Chapter 1298: The Great Star Sea Melee
Chapter 1298: The Great Star Sea Melee
"I, too, once tried to follow that faint, unseen connection, hoping to find a trace of this person. But every attempt ended in failure..." the Saint Emperor remarked, his senses attuned to the nascent winds stirring within the Star Sea.
The resurgence of the Star Sea and its struggle against the lingering power of the True Immortals was a slow, drawn-out process.
Measured on a human timescale, it was expected to last for more than a decade.
Until this cosmic tempest reached its zenith, he could reignite the war with the Dharma Spreader at any moment.
Their temporary alliance did not signify a lasting peace.
His decision to agree to a truce and first investigate the mastermind behind the scenes stemmed from more than just their evenly matched strength, which made a decisive victory unlikely. It was also a calculated delay.
The Saint Emperor’s gaze drifted past the distant Xuanhuang Realm.
The growing number of cultivators practicing the "Foundation Establishment Through Oneself" method was steadily eroding the Dharma Spreader's power base.
As the cosmic storm gathered strength, any delay before it reached its peak worked in the Saint Emperor's favor.
Since the Dharma Spreader had been the one to propose it, the Saint Emperor had been more than willing to agree.
Besides, the efforts to fish for treasures from the Fishing Pool had never ceased for a moment.
Who knew what tide-turning supreme treasure might be pulled from its depths in the meantime?
As his thoughts raced, he issued commands to his subordinates through the vast net of stars. Then, while still conversing with the Dharma Spreader, the Saint Emperor forced a single drop of blood from between his brows.
The Dharma Spreader gave a light cough, first mending the tall crown that had been struck from his head during their recent battle.
A surge of light then washed over him, concealing the minor wounds that littered his body.
Witnessing this, the Saint Emperor grew thoughtful. "Is the Dharma Spreader trying to buy time to comprehend the principles of 'Fantasy Becomes Truth'?" he mused.
Though the suspicion crossed his mind, the Saint Emperor wasn't worried that the Dharma Spreader could grasp it so quickly.
He had a faint, intuitive sense that the law of "when truth is taken for falsehood, falsehood becomes truth" had its own unique peculiarities.
It wasn't something that could be fathomed through sheer, heaven-defying insight alone.
While the Saint Emperor was lost in thought, the Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate—now restored to his appearance as a compassionate elder with a tall crown—cast a series of incantations, enveloping the droplet of the Saint Emperor's blood in mid-air.
The light shifted through a spectrum of colors before finally settling on a pale yellow, strikingly similar to the hue of the Xuanhuang Realm itself.
Seeing this, the Dharma Spreader's expression shifted slightly.
Yet the movements of his hands never paused as he continued the incantation.
Within the pale yellow orb of light, the blood seemed to come alive, struggling violently.
Then, it formed two distinct points.
One pointed toward the Xuanhuang Realm.
And the other...
...pointed shockingly beyond the Star Sea itself!
What's more, it was spinning wildly, ceaselessly!
It was as if the location it indicated was in constant, rapid motion!
"What's happen—" Seeing the Dharma Spreader's expression grow ever more solemn, the Saint Emperor's own features hardened. He had barely begun to ask when the words caught in his throat.
The space around them suddenly erupted in turmoil.
It wasn't like the storm caused by the Star Sea's resurgence; it felt more like something was about to burst forth, clawing its way up from some unseen depths.
The Saint Emperor and the Dharma Spreader both teleported away in an instant, seeking distance from the disturbance.
They watched as the spinning point on the blood droplet, still encased in the pale yellow light, gradually came to a stop.
It pointed silently into the void before them.
A moment later...
Faint, almost imperceptible ripples emanated from the space ahead.
It was as if a single drop of water had just fallen into a placid pond.
Their divine senses and gazes found no target, yet both the Saint Emperor and the Dharma Spreader knew, with absolute certainty, that something had just arrived.
The Dharma Spreader's eyes narrowed, a flicker of reminiscence in his gaze.
But as he glanced back at the Saint Emperor's blood, a hint of confusion crossed his features.
"Interesting. The true culprit has decided to reveal themselves..."
Within the pale yellow glow, the droplet of the Saint Emperor's blood slowly burned away.
Yet the light that remained from it still pointed unwaveringly into the void.
