pjbooks Chapter 152, 799,000 words, The Eve of Star Soul
Chapter 152, 799,000 words, The Eve of Star Soul
After the bronze gate arm retreated back to the main star gate, the cheers in Longyuan City didn't last long.
The initial sound did indeed resemble the aftermath of a catastrophe.
Someone shouted that the Star Patrol Envoy was blocking the way.
Some say that Zhenxinghou's slash was beautiful.
Some people whispered about the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator, saying that the dark golden aura just now must have been caused by the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator acting from the shadows.
But soon, all the voices gradually faded away.
Because the bronze gatekeeper in the sky is still there.
Deep within the main star gate, the hundred-foot-tall bronze phantom still stands behind the gate.
One of its gate arms was forcibly pressed back, and a piece of its core residual energy was torn off the gate's center.
But it didn't disappear.
There was no retreat.
On the contrary, the dark blue portal on its chest was even colder than before.
Like an ancient monster that, after being bitten, finally remembers the scent of its prey perfectly.
Top floor of the Stargate Observatory.
None of the observers had yet recovered from the shock they had just experienced.
After spinning wildly, the compass finally stabilized again.
The white-haired mentor stared at the central data, but his expression showed no sign of relief.
"The stability of the second anchor has not decreased."
One of the observers was stunned.
"No decline?"
"Wasn't the bronze door arm driven back?"
The white-haired mentor's voice was heavy:
"The removal of the gate arm does not mean that the second anchor has been removed."
"even……"
He stared at the dark blue anchor mark, his throat feeling dry.
"Because the residual energy in the core of the goal arm was torn away, the projection reaction of the bronze goalkeeper became stronger."
On the compass, the intensity of the bronze gatekeeper fluctuated continuously.
Later in the period of being enfeoffed as a marquis.
The peak of his career in the later stages of being granted the title of Marquis.
He was close to being crowned king.
Although it hasn't fully stabilized at that level yet, the fluctuation line is already higher and more aggressive than before.
The white-haired mentor whispered:
"The next time it arrives in its entirety, its intensity will only be greater than predicted."
Inside the observation building, no one spoke.
Everyone understood what that sentence meant.
That was just a hand that reached down prematurely.
It took Zhou Xuanheng, Zhenxing Hou, the patrol ship, the Zhenxing army's defense line, and the dark gold aura that seemed to be secretly exerted by the Blood Face to barely force it back.
What if the Bronze Gatekeeper were to arrive in its entirety?
What if it truly gets close to becoming a king by using two anchors?
How long can the entire Longyuan City hold out?
The alarm continued to sound.
The sharp, piercing whistle turned into a sustained low hum.
Like a death knell hanging over everyone's head.
……
Inside the star cruiser.
Zhou Xuanheng stood in the control room.
The chill from behind the door still lingered in his silver-black star-patterned robe.
The scene of the bronze door arm crushing the Star Law Ninefold Lock was still echoing in his mind.
The domain of Xinglu Hou was bent under the weight.
For him, this was more than just a matter of losing face.
This means that the standard tactics of the Star Gate General Headquarters do not have absolute suppressive power against high-level Shadow Generals under the leadership of the Gate Master.
A deputy envoy of the star survey whispered:
"Sir, the bronze gate arm has retracted. Should we declare this round of defense a success?"
Zhou Xuanheng remained silent for a moment.
"success?"
His voice was cold.
"Without that dark gold devouring force, we wouldn't be able to suppress the eye in our palm."
The deputy envoy's expression changed slightly.
"You mean... the Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator?"
Zhou Xuanheng did not answer immediately.
What came to mind, however, was not the blood-stained mask.
It was a small courtyard belonging to the stars.
Lin Yuan.
The boy in the old school uniform stood in front of the courtyard gate and shattered the Star Law Observation Array with a single finger.
Inside the interrogation hall, he endured the oppressive aura of a late-stage marquis, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Outside the main star gate, when the Bronze Gatekeeper shouted "Gate Devourer," all eyes turned to his direction.
And that dark gold blood energy from earlier.
The source is too low.
too close.
It didn't seem like the blood shadows descended from the outside; it was more like they rolled up from inside the Starry Courtyard.
Zhou Xuanheng's gaze grew increasingly somber.
"Temporarily recorded as the attack being made by the suspected Blood-Faced Ancient Cultivator."
The deputy envoy sensed his reservation.
"Suspected?"
Zhou Xuanheng said coldly:
"That power is related to Lin Yuan."
Inside the main control room, several Star Guardians were startled.
Lin Yuan?
That Qi and Blood Realm Level 1?
Zhou Xuanheng offered no explanation.
