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

185: Chapter 185: Starlight Refinement and Initial Obstacles to the Journey WestInside the Stone Manor, time flowed quietly amidst the majestic vitality emanating from the key of living beings. The emerald radiance, like a warm spring, continuously nourished the three people and the Core.

Nangong Xuan sat cross-legged on the ground, his mind sinking into his body. His dao foundation, which had been shaken by the forced execution of ”Nirvana Returning to Nothingness,” was being repaired and mended at an astonishing speed under the gentle soothing of the Origin life force. Even more to his surprise, the fragments of the Nirvana True Seal, under the stimulation of the vitality, were not suppressed; instead, they formed an extremely subtle balance and cycle with it.

As the Annihilation Power circulated, it would quietly annihilate and refine a portion of the overly vigorous vitality that was unfavorable for healing, feeding back the most pure and peaceful energy. Meanwhile, the power of the key of living beings constantly replenished the consumption and stimulated the Nirvana True Seal to release a deeper level of Profound Truth. His Nirvana Sword Essence, which was originally somewhat restless and unstable, was repeatedly tempered during this process, becoming increasingly pure and condensed, as easy to use as his own arm. The newly comprehended ”Returning to Nothingness” Sword Intent also became clearer and more controllable through this Perception on the edge of life and death.

He slowly opened his eyes, a dark gold luster swirling within them, deep as a starry abyss. Though his aura was restrained, it was even more heavy and terrifying than before his injury. This ordeal had actually allowed his cultivation to take another step forward from the peak of the Late Golden Core Stage, reaching a state of true flawless Perfection. He was only one opportunity away from attempting to condense a Nascent Soul!

On the other side, Su Muxue’s changes were even more significant. With Taiyin Star Power as her Foundation, and having been successively baptized by Chaos energy and Nirvana aura, she was now being nourished by this most fundamental life force. Her Taiyin Dao had actually undergone an unexpected transformation.

The Moonbeams flowing around her were no longer just cold and clear; deep within their Core, there was a trace of extremely subtle, hazy Chaos Foundation, as well as a hint of the emptiness of Nirvana Returning to Void. This added a few characteristics of inclusion and annihilation to her power, beyond just extreme cold and purity. The old injuries and hidden ailments in her Divine Soul and Meridians were completely cleared away, and her cultivation naturally broke through to the Middle Stage of the Golden Core, with a Foundation so robust it far exceeded those of the same rank.

She lightly raised her hand, a wisp of Moonbeams dancing at her fingertips. Sometimes it turned into a soft silk thread wrapping around her finger, sometimes it dispersed into void and silence, and sometimes it could draw a trace of vitality from the surrounding key of living beings—truly mysterious and extraordinary.

Zi Linger’s gains were also not small. The process of fully activating the key of living beings to help others heal was itself a kind of deepest refinement and communication. Her connection with the key became incredibly tight, as if she had become a partial spokesperson for the Origin of life. Although her cultivation did not directly break through, her Perception of the Wood Law had already skyrocketed. Every movement she made carried vibrant vitality, and she could even sever someone’s life force with a single thought when facing an enemy.

The greatest surprise still came from Lin Mo.

Under the unreserved nourishment of the key of living beings, the chaos star core had not only completely recovered, its surface lustrous and warm like jade, but the Core glimmer within was vibrating stably and powerfully. Although he was still sleeping and accumulating power most of the time, he could occasionally transmit clear, simple emotions and thoughts.

”Hungry...” (Needs more energy) ”Mother... pretty...” (Perceiving Su Muxue’s changes) ”Father... sword... bright...” (Vaguely sensing Nangong Xuan’s Sword Intent) He could even react to some strong energy fluctuations from the outside world.

This naive yet real interaction made Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue feel deeply gratified, and their determination for the westward journey became even firmer—only by gathering all the star keys could they truly solve Moer’s problem and let him return completely.

Three days later, the three of them had fully recovered, and had even made some progress.

”It’s time to set out.” Nangong Xuan stood up, the phantom star key floating in his palm. Inside, the light representing the ”sharp metal star key” was still flickering in the west. That tragic and sharp Concept was faintly transmitted through the star key, inviting exploration.

