I'm in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have one equipment slot!

Chapter 310 Ling Yuling: Just how many secrets is she hiding!

Two months later.

Chaotic Star Sea, Celestial Star City.

As the headquarters of the Star Palace and the core megacity of the human race in the Chaotic Star Sea, Tianxing City is always a bustling and prosperous place, teeming with cultivators.

The towering sacred mountain, like a pillar supporting the sky, stands in the city, radiating a faint starlight and supreme majesty.

On this day, more than a dozen streaks of light, appearing somewhat hurried and with fluctuating auras, sped over, passing through the protective array surrounding Tianxing City and heading straight towards the Holy Mountain.

The Star Palace cultivators guarding the route seemed to recognize the group and did not stop them.

These dozen or so people were the Star Palace elders and disciples who had narrowly escaped with their lives on Biling Island and were ordered by Zhou Yuan to leave behind half of their wealth.

The leader was the white-robed old man who was in the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

The group looked somber, their brows furrowed with shock and lingering fear, and a hint of indescribable resentment.

They traveled without stopping, without even returning to their respective caves, heading straight for the upper levels of the sacred mountain.

The eightieth level of the Holy Mountain is the location of the "Starlight Hall," where the core elders of the Star Palace hold their meetings and handle important matters.

The spiritual energy here is so rich it's almost tangible, and the decor is solemn and dignified. Ordinary disciples and even ordinary elders are not allowed to enter without permission.

The group tidied themselves up outside the hall, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

The main hall was empty and silent.

Above the dome, countless strange gems emitting soft starlight are inlaid, making the hall appear as if a galaxy is hanging upside down.

Directly in front, an old man with a clear face and eyes that seemed to gleam with starlight, wearing a long golden robe embroidered with sun, moon and stars, stood with his hands behind his back, as if he had been waiting for a long time.

It was Elder Jin, the current head of the Star Palace.

His cultivation level had reached the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, not far from the late stage.

"Elder!"

Several elders and disciples entered the hall and immediately bowed respectfully.

"I'm back."

Elder Jin turned around, his gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd, lingering for a moment, especially on the slightly pale face of the leading elder.

He spoke slowly, "Elder Zhao, how did things go? Is the rumored high-grade spirit stone mine in the outer sea true? You—it seems you encountered some setbacks?"

His voice was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure.

Elder Zhao gave a bitter smile, stepped forward, and cupped his hands, saying, "Reporting to the Grand Elder, our journey to the outer seas this time was indeed—an eventful ordeal that nearly resulted in the annihilation of our entire army."

He composed himself and began to recount in detail what he had seen and heard during his trip to Biling Island.

From the discovery of the powerful restrictions upon landing on the island, to the earth-shattering battle between the demon race and human cultivators, to Zhou Yuan's mid-Nascent Soul cultivation level, fighting against the level 10 Azure Feather Spirit Roc, and finally severely injuring and forcing it to retreat using a strange divine sense technique, the entire process unfolded.

We will present the facts exactly as they are, without any concealment or exaggeration.

He focused on describing the terrifying power of Zhou Yuan's golden flying sword formation, the astonishing speed of the Wind and Thunder Wings, and finally the invisible and shadowless secret technique that severely damaged the soul of a level ten demon cultivator.

As Elder Zhao recounted his story, even with Elder Jin's composure and knowledge, an increasingly profound look of shock appeared on his face.

When he heard that Zhou Yuan was able to directly confront and even severely injure a level 10 demon cultivator, his eyes flashed with brilliance, and his fingers unconsciously twirled his sleeve.

"With only a mid-Nascent Soul cultivation level, he defeated the infamous Azure Feather Spirit Roc from the outer seas in a head-on confrontation? This boy—this boy's combat power is simply heaven-defying!"

Elder Jin murmured to himself, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

As the Grand Elder of the Star Palace, he was well aware of the terror of a level ten demon cultivator, who was already among the top combat forces in this world.

Within the Star Palace, apart from the two "Twin Saints" who are unable to leave easily due to certain reasons, probably no one can reliably defeat the Azure Feather Spirit Roc.

