In the underground cavern, green light and shadows danced wildly.
Zhou Xuan sat cross-legged before the Law Sphere, his hands hovering before him as the black-gold Dao fruit spun furiously within his dantian.
Pale golden runes poured from his palms, turning into invisible chains that coiled tightly around the rampaging vine phantoms.
Every attempt to suppress them sent the three powers within him into violent collision.
Zhou Xuan's azure robe billowed without wind, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his temples.
The seed was now like a vicious beast stuffed far too full, the swelling creation origin source within it battering madly against the seal he had laid down.
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
"Thump!"
Dull heartbeats echoed through the cavern.
Each beat made the earth veins throughout Central Province tremble.
Cracks spread across the rocky ceiling at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Fist-sized chunks of stone kept falling, kicking up dust as they struck the ground.
Old Ancestor Cangwu raised a shield of sword qi, keeping every falling stone outside it.
He stood behind Zhou Xuan and to one side, his hand on his sword hilt, ready to draw at any sudden development.
Ji Chen crouched nearby, clutching the constantly trembling Compass, his face deathly pale.
He stared at its wildly jumping needle and swallowed.
"Token Master, the seed's energy fluctuations have risen another twenty percent."
Ji Chen's voice trembled slightly.
"At this rate, sooner or later it'll burst the earth veins."
Zhou Xuan did not open his eyes. Sweat slid down his cheeks.
"I can't hold it much longer."
His voice was low, carrying a trace of barely perceptible exhaustion.
"The creation origin source inside this beast is already more than three times its destruction power."
"Ordinary scrap simply can't suppress it."
Zhou Xuan's eyes snapped open, a