38: The Corridor of Stars and Bones, the Shadow of Silence

Inside the circular cave, the ancient secrets told by the murals and the warnings left by the Star Scars weighed heavily on the four people. The path ahead was clear, but far more perilous than imagined. The Fallen Watchman, the revived Demon Lord's Remnant Will, and the circumferential star lock that needed restarting—any one of these was enough to make people hesitate.

However, retreat was impossible.

Lin Xuan's gaze swept over the Three women, whose expressions were resolute, and a sense of pride and responsibility welled up in his heart. He no longer hesitated, following the Mental Coordinate in his mind that pointed towards the Demon Suppressing Palace, and walked towards an inconspicuous exit on the other side of the cave, half-hidden by rubble.

“Let's go.”

The four people exited the opening one by one, and the scene before them changed again.

They seemed to have stepped into a magnificent corridor paved with the remains of stars. The corridor was immensely wide; the sides were not walls but were constructed from countless enormous, shattered, strange bones and dim crystal fragments that emitted faint Star Radiance, extending upward into the darkness at the edge of sight. The floor was made of black flagstones, smooth as a mirror, reflecting specks of Star Radiance. The air was filled with a lonely, cold, yet sacred residual aura, completely different from the filthy Devilish Qi found elsewhere in the Demon Palace.

“Are these... the remains of Ancient Star Beasts?” Su Wanqing felt the pure and vast Power of Stars remaining in the bone fragments, and a hint of surprise flashed in her clear, cold eyes. The Taiyin Youying Bloodline and the Power of Stars shared the same Origin, making her feel an inexplicable affinity for this place.

“It seems the Ancient Immortals and Gods who constructed this Demon Palace Seal not only utilized the Power of Stars but even hunted countless Star Beasts, using their remains as a foundation to enhance the power of the Seal.” Qu Feiyan surveyed the surroundings, her charming eyes filled with shock. Such a feat far surpassed imagination.

Lin Xuan could feel that the immortal abode pivot token in his palm was unusually active here, resonating strongly with the remaining Power of Stars around them. He could even vaguely perceive some of the energy flow patterns within this “Star Skeleton Corridor.”

“This corridor should be one of the main passages leading to the Demon Suppressing Palace. Everyone be careful. Although this place seems calm, since it is a crucial area for the Seal, it definitely won't be unguarded.” Lin Xuan warned, simultaneously spreading his Divine Sense to its maximum extent.

The corridor was silent; only their footsteps echoed in the vast space. The Star Beast remains emitted an eternal faint glow, illuminating the path ahead but also casting countless twisted and bizarre shadows.

Not long after they proceeded, a massive crossroads appeared in the corridor ahead. Four passages branched off in different directions, each deep and seemingly endless, emitting similar yet slightly distinct stellar Qi and Spatial Fluctuations.

“Which way does the coordinate point?” Su Wanqing looked at Lin Xuan.

Lin Xuan closed his eyes to sense it, his brow furrowed slightly. Upon reaching this point, the Mental Coordinate became somewhat vague; it seemed all four passages were subtly connected, yet none seemed entirely correct.

“The coordinate is being interfered with, making precise location impossible.” Lin Xuan opened his eyes, scanning the four passages. “We need to judge for ourselves.”

Just then, an anomaly occurred!

Deep within the second passage on the right, a fierce energy fluctuation suddenly erupted, accompanied by a muffled explosion and a faint, painful groan! Within that energy fluctuation was a trace of familiar, pure and peaceful Spiritual Power—it was the aura of Daoist Shoujing!

“It's Senior Shoujing!” Gongsun Yu exclaimed.

“Why is he here? And fighting someone?” Qu Feiyan's charming eyes narrowed.

Thoughts raced through Lin Xuan's mind. Daoist Shoujing appearing here and engaging in combat with some entity undoubtedly confirmed the warning in the Star Scars' message regarding the “Fallen Watchman” and that “the Watchmen's hearts are not monolithic”!

“Let's go check it out!” Lin Xuan made an immediate decision and was the first to rush toward the passage from which the fluctuation originated. Regardless of whether Daoist Shoujing was friend or foe, the current change could bring important information, or even... an Opportunity!

This passage was much narrower than the main corridor, and the surrounding Star Skeletons were more fragmented, as if they had endured a fierce battle. Traces of chaotic Spiritual Power and Devilish Qi collision lingered in the air.

The four people hurried forward and soon arrived at the end of the passage—a relatively small circular hall.

The sight inside the hall caused the four people's pupils to contract sharply.

Daoist Shoujing was seen holding his Green Bamboo Staff, surrounded by Pure Light, fiercely battling a constantly twisting and changing Dark Shadow! The Dark Shadow had no fixed form, sometimes turning into a hideous demonic creature, and sometimes transforming into a blurry human shape. It emitted pure and evil Devilish Qi, and its strength had clearly reached the Golden Core level, making it even more bizarre and troublesome than the previous Corpse Demon!

