Alert! The Dragon Lord has emerged from seclusion!

Yao Guang respectfully bowed to the twelve portraits, the gray and silver swirling mark on his forehead glowing faintly: "Thank you for the guidance of our ancestors."

"Go," the aged spirit said gently, and the twelve portraits simultaneously shone with starlight. "There are still unresolved karmic debts in this world that you need to settle."

"Remember, the starry sky will always be your support."

Starlight, like a waterfall, flowed down from the eyes of the portrait, converging in the center of the hall to form a rotating star gate. On the other side of the gate, the outline of the Kunlun Mountains could be faintly seen.

The eight people stepped into the star gate side by side.

Light and shadow shift, time and space change.

When they were back on solid ground, they were back in the Star Palace of Kunlun Starfall Valley. Outside the palace, the sun shone brightly, and birds sang sweetly amidst the fragrant flowers.

Shen Qingqiu quickly checked the timekeeping device he was carrying, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes behind his glasses: "A hundred years in the Star Spirit Ancestral Land... only one year has passed in the present world."

One year.

Fortunately.

"Contact Xiaoyao Valley first." Lin Chen's voice was as steady as ever, but his eyes held a deeper depth, like starlight that had settled over time.

The communication was quickly established.

The illusory image of Xuanbing Zhenren appeared, and seeing that the eight people were safe and sound, he visibly breathed a sigh of relief: "You're finally back!"

He stroked his beard, his gaze lingering on Yao Guang for a moment, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes: "The aura is harmonious, the starlight is restrained... Good, very good."

A lot happened this year.

Master Xuanbing's expression turned serious. "The East Sea has recovered its vitality, and the Eye of Return to Nothingness is completely calm, but the cultivation world is not peaceful."

"Three months ago, a newly opened 'ancient ruin' appeared in the Western Regions, which is suspected to be related to the Tianyan Sect, and various factions are vying for it."

"Furthermore..." he paused, "the remaining forces of the Zhao family in Jiangnan seem to be colluding with some secret organization and are operating in the shadows."

Lin Chen's eyes turned slightly cold: "The Zhao family... still haven't given up?"

"Just a clown jumping around." Master Xuanbing shook his head:

"But you should probably go and take a look at that ancient ruin."

"Before Senior Ji Yaoguang disappeared, she said that the Tianyan Sect still had its last legacy, which might be located there."

Lin Chen exchanged glances with the others.

There was not a moment's hesitation in those seven pairs of eyes.

"go."

……

The sky was clear and bright in the Star Palace Square.

After the illusory image of Xuanbing Zhenren dissipated, the eight people stood quietly for a moment, digesting the information of the past year.

"The Western Regions..." Ye Qingcheng held her sword, her eyebrows slightly raised, the Frost Soul Sword humming softly behind her: "That place is no gentler than the East Sea. The Gobi Desert is full of deadly things."

Su Qingxue's icy gaze swept over the crowd: "The ruins are related to the Tianyan Sect, we must go."

"What about the remnants of the Zhao family?" Qin Yurou asked softly. "Could they... be causing trouble in the shadows?"

A dim jade talisman appeared in Lin Chen's palm—it was sent by Ling Feng along with the message earlier, and contained several blurry images.

The location is on the outskirts of the "Black Sand City" in the Western Regions. Amidst the swirling yellow sand, a pyramid-shaped black building is slowly rising from the sea of ​​sand.

The building's surface is covered with star map runes similar to those of the Tianyan Sect, but with many additional twisted, dark red patterns.

At the edge of the screen, several dark figures flashed by.

Although their faces were not clearly visible, their movements and techniques clearly showed traces of assassins raised by the Zhao family.

"They're quick on their feet," Shen Qingqiu said, adjusting his glasses. "The ruins have only been exposed for three months, yet they've already managed to infiltrate the core area to film."

"They might not have infiltrated," Yao Guang suddenly said.

She stepped forward, her starry eyes fixed on the dark red patterns in the image, the gray-silver mark on her forehead glowing slightly: "These are 'Blood Sacrifice Resonance Runes'."

"A specific bloodline is required to safely pass through the outer barrier."

She paused, then looked at Lin Chen: "The Zhao family may possess relics of the Tianyan Sect's bloodline, or... the 'key' that Jiang Wuyai left them back then."

The air froze.

"Jiang Wuyai even foresaw this?" Ye Qingcheng gritted her teeth. "Just how many landmines did that old ghost plant?"

Lin Chen put away the jade talisman, and the chaotic energy in his palm circulated: "No matter how many there are, just dig them out one by one."

He turned to Yaoguang, his gaze softening: "Are you in a condition suitable for a long journey?"

