Chapter 337

Immediately, a deep, resonant rumble, as if originating from the primordial chaos at the dawn of heaven and earth, sounded. The immensely heavy Chaos Gate, beginning from the true script at its center, silently and smoothly slid open to both sides!

No dust fell, no mechanism stirred—only the pure sensation of space being displaced.

The gate opened.

A surge of pure, ancient chaos aura, hundreds of times denser than outside, accompanied by a faint scent of sandalwood and medicinal herbs as if aged for myriad ages, gushed forth from within the gate. Simultaneously, an indescribable, soul-weighing oppressive feeling of sorrow and grief mingled within.

The scene within the gate, gradually revealed through the widening crack, slowly entered the astonished and solemn eyes of all present.

It was a vast hall so immense its scale defied description, its ceiling soaring high into what seemed like endlessness, lost within the chaos mist.

The floor, walls, and pillars of the great hall were all constructed from that purest chaos-material, upon which the inscribed runes had surpassed mere "complexity," appearing as direct manifestations of the Great Dao's principles.

And at the very center of the hall stood a towering altar, majestic as a mountain and reaching a height of a hundred zhang!

The altar was pyramidal, divided into nine tiers, each engraved with countless incomprehensible chaos sacrificial diagrams and texts, emanating the supreme majesty that suppresses all heavens and evolves myriad things.

Yet, at this moment, what captured everyone's gaze, causing them to instantly hold their breath and their hearts to stop, was the "thing" suspended atop the altar's summit.

It was a mass of "darkness" over ten zhang in diameter, constantly rolling, writhing, and shifting in form...

It was not pure black, but presented a turbid, chaos-like quality that seemed capable of swallowing all light and color.

It had no fixed shape—sometimes swelling like a sphere, sometimes stretching like a serpent, sometimes collapsing like a point—its surface continually bulging with distorted, anguished, blurred faces, which then instantly smoothed over.

An indescribable essence of "contamination," "distortion," "madness," and "termination," transcending the realm of fear, like a tangible tide, emanated from that mass of "darkness"!

Merely glancing at it caused everyone's souls to sting, their Dao-hearts to sway, as if their very "existence" were about to be contaminated, assimilated, and dissolved!

This was the sealed "Source of Contamination"! The manifested origin of the Chaos Immortal King's corruption and fall! Even just the scene within the outer seal was already terrifying to this extent!

And surrounding the altar stood thirty-six colossal stone pillars, equally massive and constructed of the same chaos-material, their surfaces flowing with faint seals of golden light!

These pillars were arranged according to profound positions, forming a vast sealing array that covered the entire altar.

At the top of each pillar floated an immensely complex golden rune, projecting beams of golden light that interwove into a great net of light, enveloping that mass of "darkness," desperately striving to suppress its expansion and turmoil.

Yet, at this moment, among those thirty-six chaos stone pillars, three clearly displayed spiderweb-like cracks!

Within the cracks, incessant strands of turbid aura, sharing the same source as that "darkness," seeped out, corroding the golden light and causing the entire seal's light net to exhibit three distinct, continually expanding dim areas!

The seal had indeed loosened! And it was accelerating in its collapse!

Beneath the altar, scattered across the hall's floor, lay futons, incense burners, jade tables, and similar objects—likely traces from when the Chaos Immortal King once retreated here for seclusion or performed rituals, now long covered in dust.

All stood before the opened immense gate, gazing upon this soul-shaking yet despair-inducing sight, remaining silent for a long time.

Finally, Wang Ping was the first to speak, his voice dry yet firm: "We... have arrived."

Within the silent, deathly still core hall of the Chaos Palace, only the mass of "darkness" atop the altar silently tumbled and shifted, emitting a terrifying aura that froze the soul.

The sealing light net formed by the thirty-six chaos stone pillars flickered uncertainly, especially in the areas of the three pillars riddled with cracks.

The light had dimmed to an extreme degree, with strands of turbid aura seeping out like poisonous snakes, corroding the surrounding golden light net.

Wang Ping, Cangxuan, Yuliuli, Youying, and the refugee leader Yunhao, among others, were all shaken by this unimaginable sight before them, their spirits violently trembling, unable to speak for a long time.

