C1009 Killing Each Other

As Yu Yuan ascended the staircase, he constantly cast wary glances over his shoulder at Peach Madam.

Silently, strands of his soul reached out, attempting to establish a connection with the Astral Shield.

To his surprise, he couldn't detect the presence of an Artifact Soul within the shield. Typically, higher-tier artifacts like the Astral Shield, which was of Heaven Level, would house an Artifact Soul.

Yet, despite his careful probing, he found no trace of any unusual soul activity.

"What are you scared of? They can't leave me. As long as I don't close in on you, you're safe," Hu Caiyun said languidly from behind, her phoenix eyes illuminating the dim space. "Yu Yuan, you are my savior. I certainly have no intention of harming you."

"It's them I'm wary of."

Yu Yuan's gaze settled on the eerie smoke billowing forward with her movements. "They're beyond your control, and they're the essence of the deadly miasma you've spent your life perfecting. They could be considered a reflection of you at your strongest. It's their departure that has left you critically wounded."

With these words, Yu Yuan stepped from the ship's hold into the cabin.

The bandits, still shaken, had learned of Yu Yuan's formidable reputation from Hart and Benin. While Yu Yuan and Hu Caiyun remained below deck, they had secretly rejoiced.

They were acutely aware of the dangers of getting too close to Hu Caiyun and had hoped for Yu Yuan's demise at her hands.

But as Yu Yuan emerged unscathed, their faces turned sour.

Then...

As Yu Yuan approached, a kaleidoscopic mist began to seep from the stairwell, taking on a menacing, carnivorous appearance.

Panic ensued in the cabin, with the terrified Outsider bandits pressing themselves against the walls, desperate to keep their distance from the stairway.

Yu Yuan spared them a glance and announced in the human tongue, "We're leaving."

With a flurry of movement, the bandits blocking the way hastily repositioned themselves.

A clear path opened up between the stairwell and the cabin entrance.

"You've got some sense, at least," Yu Yuan remarked with a scoff, striding confidently towards the cabin entrance.

At that moment, plumes of rainbow-colored smoke billowed from the staircase, heralding the arrival of the dignified and graceful Peach Madam.

Hu Caiyun's eyes flickered with contempt as she observed the bandits, who looked as if they had seen a ghost.

She then made her way unhurriedly towards Yu Yuan.

All the bandits, Benin and Hart included, kept their distance, terrified she might approach in a frenzy and draw the nightmarish miasma closer to them.

With a creak, Yu Yuan pushed open the cabin door and stepped back into the Nirvana Realm.

Whoosh!

The Evil Cauldron, previously left outside, soared towards him of its own accord, and Yu Yiyi appeared, offering him a playful smile.

Yu Yuan nodded and positioned himself on the open ground, awaiting Hu Caiyun's arrival.

Meanwhile, the distant echoes of agonized screams persisted as the bandits who hadn't made it back to the ship on time continued to fall prey to two mutated monsters, which then devoured them.

Before long, Hu Caiyun emerged amidst the swirling rainbow smoke into the Nirvana Realm.

"What kind of Nirvana Realm is this, tainted by corrupt energy?" she inhaled deeply, her brow furrowing as she spoke, "I find myself longing for the pure spiritual energy of my homeland. Whether it's the Spirit Realm or any other foreign Realm, none compare to the vast purity. Breathing in the air of this Nirvana Realm is revolting."

Yu Yuan ignored her complaints.

The repair of the Nirvana Realm's Void Wall, thanks to the Dragon Slash Platform, ironically hindered his practice of the Evil Body Refining Skill.

He gazed into the sky, considering that even without achieving the Yang God, his current physical state might be better suited to the galactic expanses of the outer Realm.

Soaring through the cosmos, he could still temper his physique, bones, and even his soul with the impure energies.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A mutated monster, transformed from an Asura Clan warrior, burst through a menacing ancient tree, revealing itself amidst the shattered thorns.

The bloodthirsty mutated tree, sensing the scent of blood, instinctively entwined around him, only to be forcefully snapped by his strength.

With brutal eyes, the creature glared first at Yu Yuan, then at Hu Caiyun.

Hu Caiyun watched the mutated monster with a hint of fascination. Despite her injuries, she quickly assessed its lineage, "No matter how many times it mutates, it's still just an Eighth Level bloodline. The Asura Clan may be exceptional beyond the heavens, but an Eighth Level warrior hardly measures up."

"Furthermore, it has lost its intelligence and self-awareness, which likely means it can't utilize many of its bloodline secrets."

Despite her fall from the Unrestrained Stage and her severe injuries, her pride remained intact.

Whoosh!

The mutated female demon appeared out of nowhere.

The two mutated monsters sensed an anomaly in the Nirvana Realm, realizing that the world was undergoing purification. They naturally formed a temporary alliance, intent on eliminating their prey.

Positioned on either side of Yu Yuan and Hu Caiyun, they eyed the open cabin behind the pair.

Every living being was potential prey. If they were confident they could devour them, they wouldn't hesitate in the slightest.

"They don't dare come near us," Hu Caiyun observed after a pause, the mutated monsters making no move to attack. "Are you certain they can aid in healing my wounds?"

She was skeptical.

"It should help somewhat. And even if it doesn't, it will allow me to better understand the nature of these evolving entities," Yu Yuan replied, his voice steady. He paused before adding, "Try drawing them into your body, then approach the two monsters."

"I'll take your word for it."

Hu Caiyun's face contorted with pain as she forcibly absorbed the colorful smoke cloud within her, clearly not a pleasant experience.

Yu Yuan noticed that as the smoke cloud entered her body, her once delicate skin became parched and dull.

Her features showed signs of aging, and many of her muscles suffered under the influence of the toxic miasma.

Gasping for air, she fought through the agony and approached the mutated monster that had once been a female demon.

Lacking intelligence, the mutated monster relied on instinct. Once Hu Caiyun had contained the deadly miasma, it no longer sensed any threat from her.

Whoosh!

The demon's green hair transformed into a long whip, morphing into a serpentine creature that lunged at Hu Caiyun.

Hu Caiyun halted, an icy smile playing at her lips. As the demon's hair cascaded down like a waterfall beside her, the colorful smoke cloud she had struggled to restrain burst forth wildly.

The bizarre smoke cloud became a creature even more fearsome than the mutated monster, seizing the eerie green tendrils as if alive.

Along with that, the mutated monster, transformed from the female demon, was dragged into the iridescent miasma of clouds.

The monster, born from the female demon, howled within the colorful mists, its cries laden with agony and despair, sending shivers down one's spine.

In contrast, Hu Caiyun's mind found rare tranquility. She felt thoroughly relaxed, free from any discomfort.

An Eighth Level mutated monster, consumed by her Heart Demon's miasma, seemed to aid in her recovery, just as Yu Yuan had suggested, significantly easing her physical and emotional pain.

Whoosh!

The mutated monster, once an Asura Clan warrior, glimpsed this scene and terror flickered in its savage eyes. It hastily turned and fled.

Hu Caiyun, having savored victory, let out a low chuckle and instinctively gave chase.

She soon discovered that when her intentions aligned with those of the mutated monster, they could indeed cooperate.

The strength she had lost and the wounds she had endured were now much relieved. She felt as if buoyed by the rainbow clouds, swiftly closing in on the mutated monster of the Asura Clan.

"Can it really be this effective?"

Yu Yuan was dumbfounded. He had merely offered a suggestion, vaguely hoping it might be of some use.

Yet, to his astonishment, his intuition and judgment had truly been vindicated!

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