Starting as a menial disciple, he cultivated beasts and achieved immortality.

Chapter 1017 Desperate Situation Burns the Heart

The light membrane of Chuchenyi shattered, and the dark purple chains of the Yinsha Sect's Demonic Array sealed it off layer by layer.

In the center of the post station, Yu Changsheng knelt on the ground, the collision of the five forces within his Dao Embryo nearing its limit, cracks spreading like a spider web.

Elder Qingyi's spiritual body fluctuated violently, Jian Chen and the disciples of Xuantian Sword Sect formed an array to defend themselves, and Chen Xueqing's emerald golden cocoon floated beside Yu Changsheng—everyone was on the verge of exhaustion.

The Soul-Devouring Demon stood at the head of the demon ship, his scarlet eyes fixed on Yu Changsheng: "A cornered beast's struggle! I'd like to see how many sword strikes you can still unleash with your dying body!"

Yu Changsheng slowly raised his head. The vortex of the void in his left eye sluggishly rotated, while the embers in his right eye had been extinguished.

However, the Burial Abyss Black Sword in his arms emitted a faint tremor from the remnant soul of Mo Yu—it was not the sound of a sword, but a resonance between the sword intent of annihilation and the star array patterns of the post station.

“The core of the formation…” Yu Changsheng’s divine sense swept over the half-damaged star altar in the center of the post station. Although the rhombus-shaped crystal was full of cracks, it still maintained a connection with the deep veins of the Starfall Ancient Road after Chen Xueqing activated it with the Star Key fragment.

A crazy idea suddenly flashed through his mind: if he could use himself as a medium to draw upon the power of the ancient star veins, perhaps he could…

"Immortality? Impossible!" Chen Xueqing's divine sense urgently transmitted.

She sensed Yu Changsheng's intention—to use his own Dao Embryo as a "furnace" to forcibly absorb the power of the star veins to break through the predicament. However, Yu Changsheng's Dao Embryo was already on the verge of collapse, and if he were to withstand any further external impact, he would surely die.

Yu Changsheng did not respond.

He gripped the Burial Abyss Black Sword tightly. The remnant soul of Mo Yu within the sword seemed to sense something, and the sword intent of annihilation flowed like icy water. The next moment, Yu Changsheng did something no one expected—

He held his left hand together like a sword and thrust it fiercely towards his own brow!

"puff!"

The fingertip sank into the flesh, but no blood flowed out.

A golden-green Daoist aura emanated from between his brows—it was the "Return to the Void: Origin Pivot" imprinted by Chen Xueqing on the core of his Daoist embryo.

Yu Changsheng actually activated this life-saving Daoist energy, but not for repair, but for... reversal!

"Using the Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme as a guide, and the collision of the five forces as fire—ignite my Dao Embryo, and guide the starry sky!" Yu Changsheng roared, his emerald gold light shining brightly between his brows. At the same time, the four forces within his Dao Embryo—the Annihilation Foundation, the Devouring Void Rune, the Abyss Fire Core, and the Chaos Emperor Blood—were forcibly guided by the Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme and began to clash wildly!

"boom--!"

A silent roar erupted from within the Dao Embryo. The cracks instantly spread to 80%, and Yu Changsheng bled from his seven orifices, his body trembling violently.

But at the same time, the annihilation energy torrent generated by the hedging was completely poured into the Void Vortex in his left eye through the reverse guidance of the Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme!

The Void of Return suddenly accelerated its rotation and began to devour—not the demonic energy from the outside world, but the star power surging from the eye of the post station array!

"Om-!"

The rhombus-shaped crystal trembled violently, and the icy blue star power surged out like a burst dam. After being swallowed by the vortex of the void, it mixed with the annihilation energy of the four forces within Yu Changsheng's Dao Embryo, forming a chaotic and violent "Star Annihilation Torrent".

This torrent was too immense; Yu Changsheng's Dao Embryo simply couldn't withstand it and began to crumble inch by inch.

But just as the Dao Embryo was about to shatter completely, Yu Changsheng made a second move.

He redirected all the "Star Annihilation Torrent" through the spot where the embers of his right eye had been extinguished, and blasted it back into the Burial Abyss Black Sword!

"Mo Yu, take the sword—with the starry sky as fuel, reignite the annihilation!"

