Maiden Galaxy

Zhiyan immediately showed interest after listening to Li Mi's explanation. The School Of Diplomacy had people-scouting arts. Let alone the Western Fields, finding some people in a Star Field was easy.

"Hunting the qilin, you truly have guts. Fine, Your Servant shall help you this time. However, Your Servant wants the White Tiger's bones after the fact." Zhiyan's eyes turned. She was not a philanthropist and did not do useless things.

"Your contribution will not be overlooked." Li Mi promised.

Zhiyan chuckled, "Li Mi, you board Your Servant's Lunar Rainbow Thousand Chariot. The rest of you wait here." Li Mi boarded the chariot, and the horned lynx beasts opened their third eyes. Zhiyan's forehead Star Crest appeared. In the girl's eyes, the world split into eight directions. With herself as the center, different lines emerged.

The "vertical" routes all were within her perception. Zhiyan's Innate Skill was "Vertical Alliance;" She could track the vertical coordinates of everyone along this line. Some of the stronger targets among them appeared in her gaze.

"In three days, the qilin will be spotted at a cliff to the north."

The Lunar Rainbow Thousand Chariot's rainbow light flew towards there.

Even if Chen Mo and the other three wanted to keep up, Zhiyan's chariot was too fast. They were powerless to chase, no matter how much they wanted to. After Li Mi left, Chen Mo smelled a thick scent of danger.

Zhou Panlong and Lu Xuanjing both stared at her.

"If both of you want to seize the chance to kill me, then make your move as soon as possible." Chen Mo smiled.

Although Zhou Panlong had the urge to kill him, she was aware that this was not the time. "Li Mi values you very much. Presumably, you should be no simple Star Warrior. How can I kill you."

"Everyone should come together as one for now. If we hunt the qilin, our names will henceforth shake Star World." Lu Xuanjing laughed. 

"First, let us each hide ourselves so as to avoid being hunted by the qilin first." Zhou Panlong spat and left in a flash.

Lu Xuanjing also cupped his fist towards Chen Mo and left upon a riding sword.

Chen Mo watched their departing backs. He took out a small bottle. Contained inside was the quintessence of the Sobbing Qilin Stone he refined for use against a Holy Beast. 

…

"Your Distinguished Self Panlong!" Lu Xuanjing caught up to Zhou Panlong.

"Hm?" The woman's brows rose.

Lu Xuanjing smiled: "My Lady need not worry, I have no ill intent. I merely wish to negotiate something small with Your Distinguished Self Panlong."

"Speak."

"My Lady should have noticed that the relationship between Li Mi and that Star Warrior named Mo Chen is not shallow. They might even share a Servant Star relationship." Lu Xuanjing paused.

Zhou Panlong grinned: "The magnificent Dragon Of Pushan walks so close to a cultivator, I noticed this, too, more or less. To possess a Servant Star, this Li Mi is nothing special." In Star World, it was not glorious at all for a Star General to possess a Servant Star. Only those who believed themselves weak enough to seek aid from another would entrust their own Star Energy to another ordinary person.

"For this alliance to hunt the qilin, does My Lady have faith in Li Mi and him?"

"None."

"We should work together, preparedness averts peril."

Zhou Panlong jeered: "The qilin has yet to be hunted, and you are already thinking of your interests that come afterwards. Is Your Distinguished Self not overly worried."

Lu Xuanjing awkwardly said: "Planning ahead is always good."

"Then what countermeasures do you have? It would be as easy as turning her hand over for Li Mi to kill us." Zhou Panlong derisively said. From the perspective of powerful martial force, playing little tricks undoubtedly would end up embarrassing themselves.

All of a sudden, Zhou Panlong's murderous intent surged.

Lu Xuanjing's heart chilled.

"I suddenly thought of an idea." ZHou Panlong abruptly said.

"Your Distinguished Self, please, speak."

"I never killed one of the Ten Great Disciples of the Three Thousand Sword Ocean. Why not I kill you first!! An opportunistic Universe Origin cultivator is a burden in the hunt for the qilin." Zhou Panlong brought out the Ten Thousand Hu Dragon Combat, sneering as she attacked.

Lu Xuanjing retreated, summoning his sword chant.

…

Three days later, Qilin Precipice.

Zhiyan was indeed of the School Of Diplomacy. Several dozen people were gathered by her atop Qilin Precipice. Each announced their name, and other than five Lords Of Heaven and more than a dozen Universe Origin cultivators, there were also five other Star Generals.contemporary romance

Other than Li Qiong of the Later Jin Dynasty, Chen Mo was not very familiar with other not-so-famous Star Names of the Five Dynasties, like Shen Bin. The other three actually caught Chen Mo's eyes a bit.

