80: River of Blazing Fire, where shattered stars first appear

After several days of rest, Qu Feiyan's injuries had recovered by seventy to eighty percent, thanks to the miraculous effects of the Azure Wood Origin Pool and Lin Xuan's meticulous care. Although not yet at her peak, her movements were unhindered. Through this ordeal, the relationship between her and Lin Xuan had become noticeably closer and more natural. Su Wanqing had also adjusted her mindset, returning to her usual cool self-possession.

The four set off again, guided by the star map, leaving the vibrant, hidden valley and re-entering the desolate and silent Desolate Sea region. This time, the path indicated by the star map required crossing a relatively stable 'tributary' of the Burial Star Sea.

Lin Xuan took out the fused star marrow gold. Using it as the core, and combining it with several other auxiliary Materials obtained from the ruins and returned by the System that possessed a certain spatial affinity, he began to initially temper and shape it with his Golden Core True Fire, following the methods recorded in the 'Basic Starship Refinement Diagram (Incomplete Volume)'. Several days later, a rudimentary 'Void Realm Ship' prototype, only about a zhang long, glowing with a dim starlight and shaped like a shuttle, hovered before them.

"Big Brother Lin is amazing!" Gongsun Yu exclaimed, her large eyes filled with admiration as she looked at the starship emitting strange spatial fluctuations.

Lin Xuan smiled slightly, stepped into the ship first, and injected his spiritual power into the core star marrow gold. The starship trembled slightly, emitting a stable starlight shield. "Come on up, everyone, and stay close to me."

Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan stepped in one after another. Gongsun Yu also quickly followed, carefully sitting behind Lin Xuan, curiously touching the cold hull.

The starship slowly ascended, then transformed into a faint stream of light, plunging headfirst into the dark Void Realm ahead that seemed capable of devouring everything—the Burial Star Sea tributary!

Upon entering the tributary, all external sounds and light seemed to be instantly stripped away, leaving only eternal silence and an omnipresent, annihilating power that sought to obliterate everything. The starship's starlight shield fluctuated violently, emitting a humming sound as if under immense strain. The four had to continuously output their spiritual power, jointly maintaining this fragile ark. Gongsun Yu also poured her spiritual power into the starship's shield without reservation, her small face slightly pale from the effort.

After an unknown period of navigation, just as the four had depleted most of their spiritual power and the starship's shield flickered precariously, a faint light finally appeared in the endless darkness ahead! The light rapidly expanded, eventually transforming into an boundless, shattered continent burning with crimson flames!

"River of Flowing Fire... we've arrived!" Lin Xuan's spirits lifted. He controlled the starship, which was on the verge of its limit, and strenuously rushed towards the flaming continent.

"Boom!"

The starship crashed into a layer of scorching atmosphere on the outskirts of the continent like a meteor, and the shield finally shattered completely. The four each used their own methods to stabilize themselves, landing on a scorched, cracked piece of land.

The ground beneath their feet was scalding hot. In the distance were continuous volcanoes and flowing rivers of lava, and the sky was stained a dark red.

"The Fire Spirit Qi here is so violent, this is probably not a place for a long stay." Su Wanqing frowned slightly; her Taiyin Power was incompatible with the environment here.

"The star map indicates that the clue for the next fragment is deep within this 'River of Flowing Fire'." Lin Xuan sensed the immortal abode pivot token; this time, the resonance felt quite peculiar.

Just as he was carefully sensing it, a fierce fighting sound and spiritual power fluctuations came from the foot of a low volcano to their front-left!

The four exchanged glances, concealed their auras, and stealthily approached.

At the foot of the volcano, three Cultivators in crimson Daoist robes were besieging a woman in a plain white dress with a light veil covering her face. The woman did not use any Magical Artifacts; relying solely on her delicate hands, streams of clear, moon-like light crisscrossed, blocking all the violent attacks from the three fire-attribute Cultivators. Her cultivation, astonishingly, was also at the Mid-stage Golden Core!

"Her Cultivation Technique..." Su Wanqing's pupils contracted slightly. From the spiritual power the woman wielded, she felt a hint of a homologous aura.

The white-clothed woman also seemed to sense the arrival of Lin Xuan's group of four. She slightly retracted her palm, and her cool gaze swept over them through her veil. At the same time, the immortal abode pivot token in Lin Xuan's palm resonated clearly with an inconspicuous jade hairpin in the woman's hair!

The battle temporarily ceased due to this sudden change. The three fire-attribute Cultivators retreated warily.

The white-clothed woman withdrew her gaze and looked back at the three Cultivators, her voice clear and melodious: "This star key is not fated for you. If you continue to pester, do not blame this Seat for being ruthless."

The three Cultivators showed unwillingness, but they seemed extremely wary of the white-clothed woman, and also of the newly arrived Lin Xuan and his group of four. Finally, they left with resentment.

The white-clothed woman then slowly turned around to face Lin Xuan and the others, her gaze finally resting on the immortal abode pivot token in Lin Xuan's palm.

"Misty Immortal Palace, cardinal edict Master... I've finally waited for you," she said softly. "I am Wangshu, entrusted by the Moon Mother's last wish, to guard this place, waiting for the star key to return to its place and trigger the appearance of the 'Immortal Lord Yan Yang's' immortal abode."

Immortal Lord Yan Yang's immortal abode! Immortal Palace fragment!

Lin Xuan's heart trembled. Su Wanqing stared blankly at Wangshu, her Taiyin Power resonating uncontrollably.

Gongsun Yu stood behind Lin Xuan, looking at the extraordinary and cool-as-moon Senior, and feeling the unusual fluctuations from Sister Su. Her small face was full of curiosity and a hint of reverence.

New Opportunities and a more complex situation slowly unfolded on this burning River of Flowing Fire.