C1261 The Demon Tide
In the gloomy, frigid cavern, the Songbird Queen, who had slumbered for ages, fluttered her long eyelashes and exhaled a murky breath before opening her eyes.
Yu Yuan and Yan Ziyang jolted awake, gazing at her with bewildered eyes.
Chen Qinghuang, whose beauty was without blemish, hovered ghost-like over the river containing the Frost Vein. Her finger, pale as jade, suddenly took on the hue of emerald green.
She touched the icy river, and from her fingertip flowed a drop of blood imbued with endless magic. That single drop seemed to forge a new realm within the waters.
The Frost Vein, concealed within the river's chill, was summoned forth, transforming in an instant into a new Otherworld, a Star River unveiling its wonders.
Yu Yuan approached in silence, peering down to see a change that struck him with awe.
An unknown cosmos had emerged within the river, where stars lacked luster and neither sun nor moon could be found.
Amidst the myriad shattered boulders, a peacock of magnificent size and vibrant plumage floated serenely.
The fragmented stones were smeared with patchy bloodstains, casting an air of desolation, stillness, and oppressive gloom over the scene.
Vivid demon energy, taking the form of colorful halos, encircled the grand peacock.
But there was something amiss...
A straight, purple feather was embedded in the brow of the enormous peacock!
This feather, sharp as a mountain range and emitting a captivating glow, seemed to disrupt the natural order, exuding a terrifying presence that could wither the life force of all beings.
The purple feather had pierced the head of the mighty Demon Peacock, dooming it to a tragic death amidst the unknown stars of the extraterrestrial realm.
The dazzling purple feather continued to drain the lifeblood and Soul Power from the splendid peacock, causing the once vibrant demon energy to fade.
As time passed, the eerie tableau within the river blurred into obscurity.
Yan Ziyang drew near, taking in the sight with a single glance before his Solar Spirit Body's eyes fissured with fine cracks. Clutching his chest, he hastily shut his eyes.
"The Supreme of Shadow's Keep..."
Yan Ziyang's groan, laced with pain and fear, filled the air.
Though he had glimpsed but briefly, he recognized the fallen leviathan as the Peacock Queen of Shadow's Keep.
A ninth-level archdemon!
And who else could have placed that purple feather into the Peacock Queen's forehead if not the supreme Dark Phoenix of Shadow's Keep?
The Peacock Queen, a loyal archdemon of Shadow's Keep, had served for a millennium. Why then was she slain by the Dark Phoenix?
Yan Ziyang was brimming with confusion.
"Does that person know?"
Yu Yuan, having regained his composure after the initial shock, called out sternly.
The Peacock Queen's demise left him feeling distressed and oppressed. Three centuries prior, as Hong Qi, he had interactions with her and owed her a debt of conscience.
Recently, when he was desperately in need of vital energy, the Peacock Queen had come to his aid.
He owed her a significant debt of gratitude.
He hadn't had the chance to repay her, nor to apologize for the capriciousness of his past life, and now this vibrant Peacock Queen had perished by that same hand.
Her end mirrored that of the Spider Queen.
"She must know, using this as a way to knock at my conscience, a reminder," said the Songbird Queen, her demeanor detached, though a peculiar ripple at her brow suggested she too was somewhat shaken by the Peacock Queen's death, albeit subtly.
"During my recent slumber, I've remembered certain things."
While she spoke, the Peacock Queen, far away in the Star River, was being stripped of her vital energy and Soul Power by the sharp, mountainous purple feather.
The Peacock Queen's resplendent, massive form crumbled to dust among countless boulders.
The image in the river vanished swiftly with her complete extinction.
"A hundred thousand years ago, I was besieged and attacked by the supreme beings from extraterrestrial races..."
The Songbird Queen's offhand remark nearly drove Yan Ziyang to his knees in fright.
Stumbling, he steadied himself, looking first at Chen Qinghuang with an expression one might reserve for a ghastly apparition, then turned a pleading gaze to Yu Yuan, seeking answers.
