Chapter 240: Heart of the Falling Star

Crimson light blazed in Kelinda's eyes; she released all her magic without reserve, forming a barrier that repelled the black shadow's assault. The barrier quivered violently, as if it could shatter at any moment. Kelinda clenched her teeth, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead. Unexpectedly, the black shadow's attack halted abruptly, and the suffocating pressure vanished.

The cave fell into an eerie silence. A black sphere hovered in mid‑air, no longer swirling, as if it were asleep. Kelinda dared not relax her guard; she kept a defensive stance, watching the sphere's every move vigilantly.

"What… happened to it?" Kelinda whispered to herself, her mind full of doubt.

At the same time, the Blue Star Guardian and the Elf raced through the dense jungle. Their target was the Cosmic Merchant, a reclusive yet all‑knowing figure. It was said he possessed the universe's rare treasures and countless hidden secrets.

"I hope he can help," the Blue Star Guardian said gravely. He knew this hope was slim, but for Zhang Cheng, for Lan Xing, he had to try everything.

After a long trek they finally found the Cosmic Merchant's hideout—a massive starship concealed within an asteroid belt. Inside, gold and jade dazzled, exuding opulence. The Cosmic Merchant reclined on a gem‑encrusted throne, idly twirling a stone that glowed with an odd light.

"Oh? A rare guest, Blue Star Guardian, and this… Elf Clan visitor." The Cosmic Merchant squinted, appraising the two, "What wind blew you to my desolate realm?"

The Blue Star Guardian got straight to the point, recounting the black shadow incident to the Cosmic Merchant. His tone was urgent, hoping the merchant could provide aid.

After listening, the Cosmic Merchant let a sly smile curl at the corner of his mouth. "The black shadow? That's a thorny fellow. Dealing with it isn't easy."

"I understand," the Blue Star Guardian said in a low voice, "If you can help, whatever the terms, I'll accept."

The Cosmic Merchant's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Oh? Whatever the terms?" He sat upright, his tone turning serious. "I need a 'Heart of the Falling Star.' It lies at the core of the 'Death Nebula.' That place is riddled with danger; even interstellar warriors dare not venture lightly."

"Death Nebula…" the Blue Star Guardian inhaled a cold breath, aware of the place's perils.

"What? Afraid?" the Cosmic Merchant raised an eyebrow.

"No, I'll keep my word." The Blue Star Guardian's gaze was firm; for Zhang Cheng he would give everything.

The Cosmic Merchant nodded approvingly, then rose from his throne, walked to a huge screen, and pointed at a red dot on it, saying, "The 'Heart of the Falling Star' is right here. Remember, you have only three days. After three days, if you haven't returned, then…"

The Cosmic Merchant said no more, but the threat was unmistakable.

The Blue Star Guardian and the Elf left the merchant's starship and hurried back to the cave to tell Kelinda the news.

Kelinda looked at the unconscious Zhang Cheng, a flash of resolve in her eyes. "Elf, let's go."

Kelinda stared at Zhang Cheng's tranquil face, gently brushing his cold forehead, her heart heavy with worry and reluctance. Yet she knew this was no time for sentiment; she must find the "Heart of the Falling Star" quickly to save Zhang Cheng, to save Lan Xing.

"We're leaving." Kelinda inhaled deeply, turned resolutely, and set out with the Elf toward the Death Nebula.

The Death Nebula, as its name suggests, was a star region saturated with a deathly aura. It teemed with lethal cosmic rays and energy storms; even seasoned interstellar explorers dared not tread lightly. The starship halted at the nebula's edge—go further and its Energy Shield could no longer fend off the nebula's erosion.

"From now on it's up to us," Kelinda said, pulling two sets of specially made protective suits from the ship. These suits, supplied by the Cosmic Merchant, could ward off most of the Death Nebula's hazards.

The two donned the suits, left the ship, and stepped onto the peril‑filled land.

The planet's surface was barren, littered with bizarre rocks and bottomless chasms. A pungent odor hung in the air, making breathing difficult. The ground beneath glowed a strange violet, as if composed of countless piled corpses.

"Be careful," Kelinda warned, "danger lurks everywhere here."

No sooner had she spoken than a gigantic spider‑like creature burst from a crack in the rocks, lunging at Kelinda. The beast was jet‑black, with eight razor‑sharp legs, its maw dripping green slime that reeked nauseatingly.

