C1221 Qiyan

The Great Sage of the Starborn began to shout from a distance.

Gheirat glanced down at the fiend trapped in the bottle, snorted dismissively, and said, "Behave yourself."

*Crack!*

The bottle shattered, unleashing a river of poison that flew out like a bolt of lightning, striking directly at the Starbeast possessed by the fiend.

"Qiyan, it really is Qiyan!"

Miao Kun from the Thunder Sect sensed the unmerged poisonous river and, consulting the sect's secret book in his mind, his expression grew grave.

"What's that?" inquired Cao Jiaze with curiosity.

Despite Beru of the Starborn approaching and the presence of a Shura warship, this prodigy from the Ebon Star remained unflustered, even finding the time to ask questions.

The cultivators from various sects standing on the Shattered Continent felt their tension ease a bit, inspired by his composure.

"This Terra Fiend was born in the Rainbow Ocean and is quite extraordinary. During its formation, it absorbed the toxic essence of the Rainbow Ocean, crafting a bizarre liquid body for itself. The secret books say that the Devil Palace specifically requested our assistance to confine it there," Miao Kun explained thoughtfully.

"He's peculiar; his growth and evolution are fueled by the dark wills of human cultivators. Throughout their lives, cultivators grapple with dark wills lurking within their hearts. Some overcome these inner demons, elevating their realms, while others succumb to them, facing dire consequences during critical breakthroughs."

"The consequences range from a decline in cultivation to instantaneous death, leaving not a trace behind."

"Dark adepts, especially those who follow unconventional paths, harbor the most tumultuous inner demons. A dark adept discovered him in the Rainbow Ocean and, learning of his ability to absorb inner demons and grow stronger, attempted to capture him but failed. Subsequently, a great cultivator convinced an elder of our Thunder Sect to help seal the fiend away."

"From then on, any dark adept of the Devil Palace overwhelmed by their inner demons would be sent to him. He would consume their inner demons, permanently eliminating their afflictions."

Miao Kun paused briefly, glancing at the formidable Solar Spirit warriors from Euwrea present in the room.

"The three upper sects, along with some of your elders, have many who know they can't withstand their inner demons. With the Devil Palace's permission, they were sent to the Rainbow Ocean."

His words cast an odd look across the faces of those gathered.

"You said he was supposed to have died?" Cao Jiaze inquired.

"Yes, the wielder of the Titanblade disagreed with this practice. He stealthily entered the Rainbow Ocean and with a single stroke of his sword, shattered the realm that held him captive. He later claimed that he had slain the peculiar Terra Fiend with that same stroke, severing the reliance of all cultivators on it to siphon their inner demons," Miao Kun confirmed with a nod.

"Why would he do that?" Cao Jiaze asked, puzzled.

"Because only by confronting one's inner demon and triumphing over it can a cultivator's realm advance," Miao Kun explained with a wry smile. "Anyone who uses Qiyan to consume their inner demon will find their cultivation realm permanently stunted, with no chance for further improvement. Worse yet, their realm might even regress."

"He made it clear that those who depend on external forces to conquer their inner demons don't deserve to live. They also squander the fortunes of the Everlands, obstructing the rise of new cultivators and blocking the way for the next generation."

As Miao Kun concluded, the meteorite controlled by Gheirat was already before Yu Yuan.

"Qiyan..."

Cao Jiaze nodded thoughtfully, now understanding the situation.

In his heart, he genuinely admired Nie Qingtian, believing his actions were justified.

But why was Qiyan still alive?

"To think you feed on cultivators' inner demons to evolve and grow stronger. You're quite the enigma," Yu Yuan remarked, his tone a mix of awe and disbelief, as he stared at the fiend who had not departed with Elena but had chosen to remain by his side, its eyes gleaming slightly brighter.

Qiyan, the fiend, perhaps chastened by past setbacks, wisely kept silent.

"Yu Yuan! What brings you to Kuvrepros?" Beru asked, his eyes briefly flicking to the receding wrecked warship, a hint of lingering fear in his gaze. "But I must thank you. Thank you for taking her to another Astral Domain instead of leaving her here in Kuvrepros."

