C1039 On the Moon

Elena's alabaster neck was adorned with a heart-shaped necklace, from which a subtle vibration emanated—a sensation only she could detect through her own bloodline. Within the necklace was a drop of her father Fernand's blood, a Ninth Level bloodline expert whose every drop of blood held profound secrets! Moreover, the necklace was inscribed with mystical patterns that enabled a connection between her and Fernand within a certain range.

Suddenly, Elena's stunning figure soared into the air and alighted upon a lofty platform. Gazing into the distant cosmos, she murmured, "Mondnacht Realm."

"Mondnacht Realm," Pattinson echoed, momentarily taken aback before coming to a realization. He spoke as if in a trance, "I hadn't realized we were already this close to Calves's secret location. Time really does fly."

"Yu Yuan, come join me," Elena beckoned.

With a whoosh, Yu Yuan stepped into the air, approaching with a calm demeanor, and floated down beside her. Following her gaze, he saw an elliptical landmass suspended in the remote, shadowy star river.

The land was too distant to discern its true size, but above it, a pristine crescent moon hung in the far-off heavens, casting a soft lunar glow. The land lay motionless in the cosmos, eternally bathed in the moonlight's embrace.

Pointing towards the crescent, Yu Yuan inquired, "What is that?"

"That crescent moon is home to the esteemed members of the Mondnacht Clan with higher bloodline levels. Only those born into privilege with a Fifth Level bloodline or higher are eligible to reside there," Elena explained. "The Realm under Calves's covert rule is the Mondnacht Realm, close to us and bathed in moonlight."

"There are many other Realms nearby of similar scale, inhabited by members of the Mondnacht Clan with lower bloodline levels."

"My father in the Mondnacht Realm must have learned of Lambing's demise through the Trident. That's why he invited him and Rony from the Shadow Clan to ambush you there."

Her lips curled into a slight smile. "If it weren't for us..."

"If you weren't my man, I wouldn't have shared so much! I would've acted oblivious, allowing the Gloomy Paradise to befall the Mondnacht Realm and watch you suffer a significant setback."

Yu Yuan was taken aback.

He hadn't anticipated the vast disparities in status among the various races within the Outland Star River. Members of the Mondnacht Clan with superior bloodlines and higher status lived on the radiant moon, while the weaker and lower-status individuals resided in the Mondnacht Realm, bathed in moonlight. This hierarchy mirrored that of the Boundless Land, where mortals inhabited the Profound Sky Continent and powerful cultivators with high status dwelled in the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents, both rich in spiritual energy.

At that moment, Pattinson ascended and stood alongside the pair. "With Lord Fernand here, my brother must be as well, and they're surely prepared," Pattinson said, furrowing his brow with concern. "The situation has changed, and we can't ascertain the number of formidable beings within the Mondnacht Realm. Moreover, I might not be able to persuade my brother."

"Perhaps we should avoid the Mondnacht Realm altogether and quietly bypass it, heading directly to the Oblivion Starfield?" Elena suggested, her tongue playfully peeking out. Uncertain of her father's reaction to her involvement with a human, she added, "Yu Yuan, my father isn't the most rational. Maybe we should drop the idea?"

Her demeanor made it clear that the Asura Clan General was a challenging adversary. Yu Yuan's brow creased in thought.

Calves, Rony, and Fernand, three Ninth Level kings of roving bandits, were all lying in wait within the Mondnacht Realm, anticipating the arrival of the Gloomy Paradise. If it were only Calves, Yu Yuan believed that with Hu Caiyun, who had returned to the Unrestrained Stage, and himself, they would likely prevail.

But now, the addition of two more Ninth Level warriors complicated matters. His mind reached out and he observed Yu Yiyi in a diminutive world within another tower. She continuously received radiant crystals from Black Woman, Rend Armor, Yellow Light Demon, and Silver Lock, fusing them into her being to forge and temper her new body, repeatedly enhancing it.

Yu Yuan attempted to communicate with Yu Yiyi, quickly learning that she, as the Artifact Soul, was unable to join the battle for the time being. Black Woman, Rend Armor, Yellow Light Demon, and Silver Lock all needed to concentrate their efforts on aiding her body's reformation.

