C1008 Inner Demon Condensing

In the woods near the black iron warship, a monstrous Warpbeast, once a Shura warrior, bore razor-sharp spines on its knees, elbows, and shoulders, with hands as large as fans and as lethal as blades.

Standing nearly three meters tall, it moved through the forest with lightning speed, savagely slaughtering any bandits brave enough to venture from the warship. Panting heavily, as if sensing the end was near, it was desperate to increase its strength in the shortest time possible to break free from the constraints of the Nirvana Realm's wall.

With a slash, its massive palm carved a dazzling arc, reducing a Stoneborn bandit to a tofu-like carcass. Drenched in a shower of blood, the Warpbeast stood among the shattered remains, instinctively harnessing the bloodline mysteries.

The Stoneborn corpses on the ground were drawn to it, their vitality essence transforming into strands of psionic power that swiftly integrated into the Warpbeast.

"Amazing! Such a formidable Warpbeast!" exclaimed the bandits who had assembled by the warship, their faces pale with shock at the sight of the Shura's mutated terror.

"He's definitely become stronger," observed Hart from the Silverscale Tribe, with Benin at his side among the bandits. They watched in awe as the Warpbeast consumed the essence of blood and flesh through its mystique. "He probably senses that his time is running out," Hart added.

"What do you mean?" Benin inquired, surprised.

"The spatial wall of the Nirvana Realm has been mended by that peculiar stone. No longer will terrifying psionic energy from the extraterrestrial realms seep in. As long as the human expert, this Warpbeast, and its kin remain in the Nirvana Realm, they serve to uniquely purify the corrupt forces plaguing this place," Hart explained with careful consideration.

"The human expert and the mutated Warpbeasts can both draw strength from the tainted energy. Without the influx of psionic power from the stars, the Nirvana Realm's anomalous energies will be cleansed. Eventually, the realm will return to the pure state it was in ten thousand years ago. But for the Warpbeasts, a pure energy environment is as agonizing as hell itself."

"It's like us, or our weaker kin, who can't withstand the tainted atmosphere of a Domain. The more powerful the mutated Warpbeasts become, the less they can tolerate a normal Domain."

Hart pointed at the Shura Warpbeast and remarked, "He sensed it instinctively."

"Indeed," Touzet of the Shadowkin affirmed, standing at the warship's entrance with an approving gaze upon Hart. "That Warpbeast is eager to break free from this realm before its complete purification. It belongs to the dark and tumultuous Star River, where chaotic energies thrive."

After a brief pause, Touzet added, "However, once outside the Domain's protection, the Warpbeast becomes an easy target. Whether facing the allied forces of various races or the Humans' Solar Spirit and archdemons, it would be swiftly and cleanly eradicated."

As they conversed, the bandits who had returned from distant lands retreated back into the cabin, seeking the protection of the sturdy black iron warship against the fearsome Warpbeast or devising a strategy to confront the creature.

Ow!

Hundreds of miles away, at the epicenter of the Nirvana Realm's corrupt energies, a soul-shattering roar echoed.

The second Warpbeast of the Nirvana Realm, having transcended its bloodline limitations, emerged with newfound power. This Warpbeast, once an enchantress, soared through the air, rapidly approaching.

Her eerie green eyes brimmed with a twisted longing for souls. Her piercing shrieks could penetrate the barriers of consciousness, instantly shattering the souls of those with lesser bloodlines.

Many bandits, now back inside the cabin, found her roars and screams strangely melodious, listening with increasing attentiveness, oblivious to the blood streaming from their ears, eyes, and nostrils.

"Close the hatch and seal all windows!" a bandit yelled, sensing the danger.

Clang! Bang! Bang!

The entrances and exits of the black iron warship were promptly sealed, significantly muffling the Warpbeast's formidable screams.

Despite its age, the black iron warship, navigating the depths of the Star River, could withstand many external threats due to its unique material, with soundproofing being just one of its basic features.

Below deck, Yu Yuan observed every external change and scene through the Crucible of Evil suspended high above.

Hart and Touzet had a solid grasp of the combat prowess of the Shura warrior and the fiendish enchantress. They were well-versed in the capabilities and tendencies of such formidable foes.

