Starting as a menial disciple, he cultivated beasts and achieved immortality.

Chapter 1023 Time-Space Tribulation Seal

An hour later, Yu Changsheng had slain nearly three thousand battle spirits, and the collected essences swarmed around him like fireflies. But he also paid a price: his left arm was grazed by a demonic curse, which, although forcibly dispelled with the blood of the Chaos Emperor, still left an unhealable gray-black scar that continued to erode his life force; his back was also stabbed by several human sword cultivator battle spirits working together, and although fragments of the Returning Void Origin Armor provided some protection, it still cut open a deep wound that exposed bone.

What's even more troublesome is that when the incense stick's time was up, those slain battle spirits indeed began to regenerate! Moreover, the regenerated battle spirits were noticeably stronger by 10%, and the madness in their eyes intensified.

Yu Changsheng's heart sank. At this rate, the stronger the battle spirits became, the lower the killing efficiency, while his own consumption increased. Killing nine thousand in three hours was practically an impossible task.

"We must find a way to break this deadlock." He fought while observing the battlefield. The bronze gate remained standing, and the reliefs depicting the battles of the myriad races on it seemed to shimmer with a faint light as the war spirits fought and were reborn.

“The essence of battle spirits is the key…” Yu Changsheng looked at the more than three thousand essences surrounding him, “Could it be that we are going to use the essences to activate the relief on the door?”

He attempted to guide a fragment of human battle spirit towards the bronze gate. When the spirit touched the corresponding human warrior relief on the gate, the relief suddenly lit up, and the spirit merged into it. Immediately afterward, all the human battle spirits on the battlefield momentarily froze, their strength diminishing slightly.

"Effective!" Yu Changsheng's spirits lifted. He no longer attacked blindly, but selectively—targeting the battle spirits of the races depicted on the door reliefs, and immediately sending their essence to the bronze door after killing them.

As each essence was absorbed, the reliefs on the door lit up one by one. With each relief lit up, the corresponding race's battle spirit strength would weaken by 10%, and its regeneration speed would slow down. The battle spirits of the other races whose reliefs were not lit up, although still growing stronger, were under much less pressure.

Two hours later, Yu Changsheng had illuminated most of the relief, and had slain over seven thousand battle spirits. The light on the bronze door grew brighter and brighter, and the door began to tremble slightly, as if it were about to open.

But at that moment, a sudden change occurred on the battlefield!

The unlit bas-reliefs of the races' battle spirits seemed to sense the danger. They stopped fighting each other and turned to Yu Changsheng, letting out shrill screams. They merged together, transforming into three "battle spirit aggregates" that were tens of feet tall.

One aggregate is mainly composed of demonic battle spirits, with eight arms, each arm wielding a demonic weapon, and its body is wreathed in demonic flames; another is mainly composed of demonic battle spirits, shaped like a giant ape, but with a dragon's head and a scorpion's tail, and possesses immense strength; the last one is the most bizarre, pieced together from battle spirits of various rare races, with a distorted shape, and can release mental shocks and curse ripples.

The auras of the three aggregated beings had all reached the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm!

"A final counterattack?" Yu Changsheng wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, holding the Star Silence Sword horizontally in front of him. He had already depleted more than half of his spiritual energy and was seriously injured, but his eyes remained sharp.

"bring it on."

He charged towards the three aggregates. The Star Silence Sword clashed with the demonic weapon of the Eight-Armed Demon Lord, exploding with dazzling sparks; his figure dodged the giant ape demon lord's slap like a fish, and with a backhand slash, he severed its scorpion tail; facing the mental impact, the emerald-gold cocoon autonomously protected his soul, and the sword intent of annihilation flowed upwards, backlashing and twisting the aggregates.

This was a fierce and brutal battle. Yu Changsheng used the six powers of the Starry Night Dao Embryo to their fullest extent: the Starry Base provided endless endurance, the Starry Fire Core erupted with blazing flames, the Annihilation Sword Pattern slashed the core of the aggregate, the Devouring Void Rune absorbed the attack energy, the Chaos Emperor Blood repaired his injuries, and the Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme coordinated offense and defense.