Ice Concubine, however, was unaffected and ready to heed his summons at any moment, emerging from the cauldron to vanquish their foes.

If it were merely the Ice Concubine...

He stroked his chin, thoughtfully assessing the situation, and concluded that the Ice Concubine's current strength should suffice to take on a Ninth Level warrior of unconventional military background.

"Calves will experience a slight boost in combat power within the Mondnacht Realm," Pattinson warned cautiously.

"If we enter that Realm and engage in battle, is there a chance that the other Mondnacht Clan experts on the moon could be alerted?" Yu Yuan inquired.

Pattinson shook his head. "It may seem close to the naked eye, but in reality, it's quite distant. The Mondnacht Clan nobility on the waning moon couldn't possibly observe the combat in the Mondnacht Realm from such a vast stellar expanse. Moreover, when we've visited the Mondnacht Realm before, we've temporarily left the other two continents behind, focusing solely on the one beneath our feet."

He gestured downward, "The other two continents will remain stationary in the distance. The firefly photomask will diminish its energy, becoming unnoticeable, to the point that even the lower-ranking Mondnacht Clan members on the Mondnacht Realm will overlook it."

"Let's just drop it, no need to go there," Elena interjected loudly.

Both were intent on persuading her.

Their point was to wait until Gloomy Paradise reached the Oblivion Starfield and the designated Realm of the Babel Chamber of Commerce. By then, even if Calves and his fellow king of roving bandits came searching, they wouldn't dare make a move.

At that juncture, Pattinson could explain the situation to his brother with a level head.

Elena, too, would have ample time and energy to speak to her father calmly and clearly.

"Oh, and the Mondnacht Clan members, they're not related to the Moon Demon, are they?"

Yu Yuan's gaze lingered on the distant crescent moon, triggering memories of his first encounter with the Moon Demon in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.

The Moon Demon, an offshoot of the Outland Devaputra, dwells on moons throughout the year.

Similarly, the Mondnacht Clan members are drawn to moons, with their elite Bloodline Keepers and the Moon Demon sharing the lunar habitat.

"To put it simply, many of the Mondnacht Clan's elite Bloodline Keepers are prime vessels for the Moon Demon," Pattinson sighed. "Had the Moon Demon Clan not been decimated so fiercely, the Mondnacht Clan might not have had the opportunity to ascend. It's said that in the most ancient times, the entire Mondnacht Clan was subjugated by the Moon Demon."

Moon Demons are becoming increasingly rare, largely due to being hunted by humans," Elena chimed in. "Unlike Blood Demons, Moon Demons don't initially possess a physical form. When they grow powerful enough, they must seek a body to assimilate. The Mondnacht Clan, whose bloodline resonates with the moon, are their prime targets for possession."

She paused briefly.

Elena lowered her voice, glancing around cautiously before leaning in to whisper in Yu Yuan's ear, "My father once confided in me that, in reality, some members of the Mondnacht Clan are actually Moon Demons in disguise. They've been possessed, allowing them to walk among us."

She squinted toward the Mondnacht Realm and reassured, "Don't worry, Calves is definitely not one of them."

Yu Yuan was momentarily lost in thought.

The revelations from Pattinson and Elena were startling. He couldn't have imagined that the Moon Demons, nearly eradicated by the Chopping Moon cultivators, were once so formidable.

The Mondnacht Clan, to which Calves and Lambing belonged, had been subjugated by the Moon Demons during the era when the Devaputras dominated the galaxy.

"What's on your mind? Shall we visit the Mondnacht Realm or not?" Elena pleaded.

Yu Yuan shook off his tangled thoughts and nodded, "I'm not foolish. If it's fraught with danger and offers no reward, why would I willingly march to my demise?"

"That's a relief!"

...

In the Mondnacht Realm.

A drop of silver-white crystalline blood spun on the fingertip of Asura General Fernand, within which one could vaguely discern Elena's shadowy figure.

The blood of a Ninth Level, known as Platinum Asura, had a refined hue like this.

