C1100 The Banner of Righteousness

Everyone gathered near the Deathwing Lair felt a tremor in their hearts after Yu Yuan spoke.

Many were unaware of the bad blood between Yu Yuan and Kennard, nor did they know that Kennard had recently convinced a Shadowkin girl to prematurely secure the Firecloud Armor, an item Ann Ziqing had her eye on, which infuriated Yu Yuan to the point where he demanded the Chamber of Commerce expel Kennard.

Out of respect for Kennard and his father, the Chamber of Commerce kept the incident under wraps.

Only a select few were privy to the details, powerful individuals from various races who preferred not to incur the Shadowkin's wrath and thus kept silent.

This led many to assume that Kennard, representing the Shadowkin, had acquired a coveted item through the grand trade and had left ahead of the others.

It was a mere coincidence that he discovered the Abyssal Leviathan wreaking havoc outside the realm and hastily retreated to Ionodios.

Little did they know that the Children of the Forest's departure was actually a result of being ousted by the Chamber of Commerce due to a clash with Yu Yuan.

"I, I..."

The Children of the Forest, filled with frustration, had his face swell up, losing his usual handsome and dashing appearance.

"Enough, don't say any more," Canli, the saintess of the Dawnbringers, gently urged him. "We rely on Yu Yuan for many things. If you truly provoke him, both the Chamber of Commerce and Boulderdawn will forsake you."

Kennard glared at Yu Yuan's back, tempted to hurl more threats.

But upon seeing the Baneblade, his vitality unexpectedly churned, and the cape he wore reacted to the external evil energy, suddenly emitting a ghostly green glow.

Kennard grunted and fell silent, quickly focusing on stabilizing himself.

"She won't be able to escape in Ionodios, as long as she doesn't enter the ice energy of the Dark Realm."

Yu Yuan approached Zhou You and looked down at Elena, whose eyes sparkled. "Will you undo these golden arcs, or shall I?"

Zhou You gave a wry smile. "I'll handle it."

With a flick of his whisk, a luminous ripple engulfed the golden prison like water.

The golden lightning coalesced into petals of golden lotus flowers before seeming to wilt and scatter to the sides.

Elena found her way out of the predicament and stepped forward with a sweet, squinting smile. "Even if the Shura razed Ionodios to the ground and everyone perished, you would remain unscathed. I'll implore my father and the Blood King to ensure your safety!"

"My father must have secured a promise from the chief!" she declared, her fists clenched with conviction.

"Little miss, please be quiet," Zhou You said, shaking his head in disbelief at her lack of awareness of the dire situation.

"Enough," Yu Yuan interjected, rubbing his temples in frustration as he shot her a stern look, signaling her to be silent.

Elena nodded, showing her compliance. "I'll listen to you."

"Your Majesty," Zhou You began, turning his attention to Chen Qinghuang.

Prompted by his words, all eyes in the room shifted to the Songbird Queen. Shrouded in mystery, she stood beside the Deathwing Lair, clad in imperial robes and a phoenix crown, her true face hidden from view.

"I know what you're trying to say," Chen Qinghuang said, her voice emanating from behind the pearl curtain with the same commanding presence as the Blood King, a tone filled with the inherent pride of someone in her position. "I can't transform the Deathwing Lair into a Starway, nor can I lead the others out of here."

As she spoke, the cold fog that had enveloped the Deathwing Lair suddenly absorbed the ice energy, crystallizing into a thin sheet of ice, identical to the walls of Ionodios.

Zhou You's face fell at the sight.

Chen Qinghuang let out a melancholic sigh. "It appears that someone intentionally left a door open for Yu Yuan and me to return."

Zhou You, adept in space magic, grasped the subtext from the transformation of the Deathwing Lair and her statement. Before the cold fog had solidified, she could have brought Yu Yuan back with her. But if the lair had been in its current state earlier, she wouldn't have been able to use her powers to guide Yu Yuan through the Star River and instantly transport them here.

