If I, a death row inmate, am not to become a demon, am I to become a member of the Imperial Guard?

The stone bricks of the corridor were damp. The sounds underfoot were swallowed up by the walls, making them sound particularly dry.

Zhou Yang continued to lead, his fingers lightly tracing the marks left by the rolled-up animal hide map. A white patch was rubbed off the edge of the map by his rolled-up fingers, as if reminding him that every judgment he made was being eroded.

"We've reached the corner." Qin Shuang's voice was calm, but it carried a tension that was different from usual.

The path was still the same. The wall lamps in the corridor were spaced exactly the same, as if any turn in any direction was just an illusion. Walking forward, turning right as you came, and following the niche on the left, the gray doorway reappeared before you.

"I'm back again." Qin Shuang spoke quickly, her responsible tone revealing that she was suppressing everything.

"I've never seen an arrangement like this before," Blacksteel said in a low voice. His sword tip pointed towards the doorway. "Every path leads to one result, and the result is always this corner."

Yan Feng clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white, and the scroll of his family's secret technique on his back began to heat up. He stepped forward and began to chant the incantation in a low voice. The technique was renowned for its ability to penetrate barriers, but at this moment, he preferred to hold onto a sliver of doubt.

"Let's make a vow together!" His voice echoed deep into the corridor.

The light rays hitting the wall were instantly pulled apart, standing up like animal fur. The wall trembled slightly, as if pushed by an invisible hand.

"Go!" Yan Feng swung his sword. He used his family's golden needles to pierce along the nodes of the formation.

The needle tip pierced through the wall and became a stream of light, which was instantly swallowed up as if absorbed by the wall, leaving not even a ripple.

"No rebound." Yan Feng cursed under his breath, his face turning pale. He turned around and threw it at the wall again, with the same result.

"It's 'eating' energy." Zhou Yang looked up, his gaze sweeping over every inch of the stone surface, the sweat from his palms being crumpled inside his black gloves.

Black Steel turned to look at Qin Shuang, "Master, this is an unsolvable maze of rules." There was a weightless silence in his voice.

"Watch out ahead." Qin Shuang gestured for them not to move. She noticed that several Black Steel Squad scouts beside her were walking further and further away, discerning subtle movements.

"Why haven't they come back yet?" Kurogane followed forward, step by step approaching the corner where they had disappeared.

The road twisted further, then turned back. The group walked further, their steps no longer heavy, but as if they were walking on air.

"..." There was silence for a moment. Suddenly, a deep, muffled sound came from deep within, as if some mechanism had been triggered. The breathing of the scout who had stopped stopped, and the others were still unaware.

"It's gone." Qin Shuang didn't exclaim in surprise, but her voice was a little softer.

The corridor ahead was once again cut off by darkness, with only the shimmering shadow of the portal swaying in the distance. The portal resembled a floating disc, its edges slowly rotating. Strange patterns were engraved on it, and its pale light shone like water.

"Why is it still here?" Kurogane reached out, only to see the portal, like a hazy mist, getting closer and further away. Every step he took felt like being pulled in mid-air; his feet felt like they were stepping on elastic fabric, and his steps gradually became weak.

A powdery scent hung in the air, tinged with moisture. Their breaths seemed stretched out within this labyrinth.

"I can't do it." Kurogane bit his lip, struggling to keep his voice from crumbling. "It's the rule, and it's the end."

Zhou Yang looked up at the portal. For some reason, he seemed to see a familiar face on it. It wasn't someone in reality, but just a dotted line that kept appearing in his mind as he pondered.

"It wants us to go in circles," Zhou Yang whispered, his voice sounding as if he were hearing it himself. "The rules have space as their shell and will as their needle."

"So what?" Yan Feng's eyes reddened. "We'll change the rules."

"It's not that simple." Qin Shuang straightened up. "The ambushing troops are remembering our every direction. There's no way forward, and the path back is blocked."

"Black Steel," Zhou Yang looked at him, "Don't act rashly. The corridor won't break open."

Black Steel had already transformed into a shadow, taking another step. He wanted to get closer to the portal. Every three steps, a halo of light appeared on the surrounding stone walls. The halo seemed weak, yet it felt like a hand staring intently at him.

"Master." He glanced sideways instinctively, his voice becoming strained. Qin Shuang nodded at him, her eyes dry, but a wolf lurked deep within them.

"Alright." Kurogane stopped. His hand slowly tightened around his weapon, as if he were about to unleash a sword strike that would cut through the air at any moment.

"We need to know the rules!" Yan Feng gritted his teeth. "They're changing, but there must be trigger points."

"Rules..." Qin Shuang looked up at the gate of light, "It memorizes our location, and even remembers our breathing."

"It might be part of the original array." Zhou Yang's gaze traced back along the portal. "We're not navigating a maze; we're circling our own shadows."

