As the "Falling Star Boundary - Sealing Formation" gradually took shape, nine intertwined starlight beams illuminated the sky above Myriad Sound Valley. Veins bulged on the old priest's wrinkled forehead. With each ancient incantation he uttered, the star patterns on his staff glowed brighter. Yun Ge's sound - wave light net echoed the starlight of the formation, temporarily holding the alien creatures at bay outside the valley. However, Lin Yi could see from the device interface that the formation's energy was being consumed at an alarming rate.
"This won't hold for more than half an hour!" Lin Yi stared at the constantly fluctuating energy warning on the device interface. The red prompt [Formation energy remaining: 23%] was especially eye - catching. He tried to mobilize the power of the star meteorite iron fragments in his body, only to find their resonance frequencies becoming increasingly chaotic, as if drawn by something deep within the rift.
Just then, the old priest suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, and the starlight of the formation dimmed significantly. "Quick! Use this fragment to initiate the cross - dimensional resonance protocol!" The old priest pushed the charred star meteorite iron fragment on the ground towards Lin Yi. The moment his palm touched the fragment, it began to turn translucent. "I... I'm a spirit puppet left by the First Valley Master to guard the formation. This body won't last much longer..."
Lin Yi's pupils constricted sharply. A new prompt popped up on the device interface: [Detection of core program of the formation - guarding spirit puppet. Merge to unlock First - Generation permissions?]. He looked at the old priest's fading figure, then at the approaching rift, and gritted his teeth as he chose "confirm". In an instant, a vast stream of memories flooded his mind—it turned out that the First Valley Master was a follower of the 0th adapter. Since its establishment, Myriad Sound Valley had been built to safeguard the key components of the device and prevent the reopening of the multiverse rift.
Yun Ge watched as a sudden surge of light surrounded Lin Yi. The strings of her guqin snapped due to excessive resonance. She steadied herself with great effort and shouted, "Lin Yi, the rift is changing!" The giant eyes within the rift suddenly opened wide, and countless chains with star meteorite iron patterns, like living creatures, pierced through the formation's defenses and shot straight towards Lin Yi.
Lin Yi was on the verge of fainting from the overwhelming influx of memories, but the alarm on the device interface jolted him awake. He activated the newly unlocked First - Generation permissions and traced ancient sealing runes in the air. The chains halted the moment they touched the runes, cracks appearing on their surfaces. However, more chains poured out from the rift, and one managed to break through the defense and wrap around his right arm.
"Argh!" Lin Yi groaned in pain. He could feel the power of the chain draining the star meteorite power and device energy from his body. The resonance level on the device interface began to plummet, dropping rapidly from 29% to 25%. In the nick of time, Yun Ge plucked the guqin strings again, unleashing her most powerful sound - wave attack on the chain, temporarily relieving the pressure on him.
"Leave me alone and hold the formation!" Lin Yi forced out the words with difficulty. His consciousness delved into the core of the device once more, searching for a way to counter the rift. Guided by the memories of the First Valley Master, he discovered a "dimensional anchor" hidden deep within the device. Activating it could fix the rift in its current position, buying time for repairs.
But activating the dimensional anchor required 35% resonance, and Lin Yi's current resonance level was still dropping. Looking at Yun Ge's exhausted figure and the crumbling formation, he made a risky decision—he forcefully overloaded the fusion of his spiritual energy and the device's energy, attempting to boost the resonance level in a short time.
The device interface emitted piercing alarm sounds, with continuous prompts: [Energy overload warning] [Risk of consciousness core damage increased to 87%]. Blood began to seep from Lin Yi's nose and mouth, but he clenched his teeth and stared intently at the resonance level—26%, 27%, 28%...
Deep within the rift, the giant eyes seemed to sense the threat and let out an earth - shattering roar. More alien creatures exuding a destructive aura poured out from the rift, all with one goal: to stop Lin Yi from activating the dimensional anchor and seize control of the device.
Blood trickled from Lin Yi's nose and mouth, evaporating into stardust - laden mist the moment it touched the ground. The red warning lights of the device interface bathed him in an otherworldly glow, like a demon from hell. The prompt [Risk of consciousness core damage increased to 92%] felt like the tolling of a death knell. His meridians were on the verge of shattering under the overwhelming surge of spiritual energy and device power, and every attempt to channel that power brought with it excruciating pain, as if countless ants were gnawing at his heart.
Yun Ge's guqin had only one string left. Her fingertips were raw and bleeding, yet she gritted her teeth and maintained the sound - wave light net. "Hold on! Just a little longer!" she roared at the Valley disciples. The protective formation of Myriad Sound Valley, overlapping with the "Falling Star Boundary - Sealing Formation," trembled violently under the onslaught of the alien creatures, as fragile as a candle flame in a storm.
Deep within the rift, the giant eyes suddenly flashed with blue lightning. A chain ten times thicker than before, engulfed in a chaotic aura, slammed directly into the core of the formation. The faint shadow of the old priest's remaining spirit suddenly appeared, using his last bit of strength to conjure a star meteorite shield in front of the chain. "Lin Yi, in the First Valley Master's memories... there's still..." His voice was drowned out by the deafening crash as the chain shattered the shield, and his spirit dissipated into nothingness.
Through blood - blurred eyes, Lin Yi forced himself to stay conscious. Memories of the First Valley Master flashed through his mind like a whirlwind. He suddenly recalled that beneath the deepest forbidden area of Myriad Sound Valley, there lay the "Star Meteorite Ark"—an ultimate defensive weapon forged from a single piece of star meteorite iron. If activated, it might just turn the tide of the battle. But activation of the "Star Meteorite Ark" also required 35% resonance with the device.
