32: The Oath of Starfall, the Resonance of the Foundation of the Dao

"Immortal Dao Tribulation Eye... Open!"

The cold voice, like the Law of the Heavenly Dao, echoed above the shattered firmament of the Burial Star Corridor. In the center of the Golden Immortal Command, the vertical golden fissure fully opened!

That was not an eye, but... a door!

A gateway leading to the origin of All Heavenly Tribulations!

The dazzling golden light instantly swallowed the faint glow of all the starry wreckage in the Corridor! Endless Golden Tribulation Lightning, condensed from the purest Laws of Order and the Will of Destruction, surged out from that “door” like a bursting, World-Destroying Heavenly River! Every bolt of tribulation lightning contained the terrifying power to freeze space-time and shatter ten thousand daos. They did not diffuse randomly, but, under the precise control of the Immortal Envoy's will, transformed into two destructive torrents!

One torrent, like a Golden Spear of Judgment, tore through space, accompanied by a shriek capable of piercing all realms, stabbing fiercely towards Chen Feng, who was covered in dark red crystal and lay at the bottom of the deep pit of shattered star rock! Its target was directly the core of the nascent Star Returning Ruins Dao Foundation deep within his Dantian!

The other torrent, like a Golden Heavenly Net Cage, carrying the will to seal all laws and refine origins, descended directly upon Su Wanzhao, who was above the altar and deep in a state of Deep Enlightenment! It intended to seal and refine her, along with her newly formed Chaos Star Vortex Dao Body!

A true world-ending catastrophe! The Gold-Robed Immortal Envoy descended in person, striking out in fury, holding nothing back! He intended to utterly erase these two anomalies—who possessed Heaven-Defying dao foundations and Blasphemed the Immortal Dao—along with this ancient ruin, from the universe!

Before the Golden Tribulation Lightning even arrived, the terrifying pressure caused the entire Corridor space to groan under the strain! The shattered star rock silently turned to dust! At the bottom of the deep pit, the dark golden star patterns on the surface of the dark red crystal shell covering Chen Feng flashed wildly, emitting a piercing wail! [Star Returning Ruins Dao Foundation (Nascent): External Law Suppression (Immortal Dao Tribulation)! Core Dormant (Deep Transformation in progress)... Passive Defense Activated (Limit)... Warning: Cannot resist!]

Above the altar, the Star Dao Rhythm flowing around Su Wanzhao was forcibly suppressed and twisted by the pressure of the Golden Heavenly Net Cage! The Star Vortex swirling on her brow violently fluctuated, seemingly sensing a fatal threat, yet she could not immediately awaken to counterattack due to Deep Enlightenment! [Chaos Star Vortex Dao Body (Initial Completion): Deep Enlightenment (Law Synchronization) Interrupted! External Law Suppression (Immortal Dao Tribulation)! Status: Critical! Passive Defense Activated...]

The Star Guardian, kneeling on one knee, had its burning, Dark Blue Flame Eyes violently flickering in the reflection of the Golden Tribulation Lightning! It sensed the absolute malice and destructive will originating from the core of the Immortal Dao, directed at all non-ordered existences! Its body, composed of star dust, violently fluctuated under the Supreme Immortal Might, as if it might completely disintegrate at any moment! However, its pair of cold flame eyes remained locked onto the two destructive bolts of tribulation lightning and the blurred gold-robed figure at the center of the fissure!

In the Guardian's flame eyes, confusion and obedience were replaced by an older, deeper emotion—the sorrow of Star Annihilation! The rage of failing its duty! And even more... an uncompromising determination against the invaders!

Just as the Golden Tribulation Lightning was about to engulf Chen Feng and the Heavenly Net Cage was about to cover Su Wanzhao—at this critical moment—

"ROAR—!!!"

A roar, as if billions of stars had simultaneously burst into flame, filled with endless grief, indignation, and the will to protect, suddenly erupted from within the Star Guardian! This roar was no longer the chaotic sound of stars scraping against each other, but carried the rhythm of some Ancient Language!

"I... keep... the... Oath... of... Starfall!!!"

Following this roar, the Star Guardian's massive body, which had been kneeling on one knee, suddenly stood up! Its burning, Dark Blue Flame Eyes instantly erupted with a fierce light that pierced the golden radiance! Its entire body, composed of star dust, was no longer illusory but instantly solidified like the hardest star core! Countless Dark Blue Chains, flowing with Star Meridians and inscribed with Ancient Star Maps, shot out wildly like giant, awakened pythons—from within its body, from the Star Steles surrounding the altar, and even from the depths of countless starry wreckage throughout the Burial Star Corridor!

These chains ignored spatial distance, instantly interweaving and coiling!

A portion of the Dark Blue Chains layered, twisted, and spiraled above Chen Feng's head, constructing a massive Star Giant Shield flowing with Star Vortex trajectories! Upon the shield's surface, the Ancient Star Map lit up, emitting a Defensive Dao Rhythm capable of resisting All Heavenly Tribulations!

The other portion of the chains acted like raging dragons charging against the heavens, carrying the determined will of star annihilation, lashing fiercely towards the Golden Heavenly Net Cage descending upon Su Wanzhao! Wherever the chains passed, space was torn open with fine, dark blue fissures!

RUMBLE—!!! RIP—!!!

An indescribably terrifying collision of energy erupted instantly!

The Golden Spear of Judgment stabbed fiercely onto the Star Giant Shield! Dazzling golden light and dark blue star radiance violently clashed and annihilated each other! The giant shield violently shook, the Ancient Star Map on its surface instantly dimmed by more than half, and countless Dark Blue Chains wailed as they broke! But, ultimately... it held! The Tribulation Lightning Spear, powerful enough to pierce all realms, was forcefully halted about ten feet above Chen Feng's head! The scattered golden electric snakes, like frenzied golden vipers, fiercely bit at the giant shield but could not penetrate the final barrier! [Star Guardian Shield: Violent Shock! Star Map Dimmed (60%)! Chains Broken (35%)! Warning: Imminent Collapse!]