Kelinda reacted swiftly, sidestepping the attack; her energy sword flashed, slicing the spider's legs cleanly. Yet the creature's vitality was unusually tenacious—despite losing several legs it raged on, still attacking Kelinda.

The Elf joined the fight, swinging her staff to unleash arcs of magical energy that bound the spider. Kelinda seized the chance, thrusting a sword through its head.

"Whew…" Kelinda exhaled, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings.

"These beings seem highly sensitive to the 'Heart of the Falling Star''s energy," the Elf observed, eyeing the spider carcasses, "perhaps we can use this to locate the heart."

The road ahead grew harsher; bizarre alien creatures kept emerging, constantly assaulting them. Kelinda and the Elf fought side by side, relying on their great strength and seamless coordination, cutting through thorns to press deeper into the Death Nebula's core.

They passed through a thicket of brambles, crossed a river of flowing lava, and finally arrived at the foot of a massive black mountain that pulsed with a disquieting energy wave.

"The 'Heart of the Falling Star' should be at the summit of this mountain," the Elf said, pointing upward.

Kelinda looked up; the peak was shrouded in a thick black mist, like a gateway to hell.

"Let's go." Kelinda showed no hesitation, leading the ascent.

The mountain was steep and treacherous, cliffs everywhere. Kelinda and the Elf climbed cautiously, each step agonizingly hard.

Suddenly the mountain shuddered violently; a huge boulder rolled down from the summit, hurtling toward Kelinda and the Elf…

Meanwhile, in the cave, Zhang Cheng kept his eyes shut, a faint golden light haloing his body. He strained to absorb the lingering energy of the black shadow, trying to convert it into his own power… his lips twitched, "I… will… succeed…"

The boulder, wrapped in roaring wind, crashed down; the Elf let out a gasp, instinctively trying to push Kelinda away. Kelinda grabbed the Elf's hand, pulling her behind herself, and swung her energy sword, a sharp blade of ki slicing the boulder. The stone shattered, scattering countless fragments across the ground.

"Watch out!" Kelinda shouted low, pulling the Elf onward to continue the climb.

The mountain's tremors grew ever more violent, as if it might collapse at any moment. Kelinda and the Elf dared not relax; they clenched their teeth and forced themselves upward.

At the same time, deep within the cave, Zhang Cheng's body remained bathed in golden light. The residual black‑shadow energy surged inside him like a wild horse, ravaging his meridians. He gritted his teeth, beads of sweat the size of beans forming on his forehead. He struggled to steer the energy toward the right channel.

"I must… control it…" Zhang Cheng whispered to himself.

He inhaled deeply, slowly circulating his internal technique, guiding the raging energy along his meridians. Threads of black energy were gradually devoured by the golden light, transmuting into pure power that merged into Zhang Cheng's body.

Outside the cave, the Blue Star Guardian arrived, wind‑blown and weary. He held a silver‑glinting bracelet and several other items.

"I got this from the Cosmic Merchant," the Blue Star Guardian handed the bracelet to Zhang Cheng, "It can amplify your strength."

Zhang Cheng opened his eyes, took the bracelet. The band was icy cold, emitting a strange energy vibration. He fastened it to his wrist, instantly feeling a surge of immense power flood his body.

"Thank you, senior." Zhang Cheng said gratefully.

"Now is not the time for such words," the Blue Star Guardian said gravely, "You must recover your strength quickly; we have more important matters ahead."

Zhang Cheng nodded, closed his eyes again, and kept absorbing the black‑shadow residue. With the bracelet's boost, his absorption speed increased markedly, and the golden light within him grew even brighter.

The Blue Star Guardian stood nearby, silently guarding Zhang Cheng. He watched Zhang Cheng's power gradually return, hope filling his heart.

Time ticked by second by second; the golden light in the cave swelled until it illuminated the entire cavern. Zhang Cheng slowly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within.

He rose, stretched his limbs, feeling the surging power inside, a faint smile curving his lips.

"I feel… unprecedentedly strong!" Zhang Cheng clenched his fists, sensing the power coursing through him.

"Very good," the Blue Star Guardian said approvingly, "Now is the time to strike back."

At that moment, hurried footsteps rang outside the cave.

A figure appeared at the cave entrance—it was the Elf who had gone with Kelinda to the Death Nebula. Her face was pale, her expression frantic.

"It's bad! Kelinda…" the Elf panted, a trace of terror in her voice.

The Blue Star Guardian and Zhang Cheng exchanged a glance, a foreboding feeling rising within them.

