Nine Desolate Records

The night had not yet faded, and the lingering power of Han Yan's sword breaking through the formation still echoed in the mountain stream, with the air still carrying a biting frost and a faint smell of blood.

Lu Li walked up to Han Yan, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "Thank you for your help again, Miss Han Yan."

Han Yan sheathed her sword, her eyes beneath the silver mask remaining as cold as ever, but her tone carried a barely perceptible hint of gravity: "The Lord has ordered that you be escorted to a relatively safe place. Lin Yuan City is now a dead end, and the matter of the Zhen Lin Dagger requires careful consideration. What are your plans next?"

Lu Li pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze southeast, towards Apricot Grove Valley. "Back to Apricot Grove Valley. I need to reunite with my companions, gather intelligence, and replan our route. The journey to the Northern Territory cannot be undertaken alone."

Han Yan nodded slightly: "A wise move. With Gu Song, Mo Xuan, and others stationed in Xinglin Valley, and protected by the valley's great formation, it is indeed the safest stronghold at present. The host speculates that the Zhuoyuan Sect and certain forces within the Demon-Collecting Guard will not dare to openly attack Yaowang Valley in the short term. I can escort you a hundred miles outside the valley, after which you must return to report."

"Thank you for your trouble." Lu Li did not refuse. He knew that he was still the target of everyone's criticism at this moment, and with a master like Han Yan escorting him, he could avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Without another word, the two figures unfurled, disappearing into the deepest darkness before dawn like two wisps of smoke. Han Yan clearly knew the terrain around Mount Shu like the back of her hand, choosing a secretive and swift path that cleverly avoided several areas where there might be hidden sentries.

During the journey, Lu Li briefly told Han Yan about the "Return to the Void Array Diagram" he had seen in the underground river and his deductions about the prisoner's true form.

"Gui Xu...the original body..." Han Yan repeated in a low voice, her brows seemingly furrowed beneath the mask. "I will report this matter to the Lord immediately. If what you see is true, all the current measures taken by the Nine Provinces to deal with the prisoners, including Xun Wenruo's plan, are probably just scratching the surface, or even adding fuel to the fire."

She paused, then looked at Lu Li: "The power of the array core within you may be the key within the key. The master of the array had a suspicion many years ago that the ultimate mission of the Yan Emperor's bloodline was probably not to guard, but rather... to 'restart' or 'end'."

"Reboot? End?" Lu Li's mind trembled slightly.

"It's just the author's deduction, without any concrete evidence," Han Yan shook her head. "Everything will become clear once you reach the Northern Border."

After three days of swift travel, the two arrived at a secluded bamboo forest on the outskirts of Xinglin Valley. Hanyan stopped: "This is already within the warning zone of Xinglin Valley; I cannot approach any further. Farewell."

Lu Li thanked her again: "Miss Hanyan, please tell the Master that I will not fail in my duty and will investigate my father's past."

Han Yan gave him a deep look, nodded, and with a flicker, disappeared into the depths of the bamboo forest like melting snow, leaving no trace.

Lu Li straightened his clothes, suppressed the slight fluctuations in his internal energy caused by days of travel and battle, and headed towards the familiar valley entrance. He hadn't gone far when the mist ahead rippled, revealing two young men dressed in the robes of Xinglin Valley disciples, who looked at him warily. Upon recognizing Lu Li, their faces lit up with surprise and delight.

"Brother Lu! You're back!"

"Quickly, go and report to Elder Gusong!"

One disciple quickly turned and went into the valley to report the news, while the other led Lu Li inside.

Not long after entering the valley, several familiar figures hurried towards us.

"Brother Lu!" Shi Yong's loud voice rang out first. He carried the dark iron rod, his bronze body seemed even more robust, and his face was filled with undisguised joy.

Lin Qingyuan followed closely behind. His complexion had greatly improved, and the dark lines on his neck had long since disappeared. However, his face was still somewhat pale, but his eyes were bright and firm. He smiled and nodded at Lu Li, saying, "Junior Brother Lu, you must have had a long journey."

