Well of Origin

Ning Xiaochuan's voice echoed through the underground city, Sacred Source Power spreading like a tide, illuminating every dark corner. The controlled residents mechanically turned their heads, red light flashing in their eyes, but showed no other reaction.

Han Li stood at the edge of the Well of Origin, his black crystalline armor emitting a strange glow under the illumination of the Sacred Source Light. He slowly turned, the black hole in his right eye seeming to devour all light, while the red light in his left eye was even more piercing.

"Ning Xiaochuan..." His voice was no longer human, but a mixture of echoes from some non-human entity. "I knew you would come."

The Golden Masked Man immediately stepped in front of Han Li, his black sword pointing at Ning Xiaochuan. "You're seeking death!"

Ning Xiaochuan ignored the Golden Masked Man, his gaze fixed on Han Li. "Release those innocent people. Your target is me."

Han Li let out a strange laugh. A red light shot out from the black crystal on his chest, striking a stone pillar next to the well platform. Mu Qing arched her body in pain, the chains tightening and digging into her flesh.

"Not entirely," Han Li sneered. "I need her Mysterious Ice Source Qi to neutralize the energy in the well."

Ning Xiaochuan noticed that amidst the black and red energy surging from the Well of Origin, there were several wisps of ice blue—Mu Qing's power was being forcibly extracted!

"Stop!" Ning Xiaochuan roared, his Sacred Source Power transforming into a spear and hurtling towards Han Li.

The Golden Masked Man swung his sword to block, but Ning Xiaochuan was prepared this time. The spear suddenly changed direction in mid-air, bypassing the black sword and aiming straight for Han Li's face!

"A mere trick," Han Li said, not dodging or blocking, letting the spear strike him. Just as it was about to hit, a black barrier suddenly appeared before him. The spear vanished as if a clay ox had entered the sea.

"See?" Han Li spread his arms triumphantly. "This is the power granted by the Master!"

Ning Xiaochuan was secretly alarmed. Han Li's strength was even greater than when he was at the Tianyuan Sect, and that dark energy seemed to counteract the Sacred Source Power.

"What exactly do you want?" he asked, deliberately stalling for time to create an opportunity for Su Linger and the Sacred Spirit Dragon.

Han Li walked towards the well platform and stroked its edge. "After the Primal Dragon fell, its power was scattered across five worlds. The Sacred Source Land and the Open Source Continent each hold a part, and the rest..."

He suddenly thrust his hand into the well, black and red energy climbing up his arm like blood. "...is hidden in this well!"

The energy in the well suddenly surged, forming a massive vortex. In the center of the vortex, the outline of a door could be vaguely seen—the Primal Gate!

"Impossible!" Ning Xiaochuan exclaimed. "The Primal Gate should be in the Sacred Source Land!"

Han Li burst into laughter. "What your Sacred Origin Tribe guards is merely the shell of the gate! The true gate is everywhere, as long as there is enough energy and the right key!"

He pointed at the controlled residents of Qingyun City. "The despair, fear, and pain of these people... are the best catalysts!"

Ning Xiaochuan finally understood. Han Li controlled the residents not just to prevent resistance, but to gather negative emotions as energy to open the Primal Gate!

"Madman!" Ning Xiaochuan roared. "Do you know the consequences of releasing the Void Master?"

"Of course I do," Han Li's voice suddenly became unusually calm. "All things return to one, returning to the void. This is the ultimate truth of the universe."

The Golden Masked Man suddenly attacked, his black sword stabbing like a venomous snake! Ning Xiaochuan dodged hastily, but his shoulder was still grazed, and the wound immediately throbbed with corrosive pain.

"Stop struggling," the Golden Masked Man sneered. "Your Sacred Source Power will be suppressed here."

Indeed, Ning Xiaochuan felt the energy within him move sluggishly, as if the entire underground city was rejecting him. The black and red energy emanating from the Well of Origin was like a living thing, constantly eroding his protective Source Qi.

Just as the situation turned unfavorable, a commotion suddenly erupted from behind the well platform—Su Linger and the Sacred Spirit Dragon had successfully sneaked to Mu Qing's side and were unlocking her chains!

