Star Fire Spreads Across the Plains, While Undercurrents Surge

This Anomaly Node in the Jiangnan wilderness lay at the bottom of a dried-up riverbed, marked pale green. Unlike the node within the Datang Borderlands, which was filled with the baleful aura of weapons and war, the anomalous data here displayed more "yin-like" and parasitic characteristics. The node itself was hidden among the roots of several vividly colored, grotesquely twisted Soul Devouring Flowers, constantly releasing green data dust that left one mentally dazed. Affected by it, the surrounding tree demons and flower demons had all mutated. Unlucky green light flickered across their vines, and their attacks carried potent mental toxins and binding effects.

The moment Su Yan approached, his mind wavered and stray thoughts flooded his head. He immediately circulated the Star Qi Drawing Art, and spiritual power like cold starlight flowed through his body, instantly dispelling the discomfort. Little Big Dipper, meanwhile, was deeply repulsed by the twisted plants, letting out threatening growls. Although the [Ghost Exorcism] skill was not especially effective against plant-type creatures, its innate resistance to anomalous data kept it from being greatly affected.

"Body Double Technique!"

With a thought from Su Yan, an illusory double appeared in the center of the riverbed, immediately drawing the attention of every mutated tree demon and flower demon. Vines and toxic powder surged toward the double.

"Soul Chasing Talisman!"

Su Yan himself stood at a safe distance, purple light flashing repeatedly from his fingertips. Tempered by the previous battles, his casting of [Soul Chasing Talisman] had become swifter and more precise. Streaks of purple light, like reaper's scythes, ignored part of the defense and struck the mutated plants' Energy Cores with precision—usually their flowers or particular woody grain patterns.

"-612!" "-598!" "-1244! (Critical Hit)"

Damage numbers rose one after another. Together with Little Big Dipper's nimble pounces and bites, the clearing speed was extremely high. These parasitized plant monsters did not possess outstanding defense or health; their strength lay in their irritating crowd control. But under Su Yan's overwhelming firepower and control—with the Immobilization Talisman occasionally adding further restraint—they were quickly wiped out.

At last, Su Yan set his sights on the few Soul Devouring Flowers serving as the node. He could sense a considerable concentration of anomalous data gathered within those flowers.

He did not rashly approach. Instead, he activated [Soul Chasing Talisman] with all his strength, sending a particularly thick purple lightning talisman whistling straight into the heart of a flower!

"Boom!"

The Soul Devouring Flowers trembled violently as green data dust erupted in a frenzy, but under the domineering evil-dispelling effect of [Soul Chasing Talisman], it rapidly dissolved. The flowers withered at a visible rate, finally turning into a heap of ashes that smelled of scorched data. The Anomaly Node beneath them dimmed and vanished as well.

The Compass emitted a familiar pull, and its repair progress rose slightly once more.

[System: Successfully cleared a small anomalous data node (Parasitic Type)! Gained experience points, [Maddening Data Pollen] x1.]

[System: [Damaged Compass] repair progress increased to 16%.]

[System: Your summoned beast 'Little Big Dipper' gained insight during battle and has risen to Level 9.]

[Maddening Data Pollen] was a new material that seemed to possess hallucinogenic properties. Su Yan put it away for the time being.

With his first battle won, Su Yan did not stop. Following the guidance of the "Anomaly Map" in his mind, he began his relentless work as a "cleaner."

Over the following days, his tracks spread across the Jiangnan wilderness, the Datang Borderlands, and even the outskirts of Flower-Fruit Mountain once more—while avoiding Drunken Spring Breeze's main areas of activity. He cleared Sharpness Nodes attached to ancient weapons and radiating a sharp metallic aura; purified Turbid Flow Nodes that polluted water sources and drove the Water Tribe berserk; and even dealt with a Faith Stealing Node that disrupted the normal flow of incense and prayer power at a local earth god shrine.

Each cleanup differed in process. Some required using the environment, while others required specific talisman arts to counter them. Yet the results were largely the same: destroy the eroded monsters, purify or demolish the Anomaly Node, absorb the scattered data, raise the Compass's repair progress by a small but steadily accumulating amount, and obtain varying amounts of experience along with all kinds of strange [Data Remnants] or [Mutated Materials].

His level steadily rose to Level 12. His command of Mount Fangcun talisman arts became increasingly practiced and profound, and his use of the [Body Double Technique] grew more ingenious. He could even briefly control his double to perform simple tactical maneuvers. Little Big Dipper's growth was even more gratifying. Its level rose to Level 11, and its aptitude increased slightly again through continuous battle and the nourishment of Su Yan's spiritual power. The effect of [Ghost Exorcism] was remarkable, making it a powerful weapon against Netherworld-type creatures and some monsters contaminated by death data.

However, as he cleared more nodes, Su Yan's heart grew heavier.

He noticed that these nodes did not exist in isolation. There seemed to be an extremely faint energy connection between them, like an invisible net slowly drawing upon the entire world's Power of Order while scattering Seeds of Chaos. Each node he cleared weakened that net slightly, yet the pulse at its core—still pointing toward the depths of the Netherworld—seemed to grow... a little stronger? As though it had sensed the threat and accelerated some process.

