Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 180: Prelude to the Cataclysm
Having sealed away the emotional ghosts, Xu Yan didn't even have time to catch his breath before the spiritual pressure emanating from the depths of the data port suddenly changed drastically.

It was no longer an overwhelming malice, but rather a rhythmic and heavy throbbing, like a heartbeat.

Each pulse caused the surrounding metal walls to tremble, and the data fragments floating in the air to dance wildly.

"Something's wrong!"

Xu Yan's expression changed slightly. This rhythmic spiritual pressure meant that the "thing" deep inside was actively gathering power, or rather... was awakening.

"Mr. Xu!" Zhang Meng also felt it; the suffocating pressure distorted his voice. "We must evacuate immediately. This feeling... is more terrifying than any D-class we've encountered before!"

Old Zhao clutched his chest tightly, his face deathly pale.
“Ah Ping… Ah Ping’s mark… is deeper up… stronger, but… but it seems to be enveloped by something, being absorbed…”

Without a second thought, Xu Yan made a decisive decision: "Let's go!"

The group quickly retreated along the path they had come from.

However, they hadn't gone far when they discovered in despair that the road had changed.

The once familiar passageway twisted and folded, and the massive server array moved as if it were alive, blocking any way out.

New paths appeared before them, all pointing in the core direction from which the spiritual pressure emanated.

“It’s forcing us to go!” a Raven team member said, his voice trembling.

"They're not forcing us; they're clearing the area for its 'awakening,' or rather... preparing 'food.'"

Xu Yan's eyes were icy cold. He sensed that the spiritual energy and data floating in the surrounding space were being frantically extracted and drawn into the depths.

Suddenly, the light in the entire data port dimmed to its lowest point, as if it had been swallowed up by something.

Immediately, in the void not far in front of everyone, countless dark blue data streams seemed to be summoned, converging from all directions to outline a huge, complex, and constantly rotating rune.

The runes exuded a chilling aura that could freeze one's soul, and their complexity far surpassed any known soul-corroding rune or array.

At the center of the rune, space shattered like a mirror, and a figure slowly "emerged".

It is not a physical entity, but rather a spatial rift in the shape of a human.

It is about three meters tall, completely dark, with its edges constantly twisting, evaporating and reforming, as if it were made of pure "nothingness".

Its "face" has no facial features, only a deep, constantly rotating vortex of stars; gazing at it feels as if even one's consciousness is being drawn in.

There was no roaring, no whispering.

But the moment it appeared, an indescribable sense of rejection and destructive will, as if from the very rules of the world, swept over everyone like an invisible tsunami.

The jade cicada on Xu Yan's chest flashed wildly, then let out a faint mournful cry, and the light dimmed completely—it had been overloaded.

The Soul-Suppressing Iron Brand on the palm sent a burning, stinging sensation through it, as if it were fighting against some force that it could not completely resist.

Zhang Meng and all the Raven team members were hit hard; the psionic indicators on their energy rifles instantly exceeded the overload limit, and the weapon systems were directly paralyzed.

They felt their own psychic energy becoming sluggish, as if the "rules" of this space were being rewritten, no longer allowing them to use this power.

“C...C grade…”

Zhang Meng's teeth chattered as he squeezed out those two desperate words from deep in his throat.

Regional catastrophe level!
The ability to distort local rules is itself a negation of reality.

This is simply an existence they cannot contend with.

The C-class ghost—or perhaps it could be called the "Data Devourer"—slowly raised its arm made of nothingness.

There were no energy beams, no physical impacts, but the space itself in the area where Xu Yan and the others were located began to collapse.

The metal floor beneath their feet crumbled like sand, revealing a boiling abyss of data beneath, composed of countless gibberish and error messages.

The surrounding air was sucked away, and the light was swallowed up.

"Back off!" Xu Yan roared, his hands moving rapidly, dozens of spirit-corroding talismans were scattered as if they were free, turning into a storm of dark purple lightning, trying to stop the collapse of the space.

However, when the power of the Spirit-Eating Talisman came into contact with the edge of the collapse, it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, instantly assimilated and devoured by that pure "nothingness".

The difference is enormous! This is a crushing defeat on a dimensional level!

"what--!"

The last Raven team member fell to the ground beneath his feet, which vanished completely. He screamed as he plummeted into the data abyss below, his body disappearing inch by inch as if erased by an eraser, leaving not a trace.

