Sudden Strike from Behind

What are Star Spirit Fruits?

During humanity’s exploration of dimensional spaces, many wondrous things were discovered. Ancient Starlit Monuments, the mysterious and versatile Star Iron, and the myriad Star Sigils, each with their own unique effects. Some dimensional monsters even crystallize Star Skills or Star Judgement Cores within their bodies. Yet the most common and most coveted of treasures are the naturally-formed Star Spirit Fruits.

Star Spirit Fruits come in many forms, each possessing astonishing powers: they can enhance cultivation, contain runes of star arts, heal injuries, save lives, or even prolong longevity. Some extraordinary fruits can awaken supernatural abilities in a person—or, on rare occasions, turn them into a monster instead. But preserving these fruits is no easy task. Not every explorer brings the right containers for their expeditions, and if the fruit isn’t stored properly, it quickly rots, becoming worthless.

This makes them all the more precious—outside, each is worth a fortune.

“Let me see!” Jiang Yun’er, as curious as ever, moved closer. Chen Longshi tossed her the fruit and continued searching. Jiang Yun’er activated her Spirit Eye Technique and gasped in amazement. “It really is a Star Spirit Fruit—the star energy is so dense and vibrant, overflowing with life! I’ve eaten quite a few before, but this is the first time I’ve seen one picked fresh.”

“You’ve eaten many? What does your family do, to be so wealthy? And what do Star Spirit Fruits taste like?” Nie Renxiong asked, intrigued.

“Mostly when I was little,” Jiang Yun’er replied. “My family didn’t let me eat too many, said it was bad for my foundational cultivation if I overindulged. The taste is… peculiar. Despite being called a fruit, it’s not sweet like fruit at all. It’s more like tender, crisp meat… hard to describe, really.”

Nie Renxiong blinked in surprise. “Crisp, tender meat? That’s the first time I’ve heard that used to describe meat. Though I suppose a bite of fried crawfish with a swig of beer is pretty crisp too.”

“If you’re that curious, why not just split it and try some?”

“Great idea.” Nie Renxiong licked his lips, making no attempt to be polite.

Chen Longshi dug a large pit in the ground but found nothing else of value. Still, his good mood persisted—not because of the fruit, but because he had finally found a scene familiar from his memories. Smiling, he said, “This is just one branch of the Star Vine. Yun’er, why not check with your technique which direction the Star Spirit Veins are extending?”

Hugging the “pineapple” tightly, Jiang Yun’er quickly activated her star technique again. “Lots of glowing blue roots, spreading in all directions. The brightest ones go… this way!” She looked up at the one who’d asked, her eyes shining like a startled fawn.

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

“Waiting for what?” Jiang Yun’er was momentarily bewildered.

Ji Yao couldn’t help but step in, giving her a gentle pat on the head. “Silly, lead the way!”

“Oh—right!”

Nie Renxiong volunteered eagerly. “I’ll take point. Yun’er, just give the directions.”

“And who are you calling little sister? It’s big sister.”

“Yes, yes, big sister.” The sycophant act was in full force—beyond saving.

As the two bickered and led the way, Chen Longshi suddenly looked back at the bug corpse that had finally stopped moving on the ground. He couldn’t tell if it was an illusion, but at the instant the bug died, he felt as if something had darted into his body. Unable to make sense of it, he kept his thoughts to himself and caught up with the group.

Halfway along, they divided the Star Spirit Fruit into four portions, so everyone could have a taste. The flavor was, as expected, hard to describe—not exactly unpalatable, but a strange blend of fruit and cooked meat with a surprisingly crisp, fresh aroma. All in all, peculiar.

After eating his portion, Chen Longshi felt a pleasant warmth spread throughout his body—a sensation he usually experienced only after training his physique. Opening his system panel, he saw that his [Physique] attribute had indeed increased by 0.2, and could rise by another 0.1 at most. So, a single Star Spirit Fruit was roughly equivalent to one full point of Physique.

In his previous life, players in the game called them “Attribute Fruits.” Eating too many of the same grade would lead to resistance, so true strength had to be forged through cultivation—that was always more reliable.

Ahead, the terrain suddenly changed to marshland and the light in the forest diminished sharply. A stream wound through the woods, but the ground was so muddy it was almost impossible to walk. Massive fig vines as thick as a man’s waist coiled around towering trees.

Nie Renxiong took out a clear, empty water bottle and filled it at the stream. But as soon as the seemingly clear water entered the bottle, it turned murky. Countless parasites, suddenly aware of their captivity, writhed frantically inside. A single sip of this water would likely be deadlier than poison.

“Careful!” Chen Longshi warned.

A shadow leapt from the water, aiming straight for Nie Renxiong’s hand. Ji Yao, who was nearby, drew her long blade in a flash. Sparks flew as her sword clashed with the monster fish’s armored scales, sending it crashing onto the bank. Nearly a meter long, the fish thrashed a few times, then sprouted four stumpy legs and began hopping back toward the stream.

“I’ve got this!”

“Haah—!” Jiang Yun’er let out a drawn-out war cry as she unsheathed her sword. The crimson blade glimmered with star arrays as she leaped high, piercing the fish’s metallic scales with ease. The monster fish couldn’t even struggle before it was dead.

Chen Longshi’s expression turned odd as that strange devouring sensation returned. This time, it was no illusion. He thought of the uninvited presence within him, a shadow passing through his heart.

Nie Renxiong’s eyes gleamed. “Wow, you’re loaded—thirty-six restriction star artifact! Even the first prize for our assessment isn’t better than that.”