As he spoke, a faint light emerged from behind the door. A thin crack suddenly appeared in the distant stone wall, as if some mechanism had been tested. A soft hum came from the crack, like the sound of a gentle breeze.

"We should remain still and let things unfold," Zhou Yang said. "Let it remember us, and then let it make mistakes on its own."

"How did it go wrong?" Qin Shuang asked.

"Let's play a game with it." Zhou Yang pointed to the portal. "I'll create a 'starting point' in front of it. We'll stop leaping and instead make this starting point our direction."

"It sounds like he's negotiating with the onlookers." Yan Feng smiled slightly, but his smile betrayed a hidden wound.

"I'll take down the portal." Zhou Yang's eyes flashed with coldness. "Then we'll take a completely unfamiliar path."

"Perhaps even the sense of unfamiliarity will disappear." Qin Shuang pursed her lips.

"Then let it crumble in the unfamiliar." Zhou Yang stopped, his eyes turning cold. He tapped a rhythm on the hilt of his sword with his fingers. The rhythm seemed to be a testament to his continued existence.

Black Steel's voice became low and drawn out, "Master, this is an unsolvable maze of rules."

The surrounding air seemed to drop heavily because of this asymmetrical struggle. The portal remained suspended, forbidding any heartbeat from approaching. Just then, the shadows in the corridor suddenly solidified into a slit, as if drawing their attention.

Zhou Yang approached, reaching his hand into the crack. The group behind him fell silent in the deathly stillness, their steps faltering in a state of anticipation.

"Look at it," he whispered, "It doesn't hide, it just stands right at the doorway."

Chapter 546 Life-Burning Deduction (Closed Loop 3 - Accumulation Phase)

Zhou Yang's fingers stopped in front of the gap.

It was a very narrow slit, only two fingers wide. It was pitch black inside, as if it could absorb all the light.

Black Steel leaned closer, his voice very low.

"Master, this looks like a door."

"Not entirely." Zhou Yang withdrew his hand, turned to look at the crowd, and said, "Everyone, step back."

The exiles and the slaves of Qingyan Guard stood frozen in place. They did not understand the meaning of the order.

Black Steel immediately shouted, "Didn't you hear me? Stand back!"

The crowd began to move, gradually moving away from the gap. They retreated to the other end of the corridor, watching from a distance.

Zhou Yang walked to Qin Shuang's side.

Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes were full of worry.

"Keep an eye on them," Zhou Yang said softly. "I need some time."

Qin Shuang paused for a moment.

"You're going to... again?"

Zhou Yang nodded.

"This time, the knot is a bit big."

He found a relatively flat rocky spot to sit down, moving slowly as if conserving his strength. Then he took the fragment of the dragon's spine from his pocket and carefully placed it on his lap.

The fragment remained unchanged, its surface covered with fine lines, resembling some kind of ancient script. In the labyrinth's light, those lines flickered in and out of focus.

Zhou Yang closed his eyes.

He felt the flow of life. Like warm river water, flowing quietly through his body.

[Burning life: 50 years.]

The thought arose without the slightest hesitation.

50 years.

For an ordinary person, it represents most of their life. For Zhou Yang, it's merely the cost of a single transaction.

He felt his body suddenly become lighter. Not in a relaxed, light way, but rather with a hollow feeling as if something had been pulled out. Like a bucket full of water whose stopper had suddenly been pulled.

But no one knew this. To outsiders, he simply sat quietly.

Only Qin Shuang noticed.

She saw Zhou Yang's eyelashes trembling. The trembling was very slight, like a butterfly fluttering its wings. His face was also changing, slowly losing its color, as if some invisible force had drained his life force away.

She wanted to say something, but in the end she bit her lip.

Zhou Yang said he needed time.

At this moment, all she could do was give him time.

In Zhou Yang's mind, the world is collapsing and rebuilding.

A massive flow of information rushed in like a torrent.

It wasn't fragmented pieces, nor vague perceptions, but a terrifyingly complete deduction.

He saw the essence of this labyrinth of rules.

This is not a protective formation of some ancient ruin. It is not a training ground.

This is a huge computing device.

Those beings of light are not guards, nor are they illusions. They are the processors of this device. Each being of light is performing a specific computational task.

These intruders are abnormal data.

The device is processing abnormal data.

Zhou Yang's mind raced through the flood of information. He saw the diagram of the maze, the connection of each corridor, and the working principle of each light door.

He also saw the rules.

Those seemingly random rules actually have strict mathematical logic. They are not meant to trap people, but to calibrate data.

The Light People will disappear not because they are defeated, but because they have completed their computational tasks and are being recycled.

"I see," Zhou Yang murmured to himself.

He saw the truth behind that crack.

That's not a door, it's an interface.

An interface that can be connected to this computing device.

However, access comes at a cost. It requires a significant amount of computing power.

In this world, lifespan is the purest form of computing power.

His 50-year lifespan granted him access.

The information flow continues to surge.

