C1092 The Hermaphrodite

The moment the Peacock Queen made her entrance, Yu Yuan's heart plummeted, and a chill enveloped him.

His first realization was that Chen Qinghuang had never truly severed ties with the five supreme forces. In fact, she had remained loyal to them all along, with their tacit approval. Her arrival in the Annihilation Nebula and settlement in Ionodios was a scheme orchestrated with the five supreme forces.

Should the Nest of Perdition descend upon the Everlands, it wouldn't be under the guidance of the Untamed but rather welcomed by the Shadow's Keep, the Devil Palace, or the collaboration of the three Upper Sects.

And then...

Yu Yuan envisioned the five supreme forces leading the charge, followed by the lower sects, the Ruby Hand, the Skyblight Cult, and the Poison Cult, as countless mighty beings surged from the Deathwing Lair into the Ionodios.

Wouldn't that make him, Yu Yuan, a traitor?

It was he who had used the Altar of Rebirth within him to help the Songbird Queen mend the fractured Deathwing Lair.

"I..."

Yu Yuan began, intending to express his profound disappointment. He had never imagined that his past act of salvation would be repaid with betrayal.

But when he caught sight of the Songbird Queen's eyes, mirrors of loss and disillusionment, he was momentarily taken aback.

"What are you disappointed about now?"

His intended words shifted, and his feelings grew complex.

"What disappoints me is that you don't trust me. You've conjured up all these scenarios where I'm plotting against you, betraying you, attacking the entirety of Ionodios," the Songbird Queen said with a sneer, "Your mind is quite the theater."

With a whoosh, the Peacock Queen, her wings a kaleidoscope of colors and grace, transformed into a bewitching human form as she landed. Dressed in vibrantly hued garments, with a fierce glint in her eyes, she called out, "Hong Qi!"

She was even more astonished than Yu Yuan to encounter someone who had vanished in the Domain Channel.

Her reaction, however, offered Yu Yuan a measure of comfort; perhaps things were not as he had feared.

"Why is Hong Qi here when you summoned me?" the Peacock Queen asked, her displeasure evident. Having a history of animosity with Yu Yuan, she was wary. "Coming here was a significant risk for me. Can he be trusted? And you're aware, we've had our differences in the past."

"I can trust him," Chen Qinghuang affirmed.

"What exactly is the relationship between you two?" Yu Yuan asked, puzzled.

"We've known each other for quite some time, having fought side by side beyond our world on several occasions," the Songbird Queen explained with a gentle smile. "She has saved my life more than once. Moreover, after returning to the Unbound Realm and gaining insight into the powers of destruction and rebirth, as well as purifying the Nest of Perdition in Ionodios, I came to a realization."

"I used this knowledge to convince her to join forces with me. Oh, and just to clarify, she's aligned with me personally, not with the Skyreach Consortium or Boulderdawn," Chen Qinghuang stated earnestly.

"May I ask what this realization was?" inquired Yu Yuan.

Chen Qinghuang glanced at the Peacock Queen, who initially hesitated, her expression one of concern as if fearing something. She cautioned, "Don't speak that entity's name; doing so might trigger her awareness."

Yu Yuan felt a jolt in his mind. The mere mention of a name could provoke a reaction; he understood the magnitude of power they were discussing.

"Mm," Chen Qinghuang acknowledged with a nod, then crouched down on the parched, dark-red earth. She crudely sketched a phoenix and daubed it with a purple substance.

Yu Yuan's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the figure she had drawn: the Dark Phoenix of Shadow's Keep, a being far more ancient than the White Tiger or the Golden Elephant God, a primeval Dark Deity of the Everlands.

Next to the purple firebird, Chen Qinghuang inscribed three words: it, she, he.

"It embodies both genders, sometimes manifesting as she, and other times as he," she explained.

Once Yu Yuan had committed the image and words to memory, the Songbird Queen wiped them away. "Its uniqueness is beyond our wildest imagination. In the Everlands, it is the oldest living demon, the progenitor of all Spirit Birds."

She paused before adding, "As long as it exists in the Everlands and retains its status as a Dark Deity, no creature of the Spirit Bird lineage can hope to match her, let alone ascend to the tenth level of Dark Deity."

After she finished speaking, she turned her gaze to the Peacock Queen, whose expression was dark and foreboding.

Yu Yuan pondered for a moment, gradually grasping the meaning behind her words, and came to understand the situation.

The Dark Phoenix from Shadow's Keep, progenitor of the Everlands' Spirit Bird, maintained her grip on power. As long as she lived, as long as she remained a tenth level Dark Deity like the Peacock Queen or the Songbird, no other, not even the Golden Wing Roc, could ascend to the ultimate position on the Way of Heaven if the Supreme God seat was vacant.

