Chapter 280: Ao Li's Choice and Legacy

While the others struggled to fight the huge humanoid creature in the mysterious space, the situation in the Chan dao Yuzhou was also far from optimistic. The Main Umbilical Cord, after the previous series of incidents, showed another disturbance. It twisted wildly, its emitted energy fluctuations growing ever stronger, as if trying to break all restraints and drag the entire Chan dao Yuzhou into deeper chaos.

Ao Li watched the dangerous scene, knowing that someone had to step forward to stop the Main Umbilical Cord. She recalled the Nüwa Stone Fragment still lingering on her body, perhaps the only way to seal the Main Umbilical Cord. Yet she also understood that using it would exact a terrible price on herself.

Ao Li looked toward her companions battling various crises, a flash of resolve in her eyes. She inhaled deeply and took out the last Nüwa Stone Fragment. The fragment emitted a faint yet still mysterious glow, as if narrating the ancient power it bore.

Ao Li summoned the remaining energy within her body and poured it into the Nüwa Stone Fragment. As the power entered, the fragment's light flared brilliantly, illuminating the whole area. Without hesitation she charged toward the Main Umbilical Cord, clutching the fragment tightly in her hand.

"Ao Li, what are you doing! It's too dangerous!" a companion shouted loudly, but Ao Li did not look back; her gaze was steadfast, her sole goal—to seal the Main Umbilical Cord.

When Ao Li approached the Main Umbilical Cord, the cord released a massive force like an invisible wall, trying to push her away. But Ao Li clenched her teeth, relying on stubborn will, inching forward step by step with difficulty. Under the powerful energy shock, her body began to show streaks of blood, yet she still did not give up.

Finally, Ao Li reached the Main Umbilical Cord. She used the last ounce of strength to press the Nüwa Stone Fragment onto the cord. In an instant, a dazzling flash erupted; where the fragment touched the cord, light spread like a tide, gradually enveloping the Main Umbilical Cord.

Under the light's shroud, the Main Umbilical Cord's frantic twisting gradually ceased, its dangerous energy began to be suppressed. Yet Ao Li's body grew increasingly transparent within the light, her life fading away.

"Ao Li..." the companions watched the scene, their eyes filled with sorrow and reluctance.

Ao Li turned her head slightly, looking at the companions, and gave a faint weak smile. "Don't be sad... this is what I should do."

At that moment, Ao Li felt her consciousness gradually blur, but she knew one important task remained. She mustered her last strength to carve the pact from her past life with Lin Yuan into Lín Jìn's spine.

"Lín Jìn... this is the pact from my past life with Lin Yuan... it must be fulfilled..." Ao Li's voice was weak yet resolute.

Lín Jìn felt a strange surge of power at his spine, understanding that Ao Li was passing something important to him. "Ao Li, don't worry, I will definitely fulfill the pact!" Lín Jìn shouted, tears in his voice.

As the pact was etched into Lín Jìn's spine, Ao Li's body completely transformed into countless flickering lights, these lights like specks of stars slowly converging onto the Starship, eventually becoming the Starship's coating.

And just as Ao Li became the Starship's coating, a massive dimensional turbulence suddenly surged. The turbulence roared like raging waves, bearing a force that could annihilate everything, charging toward the group and the Starship.

The Starship shuddered violently under the turbulence's impact. Yet the coating formed by Ao Li performed a miraculous function, emitting a soft glow that repelled the turbulence's power outward.

"Ao Li... thank you..." the group looked at the Starship protected by Ao Li, their hearts filled with gratitude and sorrow.

At that moment, in the mysterious space, Lín Jìn, Ling Yue, and Lin Li had just dealt with the huge humanoid creature. Lín Jìn suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his spine, and immediately information about Ao Li's past-life pact with Lin Yuan flooded his mind.

"What's wrong, Lín Jìn?" Ling Yue, noticing Lín Jìn's oddity, asked concernedly.

