Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 447 Protecting the Origin
Section 455: Protecting the Source

His aura has been completely stabilized at the mid-stage of the Dao Inquiry realm! Moreover, his mid-stage Dao Inquiry realm is completely different from that of ordinary cultivators.

His "way" is the way of protection!
Within his body, the spiritual energy has been completely transformed, no longer being simple spiritual energy, but rather containing a "protective source" with a special law power!
This primal force has a natural restraining effect on evil and chaos.

His body, having undergone the baptism of the core area and the battle with the gray creatures, became more refined and resilient.

Every cell in his body seemed to contain an indomitable will.

A faint golden line appeared between his brows, echoing the protective essence within his body.

This pattern was not innate, but formed naturally after he comprehended the will to protect and his body underwent a transformation. It is a symbol of his identity as a guardian.

He slowly opened his eyes, which no longer held only sharpness, but also a calmness born of experience.

He stood up, feeling the abundant power within him and the subtle resonance he felt with this ancient battlefield.

"The Battlefield of Fallen Heavens. Guardian of the Sealed Land. Lord of Nothingness"

After killing the gray creature, he gleaned some more fragmented but crucial information from its remaining consciousness fragments.

Although it wasn't as comprehensive as what Xu Qinghan obtained from the jade slip, it was enough for him to piece together some outlines of the truth!

Lord of Nothingness!

The source of darkness!
The Battlefield of Fallen Heaven is where the guardians sacrificed themselves to seal away a portion of the power and minions of the Lord of Nothingness!

That dark gold armor is the remains of a great guardian! It passed on its "guardian's will" to him!

Those gray creatures are "awakened ones" who have been corrupted or controlled by the power of the Lord of Nothingness! They are trying to break the seal and allow the power of the Lord of Nothingness to descend completely!
Yu Kong's expression turned serious. He finally understood how heavy the burden on his shoulders was!
This is not merely a personal grudge, nor is it simply a matter of sect revenge. It is a war between light and darkness that is sweeping across the entire universe!

He, an ordinary disciple of the Backing Mountain Sect, unexpectedly became a member of this war and inherited the will of the long-fallen guardian!

"Protecting... it turns out it means protecting this universe."

He took a deep breath, sensing the chaos and deathly silence that filled the air.

He looked up at the distant starry sky, as if he could see through the endless distance and see the evil beings hidden in the darkness.

He knew he had to become stronger! Not just for revenge, but also to fulfill that heavy promise!
He began to explore the depths of this battlefield of falling stars.

He was no longer merely seeking opportunities, but searching for traces left by the guardians, for information about the Lord of Nothingness, and for the power to fight against the darkness!
He encountered more "Awakened Ones," varying in strength and attack methods. But no matter who the opponent was, Yu Kong never backed down!
His path of protection was constantly refined in battle, and the power of his protective essence grew stronger and stronger.

He learned how to utilize the remaining fragments of laws from the Heavenly Meteor Battlefield and how to draw upon the power of this sealed land!
He discovered that deep within the battlefield of the Fallen Sky, there were some ancient restrictions left behind by the guardians.

These restrictions are not only to reinforce the seal, but also to conceal the legacy or trials of some guardians.

He ventured into a misty valley, where an ancient illusion array was hidden.

Within the illusion array, he seemed to return to the moment when the Backing Mountain Sect was destroyed, seeing Senior Brother Xu Ran's cold eyes and Xu Qinghan's desperate cries.

The illusion array attempted to stir up his inner fear and anger, trying to make him lose himself in the obsession with revenge.

But Yu Kong did not get lost.

He knew that anger was power, but protection was the direction! Revenge was not the goal; it was to protect more people from suffering the same fate!

His eyes gleamed with determination as he stepped out of the illusion array.

"What I protect is the hope of living beings! It is the future of the universe!"

The moment he stepped out of the illusion array, his state of mind was elevated once again. He felt that the protective essence within him had become purer, and the golden lines between his brows had become clearer.

The illusion array vanished, and an ancient altar appeared in the center of the valley. On the altar, a stone book lay quietly.

The book cover is engraved with ancient text—"The Guardian's Notebook".

