Reborn with infinite panels

Chapter 276 Cultivation World 65
Si Lingle walked down the jade steps of the Library Peak with firm steps, her body seemingly surrounded by an invisible aura that caused several low-level disciples she encountered to involuntarily step aside.

Si Lingle held the cold, dark fragment of the map tightly in her hand. The mysterious ink patterns on it seemed to resonate subtly with her fingertips, conveying a silent yet unfathomable tremor.

Si Lingle's destination was the "Wanxiang Shu" located on the side of the main peak—the core hall that handled contribution point exchange, mission issuance, and many sect affairs.

The layout of Wanxiangshu is spacious, and the flow of people is significantly denser than that of Cangshufeng. Amidst the hustle and bustle, there is a unique sense of order characteristic of the sect.

On one side stands a towering crystal monument for task handover and release, its surface radiant with divine light;
On the other side were a dozen or so windows made of black sandalwood, behind which sat a steward with an expression that was either serious or tired. Above the windows were clear signs indicating their functions: materials, elixirs, magical artifacts, book exchange, and task settlement...

Si Lingyue looked straight ahead and walked directly to the window marked "Exchange of Classics, Fragments, and Catalogues".

Behind the window stood an elderly man with gray hair and wearing a single crystal pendant, his head bowed as he flipped through a thick register. Compared to the hustle and bustle of the other windows, this place seemed unusually quiet.

Si Lingyue stopped at the window, her voice clear and calm, carrying a hint of the cool, tinkling sound of jade striking stone:

"Elder, this disciple wishes to exchange for this item."

After saying that, she placed the thin, dark-colored piece of paper, which was neither gold nor jade and had a chipped edge, on the handrail without hesitation.

The white-haired elder looked up at the sound, his gaze falling on the dark thin film through the crystal chip, and his previously weary and cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened.

He paused for a moment, not immediately checking the roster, but instead scrutinizing the inconspicuous yet eerily quiet item with a probing gaze.

Si Lingle waited patiently, the flame of exploration for the unknown in the depths of her eyes not extinguished, but instead appeared even more profound under the elder's cautious attitude.

The old elder's gaze lingered for a long time on the cracks and deep ink lines on the edge of the thin slice before slowly shifting back to the thick scroll on the table, "Yunlan Collection: Fragmentary Illustrations and Contribution Records".

His movements slowed noticeably, abandoning his usual routine. His fingers carefully flipped through the pages, and he even used a trace of his divine sense to assist in the search. An unusual solemnity filled the air.

A few breaths passed, which seemed rather long to the silent window.

Finally, the old elder's fingertip stopped on a page in the list, and his aged brows furrowed deeply, as if confirming something and yet filled with doubt.

He raised his head, looked at Si Lingle again, then looked down at the records on the chart, and finally his gaze returned to the actual object.

"This item..." The old elder's voice was low and hoarse with disbelief, "It is recorded as 'Xugu Fragment,' filed under the category of incomplete astrological arrays. Its origin is unknown. Its material is unknown. Its effects are unknown. Note: It is severely incomplete. The array patterns on its surface are suspected to be ancient forbidden arrays of the astrological category, but it is too incomplete to be of any use. Making a copy would be extremely risky."

He paused, then looked up and stared intently at Si Lingle, as if trying to see through her calm exterior to understand her intention in choosing such a "useless" item.

Si Lingle remained aloof and unmoved.

The elder pushed up the chip on his nose before reciting the number that would make ordinary inner disciples tremble with fear:

"Eight thousand contribution points are required for the exchange."

Within the sect, eight thousand contribution points is already a considerable fortune. A pill that benefits an ordinary immortal might only cost a few dozen points, and a low-grade immortal artifact might only cost one or two thousand points. This broken, thin piece, with "unknown efficacy and extremely high risk," has actually yielded a value approaching that of a high-grade immortal artifact!
The atmosphere at the window instantly became subtle. The disciples who had come to exchange resources at the surrounding windows seemed to be startled by the number and cast surprised glances in this direction.

However, after hearing the price quote, the bright light in Si Lingle's eyes did not waver in the slightest.

Eight thousand?

This number did not evoke surprise or hesitation in her mind, but rather a kind of verification—verification of the "extraordinary" nature of this object.

Eight thousand contribution points, thankfully, did not exceed her expectations.

Without the slightest hesitation, she deftly removed the jade pendant from her waist and handed it over.

"Disciple will exchange." Si Lingle's voice was completely calm, as if she were saying that she was exchanging an ordinary immortal stone.

The old elder looked at the young female disciple's calm demeanor and the identity jade token she handed him. The last trace of doubt and shock in his eyes turned into deep scrutiny and an indescribable complexity.

So calmly exchanging 8,000 contribution points for a piece of "trash"? Either this female disciple is incredibly insightful and has a sharp eye... or she's gone mad.