Yu Yuan remained silent, his gaze fixed on the Songbird Queen, listening intently.
When Chen Qinghuang spoke of events from a hundred thousand years ago, using "I" in her narrative, she implicitly acknowledged a truth—she was indeed the legendary secular bird.
I was slain by the highest echelons of various races due to my uncontrollable power of destruction, which infected the astral domains and worlds I frequented. My presence turned them into forbidden areas of death, naturally inciting panic and dissatisfaction among the powerful of the races.
The Songbird Queen recounted this history without a trace of emotion on her face.
Yan Ziyang was so terrified that he collapsed to the ground.
Having hidden in the extraterritorial battlefield for years and encountered numerous Otherkin, he deduced from Chen Qinghuang's few words that she was the secular bird.
"Secular bird, the Death Bird of a hundred thousand years, the nightmare of all living beings..." Yan Ziyang whispered to himself, too afraid to even speak aloud.
"The Dark Phoenix of Shadow's Keep is the one who triggered my loss of control. Her actions led to the unbridled power of destruction that obliterated numerous galaxies, compelling the supreme beings of the extraterrestrial races to unite their peak combat forces and ultimately corner me in the Annihilation Nebula," the empress said, her lips as frosty as the river below.
"It's been far too long. Recalling the details from a hundred thousand years ago is not only arduous but also draining. Currently, I can only remember that the Dark Phoenix was the cause of my loss of control, but the specific reasons elude me," she admitted, pausing briefly before adding, "However, the time will come when all will be remembered."
Her hand, as white as polished jade, and her jade-like fingers suddenly withdrew. A drop of radiant green lifeblood remained in the icy river, not vanishing with the retraction of her finger and arm.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Yu Yuan's heart began to pound fiercely.
The verdant drop of blood in the frigid river seemed like a sinful poppy, exerting a maddening allure over him. It was as if innumerable whispers were screaming in his ears, compelling him to consume the drop of blood.
The Baneblade, submerged in his acupoints, and the seven Bloodwraiths within the Crimson Realm were instantly agitated, threatening to break free in a frenzy alongside the Baneblade.
Yu Yuan's face flushed with effort as he struggled to control both himself and the Baneblade.
The Songbird Queen's demeanor remained detached, a curious, mocking smile playing at the edges of her gaze. "I must return to my slumber to further integrate my memories. The lifeblood in the river is beyond your reach, and neither man nor beast can take it from me. However..."
"It will release a distinct scent that will draw the archdemons and alien beasts of the Star River, driving them into a frenzied hunt."
"For me, exterminate all the demons and alien beasts in this world, particularly those archdemons born of Shadow's Keep."
"Consider it... a tribute to her."
With those words, the Songbird Queen retreated to her usual spot, resuming her seat and closing her eyes once more.
Meanwhile, Yu Yuan, his brow furrowed in concern, gazed at the tender green droplet of blood, pondering the potential calamity Chen Qinghuang's words might unleash.
"She, she..." Yan Ziyang stammered before finally finding his voice.
"Hong Qi, the founder of the Songbird Empire, is Chen Qinghuang," Yu Yuan clarified, then, seeing Yan Ziyang's bewildered expression, he added, "You should be well aware of who she was a hundred thousand years ago."
Yan Ziyang was astounded: "Indeed, it all makes sense now!"
"To slay demons as a gesture of respect to her? But why me?" Yu Yuan grimaced, his mind racing as he called forth the Baneblade Bloodhell from the acupoint's little world. "If you're intent on consuming that drop of blood, go ahead and try."
He set the Baneblade down on the icy rock surface.
Seven massive Bloodwraiths burst forth from the dark red blade, pausing briefly in the void before violently diving into the frigid river, attempting to consume the verdant drop of lifeblood.
The lifeblood, teeming with vitality, suddenly radiated the breath of ruin and death, sending the Bloodwraiths scrambling back to the Baneblade with ghostly haste.
The Baneblade trembled intensely.
