Chapter 164: Dual-Line Sensing, Crossroads Choice
The aftermath of the battle had yet to fully subside. The intense drain of their spiritual energy and the pervasive sense of external oppression reminded them of their current location like a cold tide. The deathly silence of the wasteland wasn't empty, but rather held within it a deep well of murderous intent and decay. The ethereal miasma that permeated the air slowly gathered again, attempting to refill the briefly cleansed area. The subtle, corrosive feeling, like the whispers of countless resentful souls, constantly tested the two's protective Qi and their minds.
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan stood back to back, rapidly regulating their breathing. Their gaze, like the sharpest hawk, scanned the desolate, shattered, suspended continent. Beneath their feet lay a strange, cold, brittle soil that seemed poised to collapse at the slightest effort. Beyond them lay a distorted sky and aimlessly drifting debris. There was no direction, no coordinates, only a despairing, chaotic wasteland of unfathomable proportions.
"We must first determine our location." Ye Li's voice was low and calm, breaking the suffocating silence. She tried to extend her spiritual sense as far as possible, but here, it was suppressed even more severely than her spiritual power. Her Nirvana-level consciousness, once powerful enough to cover thousands of miles of mountains and rivers in the spiritual world, felt like it was stuck in a viscous quagmire. Even a hundred miles of reach was obscured and difficult, and the information it returned was fragmented, distorted, and disruptive. Countless chaotic fragments of thoughts, lingering turbulence of laws, and a sense of malevolent surveillance lurking in the shadows constantly assaulted her spiritual perception.
"The laws of this place are incomplete, the spatial structure is extremely unstable, and the range of my spiritual sense is severely limited." Qin Yixuan was also experimenting. Her pure spiritual power seemed to attract the "attention" of some lingering evil thoughts more easily than Ye Li's, like a candle lit in the darkness, attracting more invisible moths. She frowned slightly, restraining the "light" of her spiritual sense, making it more introverted. "Moreover, I feel many... hostile gazes. They are not physical entities, but more like a collection of lingering resentment."
The situation was worse than expected. Without a map or guidance, blindly exploring this vast, dangerous maze was tantamount to suicide.
Just as the two of them concentrated their perception, trying to find some rules or safe paths from this chaos, the unique sensation in their bodies became clear again.
Qin Yixuan closed her eyes, her slender fingers unconsciously tracing the air in front of her. The radiance of the Mystic Woman flowing through her body resonated with the distant, indistinct call. The induction came from the far end of her sight, a vast shadowy area shrouded in a dim, shattered golden halo. The distance was immense, separated by countless dangerous voids and shattered lands. Yet, the essence of that aura, like holy light purified countless times, though faint, carried a lingering aura of order and holiness emanating from the very beginning of the universe, stirring within her the warmth and longing of the Mystic Woman's essence, a return to her mother's womb.
“The sacred ruins…although they are in ruins, the aura there is of an extremely high rank, far surpassing any holy place in the spiritual world that I have ever seen.” Qin Yixuan opened his eyes, with a hint of shock and confirmation in his eyes, “I feel that there may not only be fragments hidden there, but also important information about the original divine world and the light system.” This may be crucial to understanding the root cause of the “Void Devouring Beast” and the “Lord of Nirvana”.
Almost simultaneously, the five fragments of the Samsara Mirror within Ye Li's body emitted a more pronounced humming sound than before. They were no longer merely vibrating, but like iron filings drawn to a magnet, they subtly adjusted their positions within Ye Li's Dantian Qi Sea, collectively pointing in a direction diametrically opposite to the sacred relic.
It was a deep, gloomy region, as if it had swallowed up even the distorted light of the surrounding sky. Looking out, there was only an impenetrable, inky darkness, occasionally punctuated by flashes of crimson, like blood vessels, or faint green, like will-o'-the-wisp, emanating a soul-shaking aura of chaos, brutality, and depravity. It felt like facing a living abyss filled with boundless malevolence. The resonance of the fragments of the Samsara Mirror carried a sense of common origin, yet also an instinctive repulsion and... a desire to challenge the demonic nature of the abyss.
