Chapter 152: Star Core Slumber, The Plot of the Afterlife

Cold, viscous, and hate-filled dark red energy flows enveloped the falling group, as if they were not falling into a spatial rift, but into a river composed of congealed blood and shattered starlight. The whistling wind in their ears was mixed with countless fragmented and frantic shards of consciousness: the deafening sound of stars shattering, the roar of seawater rushing backward, the desperate wails of all living things, ancient and solemn prayers, and that sense of indifferent, greedy observation that seemed to come from the primordial starry sky.

Zhao Yuan gripped "Silent Shadow" tightly; the icy touch transmitted from the sword body was the only anchor in this chaotic fall. The Sword Intent of Extinction flowed spontaneously, forming a thin, grayish-white halo on his skin, barely resisting the pervasive erosion of hatred and the sense of temporal distortion within the external energy flow. He could feel the stone fragment in his embrace had become scalding hot, its resonance with "Silent Shadow" reaching an unprecedented level of intensity, both pointing toward the massive presence drawing closer below.

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

Finally, there was a jolt beneath their feet.

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

The group struggled to stand steady, and as they looked around, everyone gasped.

They were in an underground space of unimaginable size. This space was not a natural cave; its walls and dome were all constructed from that strange material with a dull metallic luster and starry specks, the surface engraved with even larger, more complex star trajectories and sacrificial patterns. Countless thick, dark red crystalline structures, resembling blood vessels or energy conduits, extended from all directions and finally converged toward the center of the space.

And at the center of the space was a scene that shook the soul.

It was a massive "cocoon" shape, over a hundred zhang in diameter, suspended in mid-air. It was not a solid entity, but composed of the purest, most concentrated dark red energy and materialized star power, the energy circulating like a slowly beating heart. The outer wall of the cocoon was translucent, and one could vaguely see the outline of an even larger, more complex object wrapped inside—it seemed to be a miniature, exquisitely detailed model of a star palace, or perhaps the core of an extremely complex, constantly evolving celestial instrument.

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

Every slow "beat" of the giant cocoon caused a slight tremor throughout the underground space, radiating a grand pressure mixed with holiness, sorrow, and... an unsettling sense of hunger. The level of that pressure far exceeded the previous Star Remains Resentful Spirits, and even reminded Zhao Yuan of the aura emitted before the remains of the Blood Skeleton Star God awakened during the Great Battle of Shattered Star Isle!

This was the true core of the "Covenant of the Fallen Star"! It was the ultimate altar, or perhaps... a cage, constructed by the Star-Fallen People using the full power of their civilization, and perhaps even sacrificing countless living beings, to worship or communicate with the so-called "Star God."

"This... this is..." Chen Yue's face was pale, the star-observing instrument in her hand had completely malfunctioned, its needle spinning wildly. "The hub of star power... but it has been completely polluted and twisted... It is sleeping, and it is also... absorbing."

True Person Xinghui swallowed with difficulty: "Those connected energy streams are extracting the blood-evil resentment and the power of star remains from the entire ruin and even further away (possibly including the expansion zone of the Return to Ruins Sea Eye) to nourish this 'cocoon.' It is maintaining a bizarre state of 'slumber,' while also... slowly 'hatching' or 'resurrecting' something."

Han Ying's gaze was sharp, the light of the Ice Soul 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, it is more like... a mixture of star will and the resentment of the masses that has been forcibly condensed and imprisoned, currently being slowly transformed and reshaped by some kind of ritual."

Shi Meng and Tie Shan gripped their weapons tightly, scanning their surroundings vigilantly. Aside from the giant cocoon in the center and those writhing energy "blood vessels," the place was empty and terrifyingly quiet, but that invisible pressure made even them, battle-hardened as they were, feel difficulty breathing.

Ying Qi and Ying Eleven had already dispersed silently, quickly investigating the edges of this underground space and the connection points of those "blood vessels." Ying Qi transmitted his voice back: "There are many signs of battle and broken arrays on the surrounding walls, dating back to a very ancient time. Additionally, I found three relatively fresh sets of footprints and energy residues, pointing over there—" He pointed to an area in the shadows behind the giant cocoon, obscured by several exceptionally thick "blood vessels."

