37: A savior spirit is encountered while pursuing them in the Stone Forest; they explore the ruins and break through the traps.

The team moved along the desolate stone forest. The rocks on the ground gleamed with a faint purple epic-grade Origin luster. Occasionally, tiny stone chips fell from the top of the stone forest, making a soft sound as they hit the Metal Clan's armor.

Lin Chen walked at the front, holding Nian Xue. The Origin Tracking Order in his palm glowed faintly, guiding them in the direction of the epic-grade ruins—it was eighty kilometers ahead, deep within the stone forest.

"Daddy, why are these stones purple?" Nian Xue's small hand gently touched a nearby rock. The stone chips fell into her palm, instantly transforming into faint purple Origin light spots and merging into her body.

"Because it's close to the epic-grade ruins, the Origin energy is denser here." Lin Chen looked down at the light spots in her palm. "These light spots can make Nian Xue stronger. Do you want to touch more?"

Nian Xue's eyes lit up. She reached out and touched the rock again. More Origin light spots merged into her body, and the demon god mark on her forehead flashed with a faint purple.

Clear Snow walked on the other side, her nine tails gently sweeping the ground behind her, sensing the subtle energy fluctuations hidden beneath the rocks.

"Husband, there are Origin traps in the stone forest. They must have been set up by the Heavenly Dao in advance."

Lin Chen's Divine Thought spread out, and sure enough, he discovered faint black Heavenly Dao energy lines in the crevices of the stone forest. They were wrapped around the base of the rocks. If anyone stepped in the wrong place, the trap would explode, releasing black mist that corroded Origin.

"Repair Clan, can you disarm these traps?" Lin Chen turned and asked.

The Repair Clan Leader stepped forward, condensing faint blue Origin energy on his fingertips and tracing along the energy lines. "These are 'Origin Corrosion Traps.' The energy lines connect to Heavenly Dao nodes deep within the stone forest. I need ten minutes to cut them."

Everyone stopped. The Metal Clan and Stone Skin Clan surrounded the Repair Clan, forming a alert circle. Nian Xue leaned in Lin Chen's arms, her little head looking around, and suddenly pointed deep into the stone forest: "Daddy, there's light there!"

Lin Chen looked in the direction she pointed. Faint golden light shimmered vaguely deep within the stone forest, accompanied by faint cries for help. His Divine Thought extended.

There were three Star Spirit Clan Survivors, covered in wounds, their Star Spirit Origin almost completely dissipated, trapped in a rock formation by two eternal-grade Heavenly Dao Emissaries.

The Emissaries didn't attack but used Origin chains to bind the Star Spirit Clan, clearly waiting for something—they knew Lin Chen's team would come and wanted to use the Star Spirit Clan as bait to set a larger trap.

"It's the Star Spirit Clan. They are skilled at sensing Origin and are very helpful for exploring ruins," the Metal Clan Leader said in a low voice, with a hint of worry. "But those two Emissaries are eternal-grade, stronger than the mythical-grade ones before."

Lin Chen's eyes turned cold. What if they were eternal-grade? If they dared to show hostility, he would still instantly kill them. He was about to get up when Clear Snow pulled him back. "There's an Origin interference array around the Emissaries, which will weaken your Law power. I'll freeze the array core first."

Clear Snow condensed diamond-level Ice and Snow Law on her fingertips, and faint purple ice blades silently shot towards the four corners of the rock formation—those were the array cores of the interference array.

The moment the ice blades hit, the faint black energy fluctuations around the rock formation noticeably weakened.

"Act!" Lin Chen's figure flashed, instantly teleporting behind one of the Emissaries. Ancient Gods Pressure erupted, and the Heavenly Dao energy within the Emissary's body instantly became chaotic. Just as he was about to turn and wield his Heavenly Dao Scepter, Lin Chen's Void Power had already touched his core.

"Bang—"

The Emissary's body turned to dust, leaving behind only a faint golden eternal-grade origin crystal.

Seeing this, the other Emissary didn't rush forward. Instead, he grabbed a Star Spirit Clan member and pressed his Heavenly Dao Scepter against his forehead. "Don't come any closer! If you move again, I'll kill him!"

The Emissary thought he could threaten Lin Chen with a hostage, but he didn't expect Lin Chen's eyes to show no fluctuation. "If you dare to touch him, I'll make sure you don't even have dust left."

Before his words finished, Space Law instantly activated. The Star Spirit Clan member in the Emissary's hand was instantly transferred to Clear Snow's side. At the same time, Lin Chen teleported in front of the Emissary, condensing the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule in his palm and slamming it into his chest.

The Emissary let out a bloodcurdling scream, all the Heavenly Dao energy in his body dissipated, and his body turned to dust, another eternal-grade origin crystal falling to the ground.

The three Star Spirit Clan members immediately stepped forward, bowing to Lin Chen. The Star Spirit Clan Leader, though weak, had firm eyes.

