I want to tread the heavens

"boom--!"

Another heavy blow slammed into the thick starstone door. The ancient and intricate defensive runes on the door panel flickered wildly like candles in the wind, emitting a "crack" sound as they succumbed to the pressure. Several fine cracks spread from the point of impact, as if the door would shatter completely at any moment.

Outside the door, Guo Dahai's furious roar, Guo Yan's chilling sneer, the hoarse howls of demonic claws and the hisses of unknown creatures surged through the cracks in the door like a tidal wave, disrupting the deathly silence within the hall. The violent fluctuations of spiritual energy, the chilling demonic aura, and the ear-piercing noise of weapons striking the stone door intertwined to create a prelude to destruction.

Uncle Rong stood between the Star Platform and the stone gate, his back ramrod straight, like an old pine tree rooted in a precipice. The broken sword in his hand pointed diagonally at the ground; its rusted blade, reflecting the starlight from the dome, faintly tinged with a dark, blood-red hue. It was a sign that he had forcibly activated it with his life essence and remnant soul. His face was ashen, his breath weak, but his cloudy eyes now shone with a terrifying light, fixed intently on the violently trembling stone gate, emanating a tragic aura of mutual destruction.

Fa Cai clung tightly to his feet, its amber pupils now a cold, silvery-white. Its gray fur stood on end, shimmering with a faint silver light. Though its size hadn't increased, the ancient pressure emanating from the depths of its bloodline and its undisguised killing intent seemed to freeze the surrounding air. It continuously emitted low, threatening growls from its throat, its claws digging deep into the star crystal ground, leaving white marks.

On the Star Platform, Ling Xiao was at the most critical moment.

Having received the complete inheritance of the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Dao Dao Jing" from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment, and with the stellar origin power actively infused by the Star Platform for repair and nourishment, the dried-up meridians within his body were being widened and strengthened at an astonishing speed. His remaining injuries were rapidly healing, and his cultivation aura was steadily rising, having already broken through the barrier of the fourth level of Qi Refining and was stabilizing at a deeper level. His body was enveloped in a dense cocoon of silver light, connected to the stellar power waterfall cascading from the dome, as if undergoing a sacred transformation.

His tightly closed eyes trembled slightly, his brow furrowed, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. Clearly, his consciousness had not fully returned; he was still immersed in receiving the final torrent of information and merging with the power of the inheritance. He seemed to have only a vague perception of the impending collapse of the stone gate and the imminent crisis outside.

"Faster...faster..." Uncle Rong was burning with anxiety. He could feel Ling Xiao's aura growing rapidly, but it was far from enough! The power gathered outside the door far exceeded his imagination. Not only were there Guo Dahai's trusted inner circle members, but also demonic minions mixed in, and there might even be monsters corrupted and controlled by demonic energy! Once the stone door shattered, given his current state and wealth, it would be extremely difficult for him to hold out until Ling Xiao fully awakened and mastered his newfound power.

"Guo Rong! Ling Xiao! You think you can rest easy hiding in this turtle shell?" Guo Yan's shrill voice pierced through the cracks in the stone door, carrying a venomous chill. "Surrender obediently, offer up the Starfall Inheritance and that beast, and perhaps the Demon Lord will show mercy and spare your corpses! Otherwise, once we break down this shabby door, we'll make you wish you were dead!"

"Why waste words on these dying people!" Guo Dahai roared. "Go all out! Where's the 'Formation-Breaking Cone' bestowed by the Demon Lord? Use it! Smash it!"

As soon as the words fell, an extremely cold, sharp, and terrifying wave of energy, filled with an aura of destruction, suddenly gathered outside the door! Then—

"laugh--!!"

A piercing shriek, seemingly capable of tearing apart the soul, rang out! A cone-shaped energy, condensed to its extreme, as black as ink, with a dark red, malevolent light flickering at its tip, slammed into the center of the Star Stone Gate! The defensive runes on the stone gate instantly erupted with blinding silver light, attempting to resist, but the power to break through the formation contained in that black energy cone was extremely vicious. It was like a red-hot iron piercing into ice and snow, rapidly melting and eroding the power of the runes!

"Snap! Snap!"

The cracks on the stone gate spread and deepened at a speed visible to the naked eye! The entire inheritance hall shook violently, and even the star map on the dome became slightly disordered!

"Not good!" Uncle Rong's pupils shrank sharply. He could feel that the stone gate could withstand two or three more attacks like this before it would break! He turned around abruptly to look at Ling Xiao on the star platform. A resolute look flashed in his eyes. He was about to risk his life to step forward and forcibly interrupt the inheritance process. Even if it meant that Ling Xiao would suffer a backlash, it would be better than dying here immediately!

However, just as he was about to take a step—

On the star platform, Ling Xiao, who was enveloped in a silver cocoon of light, suddenly shuddered! The waterfall of starlight surrounding him abruptly contracted inward, merging entirely into his body! His tightly closed eyes snapped open!

