C1018 Healed as Before

Several days later, under the swirling mists of Peach Madam's Rainbow Ocean, the murky energies of the Nirvana Realm were purified. She had also harnessed the strange power of the Rainbow Ocean to refine what she perceived as her weaker self, embracing the path of darkness and achieving a form of rebirth.

The black iron warship lay anchored outside Veilfall Canyon, with the miasma cloud now contained within her, enhancing her already voluptuous figure. A captivating smile graced her lips as she sat serenely atop the vessel.

Touzet of the Shadowkin had been reduced to her puppet, confined to the cabin, ready to serve as her contingency plan. She would occasionally squint at the faintly blue sky or cast a glance towards Veilfall Canyon, waiting in silence.

The Nirvana Realm, once her sanctuary, now felt devoid of appeal. She contemplated whether to command Touzet to steer the ancient warship beyond the Star River or to bide her time. She was curious to discover where the stable space rift, as described by the Voidweaver girl, might lead.

Yu Yuan, who dwelled within the valley, remained an object of her caution, for she still required time and the right opportunity to ascend once more to the Unbound state. She was confident that upon her return, she would emerge mightier than before, ready to challenge formidable adversaries like Hei Xun and to seize the moment during the conflict between Boulderdawn and the other supreme powers to secure greater advantages.

Elsewhere, Zhan Ruonan and Sun Jun of the Ruby Hand, with Yu Yuan's consent, had collected the crystalline shards of Gou Yungui's and Yang Yi's Solar Spirits, intending to preserve them for eventual return to the Everlands.

The explosive demise of Gou Yungui and Yang Yi had been limited to their Solar Spirit Bodies, not their actual demise. Their real bodies remained within the Everlands. Should the fragments of their Solar Spirits be retrieved, both the Taintborn and the Binders of Shadows would be prepared to extract the residual souls and assist in the reformation of their heaven souls, potentially enabling them to coalesce a new Solar Spirit, as Xie Bin had done.

Huang Zhenlong of the Poison Cult, however, had not been so fortunate. Trapped within the Circle of Damnation, his soul had been irrevocably reduced to ashes.

Upon discovering that the stone was none other than the fabled Dragon Slaying Stage, and with a space rift on the verge of stabilization, she and Sun Jun felt no rush to depart. They were curious to see where this rift would lead.

In recent days, Benin of the Voidweaver clan kept a vigilant watch over the burgeoning space rift. When Yu Yuan inquired, she mentioned that the rift had yet to stabilize and required further investigation.

The Dragon Slaying Stage needed more time to heal completely, leaving Yu Yuan with no choice but to wait patiently. Meanwhile, his Lunar Spirit had left its physical vessel, venturing out from the Mindscape to roam the Nirvana Realm aimlessly, savoring the delicate intricacies of a Spirit Walk.

Thanks to the Nirvana Realm's purification by Peach Madam, the harmful psionic powers that once plagued the Lunar Spirit had vanished, allowing such freedom. Spirit Walk necessitated the Lunar Spirit's departure from the body to perceive the marvels of the universe.

As the Lunar Spirit drifted, it discovered that its perceptions were finer than those of its corporeal form. It could pass through solid matter, delve into mountains, and minutely observe the inner workings of flora.

Numerous plants, once formidable in their aggression, now withered and perished, their vitality sapped by the purified spiritual energy. His Lunar Spirit moved through the woods, pausing within the husks of dead trees, where it could discern their original structures, which had long since changed and accumulated a certain toxin.

Like the mutated monsters, the surviving flora had transformed and no longer resembled their original forms.

"Accumulated toxins..."

This revelation sparked an idea in the Lunar Spirit as it resided in Veilfall Canyon. The Crucible of Evil silently emerged, and Yu Yiyi, the cauldron spirit, peeked out before settling at the mouth of the cauldron. She then directed several Banes to weave through the Nirvana Realm's forests.

Banes such as the Grimlantern, Silver Chain, and Armor Crusher, all possessing tangible forms, carried vials to harvest the toxins from the desiccated plants. These vials were remnants of Huang Zhenlong, a fallen member of the Poison Cult.

As Yu Yiyi issued her commands to the Banes, Yu Yuan's heaven soul endeavored to decipher the remaining sword spells of the Nine Celestial Slashes.

