C1103 Like a Fish in Water
Above the Dissolving Fortress, Ann Ziqing, Wen Lu, Elena, Tong Laoqian, Luo Yue, and others stood gazing down, having been guided there by the Songbird Queen. Chen Qinghuang had separated from the group and was intently watching the fierce battle unfold below from a corner of the fortress.
The Shura emerging from the Absolute Darkness boasted bloodline levels ranging from seventh to ninth. Yet, the combat prowess of those at the seventh level astonished Qinghuang.
"Elena," Qinghuang called out, summoning the Shura girl who had also been brought to the fortress to her side.
"Why are those Shura so formidable?" she asked, gesturing towards the Shura locked in combat with Kennard, the Children of the Forest, who was struggling despite his eighth-level bloodline.
At that moment, every part of the Ionodios Realm had turned into a battlefield. The Shura, along with the Warpbeasts descending from the skies, spared no living creature in their onslaught, save for each other.
Led by Selter and Mia, Kennard and some Shadowkin who had not been banished by Mia ventured into a lush forest within Ionodios. They leveraged the towering ancient trees and the dense foliage to engage in battle with the Shura warriors and Warpbeasts. In the jungle, the Shadowkin's strength was enhanced.
Mia and Selter, facing off against a ninth-level bloodline Dark Realm platinum Shura, were riddled with wounds and unable to attend to Kennard.
Four Shura, clad in jade-like armor and identical masks, emerged from the darkness. These young Shura clansmen, with only seventh-level bloodlines, wielded long spears, silver lances, and battle swords with chilling ferocity, forcing Kennard to take cover among the trees. He was repeatedly struck by the divine light of spears and lances.
Had it not been for Kennard's clothing, which harnessed the plant essence to form a protective light shield, he might not have survived the onslaught.
"They're not like us," Elena observed with a complex look. "These Shura were born in the Dark Realm, naturally acclimated to its severe conditions, which makes their combat strength superior to that of Shura with equivalent bloodlines outside. However, their constant exposure to the Dark Realm means they live much shorter lives."
"Short-lived?" Chen Qinghuang exclaimed in surprise.
"Shura from the Dark Realm have only a third of the lifespan compared to those in the outside world. In their brief existence, they must rapidly progress their bloodline to become as powerful as possible. If they don't elevate their bloodline level, they die even sooner," Elena said with a gentle sigh. "Shura from the Dark Realm constitute less than one percent of the entire Shura population."
"Shura who live outside only enter the Dark Realm to hone their skills. Once their training is complete, they leave and are unlikely to stay in the Dark Realm permanently."
"Even though we Shura originated in the Dark Realm, our constant endeavor has been to escape its influence."
"..."
While she spoke, her gaze was actively searching, quickly fixing on her father, Fernand.
At that moment, Fernand stood motionless in front of the stone building adorned with Lin Zhuyun, like a statue.
Apparently following some directive, Fernand remained still, not engaging in the fierce battle unfolding around him.
"The Shura are indeed one of the most extraordinary Otherkin."
Chen Qinghuang nodded thoughtfully. She had already identified the Blood King and the formidable Demon God Grec as her hypothetical adversaries, eager to understand as much as possible about the Shura and Blood Fiend clans.
"Ann, have you detected any familiar essences among those Warpbeasts?"
She shifted the conversation, glancing at Yu Yuan, who was brandishing the Baneblade, slaying Warpbeasts. "I seem to recall that your Colddeath has a secret technique for creating blood bound slaves to do battle, right?"
"Grec's blood puppets are far superior to the blood bound slaves we create," Ann Ziqing admitted reluctantly.
Having ventured deep into the Star River and learned about the traits of the Blood Fiend Clan, and having seen Grec's tactics, she had formed new perspectives deep within.
She also suspected a profound connection between the Colddeath and the most unique of the extraterrestrial terrors—the Blood Fiend Clan.
Yet, she was hesitant to acknowledge it openly.
Given the ancient history of the Blood Fiend Clan, any link would imply that the Colddeath's mystical arts were derived from the Blood Fiend Clan.
Whoosh!
Razses, dressed as a child emperor, suddenly appeared and stood beside Ann Ziqing.
He was clad in a dark dragon robe and seemed to be acquainted with Chen Qinghuang, who allowed him to enter the Dissolving Fortress without any formalities.
"Long time no see," Chen Qinghuang said, initiating the conversation.
"Hehe, you've become more and more extraordinary. Even I can't fathom the depth of your strength or discern your level," Razses, the Ghost King, said with a wide grin.
"You guys... know each other?" Ann Ziqing asked, intrigued.
"Yes, shortly after I condensed my Lunar Spirit, I traveled to the Land of Terror. The unique Human Emperor aura within my Lunar Spirit caught the attention of Senior Razses," Chen Qinghuang shared openly. "He looked after me quite a bit in the Land of Terror, and I've never forgotten his kindness."
She was well aware of Razses Ghost King's background.
This Ghost King, perpetually in the form of a young boy, was indeed a Human Emperor in his past life. He was thrust onto the throne at a tender age following his father's sudden death.
Back then, he was just as he appeared now, a young boy in an emperor's dragon robe.
Tragically, his youth and frailty made him an easy target, and he was assassinated by the same general who had killed his father before he could firmly establish his reign.
After his death, an outsider took his soul to the Land of Terror, where, centuries later, he became the Ghost King.
The general, a cultivator who had plotted against him and his father, was quietly eliminated by Razses shortly after he became a Spectre, his entire family wiped out overnight.