One of them was "Orphaned Authority" Pang Meng,¹ of the phrase "who can be entrusted with the charge of an orphaned prince and commissioned authority of a state of a hundred li."² He was a general of the in the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, who betrayed Emperor Guangwu and was slain by Liu Xiu. One was Heavenly Wenze Star "General Of Tiger's Might" Yu Jin.³ He was one of Cao Cao's Five Elite Generals, however, because Pang De was killed, his perfunctory surrender to Guan Yu caused his reputation to plummet and stain his integrity. Legend said that he died in shame.

The last was known from a young age to have had "peerage from meritorious service with the sword," the ambitious Heavenly Solemn Star "One Arrow Peerage" Yuwen Gui,⁴ who had experienced the Northern Wei, Western Wei, and Northern Zhou Dynasties, a general of outstanding service and merit.

Five Lords Of Heaven and seven, no, eight Star Generals.

This Qilin Hunting Party was perhaps one that not even the Qilin Martial Emperor would conceive of.

"Yuwen Gui, you actually appeared in the Western Fields Qilin Hunt. I am not surprised by Yuan Jin's appearance, but you truly make me feel a bit incredulous." Zhou Panlong was very flabbergasted by Yuwen Gui's apperaance.

The woman who succeeded Yuwen Gui's Star Name was tall in stature, with sharp and level brows. She had grey eyes and wore peculiar armor and clothes. Her hair was also grey and tied in an oddly shaped style. Her beauty was average, but even her very bones emitted a merciless air.

Zhou Panlong's doubts were not without reason. Yuwen Gui was a subordinate of one of the Sixteen Star Marquis, "Buddha-killing Monster"⁵ Tuoba Tao. Other than being one of the Twelve Generals of the Eight Pillars Kingdom as well as her excellent swordsmanship, her archery was also outstanding. She could compete evenly against the "Commander Who Fells Raptors."

Her position was sublime, unlike some Star Generals who were without influence.

Faced with the Qilin Martial Emperor's summons for the Western Fields Qilin Hunt, these Star Generals normally would not associate themselves with such an unsavory enterprise.

"What else can be more challenging than surviving a hunt on the White Tiger." The woman was expressionless, her every word filled with fearless challenge.

This was a Star General who sought experience at the edge of death.

Chen Mo knew from a glance that she was different. Compared to Zhou Panlong and the other Star Generals, Yuwen Gui was filled head to toe with a bearing that disdained the world.

"Even an Earthly Immortal dared to come, why should we be afraid." Pang Meng laughed.

"It can be said that this Fellow's skill displayed during the banquet in front of the Martial Emperor was universally shocking. Even I do not have this level of boldness. If not for the School Of Diplomacy's words, I would not have agreed to this alliance." Another relatively famous Star General spoke. There was a slash scar on the woman's face, and she wore a face veil to conceal her appearance.

If not a requirement of this alliance, she would not reveal her identity.

Everyone gazed at Chen Mo. Even the expressionless Yuwen Gui could not help but narrow her eyes as she sized Chen Mo up.

"I merely thought that the Martial Emperor was magnanimous. In terms of boldness, I cannot compare to everyone." Chen Mo modestly said.

"Enough. For this Qilin Hunt, we must come together as one." A Lord Of Heaven Rising Firmament said in displeasure.

"En, if we can kill it, this feat will be the most significant since the rise of the Star Marquis. This will be a great help to us and the Star Generals here." Another Lord Of Heaven Yang Thunder agreed. This Lord Of Thunder Yang Thunder's face seemed blue and his hair red. His gaze was cruel, and his teeth were sharp, a ferocious appearance.

Normally, no one would be willing to form an alliance with him, but the current situation forced their hands.

"Zhiyan will not be joining on hunting the qilin. You all take your time and have fun." Zhiyan boarded her chariot and seemed to peer down from castle walls.

Li Mi nodded. "Thank you for your troubles this time, Your Servant owes you a favor."

"You owe Zhiyan too much." Zhiyan giggled.

"Where did that Lu Xuanjing go?" Chen Mo noticed that the disciple of the Ten Great Sects was absent.

Li Qingyi did not care for Lu Xuanjing. A Universe Origin cultivator was of no help at all, anyways.

"The White Tiger is currently one hundred thousand li away to the southwest. Someone is fighting against it right now. En, she should Starfall at any moment." Zhiyan pointed.

