C112 Guardian of the Forbidden Land!

"Yu Yuan, can we strike a deal?"

Lee Yu of the Lee family approached quietly, hesitating before finally speaking up.

In the distance, Lee Yuchan stood like a solitary icicle in the harsh wilderness.

The wind howled, and she seemed to gaze into the night sky. With her keen senses, she could easily overhear the conversation between Yu Yuan and Lee Yu.

Moreover, her pale ears twitched slightly.

A subtle, unspoken chill lingered around her, like a thread of snow-white lightning weaving through the air.

Yu Yuan had just completed a session of the Evil Body Refining Skill. He was visibly weakened, with traces of blood still evident on his skin. "What's on your mind?" he asked, his voice raspy and rugged, a sign that the intense cultivation had taken a toll on his vocal cords.

Further away, Zhan Tianxiang, Yan Lu, Su Yan, and others were immersed in their silent cultivation, each pushing themselves to the limit, eager to bolster their combat strength and avoid becoming a liability.

Lee Yu had no concerns about approaching Yu Yuan.

At this juncture, Yu Yuan was pivotal to their perilous journey. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't dream of harming him.

Lee Yu, among others, would go to great lengths to protect him, ensuring his safety.

"Um..."

Lee Yu began, his voice tinged with embarrassment, betraying his usual demeanor.

He cast a subconscious glance at Lee Yuchan.

"Fool."

Lee Yuchan, outwardly detached, instantly recognized her nephew's discomfort. He had inadvertently revealed himself and likely struggled to voice his thoughts. With no other option, she stepped forward to speak on his behalf, "Yu Yuan, the evil spirits you've slain are all soul spirits, trapped in a state of seal, unable to escape."

"And?" Yu Yuan inquired, intrigued.

"Lee Yu possesses the soul sacrifice ball, capable of consuming and refining soul spirits," Lee Yuchan revealed openly. "The destruction of the evil spirits is no issue. But if the residual soul consciousness can be absorbed by the soul sacrifice ball, the artifact could undergo a transformative leap in power!"

Lee Yu's eyes sparkled quietly.

He fully understood that the "soul sacrifice ball" was a rare and potent artifact with the ability to advance.

To evolve, the soul sacrifice ball required the consumption and refinement of various soul spirits.

Any ethereal entity without a physical form, but possessing a soul, even the weakest, could be refined by the soul sacrifice ball.

The more souls it consumed, the greater its potential for future transformation and evolution.

In this peculiar and treacherous forbidden land, as the world underwent changes, numerous malevolent spirits and aberrant souls emerged.

Yu Yuan, recognized by the sword soul, was a formidable demon-slayer, tasked with the duty of exterminating each and every one of these sinister spirits.

Should Yu Yuan scatter the spirits without utterly annihilating them, he could leverage the soul sacrifice ball to collect and methodically refine these remnants, aiding its progression.

In recent times, accompanying Yu Yuan, Lee Yu sensed the soul sacrifice ball's growing yearning for souls.

He was acutely aware that the soul sacrifice ball was at a pivotal juncture in its evolution, hence its urgent craving for souls.

"So, you're saying I should hold back, avoid completely obliterating those remnant souls and evil beings?" Yu Yuan slowly grasped the concept. "I'll scatter their souls, and you'll handle the second phase, using the soul sacrifice ball to absorb and refine them?"

Lee Yu gave a slight nod, then quickly added, "Rest assured, I won't let your efforts go unrewarded. If you agree to this, I promise to compensate you generously once we escape."

"Yu Yuan, wielding your sword with such ferocity also takes a toll on you," Lee Yuchan chimed in to persuade him. "Exercising control over your power is itself a refinement of your swordsmanship. To disperse their souls without causing their complete dissolution is a true test of control."

Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes and looked at the two with a smile.

"After all, the Silvermoon Empire bears the Lee name, as do we," Lee Yuchan remarked.