"An Immortal Boat..." the Dharma Spreader murmured.
The Saint Emperor's eyes narrowed as well.
He was, of course, aware of the messenger sword light that had appeared outside the Xuanhuang Realm some time ago.
In an instant, his mind raced with possibilities.
"Could the Immortal Boat's schemes truly be behind all this?" A chill went through the Saint Emperor's heart.
"But..."
"The timing of this vessel's appearance... it's too convenient," the Saint Emperor mused, staring ahead, unwilling to make the first move.
"The Mysterious Immortal Boat," the Dharma Spreader began, briefly explaining its origins to the Saint Emperor. "It's a remnant of the ancient Xuanshang Immortal Boat, and it has been hiding in the endless ruins beneath the High Wall..."
The Saint Emperor gazed at the magnificent scene before him—the edge of the Star Sea, overshadowed by the High Wall—and for a moment, he was lost in awe.
Having briefly touched the true essence of the Star Sea's origin, he knew just how boundless this cosmos truly was.
And it was precisely that knowledge which underscored the terrifying nature of the High Wall that held it all captive.
"They appear just as we are locked in battle..."
"Let us see just how much the Mysterious Immortal Boat has progressed over the years." A cold glint flashed in the Dharma Spreader's eyes.
His form remained perfectly still as he gave it a single, indifferent glance.
The space ahead, still rippling from the Mysterious Immortal Boat's passage, slowly grew calm.
Then, as if a deep freeze had descended, the space fell into absolute stillness.
It was a silence akin to the end of the cosmos, an utter annihilation from which not a single ripple escaped.
"The Dharma Spreader's abilities are truly extraordinary,"
the Saint Emperor thought, his pupils contracting. He wondered how he would have countered such a move.
The absolute freeze did not last.
Just before it could fully take hold, a raw, brutal power erupted.
It shattered the frozen space to pieces.
The image of the Mysterious Immortal Boat flickered and was gone.
But the power released by the Mysterious Immortal Boat did more than simply break the Dharma Spreader's spell. It resonated with the vast reserves of residual immortal power lingering in this region of the Star Sea.
Like a hundred rivers converging, it surged toward them in an instant.
If the trap the Saint Emperor had set earlier by diverting the flow was but a stream of this residual immortal power, then what the boat had stirred up was a raging river.
Already more active than usual due to its constant struggle against the Star Sea's resurgence, the residual power of the True Immortals was now roiling.
Drawn by the living auras of the Dharma Spreader and the Saint Emperor, it lunged toward them like a predator that had caught the scent of its prey.
Both were forced to evade.
Although both had reached the so-called "Supreme" limit of the Star Sea, they were still extremely wary of this residual immortal power, which could contend with the Star Sea itself.
Especially since they were still in a state of hostile cooperation; if one were seriously injured, they would undoubtedly be at a disadvantage in the final showdown.
After all, the residual power of a True Immortal was not like an ordinary attack—it was not so easily dispelled.
The two relied on their own abilities.
The Saint Emperor, through his connection to the Star Sea, could see the onrushing tide of immortal power with perfect clarity, allowing him to dodge with practiced ease.
On the rare occasion he couldn't evade, his star-woven robe would flicker, and the prayers from the Great Qi Saint Dynasty would manifest as a potent source of power, quickly expelling the invasive energy.
The Dharma Spreader's methods, however, were rather peculiar.
He once again brought out the long arm composed of countless annihilated worlds.
Like two massive sponges, it completely absorbed the raging torrent of residual immortal power.
Boom!
Some of the remnant worlds were completely reduced to ash under the scouring of the immortal power.
However, new remnants quickly took their place from within the long arm.
One could only wonder just how many such world fragments the Dharma Spreader had collected over the years.
Seeing the Dharma Spreader and the Saint Emperor so easily resolve the crisis, the Mysterious Immortal Boat, having failed to divert the disaster, made another move.
A yellowish paper talisman slowly drifted down from the void.
It appeared to move languidly.
But in reality, it was incredibly swift.
One moment, the Saint Emperor and the Dharma Spreader had just sensed the talisman's existence; the next, it had already landed on them.
This was the unique property of the paper talisman.
When it first drifted down, there was clearly only one. But because there were two targets, it landed on both of their heads simultaneously.
