C1274 Fearful
Yan Qiling was well-versed in the profound meaning of space magic and understood the significance of the Voidweaver, along with the extraordinary power it wielded.
If even a unique entity like the Voidweaver could be swayed by the Origin Deity, Yan Qiling would believe that the Origin Deity wielded a considerable force. As the Origin Gates began to proliferate throughout the Star River and various domains, he sensed the power of the Origin Deity growing rapidly. The influence of the Origin Realm was spreading across the Everlands and the Star River.
"Origin Realm, Voidweaver..." Yan Qiling furrowed his brow in thought.
He considered that within the vast expanse of the Star River, the beings most likely to encounter unknown existences and explore forbidden areas were the Voidweavers, marked from birth with the wonders of space magic.
The Origin Realm was shrouded in mystery. According to followers like Pei Yuling, it could only be entered by the soul. It was common knowledge that the physical form of the Voidweaver remained in its race's sacred land, while its soul was unaccounted for. It was highly probable that the Voidweaver's soul had already entered the Origin Realm.
The old fiends of the Shadowkin, Pei Yuling, and many other devotees of the Origin Deity appeared to be covertly engaging in nefarious activities. What could they be up to?
Yan Qiling felt a sudden surge of pressure.
He witnessed the formidable Golden Rock Beast trampling over shattered boulders, and demonic shadows flitting through the air, yet he refrained from any attempt to intercept them.
"The power of the Voidweaver can infiltrate through space rifts, Mystic Gates, and Domain Channels. However, even a high-level entity like it cannot instantly transmit its soul and space magic to any location in the Star River."
"Unless there are precise coordinates, its power could effortlessly emanate from the Origin Realm."
"Origin Gate!"
Yan Qiling quickly arrived at a conclusion.
Deep within the extraterritorial battlefield, a new Origin Gate had formed. The Voidweaver was able to project its space magic into this fractured Star River due to the existence and precise location of the Origin Gate.
With the emergence of the Origin Gate, the power of the Origin Realm could seep out, allowing the malevolent thoughts of the Voidweaver to surge forth. Zu Ann's presence at Skyreach Peak ensured the stability of that Origin Gate, while another had manifested at the entrance to the Hellmouth...
Yan Qiling's mind was awash with thoughts, leaving him feeling somewhat uneasy.
Elsewhere, Yu Yuan failed to detect the presence of the Voidweaver within the acupoint at the Dragon Slaying Stage. He realized that unless Yan Qiling took action and refrained from using space magic to cause a rift, the Voidweaver, inherently versed in the profound meaning of space, could not extend its psionic power and influence to his location indefinitely.
With a deep sigh, he directed the Crucible of Evil towards the Frost Queen. Standing atop a frigid meteorite, the Frost Queen, reminiscent of an Ice Goddess, cradled the empress in her arms, wary of disturbing her deep slumber.
She had been vigilantly observing the empress, noticing that the colorful butterflies on her neck, forehead, and cheeks had not surfaced for quite some time. As Yu Yuan approached, the empress's long eyelashes fluttered slightly.
"She, she's about to awaken," the Frost Queen whispered excitedly.
Yu Yuan's eyes sparkled, and he nodded with a smile, his mood lightening further. If Chen Qinghuang were to awaken, it would confirm that the psionic power she had infused into the Voidweaver had been thoroughly cleansed.
The Tar-Backed Bull and Yanli were petrified by the Frost Queen's exclamation. No longer daring to contend with the Sky Fiend, the two ninth-level archdemons from Shadow's Keep exchanged glances and fled in opposite directions.
The Sky Fiend, wielding a silver whip forged from the Frost Vein and facing two adversaries, paused for a moment, uncertain which one to pursue.
Then, one by one, the eighth-level archdemons, the Starbeast, and the Darkfire Beast, burst apart in midair, meeting their demise instantaneously. The colorful fish demon, attempting to flee, was impaled by the scattered bones of numerous archdemons and alien beasts.
Yanli let out a harrowing scream as she detected the death aura and the scent of destruction from the secular bird amidst the shattered bones, realizing her path to escape had come to a tragic end. Within the Tar-Backed Bull, amidst the black oil blended with demon blood, clusters of black flames carrying the breath of ruin flickered into existence.
