C1122 Parting

Several months had passed since the "Dissolving Fortress" had ferried numerous powerhouses from the Everlands, leaving the Annihilation Nebula far behind. It now emerged in a new Astral Domain known as Zagreus.

Zagreus was home to various Star-Spawned Terror tribes, each spreading out across different territories.

Yu Yuan sat on the edge of the fortress, his strength fully replenished from the battle in Ionodios. At times, he would unsheathe the Baneblade Bloodhell, delving into its intricate essence. Other times, his focus shifted to the sword scar on his arm bone, as he continued to unravel the mysteries of the "Nine Celestial Slashes."

His Lunar Spirit's refinement seemed to have hit a plateau, with significant progress unlikely in the near term.

Unbeknownst to him, he had reached the pinnacle of the Spirit Walk Realm. As a practitioner of Wraithbinding, he had eschewed the traditional path, bypassing the distinct sensations of the middle period of Spirit Walk. It was only when his Lunar Spirit freely roamed the extraterrestrial Star River that he realized his efforts should pivot toward the metamorphosis of the heaven soul.

In essence, he was ready to seek the path of the Solar Spirit.

During these months, he had sporadically engaged in discussions about the intricacies of physical refinement with Yu Ying, Tan Yuan, and Shen Feiqing. He conversed about the various mystiques of the soul with Taruer, Luo Yue, and Ann Ziqing, and inquired about the unique blood spells from them. The insights he gained were immensely valuable.

Chen Qinghuang had been conspicuously absent, choosing a reclusive existence within a pavilion constructed by the Wingkind.

On this day, the Songbird Queen, unseen for quite some time, emerged from a towering stone temple, drawing the involuntary attention of the various experts within the Dissolving Fortress.

"We're nearing our destination," she announced, her exquisite visage still concealed behind a beaded curtain. She pointed indifferently toward a landmass slowly coming into view. "There lies the Starway, a collaborative creation of the Boulderdawn and the Chamber of Commerce. Taishi entrusted me to escort you to this point when I departed from Ionodios."

Everyone followed her gesture, squinting to discern the details. Indeed, a stretch of land was materializing before them.

The land was not your typical sphere; it was a quadrilateral expanse, enveloped by a circular barrier.

"There's a Starway available, allowing you to travel to other realms. The Boulderdawn sect and the merchants will make the necessary arrangements. The choice is yours to make," she stated icily, then turned her gaze to Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan returned her look, confused.

"Come with me; I'll take you somewhere," the Songbird Queen said, her voice softening. "Your Solar Spirit is unique compared to the others."

Yu Yuan, who had been unsure of his next steps, quickly agreed with a smile, "Alright!"

"I'm only taking you. The rest must head to the Starway." With that, Chen Qinghuang turned and walked back to the stone hall, paying no attention to the others.

The rest, now accustomed to her temperament, weren't bothered by it.

"Teacher."

"Yu Yuan!"

"Mr. Yu!"

Luo Yue, Hu Caiyun, Tong Laoqian, and the others called out upon realizing the situation.

"You all proceed to the Starway. I will accompany her in search of the path to forge the Solar Spirit," Yu Yuan acknowledged the moment of departure. He retrieved the soul puppet from his Cosmos Ring and looked at Yu Ying and Luo Yue, "I doubt I'll need this. Who will deliver it to White Bone?"

Even though he was aware that White Bone was the Yu family's ancestor, the Evil King Yu Xi, he still preferred to use the moniker White Bone.

"I'll take it," Luo Yue volunteered, accepting the soul puppet with a hint of reluctance. "Teacher, I'll return to the Land of Terror. Tian Zang may be a Ghost King there, but I don't think he counts as a soul of that place anymore. It seems unlikely he'll return anytime soon."

Razses and Taruer, both Ghost Kings, nodded in agreement.

Tian Zang had taken a different path; as a disciple of Taishi, he had ventured beyond the Land of Terror, roaming the extraterrestrial Star River. Unless gravely wounded and in need of the River Styx's restorative powers, this unconventional Ghost King would not revisit the Land of Terror.

"The Seven Star Aegis was originally your gift to the Yu family, so you should have it back."

Yu Yuan slipped the green-black iron ring off his finger and handed it to Yu Ying. "This heavenly-grade item, purely defensive, has saved me on several occasions. I've managed to refine it, but unfortunately, it never quite resonated with my aura. Grandaunt, I trust in your ability to reforge it. Use it yourself or pass it on to a gifted child in the Yu family."