“Haha, it’s nothing,” Jiang Yun’er replied proudly, hoisting the monstrous fish with a grin. “Let’s see if there’s a star core. Ugh, it’s filthy…”

“I’ll handle it. Lend me your sword, Yun’er. Otherwise, there’s no way to cut through these scales.”

Nie Renxiong took over the dissection and successfully retrieved a star core from the fish’s belly.

A fortunate find. The group decided to follow the stream, using the monster fish’s innards as bait to fish as they went.

In this stream, the monster fish were voracious—at the faintest whiff of blood, they swarmed in a frenzy. In moments, they had killed several more. Not every fish contained a star core, but all were ugly enough.

Nie Renxiong and his “big sister” enjoyed themselves immensely. Chen Longshi, preoccupied, participated little, while Ji Yao kept watch, ever vigilant for danger.

Eventually, the stream disappeared into dense vines and there was no path forward. Jiang Yun’er looked disappointed. “What should we do now?”

Ji Yao assessed the scene. “The tree trunks are thick, and the interwoven vines form a dense network in the forest’s center. We can use them to get through.”

“A good idea,” Chen Longshi agreed, coming back to himself. “But first, we have to handle what’s coming.”

He spun around, spear in hand.

The others were momentarily stunned, but then quickly drew their weapons as well.

At the end of the vanished stream, the calm surface suddenly erupted—a monstrous serpent, over ten meters long, burst forth, trailing water as it lunged straight for Chen Longshi at the front. Its gaping maw was nearly two meters wide, reeking of blood and stench. Jiang Yun’er, who had been eager to fight just moments before, now turned pale.

With death before his eyes, Chen Longshi’s nerves were taut as wire. A sense of mortal peril made his hair stand on end. With a roar, he hurled his spear into the air and leapt back, narrowly avoiding the serpent’s bite.

The snake screeched in pain, thrashing wildly. The trees shook, splinters and stones flying. Its massive tail swept out with terrifying force.

But what was that move? The group was dumbfounded. Chen Longshi’s “casually” thrown spear just happened to wedge itself between the serpent’s jaws, pinning them open so it could neither swallow nor spit it out. The flat, wide head was filled with interlocking fangs, the stench overwhelming.

“Hit it!” Chen Longshi shouted.

Ji Yao was the first to respond, her long blade already poised to strike.

Jiang Yun’er joined her, sword in hand. It was clear her swordsmanship was formidable; cold light flashed in arcs, filling the space as she unleashed her star artifact’s power, carving deep wounds into the serpent. Only Nie Renxiong lagged behind, barely dodging the tail’s furious sweeps.

Chen Longshi found an opening, flicking two throwing knives that pierced the serpent’s eyes. The monster shrieked anew, flicking its blood-red tongue in a violent frenzy, but still couldn’t dislodge the spear from its jaws.

Chen Longshi seized the moment, grabbed the spear, and with brute force—50 tons of psychic power plus 10 tons of physical strength—heaved like an ancient strongman. The massive serpent was whipped up and down like a gym battle rope, leaving it dazed and its upper jaw torn. At last, the spear came free.

“Now!” Ji Yao’s star technique finally erupted. “Clear Wind, Bright Moon Slash!”

Her fan-shaped blade of light swept past, as gentle as a breeze yet cold as moonlight, tearing a massive gash at the snake’s vulnerable spot.

“Dragon Flash!”

Jiang Yun’er’s crimson sword, even more powerful, sang as it fell. The already wounded serpent was cleaved nearly in two, the remaining half of its body severed cleanly. Chen Longshi spun his spear and brought it down hard on the still-defiant serpent’s head. With a thunderous crash, the ground cracked into a web of fissures. The skull split too, and at last, the beast was still.

Again, that devouring sensation surged. Chen Longshi frowned. On his system panel, he saw the Awakening Progress for the Devouring Fiend had increased by 1%.

The serpent was dead—save for its twitching tail, the forest returned to quiet.

“Haha, that was exhilarating! I knew this trip would be worth it,” Jiang Yun’er exulted, still riding the thrill of the kill.

Nie Renxiong, knowing he hadn’t contributed much, dutifully cleaned up. They found another massive star core, and the group pressed on, now traveling swiftly over the aerial vines.

The Survival Trial offered only a rough map, no directions, no food, no fresh water. And as warriors, they would burn through their strength in constant combat. They had to find edible resources to replenish their energy.

Time was short—exploring the secret realm in detail was impossible.

Following the path of the Star Spirit Veins, they found the creatures ahead growing more numerous—and the dangers ever-present.

A silver arc flashed as a throwing knife shot from behind, pinning a fist-sized fragrant bee to a tree. Nie Renxiong, leading, barely had time to raise his blade, startled. “So fast! I only saw a blur coming at me.”

“Stay sharp,” Chen Longshi advised. “These things fly incredibly quickly. If you can’t react in time, you’ll end up stung and swollen.”

He crushed the fragrant bee, removed its stinger, and put it in his backpack.

Jiang Yun’er was now certain: Chen Longshi was the true powerhouse of their team. No wonder her proud cousin was willing to listen to his commands. “Brother Long, why are you keeping the bug?”

“It’s edible—roast it and it’s deliciously crispy. I’ll let you try it if we get the chance.”

His mind was full of memories—back when he played the game, there was a chef who posted an unlimited quest for collecting fragrant bee meat. Countless broke rookies ended up swollen all over from bee stings. The chef gathered the bee meat, grilled it on skewers, and sold it at a high price, making a tidy profit.