Countless rays of light descended from the sky, dazzling beyond comparison. It was as if shooting stars and heavenly flowers were falling into the small courtyard.

Fortunately, Anyi Residence was situated deep within Changxin Academy, surrounded by no other buildings, with very few people passing by.

Otherwise, this transformation would likely attract a crowd of onlookers.

"This is the power of the stars!"

Luo Feng looked at the lights falling from the sky, stunned for a moment, then his face showed a surprised and delighted expression.

The power of the stars not only helps martial artists improve their cultivation but also tempers their bodies. It's a more refined energy than the vital energy of heaven and earth, Yuan Qi.

Legend had it that highly skilled martial artists could directly absorb the power of the stars from the sky for cultivation, their training speed advancing a hundred li in a single day! However, such beings were far beyond his current comprehension.

With their current level of cultivation, Luo Feng believed it should have been impossible to trigger the power of the stars, and he was unsure why the current scene unfolded.

As brilliant streams of starlight landed on him, Luo Feng immediately felt his meridians and bones become as resplendent as starlight, as if his exterior was enveloped in a layer of stardust.

His physical strength, his body's ability to exert force, and the flexibility of his meridians all gradually increased. The rate at which the Yuan Qi seed in his Dantian rotated suddenly increased by tens of times!

This star power is beneficial to me.

Luo Feng felt that in just a short moment, his cultivation seemed to have improved.

Having broken through consecutively, he had already entered a bottleneck period. He originally planned for a long and slow period of honing, but now he unexpectedly felt a sense of improvement!

This was an opportunity, and once missed, it would be gone forever. Luo Feng immediately closed his eyes and started to fully assimilate the star power that had entered his body.

The falling starlight only lasted for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn. As the starlight in Bing Ruolan's eyes faded, the power of the stars in the courtyard also completely disappeared without a trace.

"Good!"

Awakened from his cultivation state, Luo Feng assessed the changes in his body, and a smile emerged at the corner of his mouth.

In just the time it took for half an incense stick to burn, his cultivation had completely consolidated at the peak of the Eighth Level of the Hell Realm.

If one observed closely, they would find traces of resplendent starlight within his flesh and bones. A formidable, latent power lay dormant within, feeling profoundly mysterious.

This is the power of the stars!

Letting out a deep breath, Luo Feng stood up and looked to the side.

Bing Ruolan's gaze had returned to normal, but her creamy skin had now become lustrous like jade, seemingly aglow with an inner light, possessing a distinct new aura.

Luo Feng was momentarily captivated, then quickly collected himself. His gaze fell upon Bing Ruolan, his eyes flickering slightly. Bing Ruolan's aura was harmonious, as if she was on the verge of a breakthrough. It seemed that her earlier absorption of the star power had also yielded great benefits.

"Luo Feng, where did you come across these insights?" Bing Ruolan emerged from her thoughts with a start, holding the paper and looking at Luo Feng, her beautiful eyes filled with an undisguised joy.

Luo Feng scratched his nose. "I just wrote them down randomly."

"You wrote this!" Bing Ruolan lightly covered her red lips, her beautiful eyes wide with shock.

The content on the paper consisted of just a few simple strokes, yet the intent realm it conveyed possessed a Profound Mystery. This resolved many questions that had long puzzled her, bringing a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Some days ago, Bing Ruolan had asked Zi Hongyuan about these questions, but they remained unsolved. She never expected that the contents of this paper were actually Luo Feng's handiwork!

If someone told her now that Luo Feng was an ancient demon who had achieved sentience through cultivation, she wouldn't have the slightest doubt. In her heart, Luo Feng was already an exceptionally accomplished individual.

"Ruolan, what did you comprehend just now that actually invoked the power of the stars?" Luo Feng asked.

Bing Ruolan returned to her senses and offered a gentle smile. "Look."

With that, she lifted her slender hand, formed a sword sign with her fingers, and pointed into the air.

FWOOSH!

A brilliant beam of starlight shot out silently, and a round hole appeared on the wall a hundred meters away.

Luo Feng's brow furrowed. The sword light was actually transformed from the power of the stars! The moment it appeared, a sense of danger welled up from deep within him. The power of that sword was not to be underestimated; it wasn't inferior to He Qin's Sword Intent.

"My Star-piercing Swordsmanship has broken through to the seventh level, reaching the realm of Star Sword Extreme, which can transform star power into sword light to harm enemies," Bing Ruolan said, a hint of joy in her expression.

"The seventh level!"

Luo Feng's eyes widened in surprise, then he nodded. "So, the rumors were true."

Bing Ruolan's Star-piercing Swordsmanship originally only had six levels.

It was rumored that the Star-piercing Swordsmanship preserved in the Purple Sun School was merely an incomplete manual. The true Star-piercing Swordsmanship was a Profound Level technique, with a full nine levels.

Lifting his head, Luo Feng smiled at Bing Ruolan. "Congratulations! You've actually refined the Star-piercing Swordsmanship to the seventh level. With time, you'll surely be able to master the complete Star-piercing Swordsmanship."

Bing Ruolan hid her sword behind her back and looked at Luo Feng, her eyes sparkling. "Luo Feng, thank you. Without your help, I might never have known that the Star-piercing Swordsmanship even had a seventh level. With your insights on Sword Dao, I might genuinely be able to perfect the Star-piercing Swordsmanship."

Luo Feng waved his hand and laughed. "There's no need for thanks. Your Sword Dao breakthrough invoked the power of the stars, and I benefited a lot too."

Luo Feng's words were not an exaggeration. The star power he absorbed tonight would save him several months of hard cultivation.

