Free Web NovelChapter 239: Chapter 227: Encounter
Half a year in the wastelands passed as quickly as sand slipping through one’s fingers.
The changes to the Li Xing Institute were visible to the naked eye.
The stronghold, which originally consisted of five connected courtyards, had now expanded outward by another ring.
The earthen walls were raised to three meters, and the wooden spikes on top were replaced with iron caltrops quenched in the Beast Blood of Corrupted Beasts, which glinted with a sinister, cold light under the dim red sky.
Above the courtyard gate, the words "Li Xing Institute" had been re-carved with powerful, chiseled strokes.
The youths within the courtyard had changed even more.
All thirteen of them were now as fierce as wolves, their gazes sharp. Whether walking, sitting, or lying down, they all carried an intimidating aura forged on the battlefield.
The most shocking of them all was Li Yao.
A month ago, this boy, who had just turned sixteen, had personally been guarded by Ian as he drew Starlight into his body, Awakening his bloodline and stepping into the Condensation Tier in a single stroke!
On the day of his breakthrough, a silver light shot into the sky from the courtyard. A faint, blurry phantom of a starry sky flickered into existence behind Li Yao before vanishing.
Although it lasted for only a brief moment, it sent shockwaves through the entire Outer City.
"That little terror from the Li Xing Institute... he’s reached Condensation too?!"
"A sixteen-year-old at the Condensation Tier?! What the hell kind of monstrous bloodline is that?!"
"Li Xing himself broke through to Condensation in a month, and now his brother has too... Isn’t the Li Family’s bloodline just absurdly powerful?"
The rumors spread like wildfire through the Outer City, and even the Inner City caught wind of them.
But Li Yao himself had grown even calmer than he was half a year ago.
「Early morning, in the training hall.」
Li Yao stood bare-chested in the center of the room, a plain Iron Sword in his hand.
He closed his eyes, his breathing long and steady.
Suddenly, the sword moved.
There was no flashy opening stance, just the simplest of thrusts.
But the moment the sword tip lunged forward, a faint tearing sound, like cloth being ripped apart, echoed in the air.
A very faint silver halo swirled around the blade—a sign of the external manifestation of a Condensation Tier bloodline’s power.
One thrust, two thrusts, three thrusts...
Each one was clean and decisive, carrying a relentless, forward-driving ferocity.
"Brother Yao’s sword skills are getting more and more terrifying."
Ah Ku squatted in a corner, whispering to Ah Shu beside him.
"I sparred with him yesterday. I couldn’t even block three of his strikes."
Ah Shu nodded sullenly, touching a scar on his chest that had yet to fully heal.
It was from an ambush by a Late Stage Awakening Corrupted Shadow Leopard ten days ago, when they were hunting outside the city.
The Shadow Leopard’s claws had already torn through Ah Shu’s Leather Armor. It was Li Yao who had saved his life, bisecting the beast with a single horizontal slash.
"Brother Yao said the way Teacher taught him to use a sword can be summed up in one word: ’kill’."
Xiaozhou hugged his knees, his eyes filled with adoration. "No wasted movements. Every strike is meant to take a life."
Just as he spoke, the door to the training hall was pushed open.
Ian walked in.
Today, he was dressed in simple gray clothes. The Iron Sword, stained countless times with the Beast Blood of Corrupted Beasts, hung at his waist. His aura was restrained, making him look like an ordinary resident of the Inner City.
But the youths in the room immediately stood up straight and bowed respectfully.
"Teacher!"
Ian nodded, his gaze falling upon Li Yao.
"How is it?"
"It feels... great. It’s on a completely different level from the Awakening Stage."
Li Yao sheathed his sword. His voice was calm, but a trace of irrepressible excitement glinted in his eyes.
’The leap in power is indeed quite large, like the difference between a Wizard Apprentice and an Official Wizard.’
"No sword practice today."
Ian walked to the center of the room, took out a simple map from his robes, and spread it on the floor.
The map was drawn on Parchment, its edges worn. However, the markings in the central area were exceptionally clear.
It depicted an abandoned mining area, located about thirty li northwest of Blue Cave Mountain.
"Here," Ian pointed to a red circle, "there is a Star Vein Node."
His voice wasn’t loud, but it made all the youths’ spirits rise.
A Star Vein Node!
Over the past six months, they had heard bits and pieces from Ian about Star Veins and the truth of their world.
They knew it was a concentration of the Power of the Stars deep within the Earth, a precious resource for Purification and refining one’s bloodline.
"According to ancient records, this node is very small and its Energy is weak, so no one has ever paid it much attention."
Ian paused, his eyes growing cold.
"But recently, traces of Dark Star Association activity have appeared frequently in the vicinity."
The air in the room instantly froze.
The Dark Star Association.
That name was now both taboo and an object of hatred in the Li Xing Institute.
Two months ago, on the edge of the Outer City, they had cleared out a hidden Dark Star Association outpost and rescued over a dozen civilians who had been abducted for a sacrifice.
Among them was a little girl, only eight years old. When she was rescued, a corrupted Rune had already been carved into her neck; she had been just one step away from becoming a sacrifice.
Li Yao had personally slain the leader of that outpost.
"They want to pollute the node?" Li Yao asked, his voice laced with cold fury.
