Stellar Transformations

When the meteoric tear fused with Qin Yu’s soul, he was imparted with the knowledge of an active method to refine his soul, known as 3-in-9 Soul Refinement. Having undergo this new soul refinement technique, his soul force was now equivalent to a level 8 immortal. With his personal cultivation on the way, he need to achieve his goals to acquire a star map. And to do this, Qin Yu desired to establish himself and gain some followers...

...

The streets of Liu Feng city are wide and spacious, the main streets separated the city into smaller districts. The northern district was entirely Liu clan’s headquarters, residences and the governor’s palace, this was where most of Liu house’s children and disciples reside. On one particular street in this district, a significantly large crowd of hundreds were watching a spectacle.

“Tsk tsk, heh, ho what a surprise. Ha ha ha, a wimp like you actually became an early yuanying stage. Ha ha ha ha.” A middle-aged man mocked Liu Han Shu, spit splattering out of his foul mouth. The crowd laughed with him, taunting the wimp.

Another middle-aged man taunted, “Liu Han Shu, you’re the weakest of your generation. Look at your nephew, Liu Han Ming, and you are the same age and you can’t even compare against him. At least he is a late Dongxu stage. To think today, a scum like you would dare walk in the middle of the street like today. That’s a crime! The beating you’ll get from Han Ming is just your just desserts. May be you’ll learn this time, ha ha!”

...

Surrounded by this circle of mob Xiuzhenists, a sorry looking Liu Han Shu crouched. A sweet and salty sensation was tasted at the back of his throat, it was blood. Another stream of it threaten to erupt from his mouth. An angry sneer played on his lips as he stared at his latest aggressor – his own brother of his generation – Liu Han Ming. He didn’t dare oppose, or that he couldn’t, his face was parched white.

“Look at yourself, Liu Han Shu, even if you reached the early yuanying stage, you are still the weakest of our generation. Look around you, are anyone of your generation still at the early yuanying stage???” The white robed youth sneered and spat out his name as if it were bile. This man was precisely that Liu Han Ming. Within the Liu house, all of the ‘Han’ generation was cultivated as elites. Except him. But Han Ming was right, at early yuanying, he was still the weakest of the litter.

“Eldest prince, do not waste your precious time with bottom feeders like him, sire. The Elder invited a powerful guest to personally instruct you.” A rather refined middle-aged man beside the white robed Liu Han Ming advised. Behind the two was a dozen personal guards.

The dignified looking middle-aged man was a level 2 immortal. He wasn’t part of the Liu family but personally invited by Liu Han Ming’s grandfather to care for Han Ming.

Both Han Ming and Han Shu were sons of the main family, but their treatment was like two opposite poles. One was a prince and the other a ruffian. The main reason was personal power. At age twenty-five, Han Ming was already a late Dongxu stage practitioner, only one stage from early Kongming stage.

“Liu Han Ming, one day, I swear, I will become better than you.” Liu mumbled under his breath, wiped the rivers of blood from his mouth and chin and stood up. At this moment, he thought of his new master, Qin Yu, and at once, he felt confidence swell up in his chest.

“How dare a little wimp like you look at the eldest son? He is the dignified eldest son of the main family. Young master, let us return.” The refined middle-aged man’s steely voice resounded in the encirclement. Then he waved his hand in a shoo-ing manner, at Han Shu. “Get lost, crawl back to the cave whence you came.”

There was no way, he’d be able to defend, and a level 2 immortal’s strength was incomparable.

Suddenly –––––––

“Boom!”

A circular wave of spiritual energy erupted, with Han Shu as the epicentre, towards the encirclement. Both the young master, the refined looking middle-aged man and the entourage of guards were thrown a few metres aside. They all landed in an undignified pile. The nearest onlookers were also repulsed back, and spat out blood. The rest of the farther onlookers were thrown to the ground, while the distant ones scurried like rats to flee from the shockwave.

As the dust settled and the blast wave ebbed away, the crowd could see another figure standing by Han Shu’s side. The newcomer was a youth who wore a fluttering black robe. The crowd gasp as they felt the pressurizing aura released by the newcomer, simultaneously, they all thought of one thing –––– it was a real master!

