142: The Top of the Starry Sky and the Reversal of Yin and Yang

Reverse Star Tower, Fourth Floor, Star Tempering Platform.

As the Great Elder of the Sixth Hall fled in a sorry state, the nine rampaging fire dragons lost their target. After circling in the air a few times, they merged back into the boundless sea of starry fire.

"Phew... I survived."

Zhou Wannian (Old Man Han) lay flat on the scorching stone platform, his hand still deathly tight around the broken sword that had lost its luster. His Dantian was empty, and he couldn't even move a finger, but the thrill of surviving a disaster made him want to laugh.

"Old Man Han, are you alright?"

Ling Yunxiao and Li Feiyu crawled out from the wreckage of the Iron Pillar that had turned into scrap metal. Ignoring the burns on their bodies, they hurried over.

"Can't die yet."

Zhou Wannian struggled to sit up and glanced at the pile of metal scrap nearby—it was the Iron Pillar that had been completely ruined to protect them.

"What a pity, the armor I just upgraded."

He sighed and turned his gaze to the broken sword and the golden book page in his hand.

[Star-Scarred Broken Sword (Fifth-Rank ancient treasure Fragment/Core Key)].

[Reverse Star Art · Nascent Soul Chapter].

"Still, this haul wasn't a loss."

Zhou Wannian forcibly squeezed out a sliver of spiritual energy and injected it into the broken sword.

Buzz!

The broken sword vibrated, emitting a crisp sword chime.

In the center of the stone platform, the hole where the broken sword had originally been inserted suddenly shot out a soft beam of white light, leading straight to the pitch-black Void Realm above.

That wasn't fire; it was an "elevator" condensed from pure starlight.

"Let's go."

Zhou Wannian put away the wreckage of the Iron Pillar (the core was still there and could be repaired), stood up, straightened his tattered robes, and his gaze became deep and solemn.

"Let's go see the top floor of this Reverse Star Tower."

"Let's go see the ultimate secret that gave ancient Cultivators the courage to 'reverse the Chaotic Star Sea'."

The three of them stepped into the light beam.

Their bodies instantly became weightless, floating upward like feathers... Reverse Star Tower, Fifth Floor—[Starry Canopy Hall].

When the feeling of solid ground returned, the sight before them left the three completely speechless.

There were no walls and no roof here.

They seemed to be standing on a giant meteorite floating deep in the Universe. All around was deep, infinite darkness, with only the thousand-zhang diameter white jade plaza beneath their feet emitting a faint glow.

And directly above the plaza, within reach.

Nine giant stars (actually Formation projections) were slowly rotating, and the starlight they projected converged on a massive disk in the center of the plaza.

That disk was a full hundred zhang in size, composed of countless precision gears, runes, and unknown crystals, turning silently.

With every rotation, visible ripples were produced in the surrounding space.

[Reverse Star Disk].

The Sect-guarding treasure of the Reverse Star Alliance, and also the navigation compass of this 'starry sky battleship'.

"Is this... the Reverse Star Disk?"

Ling Yunxiao stared blankly at the behemoth, feeling as if his Soul was about to be sucked in.

"This thing can reverse Yin and Yang and overturn the world."

Zhou Wannian walked under the Reverse Star Disk, looking at the runes on it that were a hundred times more complex than the Cloud Seal Heavenly Scripture, a sense of awe rising in his heart.

"Who's there?!"

Li Feiyu suddenly shouted low, his long blade unsheathed and pointing toward the shadow of the Reverse Star Disk.

There, a person sat cross-legged.

A figure wearing a starry robe with its back turned to them.

Zhou Wannian was startled. Was there another guardian boss?

But he quickly noticed something was wrong. The figure had no aura whatsoever, nor was there any heart-palpitating pressure.

Zhou Wannian cautiously circled to the front.

It was a dried corpse.

A dried corpse sitting cross-legged, maintaining a hand seal gesture as if it were still controlling the Reverse Star Disk in its final moment before death.

And on the dried corpse's knees lay a purple-gold token.

[alliance leader token].

"Is this... the last Alliance Leader of the Reverse Star Alliance?"

