C291 Under the Star Dome

Yan Yu's cries failed to summon a response from Yan Qiling.

Qin Yun's brow furrowed as he gazed upward at the Fallen Star Eyes, now just a speck in the sky, and said despondently, "This meteorite is beyond our reach, under the vast canopy of the heavens."

Not even the Sunblessed Empire's Golden Ship could ascend to such heights.

Only cultivators at the Spirit Walk Stage, journeying with their Lunar Spirit, might penetrate the cloud's depths.

"Ms. Wei, why would Liu Ying from the Starmoon Sect want to take Mr. Yu away?" Ning Ji inquired.

Since Yu Yuan had aided him in overcoming the Ice Venom and achieving the Veil Breaking Stage, Ning Ji had come to see Yu Yuan as a steadfast supporter.

He was wholeheartedly loyal to Yu Yuan and the Yu family.

He recognized that Yu Yuan was the linchpin of the Yu family, and any harm to Yu Yuan would spell disaster for them.

"I thought she was going to coerce me," Wei Feng mused, leaning against a tree and staring into the night sky, her mind awash with confusion.

The Fallen Star Eyes flickered among the stars before vanishing, leaving no clue as to which was the silver-white aerolite.

"There's no use in calling out anymore."

Observing Yan Yu's relentless attempts, Wei Feng addressed her, "Regardless of who aided us in secret aboard the Golden Ship, they're not here now. The magic of the Fallen Star Eyes is such that it exposes all beings below, leaving nowhere for even a Solar Spirit to hide."

Upon hearing this, Yan Yu immediately ceased her efforts.

An Earthly Solar Spirit was an exceedingly rare and extraordinary being in the Everlands, seldom seen in Aetherius.

Even on the continents of Quiescence and Euwrea, many Solar Spirits remained secluded, their true forms meditating while their spirits ventured into the extraterrestrial realms, clashing with Sky Fiends and Otherkin in pursuit of refinement.

If the Fallen Star Eyes could reveal even a Solar Spirit, then whether Yan Qiling was nearby would certainly be known to Liu Ying.

Her decision to descend indicated she was utterly confident.

"Ms. Wei Feng, why are so many from the Sunblessed Empire intent on capturing you alive?"

Qin Yun shifted the conversation, "I'm somewhat familiar with the Sunblessed Empire, but I've never heard of you, Wei Feng."

Yan Yu and Ning Ji exchanged concerned glances for Yu Yuan.

Wei Feng remained silent.

...

The stars in the night sky appeared larger than life.

The extraterrestrial stars shone like bright lanterns, their starlight varying from hot to cold, from gentle to violent.

As the starlight reached Aetherius, it seemed drawn by an enigmatic magnetic field.

The beams of starlight became strikingly visible as they descended, many heading directly towards this area.

They landed one by one in the vast, silver-white wilderness.

Yu Yuan stood atop a meteorite, cold and hard to the touch. Without even tapping into his heaven soul, he could distinctly sense the starlight, each beam carrying a different aura, as it fell upon the meteorite at his feet.

The meteorites absorbed the starlight like sponges.

Despite the fierce winds high above, not a single terrifying gust reached the ground below.

He was well aware that he stood beneath a canopy of stars, atop the Fallen Star Eyes.

The distance from the ground was immeasurable.

Wisps of cloud, like tufts of cotton, were scattered around, seemingly ready to vanish at a touch.

The esteemed lady from the Starmoon Sect, one of the top figures of Aetherius, sat with a sweet smile on a stone platform. She leisurely ate purple grapes, discarding the skins, her eyes filled with curiosity as she observed him.

Behind the young woman, the white jade houses stood majestically, adorned with intricate carvings.

Yu Yuan gazed into the distance, estimating in his mind that the Fallen Star Eyes were likely larger than Thylethlume.

The bizarre energies that kept the Fallen Star Eyes suspended, the crystalline light barrier that warped space, all originated from the scattered starlight.

This object was a rarity not only in the Everlands but would also perpetually traverse the vast Star River.

Yet, how much starlight was needed for the Fallen Star Eyes to soar through the extraterrestrial remained unknown.

"Why have you brought me here?"

After a brief period of contemplative silence, Yu Yuan initiated the conversation, "The Fallen Star Eyes of the Starmoon Sect are truly enigmatic. To witness them is a rare privilege. But if you're intent on capturing someone, shouldn't you be after Wei Feng?"

"You might not be aware, but if I had actually brought Wei Feng here instead of you, I would have feared the trouble it could cause," Liu Ying said as she popped a grape into her mouth, savoring it before nonchalantly spitting the skin onto the ground.

The area around the silver-white meteorite was littered with fruit peels and shells, discarded near the jade-like dwellings. Liu Ying, the prized jewel of the Liu family and the Starmoon Sect, seemed to take the Fallen Star Eyes for granted. Despite their value, she ate them carelessly and didn't bother to clean up after herself. Thankfully, the meteorite's natural chill prevented any sour odors from the discarded peels.

Yu Yuan, standing dozens of meters away, surveyed his surroundings before casually strolling over to her as they conversed. Liu Ying narrowed her eyes, her brows arching like crescent moons, giving her a mischievously charming appearance.

She observed Yu Yuan silently, continuing to enjoy her grapes. Even as he approached, she remained still, her expression one of curiosity, seemingly eager to see what he would do next.

