C1246 Extraterritorial Battlefield

The fiend Qiyan launched from the warship.

"Good luck to you."

Yu Yuan dismissed him with a wave of his hand, clearly wanting the bothersome creature to vanish into the distance.

Without a word, Qiyan's refined Starbeast transformed into a dazzling streak of starlight, swiftly vanishing into the crevice between two asteroids.

"Traveling through the Brugeth Astral Domain isn't exactly comfortable, and it tends to make us a conspicuous target."

Elena's gaze wandered before settling in one direction, her expression becoming wistful as if lost in fond memories, her eyes softening considerably.

"Besides Kuvrepros and Silver Sands, there's also the Glimmerdrift Nebula nearby."

Following the Starbeast, Rong Xun from the Obsidian Thunder Sect stepped out of the warship.

He surveyed the desolate, apocalyptic landscape, a chilling, deadly aura enveloping the area.

Visions of towering Shura warriors clad in heavy armor, wielding Divine Weapons, and besieging humans and archdemons flooded his mind, scenes he had witnessed countless times, now etched into his soul.

After inhaling the murky air, Rong Xun regained his calm and, observing Elena's distant look, remarked, "If I remember correctly, the Glimmerdrift Nebula has always been under Shura rule. Your father, Fernand, is on good terms with Gheirat because he was once the commander of the Glimmerdrift Nebula, the true power behind it."

Elena didn't look back, still fixated on the view ahead. "That was never a secret."

Yu Yuan, taken aback by the revelation, turned his attention to Rong Xun.

"The King of Bandits, Fernand, regained favor with Sabonis back in Ionodios. The Blood King absolved him of his past misdeeds. It seems Fernand's only wish was for his daughter to return to the Shura and reclaim her place in the Glimmerdrift Nebula."

Rong Xun chose his words carefully, aware of the unusual bond between Yu Yuan and Elena.

"We've arrived in the Brugeth by chance, Yu Yuan, so stay vigilant. Don't fall prey to any unforeseen mishaps. After all, she could switch her identity at any moment, transforming from a bandit into a pure Shura warrior."

Rong Xun offered a reminder with the best of intentions.

Elena spun around, hands on her hips, and said with displeasure, "Are you doubting me?"

"I was merely speaking off the cuff," Rong Xun calmly explained with a smile. "The Shura's reverence and adoration for that individual far exceed that of any other extraterrestrial race. He suffered grave injuries in Ionodios, and you witnessed it firsthand. Surely you must harbor some resentment?"

"Yu Yuan represents the Boulderdawn."

"And regarding the one inside..."

Rong Xun gestured toward the battered warship. "The Shura contributed significantly to that person's demise a hundred thousand years ago. I doubt your people would show any kindness to Yu Yuan and her."

Upon hearing this, Jin Haolong and the others' expressions grew intriguing.

They agreed that Rong Xun's concerns were not unfounded. The Shura were not Starborn; they had no deep ties with the Boulderdawn or the Skyreach Consortium and had recently become enemies.

Elena's gaze turned fiery as she glared at them. She was about to clarify things to Yu Yuan when a somber horn sounded.

The horn's sorrowful and melodious tones were tinged with a distinctly Otherworld flavor.

Yu Yuan, of course, heard it too. He paused, then remarked, "This place isn't exactly tranquil, is it?"

"This is Brugeth, the most notorious extraterritorial battlefield. How could it be anything but chaotic?" Xie Bin replied with equanimity, reassuring him, "Don't worry. Generally, even though battles could erupt at any moment in Brugeth, it's unlikely we'll run into anything like what we just experienced."

"Indeed, it's quite uncommon to see so many Unbound realm cultivators, Mighty with ninth-level bloodlines, converging in one place," Han Dan observed.

"Hold on, that's... our race's distress signal," Elena implored.

"Your race?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.

"More precisely, it's a prominent family from the Glimmerdrift Nebula. They were once loyal to my father and have always been close to us," Elena quickly explained, no longer waiting for Yu Yuan's response. She left the warship behind, summoning her bloodline power and swiftly departed.

Yu Yuan, when Fernand turned to banditry, many Shura from the Glimmerdrift Nebula remained loyal to him. Rong Xun paused before adding, "You can trust Elena, but she is a Shura after all. The Blood King, Sabonis, was gravely wounded in Ionodios, and the Divine Sword has left the Dark Realm. You need to be cautious."