He simply looked at the projection of the main star gate.
"Send the highest-level battle report to the General Headquarters."
"The bronze goalkeeper projection is projected onto the goal arm in advance."
"The strength of a single goal arm reaches the peak of the late stage of the Marquis level, and for a short time it is close to the King level."
"The General Administration's Star Cruiser alone is insufficient to cope with a full-scale descent."
The deputy envoy's expression was grave.
"Sir, shall we request backup?"
Zhou Xuanheng nodded slowly.
"Requesting support at the half-step King level."
"If the headquarters cannot arrive in time, have the nearby Star Gate City dispatch its top-tier Marquis-level combatants to Longyuan."
The deputy envoy immediately lowered his head.
"yes!"
Zhou Xuanheng looked at the dark blue anchor in the projection and said in a low voice:
"In the main battle, we can't rely solely on Longyuan's local resources."
After he finished speaking, he added:
"Also, continue monitoring the Star Family Compound."
The deputy envoy hesitated for a moment.
"My lord, Lin Yuan just destroyed the Star Law Observation Array. If he were to set it up again..."
"It's not about setting up a formation."
Zhou Xuanheng interrupted him.
"Record publicly available energy fluctuations from a distance."
"Don't come near."
"Don't touch Lin Xiaoya."
"But I need to know where that dark gold devouring attack will come from next time."
The deputy envoy felt a chill run down his spine.
"clear."
……
Zhenxing Army Main Fortress.
Marquis Zhenxing stood in front of the sand table.
He did not rest after the bronze door arm was removed.
The crack on the black armor, caused by the impact of the door opening, was still there.
But he simply pressed down a burst of energy to temporarily seal the crack.
It doesn't matter to him.
Importantly, the final defensive line before the main goalkeeper's match must be readjusted.
The deputy general reported to the leader:
"My lord, the first and third star-patterned turrets on the outer ring defense line are overloaded and require half a day to repair."
"The seventh array was cracked by the aftershock of the bronze gate arm, and the array master has rushed over."
"The Star Patrol Ship's Star Law Array has suffered 30% losses."
"The elders' council suggested that all the marquis-level combat forces of the four major families be transferred to the outer ring of the main star gate."
Marquis Zhenxing looked at the sand table and said in a deep voice:
"agree."
"In addition, all lower-level students of the university will be moved into the inner ring."
"Those below the Grandmaster level are not allowed to approach the outer ring of the main star gate."
"Those below the rank of town general are not allowed to enter the first line of defense."
The lieutenant nodded.
"Yes."
Looking at the projection of the main star gate, Zhenxing Hou suddenly asked:
"How's it going at the Starry Courtyard?"
The lieutenant said:
"Lin Xiaoya's door lock seal has been worn out; there is no further feedback at the moment."
"Lin Yuan did not leave the Star Family Courtyard."
Marquis Zhenxing remained silent for a moment.
He knew, of course, that dark gold devouring attack was anything but simple.
Zhou Xuanheng may still be wavering between Xue Mian and Lin Yuan.
But Zhenxinghou already had a deeper judgment in his heart.
Lin Yuan.
That boy is probably more dangerous than the blood mask itself.
And even more crucial.
The lieutenant asked in a low voice:
"My lord, should we send men to protect the Star Family compound?"
Marquis Zhenxing glanced at him.
"Who do you think is protecting whom?"
The lieutenant was speechless.
Marquis Zhenxing withdrew his gaze.
"Don't come near."
"As long as no one touches Lin Xiaoya, the Starry Courtyard is safer than the main castle."
……
The Qin family's tall building.
A night breeze blew by.
Qin Guanlan stood in front of the railing, remaining silent for a long time.
Qin Zhu stood behind him, his expression much more solemn than before.
In the battle just now, what others saw was how Zhou Xuanheng blocked the door arm and how Zhenxing Hou drew his sword.
Qin Guanlan, however, was always looking at the Starry Courtyard.
So he saw more.
After Lin Xiaoya locked the door and the light came on, the bronze door arm paused for a moment.
Subsequently, the dark gold energy surged upwards from the direction of the Star Element Courtyard.
A piece of core residual energy was torn off the palm of the bronze door arm.
Then, a very brief but intense fluctuation occurred in the courtyard where Lin Yuan was located.
These details, when put together, can no longer be explained by "coincidence".
Qin Zhu's voice was deep:
"Young Master, Lin Yuan is definitely not just someone who is being protected."
Qin Guanlan said:
"Of course not."
"That source of devouring does indeed overlap with the Star-Attribute Courtyard."
Qin Zhu remained silent for a moment.
