I want to tread the heavens

The platform across the lava lake is not a way out, but a deeper and more treacherous natural killing field.

Before them stretched a vast underground space, where countless enormous, jet-black stalagmites with jagged edges rose abruptly from the ground, piercing the dome like a silent black forest. The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur and the metallic stench of corrosion. The ground was a jumble of volcanic glass and broken rock. In the distance, the faint rumble of underground water could be heard, and deeper still, the low growls of unknown creatures echoed between the rock walls. This was the most chaotic "appendix" of the Starfall Palace's energy pathways, a place where even stellar runes were scarce, only primordial geothermal activity and a chaotic magnetic field.

"Go! Stay close to the stalagmite's shadow, don't linger in open areas!" Uncle Rong's voice was hoarse, yet carried an undeniable resolve. His bare upper body was covered in new and old wounds, the bloodstains scabbed over in the high temperature. Though his steps were unsteady, his eyes, like a hawk's, scanned every possible crevice in the rocks where an enemy might hide. His restored memories gave him an intimate understanding of the tactical value of such complex terrain.

However, the pursuers arrived faster than expected.

They had barely ventured a hundred feet into the obsidian forest when three dark figures suddenly sprang out from behind a giant pillar on their right—not members of the Guo family, but "corpse puppets" with twisted limbs, unnaturally gray skin, and cloudy eyes that gleamed with a bloodthirsty red light! Fragments of clothing belonging to members of the Guo family remained on their bodies, clearly indicating that they had been forcibly catalyzed by a demonic secret technique. Their movements were stiff yet incredibly strong, their fingernails were jet black and shiny, and they carried the stench of corpse poison as they lunged straight at the weakest member, Uncle Rong!

"It's 'Corpse Refining Technique'! Don't let them get close!" Uncle Rong shouted, advancing instead of retreating. His broken blade drew a ruthless arc, precisely severing the knee tendons of the lead corpse puppet, causing it to fall to the ground. But the other two were already close, their withered claws reaching for his ribs.

Ling Xiao gritted his teeth, unleashing the full power of his peak fourth-level Qi Refining stage, the Starfall Force, with unrestrained force. His palm strike, sharp as a blade, aimed at the other corpse puppet's head. Although the force repelled it, Ling Xiao felt a sweet taste in his throat, and the internal injuries he had forcibly suppressed surged again, causing him to sway slightly. After all, he had just experienced the impact of the inheritance and a series of fierce battles; his newly acquired power was not yet fully integrated, and he was now at his limit.

With a low growl, before its size could even expand, it tore apart the third corpse puppet's lower leg with its silver claws, only to be slapped in the back by the puppet's backhand. With a painful groan, it rolled several feet away.

Just then, the sound of air being torn apart rang out simultaneously from both the front and the rear!

Ahead, Guo Yan's figure appeared like a ghost atop a towering stalagmite, black liquid dripping from the bone cone in his hand, a savage grin on his face like a cat hunting a mouse: "Run? Why aren't you running anymore? This 'Obsidian Maze' is a natural graveyard!" Behind him, several demon minions held chains that glowed green, blocking their path.

Behind them, Guo Dahai, along with several trusted men and even more corpse puppets and demonic beasts, bypassed the lava lake and pressed forward menacingly, completely blocking their retreat.

"Form ranks! Back to the stone pillar!" Uncle Rong shouted, pulling Ling Xiao behind him and using his own thin body to block their path. The three men and the wolf were compressed into a depression at the base of a thick obsidian stalagmite, surrounded by enemies on all sides, with no way to escape.

"Ling Xiao, hand over the Starfall Inheritance and the jade pendant, cripple your cultivation, and I might be able to make your old dog servant die a quicker death!" Guo Dahai stood at a distance, not in a hurry to launch a strong attack, but enjoying the thrill of his prey's despair. He waved his hand, and the demon minions and corpse puppets slowly approached, compressing the encirclement.

"Dream on." Ling Xiao spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes as cold as ice, and gripped the broken sword in his hand even tighter. He quietly circulated the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Dao Dao Jing" (Scripture of the Great Dao of the Celestial Stars), trying to communicate with the thin and chaotic stellar energy here, but found that the stellar veins here were polluted by geothermal heat and demonic energy, making it difficult to draw on their power.

"Xiao'er, listen," Uncle Rong's voice was extremely low and rapid, his lips barely moving, "In a moment, I'll tear open the gap in the northeast corner. You take Facai and use 'Swimming Fish Step' to rush towards the fissure at three o'clock with all your might. Don't look back! The map shows there might be an unfinished 'lateral maintenance shaft' there; it's the only way to survive!"

"We'll go together!" Ling Xiao said urgently.

"If we go together, we'll all die! I'll cover the rear, that's a military order!" A hint of unquestionable authority, the air of a former personal guard commander, flashed in Uncle Rong's eyes. "Remember, only by surviving can you have a future! For me and your parents... take a few more glances at the starry sky!"

Before he could finish speaking, Uncle Rong made his move!

