The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 560 Key
The surrounding air was still filled with the lingering chaos and abyss power, and the eerie blue light flickered among the broken stone slabs, reflecting the resolute yet weary faces of the crowd.

The ever-wriggling, expanding shadows at the edge of the crack seemed to still linger in the darkness, their cold, damp aura seeping into every nerve of theirs.

Lena stood to one side of the altar, her head bowed as she carefully studied the fragments of the codex that David had seized.

Her thin lips parted slightly, her brows gradually furrowing, every tiny movement revealing her unwavering focus on the enigmatic runes and complex formulas.

The light from the altar cast a dim, flowing glow, making her silver-white hair appear and disappear as it swayed gently in the wind.

"Here... here is the key."

Lena finally raised her head, a mixture of excitement and wariness flashing in her eyes. "This formula describes how to use 'divine remnant crystals' as containers and employ a reverse extraction method to extract and purify chaotic pure energy from the abyss's pollution."

The hall fell silent. In the oppressive silence, everyone felt the profound significance behind this news—if they could master the knowledge they possessed, it would be a crucial breakthrough that could turn the tide of the entire situation.

But it also means huge risks and unknowns.

Liliana moved slowly forward from the group, clad in an ice shield, her face now even more resolute and serene.

She took a deep breath and gently placed the ice crystal shield on the bluestone at the edge of the altar. The cold light it reflected seemed to freeze time.

"I volunteered to be the test subject."

She spoke calmly, her voice gentle yet resolute, like the resolute force bursting forth when a glacier breaks apart.

All eyes turned to Liliana, whose face showed no fear, only the unwavering determination born from her boundless sense of mission to protect her people.

"This is our last chance, and also the most difficult step."

I am willing to take all the risks to create possibilities for the future of my community.

Looking at the resolute tears glistening in Liliana's eyes, Lena nodded slightly: "Indeed, only 'divine remnant crystals' can be used as a purification medium for reverse refining; otherwise, it cannot withstand the impact of pure energy."

Her tone carried a scientist's rational calmness, mixed with a mix of fear and curiosity about the unknown power: "The process will be extremely arduous. This refining not only requires removing chaos, but also preventing pure energy from going berserk and corrupting the soul."

David's eyes were solemn. He stepped forward and placed his hand on the exquisitely carved "Divine Remains Crystal" container, made from the bones of an ancient behemoth and inlaid with a dark blue crystal in the center.

This relic emitted a faint, ancient spiritual energy fluctuation, subtly resonating with the runes in the fragments of the codex, as if some secret of the world was about to be awakened.

The air grew heavier, and everyone's breathing became slow and rapid.

They knew they were standing on the edge of a precipice, where a single mistake could lead to utter ruin.

The dust that fell at this moment was like countless shattered stars, silently swirling and falling in the desolate space, like the most silent feast weeping in the abyss of the universe.

Amy walked gently but firmly to Liliana's side, wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and infused her with warm life magic to help her withstand the impending dual test of mind and body.

"You are not alone. We will all be with you and get through this storm together."

Her gaze was as soft as the morning sun, yet filled with an unwavering conviction.

Lena began to silently chant ancient incantations while simultaneously operating the resonance device to adjust parameters, gradually activating the inner purification mechanism of the "divine remains crystal".

Complex runes gradually lit up, blooming layer by layer from the lowest to the highest level, as exquisite as stars adorning the night sky.

In the waveform projected on the instrument screen, one can see that the chaotic wavebands are gradually compressed and transformed into a stable and transparent pure energy flow state.

As Lena's incantation accelerated its melody, the black mist of "Abyss Corruption" began to slowly peel away, forcing back and suppressing everything from the floating codex to the shadowy tentacles in the surrounding space. The corrosive malice seemed to be completely swallowed up by invisible flames.

However, this process was not without obstacles—

Suddenly, a biting wind, accompanied by a deep rumble, came from the distant rift. Countless shadowy tentacles struggled and twisted, trying to break through the blockade, while floating dust rose and swirled violently.

Under the pressure of the harsh environment, even the shared array of magic arrays showed frequent abnormal signals jumping around, and various strange noise interferences constantly disturbed the stability of the system, causing the surrounding air to tremble like a taut string.