The Lunar Spirit ventured far, with the cauldron spirit gathering deadly poisons. Meanwhile, the heaven soul, still in its nascent form, delved into the mysteries of swordsmanship.

Nothing was overlooked or delayed.

Days slipped by until, in a sudden moment, Benin's bloodline stirred, and her eyes sparkled with realization.

"Has it stabilized?"

Hart, from the Silverscale Tribe, sensed a shift and was overtaken by excitement.

The current mood in the Nirvana Realm was peculiar, to say the least. There was Peach Madam, who had embraced her demonic transformation, Zhan Ruonan and Sun Jun from the Ruby Hand, stubbornly lingering on. And then there was Yu Yuan, ever enigmatic in his intentions.

Hart was eager to leave this realm behind, yearning for the familiar territories where the Silverscale Tribe, Sky Fiends, Shuras, and enchantresses roamed.

He no longer wished to remain in the Nirvana Realm, constantly on edge amidst these unpredictable individuals.

In an instant, Yu Yuan also opened his eyes, stretched languidly, and stood up. He beckoned to the Dragon Slaying Stage, suspended amidst several space rifts.

Whoosh!

The Dragon Slaying Stage obediently descended into his palm.

A subtle mix of his unique essence—spiritual energy, remnant soul, and vitality—seeped from his palm into the Dragon Slaying Stage, making the grey stone burst into a dazzling light.

In that moment, he was struck by a profound sense that this artifact was always meant for him.

Clutching the Dragon Slaying Stage, he felt a momentary daze, as if the stone had been awaiting his grasp for ages, perhaps for thousands or even tens of thousands of years...

"It must be the residual psionic power I gathered with the Wraithbinding," he mused.

He ascribed the surreal sensation to the arcane Spirit Magic he had employed earlier, collecting the residual strange power of the dragon slayer.

"It's stable now," Benin murmured, her lips slightly pursed as she peered into the expansive space rift, scrutinizing it as if to ascertain something. "The World-Sundering Stone can't be away from these rifts for too long, or the fractures will begin to mend themselves."

She hurriedly shared her insight, recognizing the critical nature of the stone.

At that moment, Yu Yuan observed a minute crack that seemed to be healing like a wound.

This occurred because he had removed the Dragon Slaying Stage.

"It appears I can only take the Dragon Slaying Stage with me when I depart," Yu Yuan mused, nodding as he tossed the stone back into the intertwining space rift. "Now, can you tell me where this space rift leads?"

He wasn't a Voidweaver, nor was he versed in space magic. Peering closer, all he could see were countless streaks of light.

Sending out a remnant soul yielded no response, akin to a stone dropped into the sea.

He realized that in this regard, he had to depend on Benin. "Hart, as long as you and Benin don't deceive me or plot against me, you'll both survive."

"I wouldn't dare!" Hart responded hastily.

Peach Madam chuckled delicately, drifting over as light as air, her smile playful. "I, too, am curious to discover where this stable space rift might lead."

Zhan Ruonan and Sun Jun from the Ruby Hand were also eavesdropping at the edge of the valley.

"I saw three floating lands chained together by massive golden chains and warships unlike any I've seen before, belonging to the King of Bandits," Benin reported earnestly.

Hart's expression turned grim as he gasped, "You can't be serious?"

Zhan Ruonan and Sun Jun, upon hearing her, slightly furrowed their brows, sensing a challenge.

Peach Madam paused, seemingly unclear about the place Benin had described.

"What place is that?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.

"It's an unusual spot within the Star River, consisting of three drifting continents," Benin elucidated with caution. "The most formidable of those bandits are merely eighth-level fighters. There are rumors of stronger ones, but they rarely linger, so you should face no danger there."

Yu Yuan glanced at Zhan Ruonan.

Zhan Ruonan nodded, adding, "Besides the bandits, there's a handful of Everlands' Evil Devils mingling there, akin to the Sundering Isles—a realm beyond the control of any faction, yet one they all wish to obliterate. The challenge lies in the fact that these three continents have been navigating the far reaches of the Star River, making them exceedingly elusive."

"It's indeed a good place," Yu Yuan said with a smile.

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