Life Star

"Hmm."

Ning Ming nodded. He had looked at the night sky many times before, and each time left a deep impression on him.

It's worth mentioning that there is no moon in this world. Once night falls, the sky is filled with stars.

However, the sea of stars is not magnificent. On the contrary, it's like a sea of death, with countless dead eggs floating in it, giving a tremendous sense of oppression.

Old man Li said, "Now you should understand. The stars, which are our deities, have a problem."

Hearing this, Ning Ming felt a little heavy inside.

He had heard this sentence too many times, but it pointed directly to the root of everything.

"The deities are the source of all principles and doctrines. To become a cultivator, one must resonate with a star in the sky and take it as one's life star, and then comprehend the laws and principles from it. But now, the stars are heavily polluted, so how can cultivators be normal?"

Beside him, Lin Zuodao dragged a wooden stool over and sat down lazily.

It was summer at noon, and the sun was still scorching hot.

Lin Zuodao took a palm leaf fan and fanned himself while saying, "The few foreign cultivators last night, one of them was a Heaven Lonely Star cultivator, so the Heaven Lonely Star taboo of [Twins] appeared."

Ning Ming had a very deep impression of that man in green.

At that time, the man split into two people, one standing inside the house and one standing outside, which was simply horrifying.

"The taboo of the Heaven Lonely Star...the darkened stars..."

Ning Ming sighed, "Cultivation in this world is really full of ill omens."

Suddenly, Ning Ming curiously asked, "Are there any normal stars?"

"This question is quite clever."

Unexpectedly, Lin Zuodao said, "The sea of stars is vast and endless like grains of sand in the sea. Just the Myriad Star Catalogue recorded by the Heavenly Pivot Academy contains no less than six thousand stars. Perhaps there really are unpolluted stars, but so far no one has resonated with a normal star."

Ning Ming's heart stirred, "So everyone's cultivation methods...are all flawed?"

"Flawed?"

Suddenly, old man Li reacted to this term and said, "I once met a monk from the Lotus Sect who described it like this too. But he said it more severely, calling our age the Dharma-Ending Age."

Dharma-Ending Age...

Ning Ming shuddered. In his previous life on Earth, Buddhism also had such a statement, but that represented the corruption of the human heart.

Here, the Dharma-Ending Age means that many ill omens have emerged in the human world, and all cultivation methods inevitably have taboos that everyone dreads.

"Alright."

Old man Li suddenly said, "I'm telling you all this just to let you know one thing. As long as you cultivate, you cannot escape taboos. The only difference lies in which star you resonate with, so the taboos will differ too."

"Yeah, I understand."

Ning Ming took a deep breath.

Last night, the taboos that appeared on Chen Jianjia and the others were all different, probably due to their differing life stars for cultivation.

"By now, we won't hide it from you anymore."

Old man Li added, "My life star for cultivation is the Seven Killing Star. All the supernatural abilities of this star are related to killing and combat, with extremely strong combat power at the same level. Now, the level of pollution of the Seven Killing Star is moderate. With guidance from seniors and being careful, it is possible to..."

Before he could finish speaking.

Lin Zuodao interrupted, "Old man, stop lying. The pollution level is moderate? Then why have you been hiding in this remote village for over twenty years?"

Old man Li was choked by this retort. He unhappily said, "If Little Brother Ning can resonate with the Seven Killing Star, I will personally teach him. What could go wrong?"

Lin Zuodao shook his head, "Throughout history, none of the cultivators with the Seven Killing Star as their life star have come to a good end. I don't think it bodes well for Ning Ming."

Hearing their conversation, Ning Ming didn't interrupt and pondered to himself.

The supernatural abilities and cultivation taboos differ depending on the star one resonates with, which will affect a cultivator's entire life.

This is absolutely the most important step in cultivation!

Ning Ming couldn't help but wonder, "What will my life star be?"

Among so many stars in the sky, which one will bless me? The North Star? Sirius? Or Mars?

At this moment—

"Brother Ning, my life star for cultivation is the Greedy Wolf Star, also known as the Heaven Pivot Star, the leader of the Big Dipper."

Lin Zuodao said with unprecedented seriousness, "Unlike most other villagers here, they came to the village mainly because they were afraid of encountering taboos from their own life stars..."

Before finishing speaking,

Lin Zuodao didn't continue but changed the topic. "The Myriad Star Catalogue divides the stars into four tiers - First, Second, Third and Fourth - based on their suitability for cultivation."