"A True Immortal Script..."
The thought flashed through both of their minds at the same time.
Soon, they felt the power contained within this True Immortal Script.
Hum!
First, the Saint Emperor noticed that his connection to the dark Star Sea had been severed.
It wasn't that the True Immortal Script had directly cut it, but rather that the origin of the Star Sea had voluntarily broken the link.
The Saint Emperor could even faintly sense a trace of hostility from the Star Sea just before he lost contact.
What had been a home field advantage, where his every move was amplified by the Star Sea's power, now felt like a quagmire. Every action was met with immense resistance.
He could also feel a thick malice emanating from the Dharma Spreader, who had been a temporary ally just moments before.
In a flash, he looked around to find himself surrounded by enemies!
What sent a faint chill through the Saint Emperor's heart was that the support he drew from his Saint Dynasty was also slowly diminishing. Although it wasn't unusable yet, at this rate, it wouldn't be long before the Saint Dynasty, like the Star Sea, turned from an ally into an enemy!
Having never encountered such a situation, the Saint Emperor looked around, his thoughts racing.
"This is the power of a True Immortal Script?"
"Not the residual energy scattered throughout the Star Sea, but the complete power of a True Immortal..."
The Saint Emperor tried to recall the pattern on the paper talisman he had just seen.
He couldn't remember the slightest detail.
While trying to deal with the ever-thickening hostility around him, the Saint Emperor looked toward the Dharma Spreader in the distance.
Because of the growing animosity, the distance between them had unknowingly increased significantly.
The Dharma Spreader's tall crown emitted a silvery glow like white jade.
It reflected the images of the stone statues of the Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate that stood tall across the Xuanhuang Realm.
One of the stone statues stepped out from the crown.
With a flash of light, it became solid.
The moment the statue solidified, it was besieged by all the surrounding forces—the power of the Star Sea, the residual immortal energy, and even the Dharma Spreader himself...
The statue shattered with a boom. The violent explosion from the collision of multiple forces swept across the void, and as it reached the Saint Emperor's position, it suddenly changed its target again, hurtling toward the Saint Emperor.
It was as if it had truly seen some mortal enemy.
The Saint Emperor gravely neutralized the impact while continuing to observe the Dharma Spreader's actions.
As another stone statue emerged from the crown and was blasted to bits by the combined forces, the Saint Emperor sensed that the power of the True Immortal script was on the Dharma spreading Heavenly Venerate had weakened slightly.
"Is he using these statues, a form of false death, to dissipate the enmity directed at him?"
With his remarkable insight, the Saint Emperor quickly understood the Dharma Spreader's intention.
An idea sparked in his mind, and from within his star-woven holy robe, a hazy phantom of the Saint Emperor stepped out.
As expected, the instant the phantom separated from him, it was violently attacked by all surrounding forces.
Including the Saint Emperor himself.
Even as he struck his own phantom, the Saint Emperor felt a faint, fleeting sense of satisfaction, as if he had just exacted revenge.
Although this illusion vanished as soon as the phantom dissipated, it still left the Saint Emperor deeply shaken.
He and the Dharma Spreader stood at the very limit of power in the Star Sea.
Yet under the influence of the True Immortal Script, they were utterly helpless.
They had to rely on this crude method of "dying" to slowly dispel its effects.
They were completely unable to counter it with power on the same level.
"Perhaps, after I manifest the eternal Xuanhuang Realm and grasp the principle of 'Fantasy Becomes Truth,' I might be able to contend with it."
"As for the other methods I currently possess..."
The Saint Emperor quickly ran through them in his mind and found none that could compare.
For a moment, a rather comical scene unfolded in the Star Sea.
Two "Supreme" experts were pinned in place by a single True Immortal Script.
And the Mysterious Immortal Boat, having observed from the shadows for a while, finally made another move.
A message reached the somewhat beleaguered Saint Emperor's ears.
"The Mysterious Immortal Boat seeks only the resources to survive in the Star Sea."
"Perhaps, we can cooperate."
The Saint Emperor was taken aback.
Seeing the Saint Emperor's prolonged silence, the Mysterious Immortal Boat sent another message: "We can help your Saint Dynasty deal with the Dharma Spreader. However, after it is done, you will need to provide us with a place to shelter."
