Chapter 152

The cold, viscous dark red energy stream filled with resentment wrapped around the falling group, as if they were not falling into a space crack, but into a river composed of solidified blood and broken starlight. In the whistling wind in their ears, countless tiny and chaotic fragments of intent were mixed: the loud noise of stars shattering, the roar of seawater pouring backward, the desperate wails of all spirits, ancient and solemn prayers, and that sense of indifferent and greedy watching that seemed to come from the ancient starry sky.

Zhao Yuan gripped "Shadow-Annihilation" tightly, the cold touch from the sword body being the only anchor in this chaotic fall. The Sword Intent of Annihilation circulated spontaneously, forming a thin grayish-white halo on his body, barely resisting the pervasive resentment erosion and sense of time confusion in the external energy stream. He could feel that the stele fragment in his bosom had become scorching hot, reaching an unprecedented level of resonance with "Shadow-Annihilation," both pointing to the huge sense of existence that was getting closer below.

He did not know how long they had been falling; perhaps only a few breaths, perhaps a few hours—in this space where the laws were chaotic, time had lost its meaning.

Finally, there was a jolt under their feet.

It was not a hard impact, but as if they had fallen into a layer of elastic yet abnormally cold gel-like substance. The potential energy of the fall was rapidly buffered and absorbed.

The group struggled to stand firm and looked around, all of them gasping in shock.

They were in an underground space so huge it was unimaginable. This space was not a natural cave; its walls and dome were all composed of that strange material with a dim metallic luster and star spots, with even larger and more complex star trajectories and sacrificial patterns engraved on the surface. Countless thick, dark red crystalline structures like blood vessels or energy conduits extended from all directions, finally converging toward the center of the space.

And in the center of the space was a scene that shocked the mind.

It was a huge "cocoon"-like object with a diameter of over a hundred zhang, floating in mid-air. It was not a solid object, but composed of the purest and thickest dark red energy and materialized star power, the energy flowing like a slowly pulsing heart. The outer wall of the cocoon was translucent, and the silhouette of a larger and more complex object could be vaguely seen wrapped inside—it seemed to be a miniature, exquisitely crafted model of a star palace, or the core of an extremely complex and constantly evolving celestial instrument.

Even more heart-palpitating was that streams of dark red energy condensed into substance extended from those crystalline "vessel" structures like umbilical cords, connecting to the giant cocoon, providing it with a continuous stream of energy. And the source of these energy streams... was actually the nodes throughout these ruins where the bones of the Star-Fallen people slept, resentment was sealed, and which might even be connected to the blood-evil power of the Return to Ruins sea eye outside!

Every slow "pulse" of the giant cocoon triggered a slight tremor in the entire underground space, emitting a grand pressure mixed with holiness, sorrow, and... an unsettling sense of hunger. The level of that pressure far exceeded the previous Star-Bone Wraith, even making Zhao Yuan think of the aura emitted before the remains of the Blood-Bone Star God awakened during the battle on the Star-Shattering Isle!

This was the true core of the "Star-Sinking Covenant"! It was the ultimate altar, or... cage, built by the Star-Fallen people with the power of their entire civilization, perhaps also sacrificing countless living beings, used to worship or communicate with the so-called "Star God"?

"This... this is..." Chen Yue's face turned pale, the Star-Observing Instrument in her hand had completely malfunctioned, the needle spinning frantically, "The hub of star power... but it has been thoroughly polluted and twisted... It is sleeping, and also... absorbing."

Elder Xinghui swallowed hard: "Those connected energy streams are extracting blood-evil resentment and star bone power from the entire ruins and even further away (possibly including the diffusion zone of the Return to Ruins sea eye) to nourish this 'cocoon'. It is maintaining a strange state of 'slumber,' while also... slowly 'hatching' or 'reviving' something."

Han Ying's gaze was sharp, the light of the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Heart-Protecting Mirror appearing weak under the pressure of the giant cocoon: "Inside the cocoon, there is a strong life reaction... No, not entirely life, more like... a mixture of star will and the resentment of all people that has been forcibly condensed and imprisoned, slowly being transformed and reshaped by some covenant ritual."