Yao Guang raised his hand, and a soft halo of gray and silver appeared in his palm.

Within the halo, stars rose and fell, chaos flowed, stable yet restrained. She smiled slightly, her starry eyes holding both the profundity of a celestial spirit and the warmth of humanity:

"The four traits have reached a preliminary balance. Although I cannot exert my full power, I can protect myself. Moreover—"

She looked westward, her gaze slightly narrowed: "I have a familiar 'disgust' about those runes...maybe it can be of some help."

"Then let's get ready to go." Lin Chen looked around at everyone.

……

Seven days later.

Black Sand City, on the western frontier.

The city lives up to its name—its walls are built of the local black sandstone, which has been eroded by wind and sand, giving it a rough, sandpaper-like surface.

The buildings in the city were low, the streets were narrow, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of dust mixed with spices.

The eight people disguised themselves as a group of cultivators from the Central Plains who came to search for treasure and checked into the largest inn in the city, "Sand Sea Pavilion".

In a guest room on the third floor, Shen Qingqiu spread out a hand-drawn sheepskin map, which was densely marked with various colored symbols.

"The ruins are located 300 miles northwest of Black Sand City, and are known locally as the 'Black Pyramid'."

"It broke through the sand three months ago after the earthquake. It was initially about 100 feet tall, and then it grew on its own every day. Now it is 300 feet tall."

"Growth?" Mu Qingyao asked curiously, a faint rustling sound of Gu worms coming from the Miao embroidery bag in her hand.

"That's right." Shen Qingqiu pulled up several observation records and projected them on the wall. "It's not a physical accumulation, but rather more structures 'emerging' from underground."

"The part currently exposed is estimated to be only one-tenth of the whole."

Chu Ling'er hugged the sensory doll tightly and whispered, "I can feel... there are very sad and angry 'voices' there, many of them, layer upon layer."

Yao Guang closed his eyes and sensed for a moment, then the gray-silver vortex mark on his forehead glowed slightly: "It's vengeful spirits. A large number of cultivators' vengeful spirits are imprisoned inside the building, becoming the energy source to drive certain formations."

Su Qingxue's icy eyes flashed coldly: "Blood sacrifice?"

"Not only that." Yao Guang shook her head, a cold glint in her starry eyes. "It's an even more vicious 'Soul Refinement'—repeatedly torturing, crushing, and reassembling the soul to extract the purest power of resentment. This method..."

She paused for a moment, then said, "It really does sound like Jiang Wuyai's style."

Lin Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondering for a moment: "We must go in. But the main entrance is controlled by three major forces, and the secret passage is controlled by the Zhao family..."

His gaze swept over the crowd, a slight smile playing on his lips: "In that case, why don't we just 'fight' our way in fair and square?"

Ye Qingcheng's eyes lit up: "I like this!"

"No," Lin Chen shook his head, "it's not a real fight. We need to become 'distinguished guests' they have to invite in."

Three days later, a special auction was being held at the Golden Sands Pavilion, the largest auction house in Black Sand City.

On the stage, Shen Qingqiu, dressed in an elegant long dress and wearing gold-rimmed glasses, placed a jade slip on the display stand.

"This jade slip contains a complete map of the seven safe passages surrounding the Black Pyramid, as well as methods to break three deadly restrictions."

Her voice was calm, yet it caused an uproar in the audience.

"This item is from a reliable source; it is the result of three months of work by my team, at the cost of thirty-seven lives."

Shen Qingqiu adjusted his glasses. "Today's auction will be won by the highest bidder. We also welcome cooperation from all parties to exchange for the prize."

The entire auction house was in an uproar.

Inside the private room, representatives from the Iron Wolf Mercenary Group, the Golden Sands Chamber of Commerce, and the Zoroastrian Church stood up simultaneously.

In the corner, several figures wearing cloaks exchanged glances—these were the remnants of the Zhao family.

After the auction, the eight people were "invited" to the headquarters of the Iron Wolf Mercenary Group.

In the spacious hall, representatives from the three factions gathered, creating a subtle atmosphere.

"Gentlemen," said the Iron Wolf commander, a one-eyed giant with a gruff voice, "we have verified the route map you provided, and it is indeed effective."

The female manager of the Sands Chamber of Commerce interjected, "But this alone is not enough to get a share of the pie."

The high priest of the Zoroastrianism slowly opened his eyes, his eyes flashing with fire: "Unless you can open the inner 'Star Chart Chamber'."

Lin Chen smiled slightly: "That's exactly what I was thinking."

Yao Guang stepped forward, the gray-silver mark on his forehead lighting up: "However, we need to get rid of some... rats first."

Before she could finish speaking, she raised her hand and waved.

