Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Stars under the Whole Sky, the Assembly of True Beings of the Milky Way
On the mountain outside Huangtong Mansion City.
“The Sword Technique of Conviction is indeed unfathomable. I’ve actually been sitting here for seven days and nights,” Zhou Heng couldn’t help but marvel internally, and thought, “The tales of immortals shutting themselves away for centuries at a time suddenly seem to make some sense.”
Then, he stood up and turned his gaze to the Time Stone in his hand, noticing that its glow, though somewhat dimmed, was still interwoven with dense principles and laws of time.
This meant that he could still use this crystal stone to aid his comprehension of the Sword Technique of Conviction and even use the Time Stone as a spiritual conduit to enhance its power when executing the technique.
Truly a marvel with boundless utility.
“It’s good that my understanding was completed today, otherwise, I would have missed the upcoming gathering. But all of this was well worth it!”
Zhou Heng put away the Time Stone and lightly traced his fingers through the air. Immediately, a glimmering aquamarine sword light, full of the ripples of water, emerged from his palm.
This sword light contained the power of time, an ability he shouldn’t have been able to connect with at his current level, but having learned the Sword Technique of Conviction, he could now touch upon this essence of profound power.
If he were to unleash the power of the Sword Technique of Conviction in battle, it would undoubtedly leave his opponent stunned and in disbelief.
It would be his trump card.
It might come in handy during the upcoming solar term wine gathering on the Double Second Festival.
However, what he needed to prepare for lately was the tri-monthly gathering of Zhou Tian Boundary Officer.
This was his first time attending.
“Tomorrow is the eighteenth of January; the tri-monthly gathering of Zhou Tian Boundary Officer is about to begin, and here I am, a greenhorn with no experience. Ah, how can I act like I’m a regular attendee?”
Zhou Heng pondered in his heart and again sorted through some information about the gathering he had obtained earlier from the inner seat of the Five Emperors.
This gathering was open to all official members, whether they were Star Officers or Star Envoys, and was held every three months on the eighteenth of the corresponding month.
At that time, all members of Zhou Tian Boundary Officer would receive an invitation to the gathering and be informed of when to head to Purple Tenuity Palace.
The two leaders, Tianyi and Azure Dragon, would also use their divine skills to harness the power of the Zhou Tian Star Chart, opening up a special palace within Purple Tenuity Palace for the gathering.
The gathering would start with an introduction of the first-time attendees, and then the two leaders, Tianyi and Azure Dragon, would discuss some of the key recent matters.
The issues typically spanned a wide area, including but not limited to Da Qi, Northern Zhou, Southern Jin, and even the Northern Deserts, the Southern Barbarian mountains, the Eastern Sea Territory, and more.
For many members whose true identity wasn’t of high status, this was an excellent opportunity to grasp the dynamics of the world.
Afterward came the part most members looked forward to: the trading session.
At the trading session, one could find weapons, martial arts, Taoist formulas, treasures of heaven and earth, and all sorts of bizarre items which could all be settled directly with virtue points, which was very convenient.
Quite a number of Zhou Tian Boundary Officer’s members would save up several months’ worth of virtue points and then go on a proper shopping spree at the trading session.
Especially this time.
Because of the demon calamity in the West Wasteland, the gatherings for the past six months hadn’t been held, so some members should have accumulated a substantial amount of virtue points, and there would undoubtedly be people pressed with goods.
It was foreseeable that this trading session would be extraordinarily lively.
At this thought, Zhou Heng couldn’t help but ponder whether he should sell something at the trading session just to join in the excitement, but after considering, he realized that he didn’t seem to have anything good to sell.
After all, virtue points were all he had left.
…
The next morning, which was also the morning of the eighteenth of January,
Zhou Heng took his leave from Lin Cang, Yu He, Lei Xiuyan, and the numerous apprentices and trainers of Pure Yang Martial Arts Hall.
He headed to the nearest entrance to Purple Tenuity Palace, ready to attend today’s gathering.
As he made his way, Zhou Heng couldn’t help but think that it was rather quaint for such a powerful organization as Zhou Tian Boundary Officer to require its members to travel to the gatherings themselves.
Shouldn’t the summoner use their divine skills to ignore distances and instantly pull the members into Purple Tenuity Palace?
That would be so impressive… um, wasn’t that kind of scene something he had just gained the authority to do?
Zhou Heng was suddenly taken aback, understanding what use the “Summoning” authority he had recently acquired could have.
Unfortunately, it seemed Tianyi and Azure Dragon, the two big shots, didn’t have this authority.
Since he left home early and the nearest entrance passage to Purple Tenuity Palace wasn’t far, Zhou Heng strolled leisurely without any rush.
Riding his sorrel horse, he contemplated what he should buy at the upcoming trading session.