"After Fernand became an outlaw, he selected a secret base on the other side of Kuvrepros. This base is adjacent to both Kuvrepros and the Glimmerdrift Nebula, which suggests that Gheirat and the original Shura from Glimmerdrift might be aware of it."

Rong Xun was privy to much information, "That secret base was recently overrun by other bandits and was suddenly revealed."

Upon hearing this, Xie Bin and Han Dan also chimed in, advising him to be careful.

Yu Yuan's lips curled into a smile. Once they had finished speaking, he stretched leisurely and announced, "It's time for us to part ways."

"I'm glad you've come to understand," Rong Xun said, relieved.

Xie Bin and the others appeared at ease.

"I mean, it's time for me to part ways with you," Yu Yuan clarified, shaking his head. Then, with a serious expression, he continued, "The individual aboard that warship has an extremely sensitive identity. I can't predict the magnitude of the upheaval that may follow. Our paths crossed by chance in Zekrica, and then, by coincidence, we met again. Don't get too entangled with me or her; it's best you leave soon."

With those words, Yu Yuan swiftly took off towards the place where Elena had vanished, leaving the four of them exchanging bewildered glances.

...

Silver war chariots lay in silent repose, floating in the vacuum among the asteroids.

On a modestly sized meteorite, bizarre rocks and parched gullies dotted the landscape.

A group of Shura warriors knelt before one of their own, who had sustained injuries so severe that his ribs were exposed. They clutched their spears and short spears in one hand and large silver shields emblazoned with crossed axes in the other.

A slender female Shura applied a thick medicinal paste to the wounds, murmuring words of encouragement, "You won't succumb to your injuries. You're going to survive."

Nearby, a Shura warrior with a full beard sounded a horn reminiscent of a bull's horn.

Whoosh!

A streak of light flashed into their view, sparking immediate excitement among them.

"Our kin!"

"Could it be that Lord Ciara and Lord Demian have come from Kuvrepros?"

"Why is there only one person?"

The Shura clansmen from the Glimmerdrift Nebula had hurried to Kuvrepros to negotiate with their own Shura and Gheirat. They were chosen for this task because they had maintained amicable relations with Gheirat for centuries.

Despite Fernand turning into an outlaw, Gheirat continued to treat them kindly, maintaining a close trading relationship.

"Ah!"

Upon seeing the newcomer, the severely injured Shura warrior, ignoring his chest wounds, struggled to his feet, propping himself up with his spear. "Miss Elena! Good heavens, am I hallucinating? Are my injuries so grave that I'm on the brink of death?"

The spear repeatedly struck the ground, shattering the rocks beneath and sending chips flying.

"Uncle Berthold!"

Elation shone in Elena's eyes. She quickly descended and rushed to assist the wounded warrior.

The other Shura clansmen wore complex expressions upon seeing her. Some moved to bow but were abruptly held back by others, who shook their heads, signaling them not to proceed.

"Princess Elena..."

They hung their heads, their thoughts drifting to past events, their lips parched.

"Salute the princess!"

Berthold, clearly infuriated, thrust his spear forcefully into the earth and bellowed, "The princess is the pride of the Glimmerdrift Nebula! She always has been and always will be! Are you fools unaware that our king has pardoned both the Lord and the princess?"

"Princess, have you come to return to your homeland?"

"Don't worry! We're fully prepared, and I've received the instructions. The Glimmerdrift Nebula remains as it was, ever loyal to you and the Lord!"

"Regrettably, we couldn't welcome the Lord back; he sacrificed himself in Ionodios."

Berthold's fists tightened, his face swirling with a fierce resolve for vengeance. "Curse the humans of the Everlands! One day, we will raze the Everlands to the ground and extinguish all life within!"

"Flatten the Everlands!"

"Annihilate them!"

The Shura warriors from the Glimmerdrift Nebula, rallying behind Berthold, pounded their chests and took oaths.

Yu Yuan, who had stealthily followed, paused on a separate fragment of rock, observing the Shura warriors brimming with righteous fury. His expression betrayed a hint of embarrassment, and he refrained from approaching hastily.

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