200: The line between life and death, the mark of the ancestors

Inside the star tower, time seemed to freeze. On the jade platform, Xiao Chen's aura was as faint as a wisp of smoke about to extinguish. The flame of life flickered in a storm, and the cracks on his soul's origin spread like a shattered spiderweb. The massive life essence and Power of Starlight gathered by the Chaos Gathering Origin Great Array, set up by Xuan Kongzi using the Pill Tower's full resources, poured into Xiao Chen's body but were like a stone sinking into the sea, unable to stop the continuous loss of his life origin. It was as if an invisible hand was slowly extinguishing his vitality.

"Brother Chen... please... don't go..." Flame Heart knelt by the jade platform, her hands tightly gripping Xiao Chen's cold hand. Her tears had long since dried, and her voice was so hoarse she could barely speak. She could feel Xiao Chen's hand slowly growing colder. The fear of losing him gnawed at her heart like a venomous snake.

Outside the tower, deafening shouts of battle and the roar of energy collisions continuously echoed! The Soul Hall army had reached the city walls! The light curtain of the Heavenly Stellar Array fluctuated violently under countless attacks, and cracks spread! Xuan Kongzi, Venerable Feng, Flower Without Shadow, and other Anti-Alliance powerhouses fought valiantly, drenched in blood, desperately defending the array's core, but the situation... was precarious! Each explosion seemed to strike the hearts of those inside the tower, signaling... the approaching doomsday.

Internal and external troubles, despair... enveloped everything.

It was at this moment of life and death—

"Buzz—!"

The almost invisible xiao clan tribal mark on Xiao Chen's brow suddenly... violently... trembled! A faint but incredibly ancient and tragic fluctuation, like a volcano that had slept for eons, abruptly... awakened!

At the center of the clan mark, a tiny, imperceptible light of chaos quietly lit up! That light did not come from external energy infusion but originated from the deepest part of Xiao Chen's soul... a hidden imprint... finally activated by the crisis of life and death and an unyielding will!

That was... Progenitor Xiao Xingchen... before his dissipation, with his last trace of undying battle soul, infused into Xiao Chen's bloodline... a life-saving... ultimate inheritance imprint!

"Descendant bloodline... when... facing a fatal calamity... shall... ignite my battle soul... open... the Gate of Chaos..."

A fragmented, ancient will, as if spanning endless time and space, exploded like a thunderclap in the depths of Xiao Chen's nearly extinguished consciousness!

"Boom—!!!"

Xiao Chen's soul origin, which was about to completely dim, seemed to be infused with an indescribably vast power! That hidden progenitor imprint ignited with a roar! It transformed into a brilliant pillar of chaotic light, soaring into the sky, directly... piercing through the top of the star tower, tearing apart the Heavenly Stellar Array outside, and connecting to... the infinitely distant... depths of the Chaos Sea in the ethereal realm!

"What... what is that?!"

"Saint Xiao he...!"

Everyone in the tower was aghast, looking up at the sudden pillar of chaotic light, feeling the ancient majesty within it that seemed to make even heaven and earth tremble!

Within the light pillar, the clan mark on Xiao Chen's brow grew brighter and brighter! His originally shattered soul origin, nourished by this power of the undying battle soul from the progenitor, actually began to heal at a visible speed! Those shocking cracks were filled and repaired by streams of chaotic energy! A soul power far purer and vaster than his peak period... surged forth anew like a tide!

At the same time, deep within his dried-up Qi Sea, the nearly extinguished origin qi seed, as if summoned, began to beat violently! In the depths of the Chaos Sea, the long-dormant Chaos Xiao Realm... its last remaining bit of world origin, traversed endless void, flowing continuously... into him along the pillar of chaotic light!

"Crack! Crack!"

Inside Xiao Chen's body, the broken meridians, under the cleansing of this supremely pure chaotic origin, not only rapidly reconnected but also became wider and tougher! His depleted Qi Sea refilled and... began... to expand wildly!

"Buzz—!"

Behind him, the originally dim and collapsing phantom of the Chaos Sacred Realm... condensed again! And this time, the Sacred Realm's range was no longer two hundred zhang or three hundred zhang, but directly... broke through to... five hundred zhang! Chaotic runes flowed on the realm wall, emitting a more stable and profound aura! The evolution of earth, water, fire, and wind within the realm became clearer and more complete! Even... faint phantoms of sun, moon, and stars... began... to condense!

"Roar—!!!"

Xiao Chen's tightly shut eyes suddenly snapped open! Chaotic light burst from his pupils, like two rising chaotic suns! A terrifying pressure far exceeding the Five-Turn Dou Saint Peak, like an ancient primordial beast that had slept for eons... roared... awake! Sweeping through the entire star tower!

"Brother Chen!!"

"Saint Xiao!!"

Flame Heart, Xuan Kongzi, and the others were both shocked and delighted, almost unable to believe their eyes!

Xiao Chen... not only didn't die but instead... broke through after destruction! At the brink of death, he activated the ultimate inheritance left by the progenitor, and his strength... advanced further!

"I... am back." Xiao Chen slowly sat up, his voice calm but carrying a reassuring, powerful strength. He felt the surging new power within him, his gaze piercing through the tower walls to the smoke-filled battlefield outside, and a cold glint appeared in his eyes!

"Now... it's time... for reckoning."

He stepped off the jade platform, his aura completely contained, yet appearing even more unfathomable. One step... and he was already before the star tower's great door.

"Teacher, Xin'er, everyone... guard inside the tower." Xiao Chen turned back, giving them a comforting smile, and then... resolutely turned away.

"Boom—!"

The star tower's great door... opened!

Outside the tower, the vast, dark Soul Hall army surged like a tide! Two Sixth Revolution Dou Saint Soul Hall Elders, with monstrous auras, were sneering as they jointly attacked the tottering Heavenly Stellar Array!

Xiao Chen's figure, like a drawn sword, stood alone... before the countless troops!

"Those who invade my Pill Tower... die!"

The icy voice, like a chilling wind from the Nine Netherworlds, instantly... spread throughout the entire battlefield!

The final... counterattack... officially began!