Chapter 161: Bloody Battle on the Star Island, Awakening of the Tribulation Crystal

*Woo—!!! *

A shrill and ear-piercing alarm sounded throughout Shattered Star Island, instantly overwhelming the waves and the wind and rain! It was the highest-level invasion alarm! Countless formation lights flickered urgently all over the island, and the shouts of cultivators, the sounds of weapons being drawn, and the sounds of escape lights breaking through the air were mixed and intertwined, like a disturbed beehive.

Zhao Yuan rushed out of the Star Quenching Platform cave, and before he could stand firm, his mind was shocked by the scene in front of him.

In the southeast sea, that terrifying spatial crack, spanning the sky and sea with a diameter of a hundred *zhang*, was like a wound where the world was torn apart, gurgling out filthy dark-red and pitch-black energy. In the center of the crack, that huge dark-purple altar phantom covered in blasphemous runes had already condensed by more than half, emitting an evil pressure that made the soul tremble, its scale and the aura it emitted far exceeding the crude Blood Fiend Star-Summoning Formation at "Ghost Yawan"! Around the altar, countless figures wearing broken armor, twisted forms, and emitting rich demonic energy and bloody aura surged out from the crack like dumplings, dense and covering the sky and the sun! Among them, dozens of demonic shadows with exceptionally powerful auras had reached the Nascent Soul level!

"It's the Demon Abyss regular army! And a large number of demonized cultivators and war puppets!" True Person Beichen's eyes were about to split, his voice hoarse, "They actually really opened a spatial channel of such scale in the Hanhai! That altar... is a variant of the 'Abyss Summoning Formation'! They are forcibly anchoring and expanding the channel!"

At the same time, the internal turmoil that erupted on the west and north sides of the island was also intensifying. Fire, explosions, and screams came from the direction of several important facilities, clearly there were inside agents or lurkers who had been turned, making trouble at the critical moment, intending to create chaos and destroy defense nodes.

The most fatal blow came from the sky. The filthy energy emitted by the spatial crack produced a violent conflict with the "All-Heaven Star Dou Formation" that Shattered Star Island relied on for survival. Under the erosion in the direction of the crack, the formation light curtain was becoming thin and dim at an astonishing speed, countless star runes flickering, emitting ear-piercing shrieks like metal fatigue. At this speed, this defense line, which had cost the Alliance countless efforts to rebuild, was afraid it could not last for a stick of incense!

"Must stop them from expanding the crack! Destroy that altar!" Elder Lingshuang's cold voice sounded; she had already swept over from the other side of the island, followed by a team of Profound Ice Pavilion elites, everyone with frost on their faces, murderous aura surging.

Wei Gong's figure appeared above the island's core formation eye, his hair and beard standing on end, and the terrifying pressure of the Spirit Transformation stage was released without reservation, like a Sea-Calming Divine Needle, barely stabilizing some of the panic caused by the shaking of the great formation. His old but loud voice spread throughout the island:

"All cultivators, obey the order! Perform your duties and meet the invading enemy! Formation masters, do your best to maintain the formation core, at all costs! Patrol teams, guard armies, wipe out internal rebels! Demon-Slaying Army, elites of various sects, follow this old man and the Elders to meet the Demon Abyss main force head-on, and must stop them from landing and destroy the summoning altar! Lin Supplicant's awakening ceremony... postponed! The Star-Fixing Hall is changed to a temporary command post and a place for treating the seriously wounded!"

The order was clear and decisive, and the chaotic situation was slightly controlled. Countless escape lights began to gather at their respective posts, meeting the demonic objects and demonic cultivators lunging from the sea and sky.

Zhao Yuan endured the weakness and dizziness brought by the Nascent Soul damage, and the "Demon Seed" in his consciousness sea that was once again transmitting a sense of restlessness due to the drastic changes in the outside world, and looked at True Person Beichen beside him: "Elder, I..."

"Young friend Zhao Yuan, you have just entered the Nascent Soul stage, your realm is not stable, and you have hidden dangers in your body, so you should not participate in the frontal strong attack." True Person Beichen said quickly, his eyes carrying unquestionable authority, "Follow me to the Star-Fixing Hall! That is the core of the island, the formation is the strongest, and there are a large number of wounded and important materials that need to be protected, and it is... where Supplicant Lin is! If any demonic objects break through the outer defense line and impact there, we need combat power like you!"

Protect Senior Lin and the ceremony core? Zhao Yuan's heart tightened, and he immediately understood what he should do most at this moment. The frontal battlefield had Wei Gong, Elder Lingshuang, and other Spirit Transformation and late-stage Soul Formation powerhouses topping it, and his weak newly promoted Nascent Soul would have limited effect, and might even become a flaw due to the "Demon Seed" problem. And the Star-Fixing Hall was indeed a key point that must not be lost!