Yu Yuan took a seat on another stone platform adjacent to hers. The area in front of the jade-built houses was dotted with these platforms, all conveniently placed for easy conversation.

Suddenly, Yu Yuan reached out towards Liu Ying. She paused, momentarily caught off guard, then her body radiated a cascade of starlight.

"Boom!"

The Fallen Star Eyes trembled with the shock of her inner turmoil.

"You!" Liu Ying snarled, her cute little canine teeth on display as the overwhelming glow of starlight around her swiftly receded.

She then fixed her gaze on the bunch of grapes in her hand, now missing several berries, and glared at Yu Yuan with indignation. "You're stealing my food!"

"Amethyst grapes, these are quite the delicacy," Yu Yuan remarked as he plucked one and tossed it into his mouth. He chewed nonchalantly, immediately sensing a stream of pure spiritual energy that flowed effortlessly into his lower elixir field, blending seamlessly with the misty spiritual energy within the little world of the Golden Sanctum.

The spiritual energy emanating from the amethyst grapes could seamlessly integrate with anyone's lower elixir field without the need for deliberate refinement. In due time, it would naturally become a part of one's own spiritual energy.

Yu Yuan's gaze held a touch of complexity as he ate the amethyst grapes that he had wrested from Liu Ying's grasp. In his past life, he too had been fond of these grapes. Regrettably, he had been unable to open his lower elixir field then, so the spiritual energy of the grapes had merely circulated through his meridians before quietly fading away. He had loved the sweet and sour flavor of the amethyst grapes but had been unable to reap their benefits.

Now, as he savored the amethyst grapes once more, he discovered that beyond their delightful taste, these fruits, known as Aetherfruit, were finally providing him with their intended benefits.

Liu Ying looked at the dwindling number of amethyst grapes in her hand with a pained expression. Even she could not indulge in them at will. Such Aetherfruit were a rare commodity within the Starmoon Sect. Her master, aware of her fondness for them, had made a special arrangement for their delivery. But they were not to be enjoyed in excess.

The audacity of Mr. Yu from the Yu family, whom she had brought here to test, was astonishing. On her own turf, he had the gall to snatch her possessions and feast on them!

Just as Liu Ying was about to erupt, Yu Yuan interjected, "Consider it a loan. When I manage to cultivate them myself, I'll repay you."

Before Liu Ying could gather her thoughts, Yu Yuan, having acquired a taste for the fruit, unexpectedly reached out again and snagged a few more glistening amethyst grapes. "In my current state at the Golden Sanctum, the mild spiritual energy stored in these Aetherfruit greatly aids my cultivation. Your Veil Breaking cultivation is focused on physical endurance and resilience, preventing you from maximizing the fruit's potential."

Caught off guard, Liu Ying noticed that four more amethyst grapes had vanished from her hand. She hastily swallowed the last three, her cheeks bulging. Frustrated, she tossed the grape stems at Yu Yuan, muttering curses under her breath, nearly choking in the process.

Yu Yuan flashed a smile, suddenly realizing that the girl who had previously stood with such lofty arrogance and icy demeanor upon the Fallen Star Eyes now seemed endearingly naive and charming.

The indifference she had shown upon her arrival seemed to be nothing more than a facade, not a reflection of her true self.

In her own domain, she was free to reveal who she truly was.

"Pfft!"

After devouring the flesh and spitting the grape skin, sticky with saliva, onto Yu Yuan, Liu Ying huffed, "She slaughtered many when she was with the Blackfang Legion. Members of the Liu family, individuals from other clans, and even unrelated bystanders—she was ruthless. When the Empress trusted her, she acted with even greater arrogance than I, and few within the Empire held any affection for her."

"As the saying goes, 'When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.' Now that she's facing hardship, those who suffered because of her are eager to kick her while she's down."

While speaking, she mysteriously produced a pear and took a fierce bite.

After her bite, she gave Yu Yuan a smug look, as if to say the pear was hers now, and dared him to try and take it.

Yu Yuan couldn't help but chuckle, "I'm not even done with the grapes yet."

Under the starry sky, atop an aerolite, observing the girl from the Liu family, likely a direct descendant of the King of Wraiths, his fondness for her grew. He began to ponder the actions of Liu Ying and Wei Feng, wondering who was more in the wrong.

Somehow, he quickly came to the conclusion that Wei Feng's impulsive behavior—her readiness to execute Zhan Tianxiang and her near-fatal attack on Bai Shenshen—might actually be the greater error.

Yet Liu Ying, despite being thrust into the heavens and having the Aetherfruit taken from her, had not resorted to violence.

The girl, adored by the Starmoon Sect, was naturally so naive and kind-hearted.

This was a revelation to him.

"Wei Feng is the niece of His Majesty, but the imperial throne was seized from her father, His Majesty's own brother," Liu Ying said, munching on her pear. "She has always known that His Majesty is the man who killed her father, and he's aware of it too. But because she hadn't shown any extraordinary talents before, she posed no threat to him, so he ignored her."

"Now, things have changed. Her enigmatic master, hidden away in Godsblight Marsh, has somehow begun to awaken her latent talents."

"In the Shadow's Keep, located in the northern reaches of the Land of Quiescence, the blood of the Dark Phoenix within her has been stirred by her master's hand."

...