Stellar Transformations

Qin Yu in Lan Feng’s slightly morphed body had arrived at Yan Shan city – city of the Yan Clan. There he encountered a rare beauty and a special tea house, and learnt of Yan Gao’s seclusion. Seeing how the location of Yan Gao’s closed-door training is impenetrable, he chose to assassinate and rob the Yan clan’s clan leader...

...

People slowly trickled into the Yan clan’s great hall, one after another elders and disciples wearing gloomy and sullen faces. Amongst them was elders Yan Xu Fan and Yan Xu Yan.

Xu Fan mumbled to the elder next to him, “Second elder, you are the next in line in terms of seniority. Please go and speak for us.” The elders had sorrowful faces. The second elder took a deep breath and felt determination gradually return to his posture: “Ladies and gentlemen, as you all know, last night, the clan leader was murdered within his own home, and yet no one in the surroundings felt anything amiss.” He paused and swept his gaze cross all present, swallowed and continued, “As of now, we are expending all efforts to find the killer; everyone is looking out for the man in question, but it is only a display. Knowing that the killer could take out Xu Lan must mean the killer is, at least, a golden immortal. If the killer wanted to escape, he would’ve used greater teleportation to get away. So even if we look, we wouldn’t even catch a shadow.”

The crowds of people all wore self-mocking smiles and bitter faces.

What the elder said was the truth! Though many people were dispatched to search for the would-be killer, but it was a quest fated to be fruitless. The killer must be at least a golden immortal, and as a golden immortal who has greater teleportation to escape, how could anyone find anything?

“Second elder. Someone has killed our clan leader and do we just swallow that down and act as if nothing has happened? Or do we take our revenge?” Xu Tan asked a little agitatedly.

Xu Fan reprimanded the speaker, “fourth elder, keep you calm.”

The announcer – the second elder, slowly shook his head to refute, “Our Yan family is far too feeble. Simply relying on ourselves is impossible.”

Hearing this, Xu Fan looked up with hope at the speaker, “Second elder, your meaning is....?”

The second elder nodded to Xu Fan and to everyone at large, “Exactly. We must find a way to acquire some help from the Jade Sword School. If they are willing to help then the chances of revenge is very high, but unfortunately we do not have much influence over the school or relate to them in any way. This matter, we must let the great patriarch to act, since the patriarch is a disciple of the school, his word would weigh more than ours.”

“But, but the patriarch is currently undergoing closed-door training......” the wife of the clan leader instantly looked up at the announcer with a helpless look.

The second elder and also the announcer nodded solemnly, “That’s right, we can only wait. This time the patriarch wishes to reach the seventh level of the golden immortal stage before exiting his training. If we were to disturb him before he reaches his goal, we would be labelled as traitors or criminals of the Yan family.”

Everyone in the hall knew that the patriarch is of more importance than Liu Xu Lan – the clan leader. Though the latter is dead, as long as the Yan Gao – the patriarch, is around the Yan family can still stand up proudly, with their heads held high, on Amber Moon. But if, Yan Gao were to perish and be destroyed in both, body and soul, Yan family would never stand up again. They would be heavily suppressed or suffocated by the other two great families.

...

In a remote village on the borders of the controlled boundaries of the city – Yan Shan, a Xiuzhenist is currently in thought.

The Xiuzhenist was sitting in the front courtyard of a well-sized residence. It was Qin Yu. He had bought the residence with one piece of mid-grade holy elemental ore. He didn’t bother negotiating and immediately bought the place, the payment was worth far more the house, at least for any Xiuzhenists it was.

He was currently deep in thought and inspecting the goods in Xu Lan’s possessions.

He sighed, “I’d never have thought that this Yan Xu Lan would be so ruthless.” He had picked up several receipts showing sums of money to be owed to him. According to his understanding, these were similar to high-interest rate loans from loan sharks of his Qian Long Continent.

He was only mildly surprised at these packets of receipts, but what was more shocking was that the receipts were signed with blood oaths.

From his palm came rivulets of purple heavenly fire and immediately burned all the receipts, reducing them to smouldering ashes.