His eyes had no pupils, only a deep, swirling silver vortex that seemed to contain the entire starry sea! A pure, vast, yet nascent and unstable powerful aura erupted from him! Peak of the fourth level of Qi Refining! No, he had faintly touched the threshold of the fifth level! Moreover, the purity and richness of his spiritual power far exceeded that of others of the same level!

He successfully absorbed the inheritance and initially stabilized his realm!

However, his eyes held a trace of bewilderment and lingering shock, as if he were still immersed in an extremely long, magnificent, and terrifying scene. It was the fragmented memories and emotional torrent of the Starfall Clan's destruction, imprinted deep in his soul during the "Star Soul Tempering Heart" trial, which had not yet completely subsided.

"Ling Xiao!" Uncle Rong shouted urgently, "Wake up! The door is about to break down!"

The silver vortex in Ling Xiao's eyes quickly faded, and his vision cleared. He instantly sensed the terrifying pressure emanating from outside the door, as well as the near-limited state of Uncle Rong and Fa Cai. Without any hesitation, he leaped off the star platform and landed beside Uncle Rong.

The instant he landed—

"BOOM—!!!"

The third "Formation-Breaking Cone" slammed into the same spot on the stone door! With a deafening roar, the star-shaped stone door that had guarded the Inheritance Hall for countless years finally succumbed to the pressure and shattered! Countless fragments of stone, carrying violent streams of spiritual energy and chilling demonic energy, swept in like a storm!

Smoke and dust filled the air, and pebbles rained down.

As the smoke and dust cleared, a dark mass of at least twenty or thirty figures was revealed outside the door!

Leading them was Guo Dahai, his face contorted with rage, his eyes gleaming with greed and murderous intent. Beside him stood Guo Yan, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood, wielding a bone cone dripping with black, viscous liquid. Behind them were more than ten burly, fierce-looking members of the Guo family's inner courtyard (mostly from Guo Dahai's faction), and seven or eight "people" dressed in tattered gray robes, their bodies wreathed in chilling demonic energy, their faces twisted, and their eyes flickering with eerie green flames—these were the demons' minions! Further out, some bizarre, inhuman, demonic creatures, radiating a violent aura, writhed and roared in the shadows.

"Hahaha! We've finally found you!" Guo Dahai laughed wildly, his gaze like a poisonous hook, fixed on Ling Xiao, especially as it swept over his clearly transformed aura and the seemingly more lustrous jade pendant in his hand. Greed was almost overflowing. "You little bastard, it seems you've gained quite a bit in there! Too bad, it's all been for our benefit!"

Guo Yan gazed greedily at Fa Cai, licking his lips: "And this beast... such a pure and vibrant bloodline of the Howling Moon Wolf cub is excellent material for crafting the 'Demon Wolf Puppet'!"

"Kill! Leave no one alive! We must get our hands on the Starfall Inheritance and that jade pendant!" Guo Dahai ordered sternly.

"roar--!"

The demonic minions and mutated creatures roared bloodthirstily, transforming into streaks of black shadows, carrying a stench of demonic energy, and charged forward! Guo Dahai's trusted confidants also surrounded them, each wielding a weapon and grinning maliciously.

The Hall of Inheritance was instantly transformed into a battlefield of carnage!

Uncle Rong roared, advancing instead of retreating. His broken sword transformed into a streak of dark light, meeting the two demon minions charging at the forefront! Where the sword flashed, the demonic energy dissipated, and the two minions screamed as they flew backward. Uncle Rong himself was also violently shaken, blood trickling from his mouth. He was already at his last gasp, and now he was fighting with the last of his life force burning away.

With a long howl, the creature's eyes blazed with silver light. As it pounced, its body suddenly swelled to the size of a foal, its entire body covered in hard, silvery bristles. Its claws were like knives as it charged into the enemy ranks, tearing and biting, instantly ripping apart a demonic wolf beast. It then engaged in a fierce battle with a demonic minion at the fifth level of Qi Refining, their silver radiance clashing wildly with the demonic energy.

Ling Xiao's eyes were icy cold, and the newly acquired, immense power of the meteorite surged and roared through his meridians. With a swift movement, his "Swimming Fish Step," driven by even purer spiritual energy, was far faster than before. He dodged two longswords that came slashing at him like a ghost. His left hand, with fingers pointing like a knife, precisely struck an acupoint on the wrist of an inner courtyard disciple, while his right hand, with a broken blade, slashed back, forcing back another enemy who attempted a sneak attack.

The battle instantly intensified. Shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, screams, roars, and howls of demons, mixed with the booming of spiritual energy explosions, echoed deafeningly in the vast and magnificent inheritance hall.

However, outnumbered and outmatched, Rong Shu and Fa Cai were constantly on the defensive, facing numerous dangers and incurring new wounds as they were surrounded by several powerful enemies. Although Ling Xiao's cultivation had greatly improved and his combat awareness and skills had been enhanced through inheritance, he could only barely hold on against the attacks coming from all directions, especially Guo Yan's occasional vicious and unpredictable bone spike attacks, and Guo Dahai's sinister wind blades fired from afar. He soon had several wounds on his body, and his robes were stained with blood.

