Chapter 1360: Star‑Scourge Annihilation Thunder

"Junior Yan Buji, I have seen you, senior Moonlit Fairy," Yan Buji bowed respectfully, neither servile nor arrogant; since the other had seen through him, he need not further disguise, and the aura of the Great Vehicle Stage peak naturally radiated, though he still refined details with a restrained aura, the profound, towering, unfathomable impression could not be fully hidden.

The Moonlit Fairy's eyes flickered: "Great Vehicle Stage peak? Indeed… a Chaos Dao embryo, an extraordinary advancement. The old Daoist Jingxu Zi is lucky." She paused, then bluntly said: "I too am interested in the Void‑Space Ancient Array. Jingxu Zi seeks the 'Dao' and the 'Reason'; I seek a strand of 'Taiyin Source Soul' possibly sealed within the array. This item is vital to my Guanghan Palace. Our goals do not directly conflict, so we may travel together for now."

"Senior wishes to cooperate with junior?" Yan Buji asked.

"It's not cooperation, just each taking what we need," the Moonlit Fairy corrected. "I can help you cross this river and deal with any 'Starbone Grievance Spirits' and 'spatial folds' that may appear on the wasteland. In exchange, if you enter the core of the ancient array, watch for the trail of the 'Taiyin Source Soul'; if you find it, inform me. I have means to guide you, so you need not risk retrieving it yourself." Her terms sounded simpler than Jingxu Zi's, requiring only information.

Yan Buji pondered. The Moonlit Fairy's power was formidable; with her aid, crossing the Weak Water Nether River and the subsequent Shattered Star Wasteland would indeed save much trouble. Moreover, her goal was clear and seemed to have no ulterior designs toward him. Yet the mind of a Great Vehicle cultivator could not be judged by ordinary logic.

"Why don't you go yourself, senior? With your cultivation, this Nether River and wasteland could not stop you." Yan Buji asked the same question.

A faint ripple passed over the Moonlit Fairy's cold face: "The ancient array repels the power of utmost Yin even more strongly; if my true form approaches the core, it may trigger an array shift, burning jade and stone alike. Moreover…" She swept her gaze over the depths of the river as if seeing through the black water, "Here, and on the wasteland, certain 'things' are especially 'fond' of my Taiyin power, easily drawing attacks."

Yan Buji understood. Elemental clash or attraction in such perilous terrain would indeed become a huge burden. By contrast, the 'neutral' and 'inclusive' nature of Chaos Force became an advantage.

"Since you are willing, junior will obey. But I wonder, besides the Weak Water itself, what other dangers lie within this Nether River that make you cautious?" Yan Buji looked at the oddly calm river surface.

The Moonlit Fairy did not answer directly, but extended a slender finger toward a void in the river.

A point of condensed, solid-like moonlight burst forth, sinking into the black water.

In an instant, an anomaly erupted!

The river water touched by the moonlight suddenly boiled, not from heat but as if something had been startled. Beneath the water, countless grim green specks lit up, dense as a reflected star river, yet filled with deathly silence and venomous resentment. Immediately, semi‑transparent, twisted shapes—like assemblages of countless wailing souls—rose silently from the water, emitting a piercing shriek that pierced the spirit!

"Nether River wraiths, nourished by Weak Water, are neither dead nor destroyed; they devour living souls, divine spirit and yang qi. To a body of utmost Yin, they instinctively covet," the Moonlit Fairy said coldly. Moonlight swelled around her, forming a smooth barrier that kept the oncoming wraiths at bay. The wraiths struck the moonlight, hissing and spewing black smoke, yet kept coming, fearless of death.

At the same time, deeper in the river, a larger shadow swam, exuding a heart‑pounding pressure that was not weaker than the Great Vehicle Stage!

Yan Buji's eyes hardened. This Weak Water Nether River was indeed more than just a "water" issue. He no longer hesitated, stepped forward, and was already beside the Moonlit Fairy.

"Senior, please show the way."

The Moonlit Fairy glanced at him, seeing him surrounded by wraiths; gray light swirled around him, and any wraith that touched him melted like ice under sun, being directly assimilated and devoured by Chaos Force—more thorough than her moonlight purification—her eyes widened in surprise. She said nothing more, raised a graceful hand, and a bright moonbeam formed a bridge from her feet outward, pointing toward the crossing point marked on Jingxu Zi's map.

"Stay close."

The two, one ahead of the other, stepped onto the moonlight bridge, racing across the endless wraith shrieks and assaults toward the far bank. The massive shadow beneath the surface seemed to hesitate under the influence of moonlight and Chaos, wavering briefly before staying submerged.

The moonlight bridge was not entirely unaffected by Weak Water; where it touched the river, moonlight constantly melted, but the Moonlit Fairy's deep cultivation continuously replenished it, stabilizing the bridge. Yan Buji cleared the wraiths attacking from both sides; Chaos Force cut through them with great efficiency.

