Heavenly Star

“Big bro, there’s someone there.” Ning Xue extended a hand to point at the approaching figure with a look of shock.

“I can see them.” Ye Wuchen’s gaze fixed on the person as he spoke. “Xue, do you remember the place we met?”

“I do, I do.” The north of the Tian Long continent, a forgotten and sealed away corner. It was the place she had first met Ye Wuchen, so how could she forget?

“It was once a place that was sealed away tightly, so much that even Grandfather Chu Cangming couldn’t get out. This place isn’t much different from there. Before us is another sealed area. The person inside shouldn’t be able to leave like we couldn’t in the past. That’s why we’ve been here so long and haven’t seen any outsiders,” Ye Wuchen explained slowly.

Ning Xue seemed to half understand, but nodded along anyways.

The person came before them quickly, standing not far from them. He watched them with a look of shock. It was a young man with a long wooden bow and arrows strapped to his back. He seemed a few years older than Ye Wuchen. His hair was messy, but his eyes were intense and spirited, with a steady aura. The clothes he wore were obviously made from animal skin, while the shoes on his feet were odd wooden chunks.

His gaze swam between Ye Wuchen and Ning Xue as he waved his hand and opened his mouth. But no sound came through; this barrier blocked everything off, including sound.

From the young man’s gestures, Ye Wuchen could only see surprise, but not unfriendlier emotions like caution or exclusion. His handwaving seemed to be telling them not to walk any further. Meeting someone in an extraordinary place like this was almost destiny. The fact that this man was so caring for someone he had just met made Ye Wuchen much more trusting of him. “Xue, let’s cross over,” he said with a slight smile.

Seeing them start to walk, the man became more anxious, waving his hands and opening his mouth more urgently. But other than that he could do nothing as he watched them walk into the energy barrier separating the two worlds.

The young man seemed to already sense Ye Wuchen’s weakness. He walked up and helped Ning Xue support him, speaking in a chastisting tone, “Why’d you still come over, huh? What’s wrong with your body, kid?” He didn’t ask Ye Wuchen and Ning Xue how they got here, but instead started inquiring after Ye Wuchen’s physical condition. The moment his hand closed around Ye Wuchen’s arm, he seemed very surprised.

“Is this place off-limits?” Ye Wuchen smiled at him with gratitude as he countered his question with another question.

The man shook his head. “It’s a long story. Whatever, in your current condition maybe it’s not a bad thing that you came over to this side. You seem to be seriously hurt, let me take a look at you.”

With that, he used one hand to support Ye Wuchen while his other hand pressed against his chest. A hot stream of energy entered his body, streaming through his vital organs. He withdrew his hand quickly, a look of surprise on his face.

What an intense energy! Ye Wuchen remained expressionless, but he was shocked. That single moment of energy release just now had shown him that this twenty-something man...was just as strong as Southern Emperor Sect’s Shui Mengchan!

That someone so young had an almost godlike level of power on the Heavenly Star continent...how could he not be shocked?

“Kid, your body...” The man was looking at him with a look of shock as well. After a moment of hesitation he sighed, “You seem to be someone who has endured great crisis. You survived, but all the energy in your body is burned up, with only enough vital energies to keep you alive. There is no possibility for progress. Even if you live a life of exile...” He shook his head, his expression full of pity. This was his first time seeing this condition. There was no greater tragedy than burning up all of one’s energies. Usually it was impossible for one to get to this state of burnout. He believed that this man must have used some special technique that used up every ounce of his strength, including the source of his power and all of his vital energies.

Ning Xue’s body began to shiver, her small hand clenching tighter around Ye Wuchen. In her heartbreak, her tears began to fall silently to the grass below. She had been ecstatic with Ye Wuchen’s recovery, day after day. But since he had stood up, his condition hadn’t gotten any better. It had been so long that she had already guessed at the truth. But each time she would only tell herself that she was just imagining things.

What this young man said had ripped apart a wound in her heart that she had kept buried, unwilling to think about, unwilling to touch, all in one move.

Yet Ye Wuchen laughed out loud. He closed his hand around Ning Xue’s. “I’ve survived death from a great trial. That’s already mercy from the heavens. How can losing my power compare to that?”

