The Door Opens a Crack

That light.

The pure, almost ethereal light shining through the straight crack on the surface of the stone gate was like a red-hot iron rod, piercing into this space dominated by chaotic vortexes and dark red shadows.

Almost simultaneously, the entire space came to life.

It wasn't a tremor, but some deeper, more regulated agitation. The vortex suddenly accelerated, and the dark red shadow mass emitted a silent shriek as it frantically lunged at the giant rock. Pure light, chaotic turbulence, and dark red shadow—three completely different energies—collided, eroded, and annihilated violently, like water droplets thrown into a pot of boiling oil.

The giant rock became the eye of the storm.

"Defend!" Yun Youzi roared, pressing his hands down as if to strike. Intricate runes lit up the surface of the giant rock beneath his feet. A pale golden light shield opened up, barely blocking the first wave of mixed energy impact. Ripples flashed wildly on the surface of the light shield, emitting a teeth-grinding creaking sound.

Shen Moxin's face turned deathly pale, and her mental barrier contracted to its limit, almost touching the skin of the five people. "They are... trying to get in!" Her voice trembled, her hands formed hand seals, and her forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat. Several strands of dark red energy wriggled outside the barrier like living creatures, searching for a weak point.

Lin Xiao made a move.

His figure blurred into a streak, the dagger tracing a dark path, precisely striking a wisp of shadowy tentacle that had just seeped in from a crack in the barrier. The tentacle snapped, hissing softly, and vanished into black smoke. "Troublesome." He licked his canines, his amber vertical pupils glowing frighteningly bright in the chaotic light and shadow.

Mo Chen's hands didn't stop; he swiftly pulled several fist-sized metal balls from the leather pouch at his waist and threw them in different directions without even looking. The metal balls exploded in mid-air, bursting out with blinding white light and sharp noise. The approaching shadowy mass visibly paused.

"The chaff is only partially effective!" Mo Chen shouted, his fingers flying across the Stabilization Anchor controller. "The Stabilization Anchor is overloaded; it can only hold for another hundred breaths at most!"

Lu Yuan remained silent.

He stood in the center of the four, his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul already released. The dark green grass leaves unfurled, and the pale gold veins were now almost transparent. Several extremely fine strands of Soul Power, mixed with silvery-white Primordial Qi, extended from the tips of the grass leaves, passing through the chaotic energy field and stubbornly connecting to the crack in the stone door.

He's the target.

More than 70% of the dark red shadowy masses surged toward him like madmen. They crashed into Yun Youzi's runic light shield, eroded Shen Moxin's mental barrier, and even directly attacked the Soul Power threads extending from Lu Yuan. Each impact felt like a blunt object striking Lu Yuan's soul.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes remained fixed on the stone gate.

Through that connection, more fragmented information flooded in, chaotic yet clearly directed.

... the cracks... the broken rules... the "scars" left by a failed experiment...

... sealing away... "achievements"... "errors"... out-of-control forces...

... Correction... requires a "template"... or "anchor point"...

... guide restructuring... or... complete closure...

Lu Yuan's heart pounded wildly.

Behind the stone gate lies not some treasure, but an extremely unstable "Crevice Space" formed after an ancient experiment failed. Sealed within are the residual power of the experiment's rules, which may be useful, but could be deadly. "Correction" means someone must enter, using themselves as a template to guide the broken rules to rearrange in an orderly manner—or choose to completely seal and exile them.

Regardless of the type, a "Key" is needed to delve into it.

Key...

Lu Yuan looked at the strands of Soul Power extending from his body. The frequency, the thirst for stability and growth, resonated faintly with his Primordial Qi and his evolved Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul.

He is that Key.

"Left!" Lin Xiao shouted, his figure flashing as his dagger pierced a shadow monster that manifested fangs and claws. The monster's roar dissipated, but more shadows surged from the vortex, beginning to solidify.

Yun Youzi grunted, and a crack appeared in the runic light shield beneath his feet. Dark red energy slithered in like a venomous snake, rushing straight at Mo Chen.

