Chapter 62: Starfall Mystical Palace? My first hearing of the Huangfu Tianji!

Star-mist mountains, dead silent.

The black metallic mountain body was cold and hard, as if it could absorb all light and sound. The dense star-mist here transformed into tangible grey currents, flowing slowly; not only did it obstruct vision, but it also suppressed spiritual sense. Lin Xuan pushed his "Eye of Truth-Breaking" to the limit, only then being able to see the scene within a hundred zhang.

The mountain terrain was steep, covered in various strange-shaped metallic structures that seemed to have been twisted by immense force, like parts of the wreckage of some gigantic star-ship. The air was permeated with dense star power, but this power was filled with decay, deathly silence, and an indescribable heaviness, completely different from the relatively active star power of the Starfall Lake.

The throbbing of the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order was like a guiding beacon, leading Lin Xuan to climb upward along a seemingly abandoned metallic staircase.

The staircase wound its way, leading to a massive hole at the mountain's waist that looked as if it had been torn open by sharp claws. Fragments of powerful sealing barriers remained at the edges of the hole, but they had long since lost most of their effectiveness under the erosion of time.

Lin Xuan concealed his aura and slipped inside without a sound.

Inside the hole was not a natural cave, but the interior of an extremely vast metallic hall! The hall's dome was towering, supported by countless thick metallic pillars, but many of these pillars had already snapped and collapsed, causing part of the dome to cave in and revealing the grey, hazy sky outside. Scattered on the ground were various broken instruments, puppet remains, and some strange crystals that had long since lost their luster.

This place seemed like an outpost established by an ancient sect upon a meteorite, or... perhaps it was the core of a crashed giant star-ship!

The "Eye of Truth-Breaking" swept over, and he could see the faint energy patterns remaining on those wrecks, which were vastly different from current array systems—more ancient, simpler, yet containing a certain Dao rhyme that pointed directly to the origin.

From deep within the hall came faint energy fluctuations and... the sound of conversation!

Lin Xuan's heart stirred. He pushed his "Turtle Breathing Art" and "Shadow Concealment Technique" to their peak, and combined with the newly acquired destiny-shielding function, his entire person seemed to become a part of the hall's shadows, approaching silently.

After bypassing several piles of massive metallic wreckage, the scene ahead suddenly opened up.

In the deepest part of the hall stood a relatively well-preserved circular altar. The altar was cast from some kind of dark silver metal, its surface engraved with a map of the celestial stars. At this moment, more than a dozen cultivators were gathered around it.

One side was, shockingly, the remnants of the Youming Sect! There were only five or six of them, and the leader was that Golden Core peak Elder who had fled with Elder Youquan; at this moment, his aura was unstable, clearly his injuries had not yet healed. They were casting Nether incantations toward the altar, attempting to activate something.

The other side consisted of three cultivators wearing star-patterned Daoist robes, two men and one woman, all of whom were at the early Soul Formation stage! Their attire was uniform, with the Big Dipper constellation embroidered on their robes, radiating pure star power. They were confronting the Youming Sect members, preventing them from approaching the center of the altar.

"You Liang! This place was left behind by the ancestors of my 'Starfall Pavilion'; how can you allow the Youming Sect to defile it! Withdraw at once!" The long-bearded old man leading the three star cultivators shouted sternly, holding a starlight compass in his hand that emitted rays of starlight, counteracting the Youming Sect's incantations.

The Youming Sect Elder known as You Liang gave a sinister laugh: "Starfall Pavilion? Hmph, just a bunch of down-and-out wretches guarding ruins and living off past glory! This 'Star-Drawing Altar' has been silent for ten thousand years; today it is fated to be opened by my Holy Sect to receive holy power! Get lost if you know what's good for you, otherwise don't blame this old man for being ruthless!"

"Shameless boasting! Relying on you few remnants?" Another burly Soul Formation cultivator from the Starfall Pavilion glared, starlight condensing around his body to form a suit of battle armor.

Both sides were at daggers drawn, the atmosphere tense.

Lin Xuan was hidden in the shadows, but his gaze fell upon the center of the altar. There, it was not empty; instead, a crystal about the size of a fist was suspended there—perfectly round, with a galaxy seemingly rotating inside, emitting a soft yet vast starlight!

【Star Core (Damaged)】:??? (Rank too high, partial information missing). It was formed after the collapse of an ancient star, representing its most fundamental core fragment, containing the purest star laws and vast star power. It can be used to comprehend the Star Dao, refine supreme star treasures, or serve as an energy source for certain ancient arrays. Status: Energy dormant, requires special techniques to trigger.

Meanwhile, the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order in Lin Xuan's bosom was, at this moment, transmitting waves of intense, longing throbs toward that Star Core! It was not hostility, but an attraction that was almost "complementary" and "of the same origin"!

"The Soul-Suppressing Order... needs the power of the Star Core to repair itself?" A thought flashed through Lin Xuan's mind. The Soul-Suppressing Department governs the Nether; the Nether and the Stars, seemingly opposites, but at a higher level, do they both belong to some balance of cosmic order?

