Chapter 856 - Inscribing Immortal Runes

Seated on a large boulder at the summit, a young man caught his breath, his gaze fixed on the distant Astral Domain.

"Mhm? Someone arrived before me and is working on the profound talisman?" He stood, studying Liu Wuxie with curiosity.

Despite his interest, he remained motionless, exuding a powerful aura that revealed his high-level Spirit Profound Realm cultivation.

Liu Wuxie, entirely unaware of the newcomer's presence, remained focused. The astral winds prevented him from extending his divine sense—any attempt would see it shredded instantly.

Forced to rely solely on his sight, he closed his eyes, attuning himself to the immortal rune.

Five minutes later, his eyes snapped open, and an icy light shone in them. His gaze pierced through the layers of astral winds and reached the largest profound talisman's core.

He knew that no number of profound runes would be enough to repair it fully. His only hope lay in inscribing a high-level immortal rune.

Moreover, it would also strengthen the profound talisman, amplifying its power.

Raising his hands high, Liu Wuxie began inscribing a rune.

This caught the attention of the young man at the summit, who narrowed his eyes. He was also a talisman prodigy but was shocked when he witnessed Liu Wuxie's technique.

"His technique is unique, dispersing the astral winds before they can even reach him!" The young man's expression shifted as he realized the implications. Then, he caught sight of Liu Wuxie's cultivation and nearly lost his footing, almost swept away by the fierce winds.

"True Profound Realm... and at the lowest level?" He frowned, unable to believe that someone at such a level dared to set foot there—it was nothing short of courting death.

More baffling was the fact that he had observed Liu Wuxie for half a day, yet Liu Wuxie had remained suspended in the air, unscathed the entire time. This only deepened his curiosity.

Liu Wuxie began to clasp his hands together. Inscribing a complete immortal rune would require the support of immense true essence.

A rumbling echoed as the sky split apart, unleashing boundless golden beams. These were the laws of the Celestial Realm, cascading down and merging into the immortal rune.

This naturally left the young man shocked and curious about the golden beams.

Immortal runes required laws from the Celestial Realm to inscribe, and the sky would crack apart every time he inscribed one. This was why he didn't dare to overuse them, lest he draw the Celestial Realm's attention.

A robust immortal rune appeared, hovering above Liu Wuxie like a deity. He had also exhausted most of his true essence, and his soul sea was near depletion.

Liu Wuxie had already anticipated this and began refining spirit stones and the Soul Condensing Pills. This allowed his depleted true essence and soul energy to recover rapidly.

"What a terrifying rune!" The young man couldn't describe his current feelings as if he had witnessed the most shocking sight in the world.

Under the immortal rune's suppression, the surrounding space began to shatter inch by inch, forming black holes around Liu Wuxie that threatened to devour him.

Liu Wuxie was in a hurry and had to merge the immortal rune into the massive profound talisman.

"Success or failure depends on this!" Liu Wuxie made up his mind with a hint of madness flashing in his eyes. The immortal rune shot like a golden comet, streaking across the horizon and flying toward the profound talisman.

This was a dangerous gamble, as the immortal rune was too powerful. The consequences would be catastrophic if the profound talisman failed to withstand it and shattered. Then again, the True Martial Continent would enjoy a period of safety if he succeeded.

If he failed, the rift might widen, leading to the continent's possible doom in a few years or decades.

Liu Wuxie merely stood silently and watched as his part was done.

The immortal rune flew out and merged into the profound talisman half a breath later.

A deep, humming sound resonated, causing the surrounding space to tremble. The immortal rune and the profound talisman were fundamentally incompatible, as the latter hadn’t been crafted by Liu Wuxie. This natural incompatibility led to a strong rejection when he attempted to fuse them.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy, a detection bell continuously monitored the True Martial Continent. The moment the profound talisman began to hum, several ancient powerhouses stirred from their slumber.

After all, each time the bell rang, it signified the acceleration of the True Martial Continent's collapse.

"What's going on? Why is the profound talisman falling apart?" Dozens of divine senses interacted with each other, and even the grandmaster was startled. If the profound talisman shattered, the True Martial Continent would progress toward collapse.

Liu Wuxie hadn't expected this. If the profound talisman collapsed, all his effort would go down the drain.

The profound talisman began to grow brighter and brighter, and the young man on the summit slumped to the ground with his hope extinguished.

"It's over! What the hell is he doing?" the young man muttered. He had come to repair the profound talisman, but Liu Wuxie was one step ahead of him.

Given the current situation, he wasn't concerned about repairing the profound talisman. If it shattered, everyone would die.

The massive, profound talisman began to pulse, and the runes within seemed to have come to life and rearranged themselves.

"No, the profound talisman isn't collapsing—it's evolving!" Liu Wuxie's gaze was fixed on the profound talisman. He would leave immediately at the first sign of danger.

As he had speculated, the profound talisman was expanding, not exploding. It was evolving to a higher level. It could evolve into a fourth-grade profound talisman, and its potency would be able to seal off the Astral Domain completely.