Zhao Yuan looked in the direction indicated, and at the same time, the resonance between his Sword Heart of Extinction and "Silent Shadow" faintly pointed in that direction as well. There, it seemed there was some kind of aura that was not exactly the same as the stone tablet or the giant cocoon, yet was equally ancient and full of malice.

"Advance with caution, target the shadow area." Zhao Yuan said in a low voice, 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 for now, it seemed to be in a relatively stable state of "slumber," and as long as they did not actively disturb it, it might be safe for the time being. The fresh traces in the shadow area likely pointed to the "thing" that had entered before them—whether it was a demonic creature, or... the remnants of the Rebirth Sect.

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

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

The shadow area was not a wall, but a small altar recessed into the ground. The style of the altar was similar to the base of the "Covenant of the Fallen Star" stone tablet above, but much smaller in scale, and clearly constructed in a hurry by latecomers—the materials were crude, the runes were sloppy and twisted, and it was filled with the bloody, fanatical style of the Rebirth Sect.

In the center of the altar were three items: a twisted star deity statue carved from obsidian and unknown beast bones (consistent with the pattern on the back of the Rebirth Sect's black robes), in front of the statue was a stone bowl filled with dark red, viscous liquid that seemed to be slightly writhing, and beside the stone bowl lay a scroll made of some kind of pale, irregular-edged leather.

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

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

"It's the subsequent infiltrators of the Rebirth Sect!" True Person Xinghui said in a deep voice, "They set up a blasphemous altar here, attempting to use evil god rituals and the power of the Demon Abyss to interfere with or even usurp control of the core of the 'Covenant of the Fallen Star'! Look at the scroll and the 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 Ice Soul Heart-Protecting Mirror shining on the leather scroll without touching it directly. The text on the scroll was not a common language, but a mixture of more ancient text, interspersed with a large number of Star-Fallen People's runes and the Rebirth Sect's self-created evil scripture symbols, the handwriting sloppy and frantic.

"I can recognize parts of it." Han Ying watched with concentration, her cold voice carrying a hint 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 is interpreted by them as 'forsaking the covenant and suffering divine punishment'."

"They are attempting... in the name of the 'Blood God' (the twisted star god worshipped by the Rebirth Sect) and the power of the Demon Abyss, to pollute this 'Star Core' and transform it into an anchor and hotbed for the 'Advent of the Blood God.' The records show they have conducted several small-scale blood sacrifices, attempting to establish a connection, but it seems they all failed and even suffered backlash from the covenant... These two were likely the victims of the last failed backlash."

"The Demon Abyss is also coveting this power..." Zhao Yuan's brows were tightly locked as he looked at the magic crystal dagger on the altar. The demonic energy remaining on the dagger was of the same origin as what Ying Qi had detected earlier and the demonic energy on the Demon Pincer Crab. "They want to forcibly fuse the ancient star god covenant, the blood-evil resentment, and the Demon Abyss energy to create a more terrifying monster, or open a more stable arrival channel."

He remembered the "Blood God offspring" that the "Rebirth Sect" tried to awaken under Heishuicheng, and the catalysis of the Blood Skeleton Star God by "Greedy Devourer" and "Filthy Soul" at the Return to Ruins Sea Eye on Shattered Star Isle. The methods were exactly the same! All were using ancient ruins or entities containing powerful energy to pollute, usurp, and catalyze with Demon Abyss power and bloody rituals, turning them into vanguards or weapons for the "World-Eroding" invasion!

"We must destroy this altar and cut off their intentions." Shi Meng said in a muffled voice, a flash of disgust in his eyes.

"It's not that simple." Ying Eleven's voice came from the shadows. He was squatting in a corner, pointing to several fresh and messy drag marks on the ground, as well as a few scale-like carapaces shimmering with dark purple light, "Something left from here, not long ago. It could be a monster more deeply infected by demonic energy, or it could be... the 'thing' that controls these priests."

