142: Crown of the Flaming Heart, proof of one's kind

Lu Yuan's gaze narrowed slightly, his thoughts racing.

Bedrock's appearance was too coincidental, and his familiarity with this place far exceeded that of an ordinary Yao Family Consecrated Master.

He pointed to the crown bound by elemental chains in the center of the hall, maintaining a calm demeanor.

"Senior Bedrock seems very familiar with this place?"

"Could it be that he knows the origin of this crown?"

Bedrock's gaze retracted from the crown, carrying a hint of complexity.

He pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke: "This is the flame heart crown."

"It is the former world origin core of this shattered world, and also the supreme object of these flame spirits."

"If not for being suppressed by these source water chains, the power it contains would be enough to burn mountains, boil seas, and reshape the landscape."

flame heart crown? world origin core?

Lu Yuan's heart stirred, and he pressed on: "Then what about the heart of rules that various forces are competing for on the volcano outside?"

Bedrock heard this, and a hint of mockery curled at the corner of his mouth.

"heart of rules?"

"Heh heh, that's merely a secondary product formed when the rule power and origin energy, which scattered as this world was forcibly assimilated and transformed by the Heavenly Gifted Law, becamemiscellaneous and intertwined."

"The Alliance likes to call such things 'supreme objects,' driving countless Card Masters to madness."

His tone remained dismissive:

"But in reality... the true 'supreme object' is the unique world origin core of every world!"

"For example, the flame heart crown before us!"

Lu Yuan's gaze towards Bedrock grew increasingly uneasy.

How could a mere Yao Family Consecrated Master know so many secrets?

These pieces of intelligence, even the old man Yao Zhenchuan might not be clear about!

A strong alarm blared in his heart, and the Source Power in his body was already quietly circulating, his halberd poised for action.

Bedrock seemed to sense the wariness emanating from Lu Yuan.

A meaningful smile appeared on his face, and he spread his hands.

"Little friend Lu Yuan, there's no need to be so nervous."

"Nor do you need to be curious about my identity."

"I'll say one person, and you'll understand."

Bedrock's gaze met Lu Yuan's directly, and he slowly uttered three words.

"Sun! Li! Bang!"

Buzz!

Lu Yuan felt a faint hum in his mind, and his pupils suddenly contracted!

Sun Libang!

"You... you're from the 'Spark'?!"

Bedrock slowly nodded, his smile undiminished.

"That's right."

"Old Sun, that guy, is indeed a fool sometimes, thinking things too simply."

"However, you can't blame him entirely, after all, who could have predicted that you would appear here?"

He scrutinized Lu Yuan from head to toe, his gaze becoming somewhat thought-provoking.

"To be honest, little friend Lu Yuan, the secrets on you are no less significant than this flame heart crown!"

Lu Yuan stared at Bedrock with an unfriendly gaze.

This guy's words had a hidden meaning!

Bedrock, however, seemed not to care about Lu Yuan's almost cannibalistic gaze, and continued speaking to himself:

"The information Sun Libang told you before was correct in its general direction, but not comprehensive."

"For example, regarding the 'supreme object' of this Lost Water Realm."

He gestured towards the direction outside the hall.

"In principle, if the heart of rules on the volcano outside could fully condense, it indeed has a chance to give birth to a red card."

"This news is known only to a few high-ranking members within the organization, and it has been assessed that the final ownership of that heart of rules will most likely fall into the hands of the Canglan Provincial Government, as they have operated for many years and invested the most."

"Similar new realm explorations in the past have generally yielded the same result."

"Therefore, Sun Libang telling you to compete for the red card wasn't entirely a pipe dream, it's just that the chance of success was minuscule."

"He, and most people in the organization, thought that the heart of rules was the most precious treasure in this realm."

Bedrock's tone shifted, his gaze returning to the flame heart crown, a trace of fanaticism flashing in his eyes.

"But they don't know, the true core is here!"

"This flame heart crown is the source of all power in this Lost Water Realm!"

"Its value far exceeds that of the heart of rules!"

Lu Yuan's heart was in turmoil.

So there was such a reason behind this!

"Then the Old Flame Spirit outside..."

"He is indeed a native of this world." Bedrock nodded, his tone tinged with admiration.

"Moreover, he is one of the few natives who, after the world was captured and its laws distorted, still managed to stay clear-headed and find the correct method of self-salvation."

"Very strong, extremely strong."

"Even we, 'Spark,' cannot fully ascertain his true nature; we only know that he seems to be guarding something, or rather... waiting for something."

"His sending you in must also have his considerations."

Bedrock's gaze suddenly fell on the stone fragment in Lu Yuan's hand.

A look of understanding appeared on his face.

"Little friend Lu Yuan, you wouldn't actually think that such a wondrous object containing rule fragments of the world origin is something you could just 'pick up' from a roadside stall, would you?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan's heart skipped a beat!

He remembered the shady vendor in the secret market back then!

"That vendor..."

Bedrock smiled and nodded.

"That's right, I arranged that."

"From the moment you obtained that stone fragment, and it reacted to you, you completely entered my sight, or rather, entered the sight of a portion of 'Spark's' high-ranking members."

Lu Yuan tightened his grip on the stone fragment, his eyes complex.

So, he had been targeted from so early on.

"What exactly is this stone fragment?" he asked in a deep voice.

Bedrock pointed to the stone fragment in Lu Yuan's hand, then to the dozens of aqua-blue elemental chains binding the flame heart crown.

"These elemental chains, called 'elemental chains,' are a common method used by the Alliance to imprison and extract the world origin cores of other worlds."

"It is precisely because of these chains that the heart of rules is born!"

"But their vision is too narrow; they believe that only rule-based products are true treasures."

"The Alliance's high-ranking officials don't even consider these true supreme objects; they only treat them as mediums for energy conversion."

As he spoke, Bedrock laughed, his face once again filled with endless mockery.

"And the stone fragment in your hand, as well as those shattered stone slabs on the volcano outside, their true name is 'rule fragment.'"

"The organization calls it 'world fragment.'"

"It is formed after the rupture of rule-completed world origin products."

"Not limited to the heart of rules, there are also rule scepters, rule compasses, and so on."

"One of their characteristics is that they can restrain, absorb, and ultimately dismantle the power of the elemental chains."

"Of course, there are other uses, but I'm not very clear about them either."

"But this is the last resistance and hope for those enslaved worlds!"

Bedrock looked at Lu Yuan, his smile becoming even more meaningful.

"Little friend Lu Yuan, do you know why, back at the market, so many Card Masters passed by that stall, yet only you could sense the existence of that 'Origin-Breaking Stone'?"

"Why did everyone else, including those powerful Card Masters, feel nothing towards it, treating it as if it were nothing?"

Lu Yuan's heart began to beat violently and uncontrollably.

A thought he had vaguely suspected all along, yet dared not delve into, sprouted like a tender shoot breaking through the earth, growing wildly in his mind.

Bedrock's voice, as if carrying some kind of magic, struck Lu Yuan's heart one word at a time.

"Because!"

"The unique origin fluctuations emitted by these world fragments, these rule fragments..."

"Only non-natives of this Card Continent can perceive them!"

"Only souls also from 'outside' can resonate with them!"

Bedrock took a step forward, his gaze burning as he stared at Lu Yuan, his voice suddenly rising, carrying an indescribable excitement and... relief.

"Lu Yuan!"

"You, like us!"

"Are survivors..."

"From other unknown worlds!"

...