But among them was an extremely subtle, almost invisible branch that shimmered with a silver-white light.

The starting point of that branch was exactly where Star Chart Island stood at this moment.

"This is the only chance of survival that I have deduced over the course of three years."

Mo Yan's voice carried a trace of nearly imperceptible excitement.

"The prophecies left by the Stardust Remnants mention that when the star track weeps blood and all things sink into ruin, a Firebringer will appear to gather the glimmers, ignite the sparks, and ultimately... rekindle the star track."

"Rekindle the star track?" Bai Cheng repeated softly.

"It is not a simple reconstruction of order, but a complete rewriting of the foundational laws of the Emerald Sea." Mo Yan's gaze was burning bright.

"To turn this sea from the Enforcement Officer's pasture into a true sea of freedom. This path requires four things: the Stardust Imprint, the faith of all living beings in the Emerald Sea, the embers of the ancient guardians, and... the blueprint for the reconstruction of the star track."

"Where is the blueprint?"

Mo Yan pointed deep into the Observatory: "In ancient times, the Stardust Remnants left a complete star track reconstruction map within the underground Secret Vault of Star Chart Island."

But the Secret Vault has a triple seal, and can only be opened by one who satisfies three conditions simultaneously: first, possessing the Stardust Imprint; second, having ignited at least three clusters of starfire; third..."

He paused: "Being able to pass the Star Image Trial." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"What is the trial?" Zi Yuan asked.

"A deduction carried out within the Mind Image Star Sea."

Mo Yan said, "The challenger needs to control the glimmers of faith to counter the Enforcement Officer's corruption network within a simulated Emerald Sea chess game."

"The standard for success is to preserve the glimmers of at least thirty percent of the islands during the deduction and ignite a new starfire node."

He looked at Bai Cheng: "If you are /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ willing to accept the trial, I can open the entrance to the Secret Vault."

"But the trial carries risks. If you fail, your consciousness may be lost forever within the Mind Image Star Sea."

"If you succeed, you will not only obtain the star track blueprint, but Star Chart Island will also become your first solid stronghold on the path of the emperor."

Bai Cheng fell silent for a moment.

Deep within her soul, four clusters of starfire burned quietly, transmitting a warm resonance.

She thought of the lights of Broken Shell Island, the tragic bravery of Sighing Cliff, the hope of the Forgotten Corridor, and the steadfast vigil at the edge of the Return to Ruins.

"I accept the trial."

Mo Yan looked deeply at her, a hint of a smile appearing on his aged face: "Good."

He turned and walked toward the Observatory, his hands forming seals as his mouth chanted ancient stellar script.

As the incantation proceeded, the ground in the center of the Observatory slowly split open, revealing a starlit staircase extending downward.

At the end of the stairs was a portal composed of pure starlight.

The surface of the portal flowed with the script of the Stardust Remnants, the content of which was the triple conditions Mo Yan had mentioned.

Bai Cheng walked toward the portal; the emperors imprint on her forehead lit up, the phantom of the Star Rail Gate unfolded behind her, and the light of four clusters of starfire flowed out, injecting into the portal.

First condition, satisfied.

Second condition, satisfied.

The portal began to vibrate, and the explanation for the third trial appeared on its surface—

"Mind Image Star Sea deduction, time limit: three hours."

"The challenger will enter the game with their will, controlling glimmers of faith to counter the corruption network. The faith consumed during the deduction will be truly reflected on the soul level; please treat this with caution."

Bai Cheng looked back at her companions.

Zi Yuan nodded, her long blade tapping lightly in silent support.

Qingniao grinned, the lightning on his fists crackling.

Lu Duo's emerald radiance enveloped her gently.

Yu Nian's pure heart vine lightly wound around her wrist, transmitting a steadying power.

Leng Ningxue's icy eyes were calm: "I will monitor your soul fluctuations. If dangerous signs appear, I will forcibly terminate the trial."

"There is no need to terminate it," Bai Cheng smiled. "If I cannot even pass a simulated deduction, how can I talk about facing the real battlefield?"

She turned and stepped into the starlight portal.

In an instant, her consciousness was pulled into a vast sea of stars.

In the star sea, the three thousand six hundred islands of the Emerald Sea were suspended in the form of star points, each shimmering with light of varying brightness.

But the dark red corruption network had already spread like a spiderweb, entangling more than half of the star points.

Bai Cheng's will transformed into a silver glow and began the deduction.

Step one: choose an initial stronghold.

The star point of Star Chart Island lit up in her consciousness, becoming the first piece on the chessboard.

And at this moment, beyond the coral reef barrier on the periphery of Star Chart Island, dark red mist quietly gathered.

Erosion Heart stood at the bow of a pitch-black bone boat, his crimson eyes locked onto the direction of the island.

Behind him, twelve Obsession Priests dressed in dark red robes simultaneously formed seals, beginning to slowly erode the defenses of the Star Ring Coral.

"Found you, Firebringer," Erosion Heart hissed with a low laugh.

"The Star Image Trial of Star Chart Island... what a perfect trap."

"When your consciousness is completely immersed in the Mind Image Star Sea, how fragile and delicious your body will be..."

The dark red net began to tighten.

The test of Star Chart Island had never been limited to just the Secret Vault.

The true storm had only just begun.

The moment her consciousness sank into the star sea, Bai Cheng felt as if she had transformed into countless versions of herself.

Every strand of her will pulled a beam of glimmer, slowly wandering across the star chart chessboard of the Emerald Sea.

At first, it was silent.

Three thousand six hundred star points flickered in her consciousness like breathing; each one represented a real island, real living beings, and real, struggling faith.

And the dark red corruption network was like a living thing, slowly and steadily devouring these lights.

"Begin deduction." A cold and grand voice echoed within the Mind Image Star Sea; it was the will of the Secret Vault seal itself.

With a thought from Bai Cheng, the star point of Star Chart Island suddenly lit up, and silver-white light diffused outward with it as the center, instantly illuminating three nearby islands.

Red Reef Islet, Green Shell Bay, and Crescent Island.

In reality, these three islands still maintained relatively independent faith networks, with a corruption level of only about twenty percent.

The silver glow connected the three islands, forming a small triangular light array.

The moment the array was formed, Bai Cheng felt her will divide into four parts, simultaneously perceiving the conditions of the four strongholds.

Almost simultaneously, the dark red network moved.

The three nearest corruption nodes lit up at the same time, and dark red threads lunged out like venomous snakes, respectively coiling toward the three newly lit islands.

"Defend, or divert?" Bai Cheng thought calmly.

In reality, the residents of these three islands were mostly fishermen and astrology apprentices; their faith was pure but their power was weak. If she resisted head-on, the consumption would be immense.

Her will flowed, and she made a choice.

The silver glow condensed into a light shield at Red Reef Islet, blocking the first wave of corruption;

The glimmers of Green Shell Bay suddenly dimmed, camouflaging as if they had already been corrupted, causing the lunging dark red threads to strike empty air;

And Crescent Island... the silver glow turned into a thin stream, silently seeping into the earth veins, briefly awakening the island's own protective faith.