He didn't ask any further questions, but simply took the jade token, his movements much more composed, and pressed it onto a special jade plate behind the counter. The jade plate flashed with light, instantly deducting eight thousand contribution points.

A moment later, the elder returned Si Lingle's jade token and a dark jade box with sealing runes, used to store precious items. The dark, thin piece that Si Lingle had brought—the "Xugu Piece" recorded in the records—lay quietly inside the jade box.

"Take care of yourself." The old elder's voice was meaningful, and he only said these four words.

The moment Si Lingle took the box in her hand, she seemed to be able to clearly sense the slight wriggling of the dark array patterns on the fragment inside the jade box, as well as the deeper yearning for immortal power that was barely suppressed by the jade box and the talisman.

"Thank you, Elder." Si Lingle put away the jade box and identity jade token, gave a slight bow, and then turned to leave without any hesitation.

Si Lingle's figure disappeared outside the gates of Wanxiang Shu, leaving behind the old elder's long gaze and the murmurs of the surrounding disciples.

The dark, thin fragment that recorded the ancient taboos of the starry sky, the "Three Enclosures, Void, Fragment," ended up entirely in Si Lingle's hands.

In the quiet meditation room, only a sliver of moonlight slanted in through the high window, carving a patch of cold silver on the floor.

The air seemed to freeze, dust particles suspended in the beams of light, as if time itself had slowed down.

Si Lingle sat cross-legged on the futon, her posture as firm as a rock, yet her expression was as cold as ice. Her gaze was fixed intently on the open black jade box in front of her.

The dark, thin piece that was neither gold nor jade—the "Xugu Piece"—lay quietly within the halo of the talisman seal. The mysterious ink-colored patterns on it seemed to come alive in the darkness, flowing and twisting slowly and silently.

Si Lingle's fingertips, carrying a hint of tentative coolness, did not release the sealing talisman, but instead gently touched the thin, cold surface through the seemingly invisible barrier of immortal power.

hum-

An invisible vibration instantly pierced through the fingertips.

Like a drop of ink falling into a deep, lifeless pool, it suddenly exploded in her mind!

A silent, deafening roar shook the very foundations of one's soul. In an instant, the tranquil room before them shattered, collapsed, and vanished! In its place lay an endless, cold, and utterly dark void.

There were no stars, no light, only a deathly silence of "nothingness".

Is this what "emptiness" is?
No, Si Lingle forced herself to focus her consciousness; the icy touch was her only anchor. She "looked" towards the core of the darkness—the place reflected by the fragmented ink patterns.

It wasn't absolute darkness; there, the inky textures resembled a vortex of a black hole, frantically devouring the already sparse light and senses around them. Each movement of the textures was like a silent, greedy swallowing.

Right at the edge of this all-consuming vortex, a sudden change occurs!
The shattered, dim, almost extinguished glimmer of light, like the last tear of a shooting star, suddenly burst forth in the ultimate realm of "illusion"! It was not external light, but rather a trace of ancient, stubborn will that remained after being crushed and worn down to its limit by "illusion" itself!
Fragmented starlight!

They are not in large swathes, but rather scattered fragments of exploding stardust, chaotic yet containing a kind of illogical, disorderly, and unsettling order.

Each exploding stardust carries a small, torn trace of its trajectory—the moment a star is born?
Was it the instant the celestial debris collapsed?

Is it a broken chain in the galaxy's orbit?

Countless fragments of information, like a raging blizzard, crashed into Si Lingle's consciousness without warning!

"Pfft—" A sharp pain exploded from the depths of his soul.

Si Lingle swayed almost imperceptibly, a faint trickle of blood escaping from the corner of her lips, like an eerie plum blossom blooming in the dark night. Veins bulged on her forehead, and cold sweat instantly soaked through her inner clothes.

This torrent of information was too brutal and too fragmented, carrying the weight and chaos of the ancient starry sky, almost tearing her mind into billions of pieces, all of which would be drawn into that boundless vortex of devouring.

Danger!

Instinctively sending a frantic warning!

Withdrawing one's consciousness at this moment may be the only way to survive.

However, there was no sign of retreat in Si Lingle's eyes. Instead, the hidden flame of exploration burned even more intensely and deeply because of the intense pain!
The value of eight thousand contribution points is extraordinary.

This danger is proof of its extraordinary nature!

Despite the excruciating pain of her churning mind, Si Lingle summoned a will more resilient than a rock, forcibly condensing and compressing her core consciousness, transforming it into an invisible and formless "pointed cone" containing the full sharpness of her will.

Instead of trying to understand the massive amount of fragmented information in that instant—that would be suicide—you should fix your "point" firmly on the faintest, most subtle trace left by the explosion of shattered starlight!
Capture! Analyze! Simulate!

Si Lingle's core consciousness was trembling wildly. Each simulation of the trajectory was like deducing a profound law that could overturn the universe, consuming a massive amount of mental and spiritual energy.

