The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

Like a cunning rabbit being chased by a hound, the "Stargazer" desperately navigated the complex and treacherous terrain to the southwest of the "Gravity Maze." Under the urgent adjustments of its mentor, Verna, the engine greedily absorbed the newly collected "Starflow Crystal" energy. Dark blue light surged through the energy pipelines, providing the ship with far more powerful propulsion than expected. However, this also brought an unfamiliar and somewhat "lively" energy load, requiring continuous fine-tuning by the Star Core and Verna to stabilize it.

Inside the bridge, the atmosphere did not lighten despite the temporary escape from the "Crystal Remains Forbidden Zone." On the main screen, the scanned image representing the rear area was blurry. The intense psionic interference and spatial distortion rendered remote detection almost ineffective. However, everyone knew that the loosening of the seal was like a crack in a dam, and the "tide" of the Crystal Devouring Bacteria would eventually overflow, following the residual aura of the Star Key or the increasingly obvious signs of mutation occurring on Airi's body.

The medical pod became the temporary focal point. Irene was placed on a reinforced life support bed. Beneath her greyish-white, sandstone-like skin, pale blue energy patterns flickered like breath, subtly echoing the light of the stardust crystals. The light-colored crystalline patterns on her forehead and the back of her hands became clearer, even slightly raised, shimmering with a soft, starlight-like inner light. Lilith and Annie stood guard beside her, surrounded by various monitoring instruments, data scrolling rapidly across the screens.

"Her vital signs... are extremely unstable, yet strangely maintained at a dangerous balance." Lilith's voice was weary and incredulous. "Her cell division and gene expression rates are over a hundred times faster than normal Crystal Clan members, but she shows no signs of collapse; instead, it's as if she's... reorganizing. Her energy absorption rate is astonishing. The small piece of Starflow Crystal energy that was just inputted has been completely absorbed and converted. The energy readings within her body... are already approaching those of a well-trained low-level apprentice, and they're still slowly increasing!"

Annie carefully wiped the fine beads of sweat from Airi's forehead with a damp cloth, her eyes filled with worry: "Sister Airi, can you hear us? How are you feeling?"

Airi's tightly closed eyes trembled, as if she were struggling against something. A series of broken moans, a mixture of pain and confusion, escaped her throat: "So many...sounds...images...flashing...in my mind...hot...cold...stones are singing...stars are crying...who...am I...who am I..." Her hands unconsciously gripped the sheets, her fingernails leaving faint white scratches on the special fabric—her fingertips were crystallizing!

"Her consciousness is being overwhelmed by fragments of memories belonging to this forbidden land and those ancient warriors!" Verna strode into the medical pod, her face grave. She placed her hand lightly on Airi's forehead, her pure star power slowly seeping in with a soothing intent. "Airi, listen, guard your own 'core'! You are Airi, Airi of the Crystal Rock Tribe! Those are echoes of the past, dust of history. You can feel them, but don't be swallowed up! Imagine yourself as a reef in a raging torrent!"

Under Verna's guidance and the soothing power of the stars, Airi's trembling gradually subsided, and her breathing became slightly more stable. However, she did not wake up and seemed to have fallen into a strange meditative state of deep struggle against the dramatic changes within her body and external information.

"She needs time, and she needs guidance." Verna withdrew her hand and said to Lilith, "Continue to monitor her, maintain her basic needs with gentle nerve stabilizers and nutrient solutions, but do not forcibly interfere with the evolutionary process. This mutation, spurred by the high-level psionic environment of the 'Primordial Spirits,' carries both danger and opportunity. The outcome largely depends on her own will and... the environment we can provide for her next."

"Environment?" Lilith asked, puzzled.

"The 'echo' that Starkey and Lina sensed in the southwest," Verna said, looking towards the bridge. "If that really is another 'Primordial Eldar Relic,' perhaps there's a more suitable environment or knowledge for her, or at least one that would allow her to safely complete this 'evolution.' Staying in this chaotic gravity labyrinth, or escaping to other unknown star systems, is too dangerous for her."

At this moment, Rowe and Elder Anderson walked in, both of them looking rather grim.

"The flight path has been corrected according to Lina's latest perceptions and the resonance of the Star Key, but the spatial structure ahead is extremely strange." Elder Anderson pointed to the tactical board he carried with him. "It doesn't seem to be a fixed star field, but more like... a constantly changing, moving 'spatial fold' or 'dimensional crevice.' Lina said that the 'echo' is sometimes strong and sometimes weak, and its position is also slightly adjusted, as if it has a life of its own. Our conventional navigation methods are basically ineffective there, and we can only rely on Lina's intuition and the resonance of the Star Key for guidance."

