C1049 The Forces Were Intertwined

In a remote corner of the Star River, a chaotic array of meteorites of varied sizes lay strewn about, their surfaces marred by bloodstains and littered with the corpses of the Stoneborn. This modest cluster of meteorites, drawing power from the Stoneborn's lifeless bodies and spilled blood, drifted through the Star River.

Atop each meteorite crouched a Golden Rock Beast, each one as large as a lion. Originating from the Everlands, these creatures were ferocious and belligerent, with a particular appetite for the Stoneborn. The flesh and blood of the Stoneborn were the ideal nourishment for these beasts to fortify their bloodlines.

On one of the larger meteorites sat a smaller, yet more enigmatic Golden Rock Beast. Surrounded by the Dark Nebula, its body radiated a brilliant golden glow, and delicate strands of golden blood energy, fine as hairs, suffused its form.

Gathered around this creature were Yue Mu, Zhan Ruonan, Sun Jun, and numerous cultivators from both the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea.

"The Annihilation Nebula is vast," the ninth-level Golden Rock Beast articulated in human speech. "The region we occupy is merely the tip of the iceberg. The Otherkin who have been summoned will soon converge here from various territories. Our task is simply to ascertain how many have chosen to align with the Skyreach Consortium and Boulderdawn."

The eighth-level Golden Rock Beasts perched on nearby meteorites were his loyal lieutenants. This band of evilkind elite had long surveilled a Stoneborn contingent. As the Stoneborn neared the threshold of the Annihilation Nebula, the Golden Rock Beast pack emerged, executing a swift and brutal massacre.

Now, they reveled in the taste of Stoneborn warriors' flesh and blood, discussing the objectives of their mission.

Zhan Ruonan listened in silence, aware that the region they were in was a considerable distance from the border of the Annihilation Nebula that would soon make contact with the Ashen Hollow.

After converging with some dark disciples in the Land of Quiescence, her diligent inquiries led her to a clearer understanding of the events that had transpired in the Everlands.

Yu Yuan was the reincarnation of the God of Medicine, Hong Qi. Within the Moonfall Sanctuary, he had dismantled the five greatest powers and executed a purge against the Otherkin who had dared to enter the Everlands.

It was only upon the arrival of the Great Demon God Grec that Yu Yuan, in a moment of urgency, seized two pieces of the Dragon Slaying Stage and vanished into the Domain Channel.

Zhan Ruonan was aware of Zu Ann's deification, Lee Tianxin's demise, and Untamed's emergence from the Marsh, marking his first clear stance in the forbidden area—aligned with the Boulderdawn Sect. Along with White Bone, the God of Ghosts, and the leader of the Moon Sect who ascended in the extraterrestrial, they formed a formidable alliance. The combined strength of these four Divine Throne holders, the Boulderdawn Sect, and the cooperation of the Skyreach Consortium granted them the standing to confront the five supreme powers.

In the Everlands, the five supreme powers had withdrawn from the Moonfall Sanctuary, with rumors circulating that the God-King of the Boulderdawn Sect had taken up residence there. Sects like Colddeath, Starmoon, Forgeroses, and Obsidian Thunder Sect distanced themselves from the supreme powers, opting to side with the Boulderdawn Sect. The internal dynamics were in disarray.

"What should we do if we come across that white crane, along with members of the Skyreach Consortium and Boulderdawn Sect?" Yue Mu inquired.

"For the time being, it's best to avoid direct confrontation," the ninth-level Golden Rock Beast replied gravely. As a member of Shadow's Keep, he harbored animosity towards the white crane that had reached the ninth level in the Extraterrestrial Star River but also regarded it with considerable caution. The crane's unique bloodline and its mastery of death force were particularly troublesome.

The crane's master, the first counselor of the Skyreach Consortium, along with President Lyi, were both likely to ascend to the realm of the primordial spirit soon.

"We're just here to scout for information?" Zhan Ruonan sought confirmation.

"Correct," the Golden Rock Beast nodded. "First, we need to identify the Skyreach Consortium and Boulderdawn Sect representatives in the Annihilation Nebula and ascertain how many Otherkin experts have been invited. We'll await further instructions regarding the arrangements for the high-profile figures."