"What happened?" Zhang Cheng asked urgently.

The Elf took a deep breath and said slowly, "Kelinda... she found the 'Heart of Starfall,' but..." She paused, her gaze falling on the bracelet Zhang Cheng wore on his hand, her eyes flickering. "... On their way back, they encountered space pirates..."

The Elf's tone was filled with terror as she haltingly recounted everything that had happened. Kelinda and she had gone through untold hardships and finally found the "Heart of Starfall," radiating a strange light, deep within the Death Nebula. It was a peculiar ore containing powerful energy—the very key to countering the Dark Shadow. Overjoyed, they immediately set out on the return journey, but just as they were about to reach a safe zone, a group of space pirates suddenly appeared and blocked their path.

"They... they seemed to have been watching us for a long time..." the Elf said trembling. "Their ship was equipped with advanced weapons. Kelinda, to protect me..."

Zhang Cheng's heart sank sharply, and a surge of anger rose from the depths of his chest. He gripped the silver bracelet in his hand tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

"How many of them are there? What equipment?" the Blue Star Guardian asked in a low voice, a trace of gravity in his tone.

"About... twenty-some people," the Elf tried hard to recall. "Their ship had laser cannons and energy pulse weapons. Kelinda's energy sword was powerful, but..." She did not go on, but the implication of her words was already clear.

The Blue Star Guardian frowned deeply. More than twenty well-armed space pirates were indeed a thorny problem for them at present.

"What about the Heart of Starfall?" Zhang Cheng suddenly asked.

The Elf pulled a fist-sized ore from her chest. The ore emitted a faint purple glow, as if it contained boundless energy.

"Kelinda told me... told me to bring it back..." The Elf's voice choked. "She said... this is the only hope for countering the Dark Shadow..."

Zhang Cheng took the ore. It felt warm to the touch, and a powerful energy fluctuation came from within, resonating with the silver bracelet on his hand. He felt an unprecedented power surging through his body, as if it could destroy everything.

"Senior," Zhang Cheng looked at the Blue Star Guardian. "I must go save her!"

The Blue Star Guardian nodded. He knew Zhang Cheng's resolve, and he also knew how important Kelinda was to Zhang Cheng. "I'll go with you!"

"No, Senior," Zhang Cheng shook his head. "Stay here to protect the Elf and study how to use the 'Heart of Starfall' to counter the Dark Shadow. I'll go alone—that's enough."

Zhang Cheng knew that although the Blue Star Guardian was powerful, facing a group of well-armed space pirates, he might not be able to escape unscathed either. Moreover, someone needed to stay here to protect the Elf and the "Heart of Starfall."

The Blue Star Guardian looked deeply at Zhang Cheng and finally nodded. "Alright, be careful. Remember, come back alive!"

Zhang Cheng gripped the "Heart of Starfall" tightly, turned, and dashed out of the cave. His figure was like lightning, transforming into a streak of light that vanished into the vast night.

The Elf watched the direction Zhang Cheng had gone, her eyes filled with worry. She clutched a small talisman in her hand, silently praying that Kelinda and Zhang Cheng would return safely.

Inside the cave, the Blue Star Guardian looked at the "Heart of Starfall" in his hand, a complex light glinting in his eyes. He slowly reached out and touched the surface of the ore, feeling the powerful energy contained within.

"I hope... there's still time..." he murmured in a low voice.

Far away, in outer space, a small spaceship was being pursued by a massive pirate vessel. The small ship's Energy Shield flickered unsteadily, on the verge of collapse at any moment. Inside the ship, Kelinda wielded an energy sword, fending off the pirates' attacks, while beside her, the mysterious Elf controlled the ship, desperately dodging the pirates' cannon fire.

"Hold on, Kelinda!" the Elf shouted. "We're almost at the safe zone!"

Kelinda gritted her teeth and swung her energy sword. A fierce blade of energy slashed toward the oncoming laser beams.

"Dream on!" a gruff voice came from the pirate ship. "Hand over the 'Heart of Starfall' nicely, and I might consider sparing your lives!"

Kelinda gave a cold laugh. "You want the 'Heart of Starfall'? Let's see if you have what it takes!"

Her gaze was firm, and the light of the energy sword in her hand grew even brighter.

Suddenly, the pirate ship's firepower surged, a dense rain of energy bolts firing toward the small ship... A dark shadow flew rapidly from afar.