Last night, Zhou Heng had tallied his virtue points and found he had over nine thousand.
In theory, that should be a considerable sum.
I wonder what I could buy?
At the thought, Zhou Heng felt a little excited.
After all, no matter how many virtue points he had, they were ultimately just numbers; it would be better to exchange them for something tangible and useful.
With this shopping mentality, Zhou Heng stepped onto the path leading to Purple Tenuity Palace once again.
Amidst the chantings of Purple Tenuity Edicts, he arrived at the Purple Qi Cloud Platform with practiced ease.
At first, Zhou Heng was puzzled as to why the chanting in the passageway was significantly clearer than usual, but as soon as he reached the Purple Qi Cloud Platform, he was astonished by the sight before him.
He had never seen such a bustling Purple Qi Cloud Platform.
Before, when he came here, at most he would encounter two or three people, but now there were dozens of people standing around.
Among them were Star Officers and Star Envoys, some talking to each other, others laughing heartily, and some still with heads bowed, calculating something—in a myriad of situations.
It truly presented a slice of the myriad human conditions.
Zhou Heng also spotted a few figures he recognized, such as “Horn,” “Room,” “Huagai,” “Beam,” and others.
He was about to go over and greet them, but noticed that people had already begun to approach him.
Not just one person, but a dozen or so, and as these dozen moved, they immediately drew the attention of everyone else present.
Attending the gathering of Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, Zhou Heng naturally wore a mask, making it easy for those present to recognize him.
“Greetings, Star Monarch!”
Dozens of Star Officers and Star Envoys simultaneously greeted Zhou Heng with a bow, their attitudes reverent regardless of their Cultivation Realm.
However, Zhou Heng knew that although they were saluting him, they were actually paying homage to the status of the Ziwei Star Monarch, not something he could take pride in for himself.
Therefore, after everyone had paid their respects, Zhou Heng responded with a cupped-hand salute to each in turn.
He was not haughty.
This engendered feelings of goodwill towards him among members of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer team who had not had previous contact with him.
However, Zhou Heng was still somewhat puzzled, so he approached the Corner Mansion Star Officer, speaking in a low voice, “Why is everyone staying on the Purple Vapor Terrace? Aren’t we going to the Purple Tenuity Palace?”
“We are indeed headed for the Purple Tenuity Palace, but the time is not now,” the Corner Mansion Star Officer gently shook his head, pointed towards the distant star rivers and mountains, and the palace atop the summit, smiling mysteriously, “You’ll know soon enough, Star Monarch.”
“Corner Mansion senior, you’re being cryptic again,” a slightly coquettish voice said, as the Room Sun Rabbit approached with graceful steps.
“Star Monarch, the reason we are all gathered on the Purple Vapor Terrace and not proceeding to the Purple Tenuity Palace is quite simple,” the Room Mansion Star Officer pointed to the front, smiling, “Because all that lies ahead is about to undergo changes very soon.”
“Indeed, that’s right,” Cheng Jianjian’s voice came through; she had arrived at the Purple Vapor Terrace, wearing the mask of the Big Dipper Star Officer, in a flowing, plain white dress.
“Next, the great officials Tianyi and Azure Dragon will borrow the power of the Purple Tenuity Palace to transform these star rivers and mountains into our gathering place,” Cheng Jianjian said with a smile.
No sooner had she finished speaking than Zhou Heng, yet to say anything, keenly perceived that the void beyond the Purple Vapor Terrace seemed to start changing.
He then saw the wind and clouds surging under the bridge of starlight ahead, as streams of starlight fell, merging with the wind and clouds, shining brightly as if countless stars were gathering into a torrent of starlight.
As this torrent of starlight emerged, the star river surrounding the distant mountains also rose, and numerous starry shadows joined this here, suddenly spreading out in all directions.
In that moment, Zhou Heng even felt as if he had arrived in outer space, for the surrounding void was dark and profound, boundless, where he could only gaze at the distant starlight.
Following this, he felt himself and those around him moving at an incredible pace, as if in an instant they had crossed eons of light years to arrive at the edge of starlight, at the origin where all stars began.
A Purple Tenuity Palace, magnified billions of times over what he usually saw, loomed before everyone.
This place seemed like the core guarded by billions of stars, an unrivaled divine palace before which all star officers must bow.
It belonged to the monarch of all stars, the master of all creations, Ziwei in the central heavens, the Emperor of the North Pole.
Boom!
The doors of the Purple Tenuity Palace burst open and a bright and dazzling starry road unfolded beneath everyone’s feet.
“Star Monarch, just one step forward, and you shall enter the Purple Tenuity Palace,” Cheng Jianjian reminded him in a soft voice.
