C1205 Did You Understand?

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

In the subsequent days, Yu Yuan used the various spiritual herbs provided by Denise to concoct the Soul Amplifier, which he consumed. Simultaneously, he harnessed the remaining meat from the alien beasts to replenish his depleted vital energy.

Deep within his meridians and organs, the once-exhausted vital energy began to swell and fill him once more.

With a reliable source of Soul Power and vitality, the transforming Altar of Rebirth ceased its voracious drain on his life force, allowing Yu Yuan's combat prowess to grow stronger with each passing moment.

He was confident that his full recovery was imminent.

Throughout this time, whenever Yu Yuan produced a batch of the Soul Amplifier, Chen Qinghuang would unapologetically request her share.

Yu Yuan did his best to accommodate her.

The behavior of the First Female Emperor of All Ages from Everlands had been peculiar of late. After consuming the Soul Amplifier, she would close her eyes and sleep soundly.

Yu Yuan understood that this was genuine rest, not a state of unconsciousness.

Upon awakening, Chen Qinghuang's green eyes would shimmer with clarity, only to have that brilliance vanish in the blink of an eye.

She would then silently watch Yu Yuan for extended periods, not uttering a single word.

It was as though she was reevaluating Yu Yuan, reassessing him anew.

After several such instances, Yu Yuan grew accustomed to her scrutiny. He had a hunch that the Songbird Queen was in a crucial phase of recovery, and at any moment, she might fully awaken, transforming into a secular bird capable of dominating the Star River.

Then, one day, Denise and Elena arrived in a flurry of distress, dumping a heap of magic plants before him. "It's terrible," Denise exclaimed. "Dogget has received a message from my father through the Starbeast in my castle. He..."

"What happened?" Yu Yuan inquired, intrigued.

"My father has revealed the marvels of Zekrica to Senior Leo and Senior Beru," Denise said, her expression fraught with concern. "He was trying to curry favor with Leo, and since we have strong ties with Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium, he spilled everything. Senior Leo and Senior Beru are now deeply interested in Zekrica and are already en route."

Yu Yuan subconsciously massaged his temples, then glanced at Chen Qinghuang, who had been deeply asleep for quite some time.

By a stroke of luck, the Songbird Queen's eyes fluttered open at that moment. The unique gaze of the Shadowkin was unfathomably deep, brimming with mystery.

A slight smirk played at the corner of the Queen's exquisite lips, her eyes swirling with a touch of mocking amusement, as if she was anticipating something.

Elena, who had accompanied Denise, alternated her gaze between Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang, her face etched with concern.

She understood what was troubling Yu Yuan.

Denise couldn't see through the disguises of Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang because her bloodline level wasn't high enough. However, if Leo and Beru were to arrive, they'd likely sense the irregularities with Chen Qinghuang and the disturbances in Yu Yuan's vitality even before setting foot in Zekrica.

What would Yu Yuan do then?

Beru, the Starborn's Starfallen Oracle, and Leo, the future Patriarch, would certainly alert the current Patriarch and all the ninth-level warriors, who would converge on this realm immediately.

Moreover, the peak masters of other races would be drawn by the allure of the secular bird.

If Chen Qinghuang's true identity were revealed, could she truly escape?

And what part would Yu Yuan play in all this?

"Denise, I'll be preparing some medicinal liquid for you to take soon," Yu Yuan said after a moment of contemplation. He glanced at the pile of magic plants and herbs before him and, considering the cooperation of this Starborn lady, added, "I'll do my utmost to honor my promise to you. Oh, and how long until they arrive in Zekrica?"

"It will take half a month by the hourglass," Denise replied candidly, careful not to omit any details. "They're unaware of the situation in Zekrica, so there's no rush. They might even pause in other Domains along the way. If so, it could take a bit longer."

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

Denise, accustomed to his ways, didn't defy his wishes and turned around submissively.

Elena, on the other hand, remained motionless.

"You?"

Yu Yuan looked at her, surprised.

"May I come with you?" Elena bit her lower lip, her hands balled into fists before she slowly released them. "You're aware that I'm alone now. My father has passed away, and our home has been taken over by other raiders. I've sent those loyal to my father to Zekrica; I've fulfilled my duty to them."

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

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

Fernand traded his life for her return to the Shura Clan, securing her a place to hone her skills in the Dark Realm.

In essence, Fernand died for her and for Blood King Sabonis.

