Splitting the Heavens-Chapter 2122: Star Devouring Silkworm, Starlight Yarn, Star Rinsing Muslin
Shang Xia’s direct question took the Star Origin Lord’s clone by surprise. However, the clone did not immediately refuse to answer. Instead, he smiled and asked a question of his own. “So... What are you willing to offer in exchange for the answer you seek from me?”
Shang Xia wasn’t surprised by the response. Instead, he replied simply, “What is it that you want?”
The Star Origin Lord’s clone smiled faintly and said, “What about the world fragment of the Essence Mu World? I can integrate it into my Heavenly Field and assist in restoring it to a complete world, making it the seventh Essence World here.”
Shang Xia gave a soft chuckle and shook his head. “The Essence Mu World’s fragment is under the protection of my Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field. I will never betray an ally. Let us not speak of that again. Besides, when it comes to understanding the true nature of the Starlight Curtain, I need not necessarily ask you. I imagine Shan Lao of the Flood Star Region, or even the experts of the Gathered Sea of Stars, will know much about it.”
The Star Origin Lord’s offer was clearly a test. Seeing Shang Xia reject it without hesitation, he changed the subject. “You entered the Star River before, haven’t you?”
Hearing the sudden change in topic, Shang Xia’s eyes narrowed slightly. He did not respond at once, but quickly considered how the Star Origin Lord might have learned about it.
Before he could say anything, the Star Origin Lord’s clone chuckled, “There’s no need to be so cautious. When you unleashed your martial intent, I could sense the power of time flowing from the Star River itself. You performed your martial intent before me more than once, haven’t you?”
After a brief silence, Shang Xia sighed, “Star Origin Lord, it seems like you are no stranger to the Star River. I suppose you’ve entered it yourself?”
The Star Origin Lord’s clone did not directly answer but instead wore an ambiguous smile. “Then I wonder, would you be willing to enter the Star River once more?”
“Hm?” Shang Xia immediately grew alert. “Is that your condition?”
The Star Origin Lord’s expression turned serious. “Indeed. All I ask is that you enter the Star River again, and toss something into it while you’re there.”
Shang Xia’s eyes flickered slightly. “And what might that be?”
The clone turned toward his Six Essence Heavenly Field and gestured into the void. Before long, a powerful cultivator, roughly at the first star of the Martial Emptiness Realm, flew through the void and handed a pure white bottle to the clone before departing.
Watching the man’s retreating back, Shang Xia remarked, “That Sage looks new.”
The Star Origin Lord smiled faintly but did not answer. Instead, he handed the bottle to Shang Xia. “I’d like to trouble you to toss this bottle into the Star River and bring back a vial of ‘water’ from within.”
Shang Xia glanced at the bottle, which he couldn’t tell the material it was made from, and asked curiously, “Can this bottle collect the Essence of Time?” 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚
The Star Origin Lord chuckled, “Why not try? I doubt such a task would pose much trouble for you.”
After a moment’s thought, Shang Xia put the pure bottle away and saw the Star Origin Lord’s clone smile silently.
Flicking his sleeves, Shang Xia got back to the original topic. “I once heard that the Starlight Curtain is woven from starlight. Is that true?”
The clone smiled. “That’s one way to put it, but it’s not entirely correct.”
Shang Xia’s back straightened slightly, and the look on his face changed. “Please, enlighten me.”
The Star Origin Lord explained, “Starlight has neither form nor substance. Even if one could condense it into threads through secret arts, how could such light maintain its integrity over time?”
Before Shang Xia could ask further, he continued, “Thus, those condensed strands of starlight essence require a medium, something that can permanently carry the starlight’s essence. A spiritual material capable of enduring it.”
“Medium... Spiritual Treasure...”
A flash of insight lit Shang Xia’s eyes as countless past fragments of knowledge linked together. He blurted suddenly, “Star Devouring Silkworms? Are you referring to Star Devouring Silk?”
The clone smiled and nodded. “Precisely. The Star Devouring Silkworm lineage has long since fallen into the hands of your Essence Luxuriant Heavenly Field. I imagine that by now you’ve bred silkworms capable of producing rank seven Star Devouring Silk. I’ve also heard that you, Sage Shang, are an extraordinary grandmaster of the art of talismans. You know how to craft multiple rank seven talismans. The talisman paper you use... If I’m not mistaken, must include Star Devouring Silk as a main ingredient, yes?”
Shang Xia’s expression darkened slightly, though he forced a polite smile. “You are... Remarkably well informed.”
The clone chuckled. “The same could be said of you. Your knowledge of my Heavenly Field’s inner workings has exceeded even my expectations.”
Their brief exchange of mockery ended as quickly as it began.
Shang Xia asked again, “So merely using rank seven Star Devouring Silk as a vessel for Star Essence is enough to weave the Starlight Curtain?”
“Of course not.” The Star Origin Lord’s clone sneered. “Each strand of that silk must carry not ordinary starlight, but the refined essence of one’s Fate Star. It’s a process that requires immense patience and time. But for someone like you, with more than one Fate Star, the task should be considerably easier.”
Shang Xia smiled faintly. “You flatter me, Star Origin Lord. But how exactly is the silk imbued with Star Essence, and how do you weave it together?”
The clone explained, “I can teach you the secret art for weaving the Starlight Curtain. But the most crucial step comes next. Once the Star Devouring Silk has been woven into fabric, the Starlight Yarn must be washed within the Star River itself. Only then does it become what is called Star Rinsing Muslin.”
“Starlight Yarn? Star Rinsing Muslin? They’re still not called the Starlight Curtain...” Shang Xia asked in confusion.
Ignoring the interruption, the clone continued, “After Star Rinsing Muslin is made, you imprint the mark of your Fate Star upon it, then nurture it with your inner qi, allowing it to resonate with your Fate Star. When cast into the void, it will appear almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Only then can it truly be called the Starlight Curtain.”
Shang Xia frowned. “That sounds like it serves another purpose entirely.”
This time, it was the Star Origin Lord’s clone who looked surprised. “Oh? Isn’t the Starlight Curtain meant to conceal and protect your Fate Star?”
Before Shang Xia could answer, the clone pressed on. “You mean to say, you had another purpose for it?”
Shang Xia paused, realizing he might have misunderstood, but he continued to press forward. “In the Flood Star Region, the Starlight Curtain was mentioned alongside the Star Core.”
The clone’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Ah, so you assumed both were tied to ascension into the Eighth Order?”
By then, Shang Xia had regained his composure. After a moment of thought, he looked directly at the Star Origin Lord’s clone and said in a deep voice, “If the Starlight Curtain is truly meant only to conceal and protect one’s Fate Star, why would it require venturing into the Star River? After all... Going there poses great risks even to experts at our level.”
The Star Origin Lord’s clone’s smile faded. His expression became calm and unreadable as he muttered, “Young Friend Shang, you asked for the method of creation. That is what I have given you.”
Shang Xia smiled faintly, realizing their conversation had reached its end. “So, I still have no choice but to enter the Star River again, do I?”
The Star Origin Lord’s clone said nothing, only smiling silently.
After a brief pause, Shang Xia voiced a question that had lingered in his heart for a long time. “The Star Origin Talisman, and the old Star Origin Lord Robe you once wore. Even the Star Curtain that once concealed the Heaven Observation Field... Are they all connected to the Starlight Curtain?”
The Star Origin Lord’s clone answered casually, “They are. All of them are simplified versions of it.”
Shang Xia nodded slightly. Then, taking a step backward, his figure blurred, and he vanished into the void.