The warship was headed towards the territory where the Wingkind were known to be active. Beru had already discerned their trajectory.

Privately, he believed that Yu Yuan had shown respect to him and the Starborn by not allowing the perilously dangerous secular bird to roam freely in the Astral Domain.

"We meet again."

Leo greeted them gracefully from atop an asteroid, his smile warm and welcoming.

"I've learned of your actions in Zekrica through a mutual acquaintance," said Gheirat, the realm's ruler, offering a greeting in the Starborn tradition with genuine gratitude. "Thank you for exercising restraint. Without it, Denise and all the beings of Zekrica wouldn't have stood a chance."

Qiyan had relayed, in meticulous detail, the events involving Yu Yuan and Elena.

They also learned that Yu Yuan had been well-behaved in Zekrica, even going out of his way to send a warning to Leo after discovering Xu Jingyao's plot against him.

This left Gheirat, meeting them for the first time, with a favorable impression of Yu Yuan.

Whoosh!

The Shura warship halted at a distance, where two distinguished platinum Shuras were assessing the situation ahead, silently deliberating.

"Yu Yuan? The same Yu Yuan from Ionodios?"

"Judging by Beru and Leo's expressions, there's no mistake! It's definitely him!"

"The Titanblade?"

"Without a doubt!"

Demian and Ciara, the two platinum Shuras, stood on the warship's deck, silently exchanging thoughts through their bloodline art.

The high-ranking Shura warriors were all too familiar with the Blood King's harrowing ordeal in Ionodios.

The failed invasion of Ionodios was a topic frequently revisited by the survivors during many council meetings.

Though Demian and Ciara had not experienced it firsthand, they were well-informed through the accounts of their kin.

They understood that the Titanblade's escape from years of confinement in the Dark Realm was not only due to the Blood King Sabonis's inability to create a clone but also because it had acquired a sword spirit.

The sword spirit originated from a human named Yu Yuan!

This young man had received Nie Qingtian's "Nine Celestial Slashes," making him a direct inheritor of Nie Qingtian's legacy. The sword spirit was etched within him, and he also wielded the sword's scabbard.

The two platinum Shuras tasked with pursuing the "Titanblade" quickly concluded that the Divine Sword, now endowed with a sword spirit, was seeking out Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan was in the Kuvrepros, so the Divine Sword had sensed his presence and had rushed billions of miles into this realm without hesitation.

Upon this realization, Ciara contemplated using the Frost Well, ready to expend a vast amount of vital energy to communicate with the Blood King in the Dark Realm and open a portal between the two realms.

She had a feeling that the Divine Sword was probably nearby, swiftly making its way toward them.

An intense chill emanated from within her, her form appearing to be gradually consumed by darkness, as if she were about to vanish right before everyone's eyes.

Beru, who was still conversing with Yu Yuan, sharply detected that something was amiss and his face turned pale with alarm. "Ciara, stop!"

"The Titanblade is in the Kuvrepros!" Ciara declared. "The Divine Sword is targeting Yu Yuan. It is my duty to inform our king!"

"Titanblade!" The revelation startled the assembled Solar Spirits of the Everlands, sending ripples of shock through their ranks.

"You're mistaken! Stop this instant, and I'll explain!" Beru called out to Ciara, his face contorted with desperation. "Stop, not here in the Kuvrepros, not now! The secular bird is close by, and your reckless actions could draw Sabonis into danger, potentially sealing his fate!"

Leo and Gheirat were petrified by the unfolding events.

Should the Blood King descend, the wrecked warship drifting away would surely rouse the sleeping secular bird within.

The secular bird, upon sensing the Blood King's presence, would instinctively believe he was out to kill her.

Should she and the Blood King engage in battle within the Kuvrepros, it wouldn't just be the people present at risk—the entire Kuvrepros could suffer the consequences, turning into a desolate wasteland.

"Don't do it! The Divine Sword isn't after me!" Yu Yuan finally lost his composure. Witnessing Ciara on the verge of bridging the realms and summoning the Blood King and more platinum Shura from the Dark Realm, he too shouted in a desperate attempt to stop her.