This Zhou Yuan who suddenly appeared, how could he have such strength?

"Moreover, according to my observation, the three Nascent Soul stage companions beside him are all quite powerful, especially the withered old man, who was able to severely injure the Blue Flood Dragon King, a peak ninth-level cultivator, forcing him to flee in a sorry state. Add to that a transformed spirit beast and a Nascent Soul stage corpse—if this force were to establish a sect in the Chaotic Star Sea, it would be enough to rank among the top forces!" Elder Zhao added, his tone filled with deep apprehension.

Elder Jin frowned.

The Star Palace is now beset by internal and external troubles. The "Two Saints" are unable to leave the core of the Sacred Mountain of Tianxing City due to problems with their cultivation techniques, and their strength is also suspected to be restricted.

Under the leadership of Wan Sangu and Liudao Jisheng, the Reverse Star Alliance's power has grown daily, leading to constant conflicts with the Star Palace.

At this juncture, the sudden emergence of such a powerful and mysterious force in the outer sea, which is clearly unafraid of the demon race and acts ruthlessly and decisively, is difficult to predict whether it will be a blessing or a curse for the Star Palace.

"There's one more thing—"

Elder Zhao hesitated for a moment before continuing, "After the group of demon cultivators from the outer seas were repelled, the cultivators on that island—it seems—also harbored murderous intentions towards us. If it weren't for—if it weren't for someone mentioning old ties, we probably wouldn't have escaped their clutches either. As for the group from the Reverse Star Alliance that went to Biling Island—from what we observed from afar, they have been completely wiped out, with no survivors."

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Elder Jin abruptly looked up, his eyes filled with even deeper shock. "They—they actually dared to attack both my Star Palace and the Reverse Star Alliance at the same time? And they actually killed members of the Reverse Star Alliance? Just who are they? How can they be so brazen?!"

Offending both the Star Palace and the Reverse Star Alliance at the same time is practically suicide in the Chaotic Star Sea!

Even those reclusive old monsters would never dare to be so blatant.

Is Zhou Yuan crazy?

Or is it that they have something to rely on and are not afraid of retaliation from the two major powers?

"Reporting to the Grand Elder!"

At this moment, the Core Formation cultivator who had recognized Zhou Yuan earlier stepped forward again, bowed respectfully, and cautiously began, "Disciple—disciple has heard Elder Xueye mention him, and has also seen his portrait in the palace's secret archives. The strongest and leading young cultivator on Biling Island, the one in black robes, if my memory serves me correctly, should be named Zhou Yuan. Decades ago, he was a guest alchemist of the Six Linked Halls of the Outer Sea, and was a close friend of the then-Hall Master Xueye."

"Six-Tier Hall? Alchemist? Zhou Yuan?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Jin was first taken aback, then suddenly realized, and then became even more shocked.

He was naturally familiar with the Six-Linked Hall.

Decades ago, the Six-Linked Palace was embroiled in internal strife and nearly fell apart.

Later, it was the Palace Master Xueye who turned the tide, cleaned up the sect, and moved the remaining forces of the Six-Hall Sect to Tianxing City, merging them into the Star Palace. Xueye thus became an elder of the Star Palace.

But as far as he knew, apart from Xue Ye, he had never heard of any other Nascent Soul cultivators in the Six Linked Palaces, let alone a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator who could defeat a level 10 demon cultivator!

This Zhou Yuan probably concealed his true cultivation and strength back when he was in the Six-Linked Palace!

Elder Zhao quickly added, "Exactly! In this matter at Biling Island, if it weren't for Junior Nephew Chen mentioning Elder Xueye and the Young Palace Master at the crucial moment, revealing his past relationship with Zhou Yuan, we would probably have suffered the same fate as the Reverse Star Alliance."

Zhou Yuan—out of consideration for our past relationship, showed leniency, only taking half of our possessions and letting us leave. As for the Reverse Star Alliance—it's said they were completely wiped out due to old grudges.

"Old grudges?" Elder Jin keenly caught this key phrase.

