Chapter 1379: Meritorious Path

Pure Nine-Lotus Treasure Lamp

The Xuanhuang Pagoda was clearly a treasure of the Primordial Treasure level. However, because it was damaged, it was suppressed by the Purple Cloud Palace during a direct confrontation. Chen Mobai was fortunate to follow the path of Sacred Virtue and possess good luck. If the Dark Vortex had held a complete Primordial Treasure, he surely wouldn't have been able to kill it that day.

Lin Yu stood before the stone stele, his gaze fixed on the flickering runes. He took a deep breath, attempting to resonate the power of the Chaos Source with these symbols. In an instant, his body felt enveloped by an invisible force, and the air around him grew incredibly heavy. The previously blurred images reappeared, but this time with striking clarity.

Under a sky of purplish-black flames, the robed figure slowly turned, revealing an aged yet majestic face. His eyes were filled with endless wisdom and the weight of ages, and the long sword in his hand emanated an aura intertwined with destruction and rebirth. "Young man, you have embarked on a path of no return," the voice echoed directly in Lin Yu's mind. "The Chaos Source is not merely a weapon; it is a balance, an understanding of the rules of heaven and earth."

Lin Yu was deeply shaken, realizing the power he sought was far more complex than he had imagined. He asked, "How do I master this power?"

"Command the sword with your heart, and let the sword become your heart," the voice said, low and distant. "True strength does not come from external objects, but from the ability to integrate one's will with the world."

No sooner had the voice faded than the runes on the stone stele vibrated violently. A golden beam of light descended from the sky, striking Lin Yu's body. He felt his meridians being struck by lightning, the pain almost unbearable, yet simultaneously, an unprecedented energy surged into him. The sensation was both familiar and alien, as if ancient memories were awakening. Time flowed by, and when Lin Yu finally opened his eyes, a tint of purplish-gold colored his pupils. With every movement, he could feel the flow of chaotic power. This ability to control the rules of heaven and earth filled him with newfound confidence. However, he also understood that this was only the beginning. The secrets of the Ancestor of Chaos remained hidden in deeper places, awaiting his discovery.

Meanwhile, the confrontation between Su Yao and the woman in white continued. Although the latter appeared calm, the aura emanating from her made Su Yao unwilling to let down her guard even slightly. Su Yao clutched her Soul Contract Talisman, ready to summon a spirit bird for assistance at any moment.

"If you insist on taking the token, you must pass my test," Su Yao said coldly. "The Nine Nether Realm does not easily surrender anything that belongs to it."

The woman in white smiled slightly, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes. "Very well, I shall play along." She gently raised her right hand, and the token in her palm instantly erupted with blinding golden light, distorting the entire space.

The next moment, Su Yao found herself in an entirely different world. There was no sky or ground, only endless darkness and floating soul fragments. Countless whispers filled her ears, each voice recounting pain and despair.

"These are the things you fear most in your heart," the woman in white's voice came from all directions. "Confront them, or you will never truly master your power."

Su Yao closed her eyes, trying to calm her inner fear. She knew this test was not merely a battle of strength, but an interrogation of her spiritual world. She recalled her experience in the Soul Lake, and that inner peace gradually returned. As her breathing stabilized, the whispers slowly faded, and the soul fragments began to coalesce.

Finally, a gate formed of pure soul energy appeared before her. She walked through it without hesitation, and the world before her returned to normal. The woman in white looked at her, a smile playing on her lips. "Well done, you passed. This token is indeed more valuable to you."

With that, she handed the token to Su Yao, then transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the air. Su Yao gazed at the token in her hand, feeling the powerful energy contained within it. She knew this would be an indispensable aid in her future battles.

Upon returning to the central area, Qin Hao, Liu Yan, and A Gu immediately immersed themselves in studying the Void Crystal Core. They discovered that after injecting the Spring of Life into the core, its internal energy structure underwent significant changes. The previously chaotic energy flow became orderly, even beginning to emit faint life essence.

