Life Gradually Appears! Tracking Fragments, Crisis Approaches

As night deepened, the lights in the treatment tent still burned with unwavering brightness, much like Son Gohan's unshakable resolve. Both hands pressed steadily against Ximen Qing's chest, he transformed the remnants of his purification power into thin streams that seeped laboriously yet persistently into the youth's body, washing away the strange, chilling residue lodged within the source of his spirit veins. It nourished his battered meridians and clung desperately to that hard-won thread of life, refusing to relax even for a moment.

Son Gohan's face grew increasingly pale, his cracked lips seeping traces of blood. His breathing was as ragged as a candle flame in the wind, and the golden glow around him had dimmed until it was nearly invisible. He had clearly exhausted most of his strength long ago. Yet his eyes remained clear and resolute, overflowing with heartache and hope. His fingertips trembled faintly, but they never shifted an inch—as though every additional second he endured would make Ximen Qing's hope of awakening that much stronger.

The tent was so quiet that one could hear dust settling. Only Son Gohan's labored breaths mingled with Ximen Qing's heartbeat, so faint it was nearly impossible to detect. Lying on the bed, Ximen Qing's tightly furrowed brow had finally relaxed. A faint flush slowly spread across his pale cheeks, and his breathing became increasingly steady, no longer fluctuating between strong and weak. That relieved smile still lingered at the corners of his lips, as if in his dreams, he was leaning into his companions' protection and envisioning the day Earth would return to peace.

After an unknown number of hours had passed, Son Gohan's body suddenly stiffened. Wild joy flashed through his eyes before being swallowed by profound relief—he could clearly sense that Ximen Qing's life force was gradually recovering. Most of the strange chill lingering within the source of his spirit veins had been purged by the purification power, while his damaged meridians had begun to show the faintest signs of repair. Though still fragile, it was enough to ignite hope in everyone's hearts.

"You held on... Qing'er, you finally held on!" Son Gohan murmured, his voice so hoarse it was nearly unrecognizable. Hot tears slid down uncontrollably, falling onto the back of Ximen Qing's icy hand and spreading a small patch of warmth. He slowly withdrew a portion of his purification power, gently brushing the youth's cracked lips with his fingertips as he added softly, "Just wait a little longer. Gray Shadow and Nappa are guarding you outside too. Everyone is waiting for you to wake up. You can't let us down." He eased the weakness within his body slightly, but still did not withdraw completely. Using only the remnants of his strength, he carefully nurtured Ximen Qing's life force, terrified that even the slightest mistake would shatter this hard-won hope.

Outside the tent, the horizon gradually turned pale with dawn. The cold moonlight quietly faded as faint morning rays pierced the night and gently fell upon the war-ravaged camp, driving away the night's chill and deathly silence. They also cast a thin layer of hope over this scarred land. Nappa remained outside the tent, motionless as a boulder. His eyes were bloodshot, and exhaustion nearly kept them shut, yet he continued to stare rigidly at the tent entrance, scarcely daring to blink for fear of missing the very moment Ximen Qing awoke.

"Nappa, go rest for a while first." Gray Shadow's voice came from nearby. He had just finished assigning tasks to the warriors, his body still stained with blood and dust. Exhaustion filled his face, though a trace of gravity and relief remained hidden in his eyes. "Grandpa Gohan has been guarding him all night, and you haven't moved from this spot either. If you keep forcing yourself like this, your body will collapse sooner or later. I'll watch over things here. The moment Lord Ximen Qing wakes up, I'll notify you immediately."

Nappa slowly shook his head. His tone was firm and utterly unyielding, while guilt surged in his eyes. He raised a hand and clenched his fist until his knuckles turned white. "I'm not resting. I want to wait here for Lord Ximen Qing to wake up. I failed to share his burden. I let him carry everything alone and pay such a huge price—when the outer perimeter defenses were in danger last time, if I had been just a step faster, he wouldn't have had to burn out his spirit veins." His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice caught with emotion. "I have to wait here for him to wake up, apologize to him, and wait until he can stand with us again to protect this Earth that we all cherish."

