C1128 The Thousand Feet Corpse

The Bloodwraith, once the Sky-Shaking Ape, now took the form of a giant ape, roaring and pounding its chest in a frenzied display. Beams of light, reminiscent of blood snakes, erupted from the Bloodwraith, clearly desperate to break free from the Baneblade's Bloodhell and descend into the world beneath.

Yu Yuan, having fully mastered the Baneblade, keenly felt the giant ape Bloodwraith's erratic behavior, triggered by unusual underground vibrations.

The Bloodwraith of the Sky-Shaking Ape was driven by a wild greed.

"Ape species..." Yu Yuan mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "In the Everlands, apes are the closest to humans, sharing a significant history."

Yu Yiyi, serene within the shadowy cauldron, dredged up a secret from the depths of her memory to enlighten Yu Yuan. "Untamed is an ancient Ape. He and the Lunarphite that dwells beneath us once shared a close bond. Before the Lunarphite perished in the Star River, Untamed and Shadow's Keep were on good terms."

"After the tenth-level Lunarphite's demise in the extraterrestrial starry sky, the relationship between Untamed and Shadow's Keep plummeted."

"Apekind has always revered Untamed as their leader. It's rumored that Lunarphite's rise to Dark Deity status was aided by Untamed's covert support. This includes the Sky-Shaking Ape, who suffered from the Baneblade's backlash and had once visited the Marsh as a junior member of evilkind to pay homage to Untamed."

Speaking of Untamed brought a genuine reverence to Yu Yiyi's expression.

Finally, she added, "Untamed stands apart from Shadow's Keep. Among the current four Dark Deities of evilkind, his power is surpassed only by Dark Phoenix."

At the mention of Dark Phoenix, she instinctively glanced skyward, as if wary of being observed. She withdrew further into the cauldron before continuing, "Neither the Kylin nor the Moonfang Tiger rival Untamed in might. The Sky-Shaking Ape must have detected the lingering scent of Lunarphite's flesh and, driven by instinct, seeks to dive below and augment its own strength."

Yu Yuan nodded slightly. "I agree."

The presence of the Moonshield meant that, for the moment, there was no response from the Altar of Rebirth within him. However, the Sky-Shaking Ape and the Lunarphite both belonged to the ape family, which suggested their bloodlines might resonate in mysterious ways. The Bloodwraith, created by the Sky-Shaking Ape, had its perception enhanced by the Baneblade, revealing its wonders.

He and Yu Yiyi communicated secretly, continuing to observe the activity below through the vision of a lesser Bane.

Several days passed.

Tan Junshan and three other experts capable of refining moon energy employed their unique techniques to draw out the energy from the gleaming Moonshield. They infused it into their weapons and bloodlines, bolstering their strength and realms, each reaping substantial rewards.

Silvermoon Queen Lee Yupan utilized an ancient mystique of the Moonfiend Clan to harness the most potent moon energy.

Her Solar Spirit Body, infused with abundant moon energy, appeared even more radiant and translucent, resembling the treasured Fallen Star Eyes of the Starmoon Sect.

Yue Fei, in contrast, seemed to be exercising considerable restraint, modestly harvesting the moon energy.

Yu Yuan observed and concluded that her gains were less than Tan Junshan's, only slightly surpassing Winona's.

Half a day later, the silver Moonshield, depleted of all moon energy, transformed into chunks of grayish-brown stone.

Crack! Crack!

Guided by Tan Junshan's tool, the stones shattered like eggshells.

Soon after, a murky death force seeped into the fissures of the broken stone, as if desperately trying to seal something away.

Two to three hours later, the Songbird Queen, Chen Qinghuang, suddenly appeared at the largest crack.

"Come to me, all of you," she commanded with an undeniable authority, her voice low and devoid of any need for a crown to assert her presence.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Four figures, previously scattered, converged swiftly at her command.

Without hesitation, Yu Yuan, clutching the Baneblade, Bloodhell, leaped into the dark cauldron and made his way directly toward Chen Qinghuang.

Upon arrival, he caught sight of Lee Yupan, another empress. His eyes shone with admiration and excitement as he gazed at Chen Qinghuang, clearly in awe of her presence.