Through the blood oath seal, the many contractors of the oath would have felt the change as the receipts or contracts were burnt. There contractors were driven into frenzied states just from the presence of these extreme loans, naturally, they would be overjoyed to find the contracts were not in existence and they did not have to pay back the money.

Qin Yu frowned at his inspection, “This is strange, very peculiar. For the last million years, the control of the teleportation arrays was almost always claimed by the Yan clan. Logically, speaking, the accumulative wealth should be at least several billions but in actuality......there’s only one hundred million...?” He swept his immortal class spiritual senses once more into Xu Lan’s interspatial storage ring. He was very positive the total amount of all the holy elemental ores sum to only one hundred million.

Now the question was: for a large clan, how and why would their clan leader’s wealth be so small?

He threw the ring into his own storage unit and sat back down in a meditative position. “Forget this. I’d rather spend the time training.”

Instead of returning to his original body, he chose stay within his puppet, because he was training in the ways of the soul. Wherever his soul goes, he can train there.

In the immortal plane, strength is absolute. This doesn’t just mean personal power, but also strength in the mind and soul. With these as absolutes, once the possessor kills, the target will be killed without quarrel. If the possessor showed mercy time and time again, they would not live long.

Qin Yu was no exception. Over the timeless years of meditation and training, his heart had become stone cold and more ruthless as the time passed.

Perhaps the only shred of humanity and love left in his heart is his familial love, his brotherhood, his significant-other....and these remain in his heart for all eternity.

...

The Yan clan’s sword immortal temple.

A middle-age man sat in the centre of the temple, despite man’s looks of about middle-ages, his eyebrows were completely white and hung down from the two outsides of his face. Around him was waves of sword energy was emitted and absorbed.

Suddenly, the same drooping brows floated up by formless energies. Instead of emitting energy, all the energy around him was instantly converged with him as the epicentre. The oppressive force of such highly concentrated sword energy cause a heavy suffocating atmosphere in the chamber around him. The man, himself, was heating up quite quickly, his face was red from constant exertion.

It was red.

Now it turned purple.

Steam and energy was expelled out of the man’s nostrils, from within two waves of oppressive sword energy was sent outwards, which encircle his body and flew back in. The process was repeated, each time the interval between breathes was shortened, until....

Until, the man’s body started to shake uncontrollably.

“Boom!”

“Sou! Souuu! Sou!” Countless waves of sword energy erupted from the man’s body, expanding outwards in all directions and slammed into the barrier applied on this sword immortal temple. The barrier only rippled slightly without much change. It was, after all, a formation barrier constructed by the man and his fellow martial brothers of high pedigree.

In the silence that followed, the man breathed out and said with a satisfied look. “I’ve succeeded. I’ve finally reached the seventh level of the golden immortal stage.” The middle-aged man’s eyes shot open, and from within blazing light shot out.

The man’s name was Yan Gao. He was the patriarch, who’d undergone closed-door training some time ago. A while ago, he had sensed that he was at peak of the sixth level of the golden immortal and only one step away from breaking through. So this time, the closed-door training had succeeded to allow him to reach level seven.

Of the Jade Sword School which he was part of, his achievements and prowess was only considered to the mid-low, in other words he was below average. He belonged to the third generation of disciples.

The first generation was also the school master and was a mystic immortal at the first level.

The second generation constituted of eight disciples, seven of which were level nine golden immortals and one was a level eight golden immortal.

In the third generation, there were dozens of disciples. Of them, six were level 9, level 8 were numbered in between ten and twenty. As for level 7 golden immortals were plentiful, and the rest of the disciples were level 6 golden immortals. Since Yan Gao has reached level 7, he had finally broken through to the average level of the third generation.

With a casual flip of his hand, a voice transfer talisman appeared.

With a content look, Yan Gao spoke aloud respectfully, “Master, I’ve reached the seventh level of the golden immortal stage.” His master was Yu Dian of the second generation of jade sword school disciples. His master was also the only one among the second generation at the eighth level of the golden immortal stage. But in terms of governing and management capabilities, his master is top ranked. So despite, his master low cultivation achievements, Yu Dian still held a relatively high position and status within the school.

