Secrets of Starfall

A cold dagger pressed against Ning Xiaochuan's back, its chill seeping through his clothes and into his skin. He dared not make a sudden move, the Sacred Spirit Dragon writhing restlessly beneath his collar.

"Keep your little pet in line," the person behind him rasped, their voice like sandpaper. "Or your little girlfriend will suffer."

Ning Xiaochuan soothed the Sacred Spirit Dragon with his mind, while secretly circulating his Sacred Source Power. "Who are you?"

"A Black Tide Priest. You can call me Dark Current." The dagger pressed a little harder. "Now, turn around slowly."

Ning Xiaochuan slowly turned, revealing a tall, thin man completely wrapped in a black robe. Most striking was his mask—inky black, with only two holes for the eyes, which flickered with an eerie blue light.

"Son of Sacred Source... we've been looking for you for a long time," Dark Current's voice held a morbid excitement. "The Eye of the Deep Sea craves your bloodline."

At the other end of the alley, Su Linger had already dealt with three black-robed figures, but she too was injured. A wound on her left arm, deep enough to see bone, bled freely down her arm. The remaining two black-robed figures were clearly experts, their attacks lethal.

"Let her go, and I'll go with you," Ning Xiaochuan gritted out.

Dark Current let out a strange laugh. "You think you have the right to bargain?" He suddenly raised his hand and shot out a black light, aiming directly for Su Linger's back!

"No!" Ning Xiaochuan roared, his Sacred Source Power erupting. He punched towards Dark Current's face.

Dark Current clearly hadn't expected Ning Xiaochuan to break free from the suppression. He dodged hastily, the mask grazing his face and cracking open. The black light was thus deflected, only grazing Su Linger's shoulder.

"You're asking for death!" Dark Current roared, his black robe billowing without wind as dozens of black water snakes shot out from his sleeves!

Ning Xiaochuan didn't retreat but advanced, the Ice Crystal Dragon Armor instantly covering his entire body. The water snakes hissed and corroded upon hitting the armor, but couldn't penetrate for the moment. He seized the opportunity and charged towards Su Linger. "Linger!"

Hearing her name, Su Linger dodged an incoming attack with a sideways roll and simultaneously threw the long sword in her hand. The sword flew like a meteor, piercing the throat of one of the black-robed figures!

The two stood back-to-back, Ning Xiaochuan finally seeing the extent of Su Linger's injuries—besides the wound on her left arm, she was also bleeding from her waist, her face pale from blood loss.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, channeling Sacred Source Power through their connected wrists.

"I won't die," Su Linger panted. "These guys are much more troublesome than those in the Northern Territory."

Dark Current and the remaining black-robed figures began to encircle them in a fan formation. Worse, more black-robed figures appeared at both ends of the alley, at least twenty of them!

"We can't escape," Ning Xiaochuan said grimly. "Prepare for Source Soul fusion."

Su Linger nodded, the Mysterious Ice Phoenix Source Soul appearing behind her. The Sacred Spirit Dragon also flew out from Ning Xiaochuan's collar, rapidly expanding in size.

"Stop them!" Dark Current bellowed. "Don't let them fuse their Source Souls!"

The black-robed figures attacked simultaneously, various dark Source Skills raining down like a storm! Ning Xiaochuan fully erected his Sacred Source Shield, but they were outnumbered, and the shield quickly showed cracks.

At this critical moment, a water arrow suddenly shot from the side, hitting Dark Current's shoulder with precision! Immediately after, dozens of water arrows fell like raindrops, targeting the black-robed figures!

"The Merfolk are here!" someone exclaimed.

Ning Xiaochuan turned his head and saw over a dozen Merfolk warriors emerging from the drainage ditch at the end of the alley. Leading them was Lan, whom he had met at Coral Harbor. They wielded peculiar crystal tridents, summoning water arrows with every swing.

"Go!" Lan rushed to Ning Xiaochuan's side. "We'll cover you!"