As if to verify his words.

"Gurgle... gurgle..."

A low and strange sound, like mucus bubbling, suddenly came from behind the altar, from the depths of those thickest dark red "blood vessels" connected to the central giant cocoon!

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

"On guard!" Zhao Yuan barked, "Silent Shadow" unsheathed three inches instantly, the grayish-white sword intent locking onto the source of the sound.

Clatter!

The surface of a thick "blood vessel" over two meters in diameter suddenly ruptured! Viscous dark red slurry, emitting a strong stench of demonic energy and blood-evil, gushed out!

Accompanied by the slurry, a massive and twisted figure struggled and crawled out from the rupture in the "blood vessel"!

The thing had a roughly humanoid outline, but its entire body was covered in a thick carapace of intertwined dark purple and dark red, resembling lava that had cooled and then grown scales. The head could vaguely show the remnants of a Rebirth Sect priest's hood, but the face had been completely alienated, the mouthparts split to the ears, filled with spiral sharp teeth, and the eyes were two balls of burning dark purple demonic fire. Its arms were exceptionally thick, ending in huge, bone-like claws resembling crab pincers, while its lower body was stuck to the tissue remaining at the rupture of the "blood vessel," constantly dripping mucus.

Even more shocking was that the aura it emitted had reached the mid-stage of Nascent Soul! And it was mixed with pure Demon Abyss demonic energy, the blood-evil resentment of this place, and even a faint trace of 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 multiple evil powers!

"Is it a failed 'polluted body'? Or... a mutant monster created by the combination of a Rebirth Sect priest being eroded by demonic energy and the power of the ruins?" Han Ying's voice was heavy.

After the monster crawled out of the "blood vessel," its dark purple demonic eyes immediately locked onto the group in front of the altar, letting out a roar filled with pain, madness, and pure desire for destruction!

It violently broke free from the adhesion to the "blood vessel," mucus splashing everywhere, but its massive body was exceptionally agile, like an out-of-control chariot, waving its huge bone pincers and smashing down fiercely toward Shi Meng, who was closest to it!

"Well come!" Shi Meng roared, not retreating but advancing, his giant axe meeting it with the force of splitting mountains and shattering rocks!

Boom!

The bone pincers and the giant axe collided, erupting with a dull, thunderous roar! Shi Meng's whole body shook violently, and he retreated three steps, his feet leaving deep indentations in the metal floor, his blood and Qi churning. The monster's strength had actually faintly suppressed the body cultivator of the Giant Spirit Sect, 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 star-light chains also attacked the monster's joints and eyes and other vital points simultaneously.

However, the carapace on the monster's body was harder than imaginable; the ice cones could only leave white marks on it, and the star-light chains were easily broken. It seemed to have extremely strong resistance to both physical and energy attacks, only the dark purple demonic eye area seemed slightly wary of Xinghui's star-light attacks, slightly tilting its head to dodge.

"The weakness might be the demonic eyes and the parts where it connects to the ruin's energy!" Zhao Yuan judged quickly, his figure moving like lightning as he circled to the monster's side and rear. "Silent Shadow" sword light flickered; this time, he did not directly attack the carapace, but slashed at the wounds on the monster's back where it had just broken the "blood vessel" connection and was still dripping mucus and energy!

Slash!

The sword light cut in, the grayish-white Sword Intent of Extinction clashing violently with the blood-evil resentment and star power remaining at the wound, emitting a corrosive sound. The monster let out a roar of pain, violently swinging its body, and its thick tail (alienated from the adhesive tissue) swept horizontally toward Zhao Yuan!

Zhao Yuan dodged flexibly, his sword light never stopping, like a maggot on a tarsal bone, specifically attacking those energy nodes and wounds that had not yet fully healed. He discovered that the Sword Intent of Extinction seemed to have a good "decomposition" and "purification" effect on this kind of "stitched monster" mixed energy body; 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 slowed, and more and more energy leaked from its wounds. It seemed to realize its situation was not good, its dark purple demonic eyes flashing wildly, and it suddenly opened its hideous mouthparts, aiming toward the direction of the central giant cocoon, and let out an extremely sharp hiss that seemed to pierce the soul!