"Old Li!" Zhang Meng's eyes were bloodshot, but he was powerless to help.

Xu Yan's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he suddenly slapped the camera in front of his chest.

A dark golden wide-angle lens popped up instantly, and he unhesitatingly poured almost all of his spiritual energy into it.

"Crack! Boom—!"

The shutter sound and the purifying light of the flash erupted simultaneously, the blazing white light piercing the collapsing space like a sharp sword, colliding fiercely with the power of "nothingness".

This time, the light of purification failed to sweep away everything as it had before.

It struggled against the void, emitting a grating, ear-piercing noise at the boundary with nothingness, as if two worlds were rubbing against each other.

The collapse was temporarily slowed down, but the light of purification itself was being rapidly consumed and eroded.

Xu Yan groaned, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

Forcibly resisting the power of the C-level ghost's rules, even if it was only a delay, caused him to suffer a severe backlash.

"Go! I can't hold on much longer!" he roared at the stunned crowd behind him.

Zhang Meng instantly realized that this was an opportunity that Xu Yan had risked his life for.

"Everyone! Charge with me! Go around it!"

He pulled up the nearly collapsed Lao Zhao and, leading the remaining team members, frantically rushed to the side along the edge of the area that had not yet completely collapsed.

The C-level ghost seemed to have developed a slight interest in Xu Yan, this "ant" who could briefly resist it.

Its star-like "face" turned towards Xu Yan, and its ethereal arm gently waved.

"Buzz!"

An invisible force of rules impacted Xu Yan, disregarding physical distance and directly affecting his soul and body.

Xu Yan felt that his very existence was being denied, his cells were wailing, and his soul was as if it were being peeled off his body.

The purifying light emitted by the Soul-Sealing Camera flickered violently, and it looked like it was about to go out completely.

The line between life and death!
At this critical moment, the dormant core deep within Xu Yan's sea of ​​consciousness seemed to be touched by this external force of rules that attempted to "erase" it, and it rippled very slightly.

There was no dazzling light, no powerful burst of energy.

It was merely a faint, almost imperceptible aura of "existence," seemingly emanating from a higher level, that spread out like ripples on the surface of water.

The arm that the C-level ghost "Data Devourer" had swung out suddenly stopped in mid-air.

For the first time, its star-like face showed a violent fluctuation, as if it had sensed something incomprehensible, untouchable, yet subtly causing it to instinctively fear.

It's that moment of stillness!

Xu Yan seized this fleeting opportunity, and the three D-level spiritual energies within his body, which had been suppressed to the limit, suddenly erupted, not as an attack, but as a propulsive force.

His body was pulled backward as if by an invisible force, while he threw out the last few Soul-Eating Talismans, forming a temporary barrier in front of him.

"Boom!"

The space where he had just been had completely collapsed, turning into absolute nothingness.

Xu Yan crashed heavily dozens of meters away, spitting out another mouthful of blood. His breath was extremely weak, but he ultimately escaped that fatal blow.

Xu Yan's body felt as if it had been struck by an invisible giant hammer. His internal organs seemed to shift, and blood gushed uncontrollably from his mouth, drawing a shrill arc in the air.

He crashed heavily onto the twisted metal floor, sliding for more than ten meters before barely coming to a stop, his entire body groaning.

But he ignored the excruciating pain, his gaze fixed on the "data devourer" in the distance.

It did not pursue him; that star-like face continued to "watch" him, but the "inquiry" and "uncertainty" within it were quickly replaced by something purer.

It was a displeasure that a high-ranking being could cause even the slightest abnormal fluctuation in a lowly ant, and the ensuing, even colder, will to erase them.

Invincible!

Alarm bells rang loudly in Xu Yan's mind.

Fighting a D-class ghost is a clash of energy, a collision of rules.

Confronting this C-level being felt like confronting the space itself.

It doesn't need to use fancy moves; its mere existence is enough to constantly and passively rewrite reality.

The physical laws and energy logic surrounding it are collapsing.

A fundamental difference!

A sudden realization flashed through Xu Yan's mind.

A Class D ghost is someone who has mastered and utilized a fragment of a rule, much like a programmer who has learned to use a powerful function.

A Class C ghost is likely to be a living, self-aware aggregate of rules.

It is no longer a "use" rule; it is part of the rule.

