Grassroots Travel: The Star Lord of Another World

Chapter 395: Heart towards the light

The black hole was like a giant beast that was ready to devour its prey, emitting an ominous red light and distorting everything around it. Gao Xingchen and Nan Li looked at the scene in horror. They could feel that this force was beyond their cognition and even exceeded the limit that the entire Nine Star Realm could withstand.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, a huge amount of dark energy gushed out of the black hole, sweeping in like a flood. Gao Xingchen and Nan Li instinctively activated the power of the star soul to form a protective barrier, but this power was too strong, and their defense was broken in an instant, and the two were blown away like a kite with a broken string.

"Xingchen!" Nan Li exclaimed. She tried to steady herself, but found herself surrounded by dark energy and unable to move.

"Nanli!" Gao Xingchen struggled to stand up, but felt a sharp pain. He looked down and saw that his chest was pierced by a piece of gravel, and blood stained his clothes red.

Without having time to think, Gao Xingchen endured the severe pain and rushed towards Nan Li with all his strength. He hugged her in his arms and used his body to protect her from the erosion of dark energy.

"Don't... don't worry about me..." Nan Li said weakly, a trace of blood flowing from the corner of her mouth, "Go... Go..."

"No, I won't leave you alone!" Gao Xingchen hugged Nan Li tightly, his eyes full of determination and resoluteness.

The dark energy became stronger and stronger, and the entire ruins began to collapse. Gao Xingchen and Nan Li were trapped inside with nowhere to escape.

There was another loud noise, and the ruins collapsed completely, burying Gao Xingchen and Nan Li in the ruins...

……

When Gao Xingchen woke up again, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar forest. The surroundings were in a mess, with fallen trees and cracked rocks, as if he had experienced a catastrophe.

"Cough cough..." Gao Xingchen coughed violently. He struggled to get up and looked around, but there was no sign of Nan Li.

"Nanli! Where are you?!" Gao Xingchen shouted anxiously, his voice full of fear and anxiety.

However, all he got in response was an empty echo.

Gao Xingchen endured the severe pain in his body and stumbled among the ruins. His heart became heavier and heavier, and an ominous premonition came to his mind.

At this moment, he suddenly felt a faint breath, this breath was very familiar, it was Nanli!

Gao Xingchen was ecstatic. He followed the direction of the breath and finally found Nanli under a huge rock.

Nan Li was unconscious, her face was pale, her breath was weak, and her body was covered with scars.

"Nanli! How are you?!" Gao Xingchen picked up Nanli and called her name anxiously.

However, Nanli did not react at all, her eyes were closed tightly, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Gao Xingchen's heart sank to the bottom. He knew that Nan Li was seriously injured and was in a very dangerous situation.

He must find a safe place as soon as possible to heal Nanli's injuries.

Gao Xingchen held Nanli in his arms and stumbled towards the depths of the forest, his eyes filled with sadness and despair.

He knew that after this catastrophe, the Nine Star Realm was no longer the world they were familiar with, and what awaited them would be even more cruel challenges and tests... Gao Xingchen carried the unconscious Nan Li on his back and stumbled through the ruins. He didn't know how long he had walked, nor where he was, he just mechanically took heavy steps, his heart filled with despair and powerlessness.

"Nanli, you must hold on, we will definitely find a way..." Gao Xingchen murmured in a low voice, as if he was talking to Nanli, or as if he was comforting himself. However, the only response he got was Nanli's weak breathing and his increasingly heavy footsteps.

He finally found a relatively flat place, gently put Nan Li down, and leaned her against a broken stone pillar. Looking at Nan Li's pale face and the shocking scars on her body, Gao Xingchen's heart seemed to be tightly grasped by an invisible hand, making him almost unable to breathe.

He had never felt his powerlessness so deeply as he did now. He once thought that as long as he was strong enough, he could protect everything he wanted to protect. However, reality dealt him a heavy blow. Facing the destructive dark power, he couldn't even protect himself and Nan Li.

"Are we really going to watch the Nine Star Realm go to destruction?" Gao Xingchen murmured to himself, his tone filled with bitterness and despair.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of Li Yaoshi and Ling'er. They were Gao Xingchen's closest people and his only support in this strange world. However, since the catastrophe, he had lost contact with them.

