C1129 The Fresh Heart

Yu Yuan could sense that the Baneblade, known as Bloodhell, was brimming with a longing for the heart of the giant ape. It wasn't just the Bloodwraith formed by the Sky-Shaking Ape; within the Baneblade, all the Bloodwraiths, including innumerable specks of blood-colored light, were resonating with the Sky-Shaking Ape's Bloodwraith. They were all eager to enter the heart and consume it.

The Baneblade lacked an artifact soul, possessing only seven Bloodwraiths. Upon reaching this little world and detecting the vital energy lingering in the Lunarphite's heart and within the Baneblade, they all went into a frenzy. Even the Altar of Rebirth, situated within Yu Yuan's vitality-rich little world, began to tremble.

The Baneblade and the Altar of Rebirth inside him joined forces, momentarily scattering his spiritual wisdom. Without much thought, as if driven by instinct, Yu Yuan merged with the Baneblade, transforming into a dazzling demonic light that surged directly towards the giant ape's heart.

"Stop!"

"Stay calm!"

Chen Qinghuang, who had arrived first, and Tan Junshan from the Starmoon Sect, shouted in unison to halt his actions. Alas, Yu Yuan was beyond the reach of their voices.

Thump!

A heartbeat emanated from the giant ape's chest, where the violet-gold egg covered the Lunarphite's heart.

Boom! Thunderous reverberations!

The entire subterranean realm shook violently, as if deities were pounding drums capable of splitting the void, unleashing a torrent of sound waves aimed solely at Yu Yuan.

The resplendent demonic light of Yu Yuan and the Baneblade was shattered in an instant, separating him from the blade. His arm, gripping the Baneblade, was a blur of blood and flesh. His body, previously as durable as divine metal, now displayed a multitude of fine, bloodied fissures, like porcelain struck by a mallet.

Caught off guard and without the protection of the Seven Star Aegis, Yu Yuan sustained bodily injuries.

Hovering within the dark cauldron, Yu Yiyi watched in alarm as Yu Yuan, now out of control and battered by the sudden heartbeat, was injured mid-flight. She quickly steered the cauldron towards him for rescue.

Yu Yiyi had not anticipated Yu Yuan's departure, and by the time she realized something was amiss, he had already been wounded.

Swoosh!

The cauldron timely caught Yu Yuan as he plummeted from the sky, preventing him from sinking towards the giant ape.

Yu Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief when Yu Yuan fell into the cauldron, realizing his injuries were confined to flesh and bone, sparing his internal organs and soul.

"As long as the soul remains intact, the destruction of flesh and bone is not to be feared," she reassured herself.

At that moment, the Baneblade Bloodhell, having slipped from Yu Yuan's grasp, continued its relentless trajectory toward the Lunarphite's heart.

Just as the Baneblade was about to surpass the enigmatic violet-gold egg and reach the heart beneath, Tan Junshan intervened. With a series of crescent moons, he conjured a heavily sealed formation.

This formation serendipitously trapped the Baneblade Bloodhell, leaving it suspended and immobilized in midair.

Simultaneously, Lee Yupan and Yue Fei arrived on the scene.

Despite their preparedness, the sight of the Lunarphite's colossal form left them in awe, prompting a simultaneous gasp.

Next, they witnessed Yu Yuan, reeling from a severe blow, regaining his composure within the Crucible of Evil.

"The Lunarphite still has a heartbeat!"

Yu Yuan, with a grave look, observed the shriveled brown heart and the violet-gold egg atop it. He sensed his wounds mending through the workings of the Altar of Rebirth and thought, "Something's amiss! The heart of a long-deceased Lunarphite shouldn't retain such formidable power."

Even as a tenth-level Dark Deity, once its demon soul was consumed by the Sky Fiend, the Lunarphite's heart should have withered away, leaving no trace of its strength.

That is, unless it was preserved shortly after death in a special vessel, supported by an array of rare magic items and divine medicines.

Only under such conditions could the heart's abundant vital energy persist for an extended period.

Yet, the recent heartbeat managed to unleash an astounding force without the augmentation of a demon soul, which seemed inexplicable.

Yu Yuan surmised that only in a living state could the Lunarphite's heart, in concert with overwhelming demon energy, inflict such grievous damage upon him.

"Take a closer look; the Lunarphite's heart is actually detached from the rest of its chest cavity."