This is the truth about "regional catastrophe"—its existence permanently pollutes and alters the underlying operating logic of a region.

If we could capture it... no, even just strip away a portion of its most fundamental rules and structure...

A crazy and tempting idea rose up uncontrollably.

If devouring D-level rule fragments can break through the gold barrier, then what about analyzing or even fusing a trace of C-level primordial rules?
The resulting improvement will be exponential!
Perhaps it really is possible to reach the top in one step and go straight to Gold Level II!

At that time, facing Shen Mengyao's vast and desperate dream, his chances of saving Chen Zhiwei will greatly increase.

This thought was like poison, igniting a flame in his eyes.

Just then, the "data devourer" raised its empty arm once more.

This time, it wasn't directed at Xu Yan, but rather a gentle downward press.

"Om-!"

There was no sound, but Xu Yan felt as if his hearing had been taken away.

It wasn't physical deafness, but rather that the concept of "sound" in his area had been temporarily removed from the rules.

Absolute silence descended, and all the cries of his teammates, the hum of energy, and even the sound of his own blood flowing vanished.

An attack at the rule level! Directly altering a localized part of reality!
Immediately afterwards, it swung its arm horizontally.

In Xu Yan's eyes, the world began to lose color rapidly, as if an old photograph was fading and quickly turning into black and white.

Visual-related rules are also being disrupted and stripped away.

Depriving him of his five senses! This is to undermine his very existence!

Xu Yan was horrified; he finally experienced firsthand the terror of a C-level being.

This is a power that a Silver-level expert simply cannot contend with, and is even difficult to comprehend.

But he didn't give up.

The deprivation of hearing and sight made him focus even more on his spiritual senses and that faint connection with the Abyss Core.

It's consuming energy!
Xu Yan keenly noticed that with each modification to the rules, the dark outline of this C-level ghost would ripple slightly. Although it was extremely subtle, it could not escape his perception, which had been heightened to the extreme.

It has just awakened and is not at its peak!
This ability to directly influence the rules of reality is also a huge burden for it.

This is a glimmer of hope! It's also... the starting point for a crazy opportunity.

What will it take away next?
Smell? Taste? Or... the perception of psychic energy?
Xu Yan's mind raced, and he made a bold gamble.

He forcibly mobilized the three restless D-level psionic energies within his body, not to attack, but to mix their characteristics—the "concealment" of shadow, the "penetration" of parasitism, and the "weaving" of memory—in an unprecedented way, covering his entire body.

He wanted to make himself a constantly changing and undefinable "information disturbance" in the other party's "perception".

At the same time, he immersed all his mind in his sea of ​​consciousness, trying his best to "communicate" with the abyss core that had only fluctuated passively.

He doesn't know how to use it proactively, but he can imitate it and guide others.

He frantically transmitted his understanding of "devouring," "nothingness," and "rules," especially the rule aura of the C-level ghost he had just personally experienced, to the Abyss Core.

He is gambling!
This gambling originates from the core of "abyss" and will produce a certain instinctive reaction to "rule aggregates" that belong to the same high position but may have opposite natures.

Just as the "data devourer" raised its arm again, about to strip him of his sense of touch and completely sever his connection with the material world, he was in that instant.

The core within Xu Yan's body fluctuated once again!
This time, it was no longer a barely perceptible ripple, but a faint yet incredibly pure suction force.

This attraction is not directed at physical entities, but rather acts directly on the level of rules and information.

It's like a hungry baby, instinctively wanting to suckle at the nearest "bottle".

The arm of the "data devourer" that was about to swing down suddenly froze.

For the first time, its star-like face showed a violent, even shocking, fluctuation.

It sensed that the part of its "source of power" that it emitted, used to modify the rules, was being slightly moved and pulled by something inside that tiny ant.

Although the suction force was extremely weak and could not actually devour anything, the act itself, and the feeling that it could be "touched" in terms of its status, made it feel an unprecedented offense and a trace of... instinctive fear.

It no longer issues invisible rules and commands, but a sharp, direct spiritual roar that strikes deep into the souls of all living beings.

"roll--!"

This roar was not an attack, but more like a drive away, a rejection of the "abnormal disturbance".

boom!
Xu Yan felt as if his brain had been pierced by steel needles, and blood was flowing from all seven orifices at the same time, but he was not surprised but rather delighted.

Bet right.