"Yes. Judging from Zhou Yuan's tone, it seems he has a long-standing grudge against the Reverse Star Alliance. He also mentioned that the Reverse Star Alliance's Elder Yin in the Void Heaven Palace was killed by him, and many years later, he even disguised himself as Elder Yin and attacked and killed many experts of the Reverse Star Alliance."

Elder Zhao summarized the fragmented information he had heard.

The more Elder Jin listened, the more dreadful he felt.

This Zhou Yuan is not only terrifyingly strong and ruthless, but also has an irreconcilable feud with the Reverse Star Alliance!

Moreover, judging from his words, it seems that he has been secretly opposing the Reverse Star Alliance for many years!

This—for the constellation, doesn't seem to be a bad thing?

A top-tier powerhouse with a blood feud with the Reverse Star Alliance, immense strength, and seemingly a lingering affection for the Star Palace—

"This matter is of great importance and cannot be decided by me alone."

Elder Jin pondered for a long time, his expression becoming extremely solemn. "You may all go and rest. This matter must not be divulged. I must immediately proceed to the eighty-first floor of the Holy Mountain to meet with the two Palace Masters and report this personally!"

After saying that, he waved to Elder Zhao and the others, signaling them to step back.

After everyone respectfully withdrew from the main hall, Elder Jin did not linger. With a flicker, he transformed into a pale golden streak of light, passing through the hidden portal at the back of the main hall and speeding towards the eighty-first level of the sacred mountain, a forbidden zone that even the higher-ups of the Star Palace could not easily approach.

That place is the true foundation of the Star Palace, the place where the "Twin Saints of Heavenly Stars" spend their years in seclusion and cultivation.

The eighty-first level of the sacred mountain is far superior to the eighty levels below.

This is not an ordinary palace or pavilion, but a strange space shrouded in vast starlight, seemingly independent of the world.

Countless illusory stars of varying sizes floated in the air, slowly rotating and emitting a soft and mysterious light.

The ground is made of unique, crystal-clear stone, and walking on it feels like stepping into the starry sky.

Elder Jin looked solemn and dared not fly in this place, but walked quickly.

Passing through a corridor formed by starlight, a transparent palace phantom, entirely formed from the essence of stars, appeared before us, like a dream.

"Jin Kui requests an audience with the two Palace Masters; he has important matters to report!"

Elder Jin stopped outside the illusory palace, bowed respectfully, and his voice entered through a special incantation.

A moment later, the palace's illusory form rippled slightly, and a calm, serene male voice, seemingly containing the sounds of the universe and stars, rang out: "Come in."

Elder Jin took a deep breath, straightened his robes, and stepped into the Star Palace.

At the same time that Elder Jin was meeting with the two saints, news broke of an earth-shattering battle taking place on Biling Island in the outer sea, and the defeat of Elder Zhao and others from the Star Palace.

Although the news of the complete annihilation of the elite forces of the Gui and Ni Star Alliances was strictly ordered to be kept under wraps, it still spread at an alarming speed within a small circle of the Star Palace's upper echelons.

After all, more than a dozen people returned alive, and the news involved a terrifyingly powerful expert who could defeat a level ten demon cultivator; it simply couldn't be kept secret.

Just half a day later, the news had reached the seventy-second floor of the Holy Mountain.

This is the cave dwelling of Elder Xueye of the Star Palace.

The cave dwelling is located in the mountain wall, and it is elegant and quiet. There is a small medicinal garden in front of the door, where some rare and cold-resistant herbs are planted.

Inside the cave, the furnishings were simple, mainly made of cold jade, exuding a serene and cold atmosphere that matched the snowy night.

In the meditation room, Xue Ye, dressed in white as snow, sat cross-legged on a jade futon, her eyes slightly closed, with a faint, icy spiritual energy circulating around her.

Decades have passed, and time seems to have left few marks on her beautiful face. Her temperament has become more serene, and the cool and aloofness between her brows seems to have become more restrained.

Her cultivation level has stabilized at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, making her much more composed than before.

"Master! Master!"

