Outside the Lingxiao Sect's branch gate, silence reigned, a stillness that made one feel uneasy. The clear, punctual chimes of the bells seemed to have vanished, and the disciples responsible for maintaining the sect's formations were already in disarray, anxiously scurrying around the core. The flow of spiritual energy was completely out of control, and the scene before them was like a pot of boiling, uncontrolled porridge.

"Who can tell me how the defensive formation collapsed!" A disciple held his head, his tone full of despair.

"Brother, this isn't my fault!" Another disciple, holding a rune repair tool, looked panicked. "Just now, while debugging, the rune exploded! The rune exploded on its own! Who can withstand this?"

Worse still, even the sect's most trusted spiritual weapon had a problem. One disciple brandished his sword, swinging it twice like it was a piece of scrap metal, but the spiritual light on the sword dimmed like a dead lightbulb and went out.

"It's over, it's over. I just refined this sword! Even the spiritual weapon has gone out. How can I practice Taoism with this crap?" The disciple wailed, looking like he had tasted despair for the first time in his life.

Suddenly, a piercing roar of beasts echoed from the mountain path. Several low-level spirit beasts, previously blocked by the defensive formation, had broken through the outer restrictions and charged in recklessly. A disciple quickly summoned a flying sword, but it spun in mid-air and, with a clang, plunged straight into the ground, posing no threat at all.

"Spirit beast! The spirit beast is coming!" The disciples screamed in surprise and frantically tried to fight the spirit beast with ordinary weapons, which made the scene even more chaotic.

"Don't chase that side! Where are you hitting?!" A disciple gave improper command and was knocked down by the spirit beast. He rolled three times before stopping.

"Hurry and report this to the Sect Master!" one of the more sober disciples shouted desperately, "If this isn't resolved, the sect will be in chaos!"

The atmosphere in the sect's main hall was so tense that it was suffocating.

Lu Tianze's face was so gloomy it looked like it could drip with water. He stood in front of the formation's main control console, the veins on his face throbbing. The rune screen in front of him kept flashing, illuminating a few eye-catching red words: "Psychic Core Link Failed." It was like a cold mockery of him.

"The psychic core connection failed, failed, failed." These words kept echoing in Lu Tianze's mind. He was so angry that he almost wanted to raise his hand and smash the control panel.

Lu Qingli stood beside him, a rare look of anxiety on his cold face: "Father, is there really no way to repair it?"

Lu Tianze took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and sighed, "These abnormal fluctuations... their source is completely different from the psychic system we are familiar with. It's like some kind of brand-new foreign invasion. There is no way to start."

Lu Qingli frowned and asked, "What about the Star Lord Mansion? Haven't they already intervened in the investigation? Are the resources of the Star Lord Mansion also useless?"

Hearing this, Lu Tianze's expression turned even uglier, and he sneered, "Star Lord Mansion? They're in even more trouble than us right now. The psychic network hub has been invaded, and many important formation nodes have completely failed. How can they even have the time to care about us?"

Lu Qingli's expression turned even uglier. "If even the Star Lord's Mansion is powerless, then the entire Yunxuan Star will be plunged into chaos..."

"Don't talk nonsense!" Lu Tianze interrupted her sternly. His gaze was like a sword, carrying a hint of unquestionable majesty. "No matter what happens, our Lingxiao Sect must stabilize the situation and must not allow the sect to fall into a greater crisis. Especially cannot let this chaos allow the enemy to take advantage of it!"

"But..." Lu Qingli wanted to say something, but finally gritted her teeth and swallowed the words back.

At this moment, the disciples in the hall were each busy with their own affairs, but the anxiety in their hearts was like a bubble pressed underwater, ready to burst out at any moment. An older disciple secretly leaned close to Lu Qingli's ear and whispered, "Senior Sister, chaos has begun to break out outside. The news of the spiritual weapon's failure has spread. If this is not resolved, I'm afraid it will cause even greater panic."

Lu Qingli nodded, walked to Lu Tianze, and said softly: "Father, we really can't wait any longer. We must find a solution as soon as possible."

Lu Tianze looked down at the glaring red words, his brow furrowed, as if lost in thought. But he quickly raised his head, his eyes filled with undeniable determination. "I will seek assistance from the Star Lord's Mansion, while also fully investigating any unusual fluctuations within the sect. No matter what, the Lingxiao Sect must not fall!"

Outside the main hall, a strong wind swept through, surging spiritual energy mingled with a hint of unease. The busy figures of the sect's disciples seemed particularly small in the wind, while Lu Tianze's back was like a heavy mountain, withstanding the storm that weighed down the sect.

Lu Qingli pushed open Xiang Fan and Xiang Su's hut with a weary look on her face. The room was still in disarray, with a few books spread out on the table, a spiritual fruit core carelessly tossed in a corner, and a low humming sound from the psychic simulator. Seeing Lu Qingli enter, Xiang Fan froze for a moment, then stood up in a panic, nearly tripping over a chair. "Senior Sister Qingli? What are you doing here?"

Lu Qingli didn't answer. She simply walked to the table, brushed the dust off the pages, and said bluntly, "The sect's defensive formation is almost broken. Father said that the abnormal fluctuations in the psychic network have made the formation almost inoperable, and the Star Lord Mansion is helpless."

Xiang Fan's heart tightened, and he scratched his head, pretending to be relaxed: "Uh... If the Star Lord's Mansion can't handle it, then I'm even more helpless. How about... try someone more reliable?"

"Stop talking nonsense." Lu Qingli looked up at him, her tone a bit cold. "I heard that you've been studying the psychic network very diligently recently. Don't tell me you haven't found anything."

Xiang Fan was frightened by her stare and could only shrug. "I have done some research, but with my level, I can't even understand the principles of the talisman array at the sect gate. Senior Sister, don't expect me to make any earth-shattering discoveries."

Lu Qingli stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly sighed, the coldness on her face softening slightly. "I know you're not sure, but I really don't want to see the sect collapse like this. Even the smallest clue could be a breakthrough."

Xiang Fan was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "Senior Sister, you looking at me like this makes me feel even more stressed..."

"Whatever you think, I just hope you can help me find some clues." Lu Qingli stood up, patted his shoulder lightly, turned around and walked out of the hut.

Xiang Fan stood there in a daze, and after a while he lowered his head and sighed, "The sect really wants to blame me for everything..."

He sat back down at the table, looking at the rune chains on the psychic simulator. The twisting streams of light seemed to carry some kind of provocation, so vivid that they seemed to be mocking his incompetence.