Chapter 110: Ancient Path of Heroic Spirits

The desolate sound of horns still echoed in the shattered starry sky, as if beating the war drums for a campaign. Countless heroic spirits clad in tattered star armor, as if awakening from a slumber of ten thousand ages, surged out from the ruins in all directions like a gray tide, filled with unyielding battle intent and cold murderous intent, instantly engulfing Lin Xuan, Elder Xingyan, and all the other intruders!

The individual strength of these heroic spirits varied; the weak were equivalent to Golden Core cultivators, while the strong were even comparable to the late Nascent Soul stage! What was more terrifying was that their numbers were endless, their auras connected, and their movements faintly formed battle formations, multiplying their power! Moreover, they were manifestations of obsession and star power, rendering physical attacks significantly less effective; only attacks containing the power of laws could truly injure their foundations.

"Damn it! They are the secret realm's guardian heroic spirits!" The Zhao family Elder was both shocked and furious, waving his magic treasure to shatter several incoming heroic spirit phantoms, but after those spirits dissipated, they quickly re-formed not far away, as if they were immortal and indestructible!

Elder Xingyan’s expression was also grim; the "Dark Star Meteor Blast" he had condensed had to be diverted temporarily, booming toward the area where the heroic spirits were densest!

"Boom!!"

The dark star exploded, and destructive energy swept outward, instantly clearing a large area of heroic spirits, even causing ripples in the void. But soon, more heroic spirits were born from the depths of the ruins and from the points of starlight, surging forward wave after wave!

That heroic spirit commander, standing ten zhang tall, scanned the battlefield with hollow eyes. It pointed its broken sword at Elder Xingyan and let out a silent roar. Immediately, hundreds of powerful heroic spirits changed direction, formed a battle formation, and turned into a torrent of stars, charging at Elder Xingyan without fear of death! Clearly, his powerful attack just now had drawn the "special attention" of the heroic spirits!

Although Elder Xingyan was strong, he was temporarily entangled by this endless, fearless, and constantly regenerating army of heroic spirits, unable to break free for a moment.

The other few Nascent Soul cultivators were in even more precarious situations, struggling under the siege of the heroic spirits and facing constant danger. Under the desperate protection of two royal guards, Huangfu Hao was barely holding on, but his protective light shield was already crumbling.

Feng Xi let out continuous clear cries; the Azure Luan True Flame had a good restraining effect on this type of spirit body. As its wings swept, large swaths of heroic spirits were burned into nothingness, but there were simply too many of them, and it could only protect a small area around itself.

As for Lin Xuan, the moment the heroic spirits appeared, he felt an unusual warmth coming from the Star Meteor Token in his hand. The token seemed to come alive, and soft, pure starlight flowed out from the seemingly chaotic holes on it, forming a thin halo of starlight around him that carried a certain supreme authority.

A marvelous thing happened.

Those heroic spirits that had originally charged toward Lin Xuan suddenly stalled in their movements upon touching this halo of starlight! A trace of an extremely faint, dazed, and reminiscent look seemed to flash across their hollow eyes, and then they all bypassed Lin Xuan and turned to attack others instead! It was as if the area within several zhang of Lin Xuan had become an invisible "safe zone"!

A few heroic spirits with particularly powerful auras even bowed slightly when approaching Lin Xuan, performing an action similar to "saluting," before turning to join the battle against the others!

"The Star Meteor Token... it is a token of identity! These heroic spirits recognize the Star Meteor Token!" Lin Xuan realized instantly! This token left behind by the Observer Xing Yuanzi was not only the key to opening the portal but also the proof to gain the recognition of the secret realm's guardian heroic spirits!

His heart settled, and his gaze immediately turned toward the depths of the shattered continent, in the direction the Star Meteor Token was pointing—the Hunyuan Star Palace!

"Follow me!" Lin Xuan gave a low shout to Huangfu Hao and Feng Xi beside him, and the starlight halo around him expanded, enveloping the two of them and the luan as well.

Sure enough, those heroic spirits chose to avoid them after coming into contact with this expanded halo!

A "safe passage" leading to the depths of the continent, opened by the Star Meteor Token, had appeared!

Lin Xuan did not hesitate; his body turned into a stream of light, and he sped toward the depths of the continent along this passage! Feng Xi followed closely behind, carrying Huangfu Hao.

