C1277 The Gorgeous Waves!

Qiao Yuling, sporting a gap where her front tooth should be, wore a look of reluctance. Throughout her conversation, her gaze lingered on Chen Qinghuang, clearly disturbed by the presence of the Secular Bird.

"Thunder Sect!" exclaimed an elder Freezing Devaputra upon noticing her approach. He scrutinized her closely and discovered numerous strands of "Blazing Soul Lightning" coursing through her meridians and acupoints, which made him shriek in alarm.

For the entire Devaputra Race, practitioners from the Thunder Sect, who wandered the Eon Realm, were considered malevolent and fearsome entities. The reason was simple: the purified "Blazing Soul Lightning" could reduce their Devil Souls to dust in mere moments—if they lacked a devilish body for protection.

With a whoosh, the Nether Cat leaped out of the Evil Cauldron and perched on Yu Yiyi's shoulder, menacingly baring its teeth and claws at Qiao Yuling. It made a show of pouncing but stopped short of actual aggression.

Qiao Yuling scoffed, "What a ravenous, wretched cat!"

Yu Yuan, who had been one of the Twelve Evil Demons, had handed over the Nether Cat to Qi Yunhong in exchange for his freedom. Under Qiao Yuling's command, the Nether Cat had been a relentless hunter of Devaputras and foreign soul spirits. Yet, when her mood soured, she would not hesitate to torment the Nether Cat with lightning and thunder as an outlet for her frustrations, never really taking it seriously.

As a result, the Nether Cat, having ascended to the ninth echelon, ranking just below the Ice Concubine within the Evil Cauldron, harbored deep resentment towards her. It had not yet fully recovered nor reached the tenth echelon like the Ice Concubine had. It was only due to Yu Yiyi's presence that the Nether Cat dared to make a symbolic challenge to Qiao Yuling.

"This creature..." Moore was taken aback once more, sensing a dreadful aura emanating from the purple Nether Cat. Its body, having feasted on Devil Souls for years, emitted an odd scent that unsettled Moore, triggering an instinctive dread within him.

"There's nothing to worry about," the Ice Concubine reassured him quietly, though she remained vigilant in Qiao Yuling's presence. Qiao Yuling, having founded her own sect, possessed the "Blazing Soul Lightning"—a formidable weapon that was the natural nemesis of both the Devil Soul and the Outland Devaputra.

If the Ice Concubine hadn't condensed her icy demon body, she would have hidden in the Evil Cauldron the instant she laid eyes on Qiao Yuling. In her pure soul form, she stood no chance against Qiao Yuling's divine thunder and lightning powers—she might have been obliterated on the spot.

After all, Qiao Yuling was in the late Unrestrained Stage, her combat prowess even surpassing that of Wei Zhuo, the contemporary leader of the Vast Ocean Thunder Sect.

"Go about your business."

Yu Yuan stepped forward, shooting a stern glance at the shrieking Nether Cat, and gestured for the Ice Concubine and Moore to step back before he relayed, "Mr. Yan mentioned that Diggs from the Dark Elfkind is behind this, with Pei Yuling, an expert in spatial powers, aiding him in their scheme." He summarized the situation succinctly.

"Diggs, Pei Yuling, the Origin Realm Gate, and the Void Spirit Succubus!"

Qiao Yuling was visibly shaken, her face cycling through emotions before she abruptly grabbed Qi Yunhong by the arm, intent on leaving. "We must exit the Deep Starfield immediately. The situation here is beyond our scope; we shouldn't get involved."

"You're scared of something?" Qi Yunhong blurted out.

"Enough talk!"

Without allowing him a moment to reconnect with Yu Yuan, the elderly lady from the Thunder Sect forcefully whisked Qi Yunhong away. She cast several lingering glances at Chen Qinghuang before departing, likely recognizing her as the Luan Bird Queen, the legendary Divine Bird of a hundred thousand years past.

"This..."

Yan Qiling, looking rather awkward, had hoped to delve into the details and cross-reference them with Qiao Yuling's knowledge. But she abruptly withdrew without further discussion after hearing the report.

Her decisiveness left the group even more anxious.

