230: Chapter 230 I... went home

There was no earth-shattering explosion, nor was there a heaven-destroying roar.

The moment that "Ship of Faith," forged from the wills of the four and the power of the Qilin, collided with the giant claw made of pure abyssal energy—

The entire Sea of Chaos fell into a... bizarre state of "frozen frames."

For Lin Tianyi's consciousness, the concept of time was infinitely stretched at this moment.

He "saw" their colorful "little boat," like a hero from myth striking a stone with an egg, collide unhesitatingly with that sky-covering darkness.

At the prow, Wang Xianzhi's peerlessly sharp Sword Intent transformed into the sharpest "ram," tearing open the surface of the darkness first!

Immediately after, the Fatty's power of "foundation," heavy as the earth, acted like a wedge, forcibly driving into the torn gap to prevent it from healing!

Song Yiqing's light of the "Lighthouse" bloomed with a ghostly blue radiance within this pure darkness, analyzing the essence of the abyssal energy and searching for its weakest "node"!

And the Qilin Blood power, guided by Lin Tianyi acting as the "engine," transformed into the fiercest flames, burning crazily... inward, along the path that had been torn open and revealed!

This was no longer a simple confrontation of power.

This was a war... on the level of "concepts"!

The giant abyssal claw represented "devouring," "chaos," and "ending."

And the "Ship of Faith" that Lin Tianyi and the others represented stood for "protection," "order," and "beginning"!

Roar—!!!

The will from the abyss itself emitted a roar mixed with... pain and... anger for the first time!

It had never imagined that a group of "ants," which didn't even count as dust in its eyes, could actually... hurt it!

This was an... unprecedented offense!

On the giant claw, endless dark energy began to counterattack and erode crazily!

In the real world, the four people maintaining the magic array let out a muffled groan simultaneously!

On the Fatty's face, countless black lines like blood vessels appeared instantly; that was the power of "chaos" eroding his will, which represented "stability"!

A trace of blood spilled from the corner of Wang Xianzhi's mouth; she felt as if her Sword Intent was about to be "dulled" by an invisible force!

Song Yiqing even bled from his seven orifices; what he perceived was the most primitive fear and despair, enough to drive any creature instantly insane!

"Hold on!"

Lin Tianyi's consciousness roared in agony!

He knew this was a tug-of-war of wills! Whoever couldn't hold on first would be completely devoured and assimilated by the other!

He poured all his spirit and all his faith into it!

He thought of his fallen comrades, the expectant eyes back at the base, and that lonely figure they needed to bring home!

"We... cannot lose!!!"

"...You're right."

A voice sounded in his consciousness.

It was Zhang Qilin.

High above the Sea of Chaos, the golden sun formed by his soul suddenly... began to burn!

He was burning his own... soul origin!

"You have lit the fire for me."

"Then, let me..."

"Become... the force that sets the prairie ablaze!"

Endless golden energy, dozens of times more powerful than before, transformed into a pillar of light that pierced heaven and earth, slamming fiercely into that "Ship of Faith"!

This was no longer an "engine," this was... the "divine fire" that set the entire ocean ablaze!

Boom—!!!!

Enhanced by this power, the "Ship of Faith" shone with brilliant light!

It was no longer a collision, but... a piercing!

Like a red-hot iron rod piercing into cold butter!

That sky-covering giant abyssal claw, starting from the point of penetration, was rapidly... ignited, purified, and dissolved by the golden flames and the interwoven four-colored light!

In just a few short seconds, this terrifying giant claw, capable of destroying the world, was actually forcibly... erased within the Sea of Chaos!

"Did we... succeed?"

In the real world, the Fatty looked at the black lines fading from his face, his expression one of disbelief.

Had they actually... repelled the will of the "Abyss"?!

However, before they could catch their breath.

The entire "tomb chamber," or rather the entire "sealing space," began to tremble violently!

The Sea of Chaos below, because its main consciousness had been angered, fell into complete rage!

Countless dark giant claws, countless twisted faces, countless mad eyeballs... surged crazily from the abyss, like boiling asphalt, slapping towards the "giant sealing net" above in a sky-covering wave!

This time, it was the "Abyss's"... all-out attack!

"...It's too late..."

Zhang Qilin's voice, which had grown somewhat weak after burning his soul, sounded, "Its main body has been completely enraged. The seal... cannot hold for ten seconds."

That last strike had already been their limit.

Facing the fury of the entire abyss, their "little boat" seemed so... insignificant.

Despair... descended once again.

Could it be that everything they had given their all for would ultimately only result in... faster destruction?

"No... it's not over yet!"

Lin Tianyi's gaze, through his mask, stared fixedly at the magic array on the ground that was already shining with brilliant light.

"Qilin! The murals said our ancestors created the 'Guixu' as a 'box'! Since it's a 'box,' there must be... a 'lid'!"

"This magic array, this 'terminal,' it must have functions we don't know about!"

"...You mean..." Zhang Qilin's consciousness grasped his meaning instantly!

