165: Healing and Enlightenment, the Web of Heavenly Secrets

The chaos star raft violently lurched in the turbulent spatial currents, like a small boat in a stormy sea. Xiao Chen sat cross-legged within the core of the vessel, his face ashen, his aura extremely weak. Soul Heaven Emperor's attack, imbued with imperial might and netherworld death energy, not only severely wounded his physical body but also corroded the Source Qi Origin of his Saint Soul. Even the Chaos Sacred Realm within his Qi Sea showed cracks, almost collapsing. If not for that wisp of Source Qi Origin spontaneously protecting him at the last moment, neutralizing part of the death energy, he would have likely perished on the spot.

"Brother Chen!" Flame Heart's eyes were teary. Ignoring her own injuries, she continuously channeled pure flame Dou Qi into Xiao Chen's body, attempting to dispel the netherworld death energy that clung to him like maggots. Ao Zhan, Flower Without Shadow, and the Wonderful Sound Emissary also stood by, their expressions grave, fully maintaining the stability of the chaos star raft and wary of potential pursuers.

"I'm... I'm fine..." Xiao Chen spoke with difficulty, his voice hoarse. "The death energy... has been suppressed... by the Source Qi... I need... time... to expel it..." He forced himself to rally, circulating the incomplete Heaven Burning Furnace Art (the complete version could only be used once the Chaos Sacred Realm stabilized), guiding the remaining Chaos Saint Force within his body, and, with the help of the Source Qi Origin, slowly refining the invading netherworld death energy. This process was extremely slow and painful, like scraping poison from a bone.

The chaos star raft traversed the turbulent currents for several days, finally finding a relatively stable spatial rift and slipping into it. Inside the rift was a desolate and lifeless shattered small world, less than a hundred miles across, seemingly a spatial fragment left over from some ancient battle. Its energy was thin, and its laws were incomplete, making it perfect for hiding and healing.

They disembarked from the chaos star raft and set up a concealment barrier. Xiao Chen immediately entered a deep healing state, his body enveloped in intertwining chaotic currents and netherworld death energy, his aura fluctuating erratically. Flame Heart and the others took turns guarding him and attempted to contact the Pill Tower, but the space here was isolated, and their communication jade slips received no response.

Three months passed in a flash.

On this day, Xiao Chen's aura finally stabilized. The stubborn netherworld death energy, under the continuous purification of the Source Qi Origin and his own tenacious will, was completely expelled. He slowly opened his eyes; though still showing a trace of fatigue, the Saint Might of primordial chaos and the rise and fall of stars had returned, even more condensed and profound than before his injury.

"Breaking through after establishing... This severe injury, though a narrow escape from death, allowed my Saint Soul and Saint Body to undergo a life-and-death tempering. My comprehension of the Dao of Chaos has deepened further." Xiao Chen introspected, discovering that the cracks in the Chaos Sacred Realm had healed under the nourishment of the Source Qi Origin, and the realm barrier was even sturdier. The outline of the tiny world within it had also become a bit clearer. His cultivation was stable at the peak of First-Turn Dou Sheng (Battle Saint), just one step away from Second-Turn!

"Brother Chen, you're finally awake!" Flame Heart, who had been waiting by his side, cried tears of joy upon seeing him awaken.

Xiao Chen gently held her hand and said softly, "You've worked hard." Then he looked at Ao Zhan and the others, "Everyone, thank you for your protection."

"It's good that Saint Xiao is unharmed," Ao Zhan said with a cupped-hand salute. "This place is not suitable for long stays. Soul Hall has probably been searching for us with all its might."

Xiao Chen nodded, his Great Perfection of the Heaven Realm soul power spreading out, carefully sensing this small world and the void outside. Suddenly, his brow furrowed. He detected an extremely subtle causal fluctuation, yet it originated from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, like a spider silk, quietly entwining the spatial barrier of this small world!

"No! We've been discovered!" Xiao Chen's expression changed. "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion's 'destiny chessboard' has already covered this area. Our whereabouts have probably been locked down!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the spatial barrier above the small world suddenly twisted violently! A giant black and white chessboard illusion, spanning the sky, slowly emerged! Above the chessboard, causal lines crisscrossed, and destiny trajectories were clearly visible, emanating a terrifying pressure that seemed to control all living beings and envelop the heavens and earth! A figure, shrouded in ethereal starlight, whose face was indistinct but who seemed to be one with the entire chessboard, quietly appeared in the center of the board. Its aura was so vast that even Xiao Chen, who had just recovered, felt a tremor in his heart!

"Pavilion Master Tianji... or rather, an important clone of yours?" Xiao Chen's eyes were cold. He took a step forward, shielding Flame Heart and the others behind him. He sensed that this figure's aura was far more powerful than the Second-Turn Dou Sheng (Battle Saint) illusion he had encountered in the Netherworld Hall before, likely reaching the Fourth-Turn or even Fifth Revolution Dou Sheng level! Moreover, being one with the destiny chessboard, it almost possessed a dominating power in this area covered by the "net"!