"Mr. Li, Ling'er, where are you? Are you okay?" Gao Xingchen prayed silently in his heart, hoping that they would be safe.

However, no matter how he called, he received no response. An unprecedented sense of loneliness surged into his heart, making him feel extremely cold and scared.

Just when Gao Xingchen was in despair, he suddenly felt a breeze brushing his cheek, bringing a hint of cool air. He looked up and found that a bright moon had appeared in the sky. The bright moonlight fell on the ruins, bringing a faint light to this dead world.

"Nanli, look, the moon..." Gao Xingchen pointed at the bright moon in the sky, wanting to share this rare view. However, when he turned around, he found that Nanli was still unconscious and had no reaction.

Gao Xingchen's heart sank again. He realized that now was not the time to enjoy the scenery. He had to find a safe place as soon as possible to heal Nan Li's wounds, take a breath, and think about what to do next.

He carried Nan Li on his back and continued to grope forward in the ruins. After walking for an unknown amount of time, he finally arrived in front of an abandoned town. This town was once prosperous, but now only broken walls and ruins remain, whimpering in the night wind, as if telling of its former glory and current desolation.

Gao Xingchen walked into the town, found a relatively intact house, and walked in. Although the house was dilapidated, it could at least block the wind and rain and provide them with a temporary shelter.

He gently put Nan Li on the ground and began to check her injuries. Nan Li's injuries were more serious than he thought. Not only did she have multiple fractures, but her internal organs were also severely concussed.

Gao Xingchen was extremely anxious, but he was helpless. He was not a doctor, and he did not have any medicine to treat Nan Li's injuries. He could only watch Nan Li's vitality slip away bit by bit, but he was powerless.

"Nanli, you must hold on, I will definitely find a way to save you..." Gao Xingchen held Nanli's cold hand and swore silently in his heart. However, his tone was full of powerlessness and despair.

As the night deepened, a thick darkness enveloped the town, as if foreshadowing the future, full of unknowns and fears...

Gao Xingchen found some edible dry food in the dilapidated room, which barely filled their stomachs. Nan Li was still unconscious and breathing weakly, which made Gao Xingchen extremely anxious. He didn't know how long Nan Li could hold on, nor did he know what else he could do.

Outside the window, the night was dark and the cold wind was howling, like a desperate beast roaring. Gao Xingchen looked out the window, his eyes were confused and empty. His former ambitions and passions seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the cruel reality.

"Am I really wrong?" Gao Xingchen whispered to himself, his voice bitter and hoarse, "Is there really nothing I can do to change this?"

He clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his flesh, but he didn't feel any pain. He hoped that all this was just a nightmare, and as long as he woke up, everything would return to normal.

However, he knew that this was not a dream. The cold reality was like a maggot on his tarsal bones, tightly wrapped around him, making it impossible for him to breathe or escape.

"No, I can't give up!" Gao Xingchen stood up suddenly, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, "I promised Nanli that I would protect the Nine Star Realm with her, I can't break my promise!"

He walked to Nanli, gently held her hand, and whispered: "Nanli, don't worry, I will definitely find a way to save you, and I will definitely find a way to defeat the dark forces. We can definitely overcome everything!"

In order to find food and water, and also to find a glimmer of hope, Gao Xingchen decided to risk leaving the town and go outside. He carefully settled Nan Li, left some food and water, and then resolutely walked out of the room.

Outside the town, it was a desolate place with broken buildings, overgrown weeds, and traces of battles everywhere. Gao Xingchen moved forward cautiously, observing the surrounding environment vigilantly.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew, and with a deafening roar, a huge monster appeared in front of Gao Xingchen. The monster was pitch black, had sharp fangs and claws, and exuded a suffocating evil aura.

"Roar!" The monster roared and pounced towards Gao Xingchen.

Gao Xingchen was startled and dodged quickly. He drew his sword and fought the monster. However, his attack was like scratching an itch for the monster's thick skin and flesh, and could not cause any substantial damage.