"Understood."

...

In the Dark Nebula, the Ashen Hollow was a place of shadowy sojourn. Within the little world of the Crucible of Evil, Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit had a conversation with Yu Yiyi. He learned that as her body underwent refinement, the might of the Crucible of Evil had grown even more formidable.

In the cauldron, he also saw the Frost Queen, who was at the ninth level, with the shadow of a well emerging behind her.

This well originated from Ruan Fu, the Chief Elder of Winter's Bite, also known as the platinum Shura from the Forgotten Ruins. He had brought it from beyond the stars to the Everlands, attempting to use the well as a conduit for the evil energy of the Dark Realm to surge into the Everlands, with the intent to destroy all life there.

"Will there be any issues now that the Frost Well has been reforged and refined by her?" Yu Yuan asked with some concern.

The Divine Visage of Ruan Fu and the Frost Well were in the process of being refined by the Frost Queen.

He posed this question after learning the secret from the Silvermoon Queen.

"There won't be any issues, Master. You can rest assured," Yu Yiyi assured him with a light smile. "The Frost Queen is still refining the residual power of the Chief Elder and the Frost Well. Once she has fully refined it, she'll be able to advance to the tenth level!"

"The tenth level!" Yu Yuan exclaimed, taken aback.

The tenth level represented the pinnacle of a Bane's power, second only to the cauldron spirit, Yu Yiyi.

He recalled Yu Yiyi mentioning that at its zenith, the Crucible of Evil housed twelve of the most powerful Baneful beings, all at the tenth level, each with combat prowess comparable to a cultivator at the Unbound Stage.

"Yes, the Frost Queen will be the first Bane to break through to the tenth level! I'm eager to see her fully regain her spiritual wisdom, remember everything, and still remain fiercely loyal to us—it will be a remarkable transformation," Yu Yiyi mused, her gaze fixed on the Frost Queen. "She will be incredibly strong then."

"How does she compare to the previous twelve strongest Baneful beings?" Yu Yuan inquired, his curiosity piqued.

"Possibly, she'll surpass them all. With the Frozen Hellscape and the ice energy of the Dark Realm converging within her, if she can integrate them..." Yu Yiyi paused thoughtfully before concluding, "She might well be more formidable than the strongest of the twelve Baneful beings from the past!"

With these words, Yu Yuan's expression turned expectant. He glanced towards Grimlantern, Silver Chain, Armor Crusher, and Chebus, "And what about the four of them?"

"In due time, she'll be ready to tackle the ninth level, but not just yet." Yu Yiyi expressed this with a hint of regret, "Blood Moon, had he not been subjugated and damaged by Grec, should have already ascended to the ninth level. He was poised to follow in the footsteps of the Frost Queen, becoming the second Bane to surge to the tenth level."

"Indeed, it is regrettable."

Yu Yuan, as he spoke, utilized the psionic power emanating from the Bane's body to temper his spirited body within the little world of the cauldron.

Lately, his Lunar Spirit frequently ventured from his main body to explore this miniature realm.

At times he would pause to cultivate in stillness, at others he would wander the various levels, absorbing the intricacies of each Bane, their turbulent auras, and their insatiable lust for carnage.

This was his path of cultivation, his pursuit of breakthroughs in the Spirit Walk realm.

And he was reaping considerable benefits.

It appeared that as his Lunar Spirit wandered the little world within the cauldron, gathering the essences of the Banes and delving into their mysteries, it genuinely accelerated his Spirit Walk cultivation.

His Lunar Spirit, too, seemed to grow more distinct and robustly defined.

"Until you've reached the Unbound Realm, avoid venturing into the Dark Realm."

Peach Madam, seated with her legs crossed on an elevated platform in the outside world, watched Yu Yuan on the adjacent platform and spoke in the colloquial tongue of the Silvermoon Empire, "The Queen may not have had the purest intentions in revealing the secrets of the Titanblade to you. The Shura's enigmatic Dark Realm, a place of perpetual darkness and frost, has always been a no-go zone for creatures."

