C1173 Weakness
In a foreign realm, Yu Yuan awoke on the shore, his head throbbing with pain. He massaged his aching forehead and instinctively looked up at the sky, where a massive yellow sun dominated, casting the realm's barriers and the heavens above in the same hue. The dark yellow sea churned with relentless waves, while the air held a scant amount of spiritual energy, mixed with a force more suited to the consumption and refinement by otherworldly beings. It was clear that this was no place for ordinary humans.
Confused, Yu Yuan glanced down to discover the Dragon Slash Platform and Chen Qinghuang, still in a state of unconsciousness, lying peacefully among the weeds. Sitting up abruptly, he tried to piece together his fragmented memories.
He recalled that Demon Gods Adler and Mitts, under orders from the leader of the Outland Devaputra Race, demanded he surrender Chen Qinghuang. Tan Junshan, upon learning that the Outland Devaputra's High Priest was lurking in the shadows, had made a preemptive move against him. Tan Junshan's intention was to apprehend him and willingly hand over Chen Qinghuang to defuse the predicament. Yu Yuan knew Tan Junshan had meant well.
Yet, it was Yu Yuan who resisted, attempting to awaken his former self. As the will that split his mind began to pervade his body, his memory faltered. He had assumed that upon awakening, his former self—the Medicine God Hong Qi, and his current life as Yu Yuan—would be obliterated, leaving only his primordial identity to emerge anew. He believed that as Yu Yuan, his existence would become a thing of the past, never to return.
But things did not turn out as expected. He remained Yu Yuan, with his memories, consciousness, and sense of self intact. The self he believed had fully awakened had not manifested, leaving no trace to be found.
"Did I just escape the encirclement like that?" he wondered, stroking his chin, lost in contemplation. After some time, he regained his composure, determined to understand his predicament in this bizarre world.
With just a flicker of thought, his expression shifted dramatically. In his Consciousness Little World, the soul power refined by his Yin God had vanished without a trace. The Qi and blood within his Xuan Men acupoints, along with the energy of flesh and blood in his bones and organs, including the energy in the additionally opened acupoints, were all gone. The spiritual energy in the Yellow Court Little World was utterly depleted. He was completely taken aback.
Soul power, Qi and blood, and spiritual energy are the cornerstones of a cultivator's existence, the wellspring of their strength! The force he had so arduously refined had been wiped out in a flash, leaving him at his most vulnerable. Should he face a formidable foe now, he would be unable to engage in immediate combat.
He swiftly retrieved pellets from his Universe Ring, which were designed to bolster the physique and replenish soul power, and consumed them in haste. As his mind raced, piecing together the events, he surmised what must have occurred. His first-life self, having briefly gained control of this body, must have utilized the existing "resources" to engage in battle and wield divine powers.
To his former self, the power he had accumulated through years of diligent practice must have seemed meager. A mere use of secret arts by his first-life self, and the paltry reserves he had built up were squandered in an instant, his soul power, Qi, blood, and spiritual energy all but drained away. This was the predicament he now faced.
"Ugh!" he exclaimed involuntarily as the medicinal effects of the pellet began to disperse, transforming into Qi, blood, and strands of soul power that infused his veins and blood vessels. To his horror, he realized that the newly generated soul power and Qi from the pellets were being ruthlessly stripped away by the evolving Life Altar within him.
The connection of the three souls meant that his Heavenly Soul, upon contemplation, instantly understood the situation. The refinement of the Life Altar by the Heavenly Soul, in its transition towards the Yang God physique, required an infusion of additional power.
This metamorphosis was inching towards a crucial juncture. The crystalline, crimson Life Altar would persistently siphon Qi and soul power from within him. This was a rite of passage many Soul Wandering Stage practitioners endured while refining their Yang God.
Moreover, the duration of this transformation varied from person to person. Some practitioners might spend months shaping their Yang God, while for others, the process could span several years.
During this period, most cultivators were in deep seclusion, relying on spiritual materials and pellets they had prepared in advance to sustain themselves. They would only emerge after successfully transforming and forming their Yang God.
But for Yu Yuan, the thought brought a bitter taste to his mouth. His Yang God transformation had been triggered by the integration of a blood-colored crystal from the Great Demon God Grec. It happened without warning, leaving him utterly unprepared and rushed.
Compounding his troubles were the subsequent battles and trials that pushed him to the brink of death, forcing him to consider abandoning himself and awakening the self of his first incarnation. That former self had been a Divine King, capable of casting powerful spells with ease.
As a result, the power he had painstakingly built up in this life was completely depleted. Yet, the formation of his Yang God continued unabated within him.
The ascension and growth of the Yang God demanded a constant supply of soul power and vital energy. Even at his peak, Yu Yuan would have approached this process with caution, aware of the significant drain on his resources. Now, the situation was even more dire.
"I'm afraid it will be a very long time before my strength can keep up with the demands," he reflected somberly.
Approaching the Dragon Slash Platform and the grassland where Chen Qinghuang was, he gazed at the elongated structure. His Yin God and soul consciousness were too feeble to peer into the platform's interior.
Drained of soul power and with his Yin God confined to his sea of consciousness, Yu Yuan was at a loss. The nascent soul power that formed was immediately siphoned by the Life Altar, leaving him with no recourse.
Crouching down, he tenderly grasped the Dragon Slash Platform, guiding it with the faintest trace of his vital energy.
With a swift whoosh, the platform took flight, shrinking before settling into the acupoint he had previously opened. "Hmm?" he murmured in surprise. He could distinctly sense that, alongside the Dragon Slash Platform, the Demon Blade Blood Prison also lay within that same acupoint, its silence striking him as peculiar.
Given his weakened state, shouldn't the Demon Blade have seized the chance to turn on him? Blood Prison was no benign entity; given the opportunity, it would mercilessly possess its wielder, transforming the owner into an extension of the blade itself.
The previous owners of the Demon Blade all met their end in the same manner, transforming into a swirling mass of blood and soul within the blade itself.
Why, then, did the Demon Blade behave so tamely with me?
This was beyond his comprehension.
The Demon Blade was present, as was the Dragon Slash Platform, and even the sheath of the Optimus Sword.
Yet, the Evil Cauldron was missing.
"How odd..."
Yu Yiyi, the cauldron soul, was initially a servant tasked with guarding the Dragon Slash Platform, and thus should have been loyal to the first incarnation of myself. But why didn't she accompany me with the Evil Cauldron to this unfamiliar world?
Had the Evil Cauldron been here, I wouldn't have found myself in such a reactive state upon awakening, nor would I have felt this disquiet.
Even with my powers momentarily depleted, with Yu Yiyi by my side, I could have calmly and patiently devised a plan to swiftly regain my strength.
"Regarding what you said..."
His gaze shifted back to Chen Qinghuang, his brow furrowing subtly.
To his astonishment, he noticed that Chen Qinghuang's exquisite features were undergoing subtle changes.
It appeared that the Luan Bird Queen was being altered by the forces of space and time, her body saturated with their extraordinary talents, resulting in a decline of her realm and power. Her age seemed to reverse, and her appearance adjusted accordingly.
She was transforming from the poised and elegant beauty in her mid-twenties to her younger, girlish self.
