Chapter 168: The Beginning of Evil-Cleansing, A Clear Sword Heart

In the side hall of the Star-Fixing Palace, the star-glimmer stone lamps cast a tranquil and steady light. On the jade couch, Zhao Yuan sat cross-legged with his eyes tightly shut, fine beads of sweat already seeping from his forehead. His complexion remained pale, but the bewilderment that had lingered after his awakening had largely faded from his brow, replaced by a focus bordering on agony and a calmness maintained through sheer effort.

Three feet before him, Lin Xuan sat in the same posture, his left palm facing upward, cradling the fragment of "Star Essence" that had been reignited and was now emitting a soft, pure, deep-blue starlight. His right hand was held in the air before Zhao Yuan’s dantian, his fingertips three inches from Zhao Yuan’s body, as a wisp of gray, dense, and substantial chaos energy acted as a bridge, connecting his fingertips to Zhao Yuan’s dantian.

"Steady your breath and focus your mind; guard your Nascent Soul within. Use the Sword Intent of Annihilation as the bone and the power of the stars as the guide to lead the energy I inject, slowly making contact with the seal on the periphery of the demonic seed." Lin Xuan’s voice was low and clear, devoid of emotional fluctuation, yet it possessed an inherent, reassuring power.

Zhao Yuan followed his instructions, sinking his entire consciousness into his body. The gray-blue Nascent Soul, covered in cracks, trembled slightly in his sea of consciousness, emitting a faint yet resilient Sword Intent of Annihilation and starlight; like a candle in the wind, it stubbornly guarded the single point of clarity at its core. He carefully mobilized this weak power to meet the wisp of gray energy slowly seeping in from his dantian, followed by the gentler and more vast power of stellar purification.

The gray and blue lights carefully converged and melded within the meridians of Zhao Yuan’s body. Guided by his own sword intent, they flowed like the most dexterous probe and the gentlest purifying water toward the depths of his sea of consciousness, toward that dark purple "demonic seed" sealed by layers of gray-white (Sword Intent of Annihilation) and deep-blue (power of the stars) chains.

The first step of the treatment was not to attack the core of the demonic seed directly, but to "cleanse" and "detach" the dark purple "tentacles" that extended from the seed and were entangled with the origin of Zhao Yuan’s Nascent Soul and fragments of his inherited memories. These "tentacles" were the channels through which the demonic seed eroded, parasitized, and attempted to assimilate Zhao Yuan; they were also the most sensitive areas, most likely to trigger a violent backlash from the demonic seed.

When the energy flow, fused with the chaos tribulation power and the purification power of the "Star Essence," touched the first, shallower "tentacle"—

"Urgh!"

Zhao Yuan’s body jerked violently, and an irrepressible, pained groan escaped his throat! It felt as if a red-hot branding iron had been pressed directly into the depths of his soul! It was not merely physical pain, but the ultimate agony born from the "foreign object" being stripped from the source of his Dao foundation—a mix of tearing, burning, corrosion, and an indescribable "sense of emptiness"!

At the same time, the dark purple demonic seed in his sea of consciousness erupted with blinding light! Countless finer dark purple threads danced frantically, attempting to entwine and corrode the invading purifying energy. Furthermore, an intense, extreme intent of resentment, madness, and greed surged like a burst dam of toxic water, ruthlessly slamming into Zhao Yuan’s Nascent Soul and spirit along the "tentacle" that had been touched!

Illusions sprouted!

Before Zhao Yuan’s eyes, the scene of the quiet room vanished, replaced by countless shattered and terrifying images: burning stars crashing down upon him; endless darkness devouring all light; the familiar faces of Lin Xuan, Wei Gongshen, and True Person Star-Glimmer twisting and shattering in blood-red light; a cold and grand voice whispering in the depths of his soul, promising power and liberation if he would only cease his resistance, accusing his resistance of being futile, a betrayal, and a foolish act that would drag everyone into the abyss...

Under the dual assault of excruciating pain and illusions, Zhao Yuan’s newly formed Nascent Soul swayed violently, the cracks seemingly widening, while the protective Sword Intent of Annihilation and starlight flickered unsteadily; his mind was on the verge of collapse!

"Hold fast to your original heart! Annihilation is not emptiness; what you sever is the illusory! The stars do not fall; what they illuminate is the path ahead! For whom is your sword held?!" Lin Xuan’s voice was like a thunderclap, exploding directly in the depths of Zhao Yuan’s consciousness as it was about to sink! At the same time, the chaos tribulation power output from his right hand suddenly intensified—not as a violent strike, but as a more resilient and inclusive "framework," forcibly stabilizing the rampaging energy within Zhao Yuan and isolating and dissipating the majority of the evil intent from the demonic seed’s backlash.

