pjbooks Chapter 143 Wartime Dragon Abyss, 3-Day Countdown
Chapter 143 Wartime Dragon Abyss, 3-Day Countdown
"Three days later."
"The main gate is open."
The voice of the Bronze Gatekeeper came from deep within the main star gate.
At that moment, the entire city of Longyuan felt as if an invisible hand was pressing down on its throat.
Above the sky, a silver-white main star gate stretches across the void.
Two dark blue anchors were embedded deep in the door crack, like a poisonous nail driven into flesh.
The hundred-foot-tall bronze gate-like figure stood behind the gate, its shoulder armor resembling a door beam, its dark blue door eye on its chest slowly turning, and its giant halberd pointing towards Dragon Abyss City.
It hasn't truly arrived yet.
But just a single projection caused the energy arrays throughout the city to emit a deep rumble.
Countless ordinary residents hid inside their homes, afraid to look up.
A low-level martial artist would feel as if their heart was being gripped by an icy hand after just one glance.
Longyuan City has been established for many years, and it is not without the occurrences of star gate anomalies.
But this time is different.
This is no ordinary black door.
It's not a localized crack.
This is the main star gate.
This means that the foundation of Longyuan City is being shaken by what's behind the door.
The war drums of the Zhenxing Army sounded.
One sound after another.
The atmosphere was heavy and urgent, making it hard for the entire city to breathe.
"The entire city is under wartime status!"
"Sea off the entire area within thirty miles below the main star gate!"
"Ordinary residents, enter the underground refuge area!"
"Lower-ranking students of the academy are not allowed to approach the outer perimeter defense line!"
"All energy supplies from the Cultivation Tower, Star Source Pool, and Resource Institute will be transferred to the city defense array!"
Orders were issued and spread outwards from the main fortress of the Zhenxing Army.
Black-armored soldiers marched in formation through the streets.
The star-patterned chariot rumbled past.
One by one, the outer ring array towers lit up, and silver-white pillars of light shot into the sky, connecting with the defensive array below the main star gate.
Longyuan City is like a giant beast that has been awakened.
But when the giant beast awoke, it was not met with its prey.
Instead, it was a main door that was about to be pushed open from behind the door.
……
Longyuan Academy.
The new student area is in complete chaos.
It wasn't the kind of noisy, chaotic kind.
Rather, it is the unease that comes from being suppressed to the extreme.
Some students stood in front of the dormitory building, looking up at the main star gate, their faces pale.
"Is this really a match between the main gatekeepers?"
"Bronze Gatekeeper...starts at the late stage of the Marquis level, and upon full arrival, may approach the level of a half-step King."
"What can freshmen like us do?"
"What are you going to do? You'll be lucky if you don't hold us back."
Some people forced themselves to remain calm:
"With the Star Guardians, the Star Patrol Envoys, the Elders' Council, and the four great families, they should be able to hold them off, right?"
After he said that, not many people around him responded.
In the past, they would certainly have thought these forces were strong enough.
But the White Pagoda bloodbath had just passed.
Qin Xuanxiao, a mid-stage Marquis-level ancestor, died in the ruins of the White Pagoda.
If the bronze gatekeeper in the sky were to descend completely with the help of the two anchors, it might even briefly approach the level of a half-step king.
This level is beyond the imagination of most students.
Song Li stood at the back of the crowd, her face pale.
Her gaze didn't remain fixed on the main star gate; instead, she couldn't help but look towards the direction of the Star-Owned Courtyard.
"Xiaoya's been targeted again, hasn't she?"
Her voice was very soft.
Ji Qinghe stood beside her, not answering immediately.
Song Li continued:
"The bronze gatekeeper just said that the sect master already knows that those who cleanse the gate and those who devour the gate are also known to the sect master."
"The one who cleanses the gate must be Xiaoya."
"Who is that Gate Swallower?"
Ji Qinghe's heart skipped a beat.
She was thinking about this too.
The sect leader's first wisp of will was extinguished.
Most of the fragments of the White Pagoda's king-level gate bones were swallowed up.
The main nucleus of the worm was cut off.
