C1126 Two Empresses

The cold moon, a manifestation of pure lunar energy, revealed a slender, delicate silhouette within its glow.

In the dark, frigid expanse of the starry river, the cold moon drew near with haste, and Yu Yuan, squinting to discern its approach, quickly identified the arrivals.

It was Lee Yupan, the Empress of the Silvermoon Empire, accompanied by the ancient Moon Demon, Yuefei.

The last time they had parted, Lee Yupan had disclosed the whereabouts of the Optimus Sword, suggesting that he could venture into the Dark Domain to claim it once his power and realm were sufficient.

Yet, in the Plover Realm not long ago, he had learned a troubling truth.

Regardless of his power level, the mere presence of the sword soul within him would instantly alert the Asura King Sabonis upon entering the Dark Domain.

In that realm, not even a Divine King might stand a chance against Sabonis, so what chance would he have?

He began to wonder if the Silvermoon Queen had an ulterior motive in revealing the sword's location.

With a whoosh, the cold moon transformed into a stream of silver light, descending upon his world, signaling that the Silvermoon Queen was indeed the one Tan Junshan and Svale were expecting.

"Yu Yuan? What brings you here?"

Lee Yupan, slender and exuding an aura of aloofness, had been riding a crescent moon. As she descended, the crescent morphed into Yuefei of the ancient Moon Demon Clan.

Yuefei's body had once belonged to Calves, the king of roving bandits and a Ninth Level member of the Mondnacht Clan.

After taking over Yu Yiyi's body, Yuefei altered her appearance to that of a woman.

"Heh."

Stepping out from behind Yu Yiyi, the Ice Concubine gazed at Lee Yupan, who shared the Mondnacht Clan's bloodline, and Yuefei, who had possessed Calves. Her icy eyes sparkled with an enigmatic light.

"At last, my memories have returned," Yuefei murmured.

"You two?"

The Silvermoon Queen Lee Yupan, eyeing Yuefei, who had been with her for years, and then the Ice Concubine, with her beautifully curved upper body and scorpion-like lower half, expressed her astonishment, "Do you actually know each other?"

Yu Yuan shared in the surprise.

The Ice Concubine was a Freezing Devaputra. Long ago, she had been absorbed by the Evil Cauldron in the depths of the Ember Waters, altering her soul and transforming her into a Devaputra.

After undergoing numerous enhancements and advancements, she eventually became the mightiest Freezing Devaputra, with all her memories restored.

Yuefei hailed from the ancient Moon Demon Clan, a branch of the Devaputra Race. Her fate was sealed when Nie Qingtian cleaved the Moon Fragment into the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.

As a member of the Outland Devaputra Race, she too was confined within the Boundless Land. Moreover, she was a woman...

"We're acquainted, but we never had much of a connection before. In fact, we were rivals at one point."

Yuefei, of the ancient Moon Demon Clan, sighed wistfully, "Our clan was nearly exterminated by Nie Qingtian. The few survivors had to depend on the Mondnacht Clan just to cling to existence. The Freezing Devaputra weren't much better off. After their progenitor perished, their power plummeted, leaving them unranked among the Devaputra Race."

Yuefei glanced at Ice Concubine as she spoke.

Ice Concubine's brows knit together slightly, and she remained silent, her demeanor somewhat somber.

"What a stroke of luck."

Yu Yuan chuckled and nodded, then noticed Tan Junshan and Svale emerging from underground, apparently aware of Lee Yupan and Yuefei's arrival.

"How many people did you invite to partake in the spoils of the Moon Swallowing Ape's carcass?" Yu Yuan inquired.

Aside from the Luan Bird Queen, Tan Junshan and Svale were capable of harnessing moon energy. Lee Yupan and Yuefei possessed similar powers and secret arts. With the four present, Yu Yuan wondered if the residual lunar essence of the deceased Demon God would suffice for them to share.

"Don't fret so much, kid."

Tan Junshan swiftly joined the Silvermoon Queen, his smile fading as he gave her a respectful nod. "Any leads on breaking through to the Unrestrained Stage?"

"Not at the moment," Lee Yupan replied with a sigh.

"Her bloodline from the Mondnacht Clan, however, is advancing at an exceptional pace," Yuefei, adorned in an intricately patterned gown, remarked with narrowed eyes that gleamed mischievously. "If all goes well, she could elevate her bloodline to the Ninth Level using the Demon Body of the Moon Swallowing Ape. Should that happen, her unique bloodline might just propel the human spiritual energy system forward, paving the way to the Unrestrained Stage."

