The Backlash of Source Depletion and the Natal Star

Dao Fruit: 43.77%.

Liang Ji looked at the Dao Fruit growth data in the Star Compass. Even though he had been prepared, his heart still gave a faint twitch.

This time, to ensure the Deification List projection successfully infiltrated this seventh-rank Star Origin, Liang Ji had spent a tremendous amount of his Natal Star's source.

Especially at the very end, when he drew on the power of the reincarnation origin so the Deification List projection could fool the invading Star Reincarnation, the Dao Fruit's growth had dropped by a full 0.5 percentage points.

Now, the Dao Fruit's growth in his Natal Star had even fallen below the strength of the Star Spirit Vein.

This meant that the source within Liang Ji's Natal Star was now weaker than the Star Spirit Vein. To his Natal Star, this was a state of "source depletion."

Because of this depletion, his entire Natal Star had begun to suffer the effects—and the backlash.

In the star's mortal realm, winds whipped and clouds churned. Thunder and torrential rain raged, mountains shook, and the earth split open. Floods struck again and again. Even among the various Vassals, plagues had broken out, leaving countless low-rank Vassals bedridden or dead.

It was a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

The Nine Springs Underworld beneath the nine layers of earth was no more peaceful.

The Nine Springs surged, the islands trembled, and the earth shook. Wild ghosts rioted in great numbers; even fierce ghosts from the nine levels of hell rose up, broke through their prisons, and rampaged through the Underworld.

This was the first time Liang Ji had consumed so much Star Origin that it had fallen below the strength of the Star Spirit Vein, causing source depletion. He had never expected it to trigger such a massive backlash.