On the contrary, every attack from the monster was so powerful that Gao Xingchen was exhausted from defending himself.

During the fierce battle, Gao Xingchen was careless and was hit in the chest by the monster's claw. He immediately vomited blood and flew backwards.

"Cough cough..." Gao Xingchen struggled to stand up, feeling the blood and energy surging in his body and his injuries were serious.

The monster had no intention of letting him go and pounced on him again.

At this critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Gao Xingchen and blocked the monster's attack.

"Nanli!" Gao Xingchen was shocked when he saw who was coming.

Although Nan Li arrived in time, her body was still weak and she was no match for the monster. With just one blow, she was knocked away by the monster, fell heavily to the ground, and fainted again.

"Nanli!" Gao Xingchen's eyes were bloodshot. He rushed to Nanli regardless of everything and hugged her tightly in his arms.

"Roar!" The monster let out a victorious roar and approached Gao Xingchen and Nan Li step by step.

The shadow of despair shrouded Gao Xingchen's heart. He hugged Nan Li tightly, as if he wanted to merge her into his own bones and blood.

Is this their end?

At this moment, an old voice suddenly sounded in Gao Xingchen's ears: "Young man, don't give up hope. The Heart of the Stars will guide you to find the power to defeat the darkness..." The shadow of the monster was like the arrival of the god of death, covering Gao Xingchen and Nan Li. Gao Xingchen hugged Nan Li desperately, feeling her weak breathing, his heart was like a knife. Could it be that the fate of him and Nan Li really ended here?

At this moment, an old voice seemed to come from the sky, echoing in Gao Xingchen's ears: "Young man, don't give up hope. The Heart of the Stars will guide you to find the power to defeat the darkness..."

Gao Xingchen looked up suddenly, and saw an old man in a gray robe who appeared in front of them. The old man was hunched, but exuded an indescribable majesty, as if he had seen through the vicissitudes of the world, and was full of compassion and wisdom.

The monster seemed to have sensed the old man's extraordinaryness. It let out a low growl and hesitated before attacking immediately.

"Who are you?" Gao Xingchen asked vigilantly, while protecting Nan Li behind him.

The old man did not answer Gao Xingchen's question. He just slowly stretched out his hand and pointed at Gao Xingchen's chest. "The Heart of the Stars is not just power. It is also a belief and a hope."

Gao Xingchen subconsciously looked down at his chest, where the Heart of the Star was. Ever since he had obtained the Heart of the Star, he had always regarded it as a powerful force, but had never thought about its deeper meaning.

"Faith? Hope?" Gao Xingchen murmured to himself, and every detail of his encounter with Nan Li emerged in his mind. They had indeed overcome difficulties time and time again with their love for each other and their protective heart for the Nine Star Realm. Could this be the true power of the Heart of the Stars that the old man mentioned?

“Child, the enemy you are facing is not just the dark power in front of you, but also the despair and fear hidden in people’s hearts. Only by defeating the haze in your heart can you truly master the power of the Heart of the Stars and save the Nine Star Realm.” The old man said earnestly, his eyes deep, as if he could see through Gao Xingchen’s heart.

Gao Xingchen was shocked. He finally understood that he had always regarded defeating the dark forces as his responsibility, but ignored the fear and despair in his heart. He was always afraid of failure, afraid of losing Nanli, afraid of disappointing everyone's expectations. These negative emotions were like maggots on the tarsal bones, constantly corroding his heart and making him struggle on the edge of despair.

"I understand." Gao Xingchen took a deep breath, his eyes gradually becoming firm, "I will no longer be confused, nor will I be afraid. I will defeat all darkness for Nanli, for the Nine Star Realm, and for all those who love me!"

Nan Li was still unconscious, but Gao Xingchen could feel that her hand seemed to move slightly.

"Child, time is running out. Come with me and I will guide you to find the true power of the Heart of the Star." After the old man said this, he turned and walked towards the foggy distance.

Gao Xingchen picked up Nan Li without hesitation and followed the old man. He knew that this would be a journey full of difficulties and obstacles, but he believed that as long as he was full of hope, he would be able to overcome everything!