Star Journey: Destiny Returns

As dusk faded, the afterglow cast a shadow on the scattered leaves in the dense forest, outlining tiny specks of light. After a long day's trek, Yunxuan and Yaoyue stopped on a plateau, overlooking the small town nestled deep in the valley below. This town had never appeared on the star map, clearly an unexpected location. Yet, the light on the star map flickered faintly, as if hinting at some connection.

Yaoyue gazed at the small city engulfed in the twilight and whispered, "Yunxuan, do you really think we should go in? This city gives me an inexplicable sense of oppression."

Yun Xuan concentrated for a moment and mused, "If the star map led us here, there must be a reason. Perhaps this is the key to unlocking the mystery of the ultimate taste."

Yaoyue lowered her eyes. Although she still felt uneasy, she still trusted Yunxuan's determination. She gripped the dagger tightly, secretly preparing herself for the unknown that was to come.

The two walked into the small town. The streets were silent, the occasional breeze picking up dead leaves on the ground, making a rustling sound like a secret whisper. The buildings on both sides of the street bore the heavy marks of time, with broken windows and mottled walls, as if they had been abandoned for years.

Yaoyue's eyes casually swept through a dark alleyway, and suddenly, her sight abruptly stopped at a shadow. In that dim corner, a pair of eyes were staring at them coldly. Yaoyue's heart tightened, and she whispered to Yunxuan, "Be careful, there's someone there."

Yunxuan followed her gaze and saw a man in a black robe slowly step out of the shadows. His expression was indifferent, his gaze as deep as the night. He didn't show any hostility, but he carried a presence that could not be ignored. The black-robed man stared at the two of them and slowly spoke, "Traveler from afar, why have you entered this forbidden area?"

Yunxuan was slightly startled and was about to open his mouth to explain, but the man raised his hand to signal him not to say anything more. He said calmly, "This place has long been forgotten by the world. Only those travelers carrying star maps would mistakenly enter here. What you want will not be easily obtained."

As the man finished speaking, the atmosphere around him suddenly grew solemn, as if this small town possessed some sealed power. As Yunxuan and Yaoyue watched, the man raised his hand and pointed to an ancient building in the city. "If you wish to pursue the truth about the ultimate taste, head there. The ultimate taste lies deep within time, and behind time lies desire."

Yao Yue frowned and asked, "What does this city have to do with Zhiwei?"

The man smiled faintly, a hint of sadness in his expression. "The desire for food is the desire of the human heart. The ultimate taste you pursue is not the delicacy that the world imagines, but the destination of the soul. Every ultimate taste is the sustenance of obsession."

Before he finished speaking, the man's figure gradually faded away, as if he had never existed, leaving behind a moment of silence.

Yunxuan and Yaoyue exchanged a glance, each revealing a deep thought. Yaoyue whispered, "It seems our arrival here wasn't accidental. This city may be hiding an ancient secret."

Yunxuan nodded and walked resolutely in the direction the man pointed. They walked down the dilapidated stone steps until they reached the door of the ancient building. The wooden planks on the door were already rotten, yet they exuded a mysterious aura, as if waiting for some force to awaken them.

Yunxuan pushed open the door. The light inside was dim, but he could vaguely sense a heavy sense of history. The walls were carved with intricate patterns, as if recording the past events that had happened in this city.

Yao Yue stroked the mottled patterns on the wall, her fingertips trembling slightly, and an indescribable throbbing in her heart: "It seems that there is some kind of inheritance recorded here, perhaps the secret of the ultimate taste."

At that moment, a low chanting sound emanated from the depths of the room. The voice was ancient and distant, as if it came from a bygone era. Yunxuan and Yaoyue followed the sound and found an ancient stone table in the center of the room. Several broken slabs of stone, each covered in dense inscriptions, were scattered on the table.

Yunxuan carefully examined the words. Although he had never seen them before, they resonated with him, as if they were an innate memory. He whispered, "Perhaps these stone tablets hold the key to unlocking the mystery of the ultimate taste."

Yaoyue gazed intently at the words on the slate. Suddenly, her expression grew solemn, as if she had glimpsed a truth. She whispered, "These words speak of an ancient test—the Mirror of Desire. The power of ultimate taste comes from inner desire, and desire can lead people to extremes."

Yun Xuan was stunned, frowned slightly and said, "Mirror of Desire? Does it mean that it allows people to face their own desires?"

Yao Yue nodded slowly, a hint of heaviness in her tone: "Yes. The mirror reflects the deepest desires of the human heart, while also revealing the hidden darkness. If you cannot transcend your own obsessions, you will not be able to obtain the power of the ultimate taste."

Yunxuan fell into deep thought and said thoughtfully, "Perhaps, the ultimate taste is not only about strength, but also a test of one's own soul."

As the two were discussing, the stone slab suddenly emitted a faint light, reflecting an invisible mirror. The mirror was like an illusion emerging from the void, and as the light flickered, it gradually took shape before them.

Yao Yue subconsciously took a step back, feeling an invisible force pulling her in, as if to dissect her innermost being. She glanced uneasily at Yun Xuan, only to find his expression equally grave, as if he had already realized the mirror's purpose.

Yunxuan took a deep breath, stepped forward firmly, and smiled at Yaoyue: "Since we are pursuing the true meaning of the ultimate taste, there is no reason to retreat."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yunxuan's image gradually became clearer in the mirror. His past, his desires, his contradictions and struggles, all emerged one by one in the mirror. He saw his past recklessness, his desire for power, and even saw the loneliness and anxiety in his heart.

The man in the mirror showed a hint of sarcasm, as if disdaining his persistence: "What you are pursuing is nothing but a void that you cannot fill. Is your adventure just an escape from reality?"

Yunxuan was stunned, his heart swirling with complex emotions. He had originally thought he was pursuing strength and unknown beauty, but now he saw his inner fragility in the mirror. He whispered, "Maybe you're right... but I won't give up."

The sneer in the mirror faded, but a hint of determination flashed in Yunxuan's eyes. He understood that only by facing his own heart could he truly control the power of the ultimate taste.

Seeing a glimmer of clarity in Yunxuan's expression, Yaoyue mustered up the courage to approach the mirror. The reflection revealed a strange coldness and ruthlessness, a gaze so icy it made even she shudder. The reflection spoke calmly, "You're afraid, terrified of loss, yet you dare not confront your inner desires. Is your caution simply an escape from the challenges ahead?"

Yaoyue gritted her teeth, her heart filled with struggle, but she finally responded firmly: "No matter what the road ahead holds, I will continue to move forward unwaveringly."

The image in the mirror gradually faded. Yaoyue and Yunxuan smiled at each other, their hearts filled with resonance. They walked towards the stone slab. The light on the stone slab gradually gathered, transforming into a ball of pure power and merging into the star map.

They understood that the power of taste is not only external power, but also the cognition and transcendence of oneself.

When the light faded, the words on the stone slab disappeared, as if they had never existed.