Although he couldn't devour it, this brief, rule-level "contact" allowed him to glimpse a trace of the structure of a C-level origin.

It was a kind of... highly ordered, yet cold code full of destructive desires, one of the "source codes" that constituted the chaotic rules of this data port.

At the same time, that repulsive force also became an aid in his escape.

Without further hesitation, he took a deep breath and sped off in the direction Zhang Meng and the others had retreated.

Using the impact of the mental roar and the thrust generated by the burst of three D-level psionic energies within his body, his body, like a kite with a broken string, shot backward at top speed in the direction he had come from.

The "data devourer" seemed to be briefly confused and self-examining due to the "contact" just now, and did not immediately pursue.

The enormous, dark blue rune flickered violently a few times, and then, along with its form, slowly sank into the boiling torrent of data and disappeared.

But the oppressive sense of rules that enveloped everything was like a brand, deeply imprinted on this space, announcing the awakening of a king.

Xu Yan crashed heavily into the metal wall near the exit, spitting out another mouthful of blood. His injuries were even more severe, but he gritted his teeth and used the force of the impact to stagger out of the torn door.

The sunlight was blinding, and the air was "fresh." He collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, each breath carrying the stench of blood.

When they finally saw the torn metal gate at the exit of the dataport, everyone felt as if they had been transported to another world.

The sunlight on their faces brought a negligible warmth, yet it almost caused the survivors to collapse to the ground.

Zhang Meng counted the number of people. The team that started out was full, but now only four people remained, including Lao Zhao, who was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

lost heavily.

He walked up to Xu Yan, who was sitting against the wall, his face as pale as paper, and who was closing his eyes to regulate his breathing, and solemnly performed the highest level of courtesy.

“Mr. Xu, I am deeply grateful. From this day forward, you are the benefactor of me, Zhang Meng, and the Seventh Action Team. The Raven organization will surely repay you handsomely!”

His voice was filled with gratitude and awe.

If it weren't for Xu Yan today, they would all have become sacrifices for the awakening of that C-level ghost.

Xu Yan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze revealing unresolved turmoil and a deeper gravity.

“A Class C has appeared; catastrophe is imminent. Tell your superiors to prepare early.” He paused, looking into the depths of the data port. “As for the clues about your wife… Old Zhao, that mark is enveloped in the power of a Class C ghost, I’m afraid…”

Old Zhao collapsed to the ground, silently shedding tears, and finally nodded heavily, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Xu Yan said no more and struggled to stand up.

His injuries were severe, and the three types of D-level psionic energy were further disordered due to the forced outburst.

But more importantly, his brief encounter with a C-level ghost made him clearly realize the insignificance of a Silver-level ghost.

He needs to return to the photo studio immediately to treat his injuries, and then... he must break through to the Gold level as soon as possible!

Only those with greater power can have the right to struggle and survive in the face of a disaster of this magnitude. He glanced at the Soul-Sealing Camera in his hand, which also seemed to be overused, and then looked towards the city center.

The exploration of DataPort has come to a temporary end, but an even bigger storm is clearly just beginning to brew.

“Mr. Xu!” Zhang Meng’s voice was urgent and carried a hint of barely perceptible awe.

He quickly directed the remaining three team members, including the dazed Old Zhao, to set up a makeshift defensive line. He then squatted down next to Xu Yan and took out the highest concentration of psionic soothing agent from his first aid kit. "Quick, this can temporarily stabilize the injuries!"

Xu Yan did not refuse, took the vial of medicine that shimmered with a blue light, and drank it all in one gulp.

A cool sensation flowed through my body, temporarily suppressing some of the intense pain and calming my restless spiritual energy slightly, but it was ultimately only a temporary fix.

"Thank you." His voice was terribly hoarse.

"We should be the ones thanking you." Zhang Meng's expression was solemn as he glanced at the entrance to the data port, which resembled a monster's gaping maw, still shaken. "Class C... I never imagined the legends actually existed. Mr. Xu, it's a miracle you escaped from that thing."

“It’s not a miracle, it just woke up, and... I have something on me that it fears.” Xu Yan didn’t explicitly mention the Abyss Core, but only hinted at it.

He struggled to stand up, but his body swayed.

Zhang Meng quickly helped him up: "Your injuries are too serious, we'll escort you back!"

