At the edge of Sky City, Ning Xiaochuan carried the unconscious Su Linger on his back as he trudged with difficulty along a path paved with clouds. The Sacred Spirit Dragon flew wearily ahead to guide them, glancing back from time to time at its mistress in concern. The Red Markings on Su Linger's body had already spread to her chin, and her breathing was growing weaker and weaker.
"Hold on... We're almost at the city gate," Ning Xiaochuan panted, though his entire body ached from being torn by the spatial turbulence.
The clouds beneath their feet were soft as cotton, yet they did not cave in. Every step felt like walking on a thick woolen carpet. In the distance, Sky City's white city wall came into clearer view, and two large characters were carved above its gates—"Cloud Capital."
"Is anyone there?" Ning Xiaochuan called as he approached the gates, his voice echoing through the empty sea of clouds.
No one answered. The gates stood slightly ajar, and through the gap, he could see the deserted streets within. Ning Xiaochuan pushed them open, only to freeze at the sight before him—
The entire city floated above the sea of clouds, its architecture utterly unlike that of the ground: white domed towers, suspended corridors, and gardens floating in midair. Yet strangely, there was not a single person in sight, as though the whole city had been abandoned.
"Strange..." Ning Xiaochuan stepped cautiously through the gates. "Could Sky City be an empty city?"
The Sacred Spirit Dragon suddenly gave a warning "Goo Chu!" Ning Xiaochuan instinctively twisted aside, and a streak of silver light grazed his cheek before burying itself deeply in the gate behind him—it was an arrow shaped like a feather!
"Any trespasser in Cloud Capital dies!" a crisp female voice rang out from above.
Ning Xiaochuan looked up and saw a maiden standing atop a tower. She looked sixteen or seventeen, with silver hair tied into a high ponytail and a strangely shaped longbow in hand. What drew the eye most was the pair of pure white wings behind her—not a source soul projection, but real wings!
"Wait! We aren't enemies!" Ning Xiaochuan hurriedly explained. "My friend is badly injured and needs treatment!"
The maiden narrowed her eyes, beat her wings, and landed lightly atop a lamppost nearby. "People from the ground? How did you get up here?"
"Spatial turbulence," Ning Xiaochuan answered briefly. "We were being pursued by Dark Current."
At the words "Dark Current," the maiden's expression visibly changed. "Dark Current's people?" She put away her bow and flew closer to inspect Su Linger's injuries. "This is... the corrosive mark of the Eye of the Deep Sea!"
"Can you heal her?" Ning Xiaochuan asked urgently.
The maiden hesitated for a moment, then suddenly whistled. Soon, several winged youths, both male and female, flew over from various directions, all staring warily at Ning Xiaochuan.
"Take them to see the elder," the maiden ordered. "This girl is almost done for."
Two male winged people took Su Linger and carefully lifted her into their arms. Ning Xiaochuan tried to follow, but he was stopped.
"You stay," the girl said, aiming her bow at him again. "Strangers are not permitted in the inner city."
"No! I have to stay with her!" Ning Xiaochuan grew anxious, Sacred Source Power surging within him.
The Sacred Spirit Dragon angrily raised its scales as well, its body swelling to the size of a hunting dog. The winged people immediately tensed and drew their weapons.
"Stop!" an aged voice called out. "Let them enter together."
An elderly man with snow-white hair descended from the air, the wings behind him already somewhat dim. He held a crystal staff, but his eyes were fixed on the Dragon Soul Jade at Ning Xiaochuan's chest.
"Sacred Source Bloodline?" the old man asked in surprise. "You are Lady Bai Li's..."
"I'm her son," Ning Xiaochuan admitted directly. "You know my mother?"
The old man did not answer. He merely gestured for everyone to follow. "Save your companion first. We can discuss everything else later."
The winged people carried Su Linger toward the tallest white building in the inner city, with Ning Xiaochuan and the Sacred Spirit Dragon close behind. After passing through several streets, Ning Xiaochuan realized that the city was not entirely deserted—many winged people were hiding behind windows and secretly observing them, too afraid to show themselves.
"What happened to Cloud Capital?" Ning Xiaochuan could not help asking.
The maiden—who called herself Yun Yi—snorted coldly. "It was all caused by you people from the ground. Dark Current's influence infiltrated this place, and many of our people were controlled."
The old man—Yun Xiao, the Grand Elder of Cloud Capital—sighed. "A month ago, Dark Current spies infiltrated Cloud Capital and used the Eye of the Deep Sea's power to corrupt quite a few of our people. Now, no one dares trust anyone."
