Chapter 185

Inside the hall, the high ceiling bore a painted star chart, specks of spiritual light shimmering in concert with the night pearls set into the walls, bathing the entire space in a brightness like midday yet imbued with a deep solemnity. Several figures sat within, their breaths deep as the sea—these were several of the Seven Sects' Supreme Elders. Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue also stood to one side; seeing Shiran enter, they gave her a slight nod.

Lingxiao led Shiran to the center of the hall, where she bowed in turn.

The figure seated at the head, white-haired and white-bearded, with a gaunt countenance and clad in simple Daoist robes, was none other than Yunyin, Supreme Elder of the Tianxuan Sect. He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm yet seemingly able to pierce the heart. "No need for excessive courtesy. Child, come forward."

Shiran obeyed, stepping forward a few paces before bowing again.

"Relay your experience in the depths of the Star Arrow Sea—especially concerning that altar, the demonic apparition, and the origin of this token—in detail, omitting nothing," Yunyin said, his voice carrying a soothing power.

Shiran steadied herself, then recounted how the three of them had been drawn by anomalous demonic qi, ventured into the heart of the Star Arrow Sea, discovered the ancient altar and the trapped demonic shadow. She described the shadow's terrifying pressure, its soul-bewitching whispers, mentioned the term "Xuemie," and how the shadow called itself the "Xuemie Vanguard." Then she came to the crucial point—the resonance between the dark-gold fragment at the altar's core and her own innate Star Patrol Token fragment, the shadow's violent uprising, Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue's desperate resistance, and finally, her resolute decision to burn her blood soul to activate the fragment's fusion.

Her account was clear and calm, though she omitted certain specific details gained after the Star Patrol Token recognized its master (such as boundary dao markers), but emphasized the threat of "Xuemie" and the token's role in purification and suppression at critical moments. When she spoke of burning her blood soul, the newly regenerated Star Patrol Token automatically protected its master, releasing power to sustain her life; at that moment, several elders' gazes fell in unison upon the seemingly unadorned token in her hand.

Upon finishing her account, the hall fell silent. The elders' expressions grew grave, and subtle ripples of divine sense passed between them.

After a long while, Yunyin spoke again: "May I trouble you to lend me your token for inspection?"

Shiran hesitated not at all, holding the Star Patrol Token aloft with both hands. She knew that now, frankness outweighed any concealment. "This token has undergone dual cultivation with my life force; it may possess repellent power. Please, Elders, handle with care."

One elder clad in scarlet Daoist robes, of somewhat fiery temperament (the Blazing Yang Elder of the Yuheng Sect), snorted and reached out to seize it remotely. Yet as his spiritual power touched the token, its surface rippled with a thin golden layer, a mighty dignity spreading forth, gently but firmly pushing his power away.

The Blazing Yang Elder frowned, increasing his force, but the ripple remained steadfast as a rock, even rebounding with a thought-pressure that made his mind tremble. His face shifted; he finally withdrew his hand, saying in a deep voice: "Such formidable intrinsic spirituality! It dares to resist me!"

Yunyin waved his hand, signaling him to calm. He himself released a thread of extremely pure and tranquil divine sense, slowly approaching the token. This time, the token's response was much gentler, yet the faint golden glow persisted, like an invisible boundary proclaiming its inviolability. Yunyin's divine sense lingered momentarily at the edge of that light before withdrawing, his face showing a thoughtful expression.

"Indeed, this is undoubtedly an artifact of the ancient Star Patrol Envoys; the power within is utmost yang and righteous, naturally countering demonic qi. Moreover… it has fully recognized its master, tightly bound to this girl's soul, dao foundation, and even life essence. Forcible removal would likely trigger a backlash from the token, even endangering her life." Yunyin spoke slowly; this was both an explanation to the other elders and an assessment of Shiran's situation.

A purple-clad beauty lightly parted her vermilion lips (Luozitan, Sect Master of the Tianxuan Sect): "If so, though this object is precious, it has already become one with her. Forcible seizure would be useless and might damage what could be the key to opposing that 'Xuemie' calamity. Still, regarding that 'Xuemie,' does the token hold any further information?"

Shiran replied respectfully: "Reporting to Elder, the token's information is vast, but my cultivation is low and my soul damaged; I can currently decipher only a tiny fraction. As for 'Xuemie,' what I know remains vague—it seems a rule-level erosive force, a manifestation of the trend toward all things' ending. In the token's records, the spreading demonic calamity of the present age is marked as a 'Low-Intensity Void-Energy Erosion Phenomenon.'"

"Rule-level……all things ending……" several elders murmured softly, their faces growing graver. This conceptual level surpassed their prior understanding of "calamities."

The Blazing Yang Elder frowned: "Even so, this object is of great importance—how can it be entrusted to a junior? If the demonic path covets it, or if her mind is unsteady, would that not invite disaster?"

