Everlasting

 

“Tower, did you figure something out?” Chen Feng asked secretly.

“Can’t you sense the aura?” Tower asked in an amused tone.

“You mean that strange aura I felt just now? It is a little familiar,” Chen Feng replied.

After falling silent for a moment, Chen Feng’s eyes lit up and he said, “It is the power of stars. However, there is something strange about it.”

“Hey, hey. That is right, it is the power of stars. Get a proper sense of it, then.” After saying that, Tower went silent.

The two heir disciples led them down into the small town. Although it was called a small town, it was actually comparable to a small-scale city in the mundane world. At any rate, it was very easy for these cultivators, with their high levels of magic, to construct buildings out of boulders weighing tens of thousands of jin.

After entering the town, Chen Feng sensed that the power of stars had grown thicker. After some investigation, Chen Feng was surprised to find out that the power of stars was coming from the buildings around him. More accurately, it was coming from the materials used to construct the buildings.

“What kind of stone materials are these? How could they be emanating the power of stars?” Chen Feng came to stand before one of the buildings and touched the hard surface of the wall with his hand. The building was constructed using large and hard bars of stone. Additionally, spots of star-like dots filled the surface of the stones. Giving it a perfunctory glance, he felt as though he was looking at the star-filled sky.

“Could this be Star Stone?” Chen Feng guessed.

“It is far inferior to Star Stone. It is just Starlight Stone. The power of stars you sensed is emanating from these dots of stars,” Tower said.

Starlight Stone. What uses does it have? Can this type of power of stars be absorbed? The thought flashed through Chen Feng’s head and his Celestial Yang and Celestial Metropolis acupoints instantly exerted a powerful suction force. The speed at which the power of stars was emanating from the wall instantly accelerated and it entered Chen Feng’s two acupoints. Next, they were quickly refined and absorbed.

I can absorb it but the power of stars here is too weak. Additionally, its grade is not high. There are also some other peculiar auras mixed inside, Chen Feng thought.

“These are used to build houses. Naturally, the grade will be low,” Tower said amusedly. 

“Then, how are these Starlight Stones formed?” asked a curious Chen Feng.

“You should understand that this Eternal World that you live in is itself a large celestial object within the starry sky,” said Tower.

“I understand now.” Chen Feng nodded.

“Junior brother, it seems you noticed something?” Zhao Qiang looked at Chen Feng and said.

“He he.” Chen Feng simply chuckled without saying anything.

“These are Starlight Stones. They are also the task that you are all here for,” Zhao Qiang continued.

“Starlight Stones. I know, many of our Extreme Celestial Sect’s palaces and buildings are constructed using these stones,” an outer disciple interjected.

“That is right. There is a Starlight Stone mine here. It is a small property belonging to our Extreme Celestial Sect. Recently, the sect requires more materials but there are not enough personnel here. That is why you are sent here. As you are all newcomers, you may not know some of the sect’s rules. I will only say it once here. Obey commands. If not, the consequences will be dire,” Zhao Qiang said with a sneer.

So, we are here to serve as labourers. Chen Feng secretly sneered.

“Heh! Did you think you were coming here to enjoy yourselves? You outer disciples are like the servants of the sect,” Tower laughed.

It did not take long before someone came out from the town to greet them. Next, they arranged living quarters for Chen Feng and the others. Although the living quarters could not compare with the ones in Extreme Celestial Mountain, each of them was given a small courtyard and another 100 Pure Yang Pills. The level of treatment they received was quite decent.

When night came, Chen Feng attempted to continue his cultivation efforts. However, the thickness of the spiritual energy there was far inferior compared to that of Extreme Celestial Mountain. Even the sky was seemingly covered by a faint layer of mist. Through out the night, Chen Feng had been incapable of sensing the star known as Celestial Fate.

The next morning, Chen Feng and the others were led into a valley. There were already over 100 people working there. Looking around, Chen Feng saw that more than half of the 100 people there were outer disciples while the others were inner disciples.

At the centre of the valley were pile after pile of neatly cut Starlight Stones. Some of the Starlight Stones were long and bar-shaped while some were square-shaped. This would make it more convenient to be used for the construction of buildings after they have been transported to Extreme Celestial Mountain.

Chen Feng looked around and saw that the disciples who were working were all wielding large swords. Channelling the magic power within their bodies, they kept hacking down on the uncut ores to cut them into shape.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Pieces of the cut out Starlight Stones kept falling on the empty ground to pile up into a small mountain of stones.

“Huh! Damn it! They actually bring us here to perform this kind of work? I am the Heir Prince of a Royal Residence.” A young outer disciple who was standing not far from Chen Feng kept grumbling.

“If anyone of you are unwilling, you can leave Extreme Celestial Sect. However, by doing so, you would be considered a traitor to the sect. Our sect has a very strict way of handling traitors. Even the lightest punishment is the abolishment of the traitor’s cultivation base,” Zhao Qiang said icily after giving the outer disciple a glance.

