119: The confluence of Shenxingjian and the "free" breathing

Sunken Star Ravine is located deep within a desolate rift in the Qinglan Mountain Range. An underground river flows at the bottom of the ravine, which is shrouded in faint white mist year-round. The terrain is complex and easy to hide in.

When Wen Youyi and his two companions arrived with the Purifiers squad, several groups had already reached the location.

Wang Wu and Senior Brother Li, each accompanied by two Disciples, were guarding the entrance of the ravine vigilantly. Seeing Wen Youyi and the others arrive safely, expressions of relief appeared on their faces.

"Youyi! Iron Pillar! Senior Brother Zhang!" Wang Wu hurried forward, his voice filled with excitement. "We came immediately after receiving your 'Star Language'! This... what is going on? Is the 'ark' really a trap?"

His question was also the question on the minds of all the members who had arrived earlier. Everyone gathered around, their faces a mix of unease, confusion, and a thirst for the truth.

Watching these companions who had endured so much hardship yet still persisted in reaching this place, Wen Youyi felt moved and signaled for everyone to calm down. He first introduced the identities of the Purifiers, including Ying.

"Everyone, time is tight. The 'spirit net' will only be interrupted for twelve hours." Wen Youyi got straight to the point, his tone grave and clear. "To make a long story short, the path we were on before might have been wrong..."

He informed the group as concisely as possible about the cruel truth he had learned from the Purifiers—the true nature of the "cradle," the "ark" trap, and the ultimate goal of the Creation Heavenly Court to harvest the sparks of civilization.

As expected, everyone was stunned by this horrifying truth. A dead silence fell over the scene, and every face was filled with shock, anger, and disbelief.

"Damn it! Those bastards!" Zhao Iron Pillar was the first to explode, slamming his fist into a nearby rock, sending stone fragments flying. He had always thought he was fighting for freedom, never realizing he was actually helping the enemy fatten him up!

Wang Wu's face was pale, his lips trembling: "Then... all our previous efforts..."

"The efforts were not in vain!" Wen Youyi interrupted him decisively, his gaze sweeping over every desperate face. "We accumulated experience, trained our team, and most importantly—we found true fellow travelers and learned the truth!"

He pointed to Ying and the others: "The 'Purifiers' have shown us through their actions that resistance is not in vain! The success of the 'Web Break' operation is proof!"

Ying also spoke at the right moment, her voice gentle yet full of strength: "That's right. Only by knowing the trap can we avoid it. What we must do now is not dwell on the past, but think about the future—how to find a real way out based on the truth."

Her words allowed everyone to break free slightly from the quagmire of despair.

Just then, other "Seed" groups arrived one after another. Seeing the heavy atmosphere and the unfamiliar "Purifiers," they were a bit nervous, but after explanations from Wen Youyi and the companions who arrived earlier, they quickly understood the situation.

More and more people gathered in Sunken Star Ravine. Although the total number was only about thirty, these were the core sparks whose will to resist was the firmest, having survived countless screenings and tests.

After a brief period of confusion and digestion, a strange atmosphere began to permeate the ravine.

Without the omnipresent, subtle extraction and monitoring of the "spirit net," everyone felt as if a heavy shackle had been lifted, and their breathing became exceptionally smooth and free. The Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth also seemed to have become much more "lively" and "pure."

Some Disciples subconsciously began to sit cross-legged and Cultivate, and immediately, looks of surprise appeared on their faces!

"So... so smooth! There is no stagnation at all in the circulation of Spiritual power!"

"I feel like my Bottleneck has loosened!"

"Is this... what Cultivate is like without the interference of the 'spirit net'?"

Although it was only for a short twelve hours, this long-lost feeling of truly "possessing" their own power made everyone incredibly excited. They also realized more profoundly the meaning of their resistance—it was not to replace anyone, but to reclaim the right to breathe freely and grow, which should have belonged to every living being!

"Do you see?" Wen Youyi looked at the genuine smiles on his companions' faces and the rekindled flames in their eyes, his voice slightly choked with emotion. "This is what we are worth fighting for! Not the fake 'ark,' but true... freedom!"

At this moment, no more words were needed. All confusion and despair were dispelled by this short breath of "freedom."

Survive! Find a real way out! For this moment of smoothness, and for eternal liberation!

A shared belief, like an invisible bond, tightly connected the "sparks" from different places with different experiences to the "Purifiers."

After a brief rest and emotional recovery, Wen Youyi, Ying, and the leaders of each group sat together in a circle.

Enjoying freedom is a luxury; they must use these precious twelve hours to decide on the next plan of action.

Should they continue to disperse and hide? Or should they concentrate their strength and take this opportunity to do something?

Sunken Star Ravine, in the eye of the storm, welcomed a moment of tranquility, yet it was also brewing an even greater storm.

(End of this chapter)