Chapter 144

The chaos in Heishuicheng had not yet subsided, and the underground stone cavern was filled with blood, dust, and the bewilderment of surviving a disaster. Lin Xuan's whisper, "Something happened in Hanhai," exploded in Zhao Yuan's heart like a thunderclap.

No need for more words, Zhao Yuan immediately felt the subtle, unsettling "strings" in the world around him being quietly plucked. It was not the cold infiltration of the Erosion Realm's demonic power, but a more grand, more primitive "restlessness" and "lament" that seemed to originate from the very fabric of the world. The "Silent Shadow" divine sword in his hand also made a sharp and low buzzing sound, the dark gold and gray-white patterns on the sword body flickering, as if sensing the resonance coming from the distant other side that was of the same origin but full of madness and destruction.

"Senior?" Zhao Yuan suppressed the palpitation in his heart and looked at Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan's eyes were deep, as if piercing through the thick rock layer of the stone cavern, crossing endless mountains and seas, directly "seeing" the upheaval happening deep in the Hanhai. The Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body's perception of "tribulation" and "abnormality" was more direct and essential than any divination or deduction.

"Return to Ruins Sea Eye... has a big problem." Lin Xuan withdrew his gaze, his speaking speed accelerating. "This place should not be stayed in for long. Zhao Yuan, you immediately contact the alliance personnel on the periphery, take over this place, clear out the remnants, appease the survivors, and be sure to find out the other roots of the 'Rebirth Sect' on the continent. Those stone slab fragments and this cult priest (pointing to the hunched figure whose aura was almost annihilated) are all important clues."

"Yes!" Zhao Yuan replied. "Then Senior, you..."

"I must rush to Hanhai immediately," Lin Xuan said in a deep voice. "The pulse just now was no small matter. It is not just the anomaly of the Sea Eye, but there is some kind of... 'thing' that is of the same origin as the 'Blood God' intent but countless times larger, that is awakening or descending. This matter concerns the safety of the entire alliance, and even the survival of this realm, and brooks no delay."

He paused, took out a specially made communication jade talisman, injected a wisp of pure Chaos Tribulation Power into it, and the jade talisman immediately lit up with a faint clear light: "I will continue to transmit the situation in Hanhai back with this talisman. Once you are done here, if you feel it is necessary, you can also follow later. But be sure to be careful, there may still be 'Erosion Realm' insiders and 'Rebirth Sect' remnants lurking inside the continent."

After speaking, Lin Xuan no longer delayed, his figure flickered, and he had turned into an almost imperceptible gray-misty stream of light, instantly passing through the collapsed mine tunnel, rushing out of the old mine pit, and shooting straight into the eastern sky, his speed reaching the extreme.

Zhao Yuan watched Lin Xuan leave, took a deep breath, suppressed the waves in his heart, and turned to face the chaotic situation in the stone cavern. His eyes became sharp and firm, the "Silent Shadow" in his hand chirped lightly, and he began to execute the instructions Lin Xuan left behind.

Almost at the same time Lin Xuan left Heishuicheng.

Endless Hanhai, the branch of the Star Palace located on "Broken Star Island," was in a mess.

Broken Star Island was not a real island, but an "artificial immortal island" suspended above the sea, forcibly aggregated by countless huge meteorite fragments with arrays; it was the most important outpost and fortress of the Star Palace in the eastern region of the Hanhai. At this moment, this giant island, which used to be bright with starlight and ethereal with immortal energy, was shrouded in an increasingly thick dark red sky curtain that seemed to be mixed with blood stains!

The stars in the night sky lost all their light, covered in an ominous red color. The air was filled with a heavy fishy smell of the sea and a strange aura that made people feel uneasy, as if it were a mixture of rust and sweetness. The island's surrounding defensive array, the "Zhou Tian Star Dou Array," had been fully activated, and countless starlight chains intertwined into a net, trying their best to resist the dark red foul light from the outside that was pervasive and eroding the foundation of the array.

