C293 Breaking Through in the Midst of the Idle Chatter

Yan Qiling and Yu Zhu had already come into the view of the Fallen Star Eyes.

When Liu Ying revealed this, Yu Yuan was greatly alarmed and finally understood why she had brought him to this extraterrestrial aerolite and shared so many secrets about Wei Feng with him.

Perhaps, with the Starmoon Sect's heavenly artifact, she had discerned the connection between Yan Qiling and Yu Zhu.

"How much did you see?" Yu Yuan demanded.

"The one who inverted space to send Wei back to the Golden Ship was quite remarkable. And the other, lurking near the battlefield, was so elusive that even the Silverfrost Dragon from Dragon Lake and the Spirit Walk realm experts from Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite were fooled. His subtlety is beyond my grasp."

Liu Ying, massaging her smooth forehead, continued, "On the mid-lake island, those Phaseblossom clearly planted by someone—could it be that little girl's doing? You did promise to repay me with the amethyst grapes once you've grown them."

"When will you plant them? Or would you like me to lend you some seeds?"

She smiled coyly, her slender eyes narrowing as she gazed at Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan was momentarily dumbstruck, but gradually he caught on, "You're quite knowledgeable."

She had glimpsed certain things through the Fallen Star Eyes and pieced together more from their conversations. This seemingly naive girl from the Starmoon Sect was actually astute and perceptive.

Spending time with her, Yu Yuan couldn't help but admire the Starmoon Sect for choosing such an excellent successor.

Given Liu Ying's qualifications, temperament, and innate gifts, she was destined to be the future of the Starmoon Sect.

The Starmoon Sect is the second-ranked among the seven lower sects of Euwrea, trailing only the Ethereal Void Sect.

Should Liu Ying advance to the Unbound Realm and be fortunate enough to refine her dominant soul into a primordial spirit, the Starmoon Sect might very well surpass the Ethereal Void Sect and ascend to the forefront of the continent's seven lower sects, following the Sword Sect, Sunlit Order, and Ebon Star Sect.

Yu Yuan believed that if Liu Ying remained alive, this outcome was highly probable.

Despite her apparent laziness, her mere presence, sitting still, drew the starlight to shower down around her.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice that a significant portion of the starlight streaming into the Fallen Star Eyes was being drawn by Liu Ying. This light, after being purified by the artifact, would seamlessly integrate into her body.

She was unwittingly refining her flesh and bones within the Veil Breaking Realm, aided by the starlight's divine radiance.

She did not actively pursue cultivation, yet whenever she was within the Fallen Star Eyes, especially at night, the artifact, coupled with her innate traits, would spontaneously assist her in her steady cultivation within the Veil Breaking Realm.

Should she have an epiphany one day, her progress could skyrocket at an astonishing pace.

Yu Yuan speculated in secret that her being slightly behind Wei Wujiang, only reaching the middle period of the Veil Breaking Stage, was likely because she had never truly dedicated herself to rigorous cultivation from a young age.

Yet, night after night, as she gazed naively into the starry heavens, the twinkling starlight would descend and infuse her being, propelling her forward.

Even with such a laid-back approach, she was considered a top prodigy on the Aetherius Continent.

Others, meanwhile, engaged in relentless cultivation, delving into the intricacies of spells, and enduring trials in perilous forbidden areas to strengthen their minds and bodies, all in pursuit of breakthroughs.

In Yu Yuan's current lifetime, Liu Ying was the most nonchalant cultivator he had encountered.

"The amethyst grapes I owe you will be repaid tenfold in the future."

Yu Yuan grinned, deliberately letting out a burp, mimicking Liu Ying as he lay back on another stone platform, legs crossed and propped up.

Off in the distance, the tumult of the Blackfang Legion's commander clashing with the Silverfrost Dragon and the warriors from the Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite could still be heard. The spiritual energy stirred by the fierce battle caused even the location of the Fallen Star Eyes to tremble intermittently.

Yet the two of them seemed oblivious, engaging in idle conversation atop the aerolite.

Since the Fallen Star Eyes were suspended thousands of meters above the ground, Yu Yuan, Yan Qiling, and Yu Zhu had long lost contact.

But this did not concern him.

Liu Ying, destined to lead the Starmoon Sect, appeared indifferent to the significant battle unfolding below.

Hailing from the Liu family, it was rumored that the King of Wraiths of the Sunblessed Empire was the brother of the previous emperor. However, the current emperor of the Sunblessed Empire was unmistakably of the Wei lineage.

Wei Feng shared the Wei surname as well.

Yu Yuan, curious about this matter, specifically asked Liu Ying for details. He learned that the previous ruler of the Sunblessed Empire was actually a woman, originally surnamed Liu.

Her husband, surnamed Wei, had become emperor but passed away shortly thereafter.

The Liu family, with a woman at its head, assumed the imperial throne. She ruled with decisive action, propelling the Sunblessed Empire to new heights.