"The demonic abyss..." Ye Li's voice was solemn, "The aura there is the same as the 'nothingness' that corrodes these monsters, but it is purer, more ancient, and... more dangerous." The fragments of the Samsara Mirror pointed there, which meant that the last fragment was very likely to have fallen into that demonic realm and was contaminated or even sealed by the extremely evil power.
The two inductions are like the two extreme endpoints of a coordinate system.
One, whose holy light is dim but its warmth remains, representing order, purification and possible ancient knowledge.
The other, the Abyss, is deep, dangerous and unpredictable, representing chaos, devouring and direct danger.
The distance between them, judging by their currently suppressed spiritual perception, was akin to an inconceivable chasm. To cross this unknown core region of the wasteland, from one end to the other, the time required and the dangers faced were simply incalculable.
Silence fell again.
Act separately? This idea naturally came to mind.
This was the most efficient option. One of them was the reincarnation of the Supreme Samsara, possessing the power of Samsara to restrain evil; the other was the return of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, wielding the divine light that purifies all things. Each of them would head to an area that best suited their power attributes, theoretically allowing them to maximize their advantages and gather the fragments as quickly as possible.
But...what about the risks?
Ye Li's gaze swept over Qin Yixuan's beautiful yet resolute profile, countless possibilities flashing through her mind: Lost in the turbulence of time and space? Encountering a terrifying existence she couldn't contend with alone? Contaminated by the will of the Demonic Abyss? Or perhaps... triggering some ancient, deadly formation that even the Supremes couldn't escape? In this completely unfamiliar, desolate place, where the rules were different, any mishap could lead to utter destruction. She couldn't imagine Qin Yixuan being in danger alone in that Demonic Abyss...
Qin Yixuan also looked at Ye Li. She understood the deep, almost tangible worry in Ye Li's eyes. Wasn't she feeling the same way? Ye Li might be strong, and her power of samsara might be profound, but the demonic abyss gave her a far too ominous feeling, as if it lurked an ancient demon that could devour even samsara. If Ye Li were to go alone, her worries and fears would be no less than Ye Li's.
"No." Almost at the same time, the two said in unison and were stunned at the same time.
Ye Li took a deep breath and said firmly, "We must not separate. This place is far more bizarre than we could imagine. If we act alone, if we lose contact or get into danger, there's no chance of rescue." She remembered Lin Feng's sacrifice, and that feeling of powerlessness, a feeling she never wanted to experience again. No matter how efficient she was, it couldn't compare to the safety of those around her.
Qin Yixuan nodded gently and took Ye Li's hand. A warm and firm strength came from her fingertips. "Li is right. Only when we are united can our strength be complete. Whether the road ahead leads to the divine realm or the demonic realm, we must face it together." Her voice was clear and steady. "Divided, we are weak; united, we are strong. Time is indeed pressing, but if we lose our strength due to reckless advances, it will be a loss that outweighs the gain."
Opinions quickly converged. Joint action was the only option.
So, the next question is: where to go first?
"Sacred Ruins." Ye Li made her decision without much hesitation. She looked at the dim golden glow and analyzed, "First, judging by the intensity of the sensor and the 'same warmth' you described, the ruins might be relatively 'safe,' or at least less repulsive. We can use them as a preliminary base and source of intelligence, learning more about the Wasteland and perhaps even finding records of the Demon Abyss or methods to control it."
She paused, then continued, "Secondly, your Mystic Goddess's divine power has a miasmatic effect on purifying the 'Void' miasma. In the sacred ruins, your strength may be replenished or even enhanced, which is crucial for our subsequent exploration of the Demonic Abyss. Conversely, if we enter the Demonic Abyss first, while my power of reincarnation can restrain the monsters, it consumes a great deal of energy, and the environment will severely suppress you. Once your divine power is excessively depleted, we will struggle to make any progress in the Demonic Abyss."
