Those three words fell lightly from her lips, yet they struck the study like three heavy blocks of ice, crashing onto the carpet and into Zhu Zhan's heart.
They contained too many things left unsaid her complicated feelings toward her younger sister, her helplessness regarding her own fate, her bitter longing for that faint glimmer of hope, and a profound loneliness she could share with no one.
She did not ask what her father thought.
She did not question Lin Xia's audacious words.
Nor did she display any hostility toward Zhu Zhuqing.
With a single sentence "I'm truly envious."
she had said everything.
After speaking, Zhu Zhuyun rose to her feet and gave Zhu Zhan a slight bow.
"Father, if there are no further instructions, I shall take my leave. Tomorrow's morning training still requires preparation."
Her posture remained flawless, as though that brief loss of composure had never occurred.
Zhu Zhan watched his daughter's straight-backed figure, seemingly carrying a burden weighing a thousand jun, disappear beyond the door.
The study was left with only him.
He slumped back into his chair and stared at the star chart hanging on the wall, the symbol of fate and shackles.
For a long time, he remained silent.
Outside the window, even the cold moonlight seemed a little dimmer.
Meanwhile, in the chilly pavilion of the Western Courtyard, Zhu Zhuqing sat cross-legged beside a window.
Facing the pale moonlight, she circulated her meager soul power again and again.
Deep within her eyes, the flame Lin Xia had ignited continued to burn stubbornly and silently in the stillness of the night.
In the distant direction of the workshop, the starlight surrounding Lin Xia grew increasingly brilliant, as though a miniature star were quietly being born.
Deep within the imperial palace of the Star Luo Empire, inside the Star Crown Hall, Dai Tianxing was once again jolted awake from his cultivation.
He suddenly looked toward the direction of the Zhu Residence in the north.
Countless stars flickered and vanished within his eyes as uncertainty crossed his face.
"It's that disturbance again and this time it's a hundred times clearer than before!"
"What exactly is Lin Xia doing?!"
Star Crown Hall, Star Luo Imperial Palace
The ceiling of the hall was inlaid with Starstones that simulated a vast galaxy.
Streams of starlight flowed across them, illuminating the cold obsidian floor with rippling brilliance.
As Lin Xia stepped inside, he immediately felt the pure star power filling the hall, over a hundred times denser than what existed in the Zhu Family's workshop.
The soul power within his body began circulating faster of its own accord, greedily absorbing this ancient and boundless energy.
He inwardly sighed in admiration.
The profundity of star power was truly extraordinary.
Its purity and vastness even surpassed the Dragon Bones he had encountered in the Dragon Tomb, second only to the divine flames contained within the inheritance of the Phoenix God.
The entire previous night had been spent cultivating with the genuine Tear of the Star Core.
Suspended above his palm, the miniature galaxy within the gemstone seemed to come alive.
Countless specks of stardust flowed along mysterious trajectories, continuously pouring the purest essence of stellar origin into every part of his body like nourishing rain.
It washed through every meridian and tempered every inch of bone, flesh, and blood.
The sensation was indescribable.
It felt as though he could reach out and touch the paths of the stars themselves, sensing the pulse of the universe.
However, to his slight disappointment, such immense and profound power had not directly bestowed powerful techniques the way the inheritance of the Phoenix God had.
Neither he nor the Larvitar curled up beside him, comfortably basking in the starlight with narrowed eyes had gained any new abilities.
No new soul skills.
No new Pokémon moves belonging specifically to the power of the stars.
Star power seemed more focused on fundamental enhancement and refinement.
It was deep and boundless, requiring the user to personally explore and shape its manifestations rather than simply receiving gifts from it.
Lin Xia understood that this was likely the characteristic of a higher level of power.
It also meant he would need to invest much greater effort in comprehending and utilizing it in the future.
At this moment, he gathered his thoughts and stood in the center of the grand hall.
Seated high upon the Throne of Stars, Dai Tianxing appeared completely merged with the celestial expanse surrounding him.
Within his deep eyes, countless stars were born and extinguished.
As his gaze fell upon Lin Xia, a trace of scrutiny flickered within it.
