Chapter 236

The warning image transmitted from the ancient tree was like ice water poured over the head, instantly returning the people who had just caught a breath to the harsh reality.

"The fissure is expanding…… that thing…… is about to come out……" the Star Speaker Elder's voice was hoarse; through the crystal ball he sensed, seeing a scene even clearer than Li Qingxuan's, the madness and destructive will contained in that huge shadow made his soul tremble.

"The False Emperor is cornered like a desperate dog jumping over a wall!" Xingren gripped his sword hilt, knuckles white, "We must get the message back quickly! With just our few people, we simply cannot stop it!"

Everyone looked at Li Qingxuan, waiting for his decision.

Li Qingxuan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm. The wound on his shoulder, nourished by the oasis's life energy, had nearly healed; repeated battles and desperate struggles had tempered his will like steel forged through a thousand hammerings. He walked to the base of the Life Ancient Tree's core, placed his hand on the trunk, and communicated more deeply with this ancestral legacy.

More information flowed into his mind: about the oasis's operating mechanism, about the weak link of the Life Beacon network, about how to navigate limitedly in the Void...

After a moment, he opened his eyes, a flash of resolve crossing his gaze.

"We will split into two groups." Li Qingxuan said in a low voice, "First, someone must return immediately, bringing back everything that has happened here, especially the news that the seal of the Exile Land is accelerating its collapse, to the Alliance and the Shadow Hall! Let them prepare in advance, even… consider the possibility of withdrawal."

"Second, this oasis is crucial; it is not only a shelter, but may also be the key 'Anchor Point' for future resistance against the Stillness and those monsters. Someone must stay behind to guard it and attempt to activate more of its functions, while continuing to try to contact other possible allies through the beacon network."

How to return became the biggest problem. Their mount was destroyed, and relying solely on personal strength to travel long distances in the Void was tantamount to suicide.

Li Qingxuan turned his gaze to the Life Ancient Tree. "According to the information left by my ancestors, this oasis…… possesses the capability for short-distance Void travel."

He directed everyone's gaze to the oasis's edge. There, some thick, dragon‑like emerald roots plunged deep into the Void; they were not absorbing nutrients, but drawing a certain dimensional energy, maintaining the oasis's existence and stability.

"I can try, using the ancient tree's power, to burn part of the oasis's stored life energy and carry out an ultra‑long‑distance…… 'Root Projection'." Li Qingxuan voiced his idea, "Just as a tree shoots out seeds, we can project a portion of people and information toward the general direction of known star fields."

This method is extremely risky! Not to mention that the landing point of the 'Root Projection' cannot be precisely controlled; merely burning life energy could inflict irreversible damage on this precious oasis, possibly even causing its collapse.

"Let me take people back!" Huang Rong stood up immediately, eyes firm, "I am sensitive to spatial fluctuations; perhaps I can slightly adjust the direction during the projection. Moreover, the Alliance side needs someone to give a detailed report."

Xingren also stepped forward: "I'll go with them. The Shadow Hall side needs enough weighty persons to convey the information and coordinate."

Li Qingxuan looked at them and nodded heavily. This was undoubtedly the best choice.

"Yan Xin, you bring most of the technical personnel and the wounded to stay behind, assisting me in guarding and developing the oasis." Li Qingxuan looked at Yanxin Runesmith, "We need to quickly figure out this place's defense mechanism and energy conversion method."

"Yes, my lord!" Yan Xin accepted the order solemnly.

No delay, act immediately.

Li Qingxuan again merged his spiritual power with the Life Ancient Tree's core, guiding the surging life energy toward the several main roots at the edge. Emerald light flared on the roots, brightening like a charge. The entire oasis trembled slightly, the island's area even shrinking a ring visible to the naked eye—this was consuming its own primordial reserves.

Huang Rong, Xingren, and five of the Star Dust Guards most skilled in survival and speed (including a Dwarf Engineer and an Elf Communicator) stood before the several fully charged thick roots. They stored vital information in specially made rune stones and carried a small amount of the oasis's produced Life Fruit as emergency rations.

"You must succeed!" Li Qingxuan looked at Huang Rong, thousands of words condensing into a heavy admonition.

Huang Rong returned his gaze with a reassuring look and nodded firmly.

"Ready…… fire!"

With a thought from Li Qingxuan, the several thick roots suddenly straightened, like the arms of a catapult loaded with force, then abruptly contracted and launched!

"Whoosh——!"

A dazzling emerald‑green light sphere enveloped Huang Rong, Xingren, and the five Star Dust Guards, like a reverse meteor, instantly breaking free of the oasis, tearing through the dark Void at a speed surpassing ordinary space jumps, speeding toward the distant star field, and quickly disappearing from everyone's sight.

Success or failure can only be left to fate.

After doing all this, Li Qingxuan's face turned slightly pale as he severed his connection with the Life Ancient Tree. This projection consumed nearly one‑tenth of the oasis's primordial energy, requiring time to recover.

He turned, looking at the nearly twenty teammates left behind, his gaze resolute: "Until they bring back reinforcements or we find another way, this place is our new stronghold, our outpost against the darkness! Let us turn it into a nail driven near the enemy's heart!"

In the following days, the survivors began tense construction and research on this Void oasis.

Under the leadership of Yanxin Runesmith, they analyzed the ancient runes inside the oasis, attempting to repair and strengthen that energy barrier, and using life energy to sprout defensive thorn vines. Li Qingxuan, meanwhile, communicated daily with the Life Ancient Tree, deepening his understanding of the Life Law, and tried to send out distress and warning signals through the weak beacon network to the universe.

Time passed in their busyness. The oasis, thanks to their efforts, saw its defenses gradually perfected, and they even opened a small plot for planting fast‑growing crops, achieving initial self‑sufficiency.

However, the sense of oppression coming from the direction of the Exile Land grew day by day. Despite being separated by endless Void, everyone could faintly feel that a tremendous disaster was brewing, like the stillness before a storm.

Until one day, while Li Qingxuan was communicating with the Life Ancient Tree, he suddenly opened his eyes!

In his eyes burst an incredulous light of joy!

"I've received…… I've received a response!" He almost shouted it out.

Through the Life Beacon network, he caught a faint but undeniable response signal! The signal did not come from the Guangtan Alliance or the Shadow Hall; its encoding was older, simpler, carrying a kind of…… aura shared with the Ancestral Observation Station!

The signal's source pointed to another direction in the Void, seemingly…… another still‑intact Life Beacon node!

Moreover, mixed into that response signal was a small fragment of intermittent information——

"……hold on…… aid…… coming…… beware…… 'Scavenger'……"

Reinforcements? Scavenger?

Li Qingxuan's heart leapt up. This mysterious response—was it fortune or misfortune?

The way home seemed to show a glimmer of hope, but the fog ahead grew even thicker.

(PS: Please support the free love‑powered donations; the author will be more motivated if you do. If you like this book, feel free to leave a review, thank you everyone.)