However, the three aggregated entities possessed the strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator and were immortal; each time they were severely injured, they would absorb the resentment of the battlefield and quickly recover. Yu Changsheng's wounds multiplied, and his aura gradually weakened.

After a fierce battle lasting half an hour, Yu Changsheng finally seized an opportunity. The Star Silence Sword transformed into a pillar of light piercing through the heavens and earth, pinning the Eight-Armed Demon Lord to the ground. The Star Silence power within the sword erupted, completely annihilating him. However, the price was that he had to withstand a punch from the Giant Ape Demon Lord, shattering several of his ribs and spitting out blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs.

He knelt on the ground, supporting himself with his sword, looking at the remaining two aggregates, and then glancing at the bronze door—only three reliefs on the door were yet to be lit, and there were still more than eight hundred battle spirit essences missing.

"Time is running out..." Yu Changsheng looked at the spirit essence surrounding him, then at the ordinary battle spirits still pouring out of the battlefield. If he continued to fight the aggregate, he would not be able to gather the spirit essence within the allotted time.

A crazy idea popped into my head.

He suddenly stood up, ignoring the two aggregated entities, and turned to rush towards the area where the battle spirits were most concentrated!

"Star Silence - Annihilation of the Ruins!" The Star Silence Sword flew out of his hand, transforming into thousands of sword threads that swept across, instantly reaping hundreds of battle souls. Yu Changsheng made a grasping motion with both hands, forcibly gathering the countless spirits together. Ignoring the two aggregated entities attacking him frantically from behind, he concentrated all his defenses on his back, risking further severe injuries, and pushed all the spirits towards the bronze gate.

"boom--!"

The last three reliefs lit up at the same time!

The colossal bronze gate swung open with a deafening roar, revealing a dazzling galaxy behind it. All the battle spirits on the battlefield, including the two aggregated entities, let out a series of mournful cries of despair before dissipating into wisps of smoke.

Yu Changsheng staggered to the ground, covered in blood, almost a blood-soaked figure. He looked at the starry river behind the bronze gate, then at the Star Silence Sword in his hand—the sword hummed, seemingly urging him forward.

"The fifth trial is over." The voice of the trial will resounded. "You remained clear-headed amidst the carnage, knowing what to choose and what to discard, prioritizing and disregarding, demonstrating the qualities of a leader. The sixth level will test your..."

Before he could finish speaking, something unexpected happened!

The entire Star Tower trembled violently, and deafening roars and howls echoed from outside. Through the tower, one could vaguely see that the protective shield of Mochen Station was under a terrifying attack, with cracks spreading everywhere—the Void Beast had caught up!

The voice of the Trial Will became urgent: "The Void Beast is attacking the defenses of the End of the Night Inn! The Star Tower and the inn's formation are integrated. If the inn is breached, the Star Tower trial will be forcibly interrupted. You must pass the sixth and seventh tribulations within half an hour and reach the eighth level to activate the 'Starry Sky Sealing Array,' otherwise everyone will perish in the beast's jaws!"

Yu Changsheng's pupils contracted sharply. He looked towards the entrance to the sixth level—a swirling vortex of starlight, exuding an aura even more dangerous than the previous five levels.

There's no time to adjust my breathing.

He stuffed a handful of pills into his mouth, barely suppressing his injuries, and with his last bit of strength, he leaped into the vortex of the starry river.

On the sixth floor, an even more severe test awaits him.

Outside the tower, on the Mochen Post Station plaza, Elder Qingyi and Elder Jianchen stared solemnly at the sky above. Outside the pale golden protective shield, the Void Beast had fully materialized—it resembled a giant whale, but possessed countless tentacles and bone spurs, its body covered with ever-growing dark green fleshy buds. Each impact caused the shield to dent violently, and large swathes of star runes were annihilated.

"The light shield can only last for half an hour at most." Elder Qingyi's voice was hoarse as she sensed the connection between the Pure World Lotus and the post station's formation.