The Black Sword of Burial Abyss trembled violently!

Within the sword, Mo Yu's remnant soul was almost instantly annihilated by the overwhelming torrent of stardust. However, the essence of the Annihilation Sword Intent was to give birth to "annihilation" within "death." The stellar power contained within the torrent of stardust came from the pure Daoist essence left behind by the ancient star-forming creators; while the annihilation energy originated from the collision of four ultimate forces within Yu Changsheng's Dao embryo—the combination of these two forces actually formed a strange "tempering" within the sword.

"Crack...knock..."

On the surface of the Burial Abyss Black Sword, the originally dark blade began to crack. But what shone through the cracks was not the light of destruction, but a pattern of interwoven ice blue and dark red—the power of stars and the fire of the Abyss fused within the sword, and the sword intent of annihilation was forged into a new sharpness like tempered iron.

The last vestige of Mo Yu's will, under the baptism of this power, not only did not dissipate, but instead began to... be reborn!

"Nirvana... is not the end... but the beginning of reincarnation..." A vague thought emanated from the black sword, growing clearer and clearer.

Cracks spread across the entire sword body, and then, instead of shattering, all the fragments floated and reformed—a brand new sword was born in the torrent of stardust!

The sword is three feet and three inches long, with a dark blue blade and star-like ice-blue light spots flowing across its surface; a dark red line on the spine of the sword is like a burning bloodline, which is the Dao mark of the Flame of the Abyss; the blade is as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it exudes an aura of annihilation that can cut down everything.

Most strangely, a jade-gold rune appeared on the hilt of the sword—it was the Daoist imprint of Chen Xueqing's "Return to the Void: Origin Pivot," which had now merged with the sword.

"This sword is named 'Star Silence'."

Yu Changsheng's hoarse voice rang out. He held the reborn Star Silence Sword and slowly stood up. At this moment, his Dao Embryo had completely collapsed—the four forces of the Annihilation Foundation, the Devouring Void Rune, the Ember Abyss Fire Core, and the Chaos Emperor Blood, under the impact of the Star Annihilation Torrent, mixed with the fragments of the shattered Dao Embryo, forming a chaotic "Star Annihilation Sea" that floated in his dantian.

Only the emerald gold Daoist essence, like a stabilizing needle, pierced through the Star Annihilation Sea, maintaining the last vestige of life.

He was already a cripple. His Dao embryo was shattered, and the foundation of his cultivation was destroyed. But the sword in his hand contained power surpassing that of a Nascent Soul cultivator!

"cut--!"

Yu Changsheng swung his sword. There was no earth-shattering sword light, only a thin line interwoven with ice blue and dark red, silently traversing the space.

Wherever the thin line passed, the dark purple chains binding the demonic formation melted away like ice and snow meeting the sun.

The protective demonic light of the three Nascent Soul elders shattered instantly. One of them couldn't dodge in time, and his right arm touched the edge of the thin line. His entire arm, along with half of his shoulder, turned into nothingness—not destruction, but complete "return to silence," leaving not even a speck of dust behind!

The thin line pointed directly at the Soul-Devouring Demon.

The old demon was terrified. He swung the White Bone Banner with all his might, and the wailing of ten thousand souls formed a thick soul shield.

The moment the thin thread touched the Soul Shield, time seemed to stand still for a second. Then the Soul Shield shattered like glass, and the thin thread pierced through the White Bone Banner pole—this demonic treasure that had been refined for a thousand years—and was broken in two!

"Pfft!" The Soul-Devouring Demon spat out black blood, the backlash from the destruction of his natal magic weapon causing severe damage to his soul.

What's even more terrifying is that the thin line did not dissipate after destroying the White Bone Banner. Instead, it absorbed the soul power that had dissipated from the broken Soul Banner, expanded slightly, and continued to spread towards him!

"Retreat! Retreat quickly—!" The Soul-Devouring Demon dared not linger any longer, transforming into a black rainbow and retreating madly, disregarding even the demon army and elders. With their commander fleeing, the demon formation was thrown into chaos.

"Now! Let's go!" Elder Qingyi shouted, and the illusory image of the Pure World Green Lotus surged, transforming into a three-zhang-long green lotus to protect all the disciples of the Xuantian Sword Sect.

