Star Journey: Destiny Returns

As night fell, the mountain forest was shrouded in a thin mist. Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the branches, casting a mottled silver pattern on the ground. Yunxuan and Yaoyue were lurking in a deep forest, their ears filled with the rustling of wind through leaves, the chirping of insects, and a subtle sense of tension.

"Not far ahead is the secret realm of 'Supreme Taste,' guided by the star map," Yao Yue whispered, a hint of caution in her eyes. She had keenly sensed the unease in the air, as if invisible eyes were secretly observing their every move.

Yunxuan nodded slightly, his fingers gripping the hilt of his sword, his gaze never shifting from the path ahead. Along the way, the two had already faced numerous obstacles. Every step guided by the star map seemed fraught with the test of mysterious powers. The closer they got to the ultimate "sweet taste," the more profound the mystery grew. "A strange spiritual energy seems to be lurking within this forest," Yunxuan said slowly, a hint of alarm in his tone.

The two of them walked forward in silence. The forest grew increasingly cold, as if the chill deepened with every step. Just as they were about to take their final step, the air suddenly stagnated, and a shadowy figure appeared in the darkness ahead.

"It seems we are not alone." Yaoyue said softly, with a cold light flashing in her eyes.

At this moment, a sneer rang out from the shadows. The voice was low and cunning, with a hint of chilling meaning. "As expected, it was you two who were able to track us all the way here. It's really impressive."

Before he finished speaking, several figures slowly emerged from the darkness ahead. They were none other than the explorers they had seen in the valley. The leader wielded a dark-gold longsword, a cold smile on his face, his gaze sinister and fierce. "We've been waiting here for a long time. If you're smart, hand over the star map and the secret of the ultimate flavor. Otherwise..." He sneered, pointing his sword at Yunxuan and Yaoyue, his murderous intent undisguised.

Yun Xuan snorted coldly, unsheathing his sword. A cold gleam shone from it, like a dazzling starlight streaking through the night sky. He looked at the other party, his eyes filled with fearlessness and determination. "Since you have waited so long, there is no need to say more. What we hold in our hands is not something you can covet."

As soon as the words fell, the opponent stopped talking and thrust his sword at him at high speed. The flashes and shadows of swords intertwined in the night, and the sharp sound of metal clashing continued. Yun Xuan swung his sword to meet the attack, and the sword energy swept across, colliding violently with the opponent's attack, sparks flying, and the night sky was filled with murderous intent.

As Yunxuan engaged his opponent, Yaoyue swiftly circled behind them, searching for a flaw. Holding a silver blade, she zeroed in on one enemy's opening and struck decisively. The blade flashed like lightning, catching the opponent off guard and forcing him back several steps. Just as Yaoyue was about to strike again, she felt a sudden gust of wind behind her. Another enemy was quietly approaching, striking with a long blade.

In a moment of desperation, Yaoyue spun swiftly, her silver blade blocking the opponent's attack. The two clashed, their blades flashing, and engaged in a fierce attack and defense. Yaoyue's moves were light and swift, while the opponent's were open and fierce. As their moves clashed, silver light and cold light flickered in the night, reflecting Yaoyue's unyielding eyes.

This battle was like a silent fight in the dark night, with swords flashing and knife shadows blurring. Every collision seemed to test each other's bottom line, and every blow was filled with murderous intent.

Despite the overwhelming numbers, Yunxuan and Yaoyue, leveraging their tacit understanding, gradually gained the upper hand. Yunxuan's sword slashed through his opponent's defenses, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, his longsword swift as a meteor, constantly crushing his foes. Meanwhile, Yaoyue's steps were as light as a swallow, her silver blade effortlessly weaving through the enemy ranks, her moves precise, each strike striking the opponent's vital points.

Just as the battle reached its climax, a cold snort suddenly echoed from the night sky, carrying with it an undeniable sense of pressure. Then, a figure slowly emerged from the woods. He was clad in a black robe, his face covered by a strange mask, revealing only a pair of cold eyes. His appearance made everyone's heart tighten, and the atmosphere around them instantly became solemn and eerie.

"Your fight ends here." The man said coldly, with a captivating power in his voice.

Seeing this, the enemies retreated, seemingly in fear of the newcomer. Yunxuan and Yaoyue exchanged glances, a flicker of alarm in their eyes. The black-robed man's gaze was sharp as a blade, sweeping across the two of them. He sneered, "The power of the Star Map is extraordinary, but it's not something you mortals can tamper with."

Before he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and a black whirlwind suddenly rose in the air. The whirlwind contained extremely strong spiritual fluctuations and directly attacked Yunxuan and Yaoyue. The two quickly retreated, barely avoiding the whirlwind's attack, but the oppressive spiritual energy still made them feel extremely uncomfortable, as if the entire space was controlled by the black-robed man.

"This man is extremely powerful," Yao Yue said softly, a serious look flashing in her eyes. "With our current strength, I'm afraid we won't be able to match him."

Yun Xuan's expression remained stern, but his gaze was more resolute. He took a deep breath, raised his sword slightly, and said in a deep voice, "Even so, we cannot retreat easily. We have obtained this star map through countless hardships. How can we give it up just because of his words?"

Seeing the two men unmoved, the black-robed man snorted coldly, and suddenly a black sword condensed in his hand. The blade emitted an eerie black aura, like an all-consuming abyss. He raised the sword and swung it, and the sword energy roared like a black dragon, with a fierce momentum and a strong sense of oppression.

Yun Xuan shouted softly, swung his sword, and charged at the black dragon. The two forces collided violently in mid-air, stirring up a violent surge of spiritual energy. Yun Xuan felt his arm tremble, his internal energy taking a hit. However, he did not retreat, but instead stood firm, resisting the opponent's attack.

Yaoyue glided around with nimble steps, searching for the black-robed man's weakness. She noticed that, despite his immense strength, the gaps between each swing of his sword were wide, suggesting he was overly complacent and didn't take them seriously. Her gaze fixed, and as the black-robed man launched another attack, she decisively struck him from behind.

Just as Yaoyue was about to close in, the black-robed figure suddenly spun around, sending a beam of black light hurtling towards her at such speed that it was impossible to defend against it. In the nick of time, Yunxuan swung his sword to block the beam, but the immense force of the impact forced him backward, leaving a scar on the ground beneath his feet.

The black-robed man sneered, "You overestimate your own capabilities. If you insist on resisting, today will be your end."

At that moment, Yaoyue suddenly noticed a faint red glow on the black-robed man's chest. That red light seemed to be the source of his power, but also his weakness. She immediately whispered to Yunxuan, "The red light flashing on his chest may be his weakness."