197: Starry Sky Reversal, Counterattack from Desperate Circumstances

The crucial Jade Slip obtained from behind the giant stele was like a bright lamp illuminating the endless darkness, pointing the direction for Lin Xuan and the four women, and bringing hope for reversing the crisis.

The Jade Slip recorded the ultimate solution that Star Patrol Envoy Chen Yuan had painstakingly deduced for this ancient palace, the 'Shaoguang Sub-Scroll Hub'. It wasn't about how to repair it, but how to use the remaining power for the most decisive counterattack or Seal when repair was irreversible.

"The Guixu Cult's Reversal Sacrifice Great Formation is based on twisting the residual power of the 'Minor Zhou Tian Star Dou Array' and using the star nether core as its energy source." Lin Xuan's gaze was sharp as he quickly absorbed the information in the Jade Slip. "Senior Chen Yuan's contingency plan teaches us how to do the opposite—not to repair the already damaged Star Dou Array, but to actively guide it to complete imbalance, igniting the contaminated energy of the star nether core in a specific way, forming a 'Star Storm' confined to the core area of the ancient palace!"

He pointed to several key nodes outlined in the Jade Slip: "Look here, here, and here! These are the weak points where the ancient palace's energy脈絡 connects to the star nether core, and also the transfer stations where the Reversal Great Formation draws power. We don't need to directly confront the Great Formation itself; we only need to destroy these three nodes simultaneously to cut off the Great Formation's energy supply and, according to Senior Chen Yuan's method, channel the violently agitated energy within the star nether core, through the remaining Star Dou Array脈絡, to inversely pour into this main hall, especially onto that giant stele and the Reversal Great Formation!"

Su Wanqing's icy eyes lit up slightly: "Drawing fuel from under the cauldron, setting fire to oneself? This method is feasible! But the risk is extremely high; once the star nether core loses control, we will also be in the eye of the storm."

Qu Feiyan, however, smiled charmingly, her eyes flashing with excitement: "High risk, high reward! Not only can we destroy the Guixu Cult's arrangements, but we might also blow up any hidden nasty rats near those nodes! This sister likes it!"

Gongsun Yu and Yun Shang also nodded vigorously, their eyes filled with determination. They knew that this was the only way to completely destroy the Guixu Cult's conspiracy.

"The plan has three steps." Lin Xuan quickly laid out the plan, his thoughts clear. "First step, Yun Shang, you will use the Star Orbit Spatial Fixing Art to cooperate with my temporary control of the star nether core, stabilizing it at a critical state as much as possible before we act, to prevent premature loss of control."

"Second step, Wanqing, Feiyan, and Xiaoyu, each of you will be responsible for one energy node. Listen to my command, strike with full force simultaneously, and ensure complete destruction with one blow! I will provide support from the center and prepare to guide the energy storm."

"Third step, after the nodes are destroyed and the storm is triggered, everyone immediately gather around me. I will use the Taichu Sword Domain to protect everyone and use the emergency escape passage recorded in Chen Yuan's Jade Slip, which connects to the side hall's quiet room, to evacuate! That passage requires Star Origin to activate, Yun Shang, that will be up to you then!"

The plan was interconnected, utilizing everyone's abilities to the fullest and considering the worst-case scenario.

"Understood!" The Four women responded in unison, their eyes filled with a do-or-die determination.

Without further ado, everyone immediately took action.

Lin Xuan and Yun Shang returned to the central great hall, once again facing the faintly glowing star nether core. Yun Shang fully utilized the Star Orbit Spatial Fixing Art, meticulously sorting its internal energy, maintaining it in a dangerous state of equilibrium that appeared calm but was in fact on the verge of eruption. Lin Xuan, with his primal nascent soul, closely sensed it, ready to take over control and guide the destructive torrent at any moment.