"The junior understands!" Zhao Yuan nodded, gripped "Silent Shadow," followed True Person Beichen, transformed into two streams of light, and sped toward the Star-Fixing Hall in the center of the island.

What he saw along the way was shocking. Shattered Star Island, which was originally orderly, had turned into a bloody battlefield. In the low air and on the ground, Alliance cultivators and hideous demonic objects and bewitched people with red eyes were fighting fiercely. The light of spells, the collision of weapons, and the screams of the dying were intertwined into a movement of death. Buildings collapsed in the battle, spirit fields and medicine gardens were soaked in filthy blood, and the air was filled with a thick smell of blood, burnt paste, and demonic energy.

From time to time, powerful demonic thoughts impacted or energy ripples swept over, and Zhao Yuan had to distract himself to resist, which made his already weak state worse, his face becoming whiter and whiter, and his aura fluctuating. But he gritted his teeth and persisted, "Silent Shadow" emitted a low hum in his hand, and the gray-blue sword intent flowed spontaneously, slashing and extinguishing the sporadic demonic energy and negative intent that approached.

Soon, the majestic outline of the Star-Fixing Hall, built of Star Essence Gold and Deep Sea Cold Jade, appeared in front. Several layers of tight defensive formations had already been set up outside the hall, guarded by elites from the Star Palace, Profound Ice Pavilion, and Giant Spirit Sect, and the atmosphere was murderous. From inside the hall, the groans of the wounded and the urgent instructions of the medical cultivators could be vaguely heard.

True Person Beichen landed and quickly handed over with the guard commander. Zhao Yuan walked into the hall quickly.

The scene inside the hall was equally busy. A large number of seriously wounded who had retreated from the front were placed on temporary soft cushions, medical cultivators and elixir masters shuttled among them, performing spells and distributing elixirs, and the air was mixed with the smell of medicine and blood. And in the deepest part of the main hall, that circular high platform originally used for the awakening ceremony, engraved with countless complex star and life runes, still stood quietly, and in the jade pool in the center of the high platform, Lin Xuan was still sleeping. It was just that the fluctuation of the spirit liquid in the pool seemed to have become somewhat unstable due to the violent energy impact from the outside world.

Beside the high platform, several formation grandmasters from the Star Palace and the Imperial Dynasty were sweating profusely, adjusting the stable formations around them, trying their best to isolate the interference from the outside world. Seeing Zhao Yuan enter, they just nodded and continued to be busy.

Zhao Yuan walked to the side of the jade pool, looking at Lin Xuan's pale but calm face, feeling his weak but tough aura, the irritability and anxiety in his heart miraculously calmed down a bit. He gently pressed his hand on the side of the pool, trying to inject a trace of the spiritual power he had just recovered, fused with annihilation and star power, into the pool, trying to help stabilize the energy field around Lin Xuan.

As soon as his spiritual power entered, he felt that deep in the jade pool, that Chaos Tribulation Crystal belonging to Lin Xuan seemed to... jump extremely weakly? As if the parched land had sensed a tiny raindrop.

There is a reaction! Zhao Yuan's spirit was lifted, and he was about to sense it carefully.

*Boom—!!! *

A loud noise, far closer and more violent than any explosion before, suddenly came from outside the Star-Fixing Hall! The entire hall shook violently, dust fell from the dome, and the defensive formation light curtain emitted dazzling flickering and wailing!

"Enemy attack! A big guy has broken through the outer defense line and is coming toward the Star-Fixing Hall!" The shrill warning and roar of the guards came from outside the hall!

Zhao Yuan turned around suddenly and rushed out of the hall door.

I saw a behemoth floating in the square in front of the Star-Fixing Hall! The thing looked like a decayed deep-sea manta ray magnified a thousand times, with a wingspan of more than thirty *zhang*, its entire body covered in viscous dark-green pustules and bone spurs dripping with corrosive mucus. There were no eyes on its head, only a giant mouth full of spiral sharp teeth, constantly spitting out ink-green poisonous mist and shrieks containing chaotic mental shocks. The aura it emitted had actually reached the peak of the mid-stage Soul Formation! What was even more troublesome was that under its wide fleshy wings, dozens of small, locust-like flying demonic objects were attached, constantly detaching and lunging at the guards below!

And on the back of this "Rotten-Winged Demon Manta," stood a figure Zhao Yuan was familiar with—the bewitching red dress, the bewitching and resentful eyes, it was the "Blood Charm" who had fled before! Her aura was slightly chaotic at this moment, with blood at the corners of her mouth, clearly she had also suffered some injuries when breaking through the outer defense line, but the madness and greed in her eyes were even more intense than when she was at "Ghost Yawan"!

