The interior of the Diamond Palace was not a sanctuary but a gaping void—a terrifying black hole that ruthlessly devoured anything unfortunate enough to cross its threshold.
Despite his meticulous caution, preparing for an anomaly of this magnitude was practically impossible. The moment his senses registered the absolute annihilation lurking within, Xan's survival instincts violently flared. Refusing to step any further, he threw his weight backward, launching himself out of the palace's gravitational pull just in time.
"...That was far too close. Two more seconds, and I would have been swallowed entirely. The only saving grace of this cursed place is that the soul power here is infinitely purer than outside..."
Natives of the Broken Star The continent relied exclusively on Star Power to cultivate their martial paths. Xan, however, was an anomaly. Lacking any innate Star Power—or more accurately, finding it virtually impossible to cultivate it—he was forced to walk a lonely road. He relied entirely on Soul Power, an esoteric energy source that no one else in this world dared to use or knew how to use. Refusing to let such dense, potent energy go to waste, he immediately sat cross-legged and resumed his cultivation...
Meanwhile, on the blood-soaked battlefields of the western border...
After months of agonising slaughter, the human coalition had finally carved out a tenuous advantage. Through sheer attrition and iron will, they managed to temporarily repel the Demon horde, securing a hard-fought peace that promised at least a decade before the Demons could easily mount another invasion.
Deep within the central military encampment of the Lin Kingdom, the surviving commanders had gathered to celebrate this monumental, albeit costly, victory. The grand tent held roughly twelve imposing figures, every single one radiating the terrifying, oppressive aura of a Star Master.
"...If we do not celebrate this victory tonight, then when will we? Hahaha! We have finally earned a moment to rest..."
"...King Luhan speaks the truth! Hahaha!..."
Their conversation was so relaxed and joyous that the feeling bled out into the camp, allowing the battered army to finally share in a fleeting moment of relief.
It took two full months for the weary armies and surviving cultivators to make the long trek home. The cost of their victory was staggering; the three great kingdoms had lost approximately sixty per cent of their total military strength. The next ten years would be a desperate, breathless race to rebuild their forces.
Back at the prestigious Fire Star Academy, only ten students returned alive from the crucible of war. Among these hardened survivors were Xuan Li, Min Jun, Fen Sin, and Suntai. Forged in the fires of life-and-death combat, they had all successfully broken through to the Star King realm.
The martial path was treacherous and unforgiving: Star Awakening — Star Sensing — Star Beginning — Infant Star — Adult Star — Prince Star — Star King — Star Emperor — Star Master. While Star King was not the absolute pinnacle of martial strength, in the current decimated landscape, it was a title commanding immense respect. Countless souls dreamed of reaching such heights, but only a fraction ever survived the climb.
The entire academy had orchestrated a grand festival to welcome their returning heroes. As the ten survivors strode down the main entrance corridor, the hushed, awe-struck whispers of the students gave way to the arrogant, booming voice of Xuan Li.
"...Remember this well—I, Xuan Li, am the true hero of this war! Hahaha!..."
Xuan Li spoke with overwhelming arrogance, his words carrying a sharp, underlying venom. He harboured a deep-seated grudge against Xan; simply put, to Xuan Li, Xan was no better than a demon himself.
"...Where is that piece of trash, Xan? I didn't see him once on the battlefield. If you ask me, the coward tucked his tail and ran..."
Cruel laughter erupted from his peers, the mocking sound echoing down the halls and spreading throughout the academy grounds in a matter of seconds.
"...Drop it. Why waste your breath talking about him?..." Min Jun muttered, waving off the topic as they continued deeper into the academy.
Entering the grand Academy Hall, the returning students were met by the entire faculty, led by the imposing figure of the academy dean.
"...Our respects to the Dean and Teachers!..."
"...Not bad at all. You have all successfully reached the Star King realm. According to our prior agreement, as promised, each of you will be rewarded with a drop of Star Dragon Blood. You must be exhausted; go and rest now..."
"...Yes, Dean!..."
Bowing respectfully, the newly anointed heroes dispersed to their quarters to recover, their minds filled with dreams of the power the Star Dragon Blood would bring...
While Xan continued his cultivation, his senses were inextricably drawn to the hidden, fairy-like aura radiating from the Diamond Palace. In his past life, he had been the exalted God King of Space and Time; no one in existence possessed a deeper, more profound understanding of those two supreme laws than he did.
Opening his eyes, he rose to his feet. With slow, deliberate steps, he approached the Diamond Palace once more and pushed open its massive gates.
"...Let this be a calculated risk..."
With those words, he leapt directly into the void abyss.
Though swallowed by darkness, he soon realised he was enclosed by towering walls on either side. Ahead, a single, solitary beam of light served as his only guide through what appeared to be a narrow, twisting corridor. It was a labyrinth.
"...It seems I have fallen into some sort of maze. I finally understand why those who descended never returned..."
The walls of the labyrinth were constructed from a strange, dark-brown material, impossibly dense and completely impervious to destruction. Xan paused, his mind calculating. Tapping into his past-life comprehension of space, he began to map the architectural logic of the maze in his head as he walked forward.
After only a few minutes of navigating the twisting paths, he arrived at the dead centre of the labyrinth.
The central chamber was a macabre sight, littered with the bleached bones of those who had failed before him. Yet, hovering directly in the middle of the chamber was a mesmerising, black-and-gold star.
Upon seeing it, Xan's eyes erupted with wild, unrestrained joy.
"...This is it! This is the Star of Fate that everyone has been searching for! But... there is more to it. It contains elements of darkness, a Dragon Aura, and a Fairy Aura. It seems a fairy possessing a darkness dragon bloodline attempted to forcibly refine it but failed... Well, it matters little now. It is mine. I already possess nine stars, and now... it is time to upgrade them..."
Suppressing his excitement, he carefully surveyed his surroundings. His sharp eyes immediately detected the presence of ancient seals and complex formations guarding the star. Furthermore, he noted that the chamber was locked down by no less than seven different types of powerful restrictions.