The deciphering of "Star Remains Records" was like lighting a lighthouse in fog. Although the illuminated prospect was terrifying, it clarified the course. The essence of Realm-External Heavenly Demons explained the root of demonic energy's many bizarre characteristics, and made Tang Xiaoqi realize the hidden demon head's remnant soul threat far exceeded expectations. It was not a simple defeated general, but a lurking "heterogeneous poison tumor" incompatible with local laws.
The Purification Institute's research direction adjusted accordingly. While continuing to seek demonic spot mitigation and complete cure methods, more energy was invested in developing targeted detection and purification means against Realm-External Heavenly Demon characteristics. However, all this was: must first find that hidden demon head remnant soul.
Conventional tracking methods had already been tried. The demon head's remnant soul seemed to have completely evaporated from this world, leaving no trace. Xiaoqi knew that facing this formless and intangible existence, unconventional methods must be used. He thought of the treasure entrusted by Tianji Master before his death—the Weekly Heavenly Star Chart.
This star chart was ancient and mysterious, neither gold nor jade. The chart's surface had stars arranged in patterns, slowly operating according to some profound trajectory, containing the supreme of deducing heavenly secrets and penetrating the void.
Xiaoqi decided to use it as the core, combining his Spirit Transformation-level vast spiritual sense and sensitivity to fate and causality, to conduct an unprecedented deep deduction, directly targeting the demon head remnant soul's hiding place.
The deduction location was chosen at Kunlun's peak. This place was legend's closest to the heavens, spiritual energy abundant and pure, maximizing reduction of external interference and attracting Weekly Heavenly Stellar power.
Night fell, the star river was brilliant. Xiaoqi sat cross-legged on a smooth giant rock at the peak's top, the Weekly Heavenly Star Chart suspended before him, emanating a hazy and profound starlight. He held his breath and concentrated, gradually merging his mind with the chart. His Spirit Transformation-level vast spiritual sense was like an invisible tide, following the chart's guidance, capturing every thread of causal ripples related to the demon head remnant soul.
The stars on the chart began accelerating, drawing splendid and complex light trajectories. In Xiaoqi's sea of consciousness, bizarre scenes appeared: shattered demon nest fragments floating in the void, twisted Shadow Plane scenes flashing past, countless faces troubled by demonic spots appearing and disappearing, even flashback to the intense battle scenes with the demon head.
The deduction process consumed enormous spiritual and mental energy. Xiaoqi's forehead exuded fine sweat, his spiritual energy surged, forming a visible spiritual vortex on Kunlun's peak.
Time passed. The stars in the night sky seemed to become brighter due to this force's attraction. Suddenly, the high-speed operating chart sharply halted. Most stars' light dimmed, only a few marginal stars representing "concealment,""shadow," and "attachment", their light trajectories together pointing to a vague direction.
In Xiaoqi's sea of consciousness, the chaotic scene suddenly clarified—not the vast, boundless void, nor some unfamiliar otherworld plane, but a familiar scene yet enveloped in deeper darkness. It was a twisted, mirror-image-like space filled with uncomfortable silence and cold, exactly where he had once infiltrated—the Shadow Plane!
But this time, the chart's indication was not the Shadow Plane itself, but something deeper. The scene continued penetrating, passing through that twisted barrier. Xiaoqi "saw" that in the Shadow Plane's core depths existed an extremely concealed "layer," a "core" wrapped by the Shadow Plane itself, with more ancient, purer aura. The demon head remnant soul's familiar and odious aura, like a hibernating venomous snake, was deeply hidden in that "core," almost integrated with it!
"It actually is there!" Xiaoqi's heart, his eyes opened, pupils shining.
He had thought the demon head remnant soul either fled into the void or hid in some undiscovered otherworld corner. He never expected it to be hidden within the cultivation world's interior, in the deepest depths of the Shadow Plane closely connected yet with drastically different laws from the main world!
This explained why previous searches found nothing. That wrapped "core" was concealment within concealment. Without aid from treasures like the Weekly Heavenly Star Chart, plus his Spirit Transformation cultivation, it would be undetectable.
"The most dangerous place is the safest place?" Xiaoqi murmured, his lips curving coldly. The demon head remnant soul choosing to hide there was probably not merely for concealment. The Shadow Plane was filled with negative energy and emotions, ideal nourishment for Realm-External Heavenly Demons. Hiding there, it could not only avoid tracking but slowly absorb energy, repair damage, even possibly attempt to completely control this plane, turning it into a true "Demon Realm."
Cannot wait any longer!
Xiaoqi put away the Weekly Heavenly Star Chart, rose, gazing into the distance. His form moved, turning into a, flying directly toward Qingxu Temple. It was time to gather allies and prepare for this final purge battle. That "poison tumor" in the Shadow Plane's depths must be uprooted!