With the Merfolk reinforcements, the situation instantly reversed. Seeing the tide turn, Dark Current pulled out a black conch shell and blew into it. The piercing sound wave caused everyone to freeze, and he used the opportunity to dissipate into black mist with a few confidantes.

"Damn it, he got away!" Lan stomped his foot in frustration. "Black Tide Priests are the most cunning."

Ning Xiaochuan couldn't afford to pursue. He hurried to check Su Linger's injuries. She had lost too much blood and could no longer stand steadily.

"Her wounds must be treated immediately!" Lan said sternly after examining her. "The Black Tide's weapons are all poisoned; ordinary methods won't cure it."

He beckoned two female Merfolk warriors. "Take them to the safe house and treat them with Purifying Water."

Ning Xiaochuan picked up the semi-conscious Su Linger and followed the Merfolk through several hidden paths to an underground cave. Inside was a natural hot spring, its water a pale blue and emitting a faint fragrance.

"A branch of the Sacred Spring, it can purify most toxins," Lan explained. "Put her in."

As the hot spring water touched her wounds, Su Linger frowned in pain, but soon her expression relaxed. Ning Xiaochuan saw the black energy being expelled from her wounds bit by bit, and his worried heart finally settled.

"Thank you for arriving in time," he said sincerely to Lan.

Lan shook his head. "Lord Priest foresaw your danger and sent us to protect you secretly." He hesitated. "But the Black Tide has already set its sights on you. Your trip to the Starfall Archipelago must be moved up."

"Su Linger needs to rest..."

"There's no time," Lan interrupted. "Dark Current escaped, and the Black Tide will mobilize fully soon. Tonight at midnight, when the tide is lowest, we depart in secret."

Ning Xiaochuan looked at Su Linger's pale face in the hot spring, his heart conflicted. But thinking of the importance of the Primal Fragment, he finally nodded in agreement.

Night fell, and Su Linger finally woke up. The Purifying Water had healed her wounds, but it had also drained a lot of her energy. Ning Xiaochuan briefly explained the situation, and she agreed to depart immediately without a word.

"I'm fine," she said, flexing her arm. "The poison is cleared, I'm just a bit weak."

Lan brought them Merfolk-made Fish Maw Ointment, which, when applied, remarkably accelerated wound healing. He also prepared Dried Seaweed and some kind of glowing fruit suitable for human consumption to help restore their strength.

"How do we get to the Starfall Archipelago?" Ning Xiaochuan asked while eating.

Lan smiled mysteriously. "Through an underwater passage."

At midnight, the group quietly arrived at a hidden cave by the sea. Lan took out several translucent air sacs. "Breathing Sacs. They'll allow you to move freely underwater for three hours."

Ning Xiaochuan and Su Linger followed instructions, attaching the sacs to their necks. They immediately felt a cool sensation filling their lungs, and they could indeed breathe underwater! The Sacred Spirit Dragon shrunk its size and nestled into a special water pouch on Ning Xiaochuan's chest.

"Stay close to me, don't get lost," Lan said, jumping into the sea first. "The underwater canyons are intricate. It's dangerous if we get separated."

The seawater was icy cold, but strangely, they didn't feel difficulty breathing. Ning Xiaochuan followed closely behind Lan, with Su Linger to his side and rear. Merfolk warriors fanned out around them, alert for any potential dangers.

The underwater world was stunningly beautiful. Schools of various bizarre fish swam among colorful coral reefs, luminous sea anemones swayed with the current, and occasionally, giant sea turtles swam by leisurely.

As their depth increased, the light gradually dimmed. Lan took out a glowing pearl to illuminate their surroundings, and only then did Ning Xiaochuan realize they were descending along an underwater canyon. The rock walls on either side were covered in caves, some of which flickered with an eerie green light.

"Don't go near those caves," Lan warned through some form of underwater communication. "Deep Sea Monsters live in them, and even the Merfolk don't dare provoke them."

As he spoke, a massive dark shadow suddenly appeared ahead! It was a monstrous fish, its size comparable to a sailing ship, with six eyes and three rows of sharp teeth, swimming straight towards them!

