Host, you missed a high-end confession event.

The brief excitement of returning victorious from Bloodstained Star was quickly replaced by deeper worries.

Although the Soul Devouring Cult was destroyed, the secret order from the Sky Patrol Division hung like a sword over everyone's heads, reminding them that the threat from the Celestial Court had not disappeared, but might even intensify because of this operation.

After the main hall meeting ended, Xie Chen went alone to the "Starry Dome" at the highest point of the Li Yuan Realm.

This is a naturally formed observatory with a transparent dome that seems to connect directly with the endless starry sky. The trajectories of the stars are clearly visible, and it exudes a profound Taoist charm.

He needs to use the power of the stars here to fully deduce the next move of the Celestial Court.

Fang Li was concerned that Xie Chen might have expended a lot of energy during the divination, so she specially asked her mother for several bottles of high-grade pills to nourish the soul and replenish vital energy, and brought them over.

As soon as Fang Li stepped into the starry dome, she was stunned by the sight before her.

Xie Chen stood with his back to her in the center of the dome, with the radiant Star Compass floating around him.

But at this moment, the compass was spinning wildly, its starlight flickering erratically, and it even made a creaking sound as it struggled to keep up with the load.

Xie Chen's once upright figure was now slightly hunched, his face as pale as paper, and a glaring bloodstain remained at the corner of his mouth, staining a small patch of his usually neat clothes red.

His aura was chaotic, and he was enduring a tremendous backlash.

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" Fang Li's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward, her voice filled with worry, "Are you... are you alright? Quickly take this medicine!" She hurriedly handed over the jade bottle.

Upon hearing the sound, Xie Chen slowly turned around.

He raised his hand and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the corner of his sleeve. His movements still carried his usual gentleness, but his brows were shrouded in a layer of weariness and deep sorrow.

He took the pill, swallowed it, and shook his head with a wry smile: "It's nothing... it's just that... by forcibly peeking into the secrets of heaven, I saw some things... that I shouldn't have seen." His gaze fell on Fang Li's face, his eyes filled with complex and unfathomable emotions.

Fang Li felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze and couldn't help but ask, "Senior Brother Xie, what did you see? Is the Celestial Court about to make some big move again?"

Xie Chen took a deep breath, suppressing his surging blood and qi, and cast his gaze toward the vast starry sky beyond the dome. He sighed and said, "I see... the ultimate foundation of the Celestial Court, that legendary Heavenly Judgment Sword that punishes on behalf of Heaven... its sword spirit... is awakening."

He paused, his tone growing heavier: "Furthermore, I see... if this sword is fully unleashed, it will not only slay enemies... the laws it contains are mortal enemies of the chaotic origin. The day the sword is drawn will inevitably trigger... the Great Calamity of Chaos Returning to Nothingness! At that time... the laws of heaven and earth will collapse, all things will return to chaos... everything... may start anew."

Fang Li gasped in shock! The Great Calamity of Chaos Returning to Nothingness? The Rebirth of Heaven and Earth? This...this is going too far! Is the Celestial Court going to drag the whole world down with it?

"System! Did you hear that? The final boss is about to unleash a powerful attack! It's a map-wide attack! This Heavenly Judgment Sword sounds even more devastating than Thanos' snap!"

System: [Host! Heavenly Judgment Sword... Database comparison in progress... Holy crap! This thing is a privilege hog! It's formatting the hard drive directly! This system can't hack into it!]

Just as Fang Li was reeling from this shocking news, Xie Chen suddenly changed the subject, his gaze returning to her, his eyes becoming even more profound, as if trying to see through her body to discern the trajectory of her destiny deep within her soul.

He said softly, "In that chaotic and broken heavenly secret... I saw that when my Starfall Pavilion was destroyed, the broken star track... had a faint connection with your chaotic destiny in the dark."

"Huh?" Fang Li was taken aback, not quite understanding this sudden connection. The Starfall Pavilion's star orbit...and her chaotic destiny? They seemed completely unrelated.

Seeing her bewildered expression, Xie Chen's lips curled into a smile: "Perhaps... this fleeting connection is the glimmer of hope that Heaven, amidst destruction, has granted to my Starfall Pavilion... and to me, Xie Chen." His gaze was fixed on Fang Li, his voice low and deep, "Or perhaps... it's the glimmer of fate that I, after exhausting half my life deducing celestial phenomena and peering into destiny, have ultimately... forcibly obtained..."

Fang Li: "..."

She blinked, a little confused.

Vitality? Fate? Brother Xie's words... sound a bit... strange?

It's like it's saying something profound, but it also seems to mean more than just the literal meaning...

"Tongzi! What does he mean by that? (Confused) It sounds a bit like... like those charlatan fortune tellers saying... 'Girl, we're destined to be together' lines? But it seems to be on a whole different level of sophistication? (Scratching head)"

At this moment, the system emitted a screeching sound like a groundhog in Fang Li's mind: "Host! This...this...this Fox Xie is confessing his love, right?! Absolutely! Using the starry sky as a backdrop! Using destiny as sweet talk! Using the survival of the sect as a prelude to deep affection! High-level! So high-level! This operation! This atmosphere creation! I've learned something new! It's much more sophisticated than Ji Hanhan's physical shield and Shen Bingtuo's forced love!"

Fang Li: "...Huh? Confess...? Confess using destiny? (Twitching at the corner of her mouth) Are cultivators these days all so abstract? It seems our current generation of second-generation cultivators' sophistication is a bit lacking..."

Listening to their thoughts, and seeing Fang Li's seemingly confused and unfocused expression, Xie Chen felt a pang of disappointment. He quickly regained his usual gentle and warm smile, though a deep bitterness lingered beneath it.

“Though destiny is hard to defy, and the Way of Heaven is supreme…” he said softly, but his gaze became more and more determined. “But we cultivators, defying the heavens and fighting for our lives, why should we hesitate to defy the heavens just once?” He took a step forward, looking intently at Fang Li, as if he wanted to engrave her image into the depths of his soul. “Junior sister… you, your Chaos Path, may be the biggest variable in this predetermined dead end.”

Fang Li felt flustered and flustered by his extremely serious gaze and words. Her cheeks flushed, and she subconsciously avoided his gaze, muttering softly, "Senior Brother Xie...you...you don't make it sound so serious...I...I'm under a lot of pressure..."

Xie Chen merely smiled slightly, ceasing the heavy topic, and instead said, "The most urgent task is to prevent the Heavenly Judgment Sword from fully awakening. According to my deductions, this sword possesses immense power, but its scabbard, the 'Heaven-Sealing Stele,' has the miraculous effect of sealing some of its power and delaying its awakening. We must find the 'Heaven-Sealing Stele' first!"

Fang Li looked at Xie Chen's pale yet determined profile, then at the dim star field in the star chart that symbolized endless danger, and nodded vigorously: "Okay! Let's search together!"

Seeing her instantly regain her vitality, Xie Chen's eyes flashed with tenderness. He nodded and said, "Alright. This matter requires careful consideration. I'll go and adjust my breathing first, and we'll discuss it in detail tomorrow." With that, he turned and left, his figure appearing somewhat lonely under the starlight, yet carrying an unwavering determination.

Fang Li watched his figure disappear before letting out a long breath and patting her chest.

"Tongzi, Senior Brother Xie's words are like a riddle!"

System: [Host! (Exasperated) You missed a high-level confession! (Heartbroken) But it's okay! We're going to find the 'Sealing Heaven Stele' next! This is a main quest upgrade! And...hehe, we might even get to watch Xie Fox perform again along the way!]

Fang Li: "...(rolls her eyes) Your focus is always so off-topic!"