A myriad of thoughts raced through his mind, yet his face aptly displayed a look of bewildernt. "Ah? What anger?"
"You didn't know either?" The Bronze Ancient King's voice was calm, devoid of any discernible emotion. "I thought you knew. Never mind, it's not a major issue anyway."
Seeing that the Bronze Ancient King didn't pursue the matter, Su Chen relaxed considerably inwardly. It seed this 'bargain' Master of his wasn't prepared to investigate deeply.
Afterward, he saw an illusory phantom of light step out from the bronze giant. It looked like a normal human, with a broad and magnanimous face—likely what the Ancient King looked like when he was human.
Coming before the two of them, his gaze fell on Su Chen. "I will take you to a place."
Su Chen felt puzzled inwardly, but outwardly he naturally nodded in compliance.
Imdiately after, he suddenly realized his body was uncontrollably sinking into the bronze-colored floor. Su Chen's eyelids twitched as he watched the cyan walls around him constantly shifting upward.
The three of them quickly plumted out of the Ancient King Palace, heading straight downward.
'We're going into that Starfire?'
Su Chen looked at the Starfire growing increasingly larger before his eyes, his heart stirring. Could this be about the Mist Embers?
Su Chen hadn't initially associated it with the Mist Embers; after all, he was only at the 5th-tier, and the Mist Embers entangling the Starfire couldn't possibly be of the weak grade. But looking at it now, it seed there really was such a possibility.
The Starfire grew larger and larger until it eventually occupied his entire field of vision. The blinding light made even Su Chen unconsciously squint his eyes.
Until a certain mont, as if passing through so invisible boundary, the scene before his eyes suddenly underwent a drastic change.
"This is..."
Su Chen stepped onto the earth. The gravel beneath his feet crunched with a crisp sound like snapping dry bones. The ground was a crimson hue, stretching to the ends of his sight, barren and desolate, while the firmant was a leaden gray.
"This is the interior of the Starfire." The Ancient King's phantom beside him spoke, his gaze looking into the distance. Su Chen followed his gaze and saw a mass of black substance co into view in the distance, with a flickering golden fla atop it.
That fla should have been searingly blinding, yet it was tightly bound by layers of black mist.
The outermost layer was a translucent gray haze, slowly blooming like ink dripping into clear water, with fragnted afterimages floating and sinking within the mist.
Further in, the black mist condensed into a viscous liquid state. Countless bubbles swelled on its surface, and every ti a bubble burst, it seeped out a bone-piercing chill.
The innermost layer was no longer mist, but a profound black gel that had nearly condensed into a solid entity. It squird slowly, breathing like a living creature, tightly wrapping up ninety percent of the Starfire, leaving only a cluster of blazing gold flalet poking out from the center.
That flalet was only the size of a baby's fist, yet it pierced the eyes so sharply they couldn't stay open.
For a mont, Su Chen felt sowhat dazed, actually faintly sensing an irresistible attractive force transmitting from that Starfire.
But in the next instant, a chill ran through his heart. He suddenly awakened, realizing with horror that he had actually taken half a step forward.
The source of that attractive force was likely not the Starfire, but the black substance lingering outside it.
'So this is our sect's Starfire...' Su Chen felt a vague sense of trepidation. He truly hadn't expected it to be a scene like this.
Those black substances wrapping the outer layer were probably the Mist Embers, completely on a different level from the fingernail-sized Mist Ember he possessed.
"Correct," the Bronze Ancient King nodded.
Su Chen frowned and asked, "Those black substances, are they the Mist Embers that Senior Brother Qing Cang once ntioned?"
"Qing Cang ntioned them to you as well?" The Ancient King seed slightly surprised, then nodded. "Then you should already know that the corruption of the Starfire and Professional Spirituality is carried out by these Mist Embers. Because it's a mixture of Evil God Power and Mist Source, whether it's the Starfire or Spirituality, they will autonomously accept it."
"Once entangled, it becos like a disease that has penetrated the bone."
