C1253 Flying Stone
Since ancient times, cosmic giant beasts have been capable of slaying one another, absorbing the blood magic that naturally courses through their veins.
The Titan Spinosaurus, a formidable presence within the Star River, stood as a supreme overlord among these giant beasts.
As another ancient cosmic giant beast, the appearance of the Abyssal Leviathan in the Star River likely signaled that its pursuit was not for Yu Yuan, but rather for the secular bird.
Despite the secular bird possessing the combat prowess of a demigod, it might still fall short against the might of the Abyssal Leviathan.
This presented an opportune moment for the hunt!
Especially since the mighty warriors from various extraterrestrial clans, along with the Devil Palace, Shadow's Keep, Sword Sect, and other factions, were preoccupied with conflicts in the Dark Star Region, leaving them no time to address the secular bird or the Abyssal Leviathan.
Yu Yuan's thoughts naturally gravitated towards this scenario.
Chen Qinghuang's brow furrowed, her gaze deepening as she pondered the situation with earnest.
After some time, the empress settled silently into a corner of the cave, her pale green eyes undergoing a strange transformation.
Her irises shifted from light green to one black and one gray, embodying both destruction and death force.
Then, in a sudden shift, they reverted back to light green.
Yu Yuan, with his acute senses, detected the three distinct powers unique to her, fluctuating and subtly emanating, as if she were stealthily seeking something with her own methods.
What else could be of concern to her in the expansive Brugeth, if not the Abyssal Leviathan?
"He shouldn't be here."
Roughly half an hour later, Chen Qinghuang's expression regained its usual detachment as she uttered these words.
Yu Yuan was taken aback by the revelation.
Had she, in such a brief span, managed to scour the entirety of Brugeth for the Abyssal Leviathan?
The vast Astral Domain, teeming with myriad stars and celestial bodies, stretched endlessly.
Even as Brugeth lay in ruins, transformed into the notorious extraterritorial battlefield, the expanse of the Star River it encompassed had not diminished.
How much of Qinghuang's combat strength had returned, enabling her to search a section of the Star River in such a short time?
"I need to sleep to integrate my memories."
Caught in a state of astonishment, Yu Yuan watched as Chen Qinghuang closed her eyes once more, her presence instantly withdrawn, as though she had become one with the void.
Yu Yuan gave a slight nod.
...
On the border between the Brugeth Astral Domain and the Silver Sands.
Yan Qiling stood on a silver-white meteorite, accompanied by Yu Yiyi, who was clad in the armor of the Crucible of Evil, as they approached the countless meteorites cluttering the Star River's edge.
"Is that Brugeth?" Yu Yiyi's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes, it's the most renowned extraterritorial battlefield," Yan Qiling replied with a smile and a nod. He gestured energetically towards the Silver Sands, "We're in luck. Members of the Silverscale Tribe happened to come to the Hellmouth seeking a trade. Their portal has been opened to us, allowing us to arrive swiftly."
"Have you heard any news about my master?" Yu Yiyi inquired, her concern evident.
"Xie Bin, Rong Xun, and others who left Kuvrepros with him have recently been in contact with the Skyreach Consortium. Indeed, he is now in Brugeth!" Yan Qiling confirmed with certainty.
Yu Yiyi's face lit up with exhilaration, "Within a certain range, my soul can connect with his!"
As the cauldron spirit of the Crucible of Evil, now fully integrated with the cauldron, she knew that once she was within proximity to Yu Yuan in Brugeth, she would sense his presence.
Her anticipation surged.
"It's just uncertain what the situation is with... that person," Yan Qiling expressed with concern.
His worry was shared by both the Skyreach Consortium and Boulderdawn, especially regarding Chen Qinghuang.
Their allies, the Otherkin, had shared tales of the secular bird's splendid victories, leaving both the Boulderdawn and Skyreach Consortium in awe. They feared that the secular bird, a harbinger of death and destruction, could with a single flight, extinguish life in its vicinity and transform a Star River into another Annihilation Nebula.
"Regardless of the situation, my master will be unharmed!" Yu Yiyi declared with unwavering confidence.
Upon reflection, Yan Qiling eased his worries, "Indeed. Yu Yuan... is no ordinary individual."
...
Deep within the jumbled meteorites.