“He he. Truth be told, we also rose from the ranks of outer disciples. If you want to get rid of the title of outer disciples, you will have to work hard and cultivate yourselves,” Ma Wu said with a smile.

“This is a type of magic sword that the sect had specifically forged out. Although the grade is not high, its distinguishing factor is its sharpness. It is specifically used to cut out Starlight Stones.” After saying that, Ma Wu brought out a batch of swords and distributed it to everyone.

The sword was one chi longer compared to ordinary swords and twice as wide. It felt extremely heavy (1 chi = 0.333 m).

Ma Wu looked at them. Then, he grasped with his hand and a long, bar-shaped Starlight Stone weighing tens of thousands of jin was pulled into his grip (1 jin = 0.5 kg).

“You task is to cut out 100 of this long bar a day,” Ma Wu said with a smile. 

“What if we complete it ahead of time?” someone asked.

“Ahead of time?” Simultaneously, Ma Wu and Zhao Qiang turned to look at the one asking, and a faint smile appeared on their faces.

“If you can finish work ahead of time, you can rest and do whatever you want,” Ma Wu said, a grin appearing on his face.

“All right, start working.”

Next, the two heir disciples leapt into the air and flew far away, disappearing from sight.

Looking at the uncut ores piling up like a mountain, they all exchanged glances.

“Damn it! I had to waste so much effort to enter Extreme Celestial Sect. Originally, I thought I could cultivate properly and extend my lifespan. I didn’t think they would order us to do something like this,” the Heir Prince of the Royal Residence continued complaining.

“He he, fellow brother, don’t complain. It is not just us outer disciples. Don’t you see? There are even inner disciples sent here,” the one beside him persuaded him.

“There are countless disciples in Extreme Celestial Sect, and there are over 10,000 newcomers this time. Why did we get picked for this? This task is clearly not profitable at all.”

“Just consider ourselves unlucky. I think the two heir disciples should be feeling the same thing. To have to come to this God-forsaken place, heh, heh. Everyone, stop complaining. We did not join the sect to enjoy ourselves. It is good enough that the sect did not send us out to fight yao beasts.”

“Humph! I would rather go fight yao beasts.”

Clang!

Suddenly, a loud noise attracted the attention of everyone there. They saw Chen Feng wielding the sword, hacking down on one of the uncut ores.

“I finally understand why the two heir disciples had that expression on their faces just now. 100 bars a day is difficult,” Chen Feng lamented.

Only then did the other disciples realized that the earlier hack from Chen Feng had only left a small cut on the uncut ore.

“What? Surely, it is not that hard? Let me try.” The disciple felt something amiss. He swiftly raised the sword in his hand to hack down on the uncut Starlight Stone ore before him.

Next, he became like an ordinary human hacking down on a large tree so big that two people would be required to encircle it.

Bang!

Finally, a fully cut out bar of Starlight Stone was tossed to the ground. The disciple was unable to stop himself from shouting, “This stone is too hard. Cutting 100 bars of these, we can forget about resting today!”

“Humph! Whether or not we can finish the task is still in question.”

“Maybe the sword is not sharp enough. Let me try using a flying sword.” Another outer disciple waved his hand and a three chi long flying sword, flashing with a chilling sharpness, shot towards another uncut ore.

That fellow is cultivating a metal-type cultivation technique and his flying sword is sharp as well, Chen Feng thought.

Kacha! Kacha! Kacha! Kacha!

Piece after piece of stones were cut down, falling to the ground. However, the final chipping sound was clearly different.

“Argh! My flying sword cracked! My flying sword was created from the gold extract of one million jin of gold! For it to get damaged like this…” the disciple cried out. There was a distressed look on his face.

“Everyone, although this sword is only a grade 3 Magic artefact, it is forged using Mystic Stoutsteel. Additionally, some magic arrays have been engraved upon it. Furthermore, some experts have empowered it with magic power. Thus, it is capable of cutting through anything.” After saying that, Chen Feng swung and an uncut ore weighing tens of thousands of jin was cut apart, revealing the smooth Starlight Stone inside.

“We should hurry up and get to work.” Having said that, Chen Feng channelled his magic power and sword luminescence seeped out from the sword in his hand. Next, with a flash of sword light, a well-cut Starlight Stone was cut out.

Seeing Chen Feng getting to work, the other disciples too, hurried to work. Soon, the entire valley was filled with clanging sounds and bursts of sword energy.

“Sigh! I never thought that I would become a miner after entering Extreme Celestial Sect,” one of the outer disciples lamented.

“Just consider this another form of practice,” another fellow said with a chuckle.

Although the Starlight Stone ores were incredibly tough, Chen Feng was not concerned. Piece by piece, the large ores became as weak as tofu under Chen Feng’s efforts. It did not take long for the ore to come into shape.

Chen Feng was not even utilizing his primary energy now. He was simply utilizing his strong fleshly body and the sharpness of the sword to cut the ores in front of him into bars before piling them up.

Although this makes me feel gloomy, I have to figure a way to make it fun or find a way to hone myself. If not, doing this is quite depressing, Chen Feng thought.