Qiming City

Upon entering Qiming City, White Night truly felt the prosperity of the Nine Heavens Realm.

The buildings on both sides of the street were floating pavilions, connected by bridges made of starlight. Countless stalls selling goods floated in the air, most of the vendors were True Immortal Realm cultivators, and the lowest-grade items they sold were ores containing Star Law power.

"This is 'Star-Patterned Steel', a hundred times harder than Qingxuan Continent's Profound Iron, only ten low-grade star stones."

"Freshly refined 'spirit condensing pill', True Immortal Realm cultivators can instantly restore immortal power after taking it!"

Shouts rose and fell, and White Night's gaze was drawn to a stall selling cultivation techniques.

Dozens of jade slips were displayed on the stall. One of them, labeled "Star Transformation," emitted a soft glow; it was the foundational cultivation technique for cultivating the Star Law.

"Fellow Daoist has good taste." The stall owner was a one-eyed old man, a late-stage True Immortal Realm cultivator. He chuckled, "This 'Star Transformation' is the best foundational cultivation technique in Qiming City, only one hundred mid-grade star stones."

Star stones are the common currency of the Nine Heavens Realm, containing pure Star Law power, equivalent to the spirit stones of the Qingxuan Continent, but a hundred times purer.

White Night extracted ten mid-grade star stones from the Star-Splitting Asura's inner core and handed them to the old man: "I'll take it."

The old man took the star stones but didn't immediately hand over the jade slip. Instead, he lowered his voice: "Fellow Daoist is new here, aren't you? I advise you not to stay long in Qiming City."

White Night raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

"Recently, a force called the Star Devouring Pavilion has been aggressively capturing rogue cultivators in the city, supposedly to refine some evil artifact." The old man pointed to the shadow in the corner of the street, "Just now, two Black Iron Plate cultivators were dragged away by them."

White Night looked in the direction he pointed and indeed saw several black-robed cultivators, with silver star plates hanging from their waists, scanning the passing pedestrians with greedy eyes.

Their aura was cold, and their immortal power was mixed with a faint scent of blood, clearly not good news.

"Thank you for the reminder." White Night took the jade slip and subtly put his star plate into his embrace. He could feel that the gazes of those black-robed cultivators had already fallen on him.

He had barely walked a few steps when a chilling voice came from behind: "Fellow Daoist, please stop."

White Night turned around and saw three black-robed cultivators blocking his way. The leader, a late-stage True Immortal Realm cultivator, had an ill-intentioned smile on his face: "I see that Fellow Daoist has an extraordinary demeanor, so you must be carrying some rare treasure, right? Why not come with us to the Star Devouring Pavilion for a chat and make some friends?"

White Night said indifferently: "Not interested."

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" The leading black-robed cultivator's expression darkened, and he reached out to grab White Night.

His palm was covered with black scales, and his fingernails gleamed with a sinister light, clearly indicating he had cultivated some evil technique.

White Night dodged sideways, and a wisp of Chaos Law energy shot out from his fingertip.

The wisp of energy, seemingly weak, instantly pierced through the black-robed cultivator's palm, leaving a bloody hole that went straight through.

"Early-stage True Immortal Realm? Impossible!" The black-robed cultivator clutched his bleeding palm, his eyes filled with disbelief, "You clearly only have a Black Iron Plate, how could you injure me?"

In the Nine Heavens Realm, star plate ranks are linked to cultivation. A Black Iron Plate corresponds to the early-stage True Immortal Realm, and a Silver Plate corresponds to the late-stage True Immortal Realm.

For White Night, a Black Iron Plate cultivator, to injure a Silver Plate cultivator, completely overturned their understanding.

"Kill him!" The leader roared, and the other two black-robed cultivators simultaneously attacked. Their black immortal power transformed into two giant pythons, coiling towards White Night.

White Night's figure weaved between the giant pythons, and as his iron sword danced, streaks of cyan and black sword light continuously fell.

His Chaos Law countered all evil techniques. The black immortal power melted away like ice and snow under the sword light, unable to get close.

"Star Realm Roam!" White Night let out a low cry, his figure transforming into a streak of light, instantly appearing before the leading black-robed cultivator, his iron sword pointing directly at his throat.

The black-robed cultivator was scared out of his wits and quickly begged for mercy: "Fellow Daoist, spare my life! It was I who was blind!"

White Night ignored him. The blade sliced across, and the black-robed cultivator's head rolled to the ground.

The other two cultivators, seeing this, were terrified and turned to flee, but they were caught by the Wind Howling Silver Wolf, whose silver sound waves shattered their immortal souls.

The surrounding cultivators gasped in unison at this scene, their gazes towards White Night filled with awe.

In Qiming City, the Star Devouring Pavilion's people were notoriously domineering, yet unexpectedly, they had fallen into the hands of a Black Iron Plate cultivator today.

White Night didn't pay attention to the surrounding gazes. He knew that after killing someone from the Star Devouring Pavilion, it was not advisable to stay here long.

He mounted the wolf and flew towards the city gates: "Next stop, Star Mansion."

Only by obtaining a higher-grade star plate could one truly establish oneself in the Nine Heavens Realm.

And he had a faint premonition that behind the Star Devouring Pavilion, there might be secrets related to the Nine Heavens Realm war, and possibly even related to Feng Bo's disappearance.

The cultivation of the True Immortal Realm had just begun, and the storms of the Nine Heavens Realm were even more turbulent than he had imagined.

But there was no fear in White Night's eyes, only a yearning for stronger power and a desire to explore the unknown world.