Island core, Star Observatory Hall.

Beichen's face was pale, with a trace of blood that had not been wiped clean remaining at the corner of his mouth, and he was nervously operating a huge "Star Observatory Armillary Sphere" constructed of star essence gold and deep-sea cold jade with several Star Palace elders and deacons. The star trajectories that were originally clearly flowing on the armillary sphere were now chaotic, and the area representing the direction of the Return to Ruins Sea Eye was covered by a dark red stain that was constantly spreading and wriggling like a living thing; in the center of the stain, a point of darkness as deep as ink was frantically devouring the surrounding starlight simulation.

"Array feedback! The spiritual power output of array bases No. 17, 21, and 35 of the 'Nine Heavens Demon-Suppressing Array' on the periphery of the Return to Ruins Sea Eye is abnormal and is decaying rapidly! The eruption intensity of the 'Primordial Demonic Energy' inside the Sea Eye has increased fivefold! And it has detected... unknown high-concentration 'Blood Evil Resentment' and 'Decaying Star Evil' mixed energy!" A deacon responsible for monitoring the array reported with a trembling voice.

"'Blood Evil Resentment'? 'Decaying Star Evil'?" A Star Palace elder with white hair and beard, whose aura had reached the early Soul Formation stage, said in horror, "What are those things? Only 'Primordial Demonic Energy' has ever escaped from the Return to Ruins Sea Eye! Ancient books have never recorded these two types of energy!"

Beichen stared fixedly at the wriggling stain on the armillary sphere, star light flashing violently in his eyes. He remembered the instructions of Palace Master Star River True Person before he left, and the sporadic records about some ancient Hanhai taboos, and a terrible guess came to his mind: "Could it be... the legend is true? The ancient 'Blood Star Rebellion,' that 'Blood Skeleton Star God' who fed on stars and used the essence and blood of all living beings as sacrifices... part of its remains and resentment after its fall did not completely dissipate, but sank into the depths of the Return to Ruins Sea Eye, entangled with the 'Primordial Demonic Energy' for years... Now, it has been triggered by the power of the 'Erosion Realm,' or rather, has reached some kind of... symbiosis or cooperation with the 'Erosion Realm'?!"

This guess was too shocking, and even he himself felt it was unbelievable. But the anomalies before him—twisted starlight, foul blood color, decaying star evil—all pointed to that terrifying name that had long been forgotten by most cultivators and was only vaguely mentioned in the oldest remaining scrolls.

Just then, a rapid sound of breaking through the air came from outside the hall.

The figures of Lingshuang of the Profound Ice Pavilion and Yangang of the Giant Spirit Sect rushed into the hall almost at the same time. Their expressions were equally grave, obviously their respective stations had also sensed this terrifying anomaly sweeping the Hanhai.

"Fellow Daoist Beichen! How is the situation?" Lingshuang's voice was still cold, but the ice-blue light in her pupils was as sharp as a sword.

"The Return to Ruins Sea Eye is completely out of control! The 'Nine Heavens Demon-Suppressing Array' is on the verge of collapse! There is also an eruption of unknown 'Blood Evil Resentment,' and its nature... is suspected to be related to some ancient taboo existence." Beichen quickly informed them of the situation. "I have sent the highest-level emergency request for help to the Palace Master, but the Palace Master is in seclusion to break through the bottleneck, and I don't know when he will receive it and rush over. The array here can only support for three days at most!"

Yangang's eyes widened in anger: "Three days? Damn it! Those little demonic bastards really have many tricks! Regardless of what Blood God or Skeleton God it is, if it dares to show its head, I will smash it back with this pair of hammers!"

"Do not be reckless!" Beichen shouted. "Now the situation in the Sea Eye is unclear, and approaching rashly may lead to no return! The top priority is to stabilize the defense line of Broken Star Island, and at the same time... request emergency support from the Tianyuan Imperial Dynasty Alliance! Fellow Daoist Lin Xuan once said that his Chaos Tribulation Power has a miraculous effect on purifying demonic energy, and perhaps it also has a restraint on this 'Blood Evil Resentment'! And the deduction ability of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion Master may help us see the truth!"

