C1254

Chrissy, a woman from the Shadowkin, spoke of the death of Kennard, who bore the title Children of the Forest, in the chaotic battle within Ionodios. This led the Shadowkin authorities to hold Mia partially responsible, as Kennard was the son of their chieftain.

Mia, while esteemed within the Shadowkin, could not hold a candle to Kennard's legacy. As a result, her reputation and standing within the tribe began to wane. Families that once swore allegiance to Mia have since distanced themselves, and her once firm grip on power has been usurped by others. Wen Lu, who accompanied her, also caused Mia considerable trouble due to her mixed heritage.

In essence, Mia's once untouchable status within the tribe has vanished since their parting.

After listening to Chrissy's account, Yu Yuan reflected on his own predicament. With Chen Qinghuang by his side and her situation unclear, he realized he was in no position to offer Mia assistance at this time.

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

Chrissy glanced nervously at her feet before whispering, "Is that person still here?"

Yu Yuan gave a gentle nod.

With a hint of pallor, Chrissy hurriedly explained, "We're in Brugeth to confront the visitors from the Euwrea Continent. Regarding you, I only recently received word. The elder I serve instructed me to avoid provoking you at all costs and to steer clear immediately should our paths cross inadvertently."

She gestured towards the members of the Stoneborn, Silverscale Tribe, and Fire Lizard Clan on the meteorite, "Their leaders likely share this sentiment, though they are unaware of your identities and do not know who you are."

Yu Yuan absorbed this information and nodded thoughtfully.

Currently, the Dark Star was drawing the gaze of various factions across the extraterrestrial Star River, and a deeply entangled war had become an unstoppable force.

At such a pivotal juncture, the tribe that had once vanquished the secular bird likely doubted their ability to do so again. Choosing avoidance over confrontation was a prudent strategy.

"I've also heard that the highest authority of the Shadow's Keep has taken a keen interest in her," Chrissy added.

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "Shadow's Keep?"

"Yes, we've received some intel that the Shadow's Keep's most powerful being is fated to clash with her. The pinnacle warriors of the various races haven't united against her, partly because they're considering this. They might want to witness a future battle between her and the Shadow's Keep's champion," Chrissy explained.

Yu Yuan's gaze was pensive.

After further questioning, he learned from Chrissy that the situation in Kuvrepros was still unclear. Instead, the Starborn patriarch had rallied their warriors, and they were scouring the Star River to hunt down Zhu Huan, Fu Xuanwen, Wei Zhuo, and others. Yu Yuan couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.

"Also, we've got word of creatures with a heavy death aura lurking in Brugeth. They seem to originate from a malevolent entity in the Everlands. These creatures have also surfaced in Ionodios," Chrissy added, slapping her forehead. "They're called Ghouls, Wights—keep an eye out for them."

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

"Good luck to you."

Chrissy gave a respectful bow and then departed from the meteorite.

She quickly returned to the massive, blood-red meteorite. Warriors from the Silverscale Tribe and Stoneborn Tribe swarmed around her, eager to know what had transpired.

"Just act as if you saw nothing. He's someone we can't afford to provoke," Chrissy sighed deeply. "Your leader has said the same—if you happen to encounter him, best to steer clear."

At her words, the Otherkin warriors felt a weakness in their knees.

Their looks towards the stone were laden with dread, as if they were staring at the Grim Reaper himself, about to emerge from within.

...

Inside the cave.

Yan Ziyang watched Yu Yuan return, his face full of admiration. "Does that Shadowkin woman know you? It seemed like she held a great deal of respect for you."

Above, there was no sign of a fierce battle. The gathered Otherkin silently withdrew.

"False merge." Yu Yuan could observe the surroundings through the holes on the meteorite's surface.

He noticed that the Otherkin, led by Chrissy, had cast one last, fear-filled glance at their meteorite before leaving.

Certainly, Yan Ziyang wasn't the one who was afraid.

"The Frostfiend still hasn't erased its residual soul's will?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.

The Soul Shatter in Yan Ziyang's chest, constructed from cold fog, was relatively weak since it wasn't powered by numerous Banes.

Yu Yuan could barely make out that the devil soul of the Frostfiend within the Ice Shard had merely diminished slightly.

The core soul mark, in reality, remained intact.

"It's not that simple. This creature is a Demon God," Yan Ziyang said, sounding somewhat disheartened. "Without your sister's assistance, my own strength wouldn't have been enough to contain him, let alone slowly refine him and assimilate his devil soul."

Yu Yuan stroked his chin thoughtfully and then asked, "Is it possible to communicate with him?"

"We could, if he were willing. But he's aware of my intentions and has shown no desire to communicate," Yan Ziyang explained.

"The current state of affairs both in the Everlands and the extraterrestrial world has changed," Yu Yuan said as he approached the swirling cold fog. "If you don't mind, how about I try talking to him?"

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

"Let's just see how it goes."

With a focused thought, Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit left his forehead and darted towards the cold fog.

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

Yan Ziyang's face drained of color, worried that Yu Yuan, unaware of the danger, might have his Lunar Spirit torn by the Soul Shatter, risking severe damage.

"It's okay," said Yu Yuan, his real body smiling reassuringly.

In a swift motion, the Lunar Spirit entered the mist and located the Ice Shard, piercing it with concentrated intent.

Instantly, he was transported to the frigid realm within the crystal, where he laid eyes on a peculiar Frostfiend.

Ancient in appearance, with an upper body resembling a spectral form and a lower body like a crystalline scorpion tail, it bore the distinctive features of a Frostfiend.

The Frostfiend, with white hair and a ghostly, indistinct face, had eyes that gleamed with an icy, piercing chill.

"Let's have a discussion," Yu Yuan suggested, his Lunar Spirit refraining from exploring the tiny, frigid world. "Are you aware that your Frostfiend race has been dwindling for quite some time now?"

The aged Sky Fiend remained enveloped in a cold silence, offering no response.

"The Frostfiend race still allies with the Primal Demon Race, just as before. Had you chosen the Blood Fiend like the other Frostfiends, I wouldn't have bothered coming here," Yu Yuan said, his demeanor relaxed, a smile gracing his features. "Naturally, there's another reason for my visit—I share a certain destiny with your people."

The venerable Ice Nether Demon God maintained an impassive facade, his gaze icy and distant.

To Yu Yuan, the crystalline world seemed as if it had been reconstructed from the shattered remnants of his upper body, the essence of the Frostfiend permeating every corner.

After a moment's reflection, he attributed the sensation to the empress's influence.

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

He contemplated briefly before a strand of his Lunar Spirit's remnant soul began to morph, eventually taking on the visage of the Frost Queen. She was resplendent, her beauty unparalleled, her aura as majestic and untouchable as the summit of an ice-capped mountain.

Yu Yuan meticulously sculpted her likeness from memory, the Frost Queen's ephemeral form emerging like a reflection on water, slowly solidifying within this secluded icy enclave.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The old Frostfiend, who had remained silent until now, inadvertently lashed his icy scorpion tail against the ice rock in a mix of alarm and excitement, hastily drawing nearer.

His gaze fixated on the illusion of the Frost Queen, conjured from nothing by Yu Yuan, even as he recognized its intangibility.

Sensing an opportunity, Yu Yuan's spirit lifted.

"She, she, he..." The Sky Fiend's voice was disjointed, betraying his lack of recent conversation, the words failing to form coherently.

"Take your time. We have all the time in the world to talk this through," Yu Yuan reassured him with a gentle smile.

"Is she still alive?"

​