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

Frost in the Desolate Valley

The wind in the northern desert was like a knife, stinging my face.

Zhou Yang tightened his fox fur coat. The snow under his feet was ankle-deep, and each step made a crunching sound. Qin Shuang walked half a step behind him, gripping the hilt of her embroidered spring knife tightly, her gaze occasionally sweeping across the white, misty mountain ridges around them.

This secluded and cold valley truly lives up to its name.

The deeper they went into the valley, the faster the temperature dropped. Zhou Yang could feel that the chill in the air was no longer just low temperature, but an aggressive, icy cold, like countless tiny ice needles trying to pierce his pores and freeze his blood.

"There's something ahead," Qin Shuang suddenly whispered, leaning forward slightly and going into a state of alert.

Zhou Yang stopped and squinted at the front of him.

On that rocky beach covered in frost and snow, several greyish-white figures were silently moving through the snow. They lay low, their eyes glowing eerily green, and they exhaled thick white mist from their mouths.

Snow Wolf.

Moreover, they are the fiercest extreme cold snow wolves in this desolate valley.

The wolf pack was quite large, at least thirty or forty, and had completely surrounded Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang. The lead snow wolf was enormous, with fur on its back as clear as ice crystals. It let out a deep growl that made Zhou Yang's eardrums ring.

"These beasts, how dare they block the road." Zhou Yang curled his lip, his tone not showing any panic, but rather as if he were facing a group of creditors demanding repayment.

Qin Shuang held her sword across her chest and said coldly, "Be careful, these wolves' claws are poisonous. One scratch and you'll lose an arm."

Zhou Yang ignored him; he knew his situation all too well. In this godforsaken place, reasoning with animals was useless; the most effective way to communicate was to tear them to pieces.

He slowly drew the long sword from his waist, the blade trembling slightly in the cold wind.

The lead snow wolf launched the first attack, its figure transforming into a streak of gray lightning with astonishing speed, pouncing directly from Zhou Yang's flank.

Zhou Yang didn't retreat; instead, he took a step forward.

He didn't use any fancy moves; he simply swung his sword, drawing a very thin arc in the air.

That was the prototype of spatial segmentation that he recently deduced.

"laugh--"

A very faint tearing sound rang out.

To onlookers, the swordsmanship appeared unremarkable, but in reality, the moment the arc of the blade was drawn, space itself was forcibly torn open. The snow wolf charging at the forefront didn't even realize what had happened; its body was abruptly severed in mid-air, a bizarre gap appearing between its upper and lower body. No blood splattered, because the wound was instantly frozen.

The cut surface of the flesh was as smooth as a mirror.

Zhou Yang did not stop. He turned around and the blade left three deep, bone-revealing marks on the snow.

Each swing of the blade was accompanied by a slight tremor in the space.

The once spirited snow wolves suddenly stopped in terror when they came into contact with these "cracks." They have an innate sense of danger and could feel that the area in front of them had become a dead zone. As long as they stepped into that invisible line, they would be cut to pieces.

The once tight encirclement was abruptly cut off by three passages, completely disrupting the wolf pack's movement and plunging them into chaos.

Taking advantage of the situation, Qin Shuang launched an attack, her embroidered spring blade transforming into a cold light, directly severing the heads of several slow-reacting wolves.

In no time, the once menacing wolf pack was reduced to just a few wolves howling in the distance, no longer daring to approach.

Zhou Yang sheathed his sword, let out a long sigh, and his exhaled breath swirled in the air.

"Let's go, don't waste time on these beasts."

The two continued their ascent towards the bottom of the valley.

As the terrain descended, the surrounding scenery became eerie. The original snow-capped mountains transformed into massive clusters of ice crystals, resembling giant ice pillars growing from the ground, completely obscuring the sky.

At the deepest part of the valley, an ancient altar appeared.

The altar was constructed of a strange, black stone, and its sides were covered with heavily weathered inscriptions. In the very center of the altar, a fragment about the size of a palm floated.

The fragment was a deep blue-green, like a piece of solidified ice, but deep within the ice, faint golden patterns could be seen flowing slowly.

Dragon Spine Fragment Two.

Zhou Yang's eyes lit up. To him, this thing wasn't some divine weapon, but a top-tier "lifespan exchange coupon." Once he got his hands on it, his repair progress would increase again, and the strength he could exchange for would experience a qualitative leap.

However, as he tried to get closer, an invisible barrier of cold air suddenly erupted.

"Bang!"

Zhou Yang was thrown back by a huge force, taking several steps back, and his feet trampled a deep pit in the snow.

He looked down at his palms and saw that a thin layer of frost had quickly formed on his skin. The cold air spread rapidly along his meridians to his heart, making his chest feel tight.

"Something's wrong with this barrier," Zhou Yang said, his brow furrowed.

This wasn't ordinary cold air; it was some kind of ancient restriction specifically targeting the intruder's life force. Under the suppression of this cold air, his speed and strength were reduced by 30%, and forcibly breaking in might cause his meridians to freeze.

At that moment, the system interface in my mind suddenly flashed red.

[Extreme cold barrier detected, compatibility analysis in progress...]

Match detected

Frost Ritual

Zhou Yang stood at the edge of the deep pit, the cold air like tiny steel needles drilling up his ankles.

He glanced down at his palm; the thin layer of frost was rapidly thickening. If he paused for just three more breaths, this chill would travel along his meridians and freeze his heart into a block of ice. This restriction was extremely insidious; it didn't kill directly, but rather, like a silkworm, slowly drained the intruder's life force.

In this environment, any attempt to force a breakthrough is like running naked on an ice field; if you are even slightly slow, you will be frozen instantly.

The system interface in his mind was flashing wildly, and a red warning light was jumping on his retina.

[Extreme cold barrier detected, compatibility analysis in progress...]

[Matching Technique: Eternal Frost Technique (Fragment)]

[Activation condition: 500-year combustion life]

[Activation Effect: Instantly gain control of the extreme cold domain, ignoring current barriers and forcibly stripping the target object away]

Five hundred years.

Zhou Yang clicked his tongue inwardly. This system always seemed like a greedy moneylender; if he wanted his things back, he'd have to risk his life.

He turned his head to look at Qin Shuang behind him. She was gripping the Embroidered Spring Blade tightly, her gaze fixed intently on the deep pit, her brows slightly furrowed in the cold wind. Although her cultivation was not weak, against this ancient restriction targeting life force, all she could do was support him from behind or shield him from a few blows if anything went wrong.

"Zhou Yang, something's not right here." Qin Shuang's voice sounded somewhat weak in the cold wind.

Zhou Yang didn't turn around. He stared at the dark blue light at the bottom of the pit. It was the second fragment of the Dragon Spine, like a sleeping ice crystal, exuding a heart-palpitating allure.

