Black Mist Devours Stars! First Battle with the Shadow, Token Resonance

Golden-red streaks tore through the blackness of space as Ximen Qing sped toward the Western Pole Star System at extreme speed with Gray Shadow and Nappa. The golden-red aura around Ximen Qing grew ever more blazing, while the black token in his palm burned astonishingly hot. Even though he sealed it with all his strength, that restless, icy energy still madly battered the seal, forming a secret yet intense resonance with the distant Western Pole Star System. It was as though countless cold eyes were staring fixedly at them through the gaps in the token, sending a chill straight into their bones.

"My lord, the token's agitation is growing stronger and stronger. I fear there are many black shadows in the Western Pole Star System, and high-level entities are stationed there!" Gray Shadow followed closely behind him, the shadows around his body drawn taut like solid silk. His aura was condensed but restrained, while his fingertips curled slightly from apprehension. "This icy energy is several times stronger than it was in the Big Dipper Star System. The threat hidden behind it far exceeds our expectations."

Nappa's Saiyan aura surged, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His eyes were filled with fury and urgency, and though his tone carried a trace of impatience, it did not lack respect. "My lord, speed up! The people of the Western Pole Star System are still suffering. Those bizarre black shadows dare act so arrogantly—once I get there, I'll tear them to pieces and avenge our fallen people!"

Ximen Qing did not respond. His brows knitted tightly, and his gaze remained fixed on the depths of the universe ahead. The golden-red aura around him erupted again, and his speed abruptly increased severalfold. The pressure of his 120000 permanent combat power unconsciously spread outward. Wherever he passed, stardust trembled and turned to ash, while all low-level dark energy was burned away, leaving only wisps of white smoke to dissipate into the void. He could clearly feel the Western Pole Star System drawing closer. That suffocatingly dense coldness and despair remained distinct even across tens of thousands of light-years, clinging to him like a disease in the bones.

"Being anxious is useless." Ximen Qing finally spoke, his voice cold enough to pierce the marrow, killing intent surging in his eyes like a tide. "Those black shadows have bizarre methods. They are nothing like the remnants under the Shadow Guardian. Acting rashly will only make us fall into their trap. Once we reach the battlefield, Gray Shadow, you will investigate the black shadows' weaknesses and distribution. Watch for the movements of the high-level black shadows, and do not get drawn into battle. Nappa, lead some warriors to protect the surviving people of the Western Pole Star System first. Hold back the low-level black shadows and buy time for me."

"Your subordinate obeys!" Gray Shadow answered in a deep, steady voice. Nappa responded loudly, his words filled with Saiyan ferocity. The two immediately composed themselves, secretly adjusted their auras, and gathered energy at their fingertips, ready to fight at any moment. They understood that this battle concerned the survival of the Western Pole Star System, a breakthrough in the token's secrets, and even the peace of the universe. There could be no mistakes.

About half an hour later, the outline of the Western Pole Star System became clear—once a dazzling, vibrant star system, it was now completely wrapped in black fog as thick as ink. Within the fog, miserable screams intertwined with strange howls, piercing enough to make one's eardrums ache. The land across the planets' surfaces had cracked apart, icy black radiance seeping from the fissures. The once-prosperous territories of its people had long become scorched ruins, and lingering cold energy remained among the broken walls and rubble, spreading ceaselessly from the planets' interiors like a tide and corroding every inch of the star system's space.

"What dense, bizarre black fog!" Nappa's pupils contracted sharply, and the urgency on his face deepened. He stretched out a hand and cautiously released a thread of energy, only for it to be swallowed the instant it touched the fog. "This fog can actually corrode the star system's energy field. No wonder the Western Pole Star System's energy barrier was breached so easily!"

Gray Shadow swept his grave gaze over the black fog ahead. He gathered a faint strand of shadow energy at his fingertips and cautiously extended it toward the fog, but the moment it made contact, it was instantly devoured by the icy energy within. A bone-piercing chill ran through his fingers, and even his meridians began to stiffen. "My lord, this black fog is definitely not formed from ordinary energy. It can devour all foreign energy and is intensely corrosive. If we rush in carelessly, our combat power will likely be greatly suppressed."