One day, after Su Yan finished clearing a Quicksand Node located Outside Great Tang, near the Flowing Sands River—a type of anomaly that turned sandy ground into devouring traps—the Compass's repair progress reached 20%.

The moment its repair progress surpassed 20%, another change erupted!

The broken needle at the center of the Compass suddenly burst forth with intense silver radiance. On the once-blurred compass face, those ancient runes lit up as though ignited, and an Information Stream far clearer and vaster than before surged into Su Yan's mind!

No longer were they fragmented coordinates or jumbled code, but a relatively complete "memory fragment" that seemed to have come from time immemorial!

He "saw" a boundless starry sky. He saw a colossal tree-like structure floating in that sky, composed of countless World Bubbles. Then the scene focused on one of the larger World Bubbles, radiating an interwoven aura of immortal spirit, Buddhist light, demons, and monsters—it was precisely the Fantasy Westward Journey world where he was!

Yet an indescribable "shadow," filled with the meaning of "destruction," "ending," and "return to nothingness," was slowly spreading from the depths of endless void like a tide. Its vanguard had already touched the outer wall of this World Bubble!

The outer wall shook violently, and fine cracks appeared across it. Though it had not yet completely shattered, a wisp of dense, undispersing black aura had embedded itself deeply where the "shadow" eroded it. It continuously corroded the world barrier and seeped inward. And the core point of that erosion, in Su Yan's perception, was the enormous Rule Tumor deep within the Netherworld!

At the same time, fragmented yet terrifying information poured in with the vision:

[...Calamity of the Era...Breath of the End...Law Collapse...Reincarnation Disorder...Destiny Disorder...]

Calamity of the Era! Breath of the End! Law Collapse!

Those words struck Su Yan's heart like heavy hammers!

Combined with Patriarch Bodhi's earlier mention of "External Erosion" and the "Conceptual Torrent," along with the Shadow Tide from this memory that carried the meaning of destruction and ending, the outline of the truth became clearer—and even more chilling!

The root cause behind Earth's datafication and the entire world's descent into "Real Fantasy" was not a simple system malfunction or unknown virus. It was a horrifying catastrophe that could span an unimaginably vast range, a true "Calamity of the Era"! This shadow filled with the Breath of the End was eroding this world built upon the legends of the Journey to the West! The so-called "data anomalies" and "Rule Tumors" were all chain reactions caused by this force corroding the world's rules and bringing about the collapse of its underlying laws!

This world was being "polluted" and "assimilated" by a force from the depths of the void that represented "the end"!

And the Compass in his hand, along with the cheat ability he had brought through transmigration, were the Repair Program and Hope Variable instinctively condensed by this world as it neared desperation!

Just as Su Yan's mind swayed beneath the shock of this vast and terrifying truth, the Compass issued another warning! It did not come from a distant Anomaly Marker, but from danger close at hand!

Near the Quicksand Node that had just been purified, space twisted. It was not the node reviving; rather, three figures appeared out of thin air, accompanied by cold killing intent!

The leader was none other than an old enemy—Fleeting Life, Dreaming! His level had risen to Level 25. The brocade robes on his body shone even more brilliantly, and the folding fan in his hand had been replaced by a radiant Jade Bone Fan. His strength had clearly increased greatly. Behind him, World Crusher and Boundless Dharma Sea had also reached Level 23. Their equipment was excellent, and killing intent boiled off them.

What made Su Yan's gaze sharpen even more was the summoned beast following at Fleeting Life, Dreaming's feet: a Mutated Bandit covered from head to toe in hard armor, with protruding fangs and the shape of a fierce tiger! It was a rare pet with impressive attack aptitude. Clearly, Fleeting Life, Dreaming had put considerable thought into dealing with him.

"Kid, what a small world!" Fleeting Life, Dreaming said with a false smile, his cold gaze locking onto Su Yan. "Looks like you've been doing quite a few 'good deeds' lately, clearing out plenty of 'trash.'" He deliberately stressed the word "trash," clearly aware that Su Yan had been clearing Anomaly Nodes.

"But your luck has run out." Fleeting Life, Dreaming lightly waved his jade fan, and an invisible aura locked onto Su Yan. "Hand over that Compass of yours that can absorb 'special energy,' along with that eyesore of a bug. If you do, I might spare you. Otherwise, today I'll kill you all the way back to the novice village!"

Su Yan drew a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil stirred up by learning the truth of the world. His gaze returned to calmness and sharpness. He gently patted Little Big Dipper, which had arched its body and growled low after sensing the powerful hostility.

"You want it?" Su Yan raised the Compass in his hand, its silver glow not yet fully faded, and a cold curve lifted at the corner of his lips. "Come take it yourself."

A fierce battle was on the verge of erupting!

And this time, what Su Yan faced was not merely the covetousness and threat of "players." Behind them loomed the terrifying shadow of the Calamity of the Era, one that was slowly eroding the entire world...