It was as though she had encountered her childhood hero, the person she had revered from a young age.

Chen Qinghuang's demeanor remained cool and detached, her deep and enigmatic eyes betraying not a hint of emotion, as if such encounters were commonplace for her.

Yu Yuan took a moment to observe and couldn't help but notice that as female emperors, Chen Qinghuang overshadowed Lee Yupan in every conceivable way: her looks, her presence, the effortless elegance and luxury she exuded.

She was clearly more than just a step above Lee Yupan.

Standing side by side, Chen Qinghuang exuded a natural air of superiority to Yu Yuan, as if she were born with an innate regal quality, rather than having acquired it after becoming the Songbird Queen.

Lee Yupan, on the other hand, seemed to carry with her a sense of inferiority and repression from her youth.

Despite ascending to the throne of the Silvermoon Empire with the aid of the ancient Moonfiend, the backing of her family and Yue Fei, and the collaboration with Yan Gui, she couldn't shake off the youthful insecurities that made her seem less confident and at ease.

Reflecting on this, Yu Yuan began to understand.

Although he was unaware of Chen Qinghuang's origins, she appeared to have always known her own worth, confident from birth that she would one day rule over a mighty empire. And indeed, she had proven this belief with her own might.

Lee Yupan's destiny, however, had been meticulously crafted through a pact between Yue Fei and the Lee family ancestors.

Her life had been orchestrated by others from the start, and she had grown up severely lacking in self-confidence, propelled to power by the currents of those around her to eventually become the Silvermoon Queen.

Yet, despite her success, she lacked self-assurance, fully aware of the pivotal role Yue Fei had played.

Perhaps this was why she so admired and envied Chen Qinghuang, another female sovereign who seemed more carefree and had journeyed farther than herself.

The contrast between her genuine excitement upon seeing Chen Qinghuang and Chen Qinghuang's own indifference was telling.

"Let's go."

With those words, Chen Qinghuang stepped toward the vast chasm and vanished from sight in an instant.

Tan Junshan and Winona followed suit without hesitation, disappearing just as quickly.

Yue Fei didn't rush to act. As the Silvermoon Queen made to enter, she pulled at Lee Yupan's sleeve, halting her, then silently turned to give Yu Yuan a meaningful look.

"What are you afraid of?" Yu Yuan chuckled, his laughter tinged with disbelief.

Yue Fei remained silent, simply watching him with an expectant gaze, silently urging him to take the lead.

Yu Yuan paused, a sense of reassurance washing over him. Yue Fei's caution indicated that she, along with Lee Yupan, harbored a healthy dose of wariness towards Chen Qinghuang, Tan Junshan, Winona, and the rest. This wariness suggested that they weren't as united or trusting of one another as he had initially thought.

"I guess I'll go first then."

Yu Yuan, maneuvering the Crucible of Evil, traced the path Chen Qinghuang, Tan Junshan, and Winona had taken into the fissure. It felt like traversing a lengthy corridor of death before abruptly entering a bizarre, secluded world.

The instant he arrived, he inhaled sharply and cried out in astonishment, "Oh!"

Before him lay a colossal giant ape, sprawled across the void, its immense form stretching for miles.

The giant ape's silver-gray fur shimmered like serpents, each strand pulsating with a vivid vitality. Its eyes, wide open, shone like two luminous cold moons, their radiance illuminating the entire subterranean realm.

Despite its massive size, the giant ape's body appeared eerily withered. At the center of its chest lay a violet-gold egg, cradled within the hollowed-out cavity where its heart should be. The exposed parts of the chest resembled the rugged bark of an ancient tree, while the section beneath the egg still faintly pulsed with a dominant life force.

Chen Qinghuang had infused the little world with death force to cloak any lingering vitality within the giant ape's remains, preventing it from being detected by those outside.

A Dark Deity's body, even absent its demon soul, retained an earth-shattering energy.

With a whoosh, Yu Yuan brandished the Baneblade, propelling himself directly towards the heart beneath the giant egg.

Simultaneously, his Altar of Rebirth began to whirl into action, seemingly in sync with the Baneblade, eager to seize the chance to plunder as much of the sweet spoils as possible in this peculiar little world.

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