C1303 Brie
In the distance, the shattered remnants of the Star River were clearly visible, with numerous meteors chaotically strewn about. As Brie gazed upon the starry expanse that now seemed so foreign, his mind was flooded with memories of its grandeur from thousands of years ago. Back then, Brugeth was the Shadowkin's second most resplendent Astral Domain, teeming with diverse races and stars blanketed by forests, a sight to behold at every turn.
Members of the neighboring Starborn, Shura, Silverscale Tribe, Wingkind, and Crypt Clan would travel great distances to witness the marvels of Brugeth and to engage in trade for refined iron. Brie had once held Diggs in the highest regard, believing the elder would steadfastly support him, much like Beru's loyalty to Ballo.
But in a mere blink of an eye, thousands of years had passed, and the Star River had been reduced to ruins, transformed into a blood-soaked battleground for archdemons and mighty warriors from various races.
With a sigh tinged with melancholy, Brie steadied the tumult within his heart. His giant scepter, now a beam of dark green light, pierced through the expanse of stars and made its way into Brugeth.
Upon entering, the scepter, entwined with vine-like tendrils, came to an abrupt halt. Brie's eyes sparkled as he observed the omnipresent colorful ripples, the concealed layers of light, the hidden space magic, and the intricate illusions. He remained unaffected.
Moreover, as he made his presence known, the spiraling colorful ripples, converging from the outside in, seemed to freeze in place because of him. The Star River's rules and the Voidweaver's secret configurations were thrown into disarray, revealing gaps and flaws.
"The presence of the butterfly alongside the Uxthar Tree... Could there be a connection between them?" Brie mused with a furrowed brow. It took him only seconds to ascertain that the colorful ripples in the fragmented Star River were the handiwork of the Voidweaver.
His thoughts turned to the missing soul of the Voidweaver and the legendary "Uxthar Tree," which had vanished even earlier. Were they both in the Spirit World? Despite the vastness of Endless Space, his gaze seemed to pinpoint the massive meteorite that was slowly coalescing.
"The essence of the Uxthar Tree is unmistakable. If Diggs is indeed dead, why has the divine tree reappeared in Brugeth, and in the company of the Voidweaver, no less?"
As Brie journeyed toward the Dark Star, intent on joining the war raging there, a sudden sensation coursed through him. The distinctive aura of the Uxthar Tree set his bloodline pulsing with recognition. Without hesitation, he reversed his decision, commanding the Shadowkin elites to hold their positions while he slipped away alone and undetected.
The Uxthar Tree was a matter of grave consequence, and Brie was unwilling to share even a hint of its existence with his most trusted lieutenants. As the reigning chieftain of the Shadowkin, he was privy to the secrets of the Uxthar Tree, passed down from his predecessor. He knew of its intrinsic connection to the origins of the Shadowkin and how it had vanished from the vast Star River, corrupted by an insidious evil.
The former patriarch had warned that the Uxthar Tree, now steeped in malevolence, must never reemerge. Originally, the tree had drawn upon the myriad psionic powers within the Star River to sustain its growth and evolution. The Shadowkin had revered it as their divine tree, a sacred entity worthy of their veneration.
However, the day the Uxthar Tree began to siphon life and souls from all living creatures marked its transformation into a tree of evil. Even the Shadowkin were not spared as it preyed upon its own protectors.
The details of the divine tree's sudden change and disappearance remained a mystery to Brie, as even the previous chieftain spoke of it only in hushed tones. The lesson imparted to Brie was clear: should the Uxthar Tree resurface, it must be eradicated immediately to prevent calamity.
He was also cautioned against allowing the clan's higher bloodline elites to approach the Uxthar Tree, lest they be corrupted by its evil energy and enslaved. Diggs served as a stark reminder of such a fate.
"I strictly prohibit any of our powerful members from venturing near the Brugeth region for the time being. That should prevent any mishaps," Brie mused.
Ripples of space magic from the Voidweaver emerged, yet he remained unfazed. Perched atop the giant scepter, a subtle stir of his bloodline caused the surrounding spatial ripples to vanish without a sound.
"Brie!"
A ghastly wail echoed from the colorful ripples in the distance, and an ethereal figure materialized abruptly.
The figure cackled maniacally at the Shadowkin chieftain.
"Diggs!"