Qin Yixuan listened intently, her eyes gleaming with approval. Ye Li's analysis was calm and comprehensive, grounded in the larger picture and the complementary nature of their two lives. "I agree. Start with the easy tasks, then move on to the difficult ones. First, acquire information and supplies, then challenge the core danger zone. And..." She frowned slightly, once again feeling the divine call. "I always feel like the ruins are 'calling' me. Perhaps there lies a mission I must fulfill."
Now that the direction has been determined, the fog in my heart caused by the unknown seems to have been dispelled a little.
Without further delay, the two chose the direction of the sacred ruins and began their arduous journey through this broken world.
They didn't take a rash flight. The wasteland's void seemed tranquil, but in reality, it harbored countless invisible traps—tiny spatial cracks, chaotic gravitational fields, sudden energy storms... The movement of the teleportation array and the previous battle might have alerted some terrifying, dormant existence. Keeping a low profile was the wisest option at the moment.
Their figures leaped and weaved across the vast suspended landmasses, sometimes standing on solid ground (at least on the surface), and sometimes relying on their body movements to precisely leverage the floating boulders, like a star ball, drawing thrilling arcs through the boundless void.
The sights along the way constantly challenged their perceptions. They saw the skeletons of gods and demons as vast as mountains, their bones covered in mysterious patterns, but long since tarnished, covered in foul moss and twisted vines. They passed a frozen ocean, the "seawater" a dark purple crystal, emitting ominous energy fluctuations, and frozen within it were countless strange and struggling creatures. They also entered a jungle composed entirely of twisted metal, which seemed to have life, slowly wriggling, emitting a teeth-grinding grinding sound, and was extremely aggressive towards any energy body that approached.
Several encounters were inevitable. Besides the monsters tainted by the "nothingness" they encountered earlier, they also encountered "fierce demons" formed from pure resentment, immune to physical attacks and preyed on the soul. They also encountered "law spirits," bred by the very environment itself, whose formless forms could manipulate the chaotic laws of a small area to attack. On one occasion, they nearly strayed into a seemingly peaceful area where time flowed a thousand times faster than outside. If Ye Li hadn't been incredibly sensitive to the fluctuations of time and space and hadn't been able to pull Qin Yixuan back in time, the consequences would have been disastrous.
Every battle, every dangerous situation, deepened their understanding of the dangers of the wasteland and strengthened their tacit understanding. Ye Li's power of reincarnation was responsible for attacking and destroying, while Qin Yixuan's mysterious female power was responsible for purification, protection, and assistance. One attacked, the other defended, one destroyed and one gave birth, and in this desperate situation, a unique and powerful combat domain was formed.
However, the evil in the wasteland goes far beyond this.
On their way to the sacred ruins, they must traverse an immensely vast region. From a distance, this region resembles a vast, slowly rotating nebula, its interior a dazzling array of colors yet a chaotic mess, filled with violent energy turbulence and distorted light. Only when approaching can one sense the heart-wrenching spatial fluctuations—this is a region of vast space-time turbulence!
"Be careful, the spatial structure here is extremely fragile, and the laws are completely chaotic." Ye Li's expression was extremely solemn. She could feel that the void ahead was like a shattered mirror, riddled with countless invisible cracks and traps. Forcing her way through would likely result in being randomly teleported to a corner of the wasteland, or even being torn apart by the power of space.
They tried to circumvent it, but discovered that this zone of spacetime turbulence was vast, blocking nearly all relatively "safe" routes to the sacred ruins. A detour would take several, even dozens, of times longer, with too many variables involved.