It was neither a ferocious monster nor raging demonic flames, but a more fundamental, more despair-inducing existence—seeming like the very embodiment of the antithesis of "order," pure "disorder" and "termination" made manifest.

After a long while, Yunhao's heavy, sorrowful voice broke the silence. Gazing at that mass of "darkness," his eyes filled with complex, unfathomable emotions—reverence, fear, and a deep-seated hatred and sorrow that penetrated to the marrow.

"What you see, fellow Daoists, is neither a living being nor ordinary demon." Yunhao's voice was dry and hoarse, as if each word weighed a thousand jin: "It... is the 'Source of Disorder'."

"'Source of Disorder?'" Wang Ping murmured, repeating the term, which caused him an inexplicable palpitation, his Chaos Nascent Soul even trembling slightly.

Yunhao drew a deep breath, as if calming his surging emotions, then slowly explained: "According to our clan's generations-old guardianship, passed down from the secret records left by the ancient Immortal Kings... the ancient Immortal Realm did not naturally decline and shatter.

In a distant, long-unfathomable age, the Immortal Realm once suffered a massive invasion by extraterritorial 'Heavenly Demons'.

These were not the lowly demonic creatures spoken of in the lower realms, but terrifying existences originating from beyond chaos, embodying 'absolute chaos' and the 'return of all things to ruin'.

They perhaps did not intentionally invade, but their very existence constituted an erosion and dissolution of all 'ordered' worlds.

"The source of the Immortal Realm is the origin of all cosmic order, the manifestation of the Great Dao's laws.

During the protracted bloody war resisting the Heavenly Demons' invasion, the Immortal Realm's source was contaminated and eroded by a law beyond our comprehension, representing the ultimate 'disorder'..."

Yunhao pointed to the darkness atop the altar: "Ultimately, this formed the mass known as the 'Source of Disorder'. It possesses no self-awareness, no distinction of good or evil—it is merely a 'phenomenon'.

A 'law', like a plague, like entropy increase, that instinctively erodes, assimilates, and dissolves all 'ordered' existence—spiritual energy, laws, matter, life, souls... all fall within its devouring grasp.

What it erodes does not die, but transforms into something of the same nature as itself—chaotic, disordered 'Chaos'—a state that has lost all meaning and structure, possessing only eternal turmoil and annihilation.

He paused, his voice growing more sorrowful: "The shattering of the ancient Immortal Realm, the rupture of heaven and earth's laws, the countless falls and depravities of Immortals... all stem from this.

This 'Source of Disorder' is like a cancer spreading unchecked across the Immortal Realm's body—incurable, only able to be delayed.

Finally, several of the most ancient Immortal Kings, including the Chaos Immortal King himself, made the most tragic decision—to use their immortal Dao fruits and supreme divine powers, jointly to extract the core of this 'Source of Disorder' from the shattered Immortal Realm, seal it, and exile it to this relatively independent fragment of the 'Qingming Heavenly Realm' where laws are relatively weak.

And the Chaos Immortal King, because his Dao is closest to the essence of 'Chaos'—ordered chaos opposed to disordered chaos—voluntarily undertook the mission to establish this 'Thirty-Six Tian Gang Chaos Sealing Source Grand Array' using himself as the foundation, and to eternally preside over this place.

Yunhao's gaze turned to the thirty-six chaos stone pillars, filled with reverence:

"The Immortal King integrated his Dao fruit into the array, becoming its eye and energy source. This hall, this altar, these pillars, and even the outer structure of the Tranquil Void Immortal Palace were all built to reinforce, conceal, and maintain this sealing grand array.

The Immortal King... after completing the seal, due to the exhaustion of his source, the fusion of his Dao fruit with the array, here... he sat in meditation until death. What he left behind was only a thread of source will to maintain the array's operation... and... this sealed 'Source of Disorder', which could erupt completely at any moment.

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts surged with an indescribable shock and sorrow. The Chaos Immortal King, that supreme ancient powerhouse, had actually, in such a tragic yet magnificent way, bought countless worlds untold hundreds of thousands of years of respite!

And we now stand before the final line of defense forged with the Immortal King's life.

"Therefore, what the refugees guard is not merely the relics of the Immortal Palace, but also this seal concerning the survival of countless worlds." Cangxuan spoke solemnly.

