However, this was an inevitable fact. Different origins brought different inheritances. Li Kuanglan’s innate talent might not be inferior to Ji Tianqing’s, but the gap between Jing Tang Li’s lineage and the Pointer King, or even the imperial family, was vast.
This disparity led to brutal slaughter, conflict, and war, whether it was between the lower and upper continents, or between the Evernight and the Empire. These struggles were essentially for the control of resources, and thus, the battle for survival and development.
Li Kuanglan relied on her unique origin power and the Cold Moon Cage to outshine her peers. But without the Cold Moon Cage, she could not match Ji Tianqing. As their cultivation advanced, the gap would only widen. The inheritance of the Pointer King’s lineage would only show its true power after reaching the rank of a divine general.
Qian Ye, who had practiced the Mountain Opening Force, knew that the greater one’s own cultivation, the more powerful the secret technique would become, eventually becoming boundless.
Li Kuanglan’s lament was understandable, but Qian Ye did not know how to comfort her, as this was one of the world’s operating rules. After much thought, he said, “Don’t think too much about it. If I see any secret techniques suitable for you in the future, I will help you get them. A sword like the Cold Moon Cage is hard to obtain, but once we get out of here, I’ll go to the Evernight and see if I can grab one for you.”
Li Kuanglan smiled lightly and chided, “Fool! Where would you grab a sword like the Cold Moon Cage? To your death? You really don’t know how to console someone.”
Qian Ye felt a headache coming on and explained, “I’m not just saying it. Once we get out of here…”
Before he could finish, she covered his mouth and sighed, “I know you’re not just saying it; you’d really do it. But it’s not necessary. I don’t want you to take any more risks, especially for me. Also, remember not to make promises to others easily, especially to women. You already have enough trouble, how can you handle so many things?”
Qian Ye was confused, not understanding her meaning. Li Kuanglan did not explain, instead leaning back against him and pointing at the Well of Stars. “Our Li family’s secret techniques are not entirely inferior. In fact, our research on the Well of Stars might even surpass the imperial family. Everyone knows that the star power from the Well of Stars is crucial for refining crystals, but what about further steps? Look at those stars, some are large, some are small, with varying strengths.”
Qian Ye nodded, noticing this phenomenon. The moment he entered the Well of Stars, he sensed multiple stars, feeling as if he could touch their power. This was truly incomprehensible and defied logic.
According to the great explorers of the void, beyond the twenty-seven continents lay the vast emptiness, but beyond that, it was not empty. The brilliant stars seen at night were actually colossal continents, stars like the Void Valley, or even small worlds like the Evernight.
The perspective of these great explorers was unique, and their words carried weight.
But if the stars were continents, planets, or worlds, how could the star power be drawn from the Well of Stars? What were the stars seen at the bottom of the well, and what world would one enter after passing through?
The more Qian Ye thought, the more fascinated he became. The wonders of the universe were awe-inspiring, drawing generations of supreme warriors into the void to uncover its mysteries.
“What exactly are those stars?” Qian Ye suddenly asked.
Li Kuanglan was taken aback and replied, “I don’t know. Our ancestors couldn’t figure it out either. One ancestor tried to delve deep into the Well of Stars, reaching 500 meters before giving up. He said that even at 500 meters, the path ahead was endless, and perhaps even another thousand meters wouldn’t fully penetrate the Well. By 500 meters, the spatial tearing force was so strong that even a divine general could not withstand it for long. He suspected that even a Heavenly King would struggle after another thousand meters.”
“Meaning, the Well of Stars is impassable?”
“Not necessarily. If one’s body is several times stronger than a Grand Duke of the Evernight, they might be able to pass.”
This was essentially a non-answer.
Li Kuanglan pointed into the well, “Notice how some stars shine brighter than others?”
Qian Ye nodded. The varying brightness of stars was common, and the stars in the Well of Stars were no exception. Some were exceptionally bright, while others were dim yet massive, and there were many relatively dimmer small stars.
Li Kuanglan pointed again, “See these, and these few? They are special stars with far greater power. If their power can be harnessed, the resulting crystal will be much stronger. There are seven such stars, which we call the Seven Luminaries.”