Inside the medical room, Su Linger was placed on a cloud bed. Several winged healers examined her, their expressions grave.
"The corrosion has already entered her heart channels. Conventional methods cannot cure her," the chief healer said. "Unless..."
"Unless we use the power of the Primal Star Core," the Grand Elder continued, looking at Ning Xiaochuan. "You have it with you, don't you?"
Ning Xiaochuan was startled. "How do you know?"
The Grand Elder did not answer directly. He merely held out his hand. "May I see it?"
Out of caution, Ning Xiaochuan only took out the Dragon Soul Jade. When the Grand Elder saw the star-shaped markings on the jade, surprise—and... greed?—flashed in his eyes.
"It truly is the Primal Star Core!" He stroked the markings. "Child, do you know what this is?"
"One of the fragments left behind by the Sacred Origin Tribe," Ning Xiaochuan answered warily. "It is used to reinforce the seal of the Primal Gate."
The Grand Elder suddenly laughed. "How naive. The Primal Fragments are the keys to opening Sky City. Our Cloud Wing Tribe has guarded them for a thousand years, all to await the Sacred Source Bloodline's arrival to claim them."
He gestured for Ning Xiaochuan to follow him into a circular room beside the medical room. A blue crystal floated at its center, identical to the Primal Star Core, except several times larger!
"This is the Primal Sky Core, the energy core of Cloud Capital," the Grand Elder said proudly. "Combined with the Star Core in your hands, it can activate all of Sky City's power."
Ning Xiaochuan was confused. "But what does this have to do with healing Su Linger?"
"It's very simple." The Grand Elder pointed to the Sky Core. "Fuse your Star Core into it, and the Sky Core's power can purify the Eye of the Deep Sea's corrosion."
Ning Xiaochuan hesitated. His mother had said the fragments were meant to reinforce the seal, yet the Grand Elder's claim was completely different. Besides, he had the nagging feeling that something was wrong...
"I need time to think," he said cautiously.
The Grand Elder's face darkened. "Your friend's life is in your hands. Every moment you delay brings her one step closer to death."
When he returned to the medical room, Su Linger's condition truly had worsened. The Red Markings had climbed onto her cheeks, and her breathing was nearly imperceptible. The Sacred Spirit Dragon flew anxiously around her, but it was helpless.
"Ning Xiaochuan..." Yun Yi suddenly appeared at the doorway. "I need to speak with you."
She pulled Ning Xiaochuan to a corner in the corridor, cautiously glanced around, and only then lowered her voice. "Don't trust the Grand Elder! He's been corrupted!"
"What?" Ning Xiaochuan's heart jolted.
"Three days ago, on the full moon night, I saw the red eye mark on his chest," Yun Yi said urgently. "He wants to use the Primal Fragments to summon the true body of the Eye of the Deep Sea!"
Ning Xiaochuan sucked in a sharp breath. "Then Su Linger..."
"I can take you to meet the real elder," Yun Yi said. "But first, you have to pretend to agree to the Grand Elder's demands and make him reveal his true colors."
Once the plan was settled, Ning Xiaochuan returned to the medical room and told the Grand Elder that he agreed to fuse the Star Core. The Grand Elder was overjoyed and immediately ordered preparations for the ritual.
"Tonight, when the moon rises." The Grand Elder patted Ning Xiaochuan's shoulder. "Your friend will be saved. I guarantee it."
After the Grand Elder left, Yun Yi secretly led Ning Xiaochuan out through a side door and flew toward a hidden cave at the city's lowest level. Inside sat an even older winged man. His wings were almost entirely white, but his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's.
"Yun Yi, is this the Son of Sacred Source you spoke of?" the old winged man scrutinized Ning Xiaochuan.
"Yes, Grandpa Yun Xiao," Yun Yi answered respectfully. "The Grand Elder has already betrayed us."
The old winged man—the true Elder Yun Xiao—sighed. "My worthless younger brother... in the end, he could not resist temptation."
He had Ning Xiaochuan sit down and revealed the truth: the Cloud Wing Tribe had once been the sky guardians of the Sacred Origin Tribe, protecting the Primal Sky Core from generation to generation. But the Eye of the Deep Sea's forces had infiltrated them and corrupted many of their leaders, including the Grand Elder.
"The Primal Fragments are indeed part of the seal," Elder Yun Xiao said. "But the Eye of the Deep Sea twisted their purpose, intending to gather all five fragments and break the seal."
"What about Su Linger?" Ning Xiaochuan asked anxiously.
Elder Yun Xiao took out a small bottle containing silver-blue liquid. "Cloud Marrow. It can temporarily suppress the corrosion. But to cure her completely, you need the power of the true Primal Sky Core—not the imitation in your hands."
