Chapter 174: Observing the Stars to Determine Strategy

On the top floor of the Star Observation Terrace, the atmosphere was even more heavy and oppressive than it had been several days ago.

The massive "Star Observation Armillary Sphere" was currently emitting a low, almost mournful sound of operation. The 3D star map of the Return Ruins Sea Eye region projected from its core had been magnified to the limit, occupying half the space of the hall. On the star map, the dark red light spot representing the "Aberration Core" was advancing along a winding yet clear trajectory toward the dark area marked as the "Absolute Blind Zone" deep within the Sea Eye, at a speed visible to the naked eye that far exceeded the previous days!

Even more alarming was that circles of subtle yet distinct dark red ripples were constantly spreading out around the light spot. With each ripple that expanded, several key energy monitoring values at the edge of the star map would jump up a small notch—indicators representing its energy activity, the concentration of filthy star baleful energy, the intensity of blood-resentment fluctuations, and a certain unparseable "sign of life" were all climbing synchronously and steadily!

"Over the past six hours, the movement speed has increased threefold! The slope of the energy activity curve has steepened sharply, breaking through the 'accelerated growth' threshold!" The voice of a Star Palace deacon trembled as he pointed to several data curves on the water mirror that were trending upward at nearly forty-five degrees. "The frequency of 'fetal movements' captured by the 'Deep Sea Listener Array' has increased from three times per hour to nine times per hour! And the intensity of the energy pulses triggered by each 'fetal movement' is strengthening!"

Another deacon added, his face turning pale: "Of the seven 'Spatial Stagnation Arrays' deployed outside the nodes of the 'energy veins,' three have already been destroyed because they could not withstand the constantly strengthening energy scouring! The remaining four have also issued overload warnings! At this rate, in twelve hours at most, all stagnation arrays will fail! By then, it will have no more obstacles and will reach the blind zone directly!"

True Person Beichen stared fixedly at the star map, his fists clenched: "That 'Absolute Blind Zone' was not even marked on the ancient star maps, and our detection arrays cannot penetrate it. What exactly is hidden there? Why is that monster so obsessed with going there?"

Elder Ling Shuang’s entire body was chillingly cold: "Perhaps there is the key 'nourishment' it needs for 'gestation' there, or... it is the location of a more terrifying 'pathological lesion' left behind by the backlash of an ancient contract!"

A turtle shell in the hand of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion envoy suddenly turned completely into powder as it kept cracking. He let out a muffled groan, blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he hissed: "The Pavilion Master... forced a divination again... the backlash has worsened... only four words were transmitted back... 'The blind zone has an eye'!"

The blind zone has an eye?!

Everyone was shocked. Did this refer to the existence of some "monitor" or "observation point" there? Or... was it literal, an "eye"?

Just then, the figures of Lin Xuan and Zhao Yuan appeared at the entrance of the Star Observation Terrace. Everyone's gaze immediately focused on them, lingering longest on Zhao Yuan.

In just seven days, the changes in Zhao Yuan were visible to the naked eye. The aura that had originally appeared floating and withered due to severe injury and the erosion of the demonic seed was now as deep as an abyss, with starlight faintly flowing around his body. When his eyes opened and closed, a sharp light was contained within, and his whole person was like a precious sword sheathed, yet revealing its sharpness of its own accord. More importantly, as he stood there, he naturally resonated subtly with the starlight power in the surrounding environment, yet carried a unique sharpness that seemed capable of severing all falsehoods.

"Nascent Soul stabilized, starlight restrained, chaos initially formed... Good!" A stunning sharp light erupted in Wei Gong’s turbid old eyes, and he couldn't help but praise, "Young Master Zhao Yuan, it seems the 'Star Source Anchoring Array' has had extraordinary effects!"

Lin Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze already cast toward the massive star map, the vortex in his Chaos Tribulation Pupils rotating slowly: "I have sensed the situation. Fetal movements have intensified, movement has accelerated... Did it sense something? Or... has its 'gestation' process reached a stage where it must go to a specific location to complete?"

He walked to the star map, gazing at the dark red light spot constantly closing in on the "Absolute Blind Zone" and the increasingly active energy ripples around it. A moment later, he suddenly asked: "Is there a detailed record of the specific frequency and waveform characteristics of the monitored 'fetal movement' energy pulses?"

"Yes!" A deacon immediately brought up several water mirrors, which displayed complex and regular pulse waveform diagrams.

Lin Xuan scanned them for a moment, the chaotic light in his eyes flickering slightly. He stretched out his finger and traced a few times in the air over the waveform diagram. Several gray, hazy thin lines were "outlined" by him, connecting the seemingly chaotic pulse peaks to form an extremely obscure, yet ancient and evil-rhythmed... rune outline!

"This is..." True Person Beichen’s pupils shrank, "An ancient demonic pattern?! No, not entirely... It seems to be mixed with a variant rune of the star contract!"