While multitasking, he pondered the nature of the fiends, all the while tuning into the dialogue between Hart and Touzet.

Meanwhile, his focus also rested on the Peach Madam, who stood amidst a burst of colorful radiance within her cage-like chamber. She watched the eerie smoky tendrils, which seemed to possess a life of their own, billow forth from her body.

"Resolve this issue for me, and I will reveal to you the whereabouts of Hei Xun and the owner of the white crane," Hu Caiyun offered.

With a hiss, Yu Yuan sent a remnant soul darting through the peculiar smoke, only to swiftly retract it.

Yu Yuan reflected inwardly, contemplating...

After some time, Yu Yuan gazed intently at Peach Madam, who was enveloped by the miasma of the Rainbow Ocean, and abruptly declared, "You've succumbed to madness. You were once at the Unbound Realm, but you've fallen from grace due to a loss of control over your cultivation technique and the inability to master the toxic miasma of the Yogreron, resulting in a severe backlash."

Hu Caiyun's eyes sparkled with recognition. "Truly worthy of the title, God of Medicine."

"The backlash you're experiencing is from your inner demon. You failed to conquer it, attempting instead to dissolve it into the multitude of toxic miasmas. The life consciousness within the bizarre smoke that erupts from you, which wildly assaults nearby living creatures, is imbued with your own strange vitality."

"These manifestations are of your inner demon, a fusion of it with the Venomcraft you practice. Since you've never conquered them, it's no surprise you cannot control them."

"You were on the brink of mutating, just like the fiends outside, spiraling into chaos. It's only because you expelled them, integrating them into your own toxic miasma, that you've ended up in your current state."

Drawing upon Hart's insights, his past life's philosophy as the God of Medicine, fragmented memories from the Dragon Slaying Stage, and the intricate knowledge gleaned from the lifeblood of various races, Yu Yuan had gained a clear understanding of Hu Caiyun's predicament after a thorough examination.

"Am I them? Has my inner demon undergone a transformation?" Hu Caiyun asked, bewildered.

"You haven't gone mad, nor have you lost control, precisely because they've merged with the toxic miasma you've refined," Yu Yuan analyzed calmly. "I suggest you come with me. I'm curious to see what will transpire when you encounter those two Warpbeasts. As a former cultivator of the Unbound Realm, the combined force of your unvanquished inner demon and the toxic miasma you've dedicated your life to should, in theory, surpass the strength of those fiends."

As he spoke, he laid a hand on the iron bars of the secret chamber.

The bars burst apart with a sudden explosion.

Hu Caiyun, gravely wounded, stared at him in astonishment and said, "If I leave and enter the cabin, they will be uncontrollable. I haven't left because I don't want to be responsible for more deaths."

"I understand. You also believe you're not strong enough to handle them, your combat abilities are too weak. You're avoiding contact with the Solar Spirits and cultivators of the Unbound Realm, and you're too afraid to confront the regular armies of the Otherkin. So, you'd rather endure the hardship of staying on the black iron warship crewed by outlaws until you find a solution." Yu Yuan was well aware of her predicament.

He then gestured towards the broken entrance of the secret room, signaling her to come out slowly.

"Follow me, keep your distance from those outlaws, and we'll both step out of the cabin."

While speaking, Yu Yuan was also vigilant, his vitality and spiritual energy coalescing, ready to form a defensive shield of light.

Huh!

Just as he began to harness his vitality and spiritual energy for the shield, he felt the power he was gathering suddenly drain into the green-black iron ring on his hand.

The ring was the Seven Star Aegis, an eighth-level heavenly artifact!

After a long hiatus, this rare treasure of the Skyblight Cult seemed to finally resonate with Yu Yuan!

Having absorbed his vitality and remnant soul for so long, the Seven Star Aegis, which appeared insatiable, now seemed prepared to defend.

It appeared ready to offer protection against any imminent danger, especially if Hu Caiyun's inner demon transformed into a menacing smoke.

Was it that the Seven Star Aegis had just happened to accumulate the necessary power, or was the eerie smoke emanating from Hu Caiyun too dreadful?

Yu Yuan was inwardly astounded.

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