“Mhm,” Zhou Heng nodded gently, then stepped forward alongside Cheng Jianjian, whereupon he suddenly felt as though he had arrived in a strange world filled with starlight.
There, starlight was everything; Cheng Jianjian, beside him, seemed accustomed to these phenomena, her gaze calm and undisturbed.
However, Zhou Heng saw something extraordinary within these lights.
He saw all the stars of heaven, the true forms of the Milky Way!
It was not just the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions, but also the Seven Governors, Four Remnants, Twelve Principal Stars, Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits, Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends, and many other divine star officials and resplendent Star Monarchs of the celestial realm.
They were all ethereal shadows, without exception, all wore respectful expressions, eyes closed, in a praying posture, chanting the Purple Tenuity Precious Decree.
“Great High Heaven Palace… esteemed residence at the pole of the North… Dao called Jade Dipper Profound Honor… encompassing heavenly and earthly patterns… walking the Purple Forbidden Enclosure… master of all creations… teacher of all stars… Ziwei in central heaven…”
It was incredibly clear and distinct as if the celestial stars, the true forms of the Milky Way, were not mere shadows but real immortals and Star Monarchs.
But just as Zhou Heng tried to focus his spirit and sense more closely, he found that these apparitions had vanished.
As if what he had just witnessed was merely an illusion.
At this moment, he had already traversed the path of starlight with Cheng Jianjian and arrived inside a grand and spacious hall that seemed like the dwelling of ancient celestial immortals.
Here, the beams and eaves were exquisitely carved, yet the ceiling was invisible; only a star river could be seen flowing above. Only thirty-six divine pillars of starlight rose high into the sky, reaching deep into the star river.
Within the great hall was a ground as white as jade, with seventy-two dark purple gemstones embedded around it, appearing mysterious and unfathomable.
At the center of the great hall, there was a long path specially demarcated, three inches higher than its surroundings.
The place where the people were standing at this moment was on both sides of this central path, standing in orderly rows.
This looked as though it were the gathering of ministers attending a royal court in the palace of an emperor.
“Ministers…” Zhou Heng muttered to himself and looked forward, indeed seeing an imperial throne of purple gold, seated amidst the stars.
However, the seat was empty, with no one sitting upon it.
At this time, two beams of clear light descended from the star river in the sky and landed at the very front of the assembly.
Suddenly, the clear light dissipated, revealing two tall men.
One of them was dressed in a magnificent dark gown decorated with intricate and complex golden patterns, and the Golden Crow and the Jade Rabbit were embroidered on either shoulder. It was extremely lavish.
The mask he wore had a simple pattern, just a “one,” and he carried himself with a stern authority.
This was one of the two leaders of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, the Star Officer “Tianyi.”
Tianyi, also known as Tian One, was one of the highest-ranking Star Officers in the chart of the constellation of the Purple Tenuity Palace, within the firmament.
The other person was dressed in a blue robe with dragon patterns embroidered upon it, equally gorgeous and dignified, and his mask depicted an Azure Dragon.
Without a need for further explanation, he was the other leader of the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, the Star Officer “Azure Dragon.”
Following Tianyi and Azure Dragon were The Supreme, the Force of Heaven, and several other high-ranking members of the Celestial Man hierarchy.
It seemed that the arrangement down to Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian’s side was in order according to the levels of their cultivation realms.
Zhou Heng looked around and realized that the vast majority of Star Officers were ranked ahead of him and Cheng Jianjian, and many Star Envoys as well.
Of course, there were not none behind them, but they were very few, only five people.
At this moment, the two leaders, Tianyi and Azure Dragon, walked onto the central path in the great hall, facing the assembly, and actually bowed in salutation.
“Over the past half year, the magical calamity has caused trouble, and we have failed to hold a gathering, keeping you all waiting.”
They were actually apologizing.
The crowd also bowed in response, saying it was unnecessary, and Zhou Heng followed suit with the majority.
Then, Tianyi stepped forward and said in a deep voice, “Although the calamity has ceased for now, it is feared to be even more severe in the future. Fortunately, we, the Zhou Tian Boundary Officer, are different from before.
“Azure Dragon and I have no authority to harness the great power of the Purple Tenuity Palace, only by our own cultivation realm in combination with our star positions, borrowing the power of the chart of celestial stars, could we exhibit some of the might of the Purple Tenuity Palace.
“Such a method has its limits after all. Azure Dragon and I have always been worried about this, but from now on, there is no need for such concern.”
Having said this, he paused, then suddenly, together with Azure Dragon beside him, they bowed deeply towards where Zhou Heng stood.
“We welcome the lord of all stars, the Grandmaster of Myriad Images, the Emperor of North Pole in the Mid-Heaven of the Purple Tenuity!”