Volume One, Chapter One: The Celestial Map, Awakening the Star Soul—Horned Wood Dragon

Blue Star, Divine Martial Academy, school training grounds.

The place was packed with people, every gaze fixed on the Awakening Platform at the front.

“Heh, I knew it. There’s no way that guy could awaken.”

“Doesn’t he realize he can’t cultivate? He’s already eighteen and still hasn’t opened his Star Palace, yet he still dreams of awakening his Natal Star Soul?”

“He’s just waiting to be expelled! Did he really think he could use us as a stepping stone to get into the Intermediate Academy?”

Beside the Awakening Stone, Lin Fan’s face was full of disappointment. Each biting remark was like a knife cutting into his heart. In the end, he slipped away through the crowd, alone and desolate.

Among the crowd, the academy elders presiding over the awakening ceremony shook their heads one by one.

At eighteen, with the Star Palace unopened, there was no hope of ever becoming a Star Soul Master. Only two paths remained for him.

One was to join the Miscellaneous Affairs Office, handling various production-related tasks for the academy; the other, to be expelled from the Star Palace.

“Why is fate so unfair to me? What was the point of transmigrating here at all?”

Lin Fan gritted his teeth and sighed in despair. It had been two years since he came to Blue Star—a world filled with wonders and strangeness.

Ever since an outer world collided with Blue Star, the merging of planes had changed the very rules of the world. Now, everyone could absorb a substance known as Star Force into their bodies, thus activating their Star Palace and awakening their Natal Star Soul.

For decades now, the onslaught of beings from beyond had sparked a cultivation frenzy across Blue Star. A complete cultivation system was quickly established, and those who awakened their Natal Star Soul could become the noble Star Soul Masters, able to channel the power of heaven and earth to strengthen themselves and earn the reverence of others.

Today marked Lin Fan’s second attempt to open his Star Palace, and once again, he had failed.

In the academy’s back mountain, Lin Fan was full of unwillingness.

He sat cross-legged on his bed, unwilling to give up, and tried once more to absorb Star Force.

In his perception, the space around him was filled with countless particles invisible to the naked eye—the mysterious Star Force. He began to circulate the absorption method, but his whole body was like a sieve.

The Star Force he drew in rampaged inside him, crashing wildly against his meridians, the pain twisting his expression.

This was the consequence of forcibly absorbing Star Force without a Star Palace.

Within moments, Lin Fan was drenched in sweat. He stopped, opened his eyes, and a wave of dizziness washed over him.

Without a Star Palace to contain the Star Force, it rampaged unchecked within him, pushing his body far beyond its limits.

Was he really just going to accept his fate? The thought was unbearable!

Through the haze of dizziness, something bright and indistinct suddenly appeared before Lin Fan’s eyes, gradually growing clearer.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t hallucinating.

Before him stretched a boundless, magnificent starry sky, deep black and dotted with flickering starlight.

“What... what is this?”

[Congratulations, Host, you have activated the Star Lodge Chart!]

Host: Lin Fan

Star Soul: Jiao Wood Flood Dragon (Awakened)

Cultivation: Body Refining, Level Three

Star Points: 0

[Jiao Wood Flood Dragon: Newborn, a beginning, a symbol of strength! With the awakening of the Jiao Wood Flood Dragon, your Star Palace is opened and your cultivation rises to Body Refining, Level Seven!]

[Ability acquired: Suppression of wood-type enemies, rapid self-recovery, enhanced perception of wood-type spiritual objects!]

[Acquired Dharma Body cultivation art: Wood Spirit Transformation!]

As this string of information unfolded before him, Lin Fan felt the surrounding Star Force being drawn into him as if pulled by an invisible thread, flooding through his entire body.

At the same time, on the star chart before his eyes, a star in the east shone brightly, its light outshining all others, before an image began to swirl into view.

It was a hornless flood dragon, its scales neat and orderly, its body a mix of green and brown, emanating an aura of unassailable majesty.

“This...”

Lin Fan suddenly recalled the twenty-eight star lodges of his previous life. Could this be what he had gained?

Excitement surged through him.

It was well known that Natal Star Souls were intimately connected to the stars above; it was said the power Star Souls granted to their masters came from those celestial bodies.

Every Star Soul corresponded to a particular star!

As he gazed at the countless twinkling lights before him, Lin Fan felt his heart burn with hope. The path to cultivation, once utterly blocked, was finally open to him!

After absorbing all the information, Lin Fan understood the purpose of Star Points. By defeating enemies, he could gain Star Points.

Star Points could be used to activate star lodges on the Star Chart. Once activated, they would become his Star Souls—just as Jiao Wood Flood Dragon had just done.

Not only would this boost his strength, but each also brought unique abilities and cultivation arts! Lin Fan licked his lips, his breathing growing heated.

Ordinarily, a Star Soul Master could only awaken one Natal Star Soul in a lifetime. Only those with exceptional talent had a slim chance of awakening a second.

But such individuals were the true paragons.

For example, the headmaster of Gale Academy, the highest-level Star Soul Academy on Blue Star, Gale Sky, was a Two-Soul Star Soul Master—his name alone struck terror into the hearts of beings from the outer planes.

Despite his excitement, Lin Fan quickly realized he needed to find a way to acquire cultivation resources. The Jiao Wood Flood Dragon Star Soul was of the wood attribute, while the Flood Dragon Transformation was a water-wood dual-attribute Dharma Body.

Looking at the few star stones beneath his bed—stones containing Star Force for cultivation—Lin Fan shook his head. Acquiring resources was now a pressing need.

As a primary academy, Divine Martial Academy allocated resources strictly based on strength—those who were strong received more.

“Lin Fan, the notice for the Herb Gathering Team has arrived. Rest for a day and join the team tomorrow morning to gather herbs at Spirit Medicine Valley.” Someone delivered the notice at his door.

Lin Fan was stunned. He had just finished his second awakening, and already he was being assigned to the herb gathering team. The academy truly wasted no time on idlers.

The herb gathering team’s work was exhausting and dangerous.

Rumor had it that recent teams had suffered heavy losses. Who knew what tomorrow would bring?

Still, Lin Fan felt no need to prove himself in haste. He decided to let things unfold naturally.

The next morning, Lin Fan reported to the herb gathering team and set off with the group toward Black Mountain.

On the way, the team supervisor gave repeated instructions.

“Remember, if you encounter a Star Beast, Star Soul Masters on the flanks must respond immediately to protect Apothecary Gu!”

Lin Fan stood in the middle of the group, assigned to transporting precious herbs and handling logistics.

He glanced at the carriage behind him, where sat the academy’s chief apothecary, Gu Qingyi.

Apothecaries specialized in blending rare herbs into extracts and medicinal pills. Though not as skilled as alchemists, to be chief apothecary of the academy certainly meant Gu Qingyi was a woman of considerable talent.

Lin Fan had long heard of her, though he had never seen her in person.

From others, he knew that Gu Qingyi was the gentlest and most beloved apothecary at the academy—so popular that people were willing to join her herb gathering teams without pay, just for the experience.

As the path narrowed and the forest grew denser, Gu Qingyi’s clear voice rang out from the carriage: “We’re almost at the outskirts of Black Mountain. Everyone, stay sharp and be ready for any danger.”

The first to respond was the middle-aged man leading the convoy, a guest official named Li Yun.

“Don’t worry, Apothecary Gu. We’re all on alert!”

“Still, let’s be careful. Black Mountain hasn’t been peaceful lately.”

Hearing the voice from inside the carriage, Lin Fan was a little surprised—Apothecary Gu was so young?