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

Hum—!

The entire underground space shook violently! The central giant "cocoon," whose original gentle pulsing suddenly accelerated by half! The energy transport of the countless dark red "blood 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 Rebirth Sect around the altar, as if activated, simultaneously lit up with evil light intertwined with dark red and dark purple! A more intense, more chaotic evil aura began to permeate, attempting to resonate more deeply with the power of the giant cocoon!

"It is attempting to activate the subsequent arrangements of the altar and trigger the power of the 'Star Core'!" True Person Xinghui's face changed drastically, "We must interrupt it immediately!"

A flash of sternness appeared in Zhao Yuan's eyes, knowing he could not delay any longer.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the exhaustion of his body and the depletion of his previous consumption, and poured all his remaining spiritual power, sword intent, and even a trace of his soul origin into "Silent Shadow"!

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

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

His gaze pierced through the monster's frantic roars and waving claws, falling deep into its opened mouthparts filled with spiral sharp teeth, in the center of those two burning dark purple demonic fires—there, was the core where its twisted soul and multiple evil powers were intertwined!

"Silent Shadow... Return to Silence!"

Zhao Yuan and his sword became one, 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 opened giant mouth!

"Zhao Yuan!" Han Ying exclaimed in shock.

The next moment.

The monster's massive body suddenly stiffened!

Dark purple demonic fire gushed out wildly from its eye sockets, mouth, nose, and even the gaps in its carapace, but it was not an attack, but... disintegration! A series of dull explosions came from within its body, as if something was being "severed" and "annihilated" from the root!

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

The monster let out a final wail full of confusion and despair, its massive body collapsing like a golden mountain falling, crashing to the ground and shaking up countless dust. The dark purple demonic fire extinguished rapidly, the luster on the carapace dimmed quickly, and finally, it turned into a patch of dead, rapidly decaying dark red substance.

Zhao Yuan's figure appeared beside the monster's corpse, kneeling on one knee, leaning on his sword, gasping for breath, his face as pale as paper, his hand holding the sword trembling slightly. The sword move "Return to Silence" just now was an extremely dangerous "internal strike" method in the Sword Dao of Extinction, sending sword intent directly into the enemy's internal core to destroy it, requiring extremely high control, purity of sword intent, and the ability to withstand backlash from the practitioner. If it were not for the fact that the monster's internal energy was already chaotic and had been weakened by the group, and Zhao Yuan had a heart of certain death, it would have been difficult to succeed.

But the effect was also significant. This thorny mixed monster was completely ended.

However, the crisis for the group was not resolved.

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

Worse still, the hiss the monster let out before it died seemed to have served another purpose—

"Gurgle... gurgle-gurgle..."

More hair-raising mucus-writhing sounds came from the depths of the thick dark red "blood vessels" in all directions! One after another, from far to near!

Ying Qi transmitted his voice with an ugly expression: "Detected a large number of high-energy reactions, gathering here from all the 'blood vessels'! At least... more than a dozen! The speed is very fast!"

Clearly, this underground space did not only have this one mutant monster. The Rebirth Sect's blasphemous rituals and demonic energy pollution might have catalyzed a batch of similar "guardians" or "polluted bodies," usually sleeping or lurking in the energy network, and now awakened by that hiss, they were swarming over!

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

Zhao Yuan stood up with difficulty, 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, heavy, or resolute.

A choice had to be made.

Should they risk trying to destroy the altar, interrupting the Rebirth Sect's blasphemous ritual, but potentially alarming the "Star Core" and inviting greater danger?

Or should they immediately find a way out and escape this underground space, but potentially leave the evil plan here to continue fermenting, becoming a greater disaster in the future?

"Silent Shadow" transmitted a slight tremor, not pointing to the altar, nor to the rift they came from, but... faintly pointing below the giant cocoon, to the area shrouded in the most concentrated dark red light, where the space itself seemed slightly twisted.

There, it seemed there was something else.