Chapter 216: The Well of the Stars

A column of light ascended from a place not too far away, just beyond the forest and over two ridges. For the three, flying there would be but a moment’s task. The gravity here was not too high, making flight relatively easy. However, the Great Vortex was filled with peril, and traveling on foot, rather than by air, had become an unspoken rule. Those who entered the Great Vortex and flaunted their abilities, flying around recklessly, seldom lived to see the next day.

Qian Ye obediently navigated through the forest, with Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan following behind, each treading carefully, leaving no trace behind.

According to their records, the Well of Stars posed little danger. Most of those who came here were Empire’s strong, as the original crystals were of little use to the dark races. Occasionally, a powerful dark race individual would come here to hunt and ambush the Empire’s strong. Yet, the number of Empire’s strong in this area was significant, and those capable of refining original crystals with the Celestial Cloud Smoke Pearl or other treasures were among the best. Ambushing such powerful individuals was not only difficult but also risky, as they could easily turn the tables.

Still, the vague sense of pressure remained, and Qian Ye did not dare to relax. He led the way, scouting ahead. In the Great Vortex, Qian Ye, with his robust physique and resistance to poison, had a far greater chance of survival compared to Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan, naturally taking the lead.

The trio left the forest without incident and climbed the first ridge. Just as they reached the peak, three figures suddenly rose from the rocky terrain ahead, each holding a bow or a gun, aimed at Qian Ye and his companions.

“Haha, I knew if we stayed here long enough, we’d catch some Empire scum. Was I right?” the one in the middle laughed loudly.

The one on the left spat, “You’re just lucky. What are you so smug about? Why don’t you calculate how many people we’ve each killed? Acting like you know all about the secrets of the universe.”

The one on the right, a young man with a sullen face, snapped, “Shut up! What if they escape… eh?”

His eyes widened as he realized that Qian Ye and his group, instead of fleeing, had split up and were now surrounding them.

Qian Ye asked, “Are these three on the list of those who entered this time?”

Li Kuanglan shook her head, “I’ve never seen them before, nor have I heard of them. Maybe they’re from the previous batch?”

Ji Tianqing said, “If they were from the previous batch, after all these years, they shouldn’t be so weak.”

“Perhaps they were injured, or there could be other reasons,” Li Kuanglan mused, but even she found her explanation unsatisfactory. Even if they were from the previous batch, it was unlikely all three would be so weak. These individuals, with their original force cultivation at most levels twelve or thirteen, had unstable foundations and clearly did not have the qualifications to be here.

Qian Ye said, “Why waste time guessing? We can interrogate them directly and find out.”

Before he finished speaking, he stepped forward, reaching the one in the middle in a single step, and struck him with a lightning-fast punch, knocking him unconscious. Li Kuanglan moved behind the young man, striking his neck, felling him instantly. Ji Tianqing took a more cunning approach, kicking a rock into the one on the left’s stomach, causing him to bend over, gasping for breath, unable to resist.

The three had mediocre original force cultivation, and their combat skills were rudimentary, full of flaws, weaker than expected. Qian Ye’s punch was merely a test, and he had seven or eight more moves ready. However, their reactions were too slow, and they were knocked out immediately, rendering Qian Ye’s plans unnecessary.

This outcome surprised Qian Ye, Ji Tianqing, and Li Kuanglan. They were perplexed; how did these three manage to enter the Great Vortex?

Entry into the traditional Great Vortex was extremely precious, as evident from the intense battles between the younger generations of both sides in the City of No Fall. The situation with the neutral zone’s passage was unique; after the first few entrants, the risks for later arrivals increased, and they had to wait until the passage stabilized again. Even Qian Ye faced some dangers when passing through. With these three’s abilities, they should have been torn apart by the void original force halfway through.

Ji Tianqing approached the kneeling figure, grabbing his hair and lifting him up, staring into his eyes. “Answer my questions honestly, and this will be your only and most comfortable way to die. Understand?”

The man, in pain, had a distorted face, but his expression was strange, mocking yet crazed.

Ji Tianqing suddenly saw herself reflected in his pupils, the image extraordinarily clear. Then, her reflection sank deeper into the pupil, as if falling into an abyss!

Ji Tianqing shivered, finding this surreal. Even she couldn’t explain it. She instantly used a secret technique to change her appearance, but the man’s pupils mirrored her changes, then returned to her original face, like wind dispersing mist.

