191: Star Core recognizes its master, fights to the death to protect the path.

The rumbling and harsh shouts at the entrance of the passage were like death-knelling war drums, rapidly approaching! The time remaining for Lin Xuan was likely only a few short breaths!

His eyes sharpened, and without further hesitation, he submerged his entire consciousness into the System: "System, spare no cost, fully analyze the energy structure of the star nether core, and find the fastest way to control it or safely activate it!"

【Ding! Consuming a large amount of Fate Points, initiating overclocked analysis!】

【Analyzing... The star nether core, a relic left behind by the ancient 'Star Palace', possesses the ability to both channel the Power of Stars and stabilize the netherworld passage! Its core energy is composed of 'Star Origin Power' and 'netherworld Death Qi', which exist in a delicate balance!】

【Traces of Guixu Cult secret techniques detected, attempting to contaminate and distort the netherworld Death Qi portion at a specific frequency to disrupt the balance and forcibly open a one-way netherworld passage!】

【Core control authority node discovered (inactive)! Requires flushing and imprinting with pure Power of Stars or a higher-order Origin Power (such as primal)!】

【Warning: Forced imprinting will trigger a backlash of core energy, risk is extremely high! Success will allow for brief partial control, interrupting the Guixu Cult's ritual!】

"Higher-order Origin Power... primal!" A brilliant light exploded in Lin Xuan's eyes! No matter how high the risk, he had to try! He could not sit idly by and watch the Guixu Cult open that so-called netherworld passage!

He slammed the violently vibrating netherworld token in his hand toward the ball of light! Not by inserting it directly into the rotating "keyhole," but by pressing it firmly against the surface of the ball of light!

At the same time, he activated the primal nascent soul within his body, channeling the incomparably pure primal Origin Power without reservation through the netherworld token, madly injecting it into the star nether core!

"With my primal, I take control of the star nether!"

Boom—!!!

The entire underground palace shook violently! The star nether core was like an ice cube thrown into boiling oil, instantly erupting with an unimaginable tidal wave of energy! Brilliant starlight and deep Death Qi entangled, clashed, and annihilated each other, forming a destructive energy storm that swept in all directions!

Lin Xuan bore the brunt of it, feeling an irresistible force slam fiercely against his chest; his throat tasted sweet, and blood surged up! But he gripped the netherworld token tightly, the primal nascent soul shining brilliantly like a needle pinning the sea, forcibly stabilizing himself as he continued to madly output primal Origin Power!

【Energy backlash in progress! Host's Meridians damaged! Nascent Soul shaken!】

【primal Origin Power is flushing the core node! Imprinting progress 10%... 25%... 50%...】

At this critical moment, three figures filled with killing intent burst through the passage entrance and broke into the palace! It was none other than the Guixu Cult Middle Nascent Soul Stage Elder and two other Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators! The three of them looked slightly disheveled, clearly having paid a price to break through Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan's interception.

They saw at a glance Lin Xuan, who was confronting the star nether core, and the terrifying energy storm erupting!

"Stop him! He is seizing control of the star core!" The Middle Nascent Soul Stage Elder's eyes were splitting with rage; he had painstakingly planned for years, how could he allow others to reap the fruits? He roared, sacrificing a bone sword wrapped in dense Death Qi, which transformed into a gray rainbow, stabbing straight at Lin Xuan's back! This sword contained his life's cultivation, vowing to thoroughly slay Lin Xuan!

The other two Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators also attacked simultaneously, one with a Corrupt Immortal Palm Print, the other with a Netherworld Ghost Claw, sealing off all of Lin Xuan's space to dodge!

The furious strike from three Nascent Soul Cultivators had enough power to instantly severely injure or even kill those of the same rank! And Lin Xuan was at the most critical moment of confronting the star core, completely unable to be distracted!

A hair's breadth away!

"Don't even think about hurting him!"

A cold, sharp shout and a delicate cry rang out almost simultaneously!

The Moon Essence and the blood lotus arrived later but struck first, fiercely colliding with that Death Qi bone sword and the Corrupt Immortal Palm Print!

It was Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan! Ignoring their own injuries, they had forcibly shaken off their entanglement and followed closely, rushing into the palace to block this fatal siege for Lin Xuan at the very last moment!

Boom! Boom!

Violent energy explosions rang out in the palace!