"What's the movement of the crystal-eating bacteria?" Luo Wei asked.

"There are no signs of a large-scale pursuit yet," Barton's voice came through the bridge communications. "But a portion of their 'vanguard' colony seems to be adapting to the labyrinthine environment at an alarming rate, and... is spreading in multiple directions, like weaving a large net. I suspect that the awakened mother hive may possess some kind of collective intelligence, attempting a multi-pronged blockade, or... searching for responses from other 'variables' or 'source species' besides us."

This hypothesis weighed even heavier on everyone's minds. The Crystal-Eating Bacteria were not only devastating biological weapons, but they might also possess tactical awareness. Their threat level had risen once again.

"We have no way back, we can only move forward." Luo Wei took a deep breath, looking at Airi on the medical bed whose breathing was gradually stabilizing but still fluctuating, then at the southwestern sky outside the porthole, where even the starlight seemed distorted and dim. "Mentor Verna, has the energy conversion and preliminary application plan for the Star Crystal been finalized?"

"It's out, but only initially." Verna nodded. "The energy properties of the Star Crystal are very special. It's not purely attribute-less energy, but contains a weak 'evolutionary' characteristic, naturally repelling and interfering with ordered forces. I've successfully integrated it into the starship's auxiliary energy network, increasing overall energy output efficiency by about 15% and providing a slight boost to the shield's energy resistance against ordered erosion. Lilith is trying to extract the active ingredients to see if she can create a more effective agent to combat crystal-eating bacteria erosion. But to apply it to weapon systems or to massively enhance starships, more in-depth research and adaptation are needed, which we don't have time for right now."

"Improvement is a good thing." Luo Wei clenched his fist, feeling the steady recovery and refinement of his stellar power under the feedback from the knowledge of "Initial Explanation of Star Laws." His realm as a second-ring Star Speaker had become increasingly stable and solid through repeated crises and knowledge assimilation, even faintly touching the threshold of the mid-stage. "So, our primary goal next is to enter that 'Legacy' to find a way for Airi to safely complete her mutation, and to obtain more information about the Primordial Spirit Race, the Stasis Court, and the Crystal Devouring Bacteria, as well as... any resources that can help us survive."

With the decision made, the "Stargazer" adjusted its course, like a moth drawn to a spider's web, or a lone boat chasing a lighthouse, plunging headlong into the distorted starlight and disordered perception of the airspace ahead.

Upon entering this area, everyone felt a strange sense of "detachment." The gravitational turbulence, starlight, and even the cosmic microwave background radiation suddenly became distant and blurry, as if separated by a constantly rippling, transparent film of water. The vibrations from the ship's hull became extremely slight, and the roar of the engines seemed to be mostly absorbed by something. The navigation system completely failed, and the star map was blank.

Only Lina's spiritual sense and the Star Key in Lovi's hand could still capture the guiding "echo." The "echo" was no longer as ethereal as it was outside the maze, but had become much clearer, carrying a sense of remoteness and desolation, yet also seemingly... containing a faint hint of "expectation."

"Follow my instincts." Lina sat in the passenger seat, eyes closed, hands lightly resting on the sensor spheres on either side, establishing a superficial connection between her intuition and the starship's control system, guiding the course directly through her senses. Her intuition seemed to work perfectly here; the chaotic "noise" that interfered with her elsewhere in the maze became faint, while the guidance of the "echo" was exceptionally clear. "7 degrees to the left, slow down… Spatial folds directly ahead, detour… Gravitational turbulence below, increase altitude…"

Guided by her, the starship traversed this region of distorted light and shadow and ambiguous dimensions with an almost dance-like trajectory. The surrounding scenery was bizarre and surreal; at times, the reflections of distant nebulae could be seen, at other times, the phantoms of huge, dilapidated buildings with a style similar to the "Crystal Remains Forbidden Zone" but relatively well-preserved could be glimpsed in the mist, and at still other times, it seemed as if they were traveling through tunnels made of solidified starlight.

"It seems we're not navigating in normal space," Elder Anderson murmured, observing the view outside the window. "It's more like we're traveling through a memory corridor or the edge of a consciousness space in a higher dimension."

"The Primordial Spirit Race... their use of space and consciousness has reached a level that is difficult for us to comprehend," Verna murmured, her eyes filled with awe for ancient wisdom.

