C1175 The Strange World

Yu Yuan wielded the sheath of the Titanblade, impaling the skulls of three black elk-shaped alien beasts, ending their lives.

Within the Everlands, beings other than humans are referred to as demons and demon beasts. To the intelligent Otherkin, these creatures are known as alien beasts, signifying they hail from the Otherworld.

The three alien beasts were of a very low stature, comparable at best to fourth-level Fellbeasts of the Everlands, and thus could not be classified as evilkind. Only those who have awakened to their spiritual wisdom can be recognized as evilkind. Those with a low bloodline level, born into humble origins, are merely seen as Fellbeasts.

In the vast world of the Everlands, majestic species such as dragons, Kylin, and firebirds, though beasts, possess intelligence and spiritual wisdom from birth. These entities have always been beyond the category of Fellbeasts; they are regarded as the sovereigns of evilkind.

Yet, many others, like the Black Serpent, Astral Tiger, and Golden Elephant, initially evolved from Fellbeasts, gradually developing spiritual wisdom before ascending to the ranks of evilkind.

The beasts of the Everlands abide by an arcane rule. When a race gives birth to a tenth-level Dark Deity, the entire life form of that race undergoes a transformative shift. This metamorphosis elevates the group of Fellbeasts that birthed a tenth-level Dark Deity instantly to the status of evilkind.

Thereafter, any offspring born to this race possess inherent high intelligence, without the need for gradual progression.

Take the Astral Tiger Clan, for instance. Before the Moonfang Tiger ascended to Dark Deity status, newborns were merely considered Fellbeasts. Only when their bloodline reached the fifth or sixth level would they experience a sudden surge in intelligence and be regarded as evilkind.

However, from the moment the Moonfang Tiger achieved deity status, the clan's rules were irrevocably altered. The Moonfang Tiger's ascension meant that subsequent cubs were born with innate high intelligence and exceptional spirituality.

As a result, the entire Astral Tiger Clan leaped from the ranks of Fellbeasts to those of evilkind.

Even if the Moonfang Tiger were to fall from grace, the Astral Tiger Clan would remain part of the evilkind, still boasting such a distinct advantage—newborn tigers are inherently imbued with spiritual wisdom. It is this peculiar rule that drives the vast populations of Fellbeasts in the Everlands to risk everything in their quest for evolution. They all dream of one day entering Shadow's Keep to secure a coveted seat among the Dark Deities, elevating their clan to unprecedented heights. Should a clan member show promise of challenging for a Dark Deity seat in the future, the entire clan would unite, pouring all their resources into aiding their ascension to godhood.

"I wonder how Yu Zhu and Yu Yiyi are faring," pondered Yu Yuan as he skinned the black, deer-like alien beast and suspended it on a wooden rack, roasting it over a Fire Crystal, deep in thought. Beside him, the furnace known as Serpentflame lay open, filled with the fresh blood of the alien beast. Every so often, he would scoop up a large spoonful of blood and gulp it down with a grimace.

The vital energy contained within this black deer's blood was minimal, barely a drop in the bucket for the transforming Altar of Rebirth. Yet, this was the extent of what he could manage under the circumstances. Limited to fighting with spiritual energy alone, he couldn't even muster a single crimson sword light from the Nine Celestial Slashes. Without the ability to blend his vitality and Soul Power to resonate with the sword spell, his grip on the sword sheath yielded only mediocre power.

Had the alien beasts not been so feeble, he might have faced a greater challenge. He refrained from using the Baneblade for fear of it backfiring, and because the blood and flesh of creatures slain by the blade would be consumed by it. The Baneblade could instantly dispatch three alien beasts of such low stature, leaving behind nothing but the faintest, weakest glimmers of blood-colored light. Their deaths by the blade would contribute no vital energy to his recovery due to their weakness, making his journey back to full strength all the more arduous.

Before long, the meat roasted by the flames began to exude a rich, savory aroma.

He began to feast with abandon.

As he savored his meal, a bitter smile crept onto his face. If only the Altar of Rebirth weren't undergoing its transformation, he could have simply tossed in the three feeble alien beasts. In an instant, they would have been converted into pure vital energy, seamlessly absorbed and refined by the altar.

Without the vital energy, which the altar would have mercilessly stripped away, he could have resorted to the Bloodforging technique.

The Bloodforging technique would have allowed him to avoid gulping down the blood of the alien beasts, instead directly extracting the vital energy contained within, boosting his efficiency manifold.

Drinking the blood and consuming the flesh of beasts was the most archaic and inefficient method of replenishing vital energy.

It was too slow, and some of the vital energy would inevitably be lost, preventing complete collection.

Yet, this was the only method currently at his disposal.

"Eh?"

As Yu Yuan digested the beast blood and flesh, he continued to eat and drink heartily. Glancing inadvertently at the Songbird Queen lying on the grass beside him, he was astonished to see her once jet-black hair had turned a peculiar shade of deep green.

She appeared noticeably younger, her beauty even more striking and pure.

Yu Yuan, tearing into a hefty chunk of beast meat, approached her and peered closely with narrowed eyes.