"This can't go on!" Ling Xiao thought anxiously. He could feel Uncle Rong's life force rapidly fading away, like a candle flickering in the wind. Fa Cai's roars were also beginning to carry a hint of weariness. And the enemies seemed to be gathering in ever-growing numbers, seemingly endless.

Is it possible that just as hope has been gained, we are about to perish here?

No! Absolutely not!

The burning starry sky and fallen ancestors he saw during the "Star Soul Tempering" flashed through his mind, as did the dim light of the old courtyard, Uncle Rong's silent profile as he wiped the broken knife, and Fa Cai's fluffy head... A sense of unwillingness, unyielding spirit, and an unprecedented determination to protect, mixed with the violent factor of "Devouring Heaven" deep in his blood, erupted with a bang!

"Ugh—!!" Ling Xiao let out a low growl that sounded inhuman, and a terrifying purple-gold lightning flashed uncontrollably in his eyes once again! The newly acquired, gentle and pure Starfall Power within his body clashed violently and agitated with the dormant Devouring Heaven Bloodline Power, which was full of destructive aura! Veins bulged under his skin, and his aura became violent and unstable.

"Now!" Guo Yan, who had been observing coldly, saw the moment when Ling Xiao's breathing became disordered. His eyes flashed with a fierce light, and the bone cone dripping with black liquid suddenly flew out of his hand, transforming into a silent yet lightning-fast black light that shot straight at Ling Xiao's back! The timing was tricky, and the angle was vicious. It was just when Ling Xiao had parried two enemies and his old strength was exhausted and new strength had not yet been generated!

"Xiao'er, be careful!" Uncle Rong caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye, his eyes wide with fury. He tried to help but was held back by two demon minions.

Fa Cai was also tightly held by a demonized bear and could not break free.

The dark light arrived in an instant! The shadow of death completely enveloped Ling Xiao!

In this critical, life-or-death situation—

A sudden and unexpected change erupted from Ling Xiao's body!

It wasn't the power he had lost control of, but rather the "Origin of Stars" that he had just acquired, had not yet fully refined, and was settling deep within his dantian!

This source was formed by the Starfall Clan's ancestor, "Starlight Venerable," using his last strength combined with the remaining star veins of the underground palace. It is the most precious gift left by the Inheritance Hall to future generations, containing the purest power of stellar creation and a faint trace of protective will.

At this moment, sensing the inevitable death of the inheritor, sensing the terrifying demonic energy on that vicious bone cone that could erode the soul and sever life, and even more so, sensing the indomitable will to protect and the sorrowful roar of his bloodline deep within Ling Xiao's soul...

This dormant "origin of the stars" has automatically awakened.

Om-! ! !

An indescribable, pure, vast, and ancient stellar power, seemingly originating from the very beginning of creation, erupted from Ling Xiao's center! The dazzling silver light instantly illuminated the entire dimly lit inheritance hall, even overshadowing the star map on the dome!

The light was not dazzling, but rather incredibly gentle, filled with the hope of life and the warmth of protection. But beneath that gentleness lay an absolute and inviolable majesty!

The vicious bone cone, which was only three inches long and had been shot into Ling Xiao's back, melted and vaporized instantly without leaving a trace when it was illuminated by the silver light, just like frost and snow under the scorching sun!

All the enemies rushing towards Ling Xiao—whether they were fierce inner disciples, cold-blooded demon minions, or violent demonic creatures—were struck by this silver light. As if hit hard in the chest by an invisible giant hammer, they screamed and flew backward, spitting out blood, their demonic energy dissipating, their spiritual power in chaos, and their eyes filled with boundless fear and horror!

Even Guo Dahai and Guo Yan, who were casting spells in the distance, were stunned by the sudden silver light, their spells were interrupted, and they retreated one after another, their faces filled with disbelief and shock.

The silver light lasted for a mere breath before quickly receding and disappearing back into Ling Xiao's body. But in that brief moment, the tide of battle turned instantly!

Ling Xiao stood still, enveloped in a faint, almost tangible silver halo. Although his aura was still somewhat unstable, his eyes were now completely clear and calm, as if the devastating explosion just now had nothing to do with him. Only he could feel that the "Origin of Stars" in his dantian had shrunk by almost half and become much dimmer, but a pure, gentle, and continuous stream of stellar power was flowing out from it, nourishing his entire body, rapidly repairing his injuries, and calming the conflicting forces within him.

He raised his hand, looking at the silver spiritual energy flowing in his palm, faintly glowing with starlight. He then looked at the enemies around him, who were staggering and still in shock, and at Uncle Rong and Fa Cai, who were covered in wounds but whose eyes were burning with hope. A sudden realization came to him.

This is the true power of the Starfall Legacy. It is not destruction, but protection. It is the power to ignite hope in dire straits and illuminate the path to survival for those we cherish.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze like cold lightning, sweeping over Guo Dahai, whose face was ashen, over Guo Yan, whose eyes were filled with doubt and uncertainty, and over the enemies who were struggling to get up but were already terrified.

He gently raised the broken knife in his hand, the tip pointing at Guo Dahai.

The sound was calm, yet it echoed clearly in the suddenly deathly silent hall:

"Now, it's our turn."