From a loser to an immortal sage

Chapter 460 Guidance from Mysterious Runes

The starlight in the crystal ball gradually faded, but the phrase "At the end of the truth lies an even greater truth" was etched deep into my mind like a brand.

I can still feel the massive amount of information that flooded in earlier. It's like countless tiny stars, swirling and twinkling in my mind, trying to piece together a complete picture.

Among them, four ancient and mysterious runes were clearer than all the other information, flickering repeatedly and radiating an indescribable pressure—the "Key of Destiny".

These four words seem to possess some kind of magic; every time they flash, they shake my soul.

What do they mean?

Is it a magic weapon, a cultivation technique, or a metaphor for a certain realm?

Is it related to the Starfall Immortal?

Is it related to my time travel?

"Ugh..." I couldn't help but let out a soft moan, feeling a wave of dizziness, as if the runes were tearing my consciousness apart.

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, are you alright?" The ethereal immortal's voice rang in my ears, tinged with a hint of solemnity.

He had appeared beside me without me noticing, looking at me intently. "Just now, did you glimpse some fragments that shouldn't have been touched so easily?"

I barely managed to steady myself, nodded, and condensed the images of the four runes in my mind, trying to convey them to him: "Immortal, I see... the words 'Key of Destiny'. They seem to be part of the core secret, but I can't fully understand them. I just feel that the power contained within them is extremely... dangerous."

Upon hearing this, the ethereal immortal's expression suddenly became extremely serious.

He raised his hand, and a soft, clear light touched my brow, calming the turmoil in my mind.

"These are fragments of celestial secrets, containing profound truths of the Great Dao, but also accompanied by immense danger. With your current cultivation level, forcibly deciphering these runes and attempting to understand their complete meaning is tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. At best, your soul will be injured; at worst... your life will be in danger." His voice was deep, carrying an undeniable warning. "The legacy left behind by the Starfall Immortal is vast and profound, requiring gradual progress. You must not be too hasty."

My heart skipped a beat, and I looked gratefully at the ethereal immortal: "Thank you for the reminder, immortal. I understand now." It seems that even though the seal has opened a crack for me, the road ahead is still fraught with danger.

Xiao Tao held my arm, looking at me with concern: "Senior Sister, you look terrible." Wang Erniu also came over, the cracks on the protective mirror still shimmering with a faint golden light. He said in a muffled voice, "Fairy Xiao, why don't we rest for a bit?"

Ling Feng's earlier ease vanished, and he frowned slightly: "Although the Blood Fiend Old Man and the Netherworld Ghost King have temporarily retreated, it's hard to guarantee they won't make a comeback or set up other ambushes. We're currently deep within these ruins, so it's best to be cautious."

The Azure Lotus Fairy said softly, "The Void Spirit Immortal is quite right. However, what the crystal ball revealed just now, and the 'Key of Destiny' that you sensed, Fellow Daoist Xiao, are probably closely related to the deepest secrets of this ruin. If we want to truly understand the legacy of the Starfall Immortal, perhaps we must continue to delve deeper and find more clues to decipher these runes." She looked at me, her eyes gentle yet encouraging, "I believe that Fellow Daoist Xiao is blessed with good fortune and will surely turn danger into safety."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the churning air inside me.

The warning from the ethereal immortal, Ling Feng's concerns, and the analysis from the Azure Lotus Fairy all make sense.

The four words "Key to Destiny" are like an invisible thread, tugging at my heartstrings.

I know that whatever it represents, it is bound to be the key to my journey and even my crossing of destiny.

“Fellow Daoist Lingfeng’s concerns are quite valid; we do indeed need to strengthen our defenses.” I pondered for a moment, then glanced at everyone. “Fairy Qinglian is also right; clues don’t appear out of thin air, we must actively seek them out. Immortal Kongling, are there any other aspects of this palace that are worth noting?”

The ethereal immortal nodded slightly: "The Starfall Immortal set up numerous restrictions and trials here back then. Besides the main hall, there are also many mysteries in the side halls on both sides. However, due to the passage of time, the formations in many places are incomplete or have been destroyed by external forces. If you want to investigate, you must be extremely careful."

“Alright,” I made up my mind, “we’ll split up, but don’t stray too far apart, and stay vigilant at all times. Fairy Qinglian and I will go check out the side hall on the east side, while Fellow Daoist Lingfeng and Brother Wang Erniu will keep watch and check the situation on the west side. Xiao Tao, you come with me.”

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

After a brief discussion, we each took action.

