C1184 Lower Continent!
Three elderly leaders of the Otherkin stood atop the barren peak, gazing at the Voidfarer as it ascended slowly from the distant cliff. They were the chieftains of the Silverscale, Stoneborn, and Fire Lizard tribes on Zekrica, each possessing bloodlines of the sixth level.
Despite their advanced bloodlines, the ruler of the Upper Continent had never truly intended to take them away from Zekrica. They were too old, with little hope of advancing their bloodlines to a higher level in the years to come.
Hundreds of silent warriors from various tribes stood behind them, their eyes fixed on the sky.
"With Princess Denise's arrival, all we can do is watch them depart from our world," lamented the Fire Lizard elder, clenching his fist in frustration before releasing it. "The fallen squads included my own children! I must inform Prince Schwarz, hoping he will return to Zekrica to seek justice for us."
The towering Stoneborn chieftain beside him offered his sympathy, yet he spoke the hard truth, "Our prince mentioned he would not return to Zekrica for some time. I've heard he's gone to another Astral Domain to hone his skills, and we cannot reach him."
The most battle-hungry of the trio, the Stoneborn leader, grunted, "We need to be patient. Once Princess Denise's Voidfarer departs, we can resume our battles!" These words invigorated the Fire Lizard elder.
They all understood that Denise and Schwarz, the siblings, would not linger long in Zekrica. They had always stayed briefly before hastening away. Knowing the siblings' dynamics, they dared not take any rash action without Schwarz's presence and declaration.
But once Denise drifted away, Zekrica would revert to its usual state, freeing them from their concerns.
"Father!" A Silverscale warrior, mounted on an alien beast, approached the three Upper Continent leaders with a grave expression. "Within a hundred miles, all insects have perished, and the land has fractured."
"Was it the bombardment from Denise's Voidfarer?" exclaimed the Stoneborn elder.
"No, there's no sign of bombardment on the surface," said the Silverscale Tribe warrior in his prime, shaking his head with a furrowed brow. "It's as if some force permeated the ground of this desolate wilderness and caused an explosion from beneath."
The Stoneborn elder paused, pondering for a moment before speaking, "I suspect that among those who accompanied Princess Denise, there is a true powerhouse!"
"Ah!" The aged leaders of both the Stoneborn and Fire Lizard Tribes were startled, prompting them to proceed with even greater caution.
...
Yu Yuan, with Chen Qinghuang on his back, peered through the transparent crystal glass of the Voidfarer's window at the Upper Continent, which was slowly receding in the distance. He could make out a few villages and tribal gatherings, as well as a castle that bore the unmistakable architecture of the Otherkin, comprised of several tall stone halls.
From this vantage point, it was clear that the Upper Continent of Zekrica was quite limited in size. Yu Yuan estimated that in terms of land area, this Upper Continent was comparable to an empire in Aetherius. As for population, it might only match that of a small city within such an empire.
Throughout the entire Upper Continent of Zekrica, there was no city to speak of. The sparse villages and tribes were widely dispersed, with the smaller villages likely housing no more than a hundred people each. When compared to the vastness of the Everlands, known as the Central World, Zekrica seemed insignificant and minuscule.
As the Voidfarer pierced through the yellow wall and emerged into the space beyond the Star River, Yu Yuan captured the entirety of Zekrica in a single glance, shrinking it down in his view. A look of astonishment crossed his face.
Contrary to his expectations, Zekrica was not a tract of land suspended horizontally across the Star River. The land was indeed land, but Zekrica was actually positioned vertically, like a human palm standing upright in the Star River, with the back facing the side with the yellow sun and the palm facing the moonlit side.
Zekrica stood vertically, eternally motionless, which meant that the Otherkin from both worlds always saw the same sky. As he had surmised earlier, the Upper Continent inhabited by the Stoneborn, Silverscale, and Fire Lizard Tribes was graced with a sky that featured not only the yellow sun but also a scattering of twinkling stars.
On the other side, the Shadowkin, Enchantress, Moonlit Wanderers, and Voidweavers inhabited the Lower Continent. Here, the moon's light was dimmer, allowing the stars to sprinkle their glow across the land, so the inhabitants could gaze upon both the eternal moon and the visible stars.
