C1022 Ashen Hollow(2)

"Absolutely, absolutely!" Kothen of the Stoneborn nodded emphatically, gesturing towards the crystal tubes. "You can purchase them at the rate of your Everlands soulstones. The energy within Everlands soulstones is incredibly pure, and they're widely accepted as currency throughout the Star River! Seven hundred soulstones, correct? All the blood in these crystal tubes is now yours!"

Soulstones are a universal currency among Everlands cultivators.

The Psicrystal is the smallest denomination, followed by the Soul Crystal.

For Yu Yuan, let alone someone at the Veil Breaking level, seven hundred soulstones wasn't a significant amount.

He paused, "Are Everlands soulstones really that valuable elsewhere?"

"Due to their purity, they're highly treasured!" Kothen said earnestly. "In most Domains, the energy crystals produced contain too many impurities and aren't pure enough. They require at least two or three rounds of refinement to match the quality of your average soulstone."

"With each refinement, the crystals lose a considerable amount of energy, diminishing their worth even further."

His expression turned envious as he continued, "After all, the Everlands are the Central World, the most illustrious and coveted realm in the entire Star River! It wouldn't have given rise to the illustrious Human Race and the era of the archdemons otherwise. A single Domain has the power to awe the Infinite Galaxy!"

His tone and demeanor conveyed deep respect and awe when speaking of the Everlands.

"If the price seems steep, I could consult with the other elders. Perhaps they might agree to a discount." Kothen misinterpreted Yu Yuan's silence as concern over the cost. He scratched his head awkwardly, adding, "However, those elders have forbidden me from venturing onto the lands ahead, which complicates matters."

Yu Yuan was momentarily lost in thought.

He hadn't realized that the homeland the Human Race and archdemons were so eager to leave was seen as an idyllic paradise by the Otherkin from extraterrestrial realms!

It was the renowned Central World, a dazzling treasure land and a holy site where endless rare treasures and a magnificent culture with formidable beings had emerged!

"No need to go to any trouble. Seven hundred is just fine."

With a mere thought, Yu Yuan retrieved an equivalent amount of Psicrystals from his Cosmos Ring and handed them to Kothen. "These seven Psicrystals, each the size of a child's palm, are worth seven hundred soulstones or seventy Soul Crystals in the Everlands. Please, count them."

The Psicrystals were clear and sparkled with an enchanting glow, reminiscent of precious diamonds.

Kothen glanced at them and his excitement was palpable. "I know!" he exclaimed.

Clutching the seven Psicrystals as if they were the greatest of treasures, he hurried over to the Titan warrior. Soon, they began to converse in the Otherkin's tongue.

Before long, the formidable Titan warrior, clutching the Psicrystals and stepping on a golden chain, made his way towards the land ahead.

Yu Yuan didn't dwell on the scene. He stooped to retrieve several crystal tubes filled with the lifeblood of lesser Otherkin.

With a whoosh, the Crucible of Evil soared out from his Zigong acupoint, expanding as it descended.

Inside the cauldron's miniature world, Yu Yiyi, the cauldron spirit, gave the signal that all was ready. Yu Yuan then beckoned forth the Altar of Rebirth from within his chest's vitality.

The Altar, glistening and blood-red, sensed an unfamiliar vitality and stirred with anticipation.

He poured the lifeblood from the first crystal tube onto the Altar of Rebirth. Almost instantly, nearly a dozen hair-thin, radiant strands burst forth from the dark red fluid.

The gently spinning Altar of Rebirth took merely seconds to dissolve the lifeblood.

Tiny, dark red particles splashed from the Altar's rim, merging into his flesh, blood, and bones. A faint wisp of Soul Power drifted into his Mindscape, assimilating seamlessly.

In his mind's depths, fleeting, hazy images surfaced.

He caught glimpses of strange, scorpion-like creatures skulking on the frigid rocky terrain, struggling to survive in the unforgiving climate.

"Fiend Scorpions..." he murmured, not dwelling on the vision. He methodically emptied the remaining lifeblood from the crystal tubes into the Altar of Rebirth.

As Canli of the Dawnbringers had advised, his newly forged Altar of Rebirth needed to absorb as much lifeblood as possible from various Otherkin to hasten its metamorphosis and gain strength.

The variety of lifeblood within the crystal tubes was vast and significantly more crucial than the lifeblood from members of the same species. This lifeblood originated from the weaker races at the third and fourth levels. Whether it was a gift from the Colddeath or spoils from the Moonfall Sanctuary, these lesser races were not included.

To the Fiend Scorpions and Fire Lizard clans, their existence was negligible in the vastness of the Star River; the Colddeath wouldn't even afford them a second glance. Yet, for Yu Yuan, who yearned for a greater diversity of bloodlines, this lifeblood held considerable value.

Time passed unmarked.

The blood from the numerous crystal tubes seamlessly integrated with the Altar of Rebirth. Once refined, it nourished his flesh, bones, and sinews, and imprinted his Mindscape with numerous arcane marks. He also observed that the Seven Star Aegis bracelet on his wrist had siphoned several strands of vitality.

"Seven Star Aegis!"

Gazing intently at the dark blue bracelet, Yu Yuan realized that with his relentless dedication, this heavenly rare treasure from the Yu family would soon unveil its true wonders.

"Spirit Walk, continue to hone the Lunar Spirit..."

With a mere thought, his Lunar Spirit manifested outside, unimpeded by the Crucible of Evil. The presence of his Lunar Spirit immediately caught the attention of Peach Madam, Zhan Ruonan, Sun Jun, and some Otherkin with heightened bloodline levels attuned to the soul.

Many onlookers turned their gaze towards the space above the Crucible of Evil. Yu Yuan's once intangible presence above the cauldron gradually coalesced into a discernible spirited body, resembling a Sky Fiend marauding through the extraterrestrial realms.

"Lunar, Lunar Spirit..."

Kothen of the Stoneborn stood at the land's edge, bound by golden chains, his gaze fixed on Yu Yuan's soul form with a mix of surprise and awe. While the sight of a Solar Spirit was common among humans, glimpses of a Lunar Spirit were exceedingly rare.

More powerful cultivators at the Unbound level would typically descend in their real bodies, not dispatching Lunar Spirits to wander. Thus, the sight of Yu Yuan's soul form sparked curiosity among the Otherkin.

"Exercise caution when releasing your Lunar Spirit in the Star River of the extraterrestrial realms!"

Zhan Ruonan of the Ruby Hand, with a grave expression, called out from a distance, "The starry sky harbors terrifying psionic powers and gales that can shred souls. These are the nightmares of our Human Lunar Spirits! We are not Sky Fiends, born with an innate ability to withstand the corruption of the cosmos. Bear this in mind!"

On the frontier, some Otherkin bandits murmured in their native tongue, "Take down the Luminescent Barrier!"

​