After sailing for about an hour, the "fog" ahead suddenly dissipated, revealing a breathtaking scene before everyone's eyes.

It was neither a planet nor a space station, but an enormous, translucent, pale golden crystal suspended in the void! The crystal was an irregular polyhedron, comparable in size to a small satellite, its interior seemingly containing a vast nebula that slowly rotated, created, and perished, emanating a gentle yet boundless "primordial" aura, originating from the same source as the Star Key but even more refined and powerful. The crystal's surface was inscribed with countless flowing, extremely complex psionic runes, which combined and changed on their own, as if expounding the mysteries of the universe and the evolution of life.

Surrounding the giant crystal were dozens of smaller crystal platforms of various colors, on which the outlines of pavilions, terraces, gardens, and waterside pavilions could still be vaguely seen. Although most of them were broken, their former exquisiteness and magnificence were still evident. Some platforms were connected by pale golden bridges of light, but most of them were broken.

This is another "Remnant of the Primordial Spirit Race"—an ancient holy site floating in the dimensional rift, composed of pure psionic energy and crystals!

"So...beautiful..." Annie leaned against the viewing window, mesmerized.

"It's...so sad." Lina opened her eyes, her amber pupils reflecting the huge pale golden crystal, two clear tears streaming down her face. "It's crying...though it's quiet...it's really sad...and there's so much...confusion...and...waiting."

The Star Key vibrated violently in Luo Wei's hand, its resonance reaching an unprecedented intensity. It even flew out of his hand on its own, hovering in front of him and pointing towards the core of the giant crystal, as if a prodigal son returning home.

However, before everyone could recover from the shock, Barton, who was on guard, suddenly growled, "Three o'clock! Energy reaction! Not crystal-eating bacteria! It's... something else! Approaching rapidly!"

Everyone hurriedly looked at the scanning screen on the right. Behind several smaller, broken crystal platforms, three streamlined, spindle-shaped objects radiating a silvery-white, orderly light were hurtling towards the "Stargazer" at extremely high speed, cutting through the pale golden mist! Their shapes were somewhat similar to the "Hound" reconnaissance vessels of the Static Court that they had encountered at the edge of the shattered star remnants, but they were more refined, had stronger energy readings, and, within the orderly fluctuations they emitted, there seemed to be a hint of subtle resistance to the environment, yet strangely, an "adaptation."

Is this the exploration unit of the Court of Stasis?! They actually found this place too? Or... have they been monitoring this place all along?

"It's the 'Eye of Order'! A mid-sized investigative/surveillance unit of the Silent Court!" Verna's expression changed drastically. "They're more powerful than the 'Hounds,' possessing certain analytical and negotiation (or rather, trial) capabilities! How did they get here?!"

The answer seems self-evident. Since the Silent Court has deployed "Silent Archivers" at the edge of the γ-7 star system for observation, how could it be completely unsupervised about this legacy area that is closely related to the "Primal Eldar" and may contain "high-priority variables"?

"Silence! Take cover!" Lowe ordered urgently. However, in this special space shrouded in the power of the legacy, the starship's concealment was greatly reduced, and the three "Eyes of Order" seemed to have already locked onto them.

"Unknown intruders. High concentrations of 'variable' aura and unauthorized 'source species' fragment fluctuations detected. In accordance with Article 3 of Chapter 7 of the Pan-Cosmic Balance Monitoring Regulations, you are hereby arrested and interrogated. Surrender and accept the purification of order is your only choice."

A cold, emotionless synthesized voice, broadcast directly into everyone's minds via some powerful psionic energy. Three "Eyes of Order" approached in a triangular formation, their bows gleaming with a blinding, forceful, silvery-white light.

A mysterious legacy lies ahead, while court pursuers are at their backs! Just when a glimmer of hope appeared, they were plunged into despair once more!

However, at this critical moment, a sudden change occurred!

From the direction of the medical pod, a strange fluctuation suddenly erupted, strong but not violent, a mixture of the Crystal Rock Clan's earth vein power and "Primordial" spiritual energy! Airi, who had been in a deep meditation of the anomaly, suddenly opened her eyes!

Her eyes were no longer pure amber, but had turned into a deep, crystalline blue, as if billions of stars were being born and dying within them! Deep within her pupils, two points of silver light shone like the core of the most ancient stars, cold and wise, yet carrying a trace of Ai Rui's true bewilderment and pain.

