C1205 Do You Understand?

Time flows like a river, and days and nights spin swiftly by. Before you know it, they're gone.

In the subsequent days, Yu Yuan utilized the spiritual herbs provided by Denise to concoct and ingest the soul liquid. Concurrently, he harnessed the remaining alien beast meat to rejuvenate his depleted vital energies.

Deep within his meridians and organs, the once parched energies began to swell and replenish.

With the sources of his soul power and vital blood secured, the Life Altar, in the midst of its metamorphosis, ceased its voracious depletion of Yu Yuan's combat strength, which was now growing stronger by the moment.

He was confident that his full recovery was imminent.

During this time, Chen Qinghuang would unapologetically request the soul liquid each time he produced it, and Yu Yuan would accommodate her as much as possible.

The behavior of this unparalleled empress from antiquity had become quite peculiar. After consuming the soul liquid, she would close her eyes and drift into a deep slumber—a true sleep, not a faint.

Upon awakening, Chen Qinghuang's verdant eyes would shimmer with a divine glow that would vanish as quickly as it appeared.

Then, she would silently observe Yu Yuan for extended periods without uttering a single word.

It seemed as though she was reassessing him, scrutinizing him anew.

After several instances, Yu Yuan grew accustomed to her gaze, sensing that the Luan Bird Queen was at a pivotal stage of recovery. At any moment, he anticipated she might fully awaken and transform into a Secular Bird, commanding the cosmos.

One day, Denise arrived in a flurry of distress, accompanied by Elena. She dumped a heap of spirit plants before them and blurted out, "There's trouble. The Celestial Star Beast in my castle has relayed a message from my father. He..."

"What happened?" Yu Yuan inquired with intrigue.

"My father has revealed the marvels of the Epitaxial Realm to Senior Leo and Beru," Denise said, her expression fraught with concern. "He was trying to curry favor with Leo, and considering our friendly relations with the Divine Soul Sect and the Babel Chamber of Commerce, he disclosed everything. Senior Leo and Senior Beru are now deeply intrigued by the Epitaxial Realm and are already en route."

Yu Yuan subconsciously massaged his brow as he glanced at Chen Qinghuang, who had been deeply asleep for quite some time. In a stroke of fate, the Luan Bird Queen's eyes fluttered open at that moment. The distinctive gaze of the Dark Elfkind seemed to hold an unfathomable depth, brimming with mystery.

A slight curl played at the corners of the queen's exquisite lips, her eyes dancing with a mocking amusement, as if she were anticipating something.

Elena, who had accompanied Denise, looked between Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang, her face etched with concern. She understood Yu Yuan's worries.

Denise failed to see through the ruse of Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang due to her insufficient bloodline level. However, should Leo and Beru arrive, they would likely detect the irregularities with Chen Qinghuang and the unusual Qi and blood within Yu Yuan even before reaching the Epitaxial Realm.

What then would Yu Yuan do?

Beru, as the Nine Stars Sage of the Star Race, and Leo, the future Patriarch, held significant influence. Their word would prompt the current Patriarch and all Ninth Level bloodline warriors of the Star Race to converge on this realm immediately.

Furthermore, Peak experts from other races would be drawn by the allure of the Secular Bird.

Could Chen Qinghuang truly evade capture once exposed? And in such a scenario, what part would Yu Yuan play?

"Denise, I'll be preparing some medicinal liquids for you to take soon," Yu Yuan said after some contemplation. He eyed the spirit plants and medicinal herbs before him, considering the cooperation of this Star Race noblewoman. "I will do my utmost to keep the promise I've made to you. Oh, and how long before they arrive in the Epitaxial Realm?"

"By the hourglass, it's about half a month," Denise answered truthfully, careful not to omit any detail. "They are unaware of the situation in the Epitaxial Realm, so there's no rush. They might even pause in other Realms along the way. If so, it could take a bit longer."

"Half a month? That's more than enough time," Yu Yuan mused, nodding in understanding. With a wave of his hand, he dismissed Denise.

Denise, accustomed to his ways, did not defy his wishes and turned around with compliance.

Elena, on the other hand, remained motionless.

"You?"

Yu Yuan regarded her with surprise.

"May I accompany you?" Elena bit her lower lip, her hands balled into fists before she slowly released them. "As you know, I'm alone now. My father has passed away, and our home has been taken over by other raiders. Those who were loyal to my father, I've already sent to the Epitaxial Realm. I've done right by them."

She lifted her gaze, meeting Yu Yuan's eyes with determination.

"I've lost everything, even the will to live is slipping away. I don't know what to do next, and I can't even seek vengeance for my father. So, could you take me with you?"

Fernand's death granted her the privilege to rejoin the Asura Clan, earning her a place to hone her skills in the Dark Domain.

One could say Fernand died because of her, and because of Asura King Sabonis.

The Asura King is the faith of all Asura Clan warriors, including her exiled father. Despite being reduced to a bandit, she maintained her reverence and adoration for Sabonis.