Tan Junshan gestured, and with a tug, the crescent moon formation, along with the Baneblade, soared towards Yu Yuan. "When the Lunarphite was slain, its chest was shattered, and its heart was extracted. Now, the heart floats freely within the cavity, tethered to the chest wall by strands of crimson, vein-like energy."

Upon hearing her words, Winona, the Silvermoon Queen, and Yue Fei all turned their gaze curiously. Yu Yuan also concentrated, taking a closer look. It didn't take long for him to confirm that Tan Junshan's assessment was accurate—the Lunarphite had indeed had its chest cavity pierced and its heart removed. The heart was still within the Lunarphite's chest, yet it was tethered to the surrounding chest wall by strands of crimson blood.

"That heart does not belong to the Lunarphite," Chen Qinghuang interjected suddenly. "Deep within the heart, there are a few drops of the Demon God Grec's lifeblood. What you're witnessing is the resurrection ceremony that Grec meticulously prepared for himself."

"A resurrection ceremony?" Lee Yupan exclaimed in surprise.

Tan Junshan's expression shifted subtly as he said in astonishment, "Are you suggesting that the Great Demon God Grec could resurrect himself by drawing upon the residual vitality of the Lunarphite?"

"It was a contingency he had in place for himself, one that I never imagined would actually come to pass," Chen Qinghuang replied.

She stepped through the void, cautiously approaching the Lunarphite's heart. Her revelation left everyone present taken aback.

"It's certain that Grec encountered trouble in the Annihilation Nebula. With the combined forces of the three God-Kings, along with the support of President Lyi, Jun Chen, and other formidable allies, leveraging the advantages of time and place, it's highly likely that Grec met his end in the Ionodios. The lifeblood crystal he left behind, due to his mishap, has spontaneously begun to draw upon the Lunarphite's remaining vital energy."

Chen Qinghuang continued her analysis as she drew nearer.

"Legend has it that any great Demon God of the Blood Fiend, upon reaching the tenth level of their bloodline, can use a single drop of lifeblood to achieve rebirth. A single drop of lifeblood, if it can amass an immense amount of vital energy, can reconstitute bones, sinews, flesh, and organs, creating a new self."

"However, they will be weakened after rebirth and will need time to recover their lost memories and regain their strength before they can return to their peak fighting condition."

"Grec, within this wondrous realm, has already embarked on his path to revival."

With that, she paused.

She hovered before the massive violet-gold egg, observing the cracked shell and the dazzling radiance spilling from the fissures, sensing an entirely different presence from that of Grec and the Lunarphite.

"This giant egg..."

Chen Qinghuang's eyes, deep and enigmatic, suddenly burst with numerous tiny lights, too brilliant to look at directly.

These lights carried an ancient essence, seemingly memories sealed for tens of thousands of years, the secret legacy of the secular bird. Now, sparked by her power, they flickered into view.

She lapsed into silence, intent on deciphering the mysteries within those glimmers.

Everyone, Yu Yuan included, held themselves back, not daring to raise their voices for fear of interrupting her concentration.

Whoosh!

The Baneblade was returned to the Crucible of Evil by Tan Junshan's series of crescent moon arrays. Yu Yuan reclaimed it, once again feeling the restless Bloodwraith, born of the Sky-Shaking Ape, beyond his control.

For safety, he submerged the Baneblade back into his acupoints. With a mere thought, he called forth the Dragon Slaying Stage, his hand clenching the ashen stone platform as his expression abruptly shifted.

Within the Dragon Slaying Stage, the dragon corpses quivered.

He tuned in silently, his face taking on a peculiar look. It wasn't the Lunarphite stirring, nor the heart imbued with Grec's demon blood.

It was the violet gold egg, shielding the heart!

"Another one, the dragon egg of the Titan Spinosaurus!"

Chen Qinghuang inhaled sharply, as if she had pieced together the puzzle in an instant. Pointing at the violet gold egg, she locked eyes with Yu Yuan and said, "The heartbeat you detected through the Dragon Slaying Stage earlier originated from Ionodios. If I'm not mistaken, there's another Titan Spinosaurus dragon egg within Ionodios."

"Titan Spinosaurus? Dragon egg?" Tan Junshan's face turned ashen.

Winona, Yue Fei, and even Yu Yiyi, upon learning this secret, were staggered as if struck, their minds reeling uncontrollably.

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