Zi Linger put away the key of living beings, and the vigorous vitality in the cave gradually subsided. She nodded with a solemn expression, ”Senior, I’ve heard elders in my clan mention the Land of the Far West. It seems to be an ancient battlefield ruin called the ’Fallen Star Slope.’ The Golden Baleful Qi is extremely heavy, the environment is harsh, and there are many unknown dangerous exotic beasts and spatial rifts. There are even rumors of undying ancient war souls...”

”No matter.” Nangong Xuan’s gaze was sharp. ”Even if it’s a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, we must venture through.”

The three of them left the Stone Manor, set their sights on the west, and turned into three streaks of light, galloping away.

With the majestic vitality of the key of living beings as their backing, Nangong Xuan no longer worried excessively about consumption and went at full speed. Su Muxue and Zi Linger followed closely behind.

However, just as they had left the ancient forest area for about ten thousand miles and were passing through a desolate red mountain range—

”Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!”

Several sharp sounds of breaking air suddenly erupted from the mountains below! They were three pitch-black long arrows wrapped in strange spiral Qi patterns. The arrowheads were not metal, but a kind of dark red crystal. They were locked onto not the physical bodies, but the Golden Cores and Divine Souls of the three! Their speed was astonishingly fast, and they were silent; the sound of breaking air only rang out when they were close, clearly intended for a sneak attack!

”Careful!” Nangong Xuan reacted the fastest, his Nirvana Sword Intent instantly spreading before him, forming an invisible barrier.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three crisp sounds! The black long arrows hit the Nirvana Sword Intent but were not immediately annihilated. The dark red crystal light on the arrowheads flashed violently, producing a strange oscillating tearing force, attempting to drill through the Sword Intent defense! At the same time, a cold and malicious Divine Soul impact rushed along the arrows straight toward the three’s Sea of Consciousness!

”Hmph!” Nangong Xuan snorted coldly, his Sword Intent slightly surging. That hint of Nirvana True Intent erupted, completely shattering the three treacherous arrows into nothingness. But the opponent’s sneak attack and the strangeness of these arrows had already made him vigilant.

The moon wheel flashed in front of Su Muxue, blocking the remaining fluctuations. Zi Linger’s body flashed with green light, and the malicious Divine Soul impact was like a mud cow entering the sea, naturally dissolved by the majestic vitality of the key of living beings.

”Who is it? Get out here!” Nangong Xuan’s gaze was like lightning as he swept over the red mountain range below.

”Tsk tsk tsk, your reaction is not slow, to actually be able to block my ’Soul-Piercing Arrows’.” A raspy, unpleasant voice rang out.

Along with the voice, five figures slowly rose from behind the rocks, blocking the way.

The leader was a one-eyed old man, thin and withered, wearing tattered black robes, holding a strangely shaped Bone Bow in his hand. The cold arrows just now clearly came from him. His aura was cold and eerie, and he actually had a Late Golden Core Stage cultivation.

Behind him were four people, three men and one woman, in various outfits, but without exception, their eyes were fierce, surrounded by Evil Qi, and their cultivation levels were all at the peak of the Middle Stage of the Golden Core. They were clearly desperate criminals who had spent years living on the edge.

”Wilderness Hunters...” Zi Linger reminded them in a low voice, disgust flashing in her eyes. ”They are Bandit Cultivators entrenched in this area who specialize in killing people to seize their treasures. They are cruel and have a keen sense of smell. They must have sensed the treasure light we emitted while healing or the aura of the key of living beings.”

The one-eyed old man’s greedy gaze swept over Nangong Xuan’s group, lingering for a long time especially on Su Muxue and Zi Linger’s exquisite faces and their obviously extraordinary auras. Finally, he stared fixedly at Nangong Xuan and licked his parched lips:

”Kid, hand over the treasures on you and these two girls obediently, and I might consider leaving you an intact corpse. Otherwise...” He shook the Bone Bow in his hand, the threat self-evident.

The other four Bandit Cultivators also let out lewd laughs and strange cries, not holding back any kind of foul language.

Nangong Xuan’s eyes instantly turned cold, his killing intent spreading out like something physical. On this westward journey to save his son, time was pressing. He didn’t want to cause more trouble, but there were always ants seeking their own deaths!

”Courting death.”

He slowly spat out those two words. He didn’t even use the ancient sword on his back, but simply raised his right hand.