A technical cultivator stood before the main control screen, his eyes fixed on the constantly fluctuating data. He quickly swiped through the virtual interface, adjusting the parameters for the rune's spread, a faint smile of excitement on his lips. He jerked his head up and turned to report to Ming Xuanzi, who was standing at the main console: "Master, the mother Gu's spread efficiency has increased by 30%. Based on the current progress, the spread area has successfully covered the psychic nodes outside the Star Lord's Mansion! The poisonous Gu's influence is steadily expanding!"

Ming Xuanzi stood silently, his semi-mechanized form appearing even colder and more menacing under the glow of the Mother Gu's core. His mechanical eyes shone coldly as he watched the diffusion data flickering on the screen, as if everything was under his control. He nodded slightly, his voice low and cold, "Very good. Continue to expand the coverage area and completely control all psychic nodes. Remember, I will not allow any node to slip through the net."

Upon hearing this, the technical monk immediately bowed respectfully, "As you command, Master." He then quickly turned back to his console, his fingers gliding rapidly across the virtual screen as a series of complex runic commands were input into the Mother Gu system. The red area on the screen continued to expand at a visible speed, its spreading trajectory like a silent invasion, devouring every inch of Yunxuan Star's psychic network.

Outside the core room, Emperor Ye Tian stood at the end of a dim corridor, his gaze piercing the transparent psychic barrier as he gazed at the distant starry sky. Countless stars twinkled with a cold light, seemingly unable to penetrate the thick fog that enveloped the Hundred Star Sect. A breeze blew from the mountaintop, rippling his black-gold robe and bringing a chill.

He remained silent, his face stern, but his eyes concealed a turbulent tide of emotion. His hands dropped to his sides, slightly clenching the hilt of his longsword, then hesitantly releasing it. His gaze slowly shifted from the starry sky to the distant Mother Gu core room. A red light occasionally shone from the core room, illuminating a corner of the corridor and catching his eye.

"Such power... is it really worth the price?" he murmured, his tone shimmering with complex contradictions. The power of the Mother Gu's core was undoubtedly immense, and the Star Lord Mansion's psychic network was already struggling to withstand it. Yet, the oppressive feeling brought by that power loomed like a shadow within him. Reason told him that fulfilling his master's plan was his duty, the only way for the sect to prosper. However, whenever he considered the potential consequences of the complete consumption of Yunxuanxing's psychic network by the Mother Gu, a vague sense of unease took root in his heart, lingering.

Finally, he took a deep breath, trying to suppress the doubts in his heart, gently closed his eyes, and forced himself not to think about those unresolved questions. However, those complicated emotions were still like a thin thread, pulling at his reason and loyalty, making it impossible for him to truly calm down.

Meanwhile, the crisis within the Star Lord's Mansion intensified. In the main conference hall, a massive psychic sand table hovered in mid-air, displaying Yunxuan Star's psychic network in real time. The once stable blue-white psychic nodes were now being gradually eroded by crimson dots of light. These red dots leaped like blazing flames, gradually expanding into vast expanses of red, transforming the previously stable psychic network into a shaky maze.

Several elders in the hall, their faces solemn, gathered around the psychic sand table, exchanging worried glances. A tense atmosphere hung in the air, the light of the rune array casting distorted shadows on the walls, as if even the Star Lord's Mansion itself was beginning to sense the encroaching crisis.

"The fluctuations in the psionic nodes have exceeded our expectations." A white-bearded elder's voice broke the silence. He pointed to the area covered in red light on the sand table and said in a heavy tone, "These fluctuations have begun to affect the outer defense systems. If this situation continues, we will soon completely lose control of the psionic network."

Another young elder took over, a hint of anxiety on his face. "We've tried various methods to restore the stability of these nodes, but this problem is like an invisible toxin, penetrating deep into the network's structure. No matter how hard we try, as soon as we touch these areas, the flow of spiritual energy becomes completely disrupted, exacerbating the collapse."

The hall fell into a deathly silence once again. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the psychic sand table. The spreading trajectory of the red dots resembled some horrific natural disaster, and they were helpless to prevent it. Though battle-hardened, the elders couldn't help but feel powerless and lost in the face of such a situation.

The Great Elder slowly raised his head, his face etched with fatigue, yet his gaze remained deep and resolute. His voice was deep, yet held undeniable authority. "This isn't just a matter of the psychic network. Behind these fluctuations lies a powerful force we haven't yet detected. That force is silently eroding the psychic foundations of Yunxuan Star. If we can't quickly identify the source of this problem, the entire Star Lord Mansion will cease to exist, and Yunxuan Star will fall completely."

"We must act immediately." The young elder's tone was filled with urgency. He glanced at the others, "If we delay any longer, the consequences will be disastrous!"

The Great Elder didn't answer immediately. He simply gazed deeply at the expanding red area on the psychic sand table, as if searching for some undiscovered clue. Finally, he nodded gently and whispered, "Yun Xuanxing's fate hangs on the brink of life and death."