Chapter 1457: The Emperor Star Appears
"What exactly do you want to do?" After Xuan Ji led him back to the ground, the other emperors descended as well. Ye Zichen stared at them intently, his eyes full of questions.
"Is this the youth you spoke of?"
The elderly man who'd placed the Starry Sky Formation Diagram walked over. The great emperors nodded at him. Ye Zichen looked around; they'd already formed a circle around him.
"What are you doing? I want to see my mother!"
"The Lord of the Big Dipper called upon too much starlight, and she didn't even hesitate to damage her origin. She did all of this for you, so don't disappoint her. As for how long it'll take her wounds to heal, that's up to you...." said the Hermit Emperor softly.
"I don't understand what you're trying to say." Ye Zichen knit his brows, then glanced at the elder from the Supreme Hall. "Why do you know the Starry Sky Diagram?"
"It seems you were right. It really is him." The elderly man didn't respond to Ye Zichen's questions. Instead, he turned to the other top experts and laughed.
Ye Zichen knit his brows. He still had absolutely no idea what they were talking about, nor did he know what was going on.
"There's no need for you to stick around. Go back!" said the Hermit Emperor, pointing outside.
Ye Zichen didn't notice his arrival at first, but the elder who'd placed the formation beneath their feet was now standing right in front of him. At the Hermit Emperor's words, the other emperors left the room.
The elder from the Supreme Hall shook his head and laughed. "Even after all these years, you're still so impatient."
"Leave!" The Hermit Emperor's voice rose.
The Supreme Hall elder laughed bitterly and left. Afterward, the Hermit Emperor waved, and dazzling starlight appeared in the formation.
It surrounded Ye Zichen completely. Then, the Hermit Emperor pointed to a set of prayer mats they'd prepared in advance and indicated that Ye Zichen was to sit down.
"Sit." The Hermit Emperor's eyes contained undisguised gravity. Sensing the intensity of his gaze, Ye Zichen pursed his lips and took a seat.
"I know you have lots of questions," said the Hermit Emperor. "But this is no time for explanations."
Instantly, the world around Ye Zichen faded away, transforming into the radiant, splendid Milky Way.
The light of the countless stars of the night sky was dazzling. He felt a single speck of dust in an endless ocean, and his heart was full of uncertainty.
The other great emperors had all left. Now, even the Hermit Emperor had disappeared.
Throughout this vast sea of stars, there was no one there save for Ye Zichen himself.
"Close your eyes and take it all in. The stars are calling to you." The Hermit Emperor's voice brushed past Ye Zichen's ears.
Ye Zichen's eyes were wide with confusion. He arched his brows and shouted, "What's going on?"
"Once this is all over, you'll naturally understand. Now, all you need to do is heed the call of the stars and open the celestial eye of the Emperor Star."
It seemed he'd heard that word before?
Was it in the Outside?
Ye Zichen knit his brows, but despite his best efforts, he couldn't remember. Still, he at least remembered what the Hermit Emperor had said.
He closed his eyes to sense the stars calling to him.
"Like this?" Ye Zichen sat cross-legged amongst the stars. Back in the real world, his body did the same thing, sitting right in the center of the star diagram.
The other great emperors had taken up positions at the four directions of the Xue Family Residence, and they stretched out their divine awarenesses.
Ding!
Just outside the formation diagram, Pu Jingwan and Xiao Yumei's phones rang. They took them out and saw messages from Yang Jian and the Great Sage.
Erlang Shen: We're here! @Only Idealism
Monkey King: Ugh, I can't believe I let YOU steal my thunder.
Erlang Shen: Heh, say what you want. I still beat you to the punch.
Neither of them knew the situation, so they started chatting in the group. That wasn't all, though; they started @ing Ye Zichen nonstop.
Erlang Shen: Ye-zi, should the monkey and I duke it out right now? @ Only Idealism
Invincible Adorable Beauty: Don't @ Ye Zichen.
Ultimate Charmer: Shh! Don't make a fuss.
Erlang Shen: Did something happen?
Monkey King: What's going on?
Invincible Adorable Beauty: Ye Zichen is currently opening his celestial eye, and he doesn't have his phone on him. If you have questions, wait until he's done, then ask.
Monkey King: What does that mean?
Ultimate Charmer: Shh, pipe down.
Invincible Adorable Beauty: You two wouldn't get it even if I explained it. Just stop and wait for now.
As soon as she sent the message, she and Xiao Yumei paid Yang Jian and the Great Sage no further heed. Furthermore, in order to prevent chat notifications from disrupting Ye Zichen's attempt to open his celestial eye, they set their phones to vibrate.
"Jingwan, you're from the Outside. What exactly is a celestial eye? Do you know?" asked Xiao Yumei.
"I'm not part of the starry sky, so I don't know much." Pu Jingwan shrugged. "That said, on a prior mission, I chatted with a few star bearers, and they told me that opening your celestial eye is needed to commune with the stars. I don't know the details, though."
"Is it dangerous?" asked Xiao Yumei in obvious concern.
"It shouldn't be," said Pu Jingwan, but she sounded less than confident. "But I don't know either. Still, with so many great emperors around, he shouldn't be in danger. Relax; even his mother is involved. Given how much she values him, if it were dangerous, do you really think she'd let him participate?"
"You're right." Xiao Yumei nodded.
The scattered miniature star diagrams lit up as well. The estate really did look like the night sky.
Meanwhile, Ye Zichen....
He was in the middle of the Milky Way, and he'd already set aside all unnecessary thoughts. He was completely immersed in the stars.
His eyes were closed, yet somehow, he could sense the location of each and every star, and he could feel their radiant light. He could even sense their benevolence towards him.
Suddenly, a new star appeared within his awareness. Its light was many times stronger than any other star.
When it appeared, all the other stars suddenly lost their brilliance.
"You're here?" A deep, gentle voice reverberated through Ye Zichen's sea of consciousness.
"Who are you? Are you the Emperor Star?" Ye Zichen thought in his heart.
"It's me! The ruler of the stars, the Northern Emperor Star!"
"Do you see it? This is me. All the stars of the night sky bow their heads before me, and heaven and earth dare not shine before me."
"Senior, I've long since heard stories of you, and I know that you are the ruler of the stars, but there's something I'm curious about. Am I currently conversing with the North Star... or the former Master of the Stars?"
"Naturally, I'm the Emperor Star!"
"Stars can talk?"
"Of course!"
"Then this should be easy." Ye Zichen felt a hint of laughter rise up within him. "I'm here today because I want to open my celestial eye, the celestial eye of the emperor star. Could you...."
"Actually, I've been waiting for you." The Emperor Star's tone was still gentle, and Ye Zichen smiled, too.
He wouldn't have guessed this process would go so smoothly. He'd only just barely entered the Milky Way, only for the Emperor Star to summon him. Furthermore, it sounded like the Emperor Star had been waiting for him to open his celestial eye for a long time.
The light of the formation outside grew stronger and stronger, and the great emperors clenched their fists tighter and tighter.
"Xue Yang!" The Hermit Emperor let out an explosive shout, and Xue Yang rushed to Xue Mo's room. Then, carefully protecting her with his divine power, he carried her back out.
This was the moment they'd been waiting for. When Ye Zichen opened his celestial eye, starlight was sure to appear.
Xue Mo just needed....
However, at that moment, the Hermit Emperor's expression changed dramatically. "Something's wrong! Hurry up and retreat!"