I cultivate the Chaos Technique

Chapter 161 Harvesting Starshine Grass

Finally, the day to harvest the Starshine Grass arrived. The old man led Zhang Yifan and the little girl towards Starshine Cliff. Along the way, Zhang Yifan was filled with trepidation, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness. He knew this harvest concerned the lives of his loved ones; the Starshine Grass was their lifeline, so close yet fraught with peril, allowing no room for error. Approaching Starshine Cliff, he gazed into the distance and saw the cliff still towering into the clouds, the starlight on its face twinkling as ever, as if beckoning him. Those twinkling stars, like the expectant gaze of his loved ones, brought tears to his eyes, and his steps quickened.

Upon reaching the cliff top, a gentle breeze carried a slight coolness, yet it couldn't dispel the heat in Zhang Yifan's heart. The old man, his expression solemn, took out a specially crafted jade box from his robes, followed by a dagger emitting a soft blue light. He earnestly said to Zhang Yifan, "Young friend, this jade box will preserve the spirit of the Starry Grass. This dagger is forged from meteorite iron and can easily sever the roots of the Starry Grass. Watch carefully." With that, the old man cautiously approached the Starry Grass, each step extremely light, as if afraid of disturbing this thousand-year-old slumbering spirit. He chanted incantations, his voice low and mysterious, as if communicating with heaven and earth, requesting the Starry Grass's permission. With a gentle flick of the dagger, a flash of blue light appeared, and the Starry Grass was completely severed, falling into the jade box. The old man swiftly closed the jade box, his movements fluid and without hesitation, clearly familiar with the process.

However, in that instant, a sudden change occurred. A dark shadow flashed by like a ghost, moving with the speed of a sudden gust of wind. Zhang Yifan only saw a blur before his eyes, and the jade box, which he hadn't even reached, was snatched away by the shadow with lightning speed. Zhang Yifan was shocked, his eyes widening, and a surge of fear and anger instantly welled up in his heart. He looked closely and saw that the shadow was none other than Xingchenzi, the one he had fought fiercely with earlier. At this moment, Xingchenzi was dressed in a black robe, his face cold and stern, his eyes filled with madness and greed, tightly clutching the jade box containing the Star Radiance Grass in his hand, as if he held the most precious treasure in the world.

"You wicked disciple, how dare you show your face!" The Star Elder roared, his voice booming like a bell, echoing throughout the valley. This roar was filled with boundless rage and heartache, as if years of pent-up emotions had finally erupted. The power contained in that sound was like a tangible shockwave, spreading outwards. Star Child, who had already fled far away, was shaken by this roar, his body trembling, his spiritual energy instantly becoming chaotic, and a mouthful of blood gushed out uncontrollably. In that instant of spitting blood, the Star Elder's figure flashed, instantly teleporting Zhang Yifan to Star Child's side. This teleportation technique seemed to transcend the barriers of space; one moment they were far away, the next they were right in front of him, without the slightest hesitation.

Xingchenzi was terrified. Seeing the Old Man Xingchen teleport right in front of him, he was completely stunned. He knew that only a powerful being at the Integration Realm could skillfully utilize the power of laws to perform such a miraculous teleportation technique. Although he was usually arrogant and conceited, he couldn't help but feel fear in the face of such absolute power. He thought to himself, "When did this old man become so powerful? All my crimes over the years, if I were to fall here today, everything would be over."

"You wicked disciple, hand over the item now!" The Star Elder's voice rang out again, icy and devoid of any warmth. Each word struck Xingchenzi's heart like a heavy hammer. Xingchenzi hesitated, his grip on the jade box tightening, his eyes flashing with struggle. He coveted the powerful spiritual energy of the Star Radiance Grass, hoping to use it to enhance his cultivation and dominate the region. Now, to be asked to hand it over so easily was truly unacceptable.

Zhang Yifan was frantic with worry. Looking at the jade box in Xingchenzi's hand, the very box containing his loved ones' lifeline, how could he not be anxious? He took a step forward, glaring angrily, "Xingchenzi, if you dare take the Star Radiance Grass today, I will fight you to the death!" With that, he clenched his fists, his spiritual power surging wildly within him, preparing for a desperate battle. Although he knew the disparity in strength between himself and Xingchenzi was immense, for the sake of his loved ones, he was fearless.

