Covering the sky

The Bagua diagram runs through the entire history of ancient China, with origins dating back to very early times. How it was created and what its purpose truly is remains an intriguing mystery.

It was once used to calculate the orbital velocities of celestial bodies, and even the invention of binary code in computers is said to be related to it. This diagram is shrouded in mystery.

Even today, the profound meaning contained in the ancient Taiji Bagua diagram has not been fully deciphered. However, many bold speculations and hypotheses have been made.

Some have said that it represents the unknown "forces" and can be used for prediction, to calculate the various possibilities of what might happen in the future. Of course, only with perfect deduction can one roughly estimate the "force" of the future; otherwise, a misstep in calculation could result in failure.

Others have proposed that it portrays the essence of the universe in the simplest form, where each symbol represents the most fundamental element.

Some have even made the bold hypothesis that the Taiji Bagua diagram is related to space-time. The eight trigrams in the Bagua diagram are said to represent the coordinates of the stars, and different combinations of these coordinates correspond to different star domains.

According to this hypothesis, it is possible to determine the coordinates of any star system in the universe, and the Taiji Bagua diagram acts as a gateway to the cosmos, potentially connecting to wormholes.

In line with this theory, the Taiji Bagua diagram is a stable structure, and if sufficient energy is provided, one could establish the coordinates of a specific star system and, after complex and precise calculations, open a cosmic gateway.

However, this "complexity" is almost unimaginable. It involves strange "formations," which have yet to be recognized and are still in the realm of speculation.

These "formations" are related to space itself and have not yet been fully understood, remaining a highly mysterious and complex subject.

It is easy to imagine how distant the idea of building a cosmic gateway is... The Taiji Bagua diagram, in this context, seems almost intangible, and it seems that it will be an incredibly long time before such a feat can be accomplished.

At this moment, Ye Fan and the others are fortunate to witness the process of constructing the Taiji Bagua diagram once again. Those who have been studying and hypothesizing about the cosmic gateway for years would be ecstatic to witness this monumental event.

Unfortunately, Ye Fan and the others are not thinking about that. They are filled with a strong sense of survival urgency, wanting to escape as soon as possible, as the shadow of death looms over them.

A kilometer away, the ruins of the Great Thunder Sound Temple have temporarily quieted down. However, a fierce and tragic aura is sweeping over, and those blood-red giant eyes, resembling lanterns, are staring at them unblinkingly, casting an eerie and chilling presence in the darkness.

Above the sky, the Taiji Bagua diagram has taken shape, exuding a metallic heaviness, as though it were forged from a hundredfold refined metal.

Surrounding it, space is distorted, and the light is hazy. The eight trigrams representing Qian, Kun, Xun, Dui, Gen, Zhen, Li, and Kan are glowing one by one, like a set of ancient, mysterious codes flashing.

The eight trigrams flash hundreds and thousands of times, performing intricate combinations, but they still fail to light up simultaneously. Eventually, they slowly fade, and the massive Taiji Bagua diagram quivers, on the verge of collapse.

"Why is this happening..."

Many people are panicking now. If they cannot open the cosmic ancient road, it would mean death for them.

The light screen enveloping the five-colored altar dims almost to darkness, with only faint glimmers of light flowing toward the Taiji Bagua diagram in the sky. Seeing this scene, everyone understands why.

"To construct the Taiji Bagua diagram, or rather, to open the cosmic gateway, requires sufficient and stable mystical energy. But now, the energy is insufficient!"

"What should we do? Are we really going to die here?"

From afar, the Crocodile Ancestor approaches, while countless smaller crocodiles are already assaulting them. A deathly net has been cast over them.

"Bang!"

Dozens of smaller crocodiles have broken through the light screen and are attacking the group. Incense burners, Vajra staffs, copper bells, and fish drums—relics of deities—flash with their respective powers to resist the assault, but the force of the attack is immense, causing the group to stagger back.

"Creak! Creak!"

Outside the five-colored altar, countless armored bodies, thousands of small crocodiles, crash against the light screen. The sounds of breaking and cracking echo incessantly. In just a moment, over a hundred small crocodiles have successfully breached the screen.