Elder Jian Chen gripped his longsword tightly, looking at his exhausted disciples behind him: "Form the 'Mysterious Heaven Burning Soul Sword Formation'! Even if we die, we must buy time for Fellow Daoist Yu!" None of the Mysterious Heaven disciples flinched; they all bit their tongues, using their blood essence to unleash their sword energy. They knew this was their last line of defense.

Inside the Star Tower, Yu Changsheng had already stepped onto the sixth floor.

This level had no physical space; he felt as if he were immersed in a vast "river of memories." Countless fragments of light and shadow flowed past him: there were the majestic figures of the Star Forgers who illuminated the stars and opened up ancient paths; there were scenes of prosperous times with all races paying homage and the star paths flourishing; and there were also apocalyptic scenes of ancient paths collapsing, stars falling, and all living beings wailing in despair...

The voice of the trial of will echoed through the long river: "The sixth tribulation, the tribulation of the heart. You must find the three 'questions of the heart' left by the creator of the starry sky in the river of memories, and give your answers. If you answer one question wrong, your soul will be trapped in the long river forever."

Yu Changsheng's mind jolted. This test was a hundred times more dangerous than the previous battles—it directly targeted the essence of one's Dao heart, and the slightest flaw would lead to utter annihilation.

He focused his mind and drifted with the current. The first fragment of memory floated to him, transforming into the phantom of an old man clad in a star-patterned robe—the very image of the Starry Sky Forger. The old man's gaze was as deep as the starry sky as he spoke, asking:

"First question: What path have you followed in your spiritual practice to this day?"

Yu Changsheng pondered. His path of cultivation had been fraught with hardship; initially driven by revenge and self-preservation, he had gradually come to understand the meaning of protection after experiencing life and death. But as for the essence of the "Dao"...

"The way of the younger generation begins with 'struggle,' is passed through 'guarding,' and now seeks 'balance.'" He answered slowly, "Struggle for a sliver of hope, guard those you care about, balance all forces and thoughts, in order to transcend."

The old man's illusory figure's eyes flickered slightly: "Contending, defending, balancing... is there a primary or secondary element among these three?"

"There is no primary or secondary distinction; they are like the three legs of a tripod, none of which can be missing. Striving is the driving force for progress, guarding is the foundation for survival, and balance is the path to sublimation."

The old man's illusory figure remained silent for a moment, then dissipated into starlight, which could be considered an acknowledgment.

A second memory fragment surfaced, showing the scene of the ancient road collapsing, with the Starry Sky Forger facing the Void Ruler alone, followed by billions of fleeing beings. The Forger turned to Yu Changsheng and asked his second question:

"If one day you were to choose between protecting one person and saving all living beings, what would you do?"

Yu Changsheng's heart skipped a beat. This question pointed directly to his deepest fear—during the Battle of Burial Star Sea and the destruction of the Xuan Tian Sword Sect, hadn't he faced a similar choice?

He closed his eyes for a long time, his mind flashing back to Chen Xueqing's smiling face, Elder Qingyi's teachings, Mo Yu's resoluteness, Elder Jianchen's sorrow, and the Xuantian disciples who were strangers to him but were dragged into the calamity because of him...

"This junior does not know." Yu Changsheng opened his eyes, his voice bitter but honest. "If that moment really comes, this junior might... do his best to achieve both. If he is unable to do so..." He paused, "This junior will choose to let that 'one person' fight alongside him for the life of 'the common people'."

Even if the price is dying together?

"Yes."

After hearing Yu Changsheng's answer, the phantom of the Starry Sky Forger remained silent for a moment. The figure, condensed from pure starlight, slowly raised its hand, and the space of the sixth level suddenly distorted and transformed into a boundless starry sky. Countless stars flickered in the void, each point of starlight reflecting scenes deep within Yu Changsheng's memory—fighting side-by-side with Mo Yu in the Sea of ​​Burial Stars, Chen Xueqing's resolute gaze holding the Star Key before the Xuan Tian Sword Sect's mountain gate, Elder Qingyi's unwavering determination to protect everyone by burning her own essence within the Chu Chen Inn…

"The third question." The illusory voice was no longer ethereal, but instead carried a certain heaviness. "If the Dao you comprehended when you reforged your Dao Embryo—based on stellar veins, with annihilation as its bone and chaos as its blood—will one day conflict with the person you are meant to protect, what will you do?"

