C1137 The Response
"How can I assist you?"
As Yu Yuan released his Lunar Spirit thought toward the enigmatic sphere of energy, he instantly realized that his initiative had established a mental connection with the young creature inside.
He observed the dragon-shaped young beast, coiled and trembling in the center of the mysterious energy, suddenly jolt.
The young beast appeared confused and timid, yet excitedly scanning its surroundings, seeking the origin of the response.
Its tense, coiled form seemed to unwind somewhat, its guard dropping. A wave of violet-gold remnant soul energy emanated from within it. "Where are you?"
Inside the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan felt a slight tremor in his spirit and responded, "You are in the place where the aura of the Chronowyrm is borrowed by the bloodline talent."
"Chronowyrm? I merely sensed the presence of my own kind. It seemed I could wield that power, so I gave it a try."
With its intelligence rapidly evolving under the threat of death, or perhaps due to its heritage as a descendant of the mightiest cosmic giant beast, it possessed a naturally high sentience. "As long as you don't hinder me, as long as you release all constraints, I can still summon the presence of my kin and attempt to cross over."
Yu Yuan fell silent.
He considered that this young Titan Spinosaurus could indeed freely wield the residual forces of the Nagas.
The Chronowyrm and the frost wyrm were both Dragon Gods.
The power within the Dragon Slaying Stage, originating from the two severed tenth level Dragon Gods, should surpass that of the Lunarphite, not to mention the additional ninth and eighth level dragon remains.
The Dragon Slaying Stage's formidable power stemmed from the dragon corpses within. If the offspring of the Titan Spinosaurus were allowed entry, could it grow from this?
The thought of a true Titan Spinosaurus potentially emerging within the Dragon Slaying Stage made him uneasy.
He began to seriously contemplate the frightening unknown risks that could arise if this event came to pass.
After a brief pause, the young beast timidly inquired again, "May I proceed?"
Its display of timidity, anxiety, and hope slightly reassured Yu Yuan. After a moment's hesitation, he responded, "Cast your spell, and I will observe the outcome."
At that moment, Yu Yuan was contemplating how to take control of the young beast.
"Thank you, thank you!"
The young beast burst into excitement, and Yu Yuan immediately noticed within the Dragon Slaying Stage, numerous shattered corpses of eighth and ninth level dragons. Deep within these carcasses, the congealed dragon blood emitted a faint crystalline glow. Drawn by the mysterious energy, the shimmering lights, like innumerable fireflies, willingly merged with it.
What was initially just an ephemeral cluster of energy, a byproduct of the Chronowyrm's residual psionic power, had suddenly become tangible.
It was akin to a ghostly soul receiving an infusion of flesh and blood, beginning to form a corporeal shell.
During this transformation, Yu Yuan was astonished to witness the scenery within the energy sphere subtly altering.
A dazzling world unfolded within the violet-gold dragon egg.
Cao Yi, transformed into a blood shadow, clashed with Chen Qinghuang, who wielded the power of destruction, hundreds of times per second. Bursts of annihilating brilliance, accompanied by intense flames, engulfed various regions of the dragon egg.
A massive dragon-shaped skeleton was also being scorched by the destructive radiance and fierce flames.
Blood-red lightning coiled around the skeleton, tightening inexorably. Within the lightning, millions of minuscule insects, invisible to the naked eye, gnawed away at the bones and sinew.
Parts of the dragon-shaped skeleton began to vanish bit by bit.
At the skull's forefront, a mysterious energy orb enveloped a dragon-shaped spirited body, which had been restlessly emitting peculiar fluctuations.
These fluctuations were aimed at its kin.
Both Cao Yi and Chen Qinghuang recognized the disturbance as a strange remnant soul, yet they couldn't decipher its true meaning.
But it didn't concern them.
The two adversaries, equally matched, were preoccupied with countering each other's onslaught. They were aware that the young beast's soul couldn't escape. Once the victor emerged, the soul and the remaining dragon-shaped skeleton would simply become rich spoils of war, ready to be refined and consumed.
Crack!
Winona, the elder of the Moonlit Wanderers, who had been slain within the ribcage of the dragon-shaped skeleton, braced her neck with both hands and forcefully realigned it, snapping the dislocated vertebrae back into place.
The red glow in Winona's eyes intensified abruptly.
Lee Yupan, who had been evading Yu Yiyi's relentless pursuit within the Lunarphite's fur, watched as the dark red gleam in one of her eyes suddenly went out.
Grec, having possessed Lee Yupan, seemed to employ some arcane magic to manifest within Winona's body.
Winona, previously lifeless, was suddenly reanimated. As she regained the ability to move, Cao Yi and Chen Qinghuang, locked in combat, registered a subtle shift in their expressions.
"Grec!"
Cao Yi and Chen Qinghuang exclaimed in unison.
"Hehe!"
Winona issued a deep, raspy male laugh, her dark red eyes casting an eerie glance at the pair.
With a whoosh, Winona transformed into a writhing mass of flesh and blood, lunging toward the core of the dragon's brain. The enigmatic energy light aimed to consume the young beast's spirited body first, in an effort to bolster its own devil soul.
The young beast, ensnared within the sphere of mysterious energy, appeared petrified and utterly bewildered.
"Damn!" Cao Yi's anger was palpable, his resentment toward Chen Qinghuang reaching a boiling point. "Letting Grec's devil soul gain strength is the last thing we need. He'll recall more of his past and access more Blood Fiend theurgy! And Tan Junshan's disruption of the resurrection ceremony will have been for naught!"
He was convinced that Chen Qinghuang's arrival had thwarted his chance to refine the young beast's soul first.
Instead, it was Grec who had seized the moment. The sly Grec had exploited an opening, using the Blood Fiend's mystique to transfer the devil soul and commandeer Winona's freshly deceased body, thereby preying on the young beast's soul.
Powered by Chen Qinghuang's force, the Deathwings propping up the eggshell flapped with ferocity.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Beams of grayish-white deathly light morphed into Divine Thunder, attempting to intercept Grec's pulsating flesh. Alas, their efforts fell short.
Streams of blood-red lightning burst forth from the dragon's bones, seeking to ensnare the mass of flesh.
Yet the frenzied flesh easily snapped the bonds.
Chen Qinghuang and Cao Yi could only watch in dismay as the undulating flesh, a manifestation of Grec's external force, shattered the dragon bone's skull, penetrated the circle of mysterious energy, and reached the young beast's soul.
At that moment, an extraordinary burst of time magic suddenly resonated.
A sphere of light erupted at the site of the young beast soul.
Grec's pulsating blood and flesh were jolted apart, unable to coalesce immediately under the influence of the time magic's vibrations.
As the spreading shockwave finally abated and the writhing mass of Grec's flesh and blood steadied itself, ready to consume once more, the soul of the young beast was nowhere to be found.
It had vanished without a trace!