The young man on the summit also noticed the change. The profound talisman, having expanded to a certain size, suddenly began to shrink, its intricate patterns intertwining and shifting.

As the talisman evolved, its power momentarily weakened, allowing a torrent of astral wind to surge through the rift with overwhelming force.

Caught in the storm’s eye, Liu Wuxie lost his footing and was swept away by the powerful reverse current.

"This is bad!" Liu Wuxie muttered.

Liu Wuxie had miscalculated the moment of vulnerability during the profound talisman's advancement. The duration was unpredictable, ranging from a single breath to an entire day, and no one knew when it would stabilize.

Tossed around in the chaotic currents, he struggled to regain control, but the Earth-Binding Chains failed to pull him back. The relentless winds tore at his body, deepening his wounds and painting a grim picture of blood and struggle. Only his True Dragon Physique kept him from being ripped apart entirely.

He struggled and fought desperately, but his efforts barely made a difference. The surrounding current began to merge, threatening to form a colossal vortex capable of shredding everything nearby—including Liu Wuxie himself.

On the summit, the young man hesitated. He had witnessed Liu Wuxie’s golden rune aiding the profound talisman's evolution, and a conflicted look crossed his face as he watched Liu Wuxie being pulled deeper into the storm.

Gritting his teeth, he took out a treasure resembling the Earth-Binding Chains, anchored it to a massive boulder, and leaped into the raging winds, racing toward Liu Wuxie.

The astral winds carved fresh wounds into the young man's body before he could even get close, revealing just how immense the tearing force at the storm's center was. Liu Wuxie had been enduring this relentless assault, his body on the verge of being ripped apart.

The reverse current swelled, forming a colossal vortex determined to drag Liu Wuxie into the boundless galaxy. His Earth-Binding Chains had reached their limit, unable to extend any further.

As a result, Liu Wuxie's life was hanging by a thread, ready to be devoured at any moment.

"Grab it!" A voice rang in his ears, and a rope shot toward him.

Liu Wuxie hadn't realized someone else was on the summit, but he didn't hesitate. Reaching for the rope, he managed to touch it—only for the astral winds to hurl him away, sending him drifting further from salvation.

Adjusting his stance, he tried again, but the relentless wind thwarted every attempt.

The situation became increasingly dire. The young man's artifact groaned under pressure, its structure nearing collapse. Liu Wuxie clenched his jaw—if he did not grab the rope now, he would have no choice but to give up and accept his fate.

With no hesitation, Liu Wuxie relaxed his body and channeled his true essence into his legs, launching himself forward. The force of his leap disturbed the surrounding astral winds and propelled him forward like an arrow.

His hand closed in on the rope, and a powerful force tugged at him when he grabbed onto it.

The young man in mid-air began to pull with all his might, slowly dragging Liu Wuxie out of the vortex.

Liu Wuxie summoned every ounce of strength he could muster, drawing power from the Earth-Binding Chains. If he could escape the colossal vortex, he would be safe—but he knew he couldn't do it alone.

As they inched outward, the astral winds continued to rage, while the profound talisman underwent its transformation.

"So close!" Liu Wuxie gritted his teeth, clawing his way forward. The vortex's edge was within reach, his fingers grazing solid ground just as the churning winds threatened to pull him under. With one final push, he dragged himself out, mere moments before the vortex could consume him.

Outside, the young man's anxiety grew. His rope was nearing its limit, fraying under the relentless force. He couldn't bring himself to let go—doing so would mean certain death for Liu Wuxie.

There were still twelve meters left to reach safety, and the rope wouldn't last much longer.

A fierce battle raged on in the young man's mind, and he wondered if he should take the risk to save Liu Wuxie. They would survive if luck favored them. Otherwise, they would both perish.

Liu Wuxie, too, noticed the rope on the young man's waist—it was dangerously thin and on the verge of snapping.

"Fiery, get ready to pull!" Liu Wuxie shouted, knowing they needed more strength to escape.

He quickly unfastened the beast pouch at his waist and infused it with ice energy, firing it toward the mountain's summit like an arrow.

The moment the pouch landed, Fiery leaped out, instantly grasping the situation. Without hesitation, the divine beast dashed to the rope, clamped it between its teeth, and began pulling with all its might.

Fiery's immense strength hastened Liu Wuxie's escape from the vortex, allowing him to break free faster than expected. The young man, who had been moments away from giving up, let out a relieved sigh.

A minute later, Liu Wuxie finally freed himself. Feeling the weight lift from his body, he swiftly manipulated the Earth-Binding Chains, launching himself toward the mountain peak.

The young man also did the same as he grabbed onto the rope and dashed backward with astonishing speed.

Behind them, the vortex roared, twisting into terrifying shapes. Their only chance at safety was to reach the Heavenly Peak before it could pull them back in.

Liu Wuxie landed first. Without hesitation, he grabbed the young man's rope and pulled with all his might, determined to bring him to safety.