At the center of the red crystal core, the temperature surged. Dust and static electricity crackled in the air, a chaotic prelude to destruction. Sophia stood amidst the ruins, the pendant at her chest pulsing in rhythmic resonance.
"Her memory... it's here."
Zhou Yuchen's expression darkened. "If we don't leave now, there may be nothing left to bury."
Sophia shook her head. "You can leave. But I'm not going anywhere."
Elias's voice remained calm, as always. "If you're betting your life, then I'll stay and bet mine too."
They moved into the inner ring of the mother core, stopping before a transparent dome. Inside floated a female figure cloaked in white—her face blurred, but the pendant began to thrum violently. Tears welled up in Sophia's eyes.
"It's her… It's my mother's memory core."
A circle of ancient runes shimmered around the base. Elias murmured, "This is the Final Vault. When a Destiny Stone heir dies, their soul data uploads automatically to one of the cores."
As Sophia stepped closer, the dome flared to life. A voice system activated:
"Authentication confirmed… Match found… Initiating final message playback."
In the projection, Su Lan wore a research uniform. She looked exhausted, yet her eyes held warmth.
"Sophia… If you're seeing this, you've become the true heir."
"What I was studying wasn't revenge—but the possibility of reshaping the soul."
She gently touched a baby incubator. Inside it floated the embryo of Elias.
"This is your brother. To protect him, I copied part of my consciousness and stored it in your pendant."
"I knew they'd hunt you down. But remember—true power isn't about destruction. It's about resonance."
The projection faded.
Sophia stood frozen, tears streaming down her cheeks.
The pendant glowed brightly. The three fragments it held—blue, gold, and crimson—shot into the dome's core.
Energy burst outward.
Sophia was lifted into a column of light.
Her consciousness was drawn into a new realm—the spiritual dimension of the Destiny Stone.
Her mother's voice echoed within:
"When 'Memory Carrier,' 'True Name of Blood,' and 'Soul Self-Ignition' unite, the Destiny Stone awakens its second form: Stellar Ring."
A shimmering halo emerged in Sophia's palm, spinning in the air. Engraved upon it were ancient symbols—half for protection, half for destruction.
Elsewhere in the chamber, Zhou Yuchen broke through the final firewall of the red core's encryption system. His eyes widened in alarm.
"There's a hidden video file—undecoded until now."
He played it. A holographic image flickered to life—Bai Yunshuang's original body, smiling directly at the camera.
"Sophia. Elias. Everything has gone according to plan."
"The red crystal core is not a weapon. It's a gateway—a portal to what I call 'Zero Consciousness.'"
"The more you awaken the Destiny Stone, the more complete I become—my most perfect version."
The feed cut out. A red system alert blinked:
Countdown: 30 hours. Red Crystal Consciousness Matrix nearing full activation.
Sophia turned toward Elias and Zhou Yuchen. Her voice was steady.
"We have less than thirty hours."
"We have to destroy it—before she fully awakens."