The fragments of the exploding asteroid scattered, flying through the starry river, carrying a terrifying momentum.
One fragment was about to crash into the ferry!
The cultivators aboard the ferry had faces of shock and horror. The ferry master, who had the highest cultivation at the Moving Mountain Realm, immediately transformed into a ray of light and leapt out to face the entire fragment of the falling star.
The ferry master was an elderly man in luxurious robes with a stern expression. The asteroid fragment came too fast for the ferry to escape, so he could only try to block it himself.
Terrifying pressure emanated from the planetesimal fragment even before it got close, already making it hard for the elder to breathe.
This was not just an asteroid fragment, but also carried the pressure of the starry sky and dark invasion.
The elderly man in luxurious robes exhaled the stale breath in his chest, clapped his hands together, and his aura surged violently as spiritual energy billowed between the stars!
This ferry was his livelihood, so even though blocking the asteroid fragment would seriously injure him, he had to try.
The cultivators aboard the ferry clenched their fists and watched the scene tensely.
The asteroid fragment crashed down extremely quickly, suffocating everyone with its pressure.
Compared to the planetesimal fragment, even a Moving Mountain Realm senior cultivator was as tiny as an ant.
Could he really block it?
The cultivators' palms were drenched in cold sweat, their hearts pounding uncontrollably.
The Moving Mountain Realm ferry master at the forefront was also breathing heavily through gritted teeth.
Only when the asteroid fragment drew near did he realize just how terrifying it was. It seemed that serious injury would be the best outcome.
Everyone was extremely nervous.
However, unnoticed, greyish white colors began to permeate the entire starry sky.
Time seemed to slow down at this moment as everyone watched intently.
They saw a hand raise up. In the vast starry sky, it seemed only this hand existed.
Snap.
With a snap of the fingers.
The asteroid fragments flying through the universe abruptly halted.
As if frozen in the river of time.
The greyish white colors receded like flowing water.
The cultivators on the ferry looked back and saw Chen Xia sitting on the asteroid fragment. Their shock was evident on their faces.
The Moving Mountain Realm ferry master even directly knelt on one knee with his hands clasped, thanking, "Thank you for helping, Oh Great One!"
Chen Xia waved his hand casually and replied flatly, "It was effortless."
The ferry master's eyes lit up, and his breathing quickened. Being able to exchange words with such a powerful being was already his greatest honor.
"Please wait a moment, esteemed senior. This life-saving grace, my humble self will definitely repay!"
Chen Xia shook his head. He was about to decline at first.
"10,000 Spirit Stones to entertain the esteemed senior!" The ferry master suddenly spoke up.
Chen Xia's shaking head paused, then very smoothly turned into a nod instead.
It had to be said, the ferry master had grasped his weakness.
Moreover, it was 10,000 Spirit Stones. Even the young masters of prestigious sects might not be able to take out so many Spirit Stones at once.
This Moving Mountain Realm ferry master was truly generous. There was likely some intention to befriend Chen Xia.
But Chen Xia did not care about all that. He had always been the type to take money without doing work.
The ferry master was also very tactful. Without waiting for Chen Xia to come over, he piloted the ferry himself to Chen Xia's side and took out a storage treasure, respectfully presenting it with both hands to Chen Xia.
"Please accept this meager gift and find it pleasurable, esteemed senior."
Chen Xia reached out with a wave of his hand and took the storage treasure. After carefully examining it and making sure nothing was wrong, he stored it away.
The ferry's cultivators also came before Chen Xia, but for some reason, their appearances were unclear. They had likely used some powerful, obscure technique to conceal themselves. Only their white robes could be seen.
"May I ask the esteemed senior to bestow a name by which this humble one may address you?" The ferry master inquired, then quickly added.
"Of course, if the esteemed senior is unwilling, that is also fine. This humble one spoke out of turn."
The ferry master who plied the stars deserved his reputation. He was very eloquent.