"If it really is Lin Yuan in his true form making the move, then his level..."
He didn't finish the second half of his sentence.
Because this is too outrageous.
A newcomer, whose surface level is the first stage of Qi and Blood Realm, remotely devoured the residual energy of the core of the bronze gate arm.
This can no longer be explained by a hidden realm.
Qin Guanlan slowly said:
"He didn't rely on his level of attainment."
"He relies on a system that we cannot yet understand."
Qin Zhu's eyes flickered.
Qin Guanlan continued:
"Blood face".
"The Gate Swallower".
"Lin Yuan".
"The relationship between these three is not a simple one of protection."
"Lin Xiaoya paused for a moment, and he swallowed."
"It's more like a collaboration."
He looked down at the fragment of Qin Xuanxiao's soul lamp in his palm.
"The answer to Qin Xuanxiao's last words should be close to being revealed."
Qin Zhu asked:
"What does the young master intend to do?"
Qin Guanlan said:
"Keep watching."
"When the Bronze Gatekeeper arrives in full, he will surely reveal more."
Qin Zhu frowned.
What if the situation gets out of control then?
Qin Guanlan looked up at the main star gate in the sky.
"The situation has long been beyond our control."
"What we can do now is not to stand in the wrong position."
These words left Qin Zhu silent for a long time.
Qin Guanlan said in a low voice:
"The Qin family of Longyuan is standing in the wrong place."
"So Qin Xuanxiao died."
We can't afford to make another mistake.
……
Starry Courtyard.
Lin Xiaoya was fast asleep.
The white lock pattern on her forehead had faded to almost invisible.
The crimson lotus flames burned gently, protecting her dream.
She is so tired.
The moment she locked the bronze door arm's palm eye, she had already exhausted her current limit.
Lin Yuan stood by the bedside, and only after confirming that she was having a peaceful dream did he turn around and leave the room.
The courtyard was very quiet.
It was so quiet that you could hear the distant, low echo of war bells.
Lin Yuan sat at the stone table.
He raised his hand, and a small piece of black bone appeared in his palm.
This is the last remaining fragment of the White Pagoda's King-level gate bone.
He hadn't swallowed it completely before, in order to preserve the traces behind the door as a reference.
But now, there's no need to keep too much.
After the residual energy of the bronze door arm core entered the body, the Extreme Dao Star Furnace had memorized a clearer trajectory behind the door.
This piece of debris is edible.
Lin Yuan tightened his grip.
Click.
The black bone fragments shattered.
The last bit of residual blue energy surged out, mixed with the aftershocks of the bronze door arm's residual energy that had not yet been completely refined, and was swallowed up by the Extreme Dao Star Furnace.
A system notification appears.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 792000]
[Currently absorbing the remaining energy from fragments of a King-level sect bone]
[Initiating the fusion of residual core energy from the bronze gate arm]
[Physical compression of Qi and blood is underway]
Lin Yuan closed his eyes.
Inside his body, the Extreme Dao Star Furnace spun wildly.
The residual energy in the core of the bronze gate arm is too heavy.
Even though the compression count had just been pushed to 792,000, a large amount of residue remained between flesh and soul.
At this moment, the remaining fragments of the door bone entered the body, like a last fire, rekindling the remaining door patterns.
The dark gold bones lit up.
Silver-white star patterns run through the bone marrow.
In his blood, the starlight was so intense it resembled a dark gold galaxy compressed to its absolute limit.
But the biggest change is in the depths of consciousness.
A dark golden starry sky is slowly unfolding.
That's not the real starry sky.
Rather, it is a phenomenon at the level of the soul.
Tiny, dark gold specks lit up in the depths of consciousness.
Each star corresponds to a trace behind a door that has been devoured and refined.
Door eye worm.
The sect leader's first wisp of will.
Fragments of a king-level gate bone.
The second anchor overflows with residual energy.
Bronze door arm core.
After these things were swallowed, the remaining sense of direction began to form a diagram in the soul.
The Ultimate Star Soul has not yet been truly unlocked.
But it already has a basic form.
The system is displaying a notification.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 795000]
Lin Yuan felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows.
It was as if someone was using nails to try to drive his soul in from behind the door.
But the next moment, the Extreme Dao Star Furnace pressed inward.
The stinging pain was crushed and transformed into purer residual energy.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 797000]
The wind suddenly stopped in the courtyard.
Lin Yuan's aura did not leak out.
But a thin crack silently appeared in the teacup on the stone table.
It wasn't cracked by force.
Rather, it was because he could not withstand the increasingly heavy pressure on his soul.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 799000]
Deep within the main star gate, the two azure anchors seemed to sense something and flashed slightly.
