Chapter 1190

The sky of the Tianyuan Realm, that ferocious black fissure like a scar on the world, silently spoke of the approaching end. Though the icy Silence Extinction aura seeped out only in wisps, it had already quietly accelerated the withering speed of all things, and the vitality within the spiritual qi also seemed to be shrouded in a layer of gray haze.

Three hundred sixty days. This is the deadline given by the world's will's final lament.

Inside the Star Pivot Pavilion, deathly silence reigned. Even though Han Wuxian's sword slaying of Void Refinement and breakthrough brought exhilaration, it turned to nothing in the cold, merciless 'cleansing procedure' announcement. Despair spread like a plague.

Tianzhu Zi seemed to have aged a thousand years in an instant. He gazed at the dim sky outside the hall, his voice hoarse: 'Testing zone… cleansing… It turns out our desperate struggle, in the eyes of those Existence, is merely that of penned ants; when the time comes, we shall be swept into the ruins…'

Han Wuxian remained silent, the black token he had obtained from the Cangwu Realm altar, inscribed with the character 'Enjoin', still scorching hot, as if resonating strangely with that sky fissure. In his mind echoed Yu's warning, the grim state of the Cangwu Realm, and the terrifying giant hand of the grave keeper.

Escape? Hide? Like the Greenwood Clan, merely clinging to life?

No.

He slowly raised his head; his eyes no longer held confusion and heaviness, but a settled, ice‑like resolve.

'True Person,' he spoke, his voice calm yet carrying undeniable force, 'The Tianyuan Realm is no lamb.'

Tianzhu Zi stared, then looked at him.

'Since the Realm Spirit has given a deadline, it leaves a sliver of life. Three hundred sixty days is not a period to await death, but… a time to fight for our lives!' Han Wuxian's gaze swept over those in the hall, 'The ancient Star Palace could have left the Star Gate, the Source Star Core, and the Patrol Star Torch; it may not have left other means. The Silence Extinction tide is not unstoppable; otherwise why would there be a 'cleansing' rather than outright erasure?'

His words were like icy flame, rekindling a sliver of hot blood in everyone's hearts.

'Fellow Daoist Han speaks truly!' Yun Chen wiped the blood from his mouth corner, struggled to his feet, 'Better to die fighting than to wait for death!'

'Let's fight!'

'Defend our home!'

More and more Elder disciples lifted their heads, battle spirit rekindling in their eyes.

Tianzhu Zi looked at Han Wuxian, drew a deep breath, and heavily slapped the chair's armrest: 'Good! Then we will fight for that sliver of life! Fellow Daoist Han, what is your plan?'

Han Wuxian pondered a moment, then said: 'The urgent tasks are three. First, unite all forces that can be united in the Tianyuan Realm, set aside past grudges, and jointly resist the great calamity. Second, expend all resources to raise cultivation, especially top‑tier combat power. Third, and most important,' he raised the black token in his hand, 'we must devote ourselves to seeking clues left by the ancient Star Palace and even older eras, to decipher the secret of this 'cleansing', and find a way to resist or even reverse the Silence Extinction tide.'

'I will, in the name of the Star Pivot Pavilion, issue the 'Myriad Immortals Covenant Order', summoning heroes from all under heaven to discuss plans to save the world!' Tianzhu Zi acted swiftly and decisively.

'I and the Greenwood Clan can take charge of sorting out and repairing the ancient formations and secret realms left behind; perhaps we can find some clues.' Elder Mu Yan spoke.

'I volunteer to lead a team to clear out the remnants of the Eternal Dark strongholds, gather intelligence, and seek other possible survivors like those of the Cangwu Realm.' Qing Lin stepped forward.

Everyone quickly clarified their divisions and began operating efficiently.

Han Wuxian then entered once more the deepest chamber of the Star Pivot Pavilion's Sutra Secret Pavilion. This time he was no longer limited to the Star Palace scriptures; he turned his gaze to those ancient bamboo slips and stone inscriptions recording heavenly oddities, primordial secrets, and even what were considered absurd legends.