The Asura King was their invincible deity, the pillar of their spirit.

She could never find the courage or reason to turn her weapon against the Asura King.

The ingrained belief in their lineage made all members of the Asura Clan instinctively trust that everything the Asura King did was for the good of the clan.

Having lost her purpose and unable to seek revenge, Elena yearned to remain by Yu Yuan's side after their encounter in the Epitaxial Realm.

Privately, Elena felt incredibly lucky; fortunate to have reunited with Yu Yuan in the Epitaxial Realm, and grateful that he was willing to lay low there for the sake of Chen Qinghuang.

This meant they could be together.

However, the arrival of Gheirat, Leo, and Beru disrupted her hopeful dreams, threatening to mercilessly tear apart the serene calm before her.

"Go outside for now and have a talk with Pattinson. Take some time to think things over."

Yu Yuan, initially intent on refusing her request, found himself unable to do so upon looking into her eyes. He decided to buy some time, hoping that the impulsive young woman might reconsider on her own.

Was she out of her mind to follow him and the Secular Bird?

Yu Yuan muttered to himself in disbelief.

"Alright."

Elena, surprisingly not immediately rejected, looked visibly relieved. She nodded eagerly, as if worried Yu Yuan might change his mind any second, and then bounced away cheerfully.

Yu Yuan, however, took a moment to sit down slowly.

Behind him lay the Celestial Star Beast, transformed into seven toxic rivers by the alien magic and now departed. He watched Elena's retreating figure, motionless as if turned to stone.

After a while, he let out a deep sigh, his feelings a mix of emotions.

Unbeknownst to him, Chen Qinghuang, who had awakened, hadn't closed her eyes again. Instead, she quietly observed him with a soft gaze.

The Luan Bird Queen seemed to possess an enigmatic allure that made her presence easily overlooked if she wished it.

Even Yu Yuan was not immune to this.

Eventually, she extended her hands in a gesture that asked for the soul liquid.

This exchange had happened dozens of times before. Without a second thought, Yu Yuan instinctively passed her several newly concocted bottles of the potion.

"I feel like I might be a burden," she said suddenly, her face serene.

Yu Yuan jumped, then looked over and saw the empress's green eyes still clouded with confusion and uncertainty. He relaxed and smiled, "Not at all."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"Oh, good."

Chen Qinghuang took the soul liquid and methodically drank it all, tossing the empty bottles at Yu Yuan's feet before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.

She seemed to trust Yu Yuan implicitly, as if his presence alone assured her continuous protection.

Half a day later, seven vibrant and now much larger poisonous streams merged back into the Celestial Star Beast.

The beast shook its head, its eyes igniting with a rainbow of flames, as if it had been truly revived. In a deep and resonant voice, it declared, "I now possess the strength to soar through the Outer Star River on my own. Those two Yang Gods, masters of lightning and thunder, will not find it easy to slay me."

The newfound power had clearly bolstered the beast's confidence, altering its aura significantly.

Yet, it consistently avoided Chen Qinghuang, as if fearful of even a fleeting glance.

"Am I free to go now? I've told you everything you wanted to know, as per our agreement." He stood behind Yu Yuan, his pupils flickering with a deep-seated intent to kill, yet he remained exceedingly cautious, not daring to make a move.

Whoosh!

The Demon Blade, Blood Prison, emerged from Yu Yuan's acupoints. Grasping the hilt with a light touch, Yu Yuan turned around with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes, addressing the Yimo who had manifested a demon body, "I didn't give you permission to leave, so you'll stay put. Got it?"

"Blood Prison!" The Yimo gasped in astonishment.

He then caught the pungent scent of blood emanating from both the Demon Blade and Yu Yuan.

To his horror, he realized that while he had been busy in the Epitaxial Realm gathering various spirit plants and preying on numerous venomous creatures, Yu Yuan had transformed, unbeknownst to him.

What frightened him even more was the Demon Blade's infamous brutality, which now seemed so docile and well-behaved in Yu Yuan's hands. He was well aware of the tales surrounding the Demon Blade, how it had turned on many a Unrestrained Stage cultivator and Ninth Level Demon Gods. What was Yu Yuan's secret to taming such a treacherous weapon?

The Yimo, now in the form of a Celestial Star Beast, quickly regained his composure, crouching obediently without daring to act impulsively. He didn't dare to move because, deep down, he sensed that Yu Yuan possessed the power to execute him.

"I'll ask you once more, do you understand?" Yu Yuan asked with a smile.

"I understand!" the Yimo replied.

"Then repeat it back to me."

"You haven't given me leave to go, so I must stay."

"Exactly, that's more like it."

Yu Yuan nodded, pleased, and gave the Demon Blade a casual flick, saying cheerfully, "Let me fill you in on the recent complex developments in Hao Ran. It's time you learned a thing or two. Don't get ahead of yourself thinking you're a top dog just because you've regained a little strength."

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