C1064 The Legend of the Secular Bird

"Secular Bird, Death Crane..."

The Shura General in Ashen Hollow murmured to himself before his face suddenly turned pale with fear.

He gazed at the white crane staring out at the Dissolving Fortress from the land's edge, inhaled sharply, and a bitter smile crept across his lips.

Pattinson, momentarily taken aback, seemed to come to a realization as well, his expression darkening abruptly.

Whoosh!

Hu Caiyun transformed into a wisp of smoke and paused beside the archdemon in human form, her eyes filled with curiosity as she gazed at the Dissolving Fortress. "Who's inside? Do you know of anyone familiar within the fortress?"

"Peach Madam, curb your curiosity," the white crane chuckled. "I understand what you're thinking, and I'll share with you that the Merchant Guild chose the Annihilation Nebula for its unique qualities. Moreover, the Domain that draws together all forces is the very place where the legendary secular bird met its end."

Hu Caiyun reflected for a moment before asking, "The death force you've mastered—could it be?"

The white crane simply smiled, offering no reply.

...

Beneath the Dissolving Fortress.

After expressing her gratitude in a warm tone, the Songbird Queen removed her phoenix crown, revealing a face so stunning it could captivate any living being.

Her eyes sparkled like the clearest jewels on earth, radiating an immaculate glow, while her skin was as delicate and lustrous as white jade.

Even the most critical eye could find no fault in her features; she was the epitome of perfection, almost too surreal to be true.

Such extraordinary beauty seemed as if it should not exist in the real world but only in dreams and legends.

She appeared to be in her early twenties, her demeanor more regal and refined than the Silvermoon Queen whom Yu Yuan had recently encountered.

Yu Yuan, usually so steadfast, found himself utterly entranced by the Songbird Queen as she respectfully removed her coronet.

"Senior?"

The Songbird Queen called out softly, but Yu Yuan remained lost in thought. With no other option, she reluctantly donned the crown once more, concealing her unparalleled beauty.

It was then that Yu Yuan, who had been gazing at her intently, seemed to finally snap out of his reverie.

"It's truly astonishing. Three hundred years ago, you were nothing more than a disheveled, dirty little girl. My compassion was stirred by the Songbird's fierce loyalty and fearless defense of its master."

Yu Yuan rubbed his face, his expression softening into a smile as he shook his head in disbelief.

He found it difficult to reconcile the image of the regal Songbird Queen before him with that of the scrappy seven or eight-year-old child. It was even more unfathomable to him how she had ascended to such heights.

Before leaving Afnetalos, she was universally acknowledged as the mightiest individual in Aetherius!

Among all the emperors throughout history, she was the preeminent woman in both cultivation and combat prowess.

Indeed, she was the lifelong object of admiration for Lee Yupan, another female emperor!

This very Songbird Queen, who had once quietly cultivated to the Unbound realm and merged with the Dao in Afnetalos, was the same little girl he had rescued all those years ago.

And now, they were reunited in the extraterrestrial Star River.

"When I was in Afnetalos, I failed to recognize you. Please forgive my oversight," the Songbird Queen said with a melodious voice, devoid of the terrifying majesty she wielded in the Everlands. "It was only recently that I learned from the Wingkind at the Dissolving Fortress that you are the revered God of Medicine. Congratulations on your rebirth in this new form, Senior."

Beside her, the majestic Songbird soul crowed in celebration.

Yu Yuan gestured dismissively, signaling that formalities were unnecessary, and after a moment of quiet contemplation, he inquired, "What exactly is the bird nest encircling the fortress? It was the psionic power emanating from it that drew me here."

"In all honesty, this nest is one of three grand constructions by the secular bird," the Songbird Queen explained gently. "After dispersing my Dao in Afnetalos and regressing to the Solar Spirit Realm, I returned to the extraterrestrial and stumbled upon this nest. By merging with it, I was able to ascend once more to the Unbound Realm."

"Regarding the Wingkind bandits within the Dissolving Fortress..."

"This nest is situated at the ancestral land of a Wingkind faction. They worship the secular bird, believing that their veins carry its immortal bloodline. The secular bird is considered a malevolent entity by the Otherkin of the extraterrestrial Star River, known as the Death Bird, a symbol of destruction and anathema."

"They believed they had received the secular bird's legacy, so they pledged their allegiance to me."

