The light of the "One-Time Absolute Balance Talisman" on his chest flickered, like a dying flame in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. Xiao Han's internal organs felt like they were burning. The "Primordial Demon Finger Soul-Splitting Curse Seal" on his left ankle and the "Primordial Demon Fiend Qi" deep in his back were like two ancient ferocious beasts breaking free of their cages, violently colliding with his flesh and blood, roaring as they tried to tear this body apart and possess it. With each collision, his soul seemed to be forcibly ripped out, the pain enough to crush his bones.
"Starlight... the trajectory of illusions..." His mind was aching as if being torn apart, yet Xiao Han desperately searched through fragments of memory. When he stepped onto the ancient path, he had only caught a fleeting glimpse of the intricate and profound ancient star arrays on the murals lining the starry sky on either side, not having had a chance to examine them closely. Now, they had become the only straw a drowning man could grasp. He vaguely remembered that the way those arrays operated, and the rise and fall of this maze before him, seemed... seemed to have some mysterious resonance.
There was no turning back, only forward. His chest burned, his blood surged, and he forced himself to calm down. Deep in his mind, several handprints from the murals depicting ancient beings fighting against demons vaguely appeared. Under the suppression of the balancing talisman, the power of the stars within his body was nearly exhausted, yet he used the [Star Body-Tempering Technique] to squeeze it drop by drop from his parched meridians. His fingertips trembled, every movement was incredibly clumsy, yet it carried a ruthless determination to succeed or die trying, as he imitated those ancient handprints.
One seal, two seals... Fingertips painstakingly traced the lines in the void. The moment the third seal was formed—the [Heaven-Connecting Ancient Token) ] worn on his chest suddenly trembled! A wisp of warm starlight emanated from the ancient decree, like a clear spring seeping into a parched heart, surging across his sea of consciousness. The demonic thought that had been tearing at his soul was soothed by this starlight, and his chaotic mind instantly cleared. Under the [Void-Piercing Divine Eyes], this wisp of starlight transformed into a lively ribbon of light, winding forward amidst the bizarre illusions, outlining a subtle yet crystal-clear path to survival.
A glimmer of hope! Xiao Han's blood seemed to surge again. Without hesitation, he followed the direction indicated by the starlight, swiftly traversing the labyrinthine array fraught with danger. As he ran, he felt the [Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token] on his chest slightly warm, actively absorbing the stellar energy dissipating from the array. The spiderweb-like cracks on the ancient decree were quietly healing at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.
But this brief respite was like the deathly silence before a storm.
A cold, emotionless voice suddenly rang out within the maze, like the pronouncement of a judge from the underworld. "Target is in this area! Activate the maze to annihilate!"
Before he finished speaking, the surrounding starlight suddenly erupted! Countless starlight rays converged rapidly, transforming into dense starlight blades, condensing into a roaring star energy behemoth, sweeping in from all directions, completely blocking all of Xiao Han's escape routes.
"Does he really think I'm a piece of meat on a chopping block!" A resolute, fierce glint flashed in Xiao Han's eyes. He steeled his resolve and decided to stop forcibly suppressing the restless demonic power within him. Instead, his mind raced, attempting to draw upon this destructive force and subtly merge it with the unique devouring characteristic of the Eternal Night Void Emperor Martial Soul. Then, he carefully transferred this special energy, imbued with demonic aura, into the [Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token] on his chest!
This is tantamount to drinking poison to quench thirst, or seeking help from a tiger!
"Buzz--!"
Upon contact with this energy imbued with demonic aura, the [Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token] emitted a deep and strange hum. Its absorption speed of the maze's star energy suddenly increased several times over! On the surface of the ancient decree, beside the originally pure star patterns, several faint, dark demonic runes began to emerge. The intertwining of star and demonic runes made the guiding light emanating from the ancient decree even more solid and powerful!
The path outlined by the ancient starlight suddenly became as clear as day under the catalysis of this "magical" energy, pointing straight into the depths of the maze.
Xiao Han dared not delay for a moment. He pushed the "Close at Hand, A Step to the Ends of the Earth" footwork to its peak, his figure transforming into a wandering phantom. Following the enhanced light, he narrowly avoided the deadly starlight bursts time and time again, charging forward madly.
After traveling for an unknown amount of time, the scenery before him suddenly opened up. He had actually arrived at the core of the maze—an ancient altar entirely constructed of pure starlight. In the very center of the altar, suspended in the air, was a fist -Starlight Maze-Locking Formation, and also the dwelling place of the array spirit!
"It's you!" Xiao Han's eyes flashed with an almost manic light. The balancing talisman's effect lasted less than half a minute; he had to deliver this final blow before being completely consumed by the demonic thoughts!
Without further hesitation, he let out a suppressed roar, pouring all the power he could muster, including the wisps of special energy fused with demonic energy, into the [Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token]. The ancient decree shone brightly as he slammed it fiercely towards the pulsating "Star-Core Formation Spirit"!
"Chirp--!"
The Star-Core Formation Spirit seemed to sense an unprecedented catastrophe, letting out a sharp and mournful cry and unleashing an energy fluctuation far stronger than before, attempting to resist. However, after absorbing enough of the array's energy and receiving the strange catalysis of Xiao Han's demonic aura, the [Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token] actually displayed an almost domineering power to restrain and devour pure stellar energy!
When the ancient order struck the star core, it was not only not repelled, but instead adhered to it like a magnet attracting iron, and then transformed into a small, dark vortex of starlight, which began to forcibly extract the essence of the Star-Core Formation Spirit!
"You blasphemer! How dare you desecrate the spirit of the stars!"
A furious roar came from behind. The Starpath Guard Squad had finally caught up. The eerie blue light beneath its helmet flickered rapidly, clearly indicating its extreme anger at this blasphemous act. The Star Spear in its hand shone brightly, instantly transforming into a ferocious, roaring, dazzling star dragon, carrying an aura of destruction, and thrusting straight at Xiao Han's back!
In that split second, the effect of the "Absolute Balance Talisman" completely dissipated!
"Boom--!"
A surge of demonic energy, far surpassing anything before, erupted from Xiao Han's body like a volcano suppressed for countless millennia! Thick, inky black energy surged forth from his seven orifices and every pore, instantly engulfing his entire body. His pupils turned a chilling crimson in an instant, filled with boundless bloodlust and savagery! A suffocatingly violent aura, mixed with the eerie and unparalleled pressure of the Primordial Demon Finger, soared into the sky!
"Roar--!"
A roar, inhuman and filled with primal savagery, exploded from the churning black mist. Xiao Han, partially corrupted by demonic thoughts, faced the star dragon charging with overwhelming force, yet he neither dodged nor evaded! He abruptly turned, his right hand, entangled in dense black mist, slammed towards the dragon's head, composed of pure stellar energy, with unbelievable speed and angle!
At the same time, his other hand remained firmly pressed against the [Heaven-Piercing Ancient Token] like an iron clamp, frantically accelerating its devouring of the violently trembling and wailing Star-Core Formation Spirit! His ferocious appearance made it seem as if he wanted to devour the entire Starry Sky Locking Array whole and chew it to pieces!