Maiden Galaxy

Chapter 87: The Mind Was Like A Furnace, Ten Thousand Thoughts Turned To Ash

Star Generals would only manifest an Innate Skill upon reaching Earthly Star Heart Furnace Realm. Innate Skills like these were all born particular to the Star Name's characteristics. Some Star Generals could even have a chance to give rise to multiple Innate Skills, but not every Star Name would inherit the same kind of Innate Skill. All of them had some differences. In the Book Of Casting, Chen Mo learned that Star Generals had many mysteries. As for the Star General Innate Skill that was the strongest for a Servant Star, that was rumored to be Battle Doctrine. 

It could allow inheritance of a Star General's martial arts and could make the student superior to the master.

Legend said that the Purple Rose Star Emperor from back then had this Innate Skill.¹

The Trampling Innate Skill was far from reaching the same level of Battle Doctrine. It merely gave a Star General's attacks an invasive qualities and savage injury potential, and it could expand a warrior's attack power and range. If combined with Northern Dipper, his power would simply by overwhelmingly frightening.

"Brother Chen Mo, you're awake." A woman's delicate voice interrupted his thoughts. Ning Xiaoyuan gracefully entered from outside the room.

"This is?" Chen Mo looked around.

"This is a room in a hotel in Changluo's commercial district." Ning Xiaoyuan explained. As the business center of Changluo, the commercial district was specially constructed for merchants from all over the country. Firstly, they could conduct deals, and secondly, they could safely make contact. "Yesterday, Brother Chen Mo's whole body suddenly heated up, and you fainted. Xiaoyuan called Big Brother Guo to send Brother Chen Mo here."

"I was out for a day." Chen Mo helplessly smiled. He realized this ought to have been the effect of the contract. When an Earthly Star reached Heart Furnace Realm, the mind was like a furnace, ten thousand thoughts turned to ash. Then, the Innate Skill would manifest, and due to their contract, he would also need to inherit the Innate Skill. Thus, he sensed this clear change.

Chen Mo moved his muscles. After he determined again and again that there were no major issues, he gave his thanks and left. Right now, there were only less than three days until Changluo's metropolitan examination. Ning Xiaoyuan was sorry she had disturbed Chen Mo.

Changluo, a restaurant's private booth.

Chen Qing to build some qi. A wisp of True Qi flowed through his meridians from his dantian, gathering at his head, forming the shape of a flowerbud. It slowly grew. After several days of cycling like this, the Qi Flower vaguely budded, reaching Qi Flower Realm Middle Stage.

"Young Master Chen Qing truly is hardworking. You don't forget to cultivate even at a little meeting in a restaurant."

A clear voice laughed.

"Brother Zhao Yan, I was waiting awhile." Chen Qing opened his eyes and retracted his aura.

Zhao Yan who entered the door showed a forthright smile, sitting down as he laughed.

"Your progress is very fast. Young Master Chen Qing has some talent. That pill was great help to Young Master." Zhao Yan carefully examined Chen Qing, indifferently narrowed his eyes.

"Your Servant shall remember the prince's favor. Now that the metropolitan examination is here, Brother Zhao Yan has presumably heard about Chen MO. YOur Servant fears shaming the prince's faith for lack of effort."

"Chen Mo!" Zhao Yan's smile became increasingly amused. He helped himself to a cup of tea on the table, pouring himself a full cup. Drinking a mouthful, he did not swallow, merely moistening his throat. He spat at a flower lantern faraway. The tea was like a sword, instantly splitting that copper-base flower latten to pieces. Chen Qing's expression stared. At this moment, Zhao Yan's giddy laugh was replaced by a fierce viciousness.

"This boy truly is beyond our expectations. He surprisingly has the capability to defeat Zongzheng Ying. The prince did not foresee this."

"Several months ago, he was clearly still a cripple unable to cultivate qi and blood. I honestly cannot understand how he could possibly advance this quickly. Even Princess Yanyu is not as abnormal as he is." Chen Qing was unable to conceal his envy.

"If it isn't Chang'an Mansion using some trick, then he perhaps truly obtained some lucky encounter." Zhao Yan paused. Suddenly, his brow knit into a line.

"Brother Zhao Yan, did you think of something?"

"Several months ago, a Heavenly Star intruded into the tomb of Chen Zhangtian's concubine at the imperial mausoleum, taking something from there…" Zhao Yan's heart was suddenly a bit terrified: "Don't tell me."