"Hei Xun, a traitor of the Devil Palace, sought me out and extended an invitation to join him in the Annihilation Nebula. This is the very place where the secular bird met its end. Hei Xun informed me that another nest of the secular bird is located here as well."

"..."

The Songbird Queen was forthright, speaking her mind openly in Yu Yuan's presence.

Through her, Yu Yuan learned that the secular bird, like the Abyssal Leviathan, was a cosmic giant beast of legend. He understood the immense power of the secular bird and the devastation it had wrought.

"Death Bird, Death Crane, White Crane..."

After a moment, he had an epiphany. "Ah, the White Crane that defected from Shadow's Keep is now with the Skyreach Consortium. He's known as the Death Crane. What's your take on that?"

Beneath the beaded curtain, the Songbird Queen's jaw gave a slight nod, "That White Crane must have received a portion of the secular bird's legacy, unlocking the death force."

...

"Did you run into someone you know?"

The White Crane hung its head low, chuckling maliciously at Yu Yuan, who had just returned from the Dissolving Fortress.

"Something like that."

Yu Yuan resumed his seat on the elevated platform, his demeanor calm and unexplained.

The Songbird Queen had mentioned that the moment she accepted Hei Xun's invitation to the Annihilation Nebula, she parted ways with the five paramount forces.

She would likely remain neutral from now on, assisting neither side.

Given that the Skyreach Consortium had extended the invitation and their goals aligned, Yu Yuan and she quickly understood each other after a brief conversation. They decided to reconvene upon reaching the Domain crafted by the Skyreach Consortium.

There, Yu Yuan hoped to find answers to the many questions weighing on his mind.

"Death Crane..."

Yu Yuan's lips curled slightly as he regarded the talkative white crane.

He recognized that there must be a Way of Heaven conflict between the white crane of the Skyreach Consortium and the Songbird Queen.

Both the White Crane and the Songbird Queen had grasped one of the secular bird's fundamental powers. They were destined to be formidable adversaries in their respective journeys to ascend as a primordial spirit and a Dark Deity.

Having encountered the Songbird Queen and felt the peculiar strength of one of the secular bird's three great nests, he had an intuition that something was amiss...

At this moment, the Death Crane likely stood no chance against the Songbird Queen.

The Songbird Queen had ventured to the Annihilation Nebula in search of the second secular bird's nest, aiming to merge further with the Dao and seek even greater power.

Three days later.

As the Ashen Hollow passed an extremely cold land cloaked in silver, at the light call of a white crane, the swiftly moving land gradually came to a halt.

This peculiar land, devoid of any domain walls, was a vista of glaciers and snow-covered plains and mountains.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The chaotic psionic power within the nearby Star River, brimming with ice energy, seemed drawn to this foreign land, surging towards it.

Hu Caiyun gracefully rose and peered down at the Frozen World from the edge of the Ashen Hollow.

"Hmm?"

She uttered a soft exclamation and immediately turned her gaze to the white crane, plummeting like a streak of white light.

"Yu Yuan, the premier counselor of the Skyreach Consortium and the owner of that white crane, is down there in the Frozen World," Hu Caiyun said, turning to Yu Yuan. "You've met him before in the Embers Sea. His name is Jun Chen."

Yu Yuan, who had been sitting in silence, opened his eyes and furrowed his brow, remaining silent.

Both the Altar of Rebirth within him and the Frost Queen within the Crucible of Evil were responding, as if they had detected a familiar power.

"God of Medicine, please come down for a look," called the voice of the white crane from the Frozen World. "My master has requested your presence to discuss a matter."

"Don't worry. With the Dragon Slaying Stage in your possession, no one from the Skyreach Consortium would dare to harm you," assured Hu Caiyun.

"I'm not scared."

Yu Yuan shook his head, pondering what might be lurking within the Frozen World.

Ultimately, he chose not to elaborate and instead gestured to Pattinson, "Keep the Ashen Hollow stationary and wait for our return."

"Mm," Pattinson acknowledged with a nod.

"Us?" Elena inquired, gesturing to herself and Fernand.

"You two stay up here."

With those words, Yu Yuan, accompanied by Hu Caiyun, took flight towards the land below. Even before they landed, an intense cold enveloped him, causing his teeth to chatter.

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