C1048 The Divine Sword Fell
"What's the news?"
Yu Yuan's interest was piqued. He trusted that the Silvermoon Queen, with her insight and stature, wouldn't offer just any news in exchange for Yue Fei's survival—it had to be something out of the ordinary.
"Is it related to me?" he asked for confirmation.
Yupan remained silent, instead giving him a meaningful look that lingered on the sword sheath in his hand.
Yu Yuan quickly caught her drift.
At that moment, Elena, Benin, Hart, and the rest of the Shura cast astonished glances his way, their expressions showing a keen intent to listen.
The Silvermoon Queen hesitated before speaking in a Silvermoon Empire colloquialism, "It concerns the platinum Shura, the Frost Well, and the Titanblade within the Forgotten Ruins."
She wasn't sure if Yu Yuan would grasp her slang, but after speaking, she watched him intently.
Seeing Yu Yuan's expression shift ever so slightly, she relaxed and a subtle smile graced her lips. "I was under the impression that you, once the God of Medicine, might not understand our obscure vernacular."
"You're aware of my reincarnation?" Yu Yuan inquired, intrigued.
"I've had my suspicions for a while," Yupan acknowledged with a nod. "Your actions in the Moonfall Sanctuary, Gloomhollow, and the Forgotten Ruins were astonishingly remarkable. Initially, I thought you were possessed by a residual soul from an elder of the Ruby Hand, perhaps Yuan Qiufang's deceased mentor. But I never expected..."
Her knowledge was clearly more extensive than that of Zhan Ruonan and others; she was privy to many matters within the Everlands.
By the time Yu Yuan left that realm, his previous life as Hong Qi, the God of Medicine, was common knowledge, no longer a secret.
Yupan had also come to learn of this through her own channels.
The two conversed in the Silvermoon Empire's vernacular, leaving the Otherkin who understood the Everlands' common tongue bewildered and unsure.
Hu Caiyun appeared equally astonished.
"God of Medicine, does the information I've shared suffice to spare her life?" the Silvermoon Queen inquired.
Yu Yuan pondered for a moment before nodding.
He, too, was deeply curious about the mysteries of the Frost Well and the Titanblade.
Regarding Yue Fei...
He silently shook his head, unconvinced that she posed any real threat to him now.
"Alright."
The Silvermoon Queen then shared with him the tale of the Forgotten Ruins and the platinum Shura. This platinum Shura, who had arrived in the Everlands bearing the Frost Well, was the youngest son of the Blood King, the current ruler of the Shura.
After enduring the trials of the Dark Realm, he emerged as the youngest, most gifted, and most powerful platinum Shura to date. Possessing ninth-level bloodline, he surpassed even General Fernand, Elena's father, in strength. He was, in fact, the most formidable platinum Shura in recorded history.
With the Frost Well in tow, he set foot in the Everlands with the intention of using his own might, combined with the Frost Well's unique properties, to forge a connection with the Dark Realm. In the Shura's most enigmatic territory, the Dark Realm, his father, the Blood King, stood watch, their bloodlines intertwined.
Should the Dark Realm's fearsome evil energy surge through the Frost Well into the Everlands, it would be immeasurably more horrific than the corrupt psionic power beyond the Star River. In an instant, it could obliterate all beings beneath the Solar Spirit level, turning the Central World on its head.
The human race's foundation is built upon billions of mortals and a continuous stream of cultivators. If the Everlands were to be overrun by the Dark Realm's evil energy, resulting in the extinction of all life, that world would be ruined. Without this foundation, the golden age of both humans and evilkind would cease to exist.
Nie Qingtian, upon learning of the impending catastrophe, unleashed his formidable power of destruction. With the sheath of the Titanblade, he impaled the head of the platinum Shura, pinning it to the Forgotten Ruins. The blade of the Titanblade, following suit, slipped into the Dark Realm through the Frost Well, where it grievously wounded the Blood King.