"And what is this Mist Source?" Su Chen asked doubtfully; Qing Cang hadn't ntioned this to him.
Although he knew that purified Mist Embers would turn into Mist Source, which seed beneficial to professions, that was the extent of his knowledge.
The Ancient King explained, "Mist Source is a special substance born in the depths of the Nether Realm. It is exceedingly rare and possesses trendous benefits for the Starfire and Spirituality, capable of accelerating their evolution."
"Evolution?" Su Chen hurriedly asked. "What do you an? Could it allow a Morning Star Tier to evolve into the Bright Moon Tier?"
"That's roughly the idea, but it is excessively difficult and requires an extrely massive amount to achieve," the Bronze Ancient King confird his guess, supplenting, "It is primarily used for 9th-tier professions to undergo tamorphosis into the Morning Star Tier."
'Mist Source is the special substance required for 9th-tier professions to undergo tamorphosis.' Su Chen ca to a sudden realization, connecting it with so information he had encountered previously.
It really was as he had guessed. Mist Source could allow the Great Exalted to evolve; no wonder the Great Exalted desired it so much.
The Bronze Ancient King sighed, "Ever since the Starfire was eroded by the Mist Embers, it was only after the successive sacrifices of two Morning Star Tier Fire rgings that it barely gained a ray of hope for survival. Despite my many years of maintenance, it has remained difficult to resolve."
Qing Cang, beside them, couldn't help but reveal a look of sorrow. "These Mist Embers take on infinite oddities. They have different thods of erosion for different targets. Even for artificial intelligences or chanical bodies, if they are entangled, they cannot escape corruption."
Su Chen appropriately asked, "What do you need to do?"
The Bronze Ancient King's voice was heavy and condensed: "I want you to help expel the Mist Embers from the Starfire."
So it really was this... Upon arriving here, Qing Cang had already guessed it nine tis out of ten.
But he still had to wait for the Ancient King to say it personally to be completely certain.
'5th-tier, isn't it a bit too early?' Qing Cang pondered secretly.
"Expel the Mist Embers..." Su Chen revealed a thoughtful expression, then spoke solemnly, "Please rest assured, Master, I will definitely exert all my effort."
The Mist Embers before him were clearly incomparable to the weak grade he had encountered before; they were far more dangerous. However, given the current situation, agreeing directly was the right path.
He also didn't believe the Bronze Ancient King would truly send him straight to his death.
"You just need to tell what to do. Should I go in directly, or..." He appeared proactive and enthusiastic.
"Haha..." The Bronze Ancient King let out a rare laugh. "I am not talking about the current you. Even the Mist Embers at the very fringes are of the interdiate level. One must be at least 6th-tier to enter. Below this tier, you wouldn't even have the qualification to approach before being assimilated."
"Interdiate? Aren't these Mist Embers a single entity?" Su Chen was sowhat astonished upon hearing this.
Only then did the Bronze Ancient King explain: "It was originally a single entity. Thanks to the Fire rging of two Morning Star Tiers, coupled with my efforts, we barely managed to strip them apart to form the current situation. Only this allowed the Starfire to retain a ray of hope for survival."
"Otherwise, the Starfire would have already experienced Falling Fire into the Nether Realm."
'So it was like this. Forcefully separating them to weaken their power... the Ancient King also had a good line of thought.' Su Chen was deep in thought.
'The foundational power of interdiate Mist Embers can corrupt Professionals below the 6th-tier. Then what did you call over for?' Su Chen harbored so doubts. Was it rely to tell him about this matter?
Seemingly seeing through the doubts in his heart, the Bronze Ancient King explained, "The reason I called you over was, on one hand, to inform you of this matter and seek your opinion, so you know what's going on."
"On the other hand, it is to see if there is any hope of achieving it."
As he spoke, the Bronze Ancient King stretched out his hand, and a fingernail-sized piece of Mist Ember actually surfaced on his palm.
