Chapter 438: Conflict

Hu Li easily dug through the rock and crystal structures that blocked the entrance to that rift—after the "Grand Sage" died, the part of the crystal directly connected to him became especially fragile, so much so that the fox girl could gouge out a big hole with a single claw. Once the entrance was opened, Yu Sheng and the others discovered a long, clearly man-made tunnel leading deep underground.

The inner walls of the tunnel were reinforced with sturdy artificial materials, and severely weathered and corroded Taixu Lingshu logos could still be seen on the support structures. As they went deeper underground, they also saw ancient mechanical creations that had been abandoned for who knows how many years, as well as formations and talismans damaged by crystalline matter. All signs indicated that this underground structure was neither "excavated" by the Starspawn nor a lair secretly dug by those Hermetic cultists, but an ancient pioneering outpost built by Taixu cultivators long ago, since forgotten by the world.

Perhaps it had already become the Starspawn's nest several hundred years ago—and after those Hermetic cultists hooked up with "Yun Qingzi," it became the base that Yun Qingzi arranged for his "ally."

After going several hundred meters underground, Yu Sheng and the others discovered a large underground palace.

As everywhere else, it was also completely occupied by countless pale crystals. Clusters of crystals, like roots and branches, burst out from cracks everywhere in the underground palace, crisscrossing the ground and walls, spreading and growing.

Because the underground space was limited, Hu Li had transformed back into human form. At the moment, she was nervously following behind Yu Sheng, holding one big tail in each hand. Her furry, large ears on top of her head swiveled sensitively, occasionally twitching due to the various sounds continuously coming from underground.

Strange rumbling noises never ceased. Tremors came from deep in the underground palace from time to time, interspersed with unsettling sounds of crystal and rock fracturing, as if this underground structure could collapse at any moment, or as if something terrifying would burst out from under everyone's feet the next second.

But Yu Sheng paid no attention to these unsettling noises. He walked at the front, understanding the direction ahead as if familiar with his own home. He effortlessly found the path deeper into the underground palace among a pile of forks. After passing through the surrounding structures of the underground palace, he led Eileen, Luna, and Hu Li to a hall.

There were a large number of machines and equipment here—they were completely incongruous with the mechanical devices and immortal formation arrangements seen on the road earlier, yet consistent with the various equipment on the "Heterotopia Inn" ship, clearly left behind by the Sacred Hermetic Order.

In a corner of the hall, Yu Sheng discovered several large devices arranged neatly, like hibernation pods.

The pods had already cracked, and the containers were piled high with strange pale crystals. Thin biological fluid dripped from between the crystals. Judging from the liquid that had not yet dried up, this "betrayal" that took place deep underground should have happened not long ago.

...

In Mo City, on the high platform at the middle of the Fourth Refining Tower, Mo Ran stood at the edge of the platform, staring intently into the distance.

The young city lord, who had taken over the position of head of the Mo family only a few years ago, looked somewhat pale.

Nothing was as familiar as in memory. The once tranquil wilderness was now covered with an endless living crystal jungle. The distant mountain peak had collapsed, and a terrible tentacle reaching toward the sky had drilled out from the shattered mountain body. Another rift was even closer to Mo City, and the tentacle extending from it was only a few kilometers away from the city's protective formation at its closest point.

Not long ago, scouts who risked ascending to the sky had sent word that more rifts were appearing on the western plains.

Communications with other cities had been cut off. Contact with the orbital station was experiencing unexplained interference. Half an hour ago, an immortal boat controlled by a sentient spirit attempted to break through the atmosphere, but it lost contact shortly after leaving the city's protective formation—clearly it was in deep trouble.

The only good news was that those tentacles had not appeared inside Mo City, and the crystals already in the city had not spread further.

The "awakened" Mo City had become the only pure land on this planet free from the Starspawn's influence—at least for now, those terrifying crystals were still strongly suppressed within Mo City's boundaries.

Mo Ran took a light breath. Her gaze fell downward, looking toward the ground outside the refining tower.

A hazy spiritual energy shield enveloped the entire Mo City. At the boundary where the shield met the wilderness outside the city, strange pale crystals slowly writhed like living things. The crystal clusters kept trying to spread toward Mo City, but as soon as they got close to a certain degree, some invisible force violently stopped them. During those repeated clashes, Mo Ran thought she saw faint black lines... there seemed to be a structure like a spiderweb, clinging to Mo City's protective formation.

But when she looked carefully, she saw nothing.

Mo Ran knew that it was those "spiderweb" things that had awakened the city's residents. Although the process was a bit rough, these somewhat frightening web threads had pulled millions of people out of the cognitive obstacles created by the Starspawn and temporarily connected everyone into a kind of "awake whole." Even now, these web threads were still at work, fiercely resisting the Starspawn's erosion.

But she didn't know how long this resistance could last.

