Chapter 1180

He paused, looked at Tian Shu Zi, and asked a crucial question: "True Immortal, in the ancient Star Palace, or rather, the oldest scriptures of the Star Pivot Hall, is there any record of 'Return to Void' and… a certain 'Gate'?"

Tian Shu Zi heard this, fell into thought, brows knit, seeming to strain to recall something.

After a long while, he suddenly lifted his head, a flash of startled uncertainty in his eyes.

"Return to Void… Gate… Since you mention it, I seem… indeed have seen scattered mentions in an almost indecipherable ancient jade slip left by a generation of headmasters…"

His voice carried a hint of uncertainty and deep reverence.

"The records are vague; fragments say that beyond the realm is not void, but there exist many 'Secret Realms' or 'Remnant Realms', some teeming with life, others dead and barren. The most mysterious and dangerous is a place called the 'All Realms End', the 'Everything's Return'… the Sea of Return to Void."

"As for the 'Gate'…" Tian Shu Zi inhaled deeply, "The records state that the Star Palace ancestors once discovered some ancient 'star gates' not built by the Star Palace, suspected to be left by a civilization older than the Star Palace, but these 'star gates' have long been completely damaged. The only relatively intact one… it is said… it is said to be…"

He pointed south, his voice hoarse:

"…right in the forbidden area of my Star Pivot Hall, at the deepest part of the Star Marrow Sea! But it… has been silent for countless ages, no one can activate it, and no one knows where it leads!"

Han Wuxian's heart leapt!

Star Pivot Hall forbidden area! Deep Star Marrow Sea! An ancient star gate that has lain dormant!

Yong An's goal, is it not only to open the Return to Void Gate, they also intend… to activate this ancient star gate?!

Their plan, interlocking, is far larger and more terrifying than imagined!

"Return to Star Pivot Hall immediately!" Han Wuxian said without hesitation, his tone decisive, "We must confirm the condition of that star gate at once! That place is likely the final key!"

The storm, sweeping across the entire Heavenly Barrier Realm at a speed far exceeding everyone's expectations, was bearing down.

The starship again tore through the sky, racing back to Star Pivot Hall at a near‑self‑destructive speed.

On the vessel, the atmosphere was even more oppressive than on arrival. Tian Shu Zi's face was as still as water, continuously transmitting messages to the Hall via secret arts, ordering the stationed Elder to seal the deep Star Marrow Sea at all costs, strictly forbidding anyone to approach the ancient star gate ruins, while accelerating internal purges to root out all Yong An darklings.

Han Wuxian closed his eyes and gathered his spirit, simultaneously consolidating the just‑broken Huashen Perfected Realm, feeling the surging power within his body, and repeatedly analyzing the fragmentary data sent from the Core Star. The familiar sensation of the object sealed at the altar's center, and the terms "Return to Void Sea", "All Realms End", made him uneasy, as if he had brushed against an extremely ancient and terrifying truth.

The flowing‑cloud starship finally arrived at the Star Pivot Hall mountain gate. The scene before them tightened everyone's hearts.

Though the protective sect array had been repaired, its light still seemed dim, the number of disciples patrolling inside and out of the gate had multiplied several times, each with a grave expression as if facing a great enemy. Tension and a murderous aura filled the air. Clearly, Tian Shu Zi's warning and subsequent orders had already raised a massive wave within the Hall.

The starship flew straight in, without pause, charging toward the forbidden Star Marrow Sea behind the main peak.

At this moment, the outer rim of the Star Marrow Sea was shrouded by layered star‑light seals, several Elders with dense aura personally stationed there; upon seeing Tian Shu Zi and Han Wuxian return, they immediately opened a breach.

"Headmaster! Brother Han!" an Elder stationed there rushed forward, voice urgent, "In accordance with your command, we have completely sealed the depths; no one may enter or exit. But… that star gate ruin, since half a day ago, has been emitting subtle abnormal spatial fluctuations, and… they are growing stronger!"

Tian Shu Zi and Han Wuxian exchanged glances, both seeing the weight in each other's eyes.

Late arrival? Or has Yong An already triggered some back‑door?

The two did not hesitate, turning into streaks of light and plunging into the deep Star Marrow Sea.

The deeper they went, the more pronounced the abnormal spatial fluctuations became. The once‑calm silver surface of the Star Marrow Sea now rippled with fine undulations, as if disturbed by an invisible force. In the air, besides the pure stellar energy, there was an extremely faint yet deeply unsettling… void‑peeling sensation.

At last, they reached the core region of the Star Marrow Sea again.

The area that had once been polluted was purified by Han Wuxian, becoming even more radiant. And in the deepest part of the Star Marrow Sea, the region that had been hidden by heavy seals was now unsealed by Tian Shu Zi's order, revealing its true form.

It was a gigantic circular platform, forged entirely of an unknown dark‑silver metal, etched with countless intricate, ancient patterns even older and more obscure than the ancient Star Palace runes. These patterns were not static; they flowed slowly like living things, emitting a faint spatial energy.

At the platform's center was not solid but a deep, seemingly endless void opening. Around the rim stood twelve incomplete massive stone pillars, each carved with incomprehensible star maps and creature motifs.

This is the ancient star gate that has lain dormant for countless ages!

And now, this supposedly dead star gate is undergoing a transformation!

Within the deep void opening at the star gate's center, darkness is no longer pure; a faint chaotic‑colored light circulates, as if something on the other side is being forcibly activated! That unsettling void‑peeling feeling emanates from this opening!

Even more alarming, the ancient patterns on the star gate platform are accelerating in their flow, radiating an aura of Silence Extinction that shares its source with Yong An's power yet is far older and purer.

"They… they actually can remotely activate the star gate?!" Tian Shu Zi exclaimed, his face turning pale, "How is this possible! This gate has long been damaged, lacking a core; even at the Star Palace's zenith it could not be activated!"

Han Wuxian's gaze was as sharp as a sword, sweeping the entire star gate platform; suddenly his pupils contracted, pointing at several inconspicuous corners of the gate's edge!

"It's not remote activation! True Immortal, look!"

In those corners, ancient patterns had, at some unknown time, been silently inlaid with a handful of fist‑sized, ink‑black crystal stones! These crystals continuously exuded a dense Yong An Silence Extinction aura, corroding the ancient star gate patterns like a virus and using them as a conduit to transmit some energy and command to the gate's core!

"It's a measure the Yong An darklings set in advance!" Tian Shu Zi instantly understood, both shocked and angry, "They have long ago secretly sabotaged the seals, slipped in and tampered with it! They are just waiting for the moment to coordinate inside and out!"

We must stop it immediately!