Chapter 318 Headquarters' New Mission
The Ruins of Fallen Stars is not a secret realm in the traditional sense.
The laws of energy intertwined between the massive ancient ruins and the ancient buildings, forming this chaotic and dangerous area.
Although it's not yet time to open, many small sects have already set up camp outside.
The words of the astrological altar, Ge Luotan, made them like sharks smelling blood, and they lingered in a relatively safe place, waiting for the secret realm to open so they could rush in to find the Book of Luoshen.
However, at this moment.
Qi Ran looked at this area, which should have been bustling with people, but felt only deathly silence.
This morning, she received another assignment from headquarters.
The number of stars on the cards has remained at three, and there has been no further progress.
The inability to transmit fortune to the world through cards as a hub has prevented the mission from being completed.
For the first time, headquarters changed its approach, demanding that she use every means possible to obtain the Book of the Goddess of the Luo River.
Qi Ran was puzzled.
The mission takers' goal has always been clear and singular—to draw upon the essence of destiny and transmit it throughout the world.
Why did they suddenly shift their focus to artifacts?
Although she had been searching for it, it wasn't a requirement from headquarters. Rather, it was something she had discovered from previous research: the artifact possessed immense power, and if she could obtain its assistance, the mission would proceed more smoothly.
Qi Ran took a deep breath.
A cold wind swept across the barren land, making a mournful sound.
A few remaining sect banners drooped helplessly, and the light of some defensive formations still flickered faintly, but it seemed as if they had been suddenly cut off or eroded, their brightness uncertain.
It wasn't the emptiness after evacuation, but a deathly stillness after... being erased.
Even personal magical artifacts and storage bags were scattered to the side, foreshadowing that the owner had disappeared in a state of extreme panic.
Qi Ran's heart sank slowly.
Her sharp gaze swept across the ruins, and she crouched down, her fingertips tracing the charred marks left on a flag.
Suddenly, a very faint wisp of black mist, as if startled by her, rose from the traces and tried to entangle her fingers.
It has a cold, greedy feel to it.
Qi Ran quickly withdrew her hand and used the card to dispel the black energy, but the cold, sticky feeling left between her fingers still made her feel extremely nauseous.
Qi Ran looked around, stood up, and walked towards the place where the black aura was the densest.
The ground there looked as if it had been splashed with thick ink; a huge, irregular black stain was seeping into the rocks and soil.
They are not aura, nor energy; they are more like a living, conscious...hunger.
The black mist seemed to sense the presence of a living person, and began to thicken and surge, before suddenly lunging at Qi Ran in the next second.
Qi Ran's pupils contracted sharply, but her reaction was quick.
"Blazing Sun Flame, ignite!"
A torrent of intensely hot flames shot out from the fire-type card, carrying the blazing aura of burning away evil spirits, and crashed fiercely into the black mist.
boom--
The flames and the black mist collided violently, producing a deafening explosion.
The black mist hissed and screamed as a large amount of fog evaporated.
But in that instant, new black energy surged out, and an invisible behemoth pounced straight at Qi Ran!
Then, the moment it touched her heart, a strange change occurred.
It was as if a raging flood had suddenly crashed into an invisible wall of repulsion, and the black mist momentarily stagnated.
"break!"
A highly compressed fireball exploded from the fire-type card again, instantly blasting the hesitant black mist into fog.
"Xiao Tong, investigate what exactly this thing is?"
“Okay, host, please wait a moment.” Xiao Tong responded immediately, “Database comparison in progress... This energy composition is extremely complex, with very high levels of negative emotions, as well as the aura of the origin of the universe.”
"The universe?" Qi Ran frowned. "Could it really be as Geluo Tan of the Astrology Pavilion said, that this black energy comes from outside the world?"
However, each of them undergoes the strictest screening when they are assigned to an external mission, and they are absolutely not allowed to bring anything from other planes into the small world.
This is to ensure that each small world can still function normally when we leave.
This was the first time she had encountered this statement in all the missions she had been on.