Ximen Qing slowly raised his hand. The black token in his palm once more emitted a faint black glow, forming a powerful resonance with the icy energy in the fog ahead. The twisted patterns on the token began to slowly rotate, giving off an eerie sheen that made even the surrounding void tremble faintly. He injected a thread of golden-red energy into it and forcibly suppressed the token's agitation. His eyes were sharp as blades as he stared into the fog. "There is no need to fear it. This black fog may devour energy and suppress combat power, but it cannot stop my golden-red energy. Remember: protecting our people is the top priority, exterminating the black shadows comes second. If anything goes wrong, retreat at once. Do not try to prove yourselves."

Before his words had faded, Ximen Qing moved. His golden-red aura flared like a blazing sun, and like a brilliant bolt of lightning, he instantly charged into the black fog. Wherever the golden-red energy passed, the ink-thick fog gave off sizzling burning sounds and rapidly melted away, opening a narrow, scorching passage. Protected by the tightly woven golden-red aura, the corrosive icy energy could not come near his body at all—not even his robes were disturbed in the slightest.

Gray Shadow and Nappa followed close behind, both activating their own energy to form protective barriers around themselves as they resisted the erosion of the black fog and raced toward the planets of the Western Pole Star System. The moment they entered the atmosphere, countless black shadows sprang from the fog in every direction like starving wolves that had smelled blood. They remained clumps of condensed icy black mist with no fixed forms, twisting and darting about while leaving gray-black afterimages behind. Their shrill, bizarre howls rang out as they surged toward the trio like a tidal wave.

"Good!" Nappa roared, dense Saiyan energy gathering around his fists. A golden-red glow wrapped his knuckles as he viciously smashed at the incoming black shadows. "Get lost!" The instant his fists descended, golden-red energy erupted like thunder, instantly striking several low-level black shadows. The shadows let out miserable shrieks as their bodies scattered apart and became wisps of icy mist that merged back into the surrounding fog. Yet they did not completely vanish, and faint signs of reformation could already be seen.

"That won't work!" Gray Shadow flashed aside, dodging a black shadow's sneak attack like a ghost. Condensed shadow energy gathered at his fingertips as he precisely locked onto the core of one black shadow and stabbed fiercely forward. "These black shadows have no fixed vital points. Unless their core energy is completely burned away, they will just keep reforming and coming back!" As his words fell, the energy at his fingertips suddenly erupted. The black shadow's core was pierced through in an instant. It let out a weak whimper before turning to ash and fully disappearing from the air, with no chance of reforming.

Ximen Qing swept his gaze over the battlefield and instantly understood the weakness of the low-level black shadows—their cores were clumps of condensed icy energy hidden deep within the black fog, exceedingly difficult to detect. Ordinary attacks could only disperse their forms and could not kill them completely. Only by striking the cores accurately could they be utterly destroyed.

"Nappa, focus your attacks on the black shadows' cores! Don't waste energy dispersing their forms!" Ximen Qing shouted, his voice piercing through the chaotic howls and clashes of energy. His golden-red aura surged, and an extremely condensed strand of golden-red energy gathered at his fingertips. Like a sharp sword, it swept across a mass of black shadows ahead. Wherever it passed, countless black-shadow cores were pierced through. Miserable shrieks rose one after another as clumps of black mist melted away and dispersed, never able to reform again. Only a dense icy presence remained in the air.

The three divided their roles clearly. Ximen Qing led the assault, his golden-red aura rising directly to its peak. With a casual sweep of his hand, he wiped out swaths of low-level black shadows—any of those shadows that dared come within three feet of him would instantly be swallowed and burned to nothing by his tyrannical golden-red aura. They did not even have time to let out a scream, much less possess the right to launch a sneak attack. Wherever the golden-red energy passed, black fog melted, sinister shadows perished, and the ground was forcibly scorched into bottomless black ravines. Every ravine carried the overwhelming pressure of the ruler of the universe; none could withstand it. Gray Shadow, meanwhile, relied on his concealment ability to move through the black fog like an invisible blade, precisely tracking the high-level black shadows while clearing out any stragglers. Nappa led the elite warriors who arrived afterward and raced into the depths of the ruins, clearing low-level black shadows along the way while searching for surviving people of the Western Pole Star System. He firmly held back the remaining low-level shadows, preventing them from interfering with Ximen Qing's investigation of the high-level black shadows.