Just as he was pondering, a change occurred in the arena!

Elder You Liang, seeing that a frontal assault was failing, flashed a look of ruthlessness in his eyes. He bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of essence blood onto a small black banner in his hand!

"Nether Blood Sacrifice, Ten Thousand Ghosts Break the Barrier!"

The small banner grew in the wind, becoming several zhang in size. Countless painfully twisted ghost faces appeared on the banner's surface, emitting ear-piercing shrieks and condensing into a foul, blood-colored beam of light that slammed fiercely into the altar's protective starlight!

"Careful! It's the Nether Soul-Devouring Banner!" The long-bearded Elder of the Starfall Pavilion's expression changed, and he hurriedly activated the starlight compass, while the other two also poured out their star power with all their might.

Boom!

The blood-colored beam and the brilliant starlight collided violently, emitting a hissing sound of corrosion. Although the starlight was pure, the filth and resentment contained in the blood-colored beam were extremely vicious, and it actually had a faint tendency to erode the starlight!

The three Starfall Pavilion Soul Formation cultivators' bodies trembled slightly, their faces turning pale; clearly, they were struggling to hold on. They excelled in the righteous Star Dao, and their resistance to such filthy, evil arts seemed slightly weaker.

Elder You Liang saw this and a look of triumph appeared on his face, intensifying the activation of the Soul-Devouring Banner.

Just as the starlight protection was about to be broken—

Swish!

A grey finger force shot out from the side shadows without warning, arriving later but striking first, hitting the pole of the Soul-Devouring Banner with extreme precision!

Nirvana Finger!

Pfft!

As if a hot knife cutting through oil, the seemingly sturdy banner pole was easily pierced with a small hole by the finger force containing the power of chaos annihilation! The wailing ghost faces on the banner surface instantly froze, and the blood-colored beam of light swayed violently, its power greatly diminished!

"Who?!" Elder You Liang was both shocked and furious, turning his head abruptly to look at the source of the finger force.

The three Starfall Pavilion cultivators were also taken aback, not expecting someone to be helping from the shadows.

Lin Xuan walked slowly out of the shadows, his expression calm. Since he had decided to obtain that Star Core, he naturally could not let the Youming Sect succeed. The enemy of an enemy is a temporary friend.

"It's you?!" Elder You Liang saw Lin Xuan's face clearly (still disguised as Jin Shisan), his pupils shrank, and his face was instantly filled with terror! He had seen with his own eyes this person contending with Elder Youquan outside the basin, and had even heard that he had survived the terrifying Chaos Heavenly Tribulation! "Jin Shisan! This matter has nothing to do with you, why must you make an enemy of my Holy Sect?!"

"I just don't like the look of you." Lin Xuan spoke indifferently, not bothering to explain too much. His gaze swept over the Star Core, then looked at the three Starfall Pavilion cultivators. "I want this item."

His tone was flat, yet carried an unquestionable dominance.

The three from the Starfall Pavilion looked at each other. The long-bearded Elder pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said: "Many thanks to the Daoist friend for your help just now. But this Star Core is a relic left by our Pavilion's ancestors, and it is of great importance..."

"If I am not mistaken, you are unable to trigger it, are you not?" Lin Xuan interrupted him. His "Eye of Truth-Breaking" had long since seen that the Star Core was in a state of deep dormancy, and although the three Starfall Pavilion members practiced star cultivation techniques, they seemed to lack the method to truly communicate with the core.

The long-bearded Elder was speechless, his face showing embarrassment. They had indeed been studying it for many days, but had never been able to activate the core.

"Rather than letting it gather dust here, or falling into the hands of the Youming Sect, it is better for me to take it away." Lin Xuan took a step forward, the aura of chaos circulating slightly around his body; although he was only at the early Soul Formation stage, he brought a heavy pressure to everyone present. "In exchange, I can help you repel the Youming Sect, and I promise that if I gain anything from my research, I can share with your Pavilion some of the mysteries regarding the Star Core."

He offered a seemingly fair condition, but in reality, the initiative was entirely in his hands.

The three Starfall Pavilion members exchanged glances. Finally, the long-bearded Elder sighed and nodded: "In that case... we shall follow the Daoist friend's words." They knew very well that facing a ruthless person who could survive the Chaos Heavenly Tribulation and break the Nether Soul-Devouring Banner with a casual strike, they had no room to bargain. Being able to save their lives and potentially gain some mysteries about their ancestors' relics was already the best outcome.

"Bastards! You dare to..." Elder You Liang was trembling with rage, but facing Lin Xuan's cold gaze, the threats that followed could not be spoken. He knew that today's matter was no longer feasible.

"Let's go!" He made a decisive choice, put away the damaged Soul-Devouring Banner, and led his remaining subordinates in a wretched state toward the hall exit, not even daring to leave behind any harsh words.

Having driven away the Youming Sect, Lin Xuan's gaze fell on the Star Core at the center of the altar. He could feel that the Soul-Suppressing Order in his bosom was yearning even more intensely.

He walked forward, not rashly reaching out to take it, but first attempting to guide a wisp of chaotic spiritual power, wrapping it around a gentle wisp of Nether aura drawn from the Soul-Suppressing Order, and slowly probing toward the Star Core.

