C1080 The Goddess Provoked
The Colddeath's inheritance of arcane spells and mystical spells enabled them to absorb the blood of living beings and extract power from it. Yet, the immense power within many archdemons and extraterrestrial dire beasts was dispersed throughout their flesh, bones, and organs. The dense vitality harbored within these parts proved resistant to the Colddeath's blood-refining techniques, which failed to effectively assimilate and transform it for their own use.
Ann Ziqing, having sustained severe injuries, urgently required a substantial amount of vital energy to restore her strength. The Skyreach Consortium, in their efforts to maintain the normal operation of the Deathwing Lair, had previously surrendered the majority of their directly-refinable lifeblood to Yu Yuan. After his refinement process, Chen Qinghuang applied it to the Deathwing Lair. Consequently, the Consortium's reserves were now critically low, leaving only the flesh of lower-grade dire beasts and oddities akin to carnivorous spiritual herbs.
The blood-refining mystique Ann Ziqing had contemplated could not directly extract the vital energy from these materials. Indeed, she was in definite need of Yu Yuan's Altar of Rebirth.
With a tearing sound, the interior of the Altar of Rebirth, crimson like blood crystal, ground octopus-like plants into a bloody mist. As the altar gently rotated, it ejected specks of black and dark brown sediment, along with numerous clots of congealed blood, all permeated with a corrupting force that stifled one's breath.
Ann Ziqing's remnant soul felt congested with thoughts and her aura wavered. Yu Yuan, too, was inwardly concerned. He recognized that these carnivorous plants were tainted, their insides laden with deadly toxins and overrun with psionic powers detrimental to both body and soul. Without his intervention, Ann Ziqing would have been unable to purify them.
Aside from him, only Tian Zang's Blood Altar might have the capacity to dissolve these impurities once fully operational.
Moments later, myriad tendrils of blood mist wafted from the crimson altar. Guided by his mental focus, the untainted vital energy seamlessly integrated into Ann Ziqing's chest. A rush of sound heralded the re-emergence of her exquisite form, now once again enveloped by the purple divine armor.
The once dim training room was instantly bathed in a brilliant purple glow from her extraordinary divine armor, casting an enchanting and surreal atmosphere. Streams of blood mist encircled her, eagerly absorbed by the purple divine armor as if it were a sponge soaking up water.
Shortly thereafter, Ann Ziqing's once pallid complexion, a result of insufficient vitality, was now imbued with a healthy rosy glow and vibrancy, enhancing her already striking beauty and luster.
Her beauty was inherent; during her time with the Yu family in Asvetaesi, they had deliberately altered her appearance to be less conspicuous.
Had she not masked her true looks, her beauty would have been renowned across the entire Silvermoon Empire.
Years later, as the Divine Lady of the Colddeath, she traversed the Everlands in her true form and immediately became the cynosure of all eyes. Numerous young talents were captivated by her, losing sleep over their infatuation.
With her noble status, exceptional cultivation talent, shrewd and astute mind, and stunning beauty, she had emerged as the most radiant new-generation goddess in the Land of Quiescence, eclipsing contemporaries like Liu Ying and Chen Qingyan.
"I later learned that my father's original plan was to bring you and me together."
Harnessing the mystical properties of her purple divine armor to draw in the thick vital energy from the Blood Mist, Ann Ziqing nourished her little world of vitality. A peculiar ripple flickered across her eyes as she sat within the seven Blood Pools. "But the truth is, I've never had much regard for you..." She quirked her lips into a half-smile, gazing at Yu Yuan.
Oblivious, Yu Yuan didn't engage in conversation, his mind wholly absorbed in operating the Altar of Rebirth, generating more Blood Mist to aid her recovery.
"Do you fear me?" Ann Ziqing provocatively leaned in closer, her bright eyes fixed on him.
"Fear you?" Yu Yuan responded with a smile.
"In Asvetaesi, were you shocked to discover I was from the Colddeath with the power of the Lunar Spirit? Back then, Yuan Lianyao was as insignificant as an ant beneath my foot, easily crushed without a second thought." Pride and conceit were etched across Ann Ziqing's exquisite face as she spoke.
"She remains just as insignificant to me even now."
With a dismissive scoff, Ann Ziqing went on, "She's only recently advanced to the Spirit Walk Stage. Whether in the Everlands or the extraterrestrial Star River, she'd be no match for me should our paths cross again..."
Whoosh!
The Altar of Rebirth, previously swirling with a mist of blood, came to a sudden halt.
Yu Yuan, perched atop the altar, had a frosty glint in his otherwise tranquil eyes.
Upon closer inspection, it appeared as though anacondas, forged from sword's wil, were poised to roar forth from his pupils, shredding every living being in sight into fragments.
Ann Ziqing met his gaze unflinchingly.
She then observed the sword's wil within Yu Yuan's eyes continue to morph.
Gradually, it transformed into the visage of the Abyssal Leviathan that had briefly surfaced in the Embers Sea, exuding an ancient might that could subdue all creatures and compel the gods and demons of the Star River's depths to prostrate in reverence.
After a moment, Ann Ziqing scoffed coldly and challenged him, "What's the matter? Scared I'll kill her? You should realize that she's now training with the Ruby Hand, and their faction stands in direct opposition to our Five Supreme Forces! Unless she renounces the Ruby Hand, she remains our foe!"