Instead of charging towards the enemy's weakest point, he lunged at Guo Yan, the strongest and most forward-positioned enemy! This move completely surprised everyone!

"You old madman!" Guo Yan yelled, thrusting the bone spike forward. Uncle Rong neither dodged nor evaded, letting the bone spike graz his shoulder blade, spraying a spray of blood. His left hand gripped Guo Yan's wrist, which was holding the spike, like an iron clamp, while his right hand, with the broken knife, slashed wildly at Guo Yan's neck in a desperate attempt to take him down with him! Guo Yan was forced to lean back to block, and the formation instantly became slightly chaotic.

"Now! Let's go—!!" Uncle Rong's roar echoed through the obsidian forest.

Ling Xiao's eyes were bloodshot, his teeth almost grinding to powder, but he knew this was not the time to act rashly. He grabbed the growling Fa Cai, used the Swimming Fish Step to its fullest extent, and his figure shot out like a wisp of green smoke from the tiny gap that Uncle Rong had risked his life to create, heading towards the deep, dark fissure in the northeast!

"Stop him!" Guo Dahai roared, unleashing a whistling wind blade.

In the midst of the fierce fight, Uncle Rong suddenly swung Guo Yan, using him as a shield to ram into the wind blade! Guo Yan dodged in shock and anger, the wind blade missing its target and scattering shards of rock as it struck the stalagmite. Uncle Rong seized the opportunity to spin, his broken blade unleashing a brutal barrage of blades that forced back two demonic minions attempting to pursue him. However, he himself suffered two more deep, bone-revealing wounds on his back, bleeding profusely, yet he remained rooted to the spot like a rock, blocking the path.

"You old dog! You're asking for death!" Guo Dahai roared in fury, personally unleashing his sixth-level Qi Refining level spiritual power, which surged towards Uncle Rong like a tidal wave. The remaining enemies also swarmed forward, their blades flashing and shadows instantly engulfing Uncle Rong.

Ling Xiao charged into the fissure in the ground, the roar of Uncle Rong and the clanging of metal behind him like knives stabbing his heart. He dared not turn back, fearing that if he did, he would be unable to resist rushing back to his death.

The fissure in the ground was narrow and dark, barely wide enough for one person to pass sideways, and loose rocks kept falling. Fa Cai led the way, anxious and restless, frequently glancing back towards the battlefield, his amber pupils bloodshot.

Suddenly, three pairs of bright green compound eyes lit up in the darkness ahead! Three demonic cave creatures, shaped like giant scorpions with tail hooks that gleamed with purplish-black poisonous light, were drawn by the presence of living people and emerged from the cracks in the rock wall, blocking the way!

With a formidable enemy behind him and obstacles in front, Ling Xiao's heart sank to the bottom.

"roar--!!!"

At that moment, Fa Cai let out a completely different, earth-shattering roar, filled with savagery, pain, and destruction!

This time, instead of controlling its size, it completely lost control under the combined stimulation of extreme anxiety, the instinct to protect its master, and the murderous aura of the battlefield!

Its body swelled wildly like an inflating balloon, instantly reaching the size of an adult warhorse! Its gray fur stood on end, igniting with a layer of illusory, dark red flames! Muscles bulged, bones crackled with a sickle-like sound, claws grew to scythe-like size, and fangs protruded from its mouth, saliva dripping and corroding the ground! Its once lively amber pupils were now a chaotic blood red, devoid of reason, filled only with the most primal desire for slaughter and destruction!

"Get rich?!" Ling Xiao exclaimed, forced to take two steps back by the sudden, fierce wave of energy.

The berserk Fa Cai completely ignored Ling Xiao. Its blood-red eyes were fixed on the three demonic scorpions in front of it. It slammed its hind legs into the ground, cracking the earth! Its massive body transformed into a dark red afterimage, crashing into the scorpion swarm with a sonic boom-like roar!

"Snap! Pfft!"

With a swift swing of its claws, it tore one scorpion to shreds in an instant! A massive jaws, crackled with dark red flames, snapped open, shattering the hard shell of another scorpion like paper, spurting venomous blood! The third scorpion's stinger pierced Fa Cai's abdomen, but was clamped tightly by its raging muscles. Fa Cai roared in pain, violently whipping its head around, lifting the scorpion by its tail and slamming it against the rock wall, turning it into a bloody pulp!

In just two breaths, all three demonic scorpions were wiped out! But Fa Cai did not stop. It turned around, its blood-red eyes locked onto the depths of the crack in the ground, as if it had sensed a stronger threat or... more "prey". It pawed at the ground with its limbs, about to rush into the darker unknown, completely lost in the slaughter.

"Fa Cai! Come back!" Ling Xiao shouted anxiously, trying to soothe Fa Cai with the power of Starfall, but the berserk Fa Cai did not react at all. Instead, he bared his blood-stained fangs at him due to the energy fluctuations.

Just then, amidst the shouts of battle coming from Rong Shu's direction, a new, slightly chaotic sound of footsteps and a delicate cry suddenly broke the silence!

"You lowly demons, how dare you act so presumptuously in the Guo family's ley lines!"