Shi Meng and Tie Shan gripped their weapons tightly, scanning the surroundings vigilantly. Apart from the giant cocoon in the center and those wriggling energy "vessels," there was nothing here, and it was terrifyingly quiet, but that invisible pressure made even them, who were experienced in battle, feel difficulty breathing.

Shadow Seven and Shadow Eleven had already dispersed silently, quickly scouting the edges of this underground space and the connection points of those "vessels." Shadow Seven transmitted: "There are a large number of battle traces and signs of array damage on the surrounding walls, and the time is very ancient. In addition, three relatively new footprints and energy residues were discovered, pointing over there—" He pointed to a shadow area behind the giant cocoon, obscured by several extra-thick "vessels."

Zhao Yuan looked in the direction of the guidance, and at the same time, the resonance between the Sword Heart of Annihilation and "Shadow-Annihilation" vaguely pointed in that direction. There, there seemed to be some kind of aura that was not entirely the same as the stele or the giant cocoon, but was equally ancient and full of malice.

"Advance carefully, target the shadow area." Zhao Yuan whispered, taking the lead. His gaze never left the pulsing giant cocoon, and alarm bells rang in his heart. Intuition told him that this "cocoon" was the greatest danger in the ruins, but at present, it seemed to be in a relatively stable state of "slumber," and perhaps it would be temporarily safe as long as it was not actively disturbed. And the new traces in the shadow area likely pointed to the "things" that had entered before them—whether they were monsters, or... the remnants of the Wangsheng Sect.

The team hugged the edge of the space, carefully bypassing those slowly pulsing dark red "vessels," and moved toward the shadow area. The closer they got, the more obvious the evil aura mixed with demonic energy, blood, and some kind of blasphemous ritual became.

Bypassing the last few thick "vessels," the scene before them made everyone's pupils shrink.

The shadow area was not a wall, but a small altar recessed into it. The style of the altar was similar to the base of the "Star-Sinking Covenant" stele above, but the scale was much smaller, and it was clearly built in a hurry by latecomers—the materials were rough, the runes were sloppy and twisted, full of the bloody and crazy style of the Wangsheng Sect.

In the center of the altar were three items: a twisted star idol carved from obsidian and unknown animal bones (consistent with the pattern on the back of the Wangsheng Sect's black robes), in front of the idol was a stone bowl filled with viscous liquid that was dark red and seemed to be wriggling slightly, and beside the stone bowl was an unrolled scroll made of some kind of pale leather with irregular edges.

And in front of the altar knelt two corpses that had not yet completely turned into mummies! They were dressed in the same black robes as the three mummified corpses before the stele above, with the same blood-eye star pattern on their backs, but the degree of decay was lighter, clearly having died more recently. In the hand of one of the corpses, a dagger inlaid with dark purple magic crystals was still tightly gripped, with dried bloodstains remaining on the tip of the dagger.

More importantly, on the walls around the altar, a large number of twisted runes and array lines were drawn with blood (likely their own)! These lines were connected to several main "vessels" extending from the central giant cocoon, forming a small, blasphemous "stealing" or "interference" array!

"It's the subsequent infiltrators of the Wangsheng Sect!" Elder Xinghui said in a deep voice, "They set up a blasphemous altar here, attempting to interfere with or even usurp control of the core of the 'Star-Sinking Covenant' with evil god rituals and Abyss power! Look at that scroll and array, they seem to be recording and researching how to 'master' or 'pollute' the power of this covenant!"

Han Ying stepped forward, the light of the Fairy Fairy Bingpo Heart-Protecting Mirror shining on the leather scroll, without touching it directly. The characters on the scroll were not a common language, but a mixture of more ancient characters, mixed with a large number of Star-Fallen people's runes and evil classic symbols created by the Wangsheng Sect, the handwriting sloppy and crazy.