Chen Qing forced a smile: "Brother Zhao Yan's fears are groundless. I heard that Heavenly Star was Chen Qingzhi, the ‘Magnificent Army Avoids the White Robe' Chen Qingzhi. They say that she once single-handedly killed her way into the Central Star Field, forcing back its million strong army, that a thousand Star Generals proved to be no match for her, so she received the moniker ‘Magnificent Army Avoids The White Robe.' She is considered but one of the rare Star Generals that appear every few dozen years in Star World who are capable of shaking the Three Star Fields. How can she possibly be related to Chen Mo."

"I wish I was being overthinking." Zhao Yan nodded in agreement.

"What is the prince's next step? If we don't get rid of Chen Mo, I feel no one in this metropolitan examination will be his match." Chen Qing asked.

"Relax, the prince already has orders." Zhao Yan chuckled, pouring himself a full cup again and drinking it.

Chen Qing's eyes glinted, and he asked in pleasant surprise: "What is the prince planning?"

"We need only to make Chen Mo lose qualifications before the metropolitan examination. I need you to find an excuse to draw Chen Mo to a certain place. That place will have the prince's people waiting for him."

"We mustn't make a mistake this time. Last time, the Tang Sect blundered." Chen Qing nervously said.

Zhao Yan laughed: "Relax. This time's Elder Wen is one of the high officials under the prince. He possesses Greater Thunder Tribulation First Layer cultivation. He has secretly gone to Changluo just for the purpose of rooting out this pest."

"Greater Thunder Tribulation First Layer?

Human Star Cultivators' Greater and Lesser Thunder Tribulations were split into the Six Lesser Thunder Tribulations and the Three Greater Thunder Tribulations. Each layer was extremely difficult to surmount, and after reaching Greater Thunder Tribulation, the difficulty was harsher by a hundredfold, using thunder from the heavens to remold oneself completely, concealing unimaginable magic energy in the body's millions of cells. Against a mere Three Flowers Overhead warrior, it would be as simple as pinching an ant to death. Of course, that Elder Wen could not possibly overtly enter Changluo and kill Chen Mo. Otherwise, Chang'an Mansion's fury would descend.

Bothe the prince and Elder Wen would both die, and Chen Qing's family would be purged.

So the mission Zhao Yan gave Chen Qing was just to somehow innocuously lure Chen Mo over without letting anyone be suspicious.

"Then I shall be a bit brotherly to this cousin of mine." Chen Qing gave a refreshed smile towards this simple mission.

After everything was arranged, the two of them left the restaurant. Having learned that a First Layer Greater Thunder Tribulation was coming to handle Chen Mo, Chen Qing's heart was very relaxed, his pace upbeat.

But no one noticed in an isolated corner of the restaurant's lobby was a person shrouded in a gray cloak, who leisurely drank the "White Horse Fragrant Flower" that Changluo was abundant in. A jade hand as sparkling and limpid as frost and snow extended. The hand took hold of the cup, and in an instant, the wine inside the cup was suddenly as cold as ice.

Early in the morning.

Chen Qing paid a visit to Chen Mo at the ancestral residence, bringing with him a sincere expression. At this moment, Chen Mo had just requested the Changluo Family's recent accounting and expense books. He was in the middle of inspecting each and every one of Chen Huhao's expenses over the past few years, and he noticed that these account books somehow had an extra several million, the source of which was unclear.

Hearing Chen Qing pay a visit, Chen Mo wanted to clarify this.

"Brother Chen Mo, after I heard you requested for our account books, I rushed over immediately. Because of significant losses the past few years in Changluo's business, several bandit gangs appeared at Four Ladies Mountain. They've exhausted Father, and he did not want to shock Brother Mo." Chen Qing had already thought up of an excuse.

These reasons were not suspicious, and they were watertight. Chen Mo could only be skeptical.

"Brother Mo, don't mind this. The metropolitan examination is in a few days. I want to invite Brother Mo to worship our ancestors together. I wonder if Brother Mo will be willing."

Worshipping the family ancestors was a Chen Family custom. Since Chen Mo had entered and resided in the ancestral residence, he could not find a reason to refuse.

"When?"

"Early tomorrow morning."

"Fine then. I'll go first tomorrow. As for the Four Ladies Mountain bandits you mentioned, I will also investigate this." Chen Mo said.

"I shall aid you with all my power." Chen Qing honestly replied.

Leaving the ancestral residence, Chen Qing's sincerity immediately turned malevolent. Just wait until tomorrow when the Thunder Tribulation cultivator kills, then I'll see just what you can investigate. In the end, this Changluo no longer belongs to your Chen Family.

Thinking this, Chen Qing's body relaxed, and he freely departed.

1. As if it wasn't clear enough that the Purple Rose Star Emperor = Su Xing. ↩