Data Torrent and Mount Fangcun True Transmission

The journey back to Longevity Village was more difficult than expected. Although the Netherworld's erosion weakened behind him, Su Yan felt an invisible "mark" clinging to him—not the Compass's Anomaly Marker, but the lingering sensation of having briefly drawn the attention of some powerful existence. The feeling left him with a thorn in his back, and he knew that the source deep within the Netherworld had already noticed his probing.

After Little Big Dipper took the best Golden Wound Medicine from Su Yan's reserves, its injuries stabilized. The dim star markings on its shell began gathering a faint glow again, while its newly acquired [Ghost Exorcism] skill made it especially sensitive and wary of the lingering Netherworld Breath around them.

The moment he stepped into Longevity Village's barrier, sunlight and spiritual energy dispersed some of the gloom, but the urgency in Su Yan's heart did not lessen. He immediately headed for Daoist Xianyun's thatched hut. He had to tell that unfathomable rogue cultivator about what he had found deep in the Netherworld.

Yet the hut remained, while its formation had already sealed shut. A line of writing had been left on the door with spiritual energy: "Heaven's secrets have been revealed; seek your own destiny. Be cautious. Be cautious." Daoist Xianyun was nowhere to be found.

Su Yan's heart sank. Daoist Xianyun's departure seemed more like a prediction of, and retreat from, the coming storm. Without further hesitation, he immediately used a Mount Fangcun teleportation talisman and returned to Mount Fangcun of Lingtai with Little Big Dipper. At this moment, only his sect could offer temporary shelter and deeper guidance.

Inside Three Star Cave, Patriarch Bodhi listened to Su Yan's detailed report—including the Data Chimera, the enormous mark, and Daoist Xianyun's warning—and remained silent for a long time. For the first time, an exceedingly grave expression appeared on his calm, weathered face.

"The core of the Netherworld... the source of the rule distortions..." Patriarch Bodhi finally spoke, his voice carrying an unprecedented solemnity. "The 'mark' you saw is not something any creature of this world could create. It is a Rule Tumor formed when the World Barrier is eroded by external forces and the internal rules generate a 'rejection response.' Its very existence continuously damages the foundations of this world."

World Barrier! External Erosion! Rule Tumor!

These terms far exceeded Su Yan's previous understanding, pointing toward a grander and more terrifying truth—this world was being invaded by something "outside" it!

"Master, what exactly is this external force?" Su Yan's voice was dry.

Patriarch Bodhi shook his head. "It cannot be known or named. Its form is neither matter nor spirit. It is more like... a disorderly, greedy 'concept' or Information Torrent. They seek to assimilate and devour all ordered rules and data. The anomalous data and Data Chimeras you encountered are merely manifestations of their infiltration."

His gaze flashed like lightning as he looked at Su Yan. "Your Compass can absorb anomalous data and point toward places where rules are distorted. At its core, it may be a Repair Beacon deeply connected to this world's origin. And you, bearing an anomaly and able to wield it, are one of the 'variables' born in response to fate."

A variable! Su Yan gripped the Compass tightly, feeling the pulse within it grow clearer as its repair progress increased.

"Time waits for no one." Patriarch Bodhi said gravely, "The existence of a Rule Tumor will accelerate this world's Data Collapse. You must increase your strength as quickly as possible to face the greater crisis ahead. Today, I shall pass on Mount Fangcun True Transmission to you. Use it well—protect yourself, and protect this world's last sliver of hope."

With that, Patriarch Bodhi held two fingers together like a sword, and a point of spiritual light instantly entered Su Yan's brow.

[System: Congratulations! You have received Patriarch Bodhi's true transmission!]

[System: You have comprehended Mount Fangcun's core cultivation art Star Qi Drawing Art (Passive; greatly increases maximum spiritual energy, spiritual energy recovery speed, and spell damage. Stronger at night).]

[System: You have comprehended Mount Fangcun's advanced talisman art [Soul Chasing Talisman] (Powerful single-target spell attack; ignores part of spell defense and deals additional damage to ghost-type enemies).]

[System: You have comprehended Mount Fangcun's secret art [Body Double Technique] (Creates an illusory double with part of the user's attributes, drawing enemy attention for a short duration).]

[System: Proficiency in all existing Mount Fangcun skills has increased greatly!]

A vast Information Stream and a sense of power flooded into Su Yan's body. His understanding of spiritual energy and control over talisman arts instantly rose to a whole new level! The Star Qi Drawing Art seemed to resonate with his cheat, and the recovery speed of the [Probability Accumulation Panel] noticeably increased. More importantly, he felt more closely connected to this "datafied" world, as though he could vaguely touch the foundational "code" that made up all things.

"Thank you, Master!" Suppressing the joy of his surging strength, Su Yan bowed deeply. He knew this was both a responsibility and a burden.

"Go." Patriarch Bodhi waved a hand. "Stabilize your cultivation and make good use of your newfound power. Since the Compass can now 'mark' anomalies, follow its traces. Start from the shallows and work your way deeper, gradually weakening the Rule Tumor's 'tentacles.' Remember: act within your limits. Only by preserving yourself will there be a future."

