C1079 Refining the Lunar Spirit

The Sky Fiend excelled at transformation, effortlessly morphing into any form it desired.

The Indigo Wraith before him donned an ancient suit of armor, reminiscent of the Armor Crusher from the Crucible of Evil.

The armor was hollow, for the Indigo Wraith within was a soul, not a corporeal entity.

Originating from the extraterrestrial Star-Spawned Terror, the Indigo Wraith's spirited body had the innate ability to manipulate nightmares and infiltrate the souls of all beings.

Its spectral form boasted fangs and a chilling, ethereal visage.

Yu Yuan was somewhat unfamiliar with this face; during his time in the Moonfall Sanctuary, the Indigo Wraith had mostly dwelled within the monument, drawing upon its power to battle.

Nevertheless, Yu Yuan recognized the Indigo Wraith as the same Sky Fiend that had once inhabited a monument, attempting to refine it into its own body.

Similarly, upon laying eyes on Yu Yuan, the Indigo Wraith instantly recognized him.

Both in their spirited forms, the Indigo Wraith's armor was adorned with star-like patterns and countless enigmatic runes, bearing a striking resemblance to the inscriptions within the ancient monument.

"After all this time, you still recognize me," it said.

With that, the Indigo Wraith's fangs retracted, and its menacing face softened.

It transformed into a strikingly handsome man, with an air of elegance and a dark, delicate charm. "I crafted this armor myself; it's essentially an extension of me. Until I find a superior substitute, it serves as my vessel."

The Indigo Wraith offered a casual explanation, adding with a hint of resignation, "To wield the might of a Demon God, one indeed requires a demonform."

His words suggested dissatisfaction with the current armor, yet in the absence of a better option, it sufficed for the time being.

"You're quite audacious, aren't you? Even a Lunar Spirit dares to glide through the Star River. Do you really think you're a Sky Fiend?"

As the Indigo Wraith spoke, a host of Sky Fiends, some who had successfully refined or seized bodies, converged upon the area.

Among them were those in pure soul form, lacking a demonform, mingling in the crowd.

These extraterrestrial Sky Fiends, born without flesh and blood, were mere devil souls. Yet, compared to the fragile human souls or even the cultivated Lunar Spirits, they held a racial advantage.

When a Sky Fiend in its spirited body form reaches the sixth or seventh level, it can break free from the protection of the wall and soar through the cosmos.

"Lord Indigo Wraith!"

"Greetings, Lord Indigo Wraith!"

A host of bizarre Sky Fiends greeted their peer.

"Has Youqian made an appearance yet?"

Indigo Wraith responded to the Sky Fiends with a hint of distraction before turning to inquire of Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan nodded. "He arrived via the Starway."

"That's good to hear. I have matters to discuss with him." Indigo Wraith was grave, making no effort to conceal his concerns from Yu Yuan. "Even though Youqian has become the Ghost King Tian Zang in the Land of Terror, he remains tied to Boulderdawn. Like me, he bears the duty to uphold the order within the Annihilation Nebula."

"Is there an issue?" Yu Yuan asked, intrigued.

He had heard from the Stormcrowned Emperor that many Boulderdawn experts had not entered Ionodios directly but were instead dispersed throughout remote areas of the Astral Domain.

They would only reveal themselves to address serious problems.

"Several Voidfarers have inexplicably crashed recently, and the otherkin aboard have vanished," Indigo Wraith revealed.

Yu Yuan felt a stir of concern, recalling Ann Ziqing's findings, and shared, "Ann Ziqing of the Colddeath Sect discovered what she believes to be a Warpbeast in a secluded area. And there were many of them!"

"Warpbeasts?"

Indigo Wraith appeared taken aback. Mulling it over, he murmured, "It's highly unlikely for Warpbeasts to congregate. Without their spiritual wisdom, they would turn on each other until only the strongest survived, using their weaker kin to further their own evolution."

"Ann Ziqing witnessed it herself; she must be correct," Yu Yuan insisted.

"I'll need to confirm this. Also, I must speak with President Lyi." Indigo Wraith nodded, refraining from further skepticism. With a sly grin and a slight bow to Yu Yuan, he said, "It's been too long."

"Indeed, long time no see."