"Rest assured, the entire crew of the Mysterious Immortal Boat numbers less than a hundred thousand. The Xuanhuang Realm is so vast; one more of us will make no difference."
...
The messages from the Mysterious Immortal Boat were filled with sincerity.
But this only deepened the Saint Emperor's suspicion.
If not for the guidance from the Dharma Spreader's bloodline technique, which pointed to the Immortal Boat as the possible source of the mastermind, the Saint Emperor might have been genuinely tempted.
But now...
The Saint Emperor secretly pondered what game the Mysterious Immortal Boat was playing.
"Could it be that they saw my cooperation with the Dharma Spreader and decided to sow discord?"
The thought came to him almost as a matter of course.
The Saint Emperor remained silent for a long time.
Sensing the Saint Emperor's hostility, the Mysterious Immortal Boat sent yet another message.
It sent a violent shock through the Saint Emperor's heart.
"The Dharma Spreader is not to be trusted!"
"Many years ago, this person infiltrated our Immortal Boat and, under the pretext of observing, stole numerous secret treasures from our ship!"
"Although he changed his appearance back then, he couldn't deceive us..."
A flood of information followed.
It plunged the Saint Emperor back into silence.
"If you are interested, contact us using this method."
The chaos caused by the True Immortal Script gradually subsided.
Seeing the Saint Emperor's persistent lack of response, the Mysterious Immortal Boat had no choice but to leave behind a secret technique.
Its silhouette completely vanished.
The storm calmed, and the hostility from the world slowly receded.
The connection with the Star Sea was also being restored.
However, the Saint Emperor and the Dharma Spreader, who had already distanced themselves, did not move closer again.
"Although they have fled, we can still use your bloodline to lock onto their position," the Dharma Spreader said slowly, looking at the Saint Emperor.
"This Mysterious Immortal Boat is quite troublesome, coming and going without a trace. Are you unable to track it?" the Saint Emperor asked, still hesitant to offer more of his blood.
The Dharma Spreader chuckled softly. "It seems this Mysterious Immortal Boat has indeed made some progress over the years. Their research into the True Immortal Scripts has reached such a level. Though in our eyes, it's merely a misguided path, I must admit..."
The Dharma Spreader looked out into the Star Sea.
"In this dark Star Sea, they are indeed quite formidable."
"Small pockets of residual immortal power might not be a threat. But if they gather as they did just now, you must be careful."
"If you are inadvertently marked by it, you may have to expend great effort to remove it. It could even affect your future path of cultivation..."
the Dharma Spreader warned.
The Saint Emperor grew pensive, looking at the residual immortal power that, despite having dispersed after the great commotion, had not vanished.
"Is there no way to truly eliminate these forces? Other than relying on the Star Sea's own recovery," the Saint Emperor asked.
"Do you know why my progress in repairing the Xuanhuang Realm is so slow?"
"Finding suitable materials is harder than finding a needle in a haystack."
"The residual power of a True Immortal... unless one becomes a True Immortal, wanting to dispel it..." The Dharma Spreader shook his head slightly.
The Saint Emperor was silent.
"The time left for me is, in fact, not much," the Dharma Spreader suddenly said.
The Saint Emperor was stunned and couldn't help but look at him.
The Dharma Spreader did not explain, but changed the subject. "Friend Daoist, what are your plans now?"
"Continue to pursue the Mysterious Immortal Boat and find the true culprit..."
"Or fight me?!"
"Just now, the Mysterious Immortal Boat must have told you something," the Dharma Spreader said, naturally having discerned the reason for the Saint Emperor's change in attitude.
The Saint Emperor didn't hide it, nodding as he asked, "Did you once visit the Mysterious Immortal Boat...?"
"That's right. And I took some things that I needed," the Dharma Spreader admitted frankly.
Hearing this, the Saint Emperor couldn't help but stare at the Heavenly Venerate.
The man's candor was somewhat beyond his expectations.
"Just as you wish to save the Xuanhuang Realm, I too have something I must uphold." Perhaps because he hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time, the Dharma Spreader was now chatting as if to an old friend.
"To achieve this goal, one must resort to any means necessary."
The Saint Emperor neither agreed nor disagreed.
