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Immediately afterwards, the "Ring of Watchers" on his left index finger, which had been dim, also emitted a faint yet exceptionally clear resonance vibration!
It wasn't a resonance of energy restoration, but rather... it was as if I was summoned by something, or rather, I resonated with some kind of being of the same origin!

The ring's resonance was directed towards the other side of the rift, deep within that fleshy "cliff"!

"There...is something over there?" Chen Ye was startled. The "Ring of Watchfulness" is connected to the Holy Spirit King and Elvira, could it be...?

Without time to think it through, he decided to trust this sudden feeling. He took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and concentrated the last bit of strength he could muster in his legs.

Starlight Escape Technique - Ultimate Sprint!
His figure transformed into a blurry golden-red line. Instead of climbing, he crashed directly into the opposite "cliff"!
Just as he was about to collide with that writhing flesh, he stretched out his left hand, the "Ring of Watchfulness" facing the direction where the sensation was strongest!
hum!
Where the ring came into contact with flesh, a faint silver light, of the same origin as the ring, suddenly appeared! Although the light was faint, it carried an indescribable penetrating power and a sense of "authority".

As if encountering some irresistible command, the flesh and blood in front of them automatically parted and melted to the sides, revealing a brief "passage" that could only accommodate one person at a time! The inner walls of the passage were no longer disgusting flesh and blood, but rather a slightly smooth structure resembling the inner walls of some kind of biological tissue, emitting a faint silver glow.

Without hesitation, Chen Ye rushed into the passage!

The passage was not long, only about three zhang (approximately 10 meters). When he rushed through the passage and "fell" out from the other end, he found himself in a relatively enclosed, small "cavity".

This chamber was also made of dark red flesh and blood, but it was much "cleaner" than the outside, without as much disgusting mucus and holes. In the center of the chamber, there was a slightly raised platform, and on the platform, something lay quietly.

That was a... staff.

The staff is about five feet long, its entire body a warm, emerald green, as if naturally grown from some vibrant ancient tree or vine. Fine, leaf-vein-like silver patterns entwine the staff's shaft. At the head of the staff, instead of a sharp crystal or gemstone, several supple vines gracefully coil and converge, supporting a emerald gemstone the size of a pigeon's egg, its interior seemingly shimmering with the light of starlight and life.

The entire staff exuded an incomparably warm, inclusive, and powerful life force, forming a striking contrast with the surrounding filth, evil, and deathly silence.

Beside the staff lay a fragment of emerald green crystal, roughly the size of an infant's fist and irregularly shaped! Its texture and aura were exactly the same as the fragment of the Holy Spirit Heart in Chen Ye's arms, only larger in size and containing a more vast Holy Spirit essence!
A third fragment of the Heart of the Holy Spirit! And... the Staff of "Hymn of Life"?! Elvira's sacred artifact!

Chen Ye's heart pounded! Could it be that before Elvira left, she not only entrusted one fragment to the Star Speaker, but also hid the other fragment and her own staff inside the Tower of Eternity? Perhaps... even near the core of this Fallen's Lair?!
This is incredible! But the sight before us, and the resonance of the Ring of Watch, prove it!
He strode forward and carefully picked up the larger fragment of the Holy Spirit's Heart. The fragment felt warm and heavy in his hand; the Holy Spirit's essence contained within was like a vast ocean. Mere contact with it caused a faint sign of recovery to his severely depleted Holy Blood!

At the same time, the fragment resonated strongly with the other fragment in his arms and the Key of Wisdom! The auras of the three fragments (two Hearts of the Holy Spirit and one Key of Wisdom) drew and merged with each other, as if they were about to become one!
Immediately afterwards, he reached out and grasped the "Hymn of Life" staff.

It felt light in his hand, yet it was as if he were holding a vibrant forest. A gentle, vast, and healing power flowed into his body through the staff! This power was of the same origin as the holy blood power within him, but it was more inclined towards "life" and "healing," quickly nourishing his parched meridians, repairing his damaged body, and soothing his weary and broken soul!
In just a few breaths, Chen Ye felt that he had recovered two or three tenths of his strength! Although he was still far from being at his peak, he at least had the ability to move and fight!

"Senior Elvira... was it you who guided me?" Chen Ye murmured in his heart, filled with gratitude.

