189: Chapter 189 The Heroic Spirits Endure, the Legacy of the Three Elders

Above Yongning City, the star map ignited by Song Xinghe with his Life was still shining.

Those golden light spots, like eternal stars, illuminated every corner of the star sea.

The star skiffs of the five hundred thousand Realm Guardian Army majestically sailed toward the depths of the star sea, with Ling Shuang standing at the very front star skiff, her white hair fluttering in the Void Realm.

In her hand, the fragment of the battle blood spear was slightly warm, and Guardian Lin Jingyun's Origin light spot quietly pulsed in the small courtyard beside the Monument of Heroes.

She knew she was not alone.

Those who had passed away were all watching her.

On the third day of the star skiff's voyage, urgent intelligence came from the Investigation Department: the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders had arrived in the central part of the star sea and was devouring the Spiritual Veins of Lingxi Realm.

The spiritual spring water of Lingxi Realm had dried up, the spiritual fields withered on a large scale, and the common people were being urgently evacuated.

Ling Shuang looked at the intelligence, her expression calm as water.

"Accelerate forward."

"Rush to Lingxi Realm at full speed."

The speed of the star skiff increased once more, galloping toward Lingxi Realm.

Upon arriving at Lingxi Realm, the scene before them made everyone gasp.

More than half of the Spiritual Vein core of Lingxi Realm had been devoured, and the originally rippling spiritual spring now left only a dried-up deep pit.

The rice in the spiritual fields all withered, turning into grayish-black powder.

In the sky, the massive figure of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders blotted out the sun, its sixteen scarlet eyes greedily absorbing the final power of the Spiritual Vein.

Ling Shuang tightly clenched the fragment in her hand, a chilling murderous intent flashing in her eyes.

"All armies listen to the order, according to the star map instructions, attack its wounds!"

The five hundred thousand Realm Guardian Army struck simultaneously.

Sword Qi crisscrossed, spiritual light flickered, and countless attacks accurately landed on the wounds of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders—those wounds were left by Zhou Zhiting with her Life, marked by Song Xinghe with the star map.

Feeling pain, the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders emitted a miserable screech.

It gave up devouring the Spiritual Vein and turned to face the Realm Guardian Army.

Its sixteen eyes lit up simultaneously, and sixteen beams of light swept toward the army.

"Disperse!"

At Ling Shuang's command, the five hundred thousand army scattered like a flock of birds, flexibly dodging the beams of light.

Song Xinghe's star map not only marked the enemy's weaknesses but also predicted every single one of its attacks.

Guided by the star map, the soldiers shuttled through the Void Realm like a well-trained dance.

The Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders went mad.

It waved its eight giant legs, and every sweep sent dozens of soldiers flying.

But the soldiers rushed forward wave after wave, no one retreating, no one showing fear.

Because they knew that every single attack of theirs was creating an opportunity for Ling Shuang.

Ling Shuang stood at the front of the star skiff, staring at the huge hole in the head of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders.

That was the wound left by Zhou Zhiting's self-detonation, the most fragile place on its body.

She took a deep breath and raised the fragment of the battle blood spear high in her hand.

"Zhiting, borrow your power for a moment."

The fragment lit up, golden light gushing from the fragment, fusing with Ling Shuang's Ice Soul Sword Intent.

The ice-blue sword light was stained with a layer of gold, transforming into a towering giant sword of ten thousand zhang.

Ling Shuang leaped into the air, gripped the giant sword with both hands, and thrust it toward the hole in the head of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders.

The Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders felt a fatal threat, its sixteen eyes turning toward her simultaneously, and the sixteen beams of light converged into one, shooting straight at Ling Shuang.

Ling Shuang did not dodge or evade.

"ice soul sword Domain, open!"

The ice-blue sword domain unfolded in front of her, colliding with the beam of light.

The sword domain continuously shattered under the impact of the light beam, yet continuously reorganized.

Ling Shuang's complexion grew paler and paler, blood overflowing from the corner of her mouth, but she did not retreat a single half step.

"Zhiting, help me!"

The fragment of the battle blood spear lit up once more, and golden light surged into the sword domain.

The sword domain instantly stabilized, forcefully pushing the light beam back.

Seizing the opportunity, Ling Shuang thrust the giant sword into the hole in the head of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders.

Boom!

Golden light and ice-blue sword light exploded within the hole, and the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders let out a heart-rending screech.

Its body began to tremble, its eight giant legs waving wildly, but it was already beyond saving.

Ling Shuang pulled out the giant sword and thrust it in once more.

Once, twice, three times...

When it was thrust in for the seventh time, the head of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders exploded with a bang.

Grayish-black blood gushed out like a waterfall, and the sixteen eyes exploded one after another.

Its body began to disintegrate, starting from the head, turning bit by bit into grayish-black light spots.

Ling Shuang landed on the star skiff, panting heavily.

Her complexion was as pale as paper, and both her arms were trembling, but she was still standing and had not fallen.

The last eye of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders stared at her, its eyes filled with reluctance and hatred.

"Humans... You will regret this... The Void Abyss... has even stronger existences... They will avenge this seat..."

As the words fell, the last eye exploded, and the massive body completely disintegrated, turning into grayish-black light spots all over the sky, dissipating into the Void Realm.

On the battlefield, there was dead silence.

Immediately, earth-shaking cheers erupted.

"We won! We won!"

"The Void Evil Spider is dead!"

"Long live Senior Ling Shuang! Long live the Realm Guardian Army!"