Elder Jian Chen understood immediately. The sword energy of the Xuan Tian Star Dou Sword Formation reversed, no longer attacking outwards, but instead receding inwards, transforming into a starlight barrier superimposed on the Azure Lotus Shield—they wanted to use the power of Yu Changsheng's sword to break through!

Yu Changsheng, after unleashing that sword strike, had already knelt on one knee, the Star Silence Sword planted in the ground to support his body. He coughed up blood, the blood mixed with fragments of the Dao Embryo and golden specks of Chaos Emperor's blood. The Star Annihilation Sea in his dantian churned incessantly, the emerald-gold Dao aura barely maintaining balance, but he could feel—his life force was rapidly slipping away.

"Longevity!" Chen Xueqing's emerald-gold cocoon floated down beside him, her spiritual body becoming ethereal and transparent due to excessive consumption.

She sensed that Yu Changsheng's Dao embryo had shattered and his cultivation foundation had been completely destroyed. At this moment, he was only being kept alive by the Emerald Golden Dao Aura.

"I'm fine..." Yu Changsheng's eyes flashed a blood-stained smile. "Xueqing, lead everyone... along the Star Remains Chain, to the Ice Blue Starlight..."

"how about you?"

“I…” Yu Changsheng looked at the altar in the center of the post station. After releasing a large amount of star power, the cracks in the rhombus-shaped crystal widened a bit more, but it was still shimmering.

Deep within the crystal, he vaguely sensed an even more ancient and massive stellar pulse fluctuation—the true core power of the Starfall Ancient Road.

"I still have things to do." Yu Changsheng gritted his teeth, used the Star Silence Sword to support himself, and staggered to his feet. "You guys go first, I'll cover the rear."

"No!" Chen Xueqing declared resolutely. "Your Dao Embryo is already shattered; staying here will surely lead to your death!"

“It is precisely because the Dao Embryo has shattered…” Yu Changsheng’s left eye’s Void Vortex slowly rotated, devouring the scattered star power around him, “that I have… the opportunity to reforge it.”

He looked at Qingyi and Jianchen.

Elder Qingyi's face was deathly pale, and the Pure World Lotus had dimmed to the point of almost going out; Elder Jianchen was covered in blood, and all his disciples behind him were injured.

If we get entangled with the demon army again, everyone will die here.

"Elder Qingyi, Elder Jianchen," Yu Changsheng said in a hoarse but firm voice, "Take everyone away—this is an order."

Elder Qingyi's lips trembled as she looked at Yu Changsheng's shattered dantian, then at the regrouping demon army in the distance—though the Soul Devouring Demon had retreated, three Nascent Soul elders remained, and thousands of demon soldiers had not dispersed. There was no time to hesitate.

"...Go!" Qingyi gritted her teeth, and the Pure Lotus enveloped everyone, transforming into a streak of blue light as she rushed toward the weak point in the demon array caused by the chaos.

Elder Jian Chen glanced at Yu Changsheng one last time before leading his disciples to follow closely behind.

Chen Xueqing's emerald-golden cocoon hung beside Yu Changsheng, motionless.

"Xueqing, be good." Yu Changsheng reached out and gently touched the surface of the cocoon with his blood-stained fingers. "I need you to live... wait for me to come back."

Inside the cocoon of light, Chen Xueqing's spirit fluctuated violently. She sensed the resolute will in Yu Changsheng's divine sense and saw the demonic army surrounding the post station closing in again—Yu Changsheng intended to use himself as bait to lure away all the pursuers.

“…I will wait for you.” A trembling divine thought came from within the emerald-gold cocoon. “If you do not come, I will search for you deep within the ancient road—until my soul dissipates and my soul vanishes.”

The cocoon of light transformed into a stream of light, catching up with Elder Qingyi's lotus shadow.

Yu Changsheng watched as everyone disappeared into the depths of the Starfall Chain, then slowly turned to face the approaching demon army. He gripped the Star Silence Sword in his left hand and placed his right hand on the rhombus-shaped crystal of the post station altar.

"Using the shattered embryo as a catalyst and the star veins as a furnace—today, I, Yu Changsheng… rebuild my foundation!"

Yu Changsheng focused his divine sense into his dantian.

