45: Star Lock Reopens, Enchanting Healing

Just as Lin Xuan's palm was about to touch the restless circumferential star lock, a sudden change occurred!

From the pitch-black crack on the surface of the Star Lock, a ghostly claw, condensed from pure demonic intent and negative emotions, suddenly shot out. Its speed surpassed thought, aiming straight for Lin Xuan's glabella and Sea of Consciousness! If this claw struck true, even Lin Xuan's Golden Core Stage Divine Soul would suffer severe damage, potentially even being corroded by the demonic intent!

"Be careful!"

Below the high platform, Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan, who had just repelled the Puppet counterattack, cried out simultaneously, their eyes wide with alarm, but it was too late to intervene!

In that critical moment, the trajectory of Lin Xuan's hand pressing toward the Star Lock suddenly changed! He did not retreat. Instead, he joined his fingers like a sword, and the cluster of "Seven-Colored Illusionary Spirit Liquid," refined from the Bewitching Heart Devil Taro crystal core, suddenly shone with dazzling light!

"Bewitch the Divine!"

With a low shout, seven-colored streams of light erupted from his fingertips. Instead of forcefully clashing with the demonic ghostly claw, they transformed into a distorted field of light and shadow, instantly enveloping the ghostly claw and the crack from which it originated!

The demonic ghostly claw seemed to have crashed into a dream of endless Reincarnation. Its movement suddenly stalled, and the contained emotions of brutality and malicious hatred were stimulated, magnified, and even conflicted with each other by the seven-colored illusionary light, becoming utterly chaotic! The lingering thought of the Demon Lord emanating from the crack also let out a shriek of shock and fury, clearly not expecting Lin Xuan to possess such strange means!

It was this instantaneous delay that bought Lin Xuan the most crucial moment!

His other hand had already pressed unimpeded onto the core of the circumferential star lock!

"Immortal Abode Pivot, Stars obey the Edict! Seal!"

The majestic Golden Core spiritual power, mixed with the authority of the immortal abode pivot token, surged wildly into the Star Lock like a bursting river of stars! The pure light of Origin from Lingyu, remotely amplified by Daoist Shoujing, followed closely, transforming into the purest purification power, cleansing the runes inside the Star Lock that had been disrupted by the demonic intent!

"Buzz, buzz, buzz—!"

The circumferential star lock trembled violently. The chaotic nebula within seemed to be forcibly corrected by an invisible large hand, restarting its operation according to profound trajectories! The pitch-black crack on the surface emitted a "sizzling" sound as it was washed by the pure Power of Stars and the purifying light, beginning to close and shrink at a visible speed, like ice and snow meeting the sun!

"No—!!!"

The Demon Lord's lingering thought let out an unwilling roar, and the ghostly claw, temporarily trapped by the Illusionary Spirit Liquid, struggled fiercely, attempting a final counterattack. But having lost internal and external resonance, and being suppressed by the rapidly restoring Seal power, its struggles grew weaker and weaker. Finally, as the crack completely vanished, the heart-palpitating demonic intent receded like a tide, shrinking back into the deepest part of the Seal.

The Star Lock regained stability, and vast, peaceful stellar radiance once again illuminated the entire Demon Suppressing Palace. The scarlet killing intent in the eyes of the thirty-six Star Official Puppets faded, replaced by coldness and stillness. They ceased their attack, slowly retreating to their original positions, resuming their eternal patrol.

The crisis was temporarily averted.

On the high platform, Lin Xuan let out a long breath, his body swaying, nearly collapsing. That moment was arguably one of the most perilous he had faced since starting cultivation; his mental energy and spiritual power consumption had reached their limit. Especially the forced activation of the "Seven-Colored Illusionary Spirit Liquid," which he hadn't fully mastered, and enduring the Origin amplification from Daoist Shoujing, caused sharp, needle-like pains to shoot through his Meridians and Sea of Consciousness.

"Lin Xuan!"

"Junior Martial Brother!"

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan rushed onto the high platform immediately, supporting him one on the left and one on the right. Both pairs of beautiful eyes were filled with undisguised worry and lingering fear.

Su Wanqing's movements were swift and steady. Pure, cool Taiyin Power continuously flowed into Lin Xuan's body, helping him regulate his turbulent spiritual power and calm the waves in his Sea of Consciousness. Her fingertips were icy, bringing a comforting solace as they touched his burning skin.

