Many of the light clusters were already entangled with the ancient restrictions, virtually inseparable.
Once these Star Element Stones were taken by force, pulling a single thread would disturb the entire tapestry, potentially triggering unknown changes in the restrictions.
With time running short, Granny Jing would also find it difficult to stabilize them. She warned Qin Sang that it was best not to create complications, for if Heaven-Pointing Peak’s space collapsed, neither of them would be able to escape.
No wonder Vice Island Master Xiao had never brought this up before. Relying solely on a Spirit-Locking Bracelet made it exceedingly difficult to harvest Star Element Stones entangled with restrictions; only the Star Spirit Net was capable of it.
"Enter from here."
Granny Jing did not choose to head up along the waterfall—the route that appeared safest—to leave the meadow.
Instead, she raised a hand and pointed at the stone path leading into the forest. Seeing Qin Sang hesitate, she said faintly, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han. I will guide you through the restrictions. The Star Element Stones gathered along the way will be more than enough for you to outstrip the others."
The light within the forest was dim and murky, steeped in a deathly stillness that sent a chill down the spine.
Yet it was not truly quiet. Multicolored motes of light pulsed within, looking as though countless spirits danced there, but they were actually ripples produced by restriction fragments.
The iridescent glow drifting above the canopy was merely a fraction of the restriction fragments throughout the woods, which were ubiquitous deeper in. It was precisely because of them that every step through the forest was fraught with peril.
In the end, Qin Sang chose to trust Granny Jing.
Just before stepping into the forest, Qin Sang tilted his head back as far as he could to gaze upward.
Heaven-Pointing Peak’s height far exceeded his imagination, its majestic silhouette piercing straight into the clouds.
Qin Sang could vaguely make out a mountain shaped like an azure eagle—Feilai Peak, one of the few landmarks on Heaven-Pointing Peak that Vice Island Master Xiao had mentioned.
Spotting Feilai Peak here meant he was likely positioned somewhere on the upper half of the mountain slopes.
To be frank, his luck had not been the best.
The distribution of light clusters on Heaven-Pointing Peak followed a pattern: the closer to the summit, the greater their number, and the more dangerous the terrain.
The restrictions and topography there were far more hazardous and intricate, but there would also be plenty of clusters unentangled by restrictions, which were easy to collect.
It was not at all like this vast meadow, which held not a single cluster of light.
Two hours was neither short nor long.
Judging solely by the surrounding terrain, Qin Sang might have had a chance at earning a standard reward without Granny Jing and the Star Spirit Net, but if he wished to vie for first place, he would have to steel his resolve and plunge into the forest regardless of his own safety.
Only by prying Star Element Stones from the seams between restrictions, one by one, would he stand a sliver of hope.
Of course, there was another way—provided he crossed paths with other people.
He took a step into the forest.
Qin Sang’s vision suddenly flared with color, his face bathed half in red light and half in azure.
The light originated from an iridescent glow hanging between two ancient trees straight ahead. The azure and red radiance pressed against one another without mingling, forming a distinct dividing line down the middle.
They seemed to regard each other as mortal enemies, neither yielding an inch, yet both were bound within this space. They could only grind against each other—at times the azure light gained the upper hand, and at other times the red light swallowed a portion of the azure.
Qin Sang darted forward until he stood before the two-colored glow, only for Granny Jing to say, "Gather the Star Element Stones up there."
Hearing this, Qin Sang looked up and noticed five clusters of light drifting among the treetops of the two ancient trees.
Fortune was on his side: three of them floated near the outer fringes of the two-colored glow.
The other two were embedded right in the seam between the two colors, swaying along with the fluctuating radiance.
"Do not touch the two in the middle," Granny Jing added.
Qin Sang understood at once. Those two middle clusters were already deeply intertwined with the restriction; if they were removed, the azure and red lights would likely erupt into violent conflict.
