Undercurrents on the Journey Back

The dizziness from the teleportation hadn't completely dissipated when the familiar stone walls and dim Soul Guidance Lamp of the warehouse came into view. There was a cold smell of dust and metal in the air, mixed with a faint stench of blood. Lu Yuan's legs went weak, and he almost lost his balance.

A hand caught his arm just in time. It was Yun Youzi.

The old man gripped Lu Yuan tightly, his knuckles turning white. He didn't speak, but looked Lu Yuan up and down, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions—shock, lingering fear, scrutiny, and a hint of barely concealed awe.

"I'm fine." Lu Yuan took a breath and straightened up. His voice was low and hoarse from the long journey.

Shen Moxin practically lunged forward. She was still clutching the compass in her hand, her knuckles white from gripping it so tightly. Her eyes scanned Lu Yuan's face, finally fixing on his brow—the skin there was smooth, without any visible marks, yet the ball of light that had just entered him was no illusion.

"You..." Shen Moxin's voice trembled, too many questions she wanted to ask stuck in her throat.

Mo Chen leaned against the wall, his right arm hanging limply, his face deathly pale. He tried to smile, but it turned into a gasp. "It's good that you're back..." He looked at Yun Youzi, "The Stabilization Anchor... is overloaded, it can't be used a second time for a short period of time."

Yun Youzi nodded, but his gaze remained fixed on Lu Yuan. "Let's go out first. Lin Xiao and the others must be getting impatient."

Outside the secret chamber, a hidden passage led to the upper level of the ruins. Footsteps echoed clearly in the empty cave. Lu Yuan walked in the middle, his steps steady, but his breathing heavier than usual. Shen Moxin wanted to reach out and support him several times, but then withdrew. She felt that something about Lu Yuan was different. It wasn't the flamboyant kind of sudden surge in Soul Power, but something... a profound depth that ran deep in his bones, making people hesitant to approach him.

At the end of the passage was a makeshift campsite converted from a natural cave. A campfire burned, illuminating several anxious faces.

Lin Xiao was the first to jump up. His face was still pale from blood loss, and his left shoulder was wrapped in a thick bandage, but his eyes were frighteningly bright. The moment he saw Lu Yuan, he visibly breathed a sigh of relief, then his brows furrowed.

"You..." Lin Xiao's words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back. His beast-like intuition was sharper than anyone else's, and what he sensed from Lu Yuan at this moment was an aura of extreme weakness mixed with some kind of... indescribable "heaviness." Contradictory, yet real.

Li Wangye, Su Yan, and several disciples responsible for providing backup all gathered around. Seeing Lu Yuan return alive, everyone's face showed a relieved joy. But soon, this joy was overshadowed by Lu Yuan's condition and the solemn expressions of Yun Youzi and Shen Moxin behind him.

"Where's Shi Jian?" Lin Xiao looked behind Yun Youzi but didn't see the burly figure, and his heart sank.

"Seriously injured. Bai Zhi is taking care of him. He's been given life-saving medicine, and his life is temporarily hanging by a thread." Yun Youzi spoke quickly. "We can't stay here any longer. Pack your things and, according to Plan Number Three, retreat to the 'Valley' immediately."

At the command, everyone sprang into action immediately. No one asked any questions; their long-standing cooperation and trust made the operation extremely efficient. Su Yan silently handed Lu Yuan a water pouch and a small packet of dry rations, which Lu Yuan accepted with a nod.

The retreat was not easy. To avoid potential informants, they chose a more concealed and rugged route. Night provided the best cover, but everyone was on edge.

Lu Yuan walked in the middle of the group. He could feel a slightly cool "presence" deep between his brows, like a cold mark embedded in his soul. It was quiet, causing no discomfort, and even faintly emanated a warm, soothing power that calmed the restlessness of his Soul Power. But Lu Yuan knew this was just an appearance. When he calmed his mind and looked inward, he could "see" the outline of the illusory stone door deep within the mark, and the intricate threads of rules connected to it. Most of them were dormant, with only a very small part resonating with his breath and the flow of his Soul Power in a way that was imperceptible to ordinary people.