Looking at this piece of Mist Ember, Su Chen's eyes shifted slightly. This was about the sa size as the one he had obtained previously!
"This is the lowest-tier Mist Ember I stripped out." The Bronze Ancient King sounded sowhat helpless. "Although I can destroy it directly, if I want to purify it, it is fraught with myriad difficulties. I have also sought many people to try it..."
'Tried it?' The key point Su Chen caught was another matter entirely. The Bronze Ancient King also had a way to pull people out of the Mist Embers?
That made sense. He was a Bright Moon Tier, after all. Since the Great Exalted could do it, there was no reason the Ancient King couldn't.
"You were previously able to forcibly withstand the erosion of the Evil God Power, and with a 5th-tier body, you defeated Qin Tianlin. Perhaps there truly is hope for you to purify this Mist Ember."
Speaking up to here, the Ancient King sighed again. "If it fails, there will be no need to make you take risks later."
'Fail?' A sharp gleam flashed through Su Chen's eyes. 'Isn't this just delivering food to the Great Exalted?'
He didn't have confidence regarding that huge mass over there, but for this fingernail-sized piece, his confidence was overwhelming!
His expression turned heavy and condensed as he responded solemnly, "Please rest assured, Master, I will definitely exert all my effort."
Seeing Su Chen agree without the slightest hesitation, both the Bronze Ancient King and Qing Cang felt quite satisfied in their hearts.
Qing Cang then spoke up to remind him: "This Mist Ember is extraordinary. It contains various scenarios. It might plunge you into illusions, making you watch your family and friends suffer tornt."
"It might even fabricate a life for you, making you experience extre joy and pleasure, leaving you lingering and forgetting to return. Or perhaps it will make you face an Evil God at the sa tier, crushing you and breeding despair in your heart..."
Qing Cang spoke in great detail. He had perhaps experienced it more than once; bringing it up now, a look of trepidation still faintly surfaced on his face.
'I've experienced it many tis too...' Su Chen listened with feigned composure, already feeling sowhat impatient inwardly.
He was pondering what excuse to make up after the purification so the Ancient King would give the Mist Source to him. Since he was putting in the effort, it shouldn't be a big problem...
This little bit of Mist Source probably wasn't of any use to the Ancient King anyway.
The Bronze Ancient King comforted him, "I have been entangled with these Mist Embers for a hundred years and possess so understanding of them. The mont I sense any inclination of you suffering Corruption, I will directly pull you out. You don't need to worry."
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"With Master here, I naturally have no worries. I just don't know if I can resolve the sect's troubles."
With the opportunity right before his eyes, Su Chen would naturally seize this excellent chance to furiously flatter him.
Seeing this, the Bronze Ancient King couldn't help but feel a few ripples in his heart. Having been on the Barren Planet, Su Chen naturally knew the terror of the Evil Gods, and the Mist Embers before him were even more formidable than Evil God Power.
Although he said he was confident, Su Chen hadn't actually seen it. Yet to be able to agree so decisively without being mired and ssy showed the sincerity of his heart.
'This is enough...' A wisp of thought drifted through his mind.
He had originally planned to wait until Su Chen advanced to the 6th-tier and accumulated so experience before considering letting him try contacting this weak Mist Ember. However, his swift defeat of Qin Tianlin had also greatly amazed him.
"Just do your best; don't overthink anything else." With a wave of his hand, this piece of Mist Ember floated toward Su Chen.
Su Chen naturally reached out to take it, hesitating briefly as he said, "Master, listening to what Senior Brother Qing Cang just said, there are several situations I probably would find difficult to handle. But if it's facing an Evil God in combat at the sa tier, I might have so confidence."
"Facing an Evil God in combat at the sa tier?" Hearing this, Qing Cang seed to recall so rather unpleasant mories. The erosion of this weak-grade Mist Ember had a limit; it was very difficult for it to affect the 9th-tier and Morning Star Tier, nor could it mimic an Evil God of the sa tier.
