Somewhere between the starry stars.
"Hey, just how far left is this planet we're heading to?"
On a random moving meteoroid, Jiang Feng looked at Ling as he asked while they both sat on the rough surface, a cup of instant noodles heated by Ling's Ghost Fire.
"Well, we should be able to reach there by today. If not for us constantly having to avoid some of the gigantic meteoroids and having to take rests like this, we would have already arrived that Lower Cultivation World already."
"So it's my fault that it's taking this long…"
Finishing the rest of the cup, Jiang Feng and Ling packed up their belongings and continued on the road.
"Since we're nearing the planet already, there's a few things I have to warn you first."
Flying side by side with Jiang Feng, Ling said to him as her gaze remained straight forward.
"I'm listening." Jiang Feng replied.
Nodding at his response, Ling began listing out a few things to take note of.
"First of all, if anyone asks about your background, just say you're a rogue cultivator from a nameless village in a faraway lands."
"Rogue cultivators?"
"It means cultivators that doesn't belong to any organizations like a sect, something like a school for cultivators."
"Oh, that's easy to understand now."
"Second thing, when mentioning your age to others, always give them an older age than your actual one. Only when we're alone or around people you believe to be trustable are you allow to speak out your true age."
'Achieving Foundation Building Entrance Stage at the young age of 18 is quite talented in Lower Cultivation Worlds, after all.'
"Do you understand?"
Looking from her shoulders, Ling stared at Jiang Feng's face as he nodded once again.
"Lastly, no matter what, if you ever encounter cultivators declaring themselves to be from the 'Cult Of Karmic Relations' or related to them, leave the place you are at and contact me through this jade slip. Do find a hidden place before doing so."
Taking in the jade white of block that was as light as a phone in his hands, Jiang Feng began examining it as he saw the single word 'Ling' elegantly inscribed on both the front and the back.
"That's my communication slip. As long as you're not in a separate dimension, we should be able to converse with each other through it."
"I'll keep it in my space pouch then. Could you tell more about this Cult Of Karmic Relations?"
Tensing at mention of the cult, Ling's face showed a struggling expression before disappearing as she shut her eyes.
Like whenever her mood experienced a change, the spiritual energy within and around Ling began to tremble as cold air condensed around. When in such a low temperature place such as the space, ice began condensing as they start to leave behind a trail of frost and ice.
However, Ling managed to control her emotions this time as she let out a sigh, seemingly coming into a decision as she stopped abruptly, turning to look at Jiang Feng with a worried, even begging expression on her face.
"I can't tell you yet, not because I don't want to, but because I'll risk losing you. So please, promise me you won't search for anything relating to them."
Staring at Ling as he felt the slightly desperate voice hidden beneath her words, Jiang Feng nodded at her request without hesitation, even lifting up his fingers as he made an oath.
"I swear to the Heavens that I promise I won't search for anything relating to the Cult Of Karmic Relations. If I happen to do so, may Heaven's Punishment befall on me."
Just a second after saying that, a loud thunder rang in Jiang Feng's head as a dense amount of spiritual energy appeared suddenly above him, sinking into his dantian as they formed some sort of lock, disappearing from his senses once it was done.
A dumbfounded look was on Jiang Feng's face as he turned to Ling, only to see a similar expression on her face as she seemed to have saw the same thing.
Both of them fell silent as they stood still at where they were, looking at each other as they tried to process what happened. One was going through different levels of panics, while the other was so speechless that she couldn't even think.
In the end, Jiang Feng's panic broke the silence.
"What…just happened?"
Still stunned by what she saw, Ling could only stutter her words as she replied.
"I t-think you might have sworn a h-Heavenly Oath."
"A Heavenly Oath?" Jiang Feng repeated, an ominous feeling arose as Ling proceeded with the explanation.
"It's an oath that is overseen by the Heaven. Once sworn, it is equal to a law set against the one that made the oath."
"So…I've just got myself a death trap that could trigger any moment?"
"Only if you break the terms of the oath." Ling nodded. However, Jiang Feng's reaction startled her as he shouted.
"But what if I done it without my knowledge?! Like if I was working with someone that I didn't know have a relation with the cult, does that count as going against the oath?"
"Supposedly not if you didn't find out in the end."
"So I'll still die if I did?"
"…yes."
"…"
Both of them went silent again as the frantic expression remained on Jiang Feng. Ling could only sigh in defeat as they resumed their journey towards the destination.
The silence continued on for the rest of the journey as their figures traveled through the endless universe, passing by meteoroids of all size and witnessing planets that were at least 2 times bigger than Earth.
Jiang Feng's spiritual energy reserves continued to expand as his usage of it increased more than usual, allowing his cultivation base to ascend quickly, nearing the level of those Foundation Building cultivators at the Middle Stage.
"We're here."
Halting their steps, Jiang Feng and Ling began examining their destinated planet.
From sensing afar, Jiang Feng could already tell that the quality of the spiritual energy within was many times of the ones in Earth, the quality also being more dense than he had ever experienced.
The planet's appearance was similar to the Earth's, with a bigger size about 4 to 5 times. Continents fill almost the whole surface, only left with some spot of blue filling the other parts.
One thing to take note of, was that some parts of the continents had colors vastly different from its surroundings. One was fully white, the other being the total opposite, and some left with colors that didn't seem natural for a planet.
Being intrigued by such oddities, Jiang Feng's eyes glinted with curiosity as he muttered.
"So this is it, the Lower Cultivation World, Starlight."