The "Star Essence" fragment cradled in Lin Xuan’s left hand shone even brighter, the pure stellar purification power pouring in like a sweet spring, gently and firmly washing over the dark purple "tentacle" that had been touched.

Zhao Yuan bit his tongue hard; the sharp pain and the fishy, sweet taste of blood invigorated his spirit! Lin Xuan’s words were like a lighthouse, illuminating his consciousness, which had been nearly drowned by pain and illusions.

For whom was it held?

For the innocent miners and guards in Heishuicheng, for the sorrowful, departed Star-Fall people in the Star-Sinking Ruins, for the comrades who fought side-by-side and bled across the Vast Sea on Star-Fragment Isle, and for those eyes of tribulation he saw open for the first time before he lost consciousness, reflecting both chaos and hope... and even more, for the persistence and belief within his own heart—that he would not submit to evil, would not allow his path of cultivation to be severed, and wished to protect the things that mattered!

"The illusory... must be severed! The path ahead... is mine!"

Zhao Yuan roared in his heart, and the cracked Nascent Soul in his sea of consciousness erupted with unprecedented light in this desperate situation! The gray-blue radiance was no longer merely defensive; it transformed into strands of highly condensed sword intent, carrying a resolute intent of purification, actively meeting the encroaching dark purple evil thoughts, clashing with them, and annihilating them!

Simultaneously, he guided the chaos tribulation power and "Star Essence" purification power injected by Lin Xuan—no longer just passively defending, but, in coordination with his own Annihilation Star Sword Intent, acting like a precise surgical scalpel to "cut" and "burn" the weakest point where the targeted dark purple "tentacle" connected to the origin of his Nascent Soul!

*Hiss—!*

It was as if some invisible, extremely filthy and viscous thing had been forcibly stripped away and evaporated! Zhao Yuan shuddered again, pale golden blood seeping from his seven orifices, yet a faint but real clarity lit up his eyes!

The first, shallower "tentacle" had been successfully detached and purified! Although the process was agonizing and caused new tremors to his Nascent Soul, it was of great significance—it not only weakened a portion of the demonic seed’s "claws and teeth" but also proved that this gentle, gradual treatment method was effective! Zhao Yuan’s own will and sword heart had withstood the first round of cruel testing!

"Very good." Lin Xuan’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible approval. "Focus and recover. Adapt to the state after the detachment and consolidate your Nascent Soul. In half an incense stick of time, we proceed to the next."

Zhao Yuan gasped for air, unable to wipe the blood from his face, and immediately followed instructions to look within. At the site where the "tentacle" had been detached, a tiny "void" and a burning sensation remained in the origin of his Nascent Soul, but the "Star Essence" purification power and chaos tribulation power that followed quickly nourished and repaired the area, slowly filling the "void" and soothing the trauma. Although the Nascent Soul remained riddled with cracks, the gray-blue light at its core seemed... a fraction purer and more solid than before.

More importantly, he felt that his control over the Sword Intent of Annihilation and the power of the stars had gained a brand-new, deeper understanding after the life-and-death confrontation and "surgery" he had just experienced. Annihilation was not merely an end or destruction; it could also be a "cleansing" of "anomalies" and "filth." The stars did not only represent vastness and hope; their characteristics of "purification" and "guidance," when combined with the Sword Intent of Annihilation, could actually produce such miraculous effects.

Half an incense stick of time passed quickly.

"Continue." Lin Xuan’s voice sounded again.

With the experience of the first time, Zhao Yuan’s mind was more focused, and his sword intent flowed more smoothly. Although the pain brought by each detachment of a "tentacle" had not lessened, and the demonic seed’s resistance and illusory temptations were more cunning and intense each time, Zhao Yuan’s will to hold fast to his original heart grew firmer, and his control over his own power became increasingly refined.

One, two, three...

Time slipped away in silent, painful confrontation and slow progress. In the side hall, there was only the sound of Zhao Yuan’s heavy breathing, his occasional suppressed groans, the stable and pure deep-blue starlight continuously emitted by the "Star Essence" fragment, and the chaos energy on Lin Xuan, which remained as steady as an abyss.

Outside the hall, the night deepened, and the galaxy shone brilliantly.