The black robed youth swept a cold gaze across all present. Everyone felt as if they were petrified or downing in icy water. That chilling gaze penetrated the very hearts of the crowd.

A voice shattered that silence ––––––

“Master” Han Shu could not help but rejoice at his master’s spectacular appearance.

The first to stand was a white robed youth, who immediately bowed and plastered a smile on. “Junior Liu Han Ming greets senior. I would’ve never thought that brother Han Shu would become the disciple of exalted senior. It is really is Brother Han Shu’s great fortune.”

Qin Yu’s expression did not change. It was a deadpanned looked, as if this fellow didn’t even exist in his eyes.

Han Ming saw this and mumbled on impulse, “When did Liu Han Shu become the disciple of such a master? But this man is a little too cold towards my greeting.”

“Milord.” Shuo Yan and Zang Yuan appeared behind Qin Yu and greeted their master.

Qin Yu continued to eye Liu Han Ming’s group, whom trembled in their boots and could not cease their worries in their hearts. Among this group, the most powerful – the refined middle-aged man, stood out from the crowd. “Please excuse this junior, but I am not sure where senior has come from?” The refined middle-aged man was a level 2 immortal, he’d have some knowledge of the experts around here.

Qin Yu did not answer, he was not inclined to even leave the man with his dignity or face.

The other naturally didn’t dare budge, not that they could anyway. Qin Yu had enveloped them with his aura fixing them to their places, any signs of opposition would be met with death.

“Speak. Who was it, who dared to harm my disciple?” A deadpanned voice rang around the street.

The Han Ming fellow bowed and answered, “senior, I witnessed one of my security detail enact violence on Liu Han Shu, who was walking in the middle of the street.” There was no way he would do such humiliating thing himself, even if he did he won’t lie to an expert – that would be courting death.

Qin Yu only answer with two words, “Which one?”

A guard stepped up from the crowd, “it was me.” The guard was only a dongxu stage practitioner, a relatively weak one at that, of the entire Liu Feng city. “Liu Han Shu is a weakling. Stepping on the weak is a privilege of the strong, is there a problem?”

Qin Yu gave this man an eyeful.

‘Bam!’ the guard’s lifeless body settled in a heap on the ground, eyes wide, unknowing of his demise.

“Showing such disrespect to my master. You deserve nothing but death” the man behind Qin Yu sneered. That instant killing shot was by that man, Zang Yuan, but nobody knows that this was a command from Qin Yu, himself.

The surrounding mob broke in cold sweat, even Liu Han Ming’s group flinched in shock.

Even of the highest skilled of the onlookers – a level 6 immortal of the elder Liu generation, did not see how Zang Yuan killed the guard. Despite the elder’s endless effortless, he would not, because Zang Yuan was far stronger than an ordinary level 6 immortal.

Before anyone noticed, dozens of experts appeared in the air space over the encirclement. Following their arrival, all could only hear the sound of whistling gale. The newcomers all stared at the masses below like gods above looking at puny mortals.

The one in the middle spoke, his voice echoed in the ears of everyone present, “Who dares to cause a ruckus at my home?? Who.........” The man suddenly paused mid-sentence, and in a flash, his expression changed from one of wrath to a friendly look. The man was a handsome looking middle-aged man.

“Honourable great-grandfather.” Han Ming bowed deeply to the man, followed by an equally respectful bow from Han Shu: “Honourable great-grandfather.”

The man was precisely the grandfather of the two, “This one is called Liu Yun Shan, greets senior. I do not know what the argument is about between my great-grandchildren, but senior, please restrain your hand. Please don’t be angry.” The elder bowed and wore a cordial smile of politeness.

As if preordained, the level 6 immortal among the onlookers stepped out from the crowd and joined Liu Yun Shan. The two looked much alike, the newest addition intoned: “Senior, this one is called Liu Yun Tan. Since you are Liu Han Shu’s master, then we are all one clan, please spare the offense Han Ming committed. These two’s squabble is of no importance.”

