Chapter 19: Surging undercurrents
In the rear mountains of the Jade Void Palace, Lin Wudao sat cross-legged on a rush cushion in a secluded chamber, flecks of starlight swirling around him. Within his sea of consciousness, memory fragments resembled shattered mirrors, overlapping and separating with the rhythm of his Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction. Su Yao stood guard outside the door with a gilded whip in hand. The spiritual power condensed in the air seemed almost solid, every breath carrying a faint hum.
"Ding! Resonance detected between the memory fragments and the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram. Activating deduction mode." The system's notification sounded abruptly, and Lin Wudao's pupils contracted-countless golden runes began appearing on their own across the chamber walls, weaving together into a moving star chart.
"This is..." He sprang to his feet, only to see that the stars' trajectories in the chart were exactly like the runes between the immortal corpse's brows. Just then, an icy presence suddenly seeped up from underground. Ten black shadows burst through the earth, poisoned daggers aimed straight at his vital points.
"Watch out!" Hearing the commotion, Su Yao rushed inside, her gilded whip sweeping through with the force to rout an army. Yet the shadows' bodies split and reassembled eerily, transforming into the Yellow Springs Demon Sect's distinctive Nether Ghost Claw. Lin Wudao drew the Chaos Sword. The power of lightning and fire collided with the ghost claws, and amid the deafening crash, he glimpsed the dark markings on the shadows' foreheads-the very mark borne by the mysterious cultivators who had appeared in Immortal Burial Valley that day.
"So you've been in league all along!" Lin Wudao sneered and circulated the Chaos Heaven-Devouring Instruction. A massive devouring vortex suddenly appeared in the void. Every attack from the shadows was sucked inside. Seeing the situation turn against them, their leader actually pulled out a jade slip covered in carved skulls and crushed it. In an instant, spiderweb cracks split the chamber floor, and dense Demon Qi gushed out.
At that critical moment, the clear notes of a jade flute pierced the air. The Holy Maiden rode upon seven-colored auspicious clouds, and wherever her jade flute passed, the Demon Qi crumbled inch by inch. "These are death warriors from the Yellow Springs Demon Sect. It seems they've also discovered the secret of the Star Palace." Her gaze blazing like a torch, the Holy Maiden stared at the shadows gradually dissipating on the floor. "We must hasten our progress, or else..."
Before she could finish, alarm bells suddenly pealed from the direction of the Jade Void Palace. Lin Wudao's heart trembled. Images flashing through his memory fragments overlapped with reality-in the direction of the Demon-Sealing Abyss, dark red Demon Qi shot into the clouds like a volcanic eruption. A massive black vortex appeared in the sky, countless hideous faces faintly visible within it, roaring.
"The seal on the Demon-Sealing Abyss has weakened ahead of time!" True Person Baixuan's voice came through a communication jade slip, carrying a rare note of panic. "All disciples, proceed to the Demon-Subduing Platform immediately!"
By the time Lin Wudao and the others arrived, half of the Jade Void Palace's elite forces had already gathered at the Demon-Subduing Platform. In the distance, the Heavenly Mysteries Sect's cultivators also stood ready for battle. Tianxuzi stared at Lin Wudao, his eyes filled with wariness and killing intent. Farther away, the mysterious cultivators concealed themselves among the clouds, faintly forming an encirclement.
"Look!" someone cried out. Above the Demon-Sealing Abyss, a pitch-black fissure slowly tore open. Countless demon soldiers and generals swarmed out, led by a demon general wearing a bone crown, his body wreathed in black mist capable of corroding spiritual power.
"It's the Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon!" True Person Baixuan's face turned pale. "This demon once fought a great battle against the immortal corpse. When he was sealed, he left behind a curse: if the immortal corpse emerged into the world, he would surely awaken!"
Lin Wudao tightened his grip on the Chaos Sword, the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram burning hot in his palm. He suddenly discovered that the runes on the diagram were resonating with the incantation markings on the Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon's body. Just then, the system's notification sounded again: "Ding! Connection detected between the Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon's core and the Star Palace. Destroying his core will yield location coordinates!"
"What impressive methods, fellow Daoists!" The Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon's voice sounded like ten thousand ghosts howling in unison. "To lure me into the world, you went so far as to release the immortal corpse. Now you've all gathered here again. Do you want a share of the spoils?" He swept his great hand, and the demon soldiers surged forward like a tide. The defensive lines of the Heavenly Mysteries Sect and the Jade Void Palace immediately came under heavy pressure.
Taking advantage of the chaos, Lin Wudao charged toward the Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon, his Chaos Sword wrapped in the power of lightning and fire as it thrust straight between the demon's brows. Yet the demon general casually blocked it, actually reflecting the attack in its entirety. The impact numbed the web of Lin Wudao's sword hand and sent him staggering backward.
"It's no use!" Tianxuzi shouted as he controlled the Xuantian Mirror to fend off the demon soldiers. "This demon has already cultivated his flesh into a Demon Crystal Body. The only way is to break his core formation!"
Lin Wudao's gaze sharpened. He circulated the Chaos Heaven-Devouring Instruction, and the memory fragments in his sea of consciousness suddenly spun wildly, piecing together a complete image-the Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon's core was actually a piece of meteoric iron that shared the same origin as the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram!
"Su Yao, Holy Maiden! Lend me your strength!" Lin Wudao shouted, the diagram in his hand blazing with light. Su Yao's gilded whip transformed into golden chains that bound the demon general's arms, while the Holy Maiden played the Clear Heart Incantation on her jade flute, temporarily suppressing the Demon Qi's corrosion. Lin Wudao seized the opportunity to press the diagram against the demon general's chest and drive the Chaos Sword in with all his strength.
Boom! With a tremendous crash, the Fallen Immortal Ancient Demon's core exploded, countless fragments hurtling into the sky. A brilliant streak of starlight flashed through Lin Wudao's sea of consciousness, and the Star Palace's coordinates appeared clearly. Yet before he could examine them, an even more powerful presence emanated from the depths of the Demon-Sealing Abyss, and all heaven and earth began to quake violently...