Transmigrating Into a Fantasy World: Signing in During Pregnancy, Reaching the Summit with My Childhood Sweetheart

152: Chapter 152: Star Key Resonance and the First Signs of SharpnessThe spatial fluctuations behind the light gate gradually subsided. Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue found themselves in an unfamiliar region.

Behind them was no longer the sky-obscuring, lush green barrier of the Myriad Ages Green Forest, but a relatively gentle hilly area covered with low shrubs and strange moss. The air was still filled with Spiritual Qi, but it was no longer that dense, suffocating vitality. Instead, it felt fresh, open, and even carried a hint of an almost imperceptible, sharp aura. Looking into the distance, the faint outline of rolling mountains, presenting a metallic grayish-white color, could be seen on the horizon.

They had successfully left the area of the Myriad Ages Green Forest, but the light gate opened by the Sacred Luo Ancient Tree had clearly transported them to a place quite far from the forest’s edge.

Su Muxue opened her palm. The heart-shaped ”key of living beings” rested quietly in her hand, its warm jade luster restrained and profound, emitting a life-fluctuation that brought peace of mind. The exhaustion from earlier in the cave was recovering at an astonishing speed, nourished by this fluctuation.

”Such a miraculous power,” Su Muxue whispered in awe, feeling the increasingly full, even purer and more vibrant Taiyin Star Power within her body compared to her Peak state. ”It doesn’t forcefully enhance cultivation, but rather purifies and sublimates the Origin. It’s as if... as if it makes my Dao foundation closer to the essence of life.” She could even feel her control over Taiyin Star Power becoming more refined and detailed. Some previously obscure and difficult-to-understand aspects now suddenly became clear.

Nangong Xuan gave a slight nod. Although he hadn’t directly contacted the star key, the life essence pervading the surrounding air, stirred by the star key, had also restored some color to his slightly pale face, which had been drained from consuming his Origin Qi. The nirvana golden core within him, transformed after Nirvana, spun autonomously and could actually draw a trace of a strange balancing force from it. The dark golden Dao patterns on it seemed to have a slightly more obvious inner warm luster. The cycle of destruction and rebirth became smoother and more natural due to the presence of this ultimate life force.

”This object is indeed extraordinary,” Nangong Xuan commented, but his gaze vigilantly swept across the unfamiliar surroundings. The Sacred Luo Ancient Tree’s final warning still echoed in his ears; he dared not relax in the slightest.

At that moment, the chaos star core floating nearby suddenly emitted a faint buzzing sound. Light flowed across its surface, and the phantom image of the newly integrated ”key of living beings” flickered upon it, shining in concert with the faint glows of the other six star keys.

Lin Mo’s consciousness transmitted a sense of excitement and surprise: ”Father, Mother! After the Life star key integrated, the Star Core’s sensing ability has become stronger! And... and it seems... it’s automatically pointing to the next direction!”

On the surface of the Star Core, the base point representing ”Guixu” slowly rotated, finally stabilizing and projecting an extremely faint yet crystal-clear pale green light ray, pointing straight towards the direction of the gray-white mountains in the distance! This light ray not only contained directional guidance but also faintly conveyed a sense of ”calling,” as if something of the same Origin as the Star Core was waiting for them in that direction.

”It seems we don’t need to exert ourselves in deduction; the star keys have their own resonance,” Nangong Xuan said, looking towards the direction indicated by the light ray, his eyes narrowing slightly. That mountain range gave him a feeling completely different from the Myriad Ages Green Forest, full of hardness, coldness, and even a murderous aura.

”Based on the hints from Senior cihang origin heart and the Sacred Luo Ancient Tree before,” Su Muxue pondered, ”the next star key is likely related to the ’Metal’ attribute or Laws like ’fortitude’ or ’solemn killing.’ The aura of that mountain range seems quite fitting.”

The target was now clear.

After briefly regulating their breath and recovering about seventy to eighty percent of their condition, the two wasted no more time. Nangong Xuan flicked his sleeve, and the dark golden escape light once again enveloped the two of them and the core. They sped towards the distant gray-white mountains, following the pale green light ray projected by the Star Core.

Along the way, the terrain gradually changed. Green vegetation became increasingly sparse, the earth took on a barren gray-brown hue, exposed rocks became more numerous, and their shapes grew more jagged and steep. The sharp sensation in the air became more pronounced. Occasionally, they could even feel invisible, blade-like air currents grazing the escape light, emitting faint hissing sounds.

”The Golden Baleful Qi here is very intense,” Su Muxue frowned slightly. This environment was quite uncomfortable for a Cultivator like her who practiced a yin-soft technique. She had to divert part of her focus to circulate Taiyin Star Power, isolating herself from the erosion of the external golden balefulness.

Nangong Xuan’s feeling was completely different. The solemn, murderous, and sharp aura pervading this world faintly resonated with the aspects of ”termination” and ”sharpness” within his Nirvana Dao Rhyme. It made him feel like a fish in water, and even the speed of his escape light seemed to have increased slightly.

”The Laws of Heaven and Earth vary; each has its advantages and its dangers,” he said gravely, reminding Su Muxue to be extra careful.