Finally, it was Yun Jin. Supported by a female disciple, she walked over, her misty silver eyes accurately "looking" in Lu Li's direction. Her eyesight seemed to have recovered only to a limited extent, but the perception brought by the evolution of her Eye of Truth had become increasingly acute, as if she could directly "sense" Lu Li's condition.

"You carry... a heavy burden." Yun Jin spoke softly, her voice still somewhat hoarse, yet insightful. "But you're also more stable. It seems you gained a great deal from your trip to the Sword Tomb."

Looking at his unharmed companions, Lu Li felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and the tension and battles of the past few days eased slightly. "It's good that everyone is alright. It's a long story, let's find a quiet place to talk in detail."

Soon, the group arrived at Courtyard No. 3, Class B. The courtyard had been tidied up and was spotless, and the Soul Nourishing Pool shone with a warm glow. Elder Gusong and Mo Xuan had also arrived upon hearing the news, and Elder Su followed shortly after.

As everyone sat around, Lu Li recounted in detail his journey after leaving Xinglin Valley: the ambush in Fenglin, the help from Tingxuelou, his cultivation at the Sword Tomb, his enlightenment of sword intent, his adventure in the Dark River, and finally, his acquisition of the Guixu Formation Diagram and the discovery of the prisoner's true form.

As he spoke, the courtyard fell silent, save for the occasional gasp of surprise.

Elder Gusong stroked his long beard, his expression solemn: "The Returning Void Array Diagram... the Breath of the Northern Darkness... so that's how it is. No wonder the records of the guardians throughout the ages always contained the vague warning that 'the source is not extinguished, and the seal is difficult to secure.' We always thought it referred to the balance between the nine anchor points, but we never imagined that above the nine anchors, there was still the main body sleeping."

Elder Su said with great concern, "We can't go to Lin Yuan City. How can we obtain the Zhen Lin Dagger? That dagger is crucial for balancing the power within your body."

Lu Li nodded: "This is exactly what we need to plan again. The Cold Mist Pavilion Master suggested that there might be clues in the Northern Territory. Moreover, Miss Yun's father's notes mentioned that the Tiger-Suppressing Dagger was stolen in the snowy plains of the Northern Territory. Now it seems that this may not be a coincidence. The dispersal of the nine daggers may all be related to the loosening of the seal on the prisoner's true form."

He looked at Yun Jin: "Miss Yun, might the Eye of Truth reveal more about the Northern Territory, or the guidance of that 'golden thread'?"

Yun Jin concentrated for a moment, the mist in her silver eyes slowly swirling: "The direction of the golden thread... is clearer now, it is indeed in the far north. But I also 'see' some fragments... an ice-bound palace, burning flames, and... a weeping dragon shadow." She pressed her temple, revealing a trace of fatigue, "It's too blurry, I can't see it clearly."

"There's no need to force yourself," Elder Gusong said gently. "Once you have a direction, you can start planning. Lu Li, what are your plans next?"

Lu Li's gaze swept over his companions: "First, I need time to thoroughly consolidate what I obtained from the Sword Tomb, and further integrate the Returning Void Array Diagram with my own sword imprint and bloodline. Second, we need more information about the Northern Territory, the Pure World Flame Pool, and the intelligence gathered by Listening Snow Tower. Finally, we need to find alternative solutions to see if we can temporarily stabilize my internal condition without using the Zhenlin Dagger, or... find a solution directly from the Northern Territory."

Lin Qingyuan suddenly spoke up: "Regarding stabilizing the body's condition... Elder Su, Senior Mo Xuan, and I have recently been studying the bloodline and origin data you left behind, and combined with the ancient books in the valley, we have a conjecture."

All eyes were on him.