Su Wanqing used the frost silence sword to take the bone sword head-on, Taiyin Moon Essence and Death Qi madly eroding each other. She groaned, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth as she was forced back several steps, but her eyes remained cold and determined.

Qu Feiyan's blood lotus perished together with the Corrupt Immortal Palm Print; the backlash of her Demonic Technique made her face pale, yet she stood firmly in front of the other Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator.

Gongsun Yu and Yun Shang also rushed in. Gongsun Yu's thunder energy exploded, barely blocking the aftermath of that Netherworld Ghost Claw, while Yun Shang quickly erected a star shield to protect the unsteady Qu Feiyan.

"You... are courting death!" Seeing his attack blocked, the Guixu Cult Elder was furious, waving his bone sword again with overflowing Death Qi, intending to slay Su Wanqing and the others all at once!

At this moment, Lin Xuan's confrontation with the star nether core had also reached the most critical point!

【Imprinting progress 80%... 90%... 99%... 100%!】

【Ding! Control successful! Obtained 'star nether core' Elementary control authority (temporary)!】

【Warning: Core energy is extremely unstable, Guixu Cult's contamination is still ongoing, cannot completely close the passage opening process, but can interfere, delay, or... guide an energy eruption!】

It was done!

Lin Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, Chaos and starlight intertwined within them! He felt that he had established a mysterious connection with that violent ball of light; although he couldn't fully control it, it was enough to exert influence!

Ignoring the fierce battle behind him, he moved his mind, and through that connection, forcibly guided the conflicting energy within the star nether core. No longer letting it erupt chaotically, it transformed into a condensed torrent mixed with starlight and Death Qi, like an angry Dragon, blasting in reverse toward the Middle Nascent Soul Stage Elder who was fiercely attacking Su Wanqing!

"What?!" The Elder felt the terrifying energy attacking from behind, far exceeding his understanding, and his face turned pale with shock. He could no longer care about attacking Su Wanqing and desperately turned to defend!

However, was this counterattack, which gathered a portion of the star nether core's Origin Power, so easy to block?

Rumble—!!!

The energy torrent slammed fiercely into his defense, the gray-black Death Qi barrier shattering like paper. The bone sword in his hand let out a mournful cry, and his whole body, as if struck by a star, flew backward while spraying blood wildly, slamming heavily against the wall, his aura instantly wilting to the extreme!

This scene made the other two Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators terrified to the core! They never expected that Lin Xuan could actually control that terrifying core and unleash such a shocking blow!

Lin Xuan had severely injured the strongest enemy with one blow, but he himself was deathly pale from forcibly guiding the energy, his Nascent Soul's light dim, clearly having consumed a huge amount. He forced himself to take a breath, his cold gaze sweeping over the remaining two terrified Guixu Cult Cultivators, as well as the Middle Nascent Soul Stage Elder struggling to crawl up.

"Get out! Otherwise, the next strike will make you perish in both body and soul!" His voice carried a hint of weakness, yet was filled with unquestionable killing intent.

The two Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators looked at each other, both seeing the fear in the other's eyes. Even the Elder had been severely injured in one blow; staying behind would only mean death! Neither had any more Battle Intent; they hurriedly helped up the heavily injured Elder and, like stray dogs, fled the palace in a panic, escaping up along the passage.

The strong enemies temporarily retreated, and the palace instantly quieted down, leaving only the humming of residual energy and the heavy panting of the few people.

"Lin Xuan!"

"Junior Brother!"

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan immediately rushed to Lin Xuan's side, supporting his swaying body, their eyes full of heartache and worry. Gongsun Yu and Yun Shang also gathered around.

"I'm fine... just consumed too much." Lin Xuan waved his hand and looked at the star nether core in the center, which was still energetically unstable but temporarily controlled by him, his face grave. "The Guixu Cult's contamination is still there, and the process of opening the passage has only been delayed... We must find a way to completely solve it as soon as possible, or... before the passage is forced open, possess the strength to deal with anything that comes out of it!"

He felt that what the star nether core connected to was definitely not a benevolent place. And the Guixu Cult's painstaking efforts to open it must surely have a heaven-shaking motive.

This time, although they had temporarily repelled the strong enemy and initially controlled the situation, the real crisis had perhaps only just begun. This Star Remains Ancient Palace was both an opportunity and could also become their burial ground.