97: Crossing the Primal Rift Zone, encountering Primal Spirits as guides, and battling Primal Beasts to protect the core.

The team advanced toward the Core of the Origin of Myriad Realms. The hong meng origin core floated before Lin Chen, emitting a faint bluish-gray light and swaying slightly with his steps.

Nian Xue walked beside A Qing, the blue leaf on her collar brightening. "Little Core, we're taking you to see the Big Core. Are you happy?"

A Qing exhaled Dragon Breath carrying dual Qi. The Dragon Breath enveloped the core's light, condensing into a small light orb in front of them, like a pathfinding lamp.

Clear Snow walked at the front of the team. The Ice and Snow Dao Origin Formation shrank into a thin barrier covered in bluish-gray patterns to protect against unknown Origin Turbulence along the way.

After traveling ten miles, an Origin Rift Zone appeared ahead. Rifts crisscrossed, with pure white light gleaming between the gaps, seemingly devouring everything.

The Star Spirit Clan's crystal stone shone blindingly bright. "The rift zone is a hundred feet wide and contains Origin Turbulence. Anything it touches will dissolve into Origin Qi, making it difficult to reconsolidate."

The Dao Source Clan Leader pointed his staff at the rifts. "We need to set up an 'Origin Floating Bridge,' using Dao Source and primordial chaos qi to condense a bridge and cross on it."

Lin Chen held the hong meng origin core up into the air. "The core's Qi can stabilize the bridge. With the core as the bridge's center, let every clan gather their strength to condense the bridge!"

Everyone stood around the core, gathering dual Qi in their palms. The Qi converged into the core like threads, and the core's light expanded, condensing into a translucent bridge over the rifts.

The bridge's body shimmered bluish-gray, engraved with Dao Source Patterns. Stepping on it felt like walking on clouds, yet it was as stable as solid ground, moving along with the core.

"Cross in order! Don't crowd. The bridge can bear the weight, but moving chaotically will make it sway!" Clear Snow stood at the head of the bridge, directing everyone across.

Nian Xue pulled A Qing's tail as they stepped onto the bridge. The bridge's patterns brightened. "The bridge is glowing! Does it like us stepping on it?"

As A Qing stepped on the bridge, his dragon wings unfurled to protect Nian Xue. "My wings can block the turbulence. Don't be afraid; if you fall, I'll catch you."

Reaching the middle of the bridge, the pure white turbulence within the rifts suddenly surged, crashing against the bridge. The bridge swayed, and the core's light dimmed.

"Inject Qi! Stabilize the bridge!" Lin Chen shouted, being the first to inject his Qi into the core. The core's light brightened again, and the bridge stabilized.

Dao Source Clan warriors tapped the bridge with their staves. The sound was like the chime of the Great Dao, shaking the turbulence back. "The turbulence is afraid of the core's Qi. Don't fear!"

After crossing to the other side of the rift zone, the bridge dissolved into Qi and dispersed. The core's light returned to normal, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their robes dusted with white Qi.

Continuing forward, the ground gradually changed from gray-blue to pure white. Grass and leaves disappeared, leaving only glowing origin crystals without any patterns.

Nian Xue picked up a small crystal. "This crystal is so white, like snow, but it's not cold. It feels warm to the touch."

The Dao Source Clan Leader looked at the crystal. "It's an origin crystal. Though patternless, it contains pure Origin Qi and can be absorbed directly. It's more effective than a Medicinal Pill."

Lin Chen crushed a crystal, and the Qi entered his body. The Origin Qi in his Dantian became even purer, and his Divine Thought expanded to a new territory, sensing an anomaly ahead.

After fifteen miles, an Origin Spirit appeared ahead, shaped like a pure white light orb with tiny patterns flowing on its surface.

Seeing the group, the Origin Spirit's light orb swayed and actually spoke in a child's voice, "Seeking the Origin Core? I will lead you there."

Everyone was stunned. Nian Xue ran toward the spirit. "You can talk! Are you a guide, just like the Dao Source Deer?"

The Origin Spirit light orb flew around Nian Xue. "I am a spirit of the Origin Realm, guarding the core. I'm only leading the way because I see you're carrying a small core."

Lin Chen asked, "Is there danger ahead?" The Origin Spirit stopped in mid-air. "There are Origin Beasts. They devour Origin Qi and will try to steal the small core."

Just as the words were spoken, several Origin Beasts lunged out from behind the origin crystals ahead. They were shaped like tigers but lacked claws, their bodies like pure white light orbs.

The Origin Beasts pounced toward the hong meng origin core. When their claws touched the core's light, they were actually bounced back. The beasts roared, the sound like a vibration of the Origin itself.

"Protect the core! Don't let the beasts touch it! If they devour the core's Qi, they'll grow stronger!" The Dao Source Clan Leader charged forward with his staff.

Lin Chen teleported next to the core, gathering Origin Qi in his palm. "Origin Beasts are afraid of pure Origin Qi. Attack with Origin Qi!"

Clear Snow deployed the Ice and Snow Dao Origin Formation, wrapping ice around Origin Qi and freezing it toward the beasts. When a beast touched the ice, it solidified, but even when the ice shattered, the beast didn't disperse, only swayed.

Nian Xue threw a Void Light Orb infused with Origin Qi. "Watch me! I'll smash these light orb beasts to pieces!"

The light orb hit a beast, causing its body to sway and its pure white light to dim. A Qing flew around the beasts, his Dragon Breath carrying dual Qi as it swept through them.

