146: The fragments come together, and the chains break!

Lu Yuan suppressed the surprise in his heart and bowed slightly.

"What are your orders, Senior?"

"You carry the key to the revival of my clan's sacred artifact."

"I can sense that you are not from this realm."

"You call yourself... a Card Master, correct?"

The Old Elf directly revealed Lu Yuan's origin.

Lu Yuan was slightly startled.

He did not deny it, nodding frankly.

"Senior has keen insight."

"I am indeed a Card Master, from the outside world."

A complex emotion flashed in the Old Elf's eyes, seemingly recalling, yet also harboring hatred.

He was silent for a moment, then his gaze turned to the Flame Sprite peeking its Little Fellow from beside Lu Yuan's foot.

"I did not sense any malice from you towards Little Red."

"On the contrary, you have shown kindness to it."

"It likes you very much."

Little Red should be referring to his Flame Sprite.

Lu Yuan understood in his heart; this was probably one of the important reasons why the Old Elf did not immediately attack, but chose to "talk."

"The Little Fellows are all very cute." Lu Yuan showed a smile that was as friendly as possible.

"Senior, you overpraise me; it was just a small effort."

The Old Flame Spirit was noncommittal, changing the subject and returning to the imprisoned crown.

"The Divine Crown has been imprisoned for far too long since my clan suffered its calamity..."

His voice carried an unresolvable sorrow and heaviness.

"I can sense that you possess the key to unlocking part of the chains!"

The Old Elf's gaze, like a tangible entity, fell upon Lu Yuan's chest.

Lu Yuan's heart stirred.

It's here!

Bedrock's guess was correct.

This Old Elf had indeed sensed the presence of the rule fragment!

He feigned confusion, touching his card pack.

"Key item?"

"This junior is dull; I do not know what Senior is referring to?"

The Old Flame Spirit's tone was direct.

"It is that stone you brought from the outside world, the one that can dim the light of the chains."

"I need them."

Lu Yuan pondered for a moment, a trace of "difficulty" appearing on his face.

"Senior..."

"This item is also of great use to me, not an ordinary item."

"How does Senior intend to borrow it?"

The Old Flame Spirit did not seem to hear the unspoken meaning in Lu Yuan's words, or rather, he simply did not care.

He appeared quite "sincere."

"You help me unseal the Divine Crown."

"I can allow you to cultivate in this Fire Source Temple for three days."

"Furthermore, when the Divine Crown revives, you may absorb a small amount of the original flame that disperses."

"Hmm... you can absorb a little, but not too much."

Lu Yuan: ... "Little Fellow, for you outsiders, this is already a great boon."

Cultivate for three days?

Lu Yuan shook his head inwardly.

This Lost Water Realm would be completely compressed into a fixed secret realm in at most two more days, and he did not want to become a Source Power card.

However, for the sake of his life, he definitely had to lend it.

A look of "struggle" appeared on Lu Yuan's face, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

A moment later, he seemed to have made up his mind, nodding with a hint of "helplessness."

"Alright."

"I hope Senior keeps his word."

Saying that, he pulled out the stone fragment from his chest.

The Old Flame Spirit's gaze was instantly drawn to the stone fragment.

"It really is it!"

"The hope of my clan's revival!"

He extended his giant palm, seemingly wanting to take the stone fragment.

Lu Yuan subtly retreated half a step, holding the stone fragment tighter.

"Senior, this item's energy is special; this junior needs to operate it personally."

The Old Flame Spirit's movement paused, and he gave Lu Yuan a deep look.

In his eyes, there was a hint of displeasure, but more than that, there was an urgency to unseal the crown.

He slowly withdrew his hand.

"Alright."

"Follow me."

With that, he turned and walked towards the center of the great hall with heavy steps.

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and followed.

In his backpack, the transparent fake crown and the Breath Concealment Transfer Card were already prepared.

Success or failure, all in this one move!

The Old Flame Spirit stopped about ten meters from the crown.

He pointed at the aqua-blue chains.

"Use your stone to touch them."

"They will absorb the power of the chains, weakening the confinement."

Lu Yuan nodded, his gaze sweeping across the dozens of chains, seemingly searching for a target to start with.

In reality, he was estimating the distance, looking for the best timing and angle for the swap.

The Breath Concealment Transfer Card's effective range was ten meters.

He had to enter this range.

But stepping within ten meters would cause repulsion!

So he must find the closest one, convenient for action later!

"Senior, there are so many of these chains, and this junior's stone, I'm afraid... its energy is limited." Lu Yuan feigned difficulty.

"No matter." The Old Flame Spirit's voice carried a hint of urgency, "Just do your best! Even if it can only weaken one, it will be a huge help to my clan!"

Lu Yuan said no more, holding the rule fragment, and slowly walked towards one of the closest source water chains.

"Clap!"

A soft sound.

The fragment, as if magnetic, firmly adhered to the middle of the chain.

