Spiritual Lights

The fatty squatted on the side, disheveled, looking at Xing Ye with a resentful expression. In front of Xing Ye were two jade bottles and a piece of paper. After searching Wang Can just now, he furrowed and said, "Why are there no gold coins?"

Wang Can opened his mouth, not sure how to respond. Xing Ye stared at him malevolently, "Did you hide the gold coins?"

"Lord Ye, this is an assessment. What use do I have for gold coins? They're heavy and take up space." Wang Can wanted to cry but had no tears, feeling insulted in his intelligence. What in this place wasn't more precious than gold coins?

Xing Ye slapped his forehead, almost forgetting. "I know the Soul Recovering Pill and the Vitality Nourishing Pill, but what is this?" Xing Ye picked up the paper with some patterns drawn on it, which he couldn't understand.

"It's something I accidentally picked up. I don't know what it is either," Wang Can shook his head, not daring to look Xing Ye in the eyes.

"A map?" Xing Ye looked at Wang Can.

Wang Can's gaze wandered, looking elsewhere, and he shook his head again.

"A map to the location of the star fruits?" Xing Ye questioned.

Wang Can's face changed slightly, and he seemed about to shake his head again. "Ah, don't go, Lord Ye, please stay..."

Xing Ye packed up and left, taking the medicines, map, and Wang Can's two eager double knives with him. Wang Can quickly followed, "Lord Ye, I was wrong. The journey is long, and I can help guide you..."

Wang Can felt aching in his heart. Each of these things cost him a fortune, and they were just taken away like this. He wished he could give himself two big slaps. Why did he provoke this guy for no reason?

"You should have said it earlier." Xing Ye handed the map to Wang Can, who looked at the medicines and double knives.

Xing Ye narrowed his eyes, "Thinking of robbing me?"

Since when they were yours?

Wang Can grumbled in his heart but pleaded, "Lord Ye, the dual knives need to be accompanied by Star Magic Techniques. I have studied them for years, and they won't be of use to you."

"I'll give the other to you when we arrive." Xing Ye threw one of the knives to Wang Can to defend himself.

Wang Can caught the long knife and pitifully said, "Lord Ye, those medicines almost depleted my entire savings..."

"Then we’ll split them in half!"

"Lord Ye is generous! A straightforward person!" Wang Can's face showed a smile, and he was in a good mood. "Lord Ye, you're going the wrong way. We should go this way..."

Xing Ye looked at Wang Can. This guy was indeed a strange one. After a fight with him, everything was reduced by half, but he was still happy.

"Lord Ye, what's your relationship with that Fang Qing?" As the two walked into the woods, Wang Can ignited the gossip fire. After Xing Ye glanced at him, he wisely closed his mouth.

In a moment, Wang Can said again, "Fang Qing is Lin Feng's woman. This time, he got so unhappy. Lord Ye, be careful. Lin Feng is from the Lin family in the imperial capital and is a hot favorite for the first place in this assessment."

Xing Ye sneered, "If people like him can get first place, then I am invincible." Wang Can's eyes flashed with disdain, but he nodded repeatedly.

Xing Ye didn't care about these details and asked again, "Who else should I pay attention to in this assessment?"

"Wang Hu from the Wang family was quite powerful. He possesses a formidable family heritage in Stellar Fire," Wang Can thought for a moment and continued, "There's also Zhao Xuan from the Zhao family. He cultivates Stellar Mystery Art, and it's said that he has mastered four different Star Magic Technique alone."

Looking at Xing Ye's expressionless face, Wang Can hesitated before saying, "Lord Ye, let me advise you. Don't expect to be the first in the assessment; that's simply beyond our reach..."

Before he could finish speaking, a dark shadow suddenly shot out from the darkness, heading straight for Xing Ye.

Wang Can, watching intently, identified it as a Star Shadow Panther, a fourth-tier star beast known for its stealth and deadly attacks.

