C1189 A Earth Demon

The Crypt Clan member's flesh and blood dissolved with a "squeak squeak," leaving behind nothing but a skeleton. A dense, grayish-brown soul mist emerged above his skull, then, drawn by an unseen force, it silently drifted out and escaped into the deep cavern.

Yu Yuan, who was in the midst of roasting meat, paused, his eyes tracking the departing soul mist. The Moon Swallowing Apes, Lightning Ferrets, and Celestial Star Beasts he had slain possessed low-tier bloodlines and lacked extraordinary intelligence. Without such intelligence, they were merely beasts, incapable of forming a complete soul.

This was why, despite having slain numerous alien beasts and Demonic Beasts, he had never observed any distinct beast souls fading into the ether. But the Seventh Level Crypt Clan member was an exception. This being was a true sentient creature with a full soul.

Upon death, the rules of the Boundless Land dictate that the soul should dissipate, slowly seeping into the earth's depths and blending with the Yin Meridians, eventually converging at the source of the Yin Meridians in Horror Land. Yet, here...

The soul of the Crypt Clan warrior, who perished from venom corrosion, did not vanish right away. It remained condensed and was drawn into the passage leading to the Upper Continent.

"Can you see it?" Denise asked, setting aside her piece of cooked meat and wiping the grease from her lips, her expression one of astonishment.

Though still recovering, Yu Yuan's Yin God had recently consumed numerous malevolent spirits through the Ghosting Arts, refining their soul power, which allowed him to perceive the ethereal spiritual body. He gave a slight nod in response.

Denise and Docter, standing behind her, looked on with grave expressions, clearly astounded.

"Uncle Docter, head up to the warship. I'd like a word with him alone," Denise suggested abruptly.

The towering Eighth Level warrior of the Star Race gestured towards the slain alien beasts and Demonic Beasts, now bound with blood-soaked sinews, as a reminder of Yu Yuan's formidable abilities.

"It's okay. Just keep the crystal cannon trained on him from above," Denise reassured.

Docter uttered a sound of understanding, a realization dawning on him.

"You're Mi Tine, aren't you?"

Denise's gaze settled on the evasive Mi Tine. "Come here. Uncle Docter, bring Mi Tine up as well. I want to speak with him privately, without any eavesdroppers."

With Denise's command issued, Mi Tine had no choice but to comply, albeit reluctantly, and approached.

Docter seized her shoulder with a growl and launched skyward.

A beam of starlight burst from the earth, piercing into the stationary Galaxy Ancient Starship above.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan, still savoring his roasted beast meat, noticed the remnants of poison in the skeleton of the Crypt Clan warrior, now reduced to a puddle of blood.

This was consistent with the other skeletal remains near the cavern.

Among them were bones of both mortals and Crypt Clan members.

A flash of insight struck Yu Yuan like a bolt of lightning.

"Are you using the souls of Crypt Clan warriors to feed an alien soul in the cave?" Yu Yuan murmured, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "What's peculiar, though, is the presence of numerous bones that I can't identify."

He gestured towards a human skeleton he had previously examined, making a deliberate point.

"You're unfamiliar with them because they're not from any race you know. Those remains are from the Human Race of the Boundless Land, mortals who have not pursued the path of cultivation," Denise explained, her gaze fixed intently on Yu Yuan, searching for any telltale signs.

Through the Celestial Star Beast's eyes, she could observe Yu Yuan's actions.

However, she was unable to hear his words or discern his thoughts.

When Yu Yuan first entered the cave and lingered over a human skeleton, Denise had sensed an anomaly, aware that he had recognized something different.

She was eager to discover whether Yu Yuan had discerned that these were indeed Human Race bones.

"Human?" Yu Yuan exclaimed, clearly taken aback. "And untrained mortals at that? Impossible! To my knowledge, mortals of the Human Race don't venture from their homeworld, let alone reach the Outland Star River."

Denise scrutinized him closely but detected no revelations. She concluded that Yu Yuan had merely noticed the difference between human bones and those of other species.

"Let me address your earlier question," she said, regaining her composure. After tearing into the cooked meat Yu Yuan had offered and gathering her thoughts, she continued, "Yes, there is indeed an Earth Demon lurking beneath this cavern. My father told me it's a peculiar entity born from the unique conditions of the Boundless Great World."

Indeed!

Yu Yuan internally snorted with skepticism, yet maintained an impassive expression, gesturing for her to go on.

