Corrosion Tide Approaches, Wills Unite; Affection Blossoms on the Warm Journey

On the seventh day after the Multiversal Space Fusion Alliance was founded, the first emergency meeting of the interspatial defense legion convened in the Alliance of Myriad Arts' council hall. The Thunder Evolution Clan Chief brought troubling news: according to monitoring by the Star Evolution Instrument in Thunder Evolution Space, Corrosion Space had already swallowed three neighboring small spaces. Its Corrosion Tide was spreading toward the starfield where the alliance was located at terrifying speed and was expected to reach the Mortal Realm's world barrier within a month.

"The scale of this Corrosion Tide far exceeds anything before. Not only does it contain a vast number of Corrosion Puppets, but it is also mixed with experts at the level of Corrosion Lords." The Thunder Evolution Clan Chief displayed the images projected by the Star Evolution Instrument before everyone—a black Corrosion Tide like storm clouds devouring all in their path. Wherever it passed, spatial barriers instantly collapsed and all source power was contaminated. "Our clan has fought the Corrosion Tide before. If we had not relied on the violent power of the Thunder Evolution origin to barely hold it back, we would likely have been swallowed long ago."

Chen Fan stared at the horrifying Corrosion Tide in the image, his fingers unconsciously stroking the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant at his waist. Su Muxue had personally tied it onto him in Meteor Sea all those years ago. Now, its patterns had merged with the source radiance of the Spirit Charm, Earth Core, and Thunder Evolution clans, like the journey they had walked together. "Our top priority is to reinforce the world barriers of every space in the alliance while developing a Corrosion-Resisting Fusion Art capable of countering the corrosion origin on a large scale." He looked at Su Muxue, his eyes full of trust. "You'll take charge of the Multiversal Origin Research Center. I'll lead the defense legion to deploy forces across the various spaces. We'll split up and act."

Su Muxue nodded. The Corrosion Countermeasure Memo in her hand was already marked with dozens of key research directions, its pages still bearing the traces of her all-night calculations. The faint blue shadows beneath her eyes made Chen Fan's heart tighten. "Don't worry. I'll produce a Corrosion-Resisting Fusion Art plan as soon as possible." She handed Chen Fan a Communication Crystal infused with her own Spirit Charm origin. "This crystal can transmit the source fluctuation data of every space in real time. If you encounter danger, no matter how far away you are, I'll be able to sense it."

The crystal was warm and smooth in his hand, still carrying the warmth of Su Muxue's fingertips. Chen Fan closed his hand around it and said softly, "You should rest too. Don't exhaust yourself." It was only a simple sentence, yet it softened the atmosphere in the council hall by several degrees. Watching the way their gazes met, the Spirit Charm elder unconsciously smiled.

After the meeting, Lin Xiaohu awkwardly sought out Ling Xi with a freshly refined Soul-Suppressing Corrosion-Resisting Talisman in hand. Ling Xi was leading the Spirit Clan cultivators in calibrating Spirit Charm Crystals. Sunlight streamed through the lattice windows onto the ends of her hair, tinting them with a faint blue sheen. "Miss Ling Xi, I refined this talisman by combining the Soul Suppressing and Thunder Evolution origins. It can withstand the erosion of the corrosion origin. Keep it on you." Lin Xiaohu's ears reddened slightly. As he handed over the talisman, his fingers accidentally brushed Ling Xi's fingertips. They both froze, then hastily pulled their hands back.

"Th-Thank you, Brother Xiaohu." Ling Xi accepted the talisman and embedded it into her Spirit Charm Wooden Staff. The staff immediately erupted in pale violet light. "I prepared this for you as well." She took a Spirit Charm Crystal pendant from her storage pouch. "This pendant can expand the sensing range of Soul Suppressing Power. While you're setting up defenses, you'll be able to detect the movements of Corrosion Puppets in advance."

Lin Xiaohu accepted the pendant and carefully put it around his neck. Resting against his chest, it brought a gentle warmth, like Ling Xi's mild smile. "Then... then I'll go deploy defenses in Earth Core Space. Send a message anytime if something comes up." With that, he left as though fleeing, leaving Ling Xi standing where she was, watching his retreating back with a faint curve at the corner of her lips.

Over the next half month, the entire alliance threw itself into intense preparations for war. Chen Fan led the defense legion through the spaces of the Mortal Realm, Spirit Charm, Earth Core, and Thunder Evolution clans. At every stop, he personally inspected the reinforcement of the barriers and drilled corrosion-resisting tactics alongside the cultivators of each clan. While in Thunder Evolution Space, a sudden assault by Corrosion Puppets placed him in grave danger—dozens of Elite Corrosion Puppets surrounded and attacked him. The density of their corrosion origin far exceeded expectations. Though Chen Fan's Myriad Dharma Corrosion-Resisting Axe could kill the puppets, the corrosion origin seized the chance to invade his body.

At the critical moment, the Communication Crystal at Chen Fan's waist suddenly burst with dazzling Spirit Charm light. Su Muxue's voice came through the crystal. "Chen Fan, use the Spirit Charm origin to neutralize the corrosion origin! I've sent the balancing formula into the crystal!" Immediately afterward, a clear set of origin-balancing data flooded into Chen Fan's consciousness. He instantly circulated the power of myriad arts, guiding the Spirit Charm origin to form a Corrosion-Resisting Barrier within his body and completely purifying the invading corrosion origin.

After the battle, Chen Fan contacted Su Muxue through the crystal. From the other end came her tired yet still gentle voice. "It's good that you're all right. I just calculated that merging the Spirit Charm and Thunder Evolution origins can improve the corrosion-resisting effect. I was about to tell you." Chen Fan looked at the thunderclouds in the distance over Thunder Evolution Space and suddenly felt that, no matter how terrifying the Corrosion Tide ahead might be, so long as she was there, there was no trial they could not cross.