After a brief but intense battle, more than half of the low-level black shadows had been eradicated, and the surrounding black fog had thinned somewhat. But just then, a deep and bizarre roar suddenly came from the depths of the fog. It sounded as though it came from the depths of hell itself, carrying bone-piercing malice. An icy energy far beyond that of the low-level black shadows instantly swept outward, making the entire planet shake violently. Broken walls and ruins collapsed one after another, while rubble floated in the air under the force of the energy surge.

Ximen Qing's expression hardened. He immediately stopped attacking and fixed his gaze on the depths of the black fog. His golden-red aura erupted once again, and energy gathered at his fingertips as he prepared for battle. "It's here—a high-level black shadow! Gray Shadow, investigate its movements. Be careful and do not approach recklessly!"

"What?!" Nappa cried out. He immediately stopped searching for survivors, turned, and raced toward Gray Shadow to provide support. But several suddenly appearing high-level black shadows blocked his path. The two sides instantly clashed, explosive energy collisions mixing with the shadows' shrieks and making the surrounding black fog churn without end.

Gray Shadow flashed and instantly concealed himself amid the shadows. Like an invisible phantom, he sped toward the depths of the black fog. Yet the moment he approached the core area, a powerful icy energy slammed into him. His body flew backward like a kite with its string cut, and he spat out a mouthful of black blood. His aura immediately fell into disorder, and his fingertips trembled slightly from the intense pain, but he still stared fixedly into the depths of the fog. "My lord! The enemy's combat power is formidable, far beyond the peak of the Dark Abyss! Its methods are extremely bizarre—it can manipulate the black fog to conceal itself and can condense it into physical attacks. Your subordinate cannot get anywhere near its core!"

Ximen Qing strode forward and gently supported Gray Shadow's arm. A stream of warm golden-red energy slowly entered Gray Shadow's body, soothing his injuries and suppressing the lingering icy energy within him. His tone was grave. "Are you all right?"

"Your subordinate is fine. Thank you, my lord." Gray Shadow bowed slightly, suppressing the discomfort in his body. His tone remained steady. Ximen Qing nodded faintly and looked into the depths of the black fog, the gravity in his eyes deepening. At that moment, the black token in his palm suddenly became scorching hot. Its black light flared, and the patterns on it spun faster and faster, forming an extreme resonance with the icy energy deep in the fog. A faint summoning force could even be felt, like invisible threads drawing him toward the depths of the fog to uncover the truth behind the token's secrets.

"This..." Ximen Qing frowned, his fingertips brushing the rotating patterns on the token. He could clearly feel that the summons coming from it carried no malice. It was more like guidance. "The token is guiding us into the depths of the black fog. There are clues there that we need, as well as the hiding place of that high-level black shadow. But its combat power far exceeds expectations. We must be extremely careful."

Gray Shadow's heart tightened, and he hurriedly tried to dissuade him. "My lord, absolutely not! The depths of the black fog are far too dangerous. The enemy has surely set a trap to lure us deeper. If we go rashly, we may fall into grave danger!"

"I know." Ximen Qing nodded slowly, a trace of determination flashing through his eyes. His tone allowed no argument. "But we have no choice. If we want to completely eradicate the black shadows, uncover the token's secrets, and protect the peace of the universe, we must enter the depths of the black fog and face that high-level black shadow. Don't worry. As long as I am here, I will not let you fall into danger."

As he spoke, Ximen Qing raised his hand and gripped the black token in his palm. Golden-red energy intertwined with the token's black glow, forming a dazzling shield of light around him and Gray Shadow. Patterns flowed across the shield's surface, radiating scorching heat as they burned the surrounding black fog. He stared sharply into the depths of the fog, his voice cold and resolute. "Nappa, continue searching for surviving people and hold back the remaining black shadows. Do not go deep into the black fog. Once we deal with the high-level black shadow, we will come support you!"

"Your subordinate will carry it out at once! My lord, be careful!" Nappa's voice rang out from afar, mixed with loud energy clashes and his furious roars. Clearly, he was locked in fierce combat with high-level black shadows. Though under pressure, he continued holding his position and protecting the surviving people with all his strength.

Ximen Qing wasted no more time. Taking Gray Shadow with him, he moved and sped toward the depths of the black fog. The shield of light woven from golden-red energy and black radiance continuously burned away the surrounding fog, opening a broad path. The corrosive icy energy could not approach them at all, while the fog on both sides of the passage kept melting away with sizzling sounds. Along the way, the occasional surviving black shadow that pounced at them was casually struck down by Ximen Qing, completely killed without leaving behind the slightest hidden danger.