The starlight transformed into silver threads, instantly piercing through the wall and dragging out three dark figures hidden in the shadows.

It was Zhao's elite assassins!

"Does the Zhao family even deserve to lay a finger on the Tianyan Sect's legacy?" Yao Guang's voice was icy.

The expressions of the representatives from the three parties changed drastically.

They were completely unaware that someone was lying in wait!

Lin Chen slowly rose to his feet, his chaotic energy flowing naturally: "Everyone, now we can talk about cooperation."

Three days later, in front of the Black Pyramid.

Amidst swirling sand and dust, a towering black building, three hundred feet tall, stood majestically, its surface shrouded in flowing runes, exuding an eerie aura.

The eight people stood together with the elite teams selected by the three major forces in front of the entrance.

Yao Guang formed hand seals, and starlight flowed out, resonating with the runes on the building's surface.

"open--"

The ancient stone gate slowly opened, revealing a deep, dark passage.

The crowd filed in.

The inner walls of the passage were engraved with star maps and runes of the Tianyan Sect. Yao Guang lightly touched them with her fingertips, and the runes lit up with a soft silver light, guiding the way forward.

However, the deeper one goes, the more dark red additional lines appear, winding around the originally pure star map like blood vessels.

"These were added by Jiang Wuyai later." Yao Guang frowned. "He has corrupted the Tianyan Sect's heritage."

Suddenly, a piercing scream came from ahead.

Several mercenaries who rushed too fast triggered the restriction, their bodies instantly withered, their souls were extracted, and they turned into specks of light that disappeared into the wall.

"Step back!" Lin Chen shouted, unleashing his chaotic energy to protect everyone.

Chu Ling'er closed her eyes, spreading her spiritual power: "Ahead... something is awakening."

Rumbling--

The ground shook, and deep within the passage, twelve stone statues slowly rose to their feet.

They were clad in the standard armor of the Tianyan Sect, but their chests were inlaid with dark red crystals, and their eye sockets burned with eerie green flames.

"The guardian stone statue of the Tianyan Sect... has been corrupted into a killing puppet." Yao Guang's voice trembled. "Jiang Wuyai doesn't even spare his dead fellow disciples."

Lin Chen stepped forward: "Qingxue, Qingcheng, follow me to meet the enemy. The rest of you, cover Yaoguang as he breaks through the core restriction!"

The battle erupted instantly.

The stone statues possess astonishing combat power, each with the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator. What's even more terrifying is that they are immortal and indestructible, able to absorb energy from the walls and reassemble themselves after being shattered.

However, Lin Chen and his two companions cooperated seamlessly, and the three forces of Chaos, Profound Ice, and Frost Kill intertwined, managing to forcefully block the stone statue's attack.

Yao Guang, along with Shen Qingqiu, Qin Yurou, Chu Ling'er, and Mu Qingyao, quickly advanced deeper under Yao Guang's guidance.

Finally, they arrived at the heart of the ruins—a massive circular hall.

In the center of the main hall, a fragmented star core floated, radiating pure starlight. It was the last remaining core of the Heavenly Evolution Sect's legacy.

But the star core was bound by countless dark red chains, the other ends of which were connected to hundreds of cages around the hall—each cage imprisoning a soul struggling in agony.

"Using the souls of fellow disciples as a lock, sealing the sect's heritage..." Yao Guang's eyes were filled with tears, "Jiang Wuyai, you are so ruthless."

"Now is not the time for sorrow," Shen Qingqiu said calmly. "We must sever those chains and liberate the star core."

Qin Yurou took out a specially made soul-purifying incense: "This can temporarily soothe the soul."

Chu Ling'er used her spiritual power to communicate with her suffering fellow disciples: "Hang in there a little longer... you'll be free soon."

Mu Qingyao released the Soul-Devouring Gu, which gnawed at the dark red chains.

Yao Guang then focused all his efforts on analyzing the sealing formations surrounding the star core.

At that moment, a sudden change occurred!

Dozens of dark figures surged in at the entrance of the main hall—the remnants of the Zhao family and members of that mysterious organization!

The leader was an old man with a withered face, holding a dark red token in his hand, which was engraved with Jiang Wuyai's mark.

"Finally...it's happened." The old man's voice was hoarse.

"The master's final instruction—use the Heavenly Evolution Sect's legacy as a guide and the Seven Star Bloodlines as a sacrifice to open the final passage to the 'New Heavenly Dao'!"

He looked at Yao Guang, his eyes filled with madness: "A Celestial Spirit Body... the perfect sacrifice!"

The battle broke out again.

Lin Chen and his two companions fought and retreated, eventually reuniting with Yao Guang and the others.

