Chapter 231: Ninefold Crisis: Celestial Guard Siege

Shen Yan’s body was still mid-air, his consciousness feeling as if it were soaked in cold water, not yet fully warmed. The moment the pillar of light dissipated, the wind arrived.

Not a natural wind, but blades formed from killing intent.

Several golden streaks descended from the sky, so fast there was no time to react. These were the Celestial Guards’ “Divine Binding Chains,” designed specifically to lock Spiritual Veins—a single touch would sever meridians. His hand still gripped his phone, its screen dark, the Star-Shattering Token pressed against his chest, burning hot.

He hadn’t landed yet. Still in the air, he forcefully twisted his body, holding the Star-Shattering Token horizontally in front of his chest.

The golden chains slammed against the token’s surface with a deafening boom, shaking his ears and making his internal organs feel as if they were being squeezed. Gritting his teeth, he held on, his bones trembling.

Just then, a voice like a broken loudspeaker sounded in his mind:

【Detected high-level Magical Artifact resonance… System restarting. Please avoid frequent shaking of Host’s head.】

Shen Yan nearly laughed out loud.

This damn System was finally awake.

The moment his toes touched the ground, before he could steady himself, the surrounding Spiritual Energy suddenly solidified. A crack split the sky, and a large gilded mirror slowly descended. Its surface rotated, casting golden light that enveloped him like a net.

Cosmic Mirror.

Last time in the Mirror Realm, it had drained his Spiritual Power. This time, it was even harsher—directly locking the flow of heaven and earth’s energy. He tried to mobilize his Source Code Spiritual Root, but as soon as he gathered his energy, his chest felt as if it were stuffed with red-hot iron, his spiritual sea churning violently.

“Can’t force it.” He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, crouched down, and pressed his hand against the ground.

The Terminal Interface in his mind finally lit up, green text scrolling line by line:

【Warning: External Spiritual Power lock detected. Only internal reserves can be accessed.】

【Source Code Spiritual Root activity: 37%】

【Mental Power remaining: Insufficient to sustain one complete spell compilation.】

He narrowed his eyes and looked up.

A man in silver armor, his face covered, stood three zhang away, a feathered cloak draped over his shoulders, holding a Gilded War Halberd in his hand. He didn’t speak, but his gaze had already pronounced the death sentence.

Celestial Clan Guard Captain.

Shen Yan recognized this type—the “Administrator Permission” in a Program, unreasonable, only adhering to rules. In his eyes, Shen Yan was nothing but a Bug that needed to be deleted.

“Are you all that afraid of me staying alive?” he said softly, tracing a line on the ground with his finger.

No one answered.

The Guard Captain raised his hand. The Cosmic Mirror’s golden light surged violently, and Shen Yan felt the Spiritual Power within his body flowing out like an opened floodgate. His knees weakened, nearly buckling.

But he smiled.

“Go ahead, suck it dry,” he panted. “Suck faster.”

With that, he closed his eyes, focusing his last bit of Mental Power to type Code in his mind.

“Function: Spiritual Power Pulse Burst”

“Parameter: Maximum output, duration 0.8 seconds”

“Execution condition: Detected external extraction rate exceeds threshold”

This was a Vulnerability he had discovered in the Mirror Realm—the Cosmic Mirror could absorb, but it had a limit. Absorb too much, and it would freeze.

This was the moment he had been waiting for.

The Code was pushed into his Source Code Spiritual Root. The next second, the Spiritual Power within his body violently exploded, like an overclocked CPU, forcefully pushing back against the extraction.

Boom!

The golden light shook violently. The Cosmic Mirror emitted a piercing hum, its surface covered in spiderweb-like cracks, flashing with chaotic green code.

The Guard Captain’s expression changed, and he immediately adjusted the Magical Artifact’s frequency.

Too late.

Seizing this opening, Shen Yan pressed his right hand against the Star-Shattering Token, silently reciting the binding incantation. The token instantly turned red, resonating with his Bloodline. A tearing sensation shot from his palm straight to his forehead.

Ignoring everything, he charged forward.