The Dharma Spreader pointed toward the faintly glowing Xuanhuang Realm in the distance, his angle slightly upward. "Friend Daoist, have you ever paid a visit to the Immortal Ruins?"
"No."
"There sits an enlightened True Immortal. He is one of the culprits behind the calamity that befell this Star Sea. Have you ever considered that even if you defeat me, how will you lead the entire Xuanhuang Realm to escape from this True Immortal's grasp?" the Dharma Spreader asked.
"There isn't much time left for the Xuanhuang Realm either," the Dharma Spreader sneered.
The Saint Emperor simply remained silent again.
"I have a way," the Dharma Spreader declared proudly.
"For the sake of the name 'Xuanhuang,' you ignore a future of possible extinction. Can you truly live up to the title of 'Saint'?" the Dharma Spreader questioned.
The Saint Emperor was not swayed by these words. "If you can find a way to save the world, then naturally, so can I."
"But if I were to be convinced by you so easily and give up, how could I face the billions of citizens of my Saint Dynasty?"
The Dharma Spreader smiled mockingly and no longer argued with the Saint Emperor.
He only sighed softly. "You simply do not know what I have been through all these years..."
After a moment, the Dharma Spreader said seriously, "I had no intention of being your enemy. Nor do I fear you buying time."
"If you wish to fight, I am ready at any moment."
"Everything depends on your decision."
The Saint Emperor listened to the Dharma Spreader's words, pondered for a long time, and was about to speak.
Suddenly, ripples once again appeared in the surrounding space.
The Mysterious Immortal Boat had returned!
This time, it didn't immediately greet them with a True Immortal Script, but with cold sarcasm. "As expected of the renowned Dharma Spreading Heavenly Venerate, your words are more beautiful than a song. I just wonder when you will return the secret treasures you stole from our Mysterious Immortal Boat?"
"Oh, by the way, the fact that the Xuanhuang Realm can exist peacefully under the shadow of the Immortal Ruins for so long is thanks to our treasures, isn't it!"
The voice from the Mysterious Immortal Boat was filled with hatred for the Dharma Spreader.
The Dharma Spreader did not refute it.
The Saint Emperor listened to these words and began to wonder what kind of "secret treasures" the Dharma Spreader had stolen.
Two Supreme beings and one ancient Immortal Boat stood in a standoff in the void.
The conflict between the Dharma Spreader and the Saint Emperor lay in the contradiction between the Dharma Spreader's foundation and the survival of the Xuanhuang Realm, a conflict that was almost irreconcilable.
The enmity between the Immortal Boat and the Dharma Spreader was a generational feud, also impossible to resolve.
Logically, it would be wise for the Saint Emperor and the Immortal Boat to join forces against the Dharma Spreader.
However, the previous divination technique that linked their bloodlines had pointed to the Mysterious Immortal Boat, filling the Saint Emperor's heart with an inexplicable unease, which was why he had not yet made a decision.
It wasn't just the Dharma Spreader's technique; the Saint Emperor himself sensed a familiar aura from that Immortal Boat.
If the Mysterious Immortal Boat came from beneath the High Wall, why was it related to his own origins?
Everything was too baffling, and the words the Dharma Spreader had just spoken forced the Saint Emperor, who had previously only wanted to defeat him, to consider much more.
"Elder Gan chose this position well. If you were any further away, even with the protection of a True Immortal Script, it would be difficult for your Immortal Boat to remain intact," the Dharma Spreader said after a moment, having recognized the voice from the Mysterious Immortal Boat.
He spoke calmly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
But he seemed to be holding back for some reason, not acting rashly.
The Mysterious Immortal Boat, however, ignored the Dharma Spreader and openly tried to persuade the Saint Emperor to cooperate with them.
"Friend Daoist, do not worry about the safety of the Xuanhuang Realm. We on the Immortal Boat have also found a way to save it."
"Take a look..."
A flood of images poured into the Saint Emperor's mind.
On the surface of the Xuanhuang Realm, countless obelisks stood tall, spewing brilliant light upwards.
The Xuanhuang Realm was thus slowly pushed away from the Immortal Ruins.
The Saint Emperor even recognized the power source of these obelisks—it was the Gloomy Sea of Darkness hidden deep within the Xuanhuang Realm!
"It seems..."
"Plausible?"
The Saint Emperor briefly considered the possibility, his heart trembling with unspeakable shock.