"Correct." Yunhao nodded, a flash of pain and anger crossing his eyes.

"However, as time flows, the seal's own power slowly wanes. More hatefully, there are always some whose eyes are blinded by power or who are dissatisfied with the status quo—rebellious elements like Yunxie and his ilk—who seek to exploit the power of this 'Source of Disorder', even to the point of destroying the seal!

The blood sacrifices of the Reverse Yuan Palace are their attempt to stimulate the 'Source of Disorder' into turmoil using extreme negative energy and the aura of Gui Xu, attempting to tear the seal from within, to seize a thread of disorderly power, or to open a passage to the 'Abyss of Gui Xu'!

They either fail to understand, or refuse to understand, how terrifying the essence of this power truly is!

Once the seal shatters completely and the Source of Disorder breaks free, it will first devour this Qingming Heavenly Realm fragment, then follow the spatial rifts connected to the Spirit Realm, spreading contamination throughout the entire Spirit Realm, and even to the broader lower realms of heaven! At that time, all things will return to ruin, and order will cease to exist!"

"Those three pillars showing cracks are precisely due to the stimulation from the Reverse Yuan Palace's blood sacrifices, combined with long-term wear and tear, causing damage to the seal's nodes."

Wang Ping gazed at the altar, his mind suddenly clear. He could feel that the chaos Dao resonance and sealing golden light emanating from those three pillars were rapidly diminishing, while the turbid aura seeping from the cracks grew ever denser.

The entire sealing grand array was like a leaking dam, now bearing ever-increasing internal pressure.

"We must repair the seal!" Yu Liuli said firmly, "At the very least, we need to stabilize those three cracked stone pillars to prevent further leakage of contamination!"

"How do we repair it?" Youying asked concisely, his gaze sweeping over the extremely complex chaotic stone pillars and runes, "This formation is profound, far beyond our realm."

Yunhao wore a difficult expression: "The method of repair... though mentioned in ancestral teachings, requires meeting extremely harsh conditions. First, one must possess pure chaotic power and have profound attainments in the way of formations, capable of understanding and activating the formation's own repair mechanism.

Second, one needs to consume vast amounts of high-level order energy to replenish the pillars' loss, purify and dispel the leaking chaotic contamination.

Lastly... it may be necessary to resonate with the residual formation will of the Immortal King, gaining its approval and guidance. Otherwise, acting rashly will not only fail to repair but may trigger the formation's backlash or accelerate its collapse."

Everyone's gaze unconsciously focused again on Wang Ping. Chaotic power, formation attainments (as known from the《Detailed Explanation of the Zhou Tian Star Subjugation Formation》, Wang Ping has considerable talent in this path).

He seems to be the most suitable candidate. Moreover, he has received the pill-refining inheritance of the Chaotic Immortal King, Jiu'er, which might allow some connection with the Immortal King's residual will.

Wang Ping felt the gazes upon him and the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. He did not retreat, stepping forward, his gaze burning as he looked at Yunhao:

"Leader Yunhao, please tell us the specific repair method. No matter how difficult, we must try. We cannot watch the seal collapse helplessly."

Yunhao looked at Wang Ping's young yet resolute face, then at the spirit-vivid Dan Ling Tongzi Jiu'er on his shoulder, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes as he spoke solemnly:

"Good! According to ancestral records, to repair the nexus, one must use pure chaotic power as a guide, sketching the corresponding 'Heaven-Mending Formation Patterns' and inscribing them on the cracked stone pillars, while continuously infusing high-purity energy to stimulate the chaotic source power contained within the pillar's material for self-repair.

Sketching the formation patterns requires extreme precision, with no room for error, and during the process one must withstand the erosion of chaotic contamination and the pressure of the formation itself. As for the energy source..."

He looked at the crowd: "Our remnant people can form the 'Chaos Return to Origin Formation,' converting everyone's spiritual power into relatively pure chaos-attribute spiritual power, though the level may be insufficient.

Fellow Daoist Cangxuan's stellar power, Fellow Daoist Yu Liuli's immortal sound purification power, Fellow Daoist Youying's... utmost condensed power, perhaps could offer different kinds of support. But the most important, and also the most fundamental order energy..." His gaze fell upon Jiu'er.