I walked with Fairy Qinglian and Xiaotao towards a side hall on the east side.

This side hall was much smaller than the main hall, and its door was ajar, exuding a desolate and ancient atmosphere.

Pushing open the palace door, a blast of long-sealed air rushed out.

The interior of the hall was dimly lit, with only a few rays of sunlight filtering through the broken dome, barely illuminating its outline.

The interior of the hall was simply furnished, with a few overturned stone statues, scattered prayer cushions, and some broken objects of unknown purpose.

My gaze slowly swept across the hall, not missing a single detail.

Within his sea of ​​consciousness, the four runes of "Key of Destiny" continued to flicker slowly, seemingly resonating faintly with some kind of aura in this space.

"Senior sister, look over there!" Xiao Tao suddenly pointed to a stone wall inside the side hall.

I looked in the direction she pointed out, and saw that the stone wall was unusually intact and smooth compared to the surrounding ruins, and it was covered with dense carvings.

As I got closer to examine it, my heart skipped a beat.

These markings are not random, but a very ancient script. The way the strokes are drawn and the charm they exude are strikingly similar to the runes of the "Key of Destiny" in my mind, only more complex and larger.

“These runes…” Fairy Qinglian also showed a surprised expression, “They seem to originate from the same source as the aura in the memories of Immortal Xingyun that appeared in the crystal ball just now, as well as the runes that Fellow Daoist Xiao sensed.”

I reached out and gently touched the cold stone wall with my fingertips.

A strange sensation came from my fingertips, as if the stone wall were alive.

I tried to mobilize the spiritual energy within my body and slowly inject it into the stone wall following a mysterious trajectory.

I don't have any specific incantation; I simply act according to my heart, relying on my understanding of the four runes of the "Key of Destiny" and my comprehension of the timeless smile of the Starfall Immortal.

As spiritual energy was injected, the runes on the stone wall began to light up one by one, emitting a faint glow.

At first, there were only a few scattered ones, but gradually, more and more runes were lit up. They were like awakened stars, outlining a mysterious pattern on the stone wall.

Finally, when the last rune lit up, the entire stone wall shone brightly.

"Om-"

After a slight tremor, the runes in the center of the stone wall began to rotate rapidly, their light intertwining and converging to project a three-dimensional image that floated in mid-air.

It was a vast and boundless ancient star map, with countless stars twinkling within it, outlining unknown constellations and star fields.

At the center of the star chart, there is a brightest point of light, faintly pointing to a distant and unknown direction.

"This is..." I held my breath, my mind completely captivated by this unexpected star map.

It seemed to be silently guiding something. Could this be the location of the "Key of Destiny"?

Just as I was concentrating on trying to find more clues in the complex star trails, an indescribable sense of oppression suddenly came from all directions. The light in the entire side hall seemed to dim in an instant, and the air seemed to freeze.

Okay, this is a summary of Chapter 460, "The Guidance of Mysterious Runes," from "From Useless to Immortal Venerable":

Chapter 460: Guidance from Mysterious Runes

With Ling Feng's help, Xiao Yao discovered a series of mysterious runes she had never seen before in a hidden corner of an ancient ruin.

These runes seemed to contain some kind of powerful force and ancient secrets, but their meanings were obscure and difficult to understand, leaving the two of them unable to decipher them for the time being.

Just as Xiao Yao was trying to decipher the runes, the guardian of the ruins—the ethereal immortal—appeared.

He looked solemn and took a cautious approach to Xiao Yao and Ling Feng's arrival.

The ethereal immortal did not directly reveal the secrets of the runes, but instead tested Xiao Yao's character and intentions with his impartial and strict principles, implying that only those who are truly qualified can access the core secrets of the ruins.

During their trials, the two encountered the Azure Lotus Fairy, who was meditating in seclusion there.

The Azure Lotus Fairy is gentle and kind, and seems to know something about the past of these mysterious runes and ruins.

With Ling Feng's enthusiastic introduction and Xiao Yao's sincere inquiry, Fairy Qinglian revealed some scattered clues about the origin of the runes and hinted that these runes might be related to the lost ancient immortal inheritance and were the key to deciphering a major secret.

Combining the vague guidance provided by Fairy Qinglian and the information inadvertently revealed during the test by the ethereal immortal, Xiao Yao, with her resolute and courageous character, gained a preliminary understanding of the meaning of the mysterious runes.

Although the core secrets remain shrouded in mystery, these newly acquired clues undoubtedly point the way for her next exploration and make her realize that they may involve deeper secrets of the cultivation world.