Lin Xuan nodded, his voice low: "The Demonic Abyss used the pollution from the backlash of the ancient contract as a base, incorporating their demonic marks into it to form this unique 'filthy contract rune.' This 'fetal movement' pulse is not an unordered energy release, but... a kind of 'ritualistic' 'resonance' and 'call.' It is using this method to conduct a deep-level 'synchronization' and 'positioning' with something deep in the 'blind zone,' or rather, with the 'target' it is 'gestating' itself."

He turned to Zhao Yuan: "You have the deepest connection with the demonic seed, and your newly comprehended 'Chaos Starlight' has a special sensitivity to filthy power. Can you sense the intent contained in this 'fetal movement' pulse?"

Zhao Yuan immediately stepped forward, focused his mind, and integrated a wisp of "Chaos Starlight" into his spiritual sense, cautiously probing toward the waveform diagrams on the water mirror. He did not directly touch the Sea Eye energy, but sensed it through these recorded "traces."

At first, there was nothing unusual. But as his mind immersed and he pushed the analytical characteristics of the "Chaos Starlight" to the limit, those cold waveform data seemed to come alive before his "eyes," turning into streams of dark red energy filled with viscous malice. And at the core of these energy streams, he indeed "captured" a few wisps of extremely weak, yet incomparably clear fragments of intent!

"...Return... Return..."

"...My other half... Star remains as a bed... Resentful blood as nourishment..."

"...Contract... Completion... I am... complete..."

"...Devour... Evolve... Transcend..."

The fragmented intent was filled with endless greed, resentment, longing, and a chilling obsession to "complete itself"! And all these intents ultimately pointed to an incomparably clear "sense of coordinates"—the very core of that "Absolute Blind Zone" on the star map!

Zhao Yuan’s face turned slightly pale. He withdrew his spiritual sense and stated the information he had sensed.

"Other half? Star remains as a bed? Resentful blood as nourishment? Contract completion?" A fierce light shot from Wei Gong’s eyes, "Could it be that the 'Aberration Core' is not complete? It is only a part deep in the Sea Eye? Its 'other half,' or rather, the target it is 'gestating,' is actually its missing half, sleeping in that 'blind zone'? It wants to go there to complete the final... fusion and completion?"

This speculation made everyone’s scalp tingle!

A "living pollution hub" that was already so thorny was actually not a complete body? It still had an "other half" sleeping deeper inside? Once the two fused and completed, what would be born? The remains of a true, complete, and ancient "Star God" thoroughly twisted by the filthy contract? Or some kind of unprecedented "ultimate monster" that fused contract backlash, Demonic Abyss pollution, and the origin of the Sea Eye?

"We must stop it!" Master Yan Lie roared, his beard and hair standing on end, "Smash it before it merges!"

Qian Wantong also lost his usual composure and said urgently: "The fusion process must require time and massive energy, and it may produce great movement and flaws! This is our last chance! If we wait for it to complete the replenishment, I fear..."

Lin Xuan’s gaze was deep and condensed, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the star map base beside him. A moment later, he spoke slowly: "Two things must be done immediately."

"First, concentrate all power, at any cost, to set up the final and strongest 'Composite Stagnation Array' before it reaches the edge of the 'Absolute Blind Zone.' The goal is not to block it completely, but to... 'delay' it at the edge of the blind zone for long enough, and consume its energy as much as possible, interfering with its resonance with the 'other half'."

"Second," he looked at Zhao Yuan, his gaze as sharp as a sword, "we need to know in advance what the so-called 'other half' deep in the 'blind zone' is, what its state is, what its weaknesses are, and where the key nodes of the fusion process are. Conventional detection methods cannot penetrate the blind zone, but... the demonic seed in Zhao Yuan’s body, as its 'offspring' and 'beacon,' may be able to become our 'eyes' to peer into the 'blind zone'."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was shocked.

"No!" True Person Beichen immediately objected, "Young Master Zhao Yuan has just stabilized. Although the demonic seed is suppressed, the risks remain! Using the demonic seed as a medium to peer into such an existence is no different from exposing one's soul directly before the filthy core. If one is not careful, it will be an irrecoverable disaster!"

Elder Ling Shuang also frowned: "Fellow Daoist Lin, this method is too dangerous. If the demonic seed is reverse-controlled by that 'Aberration Core' or its 'other half,' the consequences will be unimaginable."

Zhao Yuan stepped forward, his expression calm and firm: "This junior is willing to be the 'eyes'." He looked at Lin Xuan, "Since the senior has proposed this method, you must have already considered it thoroughly. The 'Star Source Anchoring Array' and the 'Chaos Starlight' this junior has newly comprehended should be able to protect this junior’s soul to the greatest extent, and provide a disguise and a fallback to cut off the connection. This junior trusts the senior."