Yu Changsheng's heart trembled. This question directly pointed to the essence of his Starry Night Dao Embryo: the Origin of Annihilation and the Void Ruler were of the same origin, the Chaos Emperor's Blood contained destruction and rebirth, and the Devouring Void Rune devoured all things. Chen Xueqing's Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme originated from the inheritance of the Starry Sky Forger, and its essence was order and creation; Elder Qingyi's Purifying Lotus purified evil spirits; Elder Jianchen's Profound Heaven Sword Dao protected all living beings.

He closed his eyes, and the six forces within his Dao Embryo flowed through his consciousness. The Star Foundation was vast and stable, the Star Ember Fire Core burned incessantly, the Annihilation Sword Patterns were cold and deadly, the Devouring Void Runes expanded greedily, the Chaos Emperor Blood surged and roared, and the Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme permeated and harmonized—this was inherently a never-ending conflict and balance.

"The Dao I have come to understand is not destruction, but inclusiveness." Yu Changsheng opened his eyes, his gaze clear. "Stars can contain all light, stillness can give birth to new life, and chaos can give rise to all things. If the Dao conflicts with humanity, then it is not my 'Dao,' but an 'obstacle.' I will use the Star Ash Fire to refine away obsessions, use the Emerald Gold Dao Rhyme to reshape my true heart, and use the Devouring Void Rune to devour prejudices—the Dao embryo can be shattered and reforged, but the true heart cannot be violated."

As the words fell, the starry sky suddenly contracted, and all the starlight converged into a beam that poured into Yu Changsheng's brow. The Starry Night Dao Embryo trembled violently, and six forces merged at this moment like never before: emerald-gold patterns appeared on the star base, chaotic imperial blood flowed within the Annihilation Sword Pattern, and the Star Ember Fire Core, devouring the Void Devouring Runes, in turn nourished pure star power…

"The tribulation of the heart has passed." Before the illusory figure dissipated, it left behind a sentence: "Remember what you said today. The legacy of the Starry Sky Forgers does not seek a perfect Dao, but an unceasing 'heart of seeking the Dao'."

Yu Changsheng took a deep breath and found himself standing in front of the stairs leading to the seventh floor. He glanced back at the empty space of the sixth floor, then turned and stepped onto the stairs.

An incense stick's worth of time has passed. Less than a quarter of an hour remains before the half-hour required for the trial of willpower.

The seventh floor is neither a battle space nor a trial of illusions.

The moment Yu Changsheng stepped in, he froze on the spot—his senses were stretched, distorted, and folded infinitely. What he saw before him was not a scene, but "time" itself.

A silver river surged through the void, each wave a fragment of time: he saw the peaceful days before the Xuan Tian Sword Sect's mountain gate was destroyed, the magnificent sight of the Starfall Ancient Road's creators riding starlight through the sea of ​​stars when it was complete, and he also saw fragments of the distant future—shattered stars, burning sects, and familiar figures falling in blood...

"Time-Space Tribulation." A voice that was neither male nor female resounded directly in his consciousness. "This tribulation tests your control over time and space. You must find the 'true present moment' in the river of time and anchor your own time-space coordinates. If you are lost in the past or the future, your physical body will weather away with time, and your soul will be forever trapped in the turbulent flow of time and space."

Yu Changsheng immediately examined his Dao Embryo. The Starry Night Dao Embryo was emitting a regular pulse, faintly echoing the frequency of the external river of time—the Origin of Annihilation could sense the power of stars, and the power of stars inherently permeated space and time; the Devouring Void Runes were also trembling slightly, as if they wanted to devour those flowing fragments of time.

He sat down cross-legged and focused all his mind on the Dao Embryo.

The Star Base responded first. The ice-blue base expanded into a miniature starry sky, each point of light corresponding to a "spacetime node" in the external river of time. Yu Changsheng touched it with his divine sense, and countless fragments of information immediately flooded in. (End of Chapter)