C1216 Old Acquaintances
Li Xin of the Cloud Water Sect gazed across the mighty river at the dilapidated warship, her stance one of readiness, as if she were facing a formidable enemy.
She detected no unusual odors, yet the intense reaction from Cao Jiaze spoke volumes. Knowing him as she did, Li Xin was certain that the seemingly inconspicuous alien warship harbored a profound terror within.
With serene focus, Li Xin merged her soul and spiritual power, deftly manipulating the river's flow.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Soul energy, spiritual power, and life force burst forth from the fractured earth, skirting her refined river and infiltrating the warship, eager to uncover the truth hidden inside.
They yearned to discover what lay within.
Regrettably, their investigation stirred not a single ripple.
The Yang cultivators, having risen and extended their senses, wore grave expressions. Their powers had severed ties the instant they touched the warship, which, to their perception, was akin to a Chaos Abyss, devouring all.
The group remained vigilant, no longer underestimating the threat, and discreetly summoned their favored spiritual artifacts.
Rip! Rip!
The grand palace conjured by Cao Jiaze continued to radiate divine brilliance, illuminating Li Xin, the warship, and the rivers she had released.
The Heaven Palace Seal's Spiritual Array, with its talismans and diagrams, exuded a tranquil aura that soothed Li Xin's spirit.
Cao Jiaze, adorned in an exquisite treasure robe, materialized beside Li Xin with a gentle smile, reassuring her, "All is well."
Li Xin returned the smile, reassured.
She was aware that the future leader of the Profound Sky Sect was a generous soul, always looking out for his followers, never one to let them be sacrificed lightly.
It was for this reason that many within the Profound Sky Sect and beyond were eager to heed his commands.
On this occasion, Li Xin had volunteered to accompany him on a journey to the Outer Star River, rather than joining Xu Jingyao from the Primordial Yang Sect.
Meanwhile, on the broken terrain, the Yang God Stage cultivators from various sects remained wary of the warship while encircling Chu Yao, the Little Medicine God.
In their midst stood one who might one day ascend to the rank of a Divine Level alchemist—a person they all regarded as invaluable.
They naturally prioritized protecting Chu Yao. Once he returned to the Boundless Great World and assumed control of the Medicine God Sect from Zhong Chichen, it would be more convenient for them to request medicines from him.
Indeed, alchemists were held in high esteem, with even the most powerful figures eager to forge connections with them.
"Would the friend inside care to step out for a conversation?"
Cao Jiaze flashed a radiant smile, initially speaking in the language of the Outland Devaputra, followed by that of the Star Race, and finally, the unique tongues of the Dark Elfkind and the Asura Clan. He hesitated slightly when speaking the Asura language, betraying a hint of unfamiliarity.
In the dimly lit cabin, a faint glow flickered momentarily before abruptly extinguishing.
This ghostly light, at times exuding spiritual energy and the scent of Qi and blood, would transform into a wisp of smoke, releasing a faint trace of soul energy.
Yu Yuan immediately recognized that the light originated from the fragmented earth above, where Yang God Stage cultivators were conducting their surveillance.
Yet, as it seeped into the cabin, it was effortlessly obliterated by the eerie aura naturally emanating from Chen Qinghuang, vanishing without a trace.
The Luan Bird Queen, deep in slumber, remained undisturbed, her eyes firmly shut.
It appeared that the Yang cultivators outside did not merit her attention or concern.
Observing her continued rest, Yu Yuan decided against further delay, rising to approach the cabin door.
Someone had to confront the situation, and with Chen Qinghuang asleep, the responsibility fell to him.
Elena, fraught with anxiety, rose to her feet and hastened to keep pace, whispering, "She doesn't seem to harbor much animosity towards the human cultivators of the Boundless Great World. It's the other races she appears to view with more overt hostility..."
Yu Yuan gave a subtle nod, choosing not to respond.
He was aware that a hundred thousand years ago, the Secular Bird had been besieged by the peak experts of various races, while the humans of the Boundless Great World had not yet reached their zenith.
Having not been involved in that assault, there was no history of bad blood between the humans and the Secular Bird.
Perhaps that was the case. The dispersed essence of the human race's strong and the stirrings of their souls failed to hit the Luan Bird Queen's vengeful nerve.
So, she remained in her slumber.
Clang!
The heavy warship cabin door creaked open as Yu Yuan pushed it slowly. He floated out, standing beneath the dark, icy expanse of the starry sky, a smile playing on his lips.
