Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 311 - 304

Chapter 311: 304

The north wind howled, and snowflakes slanted down with the night wind, covering everywhere.

Atop a large cylindrical Star Observation Platform, around the black platform, high Rune flagpoles were planted, each bearing black flags embroidered with various monstrous creatures, some with three heads and six arms, some with tiger heads and ox bodies, others covered in eyes, and even oddities with heads on their chests.

All sorts of bizarre shapes were depicted on the flags, which fluttered noisily in the wind.

Lin Xin sat alone at the center of the Star Observation Platform, surrounded by circular patterns spreading outward from the center on the ground, and along the edge of each pattern, there were indentations that seemed like text or symbols engraved.

At night, there was not a trace of starlight or any moon in the sky.

"To harness the power of the Heavenly Elemental Stars is the second challenge of our Demonic Arts,"

Daoist Master Huang Yuan floated in the air beside the Star Observation Platform, silently watching Lin Xin who was seated on the ground.

"What you need to do now is to wait for the Star Force to be harnessed and hold on without exploding,"

"Exploding?" Lin Xin felt a twinge of fear at the mention.

"The power of the Heavenly Elemental Stars is the most massive and most orthodox imperial star power. It’s not merely one type of star power, but countless types converging together. The purpose is to reach a state where you can purge incompatible forces within you to achieve a state of singular purity," explained Daoist Master Huang Yuan.

"Under such circumstances, you must maintain a balance where your body is on the brink of exploding yet not completely collapsing, to maximally expel the impurities within,"

"I understand...." Lin Xin had seen and read much over the years, and this method of harnessing Star Force for cultivation practice was nothing unusual to him. Once he understood the principle, he became more at ease.

"It’s starting, be careful," Daoist Master Huang Yuan looked up at the sky and said to Lin Xin.

"With no stars tonight, it seems we won’t be able to harness any," Lin Xin knew that the best conditions for harnessing Star Force were under a cloudless sky. With the current situation where not a single star was visible, harnessing would undoubtedly be challenging.

"Can’t harness any?" Daoist Master Huang Yuan smiled faintly.

Suddenly, he raised his hand.

"Open!"

He thrust a palm upward, swinging a slicing blow towards the sky.

With a whoosh, a fierce wind ravaged around, and a dull rumble spread. The pitch-black night sky suddenly split open, like a solitary eye opening in the night, revealing a dense mass of blue stars behind.

"We can begin now."

Daoist Master Huang Yuan retracted his hand, satisfied with the gash he had slashed in the sky.

Lin Xin took a deep breath. Looking up at the night sky, where the dark clouds were gradually dispersing, he had forgotten that in this world, cultivators were mostly unaffected by the so-called weather. Powerful cultivators could often change the heavens and earth with a mere gesture.

The Star Observation Platform was now gradually gathering Star Force, and strands of silvery-blue light, tangible in nature, fell from the sky in all directions onto the platform.

Each strand of silvery-blue Star Force precisely entered the many circular patterns engraved on the platform’s surface.

As time passed, a great amount of Star Force gradually dyed the circular patterns silvery-blue, making it look extraordinarily enchanting.

Sitting at the very center, Lin Xin felt as if countless needles were continuously stabbing in and out of his flesh, causing unbearable pain.

Amidst the pain, it seemed as if a large amount of chillingly cold and sinister substance was drilling into his body from his back like fog.

This chillingly cold and sinister substance was extremely domineering; wherever it went, all muscles and bones lost sensation, as if they were completely alien.

Yet bizarrely, although many parts lost perception, an incessant fierce pain emerged from deep within.

Cold sweat and veins continuously surfaced on his forehead. Lin Xin clenched his teeth, feeling as if his entire being was being pierced repeatedly by a massive bed of nails from behind, as if being processed like a slab of meat gradually being ground into mince.

This agony was even more terrifying than the Demon Liquid Pool; at least there, he could still preserve his internal organs from being infiltrated. But now, from the beginning, he was completely invaded by a domineering force, which then churned and jabbed repeatedly within his organs.

"Others mainly harness the power of the Zhou Tian stars for their cultivation practice, and almost no one chooses the most domineering power of the Heavenly Elemental Stars. Do you know why?" Daoist Master Huang Yuan talked on, as if explaining to Lin Xin, "The power of the Zhou Tian stars, being the most ancient and also the most complex, encompasses a variety of star powers, including the Sun, the Yin Yang powers, and other diverse celestial powers. It’s a mix of all kinds of attributes; there are ones for slaughter, for gentleness, for oddities, for mysteries. All types can be found within it. And because of this, their star powers are mixed, nullifying each other internally, hence their strength is limited."

He paused, then continued.

"But the power of the Heavenly Elemental Stars is different. My Yuan Dou Demonic Technique only requires the most domineering Heavenly Star Force among them. The so-called Heavenly stars are a class of stars in the cosmos that perpetually devour everything around them, even space and time cannot escape their twisted control. However, as the world of Yin and Yang corresponds, this perpetually devouring existence also releases a kind of mysterious and terrifying spiritual power."