The farther they ventured into the black fog, the denser the icy energy became. Even the shield's glow dimmed slightly, while the token's resonance grew increasingly intense. The strange howls within the fog drew closer and closer, and the immense oppressive force bore down like Mount Tai, making it difficult to breathe. Even each breath carried a bone-piercing chill. Gray Shadow's aura remained taut as he stayed alert to every movement around them, his eyes filled with apprehension—he could clearly sense that the high-level black shadow was not far ahead, silently waiting for their arrival like a lurking hunter.

Ximen Qing slowly came to a stop. The black glow from the token in his palm flared, its patterns spinning to the extreme. He could vaguely see that the patterns on the token had formed some strange alignment with the energy fluctuations coming from deep within the black fog. He raised his head and looked forward. A towering black shadow stood atop the highest point of a ruin, black fog coiling around it. Its form was several times more solid than the other shadows, and a vague humanoid outline could be made out. It radiated a chilling aura that made one's heart tremble. In its hand, it held a black token identical to the one in Ximen Qing's palm. Black light flowed over it, resonating intensely with Ximen Qing's token. The two streams of black light drew toward each other, slightly twisting the surrounding void.

"Ximen Qing, you came after all." The high-level black shadow slowly spoke. Its voice was cold and hoarse, carrying an inhuman eeriness. Though it had no distinct facial features, one could feel the extreme malice emanating from it. "As expected of the ruler of the universe. You actually broke through my black-fog barrier and made it here."

Ximen Qing's golden-red aura surged, his sharp gaze fixed on the high-level black shadow. His voice was ice-cold, every word carrying killing intent. "Who are you? Why have you slaughtered my people and attacked the Western Pole Star System? What exactly is the origin of this black token? And what conspiracy is the force behind you hiding?"

The high-level black shadow slowly lifted its head and slightly raised the token in its hand. Black light surged, and the surrounding fog instantly became restless. Countless black shadows sprang out of the mist and gathered around it, forming an impregnable black barrier. Black fog rolled over the barrier's surface, radiating dense icy energy. The place where its mouth should have been curved upward slightly, forming an eerie smile that made one's heart tremble. Its voice was cold and arrogant. "If you want answers, then take them with your strength—this game is only truly beginning now."

Before its words ended, the high-level black shadow moved. The black fog around it surged like a tide, sweeping forward along with countless low-level black shadows as they madly pounced toward Ximen Qing and Gray Shadow. Ximen Qing's eyes narrowed. Golden-red energy burst from his palm and intertwined with the token's black light, forming a powerful energy shockwave that smashed fiercely toward the incoming shadows. Golden-red and black energy collided with an earth-shaking boom. The shockwave swept in every direction, instantly flattening the surrounding ruins. Rocks flew everywhere, and the black fog was blasted apart, revealing a patch of scorched earth.

Gray Shadow flashed and immediately concealed himself among the black shadows. He raced toward the high-level black shadow's core, attempting to find its weakness and coordinate with Ximen Qing's attack. Ximen Qing, meanwhile, burned with a blazing golden-red aura as his combat power rose to its peak. He engaged the high-level black shadow head-on, golden-red energy and icy black fog colliding violently again and again. Every collision unleashed enormous energy waves that shook the entire Western Pole Star System. Dark clouds churned in the sky, lightning flashed, thunder roared, and an apocalyptic pressure crashed down upon them.

During the fierce battle, the token in Ximen Qing's palm resonated intensely once more. It seemed on the verge of merging with the token in the high-level black shadow's hand. The patterns upon it rotated faster and faster, and vague images gradually emerged—an ancient altar, or perhaps a mysterious star system. That might be the key to the token's secret, as well as the hiding place of the unknown force behind everything.

Ximen Qing's heart stirred. As he fended off the high-level black shadow's fierce assault, he watched the images emerging on the token, trying to find some clue within them. He could clearly sense that although the high-level black shadow's combat power was slightly inferior to his own, it was far beyond the peak of the Dark Abyss. It was especially adept at merging the black fog with its own energy, combining offense and defense—it could use the fog to conceal itself for sneak attacks, while also condensing it into a hard shield. Even when Ximen Qing attacked with all his strength, he could not instantly break through it. Whenever the shield was struck, it gave off muffled bangs and scattered countless wisps of black fog. Killing it completely would be far from easy, and might even require paying a certain price.

