Star Purification, Netherworld Returns to Silence

The uncontrolled outburst of the Rule Tumor was like pouring a ladle of ice water into a boiling pot of oil, instantly turning the ritual site, which was originally orderly (and evil), upside down. Chaotic energy乱流 tore through space, attacking everything within range indiscriminately. Nether Hall Master Ying Hai bore the brunt of it. The energy connection between him and the Rule Tumor was forcibly torn apart by this violent impact. With a muffled groan, the shadows swirling around him visibly dimmed and became somewhat chaotic, and his aura also dropped significantly.

Although Su Yan and the others were also sent flying by the shockwave, injured and in a sorry state, compared to the direct backlash Ying Hai suffered, they actually gained a precious moment of respite, and—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

"An opportunity!" Su Yan gritted his teeth against the pain that felt like his internal organs had shifted, his gaze locked onto the Rule Tumor, which was pulsating violently, its surface energy churning like boiling water. Destroy it? Once such a massive core of distorted energy was forcibly detonated, the destructive energy produced would be enough to completely erase the entire basin, and even a larger area of the Netherworld, from the rules! This was by no means a solution.

The compass vibrated intensely in his embrace, its silver light burning hot, not only because of the increase in its repair progress but also because it transmitted a faint yet incredibly clear mournful cry from the depths of the Rule Tumor, and... a faint desire for release! It was the residual will of Netherworld Emperor You Huan, polluted and imprisoned for countless years!

"Purify... I must purify it!" An extremely clear thought exploded in Su Yan's mind. "Only by appeasing and purifying the Emperor's polluted will, and guiding his residual origin of order to separate from this twisted Rule Tumor, can the problem be fundamentally solved!"

This was an extremely risky, even fantastical plan. To purify a behemoth formed from the will of an ancient Emperor and the distorted core laws of the Netherworld with his mere level 32 cultivation? It was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot!

But he had no choice! He had no time to hesitate!

"Buy me some time!" Su Yan roared hoarsely, his eyes resolute. "I'm going to try and purify it!"

No extra questions, no moment of hesitation. The trust forged through life and death manifested perfectly at this moment.

"Leave it to us!" Mo Hen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a fierce glint in his eyes. He threw out all the remaining mechanical devices on his body, including the unfinished and experimental ones, in one go! [Chain Explosion Mechanism], [Extreme Cold Frost Domain Generator], [Unstable Energy Disruptor]... Colorful spiritual lights mixed with violent explosions and energy turbulence formed a brief but extremely chaotic barrier in front of him, temporarily blocking Nether Hall Master, who had just stabilized himself from the backlash and was trying to charge over!

"Amitabha!" Bai Zhi sat down cross-legged, inserted the Willow Branch in front of her, and clasped her hands together with unprecedented solemnity. She abandoned all defense and healing, condensing all her Buddhist cultivation to a single point, chanting the most ancient and grand Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Original Vow Sutra! The vast and gentle Buddhist light no longer spread out but formed a precisely inverted golden bell, enveloping Su Yan, creating a relatively stable "pure land" that minimized interference from external chaotic energy and provided weak but continuous spiritual protection and purification blessings.

Yun Ji's face was pale, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, staining her clothes. She endured the tearing pain in her soul from forcibly calculating and setting up the formation, her fingers fluttering like butterflies, rapidly sketching in the void with her own blood mixed with Netherworld yin energy! Runes of clear light and yin light intertwined, forming a complex and profound temporary formation out of thin air—[Minor Heaven and Earth Yuan Stabilizing Array]! The power of the formation forcibly stabilized the collapsing spatial structure around Su Yan's small area, creating a "fulcrum" for him to safely guide power!

Star Vortex guarded Su Yan's front. Despite its numerous wounds, it let out an unyielding roar, its tail Star Vortex spinning at an unprecedented speed, condensing its last strength, staring intently at Ying Hai, who was temporarily blocked by Mo Hen's mechanisms and was frantically attacking the barrier, ready to shield its master with its body from any attack that might break through the defense line.

With the precious space and support bought by his companions at the cost of their lives, Su Yan held nothing back. He closed his eyes, sinking his entire consciousness into his dantian, communicating with the vast and mysterious Power of Stars. The Star Qi Drawing Art was operated to its extreme, even exceeding his current load limit. Wisps of starlight emanated from his pores. At the same time, he tightly gripped the compass, whose repair progress had reached 65% and was resonating strongly with the Rule Tumor, channeling the condensed, purest essence of the Power of Stars, without reservation, carefully, through the compass's amplification and guidance, transforming it into an incredibly condensed silver beam of light, precisely shooting towards the most chaotic core area of the Rule Tumor, where the fluctuations of Netherworld Emperor You Huan's residual will were strongest!

"With the stars as a guide, order as proof... please, senior... rest in peace!"

The moment Su Yan's will, accompanied by the Power of Stars, surged into the core of the Rule Tumor, he seemed to have pierced through countless chaotic and distorted rule turbulence, overwhelming resentment, and filth, reaching a consciousness space filled with endless pain and darkness.

Here, he "saw" a blurred figure pierced by countless black chains, its body severely damaged, yet still maintaining a last shred of clarity and majesty—it was the residual will of Netherworld Emperor You Huan!

"...Later... generation... person..." A fragmented, filled with exhaustion and pain, yet carrying a hint of relief and comfort, will entered Su Yan's consciousness.

"Senior..." Su Yan responded with his will, conveying his determination and the aura of order from the compass.