"Stop them!" Han Li roared.

The Golden Masked Man immediately turned to rush over, but how could Ning Xiaochuan let him succeed? His Sacred Source Power erupted to its fullest, and a golden light blocked the path!

"Your opponent is me!"

The two clashed fiercely, black sword and golden light colliding constantly, the shockwaves shaking dust from the underground city. Ning Xiaochuan gradually adapted to the suppressed environment and began to counterattack. He found that although the Golden Masked Man was powerful, his moves were monotonous, seemingly lacking practical combat experience.

"You're not a Soul Hunter Envoy," Ning Xiaochuan suddenly said. "Who are you?"

The Golden Masked Man's movements faltered almost imperceptibly. "It doesn't matter."

"It does," Ning Xiaochuan seized the opening and struck the opponent's wrist with a hand chop. "Because a true Soul Hunter Envoy wouldn't make such a rookie mistake!"

The black sword flew out of his hand, and the Golden Masked Man grunted and retreated. Ning Xiaochuan pressed his advantage, his Sacred Source Power transforming into chains that wrapped around the opponent's legs.

Just as he was about to succeed, Han Li suddenly appeared in front of the Golden Masked Man and caught the chains with one hand. "Useless."

He gave a violent tug, pulling Ning Xiaochuan stumbling back a few steps. With his other hand, Han Li plunged directly into the Golden Masked Man's chest and pulled out a beating black heart!

"Mas... Master?" the Golden Masked Man looked down at the empty space in his chest in disbelief.

"You were just a vessel," Han Li said coldly. "Now it's time for you to be put to good use."

He threw the heart into the Well of Origin, and the energy within instantly boiled! The Golden Masked Man's body collapsed like a sandcastle, turning into black sand that was sucked into the well's opening. The outline of the Primal Gate became clearer, almost solidified!

"Still not enough..." Han Li turned to the controlled residents. "It needs more nourishment..."

He formed hand seals, and the residents suddenly convulsed collectively. Red light surged from their chests, and wisps of life energy were forcibly drawn out, converging into the well!

"No!" Ning Xiaochuan's eyes were bloodshot. His Sacred Source Power transformed into a light barrier, attempting to block, but it was too late. Dozens of residents had already fallen, their faces ashen and lifeless.

The vortex in the well spun rapidly, and the outline of the Primal Gate finally became fully visible—it was an ancient-looking stone gate, its surface covered with runes Ning Xiaochuan had never seen before. From the cracks of the gate, black mist seeped out like a living thing, vaguely forming the shape of a giant hand!

"Hahaha!" Han Li laughed maniacally. "The Master is about to descend!"

Ning Xiaochuan despaired, realizing that with his current strength, he could not stop any of this. At this critical moment, a blast of ice-blue sword energy suddenly attacked from the side, striking Han Li squarely in the back!

"Ah!" Han Li cried out in pain and stumbled back. Turning his head, he saw Su Linger had rescued Mu Qing, and the two were jointly attacking!

The Sacred Spirit Dragon also swooped in, its four wings spread, its dragon's breath like a waterfall! Han Li hastily defended himself, the black crystal on his chest releasing dense black mist to block.

"Ning Xiaochuan!" Su Linger shouted. "There's a mechanism on the well platform! Master Xuanyu's notes mentioned it!"

Ning Xiaochuan understood immediately. Taking advantage of Han Li being tied up, he rushed towards the well platform. As expected, a circle of small runes was carved on the inner side of the well's rim, very similar to the patterns on the Dragon Soul Jade!

Without hesitation, he took out the Dragon Soul Jade and pressed it against the runes. The moment the jade touched the well platform, the entire underground city shook violently, and the energy flow of the Well of Origin suddenly reversed!

"No!" Han Li turned in terror, "How did you know..."

The vortex in the well began to spin in reverse, the Primal Gate shook violently, and the black mist hand that had reached out was forcefully pulled back into the gate! The black crystal on Han Li's chest also became unstable, cracks appearing on its surface.

