Star Journey: Destiny Returns

The night deepened. Yunxuan and Yaoyue stood quietly in the diffuse void, feeling the fusion of their hearts and minds with the world. In this silence, countless fragments of memories seemed to emerge and intertwine in their minds, like the light of distant stars, flickering and dimming, reflecting the outlines of the unknown.

"Trial of the Heart," Yao Yue whispered, her voice muffled as if swallowed by the mist. "Everything here seems both real and unreal, as if all the past and future have merged into one at this moment."

Yunxuan silently gazed into the boundless darkness, as if glimpsing a deeper secret. "Perhaps this is the path to ultimate taste. Only when we completely shed our attachment to reality can we truly glimpse the source of ultimate taste."

As the two were lost in their comprehension, a faint glow quietly appeared at the edge of the void, like a long, flowing galaxy, drawing their gaze. Yunxuan and Yaoyue exchanged a glance, then slowly walked towards the light, vaguely aware that this galaxy seemed to be guiding them to some secret place they had never set foot on.

As they moved forward, the starlight grew brighter, dispersing the surrounding fog. A moment later, they found themselves in a vast valley, surrounded by lush green trees, a gentle breeze carrying the faint fragrance of flowers.

"This place looks so real," Yaoyue's eyes sparkled with amazement, "but we are clearly still in the illusion of the trial."

Yunxuan nodded slowly and looked up at the sky. He saw a sea of ​​stars forming a faintly visible pattern. That pattern was the star map they had been following all the way.

"Perhaps this is the power in the scroll, or another representation of the star map." Yunxuan whispered, with a hint of doubt and vigilance in his eyes.

At this moment, a cold voice echoed from all around, carrying an ancient majesty and calmness: "Brave explorers, you have entered the first stage of the trial leading to the origin of ultimate taste. Do you understand that ultimate taste is not only about satisfying the appetite, but also a baptism of the heart and soul?"

Yunxuan and Yaoyue were drawn to the sound and looked in its direction. They saw the light at the center of the star map grow increasingly dazzling, and an illusory figure gradually emerged from the light. His features were blurry, but his figure appeared tall and solemn, like the incarnation of the stars.

"We pursue the true meaning of the ultimate taste in order to discover the purest power in the universe," Yun Xuan replied respectfully, his eyes determined. "If this power is related to the purification of the soul, we are willing to accept the baptism."

The figure nodded slightly, as if pleased with the two men's courage. "However, spiritual purification is not something that can be achieved overnight. Your star map is marked with countless journeys and obstacles. Each supreme power is a test of your soul and a test of your original intentions."

Yao Yue looked at the figure, many questions in her mind. She asked softly, "Since the ultimate taste is related to the soul, why is this path filled with so many dangers? Are those who are following us also seeking spiritual purification?"

The illusory figure chuckled softly, a hint of desolation in its voice. "The greedy often only seek external power, but fail to understand that true strength comes from understanding oneself and the universe. Their gaze lingers on superficial appearances, ignoring the true meaning. Therefore, they will never reach the root of the Way of Ultimate Delight."

Yunxuan and Yaoyue were slightly stunned, their doubts about the scroll only growing deeper. Could it be that this adventure wasn't just about pursuing the true meaning of the ultimate taste, but more of a spiritual redemption?

The illusory figure suddenly waved his hand, and the surrounding starlight began to flow, converging into a blazing pillar of light that enveloped the two of them. At the same time, several blurry images appeared before their eyes like smoke and fog, sometimes transforming into memories of the past, sometimes presenting the confusion of the future.

"Is this... us in the past?" Yaoyue whispered, looking at the scene in surprise.

The video shows the first time the two met. Yaoyue was in danger, surrounded by enemies, but Yunxuan stepped forward and stood guard in front of her without hesitation.

"We have come to where we are today and have experienced a lot, but all of this is nothing more than a baptism of the soul." Yunxuan murmured, with a hint of emotion in his eyes.

Yao Yue gently held his hand, her eyes firm: "No matter what the road ahead holds, I will walk with you. Even if the fog is thick, we will eventually see the truth."

Just as the two were moved by this scene, the illusory figure spoke calmly, "On the path to ultimate enlightenment, only by remaining true to your original aspiration can you achieve true liberation. Otherwise, you will ultimately be lost in illusion."

The light gradually faded, and the scene before them returned to a cold, clear star map, and the figure vanished with it. Yunxuan and Yaoyue were deeply moved, and they couldn't help but ponder further about their future journey.

“Perhaps we shouldn’t be too obsessed with the appearance of power, but should deeply understand the meaning behind it.” Yao Yue whispered, with a glimmer of enlightenment in her eyes.

Yunxuan nodded gently: "Yes, only by transcending appearances can we truly achieve spiritual sublimation."

Just as they were lost in thought, they suddenly heard a slight sound of footsteps behind them. They quickly turned around and found that the cloaked man who had been following them appeared again not far away, with a cold light in his eyes.

"It seems that you have gained some insights. Perhaps the secret of the scroll is deeper than I thought." The cloaked man sneered, with obvious threats in his voice.

Yun Xuan looked at him coldly, his sword slightly raised, his tone cold: "You have been following us again and again, do you really think we will hand over the scroll so easily?"

A hint of ruthlessness flashed in the cloaked man's eyes, and he said in a low voice, "I am only here on orders. Whether the scroll contains the true meaning or not is not important to me. I just need you to hand it over, otherwise..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly threw several black balls, which instantly exploded into a cloud of thick smoke, completely enveloping the surrounding air. Yunxuan and Yaoyue immediately became alert and quickly separated to prevent the other party from taking advantage of the opportunity to attack.

In the smoke, the cloaked figure suddenly attacked, a gleaming dagger bearing down on Yaoyue. Yaoyue quickly dodged, then swung the short blade, striking the man's wrist fiercely. Forced back a few steps, a flicker of irritation crossed his face, clearly having not anticipated Yaoyue's swift reaction.

"Since you don't know the current situation, don't blame me for being merciless!" The cloaked man gritted his teeth and swung the dagger quickly with sharp and swift movements, heading straight for Yunxuan.

Yunxuan snorted coldly, blocking his attack with his sword and quickly counterattacking. The two engaged in a fierce exchange of attacks. Seeing this, Yaoyue also quickly attacked from the flank, forcing the cloaked man into a desperate situation.

During the battle, the cloaked man gradually lost ground, his expression growing increasingly gloomy, as if he were considering retreating. Just as he was about to flee, Yun Xuan suddenly blocked his path with a sword and said coldly, "Want to escape? That won't be that easy."

A flash of panic crossed the cloaked man's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He suddenly pulled out a smoke bomb and quickly threw it to the ground. Taking advantage of the moment when the smoke filled the air, his figure disappeared into the night.