These things are being spread very vaguely outside.
Most people believe it was made by the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator.
But Ji Qinghe felt more and more uneasy.
Blood-faced Ancient Cultivator is indeed strong.
But Lin Yuan was always nearby at each crucial juncture.
Or rather, Lin Yuan was always too calm.
He was so calm that he didn't seem like someone who was being protected.
She whispered:
"Perhaps it's the blood elder."
Song Li turned to look at her.
Do you really think so?
Ji Qinghe fell silent.
She dared not say no.
But I didn't dare say it.
Because of that even more absurd answer, she doesn't yet have the courage to say it.
……
the other side.
Ning Wushuang stood atop the tall building.
She was dressed in white battle armor, holding a long sword, with several new members of the Ning family behind her.
In the distance, Chu Tianheng was leading the Chu family students in organizing the defensive line.
Some freshmen saw Chu Tianheng appear and felt like they had found a pillar of support.
"Chu Tianheng is, after all, number one on the freshman list."
"He'll probably go to the outer defense line, right?"
"He is a mid-stage Grandmaster, and a reserve recorder for the Zhenxing Army."
Chu Tianheng showed no smugness upon hearing these words.
He merely gave those people a cold glance.
"This is not a battlefield for freshmen to show off their strength."
"All students of the Chu family shall obey the arrangements of the academy's defenses."
"Those below the Grandmaster level are responsible for the logistics and energy source array."
"At the Grandmaster level, one can at most enter the third line of defense."
Someone couldn't help but say:
"Brother Tianheng, aren't we going to the outer ring of the main star gate?"
Chu Tianheng looked at him.
"If you want to die, you can go die yourself."
The man's face turned pale.
Chu Tianheng looked up in the direction of the bronze gatekeeper, his voice low and deep:
"Look carefully."
"That's not the freshman ranking challenge."
"It's not a family competition either."
"A mere aftershock from there could crush so-called geniuses like us."
Ning Wushuang heard these words from afar and nodded slightly.
Chu Tianheng is not stupid.
He didn't get carried away just because he was number one on the freshman list.
These are the true geniuses who survived.
But the next moment, her gaze couldn't help but turn to the Starry Courtyard.
The one truly caught in the eye of the storm right now is not the top-ranked newcomer.
Instead, it was that old school uniform boy who never made the list and always appeared to be at the first level of Qi and Blood Realm.
Lin Yuan.
……
Starry Courtyard.
It's much quieter here than outside.
The star-shaped flowers in the yard swayed gently in the wind.
Lin Xiaoya stood under the eaves, looking up at the direction of the main star gate.
She couldn't see the complete appearance of the bronze gatekeeper.
But she could sense it.
Deep within his forehead, the white lock mark continued to burn.
It's not hot.
Instead, it was like a small lock, trembling slightly as it was shaken by a giant door in the distance.
Lin Xiaoya clutched the hem of her clothes with her small hands, her voice very soft:
"Brother, does it know where I am?"
Lin Yuan stood in the courtyard, also looking up at the sky.
"I know the direction."
Lin Xiaoya's face paled slightly.
"Will it come and get me?"
"meeting."
Lin Yuan answered calmly.
Lin Xiaoya pursed her lips slightly.
If it were in the past, she would have been terrified and at a loss for what to do upon hearing this answer.
But now, she just subconsciously touched her forehead.
There are red lotus fire patterns there.
There are also white lock patterns.
She is still very weak.
But she was no longer completely helpless.
"Should I practice faster?"
Lin Yuan withdrew his gaze and glanced at her.
"Um."
Lin Xiaoya nodded seriously.
"I will practice."
She paused for a moment, then asked in a low voice:
"But it's so big, can I lock it up?"
Lin Yuan said calmly:
"It can't be locked now."
Lin Xiaoya: "..."
That's too direct.
She almost choked on the little courage she had just mustered.
Lin Yuan continued:
"So you don't need to lock it now."
"Who locked it?"
Lin Yuan looked towards the main star gate.
"I'll eat it before it comes down."
Lin Xiaoya was taken aback.