Moreover, tempered by the star power, his physique had also strengthened considerably. The benefits he received might even have surpassed Bing Ruolan's.

"I can't just take advantage of you like this." Bing Ruolan bit her red lip with her pearly white teeth, then suddenly pointed to the side. "Luo Feng, what's that?"

"Hmm?" Luo Feng looked in the direction Bing Ruolan pointed. "What is it?"

Before he could see anything, a rush of fragrance suddenly assailed him. Then, a soft, entirely new sensation spread from the corner of his lips, carrying a delicate, sweet scent.

"Mmph…"

Luo Feng's heart leaped. His eyes met Bing Ruolan's, now only inches away. Her captivating blue pupils were trembling slightly, revealing her nervousness.

Their lips brushed, and Bing Ruolan immediately retreated a few steps, her small face flushed as red as sunset clouds, the blush spreading from the tips of her ears down to her snowy neck.

"This is just a thank-you gift, don't overthink it. I… I have to go now." Bing Ruolan hadn't expected herself to make such a bold move. Clenching her small fists, she spoke hurriedly, lowered her head, and turned to flee.

In her panic, she nearly collided with a wall. Stamping her foot in embarrassment, she then rushed out of the courtyard.

Luo Feng watched Bing Ruolan's somewhat flustered yet charming retreating figure, then touched the corner of his lips and brought his fingers to his nose to sniff.

His fingers carried a faint, sweet fragrance mixed with a hint of seaweed—Bing Ruolan's unique scent.

If I'd known this was the thank-you gift, I should have asked for it a few more times.

Luo Feng shook his head with a hint of regret, then went to close the courtyard gate and continued to refine the residual star power within his body.

「The night passed swiftly.」

「The next morning.」

A thin mist swirled in the nursery, creating a fairyland-like atmosphere.

The usually quiet Changxin Academy gradually grew lively, filled with a cacophony of voices.

Those martial arts masters who hadn't arrived in the past two days now came one after another, flooding into the academy like a tide. The scene was even more spectacular than the New Talent Conference.

This summit gathered young talents from both the Red Maple Lead and the Flowing Cloud Region. Among them might be individuals destined to rise to prominence in the future, so no one could afford to ignore it.

"At this summit, the Flowing Cloud Region's Four Great New Talents are here too. There will definitely be some intense clashes. I'm really looking forward to it!"

"Flowing Cloud Region's Four Great New Talents? Are they really worth looking forward to? I heard their foremost new talent only possesses an early-stage Eighth Level Hell Realm cultivation, hardly even quasi-Young Master level. Compared to our Four Great Young Masters, they're nothing."

"Li Kuo, hearing is deceptive, seeing is believing. You're mistaken this time. Yesterday, the top new talent, Luo Feng, fought Li Jun from Ivy School, and Luo Feng clearly had the upper hand!"

"Oh? Is that so! Li Jun is a master who had a chance to advance to the Young Master level, yet he lost to Luo Feng?"

"I saw it with my own eyes!"

"If that's true, Luo Feng's strength is indeed terrifying! That young man has comprehended the Grand Momentum. His future achievements will be immeasurable; he might even pose a threat to the Four Great Young Masters."

"Anything can happen in the future. But right now, he still lags far behind the Four Great Young Masters. At best, he's just a somewhat stronger quasi-Young Master."

"True. It can't be helped. Among our Four Great Young Masters, 'Haitang Young Master' is peerless; he's rumored to be on the verge of breaking through to the peak of the Eighth Level of the Hell Realm! The others—Young Master Hanshan, Li Hanshan; Fiery Sun Young Master, Qin Honglie; and Jadeite Young Master, Xin Wuyue—are also the top young elites of our Red Maple Lead's younger generation. For Luo Feng to surpass them... it's incredibly difficult! So difficult!..."

On the mountain road leading to Changxin Academy, various heroes of the martial world discussed the impending summit.

...

After finishing his cultivation, Luo Feng washed up and headed to Zi Hongyuan's residence.

In the open space outside the courtyard, Bing Ruolan and Zi Yuan were already waiting.

"Luo Feng, over here!" Zi Yuan waved from a distance.

When Bing Ruolan saw Luo Feng, she remembered the previous day's events, and a blush crept up her face. She quickly averted her gaze.

Luo Feng touched his nose and walked over. "You're all early."

Zi Yuan pouted. "Today is the summit between the two great regions! We're representing the four major academies; the honor of the Flowing Cloud Region is at stake. I was so nervous I didn't sleep well all night."

Luo Feng chuckled inwardly. You're complaining about not sleeping? I was up cultivating all night!

Just then, footsteps sounded. He Qin and Zhou Zhiyun walked over together.

Luo Feng nodded at He Qin, who returned his greeting with a radiant and captivating smile.

As Zhou Zhiyun approached, her gaze swept over everyone before settling on Luo Feng, her elegant eyebrows arching slightly. She sensed that Luo Feng was somewhat different from yesterday, but she couldn't quite pinpoint how.

"You're all here," Zi Hongyuan said as he came out. Seeing that everyone had arrived, he continued, "Let's go."

On the way, Zi Hongyuan repeatedly admonished them, "Remember, you are the hope of the Flowing Cloud Region. Your safety is more important than any treasure. As for the Secret Realm, enter if you can, but don't force it if you can't!"

"Father, why are you boosting their morale while dampening ours? Red Maple Lead may have their Four Great Young Masters, but our Flowing Cloud Region's Four Great New Talents aren't pushovers either!" Zi Yuan argued, puffing her cheeks, having detected the implication in Zi Hongyuan's words that they shouldn't harbor high hopes for the Secret Realm.

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