Though there were more powerful stars, the Seven Luminaries were easier to communicate with. The Li family’s Divination Technique used the “Star Grid Array” at its core, including several specialized secret techniques to communicate with one of the Seven Luminaries. However, these required the Li family’s unique cultivation method, making them useless to Qian Ye and Ji Tianqing.
Even with the help of these secret techniques, communicating with the Seven Luminaries took much longer than other stars. Staying in the Well of Stars for a short time consumed a tremendous amount of origin power. Li Kuanglan nearly fell to the bottom and managed to form only a mid-grade crystal. If she tried to communicate with one of the Seven Luminaries, she would not have lasted long enough to form a crystal.
Neither Ji Tianqing nor Li Kuanglan had the cultivation to support a higher-grade crystal. They followed their fate, resonating with whatever star they could sense, with the priority being to form a crystal. Success was measured by the formation of a crystal.
Qian Ye’s origin power far exceeded the two, with each vortex containing several times the power of his peers. In the Well of Stars, he had a significant advantage. Li Kuanglan told him about the Seven Luminaries, leaving the decision to him whether to attempt to communicate with them.
In the Well of Stars, a light flashed, and Ji Tianqing spat out a crystal, holding it in her hand. She looked weak, only slightly better than Li Kuanglan had been.
Qian Ye raised his eyebrows, ready to rescue her. But Ji Tianqing winked at him, popping a small, unknown fruit into her mouth. Her aura surged, and she shot out of the Well like an arrow.
Once out, her aura quickly weakened, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Li Kuanglan hurried over to support her, seating her on a flat stone and offering her water.
After drinking, Ji Tianqing’s color improved. She injected a stimulant into her neck, slowly restoring her origin power.
She then examined the crystal. It was clear, with golden threads inside. Its origin power was denser than Li Kuanglan’s, but the number of threads was less, not as rich as the blue crystal. Qian Ye sensed that it could increase origin power slightly and make its use more fluid.
This ability was practical, and even a slight increase in origin power was better than none. Overall, this crystal was similar to Li Kuanglan’s, both mid-grade.
For the two women, forming a mid-grade crystal on their first try was a success. Most people failed or produced ordinary crystals. A mid-grade crystal was cause for celebration. A seventeen-level expert stuck for years without hope of breaking through the divine general barrier could become nearly as strong as the weakest divine general with a mid-grade crystal. A high-grade crystal, even with some mismatch, could match the weakest divine general. Families without a divine general or weaker traditions would chase after crystals to strengthen their lineages.
A wealthy family like the Song Clan, with the Lady of Anyi nearing the end, did not panic, believing their wealth could buy high-grade or even super-grade crystals. Money could solve any problem.
This made crystals so valuable.
Even for Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan, forming two crystals was a joy. Catching her breath, Ji Tianqing smiled, “With these two crystals, we’ve recouped the cost of the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl. We still have seven more. If we get one more crystal, it’s a big win. This trip to the Great Maelstrom wasn’t in vain.”
Li Kuanglan nodded.
Ji Tianqing said to Qian Ye, “Now it’s your turn. If you can produce a high-grade crystal, you can pay for Sister Kuanglan’s Cold Moon Cage. If you can produce more, I’ll let her spend a night with you. How about that?”
Li Kuanglan blushed and threatened to tear Ji Tianqing’s mouth. Ji Tianqing dodged, grabbing her chest and pulling her clothes, leaving Li Kuanglan flustered.
Ji Tianqing’s words became bolder, causing Qian Ye a headache. Seeing Li Kuanglan’s lack of concern made him nervous. He coughed and said, “It’s my turn now. This place isn’t safe. Delaying could bring trouble.”
Ji Tianqing, energized by a recovery potion, was already winning, causing Li Kuanglan to cry out. Hearing Qian Ye, she said, “What’s the rush? I’m almost done. Don’t you want to watch? Even if you’ve seen everything, it doesn’t hurt to see more!”
Qian Ye was embarrassed, “Give me the Sky Cloud Smoke Pearl. Important matters first.”
Ji Tianqing threw him a pearl and resumed her attack, saying, “Go down first. I need to deal with this brat. When you come back, you’ll enjoy a feast!”
Li Kuanglan was pinned, struggling and revealing quite a sight.
Qian Ye, avoiding the view, took the pearl and leaped into the Well. As he descended, he heard Li Kuanglan’s cry, “Get your hands off!”
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