The spellcaster had deliberately left a door open for her and Yu Yuan. Now that they had indeed returned to Ionodios from the outer Star River as desired, the door was sealed. She was unable to turn the Deathwing Lair into a Starway, unable to shatter the thin ice, and unable to tap into the lair's concealed powers.

Whoosh!

Noeyr, a member of the Voidweavers, appeared silently before the Deathwing Lair. She fixed her gaze on Yu Yuan, who had just returned, and expressed her surprise, "You actually came back."

"Shouldn't I be able to return?" Yu Yuan was perplexed by her reaction.

"You must have learned what's transpired in Ionodios through the Deathwing Lair, right?" Noeyr turned to Chen Qinghuang and continued, "Knowing full well that the ice energy from the Dark Realm is spreading, why bring him back?"

"There are always those in this world who do not fear death," Chen Qinghuang replied coolly.

Her tone made it clear to many that she harbored no warmth toward Elder Noeyr, a renowned figure among the Voidweavers.

"Mr. Zhou, upon learning of Yu Yuan's return, President Lyi took my advice and sent me here."

Noeyr's gaze shifted back to Zhou You, "I'm aware that Mr. Zhou is adept in space magic and capable of constructing the Starway. However, with external forces at play, it must be challenging for you in the current state of Ionodios, isn't it?"

"Don't overestimate me. I'm well aware that I can't accomplish what you're suggesting right now," Zhou You retorted with a snort.

"In that case..."

Noeyr's voice trailed off as she nodded, pausing for a few seconds before adding, "I should be able to manage it. But I'll need to borrow an item. Only with that item, combined with my Voidweaver bloodline and the aid of our race's artifacts, can I reopen the Starway within the Deathwing Lair!"

Her declaration instantly lifted the spirits of all those mired in despair.

All eyes were expectantly fixed on Noeyr.

In that moment, Noeyr seemed to radiate an aura of brilliance, inspiring her student Benin to clench her fists tightly, thinking, "This is the worth of our people, the power I seek!"

"What do you need?"

Chen Qinghuang was the one to inquire, her eyes glinting with a playful curiosity behind her beaded curtain, unseen by the others.

"In our Voidweaver lexicon, it's known as the World-Sundering Stone, but in the Everlands, you call it the Dragon Slaying Stage," Noeyr replied with a smile, her gentle eyes on Yu Yuan. "As you are all aware, the Dragon Slaying Stage rightfully belongs to the Voidweavers. It was the God-King who took it from the Nirvana Realm."

Indeed!

Yu Yuan had figured out the Voidweaver Elder's intentions halfway through her pitch. Watching Noeyr easily gain consensus on reopening the Starway, he instinctively bristled at the mention of the Dragon Slaying Stage.

Was she cloaking her demand for the Dragon Slaying Stage in the guise of a noble cause?

Yu Yuan couldn't help but sneer and shake his head dismissively.

"You've got it wrong. I have no intention of claiming the Dragon Slaying Stage for myself," Noeyr clarified quickly, sensing his discontent. "I merely need to borrow it. Inside the two Dragon Slaying Stages lies the corpse of a tenth-level frost wyrm, powerful enough to break the fragile ice within the Deathwing Lair. The essence of space magic, once transformed by my bloodline, can unlock the sealed Starway and ensure everyone's safe passage."

She paused before adding, "And with this, the champions arranged by the Chamber of Commerce and Boulderdawn at other crossings can arrive in an instant!"

With that, Noeyr fell silent, giving Yu Yuan an expectant look, as if awaiting him to produce the Dragon Slaying Stage and place it in her hands.

"Young human, why the hesitation? The World-Sundering Stone rightfully belongs to the Voidweavers. Elder Noeyr merely needs it for a moment. You should bring it forth without delay!"

"Elder Noeyr is acting in all our best interests!"

"Don't be ungrateful. Hand over the World-Sundering Stone to her, and the perilous situation in Ionodios can be swiftly resolved!"

Clan members of the eighth and seventh levels, along with dark disciples unfamiliar to Yu Yuan, all vocally supported Noeyr. They clamored for Yu Yuan to retrieve the Dragon Slaying Stage and entrust it to Noeyr to reopen the Starway.

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