Lingxiao stepped forward at this moment, speaking calmly: "Blazing Yang Elder overthinks. Shiran is my personal disciple, her resolve steadfast; this time, to protect her fellow disciples and block the demonic calamity, she did not hesitate to destroy her dao foundation—her aspiration is commendable. The Star Patrol Token chooses its master by its own affinity; forcible interference would likely be improper. Moreover, with demonic calamities erupting everywhere, we now need every unifiable force. In her hands, the token can purify demonic qi, which is advantageous for the larger picture."

Yunyin gave a slight nod: "What Lingxiao says is sound. The affinity is set; forcing it would be unseemly. Shiran, since you have obtained this token, you have inherited part of the ancient Star Patrol Envoy's karma and responsibility. May you wield its power well, train diligently, restore your cultivation soon, and perhaps in the future contribute your strength in facing the great calamity."

His words nearly settled the matter. They acknowledged Shiran's ownership of the token while simultaneously imparting to her the corresponding responsibility.

A great weight lifted from Shiran's heart; she bowed deeply: "Disciple will surely exert my utmost and not disappoint the sect and the elders' expectations."

Thereafter, the elders asked further details, especially whether the demonic qi source in the depths of the Star Arrow Sea had been thoroughly purified and whether any remnant of the demonic shadow remained. Upon receiving supplements from Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue, confirming the altar's destruction and the token's purification of the shadow's core, they finally relaxed somewhat.

The meeting concluded; the elders departed one by one, their expressions still grave, clearly burdened by great pressure from the "Xuemie" matter. They needed time to consult more ancient texts, deduce heavenly secrets, and discuss countermeasures.

After leaving the Tianxuan Sect's hall and returning to the Floating Dream Sect on the road, Lingxiao said to Shiran: "From today on, news of your possessing a strange treasure will be hard to completely seal; when you walk abroad henceforth, you must be more cautious. The sect will outwardly claim that what you obtained is merely a spirit-endowed ancient treasure, already recognized its master, with specific details not elaborated. But he who holds jade invites its own trouble—you must keep this in mind."

"I understand, and thank you, Master, for your protection," Shiran replied gratefully.

"Go rest properly and swiftly enhance your strength. Only by being strong oneself can one truly master one's fate and bear heavy responsibilities." Lingxiao spoke earnestly.

"And…" Lingxiao wanted to say more but stopped, finally just smiling: "If you encounter any problems, you may send me a message; during this time I will be traveling between the Ice Heart Cave and the Tianxuan and Tianxuan Sects, but…"

"I know!" Shiran nodded with a smile: "I know Master will surely reply to my messages."

The two smiled at each other; ten thousand words lay in their gazes.

Returning to her cottage, Shiran's life seemed to have returned to tranquility, but undercurrents had already begun to stir. Rumors of her obtaining an ancient great treasure spread gradually among the Seven Sects, drawing glances of curiosity, envy, and even hidden jealousy. Yet, deterred by Lingxiao's prestige and her own "damaged dao foundation" condition, no one dared openly come to cause trouble.

Lu Changfeng, Qi Chengshuang, Xiao Muyu, and Mei Ruoxue occasionally came to visit her. They would exchange some sword dao insights with her, subtly intending to help her consolidate her realm.

Mei Ruoxue remained taciturn, but each time she came, she left behind some rare pills or materials to nourish Shiran's meridians and soul.

Shiran focused her mind, pouring all her energy into recovery and cultivation. With the Star Patrol Token—a near-cheat-like treasure—assisting her, her recovery speed far surpassed ordinary imagination. The energy released by the token was not only pure and gentle but also carried a trace of weak creative vitality, remarkably effective in repairing dao foundation damage.

She began systematically organizing the information within the Star Patrol Token. Besides the known purification halo, Star Patrol Shield, star-standard sensing, and cross-boundary dao markers, she also discovered some auxiliary cultivation methods, such as a breathing technique called "Zhou Tian Xing Yin," which could draw upon faint stellar power to temper spiritual power; though its efficiency fell far short of directly absorbing the token's energy, it had the advantage of persistence and solidifying the foundation.

At the same time, she also tried to deeply understand "Xuemie." The information remained fragmentary, but she faintly sensed that "Xuemie" was not a concrete enemy, but rather akin to a universal constant's "entropy increase" manifested on the rule level as a disaster—it was everywhere yet elusive, eroding world barriers, twisting laws, breeding demonic thoughts, and ultimately guiding all things toward extinction. The ancient Star Patrol Envoys' duty was to patrol the heavens, promptly discover and repair nodes eroded by "Xuemie," maintaining the balance of the multiverse. And now, this realm's demonic calamity was merely a trickle leaking from a severely eroded node.