"I can identify some of it." Han Ying focused her attention, her cold voice carrying a trace of chill, "They call this giant cocoon the 'Slumbering Star Core' or 'Seed of the Covenant,' believing it to be the proof and core of the eternal covenant established between the Star-Fallen civilization and the 'Three Enclosure Star Gods' in exchange for protection and power. The destruction of the Star-Fallen people was interpreted by them as 'betraying the covenant and suffering divine punishment'."

"They are attempting... to pollute this 'Star Core' in the name of the 'Blood God' (a twisted star god worshipped by the Wangsheng Sect) and the power of the Abyss, transforming it into an anchor and hotbed for the 'Blood God's Descent'. Records show that they have performed several small-scale blood sacrifices, attempting to establish a connection, but they all seem to have failed, and they even suffered a covenant backlash... These two are likely the victims of the last failed backlash."

"The Abyss is also coveting this power..." Zhao Yuan's brows locked, looking at the magic crystal dagger on the altar. The demonic energy remaining on the dagger was of the same origin as that detected by Shadow Seven earlier, and the demonic energy on the Demon-Claw Crabs. "They want to forcibly fuse the ancient star god covenant, blood-evil resentment, and Abyss demonic energy to create more terrifying monsters, or open a more stable descent channel."

He remembered the "Blood God's offspring" that the "Wangsheng Sect" attempted to awaken under Heishuicheng, and the catalysis of the Blood-Bone Star God by "Greed" and "Filthy Soul" at the Return to Ruins sea eye on the Star-Shattering Isle. The methods were exactly the same! All were using ancient ruins or existences containing powerful power to pollute, usurp, and catalyze with Abyss power and bloody rituals, turning them into vanguards or sharp weapons for the "World-Erosion" invasion!

"This altar must be destroyed to cut off their attempts." Shi Meng said in a muffled voice, a look of disgust flashing in his eyes.

"It's not that simple." Shadow Eleven's voice came from the shadows. He was squatting in a corner of the wall, pointing to several fresh and messy dragging traces on the ground, and several scale-like shells flickering with dark purple light, "Something left from here, and it hasn't been long. It could be a monster more deeply infected by demonic energy, or... the 'thing' that controls these priests."

As if to verify his words.

"Gurgle... gurgle..."

A low and strange sound, as if mucus was bubbling, suddenly came from behind the altar, from deep within the several thickest dark red "vessels" connected to the central giant cocoon!

Immediately after, the surface of those "vessels" began to bulge and contract irregularly, as if something was traveling through them rapidly! The energy flow that had been transported smoothly also became chaotic and agitated!

"Alert!" Zhao Yuan shouted sharply, "Shadow-Annihilation" instantly unsheathed three inches, the grayish-white sword intent locking onto the source of the sound.

Clatter!

The surface of a thick "vessel" with a diameter of over two meters suddenly ruptured! Viscous dark red plasma emitting strong demonic energy and blood-evil fishy smell surged out!

Along with the plasma, a huge and twisted figure struggled to crawl out of the rupture in the "vessel"!

The thing had a roughly humanoid silhouette, but its whole body was covered in thick shells of dark purple and dark red intertwined, as if scales had grown after lava cooled. The head could vaguely see the remnants of the Wangsheng Sect priest's hood, but the face had been thoroughly alienated, the mouthparts split to the roots of the ears, filled with spiral sharp teeth, and the eyes were two balls of burning dark purple demonic fire. Its arms were abnormally thick, ending in huge bone-like sharp claws like crab pincers, while its lower body was stuck to the tissue remaining at the rupture of the "vessel," constantly dripping mucus.

Even more heart-palpitating was that the aura emitted from its body actually reached the mid-Soul Formation stage! And it was mixed with pure Abyss demonic energy, the blood-evil resentment here, and even a trace of faint star power of the same origin as the central giant cocoon! It was as if it were a "deformed product" forcibly blended and catalyzed by various evil forces!

"Is it a failed 'polluted body'? Or... a mutant monster produced by the Wangsheng Sect priest combining with the ruin's power after being eroded by demonic energy?" Han Ying's voice was grave.