Gray Shadow continuously moved through the black shadows, repeatedly attempting to attack the high-level black shadow's core. Yet every attempt was blocked by black fog under the enemy's control. He was even nearly corroded by the icy energy, his fingertips burned by the fog and marked with a black scar. He knew clearly that to defeat the high-level black shadow, they first had to break its control over the black fog. Otherwise, they would remain passive and find victory impossible.

Ximen Qing's eyes sharpened as he instantly made his decision—he would first use the tokens' resonance to break the enemy's black-fog fusion combat power, then seize the chance to kill it and uncover the token's secrets. He slowly tightened his grip around the token in his palm and steadily infused it with his golden-red energy. The token's black glow immediately surged, and its resonance with the token in the high-level black shadow's hand became even stronger, beginning to pull at the other token. But the high-level black shadow reacted quickly. It immediately activated all of its icy energy and forcefully suppressed the token in its hand. The two forces tugged against each other, causing the surrounding energy fluctuations to grow increasingly violent. Cracks spread further across the ground, and the black fog churned wildly.

The high-level black shadow's aura suddenly fell into chaos. Though it had no obvious expression, its shock and panic could be clearly felt. It hurriedly activated all the icy energy in its body to suppress the token in its hand, while manipulating black fog to coil around it in an attempt to block the pulling force. The two powers fiercely wrestled with one another, making the surrounding energy fluctuations even more violent. The ground cracked further, rubble floated in the air, and the black fog roiled restlessly as it emitted eerie whimpers. "Impossible! How can you control the token's resonance?!" It released a bizarre roar, its voice filled with furious disbelief and apprehension.

A cold curve formed at the corner of Ximen Qing's mouth, and disdain flashed through his eyes. "You think someone like you deserves to control the token? Today, I will not only kill you and wipe out every black shadow—I will also uncover the token's secrets, find the force behind you, and eradicate all of you at the root, leaving no future trouble!"

As his words fell, Ximen Qing's golden-red aura erupted once more, and the black light from the token in his palm blazed brightly. The resonance between the two tokens reached its peak. The high-level black shadow used all its strength to suppress its token, but it still could not withstand the pulling force. The token in its hand instantly broke free of its control and flew toward Ximen Qing's palm with a compliant stream of black light. Unlike its previous agitation, the moment this token neared Ximen Qing's palm, its black light immediately withdrew meekly. It pressed tightly against the first token, no longer showing the slightest icy restlessness, as if it revered his identity as the ruler of the universe and willingly submitted. Having lost the token's support, the black fog around the high-level black shadow completely fell into disorder and dispersed, while its icy energy weakened by more than half. Yet even so, it did not collapse. Instead, it gathered all its remaining icy energy, forming a layer of pitch-black energy armor around itself. Strange patterns covered the armor's surface as it tightly protected its core. The malice and unwillingness in its eyes grew more intense, and its aura became increasingly berserk. Ximen Qing's gaze turned razor-sharp. With a flash, he appeared before it, gathering golden-red energy in his palm to the extreme before smashing it fiercely at its core—this full-force strike was blocked by the energy armor, which absorbed more than half its power. A muffled bang rang out. The high-level black shadow staggered backward again and again, trenches forming beneath its feet. Icy black fog—comparable to human blood—spilled from its mouth, but it was not killed in a single blow and still retained the strength to resist.

Just as the high-level black shadow steadied itself and prepared to gather its remaining energy for a counterattack, Gray Shadow seized the fleeting opening. He concealed himself once more, turning into an extremely faint black silhouette and circling behind the high-level black shadow like a ghost. Enduring the icy energy that had not yet fully dissipated inside him, he gathered an extremely condensed strand of shadow energy at his fingertips. His fingers turned pale from the force he exerted. Avoiding the blind spot in the energy armor's defense, he viciously thrust toward a weak point of energy on the high-level black shadow's back! The strike was fast and accurate, perfectly suited to his talent for concealed ambushes, without the slightest hesitation.