At the same time, he and Liu Yun Shan were having a voice transfer discussion.

“Yun Shan, if I didn’t warn you before with voice transfer, your arrogance would’ve provoked this extraordinary figure and brought calamity to our Liu clan. That would be a great sin.”

Yun Shan replied, “Yun Shan, I suppose this time, I owe you for the early warning. I did not expert three experts to simultaneously appear here all of a sudden. Not to mention, I can’t even see how powerful the three are.”

As soon as they finished, which was less than a second, the two waited for Qin Yu’s response. They were part of the higher echelons of the Liu clan that meant they represented the voice all Liu clan members present.

Qin Yu laughed heartily to himself, his outward expression unchanged. He’d not thought, after all this tossing around, he had become part of the same family now.

Instead of answer directly, he turned to his disciple to his side, and asked, “Han Shu, well, what do you say, how should this matter be resolved?”

Han Shu hesitated with the sudden question.

The two elders followed his gaze and looked at Han Shu, giving the fellow a knowing look. Of the two, the earlier one – Yun Shan, quickly added, “Han Shu, please don’t bring your petty squabbles up and bother your master. Oh, I realise that it has been a long time since your father and you have come to see me. After this, if you have time, come visit me more often.”

Han Shu couldn’t stop his heart from turning sour, he felt some sorrow and sadness. Before today, before he met Qin Yu, his own great-grandfather’s palace was as unreachable as heaven. He were to approach more than a hundred metres of the front gate, he would be frog-marched outside or sometimes booted out. But now, his lofty great-grandfather was giving him such a different kind of treatment – one more kindly.

“Master, let’s just let this affair go. It wasn’t a big deal anyway.”

Qin Yu nodded, “Very well, since Han Shu said so, I’ll spare your lives. Death may be too heavy a punishment, but injury is not. Zang Yuan, make sure these people need to be ‘resting’ for three months.”

“Senior!” Yun Shan and Yuan Tan stared with disbelief, the young master – Han Ming, also gaped with confusion.

All they heard from Zang Yuan was, “As you command, master.” And in the time for a breath, Zang Yuan who was standing behind Qin Yu disappeared. For a top ten ranker of more than two hundred level 9 demon, Zang Yuan is nothing short of a monster to those present. To deal with a group with the strongest two being a level 2 immortal, wiping the floor of them was a cake walk!

The next instant after that breath, the group was lying on the ground, vomiting copious amounts of blood, painting the monotonous ground with splashes of scarlet.

“Senior, this is going too far.” Yun Shan spoke, his jaw trembled slightly with some rising anger. His spirit was increasing in ferocity, but before anything else, Qin Yu swept his gaze to him. Liu Yun Shan could feel his entire body involuntarily shudder as if he’d been submerged in freezing water. The shock woke him from his bull-headedness and before he committed more irreversible acts.

Without taking his eyes off Yun Shan, he spoke for the first time in a while, “A disciple of mine – Qin Yu, is not to be slandered nor bullied.” His voice was soft, but it could be heard as if he’d spoken next the ears of everyone present. “Han Shu, return home with me. Why stay in a clan that don’t even treat their own as their own. You should not be too attached to this place.”

Han Shu heart pounded loudly, he’d never thought in all his life that he would hear something as warm as that. He recalled his past, but shuddered slightly trying not to imagine anymore and bring up any painful memories.

Home?

What was home?

Was that home?

The peers that spat on him, bullied him and assaulted him. It was a home of nightmares.

Within Han Shu’s heart, a heavy burden was tossed aside. For the first time in his life, he felt so......so relieved?

“Yes, master.” Came the answer.

Liu clan may be known as one of the three great clans, but they only have one golden immortal stage expert, the rest was only immortals. Within the Atlas, Qin Yu had more than two hundred level 9 demons, and destroying the Liu clan could be done with a nod.

“Depart.” Qin Yu held onto Han Shu’s shoulder and vanished.

Shuo Yan and Zang Yuan turned around and faced the Liu elders, the two directed a cold, sly grin on their face, and then they too vanished.

The elders gave each other an eyeful, both foreheads were creased.

