Chapter 326: The Truth Revealed to the World

The energy ball's hum grew louder and louder, its vibrations increasingly violent, like a heart about to burst, pounding against everyone's eardrums and nerves beat by beat.

Space warped and distorted, churning like boiling water, and a nauseating pressure made everyone nearly suffocate.

Guangming Shizhe's face went pale, gripping Zhang Cheng's arm tightly, knuckles white.

Xingji Xiake and Mark's sturdy bodies also teetered unsteadily, as if they would be crushed by this invisible force at any moment.

Despair spread like a plague, fear flickering in everyone's eyes.

"It must be that we activated the runes wrong!" the mechanic A li roared hoarsely, pointing at Xingyun Zhizhe. "It's all your fault! Your judgment doomed us!"

"Nonsense!" Xingyun Zhizhe's face was livid, the eyes behind his lenses flashing with angry fire. "I made the most reasonable inference based on the available data — how could it be my fault!"

"Enough!" Zhang Cheng barked sharply, his powerful presence instantly suppressing everyone's quarrel. "This is no time to assign blame! We must find a way to survive!"

"Survive how? Just wait to die?!" Li li shrieked, her psychic fluctuations surging violently, revealing her extreme inner panic.

"Everyone calm down!" the Xingji warrior Mark roared, trying to steady morale. "We've been through so many dangers together — are we really afraid of this?!"

"Afraid! Of course I'm afraid! This is different from any danger we've faced before!" A li shouted, on the verge of collapse. "We'll be blown into cosmic dust!"

Just as everyone was blaming each other and sinking into despair, the usually low-profile Xingling xue zhe stepped forward. He did not join in the accusations, only silently pulling from his chest a crystal stone that flickered with a strange light...

The Xingling xue zhe stepped forward. Instead of joining the accusations, he took a deep breath, raised the strange-glowing crystal stone high in his hand, and shouted: "Enough! Rather than blaming each other, we should unite and face the final challenge together! This 'Star Core' might help us!" His tone was firm, like a bright lamp in the darkness, illuminating everyone's confused hearts.

The arguing stopped abruptly, and everyone's gaze focused on the crystal stone in his hand.

Just then, the energy ball suddenly released a massive pillar of energy shooting straight into the sky!

This energy pillar contained world-destroying power; space was as fragile as thin paper before it, instantly torn apart.

The blinding light made it impossible for anyone to keep their eyes open, and the deafening roar made their eardrums ache.

"Block it!" Zhang Cheng roared, charging forward first.

Xingji Xiake, Mark, and all combat personnel followed close behind, erupting with their full strength to form a solid defensive line, colliding head-on with the energy pillar.

Their power clashed with the energy pillar, producing even more dazzling light and an even greater shockwave.

Space warped and distorted, as if about to be torn to shreds.

Despite giving it their all, they were still slowly forced back by the energy pillar, every step extraordinarily difficult.

The Xingling xue zhe raised the "Star Core" high, murmuring incantations from his mouth, the crystal stone's glow growing ever brighter, like a star awakening.

A strange energy fluctuation emanated from the crystal stone, merging into the combat personnel's bodies, enhancing their strength.

However, the energy pillar's power was simply too overwhelming; even with the "Star Core's" augmentation, the combat personnel gradually felt their strength failing.

Their bodies began to tremble, sweat pouring like rain, their faces growing ever paler.

"Hold on! We can get through this!" Zhang Cheng gritted his teeth and roared, his voice filled with absolute resolve.

Just as everyone was about to lose their hold, the Xingling xue zhe suddenly shouted: "Quick! Channel the 'Star Core's' power into the energy ball's core!"

Zhang Cheng paused for a moment, then understood the Xingling xue zhe's intent.

He took the "Star Core" without hesitation, leaped forward, and charged toward the center of the energy pillar...

"No!" Guangming Shizhe cried out, reaching out to grab him, but caught only emptiness.

Zhang Cheng took the "Star Core" and leaped into the center of the energy pillar without looking back.

The blinding light instantly swallowed his figure; everyone gasped, thinking he was certainly dead.

Guangming Shizhe's heart ached as if twisted by a knife, tears streaming from her eyes.

However, just then, a sudden change occurred!

