C1012 It Was Not Lively Enough
With a crisp snap, scabs of tainted blood flaked off Yu Yuan's body, reminiscent of an ancient tree shedding its bark. Hidden within these scabs were specks of vibrant color—the concentrated essence of deadly miasma. A mere dot the size of a fingernail could prove fatal to cultivators at the Lunar Spirit level.
Moments later, Yu Yuan stood with his upper body bare, his muscular and athletic physique on full display. Hu Caiyun caught herself staring, captivated by his virile and powerful form. There wasn't a single trace of poisoning...
In her astonishment, Yu Yuan retrieved a pristine black robe from his Cosmos Ring. With a surge of energy, the remnants of his old, bloodied clothes disintegrated from his skin. Once redressed, he cast a glance at the Seven Star Aegis, his lips curling into a pleased smile.
The Seven Star Aegis had just channeled a formidable psionic power, purifying his corporeal body and dissolving the miasma that had been ravaging his flesh. In his moment of peril, this heavenly artifact had proven its worth.
Without the Seven Star Aegis's intervention, he would have had to depend on a furnace and several rare medicinal ingredients, merging himself with the furnace to neutralize the poison. His expertise in detoxification was indeed remarkable.
Yet, he suspected that Peach Madam would not afford him the luxury of time for such a process.
"You're aware that during my tenure as the Sect Master of the Order of Healing, I specialized in poisons. You also know of my ventures into the Rainbow Ocean, where I refined miasma for alchemical purposes," Yu Yuan said, adjusting his robe with a casual demeanor. "Peach Madam, do you truly believe your refined miasma can infiltrate me?"
She fell silent.
With a chuckle, Yu Yuan looked up at the Crucible of Evil, his thoughts stirring slightly. The Frost Queen, a figure of ice-blue clarity, emerged bit by bit from the cauldron, standing tall like an Ice Goddess, her gaze devoid of human emotion, piercingly cold as she regarded Hu Caiyun.
A whoosh of extreme cold emanated from the Frost Queen, and the cold fog began to envelop the area. As it spread, the miasma-born creatures in its path started to crystallize, succumbing to the chill.
Peach Madam's face changed amidst the Rainbow Ocean, "The Crucible of Evil!"
Upon departing from the Embers Sea, she had learned from the Guardian of Devil Palace, Hei Xun, about a severely damaged cauldron hidden at the sea's bottom. She was also aware that Yu Yuan, whom Hei Xun had specifically mentioned, was likely in possession of the Crucible of Evil.
In this realm, she had witnessed Yu Yuan wielding the Crucible of Evil, but she hadn't anticipated that in such a brief time, the cauldron could spawn a formidable Evil Demon akin to the Frost Queen!
What truly alarmed her was the Frost Queen's use of cold fog, which seemed capable of suppressing the toxic miasma she was emitting.
"The ice power from the Frozen Hellscape has always been particularly effective against the miasma from the Rainbow Ocean," Yu Yuan said with a smile. "I forgot to mention that the current Dark Herald of the Devil Palace evolved from the Plague Demon of the Rainbow Ocean."
"I'm aware!" Peach Madam retorted with a huff.
"Before coming here, I had an encounter with her at the Moonfall Sanctuary," Yu Yuan explained, gesturing toward the Frost Queen. "The miasma released by the Plague Demon, especially the kind that targets souls, can be frozen by the ice power. The Dark Herald didn't fare well in the Moonfall Sanctuary."
Whoosh! The cold fog continued to spread, freezing the smoke clouds Peach Madam had released to hunt down the outlaws, all transformed by the Frost Queen's power.
With the Frost Queen leading the charge, Yu Yuan effortlessly traversed the icy terrain.
With a casual flick of his sword sheath, the bizarre rainbow clouds and the blood crystals formed from the bandits' blood burst apart.
Peach Madam let out a stifled groan.
Filled with dread, she swiftly commanded the Rainbow Ocean to retreat, enveloping Hart, Benin, and Touzet of the Shadowkin in three separate smoke clouds.
Mist seeped into Touzet's nostrils and ears.