"Zekrica is indeed quite small. Coming from elsewhere, it's no surprise you find it unimpressive," Denise's voice emerged from behind Yu Yuan. The ruler of Zekrica's Lower Continent had come to regard him highly upon learning that Yu Yuan hailed from another realm and was a Shadowkin herbalist.
As for Yu Yuan's actions on the Upper Continent, in her own brother's domain, and the number of people he might have harmed, Denise was utterly indifferent. They were mere servants; their deaths were inconsequential.
"Could you tell me exactly where you're from?" Denise inquired, stepping closer and gesturing for the seven warriors loyal to her father to keep their distance.
"Zagreus," Yu Yuan replied coolly.
With Chen Qinghuang on his back, he turned around and was met with the sight of Mi Ting, who was shivering in a corner.
Mi Ting of the Shadowkin had been watching him from a distance. When he suddenly turned to look back, she quickly bowed her head, her shoulders quivering.
Yu Yuan's face remained impassive. He understood that this Shadowkin woman must be aware of Chen Qinghuang's fearsome nature, which explained her constant state of fear.
Yet, why hadn't she made things clear to Denise? Mi Ting had been a witness to the bizarre occurrences and the tumultuous events that had unfolded in the wilderness, but she hadn't uttered a word about it, leaving Yu Yuan somewhat taken aback.
Could it be because they shared Shadowkin lineage?
As Yu Yuan pondered in silence, Denise's bright eyes sparkled with excitement. "Zagreus! I'm familiar with it; it's a hotspot for Star-Spawned Terror activity and home to various Otherkin. Oh, that's right, my father mentioned that in the current Zagreus, humans and archdemons from the Everlands have collaborated to construct a Starway!"
Yu Yuan gave a slight nod, "Indeed, it's a joint venture between the Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium."
The Zagreus Astral Domain and the Annihilation Nebula are in close proximity to each other. Have you heard about the events in the Annihilation Nebula? The Demon God Grec was reportedly slain there! Even the Blood King Sabonis suffered grave injuries. He had to detonate a Frost Well in the Annihilation Nebula before fleeing back to the Dark Realm."
Denise spoke while intently gazing into Yu Yuan's eyes, attempting to discern something from his reaction.
Yu Yuan remained stoic, shaking his head as he replied, "I'm only familiar with the happenings in Zagreus. The Annihilation Nebula, however, is a bit of a mystery to me. My sister and I were exploring an ancient site in Zagreus when we suddenly lost consciousness. When we came to, we found ourselves in Zekrica."
Unable to come up with a plausible explanation, he resorted to fabricating a story.
Whether Denise believed him was of little concern to him. If push came to shove, he could always call forth the Baneblade and cleanse the Voidfarer in a deluge of blood.
With a soft whoosh, the Voidfarer, owned by Denise, pierced through a silver-gray wall and transitioned into another realm—
The Lower Continent, inhabited by the Shadowkin, Voidweavers, and enchantresses.
Yu Yuan's curiosity was piqued. Zekrica was enveloped by two distinct walls—one shrouding the Upper Continent and another veiling the Lower Continent, each utterly different from the other.
One radiated with the golden glow of the sun's psionic power.
The other shimmered with the cool brilliance of moonlight.
Peering once more at the Lower Continent through the crystalline glass, Yu Yuan observed a land teeming with life, a stark contrast to the Upper Continent. Dense forests and lush vegetation were everywhere, with scarcely any desolate, barren ground or naked peaks in sight.
The Lower Continent's villages and tribes boasted unique architecture and a population that surpassed that of the Upper Continent.
What's more, he noticed that the Lower Continent was home to even rarer and more abundant varieties of exotic flora!
A decision formed in his heart; he resolved to spend some time on the Lower Continent, as it would aid in his and Chen Qinghuang's recovery.
Suddenly, he became aware that the Starborn woman behind him had fallen silent for quite some time after his rambling.
He turned to look at her once more.
Denise, whose features could certainly be described as lovely, met his gaze again as if emerging from a long period of deep thought. With a forced smile, she said, "I've always known there was more to Zekrica than meets the eye. I suspected there were hidden passages that connected to the outside world, but the exact locations have always eluded me."
After a brief pause, Denise spoke, "If you can demonstrate your capabilities and earn my trust, I'll share with you a monumental secret about Zekrica that only I and my good-for-nothing brother are privy to!"