"An imitation?" Ning Xiaochuan was stunned.
"What the Grand Elder showed you was a counterfeit," Yun Xiao explained. "The real Primal Sky Core is hidden in Cloud Capital's core, and only the Sacred Source Bloodline can find it."
He handed Ning Xiaochuan a feather. "This is a guiding feather. It will lead you to where the true Sky Core is. But be careful—my brother has surely laid traps."
Night fell, and Ning Xiaochuan arrived at the central plaza according to plan. The Grand Elder had already arranged the ritual formation, with dozens of winged people standing around it, their expressions blank—their chests all glimmered faintly red.
"Begin," the Grand Elder said with a smile, though fanaticism gleamed in his eyes.
Ning Xiaochuan pretended to comply as he walked to the center of the formation, the Primal Star Core clutched in his hand. Once he took his position, he suddenly raised the Star Core high. "Sacred Spirit Dragon!"
Little One charged out from the shadows, its body expanding wildly as it blasted the Grand Elder with a mouthful of Dragon Breath! At the same time, Ning Xiaochuan activated the guiding feather, which turned into a streak of silver light and shot toward the west of the city!
"Traitor!" the Grand Elder roared. The clothing over his chest tore apart, revealing a blood-red eye! "Catch him!"
The winged people rushed forward, but the Sacred Spirit Dragon's purifying Dragon Breath slowed their movements. Ning Xiaochuan took the chance to sprint after the guiding feather. After racing through several narrow alleys, he arrived before an inconspicuous little temple.
The temple doors were tightly locked, but the guiding feather passed straight through them. Ning Xiaochuan could not push the doors open, so in desperation, he blasted apart the lock with Sacred Source Power. The temple was empty, save for a circular stone slab on the floor that stood out from the rest.
Beneath the stone slab was a flight of stairs leading downward! Ning Xiaochuan jumped in without hesitation, with the Sacred Spirit Dragon following close behind.
At the end of the stairs was a circular secret chamber. The true Primal Sky Core floated at its center—it was more crystalline and translucent than the one the Grand Elder had displayed, with galaxy-like streams of light swirling within.
"Found it!" Ning Xiaochuan was overjoyed. Just as he was about to step forward and take it, a dark figure suddenly lunged at him from the corner!
It was Dark Current! The eyeball on his chest spun viciously. "I knew you would find this place!"
The two fought fiercely within the cramped secret chamber. The Sacred Spirit Dragon was entangled by the Black Qi released by Dark Current and could not help. Ning Xiaochuan fought as he retreated, gradually being forced into a corner.
"Hand over the Star Core!" Dark Current sneered. "Otherwise, your little girlfriend will die for sure!"
Ning Xiaochuan suddenly smiled. "You fell for it."
Dark Current froze, then discovered that the eyeball on his chest had uncontrollably turned toward the Sky Core—where pure blue light shone, utterly unlike the evil power of the Eye of the Deep Sea!
"No... impossible!" Dark Current realized in Horror that the eyeball was being purified. "How could the Divine Eye..."
While he was distracted, Ning Xiaochuan lunged forward and shoved Dark Current toward the Sky Core! The instant they made contact, Dark Current let out a shrill scream. The eyeball on his chest was forcibly torn out and reduced to ashes in the Sky Core's light!
Dark Current crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Ning Xiaochuan did not spare him another glance. He immediately took down the Sky Core and placed it together with the Primal Star Core. The two crystals fused automatically, forming an even more dazzling blue gemstone.
"Now, let's save Su Linger!"
By the time Ning Xiaochuan returned to the surface, the battle had ended. Elder Yun Xiao and Yun Yi had led the loyal winged people to subdue the corrupted tribesmen. The red eye on the Grand Elder's chest had also been purified, and he was kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly.
Inside the medical room, Ning Xiaochuan placed the fused Sky Core on Su Linger's chest. Blue light flowed like water, and the Red Markings faded at a visible speed. When the last trace of Red Mark vanished, Su Linger slowly opened her eyes.
"I... where am I?" she asked weakly.
Ning Xiaochuan held her hand. "Sky City. We found the fourth Primal Fragment."
Elder Yun Xiao stepped forward. "Young man, you have accomplished an impossible task. Cloud Capital will always welcome the Sacred Source Bloodline."
Outside the window, the first ray of morning light pierced through the clouds, gilding the white city in gold. Ning Xiaochuan let out a long breath, but he knew in his heart—the last fragment was still waiting for them in the Molten Mountain Range, and the threat of the Eye of the Deep Sea was far from over...
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