Asura Emperor Venerable-Chapter 674: Star Core

Shi Hao approached, but the Star Core released terrifying energy, preventing him from getting closer.

Any closer, and his body would have burst apart.

The energy within this Star Core was too overwhelming, making it unbearable for him to even approach.

What should he do?

Should he just give up?

How could he, having come all this way, leave the treasure mountain empty-handed?

"Xiao Jin, can you handle it?" Shi Hao asked the Purple Gold Rat.

"I’ll give it a try." Facing the treasure, the Purple Gold Rat no longer feared death. Its foundation was astonishingly robust, but cultivation still required one step at a time, unavoidably needing a large amount of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

It darted out, but didn’t approach the Star Core; instead, it engraved on the east side, then the west side.

"What are you doing?" Shi Hao asked.

"Nonsense, of course I’m imprinting the Formation Patterns of heaven and earth to suppress the Star Core," the Purple Gold Rat explained as it rapidly engraved.

"Luckily, this is a Star Core already in the process of fading, otherwise the Formation Patterns I’m carving now wouldn’t be able to suppress it."

"It’s not that I’m not capable, but the materials are insufficient."

Indeed, it was engraving on the stone wall made of compressed rock, which could only stand up to six or seven star-level Precious Metal, whereas the Star Core? Capable of nurturing life and causing destruction, it certainly had to be of a ten-star level.

So, if it were a Star Core from the outside world, being this close, they would have been smashed to death long ago.

The Purple Gold Rat was busy for a long time. When it completed the last Formation Pattern, all the previously laid patterns seemed to suddenly come alive, all radiating light, interacting with each other, forming a suppressing force.

These lights turned into lines, wrapping around the Star Core layer by layer, and during this process, the light emitted by the Star Core continuously weakened, and the intensity of its fluctuations also decreased.

In the end, it turned dim and dull, resembling an ordinary round stone.

"Mission accomplished!" the Purple Gold Rat declared proudly.

"Good job!" Shi Hao also shone with excitement, "Rat, how about teaching me that Formation Pattern?"

"Tch, do you know how much effort and even life risk I’ve put into these Formation Patterns?— Oops!" The Purple Gold Rat quickly covered its mouth, having accidentally spoken too much.

Shi Hao looked at the rat and chuckled.

The Purple Gold Rat was somewhat embarrassed and said, "Even if I were willing to teach you, you wouldn’t be able to learn it. Your realm is too low; it’s completely impossible."

The Formation Pattern was truly miraculous, able to suppress even the Star Core—although it had already declined, it couldn’t be compared to a normal Star Core, but it was still incredibly powerful.

Shi Hao and the Purple Gold Rat immediately began cultivating with the Star Core, greedily absorbing the energy within it.

This was something that could nurture a Celestial Body’s life. Even if it had declined many times over, it still possessed astonishing energy.

After all, this was something capable of nurturing everything in the universe, naturally including strength and power in the soul, enhancing martial artists’ abilities in all aspects.

Both man and rat were rapidly increasing their cultivation.

But after just one day, neither of them could endure it any longer. frёeωebɳovel.com

This energy had amazing benefits but also placed immense pressure on their bodies, reaching a limit beyond which they could no longer absorb it. Forcing it could only result in their bodies exploding.

They stopped and poured Time Liquid on themselves, speeding up the passage of time. They aged three days, finally recovering their strength, but in real time, not even half an incense stick had passed.

One man and one rat continued to cultivate, and after several rounds, the Time Liquid had been completely depleted.

The energy of the Star Core was still overwhelming, but if they were to slowly absorb it, then they would not need to do anything else.

"Xiao Shi, we might as well refine the Star Core right here since it belongs to the Ancient World and can’t be taken out," the Purple Gold Rat suggested. "So, we can’t waste it."

Shi Hao shook his head. "That would be a waste! Let’s find the River of Time, quickly refine this Star Core, then search for other Star Cores. That way, our journey here wouldn’t be in vain."

The Purple Gold Rat thought about it and realized it was right. Without the River of Time to aid them, their efficiency in refining the Star Core was far too low; refining for one day, resting for three days, totalling four days, allowed for only about ninety or so refinements a year.

Based on the energy in this Star Core, it could be used hundreds of times.

"Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go," the Purple Gold Rat called out.

They left the core of the earth and began searching again.

Shi Hao had a domain, which gave him a special advantage in this area. Even a Spirit Exploration Compass couldn’t function, but he could easily find treasures, probably a unique capability.

However, the River of Time was too rare. Discovering a small puddle before was already a miracle, how could they find another so soon?

Actually, not finding anything was the norm. How many groups of people had entered this place before?

If it weren’t for each celestial body disintegrating every time, all the treasures would have been picked clean by now.

As they searched along the way, they also did not forget to cultivate. Whenever their bodies recovered, they immediately took out the Star Core to refine.

Time quietly passed, and before they knew it, more than half a month had gone by. Shi Hao was not only looking for the River of Time, he also didn’t want to miss other treasures, but with so many people coming and going, how many treasures could still be left?

Even intact celestial bodies were exceedingly rare, and thus Shi Hao still only had one Star Core in his possession.

Until the seventeenth day, Shi Hao and the Purple Gold Rat finally discovered the second complete Celestial Body.

"We’re in luck! We’re in luck!" the Purple Gold Rat rubbed its little paws. The celestial body in front of them was much bigger than any they had seen before and it was perfectly intact.

How big was this Star Core? How astonishing must the energy contained within it be?

It just worried that their time here was limited, and what if they couldn’t finish refining a Star Core before being forced to leave—that would be a huge loss.

"Wait a minute!" Shi Hao looked at the celestial body and furrowed his brows.

"What’s wrong?" the Purple Gold Rat asked.

"This isn’t a planet, but a Dwarf Star formed after the collapse of the Sun," Shi Hao decisively said, knowing plenty about this type of celestial body as he had traveled in soul form through a Dwarf Star.

"Eh!" The Purple Gold Rat took a closer look, then thumped its chest and stamped its feet, "My Star Core!",

It looked utterly heartbroken.

Hey, hey, hey, it isn’t even in your possession yet, is it worth all this sorrow?

"Let’s go and take a look." Shi Hao picked up the Purple Gold Rat and flew towards the celestial body.

Hm?

When he was about a hundred meters away from the celestial body, he suddenly discovered an immensely strong suction force assaulting him, causing him to accelerate towards the ground.

Thud—he heavily fell to the ground, the powerful impact numbing his entire body.

Could it be, that the gravity here was still affecting them?