Chapter 452

The Great Gate Star Lord had once saved him; now that the other was in trouble, and Chen Mu had just broken through and greatly strengthened his power, how could he stand idly by?

Morally and logically, he must go.

"Good!"

The Breaker Star Lord gave a approving grunt, clearly appreciating Chen Mu's decisive attitude, "Then the six of us go together. Time is critical—depart at once."

At this moment, the Great Dipper Star Lord spoke, his voice deep and steady: "The 'Heavenly Han Ruins' are far away. I once went there long ago due to certain matters, and left a spatial marker in a corner of the ruins on the eastern side. If the Wu Quxing Star Lord has no objection, I can activate the Star Talisman to teleport us directly there, saving considerable travel time."

"That would be excellent. Thank you, Great Dipper Star Lord," Chen Mu nodded.

The Star Talisman's teleportation ability was indeed wondrous; as long as an accurate spatial marker existed, one could arrive instantly—this would undoubtedly get them to the scene fastest.

The Great Dipper Star Lord said nothing more, flipping his hand to produce his own Star Talisman.

His talisman seemed slightly different from the others, its color deeper and the star patterns upon it more complex.

Channeling true energy, he silently recited the incantation—the Star Talisman instantly blazed with light, a strange spatial fluctuation spreading outward, disturbing the surrounding void and forming a silver halo roughly two zhang in diameter.

"Everyone, draw closer," the Great Dipper Star Lord said.

Chen Mu and the other four Star Lords stepped forward simultaneously, entering the halo and surrounding the Great Dipper Star Lord.

A gentle yet resilient invisible spatial force enveloped the six of them.

The Great Dipper Star Lord cast one final glance at the group, confirmed all was in order, and gave a low shout.

"Go!"

Hum~

The silver light suddenly contracted and erupted.

The six figures, along with the silver halo, instantly blurred and turned transparent, then vanished completely from the platform before the Wu Qu Star Temple, as if erased by an eraser—leaving only faintly rippling spatial ripples, which soon calmed back to stillness.

…

In the northwest of Shannan Dao, beyond vast mountain ranges and boundless plains, lay a colossal rift, like a wound carved into the earth, forcibly splitting the once-unified land into two Dao domains.

Hannan Dao and Hanbei Dao.

This was the "Heavenly Han Ruins," also known as the "Central Han Great Rift."

Five thousand eight hundred li in length, its deepest point reached three thousand meters, and its width varied between one hundred fifty and eight hundred li, with extremely complex terrain.

The interior of the rift was not merely a sheer abyss, but had formed a unique geographical environment.

Numerous lakes, large and small, of varying colors, scattered like pearls.

Ancient city ruins half-buried beneath thick moss and gnarled vines.

Strange peaks jutted upward, barren mountains stretched endlessly.

In certain areas, active volcanic clusters could still be seen, spewing smoke and fire, casting parts of the rift in a deep crimson glow.

Permanently shrouded in a faint, consciousness-blocking gray-white mist, it nurtured countless peculiar beasts and poisons, concealed innumerable secrets and dangers, serving as a haven for explorers and outlaws, and a frequent site of mysterious events.

At this very moment.

On the eastern side of the rift, at the edge of a vast ruin, most of whose buildings had collapsed and were covered in thick dark green moss and grotesque vines.

On a relatively flat patch of ground, seemingly a corner of a former plaza.

The void twisted and rippled without warning, like water disturbed by a thrown stone.

The next instant, a flash of silver light vanished.

Six figures, clad in distinct Star Robes and wearing masks, appeared out of thin air in this desolate, silent ruin corner, standing on shattered stone slabs, surrounded by toppled Shi Zhu and broken statues, with the deeper, darker abyss of the rift and a grayish sky beyond.

"The marker I left years ago is right there."

The Great Dipper Star Lord pointed to a distant, still-intact silhouette of a black stone tower, saying, "We are now at the eastern edge of the ruins—relatively near the periphery, but still not to be taken lightly. Within the 'Heavenly Han Ruins,' danger lurks everywhere: powerful beasts, strange toxic mists, chaotic spatial rifts, or other malice-filled individuals lying in wait."

Chen Mu silently sensed his surroundings.

The air was cold and damp, the spiritual energy chaotic and impure; his consciousness probing felt like sinking into mud—his full strength could only manifest at six or seven tenths.

Distant, low roars of unknown beasts echoed faintly, reverberating through the empty rift and ruins, adding further eeriness.

The gray-white mist was not still—it flowed slowly, like a living thing, sometimes thin, sometimes thick, severely obstructing vision.

"Where was the last known location of the Great Gate Star Lord's message?"

The Breaker Star Lord asked directly, his tone sharp and military.

The Tianfu Star Lord flipped his palm, and a miniature, three-dimensional map composed of starlight floated above it.

At the map's center was a dim, nearly motionless light point, surrounded by intricate terrain contours.

"According to the final feedback from the Star Talisman, the Great Gate Star Lord's life imprint remains here—in the central region of the ruins, slightly north, near the border of 'Poisonous Dragon Pond' and 'Thousand Caves Mountain.'"

"That area has complex terrain, filled with underground caves and underground rivers, thick with toxic mists, and is one of the few known regions where 'Beast Gods' frequently appear."

"Poisonous Dragon Pond? Thousand Caves Mountain?"

The Tianxi Star Lord's voice carried a hint of disgust, "Those are no good places. The pond water of Poisonous Dragon Pond is said to corrode even the protective aura of a Heavenly Palace cultivator; its depths may harbor descendants of ancient poisonous jiaos."

"Thousand Caves Mountain is even more like a labyrinth—its terrain is complex, and it's inhabited by all manner of strange creatures adapted to darkness and poison, with legends even speaking of ancient vengeful spirits wandering within."

The Dikong Star Lord spoke succinctly: "Go straight there?"

"No."

The Tianfu Star Lord shook his head, "Before losing contact, the Great Gate Star Lord's final message mentioned he was tracking a small squad of 'Beast Gods,' suspecting they were performing some evil sacrificial or summoning ritual here."

"If we rush straight to the last signal point, we may alarm them—or walk into a trap."

"I suggest we first proceed to a relatively safe observation point about three hundred li from there—'Eagle Rock.'"

"It's elevated, with relatively open visibility, and has a small hidden array we can use. We observe the situation from 'Eagle Rock' while attempting to strengthen our connection to the Great Gate Star Lord's Star Talisman via secret methods, to see if we can obtain a more precise location or response."

The Breaker Star Lord paused briefly, then nodded in agreement: "For safety's sake, follow the Tianfu Star Lord's plan. Great Dipper Star Lord, from here to 'Eagle Rock,' are there any shortcuts or hazards to note?"

The Great Dipper Star Lord again reviewed his memory and the ancient leather map in his hand.

"There is an abandoned ancient road that passes through part of the region, avoiding several known dangers, but we must pass through a 'Ghost Wailing Forest' and cross the 'Bone-Eroding River.'"

"The Ghost Wailing Forest contains mind-distorting demonic sounds and 'Phantom Phantom Bats' skilled in mental attacks; the Bone-Eroding River's water is highly toxic and corrosive, with poisonous crocodiles and man-eating fish within. But with our cultivation levels, caution should suffice."

"Then let's set out!"