"The Heaven Pivot Star belongs to the First-tier and is not heavily polluted. Its supernatural abilities are also very strong. It can be said that among a hundred people, ninety-nine hope to take the Heaven Pivot Star as their life star for cultivation."

Hearing this, Ning Ming glanced at old man Li's expression. Although he looked a little upset, he didn't argue.

At this point, Ning Ming understood that what Lin Zuodao said was right.

His cultivation life star, the Heaven Pivot Star, should be one of the best paths.

Suddenly, old man Li grumbled, "Didn't we agree that I would teach Little Brother Ning?"

Lin Zuodao glared and said, "Let's find a good life star for Brother Ning first before discussing it further. The Seven Killing Star isn't for ordinary people to walk on!"

Ning Ming felt a warmth in his heart, seeing that the two were actually arguing for the sake of his future.

"Next, I will guide your primordial spirit into the sea of stars with my supernatural powers to seek your life star."

Lin Zuodao stood up, emanating a different aura from usual, "Don't be scared later. Also, the Heaven Pivot Star is your best choice, try your hardest to call out to it."

Old man Li added, "Actually...the Seven Killing Star isn't bad either..."

"Alright!"

Ning Ming nodded firmly.

He immediately sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.

Lin Zuodao then moved behind Ning Ming. A majestic aura like a vast ocean surged within his body.

At this moment, Ning Ming felt as if an abyss had opened up behind him.

Suddenly, a sturdy palm pressed on his head, and that boundless power instantly poured into him.

Whoosh—

Almost instantly, Ning Ming entered a profound state with his primordial spirit seemingly leaving his body. The surroundings were magnificent sights, as if he was floating up to the ninth heaven.

Just then,

Lin Zuodao's solemn voice suddenly rang out, "I am using my divine powers to protect your primordial spirit as it enters the sea of stars. Remember not to get lost in it, and don't take too long."

This voice was like a sledgehammer, consolidating Ning Ming's somewhat scattered consciousness.

Only then did he "awaken" from his trance,

And then,

he was stunned by the sight before him.

......

......

In the courtyard.

Only half a minute had passed.

The sun was still blistering hot. Lin Zuodao and the village chief old man Li were growing increasingly anxious.

Old man Li looked at the boy still perceiving and couldn't help asking, "Did I not explain enough just now? Was the preparation too lacking?"

Life stars are far too critical. Whether it's supernatural abilities, cultivation taboos, or even a cultivator's entire life, the beginning may determine it all.

"The sea of stars is endless and infinite, with boundless stars."

Lin Zuodao was also frowning. "Actually...it doesn't matter whether Little Brother Ning resonates with the Heaven Pivot Star or not. Just don't get a Fourth-tier star!"

The Heavenly Pivot Academy's division of stars into four tiers isn't about real superiority or inferiority.

It's just that for cultivators, the cultivation taboos of First-tier stars are relatively easier to get through.

As for Third and Fourth-tier stars, the pollution is too severe. The slightest carelessness will lead to deformities during cultivation.

Among those cultivators with poor life stars, basically eight out of ten will have problems. The probability is terrifying.

Thinking of this,

Lin Zuodao became more and more afraid that Ning Ming would choose a bad life star. He exclaimed, "Being my son-in-law to accompany little Ying to live a good life isn't enough for him? He must think about cultivating!"

"Hard to say."

Old man Li deeply inhaled his roll-up cigarette and exhaled thick smoke. "Little Brother Ning is from the capital and even knows the Qilin Step. He truly has an impressive background... Who knows, his family might find our village someday and take the boy back."

Hearing this, Lin Zuodao's expression turned cold for some reason.

But in the next moment,

Lin Zuodao's eyes changed, and he frowned, "What's going on? It's been so long and still no sign of the fate star?"

Old man Li also hurriedly put out his tobacco pipe, his eyes swirling with mysterious arcane light, staring fixedly at the youth without blinking.

It must be known that nowadays in this world, even with great power to assist, astral projection was still an extremely dangerous thing.

When he had comprehended his fate star back then, gazing into that profound starry sky, as far as the eye could see, surrounded on all sides by glittering stars, he had almost become lost among them, unable to extricate himself.

...

At this moment.

Ning Ming was truly plunged into deep confusion.

He looked at the endless darkness before him, difficult to accept, "Why...I can't find a single star?"

All around, dead silence, pitch black, not a glimmer of light.