Zhou Yang saw a way out. Not by breaking through the maze, but by utilizing it.

He noticed a detail he had overlooked. Before disappearing, each of the luminous figures made a subtle movement: their right little finger would bend slightly.

That's a signal that data transmission is complete.

It is also a restart command.

"Found it."

Zhou Yang's consciousness began to contract. He was no longer passively receiving information, but actively taking control.

He found a way to restart the entire device.

That requires precise timing down to the millisecond. It requires touching a specific light gate at a specific time, from a specific angle.

The success rate is not high.

But enough.

From the outside, Qin Shuang watched as Zhou Yang's face grew paler and paler.

She couldn't help but walk over to him and squat down.

"Zhou Yang?" she called softly.

No one responded.

Zhou Yang's body was still trembling slightly. The trembling was becoming more and more obvious, like he had malaria.

Qin Shuang wanted to take his hand, but was afraid of disturbing him. Her fingers hovered in mid-air, and in the end, she simply placed them lightly on his shoulder.

"Hold on."

She didn't know why she said that. But she felt she had to say something.

Black Steel was also watching from afar.

He couldn't see Zhou Yang's expression, only his back. A lonely figure sitting on the cold ground.

The air around was very quiet.

You can't even hear them breathing.

In Zhou Yang's mind, the final information was being organized.

He devised a plan.

A crazy plan.

It requires everyone's cooperation, perfect timing, and a bit of luck.

But most importantly, he needs to carry it out personally.

He slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes were very bloodshot, as if he had been up for three days and three nights.

"I'm all better."

His voice was a little hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

Qin Shuang breathed a sigh of relief.

Are you alright?

Zhou Yang shook his head and stood up. His knees felt a little weak, but he quickly regained his balance.

"fine."

He put the dragon spine fragment back into his pocket, then turned to look at the crowd.

"Listen to me," his voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him clearly, "we need to get out of here."

Black Steel strode over.

"Master, have you found the way?"

"Found it." Zhou Yang looked at the gap, "but it's not the kind of path you're thinking of."

He began to explain the plan.

The process was complicated, but he explained it very simply.

"We'll split into two groups," he said, pointing to some people in the crowd. "You guys come with me. The rest of you, follow Qin Shuang and stand in that corner."

People started to move.

No one questioned it. Because they saw the look in Zhou Yang's eyes.

It was a look that could convince anyone.

Zhou Yang walked to a door of light.

This door was no different from the others, radiating the same soft light.

"Remember, when I say 'now,'" he looked at everyone, "everyone, don't move."

Qin Shuang stood in the designated position, her hand on the hilt of the knife at her waist.

She didn't understand what Zhou Yang was going to do, but she trusted him.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath.

He felt his heart racing and his blood boiling.

The loss of 50 years of lifespan came at a price. His body felt completely drained, every cell protesting.

But he has to hold on.

He raised his right hand and slowly extended it toward the gate of light.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment.

He saw the surface of the light gate begin to ripple, saw dust particles swirling in the air, and saw a fleeting look of worry in Qin Shuang's eyes.

Right now.

"Now!"

His fingers touched the light gate.

It's not about pushing it away, nor is it about knocking it.

It's a gentle caress.

It's like touching a lover's face.

The portal began to tremble violently.

Then, the entire maze began to change.

The corridors twisted, the light gates moved, and the ground undulated.

The vanished light beings have reappeared.

But this time, they didn't attack anyone.

They just stood there, as if the pause button had been pressed.

Zhou Yang turned to look at the crowd.

"Walk!"

Everyone started running.

They rushed toward the crevice.

The once pitch-black crevice was now radiating a dazzling light.

It's like an entrance to another world.

Zhou Yang turned around one last time.

He glanced back at the collapsing maze.

The corners of his mouth rose slightly.

"Finally solved."

His body swayed, and he almost fell.

Qin Shuang immediately helped him up.

"How are you?"

"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired." Zhou Yang leaned against her. "Let me rest for a bit."

The crowd passed through the gap and disappeared into the light.

In the end, only Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang remained.

"Let's go," Zhou Yang said softly.

The two walked into the light together.

Behind them, the labyrinth of rules slowly returned to calm.

The luminous figure disappeared, and the corridor returned to its original state.

It was as if nothing had happened.

Only the faint mark on the ground proves that someone was here.

The shape of the mark resembles a butterfly.

The sound of the avenue

Zhou Yang sat cross-legged, his consciousness quietly sinking into his sea of ​​consciousness.

He saw his consciousness floating silently, surrounded by countless shimmering points of light. Each point of light represented a law, containing the most profound rules of the universe.

At this moment, these chains of laws are slowly rotating around his consciousness.

Zhou Yang stretched out his right hand, and the fragment of the dragon's spine appeared out of thin air.

It emits a faint blue light, which seems to contain boundless power.

Zhou Yang gripped the fragment tightly.

