The Key Foretold in the Prophecy

The underground laboratory was far larger than Huo Yuhao had imagined.

"Damn, this place is way bigger than I thought." Huo Yuhao followed Lin Mu through one underground passage after another, utterly shocked by the sight before him.

What laboratory was this? It was practically an underground city. Countless rooms lined both sides of the passages, each glowing with an eerie blue light. The air was thick with the pungent smell of magical energy.

"What the hell has your academy been doing?" Huo Yuhao asked in a low voice.

Lin Mu's expression turned grave. "It's much worse than what I knew before."

[Thought Palace] activated instantly and began analyzing the surrounding soul tool array. Huo Yuhao carefully observed the dense network of energy conduits and control devices embedded in the walls.

"Wait." He suddenly stopped. "The way these soul tools are arranged..."

[Analysis Initiated]

[Energy Flow: Circular circulation]

[Core Device: Central energy reactor]

[Operating Principle: Chain reaction similar to a nuclear reactor]

"Fuck, these people are insane." Huo Yuhao sucked in a sharp breath. "They're using the principles of a nuclear reactor to create a soul tool array."

"What's a nuclear reactor?" Lin Mu asked, confused.

"A device capable of generating enormous amounts of energy," Huo Yuhao explained simply. "But if it loses control, the entire academy is finished."

The two continued deeper underground and soon arrived at an enormous circular hall. At its center stood a complex magic formation, surrounded by more than a dozen iron cages.

Every cage held a student.

"Help! Is anyone there?"

"Let me out! I'm an envoy of the Heaven Soul Empire!"

"Damn it, my father won't let you get away with this!"

The students immediately shouted excitedly when they saw Huo Yuhao and Lin Mu.

Huo Yuhao quickly swept his gaze over the imprisoned students, and his heart jolted. None of them had ordinary identities.

"That girl..." He pointed at one of the cages. "Her clothes bear the insignia of the Heaven Soul Empire's imperial family."

Lin Mu nodded. "That's right. She's the third princess of the Heaven Soul Empire, Xue Ling'er."

"And that man." Huo Yuhao pointed toward another cage. "He has a strong aura of the forest about him. He should be from the Star Dou Great Forest."

"A human envoy from the Star Dou Great Forest, named Lin Feng," Lin Mu introduced. "They're all descendants of important figures from the major powers."

Huo Yuhao frowned. "Isn't the academy afraid of starting a war by capturing so many important people?"

"Because this is a bloodline fusion experiment." Lin Mu gritted her teeth. "They want to fuse all kinds of powerful bloodlines and create a universal key capable of controlling ancient ruins."

"A universal key?"

"An artificial lifeform possessing the powers of multiple bloodlines," Lin Mu explained. "Such an existence can open any ancient seal that requires bloodline verification."

The moment she finished speaking, the magic formation in the center of the hall suddenly lit up with a blood-red glow.

"Bzzzz—"

The entire underground space began to tremble as the magic formation slowly rotated.

"This is bad—the experiment has begun!" Lin Mu's expression changed drastically.

Sensing the energy fluctuations from the formation, the imprisoned students panicked.

"What the hell is this thing?"

"I can feel the blood in my body boiling!"

"Help!"

Huo Yuhao immediately activated [Thought Palace] and analyzed the formation's operating mechanism.

[Analysis Result: The formation extracts bloodline energy through resonance]

[Disruption Method: Destroy the energy flow nodes]

[Conceptual Armament: Electromagnetic interference]

"Stop!" Huo Yuhao shouted, swiftly forming hand seals with both hands.

He incorporated the concept of electromagnetic interference from Earth into his spiritual power, creating an invisible wave of energy.

"Crackle—"

The formation suddenly malfunctioned, its blood-red light flickering erratically.

"Who is it?"

A commanding voice came from the entrance to the hall.

Xu Qingsong entered with several people clad in black robes. They were the core members of the Light of Truth.

"Huo Yuhao?" A flicker of surprise passed through Xu Qingsong's eyes when he saw him. "Why are you here?"

"Old man, what the hell are you doing?" Huo Yuhao demanded directly. "Why did you capture so many innocent students?"

"Innocent?" Xu Qingsong sneered. "They are all heroes contributing to a great cause."

"What the hell kind of great cause?"

"Searching for the gods' legacy." Fanatical light gleamed in Xu Qingsong's eyes. "The ultimate power supposedly left behind by the gods."

[Thought Palace] rapidly analyzed this information.

[Inference: The gods' legacy may be technology left behind by an advanced civilization.]

[Possibility: Alien technology or ancient super soul tools.]

[Danger Level: Unknown.]

Huo Yuhao's heart stirred, and he decided to test him.

"The gods' legacy?" He feigned surprise. "You mean that ancient device capable of rewriting the rules of reality?"

Xu Qingsong froze. "You know about the gods' legacy?"

"Of course." Huo Yuhao put on an expression as if it were obvious. "That thing operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and spacetime distortion. Without sufficient theoretical foundations, you wouldn't be able to use it even if you found it."

The members of Light of Truth looked at one another.

"Quantum entanglement? Spacetime distortion?" a black-robed man asked in confusion. "What are those?"

Huo Yuhao secretly felt pleased. It seemed these people still had only a shallow understanding of ancient technology.

"It seems your understanding of ancient technology is still superficial." He shook his head. "No wonder the experiment failed."

The fanaticism in Xu Qingsong's eyes grew even stronger. "Would you be willing to assist us in researching ancient technology?"

"I can consider it." Huo Yuhao pointed at the imprisoned students. "But I have conditions. Release them, and I can help you analyze the operating mechanism of the gods' legacy."

"Impossible." A black-robed man immediately objected. "They are vital experimental materials."

"Materials?" Huo Yuhao sneered. "You think a bloodline fusion experiment can create a universal key? How naive."

Xu Qingsong frowned. "You have a better method?"

"Of course." Huo Yuhao spoke confidently. "A true universal key doesn't rely on bloodlines. It relies on a deep understanding of the principles behind ancient technology."

Just then, the formation suddenly began to shake violently.

"Warning! Energy leakage!"

"The formation is out of control!"

"Retreat, quickly!"

The entire underground space began to collapse, and massive energy fluctuations threatened everyone's safety.

Huo Yuhao immediately activated [Knowledge Reenactment], drawing upon all of Earth's knowledge concerning energy control.

"Nobody move!" he shouted, rushing toward the center of the formation.

"Are you insane? The energy there can tear a person apart!" Lin Mu cried out.

Huo Yuhao ignored her and pressed both hands against the formation's core node.

[Concept Armament: Energy Balance]

[Knowledge Reenactment: Laws of Thermodynamics]

"According to the law of conservation of energy, input equals output..." Huo Yuhao rapidly calculated the equilibrium point of the energy flow.

The formation's tremors gradually subsided, and the blood-red glow stabilized as well.

The entire hall fell into dead silence.

Xu Qingsong stared at Huo Yuhao in shock. "You... you actually did it."

"It was nothing." Huo Yuhao walked out from the center of the formation. "Now do you believe I'm capable of assisting with the research?"

The members of Light of Truth whispered among themselves, clearly stunned by Huo Yuhao's abilities.

"Fine." Xu Qingsong gave Huo Yuhao a deep look. "You are the key from the prophecy."