Mo Chen was concentrating on adjusting the Stabilization Anchor when, unexpectedly, a shadow touched his left arm and instantly disappeared.

He froze.

His face was drained of color, his lips turned purple, and his Soul Power fluctuations were visibly sluggish and chaotic. He almost dropped the controller from his hand.

"Mo Chen!" Shen Moxin exclaimed in surprise, diverting half of her attention to place her hands on Mo Chen's back. She poured in pale silver Soul Power, fiercely resisting the invading shadow energy. Mo Chen's body trembled, and a hoarse sound came from his throat.

Lin Xiao turned to protect the two of them, his dagger flashing like a dark curtain of light, severing the relentless shadow tentacles that lunged at him. "Hurry!" he roared.

Shen Moxin gritted her teeth, veins bulging on her forehead. The shadow energy that had invaded Mo Chen's body was exceptionally stubborn, carrying strong corrosive and chaotic characteristics. She had to use most of her Soul Power to barely dispel most of it.

Mo Chen collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. His left arm hung limply at his sides, with dark red Spiderweb -like lines remaining beneath his skin. "Thank... thank you..." he stammered hoarsely.

Just that one moment of distraction.

Shen Moxin's mental barrier fluctuated violently, revealing several gaps. A few shadows seized the opportunity to slip in, heading straight for her face.

Lin Xiao was too late to return and provide assistance.

Lu Yuan's pupils contracted, and his mind raced. A strand of his extended Soul Power separated, flowing with silvery-white Primordial Qi, and arrived first, weaving a fine net in front of Shen Moxin. The shadow collided with the fine net, and like snow being poured with boiling water, it hissed and dissipated.

Shen Moxin's face paled even more, but she steadied her barrier. "I'm fine."

But Lu Yuan's momentary distraction caused the Soul Power threads connecting the stone door to tremble violently. The pure light emanating from the cracks in the stone door fluctuated accordingly, weakening its ability to restrain the shadows.

More shadows loom.

More cracks began to appear in the runic array beneath Yun Youzi's feet. Sweat beaded on the old man's forehead; his hands remained in the same pressing position, but his arms were trembling slightly. "The array... won't last much longer."

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and forcibly stabilized the threads of Soul Power.

Under his control, the crack in the stone door seemed to have widened slightly.

A more intense, pure light seeped out, illuminating an area of ten feet in radius. The shadows that rushed into this area were noticeably slowed and weakened. At the same time, the energy fluctuations in the entire space became more intense, the giant rock began to sway slightly, and fragments of rock crumbled from its edges.

Lu Yuan's heart sank.

The opening of the stone gate will release pure energy to suppress the shadows, but it will also make this already unstable space even more fragile. If they continue to maintain the connection, they may be the first to be swallowed up by the spatial collapse.

Either cut off all contact and try to break out.

But the shadow has been thoroughly enraged, and they will inevitably face a frenzied pursuit on their retreat. Given the squad's current condition, the chances of them surviving are less than 30%.

Or...

Lu Yuan looked into the crack in the stone door.

Enter that "Crevice Space" and attempt "correction." The success rate is unknown, and the risk is extremely high. But if successful, it might fundamentally resolve the hidden dangers in this area.

Alternatively, they could channel the power of the stone gate, in coordination with the team, to temporarily reseal this area along with the shadows. This would require a huge amount of energy and would only delay the problem.

How to choose?

His gaze swept over his teammates.

The rune array of Yun Youzi was on the verge of collapse, and the old man's eyes were tired but firm. Mo Chen's left arm was temporarily useless, and he could barely hold the controller with his right hand. Shen Moxin's Soul Power was more than half exhausted, and his face was as pale as paper. Lin Xiao had several shallow wounds on his body, and blood stained his clothes, but his eyes were still sharp as he guarded the outermost edge of the group.

Time is running out.

Lu Yuan was about to speak.

Mutation and regeneration.