"Damn it!" Han Li roared in fury, black energy surging from his body and transforming into dozens of sharp spikes that shot towards everyone!

Su Linger and Mu Qing joined forces to erect an Ice Wall, but the spikes were incredibly powerful, shattering the Ice Wall instantly! The Sacred Spirit Dragon hurriedly unleashed its dragon breath to intercept, but it only managed to block some of them.

Just as the spikes were about to hit, Ning Xiaochuan suddenly had an epiphany. He pressed the Dragon Soul Jade to his chest: "Primal Covenant!"

This time, he established a connection not just with Su Linger and the Sacred Spirit Dragon, but with the Well of Origin through the Dragon Soul Jade! The power of the three surged with the well water's enhancement, forming a perfect energy cycle!

"Sacred Origin Judgment!"

Golden light erupted like the sun, and all the black spikes dissolved in the radiance. Han Li screamed, the black crystal on his chest completely shattering. He was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against the edge of the well platform.

The Primal Gate began to collapse, and the black mist was purified by the well water. The controlled residents fell to the ground one after another, the red light on their chests extinguished, but their lives were uncertain.

Ning Xiaochuan panted, walking towards the dying Han Li: "It's over."

Han Li, however, let out a strange smile: "No... it's just the beginning..."

He suddenly lunged towards the well platform with his last bit of strength, throwing the remaining black crystal into the well: "With my blood... I sacrifice to the Master!"

As the crystal entered the well, the originally calm energy boiled once more! Even more terrifyingly, Han Li's body began to melt, flowing into the well as black blood, becoming the final sacrifice!

"Not good!" Mu Qing exclaimed, "He's forcibly maintaining the passage!"

Although the vortex in the well had shrunk, it hadn't completely disappeared. The Primal Gate, though blurry, still existed. Even worse, a deep voice echoed from within the gate:

"Son of Sacred Source... I remember you..."

The voice directly affected their souls. Ning Xiaochuan felt a wave of dizziness and almost collapsed. Su Linger and Mu Qing fared even worse, blood trickling from their ears and noses. Only the Sacred Spirit Dragon seemed unaffected, anxiously circling the three of them.

When the voice faded, the well water calmed down, and the Primal Gate vanished. But Ning Xiaochuan knew that the Void Master had already noticed this world, and the next invasion was only a matter of time.

"We won... for now," he said tiredly.

Su Linger helped Mu Qing up: "Senior Brother Lei is still in the passage, and he's severely injured."

Ning Xiaochuan nodded. Just as he was about to go rescue him, the Well of Origin suddenly shot out a golden beam of light, directly towards the dome! To everyone's astonishment, the dome turned transparent, revealing the sky outside—

Two moons hung high, one silver-white, the other blood-red, almost touching each other. And between the two moons, the phantom image of a third moon could be faintly seen!

"Three Moons Shining Together..." Mu Qing's voice trembled, "A doomsday omen recorded in ancient texts..."

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly understood: "It's not two moons stained with blood... it's three moons! What Han Li activated was just the prelude!"

The Sacred Spirit Dragon suddenly let out a "gurgle" and flew towards the well platform. Ning Xiaochuan followed and discovered that the well water had become crystal clear, with a white scale lying quietly at the bottom—a Reverse Scale of the Primal Dragon!

"This is..."

Just as he reached out, the scale suddenly floated up and landed in his palm. A warm energy flowed into his body along his arm. The Dragon Soul Jade on his chest resonated with it, emitting a soft glow.

A message directly entered his mind: "Find the five Reverse Scales and reforge the Primal Crown. Only then can you resist the Void."

The light faded, and Ning Xiaochuan came back to his senses, finding the others looking at him with concern.

"What's wrong?" Su Linger asked, "You were standing still for several minutes just now."

"Several minutes?" Ning Xiaochuan was surprised, "I felt like it was only a few seconds..."

He looked at the Reverse Scale in his hand. It had already merged with the Dragon Soul Jade, and new patterns had appeared on the jade's surface.

"We need to return to the Sacred Source Land immediately," he put away the Dragon Soul Jade, "The Void Master is more dangerous than we imagined, and this is our only hope."