Outside the quiet room, a slightly hurried, youthful, and surprised girl's voice called out.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly in the snowy night as she slowly opened her eyes, which were as calm as an icy lake. She rose and pushed open the stone door to the quiet room.

Outside the door stood a girl dressed in white, with a beautiful face, bright eyes, and a cultivation level in the late Foundation Establishment stage. She was her personal disciple, Liu Yuanyuan.

Liu Yuanyuan was a disciple that Xue Ye took in after moving to Tianxing City. She was talented and virtuous, and was deeply loved by Xue Ye.

"Yuanyuan, what's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?"

The sound was clear and cold on the snowy night, yet it carried a subtle, almost imperceptible gentleness.

"Master! There's news about Alchemist Zhou!" Liu Yuanyuan said breathlessly, her face slightly flushed with excitement.

"What?!"

Upon hearing this, Xueye's delicate body trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. Her eyes, which had been as calm as a frozen lake for millennia, suddenly rippled violently, and her cool face instantly shone with an unbelievable look of surprise, like a snow lotus suddenly blooming on an iceberg!

"What—what did you say? Master Zhou? Zhou Yuan? Where is he? Is the information accurate?!"

She bombarded her with questions, her voice trembling slightly.

For decades, she inquired in many ways, but never found any definite news about Zhou Yuan, as if he had vanished into thin air from the Chaotic Star Sea.

Only occasional, scattered rumors from the outer seas about what horrifying things the "Ancestor of Extreme Yin" had done would stir her heart and generate some vague associations, but she could not confirm them.

Today, suddenly there is definite news?

"Absolutely true!"

Liu Yuanyuan nodded vigorously and quickly recounted the thrilling experiences of Elder Zhao and others on Biling Island in the outer sea, which she had just heard from her familiar senior brother, as well as the story of the terrifying powerhouse named "Zhou Yuan" who turned the tide and defeated the thousand-level demon cultivator.

As she recounted the story, her eyes were filled with amazement and admiration.

Xueye listened quietly, her expression gradually shifting from initial ecstasy to shock, realization, and relief, before finally taking on a faint, soft hue that she herself was unaware of.

"So—he's already this powerful. A mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, yet he can defeat the Azure Feather Spirit Roc head-on—" Xue Ye murmured softly, filled with emotion.

The young man who once refined elixirs in the Six-Tiered Palace, chatted and laughed with her, saved her from danger in her time of need, and then mysteriously disappeared, has now reached such heights. His strength has probably far exceeded her imagination.

When Xueye heard that Elder Zhao and the others had saved her life from Zhou Yuan's sword because they mentioned her and the young palace master Ling Yuling's names, an indescribable and complex emotion welled up in her heart.

There was lingering fear, relief, and even more—a faint warmth and joy.

He—in the end, still held onto old feelings. Otherwise, given the ruthlessness he displayed, probably none of those people from the Star Palace would have survived.

"Master, you've been searching for Master Zhou for so many years, and now you finally have definite news about him. What are you planning to do—" Liu Yuanyuan looked at the rare change in her master's expression and was happy for him. She asked tentatively.

Upon hearing this, Xueye's beautiful face revealed a faint yet heartfelt smile, like a frozen river thawing and spring returning to the earth.

"Of course I have to go see this old friend I haven't seen for many years." Her voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable firmness.

"I truly hope that Master and Master Zhou can have a happy ending this time—" Liu Yuanyuan silently wished in her heart. It had been a long time since she had seen her master so genuinely happy.

"Sister Xue! I heard there's news about Master Zhou? Is it true?"

Just then, a clear, spirited, and somewhat urgent female voice came from outside the cave. Immediately afterward, a white figure swept into the cave like the wind.

The newcomer was also dressed in a white outfit, with a tall and straight figure and an extremely beautiful face, but there was a rare and vigorous spirit between her brows, and her eyes sparkled with confidence.

If he were to dress as a man, he would surely be a handsome and elegant gentleman, enough to make countless women fall for him.

She is none other than Ling Yuling, the young master of the Star Palace and daughter of the Twin Saints of Heavenly Stars!

