97: The fading light of stars obscures the path home.

The absolute nothingness and the unsettling remains of the stone stele, like an ink painting soaked in water, twisted and faded violently under the shroud of deep purple light, finally being completely torn apart and devoured.

A strong sensation of spatial displacement struck again, even more brutal and dizzying than before.

It felt as if an invisible giant hand had roughly plucked them from that crevice in the Void Realm where eternal silence had solidified, and hurled them violently into another unknown dimension.

Hum—!!!

A heavy impact, accompanied by the groaning of the pedestal's structure under the strain, jolted Su Wanzhao awake from her brief disorientation in time and space.

The deep purple teleportation light receded like a tide, revealing the scene before her.

It was no longer absolute darkness, nor was it violent turbulence.

A desolate aura... decaying, solidified, yet still retaining a trace of the residual warmth of past glory... rushed towards her.

They seemed to be in an immensely huge circular corridor.

The walls, ceiling, and floor of the corridor were all cast from a star metal that had long lost its luster, appearing a dull grayish-white, with surfaces covered in profound yet mostly worn-away star rune reliefs.

The corridor was wide enough for giant beasts to run through, yet shocking traces of destruction were visible everywhere—huge claw marks tore through the metal walls, craters burnt by energy looked like festering wounds, and dried, strangely colored stains were splattered everywhere, emitting a faint scent of decay and blood.

One side of the corridor was a metal wall covered in cracks.

The other side was a row of huge, crystal-clear arched windows, also covered in cracks.

Outside the windows, it was not the starry sky, but... a slowly rotating... massive vortex of ruins composed of countless shattered stars, twisted metal mega-structures, and frozen continental plates!

Within the ruins, some even larger, mountain-like shadows could be vaguely seen drifting, which were the remains of some super-giant creations.

The Chaos sky hung low, flowing with dull, dark red and murky gray-black bands of light that resembled solidified scabs, casting an eerie, dead, and oppressive light over this endless graveyard of ruins.

[Environmental Scan: Star Dome Ruins Outer Corridor (Seventh Spiral Arm) | Spacetime Stability: Low (Continuing to collapse) | Energy Activity: Extremely Low (Source of Annihilation infiltration) | Law Integrity: Fragmented (17%)] [Detected multiple traces of high-energy combat: star dome laws, Lu Dao Source Power, unknown annihilation energy, Void Abomination corrosion...]

Was this the "safe anchor point" preset by the Guiyuan Star Vortex—the shallow area of the Star Dome Ruins?

But this scene had nothing to do with the word "safe"; it was more like a massive graveyard that had just undergone a doomsday baptism and was still slowly heading towards complete collapse.

The star remains pedestal floated in the center of the corridor, the deep purple light on its surface completely extinguished, and those star runes were so dim they were almost invisible; only the will imprint of Chen Feng in the core of the pedestal still emitted an extremely faint, constant warmth.

The groaning of the pedestal's structure gradually subsided, as if it were slowly absorbing the thin yet homologous residual aura of the star vault here, undergoing extremely slow self-repair.

[star remains pedestal: Arrived at preset coordinates (Star Dome Ruins shallow layer) | Energy Level: Depleted (0.3%) | Self-repair Progress: Extremely Slow (Lack of environmental energy)] [Warning: Multiple unstable energy residues and spatial rifts detected within the ruins! Unknown risks exist!]

Su Wanzhao stood silently on the pedestal, her deep purple eyes slowly scanning this decaying corridor and the despair-inducing vortex of ruins outside the window.

The Star Vortex in the depths of her eyes rotated slightly, as if analyzing and recording all the information here.

That trace of deep gray indifference remained, yet it did not fluctuate due to the harsh environment, as if she were merely calmly evaluating her current situation.

Her gaze finally fell on the front of the corridor, into that deep darkness shrouded in shadows and traces of destruction.

The Guiyuan Star Vortex had sent them here, but what then?

What should be the next step?

Where was the destination of the "path home" mentioned in Chen Feng's residual consciousness?

There was no guidance, no map, only this endless, dying ruin.

She tried to mobilize the power of the Star Vortex in her heart to perceive the surrounding environment more clearly.

Starlight flowed, and her spiritual sense spread forward along the corridor like mercury.

The information fed back was still broken and dead.

Broken metal structures, solidified energy residue, scattered weapon fragments that had long lost their activity, and... more terrifying traces left by battle.

Her spiritual sense even touched some extremely weak yet malicious spatial rifts, like invisible blades hidden in the shadows everywhere.

Just as her spiritual sense spread to a huge turn in the corridor—Hum!

An extremely faint yet unusually familiar sense of resonance, like a heartbeat, was transmitted from a direction after the turn!

This sense of resonance did not originate from the star dome laws, but... had a clear echo with the will imprint of Chen Feng in the core of the pedestal beneath her feet!

Was it... a homologous aura?!