Yu Kong stepped forward and picked up the book. A cool, heavy feeling washed over him.

He turned to the first page, and lines of ancient text came into view.

"We were born to protect, we fight to protect, and we fall to protect."

"The Lord of Nothingness devours everything, distorts the laws, and obliterates the 'self' of all living beings."

"The way to resist is not through the strength of force, but through the resilience of the mind and the unyielding will."

"Gathering the thoughts of all beings, embodying the essence of the universe, and igniting the flame of protection."

"The celestial fall serves as the foundation for the seal, and the eternity as the site for its inheritance."

"If future generations are fortunate enough to see this, please remember our aspirations and carry on our responsibility to protect it."

As Yu Kong read the text word by word, he seemed to hear the whispers of those ancient guardians across time and space.

He understood more! The terrifying aspect of the Lord of Nothingness lies in its ability to distort the laws and devour the "self." The key to fighting it is not simply strength, but will and belief!
The Heavenly Meteor Battlefield and the Eternal Forbidden Zone are two important nodes left behind by the guardians! One was used for sealing, and the other for inheritance!
He thought of Xu Qinghan! She went to the Forbidden Zone of Eternity! Perhaps she could find a more complete Guardian's legacy!
A sense of urgency welled up within him. He had to leave the Heavenly Meteor Battlefield as soon as possible and find Xu Qinghan! They needed to unite!
Moreover, Senior Brother Xu Ran possesses a "seed" within him! The power of the Lord of Nothingness can devour the "self"! Could Senior Brother Xu Ran...?
Yu Kong dared not think any further. He gripped the "Guardian's Handbook" tightly and put it into his storage ring.

He knew he couldn't stay in this sealed land any longer. He had gained enough information and power here. It was time to leave!

He took one last look at the battlefield, which was filled with a tragic atmosphere, his eyes filled with an unwavering determination.

"Seniors, Yu Kong will not let you down!"

His figure once again blended into the distorted space around him like a ghost, rapidly stealthily heading towards the exit of the Heavenly Meteor Battlefield.

Unbeknownst to him, after he left, the dark gold armor that stood silently, with its subtle golden pattern between its brows, seemed to flicker slightly, as if in response to his vow.

……

In the vast depths of the universe, there lies a dark region forgotten by starlight.

The enormous gray shadow, composed of countless twisted limbs and faces, now writhed even more violently.

On that gradually clearing gray "face," the empty eye sockets gleamed with an eerie light, as if "watching" over every corner of the universe.

It can sense that the "seeds" it planted are being activated, and its "awakened ones" are taking action.

They are devouring power, clearing obstacles, and breaking seals.

It could also sense that the ancient, repulsive aura of the "guardians" was reappearing in some weak creatures.

Although faint, it was like a candle flame in the darkness, making it feel slightly uncomfortable.

Especially that "container" that integrated the laws at an astonishing speed in the fifth space. Its potential satisfied it.

It is growing rapidly and will soon reach a point where it can be "calibrated" for the next stage.

There was also the boy who inherited the guardian's will, and the girl who went to the Forbidden Zone of Eternity.

Their existence is a cosmic instinct to resist, a "filth" that is about to be cleansed.

"The time is drawing ever closer."

An ancient, hoarse voice echoed in the darkness.

"All obstacles will be smoothed over." "All resistance will be futile."

This universe will eventually return to nothingness.

Around the gray shadow, countless tiny gray specks of light swirled like dust.

These points of light are the remains of countless devoured creatures, fragments of countless distorted laws.

They coalesce around the shadows, forming an ever-expanding gray area.

This realm is the manifestation of the power of nothingness, a sign of the coming of darkness.

Outside of this realm, the vast majority of beings in the Southern Starry Universe remain completely unaware of it.

They fight for a sliver of opportunity, toil for a moment of peace, and slaughter each other for a hollow power.

Unbeknownst to them, true darkness had already quietly descended.

The gears of fate have entered their final acceleration phase.

A catastrophe is brewing.

……

In the fifth space, Xu Ran's body was completely covered by those newly formed runes.

The runes are no longer simple patterns, but have formed a flowing, living "armor".

