Chapter 103 - 102: Dan Heng Parts the Seas! Enter

"You've got Trailblazing down, Little Gui!" "I truly love the atmosphere within the Astral Express Crew; our friends here are so dependable!" "Before, I never actively chose any particular destiny path. But after experiencing these storylines, I'm gradually beginning to understand and appreciate the path of Trailblazing." "We're already Trailblazers ourselves!" "Could this be the inspiration behind Feathered Spirit naming the game 'Astral Journey'? Did they aim to convey this spirit across the entire universe?" "Why overthink it? This game is enjoyable, we love playing it, and that's enough—plain and simple!" Within the unfolding narrative: As Dan Heng made his decision, Jing Yuan nodded and said, "Thank you, Dan Heng." "I am not standing here as The Nameless. My actions on this journey have been manipulated by others, leaving me with no true freedom..." "But as a descendant of Vidyadhara, I will fulfill my duty to Luofu." March 7th acknowledged him with a nod. "Excellent, everyone remains steadfast as when we first embarked. General, what's your next brilliant plan?" "No brilliant plans, only a gamble. We're betting on the Vidyadhara Elder's half-completed Shedding Scales Technique and on Dan Heng recovering the memories of the High Elder..." "The High Elder?" They approached the statue closely resembling Dan Heng. Jing Yuan explained, "In ancient times, although the Arbiter felled the Tree of Foundation, remnants of the Plagues Author's curse persisted. To seal it away, Luofu sought the power of the 'Immortal' Dragon lineage, making it possible to tame the shattered remnants of the tree. "Under the guidance of the ancient High Elder, the Vidyadhara clan channeled waters from the Ancient Sea, flooding the Scalegorge Waterscape cave realm, transforming it into a vessel for containing the Tree of Foundation. In commemoration of this grand sacrifice and achievement, the Xianzhou Alliance erected the Grand Dragon Monolith within Scalegorge, featuring statues of the Vidyadhara." As Jing Yuan provided background information, the background music suddenly shifted, becoming somber and drawn-out. It seemed as if a voice was softly murmuring. Guinaifen's eyes widened instantly! In the live stream chatroom, viewers flooded the comments section! "What's this bgm? It sounds amazing!" "I think someone is softly chanting!" "I've turned up the volume! I heard words like '[anchoring]' and '[scattered]'?" "Holy shit, could it be that the High Elder's statue is manifesting its presence?!" "Quick, Xiao Gui, listen closely to the lyrics!" Guinaifen pressed her ear close to the sound source once more, listening intently. However, only that brief snippet had triggered the music, leaving her feeling quite disappointed! With no choice but to continue the plot— "The appearances of successive Vidyadhara High Elders have been remarkably similar—except for the current one. The present successor, merely a child named Bailu, has inherited only a fraction of their full power." "Dan Heng, do you understand now? Since Dan Feng's death, Luofu lacks anyone capable of performing this task. As the former guardian of the Tree of Foundation, Cang Shouwang, you should be able to open the path towards the [Tree of Foundation]." "What comes next depends on you." [Use the High Elder's power to open the path to the Tree of Foundation.] [(Optional) Engage in conversation with the individuals in the hall.] Naturally, Guinaifen didn't rush into the next phase immediately. For at that moment, the melodious background music began playing again! She paused all actions, letting Dan Heng stand motionless while she focused intently on the distant yet approaching song: "Brewing tempests within each breath..." Then, it became unclear: "...flames scorching embers?" "I solidify my life as my bones...?" Guinaifen hastily jotted down the lyrics she heard. These were mere approximations; she couldn't be sure if they were accurate. "Reforge me through legends..." "Remold me through pain." The music seemed to reach its conclusion, preparing to loop from the beginning. Guinaifen shared the lyrics she'd managed to transcribe in the live stream chat. "She really did it—I'm crying so hard!" "These lyrics are truly poignant—it's Dan Heng! It describes Dan Heng's experiences!" "Even just reading these words brings tears to my eyes. My heart aches for Dan Heng..." "This melody... As I listen, it reminds me of those days serving time in The Shackling Prison (sob)." "Feathered Spirit, can't you turn up the background music here? Just a little louder, please!" One by one, she engaged in dialogue with each character. March's liveliness and concern. Fu Xuan's curiosity and aspirations. Uncle Yang's support and understanding. And then there was Trailblazer Star... That's right! In this storyline from Dan Heng's perspective, Stelle became an interactable NPC! ["Stelle meets your gaze, both of you falling silent."] "Don't you have