"The so-called Earth Demon has been confined," Denise explained earnestly. "Contrary to what you might think, this cavern doesn't lead to the Upper Continent. Halfway through, the passage becomes impenetrable. Moreover, the Crypt Clan didn't carve out this cave; it has existed for ages."

"The Earth Demon is at the very bottom of the cave?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"Yes."

Denise looked up at the clusters of lightning vortexes, hesitated briefly, and then said, "These vortexes weren't created by us; they were already here. We simply fortified the area with an additional barrier to keep other races out and to prevent the alien beasts and Demonic Beasts from escaping."

"Tell me about the Earth Demon," Yu Yuan pressed, focusing on what mattered.

"This vast and cunning Earth Demon is extremely treacherous. We're not sure how many years he's been detained. In any case, he's not getting out." Denise let out a sigh. "There was a time when he was so weak he nearly perished. My father... he sacrificed some of the Crypt Clan members, feeding their souls to him."

"Trying to extract some information from him?" Yu Yuan caught on quickly.

"Speaking with someone as perceptive as you is a relief," Denise admitted candidly. "Ever since we became aware of his existence, my father has been at odds with him, attempting communication several times. Yet he alternates between feigning insanity and bouts of mental disarray."

"Even during his lucid moments, he's deliberately obstructive and refuses to divulge anything."

"My father didn't want to share the secret of his existence with the world, nor did he wish to resort to other means to eradicate him completely. And so, the situation remains as it is."

"Whenever he's weakened, we dangle a few souls before him, keeping him alive, if only just barely."

Denise expressed her frustration when discussing the vexing Earth Demon. "Since taking charge of the Lower Continent, I've tried to reach out to him, but it's always the same. There was only one instance when he mentioned something peculiar during his madness—a deadly poison that could twist his soul and supposedly cure his ailment."

She chuckled self-deprecatingly, adding, "I suspect that too was a deception."

Pointing to the bloodstain on the floor, her expression turned icy. "This man was seduced by the Earth Demon and turned into his minion. Those of the Crypt Clan who live underground, though they cannot reach him, occasionally sense his thoughts and worship him as a deity, pledging their undying loyalty."

"Two-thirds of the Crypt Clan underground have been silently enslaved by him."

"Yet the Crypt Clan members are too weak. No matter what we do, it's futile. Schwartz and I could easily wipe them out if we wanted the Crypt Clan to be extinct."

After she finished, the second piece of meat she had received from Yu Yuan was gone, devoured completely.

She didn't ask for more, instead taking out a handkerchief to wipe her hands.

"You still haven't answered my other question. Why are there human skeletons?" Yu Yuan asked gravely.

"Even the weakest humans, with their emotions and desires, can nourish the Earth Demon upon death," Denise replied.

Yu Yuan nodded. "I'm aware of that."

"Don't you wonder why the Epitaxial Realm has plants like nerves calming grass and the Flaming Heart Flower, or alien beasts such as the Lightning Ferret and the Moon Swallowing Ape?" Denise's own expression grew peculiar as she mentioned these.

"I'm not curious," Yu Yuan stated frankly. "The nerves calming grass and the Flaming Heart Flower can be transplanted. As for the Lightning Ferret and the Moon Swallowing Ape, being Demonic Beasts, they have robust constitutions that allow them to adapt to the Epitaxial Realm's natural environment. But mortals can't just leave the Boundless Land easily, and they hold no value. I don't believe they were brought here just to feed the Earth Demon."

"If it were just for sustenance, the Silver Scale Clan, the Banshees, and the Fire Lizard Tribe members from the Epitaxial Realm would suffice. There's no need to go to the trouble of abducting mortals from the Boundless Land."

This was his greatest doubt, and it filled him with indignation. He was determined to uncover the truth.

"You promised to help me concoct the poison. Stay in the Epitaxial Realm for a while, and I'll share the secret with you," Denise said after a long pause, glancing at the Galaxy Ancient Starship hovering nearby.

Yu Yuan felt a sudden throb of anxiety, as if targeted by a crystal cannon. He hummed internally and replied, "Agreed."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

After the exchange, Denise fell silent once more, seemingly searching for the right words. Finally, she spoke again, "The nerves calming grass, the Flaming Heart Flower, the Lightning Ferret, and the Moon Swallowing Ape are native to the Epitaxial Realm. It's the Celestial Star Beast and the common herbs you recognize, along with the various clanspeople, that are the true outsiders."

"The entire Epitaxial Realm materialized out of nowhere in our Starfield overnight."

...