C1254 A Battle to See

The woman from Dark Elfkind was named Tee. She claimed that the chaos in the Plover Realm, which led to the death of Kennard, known as the Child of Forest, caused the Dark Elfkind's leaders to hold Mia accountable. Kennard was, after all, the son of their chieftain.

Mia, while highly esteemed within Dark Elfkind, couldn't hold a candle to Kennard. Consequently, her reputation and standing within the tribe began to erode. Families that once pledged loyalty to Mia started to abandon her, and others swiftly filled the power vacuum she left behind. Lulu, who accompanied her and bore the burden of her mixed heritage, only added to Mia's troubles.

In essence, Mia's once untouchable status within Dark Elfkind had vanished since their departure from the Plover Realm. After listening to Tee's account, Yu Yuan reflected on his own predicament. With Chen Qinghuang by his side, still shrouded in mystery, he realized he was in no position to offer Mia any assistance.

"Why are you in the Deep Starfield? And what is your stance towards me and the other person?" he asked, shifting the conversation.

Tee glanced nervously at her feet and murmured, "Is that person still here?"

Yu Yuan gave a slight nod.

Tee's complexion grew pale as she hurriedly explained, "We're in the Deep Starfield to confront those who have come from the Heavenly Source Continent. Regarding you, I only recently received orders. The elder I serve has instructed me to avoid provoking you at all costs. If we happen to encounter you, we're to steer clear immediately."

She turned and gestured towards the members of the Rock Clan, Silver Scale Clan, and Fire Lizard Tribe perched on the meteorite. "Their leaders likely share the same sentiment, but they're unaware of your identities and don't know who you are."

Yu Yuan absorbed this information, nodding thoughtfully. The Outland Star River, now the center of attention in the Dim Starfield, was on the brink of a deep-rooted conflict that seemed inevitable.

At such a pivotal juncture, the tribe that once vanquished the Secular Bird likely doubted their ability to do so again. Choosing avoidance over confrontation was, indeed, a prudent choice.

"I've also heard that the highest authority in the Demon Palace has taken a keen interest in her," Tee added.

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "The Demon Palace?"

"Yes, we've received some intel that the supreme being of the Demon Palace is destined for a fateful clash with her. The peak experts from various clans haven't united against her, partly due to this consideration. They might be hoping to witness a future battle between her and the Demon Palace," Tai Xi explained.

Yu Yuan pondered deeply.

He continued his inquiries and learned from Tai Xi that the state of affairs in the Illusion Starfield remained unclear. The situation had escalated to the Star Race's patriarch rallying their formidable members to pursue Zhu Huan, Fu Xuanwen, and Wei Zhuo. Yu Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.

"By the way, we've also received reports of creatures with a heavy stench of death lurking in the Deep Starfield. These beings seem to originate from an Evil Devil in the vast expanses and have previously been spotted in the Plover Realm," Tai Xi recalled, slapping her forehead. "What were they called again? Corpse slaves? Keep an eye out for them."

"Thank you for the heads-up," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

"Best of luck to you."

Tai Xi bowed respectfully and then departed from the meteorite.

Shortly after, she returned to the massive, blood-red meteorite. Warriors from the Silver Scale Clan and Rock Clan quickly gathered around her, eager to know what had transpired.

"Let's pretend we never saw anything. He's someone we can't afford to provoke," Tai Xi sighed deeply. "Even your leader said, if you happen to encounter him, it's best to steer clear."

Her words made the inquiring warriors' knees buckle.

They looked at the stone with eyes brimming with terror, as if the grim reaper of legend might emerge from within at any moment.

...

Inside the cave.

Yan Ziyang watched Yu Yuan with admiration. "Does that Dark Elfkind woman know you? She seemed to hold you in high regard."

Since no fierce battle had erupted above, the assembled races quietly dispersed.

"Heavenly Demon!" From his vantage point within the meteorite, he could peer through the surface's holes and observe the surrounding scene.

He had just noticed that before departing, Tai Xi and the others cast a fearful glance at their meteorite, as if it were an omen of dread.

Yan Ziyang was certainly not the one filled with fear.