The bronze gate in the sky was so terrifying that it put the entire Longyuan City into a state of war.
But when Lin Yuan said this, his tone was as if he were suggesting adding another dish tonight.
She suddenly wasn't so afraid anymore.
At least I'm not as scared as I was before.
"elder brother."
"Um."
"Can you really eat anything?"
Lin Yuan thought for a moment.
"It depends on how hard it is."
"What about the hard one?"
"Take a few more bites."
Lin Xiaoya looked at him and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
After laughing, she closed her eyes again and began to sense the lock mark on her forehead.
This time, she was more serious than before.
Because she knew the door was really coming.
Her brother needed her to be faster.
……
Shortly afterward, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.
It wasn't Gu Changye who came.
He was a deputy general of the Zhenxing Army.
He stood outside the courtyard, keeping a low profile, without stepping inside.
"Student Lin."
"Marquis Zhenxing ordered me to deliver a wartime notice."
Lin Yuan walked to the door.
The lieutenant handed over a black token and a wartime document with both hands.
"The Marquis said that Lin Xiaoya can stay in the Star Family Courtyard."
"No force may forcibly take her away under the pretext of a crisis at the Main Star Gate, an investigation by the General Administration, or protection by the Cleansers."
"If her assistance is needed to determine the direction of the two anchors, it can only be done through remote sensing."
"Entering the ruins of the White Pagoda is prohibited."
"No observation instruments are allowed."
"You are not allowed to record the contents of your dreams."
"As Lin's guardian, he has the right to refuse any direct contact."
After reading the notice, the deputy himself felt a sinking feeling in his heart.
These few lines were almost specifically designed to block the Star Gate headquarters.
Marquis Zhenxing was using wartime military orders to protect Lin Yuan and his sister.
Lin Yuan accepted the token.
"understood."
The lieutenant hesitated for a moment, then whispered:
"The Marquis also asked me to pass on a message."
Lin Yuan looked at him.
The lieutenant said:
"The three-day countdown to the main star gate has begun, and the city will become increasingly chaotic."
"My lord, please... refrain from escalating the conflict for the time being."
After he finished speaking, the lieutenant broke out in a cold sweat.
He was afraid that Lin Yuan would think this was an order.
After all, everyone in Longyuan City knows that the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator behind Lin Yuan dislikes being ordered around.
Lin Yuan simply said:
"As long as no one touches Xiaoya."
The lieutenant felt relieved and immediately nodded.
"I will convey this to the Marquis."
He turned and left.
Lin Xiaoya ran over from under the eaves and looked at the black token.
"Brother, is this to protect us?"
"I guess so."
Is Lord Zhenxing a good person?
Lin Yuan thought for a moment.
"Not stupid right now."
Lin Xiaoya nodded seriously.
"Does not being stupid equate to being a good person?"
Lin Yuandao:
"In Longyuan City, it's about the same."
Lin Xiaoya thought it made sense.
After all, many people have died because of their stupidity in the past.
……
Starship.
Zhou Xuanheng stood at the bow of the ship.
The long, silver-black robe fluttered in the cold wind high in the sky.
He held in his hand a copy of the wartime notice that had just been issued by the Marquis of Zhenxing.
After reading it, his expression didn't change much.
His gaze, however, grew even colder.
"Lin Xiaoya must not be taken away by any force."
"Observation instruments must not be worn."
"Dreams must not be recorded."
"As the guardian, Lin Yuan has the right to refuse any direct contact."
He placed the documents on the table.
"Marquis Zhenxing is protecting them too much."
A deputy envoy of the star survey whispered:
"The Marquis is probably afraid of further provoking Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator."
Zhou Xuanheng said calmly:
"In the face of the crisis at the main star gate, no one can be completely outside the rules."
The deputy envoy dared not respond.
Zhou Xuanheng looked down towards the direction of Longyuan Academy.
"Lin Xiaoya is a member of the Pure Gate and has awakened the Lock Gate Seal."
"Lin Yuan is a key protected individual of the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator, and is suspected of carrying a high-level protective seal."
"The Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator's identity is unknown. He killed Qin Xuanxiao and threatened the General Headquarters."