The son of the Asura King, who had been slain and whose head was impaled by a scabbard, fell into the Absence Relic. Having ventured into the Dark Domain and undergone its trials, his bloodline was purer and more potent. Though both were Platinum Asuras, he was far more powerful than Fernand.

"Elena!" Fernand exclaimed, his body trembling with excitement as he fixated on the droplet of blood at his fingertip. Drawing a deep breath, he said, "My dear, obedient daughter seems to have undergone a transformation! Could it be that she has ascended to the Eighth Level?"

"Stop dreaming, okay?" Rony of the Shadow Clan scoffed. "Elena's talent is decent, but she's a long way from breaking through her bloodline's limits. She's your offspring, Fernand, not your clan leader, nor is she like the children of those old timers. It's impossible for her bloodline to undergo the miraculous change you're suggesting."

Calves, mourning his son, cleaned his glasses and spoke with a sneer, "Lambing is dead, and Elena's bloodline has reached the Eighth Level. Brother, are you trying to kill me with envy? So, your daughter is capable, and my son was worthless—is that what you're implying?"

Beside the stone pillar, the former empress of the empire watched the three bandits argue, her expression as still as water.

"Calves, I didn't mean to offend, but Lambing truly wasn't on par with my daughter," he said, his eyes brimming with affection and pride at the mention of Elena. "You've sown your seeds far and wide, diluting his bloodline purity. But no matter, with your numerous progeny, perhaps another formidable one will emerge."

"Hmm!"

Rony from the Shadow Clan trembled. "The course of the Gloomy Paradise has shifted—it's no longer on a direct path to the Mondnacht Realm! Damn it, they're not planning to land in the Mondnacht Realm!"

Like Pattinson, he had installed many devices across the three continents of the Gloomy Paradise. Although he lacked Fernand's ability to sense Elena and didn't possess a fearsome weapon like the Trident, his understanding and knowledge of the Gloomy Paradise exceeded that of the other two kings of roving bandits. After all, the Gloomy Paradise was essentially his and his brother Pattinson's brainchild, painstakingly crafted with their own hands.

"Perhaps we should make a move and intercept the Gloomy Paradise!"

Calves adjusted his glasses once more and gazed into the obscure starry expanse through the open dome. "If the three of us head out, we can reel the Gloomy Paradise back in!"

...

Above the Mondnacht Realm shone a luminous moon.

In a palace resembling a school, a silver-haired elder of the Mondnacht Clan was imparting the wonders of their bloodline to a group of young clanspeople blessed with exceptional talents. She instructed them on how to awaken their bloodline, forge the Moon Blade, and strike at imagined foes.

The elderly woman sat on her meditation cushion as though she were perched atop the surging waves of moonlight, her aura otherworldly.

Abruptly, a wave of intense unease welled up from deep within her soul, and her mind was flooded with horrifying visions.

A silhouette brandished a sword, its scarlet light cleaving through the cosmos, shattering the moon—vastly larger than the one beneath her—into colossal meteorites. Many Moon Demons, whether in their primordial forms or possessing the bodies of the Mondnacht Clan, met their demise under the merciless glow of the scarlet blade.

The sacred grounds of the ancient Moon Demons were submerged in the crimson radiance, and the splendor of an entire race was thus diminished.

The old woman shuddered, the deep-seated hatred she had suppressed for millennia flaring up inexplicably, burning with the ferocity of a wildfire.

"The presence of the Optimus Sword!"

Amidst the bewildered stares of the Mondnacht Clan's youth, the old woman soared from the hall on her enchanted cushion. The staff, steeped in lunar magic, burst forth from its bonds like a streak of silver lightning. She seized it firmly and pierced through the silvery barrier, hurtling toward the Gloom Star River like a shooting star.

Simultaneously.

The sword soul within Yu Yuan's arm bone jolted awake from its dormancy, issuing a potent premonition of danger.

Yu Yuan, engaged in conversation with Elena aboard the Gloomy Paradise, which had strayed from its previous trajectory, felt a slight tremor pass through him, his countenance growing increasingly grave.

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