215: A miraculous escape from a desperate situation, a state of quiescent breathing.

The inconspicuous crack in the rock wall was like a boundary between life and death.

The moment Medusa rushed in with Li Ao, a wave of decay and putrefaction, far richer and purer than what was perceived outside, washed over them like a viscous tide. This aura was not merely dead silence; it was more like a 'Finality' Dao rhythm, originating from the Origin of the world and the end of all things, cold and ruthless, yet carrying an indescribable ancientness and majesty.

The scorching heat and clamor of the Earth Core Furnace outside were completely cut off, replaced by a deathly stillness where not a sound could be heard. It was so quiet that she could hear the slow beat of her own heart, tense with anxiety, and Li Ao's almost inaudible breathing, as if it could cease at any moment.

Medusa, enduring the discomfort caused by this aura's erosion of her vitality, quickly surveyed her surroundings.

This was not the narrow passage she had imagined, but an extremely vast, dimly lit underground space. The sky (if it could be called a sky) was a murky, distorted Void Realm, without sun, moon, or stars, only gray Qi currents slowly drifting like resentful spirits. The cracked earth was riddled with bottomless ravines, and everywhere lay huge, twisted, pale skeletons of unknown species, half-buried in the desolate soil. In the distance, some dilapidated, strangely styled ancient architectural ruins were faintly visible, silently standing in the gray mist, narrating the vicissitudes and decay of endless ages.

The gray Qi currents permeating the air, as if alive, tried to burrow into the intruders' bodies, plundering their vitality and corroding their flesh and Soul. Medusa immediately activated a thin Seven-Colored Dou Qi shield, enveloping both of them. However, upon contact with the gray Qi currents, the shield immediately emitted a 'sizzling' sound of erosion, and the already precarious shield visibly thinned at a rapid rate.

"I must find a place to rest as soon as possible!" Medusa's heart was anxious; her own condition was also extremely poor, and she couldn't hold on for much longer. She forced herself to stay alert, carrying Li Ao, and cautiously moved across the barren land, strewn with skeletons and cracks, searching for a possible shelter.

Fortunately, perhaps due to the commotion of their intrusion, or perhaps the faint but extremely high-essence residual aura of the nirvana star core on Li Ao's body, when the surrounding decaying Qi currents approached them, while still corrosive, they lacked some of the 'malice' of active attack, resembling more of an instinctive repulsion and encirclement.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Medusa finally discovered a small cave, naturally formed by piled skeletons, barely large enough to accommodate them, beneath a tilted giant beast bone. The cave entrance was small, and the internal space was not large, but it was relatively enclosed, effectively blocking most of the direct impact of the gray Qi currents.

She immediately took Li Ao inside, gently placing him on the relatively flat ground. She herself could no longer hold on, sliding down to sit with her back against the cold bone wall, gasping for breath, a trickle of blood once more escaping the corner of her mouth.

Ignoring her own need to recover, Medusa immediately checked Li Ao's condition.

His situation was even worse than before. The cracks on his body seemed to have widened slightly, like a porcelain vessel on the verge of shattering. His life force was so faint it was almost imperceptible; only the extremely subtle rise and fall of his chest proved he was still alive. His Soul fire was even dimmer than distant stardust, as if a gentle breeze could extinguish it.

Certain death! A truly inescapable situation!

A trace of pain and despair flashed in Medusa's eyes. She had already given Li Ao her most precious Medicinal Pill for healing, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, only barely sustaining his last thread of vitality, utterly unable to reverse the collapsing trend. Her own Dou Qi was also nearly depleted, making it difficult to continue supplying him with energy to extend his life.

Could it be... there really is no way?

She reached out a trembling hand and gently stroked Li Ao's cold cheek, feeling his faint life force slowly slipping away.

Just then, a change occurred!

Perhaps stimulated by the extremely rich 'Finality' and 'Nirvana' Dao rhythm of this place, or perhaps sensing its master's true imminent death, the 'silent ruin', which had been dormant in Li Ao's Dantian and Qi Sea, suddenly emitted an extremely faint hum on its own!

Immediately after, the nirvana star core, which had also fallen silent and seemed over-expended, also subtly trembled, seemingly activated by the homologous aura from outside.

A wisp of extremely subtle, yet supremely high-essence Chaos Qi flowed from the 'silent ruin' Saber Intent, mixed with a trace of the nirvana star core's Origin aura, and began to circulate slowly in Li Ao's completely shattered Meridians and his Soul, which was on the verge of annihilation, in an arcane and ineffable manner.

Wherever this wisp of Qi flowed, it did not repair those terrifying wounds—they were almost irreversible. But it was like a faint spark, igniting a peculiar 'rhythm'.

Li Ao's body, as if it had become a small heaven and earth on the verge of Nirvana, now, in this desperate situation of internal and external distress, on the brink of complete 'return to nothingness', guided by that wisp of Chaos Qi, began to operate on its own in an extremely slow, extremely faint manner!

It was not absorbing external Heaven and Earth energy, as there was no vitality to speak of here.

Instead... it generated a strange resonance and... cycle with the Nirvana Saber Intent remaining in his body and the decaying and putrid Qi permeating the outside!

His shattered Meridians no longer dissipated energy, and his dim Soul no longer scattered its light. Instead, like a singularity on the verge of complete collapse, it began to maintain an extremely fragile balance in a state of 'Nirvana' itself.

He no longer sought vitality from outside, but transformed himself into a part of 'Nirvana', entering a deep-seated... Nirvana state!

A 'Nirvana' based on the 'Nirvana Dao', unprecedented through the ages!

The cracks on his body no longer worsened, and the dissipation of his Soul abruptly ceased. Although his injuries were still terrifying, and his vitality was still pitifully weak, the trend of continuously sliding into the abyss of death was actually... forcefully stopped!

He was like someone who had found an alternative way of 'survival' in this land of ultimate finality, dancing with death.

Medusa clearly perceived this subtle change in Li Ao's body. Her enchanting eyes instantly widened, filled with incredible shock and... a trace of wild joy at finding hope in despair!

Although she didn't understand exactly what had happened, she could feel that Li Ao's almost extinguished life fire had stabilized! Although still weak, it no longer flickered, as if it had found a calm harbor untouched by storms in the boundless darkness.

"Bastard... you really... weren't meant to die..." Medusa's voice choked. The tightly strung chord in her heart relaxed slightly, and a huge wave of exhaustion washed over her, almost causing her to faint.

She knew that the crisis was not over. Li Ao had only temporarily stabilized his condition. How to repair his terrifying, almost Dao-level injuries, and how to leave this bizarre and desperate place, remained enormous challenges. Moreover, this place was certainly not good; the decaying aura was constantly eroding her vitality.

But at least, they had gained a precious moment of respite!

Medusa took a deep breath, suppressing the surging Qi and blood. She took a deep look at Li Ao, who had entered the strange 'Nirvana' state, and her eyes once again became firm and resolute.

She sat cross-legged and began to fully circulate her Qi to heal her injuries, while also dedicating a thread of her mind to vigilantly observe her surroundings.

Next, she had to quickly recover a certain level of strength to protect herself and the still unconscious Li Ao in this unknown desperate place, and to find a way to leave, or... to seek any Opportunity that might exist here that could heal Li Ao.

The spark of hope had been ignited, however faint, it stubbornly flickered in this land of ultimate ending, unceasingly.

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