Wei Gongshen had come quietly once, pausing for a moment outside the hall door. Sensing the stable yet arduous energy fluctuations within, he did not disturb them, merely giving a few low instructions to the guarding cultivators before hurrying away. The reconstruction and defense of Star-Fragment Isle, the monitoring of the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye, the aggregation of intelligence from the continent... a thousand threads required his coordination.

The treatment lasted for a full four hours.

When the eighth relatively prominent "tentacle" was successfully detached and purified, Lin Xuan slowly withdrew his right hand, and the light of the "Star Essence" fragment in his left hand dimmed slightly.

"That is all for today." Lin Xuan’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible fatigue. The continuous high-intensity, precise control and power output were a burden even to his Dao foundation, which had not long since awakened. "You have reached your limit and need time to digest and recover. The detached areas must be nourished and consolidated with your own power; do not be overly eager for success."

Zhao Yuan was nearly exhausted, his entire body as if fished out of water, soaked in sweat and pale golden bloodstains. He did not even have the strength to nod, merely blinking with difficulty to indicate he understood. In his sea of consciousness, the dark purple demonic seed still existed; its light seemed slightly dimmed from the loss of some "tentacles," but the ominous and stubborn nature radiating from its core had not diminished in the slightest. However, the suffocating "parasitic sensation" and pressure of pollution around his Nascent Soul had indeed lessened a little. Most importantly, his control over his own power and his "perception" of the demonic seed had become much clearer.

"Regulate your breath and sleep. Tomorrow at this time, we continue." After Lin Xuan finished speaking, he closed his eyes and began to regulate his own breath and recover.

Zhao Yuan clung to his last shred of consciousness, following Lin Xuan’s instructions to use his weak spiritual sense to guide the lingering remnants of chaos tribulation power and "Star Essence" purification power within his body, slowly nourishing the new "wounds" and old cracks on his Nascent Soul. At the same time, he carefully swept his sea of consciousness with his Sword Intent of Annihilation, remaining vigilant against any abnormal movement from the demonic seed. Gradually, boundless fatigue and the sense of weakness from the depths of his soul engulfed him like a tide; his consciousness sank, and he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

This time, although his brow remained slightly furrowed, the lingering look of pain and struggle seemed to have faded somewhat.

After regulating his breath for a moment, Lin Xuan opened his eyes, looked at the soundly sleeping Zhao Yuan, and then "gazed" toward the temporarily dormant demonic seed in the depths of his sea of consciousness, light swirling within his chaos tribulation pupils.

"Less than one-tenth of the outer tentacles have been cleared... but the initial results are visible. His will and sword heart are more resilient than anticipated. The fusion of annihilation and stars is also spontaneously deepening during the confrontation... Perhaps this is not just treatment, but a tempering of himself." Lin Xuan pondered to himself, "However, as the clearing deepens and we touch the more core 'tentacles' or even the demonic seed itself, the backlash will increase geometrically. Moreover, the connection between the demonic seed and that thing in the depths of the Sea Eye..."

He recalled that when detaching the last few "tentacles," he had vaguely felt a trace of an extremely subtle "throb" crossing space, emanating from the depths of Zhao Yuan’s sea of consciousness and pointing toward the direction of the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye. Although it was instantly isolated by his chaos tribulation power and the strengthened seal, this undoubtedly confirmed his speculation—the treatment process itself could potentially alarm that "aberrant core"!

"I must accelerate the progress, but I must also be more cautious. Perhaps... I need to prepare some contingencies in case that thing is thoroughly enraged and makes an unconventional response." Lin Xuan’s gaze tightened.

Just as he was deep in thought.

Outside the hall, a Star Palace deacon hurried over. After being stopped by the guards, he whispered a few words urgently. The guard’s expression changed slightly; he turned and entered, respectfully transmitting his voice to Lin Xuan: "Attendant Lin, Lord Wei requests your presence. There is urgent intelligence regarding... new discoveries from the monitoring array of the Return-to-Ruins Sea Eye, which seem to be related to the... fluctuations within Young Master Zhao Yuan’s body."

Lin Xuan’s eyes narrowed. He rose, took one last look at the sleeping Zhao Yuan, set up a simple warning barrier, and vanished silently from the side hall.

The beginning of evil-cleansing, the first glimpse of light. Yet, the darkness of the deep sea seemed, because of this... to begin stirring more uneasily.

(End of Volume Eight: [The Return of Chaos])