122: Crucible of Truth 3

The enormous face let out a painful roar and began to disintegrate! But it was unwilling to accept defeat, releasing one last wave of mental attacks:

[Even so… you can’t save everyone… Do you know the price of the Fusion of the Three Spirits?]

A phantom contract suddenly appeared before Xiao Yan, inscribed with ancient Star Clan characters, but its meaning directly entered his mind:

“Three Spirits Shared Life Contract — Signatories will forever share life and pain. If one is injured, all three feel it. If one perishes, all three die.”

Xiao Yan gasped—was this the true price of the “Fusion of the Three Spirits”? Not the sacrifice of one, but the eternal binding of three?

The Chaos Devourer seized his moment of shock to launch its final assault:

[Sign it… and the three of you will suffer for eternity… Refuse it… and the world will return to Chaos… Choose, Son of the Star Clan…]

Dark red energy took the opportunity to break through his emotional defenses, coiling around Xiao Yan’s body! The Star Eclipse Seed accelerated its spread, and the starlight in his right eye began to be contaminated by black threads! In the nick of time, the phantom of the world seed suddenly burst into brilliant light, projecting a holographic image—

In the image, three Celestial Venerables stood at the center of the furnace, discussing something. Flame Lord said, “Emotions are the last line of defense.” Ice Lord nodded, “But they need a vessel.” Star Lord then proposed, “Why not create three ‘humanity containers’…”

The scene shifted, showing the three Celestial Venerables each separating a portion of their Origin—Flame Lord’s emotions, Ice Lord’s perception, Star Clan’s Legacy will… These Origins, after Fusion, split into three parts, becoming the later Xiao Yan, Xiao Bing, and Ling Xiao!

“So we… were really ‘created’…” Xiao Yan murmured to himself. But the subsequent images made him reconsider—the three infants each grew, gradually exceeding their creators’ expectations, acquiring independent personalities and genuine emotions… This was the “variable” the three Celestial Venerables had not anticipated!

At the end of the image, Star Lord spoke to the Void Realm: “If one day you see this record, remember—we did not create you, but you defined yourselves.”

These words were like a sudden enlightenment; Xiao Yan instantly understood the meaning of all the trials! He looked at the floating contract, no longer hesitating: “If this is the price to protect those I love… I am willing to bear it!”

The Chaos Devourer let out an unwilling roar: [Foolish! Do you think those two boys will agree? Sharing life means losing freedom forever!]

“That’s for them to decide,” Xiao Yan said with a determined smile.

As if responding to his resolve, two of the three light pillars suddenly brightened to their extreme—Xiao Bing and Ling Xiao’s figures were actually teleported into the furnace through the light pillars! They looked a bit dazed but quickly adapted to the environment.

“Big Brother!” Xiao Bing excitedly ran over, “We sensed your call!”

Ling Xiao, meanwhile, keenly noticed the contract: “This is…?”

Xiao Yan briefly explained the situation and the price. To his surprise, neither of them hesitated.

“We’re already brothers, why care about this?” Xiao Bing grinned, being the first to place his hand on the contract.

Ling Xiao also smiled as he reached out: “A Spirit of the Plane is inherently connected to all things, what are two more connection points?”

Xiao Yan’s eyes welled up. The three of them touched the contract simultaneously. The contract instantly burned, transforming into three rays of light that merged into their bodies! A wondrous change followed—the Star Eclipse Seed in Xiao Yan’s right eye stopped spreading, the Ice Flame within Xiao Bing’s body became more balanced, and Ling Xiao’s silver eyes gained a touch more humanity.

Even more miraculously, a subtle telepathic connection formed between the three, allowing them to perceive each other’s emotions and thoughts without words!

Seeing this, the Chaos Devourer completely went berserk, dark red energy surging like a tsunami! But this time, the three acted together—Xiao Yan’s azure-black flames, Xiao Bing’s crimson-blue Ice Flame, and Ling Xiao’s silver-white energy intertwined into a three-colored light net, firmly suppressing the dark red energy!

“What do we do now?” Xiao Bing asked through their mental link.

Xiao Yan looked at the phantom of the world seed: “We need to find the real world seed… Father said it’s in the core of the furnace…”

Ling Xiao suddenly pointed into the cave: “Look!”