Along the way they also encountered several sections where space twisted abnormally, even brief "Weak Water storms" that whipped up towering black waves, containing terrifying space‑tearing power. Both displayed their divine arts: the Moonlit Fairy fixed the storm's core with moonlight, while Yan Buji used Chaos Force to forcibly smooth the turbulent spatial ripples, and together they passed without incident.

After roughly an hour, the opposite bank came into view.

At that moment, the anomaly reappeared!

Grey mist on the far bank roiled violently, and a massive, dark‑golden thunderbolt ripped through the mist without warning, striking the two crossing the river. This thunder was not a heavenly tribulation; it bore a ferocious intent of shattered stars and chaotic Geng Metal malice, its power enough to cripple ordinary Great Vehicle cultivators!

"Star‑Scourge Annihilation Thunder?! So there really is a 'thing' guarding here!" the Moonlit Fairy snorted coldly, forming a jade hand seal; a phantom moon rose behind her, its clear light cascading into layered curtains that met the dark‑gold thunder.

Yan Buji's eyes flashed with brilliance; instead of retreating he surged forward, actively meeting the thunder! He clenched his right fist, gray‑hued Chaos Force coalesced, and atop the fist seemed a miniature universe constantly birthing and dying, a terrifying fist intent of "All things return to the void, all becomes Chaos" soaring skyward!

Divine Art — Chaos Return‑to‑Void Fist!

There was no earth‑shaking explosion, only a chilling "vanishing." At the instant the dark‑gold Star‑Scourge Annihilation Thunder collided with the Chaos Fist, the thunder that could destroy stars dimmed like ice under the sun, quickly fading, disintegrating, and finally turning into strands of pure star‑scourge qi and Geng Metal vital energy, all devoured by Yan Buji's chaotic vortex within his fist.

One punch, the Star‑Scourge Annihilation Thunder was erased!

In the Moonlit Fairy's cold eyes, a clear ripple finally appeared. She admitted she could have intercepted or dispersed the thunder, but she could not wield it so lightly, turning its power to her own use. Chaos Force was truly that domineering!

From the mist on the opposite bank came a furious low growl, as if the attacking presence had not expected its strike to be so easily nullified. The mist churned more violently, revealing a massive, mountain‑sized silhouette composed of dark‑gold metal and shattered star fragments, eight arms sprouting, exuding overwhelming malice and stellar pressure.

"Star‑bone Puppet? Or an ancient demon corrupted by star‑scourge qi?" Yan Buji landed back on the moonlight bridge, his gaze icy as he stared at the opposite bank. This thing's aura had already reached the late Great Vehicle stage, and it occupied the advantageous riverbank.

"No need to tangle; crossing is urgent," the Moonlit Fairy clearly recognized the difficulty, and the moonlight bridge surged in speed toward the bank.

The dark‑gold giant roared, its eight arms waving, firing dark‑gold beams and shattered star phantoms, attempting to block the two from landing.

Yan Buji and the Moonlit Fairy struck simultaneously. Behind the Fairy, the phantom moonlight radiated brilliantly, countless moon‑light blades rained down like a storm, canceling most of the attack. Yan Buji pointed both hands like swords, a gray‑hued "Chaos Sword Aura" surged forward, ignoring the star‑phantom barriers and slashing straight toward the giant's core—a dark‑gold crystal embedded in its chest, pulsating.

Where the sword aura passed, a lingering gray scar remained in space; all obstructing malice, metal shards, were silently dissolved.

"Roar—!"

The dark‑gold giant sensed the lethal threat, all eight arms flared, forming layered dark‑gold shields over its chest while exhaling a black breath mixed with star fragments.

Yet the sharpness of the Chaos Sword Aura far exceeded its expectation. The shields shattered, the black breath was split in two by the aura; though the aura was largely consumed and dimmed, it still precisely pierced the dark‑gold crystal!

"Crack!"

A faint cracking sound. The giant's movement froze; a clear fissure appeared on the chest crystal, its violent aura waned, emitting a reluctant wail, and the massive body toppled backward into the grey mist on the far bank, stirring dust everywhere.

The moonlight bridge arrived at the shore at that moment.

Yan Buji and the Moonlit Fairy landed steadily, looked back, the Nether River remained dead silent, the wraiths vanished, only the far‑bank dust unsettled.

"What a Chaos Return‑to‑Void," the Moonlit Fairy said to Yan Buji, tone still flat, but her approval evident. "The Shattered Star Wasteland lies a hundred li ahead. There, true danger awaits. The Void‑Space Ancient Array is not far."

Yan Buji gazed north, where the sky grew deeper and more chaotic, massive star‑like luminous bodies hovering or falling upon the earth, and a soul‑stirring sense of ultimate "return to the void" emanated, faint even from afar.

He inhaled deeply; the core challenge of the secret realm was about to begin.

"Senior, please."