His body was no longer human.

It has become more abstract, and more in line with the laws of nature.

His limbs became thicker and more powerful, and a pulsating gray core condensed in the center of his body, a product of the fusion of the mark between his eyebrows and all the power within his body.

He reached out and easily "grabbed" a large clump of chaotic law lines.

This time, the law lines did not collapse, but instead gently merged into his body, where they were quickly integrated and absorbed.

[Efficiency of rule integration improved by 50%]

[Container Energy Level Upgrade: Advanced]

[Under construction: Space Distortion Law Model, Time Delay Law Model, Soul Erosion Law Model]

New models of laws are constantly being constructed. These models are no longer simply about the application of power, but directly touch upon the most fundamental laws of the universe.

He can easily distort the space around him, making it extremely fragile.

He can slow down the flow of time, making his opponent's movements as slow as a tortoise.

He can unleash an invisible power of soul erosion, directly attacking the consciousness and soul of living beings.

These abilities all stem from the chaotic laws he devoured and integrated, as well as the terrifying analytical and creative abilities of the gray mark.

He, this "container" that has been completely controlled, is at an astonishing speed mastering a power that was originally only accessible to the most advanced beings in the universe!
He had no emotions, no will, no fear. He was merely a machine that carried out orders, a perfect weapon forged for the coming of darkness.

The trials of the Fifth Dimension seemed endless. A chaotic torrent of laws surged forth relentlessly, while his body frantically absorbed, integrated, and grew stronger.

His aura grew stronger and colder, becoming more and more like the Lord of Nothingness himself!
He is no longer Xu Ran.

He is the container.

It is a seed.

He is a messenger of darkness.

His existence heralded the end of an era and the beginning of a dark age.

[Success rate of rule integration: 30%]

[Container strength increase: Huge]

[Approaching the next stage threshold.]

A cold voice echoed in "consciousness".

Threshold.

Reaching this threshold means the trial in the fifth space is about to end. It means he will enter the next space and undergo a deeper level of "calibration".

This means that the day when the great being will be fully realized is drawing ever closer.

And all of this is happening silently deep within the Southern Starry Universe.

……

Xu Qinghan continued her journey through the ancient forbidden zone. Guided by the "Guardian's Handbook," her understanding of the forbidden zone was no longer a blind exploration.

She began to be able to identify some of the secret marks left by the guardians and to find some hidden places of inheritance or supply points.

The dangers she faced were increasing, but she dealt with them with increasing composure.

She began to try to use some of the concepts of fighting darkness mentioned in the jade slip, gathering power with her heart of protection, making the soft light of her jade sword purer and more capable of purifying and exorcising evil.

She even discovered a hidden underground cave near a cursed lake.

Deep inside the cave, she saw some broken ancient instruments, which seemed to be tools used by the guardians to temper themselves or create weapons.

Beside these tools, she found some abandoned materials and a notebook recording certain special weapon-refining methods.

These methods of weapon crafting are not for crafting flying swords or magical treasures, but for crafting "guardian armor" that can resist the erosion of darkness!
Although the notes were incomplete and the materials were severely lacking, it was undoubtedly a huge gain!
She began to try to simulate forging that armor using the methods in the notes and the materials and strength she had.

Each attempt was exceptionally difficult, requiring a tremendous amount of her mental and physical energy, but she never gave up.

She knew that fighting the darkness could not rely solely on individual strength.

The Guardians were once a group; only by uniting could they contend with the Lord of Nothingness.

Although she is alone now, she has inherited their will and will learn their skills to prepare for future battles.

She was even more eager to find Yu Kong. He had inherited the guardian's will, and if they could unite, their power would multiply!
Moreover, she never gave up looking for a way to save her senior brother Xu Ran.

She knew that if Xu Ran's "self" had not been completely devoured, perhaps the power of the Guardian could help him fight the "seed" within the antibody!
"Senior brothers, Yu Kong, you must wait for me."

She whispered in the silent cave, her eyes shining with hope and resilience.

……

Yu Kong left the battlefield of Tianyun.

He did not immediately go to the Wangu Forbidden Zone to find Xu Qinghan.

(End of this chapter)