Seeing this, the Old Man of Stars slightly raised his hand, signaling Zhang Yifan not to act impulsively. His gaze was piercing as he stared intently at Xingchenzi, and he slowly said, “Disciple, you have followed me in cultivation since childhood. I have treated you as my own son, teaching you techniques and bestowing upon you supernatural powers, hoping you would achieve something on the path of cultivation and contribute to the righteous path. But now you are controlled by your inner demons, greedy for power and treasures, repeatedly making mistakes. If you do not repent today, even your master cannot save you.” His words contained both heart-wrenching rebuke and a trace of pity and regret.

Upon hearing this, Xingchenzi's face flashed with a hint of emotion, but it was quickly masked by greed. He sneered, "Old man, stop pretending. I'm determined to get this Star Radiance Grass today. With it, I can break through my bottleneck and become a hegemon in this cultivation world. No one can stop me!" With that, he moved, attempting to escape once again.

How could the Old Man of Stars let him succeed? He swiftly formed hand seals and chanted incantations, causing mysterious runes to appear in the air, instantly creating a massive spiritual energy cage that trapped Xingchenzi within. Xingchenzi struggled desperately, unleashing various magical treasures to strike the cage, but the cage remained as solid as a rock, unmoved.

"Disciple, stop struggling in vain." The Old Man of Stars sighed softly, his eyes filled with helplessness. He knew that Xingchenzi was deeply trapped in his inner demons and could not extricate himself, but he still did not want to give up this last chance to save him.

Zhang Yifan watched from the sidelines, secretly admiring the Star Elder's methods. He knew that if it weren't for the Star Elder's intervention, the Starry Grass would likely have fallen into Star Child's hands today, and all his efforts would have been in vain. He waited anxiously, hoping that the Star Elder could retrieve the jade box as soon as possible.

Confined in his cage, Xingchenzi continued to roar madly, desperately trying to break free. But as time passed, his spiritual power gradually dwindled, and his movements became sluggish. A sense of despair crept into his heart; he knew that he could not escape his fate today.

"Old man, are you really going to force me to this point?" Xingchenzi roared.

The old man with the starry sky looked at him firmly: "Disciple, as long as you hand over the Starry Grass and repent, I can forgive and forget your past mistakes."

Xingchenzi remained silent for a moment, and finally, under the pressure of reality, he slowly reached out and handed the jade box out of the cage: "So be it, so be it, I've fallen into your hands today." His voice was filled with endless resentment and desolation.

The Old Man of Stars took the jade box, waved it gently, and the cage vanished. He handed the jade box to Zhang Yifan: "Young friend, the Star Radiance Grass is in hand. Now it's up to you."

With trembling hands, Zhang Yifan accepted the jade box. Opening it, he saw the Starry Grass inside, unharmed, still radiating its ethereal blue light. Each leaf seemed to carry his hopes. He knelt before the old man with a thud, kowtowing three times: "Senior's great kindness, Zhang Yifan will forever remember it and repay it tenfold in the future!" Tears welled in his eyes and streamed down his face.

The old man smiled and helped him up: "Young friend, please get up quickly. Just remember what I said today and follow the righteous path. Go, saving your loved ones is the most important thing."

After bowing in gratitude once more, Zhang Yifan, clutching the Star-Radiant Grass, embarked on his journey home. He knew he was one step closer to refining the Seven Treasures Rejuvenating Pill, and the life of his loved ones was within reach. Along the way, he secretly vowed to follow the old man's teachings, uphold righteousness on the path of cultivation, and not be misled by external things.

On his way down the mountain, Zhang Yifan was filled with mixed emotions, a mixture of joy at the prospect of rescuing his loved ones and sorrow at Xingchenzi's downfall. He gazed into the distance, silently praying that his path of cultivation would be smooth and that he would not repeat Xingchenzi's mistakes. A little girl skipped along beside him, offering words of comfort that warmed his heart.

Back at the old man's thatched hut, Zhang Yifan rested briefly before preparing to take his leave. The old man, sensing his thoughts, took out a storage bag and handed it to him: "Young friend, there are some pills and magical treasures inside. They might be helpful for your pill refining and future cultivation. Please accept them."

Unable to refuse, Zhang Yifan had no choice but to accept it, and was once again moved to tears: "Senior, I really don't know how to repay your great kindness."

The old man waved his hand: "Go, child, remember, on the path of cultivation, cultivating the mind is paramount."

Zhang Yifan left the thatched hut, deeply moved.