"Giggle... little baby, we meet again!" The Blood Charm's gaze instantly locked onto Zhao Yuan who had just rushed out of the hall door, emitting a bewitching and terrifying laugh, "Sister, I came specifically for you and that half-dead guy inside! Hand over the 'Star Essence' fragments and the 'Star Fire' on you obediently, and let me extract the Chaos origin of the one inside, perhaps... sister can let you die painlessly?"

She was actually here for the "Star Essence" fragments and Lin Xuan! Clearly, the Demon Abyss or the Rebirth Sect had a clear design on both!

"Demoness! Don't even think about it!" True Person Beichen roared, having already sacrificed his natal star magic treasure, and together with several Star Palace Soul Formation cultivators, formed a formation to attack the "Rotten-Winged Demon Manta" and the Blood Charm. The guards in the square were also fighting with those small flying demonic objects.

The Blood Charm gave a bewitching laugh, and a pair of short thorns as red as blood appeared in her hands, her body method strangely maneuvering with True Person Beichen and others, while constantly urging the demon manta under her to spit out poisonous mist and sound waves, interfering with the formation and attacking the Star-Fixing Hall defense. Her goal was clear, which was to contain the high-level experts like Beichen, letting the demon manta and demonic objects impact the Star-Fixing Hall!

Under the violent attack and poisonous mist corrosion of the demon manta, the defensive formation of the Star-Fixing Hall began to fluctuate violently, and cracks appeared on the light curtain! Exclamations came from the hall, and the wounded and medical cultivators began to hide deeper.

Zhao Yuan took a deep breath, suppressed the weakness and discomfort of his body, and cold light condensed in his eyes. He knew that someone must block the direct impact of this demon manta on the hall door at this moment! True Person Beichen and others were entangled by the Blood Charm, and the guards in the hall were already stretched thin dealing with small demonic objects.

Without hesitation, he took a step, his figure soared into the sky, and he blocked between the "Rotten-Winged Demon Manta" and the Star-Fixing Hall gate!

"Silent Shadow" was unsheathed, the sword body dark gold and dark blue light flowed, although it was slightly dim due to the owner's poor state, the sword intent of slashing falsehoods and cleansing filth was even more pure and biting due to the owner's resolute will!

"Courting death!" Seeing this, a trace of disdain flashed in the Blood Charm's eyes, and then it turned into cruel excitement, "Just right, clean you up first, then take the fragments!"

She waved the blood thorns in her hand, and a condensed blood light carrying strong bewitching and corrosive power shot at Zhao Yuan. At the same time, the demon manta under her also opened its giant mouth, and a thick ink-green poisonous liquid column surged out, taking Zhao Yuan directly!

Facing the pincer attack of the peak mid-stage Soul Formation demonic object and the Blood Charm, Zhao Yuan's face was as calm as water. He did not block hard, but exerted his body method to the limit, at the moment of a hair's breadth, like a willow catkin in the wind, narrowly avoiding the main impact of the blood light and poison column. At the same time, the tip of "Silent Shadow" trembled, and several gray-blue, thin-as-silk sword Qi shot out quietly, not attacking the massive body of the demon manta, but precisely stabbing at several connection points of pustules and bone spurs on its fleshy wings, and... the energy gathering point where it spat poisonous liquid in its mouth!

He had just entered the Nascent Soul stage, and his total spiritual power and strength were far inferior to his opponent, but he had the restraint of Annihilation Sword Intent against evil filth, the keen perception of energy flow from the newly acquired star power, and even more combat consciousness far beyond his peers honed in desperate situations!

*Puff, puff, puff! *

The fine sword Qi stabbed in, pustules ruptured, mucus flew, the connection points of bone spurs emitted crisp sounds, and the spitting of poisonous liquid stalled! Although it failed to cause fatal injuries, it successfully interrupted the demon manta's attack rhythm, making it let out an angry roar of pain.

A flash of surprise appeared in Blood Charm's eyes, and she immediately sneered: "Cheap tricks!" Her figure flickered, and she actually broke free from part of Elder Beichen's entanglement like a ghost, instantly closing the distance to Zhao Yuan. Her blood spikes, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, stabbed straight at Zhao Yuan's throat and heart! The speed was extreme, and the angle was tricky and ruthless!

Zhao Yuan swung his sword to block, and there were two sounds of gold and iron clashing, sparks splashing! The huge force made his arms numb, his blood churned, and he staggered backward. The gap in realm and strength was ultimately difficult to completely make up for.

"Puff!" He ultimately could not help it, spat out a mouthful of blood, and his face became whiter.

"Little baby, you can't do it anymore." The Blood Charm licked her lips, her eyes full of greed, "Obediently let sister eat you!"

