Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 433 Soul Attack
"So, do we consider ourselves to have passed the challenge?" Hong asked cautiously.

"Of course, the goal of the challenge is to obtain the Star Spirit Fruit to make Hanhan admit defeat; half a fruit is enough," Qingyunzi said confidently. "Your performance has exceeded my expectations."

The three felt both happy and guilty. Happy because they had finally completed the challenge, and guilty because they had ruined the precious Star Spirit Fruit.

“There’s no need to feel guilty,” Qingyunzi saw through their thoughts. “This half of the Star Spirit Fruit was obtained through your wisdom and teamwork, which is more meaningful than getting the whole fruit.”

Indeed, although it was only half a fruit, this half fruit embodied the countless attempts and tireless efforts of the three people. Its value far exceeded that of the fruit itself.

“Let’s go find Hanhan now,” Rowan said, carefully picking up half a Star Spirit Fruit from the ground.

Upon arriving at the Spirit Beast Garden, Hanhan was leisurely strolling around. Seeing the three of them approaching, it assumed that battle training was about to begin again and immediately went into battle mode.

“Silly boy, we’re not here to fight,” Rowan said, holding up half a Star Spirit Fruit. “We’re here to share some delicious food with you.”

The moment it saw the Star Spirit Fruit, Hanhan's eyes lit up. It forgot about the battle, forgot everything, and its eyes were only on that half-eaten fruit that emitted an enticing aroma.

“If you admit defeat, this half of the fruit is yours,” Rowan said with a smile.

Without hesitation, Hanhan nodded, then obediently sat on the ground, making a gesture of surrender. To it, no amount of battle honor could compare to a delicious Star Spirit Fruit.

"Haha, we did it!" The three of them hugged each other excitedly.

Qingyunzi watched this scene with a satisfied smile. "Very good. You not only completed the challenge, but also learned the most important lesson."

"What lesson?" the three asked curiously.

“Sometimes, understanding your opponent’s true needs is more effective than brute force,” Qingyunzi explained. “Although Hanhan is strong in combat, its deepest desire is actually very simple: food. You’ve found its true weakness, which is more useful than any martial art.”

Indeed, this challenge taught the three of them a lot. Not only did it improve their combat skills, but more importantly, it transformed their way of thinking.

Luo Wen handed half a Star Spirit Fruit to Hanhan, who carefully took it and then happily savored it. Although it was only half a fruit, its expression was still extremely satisfied.

“Even though it’s only half a piece, Hanhan looks very happy,” Hong observed Hanhan’s expression.

“Sometimes, half-satisfaction is more valuable than complete emptiness,” Qingyunzi said meaningfully.

This statement made the three of them think deeply. On the path of cultivation, many people always crave perfection, thus losing the joy of enjoying the process.

After several days of training and challenges, the three have gained a great deal. Not only have their skills improved, but more importantly, their mindset has been elevated. They have gained a new understanding of the essence of martial arts, and also a new understanding of themselves.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Qingyunzi," the three bowed respectfully to Qingyunzi, "The experiences of the past few days have benefited us for life."

"No need to thank me, this is all thanks to your own efforts," Qingyunzi waved his hand, "I only provided an opportunity."

But soon, the three realized a practical problem: they had to leave this beautiful secret realm. Although it was as beautiful as a fairyland, they still had an important mission to complete. The threat of the Lord of Darkness still existed, and the virtual universe corporation's rendezvous point still awaited them.

"Senior Qingyunzi, we must leave now," Luo Wen said with some reluctance. "There are still many things waiting for us to handle outside."

“I know,” Qingyunzi nodded in understanding, “You have your own missions, and you cannot neglect your duties because you are tempted by the comforts here.”

“But we are really reluctant to leave you,” Silvermoon said sincerely. “These past few days have made us feel the warmth of home.”

"Gatherings are always fleeting, but friendship is eternal," Qingyunzi said kindly. "Even if you leave, our friendship will not change because of distance."

Indeed, although they hadn't spent much time together, Qingyunzi had already become an important elder in the hearts of the three. His wisdom, tolerance, and care brought them a long-lost warmth in this dangerous universe.

"Senior, when will we be able to see you again?" Thor asked the question that everyone was concerned about.