After the monster crawled out of the "vessel," its dark purple demonic eyes immediately locked onto the group before the altar, emitting a roar full of pain, madness, and pure desire for destruction!

It suddenly broke free from the adhesion to the "vessel," mucus splashing everywhere, but its huge body was abnormally agile, like a runaway chariot, waving its huge bone pincers and smashing fiercely toward Shi Meng, who was closest to it!

"Well come!" Shi Meng roared, advancing instead of retreating, his giant axe meeting it with the momentum of splitting mountains and rocks!

Boom!

The bone pincers and the giant axe collided, erupting with a dull, thunderous loud noise! Shi Meng shook violently, retreating three steps, deep indentations being stepped out on the metal ground under his feet, his Qi and blood churning. The monster's power actually vaguely overwhelmed the Juling Sect body cultivator who was known for his strength!

Seeing this, Tie Shan immediately swung his hammer from the side to assist. Han Ying's ice cones and Xinghui's starlight chains also attacked the monster's vital points such as its joints and eyes simultaneously.

However, the shell on the monster's body was harder than imagined; the ice cones could only leave white marks on it, and the starlight chains were easily broken. It seemed to have extremely strong resistance to both physical and energy attacks, only the dark purple demonic eye area showed slight fear of Xinghui's starlight attack, slightly tilting its head to dodge.

"The weakness might be the demonic eye and the part where it connects to the ruin's energy!" Zhao Yuan judged quickly, while his figure was like electricity, circling to the side and rear of the monster. The sword light of "Shadow-Annihilation" spat out. This time, he did not directly attack the shell, but slashed at the wounds on the monster's back where it had just broken free from the "vessel" connection and was still dripping mucus and energy!

Pfft!

The sword light cut in, the grayish-white Sword Intent of Annihilation clashing fiercely with the blood-evil resentment and star power remaining at the wound, making a corrosive sound. The monster emitted a roar of pain, suddenly swinging its body, its thick tail (alienated from the adhesive tissue) sweeping horizontally toward Zhao Yuan!

Zhao Yuan dodged flexibly, the sword light not stopping, like a maggot on a tarsal bone, specifically attacking those energy nodes and wounds that had not yet completely healed. He found that the Sword Intent of Annihilation seemed to have a good "decomposition" and "purification" effect on this kind of mixed energy body like a "stitched monster." Although it could not cause heavy damage instantly, it could effectively weaken its energy supply and recovery speed.

Under the siege of the group, although the monster was fierce, its movements gradually became sluggish, and more and more energy leaked from its wounds. It also seemed to realize that the situation was not good, its dark purple demonic eyes flickering frantically, suddenly opening its ferocious mouthparts, aiming at the direction of the central giant cocoon, and emitting a kind of extremely sharp hissing sound that seemed to be able to pierce the soul!

This hissing sound seemed to contain a certain specific frequency or instruction!

Hum——!

The entire underground space shook violently! The huge "cocoon" in the center, whose pulse had been smooth, suddenly accelerated by half! The energy transport of the countless dark red "vessels" connected to it suddenly intensified, and the light of the entire "cocoon" brightened for an instant!

At the same time, the blasphemous array lines drawn by the Wangsheng Sect around the altar, as if activated, simultaneously lit up with evil light intertwined with dark red and dark purple! A thicker, more chaotic evil aura began to permeate, attempting to produce a deeper resonance with the power of the giant cocoon!

"It is attempting to activate the subsequent layout of the altar, triggering the power of the 'Star Core'!" Elder Xinghui's face changed drastically, "It must be interrupted immediately!"

A fierce light flashed in Zhao Yuan's eyes, knowing that it could not be delayed any longer.

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the fatigue and the previous deficit in his body, and poured all his remaining spiritual power, sword intent, and even a trace of his soul origin into "Shadow-Annihilation"!

