1227 Insatiable Hunger
"Why… Why won't you die?!" The Eater of Stars grew increasingly frustrated when she could not seem to kill Tian Yi despite putting in serious effort.
"You seem to be in a hurry to kill me. Why? Aren't you having fun? Let's keep this up for another hundred years at the very least, Eater of Stars!" Tian Yi laughed out loud.
"A hundred years? I don't have that kind of time to play with you!" Eater of Stars roared in a furious voice.
"No time? That's one of the silliest things an immortal entity such as yourself could say since time is all we have."
"You have no idea!"
"Then why don't you educate me? Who knows? Maybe I might even lower my guard, as I am easily distracted."
The Eater of Stars frowned at his obvious provocation, but she didn't seem to have any other choice, as it might really take her a hundred years if not more to deal with him if they continued at this rate.
Several years have gone by since the beginning of their conflict, and the Eater of Stars could feel its relentless hunger intensifying within, slowly driving her toward a state of madness. If she doesn't deal with Tian Yi quickly and continues to consume stars, she will be tormented by her insatiable hunger.
Eventually, the Eater of Stars began speaking in a reluctant tone, "Can you imagine the relentless ache of perpetual hunger, an insatiable yearning that refuses to subdue no matter the quantity consumed? Throughout the expanse of my existence since the Primordial Era, I have remained a stranger to the sensation of a contented stomach."
"Countless stars have succumbed to my insatiable appetite, yet I can only keep my hunger barely satisfied enough to where it won't drive me completely mad."
"I have traveled the starry sky for millions of years in search of something that could satisfy my hunger but to no avail. I have dried out rivers of Celestial Water, consumed all sorts of treasures— there is almost nothing in this world that I haven't consumed, yet my hunger remains unsatisfied."
"I want to stop and rest, but I fear that my hunger will get out of control if I sleep— if I can even sleep properly with this constant hunger. That's right. I have never even had a proper sleep. The only thing I can do is continue moving and consuming everything in my path."
"..." Tian Yi was left speechless by the Eater of Star's situation.
Even Feng Yuming and the Dragon Goddess were baffled by it. They always thought that the Eater of Stars was acting out of instinct and had no reason for its actions— that it was a natural calamity without emotions or thoughts. Neither of them could've anticipated this sort of truth, and they couldn't help but pity the Eater of Stars.
"I understand now… So that is the source of your anguish… What a terrible way of life… And to think that you've been living like this since the Primordial Era…" Tian Yi was not prepared to learn such a truth and did not know how to respond or react.
While Tian Yi was deep in his thoughts, the Eater of Stars saw this as a chance to put an end to their farce and attacked without any warning.
"Wake up, you idiot!" Dragon Goddess Yeyou's voice suddenly rippled in the starry sky, snapping Tian Yi out of his daze.
But it was too late, and the Eater of Stars landed a direct hit on Tian Yi the following moment, sending him flying.
Blood gushed from Tian Yi's body, leaving behind a long trail of blood that hovered in the starry sky.
"You idiot! Are you still alive?!" Dragon Goddess Yeyou immediately rushed to his side to assess his condition.
A slight smile appeared on Tian Yi's face as he muttered in a weak voice, "Don't worry, I won't die before I beat you."
"How dare you say such a thing when you cannot even defeat some stupid snake? Do you have no shame?" Dragon Goddess Yeyou sighed.
Meanwhile, the Eater of Stars proceeded to fly towards them with her mouth wide open, seemingly trying to consume them together.
"How dare a mere snake even think about consuming a dragon? Courting death!" Dragon Goddess Yeyou narrowed her eyes at the Eater of Stars as scales began appearing on her body.
"Please wait, Dragon Goddess." Tian Yi quickly grabbed her arm. "I am not out of the fight just yet."
After adjusting his posture, Tian Yi confronted the incoming Eater of Stars with a wide smile on his face.
Unbeknownst to him, his body suddenly started emitting a golden aura that gave off an unfathomable feeling.
When Dragon Goddess Yeyou detected the palpable presence of his aura, an inexplicable thrill coursed through her entire being, setting her body astir with an intense longing for combat, and igniting her blood with an irresistible urge to engage.
The Eater of Stars, too, discerned the subtle shift in his aura, further intensifying her agitation. Her primal instincts screamed that unless she swiftly vanquished him, the window of opportunity to secure victory would close inexorably.
As the Eater of Stars closed in with her mouth wide open, the trial of blood left behind by Tian Yi entered her mouth.
While the amount of blood left behind by Tian Yi was akin to a single grain of sand to the Eater of Stars, it was a substantial amount of blood to lose for a human.
When the Eater of Stars tasted Tian Yi's blood, its massive body shivered for a brief second before freezing like an ice statue. Her void-like eyes began to change as the light slowly returned to them.
"Why did you stop, Eater of Stars?! I am just getting started!" Tian Yi spread his arms and beckoned her in a provoking manner.
However, the Eater of Stars completely ignored him as she remained hovering there with a look of disbelief on her face.
Eventually, she spoke in a low voice, "You… What are you?"
"Huh?" Tian Yi did not understand her question and could only look at her with a raised eyebrow.
Although he didn't understand her question, he could tell that something had changed for the Eater of Stars, and when he looked into her eyes, he could see a hint of hope within.