Chapter 324: Probing the Sphere Reveals a Secret; A Perilous Journey Begins

Space seemed to congeal into a gelatinous mass, time turned viscous, and every step felt like treading through deep, sinking mire.

The group struggled to approach the energy sphere, their breathing turning heavy, the oppressive force like an invisible giant hand gripping their throats.

Guangming Shizhe gripped Zhang Cheng's hand tightly, her fingertips ice-cold.

Zhang Cheng squeezed back, giving her a resolute look.

"I think… it's best to be cautious," Xingyun Zhizhe's brow furrowed tightly, his eyes behind the lenses gleaming with wisdom, "the fluctuations emitted by this energy sphere are extremely unstable. Approaching it rashly may trigger some unknown defense mechanism." He pointed at the strange halo flowing across the sphere's surface. "We should first conduct external detection and analysis to understand its energy composition and operating principles."

"Analyze? Analyze until when?!" Xingji Xiake waved the energy blade in his hand with some impatience, "We've already delayed too long! Rather than standing around guessing blindly, we should just try to break through its outer defenses and see what the hell is hidden inside!" He was hot-tempered by nature and itching to cleave open this energy sphere that radiated an eerie aura.

"Xiake is right," Zhang Cheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, "time waits for no one, and we can't keep waiting passively. Zhizhe, you're in charge of analyzing the energy sphere's fluctuations and finding a breach; Xiake, you prepare for a frontal assault and stand ready to support. Everyone else, stay alert and be ready for combat at any moment!" His tone was decisive, his gaze like torchlight, exuding the authority of a leader.

Xingyun Zhizhe still wanted to say something, but seeing Zhang Cheng's resolute gaze, he ultimately nodded and began analyzing the energy sphere's fluctuations.

Xingji Xiake excitedly rubbed his fists and palms together, his energy blade humming, eager to try.

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, the air suffused with the murderous intent of an impending battle.

Mark, the interstellar warrior who usually relied on Zhizhe's decisions, was now staring intently at the energy sphere, a strange glint flashing in his eyes…

He slowly raised the heavy energy cannon in his hands…

Mark raised the heavy energy cannon and said in a deep voice, "Zhizhe, I understand your caution, but Xiake is right—we can't keep waiting passively. Rather than sitting here awaiting death, we should strike first!" These words took Xingyun Zhizhe by surprise; he pushed up his glasses, gave Mark a deep look, and ultimately said nothing more.

With Mark's support, Xingji Xiake's fighting spirit soared even higher; he gave a loud shout, his figure blurring into an afterimage as he charged first toward the energy sphere.

The moment he approached the energy sphere, the sphere's surface rippled with dazzling light; thick arcs of energy, like wildly dancing silver serpents, carrying an aura of destruction, shot toward Xingji Xiake head-on.

Xingji Xiake was a veteran of a hundred battles with extremely fast reflexes; his figure dodged and wove like a phantom, narrowly avoiding one arc after another.

But the arcs grew ever more numerous, ever faster, their attack range ever wider; even with Xingji Xiake's agility, he gradually began to feel overwhelmed.

"I'll help you!" Mark roared, hefting the heavy energy cannon as he charged forward.

As he ran, he fired furiously at the energy sphere, the explosions' flashes intertwining with the energy arcs, like a grand fireworks display.

With Mark providing fire suppression, Xingji Xiake's pressure plummeted; the two stood back to back, forming an indestructible defensive line, stubbornly resisting the energy arcs' relentless bombardment.

However, the attack intensity of the energy arcs continued to increase, their frequency growing ever faster, seemingly inexhaustible.

Mark's energy cannon began to overheat, and small wounds appeared on Xingji Xiake's body.

Just as the two were on the verge of collapsing, the psychic Li li suddenly exclaimed, "Wait! These arcs…"

The psychic Li li cried out sharply, "Wait! These arcs… their energy source is the fluctuations of the surrounding space!" Her slender fingers danced through the air, psychic power winding around the energy arcs like threads, and she actually began to disrupt the spatial fluctuations.

The attack intensity of the arcs visibly weakened, their frequency slowing as well, like venomous serpents seized by the throat—hissing yet powerless to struggle.

Xingji Xiake and Mark's pressure plummeted; seizing the opportunity, they lunged a step forward, drawing closer to the energy sphere.

Just then, the energy sphere suddenly emitted a low hum, and a powerful suction force appeared from nowhere, like an invisible giant hand trying to pull Xingji Xiake and Mark into the sphere's interior.

Caught off guard, the two pitched forward involuntarily.

In the nick of time, the mechanic A li shouted, "Hold steady!" He hurled a peculiarly shaped device that spun through the air, emitting a faint blue glow.

The device hit the ground, and the suction force instantly vanished, as though canceled out by some force.

Only then did Xingji Xiake and Mark steady themselves; they exchanged a shaken glance, silently rejoicing their survival.

"This is my latest modified gravity disruptor!" A li wiped the sweat from his forehead, a trace of pride in his voice, "At the crucial moment, you still need technology!"

Xingyun Zhizhe had been closely monitoring the energy sphere's changes; his face suddenly drained of color as he shouted, "No good! The energy sphere's fluctuations are intensifying rapidly! It's about to—" Before he could finish, a crack suddenly split open on the sphere's surface, and a blinding light burst forth from within, illuminating the entire space…

Zhang Cheng snapped his head up, his pupils contracting sharply, and barked, "Fall back!"

After the blinding light passed, a strange scene appeared before everyone's eyes.

Space warped, as if they were inside a kaleidoscope, multicolored rays of light crisscrossing in dazzling profusion.

Guangming Shizhe looked at Zhang Cheng nervously, her hands gripping the hem of his clothes tightly.

Zhang Cheng gently patted her hand and gave her a reassuring look; this small gesture made Guangming Shizhe relax considerably.

Xingji Xiake and Mark were still shaken, panting heavily; the suction force just now had nearly cost them their lives.

The mechanic A li proudly fiddled with his gravity disruptor, his face beaming with a triumphant smile.

Xingyun Zhizhe's brow was furrowed tightly, his eyes behind the lenses flickering with unease, as though sensing something.

The psychic Li li, meanwhile, curiously surveyed the surrounding environment, her eyes full of a thirst for knowledge.

Just as everyone thought they were temporarily safe, strange runes appeared on the energy sphere's surface; these runes flickered with a dangerous light, seemingly heralding an even greater danger about to arrive.

Xingling xue zhe pointed at those runes and said in a trembling voice, "These… these are characters of an ancient interstellar civilization! They… they record a terrifying prophecy…" Zhang Cheng's heart sank, a premonition of doom welling up inside him.

He snapped his head up to look at the energy sphere and said in a deep voice, "Prepare for battle!"