Chen Xia nodded and reported only to the ferry master his alias, "My name is Qiong Qi, Qiong as in vast sky, Qi as in riding the heavens."
Qiong Qi?
The ferry master repeated in his heart, then was shocked.
As vast as the heavens and earth?!
This name was truly overbearing. For the esteemed senior to take such an overbearing name, he must have an extremely mighty and arrogant personality.
Thinking of this, the ferry master became more cautious, afraid of offending Chen Xia unintentionally and bringing destruction upon himself and his ferry's cultivators.
Such things were not uncommon. Just two hundred years ago, there was one incident.
It was also a star ferry. While ferrying across the starry river, it encountered a powerful being. At first, they conversed amicably.
It was said the ferry master was extremely respectful, without any offense.
Yet for some unknown reason afterwards, that powerful being slaughtered everyone on the ferry. Furthermore, he cremated the corpses and boiled down their souls, turning them into a ferocious resentment banner.
Perhaps matters of life and death in the heavens and earth were never up to oneself after all.
The ferry master deeply realized this. So he was extremely courteous, deeply afraid that Chen Xia would be dissatisfied in any way and slaughter all the cultivators on their ferry.
After all, one could not use their own moral baseline to measure others.
Therefore, the ferry master became even more respectful, just short of kneeling down and calling Chen Xia father.
If Chen Xia really wanted him to do that, he would likely obey without hesitation.
"What is your name?" Chen Xia asked.
"Cao Gao. Esteemed senior may call me Shorty Cao." Cao Gao's words were self-deprecating.
"You don't seem that short?" Chen Xia glanced at Cao Gao appraisingly.
"In all aspects - skill, cultivation base - compared to the esteemed senior, I am far too lacking!" Cao Gao quickly replied.
He really was too good at flattery.
But Chen Xia quite enjoyed conversing with such polite people, so he asked again,
"Do you know where there are any dead stars around here, very large ones?"
Cao Gao frowned, carefully recalling, "I've been ferrying for two thousand years, and rarely see dead stars around here. But if you travel another two million li north, there is a region of dead stars."
"It's said that in the first two Great Eras, this place was the site of a famous immortal sect. But they offended some great sacred being and were directly annihilated, burning down even the stars for a million li. Now that place is filled with lingering resentful spirits."
"The largest dead star should also be within this dead star region. But due to the dead spirits, no one dares to go in usually."
"Some cultivators who went in searching for treasures mostly never came out. Even those who did had shattered souls and became mad and confused."
"Can you find the way there?" Chen Xia became interested. If it really was as Cao Gao said, then that dead star region would be the perfect place for him to cultivate.
Many dead stars with no one going, not too far away, within the allowed distance between his true body and incarnation - it perfectly met his requirements.
"I do have a star map, but the route there is winding. There are chaotic galactic currents and points of fallen stars along the way. It's easy to take the wrong path."
Cao Gao replied, sounding like he wanted to invite Chen Xia onto the ferry.
But actually, Cao Gao did not want that. Ancient records of powerful cultivators massacring ferry passengers were numerous and easily found.
Yet he was also worried Chen Xia would not be able to find the way himself, then come back to take revenge on him.
He could run from monks but not temples. Moreover, for such a powerful being, finding his trail would not take much time.
The best plan now was to see the Buddha onto the westward path.
"Can you find it?" Chen Xia asked again.
"It's along our ferry's route, about ten years to reach. If the esteemed senior does not mind, you could board the ferry." Cao Gao respectfully replied.
"Wait for me here and do not reveal any traces of me." Chen Xia instructed, then piloted the asteroid fragment away.
The ferry cultivators only saw the asteroid fragment transform into flowing light and swiftly vanish.
But when Cao Gao turned back, he saw a white-robed figure with visible features already standing at the stern - a very ordinary-looking young man.
He did not dare to look further, immediately landed on the ferry and waved his hand, shouting loudly.
"Depart!"
The ferry rumbled as it meandered amidst the starry river.