“When fate brings us together again, we will meet again,” Qingyunzi said with a smile. “Perhaps you will have the opportunity to come here again after you have completed your mission.”

“Then we will definitely come back,” Hong said firmly. “We will return to see you once the threat of the Lord of Darkness has been resolved.”

“I will wait for you here,” Qingyunzi nodded in promise.

The moment of parting finally arrived. Qingyunzi personally escorted the three to the exit of the secret realm, and the mysterious spherical structure reopened its passage.

"Remember what you've learned here," Qingyunzi concluded, "not just martial arts skills, but more importantly, the principles of being a good person."

“We will,” the three answered in unison.

"Also, you can take that book, 'The Record of Ancient Demons,'" Qingyunzi suddenly said. "The information inside about the Heart of Light and Darkness might be useful to you."

"Thank you, senior," Luo Wen said excitedly as he accepted the ancient book, a precious farewell gift.

"Go forth, young martial artists," Qingyunzi waved goodbye, "may you maintain your original aspirations in the outside world and bravely face all challenges."

The three reluctantly walked towards the teleportation portal, turning back to look at Qingyunzi's kind smile and the beautiful secret realm. The experiences of the past few days would become precious memories for them forever.

"Goodbye, Senior Qingyunzi," the three waved to Qingyunzi one last time.

"Goodbye, children," Qingyunzi waved in response.

The portal slowly closed, and the three were teleported out of the secret realm.

After escaping the storm of Death's Claws, the three immediately sped towards the rendezvous point. Having rested and trained in the secret realm, they were in better shape than ever before and full of confidence for the challenges ahead.

“According to the original plan, we should have one more day to reach the rendezvous point,” Silvermoon calculated the travel time. “Hopefully, reinforcements from other forces will also arrive on time.”

“No matter how many reinforcements arrive, this will be a fierce battle,” Rowan said gravely. “The threat of the Lord of Darkness should not be underestimated.” “But we are now more confident,” Thor clenched his fist in determination. “Senior Qingyunzi’s training has transformed us, and we have also obtained clues about the Heart of Light and Darkness.”

Indeed, their gains in the secret realm were immense. Not only did their strength increase, but more importantly, they obtained the precious tome "The Record of Ancient Demons," whose records about the Heart of Light and Darkness might be the key to resolving the threat posed by the Lord of Darkness.

But as they approached the galaxy where the rendezvous point was located, the sight before them completely stunned them.

What should have been a peaceful starry sky is now permeated with thick, dark energy. The entire galaxy is shrouded in an ominous gloom, and countless wrecked warships float in the universe, indicating that a fierce battle has just taken place here.

"What happened?" Hong stared in shock at the ruins before him. "How did the rendezvous point become like this?"

“Look over there,” Silver Moon pointed into the distance, “there are some complete warships that look like they belong to Virtual Universe Company.”

Indeed, on the edge of the battlefield, several Virtual Universe Corporation warships were still struggling to maintain their defensive line. But judging from their damaged hulls and weakened energy shields, they were clearly at their last gasp.

“Contact them immediately,” Rowan said urgently, “to find out what happened here.”

Silvermoon quickly activated its communication equipment, sending a contact signal to the remaining warships. Soon, a weary and anxious voice rang out:

"This is Victor Leon, the interim commander of the Third Fleet of the Virtual Universe Corporation. Please state your identity."

"This is mediator Yin Yue. Luo Wen, Lei Shen, Hong Gang, and I have just arrived," Yin Yue responded quickly. "What happened here?"

“Silver Moon? Great, you’ve finally arrived,” Victor’s voice held a sense of relief, as if he had escaped death. “The situation was much worse than we thought.”

"What exactly happened?" Silver Moon pressed.

"The Lord of Darkness was summoned ahead of schedule," Victor's words struck like a bolt from the blue. "Three days ago, all the Dark Servants suddenly acted simultaneously, forcibly breaking the seal with the negative energy they had collected."

"What?!" the three exclaimed simultaneously, "The Lord of Darkness has awakened?"

“Yes, although the seal was broken, the Lord of Darkness has only recovered about 30% of his power due to insufficient energy,” Victor continued to explain. “But even 30% of his power is beyond our ability to cope.”