Lingshuang nodded: "I have already sent a message to my pavilion, and the experts in the pavilion are rushing over. At the same time, as the Deputy Alliance Leader, I have also sent an emergency request for help to the imperial capital."

As soon as the words fell, an array platform in the hall specifically used for receiving emergency communications from the alliance suddenly lit up with strong silver light! An urgent intent message jointly blessed by Huangfu Hao's dragon energy and the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's secret arts instantly entered the minds of the core figures present:

"The Hanhai anomaly has been detected by the imperial capital! Consultant Lin is rushing over at full speed! I have ordered Eunuch Wei to assemble the 2nd and 3rd Legions of the 'Demon-Slaying Army' and the elites of the Imperial Dynasty Consultant Hall to set off immediately to support! The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion Master's deduction was blocked and he was injured by the backlash, but he sent back an eight-character warning: 'Blood Star Erodes the Sea, Ancient Contract Will Be Repaid.' Please hold on, everyone, wait for reinforcements, and do not go deep into the Sea Eye alone!"

"'Blood Star Erodes the Sea, Ancient Contract Will Be Repaid!'" Beichen repeated these eight characters in a low voice, the chill in his heart deepening. This confirmed his worst guess! Could that so-called "Ancient Contract" refer to...

Before he could think deeply.

"Boom—!!!"

A terrifying roar that was duller and closer than any previous sound, as if originating from the depths of the earth beneath their feet, slammed from the direction of the Return to Ruins Sea Eye! The entire Broken Star Island shook violently! In the Star Observatory Hall, the huge Star Observatory Armillary Sphere made a harsh creaking sound, and several fine cracks actually appeared on its surface!

Immediately after, all cultivators on Broken Star Island, regardless of their cultivation level, felt a grand will that was indescribable and mixed with extreme resentment, crazy hunger, and the sorrow of star annihilation, sweeping across the entire island like an invisible tsunami! Countless low-level disciples held their heads and screamed, black blood oozing from their seven orifices; even Soul Formation cultivators like Beichen, Lingshuang, and Yangang felt their souls shake violently, and their Dao foundations appeared unstable!

The "Zhou Tian Star Dou Array" on the periphery of the island let out a groan that it could not bear, as if the glass was about to shatter! On the array light curtain, countless dark red patterns like blood vessels spread and bulged rapidly, frantically devouring the starlight energy!

"Not good! That thing... is actively attacking the array! It is 'calling' or 'attracting' starlight power!" Beichen exclaimed, feeling that the star cultivation method he practiced actually showed signs of losing control and backfiring!

Just then.

A gray stream of light that was not grand but carried a strange Dao rhyme of "pacification" and "ending," like a sharp sword breaking through the foul blood curtain, shot from the western sky at a speed beyond imagination, and in an instant, hovered in front of the crumbling "Zhou Tian Star Dou Array" on the periphery of Broken Star Island.

The stream of light dissipated, revealing Lin Xuan's figure.

He was still in simple green robes, but the gray-misty chaos halo naturally flowing around him made the dark red foul light filling the sky unable to get close. In his pupils, the scene of chaos birth and death flowed rapidly, and he was calmly sizing up the scene before him that was like the end of the world—the broken stars, the foul blood light, the groaning array, and the terrifying aura mixed with "Primordial Demonic Energy," "Blood Evil Resentment," and "Decaying Star Evil" coming from the direction of the Sea Eye, which made even his Chaos Tribulation Crystal tremble slightly.

"Fellow Daoist Lin!" Seeing Lin Xuan arrive, Beichen and the others were all refreshed, as if they had seen their backbone.