On the other side, the charging group of star chains lashed fiercely against the Golden Heavenly Net Cage! It was like billions of stars colliding simultaneously! A grating tearing sound rang out! The golden net, composed of pure Laws of Order, was actually torn open with several large fissures by these chains imbued with the will of star annihilation! Although the chains themselves snapped inch by inch and turned to ash under the scorching Golden Tribulation Lightning, the net's descending speed was forcefully delayed! This bought Su Wanzhao... a one ten-thousandth of a second reprieve! [Immortal Dao Heavenly Net Cage: Torn (15%)! Delayed!]

"Hmm?!" In the center of the fissure, the blurred face of the Gold-Robed Immortal Envoy, whose eyes burned with golden Flames of Order, for the first time revealed clear astonishment and... a hint of solemnity! "The Oath of Starfall?! A mere puppet condensed from the will of starry wreckage dares to defy the Immortal Dao! Seeking death!"

His hand, shrouded in golden mist, slammed downwards!

BOOM!

The Golden Immortal Command shone even brighter! The torrent of Golden Tribulation Lightning surging from the Tribulation Gate instantly multiplied several times! The Spear of Judgment blazed fiercely, the Star Giant Shield groaned under the unbearable strain, and broken chains fell like heavy rain! The golden light of the Heavenly Net Cage instantly solidified as well, the torn fissures rapidly sealed, and it descended towards Su Wanzhao at an increased speed!

The Star Guardian's massive body trembled violently under the secondary crushing force of the Immortal Dao Will! Its Dark Blue Flame Eyes wildly flickered, and large swathes of the star dust composing its body disintegrated and scattered! It was like a candle burning in a fierce wind, rapidly heading toward extinction!

But it did not retreat! Its pair of flame eyes stared intently at Su Wanzhao, who was about to be covered by the net, then glanced at Chen Feng, who remained silent at the bottom of the deep pit. A more resolute, even slightly tragic, intent, mixed with its final strength, erupted thunderously!

"Star... Lord... Return...!"

The Guardian's final intent, like a thunderclap, violently smashed into the depths of Su Wanzhao's Divine Soul, which was suppressed by the Immortal Dao pressure and hovering between Deep Enlightenment and awakening!

Simultaneously, its body, on the verge of disintegration, violently exploded! It transformed into billions of points of star dust burning with dark blue flames! These dust particles did not dissipate; instead, like moths to a flame, they instantly condensed into two burning, dark blue torrents!

One torrent, like the last spark of a star, violently struck the Star Giant Shield, which was about to shatter completely, and merged into it! The shield, on the verge of collapse, instantly erupted with a powerful, final burst of light. The dimmed star map on its surface lit up again, forcefully holding against the surging Golden Spear of Judgment! [Star Guardian Shield: Star Map Reignited (100%! Overload!) Chains Repaired (50%)! Overloaded Operation! Imminent Disintegration!]

The other torrent ignored the obstruction of space and the suppression of the Golden Heavenly Net Cage, instantly piercing through. Like the gentlest starlight, it softly sprinkled onto Su Wanzhao's brow and sank into the profound Star Vortex!

"Ngh...!"

Su Wanzhao, under the dual shock of Deep Enlightenment and the external upheaval, suddenly opened her tightly closed eyes the moment the Guardian's final burning intent and starlight merged into her brow!

In her eyes, there was no longer a burning star storm, but... a Cosmic Star Vortex, cold to the extreme yet containing endless sorrow and the resolve of rebirth! Deep within the Star Vortex, the Gray-Silver Chaos Light Point suddenly erupted with unprecedented brilliance!

A majestic aura, far more vast and condensed than before, carrying the true awakening of the Chaos Star Vortex Dao Body, erupted thunderously, like the descent of a newborn Star Lord!

BOOM—!!!

The descending Golden Heavenly Net Cage, impacted by this newborn Star Vortex Dao rhythm imbued with the Guardian's final spark of will, suddenly paused as if it had struck an invisible barrier! The fissures that had just sealed were torn open again, and even... fine, spiderweb-like Star Vortex fissures began appearing along the edges! [Chaos Star Vortex Dao Body: Awakened! Passive Defense (Star Vortex Barrier) Activated! Immortal Dao Cage Suppression Weakened (30%)!]

"Guardian... Starfall... Chen Feng..."

The fragments of the Guardian's final burning intent imprinted deeply into Su Wanzhao's newly awakened consciousness like a brand. Her gaze, cold as the stars, instantly pierced the chaotic energy field and locked onto the figure at the bottom of the deep pit, covered in dark red crystal and struggling under the Star Giant Shield!

Chen Feng! His nascent Star Returning Ruins Dao Foundation, under the terrifying suppression of the Golden Tribulation Lightning and the strange resonance caused by the Guardian's starlight merging into Su Wanzhao, had its faint Returning Ruins Singularity Imprint deep within its core... pulse extremely weakly!

It was as if a ferocious beast, asleep for eternity, had a trace of its instinct awakened by the aura of its kin and a fatal threat!

Star vortices swirled in Su Wanzhao's eyes, and she did not hesitate for a moment. Ignoring the Golden Heavenly Net Cage still pressing down overhead, she suddenly raised her Slender Jade Hand, stained with starlight, and clenched it in the air toward Chen Feng at the bottom of the deep pit!

"Star Vortex... Draw... Ruins Return!"