Chapter 247

The news that Li Qingxuan officially joined the Watchers' Council and was appointed to the position of "Life Warden" spread like a stone tossed into a calm lake, causing considerable ripples within the "Slumber of the Stars".

An "outsider" who was not a descendant of the ancients and even came from an obscure remote star system, relying on the fortuitously obtained "Life Seed" and an outstanding performance in a critical mission, directly entered the council's core, undoubtedly shattering many entrenched notions.

There were skeptics, there were onlookers, but more prevalent was a hope, amid the dire situation, for any means to strengthen their side. After all, Li Qingxuan's ability to harmonize rune power demonstrated in the "Dawn Operation", together with his unique life-and-death artistic conception, was something no other councilor possessed.

The investiture ceremony was simple yet solemn. Before all the councilors of the Star Observation Hall, Starry Councilor personally placed upon Li Qingxuan's chest an emblem crafted from verdant vines entwined with a stellar pattern. This emblem was not only a symbol of identity but also a precise energy node, capable of linking to the database and partial permission system of the "Slumber of the Stars", and to a certain extent amplifying the effect of Life Energy.

"From today onward, your will shall be an extension of the council's will; your duty shall be to guard the flame of life and uphold the order's starlight." Starry Councilor's solemn voice echoed through the hall.

Li Qingxuan stroked the emblem on his chest, feeling the immense vitality and the power of the ancient Alliance Covenant contained within. He replied in a deep voice: "I will not betray the trust."

After the ceremony ended, Li Qingxuan had no time to immerse himself in his new identity; he immediately threw himself into the urgent work and study.

First, using the emblem's access rights, he comprehensively browsed the Watchers' Council's shared knowledge base concerning the cosmic layout, known force distributions, movements of the Pseudo-Emperor Legion, and most importantly—the vast repository of knowledge about the Primordial Rune.

The volume of information was enough to shatter any mortal's mind, but Li Qingxuan's Spiritual Power, after repeated tempering and nourishment by the "Life Imprint", far surpassed that of ordinary people; he absorbed these precious bits of knowledge like a sponge soaking up water.

He learned that the Primordial Rune was not simply nine or a dozen types; its exact number remained a mystery even in the ancients' era, and they are more like different facets of the underlying law-code that constitutes reality's universe. The council has clearly recorded and has had contact traces of, besides the ones he already knew—"Life", "Molten Fire", "Flowing Water", "Shadow"—also "Earth", "Light", "Storm", "Metal", "Soul", and so on. Each rune contains boundless mysteries and power, but likewise carries great risk and responsibility.

He also consulted more detailed ancient records concerning the "Exile Land"; the fragmentary descriptions of the imprisoned "Void Spawn" and "Fallen Ancient God" were enough to make one's blood run cold. The False Emperor's attempt to control or exploit these beings was madness far beyond his previous imagination.

While familiarizing himself with the information, Li Qingxuan also began systematically studying the Watchers' power system. Besides each's unique inherited abilities—such as Yuexi's Moonlight Power and Qingmu's natural magic, etc. —the Watchers generally mastered a mental tempering technique called the "Star Radiance Meditation Method", as well as a general technique for combat and support utilizing Stardust Energy.

Li Qingxuan attempted to cultivate the "Star Radiance Meditation Method" and found it shared a similarity with tempering the spirit and expanding perception, akin to his "Weird Divine Realm", though via a different path. Combining the two, the growth and control of his Spiritual Power became more refined. Meanwhile, Stardust Energy is a relatively gentle and balanced energy existing in the Void; it does not conflict with his internal Life Energy, but rather can serve to supplement and amplify it to a certain extent.

Of course, his most important task remained familiarizing himself with and improving his command of the "Life Imprint". Under the meticulous guidance of Elder Qingmu (who, as a Forest Elf, had the deepest understanding of life force), Li Qingxuan's comprehension of the Life Law deepened day by day. He now could not only accelerate healing and spur plant growth, but could even initially bestow inorganic objects with a faint "vitality" for a short time, or sense the overall state of all life within an area.

His life-and-death artistic conception also became more refined and controllable through this systematic study and sedimentation.

Time flew by swiftly amidst the fulfilling study and cultivation.

That day, Li Qingxuan was meditating in a quiet chamber assigned to him by the council, located inside a treehouse of a gigantic luminous ancient tree, attempting to fuse a thread of Stardust Energy into the "Life Imprint" in search of a new variation.

Suddenly, his chest's Life Emblem and the deeper crystal of the "Life Imprint" simultaneously transmitted an unprecedented, strong and clear throbbing!

This time the sensation was not pointing toward a distant unknown, nor was it a resonance with other rune fragments, but…… a more direct, more intimate call! It was as if a close kin connected by blood, far away, was sending out a signal!

This feeling…… was it the direction of the Guangtan Alliance?! No, more accurately speaking, it was…… the Life Tree closely tied to his own origin?!

Li Qingxuan flung his eyes wide open, and his pupils burst with light mingled with surprise and delight!

He immediately connected via the emblem to the council's database, pulled up a star chart, and locked onto the rough direction from which the sensation came. Although still distant, and the signal severely disrupted by the Void, arriving in fragments, it was unmistakably from the Guangtan Alliance, the unique fluctuation of the Life Tree sapling he himself had planted!

It seemed to be…… responding to the signal sent out by the "Stellar Glyph Array"? Or perhaps, after becoming the "Life Warden" and becoming deeply bound to the "Slumber of the Stars", through some mysterious connection he had caught the homeland's call?

In any case, this is wonderful news! It means that contact has been preliminarily established!

He suppressed the urge to rush out and report, focused all his spirit, and attempted, via the dual amplification of the "Life Imprint" and the emblem, to send back in that direction a clearer mental imprint containing his identity information and current situation!

"……I am Li Qingxuan…… I am safe…… located at the Watchers' base "Slumber of the Stars"…… How is the alliance faring? Have Huang Rong and Xingren returned? Please reply if received……"

After the message was sent came the agonizing wait. Every faint signal feedback made his heart race.

Finally, after several standard hours, an extremely faint mental fluctuation, like a candle flickering in the wind yet intimately familiar, penetrated the endless Void and was successfully captured by him!

That fluctuation came from the Life Tree, mixed with Li Feifei's familiar mental imprint, brimming with excitement and disbelief:

"……Qingxuan?! Is it really you?! The signal is too weak…… but we received it! The alliance…… is temporarily unharmed…… the fluctuations of the "Eye of Reckoning" are intensifying, yet it has not descended…… Elder Sister Huang Rong and Xingren…… have not returned…… Where are you? We need support……"

The message was fragmented, but the key content had become clear.

The alliance was temporarily safe, but the threat of the "Eye of Reckoning" loomed imminent! And Huang Rong and Xingren were indeed lost in the Void!

Li Qingxuan felt a heavy stone drop in his heart, only to be lifted by another.

He suddenly rose to his feet and strode out of the quiet chamber. He must immediately report this to the council! The Guangtan Alliance needs help; Huang Rong and Xingren need to be found! And all of this requires the power of the Watchers!

For the first time, as a "Life Warden", he headed for the Star Observation Hall for the sake of his homeland and comrades, preparing to submit a formal request for assistance.

The threads of fate seemed to be drawing the scattered sparks back together.

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