She seemed to float up from the medical bed unconsciously, enveloped in a faint halo of light that constantly shifted and changed its crystalline structure. She looked out the porthole at the three approaching "Eyes of Order," and a flash of silver light appeared in her crystal-blue eyes.

There were no incantations, no gestures, just a "gaze".

The three imposing "Eyes of Order," their surfaces shimmering with a smooth, silvery-white light of order, suddenly twisted and became chaotic, as if a stone had been thrown into water! The beams of imprisonment they emitted inexplicably deflected and dissipated in mid-air! A piercing alarm blared from within (broadcast via psionic energy): "Warning! Encountering interference from higher-dimensional rules! Order field collapse! Target contains unresolvable variables! Request—"

Before the words were finished, the three "Eyes of Order" began to spin erratically in the air as if they were drunk. Eventually, they lost all power, flickering with chaotic sparks, and slowly plummeted towards a shattered crystal platform below, crashing and exploding into three smaller fireballs.

Inside the bridge, there was a deathly silence.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the direction of the medical pod, at the girl who was suspended in mid-air, whose crystal blue-silver light in her eyes slowly receded and returned to amber, but the strange silver glow deep in her eyes had not completely disappeared.

Airi... no, at this moment "she" still seems to be Airi, but it is as if something extremely ancient and powerful has briefly awakened within her body, catalyzed by the "Crystal Remains Forbidden Land" and stimulated by the current environment of the Remnant.

She slowly descended, the halo dissipating. She looked at her hands with a somewhat bewildered expression, then looked up at the crowd. Her voice still trembled with Ai Rui's characteristic tremor, but now held an indescribable, ethereal quality: "I...I just...I think...I 'saw'...their 'rule' lines...and then...gently...disrupted them..."

Has it disrupted... the order and rules of the stationary court reconnaissance vessel?!

Verna gasped, her eyes filled with disbelief and horror as she looked at Airi: "This is... 'Universal Interference'? A high-level talent of the Primordial Spirit Race's Evolutionary School? An ability recorded only in legends, capable of directly seeing and interfering with the underlying rules and mechanisms?! You..."

Before she could finish speaking, the "Stargazer" beneath everyone's feet, and the entire Remnant Space, suddenly trembled!

The enormous, seemingly core-like pale golden crystal suddenly erupted with a soft radiance a hundred times stronger! Within that radiance, a far grander, more ancient, yet distinctly joyful and urgent thought, like a resounding bell, echoed throughout the entire space and resonated deep within the souls of everyone present:

"The wait... has finally ended... The wielder of the 'Source Seed'... and... the awakened 'Interference Eye'... have returned..."

"However...time is running out..."

"The tide of crystal devouring... has been summoned by the 'Mother Nest'... and will sweep across this place..."

"Enter...accept the trial...receive...the final legacy..."

"And then...with hope...we escaped..."

With this thought, the giant crystal, facing the starship, rippled its smooth surface like water, revealing a deep entrance filled with dazzling starlight.

At the same time, Lina, her face deathly pale, pointed in the direction they had come from, her voice trembling with tears: "They're here! So many! Densely packed! Like...like a purple tsunami! The Crystal-Eating Bacteria...the Mother Nest...has sent out its main force! They...have broken through part of the seal...and are coming this way! So fast! So very fast!"

Ahead lies the threat of the Stasis Court (though temporarily resolved), behind lies the relentless pursuit of the main force of the Crystal Devouring Bacteria, and before us lies an invitation to a "trial" filled with allure and unknowns, extended by the legacy of the Primordial Spirit Race.

In this desperate situation, the only way out seems to lie beyond the crystal entrance.

Luo Wei took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over Airi, who had just displayed incredible power, and over his still-shaken companions, before finally settling on the crystal entrance that exuded an aura of vastness and compassion.

"Enter the Remnant!" he declared decisively. "This is our only chance! All ships, go to maximum alert and prepare to dock at the entrance! Instructor Verna, analyze the energy characteristics of the entrance! Elder Anderson, Barton, prepare for boarding action or internal danger! Lilith, Annie, take care of Irene and yourselves! Lina, maintain vigilance!"

The Stargazer's engines roared as it resolutely sailed toward the pale golden crystal-open entrance, where starlight flowed.

Behind them, the outside world, temporarily isolated by the power of the legacy, was being swept away by a dark purple, all-consuming "tide" that was surging in with the force of engulfing everything.

To be or not to be, hope or trap—the answer lies in this final trial of legacy.