He thought of the imperial envoys sent by the emperor, and the remnants of the Heavenly Principle Sect lurking in the shadows. In this cannibalistic world, true security never comes from the promises of others, but from the bargaining chips one holds in one's own hands.

Without this fragment, without a means strong enough to instill fear in his enemies, his current life as a wealthy man would be nothing more than a dream that could be shattered at any moment.

The pros and cons analysis is now complete.

Zhou Yang mentally issued the order: "Deal."

With a whoosh, he felt an intense sense of exhaustion instantly wash over him. It was a strange feeling, as if a large chunk of something vital to his body had been forcibly ripped out, and his once abundant life force withered in an instant.

But then, an unprecedented chilling aura exploded in his dantian.

The chilling energy that had frozen his meridians suddenly became docile, like a soldier meeting his king, and quickly gathered at his feet.

Zhou Yang suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp white light flashing in his pupils.

Without further hesitation, he leaped off the edge of the pit.

During his fall, he did not take any cushioning action, but instead slammed his right hand onto the ground the instant he hit the ground.

"break!"

With a low shout, the frost energy within Zhou Yang's body, catalyzed by his lifespan, instantly erupted into a crescent-shaped white shockwave.

The so-called extreme cold barrier emitted a piercing sound like shattering glass the moment it touched Zhou Yang's palm. With a crack, a huge fissure appeared in the seemingly indestructible ice barrier.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Zhou Yang lunged forward, his five fingers like claws, directly gripping the dark blue fragment.

The shards exploded violently upon contact with his fingers, sending countless tiny ice crystals shattering in the air like a miniature blizzard. Qin Shuang cried out in alarm above the pit, about to intervene, but found that Zhou Yang hadn't retreated; instead, he had pressed the shards firmly into his palm.

His condition was very strange at the moment; his skin was almost transparently pale, and the white breath he exhaled was so thick it looked like smoke.

He quickly pulled out the specially made container for the dragon spine fragment from his pocket.

This was a box made of a special alloy, specifically designed to hold these violent fragments of divine weapons. Zhou Yang forcefully stuffed the fragments into it, and with a dull metallic clang, the lid of the container slammed shut, instantly locking the restless chill inside.

The moment the fragment broke free from its restraints, a crystal the size of a fingernail suddenly condensed at the core of the original restriction.

That is the "Frost Crystal Core".

As a byproduct of the collapse of the restriction, this thing is regarded by the world as a top-notch material for refining weapons, which can give weapons extremely strong attribute enhancements.

Zhou Yang reached out and scooped it up, then casually stuffed it into his pocket.

He let out a long sigh, his body swayed violently, and he almost fell to the ground. Although five hundred years of lifespan had brought him instantaneous power, the aftereffects were too strong. At this moment, a feeling of emptiness washed over him like a tide, making him feel as if his bones had become lighter.

"Zhou Yang!"

Qin Shuang appeared swiftly and firmly supported his shoulder. Her palms were slightly sweaty, and her eyes revealed a hint of undisguised worry.

Zhou Yang forced a smile, patted the frost off his clothes, and said in a flippant tone, "It's nothing, I just used too much force and got a little low blood sugar."

Qin Shuang didn't speak, but stared intently at his pale face. Although she didn't understand the so-called lifespan trade, she could sense that Zhou Yang's physical condition would strangely decline every time his strength made a leap forward.

This feeling allowed the anxiety hidden deep within her to slowly grow.

Zhou Yang climbed out of the pit, looking at the heavy container in his hand, his eyes became deep again.

With the two fragments in hand, the shape of the dragon spine fragment was beginning to take shape. He knew that the return on this "investment" was extremely high, but the real crisis had only just begun.

After all, the place that could produce such an extreme cold restriction could not be known only to the two of them.

He looked up at the gloomy sky above the Valley of the Cold and Desolate Mountains, where the thick clouds looked as if blood rain would fall at any moment.

"Let's go, let's get out of here before those 'diners' who've been watching this place come looking for us."

Zhou Yang clapped his hands and turned to walk towards the exit of Youhan Valley.

Before leaving, he glanced back at the deep, cracked pit. The chilling air that had been dormant there for hundreds of years was now being rapidly absorbed by the surrounding soil after the fragments were removed from its support.

He won the deal.

But the price was that his life clock had inadvertently sped up a few beats.

Qin Shuang followed behind him, her embroidered spring knife still in a vigilant stance. Looking at Zhou Yang's back, she suddenly felt that this man was like a double-edged sword; although he was sharp enough to cut through any obstacle, every swing actually cut himself.

The two passed through the narrow pass of the Cold Valley and returned to the gray wasteland of the Northern Desert.

The wind continued to howl, but Zhou Yang's mood was surprisingly calm. He touched the Frost Crystal Core in his pocket, already pondering how to use it to further enhance his survival abilities.

In this world, the only thing that can bring peace of mind is absolute control.

As for lifespan?

As long as the enemies you kill are strong enough and the treasures you devour are rare enough, the years that were taken away can be made up sooner or later.

This is Zhou Yang's philosophy of survival: first exchange your life for money (power/strength), then use money to buy back your life.

This process continues until one day he becomes the one who sets the transaction price.

Chapter 694 Dragon Spine Synthesis I (Foreshadowing - Dragon Spine Fragment Collection Closed Loop - Foreshadowing)

By the time we returned to the northern border, it was already dark.

The cold wind swirled with sand, stinging Zhou Yang's cheeks. He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself; the lining still held the frost of the secluded valley, and wisps of chill seeped into his bones.

He didn't linger at the entrance and went straight back to the commander's residence.

Qin Shuang was waiting for him in the study. Several sheepskin maps were spread out on the table, and the candlelight illuminated her face, making her features appear exceptionally distinct. Hearing footsteps, she looked up.

"Did you get the stuff?" Her voice was calm, revealing no emotion.

Zhou Yang nodded and took out something wrapped in a thick cloth from his pocket. He didn't open it right away, but placed it on the table first. As soon as the cloth bag hit the ground, a visible wisp of white steam escaped, and the room temperature dropped several degrees.

Qin Shuang's gaze fell on the cloth bag, and her eyes flickered slightly.

"There's more than one," she said.

"Consider it an extra bonus." Zhou Yang pulled out a chair, sat down, and poured himself a cup of hot tea. The chill subsided slightly as soon as the tea touched his throat. "A minor problem I solved on the way here resulted in a small byproduct."

He didn't go into details about the Frost Crystal Core; some secrets were kept hidden so that he could get a better price at crucial moments.

Qin Shuang didn't ask any further questions. She reached out and lightly ran her fingertips over the top of the cloth bag, feeling the biting cold. "Where's the other one?"