The Star Shadow Panther moved swiftly, and Wang Can's warning came too late. In the next moment, a vivid and gruesome scene of a beheading was about to unfold.

However, Xing Ye remained calm and composed. As if foreseeing the attack, he drew a wooden knife from his waist and turned to strike. Although the movement seemed slow, he outpaced the Star Shadow Panther.

Spurt!

A radiant light flashed as the wooden knife cleaved into the skull of the Star Shadow Panther.

Thud!

The Panther fell at Xing Ye's feet, struggling briefly before going motionless.

Wang Can stared with his mouth agape, dumbfounded by the scene.

"You may continue," Xing Ye said, bending down to retrieve the wooden knife, which was now covered in cracks.

Yesterday, it was forcibly controlled by Purple Blood. Today, it forcefully killed a fourth-rank star beast. The low-grade chopping knife, akin to reaching the end of its lifespan, completely shattered in Xing Ye's hands.

Xing Ye had no choice but to discard the knife handle and, wielding Wang Can's long knife, cut open the head of the Star Shadow Panther. Indeed, he discovered a glimmer of spiritual light.

Upon obtaining the spiritual light, Xing Ye seemed to sense a trace of soul force, a look of surprise appearing on his face.

However, his attempts at refining it were unsuccessful.

"I've encountered star beasts before, and they don't have this kind of thing inside them."

Xing Ye stood up and looked at Wang Can. "Does every star beast here has spiritual light inside them?"

"Yes, each one does."

Wang Can nodded, but he was deeply shocked. He had previously tried to persuade Xing Ye not to expect to be the top in the assessment. Yet, in a situation where Xing Ye had struck first with a simple chopping knife, killing a sneak-attacking Star Shadow Panther and shattering the knife with his own star power, it seemed that his combat power was already not inferior to those like Lin Feng.

Having just broken through the fourth realm, why was he so powerful?

Wang Can was puzzled, feeling that it was unreal.

Xing Ye cut off one of the Panther's legs. Seeing this, Wang Can quickly came over to help.

For the first time in three years, Xing Ye enjoyed a proper meal of meat. Even without seasonings, he relished every bite.

******

"Lord Ye, after leaving this dense forest, there's a canyon. The star fruits are located within that canyon," Wang Can put away the map and confidently declared, "I spent a fortune to buy this information. It's a secret place, almost unknown to anyone."

As the two walked out of the woods, they did indeed see a canyon. However, there were nearly a hundred outer disciples loitering outside the canyon.

"That damn Skinny dared to deceive me!" Wang Can gritted his teeth. He had spent a considerable amount on this information, and the other party had repeatedly assured him that not many people knew about it.

Xing Ye's expression remained relatively unchanged. Every year, people came here for the assessment, and there was hardly any secret about it.

Just as Wang Can was swearing vehemently, the so-called Skinny appeared. Indeed, he was quite thin and short.

"Lord Can, you've come a bit late."

Wang Can angrily grabbed Skinny by the collar and lifted him up. "You greedy guy, didn't you say not many people know about it?"

The suspended Skinny looked quite aggrieved. "Lord Can, I'm also confused. I wonder which guy broke the rules and leaked the information."

While speaking, Skinny noticed Xing Ye behind Wang Can. His expression changed slightly, and he lowered his voice. "Lord Can, why are you with him? Lin Feng is looking for him everywhere, saying he wants to kill him!"

"Damn it, be more polite to Lord Ye!" Wang Can dropped Skinny.

Skinny had a slight change in expression and, understanding Wang Can's personality, looked at Xing Ye again with a bit more seriousness.

He pointed behind him. "Lord Can, I didn’t lie; there really are star fruits in this canyon."

As Xing Ye walked over, he stared at Skinny.

Feeling uncomfortable under Xing Ye's gaze, Skinny said, "It's true. I'm a businessman, and I've never lied. It's just that..."

"You Skinny, just say everything at once." Wang Can once again grabbed Skinny’s clothes.