Zhou Wannian took a deep breath and respectfully gave the dried corpse three deep bows.

"Junior Zhou Wannian, by a stroke of Destiny, has obtained Senior's Legacy. Breaking into this noble place today was purely for survival. If I have offended you, I ask for your forgiveness."

Regardless of whether the person was good or evil in life, the fact that they could hold their post here for tens of thousands of years until they passed away was worthy of respect.

The ceremony finished.

Zhou Wannian reached out and picked up the purple-gold token.

Buzz—!!!

The moment his fingertips touched the token.

The entire Starry Canopy Hall suddenly became as bright as day.

The nine stars overhead shone brilliantly, and a grand, emotionless voice echoed throughout the entire fifth floor:

"Displacement of the 'alliance leader token' detected."

"Fluctuations of the core Cultivation Technique 'Reverse Star Strategy' detected."

"Identity confirmed: Candidate Successor."

"Star Spirit 'Tianshu', initiating..."

Whoosh.

Above the Reverse Star Disk, countless bits of starlight gathered, turning into a palm-sized, completely transparent little sprite (or a holographic projection). It had no facial features, only a light-ball for a head, and it flew around Zhou Wannian twice.

"Greetings, Successor."

Tianshu's voice rang directly in Zhou Wannian's mind. "I am the Tower Spirit of the Reverse Star Tower. Your current authority Rank is: Acting Alliance Leader."

"Acting Alliance Leader?"

Zhou Wannian was stunned for a moment. "Not the formal Alliance Leader?"

"Your cultivation is too low (Foundation Establishment Stage) to withstand a full Star Tempering. Furthermore, your cultivation of the 'Reverse Star Strategy' is incomplete."

Tianshu's voice was very blunt, even a bit hurtful. "Minimum requirement for a formal Alliance Leader: Soul Transformation Stage."

"..."

Zhou Wannian's mouth twitched. Fine, the Soul Transformation Stage was still too far for him.

"Then Tianshu, as the Acting Alliance Leader, what authority do I have now?"

1. Control the defense system of the Reverse Star Tower (Starlight Interdiction Formation).

2. Access all information in the Scripture Pavilion.

3. Use the 'Time Reversal' function of the 'Reverse Star Disk' once (limited to items).

"Time Reversal?!"

Zhou Wannian's eyes instantly lit up.

He looked at the pile of scrap metal from the Iron Pillar in his Storage Pouch.

"Tianshu, help me repair this Puppet! Can you do it?"

"I can."

Tianshu flew over the pile of scrap metal. "The core material of this Puppet is Star Iron, which meets the reversal conditions. Retrieving historical records... Reorganizing..."

A magical scene occurred.

The Reverse Star Disk shot out a purple beam of light, enveloping the pile of scrap metal.

Time seemed to flow backward within this small area.

The molten metal solidified once more, the twisted armor returned to its smooth state, and the broken circuits automatically reconnected.

In just ten breaths.

A brand new, even more polished and majestic "Iron Pillar" stood before Zhou Wannian once again.

Furthermore, because it had undergone the baptism of the Reverse Star Disk, its body now had a faint layer of purple light—[Starry Purple Membrane]. This was an Advanced shield capable of withstanding bombardments from Nascent Soul-level Spells!

"I've made a huge profit!"

Zhou Wannian stroked the cold armor of the Iron Pillar, overcome with joy.

"What other authority is there?"

4. Monitor the entire island.

Tianshu waved a hand.

A giant holographic map appeared above the Reverse Star Disk, which was a real-time projection of the entire Qiyuan Island.

In the image.

The Great Elder of the Sixth Hall was leading that heavily injured Nascent Soul miniature, frantically fleeing from the Mass Grave.

And around the island, the Sixth-Link Palace's blockade was collapsing as countless Loose Cultivators who had heard the news began to riot.

"That old thing runs quite fast."

Zhou Wannian sneered as he watched the pathetic figure in the image.

"Tianshu, can you use the tower's attack Formation to give him a strike?"

"I can. But energy is insufficient."