Seeing her true self sink into the abyss of his pupils, Ji Tianqing felt as if she were the one falling.

As reality and illusion blurred, Qian Ye placed a hand on her shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. It’s just… him…”

“He’s already dead.”

Ji Tianqing gasped, realizing the man she held was bleeding from his nose and mouth, lifeless. She had no idea when or how he died.

She let go, and the man’s body fell to the ground, eyes still open, gazing at her with a eerie smile.

For a moment, Ji Tianqing wasn’t sure if he was dead or alive. This scene was too bizarre, and she instinctively stepped back, hiding behind Qian Ye.

Li Kuanglan approached, saying gravely, “The other two are dead as well.”

Qian Ye frowned, “They all died at the same time. There must be some connection between them.”

“More likely, not just among themselves, but with others, perhaps where they came from,” Li Kuanglan added.

Qian Ye bent down, placing a hand on each of the three bodies. “Their body structures are mostly human, though their organs are somewhat deformed and mutated, but not to the extent of Nan Gong Tianyu. It seems they’ve been in the Great Vortex for less than two years.”

“Two years ago, the Great Vortex passage was not open,” Li Kuanglan stated firmly.

“Could they be a new type of native?” Qian Ye shook his head. Their attire and weapons were in the Empire’s style, and they practiced Dawn Original Force, unlike the natives. Yet, beyond these, they were inexplicably eerie, not fitting the profile of the Empire’s strong.

Ji Tianqing said, “Let’s worry about it later. Head to the Well of Stars. If anything happens, we’ll deal with it then.”

The Well of Stars was a crucial stop, especially since Ji Tianqing had nine Celestial Cloud Smoke Pearls, which could yield nine original crystals, a significant boost for the Empire. Even Qian Ye, if willing to part with the original crystals, could gain substantial rewards, a win-win situation.

These three mysterious figures were too weak. Even if they had a powerful backing, it was manageable.

Qian Ye nodded, stomped the ground, creating a large pit, and buried the bodies hastily. They then headed straight for the Well of Stars.

As they reached the final ridge, the Well of Stars lay before them.

It was a vast chasm, a kilometer wide and stretching for hundreds of kilometers. The cliff faces on either side were smooth, layered, and seemingly carved by a knife, their formation unknown.

The canyon deepened towards the center. Qian Ye stood facing the heart of the canyon, stepping closer to the edge, looking down. At the bottom, the canyon sharply curved, forming a massive pit. This pit was bottomless, and looking down, one could see a starlit sky!

The Great Vortex was like a thin sheet of paper, punctured at this point.

The scene was unimaginable. Despite Qian Ye’s confidence, he felt a chill in the face of such a natural anomaly.

Although Li Kuanglan and Ji Tianqing had heard of the Well of Stars, no words could describe the sight before them.

After a moment, they recovered from their shock.

Ji Tianqing took out a Celestial Cloud Smoke Pearl, giving it to Li Kuanglan instead of Qian Ye, and said, “Transforming original crystals requires caution. Most importantly, avoid greed and ensure you have enough original force. The bottom is not true void but a place similar to the Great Vortex passage. No one knows where it leads, and the stars we see may be reflections from somewhere else, possibly not real. Let Kuanglan demonstrate, and then you can try.”

Qian Ye nodded, agreeing it was a prudent move.

Li Kuanglan took the Celestial Cloud Smoke Pearl, channeling her original force, and the pearl began to glow, floating at her chest. She leaped, headfirst, diving into the Well of Stars!

After plummeting hundreds of meters, she flipped gracefully, pausing mid-air. Below her was the starry sky, above the boundless heavens, evoking a sense of awe.

Li Kuanglan closed her eyes, her body slowly sinking another ten meters before stabilizing. Tiny blue lights emanated from her, absorbed by the pearl.

The stars in the well suddenly shimmered, making one question their vision. Qian Ye noticed the change, focusing, and saw several stars brighten, a hint of blue light slowly moving towards the pearl.

Qian Ye was stunned, unsure if the stars were real or illusory.

Ji Tianqing watched, saying, “No one knows if these stars are real, but if they can trigger stellar energy, there’s a good chance of forming original crystals, and they won’t be of low quality.”

“Original crystals have grades?”

“Of course.”