylight, he performed his morning practices. At noon, he punctually cultivated the Eye of Qian Yang, and then he began his evening practices a bit earlier. After nightfall, the accumulation of Star Power continued.
In his current stage of cultivation, Jiang Wang’s morning practices involved transferring Path Origin and combing through Heaven and Earth Lonely Island, while evening practices were about developing Inner Mansion chambers and exploring oneself—both tasks requiring painstaking effort.
Besides that, he nurtured the Longing with Divine Power Light and cultivated various techniques, including the Fire Realm Art and the Voice Broadcast Immortal Style. His swordsmanship could not be neglected either.
In short, his daily cultivation could be scheduled very fully.
...
...
Outside the borders of Star Moon Plain, still on that nameless barren mountain.
"Any anomalies?"
Li Youjue, who had been waiting for a long time, couldn’t help but ask.
Yue Leng, focusing on the compass, shook his head.
"It seems they’re not going to come," Li Youjue said with a hint of regret.
The "they" naturally referred to Equality Country.
If it were just a matter of escorting Jiang Wang for a single journey, then it would have seemed rather extravagant for two Godly cultivators with green badges like him and Yue Leng to be deployed. There had to be some gains to make it worthwhile.
To entice Equality Country into action, the Patrol Inspection Bureau had gone to great lengths, creating the appearance that Jiang Wang had secretly left the country.
Moreover, in the eyes of many, Yue Leng and Li Youjue were at present, one overseas and the other in Linzi.
At least overtly, none of the Godly cultivators of the Blue Token had been mobilized.
Of course, in reality, not only were Yue Leng and Li Youjue both present, but they also carried with them orders signed by the Political Affairs Hall, ready to request assistance from the powerful cultivators of Xu Country at a moment’s notice—if a prodigy from Qi Country were to run into trouble not far from Xu Country and the Xu Country’s powerhouses failed to respond to the orders in time... the outcome was predictable.
For Jiang Wang’s safety, the Patrol Inspection Bureau had ensured utmost security, striving for a fail-safe plan.
They also intended to use these preparations to catch a big fish from Equality Country.
Yue Leng excelled in trapping, while Li Youjue was sharp in perception; their cooperation was seamless. Both of them were also renowned masters of capturing criminals. Ordinary Godly cultivators couldn’t possibly escape from their hands.
"Yes," Yue Leng felt some regret as well.
However, his regret was not due to Equality Country, but because of Jiang Wang, who was wholeheartedly accumulating Star Power.
He particularly admired this diligence.
He had wanted to take Jiang Wang under his wing, but at the time Jiang Wang hadn’t been proactive, and he hadn’t been very eager either. Now, of course, that was no longer possible; Jiang Wang was on the cusp of achieving God Arrives, while he himself was only at the Divine Arrival Realm. The guidance he could offer was very limited, so how could he presume to offer advice?
Someone like the top-tier Godly cultivator, the murderer, would be more fitting...
"It’s just as well that he didn’t come," Li Youjue said. "Equality Country is somewhat odd. Up to now, we’ve only caught three live ones, and the information extracted is all outdated... We’re not afraid to go after them ourselves, but if we neglect the talented individuals attending the Yellow River Gathering, there’s no avoiding reprimand from the Political Affairs Hall."
Yue Leng laughed and said, "I never thought that the renowned Li Youjue would comfort himself in such a way!"
Li Youjue also laughed, "How else can we endure this profession if not like this?"
With the rise in status, it was only when he was with someone like Yue Leng, who was nearly at the same level as a Blue Token holder, that he could somewhat recapture the feeling of working on cases from his youth... During many dull stakeouts, he and his equally young colleagues would cheer each other on. Step by step, they moved through the years, and he became a famous hunter with a Blue Token hanging at his waist.
Although Yue Leng had more seniority and was considered a retired predecessor, he did not mind chatting idly with Li Youjue: "Back when you were young, the most prominent in the Blue Token ranks was Wu Lao, wasn’t it?"
"Yes," Li Youjue said with a smile. "First it was Wu Lao, then Lin Kuang. After that, it was you, Lord Yue! The name ’Capture God’ truly thundered across the world!"
Yue Leng merely smiled, taking in the small flattery.
He was older than Lin Kuang, but Lin Kuang had become famous earlier, and at that time, Wu Lie, who was of even older standing, was as renowned as Lin Kuang. So in that respect, Lin Kuang could be considered his predecessor, Yue Leng.
However, compared to Li Youjue, he, having retired two years earlier, could indeed be considered an old predecessor. So a few compliments were not out of place.
Li Youjue sighed again, "Speaking of which, I haven’t seen Wu Lao in a long time, he also avoids old acquaintances... but I often see the child, Evil Presence."
Yue Leng did not know how to respond, merely saying, "He has his own path."
"After so many years, does he still intend to vindicate Lin Kuang?" Li Youjue asked.
"They were friends despite the difference in their ages..." Yue Leng sighed. "Let’s not discuss this."
Li Youjue did not pursue the topic further and after a brief moment of regulating his breath, he looked up at the sky again, his eyes flashing intensely.
In his line of sight, Jiang Wang, who was sitting cross-legged on Star Moon Plain, was crystal clear.
"The Star Power he’s absorbing is so pure!" Li Youjue couldn’t help but praise.
Yue Leng was focusing on the compass, saying, "Star Moon Plain itself is a treasure land, erecting Star Tower here is even simpler. We and Jinguo each have a portion allocated every year... it’s a pity that only a few are assigned to our Patrol Inspection Bureau."
"Tsk, if we could monopolize it, that would be great."
Li Youjue watched for a while longer but still didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, so he retracted his gaze.
But just as he withdrew his gaze...
Change occurred.