Is this what "binding" means? He became the guardian of the "door," or rather, an anchor point for the "door" extending into this world.

What's the cost?

Lu Yuan recalled the shattered rules within the stone gate's space, and the restless, writhing sounds emanating from the deeper darkness. Repairing or maintaining the stability of this "gate" would likely be no easy task. And if the "gate" were to break down, he, the bound party...

He shook his head, suppressing his distracting thoughts. Now was not the time to delve into it.

As dawn approached, the team finally arrived at the so-called "valley." This was a secluded valley located deeper in the Black Stone Mountain Range, its entrance concealed by a natural maze and simple illusionary runes placed later. It was one of the most hidden backup strongholds prepared by "Spark" in its early days. There were a few simple but sturdy stone houses, a cultivated herb garden, and a clear spring drawn from the mountainside. Conditions were harsh, but safety was its advantage.

After settling the wounded, assigning lodgings, and setting up security, it was already broad daylight.

The core members were gathered in the largest stone house. Lu Yuan, Yun Youzi, Shen Moxin, Lin Xiao, Mo Chen (whose right arm was immobilized and whose complexion was still not good), Su Yan, and a young disciple in charge of intelligence liaison.

The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed like it could be squeezed dry.

Lu Yuan sat on a rough wooden stool, his back ramrod straight. He had changed into clean clothes, but the fatigue on his face was still undeniable, and his eyes were somewhat sunken. But when he raised his eyes to look at everyone, his calm yet penetrating gaze made everyone subconsciously sit up straight.

"I know you have many questions," Lu Yuan began, his voice low but each word clear, "About that door, about what happened to me."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"The stone gate is not the core treasure of the ruins. It's called the ' Gate of Finality,' and in essence, it's a rule calibration and stabilization device left behind after an ancient experiment failed. It's also a seal."

The room was completely silent, except for the crackling of the campfire.

"The experiment failed, leaving behind an extremely unstable ' Crevice Space ' filled with broken rules and out-of-control forces. The stone door serves two purposes: first, to isolate that space from the main world's encroachment; and second, theoretically, to allow the ' Key ' to enter and 'correct' the chaotic rules, attempting to repair or at least maintain stability."

Shen Moxin's breathing quickened. "You're that ' Key '?"

"My Soul Power frequency happened to resonate with the 'correction request' remaining deep within the stone gate," Lu Yuan didn't deny. "So I went in. The situation inside... is very complicated. Simply put, I came into contact with the most core rules Origin of the stone gate, and... under certain urgent circumstances, I chose to form a deep bond with it."

"Bind?" Lin Xiao frowned. "What do you mean?"

"That means I'm currently the temporary guardian and stabilizer of this 'door'," Lu Yuan's voice remained calm, yet it was like a boulder thrown into a deep pool. "I can utilize a limited portion of its 'corrected' rule power, just like when I forced back that Soul Douluo."

He raised his hand, his fingertips emitting no Soul Power, but the air seemed to distort slightly, and a speck of dust on the table vanished silently, not blown away, but as if it had never existed.

Everyone gasped.

"But the price is," Lu Yuan lowered his hand, his eyes sharpening, "I am deeply bound to the Stone Gate; our fates are intertwined. My condition will affect the stability of the 'Gate,' and if the 'Gate' suffers a severe impact or damage, I..." He didn't finish, but his meaning was clear.

A deathly silence fell over the room. The impact of this news was immense. The allure of controlling the power of the rules, coupled with the enormous risk of being bound to an ancient and dangerous device, was like ice and fire intertwined, leaving everyone feeling incredibly anxious.

Yun Youzi sighed, breaking the silence. "No wonder... you could make your words work and effortlessly force back Soul Douluo. That wasn't Soul Skill; it directly triggered the underlying rules of that space."