When the Dragon Breath hit a beast, its light dimmed further. Lin Chen struck a beast's body with his palm, and it dispersed into pure white Qi, which was absorbed by the core. The core's light brightened.

"The Qi from the dispersed beasts can nourish the core! Don't waste it; lure the beasts near the core to fight them!" Lin Chen shouted, using the Qi in his palm to lure a beast toward the core.

The Origin Beasts seemed attracted by the core's Qi and rushed toward it like mad, only to be surrounded by everyone near the core and struck down one by one, their Qi entering the core.

The last beast was hit by Nian Xue's light orb. Its light dispersed, and its Qi entered the core. The core's light changed from faint bluish-gray to pure white, becoming even brighter.

The Origin Spirit light orb swayed. "The small core has become stronger. It can now help you block the Guardian Beasts near the big core."

Nian Xue stroked the core. "Little Core is so amazing! From now on, we'll fight monsters together and protect the Big Core."

A Qing nuzzled the core. "I'll protect you all too! My Dragon Breath can now blow away those light orb beasts. I'm very strong!"

Continuing forward, the Origin Spirit led the way. The light orb didn't float fast, seemingly waiting for everyone. The origin crystals along the way became denser.

After twenty miles, an Origin Valley appeared ahead. There were no grass or trees in the valley, only pure white origin crystal pillars with glowing tops.

The Origin Spirit stopped at the valley entrance. "The big core is at the bottom of the valley. There are three Origin Beasts inside, stronger than the ones before. They are the core's guardians."

The Star Spirit Clan's crystal stone glowed. "The beasts' aura is at the Late Stage of the Origin Realm. They are larger than before and devour more Qi. They'll be hard to disperse."

"Split into three teams! Each team will protect one person to lure a beast, and we'll gather and eliminate them near the core!" At Lin Chen's command, Clear Snow and the Dragon Clan Leader each led a team.

Clear Snow led her team to lure the left beast, using the Ice and Snow Dao Origin Formation to freeze its legs. The beast's movement slowed as it was lured toward the valley floor. The Dragon Clan Leader lured the right beast, shooting it with Dragon Breath, and the enraged beast gave chase.

Lin Chen lured the middle beast, using the Qi in his palm to draw it. The beast charged, and Lin Chen teleported. The beast chased him to the valley floor, where the three beasts converged.

At the center of the valley floor, the Core of the Origin of Myriad Realms appeared. It was ten times larger than the Grandmist core, emitting a powerful pure white light. Beside it were patterns like a star map.

"Attack! Lure the beasts near the core and let the core absorb their Qi!" Lin Chen shouted, striking the middle beast with Origin Qi from his palm.

The middle beast swayed upon contact with the Qi. Clear Snow's ice spear pierced the left beast, dimming its light. The Dragon Clan Leader's Dragon Breath hit the right beast, forcing it back.

The three beasts became enraged and huddled together, their body light underwent Fusion, and they actually became a single giant beast shaped like a lion, its body shimmering pure white, with an aura at the Peak of the Dao Source Realm.

"The beasts have undergone Body Integration! It's harder to fight, but the Qi is purer. If the core absorbs it, it will become even stronger!" the Origin Spirit shouted, its light orb flying around the core.

The giant beast pounced toward the core. The core's light brightened and bounced the beast back. The beast roared in pain and swiped a claw at Lin Chen. Lin Chen teleported to avoid it, and the claw struck a crystal pillar, shattering it.

Clear Snow expanded her formation to its maximum, wrapping ice around Origin Qi and freezing the beast's legs. The beast's movement slowed. The Metal Clan's primordial chaos cannon charged up, its muzzle glowing pure white.

"Boom!" The cannon's light shot toward the beast, and the light on its body dimmed. Lin Chen teleported onto the beast's back, gathering the core's Qi in his palm. "Origin Break!"

As his palm struck the beast's body, its light dispersed somewhat. Clear Snow's ice spear pierced the beast's eye, blinding it in one eye. It crashed around wildly, slamming toward the core.

The core's light brightened and absorbed part of the beast's Qi. The beast's aura weakened. A Qing flew around the beast, shooting Dragon Breath at its belly, and the light there dimmed.

Nian Xue threw her largest light orb, which carried the core's Qi, and smashed it into the beast's core. The beast's core shattered, and the beast turned into a sky full of pure white Qi, which was absorbed by the core.

The core's light became even brighter, so intense that people couldn't open their eyes. The crystal pillars in the valley were all vibrating, seemingly in resonance, emitting a pure white radiance.

Everyone closed their eyes. When the light dimmed, the core had changed from pure white to pale gold, and the star map patterns on it were clearer, seemingly flowing.

The Origin Spirit light orb pressed against the core. "The Big Core has awakened. You can approach now. It won't harm those who bring the small core."

Lin Chen walked up to the core and pressed his palm against it. Information seemed to flow within the core, but it wasn't words—it was a feeling, the feeling of the birth and death of all things.

Clear Snow also touched the core. The Qi from her Ice and Snow Dao Origin Formation resonated with the core, and her formation patterns became clearer, seemingly connecting with the core's patterns.

Nian Xue held A Qing's hand and carefully touched the core. "Hello, Big Core! I'm Nian Xue, and this is A Qing. We've come to see you."

The core's light flickered as if in response, and a beam of pale gold light fell into Nian Xue's palm, condensing into a small, glowing golden flower.