Frank Yates arrived at the site of the Heavenly Mystic Stone just as Old Paul had described.
The boulder was immense, at least eighteen feet high, looming in the darkness like a sleeping giant. Its surface was weathered and ancient, with vines clinging to its sides like veins.
Frank reached out with his senses. The ambient Spirit Power here was indeed rich, far denser than anywhere else on the mountain. More interestingly, he could feel a faint, distinct resonance of Power of the Stars.
The Nine Heavens Star Technique wasn't just about absorbing earthly qi; at its higher levels, it allowed the practitioner to draw energy directly from the constellations. This stone, having basked under the open sky for millennia, had absorbed a trace of that stellar power.
Frank grabbed a thick vine an