The sealing runes affixed to the jade box seemed to sense the pull of the violent gravity inside and the intense fluctuations of Si Lingle's divine consciousness. The faint light on the surface flickered erratically, trying its best to maintain the balance of the internal energy.

Time has lost its meaning. It may be a fleeting moment, or it may have been decades.

Just as the power of divine sense was nearly exhausted, and the captured starlight trail imprint was about to be devoured and obliterated—

click!
It was like a silent, sharp cracking sound from the depths of the soul!

A trajectory core that was extremely simple, extremely obscure, and exuded an indescribable gravitational fluctuation and a sense of spatial fragmentation, like the core of a puzzle that had been peeled away, suddenly solidified in Si Lingle's divine sense perception!

It is no longer a chaotic fragment, but a tiny yet complete model that symbolizes the simple truths of "star collapse" and "space collapse"!
I understand!

This brief emergence of the core is not the answer, but an incredibly heavy key!

Having only grasped a smattering of the laws and principles contained within it, an indescribable, vast gravitational force instantly spread out from her body!
That power was like the breath of the starry sky itself, heavy, ethereal, and filled with an ultimate desire to dominate matter and energy!
The air in the quiet room suddenly distorted and collapsed downwards!
The sliver of moonlight on the table was torn apart by an invisible force, the light and shadow shattered and became disordered!

Ground dust frantically gathered around Si Lingle, forming a low, visible vortex!

Two lines of almost solidified silver traces seeped from the corners of Si Lingle's tightly closed eyes, like teardrops formed from stardust.

On the "Xugu Fragment" in the jade box, the ink patterns that devoured everything seemed to sense this new law aura that originated from the same source, and they writhed even more intensely, yet strangely formed a subtle stalemate with the sealing talisman.

Ten days later
Si Lingle slowly opened her eyes, the phantom of shattered star remains deep in her pupils.

She lowered her gaze to her palm—a faint, silvery-gray line stretched upwards along the Laogong acupoint, like a frozen star trail. This was the price for forcibly activating the "Law of Emptiness," and also the key to controlling it.

Strength trait:
Gravitational Collapse: Can slightly distort the space within three feet of the body, deflecting attacks or accelerating the flow of spiritual energy;
Star Mark Energy Devouring: Silver Marks can devour spiritual energy or matter they come into contact with, transforming it into a brief burst of power;
Risk of backlash: Overuse will cause spatial rifts to backfire on one's own meridians.

Having successfully comprehended the Law of Emptiness, Si Lingle went into seclusion to continue her cultivation, preparing to incorporate the power of this Law of Emptiness into the formation.

The Multiverse Delivery System suddenly spoke up: "Host, it's been a long time since you've done a delivery mission."

"No rush. You already have energy now. It's not too late to go after I improve my cultivation."

Delivering packages is less important than improving one's cultivation level.

Si Lingle also released Jiu Jiu (the nine-tailed cat) and Xiao Bai (the white jade spirit weasel) from the Life Pearl, gave them Immortal Spirit Pills, and let them cultivate.

The Dark Chamber of Myriad Phenomena.

The white-haired elder stood with his head bowed before the light screen, the voice of the illusory figure within the screen as still as iron: "Confirmed? She really can trigger the resonance of the 'Void Valley Piece'?"

“Yes.” The elder’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “The sealing talisman of the astral array type has been eroded by thirty percent… This woman either possesses the lost ‘Star Pivot Dao Body,’ or…”

“Either she's had access to other fragments of the ‘Three Enclosures’,” the phantom interrupted. “Keep a close eye on her. If her contribution points increase abnormally during the next mission settlement—”

In the instant before the light screen went out, a secret command pierced the elder's mind:
"Take blood to test the soul, and if necessary... seize the fragments."

Si Lingle spent three years in seclusion, successfully integrating the power of the Void Law into formations and artifacts.

Now the power of her formations and artifacts has increased significantly.

Si Lingle prepared to go out to test the power of her formations and artifacts.

I received a sect mission as soon as I came out of seclusion.

On the third day after receiving the mission, we set off.

Sect mission: Exterminate the Fire Poison Toads of Burning Star Valley (a group of demonic beasts at the Golden Immortal stage).

As Si Lingle stepped into the valley, a scorching wind carrying the smell of sulfur rushed towards her. The rock walls were covered with crimson poison glands, and countless golden eyes shone like will-o'-the-wisps in the shadows.

“Junior Sister Nan Chu,” the team leader, Senior Brother Jing Lin, suddenly spoke up, “Your right flank position is vacant, and you will need to defend the thirty-zhang lava rift alone.”

That was the most densely populated dead zone of the poisonous toad's nest.

Si Lingle raised her eyes and met the faint ink bamboo pattern (the mark of the Enforcement Hall's secret guards) on Jing Lin's cuff. She smiled knowingly and said, "Alright."