A strange scene occurred!

The originally dormant Star Core, upon contacting this aura mixed with the origins of chaos and the Nether, actually trembled slightly. The starlight on its surface became active, and the speed of the galaxy rotating inside accelerated by a fraction! It did not repel it; instead, it transmitted a faint, probing fluctuation!

It's working!

Lin Xuan's heart settled, and he continued to guide the aura cautiously. At the same time, he secretly communicated with the system: "System, initiate law analysis, analyze the energy connection between the Star Core and the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order, and the method to trigger it."

【Ding! Command confirmed, consuming 8% energy, starting analysis...】

【Analyzing... detecting energy homology... matching law fragments...】

【Analysis complete: The Star Core (Damaged) and the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order (Damaged) belong to the two poles of Yin and Yang, but both originate from the ancient "Big Dipper Demon-Suppressing Array"! The Star Core is the "Yang Array Eye," primarily for suppression and purification; the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order is the "Yin Array Eye," primarily for suppression and binding. The two complement each other and neither can be missing. To trigger the Star Core, one needs pure star power or a higher-order inclusive power (such as chaotic power) as a guide, supplemented by the aura of the Yin array eye (Soul-Suppressing Order) for harmonization...】

Big Dipper Demon-Suppressing Array! Yin and Yang array eyes!

Lin Xuan's heart suddenly cleared! So this Star Core and the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order were originally two components of a complete sealing system! No wonder they attracted each other!

He no longer hesitated. Following the guidance method provided by the system, he mobilized a wisp of pure chaotic spiritual power, simulating pure star fluctuations, while simultaneously drawing the aura of the Soul-Suppressing Order to blend into it, transforming it into a beam of light that was grey and hazy, carrying dots of starlight and faint Nether light, and gently tapped it toward the Star Core.

Hum—!

The Star Core suddenly erupted with unprecedented brilliant starlight! The map of the celestial stars on the entire altar lit up, as if it had come alive! A vast, ancient, and majestic star pressure permeated the area, making the three Starfall Pavilion cultivators nearby feel a palpitation, unable to help but want to bow down in worship!

The starlight lasted for several breaths before slowly retracting. The Star Core transformed into a stream of light and took the initiative to fly into Lin Xuan's hand. It felt warm and moist to the touch, pulsing gently as if it had life.

【Successfully collected the Star Core (Damaged). Resonance with the Nether Soul-Suppressing Order (Damaged) has occurred, and both have been slightly repaired. Unlocked partial joint-use permissions: Can briefly trigger "Star-Nether Light," possessing extremely strong purification and sealing effects.】

It worked! Not only did he get the Star Core, but the Soul-Suppressing Order was also repaired, and a joint skill was unlocked!

Lin Xuan was overjoyed and carefully put away the Star Core.

He turned to look at the dumbfounded trio from the Starfall Pavilion and, fulfilling his promise, selectively informed them of some information regarding the "Big Dipper Demon-Suppressing Array" and the Star Core serving as the "Yang Array Eye."

The three listened, mesmerized and excited. For their Starfall Pavilion, this was undoubtedly finding the true direction of their ancestors' inheritance!

"Many thanks to the Daoist friend for your guidance! This kindness, the Starfall Pavilion will never forget!" The long-bearded Elder, along with his two companions, bowed deeply to Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan accepted it calmly, then asked: "The three of you have lived in the Mystical Realm for a long time, do you know any news about the 'Huangfu Tianji Pavilion'?" He remembered that when he was snatching the Condensing Elixir Liquid, Master Mo of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion seemed to have mentioned this mysterious organization.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three became solemn. The long-bearded Elder pondered and said: "Huangfu Tianji Pavilion... the Daoist friend actually knows of them? This organization is mysterious and unfathomable, claiming to hold the secrets of heaven and to understand the past and future. Their people occasionally appear near the 'Heavenly Mandate Hall' in the core of the Mystical Realm. However... it is said that trading with them requires paying a huge price, and it might even be... destiny."

Destiny? Lin Xuan's gaze narrowed slightly. This Huangfu Tianji Pavilion sounded even more bizarre than the Youming Sect.

Just as he was pondering, the entire metallic hall suddenly shook violently without warning! It was as if some behemoth was waking up from beneath the ground!

"Not good! It's the guardian puppets! Collecting the core has disturbed them!" The long-bearded Elder's expression changed drastically.

They saw the metallic walls around the hall cracking one after another, and giant puppets several zhang tall, composed of various metallic components with red lights flashing in their eyes, walked out from behind the walls with heavy steps, surrounding the altar area! Their auras were at least at the late Golden Core stage, and several of the leaders had even reached the Soul Formation level!

At the same time, Lin Xuan keenly sensed that an extremely obscure yet malicious spiritual sense was sweeping across an extremely hidden corner of the hall like a poisonous snake, locking onto him!

This spiritual sense... did not come from the puppets! It was someone else! Their strength was unfathomable!

(Chapter 62 End) ===== CHAPTER 63 =====