anything you'd like to ask?" Even Dan Heng initiated the question. [Stelle shook her head. When she didn't wish to speak, no one could make her utter a word.] Guinaifen chuckled mischievously. "She sure is aloof!" Next up, it was time to converse with Jing Yuan at the forefront. "Has reaching this place stirred any memories? "Lift the restrictions; the power within you serves as the key to open the path towards the Tree of Foundation." After listening to the background music once more, Guinaifen took a deep breath. She knew it was time to proceed to the next location. No matter how captivating the soundtrack, she couldn't linger—Phantylia awaited ahead! Revenge for The Hunt will surely come! Approaching the statue of the High Elder, she examined the glowing point. [The stone sculpture depicting the High Elder has endured centuries of erosion, weathered by time. Near its base, a line of small text is inscribed:] ["To halt the resurgence of Ifwood, as invaders encroach, pray and summon Gǔhǎi's waters to submerge the realm, suppressing the mystical roots. This inscription stands as a warning for future generations: never tamper..."] [Sense the energy present here]! "Beneath vast waves, the ancient Prototree Mysteries stir and spread, akin to a slumbering beast awakening after millennia." "The restraints woven by successive Vidyadhara High Elders, entangling and dispersing the colossal beast's power, form a decaying net on the verge of collapse—ready to unravel at any moment." "Memories from the past surface amidst darkness, gripping you tightly..." As Guinaifen finished reading these words, her chest felt heavy with emotion. It was incredibly immersive! She could almost envision herself as Dragonmaster Silvermoon, bound and tortured within The Shackling Prison. "And next, it's time to find Phantylia..." Her sentence trailed off abruptly, as if something lodged in her throat. After a brief black screen, instead of transitioning directly to the next location, Dan Heng slowly ascended into the air from his original position. With a single hand extended forward, he pointed towards the horizon! At that instant, a radiant, multicolored aura blossomed from his fingertip! Simultaneously, the background music, which had been fluctuating between distant and intense, surged into a new crescendo! "Tear...the form apart... Release...!" "The deafening roar of thunder." Guinaifen felt struck by lightning, her expression frozen in disbelief before the camera lens! Meanwhile, all the viewers in the live stream chatroom were initially discussing the actions of various dragon elders throughout history and strategizing how to tackle Phantylia next... Their conversations abruptly halted! It was as if everyone had suddenly gone offline at once! The chatroom fell eerily silent, devoid of any comments. As this music crescendoed, the previously calm sea began to churn violently! Massive white waves surged around floating debris. Dan Heng's body emitted a radiant glow, and swirling currents enveloped him like coiling dragons. "Shaking... the soul... stirring...!" "Towering~ tempests!" In that instant, with the final word "tempests," the golden light from Dan Heng's hands erupted like a brilliant supernova! Immediately after, the golden radiance soared towards the heavens! Piercing straight through the clouds, it created a colossal void above. On the ocean below, with Dan Heng at its center, massive waves relentlessly parted to either side! "In my chest... burns... scalding blood..." "Forged into razor-sharp claws and fangs." "Another divine melody after Wildfire!" "Dude, this is beyond surreal!!!" "How fortunate am I to witness such a miraculous scene with my own eyes?!?" "I've lived a virtuous life, accumulating good deeds; experiencing this song and witnessing this spectacle feels rightfully deserved!" "The parting sea combined with this background music - holy shit, it's like I'm transforming into a dragon!" Beneath the sea... The slumbering palace reappeared before their eyes. Massive stone pillars emerged. Winding paths unfolded. All gradually surfaced! "I shall...don the mantle of stars..." "Reclaim my place above the Heavy Abyss...!" The waters of Gǔhǎi parted completely, forming colossal waves like towering mountains on either side! *** The path to the Prototree Mysteries had finally been revealed. All witnessing players were left utterly astounded, unable to comprehend what they just saw! The overwhelming grandeur drowned out everything else! Meanwhile, Feathered Spirit uploaded a new video on her channel titled "Water Dragon's Roar." Penacony Robin was seeking inspiration for her upcoming album. With preparations underway for the Harmonious Symphony Festival, The Family slightly restricted her movements. Consequently, she turned to the internet to search for song-related material. Suddenly, she stumbled upon a newly released video: "Water Dragon's Roar?" "This is...a song inspired by Xianzhou style?" "Let me give it a listen~"