"Thank you for your assistance with Ann," Razses expressed, sensing the concealed power of the Dissolving Fortress and glancing at the wall of Ionodios. "I hope you can keep her safe."
"I'll do everything I can," Chen Qinghuang assured him with a nod.
After a brief pause, she added, "The Dissolving Fortress beneath us can breach the wall and enter the extraterrestrial Star River. However, I'm not convinced that the outside is any safer than within. The Abyssal Leviathan lurks out there, and the Demon God Grec is likely out there as well."
"I understand," Razses acknowledged.
Razses conveyed his understanding, his enigmatic eyes seemingly piercing through numerous secrets. "Not even the Blood King has truly descended. I sense that the Abyssal Leviathan, Grec, and the Blood King are also observing from above, not yet prepared to make their presence known."
"What are they afraid of?" Elena asked, taken aback.
In her view, the clan's king and the mighty Demon God Grec were invincible, and the tales of the Abyssal Leviathan had been handed down through the ages in the distant reaches of the Star River.
With nothing seemingly at stake in Ionodios, why the hesitation?
"What are they afraid of? The arrival of the God-King, of course!" Razses, the Ghost King, scoffed. "My dear, you must realize that for the last ten thousand years, the humans and archdemons of the Everlands have been the true forces to fear. And in their heyday, each God-King of Boulderdawn was no less formidable than the three you mentioned."
"But the lair has been flooded with the ice energy from the Dark Realm," Elena murmured softly.
"There are no absolutes in this world," Chen Qinghuang interjected. "I, too, have an ominous feeling, so I'm taking a step back to observe. I won't interfere for now. You're neither from Boulderdawn nor the merchants. So, join me in watching their next move and see what tricks they have up their sleeves."
"I just need to watch over my father and Yu Yuan," Elena huffed.
"Yu Yuan..." Chen Qinghuang looked down at the Bloody River, witnessing the Warpbeasts perish in an instant. "It seems he has finally met a formidable opponent."
"Ah!" Luo Yue, Wen Lu, Elena, and Tong Laoqian all looked down and cried out in shock.
...
On the brutal battlefield below, Yu Yuan wielded his blades, carving a blood-red river of light that cleaved the Warpbeasts into pieces. Their flesh and blood fell into the river, dissolving instantly, fueling the Baneblade and making it glow with an even more intense radiance.
Simultaneously, the Altar of Rebirth within Yu Yuan whirled into action. Coupled with the Evil Body Refining technique, a magnetic field centered around him seized the opportunity to absorb a rich and pure essence of blood.
The vitality surged into his body, where it was purified and refined before dispersing into his organs and bones, replenishing what was lost—and then some.
His eyes, dark red with unbridled murderous intent, seemed to boil with rage. He and the Baneblade had become one, their bond growing stronger by the moment. The Baneblade had become an extension of his body, bending to his will with ease.
With a mere thought, the Baneblade leapt from his grasp, tracing a graceful arc of blood in the air before him, conjuring a crimson purgatory that effortlessly dispatched six Warpbeasts.
Yu Yuan chuckled, his gratitude towards Chen Qinghuang growing. Without her unwavering confidence, he might never have dared to acquire the Baneblade. It was only after mastering the Baneblade that he understood why its seven previous masters had perished.
In battle, Bloodhell could consume the flesh and bones of all foes, swelling with more Bloodwraiths and an unending glimmer of blood-colored light. These were the sources of the Baneblade's immense power.
The truth was, with each battle, with every act of slaughter, the Baneblade grew stronger, amassing more vitality and making the Bloodwraiths and the blood-colored light within it even more formidable. Meanwhile, its master was depleting his own life force.
The master had to constantly channel his vitality into the Baneblade to wield its full combat potential. Over time, this would drain the wielder increasingly, leaving him feeble and exhausted. If the conflict were to drag on without end, the wielder would one day find himself utterly spent.
Yet the Baneblade would not weaken; it would only grow more fearsome with each battle, each kill. Ultimately, the disparity in strength between the blade and its bearer would become insurmountable, and the Baneblade would likely turn on its master with great success.
"They will be consumed by the Baneblade, but not I!" Yu Yuan declared with a wide grin, laughing heartily as he reclaimed the Baneblade and nonchalantly severed the arm of an eighth-level Dark Realm Shura behind him.
The Shura, arm severed, regarded the Baneblade with a pained yet composed gaze. Unfazed by the pain, he watched as his limb was devoured by the blade. He then used ice energy to freeze the wound, staunching the flow of blood, and cast a lingering, deep look at Yu Yuan before turning to depart.
"Very astute."
Yu Yuan gave a nod, squinting as he sensed the presence within the Baneblade. The severed arm inside hadn't sparked a new blood-colored light; instead, it was engulfed by a "Bloodwraith."
This "Bloodwraith" had once been a master of the Baneblade, a formidable Shura Warrior in its own right.
"You're growing stronger, constantly amassing power. And so am I."
He gazed at the Baneblade in his grasp, observing the dense network of bloodlines etched across the blade, feeling the endless blood-colored glimmers concealed within. "My Altar of Rebirth, my Evil Body Refining technique, they've both enabled me to draw in the essence of blood and flesh through battle, growing ever more powerful with each fight."
"You thought to prey on my weakness, to turn against me, but it seems you're out of luck."
"Hmm!?"
Suddenly, a Warpbeast towering ten zhang high from the Titan Race charged toward him with a thunderous roar, its massive form bearing down like a collapsing mountain, aiming directly at him.
