#48Alone among the starsAI Model: moonshotai/kimi-k2-instruct-0905
Chapter 21 – Alone to Star Dou
Back in his room.
Zhao Liuyun carefully sorted through the gains of this trip.
He looked first at the spirit tool, slipped it onto the index finger of his right hand, infused spirit power, and probed with his mind.
The most valuable thing in the ring was the gold coins.
They were money itself.
Not many—about three thousand.
There were also plenty of rations, water, antidotes, insect repellent and other supplies essential for Spirit Hunting.
Clearly prepared for emergencies.
But now they were useless… Zhao Liuyun took out everything except the gold coins, then stored all his savings of the past year along with what he'd had before into the ring.
After deducting the cost of Medicinal Baths, Spirit Beast meat, and various herbs, he still had nearly two thousand gold coins left.
He stowed them safely away, then took from his waist pouch the various poisons and antidotes he had mixed himself, arranged them by type, and placed them neatly inside the spirit tool.
With the spirit tool organized, Zhao Liuyun touched his forehead.
The spirit tool had provided a belated but precious portable space.
Yet the thing on his forehead was the greatest opportunity of this journey.
spirit rings could be found anywhere, but a third-eye external Spirit Bone born of dragon bloodline and suited to a Mental System Spirit Master was unique in the world!
The Evil-Eyed Tyrant Overlord might also produce one, but its age would be too high and it lay far away in the Sun-Moon Empire.
By the time he reached it, Zhao Liuyun would probably already have ascended to godhood and no longer need it.
Using only a small amount of spirit power, the vertical pupil opened once more.
Looking at himself in the mirror, Zhao Liuyun saw that a silver-lustrous eye had truly grown in the center of his forehead.
Even without activation, it faintly exuded draconic pressure.
The distinctly draconic eye, the striking silver color, and the Spirit AbilityMyriad Phenomena Return to Ruin related to space and spirit—it should belong to the Silver Dragon King's elemental line.
Recalling that it came from the Ghost Eye Demon Dragon Spider, Zhao Liuyun named it demon dragon silver pupil.
An eye, of course, should serve the function of vision.
Zhao Liuyun tried closing both normal eyes and looked only through the demon dragon silver pupil.
It gave sight just like a normal eye, only clearer; nothing seemed different.
No—there was a huge difference!
The images weren't transmitted by the optic nerve; they were projected directly into the mind.
Keen granted detail, and Zhao Liuyun could analyze them with his powerful brain.
If later he could apply this image-transmitting ability to ordinary mental detection… a budget version of Huo Yuhao's Spirit Detection?
Sharing wasn't necessary; mental interference could be replaced by Hypnosis or another Spirit Ability.
soul Impact now had the demon dragon silver pupil's Myriad Phenomena Return to Ruin, able to release a spirit blast.
In that case, give or take, it was like receiving the Skysong Iceworm's sacrifice.
"Heh-heh~"
Zhao Liuyun chuckled.
He knew his mental force still lacked penetrating power; only after advancing in rank or obtaining a specific spirit ring could it truly compare.
He felt no greed for the Skysong Iceworm.
A beast not yet a million years old was ultimately a bit lacking.
Besides, without a sealing method, that power couldn't stand against the half-god-king Silver Dragon King—how could he snatch the Skysong Iceworm?
Di Tian's Dragon God Claw wasn't for show either.
As his thoughts spun, Zhao Liuyun focused again on the external Spirit Bone.
The Ghost Eye Demon Dragon Spider used the demon dragon silver pupil to dispel the drowsiness brought by Dream Creation and could also drive out alien mental force—in other words, the illusion-breaking effect ordinary people imagined.
It specifically countered Spirit Masters of the same mental line as Zhao Liuyun himself!
Charm abilities like Xiao Wu's and Hu Liena's were all within its scope.
Shi Nian?
Even less of a threat; a Dream Master only showed true prowess inside a dream, where he was truly in his element and moved with ease.
The only pity was that Mental System Spirit Masters were truly rare in this era.
Most of the time, this bone's illusion-breaking power could only be used during Spirit Hunting.
Dragon might was an inborn bloodline talent; although the demon dragon silver pupil was passive, it could be retracted or released at will.
If he condensed the pressure onto a single point, it could also burst out with considerable deterrent force.
But in Soul Hunting Town he couldn't release it recklessly; he would have to find a secluded place later to hone his control in detail.
Suppressing the urge to test the dragon might right away, Zhao Liuyunturned his gaze to the Panel.
It let him see the growth of body and soul more intuitively.
[spirit ring: 650-year Ghost Eye Demon Dragon Spider (0/10)]
Six hundred fifty years, but its combat strength was at least equal to an ordinary thousand-year Spirit Beast.
[Spirit Bone: 650-year external Spirit Bone demon dragon silver pupil(0/10)]
[spirit power: Level 21 (3940/7400)]
spirit power at twenty-one and a half, from a six-hundred-year beast—an expected level.