Lin Xuan looked at Zhao Yuan and nodded: "The risk does exist, but it is not without a solution. I will lay down a layer of 'Chaos Mirror Image Prohibition' on the basis of the 'Star Source Anchoring Array.' When you use the demonic seed as a bridge to extend your perception toward the 'blind zone,' your connection between the 'Chaos Starlight' and the demonic seed will be 'copied' and 'twisted' by this prohibition, transmitting carefully disguised, false 'beacon' information to the other side. At the same time, your true perception will be wrapped and encrypted layer by layer by the prohibition, like observing through a one-way, constantly deforming mirror. Once danger is detected, I can instantly detonate the prohibition, cut off the connection, and suppress the demonic seed back into the deepest state of sealing."

He paused and continued: "Furthermore, the target of the peeping is not to directly contact the core of that 'other half,' but to sense its general state, energy characteristics, and surrounding environment through its resonant connection with the 'Aberration Core.' This is like judging the outline and movement of a giant creature underwater by observing ripples on the surface; although blurry, it is enough for us to make key judgments."

Wei Gong pondered for a long time, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Lin Xuan and Zhao Yuan, and finally sighed: "Since Fellow Daoist Lin is confident, and Young Master Zhao Yuan has such determination... Very well! This old man agrees! But we must make full preparations, and all protection and healing resources must be in place! Once the situation changes, terminate it immediately!"

"That is only natural," Lin Xuan replied, and immediately began to set up quickly, "Shopkeeper Qian, Master Yan Lie, please increase the power of the 'Star Source Marrow' and the 'Star Essence' fragments to the maximum to fully stabilize the 'Star Source Anchoring Array.' Elder Beichen, Elder Ling Shuang, Fellow Daoist Hun You, please join me in setting up the 'Chaos Mirror Image Prohibition.' Wei Gong, please sit in the center yourself to coordinate the overall situation, monitor all energy changes, and be ready to provide support at any time."

With the orders given, everyone immediately took action. The top floor of the Star Observation Terrace was quickly transformed into a more precise and complex multi-array hub.

Zhao Yuan returned to the Earth Core Meditation Room and sat cross-legged in front of the "Star Source Marrow." At this moment, the "Star Source Anchoring Array" had been activated to the limit, and the dark blue starlight had almost condensed into substance, wrapping him like a sculpture in blue crystal. The "Star Essence" fragments hovered above his head, casting down curtains of purifying light. Lin Xuan, Beichen, Ling Shuang, and Hun You sat in the four directions, each forming seals. Gray, hazy chaotic air currents, brilliant starlight, icy blue cold air, and dark soul power intertwined and wound around each other, beginning to build a more profound and obscure "Chaos Mirror Image Prohibition" outside the heavy star source light cocoon, with images and runes constantly changing.

Time passed second by second, and the prohibition gradually took shape, like a transparent crystal shell reflecting countless twisted scenes inside, shrouding Zhao Yuan together with the "Star Source Anchoring Array."

"Are you ready?" Lin Xuan’s voice went directly into Zhao Yuan’s sea of consciousness.

Zhao Yuan took a deep breath and adjusted his state to the peak. The "Chaos Starlight" flowed slowly within his Nascent Soul, ready to erupt at any time. "I am ready."

"Begin," Lin Xuan said in a low voice.

With a thought, Zhao Yuan cautiously guided a wisp of extremely subtle "Chaos Starlight" through the only and extremely unstable "channel" left by the "Star Source Light Cocoon" and the "Chaos Mirror Image Prohibition," slowly probing toward the depths of his sea of consciousness, to that demonic seed sealed under heavy layers.

This time, he did not purify or suppress, but... attempted to use the "Chaos Starlight" to simulate the demonic seed’s most essential "resonant frequency," which was of the same origin as the "Aberration Core," and gently "knocked" on the core of the demonic seed!

Hum—!

The demonic seed shook violently! Dark purple light flickered crazily, as if it had been instantly activated! A sense of "traction" and "belonging" that was clearer and stronger than ever before erupted from the depths of the demonic seed along the frequency that had been "knocked"!

At the same time, the "Chaos Mirror Image Prohibition" operated at full power! It twisted and disguised Zhao Yuan’s true "knocking" action and aura into a false scene of "the demonic seed struggling in pain due to purification and inadvertently leaking its core frequency," and transmitted this disguised fluctuation toward the Return Ruins Sea Eye, the "Aberration Core," and the direction of the "Absolute Blind Zone" where its "other half" was located... cautiously!

Zhao Yuan held his breath, all his mind attached to that wisp of "Chaos Starlight," and followed the unprecedentedly clear connection channel generated after the demonic seed was "activated," cautiously extending his perception... toward that endless deep sea "Absolute Blind Zone" where even starlight seemed to be swallowed...