"There's mist, and the mist is poisonous. Lord Can, let's be civilized." Skinny lightly patted Wang Can's hand. After Wang Can let him go, he grinned, "However, I have a detoxification pill specifically for this mist..."

Wang Can coldly snorted, "How much? I'll pay you back later!"

Skinny chuckled, "Lord Can, there are spiritual herbs all over this place, and behind us is the grand opportunity of star fruits, which concerns a lifetime. Isn't it tacky to mention gold coins again?"

Skinny extended two fingers, saying, "Two hundred-year-old spiritual herbs in exchange for one pill!"

"Two hundred-year-old spiritual herbs for just one detoxification pill? You damn swindler! Why not just go robbing?" Wang Can was furious.

"Lord Can, you can't put it that way. Without this pill, not only is it uncertain to obtain star fruits, but entering might result in death," Skinny said with a smiling face.

"Lord Can, think about it. Trading two hundred-year-old spiritual herbs for a brilliant future—it's a fantastic deal."

It had to be said that the businessman nicknamed Skinny understood human nature well. With just one detoxification pill, he connected it to an entire lifetime.

Just as Wang Can was about to agree, a commotion suddenly erupted ahead, and more people approached.

"It's Wang Hu!"

Wang Can looked at the leading young man, and his expression changed.

Xing Ye's expression also changed. Wang Hu came with three people, all of them at the fifth tier.

"Why is Wang Hu here? This is trouble."

Skinny also had an unpleasant expression. With Wang Hu's arrival, who dared to compete with him? The detoxification pills he had hoarded would become useless.

Some who were still hesitating left immediately upon seeing Wang Hu. Star fruits were not exclusive to this place.

"Wang Hu, didn't expect you to be so quick."

A light laughter sounded, and another young man walked over from the side, also accompanied by three fifth-realm Star Magic cultivators.

"Zhao Xuan is here too. Damn it."

Skinny looked frustrated. With these two arriving, it was evident that they would divide the star fruits, leaving almost no hope for others.

"Star fruits can be found anywhere. Why bother coming here?"

Skinny complained in a hushed voice.

"Give me a detoxification pill."

At this moment, Xing Ye, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

The frustrated Skinny, looking Xing Ye up and down, smiled kindly but made no move or further comment. It was clear that he didn't think Xing Ye, dressed like this, had the ability to get two spiritual herbs. As a businessman, he couldn't reject directly, so he smiled in response.

"Why are you still standing there? Lord Ye is interested in your things!"

Wang Can was also slightly surprised but quickly realized what was happening. He glared at Skinny.

"Lord Can is generous!"

Skinny gave Wang Can a thumbs-up, then took out two porcelain bottles from his bosom.

"I don't want it. Give it to Lord Ye. Rest assured; I’ll give you the spiritual herbs."

Wang Can said, "Lord Ye, go ahead. I won't go in."

Since someone was offering rewards, Skinny gave Xing Ye one bottle, saying, "Lord Ye, keep it safe."

"Thank you."

Xing Ye didn't refuse. He was different from others; he was not familiar with this place at all and had no reason to go elsewhere.

"This place is ours now. You can all leave!"

After discussing with Wang Hu, Zhao Xuan decided to claim this place and began driving people away.

This statement immediately caused a commotion, and Xing Ye was astonished. “Is this even allowed?”

“The only rule for the assessment is no killing. Here, whoever stronger makes the rules,” Wang Can’s eyes stared forward, cold.

The youth named Zhao Xuan looked at the disciples. “This place is occupied by our Zhao and Wang families. You all can go to other places!”

Everyone felt indignant, but seeing those Star Magic Fifth Realm experts by their side, they felt disheartened.

The youth named Wang Hu looked at the still unmoving crowd and frowned. “What, you bunch of trash. Do I have to kill one of you to make it clearer?”

He took a few steps forward, pointing towards the front. “Hey, that factotum trash, come over here and cooperate a bit.”

His finger pointed at Xing Ye.