Su Yan understood. His master was telling him to clear the smaller anomaly points spawned by the Rule Tumor on the outskirts. It would both repair the world and temper himself.

He returned to his residence on Mount Fangcun and entered seclusion to digest what he had gained. Over the next several days, he mastered the circulation of the Star Qi Drawing Art, and his spiritual energy became several times more abundant. The [Soul Chasing Talisman] was far more powerful than the [Dragon Quelling Talisman], becoming his new trump card. Though the [Body Double Technique] lasted only briefly, it held tremendous strategic value in actual combat, whether for luring enemies, avoiding crucial damage, or creating openings to attack. Empowered by Su Yan's spiritual energy and its new [Ghost Exorcism] skill, Little Big Dipper also grew much stronger and increasingly mystical.

After emerging from seclusion, Su Yan felt the surging power within him and the clear Mount Fangcun secret arts in his mind, and his confidence increased considerably. He first activated the Compass's newly acquired [Anomaly Marker] ability, extending his senses to their limit.

At once, an Anomaly Map far clearer than before unfolded within his consciousness. Apart from the enormous black-red mark deep in the Netherworld, as conspicuous as the sun—the Rule Tumor itself—dozens of faint light points of varying sizes and colors were scattered around it like stars across Longevity Village, the Tang Empire's territory, and even the wilderness of distant Jiangnan. These were likely the "tentacles" spawned by the Rule Tumor, or smaller anomaly points.

He chose a smaller pale-yellow light point closest to Mount Fangcun, located at the edge of the Tang Empire's territory, as his first target.

Setting out once more, Su Yan's speed and aura were no longer what they had been. Using the [Body Double Technique] and his improved talisman arts, he easily passed through the mid-level training zones that had once required careful handling and soon arrived at his destination.

This was an abandoned relay station, said to be part of an Ancient Battlefield. A faint murderous aura of war hung over it year-round. But now, that aura was mixed with an irritating "data noise." Guided by the Compass, he reached a dry well in the relay station's back courtyard. The source of the mark lay beneath it.

At the bottom of the well was not mud, but a distorted spatial node that continuously leaked pale-yellow data mist carrying corrosive energy. Within the mist, several monsters that should have been ordinary Skeleton Monsters had their bones covered in a layer of yellow, rust-like data scabs. Chaotic light flickered in their eyes as they transformed into [Data Erosion Skeleton Soldiers].

"Little Big Dipper, try your new ability!" Su Yan ordered.

Little Big Dipper let out a low roar. The star markings on its body flickered, and the [Ghost Exorcism] trait activated. It became a streak of purple shadow as it pounced forward, its attacks against one of the Skeleton Soldiers indeed much fiercer than before.

Su Yan no longer held back either. With a thought, an illusory double identical to him appeared at the bottom of the well, instantly drawing the attention of every Skeleton Soldier. Meanwhile, spiritual light gathered at the tips of his fingers, and an incomparably condensed purple talisman radiating a soul-chasing aura—the [Soul Chasing Talisman]—shot forth!

"Sizzle!"

The talisman ignored part of the data scabs' defensive effect on the Skeleton Soldier and struck directly at the core of its Flame of the Soul!

"-588! (Spell Critical Hit, Ghost Exorcism Bonus)"

An astonishing number floated up. Without even a sound, that Skeleton Soldier instantly collapsed into pieces, and even the data mist thinned slightly!

The efficiency was astonishing! This was the qualitative change brought by advanced talisman arts and increased strength!

He repeated the process: the double restrained them while his true body used the [Soul Chasing Talisman] to pick them off, occasionally supplementing it with the [Immobilization Talisman] for control while Little Big Dipper supported him from the side. In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, every mutated monster at the bottom of the well had been wiped out.

As the last monster fell, the spatial node that had continuously leaked yellow data mist gave off an unstable ripple, then slowly closed and vanished. A suction force came from the Compass, absorbing the scattered anomalous data. Its repair progress rose by an almost imperceptible 0.5%.

[System: Successfully cleared a small anomalous data node! Obtained experience points and [Muddy Data Remnants] x1.]

[System: [Damaged Compass] repair progress increased to 15.5%.]

Although the rewards were not as generous as before, the process had been easy, and it confirmed that clearing the "tentacles" was feasible. More importantly, during the cleanup, Su Yan's control over his own power became more refined, and his coordination with the Compass grew increasingly seamless.

He looked at the Anomaly Map in his consciousness, his gaze sweeping over the scattered points of light. This was destined to be a long and arduous cleansing effort, but perhaps each node he cleared would restore a little of this world's "health," slowing the Rule Tumor's erosion.

He took a deep breath and selected the next target—a slightly larger light point marked pale green, located in the Jiangnan wilderness.

The road to saving the world began beneath his feet. He was no longer a transmigrator who could only passively respond to crises. Instead, he was a traveler who had taken up a torch, trying to ignite a faint glimmer within the darkness of Data Collapse.