Blue flames rose up, enveloping his consciousness.

Zhou Yang's figure underwent a subtle change at this moment.

He seemed to have transformed into a sword, a divine sword that was entirely azure and incomparably sharp.

Countless runes flowed across the sword's blade, emanating a chilling aura.

With a thought, Zhou Yang's consciousness flew towards the depths of his sea of ​​consciousness.

There, he found what he had been searching for—the Origin Corridor.

It was a river woven from countless chains of laws, flowing through the entire sea of ​​consciousness.

Each chain of laws represents a rule, whether it be time, space, fate, or cause and effect.

They intertwine and constitute the essence of the world.

Zhou Yang knew that as long as he could comprehend the Origin Corridor, he could truly control his own destiny.

No longer subject to the so-called system, no longer a pawn in someone else's hands.

He took a deep breath, and his consciousness, transformed into sword light, rushed towards the Origin Corridor.

"boom--"

A loud bang.

Zhou Yang felt as if he had crashed into an invisible wall.

That wall was woven from countless chains of laws, making it indestructible.

But Zhou Yang did not back down.

He launched another attack.

once.

twice.

Ten times.

One hundred times.

Each impact caused the wall to tremble slightly.

But at the same time, it also dimmed Zhou Yang's consciousness.

This is not the way to go.

Zhou Yang stopped.

He hovered before the Origin Corridor, carefully observing the chains of laws.

These chains of laws are intricate and intertwined.

Forcing a breakthrough will only result in your own destruction.

We must find the key nodes.

Zhou Yang closed his eyes, spread his divine sense, and carefully sensed the rhythm of the chains of laws.

Time passed by, second by second.

At one moment, Zhou Yang suddenly opened his eyes.

He found it.

At the heart of the Origin Corridor lies a completely different chain of laws.

This chain of laws is pure gold and emits a warm light.

Unlike other chains of laws, it appears somewhat lonely.

But Zhou Yang knew that this was what he was looking for—the laws of Heaven.

If he can sever this chain of laws, he can break free from the shackles of this world.

Zhou Yang raised the dragon spine fragment in his hand again.

The blue sword light flickered erratically, emanating a chilling aura.

"cut!"

Zhou Yang let out a low roar and slashed at the golden chain of laws with his sword.

"Click—"

A crisp sound.

A crack appeared on the golden chain of laws.

Zhou Yang was overjoyed and swung his sword again.

"Click—"

The cracks are getting bigger and bigger.

Finally, with the third sword strike, the golden chains of law snapped completely.

"boom--"

His entire sea of ​​consciousness trembled.

The chains of laws that originally surrounded Zhou Yang began to crumble and dissipate.

Zhou Yang felt his body become much lighter.

It was as if an invisible shackle had been broken.

He succeeded!

Zhou Yang opened his eyes and found himself back in reality.

Qin Shuang, Hei Gang, and the others were looking at him with concern.

"How is it?" Qin Shuang asked.

Zhou Yang smiled slightly: "It's a success."

Kurogane breathed a sigh of relief: "Master, you scared us to death just now."

Zhou Yang waved his hand: "It's nothing, I've just gained a slight understanding."

He felt the surging power within him.

This is true power.

No longer dependent on the system, no longer consuming lifespan.

Instead, they broke free from the constraints of the rules through their own efforts.

"Where do we go next?" Qin Shuang asked.

Zhou Yang looked into the distance: "Keep moving forward."

"There are still people who need our help."

He stood up, his gaze sharp as a knife.

It's time to settle accounts with the Heavenly Principle Sect.

Temple Core

Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang passed through the gap.

The sensation underfoot has changed.

It was no longer the cold, hard jade found in the corridors. Instead, it was some kind of warm, smooth material, soft to the touch.

They arrived at a completely new corridor.

All around were walls that seemed to stretch endlessly. Soft white light flowed through the walls, illuminating the place as bright as day. The light wasn't harsh; instead, it possessed a strange, soothing power.

At the end of the corridor, a door of light floats in the air.

The door seemed to be woven from pure light, its surface smooth as a mirror, yet it had no substance. It floated there silently, exuding an aura of eternity. It was as if it had been there since the beginning of the world, and would remain until the world's destruction.

Black Steel and several other Imperial Guard captains followed. They looked at the eerie corridor and the unreachable door of light, their faces filled with solemnity.

"Where is this place?" a captain asked in a low voice.

No one can answer that.

The air here is so quiet. So quiet you can hear your own heartbeat.

Qin Shuang gripped the embroidered spring knife at her waist. She looked at Zhou Yang. He was staring intently at the door of light, his gaze unwavering.

After emerging from the rule-based maze, Zhou Yang became very silent. He leaned against the wall and rested for a while before his complexion regained some color.

"Zhou Yang?" Qin Shuang called him softly.

Zhou Yang did not respond.

His entire being seemed to be immersed in that door of light.

