Chapter 265: Space-Time Cage, Refining the Star Pool

A fragment of the chaos bell!

Zhou Chen suppressed his excitement, maintaining a calm expression on his face.

“Then I shall thank Senior.”

“Fellow Daoist, please take your time to Cultivate; this old man will not disturb you further.”

After Star Child finished speaking, he turned and left.

Once Star Child was far away, Zhou Chen immediately jumped into the Star Pool.

The pool water was icy cold, but the energy it contained was incomparably pure.

Zhou Chen slowly circulated the Pluto Seal, frantically absorbing the power of the stars within the pool water.

After confirming that no one was spying on him,

Zhou Chen dove to the bottom of the pool. The bottom was covered with smooth gravel that looked very unremarkable.

Relying on his powerful Divine Soul strength, Zhou Chen quickly scanned all the gravel. When he probed one particular stone, his Divine Thought felt like a clay ox entering the sea, yielding no reaction whatsoever.

Thus, Zhou Chen successfully found that fragment.

It was a thumb-sized metal fragment that appeared completely ordinary.

Zhou Chen took the fragment without hesitation, and the System notification sounded immediately.

[Ding! Interception successful! Triggered Hundredfold Return! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining Chaos Bell Core Fragment ×10!]

Ten fragments appeared out of thin air, floating in front of Zhou Chen.

Including the one in his hand, there were eleven fragments in total.

The eleven fragments glowed simultaneously, flying toward the fragment of the chaos bell inside Zhou Chen’s body. The light grew brighter and brighter, eventually illuminating the entire Star Pool.

Zhou Chen felt the fragment of the chaos bell inside him vibrating violently, as countless runes emerged from the fragment.

Those runes intertwined in the air, finally condensing into a small, damaged bell.

The small bell was only palm-sized and bronze in color, but many cracks were still visible on it.

Although it was still damaged, it now had the shape of a bell!

“The main body of the chaos bell… has actually begun to recover?”

Zhou Chen was shocked. After carefully probing the inside of the small bell with his Divine Sense, he realized that the chaos bell seemed to have undergone a new change.

Previously, Zhou Chen could only activate a small portion of the chaos bell's authority, but now he had unlocked a new ability: Space-Time Cage.

The Space-Time Cage could generate a prison space, instantly locking onto and trapping enemies whose cultivation did not exceed Zhou Chen's by more than three minor Realms, making it impossible for them to break free.

This ability was far too powerful.

Although it could only trap one person at a time, it perfectly filled the gap in his current lack of crowd-control capabilities.

With his current Emperor Realm Second Layer cultivation, he could even trap those below the Emperor Realm Fifth Layer.

“Not bad, not bad.”

Having gained another trump card, Zhou Chen nodded in satisfaction and sat cross-legged to continue absorbing the Star Pool.

Soon, the energy of the Star Pool flooded into his body, and the Pluto Seal was also improving at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Time passed minute by minute.

Three days later.

Zhou Chen suddenly opened his eyes, a golden light receding within his pupils.

“The third layer of the Pluto Seal is complete!”

Feeling the surging power within his body, Zhou Chen smiled slightly.

Now, in terms of combat strength, he could likely easily crush the Emperor Realm Third Layer, and even against the Fourth Layer of Emperor Realm, he would have the strength to fight.

Above the Emperor Realm, every Realm is a different world.

However, this law had completely failed when it came to Zhou Chen.

“An Ancient Prodigy would probably only be at this level, right?”

Zhou Chen thought to himself.

“Hmm? Not good!”

Zhou Chen’s expression changed.

By now, the water in the Star Pool had completely dried up.

It wasn't just that the energy had been sucked dry, but it was completely exhausted.

The bottom of the pool revealed cracked soil and gravel; not a single drop of water remained.

“This…”

Zhou Chen felt a bit embarrassed.

Did he absorb it too fiercely?

Just then, Star Child’s voice came from outside the valley.