"Don't just point fingers at me. Even if you encountered her, it would be blades drawn!"
"Yu Yuan, oh Yu Yuan, I'm aware you can't bring yourself to harm her. Thus, I'm offering a favor, to eliminate a potential threat for you. Yuan Lianyao, Chen Qingyan, Zhao Yafu—I can dispatch them for you, sparing you the conflict of old loyalties. As you well know, I do not show mercy."
"Ugh!"
Her words were cut short as Yu Yuan seized her by the throat.
Weakened from her injuries, Ann Ziqing was no match for Yu Yuan. A shiver ran through her as she felt his grip tighten. She glared at him icily and mentally exclaimed, "What now? Haven't you considered how you'll face what's to come? The scenarios I've described could very well manifest in the future!"
"If the day comes when I do cross paths with Yuan Lianyao, Chen Qingyan, and Zhao Yafu, my response will depend on the circumstances and how they choose to treat me," Yu Yuan replied, his tone icy. "But let it be known, should anyone dare to seek them out and attempt to slay them without my consent, I will show no mercy, regardless of who they are."
Boom!
After his words fell, Yu Yuan nonchalantly flung Ann Ziqing toward the staircase leading down to the next level.
...
Having left the pavilion where Yu Yuan resided, Ann Ziqing accompanied Razses, the Ghost King, to a separate area arranged by the Skyreach Consortium for guests.
"Why provoke him?"
Razses was puzzled. Given Ann Ziqing's weakened state, he had been her shadowy guardian.
Yu Yuan and Ann Ziqing's dispute hadn't been concealed, so Razses had overheard it.
"With him around, your recovery will proceed much more smoothly," Razses, the Ghost King, shook his head. "I truly can't figure you out."
"I would have healed in time. He merely hastens the process," Ann Ziqing appeared indifferent. "We're in Ionodios, surrounded by powerful beings; I'm not in any danger. As more extraterrestrial experts arrive, there will be an abundance of refined lifeblood. I'm not concerned."
"There's no need to be at odds with Yu Yuan," Razses, the Ghost King, said earnestly. "You know that after your severe injury, you invoked his name through an arcane ritual. Doesn't that indicate, deep down, you believe he's safe and reliable?"
"What would a child know?" Ann Ziqing scoffed.
Razses, embodying the stature of a young sovereign, huffed, "I've been alive longer than your father!"
"It irks me how he always defends Yuan Lianyao and those other women," Ann Ziqing pouted. "Fortunately, they're all foes. Even without my intervention, a simple scheme of mine could lead other powerhouses to end their lives."
"Is this what they call... jealousy?" the Ghost King inquired, astonished.
"No," Ann Ziqing denied, shaking her head. "I'm merely assisting a steadfast ally by discreetly eliminating threats, ensuring he doesn't stray down the wrong path due to a woman's influence."
"You're a woman too."
"Be quiet!"
...
Several days later.
Yu Yuan, who had been meditating and refining his soul with the Shadow Moon Essence, abruptly awoke.
His heart raced as the Altar of Rebirth within his little world of vitality spun unusually fast.
After a moment's thought, he reached out with his mind to Yu Yiyi, inquiring if the Frost Queen had noticed anything amiss.
When Yu Yuan learned that the Frost Queen was still refining the Frost Well and the Celestial Ice Crystal fragments, his unease grew.
It wasn't the Frost Queen, though...
A spectral figure clad in imperial robes and crowned with a phoenix diadem materialized.
"The Abyssal Leviathan must have ventured into the Annihilation Nebula by now."
Chen Qinghuang paused, her gaze from beneath the beaded curtain briefly settling on him as she spoke softly, "The Abyssal Leviathan has always been in opposition to the five supreme powers, which is why neither the Skyreach Consortium nor the Boulderdawn Sect have shunned him. Had it not been for their tolerance, he would not have managed to leave the Embers Sea after the upheaval there."
Yu Yuan nodded thoughtfully.
He too suspected that Hei Xun, having defected from the Devil Palace, intended to unleash the Abyssal Leviathan to sow discord in the Everlands. Otherwise, this cosmic giant beast, sealed for countless years, would not have broken free.
"President Lyi and that girl named Lin Zhuyun, who have known each other from before, must be plotting something for her to show up in the Annihilation Nebula," Chen Qinghuang said, standing and looking down at him. "The Abyssal Leviathan likely has some designs on you. Be vigilant."
"I understand."
Chen Qinghuang vanished as suddenly as she had appeared, as if she had never been there at all.
...
Amidst the desolate expanse of a grand palace complex, a towering spire of ice glittered with blinding light. Within, bizarre blood-red luminescence darted about, causing the ice to show signs of fracturing.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the deathly still world beyond the wall, the icy winds screamed. Streams of frigid ice from the extraterrestrial realm, drawn to the spire, poured in furiously.
Time passed unmarked.
Crack!
The ice shattered, and from it emerged a figure radiating an icy presence, her gaze devoid of compassion or warmth.
She flexed her arms and wrists languidly. Centered on her, the land for miles around silently succumbed to frost, transforming into a harsh, frozen landscape.
"Ionodios."
She surveyed the Dark Nebula, discerned her bearings, and in the blink of an eye, she flashed across the vast distances like a streak of cold lightning.