Xu Yan glanced at the Raven Squad, whose condition was also poor, and shook his head:
"No need, being too conspicuous is dangerous. Give me a strong painkiller, and I can go back by myself."

His tone left no room for doubt.

Zhang Meng knew that such powerful individuals all had their secrets and pride, so he stopped insisting, handed over a military-grade high-potency injection, and at the same time stuffed a small, encrypted communicator with a raven symbol into Xu Yan's hand.

"This is our internal emergency channel, covering the entire city. Contact us anytime if needed. The Seventh Action Team owes you a life," Zhang Meng solemnly promised.

Xu Yan put away the communicator, nodded, and injected the painkiller into the side of his neck.

A brute force temporarily suppressed all the pain, granting him the ability to move, but at the cost of an even more severe backlash later on.

Without further delay, he nodded slightly to Zhang Meng and the others, then moved like an injured shadow, disappearing into the intricate shadows of the old city's streets.

The journey home was not peaceful.

The atmosphere in the old town became noticeably more eerie and tense.

The eerie atmosphere in the air seemed to intensify, and the invisible sense of oppression grew stronger.

On street corners and in alleyways, the number of those stiff "pedestrians" seems to have increased, and their eyes occasionally flash with a fleeting, inhuman emptiness.

In the distance, the faint sounds of official patrol convoy sirens and sporadic explosions from energy weapon exchanges could be heard.

The ripples of the C-level awakening have begun to spread.

Thanks to his familiarity with the terrain and the Jade Cicada's still effective concealment function despite its dimness, Xu Yan narrowly avoided several waves of obviously malicious spying and a small group of wandering low-level anomalies.

He could sense that the city was rife with undercurrents, like a pond tossed with a boulder, and all forces were alarmed.

When he finally saw the "Forgotten Photo Studio" hidden at the end of a dilapidated street with its sign askew, he felt a little relieved.

Pushing open that familiar wooden door engraved with array formations, the moment I stepped inside, the tranquil atmosphere of the photo studio enveloped me, temporarily isolating me from the chaos and malice of the outside world.

The faint light emanating from the autonomously operating defensive formation is like the gentlest comfort.

A clear, slightly weak female voice, tinged with tension and vigilance, came from inside the door: "Who?!"

It was Chen Zhiwei's voice.

She has been guarding this place all this time.

“It’s me, Xu Yan,” he replied in a low voice.

The door was immediately pulled open a crack, revealing Chen Zhiwei's beautiful face, which was visibly worried and pale.

When she saw Xu Yan outside the door, covered in blood and barely breathing, her pupils suddenly contracted, she exclaimed in surprise, and quickly opened the door completely.

"Senior brother! How did you get so badly injured?!"

"Brother Yan!"

Almost simultaneously, Ah Zhe, who had been waiting inside the shop, rushed out from the inner room. When he saw Xu Yan's appearance, he turned pale with fright and rushed forward to support him on either side, along with Chen Zhiwei.

"I'm fine, just a superficial injury." With the help of the two people, Xu Yan steadied himself, waved his hand, and although his voice was hoarse, it carried a reassuring strength.

Chen Zhiwei's eyes instantly reddened, and her voice choked with sobs:

"You still say you're fine! You've lost so much blood... You said before not to open the door for anyone, but I... I saw it was Ah Zhe outside, and I hesitated for a long time, but still..."

Seeing her anxious and self-reproachful expression, Xu Yan raised his relatively clean hand and gently ruffled her hair. His movements were somewhat stiff, yet carried a rare tenderness.
“Silly girl, I asked Zhe to come. You did the right thing. If it was him, you could have opened the door.”

Feeling the warmth of his palm, Chen Zhiwei was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head, her ears turning slightly red, but the worry and panic in her heart strangely subsided a little.

"Where are the things?" Xu Yan turned to A Zhe, his tone returning to its usual calm.

"Everything's ready! As you requested, the Chaos Stones have been replenished to the array nodes, and the latest batch of Spirit-Eroding Talismans has been drawn." A-Zhe spoke rapidly, helping Xu Yan into the inner secret room along with Chen Zhiwei, while simultaneously pressing for answers, "The energy fluctuation monitor in the old city almost went off the charts just now! Brother Yan, what exactly happened? You…"

Xu Yan paused for a moment, feeling the churning pain and conflicting rules within his body, and said briefly, "I've encountered a big guy, a C-rank."