"The old lady from the Thunder Sect, her reputation precedes her," Yan Ziyang from the Ghost Spirit Sect interjected timidly. "To the Devaputras of the outer realms, she's a fearsome executioner with unmatched lethality. Those who inadvertently encounter her rarely escape unharmed."

The elder Devaputra nodded in agreement.

"Even Qiao Yuling, with her vast mana at the late Unrestrained Stage, recoiled at the mention of the Origin Realm Gate and the Void Spirit Succubus," Yan Qiling lamented, glancing at Chen Qinghuang and contemplating a retreat.

"She is far stronger than Qiao Yuling," Yu Yuan stated calmly.

Realizing that the crowd was contemplating retreat, he reluctantly invoked the name of Chen Qinghuang. The Secular Bird, once partially restored to its former combat strength, should surely not fear the opening of the Origin Realm Gate, nor the Void Spirit Succubus that was left with only its soul, right?

...

Elsewhere.

A thoroughly disheartened Jin Lih hastened Faang Yao and the rest to make their way immediately to the Galaxy Crossing overseen by Lin Yan of the Profound Sky Sect, summoning more formidable figures to arrive.

Chu Yao nodded vigorously, eager to depart without delaying another second.

After a brief exchange, Faang Yao and the Yang cultivators from the Fiend Sect and the Voodoo Cult concurred.

"Let's head to the Crossing first!"

Jin Lih's demonic energy dispersed, drawing together nearby fragments of rock. In a brief span, he crafted an unusual meteorite and gestured for everyone to board. "I'll take us there."

Whoosh!

A rare stone, no larger than a door, hurtled from afar, arriving in an instant.

The next moment, nearly a hundred alien warriors, shrouded in thick miasma and rigid in posture, descended and encircled Faang Yao and the others.

"Friends from home, there's no need to rush off."

The Yin Corpse King emerged from the rare stone, resembling the Ember Waters, and hovered behind Jin Lih with a sardonic grin. "It's a pleasure to meet the Demon Palace's Golden Rock Beast King."

"Yin Corpse King!"

The Yang cultivators from across the Quietus Continent recognized him instantly. His sudden appearance caused them to groan in dismay, cursing their misfortune.

Yuan Lianyao, poised for battle with the Red Demon Bell at the ready, displayed a hint of terror on her striking face.

Years had passed, and she was once again face-to-face with an acquaintance...

Amidst the bone-chilling fog, a delicate figure, whose presence sent shivers down the spine, appeared to glide over clusters of icy flames, emerging gracefully from the rare stone.

With her arrival, the region for miles around seemed to transform into a cavern of ice.

All the Yang Gods at the same level as her suddenly found their Spiritual Energy and soul thoughts sluggish due to the chilling force. Even their speech was accompanied by shivers.

"Lim Zhuyun..."

Yuan Lianyao, who had emerged from Darkmoon City and been welcomed into the Red Devil Sect, whispered to herself as a torrent of fiery energy, as tumultuous as molten lava, surged through her meridians.

The Red Demon Bell swayed gently, its flame-engraved walls transforming into blazing, crimson streams.

"Yin Corpse King, you've sided with the Chaos Roc and turned into a minion of the aberrant. You ought to be cowering!" Jin Lih, clearly in a foul mood, bared his teeth and glared menacingly at the Yin Corpse King. "What's this? You've mustered the courage to defy the Demon Palace now?"

"Not at all, not at all."

The Yin Corpse King shook his head, his face betraying no fear, but rather a sense of readiness for a challenge.

"I'm merely looking to gather more souls to transform into Yin Corpses, bolstering my combat prowess. You all are well-acquainted with the Outer Battlefield. Could you point me to where I might find a greater concentration of these aberrant creatures?"

He casually bantered with Jin Lih, Faang Yao, and the other formidable Yang Gods.

Lim Zhuyun, shrouded in a bone-chilling mist, drifted before Yuan Lianyao under the watchful eyes of the alarmed onlookers. Her icy gaze, sharp as a blade, cut through the air towards Yuan Lianyao. "City Lord Yuan, I didn't expect to encounter you so soon in the Outland Star River."

"Quite the coincidence," Yuan Lianyao responded.

When nemeses meet, sparks fly.

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