[physique: 21]
The Ghost Eye Demon Dragon Spider's ring had raised his physique by another five points.
Recalling the difficulty of the absorption, it might have been slightly over the limit… Zhao Liuyun suddenly realized.
His previous understanding had been mistaken.
A physique of 16 before absorbing the spirit ring probably had real-world meaning.
It meant his physical quality matched the average of a 16th-level Spirit Master.
Take the soul as an example.
After absorbing the Dream Demon's first spirit ring, it rose from 17 to 34—not because his soul strength doubled, but likely because it now equaled the average of a 34th-level Spirit Master.
mental force is a derivative of the soul, existing on the same tier, so naturally it was also 34th-level.
Only a mental force equal to a 34th-level Spirit Elder could, earlier, have effortlessly floored Tian Wenlong, a Spirit Elder weak in spirit... His body's growth delighted him, yet the soul's transformation hadn't lagged behind either.
The Ghost Eye Demon Dragon Spider is famed for its mighty physique, yet it can't change its essence as a Mental-System Spirit Beast.
The spirit ring granted 4 points of soul growth, while the external Spirit Bone demon dragon silver pupil added another 2.
[soul: 44]
Leaping from 38 straight to 44.
Though the increase wasn't as explosive as physique, the two operated on vastly different tiers to begin with.
With a mental force equal to a 44th-level Spirit Elder, a successful Dream Creation should drop a Spirit Ancestor with low spirit resistance straight to their knees.
And that wasn't even counting Potent Burst.
With that added... a Spirit King was hard to say for now.
Absorbing a ten-thousand-year spirit ring subjects one to soul shock; those who succeed must possess considerable mental force.
[Class Skills: True Illusion (Spirit Master Lv1, second Spirit Ability), Myriad Phenomena Return to Ruin (Spirit Master Lv1, external Spirit Bone demon dragon silver pupil)]
The two skills appeared on his Panel under the names he'd chosen in his mind.
True Illusion had unique mechanics—an excellent support skill.
Disguise, shape-shift, even hide himself; use illusions to scramble the enemy's vision and bait misjudgments... For now he couldn't wield it as naturally as an arm, nor alter spirit ring colors like Huo Yuhao's Simulation.
Still, if the Ghost Eye Demon Dragon Spider could devise many uses, Zhao Liuyun believed he could too.
Only when he could shift forms in real time amid ever-changing battle, leaving foes unable to tell truth from fiction, would this Spirit Abilitytruly be mastered.
The harvest was bountiful; time to check how much Meditationexperience had risen.
Zhao Liuyun sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, yet an inexplicable restlessness rippled through him.
Even with Heart Like Still Water calming it, his mind still seemed preoccupied.
He couldn't help recalling the excuse he'd fabricated for Tang San.
"Am I... growing tired too?"
The weariness didn't stem from body or soul, but from within.
He claimed betrayal wasn't worth remembering, yet he wasn't utterly heartless; how could he feel nothing?
Zhao Liuyun abandoned Meditation, flopped onto the bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.
In the dim room, an almost inaudible sigh drifted down with a crystalline tear.
His first spirit ring flared; a flash of violet light later, Zhao Liuyun sank into slumber.
Sleep for a while.
He hadn't truly rested in a long time.
When he woke, everything would have passed.
At dawn the next day, Zhao Liuyun rose early, his spirit fully restored.
He didn't plan to train today either.
In the morning he would help his martial uncle prepare medicine one last time.
At noon he would dine with Zhu Qiaoqiao and Wu Qianming.
Neither wanted to remain Mercenaries; both were returning home to teach at primary Spirit Master Academies.
The three chatted and laughed at the table; though they knew parting meant they might never meet again, they raised cups and drank, entrusting their sorrow to the wine.
Zhao Liuyun didn't drink—too young—and used juice instead.
When the feast ended, the moment to go separate ways arrived at last.
Amid melancholy and sadness mingled sincere blessings.
Zhu Qiaoqiao and Wu Qianming each gave him a hundred gold coins, wishing him smooth sailing and dazzling brilliance ahead.
Zhao Liuyun declined several times before solemnly accepting.
A hundred gold coins wasn't much, yet it carried their heartfelt sincerity.
In the future, the two would surely feel grateful for today's parting gift.
He didn't wait until the third day.
After bidding his martial uncle farewell at the apothecary, Zhao Liuyun, beneath the bright afternoon sun, hoisted a pack stuffed with food and water and boarded the carriage bound for Star Dou Soul Hunting Town.
The bustling Soul Hunting Town would stir no waves over his departure.
All phenomena in the world never halt for one person.
One less Mercenary Group merely added a few sighs to tavern chatter.
And Zhao Liuyun began a new journey.
Destination: Star Dou Soul Hunting Town, bordering the Balak Kingdom!