She was about to take advantage of the situation to pursue and completely solve Zhao Yuan.

At this moment—

Deep in the Star-Fixing Hall, on that circular high platform, in the jade pool, Lin Xuan, who had been sleeping quietly, his closed eyelids trembled... extremely slightly!

Immediately following, a weak, but incomparably pure gray mist airflow, as if containing the Dao rhyme of the beginning of chaos and the end of all things, quietly permeated from the Chaos Tribulation Crystal at his heart!

This airflow was weak at first, but as soon as it appeared, it was like having life, spontaneously beginning to absorb and assimilate the chaotic and mixed heaven and earth energy (including demonic energy, blood fiend, star power, and residual spiritual power of cultivators) caused by the battle, and then transforming it into a purer Chaos Tribulation Force carrying a faint meaning of purification and ending!

The fluctuation of the spirit liquid in the jade pool suddenly stabilized, and even became more crystal clear!

This strange change was extremely subtle, and the Blood Charm and demon manta in the fierce battle did not notice it at the first time.

But Zhao Yuan, who was close at hand, and "Silent Shadow," which had been in contact with Chaos Tribulation Force and was connected to his mind, sensed it at the same time!

Zhao Yuan's heart was shaken! Senior Lin... is waking up?! Or is the Chaos Tribulation Crystal beginning to recover autonomously?!

Almost at the same time, deep in his consciousness sea, that "Demon Seed" that was heavily sealed, as if sensing the awakening of its natural enemy, or the threat of some higher-level "ending" power, actually trembled violently uncontrollably! The sealing chains clattered!

And the "Silent Shadow" sword emitted an unprecedented, clear, and long cry full of excitement and resonance! The sword's light flared, and within the dark gold and dark blue brilliance, a trace of... gray mist color homologous to that Chaos Tribulation Force was faintly revealed!

At this moment, Zhao Yuan, Silent Shadow sword, Lin Xuan's Chaos Tribulation Crystal, consciousness sea Demon Seed... between the four, it seemed as if a wonderful and indescribable resonance and confrontation had been produced!

The Blood Charm finally noticed the strange aura deep in the Star-Fixing Hall that made her instinctively feel palpitations and disgust, and her face changed: "What is that?!"

She could not care about Zhao Yuan, looking at the hall in suspicion.

And Zhao Yuan, in this strange resonance and the severe pain brought by the violent struggle of the "Demon Seed" in his body, had a flash of inspiration! He forcibly swallowed a mouthful of blood that surged to his throat, gripped "Silent Shadow" with both hands, and poured all his residual spiritual power, sword intent, as well as his expectation for Lin Xuan's awakening, his anger at the Demon Abyss, and his firmness in his own path... into this sword!

On the sword body, gray, blue, and gold colors intertwined and spun madly, finally condensing at the tip of the sword, transforming into an unprecedented... three-color sword *gang* that seemed to be able to open chaos and end falsehoods!

He did not look at the Blood Charm, nor did he look at the demon manta.

His gaze seemed to penetrate the walls of the Star-Fixing Hall, falling on the figure in the jade pool deep inside that had just begun to disperse a trace of chaotic aura.

This sword was protection, response, and... his own Dao!

"Slash—!!!"

The sword *gang* broke through the air, not shooting straight, but drawing a mysterious arc, carrying an unstoppable resolution, and slashed toward... the "Rotten-Winged Demon Manta" that was slightly uneasy and whose movements were slightly stagnant due to the appearance of chaotic aura, and the... energy connection node between it and the "Blood Charm" on its back, as well as the filthiest and most chaotic energy core in the demon manta's body!

At the same time, deep in the Star-Fixing Hall, in the jade pool.

Lin Xuan's fingers, which had been silent for several months, bent... extremely slightly.

(End of Volume 7 【Reigniting the Fire】)

Volume End Note:

Shattered Star Island was suddenly attacked by the Demon Abyss army from inside and outside, and a bloody battle broke out! Zhao Yuan condensed the Nascent Soul in a desperate situation, but was plotted against by the Demon Seed, and his Dao foundation was damaged. In front of the Star-Fixing Hall, he fought the Blood Charm and the Rotten-Winged Demon Manta, life and death on the line! At this critical moment, Lin Xuan, who had been sleeping for a long time, finally showed signs of recovery in his Chaos Tribulation Crystal! The tribulation force was about to wake up, Zhao Yuan slashed out a sword that echoed his Dao heart, can he reverse the crisis? Can Lin Xuan truly wake up? What kind of terrifying existence is hidden behind the spatial crack opened by the Demon Abyss? Where will the fate of Shattered Star Island go? To know what happens next, please look forward to Volume 8 【Chaos Returns】. ===== CHAPTER 162 =====