"How does this Mysterious Immortal Boat know of the Gloomy Sea of Darkness?"
As if reading the Saint Emperor's mind, the Mysterious Immortal Boat voluntarily explained, "Many years ago, our Mysterious Immortal Boat visited the Xuanhuang Realm. We had many exchanges..."
However, this explanation failed to dispel the Saint Emperor's doubts.
In fact, he grew even more wary.
Listening to the Mysterious Immortal Boat's persuasion of the Saint Emperor, the Dharma Spreader had initially been somewhat dismissive.
But the slight change in the Saint Emperor's expression made him extremely surprised.
His gaze toward the Mysterious Immortal Boat changed once again.
During this period, too many incomprehensible things had happened, things beyond his control.
This had never occurred in the past several thousand years.
But the Dharma Spreader believed that as long as he captured the Mysterious Immortal Boat, many of his questions would be answered.
Although he considered the factors of the Xuanhuang Realm and that enlightened True Immortal, this was not a suitable place to make a move.
But the Dharma Spreader didn't believe the Mysterious Immortal Boat could stay here forever.
The Dharma Spreader's gaze turned toward the depths of the Star Sea.
There, an aura was rapidly approaching.
"Once it arrives, it won't matter if we fight here."
The Dharma Spreader stared at the conversing Saint Emperor and Mysterious Immortal Boat, then slowly closed his eyes.
The situation on the field was extremely delicate.
At this moment, a fluctuation from the Xuanhuang Realm attracted the attention of all three parties present.
The Xuanhuang Realm, which had become somewhat weakened from remotely supporting the Saint Emperor's power, was now bursting with a massive amount of life force.
Thump! Thump!
The sound, like a violently beating heart, was clearly audible.
The Xuanhuang light cluster churned continuously.
It was as if something was gestating within.
The Mysterious Immortal Boat was bewildered.
The Saint Emperor's face showed some astonishment. He felt his connection to the Xuanhuang Realm rapidly fading. Although the emotional bond remained, from now on, it could no longer provide any assistance.
The Dharma Spreader's face first showed astonishment, followed by a hint of disbelief.
Then, as if he had sensed something, his eyes burst with a brilliant light.
He ignored the other two present and flew directly toward the Xuanhuang Realm at high speed.
A moment later, the Mysterious Immortal Boat also reacted.
Its tone was horrified, then overjoyed. "Immortal spiritual energy! And such dense immortal spiritual energy! This..."
"There are at least two or three immortal artifacts! The Xuanhuang Realm is truly a treasure land!"
The Mysterious Immortal Boat followed closely behind, transforming into a streak of light as it sped away.
The Saint Emperor, through his giant net of stars and the perspective of his Great Qi soldiers, had also sensed what was happening within the Xuanhuang Realm.
"The true Xuanhuang Great Heavenly Venerate has descended into the world."
There was no sense of loss from being "unfavored," only a strong sense of unease in the Saint Emperor's heart.
It was as if, from that moment on, the situation had completely spiraled out of control.
An invisible hand was directing everything from the shadows.
The Dharma Spreader, himself, the Mysterious Immortal Boat, the newly born Xuanhuang Heavenly Venerate...
All seemed to be under its control.
"What is this..."
The Saint Emperor's heart was heavy as he arrived outside the Xuanhuang Realm in a flash.
At this moment, the Xuanhuang Realm had undergone a very significant change compared to before.
It was as if some long-dormant mechanism had been activated, and from all parts of the Xuanhuang Realm, a peculiar aura emanated.
It was ancient and archaic, yet it nurtured a miraculous power.
"This is..."
A look of horror flashed in the Saint Emperor's eyes.
"Immortal spiritual energy?"
At the same time, he saw the grim-faced Dharma Spreader and the Mysterious Immortal Boat he had intercepted.
Wisps of immortal spiritual energy seeped out from all over the Xuanhuang Realm.
The source could not be determined.
But that sacred, ancient power...
was by no means a good thing for the living beings of the Xuanhuang Realm.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Countless cultivators, upon coming into contact with a wisp of immortal spiritual energy, wore looks of ecstasy.
Then, in an instant, they exploded into pieces.
How could a mortal body come into contact with the power of a True Immortal?
(End of Chapter)
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