C1268 The Unbroken Bond!
Yan Qiling, clad in a modest moon-white robe, exuded an otherworldly charm as he stood at the forefront of the meteorite, which resembled a gleaming flying shuttle. His smile radiated warmth and kindness.
Within the meteorite, a mystical light danced, hinting at the power to shatter the very fabric of space.
As he nodded to Yu Yuan, Yan Qiling felt a sense of bewilderment. He wondered why so many formidable demons and alien beasts were engaged in a frenzied slaughter here. How could Yu Yuan remain so composed in the face of such diverse and dangerous creatures?
Then, his gaze fell upon a Golden Rock Beast, massive as a mountain, and he chuckled, "Jin Lih."
In an instant, the towering Golden Rock Beast condensed its form, transforming into a lean, sharp-edged human male.
Jin Lih, now in human guise, possessed a rare set of golden eyes that radiated a cold and brutal light, with tiny sparks of electricity flickering within.
Thousands of jagged rocks, drawn by his lineage, began to orbit his human frame, poised and ready for battle.
Upon noticing Yan Qiling and Yu Yiyi within the Evil Cauldron, Jin Lih immediately abandoned his efforts to rouse his warriors.
He ceased his futile attempts to confront the sinister mental projections of Chen Qinghuang, recognizing the futility of his actions.
He understood the significance of Yan Qiling and Yu Yiyi's presence.
They had assumed human forms to preserve the lucidity of their demon souls, lest their potent demon blood draw them too close to the meteorite concealing the Secular Bird. Such proximity risked corruption by the bird's malevolent influence, potentially driving them into a frenzied state like the savage bull and the vibrant Demonic Fish.
"Master!"
Yu Yiyi, maneuvering the Evil Cauldron, had already departed from the shimmering meteorite and was soaring towards Yu Yuan. Yan Qiling watched with a smile, alert to Jin Lih's actions.
At the sight of her and the Evil Cauldron, Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World, previously opened by the essence of the Yin Sunflower and home to the Evil Demons, stirred with recognition.
A profound sense of soulful connection abruptly filled his heart.
Yu Yuan instantly realized that the Evil Cauldron, which he had refined, was once again in perfect harmony with him.
The bond had deepened, a testament to his enhanced combat prowess and the artifact's increased potency.
"That one..."
Yu Yiyi approached him and offered a respectful bow. As she lifted her head, her smile was subtle, and her gaze fell upon a frigid meteorite, a black oil bull, and a colorful Demonic Fish locked in a fierce battle amidst the black demonic flames.
The cauldron soul's smile became rigid. Chen Qinghuang came to mind quite naturally.
She had always felt a sense of repulsion and aversion toward the Empress of the Luan Bird Empire from the start.
That hadn't changed.
Yet now, her dislike was tinged with a profound sense of wariness...
"She's fine."
Thinking Yu Yiyi was concerned about the Empress, Yu Yuan offered a reassuring smile and a brief explanation. Then, through their unique soul connection, he shared his insights, "She's in a critical phase of recovery, requiring extended sleep to integrate her memories, including mastery over the profound meanings of destruction, death, and rebirth. Hence, she needs to consume a great deal..."
"I couldn't care less about her wellbeing," Yu Yiyi huffed.
She took her usual seat on the rim of the dark Evil Cauldron, her snow-white bare feet gently swaying. With eyes that held the mysteriousness of the void, she observed the battling Great Demons and alien beasts as though they were inanimate objects. Eventually, her gaze, much like Yan Qiling's, settled on Jin Li, "Such pitiful creatures."
Having firsthand knowledge of Chen Qinghuang's identity and formidable power, she was well aware of the fate awaiting Jin Li, a Demon King.
At the Ninth Level, both the Black Oil Barbarian Bull and the colorful Demonic Fish had been permeated by the Secular Bird's Evil Energy. What chance did Jin Li stand?
Even the Eighth Level Golden Rock Beasts were on the brink of death. Could Jin Li truly abandon them all?
A slight smile played on Yu Yiyi's lips.
But in the very next instant, she froze, her voice a muffled murmur, "He's actually doing it!"
Jin Li, now in human form, his long, narrow golden eyes filled with resolve, suddenly turned and transformed into a streak of golden light, darting into the distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Led by his power, the myriad fragments of stone scattered around him burst in succession, creating an unusual barrier that twisted and shattered all the surrounding energies.
"Are you that frightened?"
Yan Qiling couldn't help but laugh.
He noticed that the barrier, created by the shattered rocks, was specifically designed to counter the penetration and spread of soul thoughts.
This indicated that Jin Lih was on high alert for the Secular Bird concealed within the meteorite's core, fearing that the creature had already set its sights on him and wouldn't permit his conscious departure.
Yet...
In the icy cave, the slumbering queen's long eyelashes fluttered slightly.
