359 - Rebirth of a Star: Another Day, Another Drama

### Chapter 359: Departure and Tribulation "Are you really leaving, Ling Long?" At the foot of the mountain, Xiong Fei looked at Ye Ling Long with a deep sense of reluctance, hoping to persuade her to stay. Ye Ling Long shook her head. "I have my own matters to attend to, so I really can't stay here." Xiong Fei's thoughts were simple—his mind was primarily occupied with eating, drinking, sleeping, and perhaps Ye Ling Long. He couldn't think further beyond these. Seeing Ye Ling Long's determination to leave, he felt a sense of loss. "Alright then. Sigh~ I had hoped to bring a wife back for my mother to see after this venture." Hearing Xiong Fei's self-talk, Ye Ling Long smiled helplessly. She knew he meant no harm; otherwise, with his strength, he could've easily kept her here, but he chose not to. He was indeed a kind-hearted bear. After a heartfelt farewell, Ye Ling Long left behind a generous amount of honey made by the Heaven-Devouring Bees in her space for Xiong Fei. During their time absorbing the mountain's celestial energy, many bees had reached the Void Immortal stage, greatly enhancing the quality and taste of their honey—far surpassing the honey Xiong Fei often 'borrowed' from a nearby nest. Just the sight of the honey began to heal Xiong Fei's heartbreak and disappointment. The enticing aroma of the golden honey constantly tempted his taste buds. The apex of temptation was reached when Ye Ling Long produced a small jar of royal jelly. "Gulp~" The sound of him swallowing could be heard as Xiong Fei pointed at the honey in Ye Ling Long's hand and asked, "Is this really for me?" Amused by his greedy expression, Ye Ling Long nodded. The small jar of royal jelly disappeared from her hand and instantly appeared in Xiong Fei's embrace, tightly held. Looking at the jar in his arms, a grin spread across his face, nearly reaching his ears. He seemed utterly delighted, as though he had forgotten all about his heartbreak. Indeed, love stands no chance against the allure of good food. With a sigh of gratitude, Ye Ling Long left the mountaintop. However, before departing, she made a point to revisit the stone platform where she had been previously teleported. She studied the array patterns engraved on it. She discovered a unique trait of her eyes—they could completely replicate the array patterns with intense focus. With further study, she could arrange an exactly identical formation. Ye Ling Long realized her eyes were extraordinary. Could she have a special identity? But since she was taken in by Ye Tian Ming as a child with no identifiable traits, uncovering her origins seemed like searching for a needle in a haystack. Pondering this notion briefly, she decided not to dwell on it. As long as her eyes were useful, that was all that mattered. After traveling for half a day, Ye Ling Long found a deserted mountaintop to descend upon. This area had sparse celestial energy and wasn't ideal for cultivation, so there were no signs of beasts or cultivators around. After landing, Ye Ling Long released Feng Li and Xiao Hei. Then, she began setting up formations. Without holding back, she exerted her full effort. As the array gradually formed, a tenth-tier formation emerged, and clouds of tribulation gathered above. The tribulation lightning descended with a roar, and after the final strike of the array tribulation, the tenth-tier formation was complete. The sky displayed brilliant rays as Ye Ling Long smiled in satisfaction. However, she had exhausted the talismans and accumulated experience she had, and as of now, the highest-tier formations she could create were tenth-tier. A tenth-tier formation was pinnacle in the lower realm but merely a starting point in the celestial realm. Once in the celestial cities, she intended to learn more about formation levels and see if related books were available for purchase. With these thoughts, she laid down two more tenth-tier formations. The three formations consisted of two defensive arrays and a large-scale concealed breath formation to mask the presence of Feng Li and Xiao Hei once they unleashed their auras. Once the formations were set, Xiao Hei and Feng Li ceased restraining their auras. Instantly, two massive tribulation clouds gathered in the sky. Meanwhile, a child helping in the fields of a village at the mountain's base curiously watched the continuous thunderclouds over the desolate mountain. "Dad, mom, why is there constant thunder over the barren mountain today? Is someone undergoing a tribulation? Could it be someone from the neighboring village becoming an immortal?" The child's tone was full of envy. "Perhaps. We're just spirit plant farmers, so we don't understand such matters," replied the child’s mother, a youthful-looking woman. In the celestial realm, even ordinary people enjoyed long lifespans due to the nourishing celestial energy. "Hahaha, don't worry, Xiao Hu Zi. Once we sell this crop of spirit rice, we'll enroll you to learn skills. Then our Xiao Hu Zi might also become an immortal," the child’s father promised. The child's slightly rounded, dark face broke into a happy smile as he nodded vigorously. The tribulation continued for two hours. After the last bolt of lightning struck, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky. Feng Li, in his true form, let out a long cry, his body expanding several times larger. A massive phoenix silhouette appeared, hovering in the sky before merging into Feng Li, transforming into twinkling lights. Ye Ling Long noticed Feng Li bypassed the Void Immortal stage, his true energy directly converting to celestial energy, ascending to Immortal status. Likewise, Xiao Hei experienced a similar transformation. Curiously, the silhouette in the sky was not of a cloud leopard but an unfamiliar beast she had never seen. However, just a glance at it made Ye Ling Long feel an overwhelming ferocity, stirring her blood. Even the sword spirit Qian Jun was surprised: "Huh~ this little one possesses this kind of bloodline?" Ye Ling Long curiously looked on. "What beast is this? Is it powerful?" Qian Jun answered, "It’s not just powerful—that's no ordinary beast, but an ancient ferocious creature, a Taotie." "Taotie?" Ye Ling Long murmured. "Yes, legend says it eats anything and everything, assimilating what it consumes into its own power. No wonder this one grows so swiftly," Qian Jun marveled. Ye Ling Long was concerned. One was a phoenix, the other a Taotie bloodline. Either could attract trouble. If discovered, surely someone would want to slay her and seize the creatures. Thankfully, she was prudent enough to set up a concealing array before their tribulation and chose a remote location, reducing any unwanted attention. Yet, to be safe, after they rejuvenated in the spiritual rain, Ye Ling Long promptly moved their group away, wary of unforeseen complications. Barely had they left when meteor-like figures streaked across the sky, landing on the mountaintop where Xiao Hei and Feng Li had weathered their tribulations. The newcomers, clad in black robes and wreathed in celestial energy, arrived swiftly. The leading man closed his eyes, sensing the lingering auras around him. "Indeed, it's the aura of a phoenix undergoing tribulation. Surprisingly, there’s a phoenix in the lower celestial realm. Yet the other tribulation aura is equally formidable. I wonder what bloodline it is."