The soldiers embraced and wept, tears of joy streaming down.

Ling Shuang stood on the star skiff, gazing at that patch of dissipating grayish-black light spots, tears sliding silently down.

"Zhiting, Xinghe, did you see that? We won."

She lowered her head, looking at the fragment of the battle blood spear in her hand.

The golden light on the fragment was gradually dimming, yet it was still pulsing, just like a heartbeat.

She pressed the fragment against her chest, feeling that faint warmth.

"Zhiting, you did not die in vain. Your wound became its most fatal weakness."

She raised her head, looking toward the direction of Yongning City.

There, Song Xinghe's star map was still shining, and Guardian Lin Jingyun's Origin light spot was still pulsing.

"Xinghe, you did not die in vain. Your star map saved the entire star sea."

She took a deep breath and turned to face the five hundred thousand soldiers.

"Soldiers, clean up the battlefield and treat the wounded. We are going home."

The star skiff turned around and sailed toward Yongning City.

Three days later, Yongning City.

Ling Shuang stood before the Monument of Heroes, in front of her were three newly erected tombstones.

On the left was Zhou Zhiting's tombstone, inscribed with: Realm Guardian Grand General Zhou Zhiting, successor of the Battle Blood Sacred Body, bloody battle of the Eastern Front, decisive battle of the Void Clan, decisive battle of the Ash-Eater Clan, battle of the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders... fighting throughout her Life, never retreating.

In the middle was Song Xinghe's tombstone, inscribed with: Investigation Department Head Song Xinghe, the eyes and ears of the star sea, igniting the star map with his Life to point the way for the star sea.

On the right was Guardian Lin Jingyun's tombstone, which had no words inscribed on it for the time being.

Ling Shuang said that when he comes back, she will let him write it himself.

In front of the three tombstones, they were filled with fresh flowers and offerings.

Representatives of various domains, soldiers of the Realm Guardian Army, Disciples of the Guardian Academy, and common people spontaneously came to pay their respects.

Incense smoke curled upwards, and sobbing echoed in low tones.

Ling Shuang stood before the tombstones, remaining silent for a long time.

Shen Qiuyu walked to her side and softly said, "Senior, the representatives of various domains have all arrived, and the Alliance Grand Hall is waiting for you."

Ling Shuang nodded and turned to walk toward the Alliance Grand Hall.

The grand hall was packed to capacity, and the expressions of the representatives from various domains were very solemn.

Although the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders was dead, Song Xinghe's words before his death were still echoing in everyone's ears.

"The Void Abyss... has even stronger existences..."

Ling Shuang stood at the main seat, her gaze sweeping across the entire hall.

"Everyone, although the Ancestor of Void Evil Spiders is dead, the threat has not been lifted."

"You all heard the words of Department Head Song Xinghe before his death."

"In the Void Abyss, there are even stronger existences."

"They will come sooner or later."

She paused and continued, "Therefore, we must be prepared."

"Starting from today, the Star Sea Alliance enters a state of permanent combat readiness."

"The defense formations of all domains must operate at all times, the Realm Guardian Army must maintain full strength, and the Investigation Department must expand its monitoring range."

"At the same time, the Guardian Academy must accelerate talent cultivation."

"We need more guardians, more investigation Disciples, more Formation Masters, Alchemists, and Artifact Refiners."

"Only in this way can we protect the star sea in future crises."

Representatives of various domains nodded one after another, and no one objected.

A young representative stood up and asked, "Senior Ling Shuang, can Patriarch Lin... still return?"

The grand hall instantly quieted down, and everyone stared at Ling Shuang.

Ling Shuang was silent for a moment, then slowly opened her mouth.

"He can."

"His Origin is still here, right beneath the Monument of Heroes."

"Back then, after the Patriarch dissipated, it took him ten years to reshape his Physical Body."

"Guardian Lin Jingyun is the same; as long as his Origin is not destroyed, he will definitely be able to return."

She paused and continued, "Before he returns, we will guard the star sea well for him."

The representatives of various domains responded in unison.

After the meeting ended, Ling Shuang returned alone to the small courtyard beside the Monument of Heroes.

She sat before the tombstones, looking at those three newly erected ones, and softly said.

"Zhiting, Xinghe, rest assured."

"The star sea, I will guard it well."

"Guardian Lin Jingyun, I will wait for him to return."

She lowered her head, looking at the fragment of the battle blood spear in her hand.

The golden light on the fragment was already very faint, yet it was still pulsing.

She pressed the fragment against her chest and closed her eyes.

"Zhiting, do you remember? Back then in Qingmang Mountain, when you first picked up the battle blood spear, you asked me how many people this spear could protect."

"I said, it can protect everyone you want to protect."

"You smiled, smiling so brightly."

"You did it."

"With this spear, you guarded the star sea for a lifetime."

Tears slid silently down, dripping onto the fragment.

The fragment pulsed gently, as if responding to her.

Ling Shuang wiped away her tears and carefully placed the fragment in front of Zhou Zhiting's tombstone.

"Zhiting, I am returning the spear to you."

"Rest well, when Guardian Lin Jingyun returns, I will come to see you again."

She stood up and walked to Song Xinghe's tombstone.

"Xinghe, Shen Qiuyu is guarding your Investigation Department for you."

"She is doing very well, you can rest easy."

She walked to Guardian Lin Jingyun's tombstone, squatted down, and gently stroked the blank tombstone surface.

"Guardian Lin Jingyun, when will you return?"

"Teacher misses you."