Star Journey: Destiny Returns

The tranquility of the mountain forest gradually awakened in the twilight of dawn. A thin morning mist lingered between the trees, and the air was filled with the scent of moist earth. Yunxuan and Yaoyue stood before a massive stone pillar, gazing in the direction indicated by the star map. At the edge of the forest, the outline of an unnatural building loomed, secretive and majestic, seemingly standing tall despite the erosion of millennia.

"The light of the star map becomes particularly clear here. This should be the secret realm we are looking for." Yunxuan slowly put away the star map and looked around vigilantly.

"The secret realm has indeed appeared, but I always feel that there is something watching me in secret." Yao Yue frowned slightly, tightened her grip on the silver blade in her hand, her eyes calm and sharp.

"Your intuition has always been accurate. Since it is a secret realm of ancient ruins, it must have attracted a lot of people's attention. We must be careful." Yun Xuan said softly, tightening the sword in his hand.

The two carefully stepped into the ancient ruins. The entrance of the ruins was covered with vines and moss. Ancient runes could be vaguely seen carved on the stone walls. As they approached, the runes began to flicker slightly, as if they had some kind of mysterious power.

Yaoyue leaned over and gently brushed away the vines, revealing a complete rune. She examined it carefully, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. "These runes appear to be used to seal some kind of power. Perhaps the core of the secret realm hides an extremely powerful force, otherwise it wouldn't be so tightly protected by runes."

Yunxuan nodded in agreement and slowly said, "Ancient secret realms often carry incredible power, which is the meaning of our journey. It is these legendary 'ultimate flavors' that allow the spiritual power of heaven and earth to coexist harmoniously."

The two carefully passed through the stone entrance and stepped into the secret realm. Suddenly, the view opened up, and a vast hall appeared before them. In the center of the hall stood an ancient altar, upon which rested a vessel enveloped in spiritual light. The vessel exuded a faint, refreshing fragrance that brought a sense of incomparable comfort.

"Is this... one of the ultimate flavors?" Yun Xuan exclaimed, with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

Yao Yue heard this but didn't rush forward. Instead, she calmly observed her surroundings and whispered, "This fragrance is indeed similar to the ultimate taste we encountered before, but perhaps there are some hidden traps. We might as well observe it a little longer."

At that moment, they heard the sound of footsteps. The two men immediately became alert and looked in the direction of the sound. They saw several figures wearing black cloaks approaching from the other side of the hall. Their steps were slow, but their eyes were sharp, clearly prepared.

The leading man had a faint sneer on his face. He glanced at Yunxuan and Yaoyue, then said lightly, "You two, it seems we are all here for this treasure."

Yunxuan and Yaoyue exchanged a stern glance. Yaoyue spoke first, "If that's the case, why not just state it openly? Are you also those who seek the ultimate taste?"

The leading man smiled faintly, spread his hands, and said, "It's more than just a pursuit. Our purpose is to collect the world's precious spiritual objects, and one of the most delicious things here happens to be among our goals. As for the two of you, I believe you have other intentions, right?"

"No matter what your goal is, the ultimate taste belongs to the world and you can't take it away easily." Yun Xuan responded coldly with a firm tone.

Seeing this, the man snorted coldly, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes: "In that case, it seems that we can only compete to see who is worthy of this ultimate delicacy."

As soon as he finished speaking, the black-robed men around the man quickly dispersed, forming a circle around him. Each of them held a sharp weapon, and spiritual energy gathered in their palms. It was obvious that each of them was a cultivator who had experienced many battles.

"Yaoyue, be careful!" Yunxuan reminded in a deep voice, then drew his sword to meet one of the men in black robes.

Yao Yue didn't hesitate either. Her figure was as light as the breeze, and the silver blade in her hand drew an elegant arc in the air, striking directly at the vital point of another enemy. Her movements were agile and swift, and each strike was deadly precise.

Although Yunxuan and Yaoyue were outnumbered, they worked in perfect harmony, attacking and defending without delay. However, the enemy was outnumbered and each possessed extraordinary skills, making it difficult for them to achieve a quick victory.

Among the black-robed men was a burly man, wielding a massive hammer. Each strike carried a powerful force, putting Yunxuan in imminent danger. His brow furrowed, but his mind remained resolute. He used his nimble movements to maneuver around the opponent, looking for an opportunity to strike back.

Meanwhile, Yaoyue also encountered a formidable opponent. The foe before her possessed uncanny movements, elusive and elusive like a shadow, and her attacks were easily dodged. Yaoyue remained calm, carefully observing his movements, searching for flaws.

Amidst the fierce battle, the Supreme Flavor in the center of the hall seemed to be affected by the fighting, its light gradually dimming and its fragrance gradually dissipating. Yun Xuan's heart tightened, realizing that if he delayed any further, the Supreme Flavor's spiritual power would be completely depleted.

"Yaoyue, we must fight quickly and decisively!" Yunxuan reminded anxiously.

Yaoyue nodded in understanding, then suddenly swung the silver blade and stabbed fiercely at the opponent's vitals. Caught off guard, the opponent screamed and fell to the ground. At the same time, Yunxuan seized the opportunity, channeling spiritual energy through the sword and fiercely slashing at the opponent's giant hammer, knocking the opponent back several steps and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat.

Seeing the two men so quickly dispatch several black-robed men, the leading man's expression changed slightly, a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and quickly waved his hand to signal the remaining black-robed men to retreat.

"You are strong, but this is just the beginning." The man said coldly, then led the black-robed men to retreat quickly into the shadows and disappeared.

Yun Xuan looked at the direction the other party left and snorted coldly: "These people are indeed not simple. They are obviously members of a powerful force."

Yao Yue nodded, sheathed her silver blade, and said calmly, "They won't give up easily. We'll probably have to fight them again in the future. The most important thing right now is to confirm Zhiwei's condition."

The two walked up to the altar and found that the spiritual light in the vessel had dimmed and the fragrance had almost disappeared. Yunxuan gently touched the vessel and felt a faint trace of spiritual power remaining, which made him feel a little disappointed.

Seeing this, Yao Yue comforted him, "Although the Supreme Taste Spirit has dissipated, the power within it may not have completely disappeared. We can draw this power into our bodies to improve our cultivation."

Yunxuan nodded, then closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and slowly channeled his spiritual energy into his body. After a moment, he felt a warm power flowing through his body, gradually integrating into his limbs and bones, bringing him an unprecedented sense of comfort.

Yaoyue also absorbed this power, feeling the spiritual energy within her gradually replenishing, and her cultivation seemed to have improved slightly. She opened her eyes, a glint of joy in them. "Although we haven't obtained the full essence, this power is already of great benefit to us."

"Yes, every delicious dish contains the essence of heaven and earth. We only need a little bit to improve ourselves." Yunxuan said softly, with gratitude in his heart.

The two men adjusted their breathing and looked at each other, their eyes filled with determination. Although the road ahead was full of unknown challenges, they knew that as long as they were determined, they would be able to grow from this journey and comprehend deeper power and meaning.

As they walked out of the hall, the morning sun had already risen, and the light shone on them, as if giving them new hope and strength.