David stared intently at the changing curves on the instrument screen, his expression grave: "Everyone be careful! The negative energy is increasing abnormally. We must take all precautions, or the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Zelllos stood tall with his sword in hand, his chest out, as solid as a bulwark protecting the core area, while vigilantly scanning his surroundings for any potential attacks!
A determined smile appeared between his brows: "Don't worry, no matter how dangerous it is, I will protect you from all dangers!"

Amy continuously cast powerful healing spells and mental shield spells to nurture the flame of life under immense pressure, ensuring the stable operation of the "divine remnant crystal" container.

Meanwhile, Lia, clad in a silver-white robe and exuding an aura of majesty and dignity like a queen of dawn, was also releasing a dazzling, holy golden light from her entire body, continuously strengthening the golden chains and reinforcing the sealing barrier, making it possible to resist the corruption of darkness!

For a long time, the chanting of each spell resounded and echoed.

Each rune pulse shines brilliantly;

Every strand of life's magic flows through it;
Their seamless teamwork and coordinated actions are like important notes in the grandest symphony of heaven and earth, together composing the last chapter of hope for the Star-Eyed Clan!
Finally, after the convergence of various forces, the "divine remains crystal" began to collect and construct a clear, transparent, and radiant new chaotic pure energy vortex.

As the "Divine Remains Crystal" slowly absorbed and purified the chaotic pure energy, the oppressive feeling in the air seemed to decrease slightly, and the cold abyssal aura was gradually dispelled.

A slight relaxation appeared on everyone's faces, a mixture of exhaustion and hope. But behind this moment of peace, a long-suppressed crisis was quietly brewing.

Liliana stood beside the altar, her long silver hair swaying gently in the breeze, but her eyes began to drift into a daze.

A hint of struggle and fear surfaced in her once unwavering gaze, as if an invisible darkness was stirring deep within her soul.

She gripped the Frost Mirror Shield tightly, but her hands trembled slightly, the cold, hard shield reflecting the turbulent waves in her heart.

"hiss"

Suddenly, a low and eerie sound seemed to come from the depths of the rift, like countless decaying souls whispering in the darkness.

The sound coiled and entangled around the edge of Liliana's consciousness, lurking like a venomous snake and invading the softest part of her heart. It was the aftershock of the Abyss Mark—since being chosen as a test subject, this ancient mark, dormant in her bones, had been silently awakening, constantly absorbing the energy fluctuations during the purification process, spreading its dark will to every inch of her flesh and blood.

Liliana's face turned deathly pale instantly. She clenched her fists tightly, veins bulging on her forehead, and sweat poured down her body.

The surrounding air seemed to solidify into a heavy shadow, enveloping her.

Suddenly, she turned her head sharply, and her once gentle and firm eyes turned as cold as ice blades, flashing with an eerie red light.

"David."

His voice was hoarse and chillingly cold: "You must die."

The crowd was stunned and speechless. They saw that the once unyielding warrior, who was willing to sacrifice his life to protect his people, had suddenly changed. His eyes were filled with murderous intent, which was like a blade cutting through the heart and piercing the deepest part of everyone's soul.

Amy reacted the fastest, sensing the unusual fluctuations that clearly came from the branded mental manipulation power. "We can't let her hurt David!"

She hurriedly chanted a freezing spell, and a pure blue-white light quickly spread from her palm, covering Liliana's entire body like the first snow of winter, temporarily sealing off her soul fire.

However, even though the freezing magic temporarily suppressed the chaotic consciousness, the mark had already penetrated deep into its core—eroding to the heart.

A subtle but deadly corrosion is spreading rapidly, causing life to wither and die as if bitten by a venomous snake.

Lena immediately pulled up the resonance device's monitoring data: "Soul freezing successful, but the burden on the heart has increased dramatically! If no measures are taken immediately, this backlash will tear the entire life system apart!"

Her face was grave and as hard as iron. "Everyone must work together and spare no effort to stabilize the situation!"

Zelllos stood at the forefront, sword in hand, his brow furrowed as he gazed toward the center of the battlefield, where a hero teetered on the brink of despair.

"We can't lose her! We must protect everyone!"

David took a step closer, his gaze complex and unfathomable. He stared at his frozen companion for a moment, noticing the red flames still burning in his vertical pupils. He said softly, "I will not let the darkness devour you, nor will I let it harm any of my people."