The bronze gatekeeper's chest aperture slowly rotated.
It seemed to realize that the core energy that had just been torn away was being completely digested.
A deep, angry voice came from behind the door.
But that anger is still too far off.
It could not be the final blow.
Lin Yuan continued to refine the essence.
The last bit of energy left in the fragment of the door bone was exhausted.
The remaining core of the bronze gate arm was compressed to its limit.
The system prompts have become slow.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 799900]
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 799970]
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 799990]
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 799999]
The message indicated that the process had stopped.
The courtyard was completely quiet.
Lin Yuan opened his eyes.
The dark golden starlight in his eyes rose and fell slowly, like a starry sky that had not yet been fully lit.
Just one more chance.
It's not that the energy is completely depleted.
This final compression is no longer just a matter of qi, blood, and the physical body.
Seven hundred thousand times, that is the ultimate star body.
Therefore, a physical body is needed to bear it.
Eight hundred thousand times, that is the ultimate star soul.
Therefore, the final step requires a genuine impact from the top leadership's will.
The remaining energy is insufficient.
Not enough fragments.
The overflow tide is insufficient.
A core piece was torn off the bronze door arm, and it's still missing a tiny bit.
A more complete will behind the scenes is needed.
The Bronze Gate needs to truly descend.
Or, the sect leader might cast an even higher-level glance his way.
Lin Yuan looked up at the sky.
Deep within the main star gate, the projection of the bronze gatekeeper was clearer than in daylight.
Its hand gripped the door frame again.
The damaged door arm has retracted behind the door, but a piece is still missing from the palm of the door.
That gap looked like a bite mark.
It is looking at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan was also looking at it.
……
The Black Tower of the Celestial Patrol Bureau.
Gu Changye sat by the window.
The black notebook was spread out.
He did not see the system panel with his own eyes.
But based on all the energy fluctuations tonight, the brief silence of the Starry Courtyard, and the reaction of the two anchors of the Main Star Gate, he vaguely guessed something.
He picked up his pen and wrote a number on the paper.
799999.
After he finished writing, he paused for a long time.
Only then did he continue writing.
Just one more chance.
The monster will wake up the next time the door opens.
After writing this sentence, Gu Changye closed his notebook and chuckled softly.
There was excitement in that laughter.
There was also a tremor he couldn't deny.
He has been pursuing the truth.
But as the truth drew closer, he suddenly realized that it might not be a secret.
Instead, it was a monster about to open its eyes.
……
Starship.
Zhou Xuanheng's distress signal to the General Headquarters has been sent.
The reply contained only one sentence:
Support is being deployed.
This means that it remains to be seen whether the support can be delivered in time for the main gate to open.
Zhou Xuanheng stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the main star gate.
For the first time, he felt that the star cruiser and the Star Law Domain he had brought might not be enough.
If the Bronze Gate is to descend in its entirety, he will need even more power.
But his gaze quickly fell on the Starry Courtyard.
It's so quiet there.
It was unusually quiet.
Just now, after the bronze door arm retracted, there was a momentary, extremely deep ripple.
That fluctuation didn't resemble the protective seal.
It doesn't resemble ordinary ancient forbidden items either.
Zhou Xuanheng said in a low voice:
"Lin Yuan".
"What are you hiding?"
……
The Qin family's tall building.
Qin Guanlan also did not sleep.
He stood in the night, looking at the main star gate and the star-affiliated courtyard.
He was becoming increasingly certain that the main battle would force Lin Yuan to reveal his true trump card.
What he needs to do is see things clearly.
Don't reach out rashly.
Don't stand in the wrong place.
Don't end up like the Qin family of Longyuan, sending yourselves to their deaths.
Qin Zhu, standing behind him, suddenly said:
"Young Master, the Bronze Gatekeeper has moved again."
Qin Guanlan looked up.
above the sky.
The bronze gatekeeper gripped the door frame with his hand, slowly increasing the pressure.
Deep within the main star gate, the two dark blue anchors suddenly lit up.
The ancient bronze phantom emitted a low rumble.
Then, its voice once again resounded throughout the entire Dragon Abyss City.
"tomorrow."
"The main gate is open."
These words were spoken.
All war clocks sounded simultaneously.
The city of Longyuan remained sleepless all night.
In the small courtyard of the Star Kingdom.
Lin Xiaoya slept soundly under the protection of the Red Lotus Seal.
Lin Yuan sat in the courtyard and looked up at the bronze gatekeeper.
The system panel came into view.
[Current number of Qi and Blood Physical Compression Counts: 799999]
He looked at the approaching bronze gate and spoke softly.
"You're the only one missing."