C1009 Killing Each Other

As he ascended the staircase, Yu Yuan frequently cast wary glances at Peach Madam trailing behind him.

In secret, he attempted to establish a connection with the Seven Star Aegis through his remnant soul.

He was somewhat taken aback by the absence of an artifact soul within the Seven Star Aegis. Higher-grade artifacts typically housed an artifact soul, and by all logic, a heavenly artifact like the Seven Star Aegis should possess one.

Yet, despite his careful sensing, he detected no unusual soul activity.

"What are you afraid of? They can't leave me. As long as I don't get close to you, you're safe," Hu Caiyun said in a leisurely pace, her phoenix eyes illuminating the dim space, "Yu Yuan, you're my savior. I certainly won't harm you."

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

Yu Yuan's gaze settled on the eerie smoke billowing forward with her movements, "They're beyond your control and are the concentrated essence of your life's deadliest poisons. I might as well consider them to be you at your prime. It's their departure from you that has left you critically wounded."

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

The dozen or so terrified bandits, having heard of Yu Yuan's formidable reputation from Hart and Benin, had been secretly relieved when Yu Yuan and Hu Caiyun were below deck.

They were all too aware of the consequences of getting too close to Hu Caiyun and had hoped for Yu Yuan to fall victim to her.

However, upon seeing Yu Yuan emerge nonchalantly, their faces soured.

Then...

As Yu Yuan approached them, a spectrum of colored smoke began to seep from the staircase, taking on a menacing, almost carnivorous appearance.

Instant chaos erupted in the cabin, sending the otherkin bandits scrambling against the walls, desperate to distance themselves from the stairway.

Yu Yuan gave them a brief look and announced in the common tongue, "We're leaving."

With a series of swift movements, the bandits blocking the stairway hastily repositioned themselves.

A clear path now lay between the staircase and the ship's entrance.

"You've got some sense, at least."

With a scoff, Yu Yuan confidently led the way, swiftly making his way to the entrance of the cabin.

At that moment, plumes of rainbow-colored smoke billowed out from the staircase, spreading into the surrounding area. Soon after, the dignified and graceful Peach Madam emerged.

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

She then proceeded towards Yu Yuan with unruffled composure.

All of the bandits, including Benin and Hart, kept their distance, fearful that she might approach them in a frenzy and bring the nightmarish miasma cloud with her.

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

Whoosh!

The Crucible of Evil that he had left outside whistled through the air towards him. Yu Yiyi appeared, offering him a coy smile.

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

Meanwhile, the distant echoes of agonizing screams persisted as the bandits who had failed to make it back to the cabin were still being butchered and devoured by two Warpbeasts.

Before long, Hu Caiyun made her entrance amidst the swirling rainbow smoke.

"A realm tainted by corrupt energy is called the Nirvana Realm?" 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 Yogreron or the domains of the Otherkin, none can match the purity of the Everlands. This Nirvana Realm, with every breath I take, fills me with revulsion."

Yu Yuan ignored her complaints.

The Nirvana Realm's Void Wall, having been repaired with the aid of the Dragon Slaying Stage, was now less advantageous for his Evil Body Refining practice.

Gazing skyward, he mused that even without having formed a Solar Spirit Body, his current physical state was likely better suited for the Star River of the extraterrestrial domain.

Soaring through the Star River, he could still temper his physique, bones, and even his soul with the tainted energies.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A Shura Warrior, transformed into a Warpbeast, burst through a menacing ancient tree. As the tree shattered, the Warpbeast revealed itself.

The voracious tree, drawn by the scent of blood, instinctively coiled around him, only to be snapped by his strength.

With a pair of savage eyes, he glared first at Yu Yuan and then at Hu Caiyun.

Hu Caiyun watched the Warpbeast with interest, and despite her injuries, she quickly assessed its bloodline level. "Despite undergoing multiple mutations, they've only reached the eighth level. The Shura may be extraordinary in the extraterrestrial world, but an eighth-level warrior hardly measures up."

"Moreover, they've lost their spiritual wisdom and self-awareness, rendering many of their bloodline mysteries unusable."

Despite her fall from the Unbound Realm and sustaining severe injuries, her pride remained intact.

Whoosh!

A mutated enchantress appeared out of nowhere.

The two Warpbeasts sensed the disturbance in the Nirvana Realm, realizing the world was undergoing purification. They naturally formed an alliance, prioritizing their survival over the immediate slaughter of their prey.

The Warpbeasts positioned themselves on either side of Yu Yuan and Hu Caiyun, eyeing the open cabin behind them.

Every living being was potential prey. If they were confident in their ability to consume them, they would not hesitate.

"They're wary of getting too close to us," Hu Caiyun observed after a brief wait, as the Warpbeasts refrained from attacking. "Are you certain they can aid in healing my wounds?"

She was skeptical.

"It seems likely they'll be of some help. Even if they're not, they'll assist me in gaining a better understanding of these inner demons," Yu Yuan replied with composure. He paused, then added, "Try drawing them into your body and then approach the Warpbeasts."

"I'll trust you for now."

Hu Caiyun's face contorted in pain as she forcefully absorbed the colorful miasma cloud within her, clearly not a pleasant experience.

Yu Yuan could see that as the smoke cloud merged with her, her once delicate skin became parched and dull.

Her features even began to show signs of aging, and many of her muscles suffered under the influence of the toxic miasma.

Gasping for air and fighting through the agony, she made her way toward the Warpbeast that had once been an enchantress.

Devoid of spiritual wisdom, the Warpbeast relied on instinct. Once Hu Caiyun had contained the dreadful miasma cloud, it no longer perceived her as a threat.

Whoosh!

The enchantress Warpbeast's green hair transformed into a long whip, morphing into a serpentine green streak that shot towards Hu Caiyun.

Hu Caiyun halted, her lips curling into an icy smirk. As the enchantress's hair cascaded beside her like a waterfall, the colorful miasma cloud she had struggled to control burst forth once more, unrestrained.

The eerie smoke cloud transformed into an entity more fearsome than any Warpbeast, seizing the green tendrils with an almost sentient grip.

It then dragged the Warpbeast, born from the enchantress, into the kaleidoscopic miasma.

Within the colorful smoke, the Warpbeast's howls, laden with agony and despair, sent shivers down the spine.

In contrast, Hu Caiyun experienced an uncommon tranquility of mind. She felt completely at ease, the discomfort that once plagued her now gone.

An eighth-level Warpbeast, consumed by her inner demon's miasma cloud, seemed to aid in her recovery as Yu Yuan had suggested, significantly easing her physical and mental anguish.

Whoosh!

The Shura transformed into Warpbeasts revealed a glint of fear in their savage eyes upon witnessing the scene, hastily turning to flee.

Hu Caiyun, savoring the sweet taste of triumph, let out a soft chuckle and instinctively gave chase.

She soon discovered that when her intentions aligned with those of her inner demon, they could indeed collaborate effectively.

The strength she had lost and the wounds she had endured were greatly mitigated in that moment. She felt as if buoyed by the rainbow miasma, swiftly closing in on the fleeing Shura Warpbeast.

"Can it really be this effective?"

Yu Yuan was at a loss for words. He had merely offered a suggestion, thinking it might hold some merit.

Yet, to his astonishment, his intuition and judgment had proven accurate!

​