Chapter 0904: Astromancer

Chapter 0904: Astromancer

Xie Qirou only knew the general direction of where the Dark Sun Soul was located, but not the exact position. The task of finding it fell to Qin Yun.

Inside the Phantom Spirit Academy, he asked everyone he met about Yu Shutian.

His polite demeanor kept anyone from taking offense.

Finally, he inquired with a teacher and learned about Yu Shutian.

Yu Shutian was indeed a woman and an outstanding student.

Rumors said she was highly skilled and primarily studied the knowledge of the sun, moon, and stars at the Phantom Spirit Academy. She was deeply interested in these subjects and often went out to gather related materials and data, collaborating with the academy’s teachers for research.

Once he learned where Yu Shutian lived, Qin Yun rushed over.

As a female student, Yu Shutian lived in a dormitory reserved for women—male students were not allowed inside.

An older woman stood guard at the entrance.

As Qin Yun approached and was about to speak, the woman asked, "Looking for someone, boy?"

"Yes, ma’am. I’m looking for Yu Shutian. Do you know her?" Qin Yun asked.

"Of course I know her! A thousand guys like you have come asking for her, and I turned them all away!" The woman cackled. "So, you can go back now!"

Qin Yun hadn’t expected Yu Shutian to be so popular.

"Ma’am, I have urgent business with her!" Qin Yun said.

"Everyone who comes here says they have urgent business. You men are all the same—always in such a hurry for *that* kind of thing!" She smirked like she’d heard it all before.

"No, you’ve got it wrong—I just want to talk astronomy!" Qin Yun smiled.

"Half the guys who show up here claim the same thing!" She scoffed. "Go back! Xiao Tian has instructed me not to let any male visitors in!"

Qin Yun grew anxious and said, "I’m not a male student!"

Her eyebrows shot up. "You’re not a male? You a girl or something? Or… what, neither? That’s the most bizarre excuse I’ve ever heard!"

"I’m not from the Academy!" Qin Yun said quietly.

Not knowing Yu Shutian well, he preferred not to sneak in. He wanted to meet her openly to show sincerity.

"Enough talking. Just go back!" She exhaled, waving him off.

"Look, I’ll pay you—purple crystal coins!" Qin Yun offered.

"I can’t be bought!" she snapped.

Qin Yun thought for a moment and then said, "Ma’am, could you at least deliver a note to Miss Yu Shutian for me? Surely that’s acceptable?"

"Another love letter?" She hauled out a basket overflowing with them and said, "These are all the ones people have asked me to pass to her!"

Qin Yun frowned. If Yu Shutian was this sought after, why hadn’t anyone told him her whereabouts when he was asking around earlier?

"No, it’s star diagrams." Qin Yun took out a piece of paper and, using the Spirit Rhinoceros Pen, its nib charged with Blood Soul Power, etched a basic star pattern—just the surface markings.

"This is a star pattern’s surface layer. Please give this to her!" Qin Yun said. "It’s astronomy, not romance!"

The Madam seemed quite knowledgeable and recognized the Star Monarch Rune at a glance, somewhat surprised as she had witnessed Qin Yun casually drawing it with just a few strokes.

"Alright!" the woman finally agreed, then quickly left the gate, warning him not to barge in.

Qin Yun walked back and forth outside the gate. Moments later, he saw a carriage pull out.

A woman in a light yellow dress stepped down from the carriage, her eyes lively, her features sweet and delicate, radiating a charming grace. Her beautiful eyes shone like stars, carrying a faint starlight aura.

This woman gave off a very distinct presence!

She wasn’t breathtakingly beautiful, but she possessed an unassuming, delicate beauty—a kind of beauty that revealed itself upon closer inspection.

Qin Yun’s senses were keen, and with just one glance, he could tell she was different from ordinary humans, though he couldn’t pinpoint exactly how.

This must be Yu Shutian!

"Young master, was that star rune drawn by you?" Yu Shutian asked with a gentle smile, her voice clear and soft.

"Yes!" Qin Yun nodded. "Miss Yu, I’d like to talk about matters related to the sun, moon, and stars with you. I’m very interested in this subject."

"May I know your name, young master?" Yu Shutian inquired.

"Just call me Brother Yun!" Qin Yun chuckled.

"Very well, please come in!" Yu Shutian stepped back into the carriage, and Qin Yun followed.

She closed the carriage door, and they headed into the estate.

Qin Yun voiced his concern, "Miss Yu, isn’t this place reserved for women only? Won’t there be trouble if I enter?"

Yu Shutian giggled lightly. "No need to worry! As long as no one speaks of it, no one will know you're here."

