A lone figure in the desert, an old friend comes from the west.
Dawn in the desolate desert arrives exceptionally late. The light filtering through the thick sand and dust takes on a sickly, dim yellow hue. The wind continues to blow, whipping up sand and gravel that stings the face.
Yun Zhiyu, or more accurately Xie Yunzhi's consciousness at this moment, was guiding this body, making every step incredibly difficult. The wound in his chest, temporarily suppressed by the combined power of the stars and his own sword intent, had stopped worsening, but each breath pulled at his shattered bones, bringing excruciating pain. The annihilating chill in his left arm, no longer suppressed by the "Enlightenment" star key, began to slowly erode again, its graying color spreading upwards like vines.
What weighed heavily on his mind was the jade pendant in his arms. The cluster of crystal flames had dimmed to the point of almost merging with the pendant itself, with only the faintest fluctuations of spiritual energy proving that Mo Xiaoyu's consciousness had not completely dissipated, but had instead fallen into a deep slumber. The Frozen Sword Intent had also been greatly depleted; although it had solidified considerably due to his awakening, the intent it conveyed carried a deep weariness.
He must find the next Star Key as soon as possible, especially one that contains life-giving and nourishing power, in order to stabilize Mo Xiaoyu's soul fire, which is about to go out.
According to the star map imprinted in his mind, the next star key, "Rebirth," is located in the far west of the Xuanmo Desert, in a forbidden area known as the "Ancient Road to the Underworld." Legend has it that it is a blurred boundary between life and death, connected to the mysterious River of Rebirth.
He determined the direction and, dragging his injured body, continued his westward journey.
As the sun rose higher, the desert heat began to intensify. Sweat soaked his clothes, only to be quickly evaporated by the hot wind, leaving behind white salt stains. His injuries, the corrosive power of annihilation, and the harsh environment all contributed to slowing him down more and more.
Just as he crossed a huge sand dune and was about to rest, a striking sight caught his attention on a relatively flat stretch of sand ahead.
It was a makeshift shack built with withered branches and rags. In front of the shack, a figure wearing a tattered Taoist robe, with messy, tangled hair and beard, was squatting on the ground with his back to Xie Yunzhi, muttering incantations to a chipped bowl. The familiar vermilion gourd hanging from the man's waist made Xie Yunzhi's (Yun Zhiyu) pupils shrink slightly.
It's Su Xiaolou!
How did he end up here? And in such a disheveled state?
Seemingly sensing the gaze behind him, Su Xiaolou suddenly turned around. When he saw Yun Zhiyu standing on the sand dune, covered in blood, pale-faced, but with a completely different look in his eyes, he was first stunned. Then, his eyes, which always carried a hint of drunkenness and cynicism, suddenly flashed with an incredulous light!
"You...!" Su Xiaolou jumped up suddenly, his finger trembling as he pointed at Yun Zhiyu. "You're not that little ice block (Yun Zhiyu)! You're... Xie Yunzhi?! No... not entirely... this body..." He circled Yun Zhiyu twice, his nose twitching as if he had caught a very complex scent, his face filled with shock and confusion. "A remnant soul awakening? Consciousness taking control? And this damned smell of annihilation... What exactly did you guys do down there (in Liusha City)?"
Xie Yunzhi looked at his old friend, his heart filled with emotion. He nodded, his voice hoarse, "Brother Su, it's been a long time. This matter... is a long story."
He briefly recounted what happened in Flowing Sand City, including the truth about the Star Key "Enlightenment," Mo Xiaoyu's awakening consciousness to shield him from the death ray, and the situation where his remnant soul was forced to awaken and take control of his body.
Su Xiaolou's expression shifted constantly as he listened. When he heard that Mo Xiaoyu had fallen into a deep sleep again, he slammed his fist into the sand and cursed, "That old bastard Xuan Chengzi! And those persistent ghosts of the Silent Shadow Sect! I'll skin them alive sooner or later!"
He stood up, scratching his disheveled hair in frustration, then looked at Xie Yunzhi's (Yun Zhiyu's) horrific injuries and withered left arm, his brow furrowing: "In this state... you won't last long. The power of annihilation is eroding you, your injuries are worsening. Even if your sword intent is unparalleled, your physical foundation is too weak. We must find a way..."
Suddenly, as if remembering something, he abruptly pulled a palm-sized, dark blue stone slab fragment covered with strange patterns from his pocket. The slab looked ordinary, yet it exuded an extremely ancient and desolate aura.
"Take a look at this!" Su Xiaolou handed the stone slab fragment to Xie Yunzhi. "I found this on my way to the Protoss ruins, in an ancient ruin that was about to be completely swallowed by quicksand! I sensed the patterns on it with my Dream Weaving Technique, and they are definitely related to the Protoss! Moreover, it seems to react to the aura of 'Silence'!"