Lin Qingyuan continued, "The bloodline of the Flame Emperor is extremely yang and pure, while the Prisoner's origin is extremely yin and violent. The clash between the two is a dead end. But if there is a power that can act as a 'mediator' or 'buffer,' it might be possible to temporarily achieve a dangerous balance, or even transform and promote each other. Your successful transformation of a trace of origin in the Sword Tomb proves its feasibility."

"What kind of power can act as a mediator?" Lu Li asked.

"The ultimate 'vitality,' or the ultimate 'purification,'" Mo Xuan interjected. "Xinglin Valley excels in the way of vitality, but it may not be enough to contend with the rank within you. As for the power of purification... the 'Purifying World Flame Pool' you mentioned might be the answer. But until you find it, you might try borrowing its power."

"Leveraging resources?"

"The sealing power of the nine anchor points originates from the same source, but each has its own emphasis." Elder Gusong's gaze was far-reaching. "'Battle Intent' is in the Sword Tomb, 'Tyranny' is within you, and there are other 'Fear,' 'Hatred,' 'Despair,' etc. They counterbalance each other. If you can briefly activate the sealing aura of the other anchor points, you may be able to use their 'rules' to temporarily suppress or channel the tyranny within you, buying you time."

Yun Jin added softly, "My father's notes mentioned that there is a very faint resonance between the nine anchors. Perhaps... we can try to actively find and contact a relatively stable anchor point whose attributes do not completely conflict with the power within you, and briefly 'borrow' its power."

This proposal is extremely bold and fraught with danger. But for now, it seems to be a path worth considering.

Shi Yong slapped his thigh: "Then what are we waiting for? Brother Lu, tell me which anchor point you want to use for leverage, and we'll protect you there!"

Lu Li quickly weighed his options. The Sword Tomb was dormant, and his fighting spirit was unusable. The other anchor points were unpredictable, and most were dangerous. Suddenly, he recalled the fleeting glimpse of the ice crystal city and the black tornado when the Dark River Array was activated.

"The Northern Territory..." Lu Li said slowly, "The Prisoner's true form is in the Ruins of Return, and the source of power for the nine anchor points may also be reflected there. The Northern Territory may very well contain one or more 'manifestation sites' or 'secondary sealing points' of the anchor points. If we go to the Northern Territory, we can not only search for the Flame Pool, but also try to find anchor points to leverage their power, killing two birds with one stone."

The preliminary plan is as follows: Lu Li will seclude himself in the valley for a period of time to fully digest what he has learned; Elder Gu Song, Mo Xuan, and others will use the channels of Xinglin Valley and Tingxue Tower to collect all the information on the Northern Territory, the Pure World Flame Pool, and related anchor points; Lin Qingyuan and Yun Jin will assist in researching a temporary plan to stabilize Lu Li's internal condition; and Shi Yong will be responsible for guarding and preparing supplies.

In the days that followed, Apricot Grove Valley appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath. Outside the valley, spies from the Turbid Abyss Sect and the Demon-Slaying Guards became increasingly active, but dared not act rashly due to the strength and grand formation of Medicine King Valley. Inside the valley, everyone performed their duties, giving their all in preparation for the upcoming journey to the Northern Territory.

Seven days later, Lu Li emerged from seclusion. His aura had become even more restrained, and as he opened and closed his eyes, dark gold and crimson gold light flickered. Every gesture he made carried a harmonious and natural sword intent. The Shouzhuo Sword hung at his waist, its cracks shimmering with light, in harmony with his breath.

Elder Gusong handed him a new jade slip containing a compilation of intelligence on the northern border, several possible routes, and an encrypted map from Tingxuelou, marking several areas that appeared to be related to the ancient seal.

"This journey is far more dangerous than ever before," Elder Gusong said solemnly. "The valley will provide you with as much support as possible, but ultimately, you must walk this path on your own."

Lu Li's gaze swept over everyone.

"Tomorrow, we'll set off."

Objective: In the snowy northern plains, seek out the fiery pool, explore the ruins of the underworld, and with the power of the anchor point, confront the ultimate truth of the prisoner's origin.