Yu Dian also looked quite happy. “My disciple, you have finally reached level seven golden immortal stage. That’s good, very good. I’ve wanted you to help me with some matters, but was worried that you may not have the commanding aura, when you were still at level 6. In a few days, you should come to the Red Lead Planet, and report to me.”

In terms of trust and assurance, using one’s own disciples was most assuring.

“Master, rest assured, this disciple will first make some arrangements for his own family, then immediately rush over there.” Yan Gao was not an idiot, how can a small planet like Amber Moon allow him to achieve anything? He was elated at his master’s request, and eager to be on his way.

The Red Lead planet was situated in the heart of the Silver Stream galaxy. Where there are many powerful experts residing, so for his own development, that planet would be more promising. He had already planned to use the connection between the jade sword school and sovereign Yu, to allow him, one day, to work at sovereign Yu’s side.

Even by the end of the voice transfer call, his face was full of smiles. “This Amber Moon too small and non-profitable for me. I’ve only got one top grade immortal class weapon, which had come with generous help from my master, or else I wouldn’t be able to obtain. Once I’ve reached the Red Lead Planet and started working with the jade sword school, not only will I be able to be respected and gain prestige, but treasures would be abundant too.”

Afterwards, he sent out his immortal spiritual powers to encompass his family’s town. “Yan Shuo, Yan Lan, I’m about to exit the closed-door training area.” He was startled to find that he couldn’t find Yan Lan’s voice transfer signature, and promptly expanded his field of search. However, when he had encompassed the entire mountain range around his home city, he still couldn’t find Yan Lan.

The replying message from Yan Shuo made his blood freeze. “Great patriarch, the clan leader has been murdered.”

He had just broken through to the seventh level of the golden immortal stage, also received praise and a job from his master, and was feeling on top of the moon. But now a single piece of news had ruined his parade and darkened his mood. “And what about the killer?”

The second elder jumped into the communications link. “Great patriarch, the assassin snuck in, in the darkness of the night and killed the clan leader. No one saw the face of the killer nor their escape. As such, we have no way to find the killer.”

Yan Gao grounded his molars in rage, his face had become the incarnation of a demon’s. “Wait until I get there.” His message had been broadcasted to every child, disciple and member of the Yan clan, even those who did not have the status to attend the gathering in the main hall.

Only a few was deeply impacted by the death, and in most cases, Yan Xu Lan’s death had little impact on the family as a whole. That was because the pillar that supported the Yan clan was the patriarch, Yan Gao.

...

Within the courtyard of a remote mountain village, Qin Yu could clearly feel the probing sweep of Yan Gao’s immortal spirit power. Though the difference of soul power between the two was large, but thanks to the fusing with the meteoric tear, Qin Yu’s immortal powers became very sensitive to the point where he could clearly detect the other.

“Hmm? The old man finished his training, huh?” He looked up into the horizon in the direction of the Yan Clan’s headquarters, and with a slight shake of his body, he vanished from sight.

...

Within the main hall of the Yan family’s headquarters.

Chatter filled the main hall. On this day, around a hundred family members gathered in the main hall. These hundred were all the elites of the Yan family, even the previously held captive Yan Wu Tao was present.

At the time, Qin Yu only captured and interrogated Wu Tao, then put the fellow into a amnesiac coma, and didn’t kill the fellow.

A harsh voice boomed in the hall, “Silence!”

Xu Fan, an elder of the family looked onwards in the distance as he finished his shout. Every bicker and chattered stopped in mid-sentence like someone had frozen time in the main hall. Not one peep of sound escape another one’s lips, because they had all guessed......the great patriarch had arrived!

From behind the rear screens of the main hall, the patriarch and the second elder walk out. The former was in front while the elder walked behind. The patriarch commanded a fierce aura that swept outwards, with brows like spears and a dark scowl, every Yan family member could hardly take a breath.

The two elders approached three high-backed thrones at the rear of the hall. The patriarch sat down in the centre and the second elder sat to his left. Normally, the clan leader would sit in the middle while the two would sit at either side. Today, to the patriarch’s right sat clan elder Yan Shuo.