"Abyssal Predator!" Lan exclaimed. "Scatter!"

The monstrous fish opened its gaping maw, and a powerful suction force pulled at them. Several Merfolk warriors who had fallen behind were instantly swallowed! Ning Xiaochuan desperately grabbed onto a protruding rock, while Su Linger was swept by the current towards the monstrous fish!

"Su Linger!" Ning Xiaochuan, disregarding the danger, let go of the rock and swam towards her.

At the critical moment, the Sacred Spirit Dragon suddenly burst out of the water pouch! Its size rapidly increased in the water, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a majestic white dragon, surrounded by a faint golden aura!

The monstrous fish seemed to be intimidated by the Sacred Spirit Dragon's aura and stopped its attack, its six eyes warily staring at this unexpected opponent.

"Goo-choo!" The Sacred Spirit Dragon emitted a peculiar ultrasonic wave. The monstrous fish reacted as if struck by lightning and turned to flee!

"Incredible..." Lan swam over, looking at the Sacred Spirit Dragon with awe. "It could actually intimidate an Abyssal Predator..."

With the crisis averted, the Sacred Spirit Dragon returned to its small form and triumphantly swam back to Ning Xiaochuan's side. The group continued forward, but with increased vigilance.

After passing through a dense underwater forest, Lan suddenly stopped. "We're here, the underwater section of the Starfall Archipelago."

The scene before them was breathtaking—dozens of massive stone pillars rose from the seabed, each carved with intricate celestial patterns. The five central pillars formed a circle, with a glowing blue crystal suspended in the middle.

"Primal Star Core..." Ning Xiaochuan felt a resonance with the Sacred Source Power within him.

Lan, however, looked troubled. "But the entrance is sealed. Only the Sacred Source Bloodline can open it."

Ning Xiaochuan swam closer to the central pillars and discovered a palm-shaped indentation on each one. He tentatively placed his hand on one, and the pillar immediately lit up with a blue light!

"It's responding!" Lan said excitedly. "All five pillars need to be activated simultaneously!"

Ning Xiaochuan counted. There were exactly five of them: himself, Su Linger, Lan, and two Merfolk warriors. But when he tried to get the others to help, the pillars remained unresponsive.

"Only the Sacred Source Bloodline can do it..." Su Linger mused. "But you're the only one from the Sacred Origin Tribe here."

Ning Xiaochuan suddenly thought of something and took out the Dragon Soul Jade. "Perhaps..."

He placed the jade pendant on the second pillar, and it too lit up! Next was the Sacred Spirit Dragon. The little creature placed its claw on the third pillar, and it was also successfully activated.

"Still need two more..." Ning Xiaochuan frowned in thought.

Su Linger suddenly swam to a pillar. "Let me try."

"You don't have the Sacred Source Bloodline..."

"But there's residual Sacred Source Power within me," Su Linger insisted. "Remember what happened at the Ice Soul Sect?"

She placed her hand on the indentation, and the pillar flickered slightly, but the light was weak. Ning Xiaochuan had an inspiration and grasped her hand, channeling his Sacred Source Power into her. The pillar immediately blazed brightly!

"Success!" Lan cheered. "Only one more left!"

Ning Xiaochuan looked at the last pillar, unable to think of a solution. The Sacred Spirit Dragon suddenly let out a "Goo-choo" and flew to the pillar, spitting out a breath of dragon fire. The pillar actually lit up!

With all five pillars activated simultaneously, the blue crystal in the center erupted with dazzling light! A vortex formed at the bottom of the sea, pulling everyone into it!

As the world spun, Ning Xiaochuan felt a tearing pain throughout his body, then a sudden lightness—they had surfaced!

Before them lay a vast cave, its ceiling studded with countless luminous crystals, as brilliant as a starry sky. In the center of the cave was a raised platform, upon which floated a blue crystal the size of a basketball—the Primal Star Core!

"The core of the Starfall Archipelago..." Lan climbed ashore, gazing at the platform with reverence. "Legend says this is where the Sacred Origin Tribe observed celestial phenomena."