"Wow! Quite a few familiar faces here!"
His gaze settled on Cao Jiaze, holding for a moment before breaking into a wide grin. Then, he turned to Jiang Xingwen, Weixian, and... Chu Yao, standing on the shattered ground.
Upon laying eyes on Chu Yao, the smile on Yu Yuan's face slowly faded.
His gaze remained locked on Chu Yao, his eyes filled with a mischievous glint.
Seeing his former disciple after so many years stirred complex emotions within him.
Things were different now.
Previously, his identity had been concealed. He knew Chu Yao, but Chu Yao was unaware of his true identity, ignorant of the fact that he was Hong Qi reincarnated from three hundred years past.
After the events in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, there was no more hiding. He had openly acknowledged his identity.
Chu Yao, now privy to all the secrets, understood exactly who stood before him.
"Yu Yuan!"
"Medicine God Hong Qi!"
Various cries of astonishment erupted from Cao Jiaze and the Yang cultivators below, their faces alight with intrigue.
Cao Jiaze stumbled, involuntarily stepping back.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three more palatial structures, majestic and wide, materialized behind Cao Jiaze and above his head, glowing resplendently.
These were the other three Heaven Palace Seals.
Together, the four Heaven Palace Seals transformed into towering palaces, their grandeur hundreds of feet tall, standing firm in this corner of the cosmos.
Their radiant light briefly outshone the yellow sun, dimming the surrounding stars.
Cao Jiaze, upon seeing Yu Yuan, unhesitatingly summoned the three additional Heaven Palace Seals, a testament to the formidable prowess he attributed to Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan's actions in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area before leaving the Boundless Great World had indeed earned Cao Jiaze's respect.
Jiang Xingwen, whose disposition had radically changed following her entanglement with Yu Yuan in Horror Land and the death of the Mingdu Ghost King, instantly wore a look of icy disdain.
The hatred on her face was unmistakable, her weapon and the surge of spiritual energy within her betraying her fury.
In her heart, she blamed Yu Yuan and the Ghost King Tianzang for Mingdu's death. The side of Mingdu she had witnessed had deeply impressed her, convincing her that he was the epitome of perfection.
Cao Jiaze, along with the three upper sects, had long since sanctioned Mingdu's ascension to become a Ghost God and take command of Horror Land.
However, the alliance of Yu Yuan and Tianzang cruelly destroyed Mingdu's bright future, leaving him to vanish without a trace.
For this reason, she harbored a deep-seated hatred for Yu Yuan.
Chu Yao's shoulders quivered slightly as he silently bowed his head, too ashamed to meet Yu Yuan's gaze.
Ever since he learned that Hong Qi's path of reincarnation had not ended in failure but had instead been delayed three hundred years to reemerge as Yu Yuan, a perpetual gloom seemed to hang over him, his outlook never quite clear again.
He had not expected that, just as he was refining his Yang God and stepping into the Outland Star River for the first time, he would suddenly encounter his former mentor.
He bowed his head out of a sense of guilt, unable to face the confrontation.
He could feel Yu Yuan's gaze lingering on him, an unspoken weight upon his conscience.
Chu Yao was on pins and needles, wishing he could burrow into the ground and never resurface.
"Hmm, no Unrestrained Stage cultivator?"
After a moment, Yu Yuan's gaze began to drift once more, casually surveying the starry expanse near the fractured earth before speaking in a light-hearted tone, "Well, that's going to make things a bit more challenging."
At his words, a wave of tension swept through the crowd.
Their thoughts turned to the Dragon Slash Platform, the Evil Cauldron, and the Luan Bird Queen, who had vanished alongside Yu Yuan.
The tale of Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang's enigmatic disappearance in the Dim Starfield had been widely publicized by foreign races and was no longer a secret.
The Secular Bird, poised to be reborn through the Luan Bird Queen and the Heaven Palace Seal, was set to make a grand return, a narrative heavily embellished by the outsiders.
The experts from various sects who had emerged from the Boundless Great World understood the significance of the Secular Bird. Thus, upon seeing Yu Yuan, they immediately connected him to the legendary creature.
"She..."
Cao Jiaze began, his expression darkening as he fixed a wary eye on the dilapidated warship.
The Heaven Palace Seal that triggered such an extreme reaction from him was the very one he had refined. The abnormal behavior of the Heaven Palace Seal was due to a terrifying power within the remnants of the palace.
What else could it be, if not the Phoenix?