"C...C-level?!" Ah Zhe gasped, his hand supporting him trembling, his voice shaking, "You...you really..."

Even Chen Zhiwei, who was standing next to her, suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief and lingering fear.

Although she had not yet regained her strength, she knew what "C-level" meant.

"I managed to escape by sheer luck." Xu Yan interrupted A Zhe's questioning, not wanting to explain the dangers of the process further, lest they worry even more.

He turned to Chen Zhiwei, his tone softening with concern, "And you? How are you feeling? How's your recovery going?"

Chen Zhiwei met his bloodshot yet still deep gaze, and felt a warmth in her heart. She nodded gently.

"I'm much better. The formation here is very quiet, and I can feel the power slowly gathering. Don't worry about me, take care of yourself first!"

Her tone was firm, her eyes were clear, and although her face was still a little pale, it was much more solid than before when she had an almost transparent, ethereal quality.

Xu Yan carefully examined her complexion, making sure she wasn't forcing herself, before nodding slightly: "That's good."

"Has the equipment from Zhou Wenbin's side been delivered?" he asked A Zhe again.

"It's been delivered! It's in the workshop!" Ah Zhe nodded hurriedly, his face still showing shock. "He also included a small box of high-purity psionic crystal fragments, saying he tried his best to get them."

"Very good." A hint of satisfaction flashed in Xu Yan's eyes.

Zhou Wenbin really put in a lot of effort this time.

With the help of A Zhe and Chen Zhiwei, he entered the familiar dark room filled with array formations.

The door slowly closed behind me, temporarily isolating me from the outside world.

He knew that what followed would be the most crucial and dangerous challenge since he entered this world.

The workshop door shut out the outside world, leaving only the prototype's eerie blue glow and the faint smell of blood and ozone in the air.

Xu Yan leaned against the cold metal wall, breathing heavily, forcibly suppressing the waves of dizziness and excruciating pain that were washing over him.

Now is not the time to give up.

Ah Zhe deftly embedded the last few high-purity psionic crystal fragments into the prototype's energy slot. The eerie blue light stabilized slightly, but an ominous creaking sound still emanated from inside the device, as if it might fall apart at any moment.

"Brother Yan, the equipment is in very poor condition. There are multiple overload burn marks in the energy circuit, and the core stabilization runes are also severely worn. I'm afraid it can't support high-intensity purification." A Zhe examined the equipment, his brow furrowed, his tone full of worry. "And your current condition..."

“We can’t worry about that now.” Xu Yan interrupted him, his voice low but firm. “I must deal with the conflicting rules within my body immediately. This is my only chance. Let’s begin. Follow the steps I told you before. You will take charge of the equipment’s operation, and I will be responsible for guiding and suppressing the spiritual energy.”

Looking into Xu Yan's unwavering gaze, A Zhe nodded vigorously: "Understood!"

He took a deep breath and began to work rapidly on several key rune nodes of the prototype, as if playing the piano.

The azure light began to pulsate rhythmically with his movements, and tiny streams of energy accelerated through the complex circuits, emitting a low hum.

A more solidified field of spiritual energy, carrying the meaning of filtering and purification, formed in the center of the device.

Xu Yan struggled to sit cross-legged and placed the three films containing the D-level ghosts into the force field.

He closed his eyes, and his intuition, like invisible tentacles, cautiously probed into the chaotic energy vortex within his body.

“First, the ‘Shadow Doll’.” Xu Yan silently recited in his mind, while guiding the force field of the prototype machine to precisely lock onto the first film.

"Initiating initial separation, energy gate open 10%!" A Zhe stared intently at the constantly fluctuating energy readings, carefully adjusting a rune knob that resembled a valve.

Om-!
The film vibrated violently, and a viscous, cold, shadow energy that seemed to devour light was slowly extracted, transforming into a churning, pitch-black mass within the force field.

As soon as it appeared, the light in the dark room seemed to dim, and the temperature in the air dropped sharply.

"Energy attribute confirmed: High-density shadow particles, accompanied by fragments of rules with a strong tendency to 'erasure'!" A Zhe quickly reported the monitoring results, his finger sliding across another metal plate covered in runes, adjusting the filtering parameters of the force field, "Injecting neutral Yang Flame rune energy, ratio 3.7%!"