"...The End... erosion... my... sin... purify... me... release..." The Emperor's will was like a candle in the wind, yet it clearly expressed his desire. He did not want Su Yan to save his will, which had long been completely polluted, but asked Su Yan to help him completely escape this eternal torment, allowing him to sink into silence along with this twisted Rule Tumor, and to repay this world "polluted" by him with his last remaining, unpolluted origin!

Without further communication, a pure, ancient power carrying the most fundamental essence of life and death of the Netherworld—Netherworld Emperor You Huan's last remaining, pure Netherworld origin—actively and resolutely flowed back along the starlight beam guided by Su Yan, pouring into the compass!

[System: [Damaged Compass] absorbs the pure origin gift from the ancient Netherworld ruler (Netherworld Emperor You Huan), repair progress greatly increases! Current repair progress: 75%!]

[System: Compass permanently gains the trait 'Netherworld Affinity'! In the Netherworld environment, spiritual power consumption is reduced by 15%, comprehension of Netherworld-attribute skills/laws is enhanced, and natural hostility from Netherworld creatures is reduced.]

[System: Successfully purified the core will of the 'Core of the Fallen God' (Rule Tumor)!]

The compass erupted with unprecedented brilliant silver light! The cracks on its surface healed by more than half at a visible speed. The pointer in the center seemed to have been reforged, shimmering with agile and mysterious starlight and yin light. A more majestic, purer Power of Stars and Order, mixed with the newly acquired Netherworld Affinity trait, erupted centered on Su Yan and the compass!

The silver light was no longer just light; it transformed into a flowing river of stars, like the purifying waters of the Heavenly River, washing towards the massive Rule Tumor! Wherever it passed, the twisted rule lines were smoothed and straightened, the viscous filth energy dissolved like melting snow, and the illusory figures of countless imprisoned, suffering souls revealed peaceful expressions, dissipating into specks of light.

Deprived of the support of its core will and purified by the Power of Stars containing the origin of order and the Emperor's last wish, the massive Rule Tumor, like a mountain whose foundation had been removed, began to rapidly collapse and dissipate! It was no longer an explosion but like snow melting in the spring sun, returning to the most fundamental Netherworld essence, feeding back into this land that had been distorted by it for countless years.

"No--!!!" Nether Hall Master Ying Hai let out a desperate and furious roar. He clearly felt the source of his power rapidly disappearing, his connection to the End Times becoming weak! The purification of the Rule Tumor meant that his greatest reliance and achievement in the Netherworld had completely turned into an illusion!

He frantically charged at the mechanical barrier set up by Mo Hen, his shadow sword slashing wildly. However, without the power boost from the Rule Tumor, his strength had dropped from a level 42 regional boss to a level 40 boss. Although still powerful, he was no longer invincible!

"Now! Deal with him!" Su Yan knelt on one knee, weakened by power exhaustion, but his eyes were still sharp, pointing at the frenzied Ying Hai.

No need for further words, the group, who had already been holding back, immediately launched their final counterattack!

Mo Hen controlled the remaining "Shadow Scout" to harass continuously, Bai Zhi's Buddhist light struck Ying Hai's shadow-formed body like a sharp sword, and Yun Ji continuously froze his movements with the [Mystic Yin Soul Suppressing Talisman]. The main force, however, remained Star Vortex and Su Yan!

Star Vortex roared, condensing its last fighting spirit and strength. The [Star Vortex Sky Rend Strike] transformed into a silver line that tore through the dim yellow sky, fiercely striking Ying Hai! Su Yan forced out a surge of spiritual power, assisted by the greatly repaired compass, and a [Soul Chasing Talisman (Corrosion)] containing the order of stars and faint Netherworld power followed closely behind, accurately hitting Ying Hai's energy core, which was exposed due to the dissipation of the Rule Tumor!

Under the combined assault of everyone, Nether Hall Master Ying Hai, having lost his power source and in a state of great mental chaos, finally let out a cry of unwillingness. His shadow-formed body, like a sand sculpture blown away by the wind, completely collapsed and dissipated, leaving only a tattered imperial robe and a shadow sword that had lost its luster falling from the sky.

With the death of Ying Hai and the complete purification of the Rule Tumor, the giant bone altar in the center of the basin also seemed to have lost all its energy, collapsing into dust. The oppressive dim yellow in the sky seemed to have faded a bit. Although it was still the tone of the Netherworld, the suffocating filth and distortion that were everywhere had dissipated.

The battle was over.

The four people and one pet collapsed to the ground almost simultaneously, too exhausted to even move a finger, only their heaving chests proving they were still alive. Exhausted, but filled with an indescribable excitement and relief.

They had done it. They had purified the Rule Tumor, defeated Nether Hall Master, and destroyed the largest anchor point the End Times Cult had established in the Netherworld for many years!

Su Yan looked at the compass in his hand, which had reached 75% repair progress and flowed with warm silver light and deep yin light, his heart filled with emotion. This time, it was not just a repair but a fundamental sublimation.

However, when his gaze fell on the pointer in the center of the compass, which was pointing towards the Well of Guixu, his brow furrowed slightly. The pointer seemed... more solid than before, and the mark representing the Well of Guixu also seemed clearer, even... a faint, bone-chilling sense of attraction could be vaguely felt?

As if across endless space and time, those indifferent eyes belonging to the "Well of Guixu" had, for the first time, truly and clearly noticed him, the "ant" who had repeatedly thwarted its plans.

At the same time, in the distant sky of the basin, faint, neat, and solemn footsteps could be heard, along with the sound of bells representing order and law, approaching from afar. The turmoil in the Netherworld had subsided, seemingly finally attracting the true rulers of this realm—the forces of the Underworld's officialdom.

New challenges and opportunities seemed to have quietly begun to unfold with the demise of the old enemy.