Soon after, Touzet began to cough up blood, his eyes hollowing out as if invaded by a malevolent consciousness, stirring up his own dark emotions.
This unfortunate survivor from Yogreron, who had sought vengeance against Hu Caiyun, found himself overpowered and now under the control of Peach Madam due to his insufficient strength.
"Hong Qi, let's agree to not cross paths in our endeavors!"
As Peach Madam maneuvered the Rainbow Ocean and began her withdrawal, she declared, "I never intended to linger in the Nirvana Realm for long! I will have them launch the black iron warship and depart from this Domain! Before I go, I'll inform you of Hei Xun's location, as well as that of the white crane and the Crane Rider!"
Realizing she couldn't eliminate her targets swiftly, she swiftly shifted her tactics.
"First, leave that Voidweaver girl behind," Yu Yuan commanded.
"You can have her!"
Peach Madam was refreshingly decisive. With a flick of her sleeve, Benin, who had been engulfed in the mists, was abruptly ejected from the Rainbow Ocean.
The Rainbow Ocean continued to recede rapidly, seemingly heading towards the black iron warship.
Benin, discarded from the Rainbow Ocean like refuse, had a quiver in her nostrils, her exquisite face etched with despair.
The God of Medicine, Hong Qi, had returned to life, delving deep into the study of lethal toxins, wielding the Crucible of Evil...
The exchange between Peach Madam and Yu Yuan sounded to her like esoteric scripture.
She could hardly believe that Yu Yuan, who appeared so youthful, had lived two lifetimes and was the master of the Order of Healing in the vast Everlands.
The renown of the Order of Healing resonated even in the remote reaches of the extraterrestrial Star River.
Hong Qi had introduced several of his deadly concoctions into the Star River, spreading them across various domains, with effects mirroring those in Yogreron.
Realizing that Yu Yuan before her was the reincarnation of the God of Medicine, Benin was overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness.
"God of Medicine! Hong Qi!"
Hart from the Silverscale Tribe was equally stunned by their conversation. A small world belonging to his tribe had been devastated by one of Hong Qi's poisons, leaving not a single plant alive.
Hong Qi had never truly ventured beyond the Everlands, yet his infamy spread far and wide due to the dissemination of his toxins, rivaling that of the most liberated cultivators.
"Beyond the Nirvana Realm, there are five dark disciples of the Solar Spirit in the north of the Land of Quiescence; they are my next targets," Peach Madam, under the sway of her inner demon, said as she rapidly distanced herself from Yu Yuan. "Don't thank me. Since you possess a power that impresses me, we can coexist without conflict."
"Don't worry, I'll keep the secret of Hong Qi safe for you. Knowing that you are Hong Qi and have clashed with the Dark Herald, I'm convinced that you're not aligned with the five supreme powers."
"I'm certainly not!"
As Yu Yuan moved closer with a sly smile, she quickly raised her voice to add,
"It's just not lively enough for me, so..."
A flurry of remnant souls burst forth, streaming toward the Dragon Slaying Stage behind him, lifting the veil of the Lost Star thaumaturgy.
"We've all traveled from the Everlands, and it's rare to encounter each other in the vastness of the Star River. We shouldn't always be hiding away." Yu Yuan smiled, gazing up at the sky, watching the resplendent divine lights fade away beyond the wall.
The Nirvana Realm, long sealed, suddenly reemerged in the Dark Nebula, prompting the dark disciples who had been fruitlessly searching to transform into bolts of lightning, excitedly converging on the spot.
"Hong Qi! What are you up to?" Peach Madam shrieked.
"Weren't you eager to hunt them down?" Yu Yuan replied with a grin, "I've let them in for you. Now, you can take them down one by one right before my eyes. You were right; in the view of the five supreme powers, I'm a traitor to the Everlands, a menace in league with the Boulderdawn Sect."
"I'm curious to see if they have the courage and strength to keep trying to kill me out there!"
He looked up, his gaze icy as he watched the dark disciples from the Land of Quiescence slowly come into view.
Peach Madam was taken aback by his words, "Are you suggesting you've committed unforgivable sins? Like in your past life, you're a target for everyone? The five great forces are all eager for your early demise?"