Gray Shadow fell silent. He understood the guilt and obsession in Nappa's heart; no amount of persuasion would help. He gently patted Nappa on the shoulder, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. "I understand how you feel. I feel guilty too. I failed to discover the Black Shadow Guardian's scheme in time, letting everyone fall into danger and forcing Lord Ximen Qing to pay such a terrible price." He lifted his gaze toward the tent entrance, his voice resolute. "We'll wait together. When he wakes up, we'll protect him together. We will never let him face danger alone again." With that, he stepped beside Nappa and stood guard alongside him outside the tent, their eyes fixed on the entrance. Their hearts were full of anticipation—hoping that the youth who had burned out his spirit veins and risked his life would soon open his eyes, stand beside them once more, and shine again with his own sharp brilliance and light.

Meanwhile, deep in the universe, the disturbance from the core fragment grew increasingly rampant. Strange energy surged like a raging tide, while a dim black aura continued to spread. Its resonance with the Black Altar in the depths of space became sharper and more intense. That bone-chilling presence had already quietly spread to the edge of the solar system, like an invisible specter silently watching Earth's every move and secretly brewing a conspiracy capable of destroying everything.

The warped patterns across the fragment's surface became clearer and more grotesque. Strands of black mist poured endlessly from it like venomous snakes, racing toward the Black Altar along that hidden resonance. They moved ever faster, their presence growing denser and more terrifying. Within the mist was not only the lingering strange power of the Black Shadow Guardian, but also a far more horrifying and sinister force. It was icy to the bone, as though it could devour all life in the world, sending a chill through anyone who sensed it.

The tracking squad arranged by Gray Shadow piloted their fighter through the vast universe, rapidly following the trail of those strange energy fluctuations. On the fighter's dashboard, the energy signals flickered between strong and weak, wildly unstable—clearly, the core fragment was accelerating continuously as it raced toward the Black Altar in the depths of space. They did not have much time left.

"Captain, the energy fluctuations are getting stronger and clearer. The fragment is not far ahead, moving at full speed toward the Black Altar!" A squad member's voice trembled slightly, though his tone remained grave and alert. His eyes were locked on the dashboard, both hands gripping the controls so tightly that his fingertips had turned white. "And we've detected an even more terrifying strange energy hidden within the fragment's mist. It's far stranger and several times more powerful than the energy on the Black Shadow Guardian! If we continue pursuing it like this, the fighter's energy probably won't hold. Once we get close, we won't be able to resist that sinister force at all!"

The tracking squad captain's face was grim as iron, his eyes filled with vigilance and resolve. He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his face, his voice firm and powerful. "I know the fighter is running low on energy, and I know that force is strange and powerful, but we have no way back!" He turned to the team beside him, his voice deepening. "Lord Ximen Qing burned out his spirit veins to protect Earth, and whether he lives or dies is still unknown. If we can't even keep watch over a single fragment, how can we face his sacrifice? How can we face the comrades back at the camp?" After a brief pause, he emphasized again, "Continue tracking at maximum speed. Monitor every movement of the fragment closely, and report to Lord Gray Shadow every minute! We absolutely cannot let the fragment merge with the Black Altar, and we absolutely cannot give them any opportunity to activate it! Even if we have to expend every ounce of the fighter's firepower and pay with our lives, we must keep our eyes on that fragment. The moment anything abnormal happens, attack immediately and delay them with everything we've got!"