"Are you trying to intimidate me, sister?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.

"Of course not," Lee Yuchan replied, shaking her head. "A person of your caliber will undoubtedly become a pillar of the empire if you survive this ordeal. My point is to remind you of the value of the Lee family's friendship."

Lee Yu, naturally intelligent, preferred not to engage in such manipulations. After making her point, she fell silent.

The eager look in his eyes said more than words ever could.

"It's not because of your Lee surname," Yu Yuan huffed, "It's because you're Lee Yu."

Lee Yu's heart skipped a beat. "You've agreed?"

"You, Lee Yu, are decent enough. I'll lend you a hand," Yu Yuan confirmed with a nod. "As for any future repayment by you or the Lee family, we'll discuss that later."

Lee Yu inhaled sharply and responded, "Okay."

A flicker of intrigue passed through Lee Yuchan's icy gaze, though she remained silent.

Half a day passed.

Deep within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area lay a colossal crater scattered with lunar meteorites of varying sizes, shattered artifacts, and skeletal remains stripped of flesh and sinew.

Some bones were clearly human, while others towered over ten meters tall, their hues of pale gold or deep purple indicating their Demonic Beast origins.

These Demonic Beasts had ventured into the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area for exploration and had engaged in brutal battles with the cultivators here.

The crater was strewn with the remnants of these clashes and fragments of broken swords.

"There's got to be something here."

Yu Yuan, leading as usual, peered over the edge into the vast pit and remarked, "It looks like an ancient and terrible battle took place here. Many lives were lost."

"Hu!"

Zhan Tianxiang was the first to dive in.

He swiftly positioned himself beneath an enormous elephantine skeleton, gazing up at the behemoth impaled by a rusted, jagged sword, and declared, "This one was a direct descendant of the Golden Elephant Ancient God!"

"A descendant of the Golden Elephant Ancient God?" Lee Yuchan's face showed a trace of surprise. "Are you certain?"

"Completely," Zhan Tianxiang affirmed. He then sat down beneath the massive bones and disrobed.

The tattoo of the Golden Elephant Ancient God on his skin, seemingly energized by his vital essence, began to shine with a brilliant golden light, as if it were about to transfer a soul from some concealed realm.

Boom!

Beneath the moonlight, the clouds above roiled and a deep rumble echoed.

Zhan Tianxiang grunted as the luminous Demon God totem abruptly faded away.

Yu Yuan's arms, etched with flickering sword lights, seared his skin, prompting him to cry out in agony, "Zhan Tianxiang! This place might be enclosed by a terrifying formation! Don't act rashly!"

The scorching pain seemed to goad Yu Yuan, urging him to draw his sword and slay Zhan Tianxiang!

With great effort, he managed to hold back, refraining from unleashing that decisive strike.

Beneath the colossal elephant's skeleton, Zhan Tianxiang, following his roar of fury, grunted and coughed up blood.

The mark of the Golden Elephant Ancient God vanished into his flesh, as if concealing itself, drawing on his vital energy to heal.

It was clear to all that Zhan Tianxiang's injuries were the result of his impulsive actions.

"Did you almost... just now?" Lee Yuchan gazed at Yu Yuan, a wave of unease washing over him. The sword intent that had burst forth from Yu Yuan earlier seemed to resonate with the very essence of this place, creating a mysterious synergy.

It was as if with a mere swing of Yu Yuan's sword, the tumultuous clouds above would unleash an additional binding force.

A force potent enough to end Zhan Tianxiang's life.

It was fortunate that Zhan Tianxiang was someone Yu Yuan held in high regard; otherwise, a single stroke of Yu Yuan's sword, in harmony with the heavens and earth, could have meant instant death for Zhan Tianxiang.

"No wonder you had the courage to delve into the forbidden area and suggest a journey to the Rainier Empire," Lee Yuchan remarked, her words tinged with a hint of bitterness.

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