Time passed second by second.

Nothing happened.

The corridor is still the same corridor. The door of light is still the same door of light.

Black Steel's patience was being worn down. He paced back and forth, his footsteps making a soft sound on the warm, smooth ground.

"Master, what should we do? Just wait here?" he couldn't help but ask.

Zhou Yang still looks like a statue.

Qin Shuang stopped Hei Gang, who wanted to go forward again, and shook her head at him.

She could sense that Zhou Yang's state was very wrong. It wasn't fatigue, nor injury. It was a kind of...focus. A focus that allowed him to completely detach himself from reality and immerse himself in some deeper level of confrontation.

Like two chess masters, the chessboard is empty, but in their minds, there are already thousands of troops and endless battles.

suddenly.

The entire primordial corridor trembled violently.

"boom!"

A muffled thud came from deep underground. The ground beneath their feet seemed to turn into waves, and everyone lost their footing, staggering and falling.

"What's going on?!"

"Was there an earthquake?"

Panic spread through the crowd.

The white light flowing within the walls began to flicker wildly, sometimes bright, sometimes dim, like an old oil lamp with a faulty connection. The lighting throughout the space became unstable.

Black Steel's expression changed drastically: "Master!"

Qin Shuang steadied herself and immediately looked at Zhou Yang.

He remained standing there. His body swayed slightly with the tremors, but his feet seemed nailed to the ground, and his gaze remained fixed on the portal of light.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

It slid down her cheek and dripped onto the ground.

Just then, a very fine crack appeared on the seemingly eternal and unchanging light gate.

It's very thin, like a strand of hair.

It would be completely unnoticed unless everyone was watching it closely.

After the crack appeared, the vibrations did not stop; instead, they became even more intense.

More cracks spread from the source of the first crack, like a spider web after ice has been shattered by a heavy object. They expanded silently, covering the entire portal.

The light gate was no longer a flawless mirror. It had become a work of art on the verge of breaking.

"It's...it's going to break?" A captain couldn't believe his eyes.

Kurogane opened his mouth wide, unable to utter a single word.

To him, the door seemed indestructible. It wasn't a physical entity, it didn't exhibit energy fluctuations, and it wasn't bound by any restrictive laws. It was simply "there," like an axiom, a definition. You can't attack a definition.

But now, this axiom is being broken.

And it seems that only Zhou Yang could have accomplished all of this.

Zhou Yang slowly closed his eyes.

Beads of sweat clung to his long eyelashes, trembling slightly. His lips were pressed into a straight line, and all the muscles in his face were tense.

It's as if they're under immense pressure.

Qin Shuang's heart was in her throat. She wanted to go forward, but she was afraid of disturbing him. She could only stand there, her palms sweating profusely.

The cracks on the light gate became more numerous and denser.

Blinding white light shone through every crack. The entire portal seemed to contain a sun about to explode.

"Boom!"

Another, even more violent tremor.

Dust fell softly from the ceiling.

Finally, Zhou Yang opened his eyes.

What kind of eyes were those?

Gone was the usual playfulness and scheming. Gone was the intense focus from before. It was empty, yet it seemed to contain the entire starry sky. Profound, serene, yet imbued with a chilling majesty.

He let out a soft breath.

That long breath carried away all his fatigue and tension.

Then, he stood up straight.

The movements were not fast, even somewhat slow. But each step seemed to carry a certain rhythm, blending into the pulse of the space.

He walked step by step toward the cracked door of light.

Hei Gang and Qin Shuang instinctively made way for him.

Everyone held their breath.

Zhou Yang walked to the gate of light. He stopped, standing only an arm's length away from the door that was about to break.

He could feel the vast aura emanating from behind the door.

You can also feel the final "power of rules" resisting through this door.

Like the last servant blocking the door, even though he knew the door was about to be forced open, he still stretched out his thin arm to make a final stand.

Zhou Yang smiled.

He raised his right hand.

He gently waved his hand towards the gate of light.

The movements were very gentle, like brushing a fallen leaf off a lover's shoulder.

His lips moved slightly, uttering a single word.

"open."

The character is small and light.

But it was clearly transmitted to everyone's ears.

--boom!!!

There was no earth-shattering noise.

It sounded more like a bubble bursting.

But the moment the sound rang out, the entire light gate shattered!

Instead of shattering into fragments, it instantly broke down into billions of tiny points of light. It was like a grand firefly ball, or a sky full of stars on a summer night.

Golden, silver, and blue specks of light scattered and danced in all directions.

Some touched the wall, leaving brief patches of light. Others brushed against people's cheeks, bringing a warm sensation.

The entire corridor was filled with these dazzling lights.

Everyone was stunned.

They had never seen such a beautiful and breathtaking sight.

The light dissipated.

Where the portal disappeared, the real passage was revealed.

That wasn't a door, nor was it a corridor.

It is a huge, bottomless underground cavity.

