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

195: Chapter 195: The Hidden Pearl Conceals the Truth and the Star Leads a New PathAbove the valley, the sharp sound of breaking air, like the hiss of a venomous snake, drew closer and closer. That powerful Divine Sense, like an invisible giant millstone, ground and probed the valley’s natural shielding field over and over again, causing ripples of subtle spatial fluctuations. Clearly, the Jin Jue Sect Cultivators outside were convinced something was amiss here and were sparing no expense to find a Breakthrough!

”Not good! They’ve found the vicinity!” Su Muxue’s expression changed, her pale face, which had just regained a hint of color, turning ashen once more. She subconsciously tried to restrain her aura, only to find that after absorbing the power of the ancient skeleton with Nangong Xuan, the energy surging within her body was difficult to fully internalize for a moment. They were like torches lit in the dark, extremely easy to perceive.

Nangong Xuan’s eyes were as sharp as knives as he scanned the surroundings. A forced breakout? Given their current state, even though they had mostly recovered, facing the prepared elites of the Jin Jue Sect would still be fraught with danger. Hiding? Though the valley was deep, under the enemy’s targeted search, being found was only a matter of time!

His gaze suddenly fixed on a dull, dark-gold bead the size of a dragon’s eye that had rolled out from the dust of the ancient skeleton. The skeleton’s final thought had said, ”The remaining power is given to you.” Could it be... He endured the swelling pain caused by the rushing power in his Meridians and bent down to pick up the bead. The bead was ice-cold to the touch, neither metal nor jade, and exceptionally heavy. Upon closer inspection, the dim patterns on its surface shared the same origin as the patterns on the star core’s surface and the skeleton’s bones!

The moment his fingers touched the bead—

Hum!

The bead trembled slightly, and the dim patterns on its surface suddenly lit up with a faint, imperceptible light. A strange field with weak spatial fluctuations spread out instantly with the bead as its center, enveloping Nangong Xuan, Su Muxue, and the newly awakened, still dazed Zi Linger.

The moment the field formed, the surging auras that the three could not fully restrain were instantly wiped away by an invisible hand, becoming faint and almost merging with the surrounding rocks and mist! Even the outlines of their figures became somewhat blurred, as if they had blended into the background of the environment.

”Is this... a concealment field?” Zi Linger cried out weakly in surprise, her beautiful eyes filled with wonder. As a Wood Spirit, she was most sensitive to auras, yet at this moment, she could barely sense the presence of Nangong Xuan and Su Muxue beside her!

Nangong Xuan’s heart jolted, and he immediately understood the purpose of this bead! This was the final gift left by the ancient skeleton before its death, a powerful concealment treasure! It didn’t completely block all fluctuations but instead cleverly ”diluted,” ”dispersed,” and ”simulated” their presence as part of the surrounding environment, making it extremely difficult for Divine Sense to lock onto them!

Almost the second after the field took effect—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three powerful figures, cloaked in fierce Golden Baleful Qi, landed heavily at the valley’s entrance like meteors. The leader was none other than the Late Nascent Soul Stage Elder Jin Huang! His face was grim as his Divine Sense swept through the entire valley once more like a tide, his brow furrowed deeply.

”Strange, I clearly felt a trace of abnormal energy fluctuations and an unfamiliar aura just now. How did it suddenly vanish?” a Mid Nascent Soul Stage deputy behind him asked in confusion; his Divine Sense had also found nothing.

Another Peak Golden Core Stage Disciple, skilled in tracking Spells, took out a compass-like Magical Artifact. After its needle spun wildly for a moment, it finally dropped powerlessly. ”Elder, the environment here is unique, and the metallic Evil Qi is chaotic, causing great interference to Divine Sense and tracking Spells. I cannot pinpoint their location.”

Elder Jin Huang’s cold eyes swept over the mist-shrouded, craggy valley, and he snorted. ”Search! Even if you have to turn this valley upside down, find them! That kid is heavily injured and carrying two burdens; he couldn’t have gone far! He must have used some secret technique or strange treasure to hide!”

”Yes!”

More than ten Jin Jue Sect Disciples immediately dispersed, each performing Spells—some sweeping with sword light, others shaking the ground with fist winds—starting a crude search of every inch of land and every patch of mist. Rocks shattered, trees snapped, and noise rang out continuously.

The three of them huddled close together, hidden under the protection of the Dark Bead’s field. They held their breath as they watched several Jin Jue Sect Disciples dash past not far from their hiding spot. Even a fierce sword light flew right past their heads, shearing off a piece of the rock wall, yet they remained invisible to those just inches away.

The concealment effect of the Dark Bead was excellent!