Ning Xiaochuan also got ashore, helping the weakened Su Linger. The Sacred Spirit Dragon flew in the air, circling the Star Core joyfully.

"Be careful, there might be traps," Su Linger warned, looking around cautiously.

Indeed, as they approached the platform, a complex star map suddenly appeared on the ground. Seven light spots shot towards the platform from different directions, intertwining to form a net of light.

"Celestial Lock..." Ning Xiaochuan observed carefully. "We need to step on the nodes of the star map in a specific order to pass."

He recalled the information given to him by the Primal Dragon and tentatively stepped on the first star. The light net rippled slightly but did not attack. Then came the second, the third...

When the seventh star was lit up, the light net dissipated, and the path to the platform was clear. Ning Xiaochuan quickly stepped forward and reached out to touch the Primal Star Core.

The moment he made contact, a sudden change occurred!

A blue light shot out from the Star Core, entering Ning Xiaochuan's forehead! His vision went black, and his consciousness was pulled into a strange space—

In a vast sea of stars, a blurry figure stood with its back to him. The figure turned around, and Ning Xiaochuan was astonished to find it was an image of his mother, Bai Li!

"Xiaochuan..." the image called out gently. "If you're seeing this recording, it means you've found three Primal Fragments."

"Mother..." Ning Xiaochuan's voice choked.

"Time is short, listen to me," Bai Li's image became serious. "The Primal Gate is about to open, and the vanguard of the World Devourers has already infiltrated various worlds. You must gather all five fragments and head to the Spine of All Realms."

The image shifted, displaying five locations: the Frozen Abyss on the Open Source Continent, the Heart of Ice Soul in the Northern Territory, the Starfall Archipelago in the Thousand Islands Alliance, and two other locations that were unclear.

"The last two are in the Molten Mountain Range and Sky City," Bai Li continued. "But be careful, the Dark Source Soul Hall is merely a facade. The real enemy is..."

The image suddenly distorted, and Bai Li's words were interrupted. An unfamiliar voice interjected, "Finally, I've contacted you, Son of Sacred Source."

A giant eye appeared in the starry sky, its pupil as black as ink, surrounded by blood-red patterns.

"Eye of the Deep Sea?!" Ning Xiaochuan exclaimed in shock.

"Clever," the eye's voice sounded like ten thousand ghosts wailing. "You think you're searching for fragments? No, you're just collecting the keys to unlock the seal for me!"

The eyes suddenly loomed closer: "Your mother made a mistake. She thought the seal could trap me forever. But now, with your bloodline power..."

Ning Xiaochuan tried to retreat, but found his body unable to move. Just as the eyes were about to touch him, a golden light shot out from the Dragon Soul Jade, repelling the intruder!

"Remember, Xiaochuan..." Bai Li's image stabilized again, but became very faint. "Love is stronger than hate... Only the Pure Sacred Source Heart can..."

The image completely vanished, and Ning Xiaochuan's consciousness was pulled back to reality. He stumbled backward, finding that the Primal Star Core had shrunk to the size of his palm, hovering quietly before him.

"Ning Xiaochuan!" Su Linger supported him as he swayed, "What's wrong?"

"The Eye of the Deep Sea... it's been using us..." Ning Xiaochuan's voice trembled. "Mother said, only the Pure Sacred Source Heart can..."

Before he could finish, the entire cave suddenly shook violently! Crystals from the ceiling rained down, hitting the water and creating huge splashes.

"The Black Tide people have found us!" Lan exclaimed. "We have to leave immediately!"

Ning Xiaochuan put away the Primal Star Core, and the group hurriedly jumped into the water. Just as they dove back into the waterway, the top of the cave collapsed with a roar!

After swimming a distance, Ning Xiaochuan looked back, his heart heavy. The true purpose of the Eye of the Deep Sea, his mother's unfinished warning, and two more fragments yet to be found... the path ahead was filled with unknown dangers.

But at least, they had taken another step closer to their goal.