Blood-colored runes swept across the sky like a tide, dyeing the entire ancient battlefield an eerie purplish crimson. The Ancient Witch Clan leader formed seals with both hands, chanting under his breath. The twelve shattered tomb guardian puppets suddenly reassembled, transforming into a gigantic witch effigy wreathed in black-purple miasma. The effigy opened its cavernous, blood-red maw and spewed poison gas. Wherever it passed, the ground instantly cracked inch by inch, sending up clouds of white smoke.
"This is the Ancient Witch Clan's long-lost Nine Nether Dark Baleful Intent Formation," Su Yao said, tightening her grip on her gilt whip, the flames at its tip flickering in the poison gas. "Once the formation is complete, our spiritual power will be completely suppressed!"
Lin Wudao circulated the power of the falling star, trying to break free of the runes' restraints, but felt the Devil Master's remnant soul in his sea of consciousness grow increasingly restless, resonating with the witch formation in some eerie way. The Chaos Sword hummed as it left its sheath. A Sword-Ray woven from lightning and fire slashed toward the effigy, only to corrode into scattered sparks the instant it touched the miasma.
"Useless!" The Ancient Witch Clan leader laughed wildly, the half Jade Slip in his hand erupting with dazzling red light. "This Jade Slip was a fragment of the key to the Star Palace's second floor to begin with. With it inside the formation, you couldn't escape even if you sprouted wings!" Before he finished speaking, the effigy suddenly swung an enormous fist. The resulting blast of air hurled Lin Wudao and Su Yao dozens of zhang away.
Su Yao crashed onto the ground covered in witch script and spat out a mouthful of blood. Forcing herself upright, she suddenly discovered that the patterns beneath her feet were spreading along the whip toward her arm. "This is bad! This formation can use the power of the earth veins to control its enemies!" The words had barely left her mouth when her body raised the whip against her will, turning it around to thrust at Lin Wudao.
At that critical instant, Lin Wudao unleashed Falling Star Phantom Steps, his figure evading the attack like a streak of light. His falling star physique began working on its own, absorbing the sparse power of the stars around him. At the same time, he circulated the Chaos Heaven-Devouring Instruction, trying to devour the witch formation's power. Yet the poison gas within the formation and the Devil Master's remnant soul responded to one another. With every measure of power he absorbed, his consciousness grew hazier.
"Wudao, hurry and use the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram!" Su Yao shouted during a lapse in its control. "This formation shares the same origin as the Star Palace's source. Perhaps it can..." Her voice cut off abruptly as the gilt whip coiled tightly around her own neck.
Resolve flashed in Lin Wudao's eyes. He bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed essence blood onto the Star Spirit-Guiding Formation Diagram. The diagram blazed with light, resonating with the blood-colored runes in the sky. Countless streams of starlight descended from above, forcibly tearing open a corner of the witch formation. But the Ancient Witch Clan leader was already prepared. He embedded the Jade Slip between the effigy's brows, and the effigy instantly swelled to several times its size. The force of its swinging fists crushed every stream of starlight.
"Fool!" Madness flashed in the leader's eyes. "How could a greenhorn like you control the Star Palace's power? Back then, the immortal corpse sacrificed his primordial spirit just to barely reinforce the seal. Now the Devil Master is about to awaken, and the entire cultivation world will be buried alongside my Ancient Witch Clan's revival!"
Just as the situation became hopeless, the phantom of the Star Palace in Lin Wudao's sea of consciousness suddenly trembled. The immortal corpse's lingering memories surged in like a tide-at the final moment, that immortal had not only reinforced the seal with his primordial spirit, but also planted the killing move "Falling Star Backlash" deep within the palace, specifically to counter those who sought to use the palace's power for evil.
"So that's how it is..." A cold smile curled Lin Wudao's lips. Ignoring the frenzied assaults of the Devil Master's remnant soul, he forcibly fused the power of the falling star with the Chaos Heaven-Devouring Instruction, condensing a miniature phantom of the Star Palace in his palm. "Give them a taste of their own medicine!"
The instant the miniature palace phantom rose into the air, the entire witch formation began to distort. The Ancient Witch Clan leader's expression changed sharply. He tried to recall the Jade Slip, only to discover that it had already fused completely with the effigy. Controlling the power of the falling star, Lin Wudao channeled the witch formation's power back into the effigy, and web-like cracks began spreading across its body.
"No! You can't..." Before the leader could finish, the effigy exploded with a thunderous crash, and the powerful shock wave hurled him away. The half Jade Slip traced an arc through the air. Lin Wudao's figure flashed, and he caught it securely. At the same time, a system notification rang out thunderously: "Ding! Star Palace key fragment obtained. Location of remaining fragments detected-deep within Immortal Burial Valley!"
Freed from the witch formation's control, Su Yao stumbled over to Lin Wudao. She looked at the crack-covered gilt whip in her hand, still shaken. "This Ancient Witch Clan really is difficult to deal with. Next..."
Her words were interrupted by a sudden, violent tremor. In the direction of Immortal Burial Valley, a dark-gold pillar of light shot into the sky, the phantom of the Star Palace faintly visible within it. The Ancient Witch Clan leader struggled to his feet, a crazed smile appearing on his face. "It's too late! Our clan has already laid the ultimate formation in Immortal Burial Valley. Even if you get the key, you won't be able to stop the Devil Master's rebirth!"
Lin Wudao tightened his grip on the Jade Slip, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. "Then let them learn that the Star Palace's guardian will never fall again." He turned to Su Yao. "Let's go! This time, we take the initiative!"
The two transformed into streaks of light and flew toward Immortal Burial Valley. Behind them, the Jade Void Palace's communication Jade Slip was vibrating-the Holy Maiden had sent word that the Heavenly Mysteries Sect and the other sects had not stopped their activities, but had instead accelerated their collection of sect-guarding treasures. A crisis sweeping across the entire cultivation world was spreading toward the point of spiraling out of control...