C112 Guardian

"Yu Yuan, could we strike a deal?"

Lee Yu from the Lee family approached quietly that day, hesitating before finally speaking up.

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

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

Moreover, her ears, pale as jade, appeared to twitch.

A subtle and unspoken chill, like a thread of snow-white lightning, weaved through the surroundings.

Yu Yuan had just completed a session of Evil Body Refining. His aura was frail, and traces of blood could still be seen on his body. "What's there to discuss?"

His voice was hoarse and gruff, a sign that his vocal cords had been strained by his training.

Further away, Zhan Tianxiang, Yan Lu, Su Yan, and others were all cultivating in silence, each pushing themselves, seemingly racing to boost their combat strength as quickly as possible to avoid becoming a liability.

Lee Yu had no concerns about approaching Yu Yuan.

At this moment, Yu Yuan was undeniably pivotal to their journey through the forbidden area. Anyone with sense wouldn't think of harming him.

People like Lee Yuchan would go to great lengths to protect him, ensuring he remained unharmed.

"Um..."

Lee Yu began, his voice tinged with embarrassment, as if it contradicted his usual demeanor.

He instinctively cast a glance at Lee Yuchan.

"Fool."

Lee Yuchan, seemingly aloof, immediately realized her nephew was too bashful to speak his mind. Exposing himself and likely unable to articulate his thoughts, she reluctantly stepped forward to speak on his behalf: "Yu Yuan, the evil souls you've slain are all soul spirits. These soul spirits were already bound and unable to escape their confinement."

"And then?" Yu Yuan inquired with interest.

"Lee Yu possesses the Soul Orb, which can consume and refine soul spirits," Lee Yuchan revealed without reservation. "It's no issue for the evil souls to be utterly destroyed. However, if the Soul Orb can absorb the remnant souls, the artifact could undergo a significant transformation!"

Lee Yu's eyes sparkled with recognition. He was well aware of the rarity and evolutionary potential of the Soul Orb. This unique item thrived on devouring and refining all manner of souls. Any ethereal entity without a physical form but possessing a soul, especially the weaker ones, could be processed by the Soul Orb. The more souls it consumed, the greater its chances of transformation in the future.

As the world underwent mysterious changes, a multitude of malevolent beings and alien souls emerged in the forbidden area. Yu Yuan, having earned the sword spirit's approval, was tasked with the daunting role of a demon slayer, charged with the eradication of these evil entities.

Should Yu Yuan manage to defeat these evil souls without obliterating them entirely, he could then harness the Soul Orb to collect and refine each residual soul, aiding its advancement.

In recent days, accompanying Yu Yuan, Lee Yu could sense the Soul Orb's growing yearning for souls. He understood that it was on the cusp of evolution, hence its desperate craving for souls.

"So, you're saying I should hold back a little, avoid completely destroying those evil souls?" Yu Yuan slowly grasped the concept. "Scatter their souls, and then you take over with the second phase, using the Soul Orb to devour and refine them?"

Lee Yu gave a slight nod before quickly adding, "Don't worry, your efforts won't be in vain. If you agree to this, rest assured, I will reward you handsomely once we escape."

"Yu Yuan, wielding your sword with such ferocity also depletes a great deal of energy," Lee Yuchan chimed in, encouraging him. "Exercising control over your power is also a way to hone your swordsmanship. To disperse, rather than utterly dissipate their souls, is a true test of your mastery."

Yu Yuan squinted, a smile playing on his lips as he regarded them both.

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

"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 be a pillar of the empire should you survive. My point is that you should consider the value of the Lee family's friendship."

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

The eager anticipation in his eyes spoke volumes.

"It's not because you're a Lee," Yu Yuan said with a snort. "It's simply because you are Lee Yu."

Lee Yu's heart raced. "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 deeply and responded, "Understood."

Lee Yuchan's frosty gaze shimmered with an unusual brilliance, yet she remained silent.

Half a day passed.

Deep within Moonfall Sanctuary 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, towering over ten meters with hues of pale gold or deep purple, belonged to the non-human Fellbeasts.

These Fellbeasts had ventured into Moonfall Sanctuary, clashing violently with the cultivators who dared to explore its depths.

The crater was strewn with the remnants of these brutal encounters, including fragments of broken swords.

"There must be something here," Yu Yuan mused, peering into the vast pit from the edge. "It appears a terrible battle once raged here in ancient times, claiming many lives."

With a whoosh, Zhan Tianxiang was the first to dive in.

He quickly positioned himself beneath an enormous elephantine skeleton, gazing up at the giant elephant impaled by a corroded, serrated sword. "This one is a direct descendant of the Golden Elephant God!"

"A descendant of the Golden Elephant God?" Lee Yuchan's expression shifted subtly. "Are you certain?"

"Absolutely certain," Zhan Tianxiang replied. He then settled beneath the massive skeleton and disrobed.

The tattoo of the Golden Elephant God inked on his skin, now filled with the glow of his vitality, began to shine as if it were summoning a spirit from a hidden realm.

With a thunderous "Boom!" the moonlit clouds above roiled, and a deep rumble echoed through the air.

Zhan Tianxiang grunted as the radiant Dark Deity totem abruptly faded away.

Yu Yuan's arms, etched with flickering sword light, seared his flesh, prompting him to cry out in pain, "Zhan Tianxiang! This place might be sealed by a terrifying rune circle! Don't be rash!"

The intense pain seemed to be urging Yu Yuan to draw his sword and strike down Zhan Tianxiang!

He managed to control himself, preventing the release of that decisive blow in the heat of the moment.

Zhan Tianxiang, beneath the remains of the colossal elephant, grunted after his roar, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

The Golden Elephant God's totem tattoo vanished into his flesh, as if hiding away, using his vitality and Qi Essence to heal.

It was clear to all that Zhan Tianxiang had been injured due to his careless actions.

"You were about to, just now?" Lee Yuchan asked Yu Yuan, her heart filled with unease. The sword's will that had burst forth from Yu Yuan had subtly resonated with the energy of this place, creating an extraordinary synergy.

It was as if Yu Yuan's sword strike could command the churning clouds above to unleash another wave of sealing power.

Such a force would have been the end of Zhan Tianxiang.

It was fortunate that Zhan Tianxiang was someone Yu Yuan deeply respected; otherwise, a single swing of Yu Yuan's sword, in harmony with the forces of heaven and earth, would have meant certain death for Zhan Tianxiang.

"No wonder you dared to venture deep into the forbidden area and even suggested heading to the Crimson Sun Empire," Lee Yuchan remarked, her words tinged with a hint of bitterness.

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