The originally raging energy pillar suddenly began to retract, like a giant python slowly drawing back its tongue.

Everyone was shocked and bewildered, not knowing what had happened.

Just as everyone was about to lose their hold, the psychic Li li keenly perceived that the energy ball's pillar was not purely destructive energy, but rather an energy transmission channel.

In a flash, she made a bold decision.

Taking a deep breath, Li li concentrated all her psychic power, her slender fingers pointing at the energy pillar, and a powerful purifying energy surged backward through the energy channel into the energy ball.

This purifying energy was like a clear stream pouring into a murky swamp; struck by this energy, the energy ball's pillar began to tremble violently, its light flickering unsteadily, and finally slowly retracted.

The retraction of the energy pillar gave everyone a moment to catch their breath.

The Xingling xue zhe seized this opportunity, braving immense pressure and the danger of being consumed by energy, to study the energy ball's structure in depth.

He discovered that the energy ball's core was a complex rune array, and this array controlled the flow and release of energy.

The Xingling xue zhe told Xingyun Zhizhe and the alien scientist Karl about his discovery.

The three immediately began working together: Xingyun Zhizhe, learned and thoughtful, quickly deduced the operating principles of the rune array; the alien scientist Karl, with his wealth of technological knowledge, provided key technical support; and the Xingling xue zhe, drawing on his understanding of Xingling power, found the key to manipulating the rune array.

Time passed second by second; the energy ball's fluctuations grew weaker and weaker, and everyone's hearts gradually settled.

Finally, through the three's full cooperation, the secret of the rune array was completely cracked.

The Xingling xue zhe carefully adjusted the rune array's energy flow; the energy ball's hum gradually disappeared, and the raging energy gradually subsided.

Ultimately, the energy ball completely stopped its attack, floating quietly in the air like a docile gem.

Zhang Cheng's figure also slowly emerged from the center of the energy pillar, completely unharmed.

The "Star Core" in his hand emitted a soft glow, complementing the calmed energy ball.

He looked at everyone, a faint smile on his lips: "It seems we've succeeded." Suddenly, the Xingling xue zhe's expression changed and he exclaimed: "Wait! This energy ball..." He reached out, pointing toward the center of the energy ball, where a mysterious vortex was slowly forming...

The vortex grew larger and larger, eventually forming a massive wormhole, emitting a heart-palpitating energy fluctuation.

Everyone held their breath, watching all of this tensely.

"What is that?" Li li exclaimed, a trace of trembling in her voice.

The Xingling xue zhe's expression was grave as he said slowly: "If my conjecture is correct, this is a... interstellar portal." Just as his words fell, a dazzling light suddenly shot out from the wormhole, illuminating the entire space.

The light faded, and a massive spherical device slowly emerged from the wormhole.

This device radiated a soft glow from its entire body, its surface covered with complex runes, full of technological and mystical sensation.

"What... what is this?!" A li stammered, his eyes full of shock.

Xingling xue zhe carefully observed the device, a flash of realization crossing his eyes: "I know! This is…… an interstellar repair device! It can restore the ecological balance of the entire universe!"

The truth came to light!

As it turned out, the energy ball they had accidentally activated was actually an interstellar repair device left by an ancient civilization, and their expedition was precisely the key to activating it!

Guangming Shizhe excitedly embraced Zhang Cheng, tears of joy streaming: "We… we succeeded!" Xingji Xiake, Mark, and the others also hugged each other, celebrating this hard-won victory.

They had endured countless hardships and obstacles, finally completing this seemingly impossible mission.

The immense sense of achievement and the team's cohesion made them feel incredibly proud and honored.

However, just as everyone was immersed in joy, the interstellar repair device suddenly emitted a blinding light that shot straight into the sky.

After the light faded, everyone was astonished to see a flickering light point appear on the device's top, transmitting some mysterious signal into the depths of the universe.

"What is that?" Karl pointed at the light point, asking doubtfully.

Xingyun Zhizhe frowned, staring at the flickering light point, and said in a low voice: "A signal…… destination unknown……" He reached out to touch the light point, but at the very moment his fingertip was about to make contact, the light point suddenly vanished……

Zhang Cheng watched the disappearing light point, a hint of unease flashing in his eyes: "It… where did it go?"