He understood that this must be a contingency plan left behind by Elvira. Hiding a fragment and the staff here might be to help those who come after her fight against the source of corruption deep within the lair at a crucial moment, or... as a final guarantee to awaken the Holy Spirit's radiance.

At that moment, the entire chamber, no, the entire eighth floor, and even the entire Tower of Eternity, began to shake violently!

It wasn't the slight tremor we had before, but a violent shaking like a landslide or a tsunami!

At the same time, a vast, pure starlight energy, seemingly from the origin of the universe, poured through the tower like a celestial river flowing backward, penetrating through layers of space and descending upon the eighth and ninth floors, and even every corner of the entire Primordial Land!
The convergence of starlight—it has begun!

Chen Ye could clearly "see" (perceive) countless dazzling starlight energy bands, like a living Milky Way, extending from the depths of the void and converging at the summit of the Holy Mountain and the tip of the Eternal Tower! The entire tower was enveloped in a layer of dense, flowing silver starlight!

Inside the tower, the originally violent and chaotic energy seemed to be paused at this moment, and then began to fluctuate and resonate according to some ancient and sacred rhythm!
The dark red flesh covering the walls and floor contracted and convulsed violently, like leeches scalded by boiling water, emitting silent hiss! The dense abyssal aura was forcibly suppressed and dissipated by the pure starlight!
From the direction of the sealed gate leading to the ninth level, "Between the Star Cores," came a series of low rumbling sounds, as if shackles were being loosened!

The time has come!

Without further hesitation, Chen Ye carefully kept the newly acquired, larger fragment of the Holy Spirit Heart close to his body (the two fragments were so close together that the resonance was even stronger), gripped the "Hymn of Life" staff tightly in his left hand, and held the Star Key of Wisdom in his right hand, before rushing out of the hidden chamber.

The external fissures and labyrinth of flesh seemed quieter and more listless under the starlight. The writhing veins slowed, and the spewing of poisonous mist and slime decreased significantly.

Chen Ye quickly traveled along the path guided by the resonance with the Star Key and the fragments.

He could feel that the two fragments of the Holy Spirit's Heart in his arms were resonating more and more strongly with a deeper, vast, and silent being—the radiance of the Holy Spirit! It sensed the fragments approaching and was slowly awakening from its deepest "sleep"!
But at the same time, he also sensed that deep within the lair, a vast, evil will filled with endless resentment and greed was also disturbed by the fluctuations of the converging starlight and the awakening of the Holy Spirit's radiance!
That will, like a sleeping behemoth opening its eyes, locked onto Chen Ye's direction with a malice that could destroy everything!
“Despicable thief… an ant… dares to covet… my fruit…”

A grand, distorted, hoarse whisper, like countless voices overlapping, resounded directly in Chen Ye's mind, bringing a terrifying mental shock! Chen Ye groaned, feeling as if his head had been struck by a heavy hammer, blood seeping from his seven orifices! But the "Seed of Truth" in his chest immediately erupted with a warm light, stabilizing his soul. The "Hymn of Life" staff in his hand also transmitted a cool life force, soothing the excruciating pain brought on by the mental shock.

“The Fallen One… Lord…” Chen Ye gritted his teeth. He knew that the terrifying being deep within the lair was finally about to reveal itself!

But he cannot stop! He must reach the sealed gate, collect the three keys (he's still missing the Star Key of Courage!), and enter the Star Core before that being fully awakens and blocks him!
He gave it his all and increased his speed!

The surrounding scenery rushed past him. He passed through tunnels resembling intestines, and over bizarre "organs" made of piled-up flesh and blood. Finally, the view ahead opened up!
He arrived at the central area of ​​the eighth floor.

This is an immense, heart-shaped space. The "walls" of this space are entirely composed of writhing, pulsating dark red flesh, covered with thick, vein-like energy pathways. At the center of this space lies a bottomless, colossal "abyss" that constantly spews out dark red energy and distorted, ghostly afterimages of souls—this is the energy source of the Fallen's lair, and also the passage to the most terrifying being at its deepest depths.

On the opposite side of the "Abyss," at the other end of the space, stands a door.

A portal ten zhang tall, its entire surface composed of pure, flowing starlight! The portal was tightly closed, its surface shrouded in countless complex, three-dimensional star runes, radiating a vast, sacred, and inviolable aura of majesty—it was the sealed gate leading to the ninth layer, the "Between Star Cores"!

