C1277 Fearful
Qiao Yuling, missing a front tooth, wore a look of reluctance on her face. She kept her eyes on Chen Qinghuang as she spoke, clearly unsettled by the secular bird.
"Tempest's Edge!"
Upon her approach, an elder Frostfiend scrutinized her and let out a piercing scream upon discovering the numerous Soulsear Bolts coursing through her meridians and acupoints.
To the Sky Fiends, cultivators from Tempest's Edge roaming the Star River were nothing short of malevolent spirits, for those refined Soulsear Bolts could reduce their devil souls to dust in mere moments—without a demonform to shield them.
Whoosh!
The Shadowfox burst forth from the Crucible of Evil, landing on Yu Yiyi's shoulder and menacingly snarling at Qiao Yuling.
Though the Shadowfox posed to strike, it was merely a bluff, not daring to actually attack.
Qiao Yuling scoffed, "Insatiable dead cat!"
Once one of the Twelve Banes, the Shadowfox had been handed over by her to Yu Yuan, who in turn traded it for Qi Yunhong's freedom.
Under her command, the Shadowfox had been forced to hunt Sky Fiends and extraterrestrial souls. Yet, when her mood soured, she would torment it with lightning and thunder to release her pent-up emotions, never truly valuing the creature.
Thus, this Bane, having ascended to the ninth level in the Crucible of Evil and ranking just below the Frost Queen, harbored deep resentment towards her.
Yet to fully recover, the Shadowfox had not reached the tenth level like the Frost Queen.
It was only due to Yu Yiyi's presence that it feigned courage, symbolically challenging Qiao Yuling with a couple of token barks.
"This creature..."
Moore recoiled once more, sensing a dreadful presence emanating from the Shadowfox, which resembled a purple civet.
Feasting on the souls of Sky Fiends year-round had left the Shadowfox with an eerie scent that unsettled Moore, triggering an instinctive fear within him.
"It's alright."
The Frost Queen reassured him gently, but she too remained on high alert in Qiao Yuling's presence.
Qiao Yuling, having founded her own faction, wielded the refined Soulsear Bolt—a natural scourge to both the Bane and the Star-Spawned Terrors.
If the Frost Queen hadn't managed to forge her Frost Demonform, she would have sought refuge in the Crucible of Evil the moment she laid eyes on Qiao Yuling. In her pure soul form, she stood no chance against Qiao Yuling's thunderous might; she likely would have been obliterated instantly. After all, Qiao Yuling's cultivation had reached the late Unbound Stage, and her combat prowess even eclipsed that of Wei Zhuo, the contemporary leader of the Everlands' Thunder Sect.
"Go about your business," Yu Yuan commanded, stepping forward with a stern glance at the squealing Shadowfox. He signaled for the Frost Queen and Moore to step back before continuing, "Mr. Yan mentioned it was the Shadowkin's Diggs causing trouble, with Pei Yuling, a master of space magic, aiding his schemes." He succinctly relayed the situation.
"Diggs, Pei Yuling, the Origin Gate, and the Voidweaver!" Qiao Yuling was visibly shaken, her expression rapidly changing. She abruptly seized Qi Yunhong's arm, intent on dragging him away. "We need to leave Brugeth immediately. The issues there are beyond our involvement."
"You're afraid?" Qi Yunhong exclaimed.
"Enough talk!" Without allowing for a reunion between him and Yu Yuan, the elder from Tempest's Edge forcefully whisked Qi Yunhong away. Before departing, she cast several lingering glances at Chen Qinghuang, seemingly recognizing her as the legendary Divine Bird from a hundred thousand years past.
"This..." Yan Qiling was left awkwardly standing there. He had intended to delve into the details and cross-reference them with Qiao Yuling's knowledge, but she had abruptly left without a word. Her decisiveness only served to heighten the group's anxiety.