Mu Qing nodded: "You go first. Lei and I will follow."

Ning Xiaochuan was worried: "But your injuries..."

"We won't die," Lei Lie's voice came from the passage entrance. He leaned against the rock wall, his face pale but his eyes firm, "There are still disciples at Tianyuan Sect who can take care of us."

Su Linger examined their injuries: "At least let us escort you back."

The final decision was made: Ning Xiaochuan would return to the Sacred Source Land first to report, while Su Linger and the Sacred Spirit Dragon would escort Lei Lie, and Mu Qing would follow after returning to Tianyuan Sect.

Before parting, Mu Qing handed Ning Xiaochuan a jade slip: "This contains the history of Qingyun City. It might be useful to you."

Ning Xiaochuan solemnly accepted it and took one last look at the Well of Origin. The water surface had returned to its calm state, as if nothing had happened. But he knew that the secret hidden within this well might be related to the fate of the entire world.

The Sacred Spirit Dragon shrunk its size and landed on his shoulder. Ning Xiaochuan gently stroked the little guy's scales: "Let's go home."

The light of the teleportation array illuminated, and when he opened his eyes again, he was already in the sky above the Sacred Source Land. Star Radiance and the elders had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Ning Xiaochuan return alone, their expressions changed.

"Your Highness! Where are the others?"

Ning Xiaochuan briefly explained the situation. When he mentioned Three Moons Shining Together and the Primal Dragon's Reverse Scale, Star Radiance's expression became exceptionally complex.

"As expected..." the old man murmured, "The legend is true..."

"What legend?" Ning Xiaochuan pressed.

Star Radiance didn't answer directly but gestured for everyone to move to the temporary council hall: "This concerns the most core secret of the Sacred Origin Tribe, passed down only orally by successive High Priests."

In the simple yet heavily guarded council hall, Star Radiance recounted a completely different creation story—

The Primal Dragon was not born naturally but was created by an even older existence as a weapon against the Void Master. It traveled through various worlds, collecting the purest energy, and eventually forged the five Reverse Scales and the Primal Crown.

"But in a great war, the Primal Crown was shattered," Star Radiance said, his voice low. "Although the Void Master was sealed, the Primal Dragon was also heavily wounded and fell. The five Inverse Scales scattered across different worlds, and the fragments of the crown..."

"Became Primal Fragments?" Ning Xiaochuan guessed.

Star Radiance nodded. "Precisely. The five Primal Fragments you collected are actually five parts of the crown."

Ning Xiaochuan recalled the information transmitted from the crystal. "So, reforging the Primal Crown requires the five Inverse Scales and the five Primal Fragments?"

"Theoretically, yes," Star Radiance said, looking worried. "But no one knows the specific method. And..."

He hesitated. "According to the secret texts, the reforging process requires a sacrifice."

"What sacrifice?"

"The life of the crown bearer." Star Radiance met Ning Xiaochuan's eyes. "The Primal Dragon died for this reason back then."

The council hall fell silent. Ning Xiaochuan gently stroked the Dragon Soul Jade, sensing the newly added Inverse Scale energy within it, and suddenly understood his destiny.

"It's worth it," he finally said. "If this is the only way to stop the Void Master."

Star Radiance wanted to say something, but in the end, he could only sigh deeply. "There is still time. It will take a month for the Three Moons to shine together completely. Before then, we must find the other Inverse Scales."

As they were speaking, a guard ran in in a panic. "Report! Abnormal energy fluctuations have been detected on the northern border!"

Ning Xiaochuan and Star Radiance immediately rushed to the observation deck. As expected, a faint crack had appeared in the northern sky, with wisps of Black Mist seeping out—precisely from the direction of Shadow Valley!

"The portal is self-repairing..." Ning Xiaochuan's heart tightened. "The World Devourers are going to make a comeback!"

Star Radiance immediately ordered the northern defenses to be strengthened and sent someone to notify Su Linger to return as soon as possible.

Ning Xiaochuan gazed at the crack, clutching the Dragon Soul Jade. Time was running out, and they might be facing enemies a thousand times more terrifying than the World Devourers