The man hesitated, then laughed with him. “Kid, you’re no normal person after all. I admire your tenacity. Since you’re here, we’re a family. How about coming with me to meet my grandfather? Oh right, I never asked your name.”

“My surname is Ye, my first name Wuchen. We’ve just met by coincidence, but I dare not take any more favors lightly.” Ye Wuchen said. After a few short exchanges, the doubt in his heart was only growing deeper. It wasn’t just this man, but also his grandfather. From the way he spoke, it sounded like they weren’t the only ones, either. How did they get here? Were they the same as the people outside, born here, evolved, and survived till now? No, they spoke the language of the Heavenly Star continent. If they had all fallen from the sky...that also seemed ridiculous.

The young man smiled generously. “My brother Ye, and my little sister here with white hair. Even though we meet by coincidence, you’ve already come here. Neither of you look like villains, so you might as well be my family. No need for all those formalities. Come with me. Oh, by the way, my name is Gong Luo, and I’m third in the family. Just call me Three.”

In this narrow, sealed off world, the people relied on each other, treating one other like family. These were the survival rules of a small world. Not just this young man, if anyone else had seen the two of them, they would extend hands of help without expecting anything in return.

Supporting Ye Wuchen, Gong Luo walked ahead. His strength was far beyond that of Ning Xue’s, taking most of his weight onto himself. Ye Wuchen felt so much lighter that even his steps quickened. With his other hand he still held onto Ning Xue, whose eyes were red. “Xue, in the future you’ll have to be the one to protect me.”

Wrapping both of her hands around his, Ning Xue looked up at him, “I’ll protect you, big bro. I won’t let anyone pick on you.”

“Okay, then let me see the strongest version of you everyday, all right?” Ye Wuchen caressed her hands.

Ning Xue’s eyes, still moist with tears, blinked, her brows curving before she nodded emphatically, her face bursting into a beautiful smile. “Okay!”

Gong Luo was touched by the simple, warm words they exchanged with other and turned his head. “Are you two brother and sister?”

“Yes and no.” Ye Wuchen answered, his eyes fixed on Ning Xue.

Gong Luo seemed completely confused, and didn’t ask more. Instead he turned to another source of doubt in his heart. “Then did you also fall from up high?” He quickly added another line, “I’m just wondering, if you don’t want to answer then that’s fine too.”

Ye Wuchen smiled. “Of course we’re here because we fell from above. But that doesn’t seem to be the case for you.” Gong Luo was shockingly strong, but even he wouldn’t be any different after having fallen from so high.

Gong Luo nodded. “I was born here. I’ve never left. My grandfather’s grandfather, and my grandfather’s mother, and many more people were the same as you. They fell from above. Ah...I really wish I knew what the world outside was like.”

Ye Wuchen became confused. “Does that mean they’re all incredibly skilled? How else would they not have been hurt when falling from so high?”

Surprisingly enough, Gong Luo’s expression was confused as well. He regarded them for a while before responding, “Kid, you and your sister don’t have any training either, but both of you are fine.” He thought about it for a bit, and then asked further, “Were neither of you caught by a mysterious force?”

“Mysterious force? What mysterious force?” Ye Wuchen was even more perplexed. His question confused Gong Luo even more. “When my grandfather’s grandfather fell from above, he thought he would die without a doubt. But when they were about to land, he was caught by a mysterious force. They landed on the ground without getting hurt, not a single one of them. Did that not happen to you?”

“No.” Ye Wuchen shook his head, staring off into the distance. His gaze became distant as well.

“That’s weird.” Gong Luo’s eyes went wide. At once he couldn’t figure out why the mysterious force hadn’t appeared, but he was more shocked that they had fallen from a distance that even his grandfather’s grandfather thought was certain death. How could they have survived? But looking at the two of them and their genuine reactions, they didn’t seem to be lying. “So you guys fell down directly? How...?”

“Perhaps it’s fate.” Ye Wuchen was still staring into the distance as he spoke meaningfully.

Seeing that he didn’t seem intent on explaining, Gong Luo decided not to ask further, instead turning around in excitement. “No matter what, my brother Ye, we’re going to be a family from now on. You must tell us more about the outside world. The people in here only wish they could go out there!”