There was no longer a Dao Embryo there, only a chaotic Star Annihilation Sea—fragments of the Silent Foundation, remnants of the Devouring Void Rune, embers of the Abyss Fire Core, drops of Chaos Emperor's Blood, and threads of emerald-gold Dao Rhyme, all mixed together in an ocean formed by the power of stars and annihilation energy, churning violently.

Ordinary cultivators suffer a shattered Dao embryo, their cultivation is completely ruined, and they can never embark on the path of cultivation again for the rest of their lives.

But Yu Changsheng is different—his Dao Embryo was originally composed of five extreme forces. Although it was shattered at this moment, it did not dissipate, but coexisted in another form.

More importantly, he held the Star Silence Sword, which contained the annihilation sword intent of Mo Yu's rebirth, the Daoist rhyme of Chen Xueqing's "Return to the Void: Origin Pivot", and... the core star vein of the Starfall Ancient Road connected to the post station's array eye!

“The Starry Sky Forgers opened up the ancient path, using stars as the foundation and the Daoist rhythm as the chain…” Yu Changsheng recalled the information in Chen Xueqing’s inheritance, “The ancient path itself is a huge ‘Daoist Embryo Furnace’.”

The rhombus-shaped crystal he was pressing with his right hand was now radiating the surging energy of the ancient star veins. It wasn't just ordinary energy, but the very essence of the stars containing the ancient laws of the Dao!

“In that case…” Yu Changsheng’s left eye’s Void Vortex spun wildly, beginning to devour the Star Pulse Power transmitted from the crystal; at the same time, he poured all of this power into his dantian’s Star Annihilation Sea!

"Boom—!"

The Starry Sea boiled. The primordial energy of stars clashed with the power of chaos, unleashing a deafening roar as if the heavens and earth were splitting apart. Yu Changsheng's body trembled violently, his skin cracked, and blood gushed out like a fountain. But he gritted his teeth, guided by the emerald-gold Daoist essence, and began... to reforge his Dao embryo!

This is not a repair, but a complete rebuild.

Step 1: Use the origin of stars as the "foundation".

Guided by the emerald-gold Daoist aura, the power of the stellar veins condensed into an ice-blue star-shaped base, replacing the original desolate base. This base no longer emitted deathly ripples, but instead flowed with pure stellar Daoist aura, as stable as the starry sky.

Step 2: Use the sword intent of annihilation as the "framework".

The annihilation sword intent of Mo Yu within the Star Silence Sword was activated, transforming into countless dark blue sword patterns that were imprinted on the surface of the star base. These sword patterns were not lifeless, but rather, in the midst of "annihilation," they were giving birth to "new life"—as the sword patterns flowed, they continuously absorbed the chaotic energy in the Star Annihilation Sea, transforming it into pure sword energy.

Step 3: Use the Flame of the Abyss as the "core".

The embers of the Abyss Fire Core, remaining in the Star Annihilation Sea, reignited under the nourishment of the star's origin—but this time, the flames were no longer dark red, but rather a mixture of icy blue and dark red, known as the "Star Ember Fire." The fire core hovered in the center of the star's base, burning like a star.

Step 4: Use the Devouring Void Rune as the "network".

The remnants of the Devouring Void runes were peeled away by the Emerald Gold Daoist Rhyme and rewoven into a net-like network covering the entire star base. However, these networks no longer devoured Yu Changsheng's life force, but instead devoured external energy—the demonic energy and stellar power devoured by the Void Returning Void Vortex were all transmitted to the Star Ember Fire Core through the Devouring Void networks, transforming into pure cultivation.

Step 5: Use the blood of the Chaos Emperor as "blood".

Drops of Chaos Emperor's blood merged into the star base, transforming into golden blood that flowed through the Devouring Void Veins. The Emperor's blood endowed the Dao Embryo with supreme dominance and vitality; each drop of blood strengthened the Dao Embryo's limits.

Step 6: Take the Jade Gold Daoist Charm as the "soul".

Chen Xueqing's Daoist rhyme, "The Return to the Void: The Pivot of Origin," has now completely merged with Yu Changsheng's soul. It is no longer just an external imprint, but has become the "regulatory center" of the new Dao embryo—balancing the five forces, guiding the energy cycle, and ensuring the stability of the Dao embryo.

The entire process, in the eyes of outsiders, took no more than a few dozen breaths. (End of Chapter)