A faint, warm golden energy stream was injected into the force field. The moment it came into contact with the dark energy, it hissed like cold water dripping into boiling oil.

The shadow energy surged violently, resisting the purification, but was eventually forcibly stripped away a trace of pure, grayish yin energy, while more violent and malicious impurities were annihilated in the force field.

This process is extremely slow and mentally taxing.

Xu Yan needs to constantly sense the changes in energy and guide the force field, while also being distracted by suppressing two other fragments of rules within his body that are becoming more agitated due to the stimulation of the same source energy.

Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his face became even paler.

"The first target purity has reached 71%, impurities have been basically eliminated, and the regular fragments have been initially stabilized!" A Zhe's voice carried a hint of excitement, but even more so, tension. "The energy core load has reached 65%! Brother Yan, can we continue?"

"Keep going!" Xu Yan gritted his teeth. "Next, 'Parasite Ghost'!"

The second film was activated.

This time, what surged forth was a treacherous, eerie green energy stream, almost like a living thing.

It is not as domineering as shadow energy, but it is more troublesome. As soon as it appears, it tries to break into countless tiny threads, as if it has a life of its own, and drills into the force field barrier and the energy circuit of the prototype.

"Damn it! This thing is trying to parasitize the device!" Ah Zhe's expression changed, and his hands flew across the field. "Switch to high-frequency oscillation field! Increase the frequency to the gamma band! Activate the internal circuit psionic barrier!"

The prototype emitted an even more piercing buzz, and the shape of the force field changed instantly, transforming from a stable sphere into countless high-frequency vibrating ripples.

The eerie green energy threads broke and disintegrated under the high-speed vibration, emitting a faint but sharp hiss.

“Energy attribute: Highly active psionic carpet form, accompanied by fragments of the rules of ‘mental penetration’ and ‘form simulation’! Physical purification is ineffective, and mental interference is required!” A Zhe quickly judged.

Xu Yan understood. He suppressed the discomfort in his sea of ​​consciousness, separated a wisp of spiritual power, mixed it with a trace of newly purified shadow energy, and like a precise scalpel, cut into the core of that dark green energy!
"hiss--!"

The eerie green energy core emitted an invisible scream, its activity greatly reduced.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, A Zhe immediately increased the purification power. Dark purple lightning flashed in the force field, finally purifying this treacherous energy into a relatively stable green spiritual essence that emitted a faint glow.

"Second target purity 68%! Rule fragment captured! Energy core load 89%! Approaching the danger threshold!" A-Zhe's voice was already choked with sobs, "Yan-ge, the equipment is nearing its limit! Your body..."

Xu Yan felt as if his soul was being pierced by countless fine needles. The conflict between the three fragments of rules reached its peak because the two "companions" were dealt with.

He knew that he might also be nearing his limit.

“There’s no way out…the last one!” he almost growled.

The third film belongs to that "emotional weaver".

As the dark red data stream, composed of countless painful memories and desperate thoughts, surged out, the entire dark room seemed to echo with the cries and roars of countless wronged souls.

This is not an energy attack; it is direct mental pollution.

"Damn it! Information state attack! Physical filtering is ineffective!" A Zhe clutched his head, feeling his emotions begin to plummet and become agitated.

Xu Yan was also the first to be affected, with countless negative emotions surging in his mind.

But he gritted his teeth, and the Soul-Suppressing Iron Brand on his palm erupted with an unprecedentedly scorching light.

"Suppress the soul! Guard the heart!"

He let out a low shout and channeled the power of the Soul-Suppressing Iron into the force field through his spiritual senses.

At the same time, he shouted to A Zhe, "A Zhe! Use the reverse structure of the 'Heart-Cleansing Mantra' runes that I asked you to prepare before! Isn't it supposed to be polluting? Let's give it 'purity'!"

Despite his discomfort, Ah Zhe immediately understood what Xu Yan meant.

He quickly altered the energy flow of a basic rune, changing it from "defense" to "release".

An extremely faint yet incredibly pure and peaceful fluctuation of thought was injected into the force field, like a clear crystal thrown into a murky swamp.

The dark red data stream seemed to have encountered its natural enemy, frantically rushing towards that pure intention, trying to corrupt it. However, its own structure began to become unstable under the extreme contrast of "purity," and the chaotic and frenzied "information" was peeled away layer by layer as if being bleached.