There must be a problem among these three.
The deputy envoy of the star survey asked:
"Sir, what should we do next?"
Zhou Xuanheng said:
"Organize all of Lin Yuan's files."
"All records of my origins in the Seventh Security Zone, entrance exams, Dragon Gate Tower, Star Source Pool, and the White Tower Blood Calamity."
"Also, the time, place, and target of each appearance of the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator."
"Complete cross-checking."
"Background check tomorrow."
The deputy envoy nodded.
"Should we notify Marquis Zhenxing?"
Zhou Xuanheng said coldly:
"According to the General Headquarters' authority, his approval is not required."
The deputy envoy felt a chill run down his spine.
"Yes."
Zhou Xuanheng looked up at the main star gate.
The bronze gatekeeper's projection still stands there.
Three days to go.
The main gate will open.
He knew very well that the most important thing right now was to block the main gate.
But Xue Mian, Lin Yuan, and Lin Xiaoya are like an inextricable thread, entangled at the center of all events.
If this line isn't clarified, there will always be an uncontrollable factor in the battle for the main star gate.
Zhou Xuanheng would not allow uncontrollable factors to exist in the center of the battlefield.
In particular, there is an uncontrollable factor that dares to threaten the Grand Commander's Star Patrol Envoy with a blood talisman.
……
The Black Tower of the Celestial Patrol Bureau.
Gu Changye also saw the wartime notice.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
"The Marquis of Zhenxing's notification was brilliant."
The subordinate asked:
"My lord, what's so wonderful about it?"
Gu Changye said:
"On the surface, it's to protect Lin Xiaoya."
"In fact, it blocked the few legitimate means that the General Headquarters could use in advance."
"You can't take it with you."
"You cannot wear the equipment."
"Dreams cannot be recorded."
"Direct contact is not allowed."
"Lin Yuan can still refuse."
"This is tantamount to removing Xiaoya from the grasp of all forces."
The subordinate whispered:
"I'm afraid the Star Patrol Envoy won't be pleased."
Gu Changye opened his notebook and smiled:
"Of course he won't be happy."
"Because people like Zhou Xuanheng hate those who are outside the rules the most."
"But Lin Yuan is someone who is outside the rules."
He wrote in his notebook:
Three days to go.
Zhenxinghou protects the line.
Zhou Xuanheng examined him.
The first formal clash between the General Headquarters and Lin Yuan is about to begin.
After finishing writing, he looked towards the direction of the Starry Courtyard, his eyes filled with growing anticipation.
"Lin Yuan".
"Everyone else is preparing to defend the city."
"You're probably thinking about how to start the meal."
……
late at night.
Longyuan City is still awake.
The two dark blue anchors on the main star gate slowly rotated.
The bronze gatekeeper's projection stands behind the gate, silently overlooking the entire city.
The Zhenxing Army deployed its defenses layer by layer.
The star cruiser is integrated into the defense array.
The four major families mobilized their military preparedness.
The elders' council took stock of the combat strength of those who had been granted the title of marquis.
The students at the university were filled with anxiety.
And in the small courtyard of the star.
Lin Xiaoya sat cross-legged on the bed, the white lines on her forehead lighting up and dimming again and again.
She was so tired that her face turned pale.
But they still gritted their teeth and persevered.
Lin Yuan sat in the courtyard.
The Ultimate Star Furnace within his body slowly rotated.
He looked up at the bronze gatekeeper deep within the main star gate.
The system panel appeared silently.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 750000]
[Next qualitative leap: 800000]
[Reward Preview: Ultimate Star Soul]
We're still short 50,000.
Bronze Goalkeeper.
Two anchors.
Main Star Gate Tide.
Zhou Xuanheng.
The main branch of the Qin family.
Everyone is gathering here.
Lin Yuan's eyes remained calm.
The more chaotic, the better.
Only in chaos can there be enough food.
Above the sky, the bronze gatekeeper slowly rotated the dark blue portal on his chest.
It's like looking at the Starry Courtyard from across the entire city.
Lin Yuan was also looking at it.
Three days to go, the first night.
Officially begin.