Zhang Fan was no stranger to the Saint Tu Starfield, as in his previous life, a Venerable's cave dwelling had appeared in the starry expanse surrounding it. After reaching the Hedao stage, he had explored its depths, and one of the Emperor artifacts of True Thunder Immortal Emperor, the True Thunder Emperor Seal, had originated from that very cave dwelling.
Before his demise, True Thunder Immortal Emperor had divided the True Thunder Emperor Seal into eight pieces, scattering them across the vast void. Ziwu True Immortal had obtained one, the lord of the Saint Tu Starfield, Yan Huang Immortal King, had acquired another, and Blackwood Immortal King, the lord of the Blood Nether Starfield, also possessed one. Seven of these seals had already surfaced, with only the last one appearing in that Venerable's cave dwelling. After a fierce competition among various parties, it ultimately fell into Zhang Fan's hands.
Once all eight True Thunder Emperor Seals were gathered, the True Thunder Emperor's Mansion also emerged, and it was within the True Thunder Emperor's Mansion that Zhang Fan formed his fateful connection with Ziwu Immortal King.
Recalling this, Zhang Fan began to calculate. It was still over a hundred years until the appearance of that Venerable's cave dwelling. With this realization, Zhang Fan felt a sense of urgency. He had to elevate his cultivation to the Tianyan realm or even the Wanwu realm before the cave dwelling surfaced. Without such strength, he wouldn't even have the qualification to venture into it.
Zhang Fan's speed was extraordinary. He traversed the cold, desolate expanse of space, covering nearly a hundred light-years in a single breath. His speed was in no way inferior to that of a Hedao Immortal King.
In just a few days, Zhang Fan arrived near the Jiuyā Starfield. He attempted to deduce the location of Luo Xiaoxiao using the Great Dao of Karma, but to his surprise, he found nothing. Their connection seemed to have been severed.
"Even a Hedao Immortal King would struggle to sever a karma line. Where did Xiaoxiao go, and why is she connected to such a powerful being?" Zhang Fan mused with bewilderment. However, he didn't dwell on it. Since deduction was impossible, he could only hope for a fated reunion.
…
On a colossal planet within the Saint Tu Starfield, densely populated with divine herbs and immortal grasses, Qin Luoshui stood in the void. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her aura was elegant and refined. Clad in a white dress that resembled that of an immortal, she wielded her long sword, and a fierce gale whipped around her.
Upon the planet flowed a winding river spanning billions of miles, known as the Luo River. Qin Luoshui's eyes, like autumn waters, gazed into the void. With a soft hum, the Luo River began to swirl around Qin Luoshui like a silken sash, creating a captivating scene.
A young man of distinguished bearing descended from the starry sky, his steps treading on air. He stood at a distance, and upon witnessing this picturesque sight, his heart stirred. "My junior sister has already mastered the Dao of the Sword, and now she has comprehended the Great Dao of Wind and the Water Element Dao to such a degree. I fear that within the Saint Tu Starfield, no one below the Void Returning stage can match her."
Upon hearing the voice, Qin Luoshui ceased her sword practice. Her gaze remained calm, showing no reaction to the young man's praise. "Compared to my senior brother, I am still far too lacking."
The young man shook his head, his gaze towards Qin Luoshui revealing undisguised admiration. "Junior sister has achieved such accomplishments in just a few decades of cultivation. Such talent, even when viewed across the entire Saint Tu Starfield, is a rarity seen once in a million years. You are truly worthy of being the Ethereal Physique that even our master praises so highly."
"Junior sister, there's no need to compare yourself to senior brother. Although I have cultivated to the peak of the Daoyuan realm, just one step away from becoming a Hedao Immortal King, I have been cultivating for a much longer time. When I was your age, I had only just entered the Nascent Soul stage."
"May I ask why Senior Brother has come to visit?" Qin Luoshui inquired, looking at the man.
Hearing this, the young man's expression turned serious. He gazed intently at Qin Luoshui, his eyes deep. "Junior sister can enter the Void Returning stage at any moment, and I am now only one step away from becoming a Hedao Immortal King. Junior sister should know how difficult this step is."
"As long as junior sister agrees to be my Dao companion, to unite with me and help me break through this barrier, I swear to protect junior sister for eternity..."
Before the young man could finish speaking, Qin Luoshui interrupted him. "There is no need to mention this again. I have told you, I already have a Dao companion!"
"But how can he be worthy of you?" The young man had long known of Qin Luoshui's background. She had been brought from a barren starfield by Ziwu Immortal King, and her Dao companion was also a cultivator from that same barren starfield. In the young man's eyes, it was difficult for cultivators from such a desolate land to produce even a Nascent Soul True Immortal, let alone be worthy of Qin Luoshui's unparalleled Ethereal Physique.
"Whether he is worthy or not is not for Senior Brother to decide. I plan to go into seclusion to cultivate. Senior Brother, please leave." Qin Luoshui replied coldly and then turned to leave.
The young man's expression gradually darkened. He watched Qin Luoshui's graceful retreating figure, and a fleeting impulse to use force crossed his mind. However, he ultimately restrained himself.
Not to mention his master, if he dared to act rashly, Ziwu Immortal King himself would likely slap him to death with a single palm.
"One day, I will have you. That brat is merely a cultivator from a barren starfield, perhaps he has already died?" the young man thought to himself.
…
The Saint Tu Starfield was generally located closer to the central star regions. Zhang Fan estimated that with his current speed, he would reach it in about a year. While a year was insignificant to Zhang Fan, who could endure the solitude of travel, his parents and Zhang Luoying, who resided in the Boundless Pagoda, could not.
After all, one year in the outside world equated to thirty years within the Boundless Pagoda. Zhang Luoying, who had only been born fourteen years ago, would find it extremely difficult to endure thirty years of monotonous cultivation in the Boundless Pagoda.
Therefore, every so often, upon arriving at a new starfield, Zhang Fan would take them out to explore, alleviating the tedium of their cultivation.
Furthermore, during this period, people within the Boundless Pagoda frequently broke through their cultivation and needed to emerge to undergo tribulations. In one year, his parents, benefiting from the profound nature of the Daoyuan, had both reached the peak of the Nine Tribulations realm, just one step away from entering the Nascent Soul realm.
Considering that one year outside was equivalent to thirty years inside the Boundless Pagoda, this speed was not astonishing.
Zhang Luoying had also long since condensed her Nascent Soul. Her cultivation talent was even higher, and with the aid of the Daoyuan, she had now reached the Nascent Soul stage of the Nine Tribulations realm, almost catching up to her parents. After thirty years, she had grown from a young girl into a young woman.
"Brother, how much longer until we reach the Saint Tu Starfield? Sister Luoshui hasn't met me yet. Do you think she might not like me?" Zhang Luoying's heart was filled with anticipation. She longed to see what her future sister-in-law looked like, yet she also worried that Qin Luoshui might not favor her.
"No, Luoying is so good, Luoshui will definitely like you very much. I believe she will also be very happy when she learns that I have a sister," Zhang Fan said, looking at Zhang Luoying with doting affection. Although she had grown into a young woman, she spent most of her time cultivating within the Boundless Pagoda, and her mind was still relatively pure.
Before returning to the Wushan Starfield, even Zhang Fan himself had never imagined that he would have a sister in this lifetime. For him, it was indeed a pleasant surprise.