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

217: Chapter 217: The Fire Key’s Weeping Blood and the Star Core’s ResonanceDeep within the Ancient Fire Path, all was silent. Only the remaining scorching breath and energy particles stirred restlessly in the air, speaking of the lingering power from the world-destroying impact just now. Nangong Xuan carried the unconscious Zi Linger on his back and supported the weak Su Muxue. Following the chaos star core that floated ahead, emitting a halo of Chaos, they struggled step by step toward the source of that clear and painful call.

The ground beneath their feet had completely vitrified, becoming smooth and scorching, reflecting the hazy glow of the chaos star core and the staggering figures of the three. The passage became exceptionally wide here, as if entering a massive underground grotto. The surrounding rock walls were no longer a monotonous charred black, but instead displayed a complex interlacing of dark red, ochre, and glass, as if formed from a mixture of coagulated blood and lava. The pure fire spiritual particles permeating the air were so dense they almost turned liquid, but deep within, a heart-palpitating chill, deathly stillness, and twisted Impurities were stubbornly mixed in—the aura of the dark side. It was even more obscure than what they had felt at the North Nether Sea, yet more deep-seated, like a malignant tumor parasitizing the Bloodline of the flames.

The deeper they went, the clearer the call from the fire star key became. The sense of pain and weakness within it also grew more obvious, like a noble being weeping softly in endless torment, longing for liberation.

”It’s just ahead.” Nangong Xuan’s voice was raspy, and his gaze was as sharp as a hawk’s, piercing through the pale red mist ahead to lock onto a massive cave entrance that pulsed slowly like a heart. The entrance emitted staggering heat and light, as if leading to the Core of a sun.

The chaos star core also seemed to sense something. The dark gold and crimson patterns on its surface flowed faster, and that speck of black lightning flickered unsteadily. The halo of Chaos it emitted fluctuated slightly, carrying both an instinctive longing and a sense of vigilance and... disgust?

The three cautiously stepped out of the Ancient Fire Path, and the scene before them opened up suddenly, but it also caused their hearts to sink to the bottom instantly.

This was a massive underground space beyond description. In the center of the space was an incredibly vast Lava Lake composed of pure energy. The lake did not contain ordinary magma, but boiling, rolling, liquid fire spiritual primordial power that appeared as a brilliant golden-red! This was the Core of the Heart of Molten Fire, one of the manifestations of the Primordial Fire Eye’s power!

However, this lake of fire elemental power, which should have been supremely yang and pure, nurturing life, appeared extremely unstable at this moment. The surface of the lake rolled and roared violently, with massive bubbles bursting from time to time, spewing out destructive flows of energy. Even more shocking was that within that brilliant golden-red, clear, filthy energy resembling black blood vessels was actually entangled! They twisted and squirmed, constantly contaminating and eroding the pure fire element, emitting a sickening will of madness and deathly stillness.

In the very center of the Lava Lake floated a crystal about the size of a human head, irregular in shape, and appearing as if carved from the purest ruby. It emitted infinite light and heat, and at its Core, an incredibly profound flame rune rotated slowly. It was precisely the call it emitted that was creating a strong resonance with the star key inside Nangong Xuan’s Dantian!

The fire star key!

But now, this supreme star key was tightly entwined and bound by several thick, pitch-black chains that squirmed like living creatures! Those chains were not physical entities but were condensed from the purest filthy energy of the dark side. They bit deeply into the body of the star key, constantly extracting its power and forcibly injecting that black filth into it!

The light of the star key flickered uncertainly because of this, sometimes brilliant and dazzling, sometimes dim and lusterless. Every flicker of light conveyed immense pain and struggle. Its call was exactly the mournful cry emitted when tormented to the extreme!

”They... they’re actually using the power of the dark side to contaminate the star key!” Su Muxue cried out in shock, all color draining from her face. She finally understood why the Primordial Fire Eye was acting strangely; the Tiangong Sect’s so-called reinforcement of the Seal was likely just a front. Their true purpose might be to control, or even... contaminate the fire star key, turning it into a terrifying weapon!

A cold light burst from Nangong Xuan’s eyes, and infinite killing intent permeated the air like something physical. Whether it was to obtain the star key to leave this realm or to prevent the erosion of the dark side, he would never allow this to happen!

As if sensing the arrival of the three and the floating chaos star core that emitted an aura they detested, those few pitch-black chains suddenly shuddered. A portion of them split off and shot toward the three like venomous snakes! Wherever they passed, even space was corroded with faint black traces!

”Watch out!” Nangong Xuan shielded Su Muxue and Zi Linger behind him. His Nirvana Sword Intent erupted instantly as his Ashen Nirvana Sword Gang slashed toward the incoming filthy chains!

Chichi-chi!

The Sword Gang collided with the chains, producing a piercing corrosive sound! Although the Nirvana Sword Intent could annihilate some of the filthy energy, the power of the dark side contained within these chains was extremely pure and stubborn. For a moment, it was difficult to completely sever them; instead, there were faint signs of reverse erosion creeping along the Sword Intent!

