CHAPTER 250: CHAPTER 223: THE TENTH TITLED KING, DUAN YA

The Star Investigation Office’s garrison in Food God City has a cultivation room, specifically provided for the investigators active on the Exotic Battlefield to cultivate.

The Star Force concentration on the Exotic Battlefield is inherently high, and when Lu Lin entered the cultivation room where a Star Power Array had been set up, he was almost pushed out by the intense Star Force.

No electronic devices could be used here, and no one could see Lu Lin’s guidance.

When he and Duan Ya entered the cultivation room, all the people waiting outside could do was wait.

"Elder Duan, there’s no need to be nervous; just think of it as an ordinary Star Force guidance session."

"Please sit down."

"Let me first tell you some of my habits in guiding Star Skills."

After Lu Lin discussed some points to note, Duan Ya asked, "Lu Lin, I’m at the Ninth-Level Peak; if I demonstrate the Star Skills, can your Star Power Domain withstand it?"

"Of course, no problem. Once you enter the domain, feel free to perform them,"

Lu Lin smiled and said.

Duan Ya nodded and asked again, "Is there anything else to be aware of?"

"Honestly, today this came a bit too suddenly; I might not be fully prepared yet..."

A trace of nervousness finally appeared on his face.

But in fact, Lu Lin had already noticed it.

"Hmm, there’s a little trick to guiding Star Skills, which I discovered myself."

Lu Lin began to seriously make things up.

"After entering the Star Power Domain, once you’ve released all your Star Skills, begin to recall."

"Recall?"

"Yes, recall the most important moments in your life, like your first battle, the first time you learned something, your first date with your girlfriend, or some unforgettable memories."

"These memories can represent your truest thoughts and intentions and greatly help you comprehend Star Skills."

"At the same time, they can resonate more with the instincts, deep consciousness, and intuition deep within your mind."

"Okay, then I’ll try it later."

With Lu Lin’s words, the tension in Duan Ya’s heart eased a bit.

"Alright, close your eyes now, empty your mind, and let me guide you into my Star Power Domain."

Duan Ya sat cross-legged as instructed, his consciousness immersed in his own Consciousness Universe.

Lu Lin smiled calmly, with a hint of anticipation in his heart.

Previously, whether helping Hou Jin or Gao Feng, Gao Shan, or Wang Ming with guiding Star Skills, he never had much subjective thought.

As long as they comprehended Star Skills, it was a success.

As for promotion, that was purely secondary.

Today, it was his first time guiding with the purpose of helping someone else break through; he wondered what the final effect would be.

Closing his eyes, Lu Lin also entered his Consciousness Universe.

He released the Star Power Domain.

Guiding Duan Ya’s spiritual body.

Compared to when he guided Zhao Lei and Yang Jun before, Lu Lin felt that facing Duan Ya now seemed a bit easier.

It seemed that his mental strength cultivation had indeed progressed significantly during this time.

He thought to himself that, when he had time, he should study more of the "Divided Mind Art" of the Kongming White Ape Clan.

Duan Ya’s spiritual body entered Lu Lin’s Star Power Domain and followed Lu Lin’s previous instructions, demonstrating his current Star Skill,

including basic hardening, strengthening, golden shield, sharp sword.

Supportive skills like tearing, cutting, bleeding.

Advanced skills such as ten thousand swords, armor break, sharp arrow.

And Duan Ya’s unique Star Skills like Heaven-splitting, Thousand-Weight, Golden Finger, Devastation.

Fourteen Star Skills in total, Duan Ya demonstrated them one by one.

Lu Lin nodded in satisfaction; many of these Star Skills were ones he had never seen before, now recorded for future use.

The key was, if he were to pull the enemy’s spiritual body into the Star Power Domain again, Lu Lin would have more means of attack against them.

Just now, Duan Ya also said he didn’t mind what kind of Star Skill Lu Lin guided out, whether it was for strengthening, support, offense, or defense.

Since he was so leisurely about it, Lu Lin wouldn’t rush either.

Just now, he mentioned to Duan Ya to recall a most profound image or experience from memory after entering the Star Power Domain.

It was just right for Lu Lin to make arrangements based on this scenario.

Duan Ya began to recall.

A snowy winter day, with heavy snow, very cold.

Duan Ya walked alone on the city’s streets, the dim streetlights casting his shadow on the snow.

All around was silent.

No sound could be heard, nor any animals or vehicles in motion.

Duan Ya just kept walking.

Suddenly, urgent footsteps came from up ahead.

Faintly, the sound of a girl crying could be heard.

What happened.

The unusual commotion startled Duan Ya awake, and he cautiously watched from the shadows.

It was a girl in a black trench coat, holding a short knife.

She had multiple wounds on her body, a lot of bloodstains as well.

Her neatly arranged trench coat was damaged from attacks, revealing the white sweater inside.

Duan Ya knew this girl; she was his classmate.

Someone he could only admire from afar but dared not approach, the "goddess" of his school.

Zhang YaWei.

Why was she here?

Why did she have so many wounds?

Who were the men in black chasing her?

The young Duan Ya was full of questions but dared not show himself.

At that time, he was just an ordinary Gold Series Martial Artist who had awakened less than three months ago, not on the same level as the already Third-Level Zhang YaWei.

Right.

Duan Ya comforted himself that he hadn’t even reached the first level yet and would only be throwing his life away by going out now.

The most important thing at that moment was to keep himself safe.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Various hidden weapons flew toward the running Zhang YaWei; even though she tried her best to dodge, her right calf was still hit by two iron caltrops.

Her right leg weakened, unable to run any further, and she fell onto the snow.

"Run, you little wench,"

the chasing man in black said with disdain and arrogance, a cliché villain template.