Sshk— The shadow energy instantly pierced the high-level black shadow's weak point. It released a miserable, bizarre howl so shrill that it pierced the ears. A crack instantly appeared in its energy armor, and icy energy once again leaked out like a tide. Its aura immediately fell into disorder, and its body staggered slightly. It instinctively turned to attack Gray Shadow, but it neglected Ximen Qing in front of it—this was precisely the purpose of Gray Shadow's support attack: to restrain the enemy with a surprise strike and create an opportunity for Ximen Qing's fatal blow.

Having succeeded with one strike, Gray Shadow did not dare linger. He immediately retreated in a flash and pulled away, then shouted at Ximen Qing, "My lord! Its armor is broken, and its core is exposed—attack now!" Before his words faded, he activated his shadow energy again and condensed several shadow clones. The clones were identical to him, weaving about nimbly as they lunged at the high-level black shadow's limbs and tightly restrained its movements, giving it no chance to gather energy again and repair the crack in its armor.

The high-level black shadow was firmly entangled by Gray Shadow's clones, its movements greatly restricted. Icy energy continued leaking from its body, and its eyes were full of rage and apprehension, yet it could do nothing. Gray Shadow's concealment technique was too powerful, while his clones were flexible and difficult to deal with. The harder it struggled to escape, the more of its remaining energy it consumed, making it increasingly unable to withstand Ximen Qing's attacks. The deadlocked battle was instantly tilted completely toward Ximen Qing's side by Gray Shadow's precise support.

How could Ximen Qing miss such a fleeting, fatal opportunity? Cold light flared in his eyes, and his golden-red aura blazed like the sun, instantly burning away the remaining black fog around him until even the light itself was distorted. He no longer held back. Golden-red energy in his palm completely intertwined with the black glow of the second token he had just absorbed, condensing into a sharp blade of light. Token patterns flowed across the blade. It possessed both the scorching tyranny of golden-red energy and the eerie depth of the token's black light. Carrying a world-destroying force, it cut through the air with a sharp tearing whistle and slashed fiercely toward the high-level black shadow's exposed core!

"No—!" The high-level black shadow released a heart-rending, bizarre howl. It used the last thread of its icy energy, trying to break free of Gray Shadow's clones and repair the crack in its armor, but it was already too late. The blade of light cut through the air, instantly pierced its energy armor, and plunged into its core. Golden-red energy and black radiance erupted at once, ravaging its body and devouring its last remnants of icy energy amid sizzling burning sounds.

The high-level black shadow's body twisted violently. Its once-solid humanoid outline gradually scattered apart, turning into clumps of chaotic icy black fog. Dense black mist continuously spilled from its mouth, while its aura visibly dissipated and the cold energy around it grew weaker and weaker. It stared fixedly at the two tokens pressed together in Ximen Qing's hand. Its voice carried unwillingness and an eerie warning, growing fainter like a dying candle in the wind. "You... you cannot destroy us... The tokens are only keys... The Dark Altar is about to awaken. 'It' will eventually return... All of you will become sacrifices..."

Before his words had even faded, his body completely collapsed into wisps of frigid mist. The golden-red energy in Ximen Qing's palm burned every trace away, dispersing it utterly into the air. It could never reform again, leaving behind only the faintest bizarre aura, which vanished in an instant as though it had never existed. With the high-tier shadow destroyed, the scattered remnants of surrounding shadows lost their central pull and dissolved into mist one after another. The dense fog shrouding the Western Pole Star System also began visibly thinning and receding, revealing the long-hidden sky. Ximen Qing released a faint trace of sovereign pressure. Though he had not unleashed it at full force, it was enough to intimidate all around him. The lingering frigid aura instantly collapsed, and the surviving people of the Western Pole Star System in the distance fell to their knees and kowtowed, crying out in unison, "Lord Sovereign!" Their voices were loud and devout, filled with both gratitude and awe. His authority and triumph were on full display.

Seeing this, Gray Shadow immediately withdrew his shadow clone. With a flash, he appeared beside Ximen Qing and bowed. His aura was still somewhat unsettled, and the burns on his fingertips continued to throb faintly, yet he could not hide the relief in his expression. "My lord, the high-tier shadow has been completely slain!" After a pause, he added, "That Dark Altar and the mysterious 'It' he mentioned are likely the key to the secrets of the tokens—and the core of the unknown force behind them."