The unconscious Songbird Queen had all her spiritual energy withdrawn, her once-mighty vitality gone, making her seem like an ordinary yet extraordinarily beautiful young woman.

"With a bit of adornment, she could pass for human, concealing any telltale traits of her race."

Yu Yuan pondered the situation, realizing that if the Otherkin were likely the predominant inhabitants of this world, avoiding revealing their human identities could significantly enhance their safety.

By disguising both himself and Chen Qinghuang as Otherkin, they could move about the area with less risk. Even if discovered, not being recognized as humans could spare them considerable trouble.

Humans were the sworn enemies of the Otherkin; discovery meant certain confrontation.

In these precarious times, it was possible that the Otherkin's formidable figures were actively seeking them out.

Should their cover be blown, with Chen Qinghuang incapacitated and his own combat prowess severely limited during the critical phase of Solar Spirit construction, and without the Crucible of Evil at hand, the likelihood of being overwhelmed and slain was all too great.

He acted on his thoughts immediately. Using materials at hand, he gathered some nearby leaves, crushed them into a juice, and applied it to Chen Qinghuang's cheeks and neck, matching her skin tone to her green hair. He then meticulously trimmed the eyebrows of the First Female Emperor of All Ages from the Everlands and carved a ring-shaped symbol on her prominent forehead—a mark of the Shadowkin, which he had learned about through his acquaintances, Mia and Wen Lu.

Additionally, his heaven soul had unraveled the secrets of various races at the Altar of Rebirth. Before long, the Chen Qinghuang he once knew had vanished, replaced by the unfamiliar image of a Shadowkin girl he had crafted with his own hands.

"Given the energy levels of this world, it's unlikely that any powerful Otherkin are present. The lower-ranked ones won't be able to see through her true condition," he surmised.

After altering Chen Qinghuang's appearance, Yu Yuan surveyed his surroundings, contemplating his next move. He, too, needed to transform into a Shadowkin that would be a fitting counterpart to Chen Qinghuang.

With that thought, wisps of vital energy began to seep from the transforming Altar of Rebirth, weaving through his earlobes, sliding over his hair, and flickering through his veins and organs. In mere seconds, his hair had turned a deep shade of green, his ears had elongated, his cheekbones appeared chiseled, and his organs had repositioned—he had become a male Shadowkin.

Summoning a silver mirror, Yu Yuan stared at his unfamiliar reflection for a long time. It took him a moment to realize that his heaven soul, now merged with the Altar of Rebirth, had mastered many of the Otherkin's intricate techniques.

His soul, now interlinked with the heaven soul, also understood that once the heaven soul and the Altar of Rebirth fully integrated, transforming the Altar into his Solar Spirit Body, he would be able to morph his Solar Spirit Body into any common Otherkin at will. He could even wield the Otherkin's blood magic so skillfully that even the ninth level Mighty of his own race would be none the wiser.

But for now, he was merely a facade, lacking the true essence of the Otherkin.

In the Otherworld, where the Eternal Day reigned and the yellow sun never dipped below the horizon, Yu Yuan carried Chen Qinghuang on his back. Together, they moved through the forest like two disoriented Shadowkin youths, navigating a land teeming with alien beasts and shrouded by trees of mystery.

He led a life akin to that of a wild man, hunting alien beasts and feasting on their flesh.

His appearance was of no concern to him; his unkempt beard remained unshaven.

Time slipped by unnoticed in this manner.

One day, beneath a towering tree, he stumbled upon a hole so deep it appeared bottomless. Dropping a large stone into it, he heard no echo in return.

Driven by curiosity, he settled next to the hole. As he began to refine a Soul Crystal, he pondered whether members of the Crypt Clan might be dwelling below.

The Crypt Clan typically carved out caverns and constructed underground cities, preferring the subterranean to the surface world.

An hour later, he was astonished to see a procession of men and women from the Moonlit Wanderers emerge from the hole.

The group, comprising both young and old, looked as though they had traversed great distances, weariness etched into their faces as they appeared before him.

An elderly Shadowkin elder, clutching a crutch and a large stone, glared at him and barked, "You Shadowkin scoundrel, have you no sense of decency? Throwing objects into the tunnel that connects two continents is strictly forbidden. Are you ignorant of such basic rules?"

The elder spoke in the Starborn tongue, which Yu Yuan, having mastered the subtleties of the Altar of Rebirth, could now understand and speak.

"Two continents?" Yu Yuan murmured to himself.

"Surely you haven't been living in the woods all year, oblivious to everything?" a young Moonlit Wanderers boy jeered. "Even though it's my grandfather's and my first visit to this continent, I'm aware that your world is forever bathed in the light of a yellow sun—a stark contrast to ours."

He gazed up at the sun, seemingly struggling to adjust, and mused, "The land where we reside is far superior, with the eternal moon casting its serene glow upon us."

Yu Yuan stood frozen, absorbing the boy's words.

In a flash of insight, he realized that the Domain he inhabited was indeed stationary.

Beneath his feet lay a continent aligned with the Star River, under the perpetual presence of a yellow sun.

Beneath his feet, at the end of the burrow, lay another land, gazing out upon a different Star River.

This Star River was graced with a luminous moon that shone eternally.

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