Tianshu heartlessly poured a bucket of cold water. "The Reverse Star Tower's core power furnace is severely damaged. Current energy is only enough to maintain daily operations. To launch a 'Star-Destroying Divine Light' attack, it would need three hundred years of charging."

"..."

Poor.

Whether it was an ancient Sect or a modern Loose Cultivator, the ultimate problem was being poor.

"Forget it, let him live for a few more days."

Zhou Wannian waved his hand. "Then how do we get out? The outside must be completely surrounded by now."

"As the Acting Alliance Leader, you can use the 'Random Teleportation' function to transport yourselves to any coordinates in the Chaotic Star Sea (within 50,000 li)."

"50,000 li?"

Zhou Wannian looked at the map.

50,000 li away happened to be a place in the Outer Sea called the "Red Algae Sea Region". It was infested with Yao Beasts and sparsely populated, making it an excellent place to lay low.

"Good."

Zhou Wannian made his decision.

"But before we leave..."

He turned to look at Ling Yunxiao and Li Feiyu.

"We have to empty out the family assets here... oh no, I mean 'properly safeguard' them."

For the next hour.

Zhou Wannian fully demonstrated the spirit of 'plucking a feather from every passing goose'.

He used his authority as Acting Alliance Leader to duplicate every single Jade Slip in the Scripture Pavilion that could be taken. He dug out several still-usable Pill Furnaces buried under the ruins of the Pill Cauldron Hall. He didn't even spare the star-stone floor tiles in the servant quarters.

Finally.

He stood before the Reverse Star Disk, looking at the dried corpse of the Alliance Leader.

"Senior, it's too lonely here. I will take you out and find a place with good Feng Shui to bury you."

Zhou Wannian placed the dried corpse into a specially made corpse-preserving coffin (this corpse was at the Soul Transformation Stage in life, so its Physical Body wouldn't decay. Maybe it could be refined into... ahem, let's just bury it first).

"Tianshu, initiate teleportation."

"Target: Red Algae Sea Region."

"Also, activate the Reverse Star Tower's 'Stealth Mode'. After I leave, immediately seal all entrances and sink into the depths of the underground Spiritual Vein. Unless I return with the alliance leader token, don't see anyone."

"Instruction confirmed."

Buzz—

The Reverse Star Disk began to spin violently.

A thick teleportation light beam enveloped the three people and the Puppet.

"Sixth-Link Palace..."

In the final moment before his figure vanished, Zhou Wannian looked at the light dot representing Qiyuan Island on the map, a cold and sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"On the day I return after my Core Formation."

"Will be the time your Sixth-Link Palace... is wiped out."

Boom!

A flash of white light.

The fifth floor of the Reverse Star Tower returned to a deathly silence once more.

Only the Star Spirit named Tianshu quietly floated in the air, looking at the empty hall as if waiting for the next ten-thousand-year Reincarnation... At the same time.

In the sky above Qiyuan Island.

The Great Elder, who had just escaped and was organizing people to dig three feet into the ground, suddenly felt the island beneath his feet shake violently.

Immediately after.

In the direction of the Mass Grave, that ancient ruin that had already revealed a corner actually sank slowly amidst a rumble, finally disappearing completely into the depths of the earth.

Even the original residual space fluctuations were forcibly erased by a mysterious power.

"No!!!"

The Great Elder roared heart-wrenchingly as he witnessed this scene.

The Treasure Trove was gone.

The Legacy was gone.

Even the enemy had fled.

All that remained was the devastated Qiyuan Island and two heavily injured Nascent Soul companions (one of whom only had his Nascent Soul left).

"Pfft!"

The Great Elder's anger surged, and he spat out another mouthful of old blood, his whole body swaying precariously in mid-air.

"Investigate!"

"Mobilize all forces!"

"Even if we have to search the entire Chaotic Star Sea!"

"We must find that Old Man Han with the Puppet!!!"

On this day.

The "sky-high reward order" issued by the Six-Link Palace spread throughout the entire Chaotic Star Sea.

[Wanted Order: Remnants of the Green Robe Tower.]

[Reward: One million Spirit Stones. Plus... an Opportunity for Core Formation.]

The storm had only just begun.