Brie's face turned ashen, a tide of unease surging within him, as if he had come to realize that Brugeth was fraught with peril and the unknown.
Internally torn, he deliberated whether to venture deeper into the Brugeth.
Whoosh!
After a moment's hesitation, he soared once more, wielding the giant scepter.
...
The Lunar Meteorite.
Yu Yuan's eyes snapped open. Inside his little world of vitality, the transforming Solar Spirit stirred, sensing something extraordinary.
It was as if the shattered Star River before him had been infused with a breath of life.
Leo, revered as the Starchild, saw his eyes twinkle with dazzling starlight, and both his soul and the Altar of Rebirth resonated with this sensation.
"Many of these fragmented meteorites, once part of lush forests, seem to exude a hint of plant essence once more."
Leo expressed his astonishment. After a thorough sensing, he confidently shared with Beru, "The laws and order of Brugeth appear to have subtly shifted. Lands desolate for millennia now show signs of life. I believe trees will grow here again."
Beru, worldly and wise, did not respond immediately. His gaze shifted to Chen Qinghuang, who sat in meditation beside a silver-white rock.
Yet, Beru and the others knew all too well that Her Majesty was not in slumber but fully conscious.
Her closed eyes were not a sign of disinterest but a choice to disregard their presence, as she awaited a pivotal moment.
"I suspect it's Brie," Beru finally ventured, offering an explanation to the group. "The Shadowkin patriarch, bearer of the tenth-level bloodline and the seventh-ranked power in the endless expanse of stars, possesses a bloodline capable of rejuvenating barren lands. Brugeth, once celebrated for its lush flora, was home to numerous dense forests before its fragmentation."
"When Brie arrives, the dispersed plant essence naturally coalesces toward a special place."
The Great Sage of the Starborn explained to everyone that the bloodline chains within a peak Blood Warrior's body were inherently linked to the Way of Heaven.
Take Ballo of the Starborn, for instance; if he dedicated his efforts, he could restore a Domain with a shattered core.
He could revive a Domain that had been lifeless for eons, allowing it to 'breathe' once more, drawing in various energies from the cosmos to reform its core.
For Brie, a member of the Shadowkin, transforming a barren land into a verdant forest was a simple feat.
The fragmented Brugeth Domain was rife with disparate psionic powers. Influenced by his bloodline, they could surge like a tidal wave of flora into the once-mystical land, effortlessly creating marvels.
For example, trees and flowers could sprout on meteorites, then blossom and fruit.
"Yu Yuan, you need to be cautious," Yan Qiling suddenly warned.
"Me?"
Yu Yuan pointed to himself, looking utterly perplexed.
"There's a rumor that Kennard died because of you in Ionodios. He had the most disputes with you there. Survivors tend to embellish the stories they tell, and they've implicated Mia and the half-blood Wen Lu," Yan Qiling clarified.
Leo gave a subtle nod. "Such rumors have been circulating."
Yu Yuan let out a wry laugh.
He had indeed argued with the Children of the Forest over Wen Lu, but he wasn't responsible for Kennard's death, which made him feel wronged.
"Kennard was Brie's son. He might take action against you over this," Yan Qiling cautioned.
"If I'm not mistaken, Kennard was slain by the Shura from the Dark Realm," Beru interjected with a furrowed brow. "Yu Yuan, don't worry. If you do encounter Brie, I'll explain things for you. He still holds a measure of respect for me."
"I suspect Brie won't last long in this shattered Star River. There's no need for explanations," Yu Yuan dismissed.
Yu Yuan sensed that Brie, along with the Origin Deity, the Voidweaver, and the growing Uxthar Tree, would be the primary targets in their upcoming confrontations.
Even if Brie was ranked as the seventh most powerful being in the Star River, surviving such an immense force would be a monumental challenge!
"Don't underestimate any peak Blood Warrior," Beru said with a grave tone. "Brie didn't earn his position by being easy to kill. That butterfly may have a soul, but without its real body present, it's uncertain whether it can affect Brie at all."
At that moment,
Chen Qinghuang opened her eyes, maintaining her meditative posture, and spoke with a detached air, "Yan Qiling, you can now wield space magic. There's no need for detours or straight paths; simply pierce through the void and leap directly into the Spirit World. We must get there before Brie does."
"Ah!"