"The old lady from Tempest's Edge, her reputation precedes her," Yan Ziyang of the Wraithcult interjected timidly. "To the Sky Fiends of the extraterrestrial realms, she's a fearsome scourge, a killer whose wrath is unmatched. Few who encounter her ever escape unharmed." His words were met with a nod of agreement from a seasoned Sky Fiend.
"Even Qiao Yuling, with her formidable powers in the late Unbound Stage, recoiled at the mention of the Origin Gate and the Voidweaver," Yan Qiling remarked, his face etched with concern as he glanced at Chen Qinghuang, signaling his own inclination to withdraw.
"She is far stronger than Qiao Yuling," Yu Yuan stated calmly.
Realizing that the crowd was considering retreat, he reluctantly invoked the name of Chen Qinghuang. The secular bird, having regained some of its combat prowess, should surely not fear the opening of the Origin Gate, nor the Voidweaver that was left with only its soul.
...
Elsewhere.
Overwhelmed by disappointment, Ogeus hastened Faang Yao and the rest to make their way immediately to the Starway overseen by Lin Yan of the Ebon Star, to summon additional formidable allies.
Chu Yao nodded eagerly, intent on departing without a moment's delay.
After a brief exchange, Faang Yao and the cultivators of the Solar Spirit from the Skyblight Cult and Poison Cult concurred.
"Let's head to the ferry point first!"
Ogeus released his demon energy, drawing together nearby fragments of rock. Swiftly, he fashioned 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 Otherkin warriors, exuding a potent death aura and rigid in form, descended and encircled Faang Yao and the others.
"My friends from home, there's no need to rush off."
The Ghoul King emerged from the rare stone, resembling the Embers Sea, with a disingenuous grin floating behind Ogeus. "A pleasure to meet you, Golden Rock Beast King of Shadow's Keep."
"Ghoul King!"
The Solar Spirits from the Land of Quiescence were well-acquainted with him. His sudden appearance prompted a collective lament from the group.
Yuan Lianyao, who had unleashed the Red Demon Bell and braced for battle, displayed a hint of terror on her striking face.
Years had passed, and once again, she encountered a familiar face...
Amidst the chilling cold fog, a slender figure, chilling to the core, appeared to glide over clusters of icy flames, emerging gracefully from the rare stone.
Her presence alone transformed the surrounding tens of miles into a frigid grotto.
The Solar Spirits at her level suddenly found their spiritual energy and remnant souls struggling to circulate within their bodies, hindered by the pervasive ice energy. Their speech was even punctuated by shivers.
"Lin Zhuyun..."
Yuan Lianyao, having been welcomed into the Ruby Hand after leaving Asvetaesi, whispered to herself as a torrent of fiery energy, akin to molten lava, surged through her veins.
The Red Demon Bell swayed gently, its flame patterns transforming into burning scarlet rivers.
"Ghoul King, you've thrown in your lot with the Abyssal Leviathan and turned into a lackey for those Otherkin. You ought to be more submissive!" Ogeus, clearly in a foul mood, bared his teeth and glared menacingly. "What's this? You've mustered the courage to defy Shadow's Keep now?"
"Not at all, not at all."
The Ghoul King shook his head, his face betraying no fear, and he even looked eager to engage.
"I'm simply looking to gather more souls to transform into ghouls to bolster my combat power. You all are well-acquainted with the extraterritorial battlefield. Could you point me to where I might find a greater concentration of these creatures?"
He bantered aimlessly with Ogeus, Faang Yao, and the other Solar Spirit elites.
Enshrouded in a chilling white fog, Lin Zhuyun drifted to a stop before Yuan Lianyao, under the wary eyes of those around her. Her icy gaze, sharp as a blade, cut towards Yuan Lianyao. "Ms. Yuan, I never imagined we'd cross paths again so soon in the Star River beyond our world."
"Indeed, quite the coincidence," Yuan Lianyao responded.
There's a special intensity when archenemies meet.