"Has the Freezing Devaputra not erased its lingering soul consciousness?" Yu Yuan inquired with a hint of surprise.

The Soul Split, a construct of cold mist across Yan Ziyang's chest, was relatively weak since it wasn't driven by numerous Evil Devils.

Yu Yuan could barely make out that the soul of the Freezing Devaputra within the cold crystal had merely diminished in size.

The core's soul imprint, in reality, remained intact.

"It's not that simple. This creature is a Demon God," Yan Ziyang said, his tone laced with defeat. "Without your sister's assistance, I wouldn't have been able to contain him with my strength alone, let alone slowly refine him and assimilate his Devil Soul for my own use."

Yu Yuan stroked his chin thoughtfully before asking, "Is it possible to communicate with him?"

"We could, if he were willing. But he's aware of my intentions, so he hasn't shown the slightest interest in communicating," Yan Ziyang explained.

"The current state of affairs beyond the heavens, and in the vast expanse, has changed from what it once was," Yu Yuan mused as he approached the swirling cold mist. "If you don't mind, perhaps I should try speaking with him?"

"Speak? What is there to discuss?" Yan Ziyang asked, puzzled.

"We'll see once we talk."

With a focused intention, Yu Yuan's Yin God departed from his forehead and darted into the cold mist.

"Be careful! The formation inside can shred a soul!"

Yan Ziyang's expression turned to one of alarm, fearing for Yu Yuan's safety against the Soul Split he had crafted.

"There's no need to worry," Yu Yuan reassured with a smile.

In a swift motion, the Yin God penetrated the cold mist and located the cold crystal, piercing it with concentrated spirit.

Instantly, he found himself in the frigid domain within the ice crystal, laying eyes on the bizarrely shaped Freezing Devaputra.

The ancient being had an ethereal upper body and a crystalline scorpion tail for its lower half, a distinctive trait of the Freezing Devaputra.

With white hair and an indistinct face resembling a fierce specter, the Freezing Devaputra's icy gaze was piercingly cold.

"Let's have a conversation," Yu Yuan suggested, his Yin God remaining stationary in this frigidly small world. "Are you aware that your Freezing Devaputra Race has been dwindling for quite some time now?"

The elderly Devaputra remained silent, his presence cold and ghostly.

"The Freezing Devaputra Race still aligns with the Elemental Devil Clan, just as before. Had you chosen the Blood Devil Clan like the Polar Devaputra, I wouldn't have bothered coming here," Yu Yuan said, his demeanor relaxed, a smile gracing his features. "Of course, there's another reason—I share a certain destiny with your people."

The aged Ice Demon God maintained an impassive face, his gaze icy and penetrating.

To Yu Yuan, the crystalline ice world felt as if it had been reforged from the shattered remnants of his upper body, the essence of the Freezing Devaputra pervading every corner.

After a brief reflection, he attributed the sensation to the Empress's power.

"It seems you don't quite trust me," Yu Yuan mused.

He concentrated for a moment, allowing a sliver of his soul consciousness to emerge from his Yin God, shaping it at will until it gradually assumed the form of the Ice Concubine. Her figure was radiant, her beauty unparalleled, and her demeanor as untouchable as the peak of an iceberg.

Yu Yuan crafted the visage of the Ice Concubine with meticulous detail, all the while holding onto the memory of her face.

The spectral Ice Concubine, like a reflection on water, slowly materialized in this icy microcosm.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The ancient Freezing Devaputra, who had been mute up to this point, lashed out uncontrollably at the ice rocks with his icy scorpion tail. Overcome with a mix of panic and excitement, he hurriedly approached the apparition.

His eyes fixated on the ephemeral Ice Concubine, a creation of Yu Yuan's, even though he recognized her as nothing more than an illusion.

Sensing an opportunity, Yu Yuan felt a surge of anticipation.

"She, she, he..." The venerable Devaputra's voice was disjointed, a sign of his prolonged isolation, and he struggled to articulate his thoughts.

"Take your time, there's no need to rush. We have all the time in the world to talk this through," Yu Yuan reassured him with a gentle smile.

"Is she still alive?"

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