Qin Yun grinned. "Aren’t you afraid I might cause trouble in there?"

Yu Shutian chuckled and shook her head. "You? I’m not scared at all! There are many powerful elders and female teachers inside. If you misbehave, you might not make it out of here!"

Her eyes gleamed as she examined the paper, murmuring softly, "Brother Yun, where did you learn this star rune? How long have you studied to reach this level of skill?"

"I... I’ve been learning since childhood. My Master taught me," Qin Yun replied, though in truth, he hadn’t studied for long—thanks to the Star Monarch Rune Soul, mastering star runes came easily to him.

"The precision is extraordinary! It might be the most refined star rune I’ve ever seen," Yu Shutian remarked, her gaze filled with curiosity and doubt.

"Perhaps it’s because I drew it on paper, so I could focus entirely," Qin Yun said with a smile.

"Brother Yun, if I may ask, who is your Master?" Yu Shutian asked.

"He’s not well-known, just an elder. I grew up under his guidance, and later he sent me out to gain experience," Qin Yun explained. "Miss Yu, I sought you out to ask about a dangerous place."

He took out the mirror map and pointed out the direction to Yu Shutian.

Upon seeing it, her brows furrowed. "There is indeed a very mysterious dangerous zone there! How did you know about it?"

Qin Yun replied, "The old madman told me."

Yu Shutian nodded. "That old storyteller... I met him once before and shared some tales with him."

"Miss Yu, could you tell me how to reach that mysterious place? In return, I’ll gift you a complete star rune," Qin Yun offered. "That location is very important to me."

Yu Shutian’s tone turned serious. "I only happened to learn about that perilous place by chance. I’ve never actually entered it."

"That mysterious danger zone is considered a wasteland, but it differs from typical wastelands! It only appears at specific times, materializing fully in our world before vanishing again!"

"Ordinary wastelands exist in separate dimensions, accessible only through portals. But this mysterious danger zone suddenly drops into existence all at once!"

The longer Qin Yun listened, the more convinced he became that this must be where the Dark Sun Soul was hidden.

"Miss Yu, can you take me there?" Qin Yun asked urgently.

"No! Because I don’t know its exact location either! Based on my research, this mysterious danger zone appears in several different places, and I can’t predict when it emerges or disappears!" Yu Shutian shook her head.

Qin Yun sighed softly and asked, "Is there any way to determine when it will appear?"

Yu Shutian replied, "I’m working on it! We can calculate it by observing the sun, moon, and stars… because after the danger zone vanishes, it leaves behind strong residual Stellar Energy. It usually appears at night!"

"Then let’s study it together!" Qin Yun said.

"How well do you know star sigils?" Yu Shutian thought for a moment before asking.

"Several!" Qin Yun answered.

"Are you a Runes Master?" Yu Shutian asked again, her beautiful eyes flickering with surprise.

"You could say that!" Qin Yun nodded, then added, "I don’t have a Runes Master badge. I’m not a student here either—I snuck in!"

"How about this—you’ll act as my page! Sometimes I’ll need your help connecting star charts with star sigils," Yu Shutian suggested.

Still inside the carriage, Qin Yun asked with some concern, "Will that be alright?"

Yu Shutian laughed. "Don’t worry about it! Plenty of students at Phantom Spirit Academy keep pages with them!"

The carriage entered a small courtyard, and Yu Shutian and Qin Yun stepped out.

"I live here alone. If anyone sees you, just say you’re my page!" Yu Shutian handed Qin Yun a communication conch. "If you run into trouble in the academy, you can contact me with this!"

"Miss Yu, you’re really popular here!" Qin Yun remarked.

"Well, being an Astromancer does that," Yu Shutian sighed helplessly. "I’ve had a natural sensitivity to the sun, moon, and stars, and I mainly cultivate Stellar Energy. That makes me unique here, plus I know a bit about star sigils."

"So that’s why!" Qin Yun was quietly impressed by Yu Shutian’s abilities.

As soon as Yu Shutian entered, she took out her communication conch to receive a transmission. Her brow furrowed as she listened, and she said, "Ah Yun, I’ve made plans with friends to search for meteorite debris. Do you want to come?"

"Of course!" Qin Yun grinned.

"The friends I’m going with are all among the top ten beauties in Phantom Spirit Academy. Try not to gawk when you see them… Oh, and they’ll also bring along some skilled scions of noble houses," Yu Shutian warned. "Suit up for combat—focus on protection, not appearance!"

"Got it!" Qin Yun hurried into a room and changed into a sturdy, if crude, set of beast-hide armor.