Chapter 1154

Filth tendrils like a madly dancing demon dragon, wrapped in the deathly chill that annihilates vitality, surged madly from the boiling ink-black lake water, lunging like a sky‑covering earth‑blanket toward Han Wuxian! An even more lethal threat came from the seeping, purer and ancient dark‑purple filth oozing from the crack in the stele—like a living venom—swiftly sullying the ancient stellar inscriptions, attempting to distort and corrupt this star torch inheritance at its root!

The light of the inheritance and the darkness of filth clashed on the stele, emitting a grating 'hiss' sound as the stellar dao resonance wailed.

"Courting death!" Han Wuxian's eyes flashed with killing intent, his newly formed Nascent Soul cultivation erupted fully! No longer the previous hasty panic, but now bearing a mighty aura of commanding law and perceiving the origin!

He pointed his fingers like a sword, needing no sword aura, and simply slashed far away at the surging filth torrent!

Silence Extinction·Star Vortex!

Word becomes law! The previously calm stellar lake water before him suddenly boiled, a huge vortex formed from gray‑white Silence Extinction power and brilliant starlight appearing out of thin air, like the entrance to the cosmic return, spanning between Han Wuxian and the filth!

The vortex spun wildly, emitting terrifying devouring and annihilating power! Those ferociously lunging filth tendrils, upon touching the vortex, were like snow thrown into a furnace—instantly crushed, torn, and turned into the most primal void energy! Even the icy deathly silence will within them was forcibly erased!

At the same moment, Han Wuxian's left hand slammed onto the Patrol Star Torch before him!

"Star Torch, cleanse the world!"

He let out a low shout, pouring the newly comprehended stellar purification truth, derived from the Starfall relief, into the lamp without reservation!

Buzz!!!

The Patrol Star Torch seemed to be fully awakened! The illuminated ancient runes on the lamp body burst forth with sun‑like radiance! At the center of the lamp plate, the star torch stone burned with unprecedented intensity; the azure‑green starlight, no longer gentle, transformed into a pillar of pure starlight imbued with ultimate purification will, like a heavenly punishment sword, fiercely smashing into the dark‑purple filth spreading across the stele!

Sizzle!!!

Radiance blazed! The pure ancient dark‑purple filth, under the Patrol Star Torch's full‑power purification pillar, actually emitted a sharp, pain‑filled hiss as the contaminated stellar inscriptions regained their radiance; the stele's wails gradually subsided, and the inheritance was preserved.

Activating the complete Patrol Star Torch with Nascent Soul cultivation, its power finally began to show!

However, the source of filth at the lake bottom seemed utterly enraged! More ink‑black filth surged forth like a geyser, even condensing into a vague giant filth avatar composed of countless anguished faces, emitting terrifying fluctuations comparable to late Nascent Soul, letting out a silent roar that shook the entire stellar lake!

Han Wuxian frowned, feeling a hint of pressure. Purifying the stele required continuous output, while resisting the lake's filth consumed enormous energy; prolonged battle might bring trouble.

Just as he was preparing to employ stronger means, even risking to trigger this place's reincarnation law,

An anomaly arose again!

The small ferryboat that had been quietly moored far away, its bow bearing a dim yellow lantern, suddenly moved!

The ferryman clad in a raincoat slowly raised his hand condensed from starlight. This time, he did not point in any direction, but… gently lifted the rust‑spotted bronze oil lamp from the boat's prow.

Holding the oil lamp, he gently… blew toward the huge filth avatar.

Whoosh!

There was no earth‑shaking spectacle—only a feeble yellow flame, seeming as if it might sputter out at any moment, drifted from the lamp and slowly floated toward the filth avatar.

That flame was so feeble, compared to the Patrol Star Torch's brilliant pillar and the filth avatar's towering momentum, it was utterly insignificant.

However

When that wisp of yellow flame touched the filth avatar!

An unbelievable scene occurred!

The colossal avatar formed from endless filth death aura, emitting late Nascent Soul‑level terrifying fluctuations, like a punctured illusion or meeting the nemesis of nemeses, offered no struggle, letting out a soundless shriek filled with utter terror, and instantly… dissipated!

It was not purified, nor annihilated, but seemed to be directly erased from the concept of 'existence'…

Along with it, the black filth vapor rising from the lake below also swiftly receded like a tide into the depths of the fissure, as if encountering a natural enemy, daring not to show its head again!

The entire stellar lake quickly returned to its former calm, leaving only the Patrol Star Torch's pillar still shining on the stele, emitting a faint purification sound.

Han Wuxian's pupils contracted sharply, his heart churning with tumultuous waves!

What power is this?! Word becomes law? Annihilation? Just what kind of being is this ferryman?!

Having done all that, the ferryman seemed to have merely performed a trifling matter, rehanging the oil lamp on the bow. The dim yellow flame continued to sway, as if it had never left. He turned his head again; those clear, indifferent eyes behind his bamboo hat gazed at Han Wuxian.

This time, his gaze lingered on Han Wuxian for a moment, as if he slightly… nodded?

Then he raised his hand again, pointing in a direction. But this time, he was not pointing at the stele, but toward the deeper part of the stellar lake, that darker region seemingly connected to true void.

At the same time, an extremely faint yet crystal‑clear thought, as if crossing myriad ages, transmitted directly into Han Wuxian's sea of consciousness:

"The inheritance has been obtained; leave quickly."

"Follow the lamp's guidance; the path home… lies beyond."

"Be careful… the Netherworld… 'Ferryboat'…"

The thought ended there. The ferryman withdrew his finger, returning to the immutable statue form, as if he had never moved.

Han Wuxian's heart shuddered! The ferryman not only acted to dispel the filth but also gave clear guidance and warning! Is the way home in the depths of the stellar lake? Beware the Netherworld's 'Ferryboat'? Could it refer to the forces behind that black‑robed guide?

He suppressed his shock and doubts, solemnly bowing toward the ferryman's direction: "Many thanks, senior, for your aid!"

Regardless of what kind of being the other is, this favor must be remembered.

After the rites, he lingered no longer. He had preliminarily obtained the stele's inheritance; the deeper mysteries would need slow digestion later. The urgent task was to find the way home and leave this place of right and wrong.

He glanced at the stele, now purified and radiating starlight anew, imprinting its form and all its inscriptions deep into his soul and spirit. Then he stowed the Patrol Star Torch, his body turning into a streak of light as he sped toward the deepest part of the stellar lake indicated by the ferryman.

The deeper he went, the colder and darker the lake water became; stellar power waned, replaced by a sense of emptiness and void, as if this place were the world's end, the extremity of law.

He did not know how long he had flown when, ahead in the endless darkness, a point of light suddenly appeared.