"It's on me." Zhou Yang patted his waist. The fragment he found behind the stone door had been kept close to his body, its texture both warm and sharp, as if it were alive.

"You've worked hard." Qin Shuang stood up. "I've gathered the best blacksmiths. Let's start working tonight and give it a try."

"What's the rush?" Zhou Yang took a sip of tea. "This kind of divine weapon can't be obtained by just being impatient."

"I can't wait." Qin Shuang's tone was firm. "In the north, Commander Chen's men have infiltrated deeply. We need a decisive blade, not a sword that needs to be slowly sharpened."

Zhou Yang glanced at her. He knew that Qin Shuang was under more pressure than he had imagined. Life on the run was tough; she had finally found a foothold, but was surrounded by hungry wolves.

He didn't try to persuade him any further and drank the tea in his cup in one gulp.

"Let's go see just how capable your blacksmithing team is."

The foundry was built in the backyard of the mansion. It used to be a warehouse for storing hay, but it has now been completely transformed into a forging workshop. As soon as you step inside, a wave of heat hits you.

A dozen or so burly men, shirtless, were busy at work. The bellows roared, and sparks flew from the furnace, exploding into brief red blooms on the ground. The air was thick with the scorching heat of coal and metal.

The leader was an elderly man with a full beard, his skin tanned dark by the fire, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. His name was Old Han, a master blacksmith whom Qin Shuang had hired from the capital at a high price.

When Lao Han saw Qin Shuang and Zhou Yang come in, he put down the hammer in his hand and wiped his sweat with a towel.

"My lord." He clasped his hands in a fist salute to Qin Shuang, his gaze sweeping curiously over Zhou Yang.

"Old Han, bring the things out." Qin Shuang said succinctly.

Zhou Yang untied the fragment from his waist and placed it on the table. Then, he opened the thick cloth wrapping, revealing the fragment inside that glowed with a faint blue light. The two fragments, one black and one blue, lay there quietly, their surfaces covered with fine and ancient patterns.

Old Han's eyes lit up instantly. He strode forward, but didn't dare touch it directly with his hands. Instead, he brought it very close, his old eyes almost touching the fragment. His Adam's apple bobbed.

"Good stuff... really good stuff," he muttered to himself. "I've been blacksmithing for fifty years, and I've never seen such a spiritual metal."

He reached for a long, thin pair of tongs, carefully picked up the black fragment, and held it up to his eyes in the firelight. Inside the fragment, it seemed as if a shimmering light was swirling.

"This... looks like dragon bone, but it's not pure bone." He switched to a different pair of tongs and picked up the blue fragment. "This one's even more sinister; it exudes a chilling aura that can crack tongs. This would require deep-sea cold iron..."

He kept talking, completely absorbed in his own world.

Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang exchanged a glance but did not disturb him.

After a while, Old Han straightened up, his expression becoming extremely serious.

"Sir, this stuff can't be combined using ordinary methods," he said.

"How so?" Qin Shuang asked.

"The two materials are worlds apart. One is extremely strong and yang, the other is extremely yin and cold. Forcibly melting them together will only cause them to restrain each other, turning them into a pile of scrap iron." Old Han shook his head. "Unless... we can find a medium, something that can neutralize these two extreme attributes—an object of 'order'."

"Order?" Zhou Yang grasped the word.

Old Han nodded: "Yes, order. Just like the sun and moon in the sky, and water and fire on the earth. Everything operates within its own order. These two fragments are themselves products of two extreme orders. If we want them to coexist, we must establish a new order."

Although he spoke in a mysterious way, Zhou Yang understood it.

Isn't this what the system often refers to as "energy compatibility" and "law conflict"?

"Stop talking nonsense," Zhou Yang said. "Just tell me how to try it."

Old Han glanced at him, seemingly displeased with the young man's tone, but for Qin Shuang's sake, he suppressed his anger.

"Since it's a test, let's use the most rudimentary method." He pointed to the enormous furnace behind him, "Let's forcibly heat it up with the Thousand-Refined Earth Core Fire and see who gives in first!"

Just do it.

Old Han personally took charge, directing several apprentices to throw a huge piece of coal from the earth's core into the furnace. The flames instantly shot three feet high, raising the temperature of the entire foundry to a new level.

He used a specially made fire-resistant iron tongs to hold two fragments and slowly fed them into the furnace.

Just as the fragment was about to touch the flame, a sudden change occurred!

The patterns on the surface of the black fragment suddenly lit up, emitting a muffled hum. Meanwhile, the blue fragment suddenly spewed out a burst of cold air, forcefully suppressing the top of the furnace fire!

"Back off!" Old Han roared, forcefully pulling out the iron pliers.

Before he could finish speaking, there was a "ripping" sound, like cloth being torn apart.

The air between the two fragments suddenly distorted. A tiny crack, no bigger than a pinhead, appeared out of nowhere. The crack was pitch black, its bottom unseen, yet it emitted a chilling suction force.

The blacksmith who was closest to the blacksmith screamed as half of his arm instantly withered away, as if it had been sucked away by something out of thin air.

"Spatial rift!" Qin Shuang's expression changed. She took a step forward, drew her Embroidered Spring Blade, and slashed at the small rift.

Where the blade flashed, the rift exploded with a "bang," turning into several invisible ripples that disappeared.

The blacksmith collapsed to the ground, clutching his arm and groaning in pain. Zhou Yang glanced at him; the veins beneath the skin of his arm had turned black.

Old Han was so frightened that he staggered back, his forehead covered in cold sweat. "What...what kind of sorcery is this?!"

Zhou Yang ignored his exaggerated reaction. He frowned, looking at the two pieces of broken glass on the table that had returned to their original state.

Just then, that familiar voice rang in his mind.

[A spatial order conflict has been detected.]

There is an irreconcilable energy repulsion between Fragment One and Fragment Two.

[Conventional physical fusion failed.]

[System notification: 2/3 of the Dragon Spine Fragments have been collected. The location of the third fragment has been detected.]

[If the third fragment, "Dragon Spine - Central," is obtained, a specified amount of lifespan can be consumed to complete the initial restoration of the Dragon Spine Weapon Embryo in one go, and establish the internal energy circulation order.]

Zhou Yang's pupils suddenly contracted.

It turned out to be the case.

It's not that we can't find the medium, but rather that we're missing the most crucial piece. These three fragments are, in themselves, a whole. With one piece missing, the order is incomplete, and forcibly merging them will only cause the space to collapse.

He looked up at Qin Shuang. She had clearly recovered from the earlier commotion and was looking at him with a questioning gaze.

Zhou Yang shook his head.

"The old methods won't work," he succinctly concluded.

He didn't mention the system, only saying, "These two things are natural enemies; if you force them together, they'll fight. We need to find a peacemaker."