After a brief exchange, Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit could no longer endure the relentless seepage of extraterrestrial psionic power and was the first to retreat.

Upon the Lunar Spirit's return to the training room, droplets of Shadow Moon Essence emerged from the crystalline jar before him, merging into his Lunar Spirit to purify it.

This method had become his routine for refining the Lunar Spirit.

"So many Warpbeasts..."

His real body, chin in hand, sank into contemplation.

Some time later, a ruckus arose from below. With a sharpened focus, Yu Yuan discerned that it was a ninth-level warrior from the Silverscale Tribe seeking pills.

A silent message from Yu Yuan's training room reached Luo Yue below, instructing her to accept the request and handle the matter entirely.

Luo Yue promptly consented.

As an exceptional herbalist, the pill requested by the Silverscale Tribe's warrior posed little challenge to her.

Later, a formidable member of the Dawnbringers arrived with a plethora of herbs and a peculiar liquid for soul nourishment, also in pursuit of pills.

Yu Yuan had previously made a promise to Canli, so he delegated the task to Luo Yue and continued his arduous cultivation in the training room.

"Come shopping with me."

That day, Ann Ziqing, having regained some vitality, flung open the training room door and strode in with a carefree air.

The increasingly entrancing goddess, her purple divine armor stowed away, donned a flowing light purple gown that trailed behind her. Her slender waist and stunning eyes quickened Yu Yuan's pulse.

He gazed at Ann Ziqing, taking in her appearance for a moment longer than necessary, then shook his head with a chuckle, "It's really difficult to reconcile the you of now with who you were before."

"Before?"

Ann Ziqing shot him a look, then twirled on the spot, her exquisite form on full display, "Only now do I understand that the Rebirth Pill's effects were delayed by 300 years because the heaven soul and earthly soul had not returned."

Her expression was a mix of amusement and frustration.

The secret that Yu Yuan was Hong Qi, the God of Medicine, had been unveiled following the conflict at the Moonfall Sanctuary. It was then that she had learned the hidden truth from her father, Ann Wen.

Ann Wen had come to the realization on his own, still unaware that he was the reincarnation of Hong Qi.

Ann Wen had always suspected that the contingency plan was the work of his old friend, the Evil King—a critical fallback.

"Oh, right, what about my mother in this life?" Yu Yuan interjected suddenly.

"A heartless and ungrateful woman," Ann Ziqing murmured softly. "No need to worry, she was initially with the Terror Claws sect in the Land of Quiescence, but the Colddeath later took her away. Even your father and the old dragons of Dragon Lake had to release her under various pressures."

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "The old dragons have become so agreeable?"

"You left with two pieces of the Dragon Slaying Stage. Now, no one dares to touch the piece that suppresses the Nagas' destiny. And as long as you're alive, you're the most likely candidate to refine it," Ann Ziqing said with a dismissive smile. "Loong Jie wouldn't dare provoke you. He's been terrified of you since the incident at the Moonfall Sanctuary."

Shi Yuxuan from the Sacred Hands had informed him before being possessed by the Demon God Grec that the disappearance of his parents was linked to the Skyblight Cult and Dragon Lake, and possibly even the Order of Healing.

His meteoric rise to power and Yu Xi becoming the Bone Wraith God had effortlessly resolved issues that seemed insurmountable.

He had never truly met his parents, so his emotional attachment was limited.

Still, after uncovering some of the truth, he couldn't bear the thought of his parents dying senselessly just to awaken him.

Now reassured of their safety, he felt at ease. "Come on, whatever you want to buy, I'm with you," he said, rising to his feet.

...

Standing before the carnivorous plants that resembled giant octopuses.

"How much for these?" Ann Ziqing inquired, pointing to the dark brown plants inside the glass display.

The girl, clad in the worn attire of the Skyreach Consortium but of Shadowkin heritage, replied in fluent human tongue, "Seven hundred Soul Crystals each."

Ann Ziqing nodded. "I'll take them all. I'll use them to replenish as much vital energy as possible."

"There's a foul energy inside. It would be unwise to refine it directly," Yu Yuan advised as a friendly suggestion.

"But isn't that what your Altar of Rebirth is perfect for?" Ann Ziqing replied with an air of obviousness.

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