Several days later, the majestic gray-white mountain range was now right before their eyes.

Seen up close, this mountain range appeared even more rugged and perilous. The mountain bodies seemed not entirely composed of earth and stone, but more like some kind of gigantic, cooled and solidified metal ore veins, reflecting cold, hard gray-white light under the sun. Almost no vegetation could be seen on the mountains, only some strange shrubs with a metallic sheen, sharp as blades, scattered sparsely. The howling mountain wind whistled through the jagged rocks, producing sharp sounds like the clashing of metal.

The guiding light ray projected by the Star Core plunged straight into the depths of the mountain range.

The two descended, landing before the entrance of a massive canyon that looked as if it had been cleaved by a giant axe. The canyon walls on both sides were smooth as mirrors, towering into the clouds, emitting a powerful metallic Spiritual Pressure.

”The guiding direction is deep within this canyon,” Lin Mo’s consciousness transmitted, carrying a hint of gravity. ”But... the Metal Spirit Qi here is abnormally violent, and... it’s mixed with many chaotic wills and... the smell of blood.”

Even without Lin Mo’s reminder, Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue had already sensed it. From deep within the canyon, not only did piercingly sharp Golden Baleful Qi waft out, but also faint sounds of battle cries, weapon clashes, and roars of unwillingness drifted with the wind, like echoes from an ancient battlefield that refused to dissipate over the years.

On the smooth rock wall at one side of the canyon entrance, three huge ancient characters, seemingly containing endless Battle Intent and killing aura, had been carved with fierce Sword Qi:

Ji — Jian — Gu

The three characters were written with bold, forceful strokes. Every stroke seemed like an unsheathed sharp sword. Staring at them for too long actually made one’s Divine Soul feel a stinging pain, as if countless Sword Intents were rushing towards one’s face!

”Jijian Valley...” Su Muxue silently read the name, feeling the Sword Intent and Evil Qi rushing towards her, her face slightly pale. This was absolutely a place of great peril!

Nangong Xuan’s gaze, however, remained fixed on those three characters for a long time without moving. The Nirvana Sword Intent within him involuntarily vibrated slightly, as if provoked by a similar aura or resonating with it somehow.

”It seems the next star key is inextricably linked to the sword Dao Legacy of this place,” Nangong Xuan slowly spoke. There was no trace of fear in his eyes; instead, a spark of sharpness, like that of meeting a challenge, ignited within them.

At that moment, from amidst the chaotic phantom sounds of slaughter deep within the canyon, an extremely pure, extremely sharp Sword Intent suddenly shot into the sky, as if capable of severing all obstacles in the world. Though it lasted only for a fleeting moment, it instantly overwhelmed all the other noises!

The purity and power of that Sword Intent made Nangong Xuan’s pupils contract, made Su Muxue’s heart race with fear, and even caused the chaos star core to tremble slightly!

Almost the instant that pure Sword Intent appeared, the pale green guiding light ray projected by the Star Core also suddenly brightened, its direction becoming even more precise—right towards the direction from which that Sword Intent had risen!

”It’s there!” Lin Mo confirmed.

However, before they could decide whether to enter the canyon immediately, several sharp whistling sounds of something cutting through the air suddenly came from the distance behind them!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Immediately after, several powerful, overbearing Divine Senses, filled with greed and killing intent, swept over without any courtesy, firmly locking onto the two of them, especially the ”key of living beings” in Su Muxue’s hand, which had not been completely put away and was still emitting a faint life halo!

”Hmph! So there really is a treasure emerging! Seems I didn’t chase for nothing all this time!”

”Such a pure life aura! A treasure like this should rightfully be mine!”

”Leave the treasure behind, and we’ll spare your lives!”

Fierce shouts approached from afar. Five escape lights of various colors crashed down not far in front of them like meteors, revealing five Cultivators in different attire. Each had a fierce aura and unfriendly eyes. The leader was a one-eyed, burly man holding a ghost-head greatsword, his cultivation having reached the Peak of the Late Golden Core Stage. The other four were also skilled practitioners at the Middle Golden Core Stage.

Clearly, the fluctuations emitted when the Life star key emerged earlier, though mostly concealed by the power of the Sacred Luo Ancient Tree, had still leaked a trace, attracting these keen-sniffing hyenas active in the nearby region.

They happened to encounter Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue, who had just left the Myriad Ages Green Forest and hadn’t gone far. They mistook the fluctuations emitted by the Life star key for some newly emerged Heaven And Earth Treasure.

The one-eyed man greedily stared at the star key in Su Muxue’s hand, licked his lips, and pointed his greatsword: ”Little lady, be smart and hand over the thing obediently. Then keep us few gentlemen entertained, and maybe we’ll leave your corpse intact!”

The four behind him let out vulgar, raucous laughter, spreading out to subtly form an encirclement.

Nangong Xuan slowly turned around. His icy gaze swept over these five uninvited guests as if looking at a group of dead men.

Perfect. Having just arrived here, we need someone to test the sword.

And also to see what kind of... Nirvana Sword’s edge this Jijian Valley’s Evil Qi can nurture.