His sword would cut a path for himself under this starry sky!

...The Star Mansion of Qiming City floated in the center of the main city, a suspended palace supported by nine Star Jade Pillars.

Flowing star trails wound around the jade pillars, and a massive "Star Gathering Stone" was embedded in the palace roof, capable of gathering the Star Law power of the Nine Heavens Realm into a visible river of light. The river of light flowed down the eaves, reflecting a brilliant star map on the ground.

This was the grassroots management organization of the Nine Heavens Realm, responsible for registering cultivators' identities, issuing missions, and mediating disputes.

As White Night landed on the Star Mansion Plaza, he was stopped by two guards in golden armor.

These guards were all peak True Immortal Realm cultivators, and the "Star Suppressing Runes" inscribed on their armor exuded a heavy pressure, a level far superior to the guards at the entrance of Qiming City.

"Black Iron Plate cultivators are not permitted to enter the main hall; you must register in the side hall." The guard on the left said expressionlessly, with a hint of subtle disdain in his gaze as he swept over White Night.

In the Nine Heavens Realm, a Black Iron Plate signified the lowest-tier rogue cultivators, mostly those with weak strength and shallow backgrounds.

White Night didn't argue and turned to walk towards the side hall.

The side hall was crowded with dozens of Black Iron Plate cultivators queuing in a long line, most of them looking anxious.

As soon as he stood still, a commotion erupted behind him as several black-robed cultivators entered, escorting a silver-robed youth. They were from the Star Devouring Pavilion.

"Move aside, move aside! Lord Silver Star needs to register a mission, all of you get lost!" The black-robed cultivators roughly pushed aside the queuing cultivators. One of them was the very person whose hand White Night had cut off earlier; his wrist was now wrapped in black bandages, and his gaze towards White Night was filled with venom.

The silver-robed youth, on the other hand, had an arrogant expression, toying with a silver star plate on his fingertip. The wolf head pattern carved on the star plate exuded the pressure of a late-stage True Immortal Realm cultivator.

This was Lang Xiaotian, the person in charge of the Star Devouring Pavilion in Qiming City.

"Oh, isn't this the little scoundrel who injured my subordinate?" Lang Xiaotian's gaze fell on White Night, a cruel smile playing on his lips, "You dare to lay hands on my Star Devouring Pavilion's people in Qiming City? You're quite bold."

The surrounding cultivators retreated, fearing to be implicated. The manager of the side hall, a white-haired old man with mid-stage True Immortal Realm cultivation, quickly stepped forward to mediate: "Lord Lang, please calm your anger. This Fellow Daoist is new and doesn't understand the rules..."

"Rules?" Lang Xiaotian kicked the manager away, "In Qiming City, the Star Devouring Pavilion's rules are the rules!" He looked at White Night, "Either cripple your own cultivation, or die. Choose one."

White Night's fingertip gently pressed against his sword hilt. The Star Gathering Stone's river of light in the Star Mansion happened to flow to his feet, and the Star Law power contained within the river of light surged into his body through the soles of his shoes, causing his Chaos Law to subtly tremble. "I choose the third option."

"What?" Lang Xiaotian was stunned for a moment.

"Get lost." White Night's voice was icy cold, and the pressure of an early-stage True Immortal Realm cultivator suddenly erupted, actually forcing back the black-robed cultivators who had stepped forward.

"You're looking for death!" Lang Xiaotian roared, his figure transforming into a silver shadow. Three black claw marks shot out from his fingertips, containing an evil force that devoured Star Law power. This was the Star Devouring Pavilion's famous technique, "Star Devouring Claw."

White Night advanced instead of retreating, his iron sword drawing a cyan arc in his hand. The power of the Star Gathering Stone's river of light merged into the arc, and wherever the sword light passed, the black claw marks melted away like ice and snow.

"Clang!"

The two moves clashed, and Lang Xiaotian was sent reeling backward, his arm numb. He looked at White Night in disbelief: "You're clearly only in the early-stage True Immortal Realm, how could you withstand my Star Devouring Claw?"

"Because your evil technique is worthless." White Night pressed closer, the Chaos Law on his iron sword intertwining with the power of the river of light, actually emitting a faint golden glow. "The Star Devouring Pavilion uses rogue cultivators to refine evil artifacts, doesn't the Star Mansion care?"

These words were like a clap of thunder, causing an uproar among the cultivators in the side hall.

Although everyone had heard rumors, no one dared to speak them publicly.

The manager, who had been kicked down, struggled to his feet, his face pale: "Lord Lang, if this matter is true, the Star Mansion will never tolerate it!"

Lang Xiaotian's expression changed drastically, and he roared sharply: "Nonsense! This brat is slandering!" He suddenly attacked, his black claw marks heading straight for White Night's heart, clearly intending to silence him.

White Night was already prepared. He activated his Wind Law to the extreme, his figure dodging the claw marks like a willow catkin. At the same time, a wisp of Chaos Law energy shot out from his fingertip, submerging into Lang Xiaotian's feet along the river of light, and then suddenly erupted!

"Puff!"

Lang Xiaotian's ankle was pierced by the energy, and he stumbled and fell to the ground. White Night seized the opportunity to step forward, placing his iron sword against Lang Xiaotian's neck: "Speak, what exactly are you doing with so many captured rogue cultivators?"

"You dare to touch me?!" Lang Xiaotian shrieked, his bravado masking his fear, "My elder brother is Wolf Commander of the Star Generals Residence in Qiming City! If you kill me, he will never let you go!"

...