The Blood King is the faith of all Shura warriors, including her exiled father. Despite her fall to banditry, her respect and worship for Sabonis remained.

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

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

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

Having lost her purpose and her chance for vengeance, Elena yearned to stay with Yu Yuan after their encounter in Zekrica.

Privately, she was grateful for their reunion in Zekrica and that Yu Yuan, because of Chen Qinghuang, was willing to remain hidden there.

This meant they could be together.

However, the arrival of Gheirat, Leo, and Beru shattered her hopes, threatening to rip apart the serene calm before her.

"Go outside and talk with Pattinson. Take some time to think things over," Yu Yuan said.

Looking into her eyes, Yu Yuan, initially intent on refusal, found he couldn't bring himself to do it. He figured there was still time, so he chose to delay, hoping the impulsive young woman might reconsider on her own.

Following me, following the phoenix, has she lost her mind?

Yu Yuan muttered to himself in disbelief.

"Alright."

Elena, not immediately rejected, appeared surprisingly pleased. She nodded eagerly, as if worried Yu Yuan might change his mind at any moment, and then she bounded away with a skip in her step.

Yu Yuan, however, slowly took a seat.

Behind him lay the Starbeast, transformed into seven deadly streams by the fiend's alchemy. He watched the direction Elena had taken, remaining as still as a statue.

After a long while, he let out a deep sigh, his emotions a complex mix.

Unbeknownst to him, Chen Qinghuang, who had awakened, kept her eyes open the entire time, quietly observing him with a soft gaze.

The Songbird Queen seemed to possess an enigmatic allure that made her easy to overlook if she chose to be.

Even Yu Yuan was not immune.

Eventually, she extended her hands in a gesture of request.

They had exchanged such silent communications dozens of times before. Without a second thought, Yu Yuan passed her several bottles of the freshly concocted Soul Amplifier.

"I feel like I might be a burden."

She spoke suddenly, her voice calm.

Yu Yuan jumped, turning to her with wide eyes. Seeing the confusion and uncertainty still present in her green eyes, he relaxed and reassured her with a smile, "Not at all."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, that's a relief."

Chen Qinghuang methodically drank the Soul Amplifier and casually tossed the empty bottles at Yu Yuan's feet before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.

She seemed to place unwavering trust in Yu Yuan, as if his presence guaranteed her protection.

Half a day later, seven vibrant and now much thicker streams of poison reintegrated with the Starbeast.

The Starbeast shook its head, its eyes igniting with a prismatic blaze, as if it had been truly revived. With a resonant voice, it declared, "I now possess the power to soar through the Star River beyond our world. Those two practitioners of thunder and lightning will find me no easy prey."

The newfound strength filled the fiend with renewed confidence, and his aura was visibly transformed.

However, he consistently avoided Chen Qinghuang, seemingly too apprehensive to even glance her way.

"May I leave now? I've told you everything you wanted to know, as per our agreement." Behind Yu Yuan, his eyes flickered with deeply concealed murderous intent. Yet, he was exceedingly cautious, not daring to make any rash moves.

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan called forth the Baneblade from his acupoint. Only after securing the hilt in his hand did he turn to face the fiend, who had manifested its demonform, with a sly grin. "I haven't given you permission to leave. You're going to stay put, got it?"

"Bloodhell!" The fiend cried out, astonished.

It then detected the potent scent of blood emanating from both the Baneblade and Yu Yuan.

The fiend was terrified to realize that while he had been roaming Zekrica, gathering various magic plants and preying on numerous insects, Yu Yuan had undergone a profound transformation.

What was even more alarming was the infamous Baneblade's docility in Yu Yuan's grasp. The fiend was well aware of the blade's legend; numerous Unbound cultivators, ninth-level Otherkin, and Demon Gods had all been consumed by it. How had Yu Yuan tamed it to such an extent?

The fiend, now inhabiting the Starbeast, quickly regained its composure, crouching obediently without daring to make a move. It refrained from acting out of an innate fear of Yu Yuan's potential to annihilate it.

"I'll ask you once more, did you get that?" Yu Yuan asked with a smile.

"I got it!"

"Then repeat it back to me."

"You didn't give me permission to leave, so I can't go."

"Exactly, you've got it now."

Yu Yuan nodded, pleased. He gave the Baneblade a casual flick and continued with a cheerful tone, "Let me fill you in on the recent complex developments in the Everlands. Don't get ahead of yourself thinking you're a big deal just because you've regained a little strength."

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