"Where's the peacemaker?" Qin Shuang asked.

Zhou Yang stretched out his hand and pointed to the endless wilderness to the north. A glint of greed flashed in his eyes.

"There. A bigger deal."

Old Han was still shaken by the strange occurrence, but Zhou Yang had already walked over to the injured blacksmith. He crouched down, placed two fingers on the blacksmith's wrist, and channeled a faint black aura into it.

The blacksmith's pained expression quickly faded, and his dark veins slowly returned to normal.

"It'll be fine in a couple of days." Zhou Yang stood up, dusted off his hands, and said to Lao Han, "Don't make a fuss, you'll get used to it after you see it more often."

After saying that, he turned and walked out of the foundry.

The night wind outside was cold, clearing his mind. He took out the Frost Crystal Core he had obtained from the Frost Giant Scorpion from his pocket.

The crystal core emitted a faint blue light in his palm, its aura somewhat similar to that of the dragon spine fragment.

He thought that this thing might come in very handy in the next transaction.

Qin Shuang followed him out and stood beside him.

"Do you have a direction now?"

"Got it." Zhou Yang put the crystal core back into his pocket. "Get your money ready. This time, the price probably won't be low."

Chapter 695 The Scheme in the Capital (Foreshadowing - The Closed Loop of Imperial Power Suppression and Counterattack - Foreshadowing)

The night wind was like a knife, scraping against my cheek.

Zhou Yang tucked his hands into his robes; the Frost Crystal Core was icy cold. The chill seeped in through the seams of his clothes, giving him a jolt of energy.

Qin Shuang stood beside him, the scabbard of her embroidered spring knife gleaming coldly in the moonlight. She looked at Zhou Yang, her voice soft: "The Emperor will not let this go."

"I'll wait for him to come." Zhou Yang exhaled a puff of white breath, his tone calm. "The matter of the Dragon Spine fragment can't be kept secret. He'll send someone sooner or later. Rather than passively waiting for him to come knocking, it's better to dig a pit for ourselves."

Qin Shuang remained silent. She understood Zhou Yang. This guy's mind was always filled with schemes that others couldn't even imagine. He wasn't the kind of hero who hid behind city walls to take the beating; he preferred to lurk in the shadows, waiting for others to run headlong into his sharpened blade.

The two returned to the blacksmith's shop.

Old Han was tending the furnace, the firelight reflecting off his sweat-drenched face. The fire was burning brightly, and the mixture of the dragon spine fragment and the frost crystal core inside was already beginning to take shape.

"Did it work?" Zhou Yang asked.

"It's still early." Old Han shook his head. "This thing is really strange. Ordinary heat doesn't work at all. You have to use special animal charcoal, and the heat has to be controlled to the absolute minimum. If it's too slow, it won't solidify, and if it's too fast, you're afraid of damaging the dragon spine energy inside. This thing is harder to take care of than serving your ancestors."

Zhou Yang nodded. He reached out and grasped at the air, as if he could feel the metallic scent permeating the air. The more difficult this thing was to obtain, the greater its value.

The emperor wanted it, and so did the Heavenly Principles Sect.

Then it becomes the best bait.

"Old Han, you go to sleep first," Zhou Yang said. "I'll keep watch tonight."

Old Han glanced at Zhou Yang, then at Qin Shuang beside him with her icy gaze, and didn't ask any further questions. He wiped his face, tossed the pliers aside, and turned to walk into the inner room. "Call me if you need anything."

Only Zhou Yang and Qin Shuang remained in the blacksmith shop, along with the flickering flames in the furnace.

Zhou Yang didn't look at the stove. He walked to the door and took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket. The bottle was black, and the material was indistinguishable. He uncorked it, and a sweet, fishy smell mixed with cinnabar and fresh chicken blood wafted out.

He dipped his finger in the liquid and drew distorted symbols on the threshold, both sides of the door frame, and in some inconspicuous corners. The symbols were neither like Taoist talismans nor Buddhist mantras; they were more like primitive, chaotic graffiti.

"What is this?" Qin Shuang couldn't help but ask.

"An invitation." Zhou Yang didn't turn his head, his fingers flying across the keyboard. "An invitation to lure you into a trap. I've already thought of a name for it: 'The Soul-Chasing Array'."

After drawing the last symbol, he poured the remaining liquid onto the center of the threshold. The viscous, blood-red liquid seeped into the ground instantly upon contact, leaving no trace. The sweet, metallic smell in the air, however, grew even stronger.

"This formation doesn't harm the physical body." Zhou Yang stood up and clapped his hands. "But it drains a person's vital energy. Anyone who steps in will be like a fish drained of water within three breaths, completely powerless and at the mercy of others."

Qin Shuang frowned. This method sounded insidious, unlike righteous martial arts.

Zhou Yang seemed to have guessed what she was thinking and smiled: "There's no need to talk about chivalry with the emperor's henchmen. If I want to survive, I have to use the most effective methods."

He walked over to the fire, sat down, and poured himself a cup of hot tea. The tea was freshly brewed, steaming hot.

"You go to sleep first," he said to Qin Shuang. "Get enough rest. Tomorrow, there might be another tough battle."

Qin Shuang looked at his calm profile, finally nodded, and went into the room next to Lao Han's.

The night grew deeper and deeper.

The wind stopped, and all was quiet. In the blacksmith's shop, only the occasional crackling sound of the furnace fire could be heard.

Just after midnight, a dark figure appeared at the end of the street.

The shadowy figure moved incredibly fast and made almost no sound. Like a nocturnal cat, it glided along the shadows of the corner of the wall, its body pressed low, completely blending into the darkness.

He stopped behind a telephone pole outside the blacksmith's shop, like a frozen statue.

He waited a full incense stick's time before taking action again.

The shadowy figure didn't go through the main entrance, but instead went around to the backyard of the blacksmith's shop. The backyard wall wasn't high; he lightly leaped over it, grabbed the top, and silently vaulted over.

When he landed, he was like a falling leaf, without disturbing anything.

He was dressed in a black night suit, his face covered with a black cloth, revealing only a pair of sharp, hawk-like eyes. A strangely shaped short blade hung at his waist, its blade gleaming with a ghostly blue light, clearly a highly poisonous substance.

This person was none other than the "Heavenly Messenger" sent by the emperor.

The astrologer stood in the backyard, listening intently for a moment. Confirming that only the sound of a furnace fire could be heard, he nodded in satisfaction. Like a ghost, he drifted to the foundry window and gently unbolted it with a thin wire.

The window was pushed open a crack.

A smell mixed with metallic and bloody wafted out from inside.

The strategist's nose twitched, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. The smell of blood was faint yet pungent, like freshly congealed blood.