Jiu'er seemed to understand something, her small face paling as she instinctively shrank back against Wang Ping's neck.

"Jiu'er is formed from the Nine-Revolutions Returning Soul Immortal Pill, containing the purest immortal spirit vitality and order Dao rhythm. Its essence has excellent restraining and replenishing effects against chaotic contamination." Yunhao said in a deep voice, "But this act will consume Jiu'er's essence, possibly even harming her spiritual foundation..."

"No!" Wang Ping firmly refused, cradling Jiu'er in his palm, "Jiu'er is my companion; I cannot let her take risks!"

Feeling Wang Ping's protection, Jiu'er felt warmth in her heart, but seeing the terrifying darkness on the altar and the solemn, expectant gazes of those around, she bit her lip and whispered softly:

"Master... Jiu'er is not afraid. Grandfather refined Jiu'er, surely he also hoped Jiu'er could be of help.

If... if a bit of Jiu'er's essence can help Master and everyone guard this place, preventing that evil thing from escaping to harm people... Jiu'er is willing."

"Jiu'er..." Wang Ping looked at the small yet resolute child in his palm, complex emotions surging in his heart.

"It may not be necessary to harm Jiu'er's foundation." Cangxuan suddenly spoke, his fingertips flowing with starlight as he pointed to himself, "My stellar sword intent can draw upon the Zhou Tian stellar order power, possibly substituting for part of the demand. Fairy Liuli's immortal sound also has purifying and stabilizing power. Together, we can share the burden."

"Not bad." Yu Liuli nodded, "Combining everyone's strength, perhaps we can try."

Yunhao pondered: "If we combine everyone's strength, aided by the remnant people's formation conversion, perhaps we can truly provide sufficient order energy. But the one sketching the formation patterns bears the greatest pressure—not only must they divide attention to control energy, but also resist the erosion of chaotic contamination. Wang Ping Daoist, you..."

"I will." Wang Ping hesitated no longer, his gaze firm as he looked at the three cracked stone pillars, "Please Leader Yunhao inform me of the formation pattern details and oversee the people forming the formation to supply energy. Jiu'er, stay by my side; if necessary, you need only provide a wisp of essence to guide, not overconsume."

"Mm!" Jiu'er nodded firmly.

No delay—everyone immediately acted. Yunhao swiftly transmitted the complex structure of the "Heaven-Mending Formation Patterns" to Wang Ping via divine sense.

This formation pattern is indeed profoundly mysterious, composed of countless minute chaotic runes nested according to specific rules; even slight deviation will render it ineffective or trigger backlash.

Wang Ping focused his memory, his chaotic Nascent Soul operating at full power to simulate, ensuring absolute certainty.

Meanwhile, Yunhao led Qingyu and three other remnant warriors, along with Cangxuan, Yu Liuli, and Youying, quickly setting up a simple "Chaos Return to Origin Formation" beneath the altar, surrounding the positions of the three cracked stone pillars. Each took their place: Cangxuan activated the Stellar Attraction Disk, drawing stellar power; Yu Liuli shook the immortal sound bell, flowing purifying immortal sound; Youying released shadow power condensed to the extreme (though yin-attributed, it is extremely pure); Yunhao and others operated the remnant people's secret method, initially converting and harmonizing their own spiritual power with the drawn external energy.

Wang Ping alone stepped forward, moving to the center of the three cracked stone pillars. Drawing near, the pollution emitted by the "chaotic source" became more terrifying, as if countless cold, slimy tentacles tried to burrow into his pores, eroding his spiritual power and soul. He fully exerted his Five Elements Chaotic Domain, shielding himself and those behind him, while concentrating the domain's power forward to resist the pollution.

He glanced at Jiu'er on his shoulder. Jiu'er understood, forming a seal with her small hand, drawing from within him a wisp of extremely pure Dan Ling essence aura, radiating nine-colored rosy light. This aura emerged, and the surrounding suffocating pollution sensation cleared somewhat.

"Begin!" Yunhao gave a low shout, and the formation light below blazed forth! Cangxuan's stellar silver radiance, Yu Liuli's seven-colored sound waves, Youying's condensed black radiance.

And the chaotic cyan light converted by Yunhao and others gathered into a thick, multicolored yet harmoniously unified energy pillar, pouring toward Wang Ping's position!