"Yu Ling, you've arrived." Xue Ye's smile remained unchanged when he saw Ling Yu Ling.

Over the years, the two have gradually come to regard each other as sisters.

"How could I not come? It's such a big deal!"

Ling Yuling walked up to Xue Ye in a few steps, her beautiful eyes sparkling with excitement and curiosity. "Tell me quickly, what exactly happened? Is it really Alchemist Zhou? He—he's actually already in the mid-Nascent Soul stage, and he can even defeat a level ten demon cultivator? This—this is unbelievable! He hid it so well back then!"

She met Zhou Yuan back in the Void Heaven Palace and was quite curious about his alchemy skills and mysterious background. Later, she tried to recruit Zhou Yuan on behalf of the Star Palace several times, but was politely refused each time.

She had always felt that Zhou Yuan was extraordinary, but she never expected him to be so powerful.

Seeing Ling Yuling's eagerness, Xueye smiled and briefly recounted the news Liu Yuanyuan had relayed. Finally, she said softly, "Back then, during the Six-Hall Rebellion, the mysterious person who saved my life, secretly eliminated the traitors, and helped me stabilize the situation—that was actually Alchemist Zhou. However, for some reason, he has never shown his true face and has asked me to keep it a secret."

"I see!"

Ling Yuling suddenly realized, clapping her hands and saying, "I knew it! The events at the Six-Hall Palace were suspicious in every way. Sister Xue, you were able to quell the rebellion so quickly; you must have had the help of a master! I never imagined it was Alchemist Zhou who was secretly helping you! You two—how many more things are you hiding from me?!"

She feigned annoyance, but her eyes were full of laughter.

Upon learning of the deep connection between Zhou Yuan and Xue Ye, she felt happy for Xue Ye.

At the same time, I became even more curious about Zhou Yuan.

With unfathomable strength, deep loyalty and righteousness, yet unconventional in his actions and decisive in killing—how wonderful it would be if such a person could truly be used by the Star Palace! However, she also knew that with Zhou Yuan's current strength and personality, he would never be content to be subordinate to anyone.

"Sister Xue, since you've decided to see him, why don't you take me with you?"

Ling Yuling's eyes darted around, and she took Xue Ye's arm, smiling, "I haven't seen Alchemist Zhou in a long time either, so it's a good opportunity to catch up. Besides, Biling Island must be a place where powerful figures gather right now, so having more people around will be helpful. Perhaps, as the young master of the Star Palace, I can even discuss cooperation with him?"

Her words were half-joking, half-serious. Zhou Yuan and the Reverse Star Alliance were mortal enemies, but he had a past friendship with the Star Palace and was quite powerful, making him a potential ally that the Star Palace could try to win over.

If this opportunity can be used to establish a closer connection with Zhou Yuan, it would undoubtedly be a great benefit to Xinggong, which is currently facing internal and external troubles.

After a moment's thought, Xue Ye looked at Ling Yuling's expectant eyes and considered the complex situation on Biling Island. He thought that having Ling Yuling, the young palace master, accompany him might indeed be useful in certain situations, so he nodded and said, "Alright. Then let's go together. However, this trip is only to visit friends, so let's not get too involved in sect affairs to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."

"I know, Sister Xue! I know what I'm doing," Ling Yuling replied with a smile.

Having finalized their plan, the two decided to proceed without further delay. Xueye briefly explained the affairs of the cave to Liu Yuanyuan, then left the cave with Ling Yuling, transforming into two streaks of white light and flying towards the "Starry Sky Palace" on the fiftieth floor of the Holy Mountain. There, they found remote teleportation arrays leading to several important strongholds in the Chaotic Star Ocean.

Biling Island.

More than three months have passed since that earth-shattering battle.

The island seemed to have returned to its former tranquility, but a faint sense of unease and tension still lingered in the air.

Although Zhou Yuan and others have largely cleared away the traces left by that great battle with their magic, some deep ravines, scorched earth, and residual demonic power and sword energy fluctuations are still faintly discernible, silently telling the story of the tragedy that took place.