"There is someone capable of contending against the White Tiger?" Everyone felt incredulous.

"Let us hurry and go look."

The Lords Of Heaven and Star Generals hurried towards the southwest without another word.

"Little Sister Zhiyan." Chen Mo was in no rush to go at all. He turned and very courteously inquired of the little girl sitting on the Lunar Rainbow Thousand Chariot.

"When this you finish hunting this qilin, if you have not died, Zhiyan will throw you to Star World's most remote Star Field. They say that even the average Heavenly Star cannot cross the ‘Great Primeval Star Field.'"

Chen Mo smiled: "I heard Qingyi said that you have a nickname, the Mysterious Star World Chauffeur? Could this be your Star Name's Nickname?"

"Of course not. Are you very interested?" Zhiyan asked.

"I feel that a title like chauffeur does not fit Little Sister Zhiyan very well." Chen Mo nodded.

"Is that so? But I feel the nickname that man chose for Me is quite interesting." Zhiyan was indifferent.

That man?⁶

"Do you want to know My Star Name? But Zhiyan will keep it secret and never tell an outsider, let alone a man." A crafty glow flickered past Zhiyan's eyes.

"I probably already guessed Little Sister's Star Name." Chen Mo smiled and said.

"Then what is it?" Zhiyan asked: "Zhiyan will give you a chance. If you guess right, you are forgiven. If you guess wrong, I will take you to the Great Primeval Star Field right now."

At this time, Chen Mo heard Li Qingyi's urging from the Sound Transmission Talisman.

"This answer will have to wait until I finish hunting the qilin." 

His escape light soared and vanished into the heavens. He left eight words behind for Zhiyan – Five Kingdoms King Recognition, Conferring Lord Rhinoceros Head.⁷

Thereupon, Zhiyan's grin became more and more adorable.

…

A hundred thousand li away, southwest, a lake.

"What is this?"

Everyone was astounded to see this.

The Western Fields' wildlands surprisingly had such an enormous body of water.

Chen Mo used the Deva Eyes to look around. In the center of the lake, a woman in rhinoceros armor wielding a ribbon and an enormous beast of white light were circling each other. The woman raised a perilous situation upon the waters. Her every attack was very vast, splash after enormous spalsh charging like sea dragons towards that Holy Beast of white light.

"What kind of god is she, to actually be capable of fighting against the White TIger." Yu Jin said in astonishment.

"She is Ma Yuan." Li Qingyi's tone sank.

"Wave Quelling Dragon King Ma Yuan?" Yuwen Gui raised her brow.

"No wonder, she is Son Of Heaven Liu Xiu's most powerful general, someone who Liu Xiu treasures. I never imagined she would actually come to hunt the qilin." Pang Meng said.

"Son Of Heaven Liu Xiu's officers often come to participate in the Western Fields Qilin Hunt, but they all were defeated." Zhou Panlong actually was very aware of some of the Qilin Star Field's rumors.

"The White Tiger is a Holy Beast of Heaven. How can a Star General slay it."

"The White Tiger is at the end of its life, now is our chance." Heavenly Lord Rising Firmament was hardly able to restrain himself. With first rate Star Generals like Li Mi, Yuwen Gui, Yu Ji, and now even Ma Yuan in the mix, this majestic hunt could be labeled as unprecedented.

"It seems Ma Yuan will not last much longer. Wait until she wastes her Heaven Rank, then we advance." Star Name Li Qiong of the Later Jin sneered.

Everyone agreed.

"No need to wait, this is her Heaven Rank."

Chen Mo used an escape technique to take the lead and charge forth. The Deva Eyes saw that this lake seemed to flare like an ocean of stars. Upon closer inspection, the lake reflected the starry sky, manifesting astonishing star images. Anyone who entered this starry river would seemed to be trapped in a prison.

This kind of terrifying might was absolutely not something an Earthly Rank could muster.

"Dropping The Curtain On The Starry River!"⁸ Li Mi muttered.

1. 六尺命龐萌 ↩
2. 托六尺之孤，寄百里之命 ↩
3. 天·文則星' 虎威將'於禁 ↩
4. 天穆星『一箭封侯』宇文貴 ↩
5. ‘鬼殺佛'拓拔燾 The "Buddha-killing Monster" is actually the same as Su Xing's. I'm translating it differently to dissociate the two characters. ↩
6. Probably Su Xing. ↩
7. 五國相王，封君犀首 I don't know what this reference is. ↩
8. 落幕星河 ↩

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