The Lord of Darkness was already this terrifying with only 30% of his power; how strong must he have been at his peak? The three dared not imagine.

"What's the situation now?" Rowan inquired about the battle.

"It was a horrific scene," Victor's voice was filled with anguish. "The combined fleet was almost completely wiped out, and more than half of the elite warriors from each major faction were killed or wounded. Even CEO Elena was seriously injured and is currently receiving emergency treatment."

This news sent a chill down the spines of the three. Elena was a powerful, immortal-level expert who had been severely injured; this showed just how terrifying the Dark Lord's strength was.

"Where is the Lord of Darkness now?" Silvermoon asked the most crucial question.

“He’s taken over the original rendezvous point and set up a makeshift dark fortress there,” Victor replied. “We’re just holding out on the periphery now, unable to get any closer.”

Guided by the fleet, the three arrived at the makeshift joint command post. This place should have been a bustling military base, but now it was filled with wounded soldiers and an atmosphere of despair.

Inside the command center, Elena was lying in a medical pod receiving treatment. Her face was pale, and her body was wrapped in thick bandages, clearly indicating that her injuries were severe.

“CEO Elena,” Silvermoon approached the medical pod with concern, “how are your injuries?”

“He's not dead yet,” Elena smiled weakly. “I just underestimated the Dark Lord's power. Even with only thirty percent of his power, his dark laws are still terrifying.”

"Can you tell us the specifics of the battle?" Rowan asked for details.

Elena struggled to sit up and began to recount in detail the fierce battle that had taken place three days prior:
"Three days ago, we gathered here as planned, preparing to head to the sealing location of the Lord of Darkness. The participants included elites from various major forces such as the Virtual Universe Company, the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, and the Interstellar Mage Association, totaling over fifty King-level Immortal powerhouses."

“This lineup should be quite strong,” Hong interjected.

“Indeed, we were all very confident,” Elena continued, “but just as we assembled and were about to depart, the space suddenly began to tremble violently. Countless dark minions poured out from the void rifts and launched a surprise attack on us.”

This was a meticulously planned trap. The Dark Servants had known about the joint operation plan for a long time and had laid an ambush at the rendezvous point in advance.

“Even more terrifying, they detonated a massive sacrificial array,” Elena’s voice trembled, “using the life force and fear of everyone present as sacrifices to forcibly summon the Lord of Darkness.”

"A sacrificial array?" Rowan exclaimed in shock. "They're actually using living people as sacrifices?"

“Not only that, they also exploited the divisions among us,” Elena said bitterly. “In a life-or-death situation, some factions chose self-preservation and refused to cooperate with others. This disunity gave the Dark Servants an opportunity.”

Indeed, despite facing a common threat, the conflicts of interest among the major powers have not been completely eliminated. At critical moments, this lack of unity has become a fatal weakness.

"And then the Lord of Darkness was resurrected?" Thor asked.

“Yes, although the quality and quantity of the sacrifices were insufficient, and the Lord of Darkness only recovered 30% of his strength, it was still enough to crush us,” Elena recalled the terrifying scene. “The moment he appeared, the entire space was shrouded in darkness, and our attacks based on laws were like children’s games in front of him.”

"How did you get injured?" Silver Moon asked with concern.

“I joined forces with several other King-level Immortals to attack him, attempting to reseal him while he was still recovering and unstable,” Elena shook her head, “but we underestimated his strength. Even with only thirty percent of his power, the Lord of Darkness still wields dark laws that we cannot comprehend.”

Elena recalled that fierce battle. At that time, more than a dozen King-level Immortals launched a joint attack, the power of which was enough to destroy a star system. But the Lord of Darkness simply waved his hand casually, and all the attacks were blocked by a dark barrier.

“Then he retaliated,” Elena’s voice was filled with fear, “Dark Erosion, an attack I’ve never seen before. It not only attacks our bodies, but also erodes our souls and our understanding of the laws.”

"A soul attack?" Rowan frowned. "This kind of attack is indeed terrifying."

“The most terrifying thing is that those corrupted by darkness gradually lose their minds and become puppets of the Lord of Darkness,” Elena said. “Several powerful individuals have already been completely corrupted and are now subordinates of the Lord of Darkness.”

(End of this chapter)