Immortality Cultivation: I can use my clansmen’s energy and blood to add points.

Lin Wan'er was still carrying Bailing'er on her back, while Su Xiaowan volunteered to take the lead, still holding her "little turtle shell" tightly in her hand.

"Hehe, I'll go in and explore the way first! If there is any danger, my precious turtle shell can definitely block it!" Su Xiaowan patted her chest, looked full of confidence, and carefully entered the cave.

Luo Qingchen and Lin Wan'er looked at each other, saw a helpless smile in each other's eyes, and followed in.

The inside of the pipe was more spacious than expected, enough for one person to walk upright. The inner wall was made of some kind of cold alloy, covered with fine lines. Occasionally, some arrows and strange symbols indicating directions could be seen, but most of them were blurred. The pipe sloped downward, but the slope was not steep, so it was not difficult to walk.

The further they went in, the weaker the chaotic and oppressive energy fluctuations from the outside world became, replaced by a purer but also colder mechanical atmosphere. Occasionally, they could see some sensors flashing a faint red light on the inner wall of the pipe, but they seemed to have long been out of service and did not react to their entry.

"It seems like this place has been abandoned for a long time." Su Xiaowan touched the cold pipe wall with her fingers as she walked. "There's not even a spider web. It's been cleaned quite cleanly."

"Don't be careless, watch your step." Luo Qingchen reminded.

The pipeline twisted and turned like a maze. After walking for about an incense stick of time, the pipeline in front suddenly became wider, as if they had reached an intersection. There were several similar pipelines leading to different directions. On the ground in the middle of the intersection, there were some broken metal parts scattered around, as well as... the remains of a long-cold construct!
This construct was smaller than the ones they had encountered outside, and its shape was more delicate, like a maintenance robot. Its core crystal had been shattered, and its body had been violently disassembled, with parts scattered all over the floor.

"It seems that a battle has taken place here before?" Lin Wan'er squatted down and examined the wreckage of the construct.

Luo Qingchen frowned slightly. He felt a trace of... extremely faint cold breath on the wreckage, similar to the strange existence in the crack! Although it was very faint and almost imperceptible, it was definitely not wrong!
Could it be that that thing could also penetrate into the internal passages of this giant tower?
"We may not be the first group of people to come in here." Luo Qingchen said in a deep voice, his eyes sweeping across the entrances of the pipes leading in different directions, "In other words, there may be 'something' that came here before us."

This discovery cast a shadow over the hearts of the three people.

"Then... where should we go now?" Su Xiaowan looked at the dark pipe openings, somewhat undecided.

Luo Qingchen closed his eyes and carefully sensed the energy fluctuations and auras coming from the different pipes. After a moment, he pointed to the pipe in the left front: "Here, the energy fluctuations are relatively stable, and... there seems to be a weak wind coming, which may lead to a larger space in the tower."

The three of them set off again and stepped into the pipe in front of them on the left. This pipe was obviously wider than the previous one, and the slope began to rise. Not long after they walked, they could hear a faint "buzzing" sound of energy running in front of them, and a faint light came in.

They slowed down and carefully approached the exit of the pipe, which was blocked by a huge metal vent covered with grilles, through the gaps in the grilles, they could see the outside.

It seemed to be an extremely huge internal space! It was so high that the ceiling was invisible, and it was so wide that it was boundless. Everywhere there were huge instruments flashing with various colors, crisscrossing energy pipes, and huge metal platforms suspended in the air. Countless tiny points of light were flying in the space like fireflies, forming a spectacular and cold picture.

In the center of the space, an even larger energy core device that looked like an inverted mountain was slowly rotating, emitting terrifying energy fluctuations that made people's hearts tremble! Below the energy core, there seemed to be countless thick energy conduits connected, extending to all directions of the space.

"Is this... the energy center of the giant tower?" Lin Wan'er looked at the scene in front of her, her eyes filled with shock.

Luo Qingchen's eyes were fixed on the rotating energy core device. He could feel that the source of the tower's majestic, chaotic and crazy will... seemed to come from there!