Yu Ying was taken aback.

"You know, I'm not exactly in need of suitable artifacts at the moment," Yu Yuan said with a smile.

"Alright then."

Taking the iron ring, Yu Ying reflected on Yu Yuan's status as the premier Medicine God of the Order of Healing. Considering his renown across the extraterrestrial Star River, as well as the high esteem in which President Lyi held him, it was clear he wouldn't be lacking in powerful protective artifacts.

Hadn't he just acquired the formidable Baneblade, Bloodhell, not so long ago?

Yu Yuan and Tong Laoqian engaged in casual conversation for a while, during which Yu Yuan discreetly asked Tong Laoqian to look after Qin Yun should he return to the Everlands.

The former sect master of Midnightshields had not yet ascended to the Solar Spirit Realm and remained in the Everlands.

Yu Yuan felt a deep connection to Qin Yun and made a point of mentioning him.

Razses, Taruer, Luo Yue, Tan Yuan, and others also took note of the name Qin Yun, committing it to memory.

Several days later, the Dissolving Fortress neared the continent. Before breaching the barrier, a familiar, eerie laugh pierced the air.

"White Walker!"

Yu Yuan was amused to see the Terra Fiend, which kept shifting into recognizable forms.

Back in the Moonfall Sanctuary, White Walker had caused him no small amount of trouble. If not for his vigilance and good fortune, he might not have made it out alive. Now, meeting again in the extraterrestrial Star River, the trials of the Moonfall Sanctuary seemed like a distant memory.

The Terra Fiend, once a top contender in the forbidden area, was now present on this land, clearly indicating that Taishi had brought it into the fold of Boulderdawn.

"It's been a while," Yu Yuan remarked.

The notorious Earth Fiend, infamous throughout the annals of the Everlands, now seemed oddly constrained and uneasy in conversation.

"This is Hu Caiyun, known to many as Peach Madam. I've promised to introduce her to Boulderdawn," Yu Yuan said, gesturing towards the slightly surprised Peach Madam behind him. "White Walker, could you make the arrangements?"

"Your recommendation is all I need," White Walker replied eagerly, nodding in agreement.

An odd sensation suddenly welled up in Yu Yuan's heart. The Terra Fiend before him, a being of considerable power, was treating him with a level of deference that suggested a lower status, showing no hint of defiance. He seemed less imposing than the Stormcrowned Emperor, the Sky Fiend Indigo Wraith, or Hei Xun. This indicated that White Walker's standing within Boulderdawn was likely quite ordinary.

Whoosh! To Yu Yuan's surprise, the massive Dissolving Fortress began to slowly detach from the Deathwing Lair and drift toward the landmass.

"The Wingkind and the fortress itself will take this time to recuperate," Chen Qinghuang's voice rang out. She had already exited the Dissolving Fortress and made her way to the heart of the lair, gesturing to Yu Yuan, "You should stay out here."

With a swift leap, Yu Yuan ascended, distancing himself from the fortress, and paused amidst the cosmos.

"I will honor my commitment to President Lyi and Boulderdawn," Chen Qinghuang assured White Walker. "Once the conflict in Ionodios concludes, I'll relocate the Deathwing Lair to the new coordinates in the Everlands and link it with the Nest of Perdition there."

White Walker nodded in acknowledgment. "I will relay the message."

Turning to Yu Yuan, Chen Qinghuang added, "I will assist him in seeking his breakthrough."

White Walker remained silent on matters concerning Yu Yuan, choosing instead to descend into the Dissolving Fortress to provide guidance and to liaise with others beyond the wall.

The wall shimmered, obscuring Yu Yuan's view of the interior. Yet, the Altar of Rebirth within him detected strong surges of vitality—human cultivators, evilkind, and a surprising number of Otherkin.

These Otherkin were different from those he knew; they appeared to be practicing human spells. "Otherkin practicing our arts?" he mused, stroking his chin with a puzzled expression.

"It's not so astonishing," he reasoned. "For Boulderdawn in the Star River to possess its current might, it must have integrated Otherkin. The sect's innovative Spirit Magic and sophisticated body-refining techniques have been refined by countless sages, enabling many Otherkin to adopt and strengthen themselves through our practices."

The Songbird Queen spoke with a detached tone.

"..."