Tang Xiaoqi and Mu Xue leading the temporary alliance, like two meteors streaking across the void, headed directly for the Southeast Star Domain deemed most likely to have the entrance to the Heavenly Palace. Their actions, like dropping cold water into a pot of oil, instantly triggered a chain reaction. The golden pavilion ship of the Central Plains Imperial Clan, the golden escape lights of the Western Region monks, the beast bone war chariots of the Northern Wastes Barbarians, and other various powerful auras, whether obvious or hidden, almost simultaneously surged into action. Each employed their methods, scrambling to surge toward the same direction.
For a time, the relatively dormant edge of the core area became turbulent. Streak after streak of powerful escape lights tore through the void, agitating the already fragile spatial structure and creating more ripples.
Xiao Qi and Mu Xue were the fastest. Both were outstanding among Core Formation cultivators, their escape lights paired together, one cyan and one white, complementing each other, slightly ahead of the other disciples of Xuanji Holy Land. The closer they got to that Southeast Star Domain, the stranger the surroundings became.
Here, the star fragments were no longerfloating in a chaotic manner but presented an indescribable regularity. They varied in size and shape, but the distances and positions between them seemed to follow some profound and mysterious trajectory. On the fragments, faint remnants of ancient rune inscriptions could be seen. Despite being eroded by countless ages, they still emitted faint spiritual light. The void was no longer dead silent but filled with a desolate, ancient, and vast aura as if from the primordial chaos of ancient times.
"It seems... there was once an ancient path here." Mu Xue's gaze was cold as she swept across the surroundings, speaking softly. She extended her slender jade-like finger, pointing to several enormous fragments arranged in a strange arc. "Look at the direction those fragments are oriented, and the residual energy veins. Does it not resemble a bridge or path that was forcibly smashed and scattered across the starry sky?"
Xiao Qi gazed intently. With his current spiritual sense strength and formation dao foundation, upon careful perception, he indeed discovered the clues. There were extremely subtle energy connections between those fragments, forming aintermittent's, faint "path." This path was not physical but more like a residual imprint of energy and spatial laws.
"Tianjizi elder's jade slip once vaguely mentioned, 'Follow the star path, and you may reach the palace gate.'" Xiao Qi said deeply. He flipped his hand to take out the ancient jade slip obtained from Tianjizi, pressing it to his forehead to carefully sense the faint guiding intent residual within. "The jade slip's resonance with this area is indeed the strongest."
The two descended their escape lights, landing on the most enormous fragment, shaped like a broken dragon's head and colored dark gold. This fragment seemed to be the starting point or some important node of this "ancient path." The runes inscribed on it were the densest, and the ancient aura emanating from it was also the most intense.
The moment their feet touched the surface of the fragment, a suddenmutation occurred!
"Buzz---!"
The entire dragon-head fragment quivered slightly. The runes on it that had originally been dim suddenly brightened, projecting countless dense rays of light that intertwined and connected in the void. At the same time, those star fragments arranged according to specific trajectories were also as if awakened, lighting up simultaneously. Rays of starlight of varying colors and different attributes shot from the fragments,gather, colliding, and evolving in the void!
In the blink of an eye, a huge and complex three-dimensional formation map covering dozens of miles, composed of countless star points and energy lines, appeared before everyone's eyes! The formation map rotated slowly, starlight flowed, containing infinite variations and profound mysteries. It also emitted a powerful repelling and sealing force, blocking all escape lights attempting to approach this area!
"It is a guardian formation!" A late-stage Core Formation elder of Xuanji Holy Land who had followed closely changed expression and exclaimed. "Moreover, it is not artificially arranged but more like natural evolution of the stars, combined with the residual ancient path laws here to form a natural prohibition!"
The various forces that had caught up later were also blocked by this suddenly appearing grand formation map. They all stopped at the edge of the formation map's radiance, their expressions unpleasant as they observed. Some attempted to forcibly charge through, but whether it was magical treasure bombardment ortechnique torrents, when they landed on the formation map, they were like oxen entering the sea, only able tostirred some ripples. Instead, they triggered the formation's backlash. Several fierce star beams shot out, forcing those who had attacked to retreatdisheveled.
"Damn it! This formation is perfectly integrated with the surrounding stars. Force cannot break it!" A Northern Wastes Barbarian strongman cursed as he retracted his fist that had gone numb from the vibration.
"It seems that to enter the core, we must first solve this riddle." Among the Western Region monks, an elder in a golden kasaya clasped his hands together, his eyes glowing with wisdom as he began to silently deduce.
On the Central Plains Imperial Clan pavilion ship, the scholarly elder also took out a compass, his brow furrowed tightly as he continuously calculated.
Everyone understood that this star ancient formation was the first and crucial checkpoint leading to the Heavenly Palace! If they could not crack it, they could only lament their inability to progress.
Xiao Qi and Mu Xue stood on the dragon-head fragment at the core of the formation map, bearing the greatest formation pressure, but the countless flowing starlight and runes were also the clearest to them. The two exchanged a glance, and both saw solemnity but no panic in each other's eyes.