Qu Feiyan, however, was more direct and daring. She practically leaned half her body onto Lin Xuan. The soft sensation and scorching body heat transmitted through their clothes, mixed with her unique, sweet and seductive charm scent, permeated Lin Xuan's breathing. One hand tightly encircled Lin Xuan's waist, while the other seemingly inadvertently brushed lightly near his injured shoulder blade, her fingertip carrying a trace of imperceptible Charm Essence. It was as if she were checking his injuries, yet also performing some ambiguous soothing and probing.

"You scared Senior Sister to death..." Her breath was fragrant like orchids, her voice slightly hoarse from shock. Her fiery lips were almost touching Lin Xuan's earlobe. "If anything had happened to you, what would I, your Senior Sister, do..."

Lin Xuan's body stiffened from her sudden intimate action. The dense charm scent lingering at his nose and the warm breath near his ear made his recently calmed vital energy surge again. He could clearly feel the pressure of Qu Feiyan's astonishing curves and the strength emanating from the arm around his waist. This temptress truly never forgot to tease him.

He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressed the ripples in his heart, and gently struggled free. His tone carried a hint of fatigue and helplessness: "Senior Sister Qu, I'm fine, just overly exhausted."

Su Wanqing watched Qu Feiyan's posture, practically hanging onto Lin Xuan. A faint trace of displeasure flashed across her cool, elegant brow. The Taiyin Power flowing into Lin Xuan's body involuntarily intensified slightly, carrying a distinct purifying intent, dispelling much of the lingering charm scent. She said nothing, but her protective intent was self-evident.

Qu Feiyan sensed Su Wanqing's subtle rejection and Lin Xuan's distance. A fleeting hint of sadness and stubbornness flashed in her charming eyes, but it immediately transformed into an even more seductive smile. Instead of letting go, she pressed even closer: "The more exhausted you are, the more you need a good recovery, right~ I, your Senior Sister, may not have other skills, but this method of soothing the mind and regulating vital energy is unique~"

Just then, Gongsun Yu also ran onto the high platform, panting heavily. Seeing Lin Xuan being supported by the two women, especially Qu Feiyan's intimate posture, her face flushed, and she stopped awkwardly, feeling somewhat at a loss.

Lin Xuan felt a headache coming on. He gently but firmly pushed Qu Feiyan away and said seriously, "Thank you both, Senior Sisters, for your concern. I am truly fine; I just need a moment to regulate my breathing. The immediate priority is to confirm whether the Star Lock is completely stable, and... to find the exit passage."

According to the message left by Xing Hen and what Daoist Shoujing said, a safe passage leading to the outside world should appear after rebooting the Star Lock.

His gaze turned toward the center of the high platform. Sure enough, with the complete stabilization of the circumferential star lock, a slowly rotating Teleportation Formation Diagram, constructed from starlight, gradually emerged on the stellar crystal platform beneath it! The diagram emitted stable spatial fluctuations, completely different from the chaotic and violent atmosphere elsewhere in the Demon Palace!

The way out had finally appeared!

Relief and joy appeared on the faces of all four people.

However, Lin Xuan did not immediately step into the teleportation formation. He sat down cross-legged, took a Medicinal Pill, and began regulating his breathing. The consumption just now was too great; he needed to ensure he had the strength to handle any situation that might arise after teleportation. Moreover, he vaguely sensed that the immortal abode pivot token in his palm seemed to have established a deeper connection with the entire Demon Palace Seal after the Star Lock reboot, acquiring some vague fragments of information that required time to digest.

Seeing this, Su Wanqing also silently sat down beside him, continuing to act as his Protector. At the same time, she secretly circulated her Cultivation Technique, calming the turbulent emotions she felt moments ago due to worry and some inexplicable feelings.

Qu Feiyan looked at Lin Xuan, who had entered a meditative state, then glanced at the cool and frosty Su Wanqing. Her red lips curled slightly, and she also found a spot to sit down. However, her charming eyes still occasionally fell upon Lin Xuan, gleaming with calculation and determination.

Gongsun Yu obediently stood guard beside the teleportation formation, curiously observing the pattern of flowing starlight. Her heart was filled with the relief of surviving a disaster and anticipation for the future.

Inside the Demon Suppressing Palace, tranquility was temporarily restored. Only the starlight flowed silently, illuminating the four individuals on the high platform, each in a different posture.

And deep within the stable circumferential star lock, in an unnoticed dimension, an extremely subtle wisp of Daoist Shoujing's consciousness, like a puff of light smoke, swept past, carrying an indescribable complex emotion before quietly dispersing.