Star Journey: Destiny Returns

At the edge of the ancient city, night quietly descended, the entire city shrouded in a faint moonlight, shrouded in a mysterious glow. Yunxuan and Yaoyue reached a misty woodland, a forbidden area of ​​the ancient city. The star map had clearly guided them there. Legend has it that this forbidden land grows a magical fruit—the Lingshuang Fruit, considered one of the "ultimate delicacies" of heaven and earth, imbued with mysterious powers.

Yao Yue gently raised her hand and touched the mist before her, sensing the cold air mixed with the rich spiritual energy. She whispered, "The spiritual mist here is unusual, imbued with a strange power, as if trying to block out all perception."

Yun Xuan nodded, his eyes firm as he spoke slowly, "The spiritual energy emanating from the mist hints at the danger here. It seems that obtaining the Spirit Frost Fruit will not be easy."

Yao Yue frowned slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, she said, "We must be careful and stay awake. Since the star map has brought us here, it means that the Lingshuang Fruit must be the first 'ultimate taste' we are looking for."

Yunxuan's eyes flashed with determination, "In that case, let's face the test of this sea of ​​fog." He took a deep breath and took the lead in stepping into the fog. Yaoyue followed behind him, and the two of them walked into the depths of the confusing forbidden area.

The fog thickened, blurring the surrounding scene, as if everything were swallowed up in this endless whiteness. As they walked, faint whispers drifted through the mist, sometimes like footsteps, sometimes like soft sighs in her ears. Yaoyue frowned slightly, feeling as if the surrounding spiritual energy was gradually devouring her consciousness, trying to disturb her mind.

"Yunxuan, did you hear those sounds?" Yaoyue asked in a low voice, with a hint of vigilance in her tone.

Yun Xuan nodded and lowered his voice, saying, "These voices seem to be guiding us in some way, trying to interfere with our judgment." His eyes were serious. "We must concentrate and hold on to our inner beliefs to avoid being confused by the fog."

Yaoyue closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and focused her spiritual energy on her heart, trying her best to block out the distracting thoughts around her. Her heart gradually calmed down, and the whispers in her ears gradually became vague, as if those voices could no longer penetrate her will.

Seeing Yaoyue's composure, Yunxuan gently closed his eyes, channeling his spiritual energy and immersing himself in the power of the star map. Suddenly, he felt a clear force surge from within, gradually dispersing the surrounding fog. When he opened his eyes again, the fog was still thick, but he could clearly sense Yaoyue's presence.

"Very good, as long as we keep our faith, we will not be disturbed by these spiritual mists." Yunxuan smiled slightly and continued to lead Yaoyue deeper into the forbidden area.

As they moved forward, the fog grew thicker, wrapping around them like a living thing. Occasionally, blurry images could be seen emerging from the fog, as if memories of the past were awakened by the fog and presented before their eyes.

Yaoyue peered intently and suddenly saw a familiar figure emerging from the mist. The figure had delicate features and a gentle gaze; it was her childhood teacher. In Yaoyue's memory, this teacher cared for her like a father, always guiding her on the path of cultivation. However, that teacher had long since passed away, yet now, he had materialized from the mist of this forbidden land, sending a shudder through Yaoyue's heart.

"Master..." she whispered softly, a look of reminiscence in her eyes.

Yunxuan noticed something was wrong with Yaoyue and immediately reached out to touch her shoulder, whispering, "Yaoyue, this is just an illusion. The mist is trying to use your inner bond to interfere with you."

Yaoyue was suddenly awakened by this, a sense of alarm rising within her. She took a deep breath, dismissing the image of her master, and tightened her grip on the silver blade. "You are right, this mist is not a natural phenomenon, but a test of the soul."

Yunxuan nodded slightly and continued forward. He knew in his heart that the fog in this forbidden area was not only testing their endurance and willpower, but also testing whether their hearts could see through the confusion of emotions and desires.

Deep in the woods, the mist gradually thinned, revealing a shimmering clearing. In the center of this clearing, a tall, ancient tree stood tall amidst the mist. Its branches and leaves were lush, each covered in a layer of light frost, shimmering and translucent, as if each leaf held the essence of moonlight.

"Spirit Frost Tree!" Yao Yue exclaimed softly, her eyes drawn to the several fruits hanging from the tree. They were pure white, radiating a soft glow. She knew they were the legendary Spirit Frost Fruit, a supreme delicacy condensed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Yunxuan also showed a look of joy, "It seems that we have found the first ultimate delicacy pointed out by the star map, the Spirit Frost Fruit."

Just as the two were about to approach the tree, the air around them suddenly grew heavy, and a strong sense of oppression emanated from the depths of the forest. Yun Xuan immediately sensed something was amiss and instantly drew his sword, his gaze warily surveying his surroundings.

