Chapter 1100: Blood Sky Reveals the Stars

The cost of crossing the river was astonishingly high. Such an exorbitant price seemed illogical if its sole purpose was a river crossing. Therefore, it was highly probable that something else lay hidden there. Xu Qing continued to examine the information recorded on the jade slip map, quickly confirming his initial assessment.

**Chapter 1103: Stars Appear**

“There must be something extraordinary about this place where the divine spirit crosses the river,” Xu Qing murmured to himself. He meticulously recalled his previous experiences, hoping to uncover clues about this particular river crossing point. Suddenly, he remembered the unusual stars he had seen earlier in the valley.

“Could this river crossing be the very passage to those stars?” Xu Qing speculated, a sudden thought striking him.

He hurried to the river crossing dock, scrutinizing his surroundings. There, a towering stone monument stood on the dock, inscribed with mysterious characters. Xu Qing cautiously approached, reaching out to touch the inscriptions on the monument. The characters emitted a faint, gentle glow, as if responding to his inquiry.

“It appears there is indeed something extraordinary about this place,” Xu Qing mused inwardly. He carefully observed his surroundings, noticing a faint mist enveloping the dock, as though a mysterious energy flowed within it. Xu Qing took a deep breath and cautiously stepped into the mist.

As the mist gradually dissipated, a dazzling starry sky unfolded before his eyes.

“What is this?” Xu Qing’s eyes widened in disbelief as he gazed at the sight before him. The stars in the sky blazed with an even greater brilliance than those he had witnessed in the valley. Xu Qing felt as if he had been transported to an entirely new world; everything around him was profoundly different from what he knew.

He cautiously moved forward, observing that the ground beneath his feet was also unlike anything he had seen, seemingly composed of a peculiar substance.

“Where exactly am I?” Xu Qing’s mind was filled with both confusion and curiosity. He pressed onward, and ahead, a majestic palace came into view. The palace’s exterior was unlike any structure he had ever encountered, emanating an aura that was both mysterious and solemn.

Xu Qing cautiously approached the palace. Its massive doors slowly parted, and a powerful energy surge emanated from within, causing him to halt involuntarily.

“What exactly is this place? Could it truly be the passage to those stars?” Xu Qing was filled with both doubt and curiosity. He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve, and moved forward, ready to enter the enigmatic palace and uncover the secrets it held.

**Chapter 1104: The Star Palace**

Xu Qing cautiously stepped into the mysterious palace. Its interior was lavishly decorated, exuding a sacred and solemn ambiance. He surveyed his surroundings, noticing countless shimmering gems embedded in the palace walls, each seemingly radiating its own light. In the very center of the palace stood a majestic divine statue, emanating an ineffable sense of majesty.

“Where exactly am I?” Xu Qing’s mind was filled with uncertainty as he cautiously moved forward. Just then, the statue’s eyes suddenly flared, emitting a dazzling beam of light. Xu Qing involuntarily froze. The light enveloped the entire palace, and he felt a powerful surge of energy.

“This is incredible,” Xu Qing thought, filled with a mix of surprise and awe. He had never witnessed such formidable power. At that moment, the divine statue slowly parted its lips and spoke in a resounding voice: “Who dares to trespass upon my divine domain?”

Xu Qing was startled, quickly kneeling and bowing respectfully. “This humble one, Xu Qing, had no intention of offending,” he said. “I merely wished to uncover the secrets hidden within this place.”

The statue remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: “Since that is your intent, I shall grant you an opportunity to explore its mysteries. However, remember not to act recklessly, or you shall bear the consequences yourself.”

With that, the statue closed its eyes once more, and tranquility returned to the palace interior. Filled with reverence, Xu Qing cautiously rose to his feet and began to meticulously examine the palace. He noticed that numerous passages branched off from the palace, leading in various directions. Xu Qing decided to begin his exploration through one of these passages, hoping to uncover the secrets of this place. He took a deep breath and stepped into the passage, ready to embark on an entirely new journey of discovery.