He didn't think much of it. In a battle between experts, details determine success or failure. He cautiously poked half his head in and peered inside.

The foundry was empty, except for the glowing red of the furnace fire. The flickering light cast jagged shadows of the tools on the wall.

After confirming there was no ambush, the strategist climbed in through the window.

His expression changed drastically the moment his toes touched the ground.

An invisible suction force suddenly came from beneath his feet! It felt as if an abyss had suddenly split open beneath his feet, trying to suck in all the flesh and blood from his bones and the strength from his dantian.

He let out a muffled groan, his body swayed, and he almost fell to his knees.

"Thump."

He ultimately lost his balance and fell to one knee.

His internal energy surged uncontrollably downwards like a floodgate bursting. A tingling numbness spread through his limbs and bones, his hands and feet became incredibly heavy, and even lifting a finger felt like a struggle.

"Formation!"

The strategist was filled with utter astonishment. He had spent years navigating the darkness, intimately familiar with all sorts of mechanisms and traps. But this formation before him was unlike anything he had ever seen before. It relied not on ropes, nor on pitfalls, but solely on a strange power that directly attacked a person's very essence.

He tried to struggle, to circulate his internal energy to resist. But the true energy in his dantian was like a punctured balloon, collapsing instantly as soon as it gathered.

His vision began to blur, and his ears were ringing. The whole world seemed to be spinning.

Just as his consciousness was about to fade, a ray of light appeared before his eyes.

Zhou Yang appeared by the fire at some point, holding a cup of hot tea. He looked at the Heavenly Messenger kneeling on the ground, his eyes as cold as red-hot iron in a furnace.

"You've arrived." Zhou Yang spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the Heavenly Messenger's ears. "You're a quarter of an hour later than I expected."

The celestial envoy raised his head, his face, covered by a black cloth, filled with disbelief. He tried to speak, but found that even his tongue was somewhat unresponsive.

Zhou Yang slowly walked up to him and squatted down.

"You are the emperor's man." Zhou Yang wasn't asking a question, but stating a fact.

The strategist's pupils suddenly contracted.

Zhou Yang smiled: "Don't be nervous. I'm not killing you. You're still useful to me."

He extended a finger and lightly flicked the short blade at the strategist's waist. "A fine blade, but unfortunately used in the wrong place."

He stood up and walked to a table with all the traditional writing implements on it. These were the tools Old Han used to record forging data.

Zhou Yang spread out a sheet of paper and picked up a pen. The pen tip was fully dipped in ink, and his wrist hovered over the paper, but he did not immediately put it down.

"You're here for the progress of the Dragon Spine Alloy," Zhou Yang said, wielding his pen. "Go back and tell your master. That stuff is mine. If he wants it, fine. He'll have to trade something for it."

His movements were swift, his pen moving like a dragon in flight, producing lines of sharp characters on the paper. The characters carried a murderous aura, as if each one were a drawn sword.

After finishing writing, Zhou Yang blew the paper dry and folded it neatly.

He walked back to the strategist and stuffed the letter into his arms.

"Take this letter back to the palace for me." Zhou Yang's voice turned cold. "I call it the 'Intelligence Recovery Order.' It clearly states that from today onwards, every blade of grass and every tree in this area is under my jurisdiction. Sending anyone here again won't be as simple as kneeling."

The strategist stared intently at Zhou Yang, his eyes filled with resentment and unwillingness.

Zhou Yang ignored him. He stretched out his foot and gently tapped the Heavenly Messenger's chest. A gentle force surged into the Heavenly Messenger's body, instantly releasing the "Soul-Chasing Array" restriction.

The drained strength returned instantly, and the Heavenly Messenger felt a sense of relief. He suddenly looked up, his killing intent surging.

但他不敢动.

Zhou Yang stood before him, a faint smile on his face. Behind that smile lay an unfathomable indifference. The Heavenly Messenger knew that in his previous state, killing him would have been easier for the other party than crushing an ant.

"Let's go." Zhou Yang waved his hand, like a master shooing away flies. "Don't keep me waiting too long. My patience isn't very good."

The strategist struggled to his feet, still somewhat unsteady. He gave Zhou Yang a deep look, then glanced at the flames burning in the furnace, and without a word, turned and climbed out the window.

With a few leaps, his figure disappeared into the thick darkness of the night.

Zhou Yang stood there until the resentful aura had completely dissipated before picking up the cup of tea on the table, which had already gone cold, and drinking it all in one gulp.

The tea was icy cold as it went down my throat.

He walked to the doorway and looked out at the sleeping town. A few barks came from afar, then silence returned.

The emperor's first attempt to test the waters has come to an end.

But his counterattack has only just begun.

Chapter 696 Battle for Heavenly Treasures (Accumulating Power - Closed Loop of Heavenly Treasure Competition - Accumulating Power)

When Qin Shuang arrived, Zhou Yang was wiping his knife.

The knife was newly forged by Old Han, made from the shell of a Frost Giant Scorpion mixed with a few pieces of refined iron, and the blade had a faint, eerie glow. Running your finger across it, you could feel a cool sensation seep into your skin.

"I have news," Qin Shuang said bluntly.

She tossed a parchment scroll onto the table. The scroll was quite old, with curled edges and crookedly drawn maps on it.

"This came from our informants in the Northern Wilderness," Qin Shuang said. "It's the ruins of an observatory from a previous dynasty. Legend has it that something fell from the sky there."

Zhou Yang stopped what he was doing and picked up the map.

The map was crudely drawn, only showing a general direction and outlining an area deep in the northern wilderness. He had heard of that place; it was called the "No Man's Land," and few caravans and bandits that went in ever came out alive.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Starfall Crystal," Qin Shuang uttered three words. "Legend has it that it's a core fragment of a star. It's extremely useful to what we have."

Zhou Yang's gaze shifted from the map to Qin Shuang's face. Her expression was serious, not like she was joking.

He quickly went through it in his mind.

The success rate of synthesizing Dragon Spine Fragments has always been a major issue. Old Han once said that an extremely rare material is needed as a catalyst to perfectly fuse fragments with different auras. Starfall Crystal—it sounds like that kind of thing.

"Is the information reliable?" Zhou Yang asked. For rare and precious treasures of this level, information often comes with a trap.

"We tried. We sent a team, and they all died on the outskirts of the ruins. They didn't even get close to the observatory." Qin Shuang's tone was calm, as if she were talking about a trivial matter.

Zhou Yang understood.

This isn't a trap, it's a guardian. Something in the ruins is guarding that crystal. And it's very strong.

He put down the map, picked up the knife again, and slowly wiped it clean.

Silence filled the room. The only sound was the soft rustling of fabric against a knife.

"What's the price?" Zhou Yang asked.

