HLnovel Chapter 351: Heart of the Stars
Chapter 351: Heart of the Stars
“Humph, the Heart of the Star… is not so easy to obtain.” The man in black sneered, his voice hoarse and unpleasant, as if it came from the depths of hell. “I will let you be proud for a few days. When the time is right, I will personally take away everything from you!”
Before he finished speaking, the man in black flashed and disappeared into the dense forest, as if he had never appeared. Only Gao Xingchen and Nan Li were left, staring at each other in bewilderment.
"It seems that we have been targeted." Gao Xingchen looked solemn and clenched his fists.
Nan Li gently patted the back of his hand and comforted him, "Don't worry, we will fight back if an enemy comes. As long as we are careful and cautious, we will be able to resolve this crisis."
Xiaobai also poked his head out from Nanli's shoulder and echoed in a baby voice: "That's right, as long as the master is here, there is nothing to be afraid of!"
Gao Xingchen took a deep breath, suppressed the uneasiness in his heart, and said to Nan Li: "Li'er, I must rush back to Xingchen Pavilion as soon as possible to inform the elders of this matter and take precautions early."
Nan Li nodded: "Okay, go ahead, I will continue investigating here to see if I can find some clues."
Gao Xingchen said goodbye to Nan Li and immediately set off for Xingchen Pavilion. However, when he returned to Xingchen Pavilion, he found that the atmosphere was extremely strange. Xingchen Pavilion, which was usually well-organized, was now in a state of panic. The disciples gathered in groups of three or five, whispering about something.
Gao Xingchen's heart sank, and he walked quickly towards the meeting room. Before he stepped through the threshold, he heard Elder Li's voice coming from inside: "Xingchen Pavilion is now in a precarious situation, and can only overcome the difficulties by relying on powerful external forces! I propose that Xingchen Pavilion should choose to submit to Tianxingmen and become their affiliated force!"
"This……"
"But……"
Gao Xingchen understood something when he heard this, and he pushed the door open and walked in. In the meeting room, the elders were divided into two groups, arguing fiercely. Elder Li stood at the front of one group, persuading the other elders earnestly.
"Elder Li, what nonsense are you talking about!" Gao Xingchen shouted angrily, and a powerful pressure instantly enveloped the entire conference hall.
When Elder Li saw Gao Xingchen, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down and sneered: "Gao Xingchen, you are finally back! I thought you were obsessed with beauty and didn't want to leave!"
"Elder Li, what do you mean by this?!" Gao Xingchen stared at Elder Li with a sharp gaze, "What on earth happened in Xingchen Pavilion? Why did you say such outrageous words?!"
Elder Li snorted coldly, pointed at the elders behind Gao Xingchen, and said loudly: "How dare you ask me? Ever since you left Xingchen Pavilion, these elders have been spreading rumors that you have betrayed Xingchen Pavilion and defected to Tianxing Sect! They are also trying to force me to give up the position of Pavilion Master!"
Gao Xingchen heard this and turned to look at the elders behind him. They looked at him with glimmering eyes and didn't dare to look him in the eye.
"You guys..." Gao Xingchen was furious, but he knew that now was not the time to pursue these things. He had to find out the truth as soon as possible and stabilize the situation in Xingchen Pavilion.
"Elder Li, is what you said true?" Gao Xingchen asked in a deep voice, suppressing the anger in his heart.
Elder Li sneered and was about to speak, but his face suddenly changed, he spit out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed to the ground.
"Elder Li!" Seeing this, Gao Xingchen hurried forward to check.
However, at this moment, Elder Li's body suddenly twitched violently, and a black aura surged out of his body and spread rapidly.
"Oh no! This is..." Gao Xingchen's pupils suddenly shrank and an ominous premonition arose in his heart.
Nan Li strolled along the bustling streets, trying to find any clues about the Heart of the Stars in this ancient town. She walked past stalls filled with a wide variety of goods, through the bustling teahouses and taverns, and finally stopped in front of an old bookstore.