At this moment, Su Xiaowan suddenly pulled the corner of Luo Qingchen's clothes, pointed to an inconspicuous corner below, and said in a low voice: "Senior Brother Luo, look there!"

Luo Qingchen looked in the direction she pointed, and saw that in the shadow of a huge instrument below, there seemed to be several blurry figures swaying! Those figures were wearing tattered clothes, and their movements were furtive, as if they were disassembling some parts.

"Anyone else?" Luo Qingchen's heart moved. Is he an enemy or a friend?
Before they could make a judgment, another abnormality occurred!

Buzz! The entire huge space suddenly lit up with a piercing red alarm light! A cold mechanical warning sounded throughout the space: "Warning! Unauthorized energy fluctuations detected! Cleanup procedure initiated!"

Then, countless secret compartments on the walls around the space opened, and rows of energy gun muzzles flashing with cold light stretched out! At the same time, those light spots that were originally flying like fireflies suddenly became violent, turning into sharp energy rays, shooting towards the sneaky figures below!

"Ah! Run!" Panicked shouts came from below.

The figures obviously did not expect to trigger the alarm, and they immediately got into a mess, covering their heads and running away. The energy rays were dense like rain, and two people were hit in an instant, screaming and turning into ashes!

What made Luo Qingchen and the other two even more terrified was that the ventilation duct where they were was also determined to be an "unauthorized energy fluctuation source"! The blinding red light enveloped them, and the cold mechanical warning sounded in their ears!

Through the grille, they saw that at least dozens of energy cannon muzzles had changed direction and were pointed darkly at the small vent where they were!
"I... We're exposed?!" Su Xiaowan's face turned green, and she trembled while hugging the tortoise shell. "I told you! There must be something fishy going on if they cleaned it so cleanly!"

Luo Qingchen's face turned pale, and he cursed inwardly. It was really like a fire in the city gate, and the fish in the pond were affected! Before they could figure out the situation, they were involved in the attack of the internal defense system of this giant tower!

Dozens of energy cannons have begun charging, making a heart-pounding buzzing sound! A devastating blow will come in the next second!
"Retreat!" Luo Qingchen made a prompt decision. Now was definitely not the time to fight back. The power of dozens of energy cannons firing at the same time was enough to blow them and this section of the pipe into ashes!
The three of them immediately turned around and retreated deeper into the pipe along the original route as quickly as possible!
Boom boom boom! Just as they retreated a few dozen feet away, a deafening explosion sounded behind them! The violent energy torrent slammed fiercely on the grille at the outlet of the pipe. Even though they were at a distance, the terrifying shock wave and the blazing air waves made the three people's blood surge, and Su Xiaowan was even shocked to the point of sitting on the ground.

The metal grille at the outlet of the pipe melted and vaporized instantly, and then the entire pipe began to vibrate violently, twisting and deforming! Gravel and metal fragments fell like raindrops!

"Hurry up! This place is going to collapse!" Luo Qingchen pulled Su Xiaowan up and ran towards the intersection without looking back! Lin Wan'er followed closely behind, and Bai Ling'er on his back seemed to be disturbed by the violent vibration and made a faint whimper.

They had just rushed back to the intersection platform with several pipeline entrances when the passage behind them collapsed completely with a loud bang! Billowing smoke and hot energy turbulence poured in, covering the entire platform. "Cough cough cough..." Su Xiaowan was choked and coughed repeatedly, her face smoked like a cat, "It was a close call... I was almost buried alive..."

Luo Qingchen leaned against the cold wall, panting violently, his face turning pale again due to the rapid escape and injuries. He looked up at the other pipe entrances, his eyes filled with solemnity.

The seemingly safe passage actually led to the energy center of the giant tower and triggered the highest level of alarm. Now that the retreat was cut off, they were trapped at the intersection of the pipelines.

"Brother Luo, what should we do now?" Lin Wan'er looked at the dark entrances to the pipes around her, somewhat bewildered. It was unknown where the other passages led to, whether they were dead ends or more dangerous areas.

Luo Qingchen forced himself to calm down, carefully recalling the scene he had just seen in the energy center, as well as the lines of text on the mural about the "Gate of Life".