Lin Xuan nodded slightly to them, but his gaze had already been cast into the depths of the Return to Ruins Sea Eye. In his "Tribulation Dao perspective," it was no longer a simple "energy eruption point," but a huge, slowly "opening" "Chaos Wound" composed of countless negative energies and ancient resentment! Deep in the wound, one could vaguely see a twisted outline that was unimaginably huge and composed of countless star remains and foul flesh and blood, slowly wriggling and struggling in the endless demonic energy and blood light, trying to break through some kind of restraint!

What shocked him even more was that on the edge of this "Chaos Wound," he also "saw" two relatively small, yet equally evil fluctuations of the Soul Formation level—it was "Iron Body" and "Returning Soul"! They seemed to be injecting the power of the "Erosion Realm" into the ancient Blood Skeleton Star God's residual intent in some way, accelerating its awakening, and trying to establish some kind of "connection" or "control" with it!

"It really is the collusion between ancient evil things and the Demon Abyss..." Lin Xuan understood in his heart, and at the same time felt unprecedented pressure. Facing "Iron Body" or "Returning Soul" alone, he might still have the power to fight, but adding the "Blood Skeleton Star God" residual intent that was awakening and whose status was probably beyond Void Refinement, as well as the entire runaway Return to Ruins Sea Eye... the situation was as precarious as a pile of eggs!

"Fellow Daoist Lin, what should we do now?" Beichen transmitted anxiously. "The array won't last long! Once that thing inside the Sea Eye completely breaks free, I fear the entire eastern part of the Hanhai will turn into a dead zone!"

Lin Xuan pondered for a moment and decided quickly: "The array must be stabilized; this is the first barrier to resist the spread of its power. Fellow Daoist Beichen, you and the others from the Star Palace, fully maintain the array core, and I will assist you in stabilizing the array base with Chaos Tribulation Power and purify the eroded 'Blood Evil Resentment'."

"Elder Lingshuang, please lead the Profound Ice Pavilion cultivators to deploy the 'Profound Ice World-Purifying Array' on the periphery of Broken Star Island; do not seek to kill the enemy, only seek to delay and freeze the foul energy and possible demonic things overflowing from the Sea Eye to the greatest extent, and buy time for reinforcements."

"Elder Yangang, the Giant Spirit Sect's body cultivators have yang-strong blood energy, which has a certain restraint on evil spirits; please lead your troops to patrol the periphery of the island and clear any demonized sea beasts or lurking evil things that try to approach or destroy the array from the inside."

"I will try to approach the periphery of the Sea Eye to observe its changes and try to... interfere with the ritual of 'Iron Body' and 'Returning Soul' to delay the awakening speed of that ancient evil thing. But do not fight for long, we need to wait for the imperial dynasty reinforcements to arrive before discussing long-term plans."

The orders were clear and explicit, and everyone took their orders and acted separately.

Lin Xuan took a step forward, his figure merging into the void, and when he appeared again, he was already on the edge of the "Zhou Tian Star Dou Array" where the fluctuations were violent and the dark red foul light was the thickest. He formed seals with both hands, the phantom of the Chaos Tribulation Dao Dharma Body behind him appearing and disappearing, and a pure and vast Chaos Tribulation Power, like an invisible tide, surged toward several array base nodes of the array that had already appeared cracks and were most severely eroded by Blood Evil Resentment.

"Chaos returns to ruins, all filth cannot invade."

Wherever the gray-misty chaos airflow passed, those wriggling and spreading blood-colored patterns were like meeting a nemesis, making a "chi-chi" burning sound, quickly receding and purifying. The dim star runes on the array base also regained pure starlight under the nourishment and stabilization of Chaos Tribulation Power. The groaning sound of the array suddenly weakened a lot.

But Lin Xuan knew that this was only a stopgap measure. Without solving the source, the array would eventually be exhausted.

He cast his gaze again at the foul sea area that seemed to be connected to the entrance of hell, his eyes becoming incomparably sharp.

It was time to meet that so-called "Blood Skeleton Star God" and those two "distinguished guests" from the Ruins Abyss Demon Sea.