Yan Gao fixed everyone below, in the hall, a stony stare. “I just finished my training, only to hear an very infuriating piece of news. Xu Lan had been killed.” If his eyes did not convey the smouldering anger within, then his words definitely did: every member in the main hall could not even speak out. His face still deadpanned as he continued, “I know this matter has little importance to you all, since killing Xu Lan meant the killer must be at least a golden immortal. Everyone has been called here today for two reasons. One is to swear to avenge Xu Lan, and the second is to elect a new clan leader.”

A clan leader election? If the patriarch was going to vote, then no one could dare oppose.

“But now is not the time to discuss that.” He paused. Then he continued lightly, “The biggest problem is revenge for Xu Lan.....we do not have any information about this killer. I ask any of our honoured guests: have you found any information about the enemy?”

These honoured guests only shook their heads in shame. Without any clues about the identity of the murder, how could they find any information?

Right at this moment, a voice rang out in the hall, “I have some information about the killer.”

The speaker was of a thin and lanky built man with a fierce and cold expression. On the man’s face was a nasty and straight scar that accentuated the man’s murderous look. On the man’s back was the hilt of an immortal class long sword. Any immortal wield a visible sword is a special characteristic known to only sword immortals.

The newcomer was Qin Yu in the guise of his immortal sword puppet’s body.

Xu Fan snapped at the newcomer, “Who are you!? Who let you enter the glorious main of my, Yan family’s headquarters???” The fellow was a strong contender for the clan leader position within the family, naturally, wanted to show some poise and command in front of the patriarch.

“You.....silence fool!” Qin Yu didn’t even look at the man and snapped at him with disdain, “I am speaking with the great patriarch, not some puny junior of the likes of you.” He didn’t bother give the man any shred of respect at all, only a disdainful look. The man wasn’t even a golden immortal, and in his eyes such person wasn’t even worth the dirt on his boots.

Yan Gao spoke with a polite tone, “This one is the third generation and a disciple of the jade sword school, and is called Yan Gao. May I ask which school is fellow sword disciple from?”

Qin Yu had deliberately leaked some of his strength and soul force out to allow the other to probe. The fellow thought Qin Yu was just a level 8 normal immortal, and was unconcerned about his arrival. The only reason why the fellow asked was because on his back was a sword which symbolized he came from a sword immortal school.

A sword immortal school was numerous in the immortal plane. Many were very powerful, and the jade sword school was just a small school compared to those greater powers. What Yan Gao feared wasn’t Qin Yu, but the powerful school behind Qin Yu.

Qin Yu laughed timidly, “I.....I’m not part of a particular school.”

He could see the fellow’s face fell into a scowl. “Did you come to fool me with some kind of trick?”

The second elder to his left exclaimed, “Great patriarch, those who dare to trespass in my – Yan clan’s, main hall is already committing a great crime! Now that trespasser dares to show such audacity to mouth off in its wall. He should be punished accordingly!”

Qin Yu’s face instantly sharpened with a murderous expression.

“I didn’t come to fool you, but to......kill you.” He had already grasped the hilt of his long sword behind his back.

In the next instance, he had drawn his sword and activated the seventh technique of the Heaven Sundering Sword style. A fiercely thin wave of opaque sword spirit howled towards Yan Gao, who had also pulled his sword out and promptly erupted in explosive power.

“Shiinnn!”

Before Yan Gao could even unleash his own attack, a thin line had appeared from his head to his nether region, a look of disbelief still visible in the fellow’s eyes as his body fell to the floor and split apart. Body fluids gushed out in fountains, blood vessels and cranium matter splattered on the raised platform where the ruling seat stood.

In one sword stroke, the level seven golden sword immortal – Yan Gao, had died!

Everywhere and everyone around was petrified in shock, in dismay, as if time had really stopped. Their clan’s sole guardian angel – Yan Gao, and the greatest power had died! And died so pitifully!

No one reacted as Qin Yu picked up the Yuanying of their venerated elder, “a level 7 golden immortal yuanying shouldn’t be waste. It definitely shouldn’t be wasted,” because the reality still couldn’t be accepted by the onlookers.

Qin Yu smiled and stored the yuanying in his blazing ice ring then disappeared from the main hall.

When they heard the newcomer’s voice and watched the man take the yuanying and disappear, and only then did the crowd wake from their stupor into reality.