Seven sword shadows closed in from all directions, all Celestial Guards’ combined attack techniques, sealing off every escape route. He roared lowly, raising the Star-Shattering Token to clash against the Guard Captain’s war halberd.

Star radiance met celestial weapon.

Boom—!

The blast wave from the energy explosion flung everyone away, the ground blasted into a deep crater, smoke and dust soaring into the sky. Shen Yan used the impact force to soar upward, charging straight toward the high altitude.

There was a Floating Cloud Platform there, with broken stone railings and covered in cracks—the hub node connecting the Nine Heavens and the mortal realm. The space was relatively stable, enough to land on.

He flew too urgently, his Mental Power already depleted. Halfway up, his mind went dark, his body stiffened, and he began to fall.

It’s over.

He thought.

But just as he was about to plummet, a warm force suddenly wrapped around his waist, like vines supporting him, gently pulling him up, landing him steadily at the edge of the cloud platform.

He lay on the ground, panting like a dog.

Looking up, he saw a person standing beside the stone railings.

Purple-red long hair, silver bell ankle chain, cat ears slightly trembling.

Luo Li.

She hadn’t entered the Mirror Realm, but had been following him all along.

“How did you…” he asked hoarsely.

Luo Li didn’t look at him, staring coldly at the swirling smoke and dust below. “Do you think everyone is like you, fond of going to die alone?”

Shen Yan wanted to laugh, but instead coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He raised his hand, realizing he still clutched the Star-Shattering Token tightly. The token’s surface had cracked a fissure, but it remained hot.

Below the cloud platform, the smoke and dust dispersed.

The Celestial Guards gradually stood up, the Guard Captain standing in the center, his war halberd planted on the ground, gaze sharp as a blade.

He looked up toward the cloud platform, slowly raising his weapon.

This battle wasn’t over yet.

Shen Yan struggled to stand up, his legs still trembling. He glanced at Luo Li, then at the token in his hand.

“Help me hold out for ten seconds,” he said.

Luo Li glanced at him. “You only have five seconds left.”

Before her words finished, golden light once again soared into the sky.

The Cosmic Mirror hung in midair, its surface reassembling, brighter than before. The Guard Captain held his halberd with both hands, Spiritual Power infused, the halberd’s tip condensing into a blinding white radiance.

That was a sure-kill strike.

Shen Yan knew, if this move landed, even the cloud platform would shatter.

He closed his eyes, the terminal in his mind frantically scrolling through code.

“Initiate emergency protocol: overload countermeasure mode”

“Call remaining Mental Power, inject into Star-Shattering Token”

“Target: create Spiritual Power resonance point, detonate shockwave”

His fingers rapidly tapped in the void, each tap like cutting his own life. He could feel his vitality draining, his skin beginning to turn gray.

【Warning: Host’s vital signs declining, continue?】

He didn’t choose yes, directly bypassing the confirmation box, forcing a push command.

“The program I wrote doesn’t need approval.”

Code ran.

The Star-Shattering Token violently shook, surface cracks expanding, a frenzied energy began to gather.

Luo Li stood before him, the Purple-Red Demonic Flame dancing in her palm as she shielded him from the residual shockwaves. Her back was slender, yet she stood firm and unwavering.

Below the cloud platform, the Guard Captain knelt on one knee, his war halberd plunged into the ground. He looked up, his gaze icy.

“Traitorous seed… you cannot escape the Heavenly Punishment.”

Shen Yan lacked the strength to retort.

He merely reached out and touched the Star-Shattering Token on his chest.

The token’s surface had cracked even deeper, but it still pulsed, like a heart unwilling to stop beating.

In the distance, the wind swept ashes past.

Luo Li looked down at him, her voice soft. “You’re still alive.”

Shen Yan forced a grin, trying to speak, but instead, he coughed up blood.

He raised his hand, pointing toward a certain spot in the sky.

“Over there… there’s a door.”

Luo Li followed his gaze but saw nothing.

Yet Shen Yan’s expression was earnest.

She frowned. “You’re mistaken.”

Shen Yan shook his head, his finger still pointing.

“No… mistake.”

His hand suddenly trembled, the tip of his finger drooping.

But that finger remained steadfastly aimed in that direction.

(End of Chapter)