However, he, Chu Lingyuan, Qin Yun, and even so stunningly brilliant individuals in the sect had all entered the periphery of the Starfire and attempted to face an Evil God of the sa tier.
Almost... without any power to resist.
That was the accumulation of countless long years. Even if Su Chen had defeated Qin Tianlin across tiers...
Seeing that Su Chen was already considering what thod to use to crack it, the Bronze Ancient King chuckled inwardly. 'Young people...'
He actually valued Su Chen's ntality more, but he didn't dampen the little guy's enthusiasm. He nodded and said, "I understand. The mont I sense fluctuations in your ntal Core, I will directly pull you out."
"If the sa-tier combat fails, we will try other thods."
Only then was Su Chen completely relieved, grabbing hold of this Mist Ember.
He saw the Bronze Ancient King point a finger, and wisps of ripples expanded. As if stimulated by sothing, the Mist Ember began to rapidly expand just like before, wrapping Su Chen entirely within it.
'What a coincidence? To encounter Black Buddha on the first try.'
After a mont, not sensing any fluctuations from Su Chen's ntal Core, the Bronze Ancient King couldn't help but feel sowhat surprised.
Standing to the side, Qing Cang looked at Su Chen wrapped in the black substance, his eyes inevitably carrying a bit of worry. "Master, do you think Su Chen can succeed?"
Recalling the abuse he had once suffered, a lingering trepidation remained in his heart. Several tis, if Master hadn't intervened in ti, he would probably have suffered Corruption.
"I don't know..." The Bronze Ancient King shook his head, unsure of this as well. His gaze looked toward the tottering Starfire in the distance. "There are no other thods left. If it truly doesn't work, I can only select a Successor as soon as possible and undergo Fire rging with my body. This Starfire won't last until my lifespan is exhausted."
"This..." Qing Cang's expression changed slightly. Select a Successor as soon as possible?
Right now... within this sect, it seed the only suitable person was Qin Yun.
"You are the pillar of the sect. Even if there is Falling Fire, you cannot perish," Qing Cang hurriedly said.
The Bronze Ancient King let out a long sigh. "Or let the Royal Court undergo Fire rging. Borrow the Radiant Sun Fla Pillar to forcefully lt the Mist Embers."
"Let the Royal Court undergo Fire rging?" Qing Cang couldn't help but ask. "Then wouldn't we also beco a vassal of the Royal Court?"
The Bronze Ancient King remained silent.
"What if we also undergo Fire rging? There are quite a few Starfires scattered across the Dust Star Sea..." Qing Cang asked cautiously.
"Foolish child..." The Bronze Ancient King sighed. "That would be alienating ourselves from the Dust Star Sea, leading to being besieged by the masses."
"Even the Royal Court hasn't tyrannically plundered those factions possessing small Starfires."
Qing Cang knew he had spoken out of turn and hurriedly said, "It was my lack of thorough consideration."
The Bronze Ancient King had no intention of blaming him. He had already thought of every possible thod. This was, after all, a trap ticulously designed by Black Buddha; it wouldn't be solved that simply.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, the Bronze Ancient King frowned and looked over. He saw that the Starfire wrapped in the black substance in the distance suddenly beca blazing hot. It actually shot up a large chunk abruptly, with crimson-white fire magma bursting from its cracks, as if trying to break free from its bindings.
'This is...' An extrely dense light blood within the Bronze Ancient King's pupils. He suddenly turned his head to look, his face revealing shock and doubt.
"This..."
The black substance on the surface of Su Chen's body receded like the tide. That piece of Mist Ember in his hand trembled faintly, and the lingering black mist actually gradually dissipated.
"Master... could this be..." Qing Cang's expression fluctuated, his heart palpitating. He couldn't help but look at the Ancient King's phantom, seemingly wanting to confirm sothing.
Yet he saw the edges of his Master's phantom blur, faintly seeming as if about to collapse. His gaze stared fixedly at that crystal-clear Mist Ember, murmuring, "To think... it was actually purified."
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