Fragments of the blood-colored compass fell like shooting stars. Lin Wudao stared in the direction where the Ancient Witch Clan cultivator had vanished, alarm bells ringing in his heart. The star patterns on that half of a jade slip matched the markings on the Star Palace gates perfectly. This was no coincidence. He knew full well that a greater conspiracy was quietly unfolding in the shadows.
"We must find that half of the jade slip!" Lin Wudao clenched his fists, the power of the falling star surging in his palms and shaking a web of cracks into the ground.
Tianxuzi put away the Xuantian Mirror and gave him a complicated look. "Lin Wudao, I'll count this as a contribution on your part for now. But the matter of the Star Palace has far-reaching implications. If you conceal anything again..."
"Rest assured, Elder Tianxuzi," Lin Wudao said, cupping his hands. "With the Devil Master still undefeated and the Ancient Witch Clan stirring up trouble in secret, I will naturally spare no effort."
The Holy Maiden stepped forward, her jade flute trembling gently as she played a passage of the Clear Heart Incantation to settle everyone's disordered spiritual power. "Our immediate priority is to analyze the purpose of the Ancient Witch Clan's operation. They risked exposing themselves to forcibly pinpoint the Star Palace. Clearly, they obtained a crucial clue."
Upon returning to the Jade Void Palace, Lin Wudao immediately shut himself inside a secluded chamber. He took out the incomplete chain he had brought from the Star Palace, and the incantation script on it kept overlapping with the star chart in his memory. At the same time, a system notification sounded: "Ding! Residual fluctuations from the Ancient Witch Clan's jade slip detected. Performing matching analysis..."
Just then, Su Yao called anxiously from outside the door, "Wudao, the sect master wants to see you! The major sects have received mysterious jade slips containing information about the Star Palace!"
Lin Wudao's heart jolted, and he immediately rushed out of the chamber. Inside the council hall, Xuanjizi was examining a jade slip. A dim blue glow flowed across its surface, illuminating everyone's grave expressions.
"This jade slip suddenly appeared outside the gates of the major sects three days ago." Xuanjizi handed it to Lin Wudao. "It bears part of a map of the Star Palace, as well as..." He paused. "A method for opening the palace's second level."
Lin Wudao took the jade slip, and the phantom Star Palace in his sea of consciousness actually began operating on its own. The map fragment on the jade slip matched the images in his memory perfectly, but the method for opening the palace sent a chill down his spine-it required the guardian treasures of the nine great sacred lands as catalysts, along with a sacrifice of the essence blood of ten thousand cultivators.
"This is clearly a trap!" Lin Wudao abruptly crushed the jade slip. "If it's opened using this method, the Star Palace's seal will collapse completely, and the Devil Master of High Antiquity will surely return to the world!"
True Person Baixuan's brows knitted tightly. "But the major sects have already begun to act. The Heavenly Mysteries Sect, Incense Valley, and other sects have sent people to search for their missing guardian treasures."
"The Ancient Witch Clan is killing with a borrowed blade!" The Holy Maiden's expression was grave. "They deliberately leaked false information to provoke strife among the major sects, while they sit back and reap the fisherman's rewards."
Lin Wudao pondered for a moment, then suddenly recalled the half jade slip in the Ancient Witch Clan cultivator's hand. He compared the remaining incantation script on the chain with the runes on the false jade slip and discovered, to his astonishment, that the missing portion of the chain was precisely the key to opening the palace!
"I understand now!" A keen light flashed in Lin Wudao's eyes. "The true method of opening it is hidden in the chain left behind by the immortal corpse. And the jade slip in the Ancient Witch Clan's possession should contain the other half of the clues!"
Xuanjizi's expression sharpened. "You mean they already knew part of the truth and deliberately released false information to muddy the waters?"
"Exactly." Lin Wudao nodded. "Now we must find that half jade slip before they do, while also preventing the major sects from falling into the trap."
After deliberation, the Jade Void Palace decided to divide its forces into three groups. Lin Wudao and Su Yao would pursue the clues to the Ancient Witch Clan; the Holy Maiden would visit the major sects to convey the truth; True Person Baixuan would remain behind to guard the sect and strengthen its defenses.
After leaving the Jade Void Palace, Lin Wudao circulated the power of the falling star, sensing the traces of the Ancient Witch Clan's presence lingering in the air. Following those traces, they reached a desolate ancient battlefield. Corpses littered the land, sinister Yin Qi hung thick, and ancient witch script covered the ground.
"Careful. Something is wrong with the presence here." Lin Wudao caught Su Yao's arm. The Chaos Sword left its sheath, and the power of lightning and fire dispersed the surrounding mist.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and twelve enormous stone statues of the Witch Clan burst out of the earth. Blood-colored light flickered in their eyes, and the bronze weapons in their hands gave off a nauseating stench of decay.
"They're the Witch Clan's tomb-guarding puppets!" Su Yao swung her gilded whip, winding its tip around a statue's arm. "These puppets have been corroded by witch poison. Ordinary attacks are completely useless!"
Lin Wudao activated the Chaos Heaven-Devouring Instruction, and the power of the falling star condensed into a star blade along his sword. "Let me!" He leaped into the air. The star blade swept across the statue, actually passing straight through its hard stone body and shattering the witch-poison core inside.
Yet just as they finished off the puppets, a familiar figure emerged from the shadows. It was the Ancient Witch Clan leader who had previously appeared at the Heavenly Mysteries Sect. He toyed with half a jade slip in his hand, a smug smile on his face.
"I didn't expect you to find this place," the Ancient Witch Clan leader sneered. "But it's already too late. The second level of the Star Palace is about to open..."
Before he finished speaking, countless blood-colored runes suddenly appeared in the sky, enveloping the entire battlefield. Lin Wudao felt the power of the falling star within him begin to fall into disorder, and the Devil Master's remnant soul in his sea of consciousness grew restless once more. A battle of life and death was poised to erupt at a touch...