Following that battle, the Titanblade was lost to the Dark Realm and has not been seen since. All the widespread rumors and legends about the Titanblade are false, mere hearsay.
The sword sheath, after executing the platinum Shura, retained a sliver of consciousness, intent on refining and gradually eradicating the Frost Well, to prevent the doomed Shura from self-destructing and shattering the Frost Well, which would have allowed some of the Dark Realm's evil energy to seep through.
Even the slightest presence of evil energy from the Dark Realm poses a significant threat with far-reaching consequences. This is precisely why the Platinum Shura, with a residual evil soul, managed to cling to life. He believed there was a sliver of hope for rebirth, which stopped him from a self-destructive end.
Later, for various reasons, the Frost Well fell into the hands of the Chief Elder of Winter's Bite, who then refined it. Regardless of the Chief Elder's ulterior motives, his actions effectively neutralized a major potential threat, and even the three upper sects chose not to question it.
Lee Yupan and Shen Feiqing stumbled upon the Forgotten Ruins' hidden secrets. Misled into believing there was a small world that could accelerate their cultivation of the Solar Spirit, they joined forces to secretly investigate, only to find themselves sinking deeper into the mystery.
"It wasn't until I traveled to the extraterrestrial Star River and consulted with a Shura expert that I began to understand the truth," Lee Yupan reflected. "The story you heard about the Titanblade shattering and its fragments scattering in various directions isn't quite accurate. That individual was able to forge a Divine Sword, akin to the Titanblade, with his celestial might, even without the actual Titanblade in hand."
She paused briefly.
"In legend, he was besieged and killed, and the Titanblade was said to have shattered, with pieces dispersing across different Star Rivers. I suspect that these so-called blade fragments are actually crystallizations of his power, a fusion of his lifeblood and spiritual energy," Lee Yupan murmured.
Yu Yuan listened intently, his expression grave, offering no comment. He had heard many tales about the Moon Slayer Cultivator and glimpsed fragments of the past while probing the arm bone sword imprint with his remnant soul. The stories he knew echoed Lee Yupan's recent account.
If the Silvermoon Queen's claims held true, then the scattered shards were not fragments of the genuine Titanblade. The authentic Titanblade had never left the Dark Realm, kept under wraps by the Shura.
This realization made him glance instinctively at Elena. It made sense why the Silvermoon Queen chose to share this confidential matter in the empire's vernacular—she must have recognized the special bond between Elena and himself.
"Does this information suffice to ensure her survival?" the Silvermoon Queen inquired.
"Yes, absolutely!"
The response didn't come from Yu Yuan, but from Peach Madam amidst the Rainbow Ocean. Lee Yupan and Yu Yuan both looked surprised, prompting Hu Caiyun to smile radiantly and explain, "I forgot to mention, my homeland is in the Crimson Sun Empire, neighboring yours. I understand quite a bit of your Silvermoon Empire's colloquialisms."
While she spoke, the swirling rainbow miasma began to coalesce around her.
"Yue Fei, correct? It was indeed Nie Qingtian who eradicated your ancient Moonfiend," Peach Madam stated with a grave demeanor. As she withdrew her power, she spoke with an uncharacteristic seriousness, "However, Nie Qingtian was merely the sharpest sword wielded by the upper sects. He simply followed orders, executing whatever the three upper sects commanded."
"The directive to eliminate the ancient Moonfiend and undertake the Moon Slayer task was all the upper sects' doing. Your real adversary has never been Nie Qingtian; it's always been the upper sects!"
"By now, you should realize that the upper sects also played a role in Nie Qingtian's demise. Fundamentally, he was just a puppet of the sect, much like my late husband."
Hu Caiyun's expression twisted into one of fierce hatred as her eyes blazed with vengeance.
Yue Fei stood within the now harmless Rainbow Ocean, silent and composed.
After a moment, she quietly approached the Silvermoon Queen and once again transformed her form.
