Chapter 157: Two Leaves and a Stone Bench

Xu Qian understood people who preferred face-to-face meetings.

Some powerful individuals truly disliked contact methods like phones.

Yun Qing’s culinary skills were indeed excellent, comparable to those of some master chefs.

After the meal, Jiang Changkong left alone. He let them handle the Star Stones first; by the time he returned, they would be processed.

Although sixth-tier Star Stones were precious, Yun Qing and the others were not inexperienced people who would covet a few of his stones.

Traveling at full speed, he arrived once more at the Taiyin Cold Pool.

Without rushing in, he heightened his senses, carefully scanning the surroundings to confirm there were no Star Demons or Martial Artists nearby before descending.

Leaping into the cold pool, Moonforce permeated the water as he swiftly dove deeper.

Arriving again before the ice pillar below, Jiang Changkong’s gaze grew more solemn.

It was here that he had seen the silvery-white figure last time. The Star Demon must be beneath this spot.

Converting Blazing Sun Star Power into Taiyin Star Power, Jiang Changkong continued his descent.

The Lunar Cold Energy below grew denser. Jiang Changkong observed the stones on either side—they could already be considered fourth-tier materials.

As he descended further, Jiang Changkong paused, sensing something watching him from all directions.

The source of this scrutiny came from his surroundings.

Jiang Changkong glanced at the ice pillar beside him, densely covered with silvery insects the size of toothpicks.

Boom!

The water surged violently as Lunar Cold Energy erupted. The swarm of silvery insects stirred the pool water, swarming toward him.

A black-and-white Taiji Diagram appeared, shielding his entire body.

As the silvery insects approached the Taiji Diagram, they were instantly shattered by the Taiji energy, but below, a massive swarm of silvery insects remained.

Together, these insects resembled a silver dragon.

Was the silvery-white figure he had seen earlier actually these insects?

Jiang Changkong speculated inwardly while rotating the Taiji Diagram to annihilate the insect swarm.

These insects were enough to threaten ordinary Star Vault Martial Artists.

Combined with the Taiyin Star Power in this place, even mid-stage Star Vault Martial Artists would fall here.

Crushing his way downward, Jiang Changkong stopped after a few minutes.

Below, it could no longer be described as water—it was entirely silvery-white liquid, and the bottom was also vast.

It resembled a lake, filled entirely with silvery-white Taiyin Star Power.

“Such dense Taiyin Star Power… Could it truly be a Star Stele?”

Jiang Changkong pondered for a moment, then steeled himself before submerging into the Lunar Lake.

As Moonforce enveloped him, it felt like returning home.

Everything was silvery-white, obscuring his vision. Even with his strength, he could only see about a meter ahead.

“Hmm?”

Jiang Changkong frowned as a sense of danger washed over him. The black-and-white Taiji Diagram protected his body.

Boom!

The Lunar Lake trembled. Jiang Changkong saw a sharp claw strike the Taiji Diagram.

The terrifying force, though it didn’t break the Taiji Diagram, sent him tumbling backward.

“A Star Demon wielding Taiyin Star Power?”

Jiang Changkong’s expression turned grave. The creature had lived here for who knew how long and certainly understood this place better than he did.

Moreover, that earlier strike was at least at the peak of early-stage Star Spirit, possibly even mid-stage Star Spirit.

With a single thought, the Taiji Diagram expanded, pushing back the surrounding Moonforce.

Boom!

The Lunar Lake trembled again, but this time, the disturbance came from all directions.

Danger approached—more than one Star Demon!

Spirit Control Art, Taiji Diagram, Heaven and Earth Shift!

In an instant, Jiang Changkong retained only a trace of Taiyin Star Power, converting the rest into Taiji Star Power and Spirit Control Art Star Power.

Boom!

Clang! Clang!

Several Taiyin Star Demons appeared, their sharp claws descending only to be forcibly redirected, colliding with one another.

A crisp cracking sound echoed as two sharp claws snapped off, yet Jiang Changkong remained as steady as a mountain this time.

“Fortunately, it’s only at the peak of the early Star Spirit stage.”

Jiang Changkong breathed a sigh of relief. One Star Demon was at the peak of the early Star Spirit stage, while the rest were at the Star Hidden Level.