"Exactly!" Lin Tianyi's will became incredibly clear, "We can't build a big ship to cross the entire sea, but we might be able to... temporarily 'drain' the sea!"

"Reverse the energy of the entire 'Guixu'! Drain all the power of all the prisoners—including the 'Purifiers,' the 'Zhulong,' and even 'Xiangliu'—not to reinforce the seal, but to... trigger a... 'format'!"

"Forcibly... 'reboot' this boiling chaos!"

This was an idea... a hundred times crazier than actively attacking the abyss!

To drain all the prisoners of the entire prison, along with the jailers' power, to attack... the prison's foundation?!

If anything went slightly wrong, the entire 'Guixu' would instantly collapse!

But now, they had... no other choice!

"What... is the password... the authorization...?!" Lin Tianyi roared.

"...It is blood." Zhang Qilin's voice carried a hint of resolve, "The blood... of all the 'Exiles.'"

"The Qilin Blood of the Tomb Guardians, the blood of the descendants of the Zhulong, the totem blood of the Pathfinders..."

"Then let's... use our blood!"

Lin Tianyi did not hesitate; in the real world, he drew his tactical knife and slashed his palm fiercely!

The mark left by the Qilin Blood mixed with his fresh blood!

"Fatty! Xiao Wang! Song Yiqing!"

The three looked at each other and saw the resolve in each other's eyes.

Simultaneously, they each used their own methods to force out blood containing the power of their bloodlines and sprinkled it onto the magic array beneath their feet!

"And us!"

An aged and firm voice suddenly came over their communication channel!

It was Professor Li!

In the base behind them, several mysterious elders stood beside Professor Li. Faint yet ancient auras of various kinds emanated from their bodies.

They were... the descendants of other 'Exiles' hidden within human society!

Led by Professor Li, they all slashed their palms and pressed their blood onto a backup magic array that was of the same origin as the "tomb chamber" array in front!

"We... will join you in betting... on the future of humanity!"

Hum—!!!!!!

When the bloodlines of all the 'Exiles' converged through the magic array.

The entire 'Guixu' world stood still because of it!

Whether it was 'Xiangliu' currently confronting the 'Dragon Seeking' task force, the 'Purifiers' wandering in the ruins, or other monsters hidden in the corners...

At this moment, their bodies all began to uncontrollably... decompose! They turned into pure energy, and by an irresistible force, were crazily drawn towards... that 'terminal' located at the very bottom!

The entire 'Guixu' box, at this moment, turned into a... gigantic... 'energy furnace'!

And the 'tomb chamber' where Lin Tianyi and the others were located was the... core of the furnace!

Endless energy converged, causing that ancient magic array to emit light comparable to a star!

"Now!"

Lin Tianyi's consciousness, bearing an unimaginable load, issued the final command!

"Qilin! Ignite!"

"...Ignite."

Zhang Qilin's soul revealed the... first... smile in thousands of years.

He cast his burning soul origin as the final 'spark' into that furnace... which had gathered the power of the entire Guixu!

No target, no direction.

Just... a pure, ultimate... release!

A light of creation... capable of 'formatting' all rules and 'rebooting' all concepts, erupted from the 'tomb chamber'!

It instantly engulfed the boiling Sea of Chaos.

It engulfed the wailing abyssal will.

It engulfed the entire sealing space.

Finally... it engulfed everything.

...

I don't know how much time passed.

When Lin Tianyi regained consciousness.

He found himself lying on a... warm, white... beach.

The sea breeze, carrying a hint of saltiness, gently brushed against his face.

Not far away, the Fatty's shouting came from nearby.

"Holy shit! Where is this? Maldives?!"

He struggled to sit up and saw that Wang Xianzhi and Song Yiqing were also waking up one after another.

They were all safe and sound.

Before them was a... boundless... blue ocean.

The sea surface was calm as a mirror.

The sky was deep blue and clear.

Everything before, the oppressive tomb chamber, the terrifying abyss, the crazy battle... all seemed like an... unreal nightmare.

"Did we... succeed?" Wang Xianzhi murmured to herself.

"Seems... like it?" Song Yiqing touched his body and found all his injuries had healed.

Just then, a figure slowly walked toward them from the nearby beach.

He was not wearing that familiar blue hoodie, but instead a simple white linen garment.

His face no longer held the indifference and aloofness of the past.

Instead, it was a kind of... relief, mixed with a hint of confusion... and peace.

His eyes were no longer like an ancient, stagnant well, but like this ocean—clear and deep.

"Brother!"

The Fatty was the first to scramble over and give him a bear hug!

"You damn... you finally came back!"

The Fatty, a tough man of iron, cried like a three-hundred-pound child.

Zhang Qilin, being hugged by him, was somewhat at a loss.

He reached out, hesitated for a moment, and finally, gently patted the Fatty's back.

He looked up, looked at Lin Tianyi, at Wang Xianzhi, and at Song Yiqing.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing an... unfamiliar but incredibly sincere... smile.

"I..."

He spoke, his voice no longer hollow, but carrying... a hint of the warmth belonging to a 'human.'

"...My name is... Zhang Qilin."

"I... am home."