The void was vast, stretching as far as the eye could see. Above were jagged black rocks, resembling the throat of an ancient behemoth. All around were sheer cliffs, adorned with crystals emitting a faint blue glow, casting an eerie light upon the darkness.

An ancient, vast, and magnificent aura wafted out from the depths of the hollow.

It's like opening an ancient tomb that has been sealed for millions of years.

"This...this is..." Kurogane murmured to himself.

Qin Shuang was also so shocked that she couldn't speak.

The interior of the temple was surprisingly like this.

Zhou Yang stood at the edge of the void, his gaze fixed on the center.

His pupils suddenly contracted.

In the very center of the vast, empty space, something floats suspended.

A crystal.

A huge crystal, as big as a water tank.

Its entire body is a pure gold, as if it were formed from the core of the sun. Its surface is not smooth, but covered with countless fine, natural patterns. Light flows between the patterns, as if it were a living thing.

It just floated there quietly, slowly rotating.

With each rotation, it emits a visible golden halo.

Wherever the halo swept across, the air became filled with life. The blue crystals on the cliffs, which were originally just glowing, became even more dazzling after being touched by the golden halo, and even grew a few small, translucent crystal leaves.

An indescribable life force emanated from the golden crystal.

That's not ordinary vitality.

That is the source of vitality, life itself.

Zhou Yang felt a warm current flow into his body. The fatigue he had experienced from exhausting his mind was swept away in that instant. Every cell in his body rejoiced under the nourishment of this energy.

He felt like a seedling that was about to dry up, which had encountered a timely spring rain.

He felt like a candle flame about to go out, being filled with a whole bucket of lamp oil.

This aura was a fatal temptation to him. It was a treasure countless times more precious than any rare and precious materials or divine martial arts manuals.

Because he could sense that this aura and his burning "lifespan" were of the same origin.

No.

If his lifespan is a stream, then this crystal is a boundless ocean!

Just as Zhou Yang was stunned by this aura, the long-lost, mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind.

[High-purity "Heart of the World" source detected...]

[Substance analysis in progress... Analysis complete.]

Energy level: Unable to estimate.

[Compatibility with the source code: 100%]

Should we proceed with the conversion?

[The conversion is expected to increase lifespan by 100,000 years.]

Entrance to the Heart of the World

One hundred thousand years.

This number exploded in Zhou Yang's mind.

Not a thousand years, not ten thousand years.

It is ten ten thousand years.

He couldn't even imagine what this span of time meant. From the time he could remember, to the day he came into this world, the years he had lived seemed as insignificant as a speck of dust in the face of these numbers.

For a moment, Zhou Yang's breath caught in his throat.

He could feel his heart pounding wildly in his chest, each beat heavy and powerful, making his eardrums buzz. The blood in his limbs seemed to be surging, carrying an unprecedented burning sensation.

This is not because of fear.

This is pure, unadulterated...desire.

He felt like a traveler who had spent half his life trekking through the desert, and suddenly a truly boundless ocean appeared before him. That impulse, emanating from the depths of his soul, almost made him rush over recklessly, utterly engulfing him.

His knuckles turned white from gripping the dragon spine fragment tightly. The fragment's icy touch brought him back to a slight sense of clarity.

What's the cost?

The system never makes a losing deal. Such terrifying profits must come at an unimaginable cost. What exactly is required for the transformation? Is it this fragment of the dragon's spine? Or something else entirely?

He stared intently at the golden crystal floating in front of him.

The crystal wasn't large, only about the size of a fist. It hung silently in mid-air, like a star that had been plucked from the sky. All the surrounding light, the golden particles flowing from the dome, and the curves projected onto the ground seemed to be slowly and steadily absorbed by it.

Its surface is not smooth; it is covered with tiny runes that are difficult to see with the naked eye. These runes seem to be alive, slowly flowing, combining, and splitting on the crystal surface to form a kind of eternally changing pattern.

Each change causes a subtle distortion in the light surrounding the crystal.

"Zhou Yang".

Qin Shuang's voice was very soft, yet it was like a needle, precisely piercing his dazed state.

He snapped back to reality and realized something was wrong with him. He forced down the turmoil in his heart and regained his usual calm.

He turned his head.

Qin Shuang and Hei Gang have already taken action.

They didn't approach the crystal, but instead busied themselves in an area surrounding it. Qin Shuang took out several palm-sized jade plates, engraved with intricate patterns, from her bosom and directed Hei Gang to place them in specific positions.

Black Steel's movements were steady, each step firm and solid. He placed the jade plate on the ground, where the soft surface felt like a resilient carpet, making not a sound. As soon as the jade plate was in place, its surface immediately shone with a faint light, echoing the other jade plates in the distance.

A simple array, centered on a crystal, quickly took shape.