Lín Jìn inhaled deeply and told them how Ao Li sealed the Main Umbilical Cord and etched the pact into his spine. "Ao Li sacrificed herself for us... we must fulfill this pact and break the Observer's conspiracy." Determination flashed in Lín Jìn's eyes.

Ling Yue and Lin Li, hearing this, felt a surge of sorrow. "We will, Ao Li's sacrifice will not be in vain," Ling Yue said.

The three steadied their emotions and continued exploring the mysterious space. They proceeded along a narrow passage, its walls on both sides covered with various strange symbols and patterns. Lin Li examined the symbols closely, trying to decipher their meaning.

"These symbols seem to recount the Observer's origin and their plan," Lin Li said.

After some effort, Lin Li finally deciphered part of the symbols' information. It turned out the Observer originated from a distant cosmic dimension; they pursued a power beyond the universe, attempting to conduct experiments across universes to cultivate a super lifeform capable of controlling all dimensions. The Observer Larva in this incubation chamber was a crucial link in their plan.

"Their ambition is too great; if they succeed, the entire multiverse will fall into crisis," Lín Jìn said, frowning.

At that moment, a massive stone door appeared at the end of the passage. The door was carved with a mysterious scene: a gigantic figure standing atop countless stars, holding a glowing key in its hand, seemingly unlocking something.

Lín Jìn stepped forward, examining the stone door closely. He discovered a groove on the door, its shape strikingly similar to one end of the Abyss Return Ruler.

"Could this stone door require the Abyss Return Ruler to open?" Lín Jìn speculated.

He inserted the Abyss Return Ruler into the groove; as soon as it touched, the stone door flickered with strands of light. The light spread along the ruler, and the entire door began to tremble slowly.

As the door vibrated, the surrounding space began to shift. Strange energy waves emanated from the door, as if awakening some dormant power.

Suddenly, the stone door thundered open, a massive force surged from within, pulling the three of them inside. When they regained their senses, they found themselves in a huge circular hall.

At the hall's center stood a massive Crystal Pillar. Inside the pillar was a sphere flashing with multicolored light, its surface constantly shifting through various mysterious runes and patterns.

"What is this?" Ling Yue asked in surprise.

Lín Jìn and Lin Li also stared at the sphere within the Crystal Pillar with puzzled expressions. At that moment, a gentle voice resonated in the hall: "Outsiders, your arrival shows you have endured countless hardships. This sphere is the core source of the Observer's power, and also the key to breaking their conspiracy."

Lín Jìn looked around, trying to locate the voice's source, but found nothing. "Who are you? Why tell us this?" Lín Jìn asked.

"I am the lingering consciousness of this space, once also a member opposing the Observer's plan. The Observer's actions violate the laws of the universe and will bring destruction. Only by destroying this core source can their conspiracy be fully broken," the gentle voice said.

Lín Jìn nodded, "We will definitely destroy it. But how should we proceed?"

"The core source is shielded by a powerful energy barrier, and it is linked to the Observer's experimental devices set up across universes. You must first locate and sever these connections to break the shield and destroy the core source," the gentle voice explained.

Lín Jìn, Ling Yue, and Lin Li exchanged glances, knowing the upcoming task would be even more daunting. Yet to break the Observer's conspiracy, for Ao Li and all who sacrificed because of the Observer, they harbored no hint of retreat.

"Where should we start looking for these connections?" Lin Li asked.

"Around this hall there are several teleportation gates. Each gate connects to the locations of the Observer's experimental devices in different universes. You must pass through these gates and resolve the issues one by one," the gentle voice said.

Lín Jìn inhaled deeply, "Alright, let's set out."

The three walked toward the teleportation gates around the hall, aware that each gate concealed unknown dangers, yet they were fully prepared to face any challenge, for the peace and safety of the universe, and to fulfill Ao Li and Lin Yuan's pact...