"Or... they want to seize the Star Vein Crystal that might have formed deep within the node," Ian said.
He looked at the fourteen young, determined faces before him.
"This time, we’re taking the initiative."
"We will clear out the Dark Star Association scum in the node’s area, explore its depths, and if we’re lucky... get the Star Vein Crystal."
The youths’ eyes lit up in unison.
A Star Vein Crystal!
That was a treasure that could directly accelerate bloodline Awakening and improve one’s Cultivation!
"When do we leave?" Ah Ku clenched his fists, his voice filled with excitement.
"Now."
Ian folded the map and turned to walk out.
"Travel light. Li Yao, you lead the team. Advance using the third Combined Attack Formation."
"Yes, sir!"
「A quarter of an hour later.」
Fifteen figures departed silently from the Li Xing Institute, crossed the noisy streets of the Outer City, and disappeared into the Wilderness to the northwest.
A journey of thirty li was nothing for this group of youths, the weakest of whom were at the Awakening Stage.
By the time the sun began to set in the west, they had already reached the abandoned mining area.
An utterly desolate scene unfolded before them.
A massive, bottomless pit opened up, its walls exposing dark red rock strata that looked like dried scabs of blood.
The bottom of the pit was filled with the wreckage of rusted mining machinery and collapsed wooden supports, which had long since decayed into grayish-black debris after years of exposure to the elements.
A faint smell of sulfur hung in the air, mixed with a deeper, unsettling stench of decay.
"This is the place."
Ian stood at the edge of the pit, his [Starlight Perception] spreading out silently.
In his vision, the world once again faded of all color, leaving only the pure flow of Energy.
’Sure enough, deep underground, there’s an extremely faint but exceptionally pure stream of silver Energy, flowing slowly like a dormant creek.’
’That’s the remnant of the Star Vein.’
’But aside from that...’
Ian’s gaze sharpened.
Deep within the pit, near that stream of Energy, he "saw" more than a dozen clusters of filthy, dark red light, clinging to the silver creek like festering sores.
’The Dark Star Association’s people are already inside.’
’And there are quite a few of them. The Energy fluctuations indicate at least forty people, with four of the light clusters being particularly glaring.’
’Condensation Tier Fallen.’
"Forty people, four at the Condensation Tier. One of them... has very strong fluctuations, possibly a peak Condensation Tier."
Ian said in a low voice to Li Yao beside him.
Li Yao’s grip on his sword tightened, but there wasn’t a trace of fear in his eyes—only a cold, unyielding will to fight.
"What’s the plan?"
"The thirteen of you will be responsible for clearing out the Awakening Tier Fallen on the periphery."
Ian looked toward Ah Ku, Ah Shu, Stone, Xiaozhou, and the others.
"Remember, use the Combined Attack Formation. Don’t charge in alone. The Dark Star Association’s people use insidious methods; they’re skilled with poisons and corrosive Energy. Protect your vitals."
"Yes, sir!" the thirteen responded in unison, their voices hushed but filled with iron-willed determination.
"Li Yao." Ian turned to his younger brother. "You’re coming with me. We’ll deal with the four Condensation Tiers."
He paused, looking Li Yao in the eye.
"Your opponent will be one of the ones at the Initial Stage of Condensation. This is your first real battle since your breakthrough. Don’t disappoint me."
Li Yao took a deep breath and nodded heavily.
"Brother, I won’t lose."
"Good."
Ian said no more. With a single movement, his figure became like a wisp of gray smoke, silently sliding down the steep rock face of the pit.
The stench of decay in the air grew stronger, as if something were slowly rotting in the depths.
Ian’s steps were extremely light, making almost no sound on the loose gravel.
Behind him, Li Yao followed closely, his breathing suppressed, but his heart was pounding in his chest.
It wasn’t fear, but excitement—the thrill of an impending battle against a powerful enemy.
After slipping past the Fallen sentries on the perimeter and rounding a collapsed corner of a mine tunnel, the area ahead suddenly opened up.
It was a naturally formed cavern. Countless dark red stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping a murky liquid. DRIP. DRIP.
In the center of the cavern lay a placid, silvery-white pool of water about three meters in diameter. Its surface rippled with fine, star-like points of light.
It was the "Star Pool," formed by the coalesced residual Energy of the Star Vein Node.
And at this moment, more than twenty figures in black cloaks were crowded around the Star Pool.
They formed a strange circle and were chanting twisted, guttural Spells in low voices.
Their voices were hoarse and viscous, like vipers slithering through a swamp.
As they chanted, the pure silver light on the Star Pool’s surface was being eroded by threads of dark red filth, like ink dropped into clear water.
’They really are polluting the node...’
Li Yao ground his teeth, the words forced from between them.
Ian’s eyes were ice-cold. He said nothing.
’I’ve already assessed the entire situation in the cavern.’
’The four at the Condensation Tier are spread out in four directions, forming a defensive Array.’
’The other Awakeners are concentrated on the south side of the Star Pool, maintaining that foul Sacrificial Array.’
’The one with the strongest aura, the peak Condensation Tier, is standing directly north of the Star Pool, his back to us.’
’He’s holding a dark red Bone Staff, its head inlaid with a throbbing black tumor.’
"Stick to the plan."
Ian’s lips barely moved, his voice focused into a thin line that traveled directly into Li Yao’s ear.