"Their target is Yao Guang!" Su Qingxue's icy eyes sharpened.

"And the star core," Shen Qingqiu quickly analyzed. "They want to use the power of inheritance to complete the ritual that Jiang Wuyai didn't finish."

Lin Chen surveyed the battlefield: "Then let them see what true inheritance really is."

He looked at Yao Guang: "Can you break the seal on the star core?"

"Yes, but it will take time."

"We'll buy you time."

Eight people stood back to back, facing an enemy several times their size.

Lin Chen took a deep breath, and the chaotic little tree in his dantian swayed gracefully, the starlight patterns on its trunk lighting up.

"The Seven Stars Return to Their Positions—"

Su Qingxue, Ye Qingcheng, Shen Qingqiu, Qin Yurou, Chu Ling'er, and Mu Qingyao simultaneously injected their primal power into Lin Chen's body.

Yao Guang placed both hands on the star core, and the gray-silver vortex mark operated at full power, resonating with the star core.

The chaotic energy and the power of the seven stars merged, condensing into a gray spear in Lin Chen's palm.

Seven-colored halos flowed across the surface of the spear, and at its tip, a single point of starlight shone as brightly as the rising sun.

"Chaos - Seven Stars Break -"

The spear was thrown silently, yet it caused the entire space of the hall to begin to distort.

The old man's expression changed drastically, and he frantically activated the token, causing a burst of dark red light.

However, all efforts were in vain before the Chaos Seven Star Spear.

The moment the spear tip touched the dark red light, it was like a hot knife cutting through butter; all the impure power was purified and devoured.

"No—!!!" The old man let out his final scream as his body and the token turned to ashes.

Upon seeing this, the remaining enemies scattered and fled.

The hall returned to calm.

The mark on Yao Guang's forehead shone brightly, and the dark red chains on the surface of the star core broke inch by inch.

Hundreds of souls flew out of the cage, hovered around the star core, and finally turned into specks of starlight, merging into the star core.

The star core radiated an unprecedentedly pure light.

Within the light, twelve illusory figures emerged—the lingering remnants of the last elders of the Heavenly Evolution Sect.

They looked at Yaoguang, their eyes filled with relief.

"My child... the future of the Tianyan Sect is entrusted to you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the star core slowly flew into the gray-silver vortex mark on Yao Guang's forehead.

In an instant, the starlight around Yao Guang surged, and his aura rose steadily.

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her starry eyes seemed to reflect the entire universe.

"I understand..." she said softly, "The true inheritance of the Heavenly Evolution Sect is not power, not techniques, but... the will to protect."

She raised her hand, and starlight rained down, melting away the dark red patterns on the walls of the hall like ice and snow, restoring the original pure silver star map.

The black pyramid stopped "growing," and the eerie aura on its surface completely dissipated, transforming into a solemn and majestic silver pyramid.

The sandstorm gradually subsided.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the desert.

The eight people walked out of the ruins, followed by the remaining members of the three major forces, as well as the rescued cultivators from various sects.

The Iron Wolf Commander took a deep breath, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "From this day forward, the Western Regions will respect you all."

The Sands Chamber of Commerce and Zoroastrianism also issued statements.

Lin Chen shook his head: "We don't need to claim supremacy. We only hope that peace can be restored to the Western Regions, and this ruin... let it continue to slumber."

One month later, Kunlun Star Meteor Valley.

Inside the Star Palace Hall, the eight people gathered once again.

Yao Guang has completely integrated with the Tianyan Sect's inherited star core, and the mark on his forehead has transformed into a silver star mark, making his temperament even more profound and harmonious.

"The remnants of the Zhao family and that mysterious organization have been completely eradicated by the Seven Star Alliance," Shen Qingqiu reported the latest intelligence.

Su Qingxue's icy eyes softened: "The East China Sea, the South China Sea, Jiangnan... have all returned to peace."

Holding her sword, Ye Qingcheng smiled and said, "Finally, I can rest."

Qin Yurou said softly, "I want to go back to the South China Sea to see my father, and also to see the Spirit Medicine Business Division..."

Chu Ling'er and Mu Qingyao exchanged a smile: "We want to go back to Miao territory and Northern Xinjiang for a visit."

Lin Chen looked at everyone and smiled, "Then let's go."

He paused for a moment: "But don't forget, this will always be our home."

Yao Guang walked to his side, took his hand, and her starry eyes sparkled: "No matter where we go, we will come back."

He paused, then looked at the others: "Would you like to come with me?"

A gentle smile appeared in Yao Guang's starry eyes: "Of course, wherever you go, I—no, we—will be by your side."

"Sisters, you all agree, right?"

"agree."

"agree!"

[The End]