In this dead ruin, there was still an existence related to Chen Feng?

On Su Wanzhao's flawless face, that trace of frozen indifference seemed to fluctuate.

She did not hesitate, controlling the pedestal with nearly depleted energy, and floated slowly along the wide yet dilapidated corridor toward the direction from which the resonance came.

The pedestal moved slowly and silently.

She vigilantly avoided those hidden spatial rifts and unstable energy points.

After passing through an area that had been completely collapsed by a huge force and required careful crossing over metal ruins, the scene ahead suddenly opened up.

This seemed to be a huge traffic hub node.

Several equally magnificent yet dilapidated corridors converged here, and at the center was a vast circular platform.

Most of the platform had cracked and collapsed, falling into the bottomless dark abyss below.

Only a small, relatively intact area on the edge of the platform remained stubbornly suspended.

And right in the center of that relatively intact area stood an object.

It was a strange device about three zhang high, cast entirely from some dark golden metal.

Its shape resembled several twisted star tracks surrounding a broken main axis, and the top, which seemed to have originally been intended to hold something, was now empty.

The surface of the device was covered with star runes homologous to the star remains pedestal, but most were already dim and broken.

The entire device was tilted, and the connection between the base and the platform was full of cracks, as if it would collapse completely at any moment.

However, on this severely damaged and seemingly lifeless device, at the top of the broken main axis, a faint golden light point, extremely dim and seemingly about to extinguish in the next second... was pulsating extremely slowly but stubbornly!

That faint sense of resonance was emanating from this faint golden light point!

Like long-lost brothers, it and Chen Feng's will imprint sent out a silent call across a vast distance!

[Detected unknown star vault device (severely damaged) | Energy reaction: Extremely weak (on the verge of extinguishing) | Resonance source: Confirmed (homologous to Origin Returner will imprint)]

Su Wanzhao controlled the pedestal and landed slowly on the remaining edge of the platform, keeping a distance from the tilted device.

She stared at that faint golden, pulsating light point.

From it, she felt a residual will homologous to Chen Feng's imprint, yet more ancient, more vicissitudinous, and carrying endless exhaustion and obsession.

This seemed to be... some kind of beacon?

Or... the remains of a communication node?

She slowly raised her hand, the deep purple starlight at her fingertips shining slightly, trying to perceive the information remaining inside the light point more clearly.

Just as her power was about to touch the light point—a sudden change occurred!

Swish—!!!

An extremely sharp sound of breaking through the air, carrying the malice of tearing the Soul, burst out without warning from the bottomless dark abyss below the platform!

The target was not Su Wanzhao, nor the pedestal, but... that faint golden light point stubbornly pulsating at the top of the tilted device!

It was an energy arrow condensed to the extreme, pitch-black as ink, with filthy blood light flowing along its edges!

Its speed was so fast that it exceeded the limits of visual capture, and the aura it emitted was cold, malicious, and carried a corrosive power specifically targeting the Soul and the Origin of will!

A sneak attack!

Long-planned!

The target was aimed directly at the resonance source that might contain key information!

The Star Vortex in Su Wanzhao's eyes contracted suddenly!

That trace of gray indifference was instantly replaced by cold vigilance!

Her reaction was fast to the extreme!

Almost at the same time the sound of breaking the air rang out, her left hand, which had been held in the air, opened its fingers abruptly and clenched fiercely toward the direction of the pitch-black arrow that was shooting over!

Hum!

The space at the edge of the platform instantly became viscous and stagnant!

A thin, distorted force field made of deep purple starlight instantly formed, blocking the arrow's path!

However, the pitch-black arrow seemed to contain some peculiar Law-breaking attribute; the deep purple force field only hindered it for an instant before being corroded and pierced by the filthy blood light flowing on its surface!

The arrow's momentum was slightly reduced, but it was still fatal!

Seeing that the faint golden light point was about to be completely annihilated—Su Wanzhao's body, which had been standing still, moved!

Her figure, like a weightless deep purple phantom, instantly disappeared from the pedestal and appeared in front of the tilted device!

Her right index and middle fingers were brought together, and a point of highly condensed, extremely restrained deep purple starlight suddenly lit up at her fingertips, hitting the tip of the pitch-black arrow precisely and without deviation!

Fingertip collided with arrow tip!

There was no loud noise, only a teeth-grinding hiss of energy being forcibly annihilated!

Deep purple starlight and pitch-black filthy light eroded and fought each other crazily!

The cold malice contained in the arrow was like a poisonous snake, trying to drill into her spiritual body along her fingertips!

But it was forcibly blocked and purified by the strange power at her fingertips that fused the characteristics of protection and end!

Stalemate!

It only lasted for a brief moment!

The trace of gray in Su Wanzhao's eyes flashed fiercely!

The deep purple starlight at her fingertips suddenly became cold and dead!

It was as if all vitality in the surroundings had been instantly drained!

Hiss—!!!