Visibly, the continuously flowing aqua-blue light on that chain rapidly dimmed.

The runes on the chain's surface flickered a few times, then completely lost their luster.

At the same time, the long-silent flame heart crown at the center of the great hall, its crimson gem at the top, hummed faintly.

That feeling is back!

It's about to stir again!

"Excellent! Very good!"

On the Old Flame Spirit's wrinkled face, an uncontrollable look of ecstasy emerged.

"I can feel it! The power of the Divine Crown... is reviving!"

He looked at Lu Yuan excitedly.

"Continue! Little Fellow! Continue!"

Lu Yuan thought to himself, "Continue your mother!"

"I only brought this one!"

On the surface, however, he pretended to be heavily depleted of Source Power, breathing slightly.

"Senior, I'm out, and this item consumes a lot..."

Seeing this, the Old Flame Spirit seemed very satisfied with Lu Yuan's "contribution."

He waved his large hand, full of heroic spirit.

"No need to be stingy! As long as the Divine Crown can be unsealed, my clan will never forget your meritorious service!"

With that, he also began to fumble in his embrace.

A moment later, he spread his giant palm, and more than a dozen dark red stone fragments of various sizes appeared in his palm.

These were naturally fragments of the heart of rules!

The Old Flame Spirit looked at the stone fragments in his palm, his eyes filled with anticipation.

He carefully picked up a stone fragment and slowly walked towards another source water chain.

His movements were not as casual as Lu Yuan's; instead, they carried a sense of solemnity.

He gently pressed the stone fragment onto the chain.

"Hiss--"

Similar to the effect of Lu Yuan's fragment, the aqua-blue light of the attached chain rapidly faded.

The hum of the flame heart crown became clearer by a degree.

"Good, good, good!!!"

"That person really didn't lie to me!"

The Old Flame Spirit's spirits were greatly boosted, and he no longer hesitated, picking up the second, then the third stone fragment... Each one he attached caused the light of a chain to dim.

Each one he attached caused the energy fluctuation of the flame heart crown to increase by a degree.

Lu Yuan stood aside, silently observing.

Ready to act at any moment!

Time passed bit by bit.

The stone fragments in the Old Flame Spirit's hand became fewer and fewer.

And the dozens of source water chains restraining the flame heart crown also lost their former brilliance one after another.

From a deep aqua-blue, they gradually turned into ordinary light blue.

Then from light blue, they became lifeless gray-white.

Finally, they completely lost all energy fluctuations, becoming like rusted scrap iron, hanging in dead silence.

When the Old Flame Spirit placed the last, smallest stone fragment on a chain—

"Crack!"

A crisp snapping sound suddenly echoed in the great hall!

It was not a single chain breaking.

Instead, all the source water chains that had lost most of their energy support, at the same instant, as if their internal structures reached a certain critical point, collectively let out groans of unbearable strain!

It could no longer be suppressed!

The power of confinement, at this moment, dropped to its lowest point!

"Buzz—!!!!"

At the center of the great hall, the crimson gem at the top of the flame heart crown, which had only been faintly flickering, suddenly erupted with an unprecedented, dazzling light like a blazing sun!

Scorching! Violent!

A terrifying flame energy, as if capable of incinerating all things, swept out from the crown as its center, roaring outwards!

"Roar—!!!!"

An earth-shattering roar suddenly emanated from within the flame heart crown!

The roar was filled with endless anger, centuries of suppressed resentment, and an extreme yearning for freedom!

The entire Fire Source Temple began to tremble violently under this roar!

The ancient flame runes on the walls, as if infused with life, lit up one after another, emitting dazzling red light!

The ground cracked, the dome shook, and countlessgravel fell rustling!

the crown—had revived!

"Chirp! Chirp-goo!!"

The Flame Sprites that had been gathered nearby were startled by this sudden energy impact and scattered, screaming in terror, hiding in corners, trembling.

"Success! Success!!"

The Old Flame Spirit, bathed in this violent flame energy, not only showed no fear but trembled with excitement, tears streaming down his face!

He spread his arms and let out a deafening howl to the sky!

"The sacred artifact has revived! The sacred artifact has finally revived!!"

"My clan... my Fire Source Elf clan... has hope for revival!!"

He didn't expect such a huge commotion.

Lu Yuan immediately activated his Source Power to protect himself, resisting the impact of the violent flame energy.

The energy storm made his combat suit flap loudly, and his skin felt waves of burning pain.

But his eyes were fixed on the flame heart crown, which was about to completely break free from its restraints!

And those source water chains were now merely symbolic, with only a few weak connections remaining, ready to completely snap at any moment!

In his hand, the cool Breath Concealment Transfer Card had been squeezed until it was slightly warm.

Opportunity!

The opportunity Bedrock spoke of was about to arrive!

Bang!

The chains broke—

Now!

Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed, no longer hesitating!

...