Wang Ping took a deep breath, slowly raising his hands. He did not directly absorb this massive mixed energy, but used his own pure chaotic Nascent Soul power as a core, like a spindle, guiding and organizing this energy, making it relatively gentle and controllable.

At the same time, he diverted a thread of his mind, beginning to use his finger as a brush, with light mixed from his own chaotic spiritual power and the order energy transmitted from behind as ink, inscribing the extremely complex "Heaven-Mending Formation Patterns" in midair!

The first stroke fell, the void trembled slightly, an ancient chaotic rune lit up, imprinting onto the nearest cracked stone pillar. Upon touching the pillar's crack, the rune immediately triggered strong resistance!

The turbid aura seeping from the crack, like an angered poisonous snake, frantically surged toward the rune, attempting to contaminate and devour it. The pillar's residual seal golden light also resisted the intrusion of external force.

Wang Ping felt a tremendous pressure assault him, his soul as if struck by a heavy hammer. He gritted his teeth and persisted, maintaining the rune's stability and purity, while using his chaotic domain power to forcibly suppress and cleanse the surging turbid aura.

One, two, three... the inscription of the formation patterns was extremely slow and arduous. Each stroke required enormous expenditure of mind and spiritual power, while simultaneously resisting pollution erosion and formation rejection.

Wang Ping's forehead veins bulged, sweat instantly soaking his clothes, but his gaze remained focused, without the slightest waver.

Jiu'er beside him watched, heart aching, occasionally secretly releasing a wisp of weak Dan Ling rosy light, merging into the formation patterns Wang Ping inscribed. This rosy light had a significant effect; whenever merged, the formation pattern's light stabilized a bit more, and its resistance to pollution grew stronger.

Below, those maintaining energy output also struggled. Cangxuan's face turned pale, stellar power consumption immense; Yu Liuli's immortal sound already carried a hint of fatigue; Youying's aura became more erratic; Yunhao and others saw sweat on their foreheads, maintaining the formation conversion extremely difficult.

Time passed slowly amid extreme tension and consumption. Wang Ping had already successfully covered the main cracks on the first stone pillar with a thin layer of flashing chaotic golden light and nine-colored rosy light "Heaven-Mending Formation Patterns." Upon the pattern's completion, that pillar shuddered violently, the turbid aura seeping from the crack noticeably diminished, and the pillar's dim golden light regained a hint of brightness!

Effective!

Everyone's spirits lifted, seeing hope.

Wang Ping had no time to catch his breath, immediately turning to the second stone pillar with deeper cracks. This one bore greater pressure, the turbid aura almost condensed into substantive black smoke. He had to increase the output of his chaotic domain, even beginning to引动 the "Guixu Yin" divine ability in embryonic form recorded in the《Chaos Immortal Classic》, using a thread of simulated "termination"意韻 to oppose and wear down that chaotic pollution.

The speed of inscribing the formation patterns slowed further. Wang Ping felt his divine sense begin to transmit tearing pain, his spiritual power nearing exhaustion. He unhesitatingly swallowed the last few top-grade Huiyuan丹 pills on his person, while frantically activating his chaotic Nascent Soul and the Jianmu seed, squeezing out every bit of potential.

Those supplying energy below also began taking pills, desperately holding on. Cangxuan's sword intent became somewhat scattered; Yu Liuli's immortal sound appeared intermittent; Youying's figure nearly could not be maintained; Yunhao and others saw blood trickling from the corners of their mouths.

The formation pattern on the second stone pillar was finally completed with difficulty after Wang Ping spat out a mouthful of fresh blood! The pillar's light revived, the crack temporarily "welded" shut.

Only the last pillar remained, also the one with the most cracks and thickest turbid aura! Moreover, after the consumption of the previous two rounds, whether Wang Ping or the people below, all were spent forces.

"The last one! Hold on!" Yunhao roared hoarsely, leading by spitting out a mouthful of essence blood, merging it into the formation to forcibly boost energy output. Cangxuan and others followed suit, burning essence blood, squeezing out potential!

Wang Ping's eyes were bloodshot, his vision somewhat blurred. But he knew he could not fall! He again raised his trembling finger, gathering his last thread of mind and strength, pointing toward the third stone pillar...