With his Void Refinement‑stage divine sense combined with the Source Star Core, his ability to process information reached an astonishing degree. Vast amounts of information were continually screened, categorized, and deduced.

Days passed one by one.

The Tianyuan Realm stirred with wind and clouds. The Myriad Immortals Covenant Order was issued; the major sects were shocked by the truth, and under the absolute threat of annihilation they finally set aside their grudges, responded in kind, and dispatched strong cultivators to the Star Pivot Pavilion. The power of the cultivation world began to coalesce as never before.

Resources were concentrated; in the seclusion sites, pillars of light shot up to the sky day and night, as people continually attempted breakthroughs.

Qing Lin's elite squad indeed, while clearing a secret Eternal Dark outpost, discovered a hidden passage leading to a small fractured world similar to the Cangwu Realm; from it they rescued another band of the near‑extinct Fire‑Li Clan, skilled in artifact forging, bringing more fragmentary information about the Eternal Dark and the Silence Extinction tide.

Elder Mu Yan, leading the Greenwood Clan and the Star Pivot Pavilion's formation masters, successfully restored an ancient 'Heavenly Circuit Spirit‑Gathering Grand Array' left behind; it temporarily stabilized the spiritual qi decline in the area around the Star Pivot Pavilion, and from it they deciphered some ancient records concerning the 'Realm Vein' and 'Earth Lung'.

Everything was developing toward the better, yet that sky fissure remained like a Sword of Damocles hanging overhead.

One day, Han Wuxian finally lifted his head from the vast sea of ancient texts; his eyes flashed with a trace of fatigue, yet more so with a hint of realization.

He had found several crucial clues.

First, concerning that black token. It is not an object of the Eternal Dark, but comes from an even more ancient civilization named the Nine Abysses, older than the ancient Star Palace. That civilization appears to have conducted unique research on the Silence Extinction force, even attempting to 'command' rather than resist it. The character 'Enjoin' on the token may be a token of authority or a credential.

Second, on an extremely ancient animal‑skin scroll, it is mentioned that deep beneath the Tianyuan Realm lies a core of the earth's veins called the Eye of the Returning Ruins. There the Silence Extinction breath first seeps in, yet it may also be where the world's last vitality bursts forth. Perhaps it hides the secret of the world's self‑salvation.

Third, and the boldest speculation. Based on multiple sources of information, that icy 'cleansing procedure' is not impossible to interfere with. If one could locate and destroy its 'anchor point' in this realm, the process might be delayed or even temporarily halted. And the most likely position for that anchor point is directly beneath that sky fissure—namely, the Royal Pole Abyss at the geographical center of the Central Prefecture of the Tianyuan Realm.

Han Wuxian immediately reported his findings to Tianzhu Zi.

'The Royal Pole Abyss?!' Tianzhu Zi's face changed. 'That place has always been a forbidden land; space is chaotic, laws collapse, and no one has ever been able to reach its core! Even a Mahayana‑stage great cultivator once tried to break in and returned with severe injuries!'

'Precisely because of that, it is most likely the anchor point's location.' Han Wuxian's eyes sharpened, 'We must go there.'

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded from outside the hall.

Yun Chen strode in, his face grave: 'Sect Master, Fellow Daoist Han! The representatives of the major sects have mostly gathered, but… the Royal Pole Sect, the Netherworld Dao, and a few other sects propose that, if they are to cooperate fully, they must share the Star Gate's authorization, and… they demand that Fellow Daoist Han surrender all inheritances and treasures he obtained in the Cangwu Realm!'

Tianzhu Zi's brows furrowed at once.

Han Wuxian merely gave a cold snort: 'Even with a great enemy before us, they still indulge in internal strife for profit. It seems some people need a reminder of the current situation.'

He rose to his feet and said to Tianzhu Zi, 'True Person, the alliance meeting will proceed as usual. I'll go and return shortly.'

Having said that, without waiting for Tianzhu Zi's reply, he stepped out, and his figure vanished within the hall.