"Understood!" the squad members answered in unison, their voices ringing with determination as all hesitation vanished from their eyes. One member raised a hand to adjust the fighter's energy output and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, Captain. Even if we burn through every last drop of energy, we will never let the fragment approach the Black Altar!" Another rapidly tapped at the dashboard and added, "Lord Gray Shadow has been sent the latest coordinates. We've requested that reinforcements arrive as soon as possible!" They immediately pushed the fighter to maximum speed, following closely behind the core fragment with the utmost caution, not daring to let down their guard in the slightest. They knew the responsibility on their shoulders was heavier than mountains. Once the fragment merged with the Black Altar and the altar was activated, Earth—and perhaps the entire universe—would sink into endless darkness and deathly silence. Ximen Qing's sacrifice would become meaningless as well.

Within the camp, the wounded warriors continued to recover in silence. Some endured excruciating pain as they cleaned their wounds, their brows tightly drawn, yet not a single cry escaped them. Some bent over to clear the remains of the battlefield, picking up fragments of armor left behind by their comrades, their eyes full of grief and determination. Others worked desperately to reinforce the camp's defenses, swinging their tools as sweat streamed down their faces and dripped into the dirt. Everyone performed their own duties, moving hurriedly about. One young warrior raised his head toward the treatment tent and quietly asked the comrade beside him, "Do you think Lord Ximen Qing will wake up?" The warrior beside him patted his shoulder, his voice firm. "He definitely will. Lord Ximen Qing is so strong. He'll wake up and lead us in protecting Earth again." Though exhausted and covered in wounds, their eyes continued to shine with perseverance and hope. Every so often, they looked toward the treatment tent, silently praying for Ximen Qing to awaken soon, for the crisis to be completely resolved, and for the true peace they longed for to finally arrive.

Inside the treatment tent, Son Gohan finally exhausted the last trace of purification power within him. His body staggered, and he nearly collapsed. He hurriedly braced himself against the bedside before slowly sitting down, gasping heavily. His face was pale as paper, and his breathing was so weak that it seemed barely sustainable. Yet his eyes remained fixed on Ximen Qing, full of relief and hope—he could clearly feel Ximen Qing's life force growing stronger bit by bit, while his heartbeat became increasingly stable and powerful. Before long, this stubborn youth would surely open his eyes and awaken.

Just then, Ximen Qing's finger twitched almost imperceptibly. The motion was so small that it would have been easy to miss, but Son Gohan, who had remained on constant alert, caught it at once. His nerves instantly tightened, and he leaned forward slightly, staring fixedly at Ximen Qing's finger. His heart clenched, and he even softened his breathing to the faintest whisper, afraid that the smallest disturbance might startle this youth who had only just pulled himself back from death's edge. Then Ximen Qing's finger moved again, this time a little more noticeably. After that, his eyelids began to tremble faintly, as though he were about to wake.

"Qing'er? Qing'er, are you awake?" Son Gohan murmured, his voice hoarse as sandpaper, every word filled with cautious hope. He gently reached out, wrapping his warm fingers around Ximen Qing's cold hand, softly stroking the youth's fingertips with his thumb. His tone was gentle yet firm. "It's Grandpa Gohan. Don't be afraid. We're all here. You're safe now. All the danger has passed. Wake up soon. Gray Shadow and Nappa are guarding you outside, and the warriors in the camp are all waiting for you too. When you wake up, we'll figure something out together. Even if your spirit veins are damaged, you are still the guardian in our hearts."

Ximen Qing's eyelids continued to quiver gently, his long lashes trembling as a tiny tear seeped from the corner of his eye and ran down his cheek onto the pillow. The smile at the corner of his lips became slightly more pronounced, as though he had heard Son Gohan's call. His fingertips moved again, barely perceptibly, lightly brushing against Son Gohan's. Yet he still did not open his eyes. Clearly, he had not fully awakened and remained trapped in unconsciousness—yet his body's instinctive response had already proven that he was gradually breaking free from the darkness, slowly drawing closer to light and life, and to the companions protecting him.