These seemingly small but extremely ferocious creatures are terrifying. They can fly and burrow, and each crocodile is like a sharp sword, with terrifying piercing power.

"This is bad. If we keep defending passively like this, we're all going to die," Pang Bo shouted. The copper plaque of the Great Thunder Sound Temple continued to vibrate, emitting radiant light that formed a protective barrier for three or four people. While they were temporarily safe, no one knew what would happen in the long run.

"Don't move. Let me go out and try," Ye Fan told Pang Bo, and without further hesitation, he stepped forward, holding the ancient lamp.

Instantly, dozens of small crocodiles pierced toward him. Dozens of dark rays shot out like bolts of lightning, sharp and deadly, like nails trying to pierce the light shield created by the ancient lamp.

"Whoosh."

Ye Fan waited until the small crocodiles were close, then suddenly blew on the lamp's wick. Immediately, a fierce flame erupted, engulfing the area within a five to six-meter radius, covering everything in divine fire.

The stench of burning flesh filled the air, and agonized screams echoed. When the flames slowly receded, Ye Fan appeared untouched, surrounded by a soft radiance, like a celestial being descending, while the ground around him was littered with the charred remains of the small crocodiles.

A few lucky ones managed to escape the flames, but their bodies were severely burnt and incomplete, and they stared at Ye Fan with hateful eyes, growling ominously from a distance.

"Good job, burn them well!" Pang Bo cheered from behind. He was about to rush forward to help but was held back by three people beside him. They were pale and helpless—without divine relics, they would have been dead by now without the protection of the copper plaque.

"Crack! Crack!"

The sound of breaking continued, and this time, five or six hundred small crocodiles breached the light screen, charging toward them with terrifying force. The small creatures, whose bodies seemed to be imbued with demonic power, bared their sharp teeth, eyes filled with evil, and viciously attacked.

"This is impossible. Ye Fan alone can't handle so many 'black nails'!" Pang Bo said, ready to go help.

"But... what about us?" The three people next to him looked desperate, nearly pleading.

"I won't let you die," Pang Bo said firmly, turning to the others behind him—Wang Ziwen, Liu Yunzhi, and the others. "You protect them, and I'll go help Ye Fan. We can't just keep defending passively."

"Alright, I'll go with you," Zhou Yi stepped forward.

Pang Bo had always been wary of Zhou Yi, thinking he was deep and calculating, but he had to admit that this refined man had a certain courage in critical moments.

At that moment, Wang Ziwen also stepped forward, instructing the others behind him: "Stay with them. We have enough divine relics to protect everyone, but no girls should come along."

Facing these grotesque, vicious creatures, the naturally softer temperament of girls would likely falter, and even with divine relics, they might not be of much help.

"Clang!"

Pang Bo swung the Great Thunder Sound Temple copper plaque with all his might, smashing it onto the five-colored altar. A torrent of radiant energy surged forward, sweeping a group of small crocodiles away.

Their desperate cries echoed, and the area was filled with the scent of burning flesh.

This was a wide-area attack. Unlike before, when they had to chase after the small crocodiles, now, with so many enemies, a simple swing of the copper plaque was enough to crush dozens of them.

"Dong!"

The distant sound of a bell echoed, clear and deep, like the sound of an ancient temple bell, evoking a sense of tranquility. Wang Ziwen's broken bronze bell glowed with golden light, and ripples of energy emanated from it. The ripples, seemingly gentle like water waves, turned into deadly blades when they hit the oncoming small crocodiles, cutting them in half.

The sound of "splat-splat-splat" filled the air as dozens of small crocodiles were cleaved in two, their blood spilling onto the ground. It was a terrifying scene.

But there were countless more small crocodiles, fearless of death. Nearly a thousand had already breached the screen, their dark rays crisscrossing and forming a deadly net.

"Bang!"

Zhou Yi wielded the purple gold alms bowl, smashing it down with Buddha light that crushed the scales and shattered the bodies of the small crocodiles, turning them into bloody pulp.

The carnage was unimaginable. To survive, everyone had thrown everything they had into the fight, and the altar was soon stained with blood, the air thick with the stench of death.

"Screams!"

"Screams!"

At that moment, two more screams rang out from behind. Two students had fallen in a pool of blood, their skulls riddled with holes, their bodies