Wei Feng's father, along with the current emperor of the Sunblessed Empire, both adopted the Wei surname.

In her time, she was able to ascend to the throne of the Sunblessed Empire, largely thanks to the unwavering support of her brother, the King of Wraiths.

For many years, the Wei and Liu families have been the mainstays of the Sunblessed Empire. Their close kinship has made the distinction between the two families somewhat blurred.

It was perfectly normal for Liu Ying to address Wei Wujiang as "Brother Wei."

"What's so strange about that? Female rulers are hardly unusual on the Aetherius Continent," Liu Ying clarified, gesturing towards the Songbird Empire and the Silvermoon Empire. "Aren't the Songbird Queen and your Silvermoon Queen both women?"

"Only the exceptional can ascend to the throne as a woman."

"The current Songbird Queen is without a doubt the most powerful individual on the Aetherius Continent! She is also the mightiest ruler in the history of the Songbird Empire!"

"Looking back through history, the Songbird Queen ranks among the greats. Even if the Stormcrowned Emperor were to return, whether in governance or personal combat prowess, he might not dare claim superiority over her."

"Isn't the ruler of your Silvermoon Empire also formidable?"

Liu Ying chuckled, her lips curling into a sardonic smile as she spoke of the Silvermoon Queen. "However, her luck has been less than favorable. Facing her from the Crimson Sun Empire is a figure like Zhou Cangmin. The state preceptor's formidable strength and terrifying pace of cultivation have somewhat eclipsed her own."

"Hold on a second!" Yu Yuan interjected abruptly.

"What?" Liu Ying, visibly annoyed, gave him a sharp look. "I was just getting to the good part, and you cut in so abruptly. Are you trying to leave me speechless?"

Yu Yuan maintained a relaxed posture, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he spoke, "Does our Silvermoon Queen have any connection to your Starmoon Sect? I'm aware that in each era, your Euwrea's Starmoon Sect appoints two sect masters."

"There are two sect masters: one in the light and one in the shadows. The Star Sect's master is the visible one, always present within the Starmoon Sect."

"The Moon Sect's master, on the other hand, is shrouded in mystery and seldom makes an appearance in the Starmoon Sect. The Moon Sect's master is often the subject of much fascination. Could it be that our Silvermoon Queen is the chosen one, secretly selected by the Moon Sect's master?"

After gaining some insider knowledge, he engaged in a lengthy conversation with Liu Ying. Recalling the three figures of the empress, an idea suddenly struck him.

Silvermoon Empire, Silvermoon Queen, Moon Sect...

"I don't know," Liu Ying replied, shaking her head. "There shouldn't be any connection. The Silvermoon Empire has been around for ages, and every ruler has been titled after Silvermoon, not just her. Moreover, to my knowledge, there has never been any involvement between the Starmoon Sect and the Silvermoon Empire. None of our sect's disciples or elders are known to frequent the Silvermoon Empire."

"I see," Yu Yuan murmured thoughtfully.

"Why can you see me?"

Out of the blue, Liu Ying shifted the conversation, "Beneath the earth, neither the Lunar Spirit from the Crimson Sun Empire nor Sister Yan in the Subtlety state were on alert. Yet, you sensed my gaze upon you. Even more astonishing is that your gaze seemed to pierce through layers of space, truly meeting mine."

This was her most profound perplexity.

Her visit was spurred by boredom, with no real intention to get involved.

Claiming she would quietly whisk Wei Feng away was merely a jest; she held no interest in Wei Feng's lineage or the feuds of the Sunblessed Empire.

Her curiosity in Yu Yuan was piqued by Wei Wujiang's and Xu Zixi's particular regard for him and Yu Yuan's assertive response that sent Wei Wujiang away empty-handed.

Soon after, she departed alone, habitually using her Fallen Star Eyes to survey the land.

Afterward, she observed a covert thread linking Yu Yuan and Yu Zhu. Qin Yun of Midnightshields also shared a mysterious bond with Yu Yuan and had proactively sought to join them.

As she continued to watch, she encountered more peculiarities, which only deepened her astonishment.

Her decision to summon Yu Yuan using the Fallen Star Eyes had been a spur-of-the-moment idea, sparked by her finding him intriguing.

There was no malice in it, nor any particular kindness.

Yu Yuan was on the verge of speaking when his eyes suddenly brightened.

He saw Liu Ying, who was lying on the ground in an ungraceful pose, with a burst of dazzling starlight emerging from behind her. It was as if a constellation of bright stars twinkled, coursing through her eight extra-channels.

Liu Ying shuddered and then gradually sat up straight. She gently closed her eyes, attuning herself for a few seconds.

Upon reopening her eyes, she let out a silly chuckle and announced, "I've advanced to the late period of the Veil Breaking stage."

Yu Yuan was dumbfounded.

​