Yao Yue also quickly drew out her silver blade and whispered, "I'm afraid this isn't just a forbidden area, it's more like a domain that protects some kind of spiritual creature."

As soon as he finished speaking, a low roar echoed through the air, and then a gigantic figure slowly emerged from the mist deep in the forest. It was a massive spirit beast, covered in thick, dark blue scales. Its eyes flashed with a fierce light, as if carrying an aura that shook the heavens and the earth.

"This is the guardian of the forbidden area!" Yun Xuan whispered, tightening the sword in his hand.

The spirit beast's gaze was fixed on Yunxuan and Yaoyue, clearly regarding them as intruders. Its massive body slowly advanced, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly. Yunxuan's eyes turned cold, knowing that the only way to obtain the Spirit Frost Fruit was to fight.

"Are you ready?" He glanced at Yaoyue, his tone full of determination.

Yao Yue nodded slightly, her eyes fixed firmly on the spirit beast, "Be ready to fight at any time."

The spirit beast roared furiously and lunged at them. Its massive claws slashed through the air, sending a surge of intense spiritual energy surging forward. Yun Xuan dodged with the force of the wind, his longsword wielding a sharp blade of energy as it slashed through the spirit beast's armor. The sword flashed, but the beast's armor was as hard as iron. Yun Xuan's attack, though it chipped a few scales, failed to inflict fatal damage.

Yao Yue followed closely behind, wielding her silver blade in a flash of light, striking the spirit beast's flank. Her attack was precise and swift, hitting a vulnerable spot on the spirit beast. The beast growled in pain, and with a sudden swipe of its massive tail, it forced Yao Yue back several steps.

"This spirit beast has extremely strong defenses. We must find its weakness." Yao Yue said in a deep voice, with a hint of calm thought in her eyes.

Yunxuan quickly analyzed the spirit beast's attack patterns, noting that while its movements were swift, each attack would reveal a brief gap in its defense. He whispered, "Although its defense is strong, its movements are a bit slow. If we can exploit this gap, we have a chance."

Yaoyue nodded, and the two simultaneously prepared a countermeasure. The spirit beast lunged again, charging towards them with ferocious momentum. Yunxuan's eyes focused, and he swiftly swung his sword at the spirit beast's face, forcing it to retreat. Meanwhile, Yaoyue circled around the spirit beast's flank and stabbed it again with her blade, targeting its weak spot.

The spirit beast roared in pain, its eyes gleaming with ferocity as its massive claws swept towards Yao Yue with the force of thunder. Yao Yue quickly retreated, dodging the fatal blow, then leaped to her feet, piercing the spirit beast's neck with the silver blade.

Yunxuan saw the opportunity and immediately joined the attack. His longsword shone through the air, a brilliant streak of light, piercing the spirit beast's belly. The two men coordinated perfectly, their attack unstoppable, forcing the spirit beast back step by step. The spirit beast's movements gradually slowed, clearly affected by their attack.

Finally, with their combined strength, the spirit beast's movements noticeably slowed, its strength gradually failing, revealing a fatal flaw. Yun Xuan seized the opportunity without hesitation, stabbing the spirit beast in the vitals. The spirit beast let out a low roar, its massive body gradually limp, finally collapsing to the ground, breathless.

Yunxuan and Yaoyue panted slightly, looking at the fallen spirit beast with a sense of accomplishment in their hearts. The first guardian of the Spirit Frost Fruit had been defeated, and they had finally encountered the initial test of the ultimate taste.

The two of them walked slowly towards the Spirit Frost Tree and gently plucked a few Spirit Frost Fruits. As the fruits touched their hands, they exuded a refreshing fragrance that seemed to condense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Yao Yue gently held the Spirit Frost Fruit, a hint of respect in her eyes, and whispered, "This is the first 'ultimate taste' we're pursuing. It's not just delicious, it's a force that unites heaven and earth."

Yunxuan nodded, his gaze firmly fixed on the Spirit Frost Fruit in his hand, his heart filled with immense satisfaction and joy. However, they also knew that this was only the beginning of their journey, that the secrets of the star map had only just been revealed, and that even more difficult tests awaited them in the future.

"Yaoyue, the journey ahead may be more difficult, but no matter what, we must keep moving forward." Yunxuan smiled, with firm belief in his eyes.

Yao Yue also smiled softly, with an extremely determined look in her eyes, "No matter what the road ahead holds, we will reach the end of our destiny and uncover the ultimate secret of the ultimate taste."

They looked at each other, put the Lingshuang Fruit into their bags, and embarked on a new journey guided by the star map.