"Thank you, sir, for saving our lives! We escaped from the epic-grade ruins. There are eternal-grade Heavenly Dao guards inside, and they've set up an 'Origin Illusion,' trapping most of those who enter."

"Do you know how to break the illusion?" Lin Chen asked, picking up the two eternal-grade origin crystals.

The Star Spirit Clan Leader nodded. "The illusion requires a 'star spirit origin stone' to break. We still have one on us, passed down from our clan. It can dispel the Origin Illusion."

He took out a faint blue crystal from his In my arms. The crystal shimmered with starlight, emitting an epic-grade Origin aura.

Lin Chen took the crystal and activated his Sublimation Talent—with the first touch, the crystal's starlight became brighter, its grade increasing from epic-grade to Legendary Rank.

With the second touch, the starlight turned purplish-gold, reaching mythical-grade, and the illusion-breaking range expanded threefold.

"This crystal is very important to us." Lin Chen handed the crystal to the Star Spirit Clan Leader. "You lead us to the entrance of the ruins; we'll still need your help to break the illusion."

The Repair Clan had already cut off all the traps in the stone forest, and the team continued to advance. Nian Xue leaned in Lin Chen's arms, looking at the Star Spirit Clan child beside her, and softly asked, "Brother, is there anything fun in the ruins?"

The Star Spirit Clan child smiled. "There are glowing origin flower inside, but bad guys are guarding them."

Nian Xue nodded, clenching her small fist: "Daddy will chase away the bad guys!"

After walking for about half an hour, the entrance to the epic-grade ruins finally appeared—it was a massive stone gate, carved with epic-grade Origin runes. In the middle of the runes was a groove, clearly requiring a corresponding item to open it.

The Star Spirit Clan Leader stepped forward, pressing his fingertip into the groove. The light of the star spirit origin stone resonated with the runes, and the runes on the stone gate began to slowly light up. Just then, ten Origin spears suddenly sprang out from both sides of the stone gate, directly stabbing towards Nian Xue in the team.

"Watch out!" Clear Snow unleashed her diamond-level Ice and Snow Domain, and the faint purple cold qi instantly froze the spears. The spears stopped three inches from Nian Xue's forehead.

Lin Chen's eyes turned cold, and Space Law instantly activated. The spears were forcibly pulled away from the stone gate and instead shot into the shadows behind the stone gate—five Heavenly Dao Remnants guards were hidden there. They thought they could ambush during the opening, but they didn't expect to be instantly detected.

Seeing their ambush fail, the guards turned to flee, but they were enveloped by Lin Chen's Void Power, instantly turning to dust, leaving behind only five epic-grade origin crystals.

Lin Chen picked up the origin crystals, activated Sublimation, and distributed them among the team. After Clear Snow absorbed them, her Origin concentration increased from 18% to 21%, and the range of her Ice and Snow Domain expanded slightly.

After Nian Xue absorbed them, her Origin concentration increased from 31% to 34%, and the demon god mark on her forehead became brighter.

After Lin Chen absorbed them himself, his Origin concentration increased from 35% to 38%, and his Divine Thought range expanded to 265 kilometers.

The stone gate slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black interior where faint purple Origin mist could vaguely be seen flowing. The Star Spirit Clan Leader gripped the star spirit origin stone.

The crystal's light illuminated the path ahead: "Sir, inside is the Origin Illusion. Follow the light of my crystal and don't stray from the path."

Lin Chen nodded, holding Nian Xue as he was the first to enter the stone gate. Clear Snow followed closely, and the Survivors from various clans followed in order.

In the passage behind the stone gate, the Origin mist grew thicker and thicker. The enticing sounds from the illusion could vaguely be heard, but they all dissipated under the light of the star spirit origin stone.

The team had only walked ten meters when the mist ahead suddenly condensed into a figure—it was the mythical-grade Heavenly Dao Emissary previously killed by Lin Chen. The figure spoke, "Lin Chen, you destroyed my core. I will have your wife and child buried with me!"

Nian Xue was scared and clutched Lin Chen's clothes, but Lin Chen's eyes were calm: "It's just an illusion. How dare it come out and disgrace itself."

He raised his hand and condensed the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule. The faint golden light fell on the figure, and the figure instantly disintegrated, turning into Origin mist. The Star Spirit Clan Leader quickly said, "Sir, the illusion changes according to a person's weaknesses. Don't be fooled!"

Lin Chen nodded and continued to lead the team forward. Deeper in the passage, more illusionary figures began to appear.

There were tragic sights of various clan Survivors and phantom images of the heavenly dao main body, but under the dual effect of the Anti-Heavenly Dao Rule and the star spirit origin stone, they were all vulnerable.

After about a quarter of an hour, a light gate appeared at the end of the passage—that was the exit of the illusion. By passing through the light gate, they could reach the core area of the epic-grade ruins and find the epic-grade crystal core.