Upon hearing her words, both Tan Junshan and Svale turned to look at Lee Yupan with astonishment.

Yu Yuan felt a sense of unease.

Tan Junshan, who was loyal to the enigmatic sect master of the Moon Sect, shared the bloodline of the Mondnacht Clan. With the support of the Divine Soul Sect and the Chamber of Commerce, he had successfully ascended to godhood.

Svale, like many others from the Mondnacht Clan, had come to accept her.

Lee Yupan, also of Mondnacht descent, had been possessed by the Moon Demon for years. Using the power of the human race, she had reached the Yang God Stage. In the vast expanse of the Star River, her bloodline was no longer suppressed. Once revealed, her advancement was swift. Could it be that she truly wished to fully integrate with the Mondnacht Clan?

The Mondnacht Clan's status among the races of the Star River had significantly improved due to the Moon Sect's leader's ascension to godhood.

With the Divine Soul Sect paving the way, it wouldn't be long before the Mondnacht Clan could join the ranks of the first echelon of intelligent races alongside the Bright Clan and the Asura Clan.

With such a figurehead, mixed-blood individuals like Lee Yupan would certainly be welcomed.

Yu Yuan's mind raced with these thoughts, and he felt he was beginning to understand the bigger picture.

"Once you elevate your Mondnacht bloodline to the Ninth Level, I will take you to meet her," Tan Junshan said, gazing intently at Lee Yupan. He then addressed Yuefei, "Most of the surviving members of the Moon Demon Clan now reside within Mondnacht territory. If all goes well, I will also take you to meet more of your kin."

Yuefei's eyes reflected a mix of sorrow and complexity as she said with self-derision, "In the Boundless Land, there's an ancient saying: 'When one ascends to divinity, even the dogs and chickens rise to heaven.' The entire Mondnacht Clan has been transformed by the emergence of one mixed-blood girl from the Boundless Land."

"The Mondnacht Clan is merely the first to attempt this; there will likely be many more to follow," Tan Junshan said with a mischievous chuckle.

"It's true that the human race and the Mondnacht Clan have an easier time conceiving. The probability is much lower with other races; their unions with humans seem to face more difficulties," Svale remarked dispassionately.

As they conversed, the Luan Bird Queen was conspicuously absent, her whereabouts unknown.

Half a day later, the earth beneath them trembled violently. It seemed as though a concealed array had been triggered, causing a terrifying shift in the world below.

Whoosh!

The Evil Demon, released by Yu Yiyi, burst forth from a fissure in the earth and nestled into Yu Yiyi's embrace. Its feline eyes sparkled with excitement as it chattered away, conveying a message to her.

"The Luan Bird Queen is the one sabotaging the seal."

Yu Yiyi cradled the cat and offered a brief explanation to Yu Yuan.

"Yu Yuan, please wait here. There's no need for you to meddle with the outer layer of the seal," Tan Junshan said with a grave tone. "The Moon Armor requires our collective effort to shatter. During the destruction, we'll see how much moon energy each of us can absorb based on our individual skills and fortune."

Svale, Lee Yupan, and Yuefei all showed signs of excitement upon hearing this.

"Moon Armor?" Yu Yuan inquired, intrigued.

"The demonic force exuded by the Moon Swallowing Ape's body has merged with the purest moon energy to form a solid substance akin to armor," Tan Junshan clarified. "It's exceedingly durable. Only those of us who are adept in the subtleties of moonlight can break it down and assimilate it."

"Resorting to sheer brute force or a divine weapon will only alert the Blood Devil Clan's elders before we can penetrate further into the Starfield. The Serene Starfield is Devaputra territory. Despite Greco's rash actions, he is still greatly revered by the younger Devaputras."

"Nobody wants to get ambushed by a horde of Devaputras without having seen anything."

Svale and Lee Yupan, taking heed of his words, adopted a more cautious stance.

The Outland Devaputra Race is among the most formidable powers in the Star River, rivaled only by the vast human and demon races. The Devaputras were once the supreme rulers of the Star River, and their current strength still surpasses that of the Asura Clan, Star Race, Bright Clan, Dark Elfkind, and other groups.

"Alright, we'll head down first. Yu Yuan, you stay here and wait," Svale said softly.

While they conversed, the four individuals capable of harnessing and refining moon energy descended into the ground one after another, seemingly in sync with Chen Qinghuang's efforts to dismantle the so-called Moon Armor.

"Master, be wary of Yuefei."

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