...

In a remote part of the city, in an insignificant town house far different from the luxurious palaces of the Liu clan headquarters.

On this particular day, a group of people had gathered in front of the courtyard in front of that house – Han Shu’s house.

A loud shout was heard, “Master is currently tutoring Mister Liu Han Shu. No one is to enter within 6 hours.”

Two burly giants stood at the two sides of the entrance to the courtyard. These two were level 8 demons Qin Yu withdrew from the Atlas – Pi Huan and Pi Fan. There were numerous level 9 demons and their reputation was high, which made the two level 8 demons desire to show the level 9s that level 8 demons are not to be squandered nor forgotten. So in their master’s presence, they want to leave some good impressions. They were also a representatives of the level 8 demons, so that they wouldn’t want to be shadowed (not lose face) for their seniors as fellow demons.

Outside the residence were three elders of the Liu clan, an unknown honoured guest of the Liu house, another guest and a group of Liu clan’s elite guards. The elders could not help but show a repressed smile of understanding.

“Yun Shan, you said that the two guards were not the same as the two from the other day, right? The Liu clan leader asked the other elder – Yun Shan.

The fellow nodded, “I’m very sure. These two men are not the ones before. Those two were a woman and a lean looking man, not two burly giants.”

“Hmm, a level 8 demon.” The fourth elder-looking guest – the honoured guest of Liu house, said “If I’m not mistaken, the two guards are Flame Lions. Their actual power far surpasses level 8 immortals. At most, elder Xiu could only barely handle one.”

“Even the guards are two level 8 demons.” Every one of the elders gasped, they could felt invisible pressure on them, “that ‘Qin Yu’ must be even more fearsome than these two men. What a monster.........when did such an individual come here?”

The clan leader also felt a headache coming on, because demons are stronger than immortals of the same level. That was true, unless that immortal followed a special path of practice, but nevertheless the chance of that was so miniscule that it very nearly did not exist.

“Eldest brother, did you notice that the two guards called Qin Yu as ‘master’. If it was the normal hierarchical structure then it only be ‘lord’ and not by ‘master’. There is definitely more to it.” Yun Tan remarked. The clan leader nodded at that, he didn’t notice it at the beginning. Usually only the within the super large clans that control many planets would cultivate these experts, and only these experts would be titled ‘master’.

After a long time...

‘Squeek’ one of the guards opened the courtyard door.

“Our master has said you may come in now.” The other guard spoke, his voice rumbled like thunder, “Also, leave your guards outside, the garden would not fit you all.”

The clan leader laughed. “There is one other person. He is Liu Han Shu’s father....”

A bored voice reached the guests’ ears from within the gate, “Let him come in, then.”

One by one, the clan leader, the three elders, an unknown guest and Han Shu’s father walk in order through the doorway.

Within the courtyard.

Han Shu had finally mastered the top grade holy weapon ‘Hei Yuan’. Today, he wore a dark-grey sleeved shirt made part of ‘Hei Yuan’, while the other part was in the shape of a flying sword. Qin Yu sat on a stone bench, flanked by Shu Yan and Zang Yuan, on the left and right. Han Shu stood slightly ahead of him and to the side.

The unknown guest was the first to speak....through voice transfer, “Clan master, the two men standing guard are very strong, I could not perceive all of it, they are at least level 9 demons, as for Qin Yu, he is about a level 8 immortal.”

But, with the meteoric tears’ fusion with his soul, his control of spiritual energy has reached a profound level. With a light sweep, he could acquire all the information. “Oh, not bad.” Qin Yu laughed out loud. With his soul’s fusion, and withdrawn of his soul and spirit, even a golden immortal would not be able to perceive his true strength, let alone an unknown immortal.

The unnamed guest’s face paled, “This clan master’s – Qin Yu’s, strength is unfathomable.” that was because he was unable to sense a hint of life force nor spiritual energy from Qin Yu’s body.

The Liu clan leader stared at the unknown middle-aged man, suddenly little frustrated that the guest would say Qin Yu was a level 8 immortal, then say the fellow’s strength was unfathomable!