With such strength combined with the Lunar Lake, it was no wonder this place was called the terrifying cold pool.

A sense of danger surged again. Jiang Changkong took a step forward, and the Taiyin waters surged, enhancing his speed.

Moonlight Flow!

A martial art derived from half a Star Stele.

Having dodged the Star Demon’s attack, Jiang Changkong continued his descent.

Moonlight Flow was exceptionally fast here. In just a breath’s time, Jiang Changkong had already reached the lakebed.

Clang!

An inexplicable sword hum resounded throughout the Taiyin Lake, exploding in Jiang Changkong’s ears.

An overwhelming sense of danger struck, sending shivers down his spine.

Moonlight Flow, Moon Shadow!

Stepping with Taiyin strides, he pointed his fingers like a sword, and a sword light flashed.

Like a crescent moon, it passed by in an instant.

Boom!

The Taiyin Lake churned violently as a crescent moon flew forth, landing on the Taiji Diagram.

Crack!

In an instant, the Taiji Diagram shattered. The crescent moon sword energy pierced through his body, and Moonforce swiftly swept through his internal organs.

Golden blood dripped. Even his indestructible body was now as fragile as paper.

“What on earth could it be? Could it be a fragment of the Lunar Sword?”

Jiang Changkong hurriedly took out the tip of the Lunar Sword.

As soon as the Lunar Sword tip was retrieved, it actively absorbed the Taiyin sword energy within his body.

Rumble!

The Taiyin Lake erupted into turmoil. Waves of vast Taiyin water madly poured into the sword tip.

The sword tip also emitted a chilling aura, followed by a sword intent capable of annihilating everything.

Just like when he first encountered the sword tip, only now it was even more terrifying.

Hum!

The Taiyin water ahead rippled, parting automatically to reveal the scene before him.

Below the ground ahead lay silver-white ice blocks, engraved with mysterious patterns.

Traces of sword energy lingered on these patterns—the sword energy from earlier had been emitted by them!

At the center of the patterns was a stone resembling a stool, on which two silver-white leaves rested, emitting an intensely terrifying Lunar Cold Energy.

Holding the sword tip, Jiang Changkong cautiously approached. The patterns did not attack him again.

The two leaves floated up on their own and landed on the sword tip.

Picking up the two leaves, he noticed a small circular hole in their stems.

The cold energy within the leaves was potent enough to threaten him.

Were these leaves somehow connected to the sword tip?

“This stone stool should be enough for me to forge a weapon.”

Jiang Changkong then lifted the stone stool. Its pure and terrifying Taiyin Star Power—could it be considered Moon Stone?

Having collected these items, there was nothing else nearby, and the sword tip ceased absorbing Taiyin water.

Holding the sword tip, Jiang Changkong intended to explore other areas, but as soon as he moved away from the patterns, the Star Demons returned.

The sword tip continued to part the surrounding Taiyin water. Jiang Changkong activated Moonlight Flow, swiftly evading the attacks, and prepared to investigate elsewhere.

Clang!

The earth-shattering sword energy reappeared. Jiang Changkong’s expression changed, and he fled in panic.

Thud!

He was still a step too slow, but fortunately, he avoided vital points. The crescent moon sword energy pierced directly through his calf.

The sword tip absorbed the Moonforce within his body, and his internal Mystical Tai Chi Art rapidly healed his injuries.

Not daring to linger, Jiang Changkong rushed straight up the lake and entered the cold pool.

Below, the Taiyin water churned violently as silver-white Star Demons emerged, stepping out from the lake.

Jiang Changkong’s injuries were not severe, but he dared not engage recklessly in such a place.

The Lunar Lake, with its eerie patterns, was truly terrifying. Even a slight approach would trigger Lunar Sword energy.

He charged toward the cold pool at full speed. The Star Demons couldn’t catch up, and after he rushed out of the pool, they all retreated.

“Though I’m a bit injured, at least I have a weapon now.” Jiang Changkong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left.

He didn’t rush back to the research outpost but instead found a place to heal his wounds.

The injuries on his body would likely be hard to hide from Xu Qian and the others.

Without Moonforce, these injuries were just ordinary wounds. With his current recovery speed, one day should be enough.

Moreover, he still needed to check online to see if there was any information about this leaf.