At this moment, under the illumination of converging starlight, the runes on the surface of the sealed gate are flowing and flashing with unprecedented brightness, and the starlight shining through the cracks in the gate is even more intense, as if it may open at any moment.

On the ground in front of the sealed gate, there are three obvious, triangularly distributed grooves—that is where the three star keys are inserted!
Chen Ye rushed to the sealed gate, his eyes scanning the surroundings anxiously.

Where is Jiufeng? Where is the Key to Courage?
She hasn't arrived yet!
Behind them, the malice and pressure emanating from the enormous "abyss" surged forth like a tangible tsunami! Dark red energy, like an erupting volcano, shot into the sky from the abyss, condensing in mid-air into a massive, twisted, and indescribably terrifying black shadow!
The shadowy figure had a humanoid outline, but its entire body was covered in a constantly writhing "skin" composed of countless faces of tormented souls, with countless tentacles made of shadow and corrupting energy extending from its back. Its head had no facial features, only a constantly rotating dark vortex that seemed capable of devouring all light.

Its mere existence caused the surrounding space to distort and crumble! Its aura... had reached the late Nascent Soul stage, or even... higher!
The Lord of the Fallen! Or rather, a monstrous creature born from the Dark Abyss's corruption of the Holy Spirit's Radiance, combined with countless corrupted souls and twisted wills!

"Insects... halt..." The dark figure roared deafeningly, the entire space trembling at its voice. "The Holy Spirit's Radiance... is my... Eternal Star Array... and will also return to... nothingness!"

A thick, dark tentacle, like a whip traversing space, lashed out at Chen Ye with an aura of annihilation! Wherever the tentacle passed, even starlight was devoured and annihilated!
Chen Ye's expression changed drastically. In his current state, there was absolutely no way he could withstand this attack head-on!
At the critical moment—

"Brother Chen! Catch!"

A familiar, weary yet resolute shout came from the side!

At the same time, a figure burning with crimson aura crashed through the fleshy wall on the side like a meteorite and rushed into the central area! It was Jiu Feng!

She was covered in blood, her armor shattered, and her breath weak; she had clearly endured an unimaginable battle. But in her hand, she clutched a key!
The key was entirely crimson, as if forged from solidified flames and the blood of warriors. The handle of the key was engraved with a pattern of a damaged yet still unyielding shield—the Key of Courage!
With her last bit of strength, Jiufeng threw the Key of Courage at Chen Ye!

Chen Ye's spirits lifted, and he reached out to catch the key!
It was scalding hot to the touch, as if I were holding a burning will! The Star Key of Courage and the Star Key of Wisdom, along with the two fragments of the Holy Spirit Heart, resonated intensely at the same time!

"Jiufeng! Watch out!" As Chen Ye caught the key, he saw that the terrifying shadowy tentacle, halfway towards him, suddenly split off a branch that, like a venomous snake, attacked the exhausted Jiufeng as she fell!

Chen Ye's eyes widened in fury! He swiftly waved his "Hymn of Life" staff in his left hand, and a vibrant, emerald-green light screen instantly unfolded in front of Jiu Feng!

At the same time, without hesitation, he inserted the Wisdom Star Key and the Courage Star Key into the two corresponding slots in front of the Sealed Gate with his right hand!
Om-! ! !
A deafening roar echoed throughout the entire space!
The moment the two Star Keys were inserted, they burst forth with dazzling light! The silvery starlight of the Wisdom Star Key and the crimson bloodlight of the Courage Star Key intertwined, resonating with the two fragments of the Holy Spirit Heart in Chen Ye's arms!

The sealed gate trembled violently, and the star runes on its surface lit up one after another as if they had been ignited!

However, the third groove remains empty.

Is it due to a lack of bloodline star key (or, in other words, complete Holy Spirit Heart recognition)? Or... is a specific ritual required?

The words of Grand Scholar Hermes flashed through Chen Ye's mind: "Only when the three keys are gathered can the sealed gate between the star cores be opened at the specific 'time of starlight convergence'."

And the Ionian prophet's hint: "Fragments of the Holy Spirit's Heart... if at least two can be gathered and activated with pure holy blood, it might be possible to sense the approximate location of the third fragment at close range, and even... forcefully resonate with it to open certain seals?" (End of Chapter)