Tremors came from beneath the city, sometimes strong enough that even ordinary people could feel them.

Those were tentacles—just like the tentacles that had destroyed the mountains and torn apart the plains in the distance. There were tentacles under Mo City as well. Those terrible limbs had been trying to burrow into the city, but for now, they hadn't succeeded yet.

But it seemed only a matter of time.

A sound of breaking air arrived. A Mo family guard, wearing a straw rain cape and a black cloud-patterned mask, flew from below the refining tower to the platform and knelt on one knee before Mo Ran. "City Lord, crystalline matter has been observed in the earth vein deep well under the tower. There is also a tentacle moving at the bottom of the well—it is quite large, and its full form is difficult to discern."

"Any signs of upward breakthrough?"

"Not yet," the guard shook his head. "That tentacle is being suppressed by the protective formation. For now, it is only crawling slowly underground."

"What about the other refining towers?"

"Towers Eight, Nine, and Twelve also reported tentacle sightings. Preliminary judgment suggests it is the same tentacle as under Tower Four. No abnormalities have been found under the other towers yet, but crystalline matter is seeping out from earth vein cracks."

Mo Ran closed her eyes and took a light breath.

There was a huge tentacle under Mo City, possibly large enough to encircle the entire city from underground—if that "puppet" hadn't acted in time, this city might have been silently devoured in its sleep.

"...Mm, I understand. Keep monitoring that thing. If it moves upward, open the slag pipes."

"Understood."

The guard left.

A cold wind pierced the shield, and chilly rain swept across the high tower. A vague unease suddenly rose from the depths of her heart. Mo Ran immediately looked up toward the direction her mind indicated.

In the wind and rain outside the city, she saw some shadows of various sizes suddenly pierce through the clouds, rapidly converging from below the clouds toward Mo City.

At the lead was a large immortal boat with a moon-white hull and towering cabins, followed by various boats large and small, and countless cultivators flying on swords.

Mo Ran's heart sank. Then she saw a familiar figure appear on that immortal boat.

The city lord of "Tan Yuan," Lord Yunshan.

That refined middle-aged man standing on the deck of the immortal boat saw Mo Ran standing on the high tower guarding the city's protective formation. He immediately cupped his hands from afar, a trace of worry on his face. His voice pierced directly through the wind and rain when he spoke: "Head of the Mo family, I received news that a major disturbance has occurred in Mo City, and I have brought people to help—I also encountered Azure Cloud True Person and White Rainbow Immortal's forces on the way. How is your city now?"

What was supposed to come had indeed come.

Mo Ran's heart sank, but she had anticipated this situation, so her expression remained calm. She replied in a deep voice: "Thank you for your concern, Lord Yunshan. Mo City is fine. It's just that the communication devices have had some issues. When everything is restored, I will naturally explain the situation to each city."

"Oh, that's good," Lord Yunshan nodded. Even though the earth beneath his feet was covered with writhing living jungles, even though the Mo City before him was covered in crystals, he still maintained his usual expression, showing no reaction to Mo Ran's obviously stiff attitude. He simply controlled the immortal boat to slowly fly a bit closer. "Since nothing is wrong, I am relieved. Please, Head of the Mo family, open the city's protective formation. It has been a while since we visited Mo City; it would be a good chance to enter the city."

The refined middle-aged man spoke with a sincere attitude and a perfectly natural expression.

Because the world in his eyes was indeed perfectly normal—though the atmosphere around Mo City did seem a bit strange.

He didn't understand why Mo Ran had the protective formation up and was standing on the refining tower with such a guarded posture, as if facing a great enemy... Could there really be some trouble in the city?

If that were the case, then he absolutely had to enter the city to confirm the situation. After all, in this remote frontier, their cities were adjacent, and they usually looked out for each other...

Usually looked out for each other...

Looked out for each other...

The immortal boats of various sizes and the sword-flying cultivators guarding near them slowly approached Mo City, carrying concern for their compatriots, a sense of duty as frontier defenders, and...

Yun Qingzi's orders.

Something had happened in Mo City. City Lord Mo Ran and the residents needed help... Millions of nodes had fallen out of the cognitive network; the stragglers needed correction... An external force had severed this city's connection with the entire planet; despicable thieves were vying with the benefactor for control of this city... There was a threat, and the threat needed to be eliminated.

The countless ancient formations on the surface of the refining tower slowly lit up. The protective formation's shield instantly became more solid. Inside the city, fully armed turrets rose from various positions. Mo family guards wearing straw rain capes, cloud-patterned hats, and masks walked onto the tower battlements, their blades glinting faintly in the rain.

"Lord Yunshan," Mo Ran stepped forward, her flying sword drawn from its sheath, "please turn back."

"Oh, I see," a look of realization appeared on Lord Yunshan's face. He nodded slowly. "Head of the Mo family, you have fallen into demonic possession."

(The End)