The Poisoned Path

"Poison? You knew it was poison, and you still gave it to that little girl?" Xiaoyue shouted.

"One man's nectar is another man's poison. For Feishuang, it was a heaven-sent opportunity. But for me, it was a fatal curse."

"The moment I severed Bingyi’s arm, I sensed that something was off. That’s why I asked Senior Kunding to investigate, using Bingyi’s life-bound divine sigil as a medium," Long Chen explained.

"So you had already noticed it back then?" Kunding looked at him in surprise.

Long Chen nodded. "In fact, when I fought Aogu, I already had a faint feeling that something was wrong with his star power.

"But I couldn’t pinpoint what it was. It wasn’t until I clashed with Bingyi that I started to piece it together."

Kunding sighed in admiration. "I must admit, your human race’s keen perception is truly astonishing."

"Hey, hey, hey! What are you two mumbling about? Stop speaking in riddles! What exactly was wrong?" Xiaoyue grew impatient. Listening to them talk, he felt like a complete fool.

Long Chen explained, "During my battle with Aogu, his star power contained a faint divine fluctuation."

"Divine fluctuation? When did the Nine Star lineage become a divine inheritance?" Xiaoyue was stunned.

"That’s exactly the issue. The Nine Star lineage has never been a divine inheritance. So why would there be divine power in it?

"And with Bingyi, that fluctuation was even more pronounced. That’s why I sought confirmation."

Long Chen then recounted everything he had seen and heard in the temple. Even though his soul was connected to Xiaoyue, they never intruded into each other’s memories. It was a sign of mutual respect and trust.

"Senior, I’ve uncovered this much on my own. Since I bear the consequences of my actions, you won’t keep things from me any longer, will you?" Long Chen probed.

Kunding had protected him inside the divine temple. Yet, Long Chen could tell that Kunding had already known everything. The old relic had too many secrets—secrets it couldn't simply reveal.

"Old Ding, that’s not cool. You knew all along, so why didn’t you just tell us earlier?" Xiaoyue huffed.

Kunding scoffed. "Do you think I’m as brainless as you? My guidance would involve immense karma. If I made one wrong move, I might lead Long Chen to disaster."

"Brainless?!" Xiaoyue flared up, ready to spit out a retort. But Long Chen quickly stepped in to calm him down.

The truth was, Xiaoyue wasn’t brainless—he just didn’t like thinking. It was a hassle. In his world, every problem had one solution: a swing of his blade. And if that didn’t work? Swing again. Besides, he trusted Long Chen completely. Why bother thinking when Long Chen would figure it all out?

After a moment of silence, Kunding finally spoke. "That temple is called the Star Immortal Hall, the very place where the Star Lord sought enlightenment.

"Inside, the Star Lord’s insights into the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art remain imprinted. It is a sacred land for Nine Star disciples.

"The statues within the hall are all supreme experts who once followed the Star Lord—legends of their era. Yet, they perished in the Chaos War."

Long Chen’s heart trembled. No wonder the statues emanated such terrifying auras. They were the Star Lord’s own followers!

Kunding continued, "That man seated upon the astral throne—his name is Xiao Yin. He is the so-called Son of the Star Lord."

"The Star Lord’s surname was Xiao?" Xiaoyue asked.

"No one knows the Star Lord’s true name—just like the Pill Emperor. Xiao Yin was only his adopted son," Kunding corrected.

"The Star Lord didn’t have a child with the Pill Emperor?" Xiaoyue suddenly grew gossipy.

Kunding ignored him and pressed on. "Xiao Yin should have perished in battle long ago. Yet somehow, he appeared within that temple.

"Judging from his state, he seems to be recovering. And those divine statues might be the key to his resurrection.

"That’s all I know. I’ve told you everything."

Long Chen fell deep into thought. So this so-called Son of the Star Lord was merely his adopted child. A man who should have died was somehow resurrected in the temple. Bingyi had worshipped him fervently, receiving a sliver of Xiao Yin’s divine power, and in doing so, she had ascended to an entirely new level.

With a wave of his hand, Long Chen retrieved a small bottle. A soul flickered within it, wrapped in flames—Bingyi’s soul.

At this moment, Bingyi was completely unrecognizable. Her form was twisted like a wraith, and the moment she saw Long Chen, she lunged at him. But she had no strength left. The flames seared her the moment she moved, causing her to wail in agony.

"You’ve burned for this long, yet your resentment still remains. Looks like I need to turn up the heat." Long Chen’s voice was cold as the flames roared higher, making Bingyi convulse in sheer torment.

"Long Chen! You bastard! You’ll die a miserable death! I curse you!" Bingyi shrieked through the pain.

With another flick of his wrist, Long Chen sealed her soul back into the bottle. It seemed breaking her would not be easy. But he had to be careful—not too much force, or he might accidentally erase her soul entirely.

"Senior, let’s analyze this. Xiao Yin’s divine aura is strong—it’s clear he’s taken the path of a divine cultivator. Those statues seem trapped, turned into some kind of vessel.

"Do you think Xiao Yin, after reviving, changed the Nine Star lineage’s path from immortal cultivation to divine cultivation?

"Did he turn all Nine Star disciples into his believers, stacking them like bricks, with himself sitting at the peak?" Long Chen asked.

"Judging by the current situation, that’s possible. But this goes against the Star Lord’s tradition. Such an act is outright rebellion.

"As the Star Lord’s son, Xiao Yin shouldn’t have done this…" Kunding trailed off. Because in this world, things rarely followed logic.

"The so-called heir of the Nine Star lineage chose the divine path. He divided the disciples into four castes—Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow—establishing ranks and superiority.

"He showed no kindness to his former allies. Instead, he slaughtered them without hesitation. And yet, he claims to be the true successor of the Nine Star lineage?"

Long Chen sneered. He thought of the tragedies inflicted upon the Shadow Demon Bats and the Primordial Demon Race. What other atrocities had the Nine Star faction committed—atrocities he had yet to uncover?

"Long Chen, this matter is far more complicated than it seems. You’ll need to unravel it piece by piece.

"Xiao Yin was the strongest under the Star Lord. Even Da Fantian and Luo Tianye had to avoid clashing with him.

"He inherited the Star Lord’s mantle. If you want to forge divine runes, you may have to swallow your pride," Kunding warned.

It was true. Xiao Yin’s cultivation was legitimate, no matter what kind of person he was. Even if Long Chen refused to absorb his teachings, he could still study and adapt them. Otherwise, forming his life-bound sigil would be an endless struggle.

"The Nine Star lineage is unique. Without inherited sigils, forming a life-bound divine rune is impossible," Kunding added.

Long Chen gritted his teeth. "Fine. Then I’ll unlock the Eight Gates first!"

Final Thoughts:

As the mystery surrounding the Nine Star lineage deepens, Long Chen finds himself at a critical crossroads. The revelation about Xiao Yin and the shift from immortal cultivation to divine cultivation raises unsettling questions—was this an evolution, or a betrayal of the original path? With the weight of countless lives and a legacy at stake, Long Chen has no choice but to carve his own way forward. The road ahead is uncertain, but one thing is clear—he can no longer afford to hesitate.