C1195 The Law Is Followed

Due to Elder Fisher's betrayal, Yu Yuan had lost all favor for the Void Spirit Succubus Clan.

Moreover, ever since Melissa, an elderly woman, had set foot in the forbidden zone, her gaze and expressions toward him were filled with doubt and scrutiny, much like Darke's, brimming with malice.

"I apologize for intruding on your valuable time."

Melissa, somewhat portly, donned a wrinkled, loose-fitting dress and forced a smile as she awkwardly spoke in the Star Race language, "His Highness mentioned that your arrival in the Epitaxial Realm was accidental. As you may know, our Void Spirit Succubus Clan is well-versed in the mysteries of space."

"We wish to assist His Highness in locating the spatial passage you used to reach the Epitaxial Realm, to determine where it connects."

Melissa's words were earnest, seemingly considerate of Denise's interests, as she aimed to uncover the hidden spatial channels of the Epitaxial Realm.

"You were conscious upon arrival, weren't you? You claim to have come from the Serene Starfield, a place I've also visited. Which domain or minor world did you suddenly emerge from into the Epitaxial Realm?"

Her curiosity and questioning mirrored Denise's own desire for knowledge. However, out of respect for Yu Yuan, Denise had refrained from asking.

Now, with Melissa openly voicing these doubts, Denise couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

Denise's curiosity about Yu Yuan was piqued; aside from knowing he hailed from Dark Elfkind and his family's allegiance to Mia, she knew little else.

She was even unaware of Yu Yuan's name, so she was eager to learn more through Melissa's inquiries.

"The Serene Starfield's massive meteorite hardly qualifies as a domain," Yu Yuan replied, containing his irritation with Melissa. "We were unexpectedly drawn into a secret spatial formation hidden within a mural. Upon awakening, we found ourselves on the Upper Continent of the Epitaxial Realm, with no peculiarities in sight."

His response echoed the past experiences of Benin, Hart, and their companions.

Yu Yuan felt a pang of sorrow recalling how Benin, Hart, and their group had met their end one by one in the Nirvana Realm.

For non-human warriors lacking strength and without the guidance of high-bloodline kin, venturing into forbidden territories and enigmatic regions carried a high risk of death.

Benin and his companions had first surfaced in the Nirvana Realm, only to later encounter the turmoil of the Plover Realm. Their luck had been truly dire.

"Meteorite, mural..."

Melissa was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a response. After a moment of contemplation, she retrieved a prismatic crystal from inside her garment.

Within the crystal, a translucent feather shimmered with a divine glow.

A pure and sacred light emanated from the crystal, gradually solidifying in the palm of her hand.

She spoke with gravity, "This is a holy relic passed down from my ancestors. Its origins and history are unknown to me. I've kept it close for many years, yet it has never behaved like this before."

She paused briefly.

Melissa gazed intently at Yu Yuan, her tone earnest, "But ever since His Highness led me into this sacred ground, ever since I laid eyes on you, it has been glowing on my chest."

Denise of the Star Race, intrigued by this unexpected development, inquired, "What is it?"

"A feather," Melissa replied, her gaze fixed on Yu Yuan as if he held all the answers, as if he could unravel the mystery for her.

"I understand it's a feather, but whose? Why has it never reacted this way before?" Denise pressed for answers.

"Your Highness, I don't have the answers," Melissa admitted with a wry smile. "If I did, I wouldn't need to persistently seek his confirmation."

"I..."

Yu Yuan, utterly perplexed, scratched his head, thinking to himself, 'If you don't know, how could I possibly know?'

Inside him, the Dragon Slash Platform, including the Demon Blade "Blood Prison," showed no signs of disturbance. The transforming Life Altar was also unaffected, confirming his belief that the semi-translucent feather, radiating divine light, had nothing to do with him.

"You might be mistaken," Yu Yuan suggested with a shake of his head.

"Impossible! It's because of you that it has changed like this! As for Her Highness Denise, I've met her more than once. I've always kept this object with me, and it has never..."