"Save for the Shura, nearly every mighty being from other races that has entered the Dark Realm has failed to return."

"Even with your collection of rare treasures, try not to venture prematurely into the Dark Realm for the sake of the Titanblade."

Her advice was gentle and persuasive.

Yu Yuan nodded slowly in acknowledgment. "Rest assured, I currently have no longing for the Titanblade."

Setting aside the perils of the Dark Realm, he hadn't fully grasped the Nine Celestial Slashes yet, so naturally, he wasn't eager to seek out that mythical Divine Sword.

"There's a warship ahead of us!"

Suddenly, Pattinson of the Shadowkin, who typically stood at the land's edge, cried out tensely, "The Starborn! It's a Starborn warship!"

"Starborn?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.

"The Starborn's warships are not only swift but also pack a powerful punch in terms of firepower," Pattinson explained as he stepped onto a raised platform and employed blood magic to sense the surroundings. "Likely, they've been invited to the Annihilation Nebula just like us. However, given our delicate identities, they might not be aware. I'm concerned..."

As he spoke, the platform at the tower's heart began to glow with a silver radiance.

"What's worrying you?" Hu Caiyun asked, her smile unfazed.

"I'm worried they'll attack us without warning," Pattinson replied, his face etched with concern, "especially if they recognize this place as the Ashen Hollow."

Historically, the three Kings of Bandits would avoid engagements with the regular armies of the Otherkin whenever possible.

Should contact occur, the Otherkin's formal allied forces would show no mercy.

Pattinson activated the platform's defensive energies, intensifying the luminescence enveloping the Ashen Hollow.

Yet, the Ashen Hollow's velocity was consequently reduced.

...

The sleek Voidfarer was embellished with innumerable crystals of varying hues.

A handsome young Starborn man, clad in an ornate, ancient Star Robe, was surrounded by several Starborn elders as they gazed into the distance, conversing softly.

"In about ten more days, we'll reach the Annihilation Nebula. The Skyreach Consortium's efforts must be quite remarkable."

"I've heard that the Skyreach Consortium and the Boulderdawn Sect orchestrated the downfall of Lee Tianxin. Lee Tianxin was a seasoned primordial spirit of the Sunlit Order. His death clearly signals the Boulderdawn Sect's stance."

"Alas, I wonder if my elder brother Beru has managed to survive in the Everlands."

The Starborn elder, contemplating the perplexing circumstances before him, was visibly disheartened.

Whoosh!

An elegant Starborn woman in a perfectly tailored, pale green dress glided over. "There's a landmass moving at incredible speed towards us. It bears a striking resemblance to the legendary Ashen Hollow!"

"The Ashen Hollow?" An elder with features reminiscent of Beru frowned deeply and huffed, "Surely those three bandits wouldn't dare provoke us, would they?"

"Calves, Rosny, and Fernand all possess ninth-level bloodlines, yet they seldom join forces." An elder from the Starborn glanced back at the dimly lit Star River, his eyes twinkling with reflected starlight. The warship they were aboard seemed to brighten in response.

"There's no trace of the three Kings of Bandits. Just one formidable presence—ah, it's a human!"

From a distance, he sensed the presence of Peach Madam. "A cultivator who has attained the Unbound Realm. Likely an evilkind from the Everlands who has recently traded with the Kings of Bandits," he surmised.

"Let's pause here and assess their capabilities as they draw nearer," the dashing Starborn youth commanded.

Once he spoke, the Starborn elders held their peace.

After all, he was the one of highest rank.

...

Before long.

Under Pattinson's cautious guidance, the Ashen Hollow, with its defensive energy shield fully engaged, inched toward the Starborn's halted warship.

As they neared, Elena called out defiantly, "What are you staring at? We've been invited to the grand event in the Annihilation Nebula as well!"

"How do bandits qualify for an invitation from the Skyreach Consortium?" The Starborn youth scowled. "The materials and resources plundered by bandits rightfully belong to all races."

The other Starborn aboard the warship, young and old alike, regarded them with disdain.

"Benin!"

The handsome Starborn youth caught sight of a Voidweaver girl behind a raised platform and exclaimed with delight.

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