A small, inconspicuous meteor darted through the gaps between the rocks, seemingly propelled by an unseen force, trailing cold fog as it zipped by.
Ten miles away, a massive meteorite, crimson as blood, hosted a gathering of the Shadowkin, Stoneborn, and the Silverscale Tribe.
Most members of the Otherkin possessed bloodline levels of either the eighth or seventh level. They had banded together to form a temporary alliance and had recently slain two Solar Spirits from the Skyblight Cult.
"Look, a meteorite is soaring past!"
A burly warrior from the Silverscale Tribe, wielding a hefty iron hammer, grunted and remarked, "It's definitely those human cultivators from the Land of Quiescence, stirring up trouble and seizing opportunities."
With a whoosh, he swung the massive hammer overhead, aiming it at the active meteorite.
The inconspicuous meteorite suddenly emitted a piercing screech, reminiscent of ghosts wailing and wolves howling. A chilling wind screamed from the holes on its surface, striking fear into the hearts of those who heard it.
"Cultivators from Winter's Bite!"
A towering Stoneborn warrior bellowed, his voice thick with loathing.
Legend had it that his ancestral land was in Brugeth, which had been ravaged by the Unbound cultivators of Winter's Bite, leading to the near extinction of his people.
Only a handful survived, taken in by the Silverscale Tribe of Silver Sands, where they began to eke out a living. As a result, he harbored a deep-seated enmity towards the cultivators of Winter's Bite.
Within the meteorite.
"I told you, maneuvering this meteorite would easily draw attention," Yan Ziyang lamented, his face etched with bitterness. The crystal within the cold fog of his chest had not yet been assimilated by the Frostfiend. "Yu Yuan, we're outnumbered. I sense seven warriors with eighth-level bloodlines. We..."
His expectant gaze turned to Chen Qinghuang, who lay in slumber. The implication was clear: they were outmatched and needed to awaken his sister to handle the situation.
"No need to worry. Just stay put," Yu Yuan replied with composure, gripping the Baneblade Bloodhell as he flew out through a hole in the meteorite's surface.
In a flash, he emerged outside, just in time to see the colossal hammer, brimming with the immense power of water, descending upon his location.
The hammer's core resonated with the tumultuous force of a tsunami, as if the entirety of the ocean's waters had been infused within it.
"Silverscale Tribe," Yu Yuan noted with a casual smile. As the hammer neared, he tightly clutched the Baneblade and abruptly launched himself out of its path.
Seven massive orbs of crimson light, swirling amidst innumerable blood-colored sparkles, transformed into a veritable blood-red ocean that ensnared the iron hammer.
The Baneblade, within this sanguine abyss, became like a ravenous demon feasting on the vital energy of the Silverscale Tribe warriors.
"Stop!"
A scream of panic erupted from a slender Shadowkin woman perched atop a dark red meteorite.
Yu Yuan was taken aback. "It's her..."
Not long ago, he had navigated through the meteorites with Chen Qinghuang on his back when they had stumbled upon a Shadowkin patrol. The woman, their leader, had saluted from a distance before quickly departing.
He hadn't expected such a fortuitous reunion.
Yu Yuan had intended to use the Baneblade, Bloodhell, to devour the bloodline power within the iron hammer belonging to the Silverscale Tribe. Yet, her plea had opened a window of mercy.
Regaining his combat strength, Yu Yuan curbed the Baneblade's voracity and sent the hammer flying with a swift kick.
The hammer hurtled towards the gathering place of the Otherkin with even more dreadful force.
Several Silverscale Tribe warriors, pooling their bloodline talents, conjured a veil of water in the void to safely intercept the returning hammer, averting a catastrophe.
"Who is he?" blurted a brash Silverscale warrior in astonishment.
"None of you should intervene; I will handle negotiations."
The Shadowkin woman, her expression grave, issued her commands before soaring off alone.
With a series of whooshes, the Bloodwraiths returned to the Baneblade.
Yu Yuan stood atop the now silent meteor, calmly awaiting the Shadowkin woman's descent. "Do you know who I am?"
"We of the Shadowkin follow Elder Mia's orders," she introduced herself.
"That explains it," Yu Yuan nodded, not bothering with formalities. "How is she? Is Wen Lu doing well?"
The woman's face was etched with sorrow. "Not very well."