Deep within the vortex, an exceptionally thick, dark shadow silently bypassed the main battlefield and emerged from a blind spot beneath the giant rock. Instead of attacking Lin Xiao, who was closest, it suddenly accelerated, transforming into a dark red streak of light, heading straight for Lu Yuan's back!

This attack was timed perfectly and was extremely fast.

Lu Yuan was focused entirely on maintaining the connection to the stone gate and protecting his teammates, leaving him no time to concentrate on defense.

"Watch out!" Shen Moxin screamed.

Yun Youzi tried to activate the formation to intercept, but the formation had too many cracks, and he was a beat too slow to react.

Mo Chen reached out in vain.

Lin Xiao was the closest.

He didn't even think about it.

His body moved faster than his mind, suddenly taking a step to the side and slamming his shoulder into Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan staggered from the impact, and the Soul Power threads connecting him to the stone gate shook violently.

The dark red streak of light slammed solidly into Lin Xiao's back.

There was no loud noise.

Only a dull sound, like leather being struck by a heavy hammer, rang out. Lin Xiao's protective soul light instantly dimmed and shattered. He fell forward, spitting out a mouthful of blood that bloomed into a dazzling red in the air.

The dagger slipped from his hand and clattered to the ground.

His body went limp and he crashed into the giant rock, whereupon he fell silent.

"Lin Xiao--!" Shen Moxin exclaimed in shock, her Soul Power barrier nearly collapsing due to the intense emotional turmoil.

Yun Youzi roared, forcefully activating the remaining formation. Golden light surged, temporarily repelling the surrounding shadows. "Hold on!"

Lu Yuan steadied himself and turned around.

He saw Lin Xiao's fallen body, the pool of bright red blood on the ground, and the dagger that had slipped from his hand and landed among the rubble.

Time seemed to stand still.

Then, an unprecedented emotion exploded from the deepest part of my heart. It wasn't anger, nor sadness, but a cold, resolute determination that burned through all hesitation.

He looked at the stone gate.

The crevice widened slightly, and pure light surged out like a tide, temporarily pushing back the approaching shadows by several feet. Within the light, the ancient and imposing outline of the stone gate was clearly visible, its surface covered with incomprehensible runes. Inside the crevice, a bizarre and chaotic scene could be vaguely seen, constantly breaking and reforming.

That's called "Crevice Space".

Dangerous, unknown, but perhaps the only way out.

Lu Yuan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, all emotions had settled in his eyes, leaving only a cluster of quietly burning flames.

He no longer looked at the fallen Lin Xiao, no longer looked at his teammates struggling to hold on, no longer looked at the shadows rushing towards him.

All his mind and Soul Power were poured into those few strands of Soul Power connecting the stone gate.

"Elder Yun," Lu Yuan spoke, his voice eerily calm, "For the next thirty breaths, help me withstand all attacks."

Yun Youzi was taken aback, then understood, a complex light flashing in his aged eyes. But he didn't ask, only nodded emphatically. "Alright."

"Mo Chen, Stabilization Anchor at maximum power, aim it at the gap in the stone gate."

Mo Chen struggled to adjust the controller with his right hand. "Understood!"

"Shen Moxin, contract your mental barrier to protect only Lin Xiao and yourself. Don't worry about me."

Shen Moxin's lips trembled. "Lu Yuan, you—"

"Do as I say." Lu Yuan interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Shen Moxin and reduced her mental barrier to its minimum to protect the unconscious Lin Xiao and herself.

Lu Yuan looked into the crack in the stone door, into that bizarre and chaotic space.

The threads of Soul Power suddenly brightened, and the silvery-white Primordial Qi flowed with an unprecedented concentration. The illusory image of the Blue Silver Grass completely manifested behind him, its leaves unfurling and its pale golden veins flickering like breath.

He took a step forward.

The Soul Power threads connecting the stone gate suddenly tightened, and then began to actively and steadily adjust Lu Yuan's Soul Power frequency to a state that perfectly matched the stone gate's "calibration requirements".

The crack in the stone door suddenly trembled.

Pure light surged forth like a volcanic eruption!

The entire space erupted in a frenzy at that moment.