"The only way is to go through it." After observing for a moment, Qin Yixuan pointed to a relatively "calm" area in the turbulent zone, where the energy color tended to be silvery white. "The spatial fluctuations there seem to have some kind of pattern. Perhaps it's a potential 'channel'."
It was undoubtedly a huge gamble, but they didn't have much choice.
Ye Li nodded and activated the fragments of the Samsara Mirror with all her might. A layer of chaotic light enveloped the two of them, attempting to stabilize the surrounding space. Qin Yixuan then unleashed the Mystic Goddess's Light, like a pure cocoon of light, isolating herself from the chaotic energy of the outside world as much as possible.
The two of them stepped cautiously into the silver-white "passage".
As soon as they stepped inside, a tremendous tearing force erupted from all directions, as if countless invisible hands were pulling at their bodies and souls. The surroundings were no longer concrete, but a rapidly flowing, bizarre, colorful line. The sense of time was completely lost, and up and down, left and right had no meaning. A cacophony of millions of sounds mingled together, a maddening cacophony.
Ye Li pushed the power of reincarnation to its limit, struggling to maintain the stability of the protective light shield. Like a small boat sailing in a storm, she moved forward along the faint trajectory of spatial laws. Qin Yixuan followed closely behind, the Mystic Goddess's radiance constantly purifying the chaotic energy and spiritual pollution that tried to seep in.
Just when they reached the middle of the turbulent area and the pressure was at its greatest, something strange happened!
A dark grey spatial crack, hidden deep within the silvery-white light and almost blending into the background, suddenly expanded without warning, like a greedy maw, devouring Ye Li! The suction emanating from the crack was far greater than anywhere else, carrying a chill so cold it could freeze the soul!
Ye Li used all her strength to maintain overall stability and resist the macroscopic turbulence. She was half a beat slow to react to this sudden and extremely hidden attack! Seeing that the edge of the gray crack was about to touch her body protection divine light——
"careful!"
At the critical moment, Qin Yixuan rushed forward without a second thought, using her body to block Ye Li from the crack! At the same time, she unleashed her accumulated Xuannu female power towards the crack without reservation, trying to force it closed!
“Buzz!”
The sacred and pure power of the Mystic Goddess violently collided with the cold and strange spatial crack! The expected explosion did not occur. The crack was like a living thing, suddenly "swallowing" Qin Yixuan's power!
However, at the moment when the divine power was devoured, strange changes occurred again!
Deep in the crack, a tiny, yet extremely pure and ancient starlight, as if it had been sleeping for eternity, was suddenly activated by the power of the mysterious woman who belonged to the same order camp!
“Swish!”
A miniature phantom with a complex mark composed of countless star runes suddenly projected out from the crack and instantly sank into Qin Yixuan's eyebrows!
Qin Yixuan's delicate body trembled violently, as if struck by lightning. She groaned, her face instantly paling. The information contained in the star mark was vast and ancient, forcing its way into her sea of consciousness.
"Yixuan!" Ye Li's eyes were bloodshot, and the power of reincarnation burst out, forcibly shaking open the crack that had begun to become unstable and slowly closed, and he tightly embraced the shaky Qin Yixuan in his arms.
"I... I'm fine." Qin Yixuan leaned on Ye Li's shoulder and took a few breaths. A strange glow appeared on her pale face. "That wasn't an attack... It was... a message."
She closed her eyes and quickly sorted out the numerous complicated images and fragments of thoughts in her mind.
Broken walls and ruins stood beneath the starry sky... the outline of a vast temple carved from the core of a star... the familiar ancient sacred text belonging to the lineage of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady... and... an all-encompassing ultimate battle, a crisscross of darkness and light... The final scene froze on a shattered altar, cracked yet still radiating a soft starlight...
After a moment, she opened her eyes, her eyes filled with shock and enlightenment.
"Li, I know what that sacred relic is..." Her voice trembled slightly, the excitement of her bloodline and heritage. "That's... the remains of the Star God Temple in the Primordial God Realm!"
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