"I can't give up!" Lin Yi poured his last ounce of clarity into the device, frantically compressing and fusing his spiritual energy. When the resonance level finally reached 29%, a sharp cracking sound came from his left leg. Spiritual energy leaking from his damaged meridians formed grotesque blood patterns on his skin.
Just then, a familiar figure burst into the valley—it was the black - robed man of the Nether Sect who had disappeared earlier! His left eye had been replaced with a purple - glowing star meteorite iron prosthetic, and his entire aura had become twisted and malevolent. "427th adapter, hand over the device!" The black - robed man brandished a dagger inscribed with ancient runes, runes that matched those on the chains in the rift exactly. "You think you can control the supreme power alone? The being behind the rift defeated even the 0th adapter!"
Yun Ge launched a sound - wave sword qi with all her might, but the black - robed man shattered it effortlessly. "Little girl from Myriad Sound Valley, stay out of this!" he sneered, advancing on Lin Yi with the dagger aimed at the device projection on his chest. "Activate the dimensional anchor? You're all doomed!"
At the critical moment, Lin Yi's resonance level finally hit 30%! A new option popped up on the device interface: [Initiate emergency protocol for the Star Meteorite Ark?] [Activation will forcibly siphon spiritual energy within a hundred - mile radius, causing irreversible physical damage to the user]. Without hesitation, he selected "confirm" and used his First - Generation permissions to conjure a star meteorite shield to block the black - robed man.
A deafening rumble came from beneath Myriad Sound Valley as a massive piece of star meteorite iron slowly rose. The runes on its surface glowed brightly as they were infused with the device's energy. But the giant eyes in the rift seemed to sense the threat, and all the alien creatures launched a frenzied all - out attack. The black - robed man also took the opportunity to unleash his most powerful strike. Seeing Lin Yi's faltering figure, Yun Ge resolutely poured all her spiritual energy into the formation. "Lin Yi, I believe in you!"
The resonance level on the device interface continued to rise slowly: 31%, 32%... Lin Yi's consciousness was fading fast. He thought he saw the First Valley Master standing on the Star Meteorite Ark, smiling at him with approval. Just as darkness threatened to engulf him completely, he heard the mechanical voice of the device: [Star Meteorite Ark activation successful]
With the mechanical prompt [Star Meteorite Ark activation successful], Lin Yi's consciousness plummeted into a swirling abyss of chaos. Above Myriad Sound Valley, the colossal Star Meteorite Ark ascended slowly, its surface runes swirling with dazzling light that turned the sky as bright as day. Yet Lin Yi had no time to spare for the spectacle. A mysterious force tugged at his awareness, plunging him into a long - buried memory.
In the vision, a man clad in a silver robe stood resolute amidst the vast expanse of stars. Star map markings similar to the ones on Lin Yi's chest encircled him—this was the 0th adapter. The cosmic galaxies lay in ruins, countless rifts spiderwebbing across the void. The First Valley Master led a band of cultivators in a desperate defense of a massive star meteorite iron fortress.
"We must activate the final defense!" The 0th adapter's voice carried a weight of exhaustion and determination. With a wave of his hand, the star meteorite iron scepter in his grasp erupted in brilliant light, resonating with the fortress. But in an instant, a shadowy figure streaked from the rift, piercing the 0th adapter's chest. "So... the being behind the rift... has infiltrated already..." The 0th adapter's dying words faded as his form dissipated, leaving behind only a shattered fragment of star meteorite iron.
In reality, Yun Ge's heart clenched at the sight of Lin Yi's faltering form. Despite the searing pain of spiritual energy exhaustion, she plucked the last remaining string of her guqin. Sound waves materialized into a protective shield, barely holding back the frenzied onslaught of the alien creatures. Meanwhile, the black - robed man of the Nether Sect eyed the Star Meteorite Ark with ravenous greed, plotting to seize control of the device amidst the chaos. "Once I have the device, I'll be the new master of all!" he hissed, twirling the dagger in his hand menacingly.
Elsewhere, the Blood Fiend Sect Master retreated to the valley's edge with his remaining disciples. Gazing at the terrifying rift and the imposing Star Meteorite Ark, dread filled his eyes. "This power... it could annihilate the entire cultivation world..." he murmured, hesitation flickering in his gaze as he debated whether to continue the attack or flee while he still could.
Lin Yi's consciousness wavered between memory and reality. He witnessed the First Valley Master, after the 0th adapter's fall, journeying to the site of present - day Myriad Sound Valley with the shattered fragment. Here, the Valley was established as a hidden stronghold, all to safeguard the device's secrets and await the next adapter. "427th adapter, can you rewrite our fate?" The First Valley Master's voice echoed through Lin Yi's Sea of Consciousness.
As the Star Meteorite Ark's energy continued to surge, reaching 34% resonance, the giant eyes within the rift suddenly constricted. Beams of destructive energy shot out, targeting the Ark directly. Seizing the opportunity, the black - robed man dodged Yun Ge's attack and lunged at Lin Yi. "The device is mine!" Just as his dagger was about to strike, a star meteorite chain lashed out from the Ark, hurling him back.
"If you want him, you'll have to go through me first!" Yun Ge roared, her hair whipping wildly in the turbulent spiritual energy. With a final burst of energy(The power of practice), she channeled everything into her guqin. The string blazed with a blinding light, resonating with the Ark's energy and temporarily suppressing the rift's onslaught.
Lin Yi's awareness finally snapped back to reality. Blood trickled from his lips, but his gaze burned with resolve. Staring at the device interface edging closer to 35% resonance, he knew the crucial moment to activate the dimensional anchor was at hand. Yet the being lurking behind the rift would surely not yield easily. An even more heart - pounding battle loomed on the horizon.