"Protect the Third Elder! Form the 'Three-Star Demon-Locking Array'!"

It was Guo Yun's voice! She had led three trusted nannies, risking great danger to break in through another hidden maintenance passage! They had clearly encountered the outer demon sentries; all of them were wounded, but their formation remained intact, and they attacked ruthlessly, directly striking the flank of Guo Dahai's side!

"Guo Yun! You old bastard!" Guo Dahai was both shocked and furious, and had no choice but to divide his forces to deal with the situation. Uncle Rong's pressure eased, allowing him to catch his breath, but he was already covered in blood and swaying precariously.

This unexpected turn of events seemed to spur the berserk Fa Cai into a frenzy. Although it had completely lost its reason, it still had a vague sense of familiarity with the auras of Guo Yun and the others, while its hostility towards Guo Dahai and the demons was ingrained in its instincts. It abruptly changed direction, abandoning its attempt to plunge into the depths of the fissure, and instead let out a deafening roar, smashing through the rock wall beside it, forcefully charging back to the main battlefield from the side!

The massive, dark red body charged into the enemy ranks like a war chariot, indiscriminately tearing and biting with its claws! A demonic minion was caught off guard and was smashed into a bloody pulp along with its weapon! Guo Yan rolled on the ground in a sorry state to avoid the sweeping giant tail, breaking out in a cold sweat.

"This beast has gone mad!" Guo Dahai was also forced to retreat, his formation thrown into chaos.

Seeing this, Guo Yun's eyes flashed with surprise and decisiveness: "A good opportunity! Mr. Rong, come closer to me!"

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Uncle Rong forced back the enemy in front of him with a single slash and staggered toward Guo Yun's formation. Fa Cai charged wildly through the enemy ranks, creating huge chaos. Although it also took a lot of attacks, with its dark red flames flickering and its skin torn and bleeding, it felt no pain due to its berserk state and became even more ferocious.

Ling Xiao watched anxiously from the crevice, worried about Uncle Rong and Fa Cai, yet knowing that going up there would only cause trouble. He forced himself to calm down, scanning the battlefield. He noticed Guo Yun and the others fighting and retreating, seemingly moving towards a recess in the rock wall where there were faint traces of artificial excavation—possibly the backup exit Uncle Rong had mentioned!

He has to do something!

Ling Xiao gritted his teeth, took out the last "Explosive Flame Talisman" given to him by Guo Yun from his pocket, aimed at the area where Guo Dahai and the demon's minions were most concentrated, activated it with the power of meteor shower, and threw it fiercely!

"boom!"

The fireball exploded, scattering debris everywhere. Although it did not cause fatal injuries, it successfully drew some of the fire and briefly obscured the view.

"Go!" Guo Yun seized the opportunity and, together with a nanny, threw out a smoke bomb-like pill, instantly filling the air with a thick, pungent white mist. Uncle Rong was helped by a nanny and quickly retreated into a recess in the rock wall. Fa Cai was still roaring and fighting in the mist. Guo Yun shouted sharply, "Ling Xiao! Tell it to come back!"

Ling Xiao, suddenly inspired, channeled the power of the meteor into his throat, letting out a long howl imitating a wolf, the howl carrying a strong sense of "returning home." The berserk creature, Fa Cai, paused, its blood-red eyes turning towards Ling Xiao, seemingly pulled back to its instincts by that familiar call. It let out a low growl of resentment, smashing aside two corpse puppets blocking its path, its massive body plunging into the depression shrouded in white mist.

Ling Xiao rushed over immediately.

Beyond the depression lay a narrow, man-made tunnel, barely wide enough for one person to crawl through, its destination unknown. Guo Yun, bringing up the rear, swung her staff to deflect several poisoned arrows that were pursuing them, and shouted, "Go in! Quickly!"

Uncle Rong had already been sent into the pipeline. Fa Cai was too big to fit inside and was frantically pawing at the ground. Ling Xiao looked at Guo Yun, who urged, "Let it guard outside! It can hold it off for a while! We'll wait for it at the next rendezvous point! Let's go!"

Ling Xiao hardened his heart and shouted to Fa Cai, "Guard this place! Don't let anyone in! I'll come back for you!" He knew that Fa Cai couldn't understand complicated commands in its current state, but it understood the instincts of "guarding" and "fighting".

Fa Cai seemed to understand part of what was being said, letting out a threatening roar towards the pursuers, its massive body blocking most of the pipe entrance.

Ling Xiao took one last look at Guo Yun, who was fighting fiercely, Uncle Rong, whose fate was unknown, and Fa Cai, who was blocking the door in a frenzy. He gritted his teeth, crawled into the dark and narrow pipe, and struggled to climb forward.

Behind them, the roar of wealth, the fury of the enemy, the booming of magic, and Guo Yun's calm command were quickly isolated by the thick rock layer, becoming dull and distant.

In the dark pipe, only his heavy breathing and the sound of his fingernails scraping against the rock could be heard. The road ahead was unknown, his companions were scattered, but only one thought occupied his mind—

Survive, and then take them out!