Chapter 612: Journey to the Solar Star

“Finally, it’s done.” Dongbo Xueying immediately left the Black Mist Sea alone, piloting his Starfield Skyship toward Lianjun Star.

Soon, he arrived at Lianjun Star.

This time, he encountered no obstacles. Under the guidance of the array spirit—an elderly man in white robes—Dongbo Xueying met the ruler of Lianjun Star once more.

The Star Lord of Lianjun was still clad in pristine white robes, sitting barefoot by the lakeshore, her fair feet idly splashing in the water. Every movement she made exuded a natural rhythm.

Dongbo Xueying marveled inwardly—this Star Lord was the most naturally harmonious Ruler-level existence he had ever encountered.

“Water may seem ordinary, yet it is one of the most essential elements in the universe. Without it, life itself might not exist,” the Star Lord of Lianjun remarked. “The power of water is also a crucial force in artifact refinement.”

“In terms of artifact refinement, even counting the Paragons, the Star Lord ranks among the top three,” Dongbo Xueying said.

“Compared to your master, I still fall far short. Bloodblade Divine Emperor is truly a genius of our cosmic epoch.” The Star Lord of Lianjun rose and strolled toward him across the grass. “Dongbo Xueying, you too are a prodigy. I had thought you would have already transcended to become a True God by the time I refined and condensed the Solar Star Core Stone.”

Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “Cultivation is never so easy. I’ve only just comprehended all nine Supreme-grade Divine Hearts. To perfectly fuse them into a complete World Law—I’m still missing the final, crucial step.”

“With your insight, I believe you’ll achieve it soon.”

As she spoke, the Star Lord of Lianjun flipped her hand, revealing a small, pitch-black pebble in her palm, roughly the size of a fingernail tip. It appeared utterly unremarkable.

Yet Dongbo Xueying’s eyes gleamed.

He could sense it—the laws and mysteries around the Solar Star Core Stone had already begun to shift. The power of water was completely repelled, the temperature around it rose sharply, and even space-time seemed suppressed…

“A mere pebble, altering the laws?” Dongbo Xueying murmured in awe.

“Take it.” The Star Lord tossed it to him. “I haven’t had a moment’s rest these years.”

“I know the Star Lord has labored hard.” Dongbo Xueying caught the Solar Star Core Stone. The stone felt warm to the touch, but when he probed it with his Taihao Force, he could sense the terrifying power contained within. The moment his energy touched it, it was instantly incinerated into nothingness! Though astonished, Dongbo Xueying wasn’t surprised.

Even though he had long mastered the fourth revolution of *Taihao*, even Paragons who ventured into the deepest layer of the Solar Star—the Solar Core—would be reduced to nothing in an instant!

This tiny pebble contained only a minuscule fraction of that energy, yet its quality was unimaginably high. Burning away Taihao Force was only to be expected.

“To influence the surrounding laws… truly inconceivable.” Dongbo Xueying faintly grasped that the composition of this stone held profound secrets. Yet he couldn’t perceive them—any attempt to probe it resulted in his energy being annihilated. Naturally, he couldn’t study it. He suspected even Paragons would struggle to decipher its mysteries.

“Don’t forget what you promised me,” the Star Lord of Lianjun said with a faint smile.

“Of course.” Dongbo Xueying nodded.

A promise was worth a thousand pounds of gold.

“Also, aside from my subordinates, no one else knows I forged this Solar Star Core Stone for you,” the Star Lord added. “My servants wouldn’t dare leak the news, so this should remain a secret. However, given your extensive gathering of rare materials, many powers in the Divine Realm and the Abyss may have already guessed.”

“Thank you.” Dongbo Xueying said.

He himself feared no threats, but Patriarch Redflame was comparatively weaker.

“I’ll take my leave now,” Dongbo Xueying said.

“I hope the next time we meet, you’ll have transcended,” the Star Lord replied. “I’m waiting for the day you become a Ruler. Otherwise, your favor would be of little use to me.”

“I hope you get your wish too.” Dongbo Xueying chuckled. For someone of the Star Lord’s status—a Ruler and the foremost artifact refiner among them—many sought her aid. If he didn’t become a Ruler, his favor truly would be worthless to her.

—

After obtaining the Solar Star Core Stone, Dongbo Xueying quietly returned to the Black Mist Sea.

During his journey back, he had already sent a message to Patriarch Redflame.

“Look.” Upon returning to his estate, Dongbo Xueying produced the Solar Star Core Stone.

Gazing at the small, black pebble, one could see the laws of the surrounding world subtly shifting. Patriarch Redflame’s eyes instantly reddened, and his body trembled slightly. This stone could influence the laws around it, drastically reducing the damage fire inflicted upon him, allowing him to descend into the second layer of the Solar Star—the Solar Stone Layer.

Only by reaching this layer would his path of cultivation truly open up. In this lifetime, he might finally have a chance to forge his own path and become a Ruler!

Without this stone, he saw no hope. A life without hope, no matter how long, would feel unbearably dull. That was why, even knowing his request might be excessive, Patriarch Redflame had swallowed his pride and asked Dongbo Xueying for help.

And Dongbo Xueying had spared no effort to fulfill his wish.

“Xueying… thank you. Thank you.” Patriarch Redflame’s voice quivered.

“Patriarch, there’s no need for thanks between us.” Dongbo Xueying smiled. “But for now, I won’t give you the Solar Star Core Stone.”

Patriarch Redflame froze.

Not give it to him?

Though anxious, he asked, “What do you intend?”

“Nothing complicated,” Dongbo Xueying explained. “If I handed it to you now, you’d immediately return to the Solar Star. If any powerful beings noticed… what would they think? Over six hundred thousand years ago, I gathered rare materials on a massive scale. For the past six hundred millennia, you’ve lived here with me. Now, you suddenly return to the Solar Star? Coupled with the time the Star Lord of Lianjun would need to refine the stone, even the dimmest minds would piece it together.”

Patriarch Redflame shuddered at the realization.

Indeed.

Why would he, after residing in the Black Mist Sea for over six hundred thousand years, abruptly return? The connection to the Solar Star Core Stone would be all too obvious.

“Stay in the Black Mist Sea as usual,” Dongbo Xueying said. “Isn’t your true body still in the Solar Star? I’ll personally deliver the stone there. I also plan to cultivate in the Solar Star for a while. First, if any observers investigate, they’ll assume I’m using the stone for my own cultivation. Second, if anyone tries anything, I can protect you.”

Patriarch Redflame nodded, impressed by Dongbo Xueying’s thoroughness. “Most likely, the powers wouldn’t even imagine you’d give the Solar Star Core Stone to me. It’s far too precious.”

“I know you’re eager. I’ll set off tomorrow.”

—

After informing his wife, Jing Qiu, Dongbo Xueying departed the next day. For cultivators like them, parting from family was trivial—they could always reunite within the Red Rock Mountain World of the Xia Clan’s territory. As a cultivator, caution was paramount. Within the material world, not even a Paragon could kill him. He had to make full use of that advantage.

If the Xia Clan’s world collapsed with the passage of time, he would have no choice but to leave. Then, he would no longer enjoy such absolute protection.

“Whoosh.”

Standing at the prow of his Starfield Skyship as it traversed the spatial tunnel, Dongbo Xueying felt a surge of anticipation. Though he had been familiar with the “sun” since his mortal days, he had never truly set foot inside the Solar Star.

The Solar Star existed in a different layer of space-time.

Separate from the normal world, even distinct from the River of Time.

It resided in the very core of the universe, its radiance illuminating every corner of existence.