Zhang YaWei flipped over and sat up, holding the short knife horizontally in front of her chest.

"Li Mazhi, this Star Crystal was left to me by my father, and I won’t sell it to you,"

Zhang YaWei said resolutely, biting her lip.

Tears in her eyes had not yet dried, she was just forcing herself to hold on.

"Won’t sell it to me?"

Li Mazhi chuckled, swaying as he walked up to Zhang Yawei.

"I didn’t say I wanted to buy it, did I, guys?"

"Hahaha."

The group of subordinates behind Li Mazhi chuckled, clearly aware that their boss was about to pull the "friendly gift" routine again.

"Hand it over."

Li Mazhi didn’t want to waste words with Zhang Yawei and bent down to grab her chest.

He wasn’t GHS; he was trying to snatch the box in Zhang Yawei’s arms.

Hiding in the shadows, Duan Ya could see clearly that the box was not something precious, just an old-looking ring box.

"No!"

Zhang Yawei bit her lip, curling up her body, unwilling to hand over the box.

It was the Star Crystal her deceased father had obtained on the Exotic Battlefield.

Initially, it was just a keepsake for his daughter, but due to an unexpected death, it became Zhang Yawei’s life-saving money.

But when she was about to take the Star Crystal to the black market for some necessary equipment for the trials, Li Mazhi and his people spotted her.

Zhang Yawei sensed the danger and promptly withdrew from the black market, only to be chased down by Li Mazhi and his crew.

The first time they caught up with her, Zhang Yawei acted pitifully, fooling Li Mazhi and his men, then unsheathed her short knife, injuring several of Li Mazhi’s subordinates, and escaped.

But she had barely fled for 20 minutes when they caught up with her again.

"Let go!"

Li Mazhi’s face was ferocious.

"Let go! Didn’t you hear me? Let go!"

Li Mazhi kicked Zhang Yawei in the stomach, but she only groaned, her grip unyielding.

"Hey, damn it, you little witch, do you think I can’t handle you today?!"

Seeing Zhang Yawei’s stance, Li Mazhi’s temper flared, and he motioned for a few of his subordinates to come and beat Zhang Yawei brutally.

Zhang Yawei lay in the snowfield moaning and crying out in pain.

It made Duan Ya, hiding in the shadows, clench his fists.

He wanted to rush out countless times, but in the end, he held back.

He was just a martial artist not even at the first level.

There was no way he could save Zhang Yawei.

No way, absolutely no way.

He didn’t know how long it had been, but Zhang Yawei was covered in blood and wounds, her consciousness blurry, yet her grip unchanged.

The box with the Star Crystal was still clutched tightly to her chest.

"Boss, will this woman die?"

"No."

Despite saying this, Li Mazhi crouched down to check Zhang Yawei’s breathing, which was still there.

"Alright, let’s take the stuff and go quickly. Liuzi, you have the friendly gift file, right? Bring it over for the girl to stamp a fingerprint."

"Goutou, did you find out this girl’s identity information?"

"Found it, boss, Zhang Yawei, facial recognition confirmed it."

"Good, let’s take the stuff and retreat."

Li Mazhi stood up and ordered his men to pry open Zhang Yawei’s arms, forcibly breaking three of her fingers to get the box from her.

"Alright, let’s go."

Just before leaving, Li Mazhi glanced in Duan Ya’s direction and grinned.

"Kid, still watching? Don’t you know to call 911?"

"Silly."

It turns out Li Mazhi had long found out Duan Ya was hiding in the shadows.

After doing what they wanted, they let Duan Ya take Zhang Yawei for medical attention.

"Ah——"

Plunged into memories, Duan Ya roared heartbreakingly.

It was the moment of his life he least wanted to remember, yet he found himself reliving it vividly once more.

He still remembered: it was the 500-year anniversary of the Federation’s entry into the Exotic Battlefield.

December 29th.

He didn’t expect, at this minute, to have to recall this heart-wrenching, unbearably painful incident again.

He knew that night he eventually called for emergency, but Zhang Yawei didn’t survive.

Years later, in the Exotic Battlefield, Duan Ya rose in power rapidly, returning home to take revenge on Li Mazhi and his people. Upon seeing Duan Ya, they dropped to their knees, begging for mercy with snot and tears.

This instantly quelled Duan Ya’s thirst for vengeance, and with a wave of his hand, he let them go.

To him, what good was revenge now?

Zhang Yawei was already dead.

She could never return to life.

But at this moment.

As Duan Ya once again experienced that scene, he only wished to torture those people to death with a thousand knives and ten thousand cuts.

"Boom——"

An invisible wave spread out, signifying Duan Ya’s successful comprehension of a Star Skill.

His spiritual form gradually disappeared in Lu Lin’s Star Power Domain.

Not only that.

Duan Ya’s figure suddenly teleported above Food God City.

He radiated bursts of golden light.

Even though it was still daytime in the Exotic Battlefield, his figure shone as brilliantly as the sun.

Xing Fang, Zhu Henian, Long Qianli, Long Qiansu, Wang Jianfang, Wan Shushan, Yang Jun, and others also teleported out, coming into the air, gazing at Duan Ya, who floated like a deity.

The group exchanged glances, joy evident in their eyes.

The Human Federation had birthed the tenth titled king.

This moment, though his consciousness had returned, Duan Ya felt neither sadness nor joy.

He was not thrilled by the realization of his desires.

Nor was he saddened by the memory of Zhang Yawei’s death.

He nodded slightly to the nearby ninth-level masters.

And let out a long sigh.

"Ah——"

"I hope that among my Human Race, martial artists should all advance bravely and be foremost, never bullying the weak or using strength to undermine law."

"If I ever find out, I will kill them!"