The air once again solidified into an extremely still atmosphere, and the earth seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the development of this life-or-death struggle.

Amy gently stroked the surface of the frozen layer with her palm, continuously strengthening her mental shield to resist the increasingly severe negative emotional influence;

Lena focused on deciphering the complex patterns and runes of the resonance instrument, and devoted herself to finding a secret method to resolve the backlash from the brand.
Zellos and the other warriors stood ready, maintaining a high state of alert for the possibility of conflict breaking out on the periphery at any time.

Time seemed to stretch out, each minute and second feeling both long and dangerous. The azure energy that disintegrated chaos flowed slowly through the space, while the eyes of the crowd were filled with determination and a sense of responsibility.

They knew that this was not only a battle against demons and fate itself, but also the last line of defense for the Star-Eyed Clan, an insurmountable threshold to protect the future of their race!
Gradually, with everyone's efforts, a weak and stable signal curve appeared on the resonance instrument.

But at the same time, the mark that had been hidden in the body for a long time began to struggle wildly. The shadowy blue aura it released became an inescapable nightmare. Every ripple was like a sharp blade cutting through the soul, causing everyone unbearable pain, but they could only grit their teeth and persevere!

Amy's brow was still wet with tears, yet she still poured all her healing power into building mental barriers for her friend, constantly murmuring, "Hang in there, we will definitely find a solution, you are not alone."

The biting wind howled again around the altar, and heavy snow soaked their armor and skin, but they did not flinch. Only their unwavering faith remained, forging an eternal legend for the Star-Eyed Clan with their flesh and blood on this desolate northern wasteland.
As night fell, the pale blue runes shimmered on the shattered bone altar, gentle yet unapproachable like stars.

David slowly stepped back from the edge of the altar, his gaze sharp as he stared at the space that was gradually returning to calm.

The air still carried the lingering echoes of the abyss's chaos, each breath carrying a sense of oppression, as if the invisible darkness was lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce.

His companions were busy protecting Liliana, who was in danger due to the branding, but he knew that the methods they had were far from enough to save her.

"Only the Purification Stone can completely purify the residual marks."

Lena's voice echoed in my ears. She had just reached this conclusion after working through the night. This mysterious stone with its powerful purifying abilities was said to be hidden in the deepest part of the rift—a place surrounded by countless unknown dangers and rarely visited by anyone.

David steadied himself, the blue flames in his eyes burning even brighter.

He gripped the sword hilt tightly and strode steadily toward the lower level of the crevice.

The wind and snow were like thousands of icy needles, piercing his bones and cutting his face, but he was not afraid at all, and every step he took was firm and powerful.

He understood that this mission was extremely dangerous, but if he couldn't find the Purifying Stone, all hope would be lost.

At the rift's opening, a ghostly blue light curtain flickered with eerie ripples—the fragile barrier between the abyss and reality.

He took a deep breath and rushed into the crack.

A strong, unstable energy fluctuation came towards him, causing his bones and muscles to tremble slightly.

But David did not stop. He nimbly traversed the twisting void, gliding into the dark abyss like a ghost.

Upon entering the lower level, he immediately felt the temperature drop sharply, and countless eerie shadows swirled around him, as if a million eyes were watching his every move.

The ground showed spiderweb-like cracks, with countless tiny fragments floating in mid-air, as if it might collapse at any moment.

A series of low, distorted roars came from afar, the howls and foraging sounds of the worm swarm as they stirred.

He gazed intently ahead and saw enormous, writhing worms, their skin covered in carapaces and flowing with mucus, crawling slowly. They used their tentacles to gnaw at the spatial structure, making the already riddled earth even more broken and shaking.

Each time the giant claw fell, it sent up sand and debris flying, shaking the surrounding air like a small-scale collapse.

David gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. He knew these creatures were not only ferocious but also capable of disrupting spatial structures, making them one of the deadliest threats in this rift.

His steps were light yet powerful, each blue flame swirling around the blade, creating a perfect weapon that could instantly scorch and freeze the enemy's body by weaving together ice and fire.

Even so, he had to remain highly vigilant in this endless darkness, because these worm swarms could use spatial fragments to quickly hide and launch surprise attacks, making them impossible to defend against.

(End of this chapter)