Yan Ziyang of the Ghost Spirit Sect was terrified. He quickly put on a smile, cupped his fists, and bowed to the still-unawakened queen, saying, "Yu Yuan and I are allies, as you know. I never intended to harm you. And of course, I wouldn't dare..."
He was concerned that once Yu Yuan departed, the mythical bird of death might release a trace of its deadly and destructive aura.
He feared the repercussions.
Outside.
Jin Lih, who was hastily retreating, came to an abrupt halt in the sky.
An immense invisible force seemed to descend upon him, first halting his swift movement, then rapidly increasing in strength, pinning the Demon King helplessly in midair.
Subsequently, the Golden Rock Beast, in its human form, transformed back into a colossal, mountainous version of itself.
Standing a hundred meters tall with a form that was a mix of lion and tiger, Jin Lih loomed larger than many meteorites. Facing away from Yu Yuan and Yan Qiling, his demonic body, forged from golden fluid and iron, bore incongruous grayish-white and black patterns—clearly not a natural part of him.
Yan Qiling fell silent, refraining from further mockery of Jin Lih. He shifted his gaze away, looking thoughtfully at the frigid meteorite, and whispered to himself, "Such a fearsome bird of death."
"Master, it seems I'm unaffected," Yu Yiyi spoke softly.
She remained calm in the face of Jin Lih's anomaly, and after a closer examination, she inquired, "Is it targeting only beings whose core strength is their flesh and blood essence?"
"You have a keen insight," Yu Yuan acknowledged, nodding. He then called forth the Dragon Slash Platform and released a thread of his consciousness.
This thread of consciousness, like a thunderbolt, instantly reached the tenth echelon within the Evil Cauldron's Consciousness Little World, rousing the Ice Concubine, who had evolved into an immensely powerful Evil Demon.
He was the rightful owner of the Evil Cauldron, with Yu Yiyi serving merely as the cauldron soul. He didn't need to convey his thoughts through Yu Yiyi if he truly wished to communicate.
"Ice Concubine, pay your respects to the Master!"
A dense white fog billowed from the mouth of the cauldron, quickly taking the form of a glittering glacier. Within moments, it was intricately sculpted into a figure with the graceful curves of a human upper body and the lower half of a frigid Devaputra.
The Ice Concubine's ice-blue eyes sparkled with intelligence.
After her reverent bow, she waited with a modest demeanor for Yu Yuan's command.
"Head to where the Frost Dragon resides. You'll find one of your kin there," Yu Yuan directed.
At his words, a glimmer of excitement shone in the Ice Concubine's eyes. "A member of my race..."
With a whoosh, her unique form, guided by Yu Yuan's direction and the liberation of his soul's intent, transformed into a streak of ice, swiftly making her way to the Dragon Slash Platform and effortlessly entering the realm of the ancient Devaputra.
"Princess Adel!"
The venerable Freezing Devaputra, who had been refining its magical body with the remains of Eighth and Ninth Level Frost Dragons, suddenly burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Adel..."
Yu Yuan whispered to himself, recognizing that this was likely a former name of the Ice Concubine or one of her aliases.
He felt no desire to witness the reunion between the Ice Concubine and the ancient Devaputra, not sparing even a sliver of his soul for the encounter.
Instead, his attention was drawn to the robust Golden Rock Beast, which, after a momentary pause from the empress's influence, slowly turned back around.
The Ninth Level Demon King's eyes blazed with ferocity and madness as it launched an assault on the Celestial Star Beasts and the Dark Flame Beasts.
Yan Qiling, without a word, maneuvered the gleaming meteorite to meet up with Yu Yuan.
"It's as if we're invisible, so long as we avoid provoking those vicious beasts and demons," he remarked in quiet amazement. "Yu Yuan, at what stage is she? Did her loss of control and descent into madness cause her to unleash those malevolent thoughts and powers, thereby affecting all the beasts and demons?"
"Be honest with me. If that's the case, we need to think of a way to get out of here quickly."
A shiver ran down his spine as he contemplated the possibility of the Secular Bird going berserk again, recalling the harrowing destruction of the Illusion Starfield, Silver Sand Starfield, and Firefly Starfield, which was enough to make his skin crawl.
"It's not that serious," Yu Yuan stated with composure.
"Are you sure? Can you promise me that?" Yan Qiling pressed, still uneasy.
"Well..." Yu Yuan drew out his response, hesitating, "I can't fully guarantee it."
"Maybe we should just go? Her fate—whether she lives, dies, or awakens—isn't your concern. Given your current condition, you shouldn't get too entangled with her. It could muddle your own consciousness," Yan Qiling earnestly suggested.
Yu Yuan chuckled and shook his head, "I'll be alright."
"Who's there, lurking in the shadows?!" Yan Qiling suddenly let out a cold huff, dispersing a flurry of black and white chess pieces into the void, setting up an invisible board. "Ah, a colleague! Pei Yuling, is that you?"
