Temporary Alliance

"Listen up!" a hurried voice came from across the pile of stones, "The source of the Tide is the ' Source Seed '! You have some, don't you?"

Lu Yuan didn't answer, but only said, "Tell me the method."

"The energy chamber's foundation is still there? And the rune array on the wall still has remnants of guiding paths!" The old man spoke rapidly, "I'll pass on to you a set of rune sequences for channeling and suppressing energy. Use your Soul Power to carve them around the foundation, be precise! Activate them immediately after carving! I'll simultaneously operate on the corresponding nodes on the upper level; only through resonance at both points can the energy dissipation be temporarily suppressed!"

He paused, his voice becoming more urgent.

"The controller's Soul Power output must be stable, without the slightest fluctuation! The moment the rune is activated, inject Soul Power into the central groove of the base—tell me the frequency! Start with three slow attacks and seven fast attacks, continue with five long attacks and two short attacks in the middle, and finish with one sinking attack and three flicking attacks! One mistake, and all your previous efforts will be wasted!"

Three slow strokes, seven fast strokes, five long strokes, two short strokes, one sinking stroke, and three lifting strokes.

Lu Yuan went through it in his mind. This combination of frequencies contained the rhythm of counteracting Tide peaks and troughs of energy tides. The other party's understanding of the "Source Seed" and the structure of the ruins was frighteningly deep.

"Su Yan."

Su Yan looked at him with her bright black eyes and nodded gently.

"Go!" Lu Yuan turned and rushed down the stairs. Lin Xiao and Shi Jian stood guard on either side, and Shen Moxin helped Mo Chen up. The five of them ran back the way they came.

The tremors grew increasingly pronounced. Dust settled overhead, and chaotic fluctuations of Soul Power seeped from the cracks in the rocks, like invisible whips lashing the air.

The door to the energy room was half-collapsed, and three grayish-white crystals floated half a foot above the grooves in the base, emitting a piercing buzz. Spiderweb -like cracks appeared on the surface of the crystals, and pure, violent energy dissipated like smoke, colliding with the remaining dark gold rune array on the wall and generating distorted ripples of light.

The air in the entire hall seemed to vibrate.

"Inscribe the runes!" Lu Yuan rushed to the base, half-kneeling, his fingertips condensing Soul Power into threads. "The sequence passed down by the old man has twelve basic runes and three nested loops. I'll draw the main structure, you fill in the auxiliary lines!"

His fingertips fell, drawing the first arc on the dusty ground.

The moment the Soul Power threads touched the ground, they spontaneously drew in the chaotic energy in the air, emitting a soft hissing sound. Mo Chen immediately squatted down on the other side and began to sketch. Shen Moxin pushed up her glasses and steadily filled in the connection nodes with her fingers.

Lin Xiao and Shi Jian stood guard at the door, staring intently at the passageway outside.

Time passed little by little.

Sweat beaded on Lu Yuan's forehead. Inscribing runes not only consumed Soul Power but also mental energy. Every arc and turn had to be precise; the slightest deviation could trigger a chain reaction.

He could sense that on the other side of the pile of stones, a calm and ancient Soul Power was simultaneously outlining the corresponding nodes on the upper level.

Separated by thick rocks, the two engaged in a silent and dangerous dance, using their Soul Power as pens and the ruins as paper.

The final stroke is completed.

On the ground, a dark golden halo, about ten feet in diameter, began to glow faintly.

"Su Yan!" Lu Yuan called out in a low voice.

Su Yan stepped to the front of the base, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his usually silent eyes were filled with absolute focus. He stretched out his hands, palms down, hovering above the grooves.

Soul Power slowly flowed from his fingertips.

Dozens of Soul Power threads, finer than a hair, were evenly and steadily arranged, like the most skilled craftsman wielding a carving knife.

Three slow steps, seven urgent steps.

The Soul Power threads precisely adjusted their rhythm with each breath and heartbeat. The chaotic energy within the base's groove seemed to be gently caressed by an invisible hand, its agitation slightly reduced.

Five long, two short.

The light from the array of runes on the walls flickered, resonating with the aura on the ground. The tremors in the entire energy room noticeably decreased.

One sinking, three lifting.

Su Yan's temples bulged slightly, but his hands remained as steady as Rock. The last thread of Soul Power pierced the center of the groove, gently touching the energy core emanating from the "Source Seed," before being lifted up and dissipating.

The buzzing stopped abruptly.

The dissipated energy smoke suddenly recoiled and re-entered the cracks on the crystal surface. The cracks healed and disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The ripples of light on the wall subsided.

The dark golden halo on the ground gradually dimmed and eventually disappeared into the dust.

A deathly silence.

Only the heavy breathing of the crowd could be heard.

Lu Yuan propped himself up on his knees, his whole body feeling weak. The steady Soul Power fluctuations from the direction of the pile of stones also slowly subsided.

After a long while, the aged voice came again, weary but much calmer. "... It's done."

He paused, his tone carrying a different meaning.

"Thank you," he said. "It seems you are not reckless individuals; you possess considerable skill in manipulating energy. I am Yun Youzi, accompanied by a few students, searching for some lost historical traces. I never expected... to encounter fellow travelers here."

Yun Youzi.

Lu Yuan pondered the name.

Shen Moxin whispered to Lu Yuan, "His Soul Power conversion was incredibly smooth during the synchronized operation just now. Those students also cooperated perfectly; they are definitely not ordinary rogue cultivators."

Mo Chen stared at the gradually disappearing rune traces on the ground, his eyes shining. "This rune sequence... I've never seen it before. But the energy conduction principle matches a variant of the core circuit of an ancient Soul Tool. Just who are they?"

More questions arose.

Across the pile of stones, Yun Youzi didn't seem in a hurry to ask about the "Key." After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his voice much calmer. "The pile of stones makes conversation difficult. If you don't mind, I can try to go around from the upper level; perhaps there's another passage to reach the hall you're in."

Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed.

"Some things can't be explained clearly through stones," Yun Youzi said slowly, each word carrying weight. "About the ' Source Seed,' about the 'Gate,' even about you... perhaps we can exchange some information that we each need."

Lin Xiao licked his canine teeth with the tip of his tongue, looked at Lu Yuan, and his amber vertical pupils were full of vigilance.

Shen Moxin gently shook her head.

Mo Chen hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Lu Yuan looked at the pile of rubble and quickly weighed his options.

The other party demonstrated sufficient strength and knowledge, and temporarily showed goodwill. However, the name "Yun Youzi" was too elusive, and their purpose remained a mystery. Meeting them meant risk, but also the possibility of obtaining crucial information.

Especially the "door".

He needs more pieces to piece together the truth.

"Alright," Lu Yuan finally spoke into the crevice, his voice clear and calm, "But please come alone. Furthermore, we need to make some necessary arrangements at the meeting place."

He paused.

"What will happen in an hour?"

A low laugh came from across the pile of stones, its emotion unreadable.

"Excellent," said Yun Youzi. "I will come alone in an hour. Rest assured, I have no ill intentions towards you, but..."

He paused for a moment, his voice carrying a complex, almost sentimental tone.

"Some truths may be more valuable than conflict."