The old man looked at Lu Yuan, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Child, this road... is not easy to walk."

"I know," Lu Yuan nodded, "But we had no choice at the time. Without binding, I might not have left alive, and the stone gate might have completely spiraled out of control. At least now, the 'gate' is temporarily stable, and the speed at which it erodes the main world will be greatly slowed down."

He looked at everyone, his gaze sweeping over each face. "This matter is only known to those present. The existence of the 'door' and my condition are top secret."

Just then, the young disciple in charge of intelligence, who had been quietly waiting in the corner, suddenly stood up, his face pale. He held a slightly warm communication jade talisman in his hand, and his voice trembled.

"Mr. Mo Chen... just received a message from our 'sleeper agents' outside using the highest emergency channels."

Mo Chen's spirits lifted, and he sat up straight despite the pain in his right arm. "Speak!"

"The anomalies before the Black Stone Mountain Range... 'Heavenly Might,' and the subsequent eerie calm, have... have already attracted the attention of the truly top powers on the continent." The disciple swallowed hard, speaking rapidly, "The intelligence agencies of the Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire Empires, as well as spies from the Upper Three Sects... In the past twelve hours, at least five groups of high-level informants with confirmed identities have appeared at several key points on the outskirts of the mountains. They are gathering information and cross-verifying it."

The temperature inside the room dropped sharply.

"And..." the disciple's voice lowered further, "The people from the reclusive sect ' Gloomy Eye Sect ' who retreated earlier haven't completely left. They seem to be secretly contacting two other forces also active nearby, possibly the remnants of ' Stone-Splitting Sect ' and ' Blood Saber Stronghold '... Their intentions are unclear, but they're definitely not friendly."

One bad news after another rained down, leaving everyone breathless. The slight relief that had just been brought about by Lu Yuan's return and explanation of the stone gate vanished instantly. A massive cloud of crisis descended upon them with unprecedented speed.

After listening to the report, Lu Yuan remained silent for a long time.

The firelight flickered across his face, casting shadows on his eyes. His face was expressionless, but his fingers tapped lightly on his knees, slowly and rhythmically.

Then he stood up, walked to the only narrow window of the stone house, and pushed open the wooden window. Morning light poured in, carrying the cool, damp air of the valley. He looked into the distance, where the undulating outline of the Black Stone Mountain Range was faintly visible in the morning mist.

"This place," Lu Yuan said, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, "Has become the center of trouble; we cannot remain here any longer."

He turned around, his gaze like a cold knife, sweeping over every face in the room, whether solemn, tense, or angry.

"We must evacuate immediately and completely. Erasure of all traces and move to our best-kept backup location. Not here, but one of those ' Dark Nest ' that are even further away, known to very few of our own."

Yun Youzi took a deep breath and added, "Moreover, the evacuation must be done in batches, breaking the whole operation into smaller groups. The route must be kept absolutely secret, and communication between each other must be through single-line contact. Lu Yuan," the old man looked at him, his eyes filled with undisguised worry, "You are now the target of everyone's attention, your whereabouts..."

"I know." Lu Yuan nodded, interrupting him, "I'll go alone. I'll choose the most difficult route, but also the one that will attract the most attention. If necessary, I'll deliberately leave some 'traces' to lure the pursuers away."

Lin Xiao suddenly looked up. "You alone? No! It's too dangerous!"

"This is the optimal solution." Lu Yuan's tone was calm, yet undeniable. "My condition is special; acting alone actually gives me more flexibility. Moreover, only I am significant enough to draw the attention of most of the top powers, creating time and space for you to relocate."

He paused, then his eyes suddenly sharpened, like steel that had been tempered in fire.

"Furthermore..." Lu Yuan's voice was low, yet carried a chilling killing intent, "Before we leave, perhaps we should give those who first reached out a sufficiently profound 'lesson.' Let them understand that some things are not for them to touch. And let those who later try to make a move think twice about the price of reaching out."