Boom!
His massive form crashed onto a grayish-brown meteorite, shattering an already fractured mountain. He tumbled through the debris, howling and screeching in distress.
Chen Qinghuang's eyes opened slowly.
In the dark and oppressive expanse of the Star River, it was as if two emerald suns brimming with infinite life had risen, causing a tremor in the hearts of all who beheld them, instilling an urge to bow in reverence.
The ethereal queen hovered in the air, her figure ascending gracefully.
The Frost Queen glanced at her empty arms and came to a sudden realization.
She looked up at the queen with an intoxicated gaze, then naturally bowed her head, performing the most solemn rites of the Frostfiend to express her subservience.
Like an Ice Goddess, the Frost Queen's scorpion-like tail coiled, her hands pressed against her chest as she murmured indistinctly.
Inside her chest, a fist-sized, tender green heart pulsed with vigorous life.
Chen Qinghuang gazed down, as a deity might regard her followers, bestowing a slight nod upon the Frost Queen. Then, her eyes, reminiscent of verdant suns, burst forth with a blinding radiance that no one could withstand.
Yu Yuan, Yan Qiling, Yan Ziyang, and Yu Yiyi, even from a great distance, were compelled to avert their gaze.
It seemed as though their eyes would shatter if they dared to continue looking.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Wisps of vitality, like streams of sand, poured out from the Golden Rock Beast, Starbeast, Darkfire Beast, and Yanli, converging towards the empress.
The Golden Rock Beast began to shrink, its bones crushed into dust.
Soon after, the eighth-level Golden Rock Beast disintegrated into ash.
Similarly, other archdemons and alien beasts became nothing but dust shortly after the release of their vitality clouds.
Yanli and the robust Tar-Backed Bull could not escape their doom. As the empress awoke and began to truly feed, the two archdemons, permeated by her death force and breath of ruin, found themselves powerless, only able to feel the frenzied depletion of their vital energy.
Gradually, their demon souls grew clouded, losing all sense of self and spiritual wisdom.
Archdemons and alien beasts, drawn from all corners by a drop of the empress's blood, saw their vital energy vanish without a trace, regardless of whether they were dead or alive.
The only exception was Ogeus, who was relentlessly pursued by Yu Yiyi. The more he fled, the further he distanced himself from her grasp.
Ogeus had seized the perfect moment to evade death during the clash between the empress and the Voidweaver, and thanks to Yan Qiling's reluctance to employ space magic to intercept him, he managed to elude his grim fate.
The distance was too great, and the awakened empress could not reach Ogeus' demon soul with her corrupting influence.
Ogeus emerged as the sole survivor.
Yan Ziyang from the Wraithcult approached the airspace above Yu Yuan's Crucible of Evil with caution, observing Chen Qinghuang's peculiar behavior from a distance, seemingly at a loss for words.
The ancient Frostfiend appeared to understand the current events and refrained from pursuing Yanli and the black cattle.
The two archdemons from Shadow's Keep were already succumbing to death.
Yan Qiling abstained from using spatial artifacts or any other powers, standing atop a silver meteorite, he quietly joined Yu Yuan, allowing the Crucible of Evil to settle and providing Yan Ziyang with solid footing.
"Is she here?" Yan Qiling inquired softly.
"Eating," Yu Yuan replied.
"To what extent has her combat strength been restored?" Yan Qiling pressed.
Yu Yuan paused before responding, "It's possible she's at a demigod level now. The memories from a hundred thousand years ago are too distant to easily integrate and sort through. It might be for this reason that she requires an immense amount of vital energy. The archdemons from Shadow's Keep and the alien beasts from beyond are the prime sources of flesh and blood she needs."
Yan Qiling was taken aback and refrained from further questioning.
"Stop the chase."
With a subtle shift of thought, Yu Yuan communicated his intent to Yu Yiyi.
Given that Ogeus was dead set on escape and had successfully evaded the empress's malevolent influence, without Yan Qiling's aid, capturing him proved to be a formidable challenge.
Thus, she complied and returned.
Consequently, Yu Yuan and the others slowly regrouped, speaking in hushed tones as they awaited the completion of the empress's meal.