“Fellow Daoist Green Lotus, how is your cultivation progressing?”

Star Child walked into the valley, and seeing the empty Star Pool, the smile on his face froze completely.

“This… this…”

He pointed at the empty pool, his lips trembling, unable to speak for a long time.

“Senior Star Child…”

Zhou Chen was somewhat embarrassed: “Junior was too immersed in cultivation and seems to have absorbed all the pool water.”

“All… all absorbed?”

Star Child’s voice changed its pitch.

That was the Star Pool that had accumulated for three hundred years!

The energy contained within was enough for ten Emperor Realm experts to Cultivate simultaneously!

And now it was all gone?

“Senior, how long will it take for this pool to recover?”

Zhou Chen asked cautiously.

“How long?”

Star Child felt his vision go dark. He took a weary deep breath and said with a trembling voice: “At least… at least five hundred years!”

“It takes fifty years to recover just ten percent! To fully recover, it will take at least five hundred years!”

Zhou Chen swallowed after hearing this.

He had really overdone it this time.

“Senior… how about I compensate you?”

“Forget it, forget it.”

Star Child waved his hand. Although his heart ached, he still forced a smile: “Being able to help Fellow Daoist Breakthrough can be considered putting it to good use.”

He looked at Zhou Chen, curiosity flashing in his eyes: “May I ask what Realm Fellow Daoist is in now?”

“First Layer of Emperor Realm.”

Zhou Chen still concealed it slightly.

Although he had already shown his strength, and with the Divine Concealment Art, no one could tell, it was still better to keep a low profile.

“First Layer of Emperor Realm…”

Star Child murmured to himself, shocked in his heart.

At the First Layer of Emperor Realm, he could already insta-kill others at the First Layer of Emperor Realm? Even those at the Second Layer of Emperor Realm would find that difficult to achieve!

This combat power was simply too Heaven-Defying.

“Fellow Daoist, this old man has an audacious request.”

Star Child suddenly looked solemn as he spoke to Zhou Chen.

“Senior, please speak.”

“Three months from now, the Eastern Wasteland will Host a Heavenly Pride Grand Assembly. At that time, all the major Holy Lands and the two Great Emperor Clans of the Eastern Wasteland will send their younger generation to participate.”

Star Child looked at Zhou Chen with expectation in his eyes: “This old man would like to invite Fellow Daoist to represent my Heavenly Star Holy Land.”

“Heavenly Pride Grand Assembly?”

Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes.

It sounded very interesting.

Moreover, since it was a gathering place for Prodigies, there would surely be many Opportunities to reap.

“I can do that.”

Zhou Chen responded.

“That’s wonderful!”

Star Child said with great joy: “Fellow Daoist, please consider it carefully. If you need anything, just ask. With Fellow Daoist taking action, my Heavenly Star Holy Land will surely make a name for itself!”

Just then, an anxious voice came from outside.

“Elder! Elder! Something terrible has happened!”

A Disciple rushed into the valley, his face pale as ash.

“What is it that makes you so flustered?”

Star Child frowned.

“The Ying Family… the people from the Ying Family are here!”

The Disciple said tremblingly: “They said… they said they are looking for someone named Azure Lotus Sword Venerable!”

“People from the Ying Family?”

Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes.

They certainly came quickly.

Star Child’s expression also became solemn.

“Fellow Daoist, how about you first…”

“No need.”

Zhou Chen waved his hand, a playful smile appearing on his face: “Didn't Senior invite me to participate in the Heavenly Pride Grand Assembly? However, I happen to have a condition.”

“Fellow Daoist, please speak.”

Star Child said immediately.

As long as Zhou Chen was willing to participate, he would agree to any condition!

“I heard that Senior has a fragment of a Treasure Artifact in his possession?”

Zhou Chen spoke directly.

After the chaos bell took the form of a small bell, it gained a fragment-sensing function. As long as a fragment of the chaos bell appeared near Zhou Chen, he could feel it.