But Nangong Xuan’s heart did not settle. This field could block Divine Sense, but it couldn’t completely avoid physical collisions. If a Disciple bumped into them or if a large-scale attack covered this area, they would still be exposed. Moreover, he could feel that the power of the Dark Bead in his hand was slowly being consumed; this field could not be maintained forever.

They had to find a way to leave!

His thoughts raced as his Divine Sense sank into his Dantian. After being nourished by the ancient skeleton’s remaining power and protected by the Dark Bead’s field, his injuries had recovered by about seventy percent. His depleted Sword Essence had become full again, even more condensed and pure than before, and his comprehension of the Nirvana Sword Intent seemed to have deepened by another level. Su Muxue and Zi Linger’s conditions had also significantly improved.

Within his Dantian, the triangular balance formed by the phantom star key, the nirvana true seal fragment, and the sharp metal star key had stabilized once more and was tighter than before. After experiencing the resonance of life and death and the nourishment of the ancient skeleton’s power, a deeper connection seemed to have formed between the three.

Especially the sharp metal star key; although still partially entwined by dark red chains, its light was brilliant. Amidst its sorrowful and sharp Intent, there was an added sense of agility and closeness. It trembled slightly, reflecting the phantom star key.

Just then, on the phantom star key, next to the light dot representing the ”sharp metal star key,” two other extremely dim but real tiny light dots began to slowly emerge in the previously blurred area!

One was a deep azure blue, radiating a vast, heavy, and inclusive Concept. The other was a blazing crimson red, radiating a violent, burning, and destructive Concept!

Simultaneously, a flow of information, clearer than before, surged into Nangong Xuan’s mind through the linkage of the sharp metal star key and the phantom star key:

”...Water... Guixu... In the North Sea lies an abyss...” ”...Fire... Extinguish... Southern Wilderness Molten Heart...” ”...Gather... Five keys... Open... Star Path... Return...”

The information was still incomplete, but it pointed the way! The approximate locations of two more star keys—the water key and the fire key! And a certain key ”Star Path” that might be opened once all five star keys were gathered!

North Nether Abyss! Southern Wilderness Molten Heart!

A brilliant light erupted in Nangong Xuan’s eyes! The path of hope lay ahead!

However, the primary task at hand was to escape the current predicament.

The search outside became increasingly dense. A Golden Core Disciple had even walked to within ten zhang of their hiding spot, seemingly about to enter visual range. The Dark Bead’s field also began to show subtle fluctuations.

He couldn’t wait any longer!

Nangong Xuan glanced at the Dark Bead in his hand, then at the chaos star core in his arms, which was glowing with internal light and flowing with dark-gold patterns due to absorbing the ancient skeleton’s power. A risky plan instantly took shape.

He quickly sent a voice transmission to Su Muxue and Zi Linger.

The two women were startled at first, then nodded heavily, their eyes becoming determined.

Just as that Golden Core Disciple took another step forward, leaving only five zhang between them—

Nangong Xuan suddenly injected the last of his strength into the Dark Bead!

The Dark Bead’s light suddenly flared up, and the concealment field’s intensity reached its peak in an instant, but this also accelerated its energy consumption!

Simultaneously, he controlled the chaos star core, reversing its ability to devour and transform Death Qi. Instead of absorbing, it was... releasing!

A trace of extremely faint but incredibly pure Golden Baleful Death Qi, of the same origin as the ancient skeleton, was simulated by the star core. Like a thread of smoke, it silently drifted toward the depths of the valley in the opposite direction!

This wisp of aura was extremely thin, but under the highly sensitive Divine Sense of the Jin Jue Sect Cultivators, it was like a firefly in the night!

”Over there!” The Mid Nascent Soul Stage deputy was the first to notice, pointing sharply in the direction the Death Qi was drifting!

”Chase them!” Elder Jin Huang did not doubt it and immediately led most of the personnel, turning into golden lights as they pounced toward that direction!

And at the moment they were lured away—

Nangong Xuan barked in a low voice, ”Go!”

The Dark Bead’s field enveloped the three of them, using its final strength to distort light and isolate their auras. Like three blurred ghosts, they sped silently along the edge of the valley toward the exit, in the opposite direction of the Jin Jue Sect group!

However, just as they were about to rush out of the valley entrance—

A cold, playful voice rang out ahead like a ghost:

”Hmph, as expected, a ’luring the tiger from the mountain’ tactic! I almost let you slip away!”

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows, blocking the valley entrance. It was Elder Jin Huang! He had somehow secretly split off an energy incarnation and guarded this sole exit!

The intellect and methods of a Late Nascent Soul Stage great Cultivator were far beyond imagination!