**Chapter 1105: The Path of Stars**

Xu Qing carefully entered the passage, noticing a mysterious light emanating from both sides, as if guiding his way forward. He proceeded cautiously, as the passage delved deeper and deeper, eventually opening into a spacious hall. The hall’s interior was lavishly adorned, with countless shimmering gems embedded in the surrounding walls, casting brilliant light. In the very center of the hall stood a majestic star map, its constellations glittering brilliantly as though revealing some secret.

“Where exactly am I?” Xu Qing’s mind was filled with uncertainty as he cautiously moved forward. At that moment, the star map suddenly illuminated, emitting a blinding light. Xu Qing involuntarily halted. The light engulfed the entire hall, and he felt a powerful surge of energy.

“This is incredible,” Xu Qing thought, a mixture of surprise and awe washing over him. He had never witnessed such formidable power. At that moment, the star map slowly ascended, transforming into a pathway stretching towards the sky. A realization dawned on Xu Qing: this might indeed be the passage to those stars.

He took a deep breath, steeling his resolve, and stepped forward, ready to embark on this path to the unknown. Just as he was about to step onto the star map, a voice resonated through the hall: “Who dares to trespass upon my divine domain?”

Xu Qing was startled, quickly kneeling and bowing respectfully. “This humble one, Xu Qing, had no intention of offending,” he declared. “I merely wished to uncover the secrets hidden within this place.”

The voice fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: “Since that is your intent, I shall grant you an opportunity to explore its mysteries. However, remember not to act recklessly, or you shall bear the consequences yourself.”

With that, the voice receded into silence, and tranquility returned to the hall. Filled with reverence, Xu Qing cautiously rose to his feet, preparing to embark on this path to the stars.

**Chapter 1106: Journey of the Stars**

Xu Qing took a deep breath and stepped onto the path that led to the stars. Beneath his feet, the star map transformed into a celestial pathway, seemingly guiding him forward. He moved forward cautiously, as the surrounding landscape continuously shifted, eventually leading him to an entirely new world. The stars in the sky here glittered with even greater brilliance than those he had witnessed within the palace. Beneath his feet lay a peculiar landscape, seemingly composed of an unknown substance.

“Where exactly am I?” Xu Qing’s mind was filled with both confusion and curiosity as he cautiously explored onward. Just then, a towering structure appeared ahead, radiating a sacred and solemn aura. A thought struck Xu Qing: this might be the very heart of this world.

He quickened his pace, and as he approached, the structure’s massive doors slowly parted, releasing a powerful energy surge that caused him to halt involuntarily.

“What secrets could be hidden within this place?” Xu Qing’s curiosity surged as he cautiously stepped inside the structure. The interior of the building was lavishly adorned, with countless shimmering gems embedded in the surrounding walls, casting brilliant light. In the very center of the building stood a majestic divine statue, emanating an ineffable sense of majesty.

Xu Qing cautiously moved forward. The statue’s eyes suddenly flared, emitting a dazzling beam of light. He involuntarily froze. The light enveloped the entire building, and he felt a powerful surge of energy.

“This is incredible,” Xu Qing thought, filled with a mix of surprise and awe. He had never witnessed such formidable power. At that moment, the divine statue slowly parted its lips and spoke in a resounding voice: “Who dares to trespass upon my divine domain?”

Xu Qing was startled, quickly kneeling and bowing respectfully. “This humble one, Xu Qing, had no intention of offending,” he said. “I merely wished to uncover the secrets hidden within this place.”

The statue remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: “Since that is your intent, I shall grant you an opportunity to explore its mysteries. However, remember not to act recklessly, or you shall bear the consequences yourself.”

With that, the statue closed its eyes once more, and tranquility returned to the building’s interior. Filled with reverence, Xu Qing cautiously rose to his feet and began to meticulously examine the structure. He resolved to continue exploring this mysterious world, hoping to uncover more of its secrets.