The pitch-black arrow, as if meeting its nemesis, began to disintegrate and dissipate silently from the tip!

Turning into wisps of black smoke, it was completely devoured by the cold deep purple starlight!

However, at the very moment the arrow was annihilated—from the pitch-black abyss below the platform came a sharp, eerie laugh full of venom and the satisfaction of a successful scheme!

"Hehehe... As expected... you fell for it..."

Accompanying the eerie laughter, it was not a second attack, but—Hum!!!!

The tilted star vault device, with the faint golden light point flickering at its top, suddenly erupted with blinding, unstable energy turbulence from the cracks where its base connected to the platform!

The entire device groaned under the strain and shook violently!

Under the impact of the energy turbulence, the faint golden resonance light point flickered rapidly, as if it would collapse completely at any moment!

The previous sneak attack was actually a feint!

The real killing move was the energy trap already set at the base of the device!

Once triggered by external energy impact (such as the power dissipated when Su Wanzhao intercepted the arrow, or the power when she probed the light point), it would immediately activate, destroying the device and the light point!

A trap!

An extremely vicious trap aimed at any existence that might come to investigate the resonance source here!

The energy turbulence at the base of the device became increasingly violent, and the destructive light was about to completely devour the faint golden light!

Su Wanzhao was too close to the device, almost in the core range of the energy explosion!

And she had just used her power to annihilate the arrow; her old strength had just faded, and new strength had not yet been generated!

Seeing that the last resonance source was about to be destroyed along with the device, and she was also about to be caught in the explosion—her eyes suddenly became incomparably cold.

It was an absolute coldness that transcended anger and transcended anxiety.

She did not retreat, nor did she attempt to defend.

Instead... she made an unexpected move.

She opened her mouth.

It was not to make a sound, but... towards the device base that was about to explode, towards the violent energy turbulence, she gently... inhaled.

Hum—!!!

An indescribable, terrifying suction force that seemed capable of devouring all things suddenly erupted from her lips!

That was not an absorption of energy, but... at the level of Law... the "Power of Return to Silence"!

The energy turbulence that was crazily bursting and about to destroy everything was, in the face of this terrifying "Power of Return to Silence", as if its throat had been forcibly gripped by an invisible giant hand!

Its violent, destructive energy seemed to have all its "activity" drained away, instantly becoming... sluggish, solidified, and then, like a receding tide, it spiraled, collapsed, and was finally devoured completely into that point at her lips!

It was not just the energy turbulence!

Even the "sense of existence" of the material constituting the tilted device itself seemed to dim for an instant, as if it would also be devoured and returned to silence in the next second!

The whole process was silent, yet more unsettling than any earth-shattering explosion!

In the blink of an eye, the deadly energy turbulence... disappeared.

The platform returned to dead silence.

Only the tilted device still stood there, the cracks in the base remained, but no more energy overflowed.

The faint golden light at the top, although dim, had luckily survived.

Su Wanzhao slowly closed her mouth, the grayness that had suddenly erupted in her eyes slowly receding, returning to a deep Star Vortex.

Her complexion seemed a shade paler, and her aura showed a slight, imperceptible disorder.

Clearly, using the "Power of Return to Silence" to this extent was also a significant burden for her.

The eerie laughter from under the abyss stopped abruptly, replaced by a low roar full of disbelief and terror: "Return... Power of Return to Silence?! You... who exactly are you..."

The voice quickly receded, as if the lurking attacker had been completely terrified and was fleeing in panic.

Su Wanzhao did not pursue.

Her gaze fell back onto the faint golden light point at the top of the device.

After the danger just now, the light point seemed even dimmer, but the residual will fluctuation inside it became a little clearer because the external threat had been removed.

A clearer, yet still incomplete fragment of consciousness, like the whisper of a dying person, slowly flowed into Su Wanzhao's perception:

"...Escape... run quickly..."

"...'They'... have awakened... lurking... in the shadows..."

"...Star beacon... has extinguished... the path home... is all... a trap..."

"...Do not... trust... the Royal Court's..."

"...Go find... 'star tear'... only... 'star tear'..."

The consciousness stopped abruptly here.

The faint golden light point flickered violently a few times, and finally... completely extinguished.

The Chen Feng will imprint that had resonated with it also sent out a faint, mournful fluctuation, then completely fell silent.

Star beacon?

Trap?

Do not trust the Royal Court?

star tear?

More incomprehensible fragments of information.

Su Wanzhao stood silently in place, her deep purple eyes gazing at the completely extinguished device, not moving for a long time.

The corridor fell back into dead silence, with only the massive vortex of ruins outside the window rotating silently, casting unpredictable light and shadows.

In the distant, deeper shadows of the ruins, it seemed as if more cold gazes, at the moment she used the "Power of Return to Silence", were quietly attracted and... slowly opened from their slumber.

On the path home, fog was heavy, and the fangs of the trap had only just begun to show.