Ximen Qing slowly put away his light blade, holding the two black tokens pressed together in his palm. The black light from the two tokens intertwined, their patterns fitting together perfectly. The originally distorted, obscure markings had become somewhat clearer. Faintly, it could be seen that the combined patterns formed the outline of an ancient, sinister altar. At the altar's center was a blurred figure of light whose form could not be made out, yet it gave off a chilling aura that made one's heart tremble, as though it were slowly awakening from slumber.

"The Dark Altar... 'It'..." Ximen Qing repeated the two terms in a low voice, his eyes growing even more solemn. His fingers brushed over the altar pattern on the tokens, feeling the faint vibrations they transmitted. "It seems we still underestimated the force behind this. This is no simple counterattack by remnants of darkness, but a revival plan of some ancient dark faction. These two tokens are most likely the keys to opening the Dark Altar."

Just then, hurried footsteps sounded in the distance. Nappa arrived in a rush with several elite warriors, his face covered in dust and exhaustion, battle marks still clinging to his body and scratches covering his armor. Seeing that Ximen Qing and Gray Shadow were unharmed and that the high-tier shadow had been destroyed, he immediately let out a breath of relief and dropped to one knee. "My lord, I have fulfilled my mission. We have found all surviving people of the Western Pole Star System, and the remaining low-tier shadows have all been wiped out! Those shadows' cores were more stubborn than expected, but thankfully the warriors held on!"

"Rise." Ximen Qing raised a hand slightly, his tone softening somewhat. His gaze swept over the wounds on Nappa's body, and a trace of warmth flashed in his eyes. "You've worked hard. Have the warriors stay behind to assist the people of the Western Pole Star System with the aftermath, treat the wounded, and rebuild their homes. Send over the necessary supplies as soon as possible, using the same standards as the Big Dipper Star System."

"Understood!" Nappa rose at once, his voice still carrying a Saiyan's fierce spirit. He immediately turned to make the arrangements. Before leaving, he could not help casting a curious glance at the two tokens in Ximen Qing's hand, his eyes full of confusion. Still, he wisely did not ask further—he knew the secrets behind those tokens were not something he was qualified to learn yet.

Gray Shadow's gaze settled on the two tokens, his expression grave. He lightly rubbed the burn on his fingertips, his tone steady. "My lord, now that we have two tokens and have learned of the Dark Altar, what should we do next? Should we immediately follow the tokens' energy fluctuations to trace the altar's location and prepare in advance?"

Ximen Qing slowly shook his head and placed the two tokens inside his robes, sealing them tightly with golden-red energy. His voice was calm and deliberate. "There's no need to rush. The high-tier shadow is dead, the remaining shadows have all been cleared, and the Western Pole Star System's crisis has been temporarily resolved. We should return to Earth first and inform Grandpa Gohan. We can combine the clues from the ancient texts to determine the true nature of the Dark Altar and 'It.' Besides, the energy fluctuations of these two tokens are too strange. If we investigate rashly, we will only alert the enemy and perhaps cause them to open the altar ahead of time."

He looked up at the sky. By now, more than half the black fog over the Western Pole Star System had dissipated. A faint ray of starlight pierced the clouds and fell upon the charred ruins, driving away some of the chill and despair while illuminating a sliver of hope. It shone upon the faces of the survivors, bringing them a hint of warmth. The golden-red aura around Ximen Qing gradually receded as he looked in Earth's direction, determination flashing in his eyes. "Whether it is the Dark Altar or that mysterious 'It,' as long as they dare endanger the lives of the universe and destroy peace again, I will pay any price to crush them in their cradle and eliminate all future trouble."

Gray Shadow bowed slightly, his voice resolute and his eyes completely fearless. "I am willing to follow you unto death, my lord. Together, we will uncover the tokens' secrets, eradicate every dark force, and protect the peace of the universe!"

Ximen Qing gave a slight nod and wasted no more time. Taking Gray Shadow with him, he flashed toward Nappa and the surviving people—first to comfort the people of the Western Pole Star System, raising a hand to heal the wound on a young survivor's forehead and offering a few gentle words of reassurance. Then he would return to Earth with the two tokens and discuss their next move with Grandpa Gohan. Yet the two tokens in his robes continued to grow faintly hot, their black light flowing dimly. From where the black light of the two tokens intertwined came an incredibly faint ancient whisper, gone in an instant. Even Ximen Qing failed to catch it clearly. Silently, it foretold that an even greater crisis was quietly brewing in the depths of the universe...