Rescuing the Nodes, Encountering a Powerful Enemy; Emotional Resonance Breaks Assimilation

After entrusting the defense of the Chaos Node to the disciples left behind, Chen Fan immediately led Lin Xiaohu and ten Fusion Academy elites toward the Earth Vein Node where the black light had first appeared. The sight along the way sank everyone's hearts: the once-lush vegetation gradually withered, countless fine cracks split open across the ground, and the black mist seeping from them continuously eroded the surrounding Origin Power—this was a sign that the Origin Chains had begun to "take root."

"If we're any later, the Earth Vein Origin will probably be completely assimilated." Lin Xiaohu activated the Soul Suppressing Seal, its pale violet radiance dispersing the black mist along the way, only to discover that the mist was clearing ever more slowly. "It's absorbing Earth Vein Power to grow stronger. Our Soul Suppressing Power is almost unable to suppress it."

Chen Fan raised a hand and condensed a stream of chaotic energy. It instantly tore through the black mist ahead, revealing the full sight of the Earth Vein Node: the once earth-yellow Earth Vein Core had been wrapped in black chains, and standing atop them was a familiar figure—the Void Refinement Realm elder of the Immortal Sacred Land who had been defeated in the Meteor Sea. Black markings now covered his eyes, while spiritual energy and black mist intertwined around him. He had clearly been assimilated by the remnant soul of the Heavenly Dao.

"Chen Fan... you... obstruct the order of the Heavenly Dao... die..." The elder's voice was stiff as a machine. With a wave of his hand, the black chains lunged toward them like giant pythons. The black mist on those chains could directly devour vitality and spiritual energy. Several Fusion Academy elites were too late to evade and were instantly bound, chain marks beginning to emerge between their brows.

"Xiaohu, use Soul Suppressing Power to stabilize their consciousness!" Chen Fan leaped into the air, Nine-Meridian Chaos Power gathering into a massive axe as he swung it at the black chains. "I'll hold him back. Take this chance to destroy the chain core!"

The giant axe collided with the chains with a thunderous boom. Chen Fan could feel the assimilating power flowing from the chains corroding even his Nine-Meridian Power. If the Chaos Origin had not neutralized part of that assimilating force, he too would likely have been ensnared. The assimilated elder's strength had surged tremendously; after the spiritual energy of the Void Refinement Realm fused with the black mist, it could actually suppress Chen Fan's Nine-Meridian Power, making it difficult for him to break free for the moment.

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Xiaohu injected Soul Suppressing Power into the bound elites, only to find that once the chain marks formed, Soul Suppressing Power could only suppress them temporarily and could not remove them completely. "Miss Su was right. Only the power of 'emotional resonance' can truly break this deadlock!" Lin Xiaohu suddenly recalled Su Muxue's instructions before their departure. He immediately had the remaining elites form a circle and link their vitality and spiritual energy together. "Everyone, focus your minds and remember the days when we cultivated together at the academy and overcame hardships together!"

Though the elites did not understand, they still complied. When their vitality and spiritual energy resonated through their "shared memories," multicolored light suddenly blossomed around them—these were the Emotional Resonance Impurities Su Muxue had spoken of! The light instantly pierced the black chains. The chain marks within the bound elites melted away like ice and snow meeting blazing fire, and even the chains wrapped around them began to crack.

"So this is... the power of intersubjectivity?" Delight flashed through Chen Fan's eyes. Seizing the moment, he fused his Nine-Meridian Power with the elites' emotional resonance light, forming a Chaos Resonance Axe, and struck at the black chains once more. This time, the emotional impurities on the axe blade were like sharp blades, instantly severing the chains wrapped around the Earth Vein Core and exposing the chain core embedded within it.

"No... impossible!" The assimilated elder let out a howl. He tried to gather the chains again, but Lin Xiaohu's Soul Suppressing Power and the emotional resonance light struck him at the same time. The chain mark between his brows began to fade, and a trace of clarity returned to his eyes. "Quick... kill me... I can't control the assimilating power inside me..."

Chen Fan's heart sank, but he still hardened his resolve. With one sweep of the Chaos Resonance Axe, he completely severed the elder's connection to the black mist. The elder's body slowly fell, a trace of gratitude flashing through his eyes before death. "Thank you... for freeing me..."

Having resolved the crisis at the Earth Vein Node, the group had no time to catch their breath before receiving a message from Su Muxue: the black mist at the Lightning Node and the Life Node had suddenly surged, and the number of assimilated cultivators far exceeded that at the Earth Vein Node. There were even two assimilated Void Refinement Realm Demon Race demon kings!

"It's deliberately scattering our strength!" Chen Fan gripped the Chaos Axe tightly, his eyes filled with gravity. "Xiaohu, take the elites to the Life Node and support Miss Su. The Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant is there, and your emotional resonance power can be put to greater use. I'll go to the Lightning Node and use the Chaos Origin to hold back the demon kings until you arrive."

Lin Xiaohu nodded and immediately led the elites toward the Life Node. Chen Fan, meanwhile, turned and raced toward the Lightning Node. The black mist grew thicker and thicker along the way, and the assimilating power in the air grew stronger as well. He knew the coming battle would be even more difficult, but as long as they could hold the remaining nodes and find a way to completely dismantle the Origin Chains, they could shatter the remnant soul of the Heavenly Dao's scheme.