"It seems we've found the right direction," Qin Hao said excitedly. "As long as we continue to optimize this process, we can fully activate the Void Crystal Core."

However, just as they were fully engrossed in their experiment, a sudden fluctuation shattered the tranquility. The number of spatial rifts surged dramatically, jeopardizing the stability of the entire area. To make matters worse, a multitude of unknown creatures emerged from the rifts, diverse in form but uniformly exuding intense hostility.

"What's happening?" Liu Yan frowned. "Did the repair of the Eternal Fissure trigger a chain reaction?"

A Gu carefully observed the creatures, noticing their highly regular behavior patterns, as if they were performing a specific task. "Something's wrong. These aren't like ordinary monsters. They seem more like... part of a plan."

The trio acted swiftly, using the Great Shifting Array to lure most of the creatures away from the core area while simultaneously activating defensive formations to protect the research base. However, they soon realized that their current methods were utterly insufficient to handle such a massive onslaught of enemies.

Just then, Lin Yu and Su Yao arrived on the scene. Lin Yu wielded his Chaos Sword Intent, annihilating a group of creatures; Su Yao, in turn, summoned spirit birds to provide precise intelligence support to the team. After a fierce battle, they finally managed to suppress the situation.

"It seems our enemies are far more cunning than we imagined," Lin Yu said gravely. "We must find their source, or the cultivation world will eventually be completely corrupted."

To uncover the truth, the Star River Squad decided to delve deeper into the secrets behind the spatial rifts. They passed through a stable rift passage, arriving in an entirely unknown plane. Everything here seemed desolate and eerie; the sky was a dark red, and the ground was covered in thick ash.

"This place... it looks like it's been through a catastrophe," Su Yao whispered. "I can sense residual soul energy."

The group proceeded cautiously, and soon discovered a ruined city. Many tall statues stood within the city, each depicting a powerful being. However, their expressions uniformly conveyed despair and rage.

"These statues... could they be the former guardians?" Qin Hao speculated.

Just as they were trying to find more clues, a low roar came from a distance. A colossal monstrous beast burst out from the ruins, its eyes burning with crimson flames.

"Everyone, be careful!" A Gu warned. "This creature looks extremely dangerous!"

The battle erupted immediately. Lin Yu launched the first attack, tearing through the beast's armor with his Chaos Sword Intent; Su Yao directed her spirit birds to distract the enemy; Qin Hao and Liu Yan worked together to set up a formation, trapping the beast within a small barrier; and A Gu used his hourglass of time to slow its movements.

Despite their efforts, the monstrous beast's power remained beyond imagination. Each of its attacks was accompanied by powerful shockwaves, almost flattening the entire battlefield. At a critical moment, Lin Yu recalled the teachings of the Ancestor of Chaos and attempted to combine the power of the Chaos Source with the rules of heaven and earth. He condensed a giant sword forged from pure chaotic energy and brought it down hard upon the beast.

After a deafening roar, the monstrous beast finally fell, dissolving into a cloud of ash that dissipated into the air. However, just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, they noticed an altar in the center of the city suddenly light up.

"It seems this is the key we're looking for," Su Yao said.

Above the altar floated a crystal emitting a strange glow. Its surface was covered in intricate patterns, each seemingly holding infinite secrets. Lin Yu reached out and touched the crystal, instantly feeling a massive flood of information pouring into his mind.

"So that's it..." he murmured to himself. "All of this is due to the awakening of the 'Void Lord.' It's attempting to break the boundaries between planes and bring all worlds under its control."

"What do we do now?" Liu Yan asked.

"Stop it," Lin Yu stated firmly. "No matter the cost, we cannot let it succeed."

Thus, the Star River Squad embarked once more on their journey, heading towards the Void Lord's lair. They knew that unprecedented challenges awaited them. But as long as they trusted each other and worked together, they believed that one day, they would fully uncover the secrets of the cultivation world and write their own legendary chapter.