Xie Yunzhi stared intently at the fragment of the stone slab. The patterns on it were not characters, but rather a trajectory recording the fluctuations of some kind of law. When his gaze fell upon the stone slab, the power of annihilation in his left arm stirred slightly, and the fragmented memories belonging to the Star Spirit race's "Star Guardians" in his mind also seemed to be stirred, rippling slightly.
He attempted to infuse a faint wisp of stellar power, imbued with the aura of the "Enlightenment" star key, into the stone slab.
Buzz...
The stone slab fragments trembled slightly, and the patterns on their surface gradually lit up with a faint light! Then, a blurry, shimmering scene, like a reflection in water, appeared on the stone slab!
It was a vast space, indescribable in its darkness and emptiness. Countless twisted, tormented, and despairing fragments of souls, like insects caught in a spider's web, floated and wailed within it. And in the deepest recesses of that nothingness, a pair of enormous, indifferent eyes, composed of pure rules of "annihilation," slowly opened! Those struggling fragments of souls were being mercilessly devoured and assimilated by these eyes, becoming part of their own growth!
The scene flashed by in an instant, and the light on the stone slab quickly dimmed.
But Xie Yunzhi and Su Xiaolou saw it clearly, and their backs were instantly soaked with cold sweat!
"That's... inside the Starfall Rift?!" Su Xiaolou's voice was hoarse with horror. "Those souls... are they beings devoured by the Starfall Rift and the various forbidden zones?! 'Silence'... it's not behind the seal, it's digesting those souls, condensing... into an avatar?!"
Xie Yunzhi's expression also turned incredibly grim. He finally understood why the power of the Starfall Scar was constantly increasing, and why the boundaries of forbidden zones were expanding. This was simply a massive furnace engulfing the entire world! Xuan Chengzi and the Silent Shadow Sect's actions weren't about controlling power, but rather adding fuel to the fire of this furnace! Accelerating the birth of the "Silent" incarnation!
"We must stop them..." Xie Yunzhi clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm. "We must gather the Star Keys and restart the Star Array before the 'Silence' Avatar is fully formed!"
“That’s right!” Su Xiaolou slapped his thigh hard, his eyes becoming more serious than ever before. “I was originally following the Star Spirit Clan’s clues westward, but I didn’t expect to run into you guys. It seems we have the same goal! The Ancient Path of the Underworld, the Key to Rebirth, right? I’ll go with you!”
He glanced at Xie Yunzhi (Yun Zhiyu)'s condition and frowned, saying, "But in this state, I'm afraid you'll kick the bucket before we even get there. Come with me; I know a place nearby that might make you feel better for a while."
Su Xiaolou led Xie Yunzhi through the complex sand dunes, finally arriving at a small, extremely secluded oasis hidden by several huge wind-eroded rocks. There was only a shallow spring and a few clumps of drought-resistant sea buckthorn, but the spring water exuded a faint spiritual energy.
"This spring water isn't very useful, but it can slightly alleviate the stinging pain in your soul caused by the power of annihilation." Su Xiaolou gestured for Xie Yunzhi to rest, while he took out some bottles and jars and began to prepare herbs to treat the injury on Xie Yunzhi's chest.
With Su Xiaolou's help, Xie Yunzhi's (Yun Zhiyu's) injuries stabilized initially. Although he was far from fully recovered, at least his condition stopped deteriorating. He also took this opportunity to temporarily relinquish control of his body to Yun Zhiyu's consciousness, who was more familiar with the body itself. His remnant soul retreated into the jade pendant, where it was nourished by the faint glass flame, while simultaneously digesting the fragments of memories he had gained upon awakening.
When Yun Zhiyu woke up, she felt that her injuries had been treated and saw Su Xiaolou guarding her side, which put her at ease.
"Thank you, Senior Su."
"Don't give me that." Su Xiaolou waved his hand, looking at him with a solemn expression. "Kid, the road ahead is not easy. The Yellow Spring Ancient Road is a very strange place, involving the rules of life and death. Moreover, I suspect that the Silent Shadow Sect and even Xuan Chengzi himself may also be eyeing that place. The Rebirth Star Key... it sounds like it's related to the soul, which is exactly the 'bait' they desperately need."
Yun Zhiyu nodded, stroking the jade pendant in her bosom, her eyes resolute: "No matter what, I must go."
In order for the young master and Miss Mo to truly return, and in order to prevent the descent of the incarnation of "Silence", he had no way out.
After resting for half a day, the two set off again.
This time, the team has a new member, a seemingly slovenly and unruly dream weaver who is actually experienced and has unpredictable methods.
The lone figure in the desert has transformed into two people traveling together.
The target is the legendary Yellow Springs Road in the West, where the boundary between life and death is blurred.
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