The dark gold patterns on the sword body lit up as if burning, the grayish-white Sword Intent of Annihilation highly condensed, forming a tiny "point of nothingness" at the tip of the sword that seemed to be able to devour all light!

This time, he did not choose to attack the monster's shell or wounds.

His gaze pierced through the monster's crazy roaring and waving claws, falling deep into its open mouthparts filled with spiral sharp teeth, in the center of the two burning dark purple demonic fires—that was the core where its twisted soul and various evil forces were intertwined!

"Shadow-Annihilation... Return to Silence!"

Zhao Yuan merged with the sword, turning into a resolute grayish-white stream of light, ignoring the bone pincers sweeping over and the splashing mucus, at an incredible angle and speed, like a flying fish swimming against the current, straight... shot into the monster's open giant mouth!

"Zhao Yuan!" Han Ying exclaimed.

The next moment.

The monster's huge body suddenly stiffened!

Dark purple demonic fire sprayed out frantically from its eye sockets, mouth, nose, and even the gaps in its shell, but it was not an attack, but... disintegration! From within its body came a series of dull explosions, as if something had been "severed" and "annihilated" from the root!

The grayish-white sword light broke out from the top of the monster's head from the inside out!

The monster emitted a final wail full of incomprehension and despair, its huge body collapsing like a golden mountain falling, smashing onto the ground and shaking up countless dust. The dark purple demonic fire extinguished rapidly, the luster on the shell dimmed rapidly, and finally turned into a piece of dead, rapidly decaying dark red substance.

Zhao Yuan's figure appeared beside the monster's corpse, kneeling on one knee, leaning on the ground with his sword, gasping for air, his face as pale as paper, his hand holding the sword trembling slightly. The "Return to Silence" sword strike just now was an extremely dangerous "internal slash" method in the Sword Path of Annihilation, sending the sword intent directly into the enemy's core to destroy it, placing extremely high demands on the practitioner's control, the purity of the sword intent, and the ability to withstand the backlash. If the energy inside the monster had not been chaotic and weakened by the group, and if Zhao Yuan had not held a heart of death, it would have been difficult to succeed.

But the effect was also significant. This tricky mixed monster was thoroughly ended.

However, the group's crisis was not resolved.

The blasphemous arrays activated around the altar were still flickering with evil light, and the resonance with the central giant cocoon seemed to be strengthening! Although the pulse of the giant cocoon did not continue to accelerate, the sense of "hunger" and "chaos" in the pressure it emitted seemed... more obvious.

Even worse, the hissing sound the monster made before it died seemed to have another effect—

"Gurgle... gurgle..."

More creepy mucus wriggling sounds came from deep within the thick dark red "vessels" in all directions! One after another, from far to near!

Shadow Seven transmitted with an ugly face: "Detected a large number of high-energy reactions, converging here from all 'vessels'! At least... more than a dozen! The speed is very fast!"

Clearly, this underground space did not have only this one mutant monster. The blasphemous ritual and demonic energy pollution of the Wangsheng Sect might have catalyzed a batch of similar "guardians" or "polluted bodies," which usually slept or lurked in the energy network, and were now awakened by that hissing sound, swarming over!

Ahead was the "Slumbering Star Core" that was gradually being triggered, and behind were a large number of monsters that were about to arrive.

Zhao Yuan struggled to stand up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze sweeping over the altar flickering with evil light, then looking at the giant cocoon pulsing slowly in the center, and finally falling on the faces of his companions, who were either exhausted, grave, or resolute.

A choice had to be made.

Should they risk attempting to destroy the altar, interrupting the Wangsheng Sect's blasphemous ritual, but possibly alarming the "Star Core" and bringing greater danger?

Or should they immediately find a way out and flee this underground space, but possibly let the evil plan here continue to ferment and become a greater disaster in the future?

"Shadow-Annihilation" transmitted a slight tremor, not pointing to the altar, nor to the crack they came from, but... vaguely pointing below the giant cocoon, to the area shrouded in the thickest dark red light, where the space itself seemed slightly twisted.

There, there seemed to be other "things."