"All things, no matter how they developed, how they flourished, or how complex they became, would ultimately return to silence. That was their foundation and their origin, and it revealed the root of their rise and fall."
Chen Cuo's mind fell still. In an instant, his perception of everything inside and outside himself, the Secret Realm, and Dream Marsh became as clear as fire seen through a cave!
Meanwhile, the star began trembling without cease. The radiance on its surface flared, forcibly resisting Little Gourd's pull!
"A trifling little thing thinks it can swallow me? What wishful thinking! Do you even know—"
"What do I need to know? Once I capture and refine you, all the memories you hold will be mine for the taking." Chen Cuo chuckled, his eyes still closed. "Do you know what makes this Life-Bound Treasure of mine special?"
"I don't care what makes it special!" The star kept trembling, its formidable Magic Power holding fast against Little Gourd's pull. They remained locked in a stalemate in midair, while light and shadow flickered across the star's surface, as though it were trying to draw in some unseen force!
But Chen Cuo remained unhurried. He tossed Little Gourd into the air and smiled. "This gourd of mine gathers up everything broken. Your true form is a Dao Mark, but you once reincarnated as a human and forged a path. Now you've suffered loss at every step until only your Origin remains. You even cast aside the dark-yellow body you'd only just managed to condense. You've broken yourself clean apart—exactly the sort of thing my treasure takes in. I'm afraid you won't escape."
At those words, the star jolted. Its composure shattered, and Little Gourd trembled in midair, unleashing an even stronger pull!
Inside the star, the closer