"Twenty elite troops, at your disposal. I'll cover all expenses," Qin Shuang said decisively. "After it's done, the Starfall Crystal is yours. I only want the Dragon Spine Fragment."

Zhou Yang smiled.

This deal was very worthwhile. He provided the effort and risk, and got the most crucial auxiliary materials. Qin Shuang provided the money and manpower, and got the final product. This was the most comfortable cooperation model between them.

"Okay," Zhou Yang agreed. "We'll set off in three days."

Three days is enough time for him to prepare everything.

He didn't bother with the elite members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The men Qin Shuang gave him, though obedient, weren't truly his trusted confidants. He went directly to his own town and found the group of brothers who followed him in collecting "security taxes."

These men were ruthless, hardened criminals, their eyes gleaming with a wolfish ferocity. They cared little for righteousness, only for whoever offered them food and money. Zhou Yang gave them money and a stable life, and in return, they sold their lives to him.

He picked twenty.

Each of them was burly, with prominent temples, clearly skilled in internal martial arts. They didn't ask a single question about what they were going to do or where they were going. They simply went to silently prepare weapons, provisions, and the best horses.

Zhou Yang gave each of them an iron plaque engraved with his name.

With this sign, they are the rule in this wasteland.

On the morning of the third day, the team set off.

Twenty horses and twenty skilled knights led the way, with Zhou Yang at the very front. Qin Shuang also arrived, riding a white horse beside him. She wasn't wearing the Imperial Guard's flying fish uniform, but rather a fitted outfit that made her look like a dashing and spirited young lady from a wealthy family.

The team headed north.

The further north you go, the sparser the population becomes. The roads also become more rugged. Vast stretches of Gobi Desert and yellow sand replace farmland and villages.

On the fifth day, they encountered their first caravan.

It was a caravan of fur traders, with more than a dozen large carts loaded with animal hides. Dozens of guards, armed with spears, watched Zhou Yang's group warily.

The consul's supervisor was a fat man, bloated and clearly someone who had embezzled a lot of money. When he saw the entourage on Zhou Yang's side, he greeted them with a smile.

"Gentlemen, where are you headed? I apologize for not greeting you properly as I am just passing by," the fat steward said, bowing deeply.

Zhou Yang didn't say anything.

One of his brothers urged his horse forward, pulled out an iron plate from his pocket, and waved it in front of the fat man.

The fat manager's smile froze on his face.

He recognized the sign. It was the rule of Zhou Baihu outside Anyang Prefecture.

"You have to pay taxes to cross the wasteland," the brother said coldly.

Sweat beaded on the fat manager's forehead. He gritted his teeth, pulled a heavy money bag from his pocket, and presented it with both hands.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you kind gentlemen will do me a favor."

The man took the money bag, weighed it in his hand, and tossed it to his companion behind him. Then, with a wave of his hand, the group passed right next to the caravan. Not a word wasted, and not a single person dismounted to steal anything.

The fat manager watched their departing figures and let out a long sigh of relief, as if he had just been pulled out of the water. He realized that although these rules cost money, they were far better than those bandits who simply robbed people.

In the following days, they encountered four more teams.

Two caravans, one group digging for medicinal herbs, and the other group that looked like refugees fleeing a disaster.

Without exception, everyone who saw Zhou Yang's group obediently paid the money. No one dared to resist. Zhou Baihu's reputation had already spread throughout this wasteland.

Wasteland Plunder Tax.

No one knows who first came up with this name. But soon, everyone who needed to pass through this area knew that if they wanted to pass, they had to leave some money.

On the eighth day, they arrived at the area marked on the map.

This is truly a no-man's-land. Animal skeletons are scattered everywhere, along with some human remains. The wind whips at your face like knives.

An atmosphere of decay permeated the air.

On the distant horizon, some broken walls and ruins can be vaguely seen; those are the ruins of the observatory.

The troops stopped and set up camp.

Zhou Yang had someone tally up the "taxes" collected over the past few days. It totaled 12,300 taels of silver. Not a lot, but not a small amount either. This money was enough for him to support another force like this.

He stood at the edge of the camp, gazing at the distant ruins.

The wind was strong, making the hem of his clothes flutter loudly.

He didn't know what was guarding the ruins. Was it a demonic beast? A trap? Or perhaps a cultivator like him, drawn by some treasure?

But none of that matters anymore.

The important thing is that he must get his hands on that meteorite crystal.

This is not just for synthesizing Dragonspine Shards.

More importantly, it was to prove that the rules he established also applied in this cannibalistic wasteland. The strength he gained with his life would be exchanged for even greater rewards here.

He glanced back.

Inside the camp, a campfire was already lit. The brothers gathered around the fire, polishing their weapons and talking in hushed tones. Qin Shuang stood in front of her tent, also gazing in the direction of the ruins.

Her eyes held both anticipation and nervousness.

Zhou Yang turned his head back, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He stretched out his hand, feeling the chill in the wind.

"Tomorrow," he said softly.

Tomorrow, I'll go in and see what treasures are hidden beneath this observatory.

Chapter 697 Fallen Star in the Ruins (Foreshadowing - The Closed Loop of the Battle for Heavenly Materials - Foreshadowing)

The next morning, the fog was very thick.

Zhou Yang led his men into the ruins. The stone slabs underfoot were slippery and covered in moss. Qin Shuang followed behind him, her boots making soft sounds as they stepped into puddles. Several brothers, knives in hand, led the way, their eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

At the end of the road was a complete stone wall.

The wall was too new, standing out starkly against the surrounding ruins. Intricate star patterns were carved into its surface. The lines were deep, as if chiseled out with a knife. Zhou Yang reached out and touched it. The stone was cold and hard, the chill seeping into his body through his fingertips.

"Is this the entrance to the observatory?" one of the brothers asked in a low voice.

"It should be," Zhou Yang withdrew his hand, "but it's blocked."

He studied the star chart on the wall carefully. The pattern was intricate, containing the Big Dipper, the Southern Cross, and other constellations he couldn't name. These stars were connected by countless fine lines, forming a vast net. In the center of the net was a groove. Its shape was peculiar, neither square nor round.

"This is the lock," Qin Shuang said. Her voice was clear in the empty ruins.

Zhou Yang nodded. He knew it was a lock, but he didn't have the key. Forcing it would only trigger self-destruction. He frowned, pacing before the stone wall. His mind raced, searching for a way to break the deadlock. Should he use his lifespan to deduce the solution? The cost was too high. Not worth it for a door.

Just then, Qin Shuang took out a small wooden box from her bosom.

The box was ordinary, even somewhat rough. She handed it to Zhou Yang.

"Take a look, is this it?"

Zhou Yang took the box and opened it. Inside was a soft cloth, on which lay a palm-sized metal piece. The metal piece was dark gold, engraved with stars that matched the pattern on the wall. The edges of the metal piece were worn, indicating that it was quite old.