Lifting his palm slightly, the bundle of threads in his hand shot toward the treetops with a sharp whoosh, unfurling rapidly the moment it left his grasp to transform into a fine net.
Qin Sang had long since refined the Star Spirit Net to obey his will. With a swift series of hand seals, the net closed in on the three light clusters, expanding into a broad web that draped squarely over them.
*Whoosh!*
The Star Spirit Net blazed with brilliant light, sweeping aggressively over the three clusters.
Under Qin Sang’s precise manipulation, the net did not brush against the two-colored glow in the slightest.
The light clusters had no physical form, consisting merely of pristine starlight condensed from astral essence. Had it not been for specialized magic tools like the Star Spirit Net or the Spirit-Locking Bracelet, anything else would simply pass straight through them,
rendering it impossible to condense them into Star Element Stones.
The instant the net enveloped them, the starlight seemed to meet its natural bane. Its glow wavered erratically as it struggled to resist or flee, yet it could not break free of the Star Spirit Net's constraint.
A Spirit-Locking Bracelet could capture only one cluster at a time, and its power fell far short of the Star Spirit Net. Suppressing even a single cluster was a strain that demanded the user’s full cooperation.
If one failed to suppress a cluster, one had no choice but to decisively abandon it. Otherwise, should the struggling starlight trigger a restriction, the fragile Spirit-Locking Bracelet would never withstand the backlash.
Even with the Star Spirit Net, Qin Sang had to proceed with utmost care when the light clusters resisted.
Fortunately, his control was excellent, and he managed to bind all three clusters without mishap.
Under the relentless suppression of the Star Spirit Net, the resistance from the light clusters grew weaker and weaker, their size steadily shrinking as the starlight compressed inward.
Gradually, the clusters condensed into small, somewhat irregular crystal beads.
*Swish!*
Cradling the three similarly sized crystal beads, the Star Spirit Net flew back into Qin Sang’s palm.
These were Star Element Stones.
Named stones, yet in truth pearls.
Qin Sang felt a wave of coolness in his palm. The Star Element Stones were featherlight, drifting like willow catkins with almost no discernible weight, yet they were exceptionally hard; even when he squeezed with all his strength, he could not crush them.
Sweeping his spiritual sense over the stones, Qin Sang could detect only an indescribable, ethereal purity. They were wondrous items unlike anything he had ever seen before.
Could formations really be laid using these?
Curiosity stirred within Qin Sang, but he knew this was no time to inspect them closely. He immediately slipped them into the specialized pouch issued by Stargazing Island, gripped the Star Spirit Net tightly, and turned to look at Granny Jing.
From casting the Star Spirit Net to capturing the Star Element Stones, only a few breaths had elapsed. It was unimaginably swift, far outstripping the fragile Spirit-Locking Bracelet in efficiency.
At the thought of the two spiritual items awaiting him outside, Qin Sang felt thoroughly invigorated.
Granny Jing had known the capabilities of the Star Spirit Net all along. Her eyes remained impassive as she fixed her gaze on the seam between the two-colored glow, raising a slender finger. "Enter from here!"
Time was too short for Qin Sang to discern the intricacies of this restriction fragment, leaving him no choice but to follow Granny Jing’s instructions.
The ancient trees in the forest were not densely packed, offering paths in every direction, yet Granny Jing had insisted on choosing this most perilous route.
*If she wanted to harm me, there would be no need to go to such lengths!*
With that thought flashing through his mind, Qin Sang obeyed her command without hesitation. His figure flickered, transforming into a streak of light that plunged straight into the seam between the azure and red radiance.
In that split second, two terrifying surges of pressure bore down on Qin Sang from either side. Had that pressure fallen upon his body, his vestment would not have lasted an instant, and he would have been crushed to pulp on the spot.
Fortunately, the very moment he felt the crushing force, Qin Sang had already shot through the seam between the two-colored glow, emerging safely on the other side.
Chapter 463