She swiftly became the genteel Calves and said, "I'll take you back to the Moonlit Domain. Everything Calves kept hidden in the castle is etched in my memory. You need those items to grow stronger, and I need to consecrate this body in the way of the ancient Moonfiend."
She left her intentions for revenge and future actions unspoken.
The Silvermoon Queen turned her gaze to Yu Yuan.
With a slight nod, Yu Yuan affirmed, "Whatever her decisions may be in the future, I will support them."
Having been unable to act against Yue Fei after her possession of Calves, he was confident that she would pose no threat to him going forward.
In their next encounter, he was certain Yue Fei would face an even more crushing defeat!
Go on and reforge Calves' body in the ancient Moonfiend tradition. Meanwhile, I'll be rapidly enhancing my own combat prowess. Why would I fear a Moonfiend teetering on the brink of extinction?
Yu Yuan sneered inwardly.
"Soon enough, we might meet again. If time permits in the Annihilation Nebula, I'll make sure to stir things up." Leaving those words behind, the Silvermoon Queen and Yue Fei departed from Ashen Hollow together.
"Is the secret you were discussing related to our Shura?" Elena asked astutely, having flown over quickly, her face full of anticipation as she looked at Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan and Lee Yupan occasionally glanced her way during their conversation, sparking her curiosity.
Conversely, Hu Caiyun, who was fluent in the Silvermoon Empire's colloquialisms, feigned ignorance with a blank expression, all the while struggling to maintain Yue Fei's composure.
"When your father arrives, I'll have a word with him," Yu Yuan nodded. "You'll be able to eavesdrop."
Elena responded with a beaming smile, "That sounds great!"
...
On the fringes of the desolate Star River.
Bertha, from the Moonlit Wanderers, guided the small starship along an uncharted course through the void.
Fernand and Rosny were not inside the cabin but were seated outside.
The two infamous King of Bandits muttered to themselves along the way, suspicious of the odd route Bertha had provided, pondering whether it was a setup.
That was until...
As they passed a warship wreck, a jarring crane call suddenly pierced the silence, causing their faces to stiffen.
A massive white crane, with wings sharp as blades, further sliced the already destroyed warship into several sections, spreading a scent of death. Its beady eyes coldly fixed on the two unsuspecting King of Bandits, it asked, "In such a rush to reach the Annihilation Nebula?"
The stench of death enveloped the area, emanating from the ruined warship and permeating every corner of the Star River.
Fernand and Rosny realized that the deceased warriors aboard were all regular troops, radical Otherkin fighters who had aligned with the Blood Fiend patriarch and the Blood King, standing in opposition to the Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium.
"Where's Ashen Hollow?" the white crane demanded icily.
As it spoke, it transformed into an elegantly poised man, donning a cloak of grey-white feathers.
The crane's complexion was an unhealthy, ghostly pale, with eyes that had more white than black, and it had a habit of looking at people with a drooping gaze, exuding a sinister aura.
"Where... where is this?" Rosny's heart shuddered with fear.
"We're nearing the Annihilation Nebula. The ones I just killed were treacherous scouts," the crane said, spitting disdainfully. "Ugh! Ungrateful wretches! They were invited, yet they chose not to come! Instead, they tried to sneak in under the radar, and they got what they deserved!"
Hearing that they were on the cusp of the Annihilation Nebula, Rosny and Fernand exchanged a look of astonishment.
Bertha's guidance on their journey, though bizarre, had indeed propelled them into the Annihilation Nebula with a speed beyond their wildest dreams.
"Cough, cough!"
Rosny of the Shadowkin chuckled awkwardly and, following the customs of the Everlands, clasped his hands together and said, "We were eager to enter. The Ashen Hollow is right behind us. My own brother, along with his daughter, are at the helm of the Ashen Hollow. Sir, it will be within the Annihilation Nebula in no more than ten days."
"That's excellent!"