"The star core shattered... the abandoned land... the ruins... the gate of life..."

The energy center... that huge energy core device that rotates like an inverted mountain... could it be the so-called "shattered star core"? And could the "life gate" be near the star core?

Although this guess is bold, it is not impossible. Generally speaking, the core area of ​​a space is often also the most critical node, so it is reasonable to set the portal there.

However, that place is obviously the most heavily defended and dangerous place in the tower. The power of the alarm and energy cannon salvo just now is still vivid in my mind.

"We have to find a way to get through again." Luo Qingchen said in a deep voice, his eyes sweeping over the remaining pipes, "We must find another passage leading to the energy center, or at least one close to it."

He closed his eyes again, integrated the power of chaos into his consciousness, and carefully probed into several other channels. The power of chaos's sensitivity to energy far exceeded that of ordinary spiritual power, especially in such a chaotic environment.

After a moment, he pointed to the second pipe on the right: "This one... the energy fluctuations inside are a little abnormal, and there seems to be signs of space distortion, but... I can also vaguely sense a breath similar to that of the energy core. Perhaps this road can bypass the defense area just now and approach the core from another direction."

This is also a risky choice. Space distortion means unknown dangers, but there seems to be no better way at the moment.

"Let's go!" The three of them embarked on an unknown journey again and entered the second pipe on the right.

The environment inside this pipe was indeed completely different from before. The pipe wall was no longer a smooth alloy, but a translucent texture like crystal, with a strange glow flowing on it. There was a faint spatial fluctuation in the air, and occasionally the scene ahead would be briefly twisted and folded, as if space itself had become unstable here.

"Wow... It's so beautiful here..." Su Xiaowan looked at the light flowing on the tube wall and temporarily forgot her fear. A look of surprise appeared on her face. "Does it look like the crystal road in the Starry Sky Fantasy?"

"Be careful, the space here is very unstable." Luo Qingchen reminded. He could feel that those places where the space was distorted contained great dangers. Once involved, the consequences would be disastrous.

They carefully avoided those obvious spatial distortion areas and slowly moved forward along the pipeline. The further they went, the more obvious the spatial fluctuations became, and the more brilliant the light on the pipe wall became. At the same time, the majestic aura from the energy core became clearer and clearer.

Suddenly, Luo Qingchen, who was walking in the front, stopped abruptly, his face changed: "Stop!"

Lin Wan'er and Su Xiaowan stopped immediately.

I saw that in the center of the pipe not far ahead, the space was rippling violently like water waves, and then, fine silver cracks appeared out of thin air, spreading rapidly like a spider web! The cracks revealed a heart-pounding breath of emptiness!

"It's a space crack!" Lin Wan'er said in a lost voice.

Although these cracks were small, the cutting force contained in them was enough to easily tear their bodies apart! Moreover, the cracks continued to spread and expand, almost blocking the passage ahead!

"Damn it!" Luo Qingchen cursed inwardly. This road was indeed full of dangers!

Just as they were about to retreat and look for another path, something strange happened again!

Those spreading silver space cracks seemed to be restrained by some invisible force at the moment when they were about to touch the crystal-like walls on both sides of the pipe. The light at the edge of the cracks twisted and flickered, and actually stopped expanding!

Then, an even more bizarre scene occurred! Countless fine golden runes suddenly lit up on the crystal-like tube walls! These runes were similar to those they saw on the stone slabs in the ruins outside, but more complete and more mysterious! The moment the runes lit up, a soft and tenacious force spread out, and actually began to slowly repair those silver space cracks!

Just like invisible silk threads mending torn cloth, those hideous cracks began to shrink and heal at a speed visible to the naked eye under the light of the golden runes!
In just a dozen breaths, all the space cracks disappeared, as if they had never appeared! The front of the pipe returned to calm, only the golden runes on the crystal pipe wall were still slowly flowing, emitting a soft halo.

"This...what's going on?" Su Xiaowan was stunned.

Luo Qingchen and Lin Wan'er were also surprised. This seemingly dangerous passage actually has the ability to self-repair space cracks? What is the origin of this crystal tube wall and golden runes? (End of this chapter)