At the same time, the Lava Lake boiled violently, and over a dozen monsters formed from contaminated fire elements—twisted in form and burning with black flames—crawled onto the shore, letting out silent roars as they lunged to kill!

At this critical moment—

Buzz!

The hovering chaos star core finally moved! It seemed to be completely enraged by that pure filth of the dark side, or perhaps it was touched by the pain of the fire star key. The dark gold and crimson patterns on its surface flowed frantically at an unprecedented speed, and that speck of black lightning suddenly brightened!

It no longer emitted a halo, but instead suddenly generated an incredibly overbearing suction. However, this suction was not directed at the surrounding fire spiritual power, but accurately locked onto those incoming filthy chains and the lunging fire monsters!

Within that suction was a hint of the Chaos majesty from when it had suppressed the leyline riot earlier, possessing an Innate restraint against the energy of the dark side!

Zizizi!

The filthy chains trembled violently and were pulled uncontrollably toward the chaos star core. The black energy on them was forcibly stripped away and devoured like silk being unraveled from a cocoon! The fire monsters were even more like they had met their natural enemy; the black flames on them were instantly extinguished, and their bodies twisted and turned into pure but chaotic fire elements, which were devoured by the chaos star core as well!

The chaos star core was like a bottomless purification vortex, frantically devouring the filth before it!

But this time, after devouring, it did not feed any energy back to Nangong Xuan, but instead used it all for some kind of change within itself. Its volume expanded slightly, and the dark gold and crimson patterns on its surface became more complex and profound. That speck of black lightning gradually turned into an imperceptible, tiny vortex.

What shook Nangong Xuan’s mind even more was that he clearly felt that within the chaos star core, the sleeping consciousness belonging to Lin Mo fluctuated violently during this process of devouring filth and contacting the pain of the same-source star key!

A strong sense of sorrow, anger, and... the will to protect, originating from the depths of the Soul, was transmitted through the chaos star core!

”Moer...” Nangong Xuan murmured to himself.

Just then, the chaos star core jolted, and an extremely weak but incredibly clear thought, like the babbling of a newborn, entered Nangong Xuan’s mind in fragments:

”Fa... ther... pain... purify... key...”

It was Lin Mo! Stimulated by the chaos star core devouring the power of the dark side and sensing the pain of the star key, his consciousness had actually briefly awakened a sliver and transmitted a blurred message!

Although he could not fully control the chaos star core, he was instinctively guiding the way!

Nangong instantly understood! The chaos star core longed to devour this filthy energy; this was both its instinct and something that could promote its Fusion and Lin Mo’s awakening. More importantly, it was the key to purifying the fire star key!

”Mu Xue, protect me! Linger needs to stabilize her injuries as soon as possible!” Nangong Xuan made a prompt decision, carefully setting Zi Linger down and speaking quickly to Su Muxue, ”The chaos star core can devour those filthy chains, but it needs time! I will draw them away; let it devour!”

Su Muxue endured her weakness and raised her moon wheel again. Though the clear glow was dim, it firmly enveloped a small area, blocking the occasional splashes of contaminated fire rain. ”Be careful!”

Nangong Xuan let out a long cry. He no longer simply slashed, but instead utilized his movement techniques, attracting more filthy chains and monsters to attack him to create an opportunity for the chaos star core to devour them!

The ancient sword swept across as the Nirvana Sword Intent was unleashed, parrying and dispersing the incoming attacks one by one, yet not completely destroying them, instead allowing the chaos star core to follow up and devour them.

The chaos star core was like a greedy yet picky eater, following closely behind Nangong Xuan’s figure and accurately devouring those dark side filths that were drawn over. With every bit it devoured, its light grew brighter, and Lin Mo’s weak thought seemed to solidify a bit more.

Gradually, the pitch-black chains wrapped around the fire star key began to grow dim and sparse at a visible rate!

The fire star key also seemed to sense hope. The flame rune at its Core accelerated its rotation, bursting with even more tenacious light as it fought hard against the erosion of the filth, working from both the inside and the outside!

However, the disturbance here, especially the unique fluctuations emitted by the chaos star core and the phenomenon of a large amount of dark side energy being devoured, finally caught the attention of the true existence guarding this place.

”Buzz—!”

A muffled, inhuman hum suddenly came from deep beneath the Lava Lake, carrying the anger of being disturbed.

The entire Lava Lake split apart to both sides, and a massive, terrifying existence condensed from countless contaminated fire elements and spiritual resentment slowly rose from the bottom of the lake!

It had no fixed form, appearing like a mass of constantly squirming black viscous matter. Countless painfully twisted faces surfaced on its exterior, and in the center was a massive single eye burning with black flames, coldly and heartlessly locking onto the chaos star core and Nangong Xuan.

A terrifying pressure far exceeding the Nascent Soul Stage instantly enveloped the entire space!

The final guardian the Tiangong Sect had hidden here to contaminate and control the star key—a monster formed from the Fusion of the power of the dark side and the Earth Fire Fiend Spirit—finally revealed itself!

Nangong Xuan’s heart sank suddenly.

The true test was only just beginning.