"It works! It's disintegrating itself!" A Zhe exclaimed in surprise.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xu Yan guided the first two streams of purified spiritual energy essence, like two overseers, to restrain the dark red data stream from the left and right. With the power of the Soul-Suppressing Iron and the Reverse Heart-Cleansing Mantra, he performed a final "purification" and "refinement" on it.

The prototype emitted a wail that sounded like metal being torn apart under the strain, with thick smoke billowing from many parts and a ghostly blue light flashing violently, threatening to go out completely at any moment.

At this critical moment!
"boom!"

With a muffled thud, the dark red data stream finally collapsed completely, turning into countless pure dark red light spots. The fragments of "emotional resonance" and "memory weaving" contained within were also stripped away and became relatively stable.

Three orbs of D-grade psionic essence, each a different color but radiating pure and powerful energy, finally floated in the force field of the prototype machine, which was on the verge of disintegration.

Purification successful!

A Zhe collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted. Sweat soaked his clothes, and he gasped for breath, his face showing a mixture of relief and disbelief, as if he had just survived a disaster.

This cobbled-together device actually managed to purify three types of D-level psionic energy; it was nothing short of a miracle.

Xu Yan also slowly exhaled a long breath of foul air, which smelled of blood.

The internal conflict of rules, which felt like being stabbed by knives, was greatly reduced as the external "fuel" was successfully tamed, as if a huge boulder had been removed from the chest.

Although internal problems have not been eliminated, at least they have gained a respite and possess the most crucial "ammunition" to break through the barriers.

He stared at the three orbs of psychic energy, each a different color yet all floating docilely in the field of energy—a deep shadow, a strange, eerie green, and a somber, emotional red.

They are no longer violent, but like three seeds containing the mysteries of the universe, quietly waiting to be awakened and merged.

Power... even more powerful, enough to change destiny, is right before our eyes.

Xu Yan's heart began to beat faster involuntarily.

Once he crosses this threshold and enters the Gold level, he will be able to better protect the photo studio, protect the girl inside who pulled him back from the abyss of despair, and get one step closer to completely rescuing Chen Zhiwei from that vast and bizarre dream.

Just then, from outside the heavy door of the dark room came a series of hurried footsteps that were trying hard to suppress but could still be heard, as well as the sound of gentle patting on the door panel with deep concern.

It was Chen Zhiwei.

She waited outside the whole time.

From the moment Xu Yan returned covered in blood until he led A Zhe into this dark, isolated room, every minute and every second was agonizing for her.

The roar of machinery, the surging energy, and even the occasional unsettling aura emanating from inside made her heart clench.

She dared not disturb them, and could only cautiously inquire in this way, as she was doing now.

Xu Yan shifted his gaze from the spiritual energy essence to the tightly closed door, a barely perceptible hint of tenderness and guilt flashing in his cold, sharp eyes.

He knew she was worried.

Ah Zhe also heard the noise and struggled to get up to open the door.

"Ah Zhe, take a rest, I'll go." Xu Yan's voice was still tired, but much more stable than before.

He walked to the door, but did not open it completely immediately; he only opened it a crack.

Outside the door, Chen Zhiwei stood nervously pressed against it, her pale face filled with anxiety and her eyes slightly red.

When she saw that Xu Yan's complexion was still not good, but his eyes were clear and his breathing seemed to have stabilized, her tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Xu Yan... are you alright? I heard a lot of noise inside just now..." she asked anxiously in a low voice, trying to look past Xu Yan into the room, but afraid of seeing something bad.

"It's alright, the first step went smoothly." Xu Yan softened his voice as he looked at her worried expression. "Don't worry, just wait outside for a little while, it'll be over soon."

His tone carried a reassuring certainty.

Looking into his deep eyes, Chen Zhiwei's panic miraculously subsided.

She nodded vigorously and said softly, "Okay, I'll be right outside. Be careful."

Xu Yan nodded slightly and closed the door again, shutting out the girl's concerned gaze.

But that silent support, like a warm current, flowed into his unwavering resolve.

When he turned around and faced the three orbs of psionic essence again, his eyes had regained absolute calmness and focus.

External distractions have been eliminated, and inner anxieties have been temporarily put to rest.

Now, it's time to use this painstakingly refined "key" to unlock the door to a higher realm.

The real challenge, the challenge of life and death and the future, has only just begun.

(End of this chapter)