The cultivation in the Celestial Realm of Xingtian required two essential elements. First was the celestial rays that perpetually orbited this world's heavens, which could purify one's spirit essence when absorbed and imbue it with stellar power. Second came Astral Dust - these stardust particles earned the title "Star Essence" and were diametrically opposed to floating celestial rays. While celestial rays lingered in the skies, Astral Dust was buried deep within planetary cores where quantities remained scarce and difficult to collect.

Celestial rays greatly benefited spirit essence cultivation while Astral Dust could refine a Starborn's physical body. When a spirit essence secured Astral Dust from the Celestial Realm of Seven Stars and guided it into bones and meridians, this stardust would fortify the flesh itself - enhancing strength reserves and sharpening all physical attributes.

Cultivation in the Celestial Realm of Seven Stars essentially involved refining one's spirit with celestial rays while forging the body through Astral Dust. While celestial rays were relatively accessible, Astral Dust was far rarer. Only Starborns whose spirits had reached certain realms with formidable mental strength dared descend into planetary cores to retrieve it.

Successfully bringing Astral Dust back to the Five Elements Continent and using it for physical refinement would truly perfect a Seven-Star Starborn's power. Once stardust occupied bones, tendons and skin, their bodies could synergize with celestial-infused spirits to maximize internal energy output.

Only when this "Spirit-Body Unity" manifested could one be called a true Seven-Star Starborn!

Astral Dust always lay deep within planetary cores. To obtain it required spiritual descent into subterranean realms. The recent violent tremors had apparently shaken loose these deeply buried stardust particles, much to Ji Changkong's delight.

The desolate, lifeless Xuantian Star rarely experienced such changes. Mysterious quakes rippling through its fractured surface released swirling Astral Dust when Ji Changkong's spirit hurriedly descended to the chasm where the disturbance originated.

Luminous stardust particles danced like shattered stars at the bottom of this seemingly endless pit. An especially brilliant glow erupted from the center, prompting Ji Changkong to plunge downward...

A sudden violent tremor exploded from below as jagged dark brown rocks rained upward carrying Xuantian Star's unique energy signature. The impact caused Ji Changkong's spiritual strength to rapidly deplete.

This world's seemingly intangible spirits could actually suffer physical damage - a revelation that startled Ji Changkong when he was struck by these rocks. Ripples spread outward as dense stardust clouds erupted from the pit.

A fist-sized radiant orb, shimmering like crystallized light, caught his vision with dazzling intensity. This wasn't just any Astral Dust - it was the fabled Star Essence!

Ji Changkong's spirit surged forward, enveloping the brilliant orb in concentrated mental energy while abandoning all pursuit of scattered stardust particles.

Unlike ordinary Astral Dust which were merely fragmented remnants from shattered Star Essences, genuine Star Essences formed as luminous crystal spheres buried deep within celestial cores. Even advanced Starborns rarely encountered them naturally - only when planetary upheavals forced these treasures upward through the earth's mantle.

This fist-sized Star Essence was worth hundreds of times more than any scattered stardust. With it, Ji Changkong no longer needed to collect Astral Dust from Xuantian for physical refinement. The sheer weight of this Star Essence nearly overwhelmed his spirit - if not for recent breakthroughs in the Five Elements Continent's "Limitation Cultivation Method" that enhanced mental stamina, he would have been crushed by its gravitational pull.

As his spirit carried the Star Essence toward space, multiple soul consciousnesses suddenly rippled through Xuantian Star. These practitioners had long awaited such an opportunity to claim stardust - now they sensed something far greater: a massive Star Essence emerging from subterranean quakes!

"Star Essence! A whole Star Essence!"

"It's big enough to refine dozens of bodies!"

"With this, we'd never need to collect Astral Dust again!"

Dozens of spiritual waves converged as Ji Changkong fled through the void. The Star Essence's uncontained radiance betrayed his position instantly.

"Friend, you can't possibly use all that alone - share it with us?"

"Carrying such a heavy Star Essence back might drain your spirit completely!"

"I'll take just one thumb-sized piece - don't be so selfish!"

Hundreds of soul consciousnesses attacked simultaneously. If this had been when Ji Changkong first arrived at Xuantian, the overwhelming psychic pressure would have shattered his spirit into starlight fragments.

But now he wielded refined techniques from his recent cultivation breakthroughs. A sudden burst of nearly imperceptible spiritual threads lashed out while subtle astral soul magic distorted pursuers' thoughts.

Three gray clouds erupted from Ji Changkong's nebulous form, crashing toward the leading attackers. These faint clouds unleashed terrifying psychic tides that twisted their willpower into madness - causing them to turn on fellow pursuers with suicidal ferocity.

"Astral Soul Art: Possession Technique!"

Chaos erupted as more soul consciousnesses were silently annihilated by those spectral threads. Unlike Xuantian's hardened soul hunters who resisted such attacks, these interlopers proved surprisingly vulnerable to Ji Changkong's refined techniques.

Dodging celestial debris in the void, Ji Changkong finally returned to the Five Elements Continent with his spirit encasing the Star Essence. The friction through atmosphere created brilliant streaks as it plummeted into Duxiong Marsh...

Crashing into Poison Dragon Pond, the Star Essence bored a deep crater while nearby beasts scattered in alarm at this "fallen star."

Exhausted but triumphant, Ji Changkong reoccupied his body just as a familiar figure emerged from the trees.

"Zhou Qiangwei... what are you doing here?" His voice rasped with exhaustion.

He had left the Red Clan precisely to avoid her - after two indecent encounters and knowing she was betrothed to Zhongli Jingyi, he desperately wanted distance...

Yet now she sat beneath a tree watching him intently.

"Are you really that disgusted by me?"

Her eyes gleamed strangely as she recalled their prior interactions. "If you despise me, why save my life in Duxiong Marsh? Why those... indecent moments?"

Ji Changkong's stomach churned at her questions but he merely shook his head. "We settled this before - once you and your daughter were safely out of Duxiong..."

"Settled?" she interrupted with confusion.

"You think I don't know why you left the Red Clan after those events? You felt defiled, right?"

Ji Changkong groaned at her persistence. "You're being dramatic! Those moments don't affect your marriage to Zhongli Jingyi!"

"I feel they do!" Her expression darkened as she asked, "What would he think if he knew his betrothed had been... touched by another man?"

"Zhou Qiangwei what exactly do you want?!" Ji Changkong's patience frayed.

"You've reached the Seven-Star realm now. I saw that meteor - you must have spent weeks in celestial realms draining your spirit."

She paused, then added softly, "You should focus on recovering with this Black Jade Essence..."

Ji Changkong looked away awkwardly as she continued watching him silently...

Later when Zhongli Hui arrived expecting to find his sister-in-law-to-be, the scene of Ji Changkong supporting Zhou Qiangwei nearly caused a psychic breakdown. The heartbreak was immediate and profound.

"Ji Brother..." She fled before he could explain...