Lin Xin, in agonizing delirium, also found this somewhat familiar, and his reactions were somewhat revived.

Isn’t this a black hole? In the cosmic space, only black holes incessantly devour everything around them, even time and space are twisted and swallowed. Could the so-called Heavenly stars actually refer to black holes!?

Daoist Master Huang Yuan did not notice Lin Xin’s strange reaction but continued talking.

"The various types of Heavenly stars release this terrifying spiritual power, which continuously diffuses and pervades at all times. It spreads in an inexplicable manner, found in every corner of any world. No matter where, it leaves its traces. Heavenly stars have consumed and twisted overly differentiated matter, everything, ground it purified, and then transformed it into the most fundamental basic Heavenly Star Force, re-nourishing the entire cosmos.

In the Universe, all times and places, matter, and existence, the Heavenly Elemental Stars devour everything, constituting a critical link in the cosmos.

And my Yuan Dou Demonic Technique seeks to harness its domineering transformative power, purifying all impurities within your body and transforming them into the purest form of Absolute Force."

Undergoing cultivation practice with the power of a black hole...

Lin Xin felt a profound shock in his heart; he had not expected that someone in this world would have discovered the existence of black holes.

But on further thought, it made sense. It wasn’t that this place was underdeveloped; rather, the highest tiers of knowledge were controlled by a small subset of people at the top.

"Now, it is time to temper all the power within your body, transforming it into the force of Yuan Dou. The essence of Yuan Dou is that all roots lead to conflict! Conflict means competing, slaughtering, and plundering. In the universe, everything like Yin Yang, opposing forces, right and wrong, cold and hot, movement and stillness, strong and weak, are all combating each other.

Struggle and combat are the roots of everything. If you cannot overcome the star force of Yuan Dou, your body will instantly burst and you will perish, completely devoured by the star force, becoming one of its nutrients. The only chance for survival lies in combat; thus, you must take care yourself."

After saying this, Daoist Master Huang Yuan turned and disappeared into the night.

Lin Xin was in agony, enduring with great difficulty.

Gradually, all thoughts dissipated from his mind. All thinking, all willpower, converged into a single point, battling against the increasingly painful infusion of star force.

Life can only be seized through struggle.

This phrase seemed to be etched firmly in his mind.

That’s it, that’s it...

Amidst his pain, it was as if he had an epiphany.

In defense and resistance, if one only retreats and never fights, one gradually loses one’s original territory and inherent benefits. Those who gain benefits receive more nourishment and become stronger, while those who don’t only grow weaker.

Losing the power to resist the opponent means losing control over life and death.

Yielding only encourages the aggressor to take more — such is the rationale. Plundering, battling, and struggling make oneself stronger, gaining more nourishment, more benefits, more, and more, and more!!!!

A voice echoing like a reverberation continuously stirred deep within his spirit.

Countless starlights crazily converged towards Lin Xin’s body. Layer upon layer, as if coating his entire body in a peculiar silver-blue sheen.

In the sky, a heavy downpour of star force streamed down, twisting and converging on the Star Observation Platform.

Time slowly passed.

Unbeknownst to him, the sky gradually brightened.

The intensity of the star force gradually waned and by the break of dawn, the last trace of star force had slowly vanished.

Several masked men and women appeared around the Star Observation Platform, carefully climbing up and then applying various ointments and potions on the centrally seated Lin Xin with caution.

When finished for the first time, they rested for a while, waited for the ointments and potions to dry, and then continued applying another layer of new medicinal substances.

"Be careful, he might just be the future new Young Master." One masked person, noticing his peer’s rough handling, suddenly cautioned.

"Yeah, yeah, how many times have you said that? Every few years a bunch of your so-called future new young masters die. I’ve heard it so much I’m sick of it," replied the admonished masked person nonchalantly.

"Things are unpredictable; could you have ever predicted that you’d end up here in this sect as a Menial?"

"What’s wrong with being a Menial? The compensation and benefits for Menials are much better than other forces. Not to mention the two princesses, the Grand Steward never skims on the distribution. Plus, when my sect walks out, even the Red Spine Sect gives us space. So, being a Menial is much stronger than those unstable small sects out there," another person jumped in.

"That may be true, but it’s no excuse for your negligence. If this one here really becomes the Crown Prince later on..." Before the first masked person could finish his sentence, he saw Lin Xin, who was sitting cross-legged, suddenly open his eyes.

His whole body seemed as if targeted by a fierce, formidable beast.

"His eyes are open!!" exclaimed another person, undeterred. "What are you afraid of? He’s currently undergoing star force infusion and can’t move. Any slight movement could cause his body to explode, and he’s bound to die sooner or later..." Saying this, a sinister thought emerged in this masked person’s mind.

"You know, since he’s bound to die eventually, why not... why not let us profit from it?" This person’s voice suddenly dropped.

"What... what are you suggesting?!" the others were somewhat taken aback.

"What am I suggesting? Obviously, look for some valuables!" Ignoring Lin Xin’s gaze, this person went behind him, his hands searching over Lin’s body, trying to find something valuable.

"Have you lost your mind?!" someone rushed up to stop him.