She firmly held the highest rank among the fowl.

As a ninth level archdemon, the Peacock Queen's next step was naturally to reach the tenth level of a Dark Deity.

Yet, it seemed the Dark Phoenix would never perish of natural causes, forever occupying that coveted seat.

Her presence effectively blocked the Peacock Queen's path forward.

"You want me to conquer Bloodhell and help you refine it, but for what purpose?" Yu Yuan shifted the conversation, pointing to the Baneblade inside the display case.

"Baneblade, Bloodhell!" The Peacock Queen's face contorted with emotion.

"Once you refine this Baneblade, it could potentially join forces with the Altar of Rebirth within you to devour the heart of the Abyssal Leviathan," the Songbird Queen said, her eyes radiating an intense light. "I'm not afraid to admit that I wish for the Abyssal Leviathan's demise. It matters not who ends him, but if it were you, I would take some pleasure in it."

"Why do you wish for the Abyssal Leviathan's death?"

"I'll share that with you later. But you must be aware, he harbors no goodwill towards you. As long as he lives, he poses an unseen threat, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"Peacock Queen, assist me in suppressing this realm. Cleanse the corrupt psionic power of the Star River. Yu Yuan, now you can attempt to break the seal on the display case and refine Bloodhell."

"Understood!"

Yu Yuan and the Peacock Queen responded together.

...

Ionodios, a realm adorned with a multitude of exotic crystals.

Lin Zhuyun, her demeanor icy and detached, meandered alone through the expansive hall, passing by various Otherkin without attracting undue attention.

In front of a cabinet, dozens of luminescent white crystals flickered with a cold, haunting glow.

She halted, fixated on the shimmering crystals, lost in thought.

Moments later, she spun around with a furrowed brow.

Ann Ziqing emerged silently from behind a group of enchantresses. As Lin Zhuyun turned back, Ann's face lit up with a radiant smile. She nodded gently and her lips moved silently, weaving a remnant soul message, "Miss Lin, you're still among the living? With your Spirit Walk prowess, even when refining a Frostfiend, you must remain vigilant for your own safety."

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Zhuyun's eyes.

Ann Ziqing's laughter grew even brighter. "Take heed, Ionodios is crowded, and it's not easy for me to make a move. But if we cross paths in the Annihilation Nebula and I'm in a foul mood, I might just end you."

She might hesitate before someone like Cao Yi, adept in the mystiques of the Colddeath and Ebon Star, with a formidable realm.

But as for Lin Zhuyun, Ann Ziqing was confident in her cultivation and the treasures at her disposal; she believed she could vanquish her adversary, even wounded as she was.

Moreover, the vitality within Lin Zhuyun tasted sweet and enticing, igniting Ann Ziqing's urge to kill.

Lin Zhuyun intended to snap back, but her form shuddered as if detecting something. Without another word or a bid on the glowing crystals, she hastily departed.

...

On a nondescript meteorite beyond the domain, the Abyssal Leviathan, now in human form, stood with arms folded, gazing at the bustling starships of Ionodios. "Such splendor. The Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium have truly outdone themselves."

The Abyssal Leviathan and the Ghoul King had previously stationed themselves on a different, larger meteorite, not this one.

Hei Xun, who had once defended the Embers Sea for the Devil Palace, stood beside him, his Unbound Realm power evident. With a smile, he said, "President Lyi mentioned that as long as you refrain from a killing spree, you too are welcome in Ionodios."

The Abyssal Leviathan let out a sly chuckle, "You're not worried I'll lose control and devour Yu Yuan?"

"You're aware it's not yet time for that," Hei Xun replied with a smile.

"You may not be afraid, but I am."

The Abyssal Leviathan inhaled deeply, his gaze fixed on Ionodios. "Though I'm not sure what the Skyreach Consortium and you are up to, if they're bold enough to invite me to Ionodios, they must have everything in place. I apologize, but I've been burned too many times to dare step foot in Ionodios again. You might not fear that I devoured Yu Yuan, but I certainly fear you might devour me."

"Senior, surely you jest," Hei Xun said, at a loss for words.

The Abyssal Leviathan let out a cold snort. "I'm not joking with you. Remember how the Dark Phoenix set up all those traps to lure me into the Everlands, all to devour me? Ha, it's a good thing I'm tough and had a trick up my sleeve, or she would have had her way."

He paused, then spoke to himself, "Something about Ionodios now just doesn't sit right with me. Even I can't shake this feeling of unease. So tell me, what exactly do you and the Skyreach Consortium intend to do in Ionodios?"

"We're simply hosting a grand celebration, Senior. You're overthinking it," Hei Xun asserted with a stern expression.

The Abyssal Leviathan laughed softly, clearly unconvinced.

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