The bookstore owner was a kind-looking old man. Seeing that Nan Li was quite interested in ancient books, he enthusiastically introduced them to her. Nan Li flipped through the yellowed pages and her eyes lingered on an ancient book called "Star Domain Strange Stories" for a long time.
"This ancient book records many legends and secrets about the star field," the old man said, stroking his beard. "It is said that the whereabouts of the Heart of the Stars is hidden in one of the legends."
Nan Li's heart moved, and she opened the ancient book. As expected, a legend called "The Trial of the Stars" caught her attention.
According to legend, the Heart of the Stars is not something that can be easily obtained. It has its own will and chooses the messenger of destiny to protect the balance of the star field. Only those who pass the test of the stars can be recognized by the Heart of the Stars and become the true master of the star field. As for the content of the test, no one knows it, only that it is related to the ancient prophecy circulating in the star field.
Nan Li closed the ancient book and fell into deep thought. Prophecy, test, guardian... these clues were complicated, but they all pointed in the same direction. She had a hunch that the true secret of the Heart of the Stars was hidden in this ancient town.
Meanwhile, Xiaobai was exploring the other side of town. It moved nimbly among the crowd, its keen sense of smell picking up any strange smells in the air. Suddenly, it stopped in a remote alley, its nose twitching.
"A strange smell..." Xiaobai muttered to himself, "I seem to have smelled it somewhere before..."
It followed the scent all the way and finally found its target in front of a dilapidated temple. The familiar scent was emitted from deep inside the temple.
Xiaobai walked into the temple carefully and found that it was full of dust and cobwebs. It was obvious that no one had been here for a long time. It walked through the main hall and came to the backyard. It found a complex formation carved on the ground. And the familiar breath was emanating from the center of the formation.
Xiao Bai carefully observed the formation and found that it was very similar to the aura he had felt from the man in black before. Could it be that the man in black had been here before? What was the relationship between him and the Heart of Stars?
Just when Xiaobai was puzzled, he suddenly felt a strong breath coming from behind him. He turned around suddenly and saw a figure wearing a black cloak standing behind him, with a faint green light flashing in his eyes.
"Who are you?" Xiaobai asked vigilantly.
The black shadow didn't say anything, but slowly stretched out his hand and pointed to the center of the formation. Xiaobai followed his finger and found a black box there, with complex patterns carved on it, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.
"Could it be that this is..." Xiaobai's heart was shocked, and he realized that what was contained in the box might very well be the real secret of the Heart of the Star!
At this time, Gao Xingchen finally calmed down the internal crisis of Xingchen Pavilion and learned of Nanli's discovery. He was anxious and immediately set off for the town to meet Nanli and face the upcoming test together.
A battle for the Heart of the Star is about to begin... Gao Xingchen rushed back to the Star Pavilion without stopping. The sound of the wind along the way was like a rapid drumbeat, beating his heart. Inside the Star Pavilion, the noise and vitality of the past were replaced by a solemn atmosphere. The disciples were solemn, shuttling back and forth, preparing for the coming storm.
"Pavilion Master!" Elder Li came forward with a heavy face, "You are finally back. Things are more complicated than we thought..."
Gao Xingchen frowned and interrupted Elder Li, "Where's Nanli? Has there been any news from her?"
"Madam..." Elder Li hesitated and finally sighed, "She went to an ancient temple in the west of the city and seemed to have found some clues, but we don't know the details."
Gao Xingchen's heart tightened. He knew Nan Li's character. Once she made a decision, she would definitely investigate it to the end, even if the road ahead was full of danger. He didn't have time to think about it, and immediately summoned the elite disciples of Xingchen Pavilion and rushed towards the ancient temple in the west of the city.
As the sun sets, the ancient temple is bathed in a blood-red afterglow, looking particularly eerie and terrifying. When Gao Xingchen arrived, he saw Nanli standing in front of an altar deep in the temple, with Xiaobai pacing anxiously beside him.
"Li'er!" Gao Xingchen stepped forward quickly and pulled Nan Li into his arms. "Are you okay? I was so worried!"