"The energy field here is very stable, but also very exclusive," Qin Shuang said without looking up, adjusting the angle of the jade disc. "If we approach directly, we might be repelled or even injured. Let's use the 'Four Directions Suppressing Yuan Formation' to lock down this area and create a window of opportunity for contact."

Her tone was calm, as if everything before her was still under her control.

Zhou Yang nodded without saying a word. He followed Qin Shuang's gaze to his feet.

Faint footprints remained where he had just stepped. The fragment of the dragon's spine was now radiating a brighter glow than before. Golden rays of light spilled from the fragment's cracks, falling to the ground and tracing countless intricate, ever-extending curves.

These curves were not random. They seemed to follow some supreme law, intersecting and forming a three-dimensional diagram that he couldn't understand at all. At the center of the diagram was the suspended golden crystal.

The fragments of the dragon's spine seem to resonate with this space.

"Alright." Qin Shuang stood up and patted non-existent dust off her hands.

The four jade plates were now in their places, and a pale blue light curtain rose between them, enveloping the central crystal. The light curtain was not dazzling; rather, it resembled a thin layer of mist. The light emitted by the crystal passed through the light curtain, becoming much softer.

"Now, it's your turn." Qin Shuang looked at Zhou Yang. "Your item is most resonant with this place. You give it a try."

She pointed to the edge of the light screen, where there was an empty space, seemingly reserved specifically for Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath.

The sweet yet sharp scent in the air made his mind even clearer. He strode forward and walked to the light screen.

The closer he got, the greater the pressure from the crystal became. It wasn't physical weight, but a kind of oppressive force originating from a higher level of life. Like an ant looking up at a towering tree.

He could sense the immense energy contained within the crystal. That energy was vast, ancient, and filled with the most primal life force.

that's it.

The system message reads "The Origin of the Heart of the World".

He reached out and held the dragon spine fragment up to his eyes. The flowing golden curves on the fragment perfectly overlapped with the patterns on the ground. A pulling force emanated from the fragment, guiding his hand to the center of the light screen, to the brightest point of the golden crystal.

Kurogane stood to the side, looking tense, his hands already on the hilt of his sword. Qin Shuang, meanwhile, crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on Zhou Yang and Jingliang, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

The entire enormous cavity was deathly silent.

The only sound that can be heard is an extremely faint "humming" sound as the crystal absorbs light.

Zhou Yang's fingertips were only an inch away from the light screen.

He could feel the warm touch emanating from the light screen, like touching a layer of warm water. Further ahead was the heart-pounding energy field emanating from the crystal.

The mechanical voice still echoed in his mind.

Should we proceed with the conversion?

[The conversion is expected to increase lifespan by 100,000 years.]

Below are two unreal options.

【whether】.

Qin Shuang, Hei Gang, this mysterious space, and this crystal representing a lifespan of 100,000 years—everything converged at his fingertips, at the very moment he was about to touch the crystal.

He no longer hesitated.

Zhou Yang's gaze hardened. No matter the cost, he had to get it first. In this world, only power held in one's own hands is real.

He slowly and firmly reached the dragon spine fragment toward the golden crystal.

The metal tip passed through a misty curtain of light.

There was no violent rejection as expected, nor any terrifying energy burst.

Everything was eerily calm.

The tip of the dragon spine fragment touched the surface of the crystal.

The moment they made contact, the whole world seemed to go silent.

"Buzz—"

A loud and distant roar did not come from his ears, but exploded directly in the depths of his soul.

The golden crystal, which had been slowly absorbing light, suddenly shone with dazzling light! The blinding golden light instantly engulfed everything, leaving Zhou Yang with only pure white before his eyes.

The dragon spine fragment in his hand emitted a tearing hum, and the light on its surface surged wildly, as if it were about to be completely absorbed by the crystal.

Qin Shuang and Hei Gang were both forced back several steps by the sudden burst of light, and they raised their hands to shield their eyes.

In Zhou Yang's mind, the interface that awaited his choice suddenly changed.

Touching the very essence of the "heart of the world"...

The "dragon spine fragment" that served as the carrier resonated with the origin...

[Compatibility: 100%... Confirmed.]

The conversion channel is now open.

Please confirm the conversion command.

Golden Corridor

The dragon spine fragment trembled slightly in his hand. Zhou Yang lightly tapped his fingertip, feeling the intense heat within the fragment. Before the golden crystal, light patterns meandered like blood vessels.

"Let it follow the energy first," Zhou Yang muttered to himself. He gently placed the fragment on the crystal surface.

The blue light from the fragment immediately seeped into the patterns. Blue and gold light intertwined in the air, like two musical notes dancing on an invisible score. The beam of light blossomed into fine threads, slowly sliding along the crystal's grooves.

Each slide was accompanied by a slight buzzing sound. The buzzing vibrated on his eardrums, like distant drumbeats. Zhou Yang closed his eyes, and a map of light spots appeared in his mind.