This realization made her feel her own insignificance, yet also clarified the meaning of the Star Patrol Token—it was not merely power, but also a duty of guardianship.

Several months passed in a flash.

Under the dual effect of abundant resources and the Star Patrol Token, Shiran's cultivation was not only thoroughly consolidated but even faintly advanced, nearing the peak of mid-Foundation Establishment; the dim cracks on her golden core were slightly repaired, though full recovery remained distant, at least she was no longer in a state of imminent collapse. Under the continuous nourishment of the token's energy, her soul became somewhat more refined than before her injury.

That day, she was practicing control of the Star Patrol Shield in the courtyard, trying to alter its form to cover her body in armor, when she heard the outer restriction triggered again.

This time came a stranger sect steward. He handed Shiran a jade slip, speaking in a businesslike tone: "Shi Shijie, the sect's Mission Hall has issued an emergency conscription order; all Foundation Establishment and above disciples whose injuries pose no hindrance must deploy in batches to the southern 'Black Wind Marsh' to support and exterminate recently active demonic beasts. This is your deployment order; depart in three days."

Shiran took the jade slip; her divine sense swept over it, revealing detailed conditions of the demonic beast anomalies in the Black Wind Marsh, as well as her squad's number and assembly point. The team leader was actually Gu Yusheng; she also saw Mei Ruoxue's name on the roster.

Not seeing Lu Changfeng and Qi Chengshuang, Xiao Muyu

What was bound to come had come. The sect could not possibly keep this "combat power" idle while nursing injuries, especially against the backdrop of intensifying demonic calamity. Moreover, this might also be a trial—testing how much the "Star Patrol Token Master" could actually exert in real combat.

She drew a deep breath and told the steward: "Understood; I will arrive punctually in three days."

After the steward left, Shiran gazed at the Star Patrol Token in her hand, her eyes gradually firming. Secluded cultivation ultimately avails nothing; true growth and power must be gained in the crucible of blood and fire. The Black Wind Marsh would be her first station on this destined extraordinary path as the Star Patrol Token Master.

She began silent preparations. Checking her artifacts, replenishing pills, and most importantly, focusing more intently on familiarizing herself with the token's use. She attempted to shrink the purification halo's range, condensing it into a more penetrative "Golden Light to Break Evil"; practiced maintaining the Star Patrol Shield while moving; even began sensing the vague "star-standard"—in the direction of the Black Wind Marsh, she seemed to feel an extremely faint yet ominous taint, perhaps the source of the demonic beasts' gathering.

Three days later, at the assembly platform before the Floating Dream Sect's mountain gate.

Gu Yusheng wore a green robe, bore a long sword on his back, and possessed a tranquil demeanor. Mei Ruoxue remained in white like snow, standing apart, her body exuding an aura of "strangers keep away."

Lu Changfeng, Qi Chengshuang, and Xiao Muyu had probably merely come to see them off; the three wore casual attire and looked relatively relaxed.

When Shiran arrived, their gazes all fell upon her.

Shiran today had changed into a set of neat pinkish battle attire; her face was still somewhat pale, but her eyes were clear, her breath steady; she held neither the Ice Creek Sword nor the Star Patrol Token, yet that dark-gold aura blended with her breath, adding an air of mystery and solemnity to her demeanor.

"Your…body?" Gu Yusheng frowned, asking, he only wanted the task to come first, not other matters.

"No problem; I am already fit for battle," Shiran replied calmly.

Mei Ruoxue glanced at her, saying lightly: "Keep close."

Lu Changfeng shook his head: "Not returned for two days, didn't expect to have to leave again; will I be able to return for the New Year? It's been ages since I last had a reunion meal with my master and his old self!"

Xiao Muyu also nodded: "We three have other missions, but you three face far greater danger than we do; everything must be done with care; we should be able to return by the year's start."

Qi Chengshuang nodded: "Wei Zhuzhu and Ah Li will also return!"

Shiran nodded: "We'll do our best!"

Fated parting, deep words, the time had come; several senior brothers stepped back one pace.

Gu Yusheng nodded at the three of them, said nothing more, and summoned the familiar flying vessel: "Board the vessel, set off!"

The flowing light rose again, carrying the three elite disciples of the Floating Dream Sect as it streaked across the sky, straight for the southern black wind marsh shrouded in demonic qi. The new journey, accompanied by unknown dangers and opportunities, officially began. On the flying vessel, Shi Ran sat cross-legged in a corner, holding the Patrol Heaven Order, feeling the faint pollution star marker pointing toward the marsh's depths, and silently recited in her heart:

"The path of patrolling heaven begins beneath one's feet."

?? I caught a cold, lay in bed for a day, felt better and got up to write, my head still spinning, and now I don't even know what I'm writing……