"The Star Key?" Zhou Yang's eyes lit up.

He had seen this item in a merchant's record before. At the time, he thought it was just a legend, but he never expected Qin Shuang to actually get her hands on it. This woman's methods always surprised him.

"I acquired it from an antique dealer in Anyang County. It cost quite a bit of money," Qin Shuang said casually, as if she were only mentioning a minor matter.

Zhou Yang picked up the key. It felt heavy in his hand, and the metallic texture was quite distinctive. He walked to the stone wall and aligned the key with the central groove.

"Click".

A soft sound.

The key fit perfectly.

Then, the star map on the wall suddenly lit up. Golden rays of light flowed along the engraved lines, like a river awakened. The entire stone wall began to tremble slightly, and dust fell in rustling sounds. The bone-chilling cold vanished instantly.

"Back off!" Zhou Yang shouted.

The group quickly retreated a dozen steps.

The stone wall didn't open like a normal door. It emitted a buzzing sound, like some ancient resonance. The star map on the wall shone brightly, becoming incredibly dazzling. Zhou Yang had to squint.

Amidst the radiance, countless points of light flew out from the star map.

They weren't physical entities, but rather pure starlight. These points of light converged and swirled in the air, forming a dazzling galaxy. Then, this galaxy slowly receded to both sides, revealing the space behind it.

The once solid stone wall had transformed into an archway formed of starlight. The interior was pitch black and bottomless. A pure and ancient aura emanated from within.

Everyone was stunned. They had never seen anything like it.

"Go in." Zhou Yang was the first to come to his senses.

He was the first to walk through the starlight archway. The feeling of passing through the archway was magical, like stepping into a warm lake. The starlight enveloped his body; it felt weightless, yet brought a sense of tranquility.

Inside the door was a small stone chamber.

The stone chamber was circular with a high dome. The walls were smooth as a mirror. There were no other furnishings except for a fist-sized crystal in the very center.

It hovers three feet above the ground.

The crystal was completely transparent, its interior seemingly enveloping a real starry sky. Countless tiny points of light flowed slowly within, shimmering with a deep blue-violet glow. It seemed to be a living entity itself, breathing slowly.

The stone chamber was very quiet; the only sound was the extremely faint pulsation emanating from inside the crystal.

"Starfall Crystal..." Zhou Yang's voice was somewhat hoarse.

He had seen many rare and precious materials, but none could compare to the one before him. The aura it emitted was pure and vast, like fragments of stars in the sky.

Behind him, Qin Shuang and several brothers also entered. Their breathing quickened the moment they saw the crystal. It was an instinctive urge. Cultivators could clearly sense that the energy within the crystal was enough to cause their cultivation to surge by an entire major realm.

"Good stuff!" one of the brothers couldn't help but exclaim.

Zhou Yang remained silent. His eyes were fixed on the meteorite crystal. He didn't feel greed, but rather a sense of...danger. The more perfect this thing was, the greater the hidden price it came from.

He slowly approached the meteorite crystal.

The closer you get, the clearer the pulse becomes. Thump, thump, thump, it sounds like his heartbeat. Or rather, it's mimicking his heartbeat.

Zhou Yang reached out his hand, wanting to touch it.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the crystal.

"Buzz!"

The meteorite crystal trembled violently, bursting forth with blinding light. An overwhelming force shoved Zhou Yang away. He staggered back several steps before regaining his balance. His chest heaved with blood and qi, as if struck by an invisible hammer.

"Zhou Yang!" Qin Shuang's expression changed, and she immediately supported him.

"It's nothing." Zhou Yang waved his hand and coughed up a mouthful of bloody saliva.

He looked at the meteorite crystal, his expression turning serious.

"It's protected by a protective barrier," he said. This isn't something you can just take casually. If it were anyone else, that blow would probably have shattered their internal organs.

"What should we do? Should we still force it?" Qin Shuang asked.

Zhou Yang shook his head. He looked at the suspended crystal again. It had returned to its calm state, still radiating an alluring light. But Zhou Yang knew that beneath that light lay a deadly trap.

He closed his eyes, and the system interface appeared in his mind.

High-energy rare and precious material detected: meteorite crystal.

Energy Rating: Unknown

[Guardian Barrier: Stars Shine Together]

[Method to bypass the restriction: ...]

Zhou Yang's eyes snapped open.

The method to break the restriction was empty.

The system cannot directly deduce this either. This suggests that the cost of breaking the restrictions may be beyond the system's estimation, or that the system itself may need to find out the answer.

He looked at the crystal again, and his gaze changed.

This is no longer a treasure that can be obtained easily, but a real test.

He turned to look at Qin Shuang, a smile slowly spreading across his lips.

"Looks like the price will have to be raised again."

Chapter 698 Obtaining the Starfall Crystal (Outbreak - Closed Loop of Heavenly Material Competition - Outbreak)

Qin Shuang's face darkened.

"What do you mean?"

Zhou Yang's gaze remained fixed on the faint light deep within the ruins. That light was like a drop of mercury in the darkness, clean yet exuding a chill that did not belong to this world.

"What I mean is, this deal is bigger than I thought."

He turned his head and looked at Qin Shuang.

"That guy guarding the gate is pretty capable. Even the system can't give him a direct answer."

Qin Shuang's pupils contracted slightly.

In her eyes, Zhou Yang's system was nothing more than an omnipotent charlatan. The fact that even its divine abilities were malfunctioning meant the situation was truly troublesome.

"How much do you need?"

She asked directly. She knew this wasn't the time to haggle over prices.

"I'll tell you when I come out."

Zhou Yang smiled. He weighed the sword in his hand, then strode towards the center of the observatory.

The stone slabs beneath his feet were ancient, etched with worn lines, resembling the tracks of countless stars or some kind of ancient map. With each step he took, he felt the vibrations beneath his feet grow stronger.

The energy in the air also began to become viscous.

That wasn't just a simple fluctuation of true energy; it was something more primal. It was like the weight of the starry sky itself pressing down.

Qin Shuang followed behind him, her hand already on the hilt of the knife. Her inner energy circulated wildly within her body, resisting the invisible pressure.

The surrounding air began to distort.

On those broken stone pillars, tiny specks of light began to shine. It was as if the real night sky had been brought into this ruin.

"Don't move."

Zhou Yang suddenly stopped.

The stone slab beneath his feet shone particularly brightly. A barely perceptible crack spread out from beneath his feet.

The entire observatory, like a sleeping giant, was completely awakened by his final step.

hum-

A deep, resonant sound came from the depths of the earth.

It's not a sound heard by the ears, but a resonance felt by every cell in the bones and blood.