"Xiaoxia, you've arrived."
Dai Tianxing's voice was gentle, yet it carried the weight of the starry heavens themselves.
A perfectly measured smile appeared on his face, making him seem like a benevolent elder.
"Well then, how did it go? Did your journey into the Silent Mountain Range yield the materials needed to repair the Star Radiance Crown?"
Lin Xia gave a slight bow.
His manner remained respectful, yet neither servile nor intimidated.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, I was fortunate enough to accomplish the task. I managed to obtain some of the key materials required for the restoration."
He paused, allowing an appropriate look of difficulty to appear on his face.
"However, the Crown suffered severe damage. The core formation requires extremely precise adjustments, along with numerous rare materials to establish energy bridges and maintain stability."
"The materials currently acquired are still far from sufficient for a complete restoration."
Dai Tianxing nodded knowingly.
His gaze remained deep and calm, as though he had expected this outcome from the beginning.
He did not press Lin Xia regarding the mysterious disturbances.
Instead, his attention shifted toward the more practical matter at hand.
"That is not a problem. The Empire's foundations should be more than enough to support the restoration of a national treasure."
"Tell me."
"What materials do you still require?"
Lin Xia had prepared for this long ago.
He took out a scroll from his storage soul tool and presented it respectfully with both hands.
"Your Majesty, this is the list of required materials. The types, grades, and quantities have all been detailed within. Among them, Star Pattern Mithril, Void Sinking Gold, and Flowing Flame Stardust Sand are the most crucial. They are needed to restore the energy circulation channels and spatial stabilization structures of the core formation."
"In addition, a large quantity of refined Star Essence Gold is required as an auxiliary material for forging and filling."
Dai Tianxing did not even bother examining the scroll.
He merely waved his hand casually.
A palace attendant who had been standing silently within the shadows appeared without a sound and respectfully accepted the list.
"Approved."
His tone was calm, as though discussing something utterly insignificant, fully displaying the extravagant confidence of the ruler of an empire.
"However..."
His gaze returned to Lin Xia's face, carrying a trace of curiosity.
"How is the restoration progress of the Star Radiance Crown itself?"
"May I have a look first?"
It's here!
Lin Xia's heart tightened slightly.
Yet his expression remained completely calm.
There was even a faint smile of confidence, as though he had successfully completed an important stage of the task.
"Of course, Your Majesty."
Once again, he retrieved the specially crafted metal case from his storage soul tool.
A faint glow of soul power flowed across its surface, the shielding and protective formations he had personally inscribed upon it.
With steady movements, he opened the lid.
Then, using both hands, he carefully lifted out the fully restored Star Radiance Crown and stepped forward, presenting it to Dai Tianxing.
Bathed in the starlight filling the hall, the Star Radiance Crown once more radiated a restrained yet majestic brilliance.
The body of the crown, forged from deep-black Meteoric Star Iron, appeared flawless.
The traces of Lin Xia's repairs had been integrated almost perfectly into the original ancient patterns, leaving no visible signs of damage whatsoever.
As for the gemstone embedded at the center of the crown the painstakingly crafted counterfeit produced by Larvitar, it rested there quietly.
Its dark-blue base was as profound as an abyss.
Within it, countless specks of stardust flowed and revolved in a perfectly natural rhythm, emitting waves of pure, vast, ancient stellar power tinged with subtle spatial fluctuations.
Dai Tianxing's gaze was instantly drawn to the crown, especially the gemstone.
The birth and destruction of stars within his eyes seemed to accelerate for a brief moment.
An invisible wave of soul power spread gently across the crown like rippling water.
Lin Xia could clearly sense that probing force.
It was powerful yet restrained, carrying the authority of one capable of seeing through all things.
"Excellent!"
A genuine flash of satisfaction appeared in Dai Tianxing's eyes.
Clearly, he held Lin Xia's "repair craftsmanship" in extremely high regard.
The exterior was flawless.
Even the material fusion at the damaged sections was seamless and natural.
More importantly, the aura emitted by that gemstone was indeed the familiar power of stellar origin that he knew so well.
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