"Junior, don't run! Leave the Star Meteor Token behind!" Seeing this, Elder Xingyan was so angry that his eyes were about to split! How could he not see the wonders of that Star Meteor Token? If he let Lin Xuan enter the Hunyuan Star Palace first, his trip would likely end in failure!

He roared wildly, not hesitating to consume his origin, and his Universal Star Dharma Body erupted with blinding light, forcibly shaking away the heroic spirit formation surrounding him. He turned into a brilliant star rainbow and chased after Lin Xuan! After all, he was a Soul Transformation cultivator; with his full power unleashed, his speed was astonishing, and he actually managed to close the distance quickly despite starting later!

As for those heroic spirits, they seemed extremely angry at Elder Xingyan’s "forced entry," and more of them, especially that heroic spirit commander, roared and launched an even crazier interception against him!

For a time, Elder Xingyan was like someone trapped in a quagmire, his speed greatly reduced. He could only watch helplessly as the figures of Lin Xuan and the others gradually moved away, and he roared in anger repeatedly, yet he was helpless.

The other few Nascent Soul cultivators were even more desperate. Having neither the protection of the Star Meteor Token nor the Soul Transformation cultivation base to break through by force, they were soon completely engulfed by the endless army of heroic spirits. Their protective spiritual lights shattered one after another, their screams came to an abrupt end, and they became new nutrients for this ancient battlefield.

Lin Xuan and his two companions traveled along the passage opened by the Star Meteor Token, unimpeded all the way. The deeper they went, the more shattered the surrounding scenery became, and the aura of decay and destruction grew more intense. They could even see some enormous, mountain-like strange skeletons half-buried in the ruins, flashing with a cold metallic luster, not knowing what kind of powerful existences they were the remains of.

A sorrowful, desolate, yet incomparably heroic atmosphere began to permeate the air, as if silently recounting the tragedy and heroism of that ancient "War of Heaven-Slaying."

After traveling for about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the scene ahead suddenly changed.

A relatively intact, massive plaza appeared before their eyes. The plaza was paved with a certain warm white jade, and although it was covered in cracks, it still emitted a faint spiritual light. At the end of the plaza stood a towering complex of palaces that, even in their dilapidated state, allowed one to imagine their former glory.

The palaces were cast entirely from dark blue star divine gold, with flying eaves and arched beams, carved with maps of the universal stars and various profound runes. But now, most of the palaces had collapsed, and the walls were covered in huge claw marks and burn marks, as if they had been destroyed by some irresistible, great power.

Above the highest and most central main hall hung a half-fallen plaque, inscribed with four dragon-like, phoenix-dancing characters that carried endless Dao rhyme—

Hunyuan Star Palace!

They had finally arrived!

Lin Xuan could feel that the scorching heat of the Star Meteor Token in his hand had reached its peak, resonating strongly with the ruined palace! The feeling of being summoned was coming from the depths of the main hall!

However, just as they were about to step onto the plaza and approach the Hunyuan Star Palace—

"Hum!"

A powerful, cold, and exclusionary restrictive force suddenly rose from the plaza, forming a translucent barrier of starlight that blocked their path!

Unlike the heroic spirits on the periphery, this barrier was not a living being but a pure array restriction, exuding an inviolable majesty. The halo of the Star Meteor Token shone onto the barrier, and although it caused it to fluctuate, it did not open a passage as it had for the heroic spirits.

Clearly, this inner restriction required a specific method or higher authority to open.

Lin Xuan stopped and frowned, carefully observing the starlight barrier. He could feel that the star power contained within the barrier was extremely pure and ancient, and its complexity far exceeded any array he had seen before.

Just as he was pondering a way to break it, the angry roar of Elder Xingyan and the sound of even more intense energy collisions came from far behind. Clearly, that old monster was sparing no cost to forcibly break through the heroic spirit interception and would catch up before long!

Time was pressing!

Lin Xuan’s gaze swept across the ruined Hunyuan Star Palace and finally landed on the two stone statues in front of the main hall gate, which, although broken, still exuded a daunting aura.

They were two stone statues of warriors clad in star armor, holding giant axes and halberds. They were not heroic spirits but true inanimate objects, yet Lin Xuan felt from them a trace of an aura that was of the same origin as the Star Meteor Token, but even deeper and heavier.

"A test... or perhaps, the key, might be right there."

He no longer hesitated and stepped toward the two stone statues.