"This formation borrows the power of the heavens and stars to evolve all things. The core lies in 'balance' and 'trajectory'." Mu Xue spoke first. Her"Ice Heart Mantra"cultivation was the clearest and purest, good at discerning the essence. She lightly pointed at several main energy veins in the void. "Look, those main star trajectories correspond to the Big Dipper, the Southern Star, the Eastern Radiance, the Western Calamity... Their movements are not random but follow some ancient star pattern rhythm."
Xiao Qi nodded. His formation dao foundation came from Qingxu Temple's inheritance, later enriched by experiences in secret realms, the Inheritance Hall, and even the cleansing of the Green Lotus source. His horizons were already different. He closed his eyes, his powerful spiritual sense spreading like a tide. He did not forcibly strike the formation but instead used the gentlest of touches to sense and integrate with the rhythm of the stars' movements. At the same time, the jade pendant on his chest warmed slightly. Although the cleansing power did not directly act on the formation, it made his mind extraordinarily clear, uninfluenced by the chaotic star force within the formation.
"Not just the star pattern rhythm," Xiao Qi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze seeming to contain the birth and death of stars. "This formation map also contains the principle of spatial folding. Mu Xue, look there---" He pointed to a corner of the formation map where several seemingly cluttered star points actually formed a strange angle. "The positions of those auxiliary stars, if deduced byvoidquadrant, exactly correspond to the 'Xun' position, governing wind and entry. The rhythm of their radiance flickering, compared with the fluctuation of the water star at the left 'Kan' position, forms a subtle resonance. This should be the starting point of a hidden 'life gate' path!"
Mu Xue's beautiful eyes brightened. She looked in the direction Xiao Qi pointed and, upon careful perception, indeed discovered that extremely subtle resonant fluctuation. She could not help but praise. "Your understanding of formation dao and space has reached such a profound level!"
"You flatter me. If you had not first pointed out the key to the star patterns, I would not have discovered this spatial vein either." Xiao Qi smiled modestly.
The two no longer spoke much, their minds completely immersed in this vast star riddle. One, relying on ice-heart clarity, discerned the macro patterns of star force flow. The other, relying on powerful spiritual sense and spatial comprehension, analyzed the microcosmic energy nodes and spatial folds. They sometimes deduced independently, sometimes exchanged opinions, mutually corroborating each other.
"The 'Qian' position star force is too excessive. We need to introduce the 'Kun' position yin star force to harmonize it."
"That path seems smooth, but actually contains a spatial fault within. We need to bypass the 'Li' position fire star and briefly cross using its erupting force."
"No, these three stars in alignment, though appearing to be killing intent, actually hide the change of 'reversing stars and shifting positions.' If we can seize that fleeting moment of transition, we can reach the core directly!"
Their exchange grew faster and faster, and their coordination grew more tacit. Mu Xue could often see the key point of the star force layout at a glance, while Xiao Qi could quickly find the spatial nodes and energy guiding methods needed to crack the key point. One pointed out the direction, the other opened the road. One oversaw the overall situation, the other studied the details.
The disciples of Xuanji Holy Land guarding around watched the two moving on the dragon-head fragment like butterflies dancing through flowers, their fingertips constantly pointing spiritual lights into different nodes of the void formation, guiding the star force to operate according to some mysterious trajectory. Their faces showed admiration. They deeply understood the complexity and danger of this natural star ancient formation. If it were them, they probably could not even find the entrance.
The cultivators from other forces behind them watched open-mouthed. They were still painstakingly deducing the most basic star patterns, while the two ahead were like a skilled butcher dismembering an ox, slowly but firmly "dismantling" this grand formation map!
"Look! The formation map is changing!" Someone exclaimed.
One could see that the originally integrated, slowly rotating star formation map, under the combined guidance of Mu Xue and Xiao Qi, had some area where the starlight began to become orderly. Several clear "paths" paved with soft starlight were slowly extending from the dragon-head fragment where they stood toward the depths of the formation map!
Where the paths passed, the violent star force became tame, and the hidden spatial traps quietly subsided.
"Go!"
Xiao Qi and Mu Xue almost simultaneously shouted, their figures stepping onto the starlight ancient path they had personally "opened." The disciples of Xuanji Holy Land followed without hesitation.
The cultivators of other forces seeing this were both surprised and anxious, also trying to step onto that path.
"Hmph!" Xiao Qi did not even turn his head. He flicked his hand backward, striking a spiritual light containing his powerful spiritual sense and cleansing power into several key nodes at the start of the path. The extending starlight path trembled slightly but did not disappear. However, the repelling force on it instantly increased several times, forcibly pushing back the other cultivators who had tried to enter without invitation.
"This path was opened by us two. No entry without invitation!" Xiao Qi's cold voice echoed in the starry sky, carrying unquestionable authority.
Want to pass? Either you have the ability to crack this star riddle and open another road yourself! Or, bring sufficient payment to trade!
Under the gaze of countless eyes, some jealous, some angry, some helpless, Xiao Qi and Mu Xue led the people of Xuanji Holy Land, stepping calmly on the starlight ancient path they had opened, steadily advancing toward the deepest part of the star formation map, the core location where the entrance to the legendary Heavenly Palace was said to be. Their figures, set against the flowing starlight, were like descending immortals, outstanding and incomparable. This act of cracking the ancient path riddle not only displayed their extraordinary comprehension and seamless tacit understanding but also established the alliance's great reputation under the eyes of all!