C1043 Possessor

The waning moon's light streaked across the Star River, casting a broad swath of illumination.

At that moment, the Ashen Hollow was ensnared by the magnetic field of the nearby land, unable to escape its grasp. The streams of moonlight, though not instantaneous, were inevitable, for the Ashen Hollow was immobilized and would soon be struck.

"My Ashen Hollow!" Pattinson of the Shadowkin crouched down, channeling his bloodline to activate a hidden mechanism beneath the land, striving to extricate himself from the predicament.

Bertha, with the Lunar Wand raised high, let out a disdainful snort. Beneath her, the Moon Lake pads shimmered with light. In an instant, numerous luminous Moonblades materialized and darted towards Pattinson, fluttering around him like ethereal butterflies.

Pattinson's face twisted in alarm. He invoked the Shadowkin's unique blood magic, leaving behind a residual image. In a flash, he reached a raised platform and laid his hand upon a massive stone pillar. He vanished into the pillar, delving into the earth below. Disregarding Bertha's assault, he focused on adjusting the subterranean device to evade the extensive moonlight onslaught.

The Ashen Hollow was the magnum opus of him and his brother Rosny. While Calves and Fernand had merely supplied resources and wealth, as the true architects, their attachment to the Ashen Hollow ran far deeper than mere benefactors. Naturally, they could not bear to see their creation suffer significant harm.

"Have you lost your mind?" Hu Caiyun exclaimed in astonishment. "The land adjacent to ours is home to your fellow Moonlit Wanderers! Some of that moonlight from the waning moon is bound to fall upon their land!"

The land entangled with the Ashen Hollow, much like the Moonlit Domain, was populated by Moonlit Wanderers of lower bloodline levels and lesser status. Should the moonlight descend, it would inevitably harm many, snatching away their souls in an instant.

From her vantage point in the Unbound Realm, Hu Caiyun could easily spot numerous towns dotting the land, towns undoubtedly inhabited by the Moonlit Wanderers.

"Casualties are an inevitability of war," Bertha said coldly. Her tone was unsettling as a vague shadow emerged above her, slowly drifting like a monstrous demon, its malevolence gradually taking form.

"Demon God!" Hu Caiyun's face turned pale with shock.

The Moonfiend belonged to one of the races of the Star-Spawned Terror. A ninth-level Sky Fiend was equivalent to a Demon God, on par with the Unbound Realm experts of the human race.

Yet, this ancient Moonfiend concealed within Bertha's body had not refined her physical form.

In fact, this ancient Moonfiend was sharing Bertha's body.

"No wonder she's indifferent to the deaths of the Moonlit Wanderers." Yu Yuan realized, upon seeing the specter emerge, that Bertha, regardless of her previously gentle demeanor and possibly having taught Grace the intricate arcane secrets of the Moonlit Wanderers, had been deeply influenced by the ancient Moonfiend.

She had become detached from the life and death of her own people.

This was particularly true in the case of Nie Qingtian, the cultivator of the Moon Slayer technique.

Nie Qingtian was the archenemy of all surviving Moonfiends.

His sword, and any hand-chosen disciple of his, would be relentlessly pursued and destroyed by any ancient Moonfiend that discovered them.

"Let me handle this. You figure out what to do with the fallen moonlight," Hu Caiyun said, casting a glance at Yu Yuan. The Rainbow Ocean around her surged toward Bertha and the cushion beneath her made from Moon Lake. "The two of you share a single soul; you can't be counted as two ninth-level Mighty."

"At best, you're one and a half."

She appeared unconcerned, casually waving her sleeve, sending billows of miasma toward Bertha.

Within the clouds, the spirits of slain Warpbeasts, human warriors, Shura, and enchantresses, along with ferocious dire beasts from the Star River, manifested.

Anyone who died at her hand and was refined by her could be resurrected in this manner.

"You reek of that repugnant human scent," Bertha said, tapping her wand on the approaching miasma. A massive Moonblade cleaved through the miasma in front of her. "If you're so eager to die, I can oblige you."

A dazzling beam of moon energy burst forth from the Lunar Wand, striking directly at Peach Madam within the Rainbow Ocean.

"Giggles."

Amidst the tumultuous sea of clouds, a radiant peach tree burst forth, its splendor shining as Peach Madam's laughter echoed.

The blinding moon energy was effortlessly dissipated by the power emanating from the peach tree before it could even approach Peach Madam.

She stood beneath the peach tree, her smile unwavering. "The ninth level bloodline of the Moonlit Wanderers is hardly impressive. You might as well eradicate her and assimilate her essence to become a true Demon God," she said, addressing the ancient Moonfiend.

"Only by refining the ninth level body of a Moonlit Wanderer can you, a scion of the Moonfiend Clan, truly earn the title of Demon God. A bodiless Demon God is far too weak to be taken seriously."

The peach tree thrived, radiating cascades of radiant light, resembling the most wondrous rare treasure between heaven and earth.

Sensing the tree's aura, the ancient Moonfiend hesitated to make any rash moves, maintaining silence behind Bertha.

In that moment, Yu Yuan's brow furrowed as he turned his gaze toward the distant lands.

A familiar silhouette emerged, ascending from the land and swiftly piercing through the barrier into the Star River.

"Silvermoon Queen!"

Yu Yuan could distinctly feel the presence of another ancient Moonfiend within Lee Yupan's body.

Given her own power and speed, it would have been impossible for Lee Yupan to have traversed from the Moonlit Domain to the forefront of the Ashen Hollow in such a brief span of time without assistance.

Upon reflection, Yu Yuan realized that Bertha must have lent her aid.

Both women, one elder and one younger, harbored a Moonfiend within them.

"My Lord, my Lord!"

The ancient Moonfiend behind Bertha was overtaken by a surge of excitement upon the arrival of the Silvermoon Queen.

A ninth level Demon God, a formidable presence that had resided within Bertha for centuries, displayed such humility and fervor in the presence of the queen. This indicated that Yue Fei, the self-proclaimed ancient Moonfiend, held a status far more esteemed than the one within Bertha.

"Gull?"

A voice inquired from within the crescent moon crystal on Silvermoon Queen's brow.

"My Lord! It is I, Gull! I am still among the living!"

The ancient Moonfiend burst forth from Bertha, calling out repeatedly, seemingly eager to rush forward and pay homage to the Silvermoon Queen.

"Yu Yuan, I truly did not wish to encounter you in the extraterrestrial realm."

The Silvermoon Queen spoke, gesturing to her forehead, and Yue Fei emerged, floating behind her. "Your premature venture into the extraterrestrial Star River was unwise. The perils that lie beyond are far greater than you imagine."

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Yu Yuan offered a slight bow and, with a smile, said, "Back at the Forgotten Ruins, I inadvertently disrupted your plans. Please forgive me."

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