Deep in the universe, the core fragment was already within arm's reach of the Black Altar. The strange energy's resonance with the altar grew increasingly intense, and the piercing sound of energy reverberation echoed through space. A dense, dark aura had already risen from the direction of the Black Altar, answering the fragment's aura from afar as the two drew one another in. A world-destroying, icy presence spread rapidly like a tsunami, pressing closer to Earth step by step. The crisis of life and death was already at hand.

The tracking squad still clung closely to the core fragment. Their fighter had reached the outer region of the Black Altar, and the needle on the energy gauge kept jumping, already nearing the red line. "Captain, the fighter has less than thirty percent energy left. The fragment is less than ten thousand kilometers from the altar. We don't have time to wait for reinforcements!" a squad member said urgently, sweat covering his forehead. "And the mist around the altar is getting denser. Our detectors are about to fail!" The captain stared at the towering, eerie Black Altar ahead and gritted his teeth. "Concentrate all energy on the thrusters and monitoring systems. Do not attack first. Just keep your eyes on the fragment. The moment it shows any sign of approaching the altar, use the remaining firepower to interfere. Even if we can only delay it for ten seconds, that's still hope!" They could clearly see the Black Altar ahead, towering and sinister, entirely black and surrounded by thick black fog too dense to disperse. It radiated a world-destroying chill—merely looking at it from afar sent shivers through their bodies. They knew clearly that a new struggle determining Earth's survival was imminent, and they had to do everything in their power to buy time while waiting for reinforcements from Son Gohan, Nappa, Gray Shadow, and the others.

Outside the tent, Nappa and Gray Shadow seemed to keenly catch the subtle movement within, even faintly hearing Son Gohan's murmurs. Both immediately tensed. Lightening their steps until they were nearly tiptoeing, they hurried to the tent entrance. Unable to hold himself back, Nappa lowered his voice and asked with anxious caution, "Grandpa Gohan, is Lord Ximen Qing about to wake up? We think we heard movement inside!" Gray Shadow followed close behind, his gaze equally urgent as he added, "Grandpa Gohan, if you need help, just say the word. Even if we have to give everything we have, we'll help you take care of Lord Ximen Qing."

Son Gohan did not turn around. His eyes remained tightly fixed on Ximen Qing, his voice full of barely concealed relief and hope. He nodded gently, his tone soft but firm. "Yes, he's about to wake up. His body is already showing clear signs of awakening, and his life force is steadily growing stronger. I believe it won't be long before he opens his eyes and fully wakes up."

Expressions of wild joy instantly bloomed across Nappa and Gray Shadow's faces. The tears they had suppressed all night finally fell uncontrollably. Nappa trembled with excitement and covered his mouth with one hand, afraid that he would make a sound and disturb Ximen Qing inside the tent. Choking back tears, he said, "That's wonderful... that's really wonderful. He's finally going to wake up. I can finally apologize to him!" Gray Shadow's eyes reddened as well. He gently patted Nappa's back, his voice full of relief. "Yes. He didn't give up, and we didn't wait in vain. When he wakes up, we'll protect Earth together and never let him bear everything alone again." The two stared intently at Ximen Qing's figure inside the tent, silently praying—hoping that this youth who had risked his life to protect them all would soon awaken, stand beside them again, and fight alongside them against the new crisis about to arrive, protecting this hard-won peaceful planet.

The morning light gradually became richer and more blazing, gently spilling across the canvas of the treatment tent and softly falling on Ximen Qing's pale cheeks, bringing a trace of warmth and life to this youth who had just escaped death. Son Gohan quietly remained at his bedside, while Nappa and Gray Shadow stood side by side at the tent entrance. The warriors throughout the camp were also silently waiting—waiting for Ximen Qing to wake, waiting for the next battle to arrive, waiting for the true peace that belonged to them. Yet they also knew clearly that the threat of the core fragment had not passed, and the crisis of the Black Altar was already closing in. An even more terrifying and strange struggle for life and death had quietly begun, leaving them no room for the slightest lapse in vigilance.