Light spots appear on the wall. They are arranged at intervals, forming regular chains. The outermost light spots are slightly lighter in color. A "pulse node" flashes at the center point.

The system pops up a prompt: [The node needs to be pressed at three points simultaneously].

Zhou Yang observed that there were three grooves next to each pulse node. The grooves emitted a faint blue afterglow.

Black Steel stood to one side, forming black iron runes in his hands. The runes emitted a dim glow, instantly forming a barrier around them.

Qin Shuang set up a silver array eye at the other end. The silver light was like water, blocking out external noise and airflow.

The two protective barriers intersect, forming a circular voltage-stabilized zone. Zhou Yang's consciousness is fixed at the center of this zone, undisturbed by external forces.

The system continued to display the message: "[The node resonance frequency must match the Song of Breaking the Law]".

【Optional Combinations】

① Low C - Middle E - High G

② Low D - Middle F - High A

③ Low E - Middle G - High B

④ Low F - Middle A - High C

Each of the four groups of notes has a different waveform. If the frequencies are mismatched, the node will malfunction, and may even trigger a reverse impulse.

Zhou Yang took a deep breath. His mind rapidly replayed the vibrations of each musical note. Blue light danced at his fingertips like tiny flames.

He focused his attention on the first group. The low C has the widest wavelength and is easy to capture. The mid E is slightly refracted at the crystal surface. The high G has the highest frequency and can activate the deepest nodes.

"Start with the bass," Zhou Yang said softly.

He aligned the tip of the dragon's spine with the groove on the left. With a gentle press, the fragment beam instantly focused. A burst of intense blue light erupted from the center of the node.

The finger quickly slides towards the central groove. Press down. The blue light converges again, forming a second beam of light.

Point your fingertip towards the groove on the right and press lightly. Three beams of light flash simultaneously. Blue and gold light intertwine to form a bright line.

The light resonated on the wall, producing clear tones. The low C reverberated deep in the chest. The mid E flowed softly in the ears. The high G struck sharply overhead.

The three notes are played together to form a unique chord.

System notification: [Resonance successful]. [Next stage preparation complete].

The beam lasts only a few seconds. If the next step is not taken in time, the energy will rapidly decay.

Zhou Yang immediately turned to Black Steel.

"Maintain a barrier to prevent external noise from intruding."

Blacksteel nodded. His fingers tapped rapidly on the runes. The barrier aura intensified.

Qin Shuang placed her palm on the center of the array. She softly recited the suppression incantation, her voice low and firm, like adding a sturdy foundation to the corridor.

At this moment, the light on the dragon's spine dimmed.

Zhou Yang felt his lifespan slipping away like a wisp of sand through his fingers.

He quickly calculated the next rhythm in his mind.

"The second group: low D - middle F - high A."

My fingers slid rapidly between the three grooves once more. Each touch stirred the embers of life within the fragment.

The beam of light reappeared. Its color was purplish. The purplish light intertwined with the golden light, forming a thicker trail.

All three nodes are activated simultaneously. The sound reverberates through the space. The low D resonates deep within the chest. The mid F ripples peacefully in the eardrums. The high A is bright and piercing in the mind.

The system prompted again: [Dual-layer resonance]. [Energy increased by 20%].

Zhou Yang felt a slight tremor in his back. Although his lifespan had been consumed, his internal energy had been tempered.

New symbols appeared on the wall. They were arranged in a square. Each of the four corners was marked with a red dot.

The system displayed a warning: [Unknown node has appeared]. [A strategy must be determined within 10 seconds].

The red dot keeps flashing, like a rhythmic heartbeat.

Zhou Yang frowned slightly. His gaze darted quickly between the red dots.

"Black Steel, prepare to activate the second layer of protection."

Black Steel tapped his hand. Black iron runes instantly spread, forming an even stronger barrier.

Qin Shuang added in a low voice, "I used the array's core to capture the pulse of the red dot."

Her palm trembled slightly. Tiny ripples appeared in the silver light.

Zhou Yang aligned the tip of the dragon's spine with the red dot in the upper left corner. He pressed it gently. The blue light was instantly absorbed by the red dot, forming a dark red beam of light.

The beam of light spreads along the wall towards the center, causing the other three points to emit light simultaneously.

Four dark red beams of light converge at the center, forming a bright cross shape.

The golden crystal at the center of the cross suddenly shone brightly. The entire corridor was engulfed in golden light.

The system displays: [Final Node Activated]. [Next Closed Loop Can Be Started].

Zhou Yang looked up, his eyes gleaming with joy.

"First, stabilize this energy, then find the next entry point."

Black Steel clenched his fist. A dim light danced at his fingertips.

Qin Shuang withdrew the array core. A faint smile appeared in her eyes.

The golden corridor lights still flickered, like a faint melody guiding the way in the darkness.

Zhou Yang knew that the next step would involve even greater expenditure.

But he has already lit a lamp pointing to the future in this corridor.