What exactly went wrong?
Without hesitation, Qi Ran immediately took out the communication stone and sent a message.
Before long, five figures appeared around her almost simultaneously.
"Miss Ranran, are you injured?"
Mu Feng and Wen Tingyun, who were at the half-step Nascent Soul stage, appeared first. After looking her up and down, they looked around.
Li Yuan, who arrived later, had the keenest senses. "The black energy here is different from that in the Cangming Sea. The level of filth here has increased significantly."
Qi Ran shook her head, "It's alright."
She pointed to the still-wriggling black mist in other places, "The monks in this place suddenly disappeared without a trace, and I suspect it's related to them."
Fu Yanqing's cold gaze swept around, and the talisman in his hand split into ten, marking the location of the black energy. "Something strange has happened. We need to report to the sect leaders first."
As Zhan Li leaped down, his double pupils activated the instant he landed, his tone tinged with uncertainty and surprise, "Strange, it seems my eyes can't see through them anymore."
As soon as he said this, everyone's eyes turned to him.
The Witch Clan's pupil technique is the strongest in the world. After severing the Dream Sequence, he has already returned to the Nascent Soul stage. How could he not see that?
"Last time I could barely see some chaotic energy, but now it seems completely empty?"
Wen Tingyun sat in his wheelchair and opened his fan. "Oh? It seems that the last siege of the immortal sects didn't wipe them out completely; instead, they've grown even fatter?"
Mu Feng pondered for a moment, "In short, we need to remove the black energy here as soon as possible!"
*
King Pear's barrage of gifts completely charmed everyone.
An unprecedented harmony emerged in the small courtyard.
As the crowd dispersed, Huali began to happily calculate her net worth, discovering that through her relentless efforts, she had actually transformed herself into a self-made millionaire.
The Meow King lay lazily like a cat pancake, its tail tip swaying idly. "Let's all meow together, meow meow meow meow~"
Karin glanced at the empty wine glass in front of it, "Can a kitten drink this much wine?"
Ao Bai glanced at her. "This is nothing. King Meow Meow's alcohol tolerance is quite high. He used to drink a whole jug under the moon." He let out a burp and casually added, "Back then, the Spirit Sword Sect was just a desolate mountain..."
Huali paused in counting the spirit stones.
But before she could even question the kitten about its infidelity, Ao Bai's whimpering suddenly stopped.
Then, it felt as if the cat was being gently stung by an invisible electric current, and its four paws unconsciously extended their sharp claws, hooking onto the soft cushion beneath it.
"Meow?"
Ao Bai's voice was thick with drunkenness and a barely perceptible weakness, "What's wrong? Why do I feel like I'm running out of memory?"
Hua Li threw down the spirit stones and stood up. "Did you load too much stuff? We can't contact headquarters now, and no one is giving you regular upgrades."
Meow Meow King tried to stand up, but his little cat steps faltered, and he was quickly caught and scooped into Huali's arms.
"Steward Ao, are you alright?"
Sensing the worry in her voice, Ao Bai licked his nose and scratched his ear with his paw. "Hmm...maybe I'm just intoxicated."
As soon as the words were spoken, its four little paws went limp, its big head lolled to the side with a "thud," and it lost consciousness.
"Ao Bai?!"
Huali's voice instantly changed tone.
If a person is sick, it can be cured; but how can a system be cured?
Just as she was about to rush out with Ao Bai in her arms—
An extremely faint, yet remarkably clear, snoring sound emanated from Steward Ao's outstretched body.
Karin: "??"
Karin: "!!"
After standing there stunned for a while, Karin's frantic heartbeat slowly calmed down.
Her gaze toward Ao Bai was complex.
Lately, Ao Zongguan has been saying some strange and unusual things from time to time.
It seems to have happened after arriving in Linfeng County... no, even earlier.
There are omens when the black aura begins.
Karin's gaze pierced through the ruins of fallen stars, landing on the distant astrological platform.
Perhaps he knows something?
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