Qin Shuang's face turned pale instantly. She felt as if her true energy was being gripped by an invisible hand, making it difficult to circulate.

Zhou Yang, however, stood even more firmly.

His eyes were fixed intently on what was ahead.

There, in the center of the once empty square, the stone slabs on the ground were being turned over and rearranged one by one. Gravel and dust were automatically separated, gathered, and solidified.

Soon, a huge stone statue slowly rose from the ground.

It stands more than three people tall and is entirely composed of a bluish-black rock. The statue's outline is ancient and archaic, not human, but more like an ancient beast clad in armor. Its face has no features, only a smooth plane.

But the moment it fully rose, two cracks appeared on that smooth face.

Those are eyes.

There were no pupils in the eyes. Only two swirling nebulae composed of countless points of light.

"The stars shine together..."

Zhou Yang read the system's prompt in a low voice.

The statue's gaze locked onto him.

That wasn't a gaze, but a more sophisticated form of locking. It was as if every atom in his body had been marked with coordinates.

Immediately afterwards, the stone statue raised one of its stone arms.

It did not attack.

He simply spread out his five stone fingers.

In an instant, all the lights on the observatory went out.

The only light sources are the nebulae in the eyes of the stone statues and the meteorite crystal in the center of the square, which floats in the air and emits a cool glow.

Then, centered on the stone statue, an invisible energy field suddenly spread out.

"Hmm!"

Qin Shuang groaned and knelt on one knee. She felt as if a mountain was pressing down on her back, and even her bones were groaning.

Zhou Yang also frowned.

This energy field is not just a simple source of pressure. It is also constantly drawing everything within it—vital energy, life force, and even heat.

The surrounding temperature is dropping rapidly.

The cold air was biting.

Zhou Yang's breath instantly turned into white frost.

He knew that if this dragged on any longer, he and Qin Shuang would be drained dry.

The meteorite crystal was located at the core of the energy field and was protected perfectly.

"It seems we can't force our way through."

He thought to himself.

The system cannot deduce a method to break the restriction, meaning there is no fixed solution.

Or rather, the cost of the solution is beyond even the system's estimation.

Then we can only use the most primitive, but also the most effective, method.

Break the rules with absolute power.

He glanced back at Qin Shuang. She was gritting her teeth, her forehead covered in cold sweat, trying to stand up.

Zhou Yang withdrew his gaze and took a deep breath.

His lifespan was decreasing rapidly, like burning firewood.

[Warning! Your lifespan is rapidly decreasing!]

[Is it confirmed that 1200 years of lifespan will be consumed to derive the exclusive, forbidden martial art 'Starfall Slash'?]

"confirm."

Zhou Yang silently recited in his heart.

The moment the words left his mouth, an indescribable chill exploded from the depths of his soul.

Twelve hundred years.

That was a period of time long enough for the world to change drastically.

In his perception, his river of life was like a flood that had burst its banks, instantly sweeping away a large section of it. A bone-chilling sense of weakness swept over his entire body, and his hair, starting from his temples, turned gray at a visible speed.

His skin also lost its color, turning as pale as paper.

But his eyes were frighteningly bright.

It was a light that transcended human limits. Profound, pure, as if it contained an entire starry sky.

"Zhou Yang!"

Qin Shuang gasped in surprise. She saw the change in Zhou Yang, and her heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by a hand.

Zhou Yang did not turn around.

He slowly raised the longsword in his hand.

The sword itself began to change under the burning of this life force. Fine cracks appeared on the surface of the once ordinary fine steel sword. From within these cracks, instead of light, a deep darkness emanated.

Darker than night.

The starlight in the surrounding energy field seemed to be attracted by something, frantically converging towards the sword.

"Starfall Slash..."

He read it softly.

The name is the entire meaning of the move.

He took a step forward.

This step didn't stir up a speck of dust. He seemed to lose his weight, becoming like a shadow.

He slashed at the stone statue in front of him with his sword.

There was no earth-shattering noise.

There was no dazzling brilliance.

There was only a single, thin, black crack, seemingly capable of cutting through everything.

The crack precisely sliced ​​through the core of the energy field.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Qin Shuang saw that the invisible energy field that enveloped the entire square was like tofu that had been cut open with a knife, with a smooth cut appearing.

At the cut, all the starlight and all the energy were annihilated in an instant.

The crack cut into the meteorite crystal.

It also struck the head of the stone monster.

The stone monster's eyes, which had been swirling with nebulae, dimmed.

It remained motionless, still holding its raised hand.

next second.

A faint sound, like shattering glass, came from its forehead.

Click.

The sound was very soft, yet jarringly clear.

Immediately afterwards, countless cracks spread across the entire body of the stone statue, centered on that cut.

It didn't explode, it didn't roar.

It simply vanished silently, turning into a sky full of blue dust.

The wind blew, and the dust settled.

In the center of the square, the stone statue that had stood guard for countless years had vanished.

Only the meteorite crystal remained, silently suspended in the air. The light on its surface seemed much softer than before.

The energy field has disappeared.

That suffocating pressure also vanished.

Qin Shuang gasped for breath as she got up from the ground. She looked at Zhou Yang, her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Zhou Yang stood still, his body swaying slightly.

That sword strike drained him of all his strength. Not just physical strength, but his very life force.

He felt like an empty shell.

But he succeeded.

He raised his hand and made a grasping motion towards the meteorite crystal.

An ancient-looking container, crafted from fragments of a dragon's spine, appeared in his palm.

This was something he had prepared long ago.

The moment the container appeared, as if summoned by some force, the meteorite crystal shone brightly, transforming into a stream of light that precisely shot into the container.

"Click."

A soft sound.

The container lid closes automatically.

The dragon spine container in Zhou Yang's hand now had complete patterns emerging on its surface. The originally discontinuous lines were now perfectly connected, forming an ancient pattern that he couldn't understand.

[The Dragon Spine Fragment (container) has absorbed the meteorite crystal.]

[Success rate of crafting Dragon Spine Container: 100%]

[Final synthesis can be performed]

A system notification sounded in his mind.

It became.

He tried to smile, but found he didn't even have the strength to move the muscles around his mouth.

"Zhou Yang!"

Qin Shuang finally cried out. She rushed over and supported his swaying body.

Upon touching it, it felt ice-cold.

"you……"

She didn't know what to say. She saw the gray hair at his temples, the ashen color on his face. She knew what he had sacrificed in that instant.

"fine."

Zhou Yang's voice was soft and slightly hoarse.

He leaned most of his weight on Qin Shuang. The familiar, faint scent emanating from her made him feel much more at ease.

He raised his hand and handed the now-complete dragon spine container to Qin Shuang.

"Look."

He gave a weak smile.

"Am I right?"

"We made a fortune on this deal."