Zhou Yuan did not let his guard down because of his temporary victory.

He knew very well that the escaped Azure Feather Spirit Roc and the Blue Flood Dragon King, along with other demons, would not let the matter rest. The Reverse Star Alliance had suffered heavy losses and would certainly retaliate. The Star Palace's attitude was ambiguous. Azure Spirit Island had become the eye of the storm.

For more than three months, he did not return to Tiannan, but stayed on Biling Island.

Tianhen Old Monster, Nanlong Marquis, and Linghu Old Ancestor also stayed behind for the time being.

Biling Island spans thousands of miles and covers a vast area. Zhou Yuan and his group only occupied the two mountain peaks in the central area and the surrounding area of ​​about a hundred miles that was shrouded by the great formation.

In other areas of the island, countless low-level demonic beasts still inhabit, and deeper within, some ancient beasts, though lacking sentience, may lurk with considerable strength. These demonic beasts may be harmless in normal times, but if they are driven by the enemy during future battles or take advantage of the chaos to harass others, they could become a problem.

Therefore, during these three months, Zhou Yuan did something big.

He personally led Tianhen, Nanlong, Linghu, along with Liefeng Beast, Tianjue Demon Corpse, and Leizhen, to carry out a thorough purge of the surrounding 500-mile area, centered on the two mountain peaks they occupied!

The objective is clear: eliminate all monsters of level four and above, especially those with special talents that may pose a threat to formations or low-level cultivators.

For monsters below level four with low intelligence, they are either driven away or left to fend for themselves.

This was a highly efficient, but also extremely bloody, "clearing" operation.

Four mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, plus three Nascent Soul level combatants, made them virtually invincible in this region without any high-level demon cultivators in charge.

Wherever they went, demon blood stained the mountains, forests, and lakes, and the roars and howls of beasts rose and fell.

Zhou Yuan even put his newly refined "Heavenly Annihilation Demon Corpse" into actual combat to test its power.

This demonic corpse, forged primarily from corpses, lived up to expectations. Its flesh was incredibly hard, its strength immense, its corpse poison potent, and it was fearless in the face of death. It performed exceptionally well in battles against demonic beasts, often directly confronting and tearing apart those powerful, thick-skinned demonic beasts, leaving Tianhen Old Monster and the others secretly astonished.

In just over a month, all the mid- to high-level demonic beasts within a 500-mile radius radiating outward from the central area of ​​Biling Island were wiped out.

A large amount of monster materials were collected, which is another considerable resource.

After the cleanup, Zhou Yuan did not stop. He directed everyone to set up a series of auxiliary formations and restrictions around the cleared "safe zone," utilizing the terrain to provide early warning, illusion, and trapping effects.

These formations are not of very high grade, mostly below the Nascent Soul level, but there are many of them, and they echo each other, forming a huge early warning network covering a range of 500 miles.

Once a large-scale invasion of this area by an external enemy is triggered, an early warning will be issued, and the core of Biling Island will be able to know immediately and determine the direction and approximate strength of the approaching enemy.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yuan also secretly set up several powerful killing formations and self-destruct formations at several key ley lines and high points as hidden trump cards.

These formations are powered by mid-grade spirit stones, which is enough to pose a threat to Core Formation cultivators and even early Nascent Soul cultivators. More importantly, they can create chaos and buy time.

"In this way, even if a powerful enemy attacks again, we can get an early warning and be prepared. This 500-mile area will become the first buffer defense line of Biling Island." Zhou Yuan stood on the top of the main peak, looking at the faint array lights in the distance, and felt a little more at ease.

He knew full well that the real crisis was yet to come.

Neither the demon race's retaliation nor the Reverse Star Alliance's counterattack will be as "mild" as last time.

He must use every moment to make Biling Island impregnable.

At the same time, we must also improve our own abilities and those of those around us as soon as possible.

Only absolute power can provide the fundamental guarantee against all storms.

Gazing at the unpredictable sea and sky, Zhou Yuan's eyes were deep and resolute.