Melissa's exclamations stopped abruptly.

She suddenly realized the prismatic crystal she had been holding, along with the divine light that had solidified in her palm, had vanished without a trace.

"Ugh..."

Chen Qinghuang, who had been in a deep slumber since arriving on the Lower Continent, whether being carried by Yu Yuan or remaining within sight, let out a low moan, stirring faintly awake.

The crystal, once held by Melissa and now radiating a profound divine light, was cradled in Chen Qinghuang's hand. Within the crystal, the once translucent feather had become completely transparent, seemingly fused with the crystal itself, making it nearly impossible to distinguish one from the other. The divine light that spilled forth from the crystal was like water merging with the ocean, vanishing into Chen Qinghuang's palm as the crystal itself rapidly diminished in size.

"My precious sacred item!" Melissa cried out in distress when she realized something was amiss. She watched in horror as the crystal and feather slowly disappeared, and the ignored girl quickly came to her senses. Trembling with heartache, she commanded Darke, "Retrieve it! Bring it back to me!"

"I told you that you were mistaken," Yu Yuan said, barely containing his laughter. The feather inside the crystal, which Melissa had treasured, likely had a connection to the Secular Bird from a hundred thousand years ago. Having just sent Melissa away, Yu Yuan considered her voluntary offering of the treasure and the awakening of Chen Qinghuang. In light of this, he decided not to hold a grudge against the disagreeable old woman.

Hmm!

Chen Qinghuang finally came to her senses once more. Upon opening her eyes, the first person she saw was Yu Yuan. In a moment, she had transformed into the enigmatic empress of the Dark Elfkind, her green eyes emanating a soft and tranquil hue. "Where are we?" she inquired softly.

"The Epitaxial Realm," Yu Yuan responded with a smile.

"Oh."

She nodded, casting a glance at the still-screaming Melissa, then looked down at the crystal in her palm, her brow furrowing in thought. "Inside, there is a power of regeneration," she murmured.

Yu Yuan, who had anticipated this, felt no surprise. It seemed only natural.

"Your ancestors took something from one of my nests," Chen Qinghuang spoke in a voice like a whisper from a dream. She then turned her gaze to the incensed Melissa and Darke, who was approaching step by step. "The descendants of a thief deserve death."

Her declaration was as final as an oracle.

Thud! Thud!

Suddenly, without any warning, Melissa and Darke collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

In Yu Yuan's mind, an image surfaced: the "Rebirth Nest" that the Secular Bird had prepared for him, hidden in an obscure corner of the galaxy, had been discovered by Melissa's ancestor, a master of spatial powers. From that nest, they had extracted a crystal resembling a piece of amber.

Melissa's ancestor had secretly preserved it, endeavoring to unlock its enigmatic secrets, yet to no avail.

Generations later, the relic found its way into Melissa's possession, where she kept it close at all times.

Until today.

"She? She?"

Denise, the esteemed young lady of the Star Race, was utterly distraught after witnessing the deaths of Melissa and Darke.

The magnitude of power beyond her comprehension left her in a state of fear, breaking out in a cold sweat, trembling, her mind a whirlwind of chaos. This also led her to completely reassess her prior judgments of Yu Yuan.

"Great, she starts causing trouble the moment she wakes up."

Yu Yuan exhaled a weary sigh, his mind racing to devise a solution to defuse the situation and prevent further dire consequences.

"She must survive; she cannot die. If she perishes, the Epitaxial Realm will be thrown into chaos, and nothing will remain concealed." Yu Yuan gestured urgently toward Denise, who was just coming to her senses, still groggy, and made his plea with utmost seriousness.

"Oh."

Chen Qinghuang responded with compliant acknowledgment.

"Princess Denise, I urge you to stay calm. We have no intention of causing disorder in the Epitaxial Realm, nor do we plan to linger here long," Yu Yuan reassured with a serene expression, even managing a smile. "Therefore, please refrain from using your secret arts to broadcast what has transpired here. Otherwise, you will be the one to bring ruin upon the Epitaxial Realm."

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