Nan Li gently patted the back of Gao Xingchen's hand, signaling him to rest assured, "I'm fine, but..." She turned her head to look at the altar, her eyes full of solemnity, "This seems to be the entrance to the legendary Star Trial."
Gao Xingchen followed Nan Li's gaze and saw a complicated formation carved in the center of the altar, exuding an ancient and powerful aura that was daunting.
"The Test of the Stars..." Gao Xingchen murmured to himself, and sporadic records about the Test of the Stars in ancient books emerged in his mind. It was said that it was the ultimate test of character, wisdom, and courage. If one was not careful, one would fall into an irretrievable situation.
"We must be careful, this formation is by no means an ordinary thing." Nanli reminded, and she took out a jade slip from her arms. This was something she found in an ancient book, and it recorded some information about the Star Trial.
Gao Xingchen and Nan Li carefully studied the contents of the jade slip, and followed the instructions on it, stepping into the formation step by step. In an instant, the world spun around, and they seemed to have entered a whole new world, and everything around them became unreal and unpredictable.
The fog was thick, the road was rugged, and various traps were hidden in it. The slightest mistake could trigger a murderous intent. Gao Xingchen and Nan Li relied on their extraordinary strength and tacit cooperation to escape danger again and again. However, the difficulty of the test was also increasing, as if the invisible pressure was constantly squeezing their nerves.
"Be careful!" Nan Li exclaimed, grabbed Gao Xingchen and dodged a sharp arrow shot from the darkness.
"Who is it?!" Gao Xingchen shouted angrily and looked around vigilantly, but there was no trace of anyone.
At this moment, a cold voice came from all directions, "Haha, it's not that easy to get the Heart of the Star!"
Gao Xingchen and Nan Li were startled. They recognized the voice as the mysterious figure who had attacked them outside the inn before!
"Who are you? Why are you stopping us?" Gao Xingchen asked.
However, the mysterious figure did not answer, and more shadows emerged from the mist, surrounding Gao Xingchen and Nan Li. A fierce battle was about to begin!
The fog surged like a tide, creating all kinds of ferocious illusions, sometimes turning into roaring beasts, sometimes turning into sharp swords, trying to disturb Gao Xingchen and Nan Li's minds. However, the two of them were connected and trusted each other, and these illusions could not shake them at all.
"Xingchen, watch your step!" Nan Li was sharp-eyed and noticed that the stone slab under Gao Xingchen's feet was of a different color, so she immediately spoke out to remind him.
Gao Xingchen reacted quickly, tapping his toes lightly and soaring up like a wild goose, barely avoiding the sharp blade that was revealed when the stone slab was flipped over.
"Li'er, your perception is becoming more and more sharp." Gao Xingchen exclaimed in admiration. He knew that Nan Li was born with an extraordinary perception of danger, and now she has practiced some kind of secret technique that allows her to predict danger in advance.
"Be careful!" Nan Li reminded again without saying much, and at the same time swung the sword in his hand. A sharp sword energy broke through the air and shattered the invisible barrier in front.
The two of them overcame all obstacles along the way and finally reached the last level of the test - a stone platform suspended in the air. On the stone platform, there was a gem emitting dazzling light, which was the legendary Heart of the Stars!
"Finally found it!" A trace of joy flashed in Gao Xingchen's eyes. However, before he could be happy for long, a cold voice sounded again: "You want to get the Heart of the Star? Dream on!"
The black fog rolled, and the mysterious figure appeared again. This time, he was followed by a dozen masked men in black. Each of them exuded a powerful aura and was obviously the elite among the elite.
"Who are you? Why do you want to be our enemy?" Gao Xingchen asked in a deep voice. He knew that if he wanted to get the Heart of the Star today, he would probably have to pay some price.
"Hmph, a dead person doesn't need to know so much!" The mysterious figure snorted coldly and waved his hand. The man in black behind him immediately launched a fierce attack towards Gao Xingchen and Nan Li.
A great battle is about to break out! Gao Xingchen and Nanli stand back to back, protecting each other. Facing the siege of powerful enemies, can they successfully resolve the crisis and finally obtain the Heart of the Star?