Stimulated by the three’s power, the dark red energy deep within the cave was temporarily dispelled, revealing the scene at the bottom—a massive white crystal floated there, the true body of the world seed! But it was entangled by countless dark red chains, unable to break free.

“Someone has to go down and release it…” Xiao Yan said, “But that’s the Chaos core… it’s too dangerous…”

“I’ll go,” Xiao Bing said unexpectedly, “Ice Lord’s ice coffin gave me an idea… extreme cold can temporarily solidify Chaos energy…”

Ling Xiao added: “I’ll use the Spirit of the Plane’s power to clear a path for you.”

Xiao Yan wanted to object, but the telepathic connection made him instantly understand Xiao Bing’s determination. Finally, he nodded heavily: “Be careful… now we truly live and die together…”

Xiao Bing grinned: “Then let’s not die.” With that, he leaped into the cave, Ling Xiao’s silver-white energy enveloping him like a shield.

Xiao Yan remained on the platform, maintaining the three-colored light net while monitoring Xiao Bing’s situation through the mental link. The descent was extremely dangerous; the dark red energy constantly tried to penetrate the shield, but Xiao Bing’s Ice Flame, as he said, could indeed temporarily solidify Chaos.

As Xiao Bing approached the world seed, something terrifying happened—the chains Entanglementing it suddenly came alive, striking at Xiao Bing like venomous snakes! In the nick of time, Ling Xiao transmitted all his Spirit of the Plane power through the link, forming an absolute defense!

“Now!” Xiao Yan shouted through the link.

Xiao Bing grasped the thickest chain with both hands, and the crimson-blue Ice Flame spread along it! Chain after chain froze, and the world seed began to vibrate! When the last chain broke, pure white light erupted, instantly filling the entire cave!

The Chaos Devourer let out a mournful shriek, its dark red energy melting like snow under the sun! The white light continued to spread, soon reaching the platform and enveloping Xiao Yan as well. Warmth, peace, embrace… This was Xiao Yan’s only sensation, as if he had returned to the very source of life.

Within the white light, three figures gradually approached—it was Xiao Bing and Ling Xiao, with the world seed floating between them. It had now shrunk to the size of a fist, but the energy it contained was awe-inspiring.

“We succeeded?” Xiao Bing sounded a bit disbelieving.

Ling Xiao sensed it: “The Chaos core has been temporarily purified… but there are still many Clones outside…”

Xiao Yan took the world seed: “This is just the beginning… We must take it to the center of the furnace…”

Before he finished speaking, the entire furnace suddenly vibrated violently! An ice-blue beam of light descended from the sky, piercing through the top of the furnace! Xuan Shuang Celestial Venerable’s voice coldly resounded:

“I’ve found you… erroneous products…”

Ice crystals fell like rain, and a figure stepped forth upon the ice—it was Xuan Shuang Celestial Venerable, clutching the blue key in her hand, which now emitted a dazzling light!

“How did you get in?” Xiao Yan vigilantly shielded the world seed behind him.

Xuan Shuang Celestial Venerable sneered: “The ‘key’ given by that traitor Ice Soul… She never knew, even until her death, that this was actually a back door to the furnace left by Lord Ice Lord…” Her gaze locked onto the world seed, “Hand it over… Lord Ice Lord needs it…”

Xiao Bing stepped forward: “Didn’t Ice Lord seal himself in ice?”

“Not for long…” Xuan Shuang Celestial Venerable suddenly crushed the key, and a blue light shot towards Xiao Bing, instantly invading his body! “With you as a ‘vessel’… Lord Ice Lord will soon awaken… and return to a ‘pure’ state!”

Xiao Bing fell to the ground in pain, ice patterns similar to Ice Lord’s appearing on his skin! Xiao Yan and Ling Xiao tried to help but were blocked by a suddenly appearing ice wall!

“Don’t rush… it’s your turn…” Xuan Shuang Celestial Venerable took out two more items—a ball of crimson flame and a silver thread, “Flame Lord’s Fire and the Origin of the Spirit of the Plane… What do you think you are? Nothing but vessels!”

She tossed the flame and thread into the air, and they actually flew towards Xiao Yan and Ling Xiao respectively! Even more terrifyingly, the Flame Lord’s Fire within Xiao Yan’s body began to surge out uncontrollably, and Ling Xiao’s nexus seed also automatically left his body!

The world seed trembled slightly within the white light, seemingly waiting for something…