Su Wanqing, Qu Feiyan, and Gongsun Yu, following Lin Xuan's instructions, stealthily moved to the vicinity of the three crucial energy nodes within the main hall. These three nodes were located at the base of a broken stone pillar, inside a scorched wall, and beneath a fallen star metal plate, respectively. Their positions were concealed, yet their energy fluctuations were unusually active, like beating hearts, supplying 'blood' to the Reversal Great Formation in the distance.

Time passed minute by minute, the atmosphere so oppressive it was suffocating.

Finally, when Yun Shang's Divine Thought communicated "at critical point," a fierce glint flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes!

"Now! Act!"

The command, like a clap of thunder, exploded in the minds of the Three women in the main hall!

Su Wanqing's frost silence sword was unsheathed, and she merged with her sword, transforming into an extremely cold moonlight that instantly pierced the node at the base of the stone pillar! Taiyin Power erupted, freezing and shattering!

Qu Feiyan's crimson serpent whip, like a venomous Dragon drilling into the heart, struck fiercely at the node inside the wall with an attack that condensed all her Demonic Technique. A blood lotus bloomed, corroding and disintegrating!

Gongsun Yu let out a delicate shout, and the Chaos Thunder Aegis Seal violently blasted out. The rampant thunder, like a heavenly punishment, shattered the star metal plate along with the node beneath it!

The three nodes were destroyed almost simultaneously!

Rumble—!!!

It was as if a chain reaction had been triggered! The entire Star Remains Ancient Palace trembled violently! The star nether core in the central great hall lost its crucial restraint points. The internal energy, contaminated by the Guixu Cult and already extremely unstable, under Lin Xuan's intentional guidance, surged wildly towards the main hall like a breached flood, along the remaining Star Dou Array脈絡!

Brilliant starlight mixed with the Qi of deathly netherworld, forming a destructive, visible torrent of Star Storm, erupting with the giant stele and the Reversal Great Formation at its core!

Light devoured everything, energy raged, and space distorted! The massive Reversal Sacrifice Formation let out an unbearable wail in the storm, its patterns breaking inch by inch, and the embedded 'sacrifice' crystals exploded one after another! The giant stone stele also swayed violently under the impact of the storm, countless cracks appearing on its surface!

"Retreat!"

The moment the storm erupted, Lin Xuan had already unleashed his Taichu Sword Domain, protecting Su Wanqing and the Three women who had just completed their attack and were rapidly retreating. At the same time, Yun Shang had already activated the emergency passage, which required Star Origin to open, at the side hall passage entrance as instructed by the Jade Slip—a vortex emitting soft starlight.

"Go!"

The five of them, without hesitation, plunged into the starlight vortex.

The next moment their figures disappeared, an even more violent explosion came from the main hall. The entire ancient palace was collapsing, annihilating... Who knows how long passed, perhaps just an instant, perhaps an eternity.

The five were 'spat out' from an unfamiliar mountain crevice, falling heavily onto the soft earth. Looking back, they saw that somewhere in the distant Zangxing Mountain Range, space was subtly distorted, emitting unstable energy aftershocks, but the heart-palpitating aura of the evil Formation had vanished without a trace.

They succeeded! They successfully destroyed the important stronghold that the Guixu Cult had operated for many years and disrupted the terrifying blood sacrifice ritual!

The joy of surviving the ordeal surged, but more than that was exhaustion. The continuous high-intensity combat, mental strain, and the impact of finally detonating the star nether core left everyone nearly prostrate.

Lin Xuan, propping himself up, set up a concealment Formation. Looking at the four women, who were sitting or lying, disheveled but with bright eyes, his heart was filled with indescribable emotion and pride.

"We...did it," he said softly.

Sunlight filtered through the trees, falling warmly on everyone. Although the road ahead was still perilous, and the threat of the Guixu Cult had not been eradicated, at this moment, they enjoyed this hard-won moment of peace and victory.

After this battle, the team had undergone trials of life and death, and their friendship and tacit understanding were unbreakable. And the bond between Lin Xuan and the Three women, especially the moonlit whisper-like affection with Su Wanqing, had deepened even further through the baptism of blood and fire.