The discovery of the treasury left the entire expedition in high spirits, but Krishak's attention remained fixed on the deeper passage beyond the underground hall.
The staircase hidden behind the altar descended farther into the mountain, and from that direction he could sense a pressure unlike anything they had encountered so far. It was not hostile, but vast and ancient, like the silent gaze of the night sky itself.
Headmaster Rudra noticed his expression.
"You feel it too?"
Krishak nodded. "There is something important below.
Professor Devika closed the final crystal chest and looked toward the staircase with renewed excitement. "If the inheritance hall was only the outer sanctuary, then the true core of the ruins may still be untouched."
Rudra considered the matter for a moment before making his decision.
"We continue. But from this point onward, caution is paramount."
No one objected.
After receiving an ancient inheritance and uncovering a treasury of priceless resources, their confidence had grown but so had their awareness of the dangers hidden within the ruins.
The descent took nearly twenty minutes.
The staircase spiraled downward through smooth black stone unlike the weathered structures above. Silver lines ran along the walls, illuminating the path with a steady glow. The deeper they went, the richer the ambient spiritual energy became.
Even Dev, who was not especially sensitive to energy, exhaled in amazement.
"It feels like every breath is cultivation."
Krishak silently agreed.
The density of star energy here was extraordinary.
For ordinary cultivators, training in such an environment could produce rapid progress.
For him, the Starheart Seed within his dantian spun faster, greedily absorbing the surrounding energy and converting it into pure essence.
Lunafang's eyes gleamed with excitement as moonlight and starlight gathered naturally around his body.
At last, the staircase opened into a vast circular chamber.
Everyone stopped.
The room was unlike anything they had seen.
The ceiling was transparent.
Through it, they could see the night sky directly, despite being deep underground. Thousands of stars shone overhead, their light focused through an intricate array of crystals and mirrored channels.
At the center of the chamber stood an enormous bronze instrument resembling a celestial globe. Rings engraved with constellations rotated slowly around a crystalline core.
Surrounding the globe were seven raised platforms, each inscribed with a different pattern.
Ishita's eyes widened.
"This is an observatory."
Professor Devika whispered, "No this is a masterpiece."
Krishak felt his heart stir.
This was the true core of the Stellar Hall.
A Star Observation Chamber.
Such structures were used not only for astronomical study, but also for advanced cultivation, divination, and long-distance communication.
The knowledge preserved here could be even more valuable than the inheritance itself.
As the group approached, the celestial globe reacted to Krishak's presence.
The crystalline core lit up.
The bronze rings accelerated.
Silver beams shot toward the transparent ceiling, linking the chamber to the stars above.
The entire observatory came to life.
A projection of the Earth appeared above
the globe.
Everyone stared in stunned silence.
But this was not the modern Earth they knew.
The projection showed an Earth covered in glowing nodes, mountain sects, spiritual forests, and vast formations stretching across continents.
Professor Devika's voice trembled.
"This this is what Earth once looked like."
Krishak studied the projection carefully.
His expression remained calm, but his mind was shaken.
The ancient civilization had been far more advanced than even he had imagined.
Then the projection changed.
Several regions on the globe darkened.
The spiritual nodes flickered and collapsed.
Large fractures appeared across the planetary network.
A final pulse of light spread outward-and the entire system went dormant.
The room fell silent.
Headmaster Rudra spoke first.
"This is a record of Earth's decline."
Krishak nodded slowly.
Something had shattered the world's spiritual foundation.
That explained why cultivation on Earth had regressed so drastically.
But the projection did not reveal the cause.
As they absorbed the significance of what they had seen, the celestial globe emitted a beam of light toward one of the seven platforms.
A crystal tablet rose from the floor.
Ancient text appeared across its surface.
Ishita and Professor Devika both tried to decipher it, but Krishak spoke first.
"It is a challenge."
Rudra looked at him.
"What kind?"
Krishak read the inscription carefully.
"The observatory can grant one final reward, but only to those who restore the seven stellar nodes."
He glanced at the seven platforms.
Each represented a damaged portion of the chamber's central formation.
Ishita's eyes shone with excitement.
"A large-scale formation repair."
Dev groaned dramatically.
66 "So while you two solve puzzles, the rest of us stand guard?"
Raghav laughed.
"Basically."
Rudra nodded.
"Begin."
Krishak and Ishita moved to the first platform.
Immediately, they recognized the complexity of the task.
Each node contained missing runes, disrupted energy channels, and intentionally misleading pathways.
To a modern formation master, repairing even one node would be a significant accomplishment.
For Krishak, it was manageable.
For Ishita, it was a rare opportunity to learn.
As they worked, Krishak explained his reasoning in concise, precise terms.
Ishita listened with complete focus, her admiration growing with every step.
The first node activated.
Then the second.
Then the third.
Hours passed.
The other students rested, cultivated, and stood watch while the two formation specialists worked tirelessly.
By the time they reached the seventh node, Ishita's face was flushed with exhaustion, but her eyes burned with exhilaration.
"This is the most incredible formation work I've ever seen."
Krishak smiled faintly.
"And you've improved considerably.
Together, they placed the final rune.
The seventh node blazed to life.
The entire observatory erupted in brilliant silver light.
The celestial globe rotated faster and faster until it released a single object from its crystalline core.
A small metallic disk floated gently into Krishak's hands.
Its surface was engraved with shifting star patterns.
Rudra examined it carefully.
"What is it?"
Krishak felt a pulse of recognition.
"
"It is a Stellar Compass.
The artifact could detect regions with unusually dense spiritual energy, hidden formations, and dormant ruins.
In other words, it was a treasure that could lead him to countless future opportunities.
Even he could not hide his satisfaction.
The Starlit Ruins had just provided him with a map to Earth's forgotten legacy.
And that, perhaps, was the greatest reward of all.