"Xiao Chen... you truly didn't disappoint this Lord." The starlight figure emitted a ethereal voice, devoid of any emotion. "To escape from Soul Heaven Emperor's attack and expel the netherworld death energy so quickly, your potential exceeds expectations. Unfortunately... your destiny trajectory has long been predetermined. Today is the day for you, this 'variable' fish, to be caught in the net."

"Caught in the net? With just this broken net of yours?" Xiao Chen sneered, his Chaos Saint Force erupting. The Chaos Sacred Realm unfolded again; though not vast in scope, it forcibly opened up a domain not entirely controlled by the destiny chessboard! "My destiny is my own, not of the heavens! And certainly not of a rat like you, who hides his head and shows his tail!"

"Stubborn and unyielding." The Pavilion Master Tianji's clone spoke indifferently, tapping the chessboard with his fingertip. Instantly, the main line representing Xiao Chen's destiny trajectory on the chessboard violently twisted and branched! Xiao Chen immediately felt his luck rapidly draining, his thoughts becoming chaotic, and even the circulation of his Saint Force became sluggish! Even more terrifying, the destiny lines of Flame Heart, Ao Zhan, and others were forcibly pulled and twisted, as if to become shackles restraining him!

"Destiny Grafting, Karma Backlash!" The Pavilion Master Tianji's clone made another move!

"Pfft!" Xiao Chen felt a heavy blow, his chest tightening. An old hidden injury from his previous confrontation with Soul Heaven Emperor was actually triggered! Flame Heart's face also suddenly turned pale, her internal flame Dou Qi ran wild, almost causing self-harm! Ao Zhan, Flower Without Shadow, and the Wonderful Sound Emissary also simultaneously showed various strange omens of misfortune!

"Bastard! Manipulating destiny, playing with people's hearts! Is this the method of your Heavenly Secret Pavilion?" Xiao Chen roared, his Great Perfection of the Heaven Realm soul power frantically impacting the restraints of the destiny chessboard, while simultaneously pushing the Chaos Sacred Realm to its limit, attempting to sever those invisible causal lines!

"It's useless. Within the destiny chessboard, all struggles are futile." The Pavilion Master Tianji's clone's voice remained calm, as if stating a fact. He held his hands in a cupped gesture, and the entire chessboard glowed brightly. Countless causal lines tightened like living things, intending to completely bind and refine Xiao Chen and the others!

"Is that so?" A hint of madness flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "Then I shall... tear apart this net of yours!"

He no longer tried to defend or sever karma, but instead immersed his entire mind deep into his Qi Sea, frantically communicating with that wisp of Source Qi Origin! At the same time, he recalled the supreme profoundness of transcending destiny and defying fate from the ancestor inheritance!

"Source Qi as the guide, my will as the blade! Sever the shackles, defy fate! Ultimate Profoundness — My destiny is my own, sever all karma!"

He roared, pointing his fingers like a blade at the void, not attacking the Pavilion Master Tianji, but severing the invisible connection between himself and the destiny chessboard! This slash contained not power, but a resolute will to transcend everything! A rebellious will that defied heaven and earth, feared no destiny, and held himself as supreme!

"Crack—!"

A sound as if something shattered echoed on the soul level! The causal lines entwined around Xiao Chen's destiny trajectory snapped at this slash! The feeling of being manipulated and bound instantly vanished! Along with it, the misfortune on Flame Heart and the others also suddenly lessened!

"What?! He can sever his own destiny?!" The Pavilion Master Tianji's clone for the first time let out a shocked sound, and the starlight shrouding his body fluctuated violently! Severing one's own destiny was an act against heaven, which would incur terrifying backlash from the Heavenly Dao! He hadn't expected Xiao Chen to be so resolute!

"Pfft—!" Xiao Chen spat out a large mouthful of fresh blood, his face instantly turning ashen like golden paper, and his aura plummeted! Severing his own destiny came at a huge cost; he felt his lifespan rapidly draining, and his soul was also heavily wounded! But the light in his eyes was brighter than ever before!

"The net is broken, what more can you do to me?" Xiao Chen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his cold gaze fixed on the Pavilion Master Tianji's clone.

"Hmph! Even if you sever your own destiny and temporarily break free, you are already at the end of your rope! This Lord wants to see how long you can last!" The Pavilion Master Tianji's clone snorted coldly, and the chessboard's light intensified, even more violent destiny power pressing down on Xiao Chen!

"Until I've destroyed you!" Xiao Chen forced out his remaining Saint Force, and the Chaos Heaven Opening Fist blasted out again! Although its power was greatly reduced, the will to advance fearlessly and open up a new heaven was even purer!

The great battle erupted once more in this shattered small world! And this time, Xiao Chen faced the even more bizarre and difficult power of destiny! Could he turn the tide from this desperate situation again? And what was the true purpose of the Pavilion Master Tianji?

The storm raged on, growing fiercer and fiercer!