Daoist Shoujing was clearly at a disadvantage; his face was pale, his Daoist Robe was stained with smudges, and a trace of blood hung at the corner of his mouth. His movements lacked his usual composure, appearing somewhat disheveled. Every time his Green Bamboo Staff pointed out, it dispersed a large area of Pure Light, purifying the Devilish Qi, but the Dark Shadow was like a gangrene attached to the bone; it quickly reformed after being scattered and continuously emitted shrieks that eroded the Divine Soul.

In the center of the hall stood a small altar made of pure crystal. Suspended above the altar was a fist-sized, constantly rotating, multi-faceted crystal that emitted a soft Star Radiance. Inside the crystal, a drop of dark red blood, wriggling like a living thing, seemed to be sealed! A heart-palpitating pressure and filth, originating from the Origin of life, radiated from that drop of blood!

“Is that... Demon Lord's Blood?!” Qu Feiyan cried out involuntarily, a look of horror appearing on her charming face for the first time.

Lin Xuan also sensed the terrifying power contained within that drop of blood; it definitely belonged to the true form of the Myriad Silence Demon Lord! This Dark Shadow seemed to be guarding, or rather, attempting to seize this Demonic Blood!

Daoist Shoujing was clearly trying to stop it!

“Help me!” Daoist Shoujing also noticed the arrival of Lin Xuan and the Three women and immediately called for assistance, his voice carrying a hint of urgency. “This is the Thousand-Faced Phantom, a demonic creature formed by the Demon Lord's Remnant Will. It is extremely cunning, and we absolutely cannot let it obtain the Demon Lord's True Blood, or the consequences will be unimaginable!”

The situation was critical, leaving no room for hesitation. Regardless of how much Daoist Shoujing had concealed, his goal was temporarily aligned with the four people's: stop the demonic creature!

“Attack!” Lin Xuan shouted, his figure moving like lightning, rushing straight toward the Thousand-Faced Phantom! He did not use the frost silence immortal sword; instead, his fists flashed with golden light, the Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art operating at full capacity. His supreme Yang Qi and Blood were like a roaring furnace, and he punched out, his incomparably fierce Fist Intent locking onto the Phantom's core!

The Thousand-Faced Phantom sensed the new threat and let out a sharp hiss, splitting into several black shadows that coiled around Lin Xuan like venomous snakes.

Su Wanqing's Ice Sword left its sheath, and the Moon Splendor Domain instantly unfolded. A clear, cold chill permeated the hall, and fine Ice Crystals condensed on the floor and in the air, greatly restricting the flexibility and regeneration speed of the Phantom's Clone. Her sword light was like a rainbow, accurately striking the slowed Clone.

Qu Feiyan's figure flickered. Her hands formed complex Hand Seals, and alluring Blood-Colored Lotuses bloomed and exploded around the Phantom. While they didn't cause massive direct damage, they continuously interfered with and polluted the composition of its pure demonic power, causing a noticeable sluggishness in its shape-shifting.

Gongsun Yu moved around the periphery, and the thunder light silver ring transformed into bolts of lightning, specifically striking the paths the Phantom attempted to use to approach the central crystal altar, imposing a lockdown and interference.

With the assistance of the four people, Daoist Shoujing's pressure significantly decreased. The Pure Light on his Green Bamboo Staff intensified, and he chanted incantations. A condensed Purification Light Pillar, like a sharp sword, pierced straight toward the Phantom's core!

Under the combined attack of the five individuals, the Thousand-Faced Phantom let out a miserable roar. Its form continuously twisted and disintegrated, only to painfully reassemble, and its Devilish Qi visibly dimmed. It seemed to realize it could not succeed. It “glared” venomously at everyone, especially taking a deep look at the Demonic Blood on the crystal altar, before its body suddenly burst open, turning into countless wisps of Black Smoke that receded like a tide into the shadows surrounding the hall, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

Calm was temporarily restored within the hall.

Daoist Shoujing propped himself up with his Green Bamboo Staff, breathing lightly, his face still pale. He looked at Lin Xuan and the Three women, his gaze lingering on Lin Xuan for a moment, a trace of complexity flashing in his eyes before turning into his usual gentleness: “Thank you, Little Friends, for lending a hand.”

Lin Xuan withdrew his fighting stance and looked at him calmly: “Senior Shoujing, shouldn't you give us an explanation? Why are you here? What is the story behind that Demon Lord's True Blood? And... the Fallen Watchman?”

His questions went straight to the core, and although his tone was calm, it carried an unavoidable challenge.

Hearing this, the gentle smile on Daoist Shoujing's face gradually faded, replaced by a long sigh. He looked at the Demonic Blood sealed on the crystal altar, his eyes filled with solemnity and... a trace of fatigue that was hard to detect.

“This matter... is a long story.”