C1307 The Gods and Devils Were Annoyed

Zhong Chichen, a Divine Level alchemist, had ensured his son-in-law was thoroughly prepared for his first venture into the Outland Star River.

Yu Yuan believed that certain special pellets designed to soothe the mind could potentially ward off the illusions cast by the Void Spirit Succubus. It must have been the effect of one such pellet that allowed Chu Yao to maintain his consciousness, and Wei Zhuo likely benefited similarly.

It was highly probable that Wei Zhuo and Chu Yao, situated close to each other, caught a whiff of the pellet's medicinal properties and snapped back to clarity in an instant.

"Wei Zhuo..." Yu Yuan muttered, his brow furrowed as he gazed at the swirling lightning vortex, feeling an even more profound pressure than before.

The presence and power Wei Zhuo now exhibited seemed to have surged to a new level. Eight colossal shadows loomed around the vortex, like deities of thunder, exuding an aura capable of obliterating the souls of all beings. The fierce green lightning erupting from the vortex obliterated the colorful ripples released by the Void Spirit Succubus.

A silver hammer, etched with intricate and mysterious patterns, bobbed within the vortex, seemingly on the verge of unleashing countless bolts of lightning. The figure before him, the Master of the Thunder Sect, radiated an awe-inspiring might.

"Master of the Thunder Sect, Wei Zhuo," Beru, the Nine Stars Sage, said with a growing seriousness in his tone. He leaned in to whisper to Yu Yuan, "This man is not to be underestimated. Whether in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area or the Illusion Starfield, he has yet to reveal his full strength. Despite being slightly lower in realm than Fu Xuanwen and Zhu Huan, he's even more formidable."

Yu Yuan was inwardly alarmed. During his time in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, he had engaged briefly with Wei Zhuo using the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation and the Dragon Slash Platform. Back then, Wei Zhuo had only wielded the Heavenly Thunder Hammer, which hadn't seemed particularly powerful.

In the Illusion Starfield, Wei Zhuo's clash with Gheirat hadn't showcased any fearsome techniques either. But now, Beru's assertion that Wei Zhuo, with his slightly lesser cultivation, was more fearsome than both Fu Xuanwen and Zhu Huan, meant that Yu Yuan had to approach the situation with utmost caution.

"As expected of the Star Race's Great Sage."

Yan Qiling offered his admiration before leaning in to whisper to Yu Yuan, "The Divine Soul Sect holds Wei Zhuo in exceptionally high regard, much more so than Fu Xuanwen and Zhu Huan. Both the Divine Soul Sect and the Babel Chamber of Commerce are convinced that old Unrestrained Stage cultivators like Fu Xuanwen and Zhu Huan have no chance of ascending to the Primordial Spirit."

"Wei Zhuo, however, possesses that capability."

"He, along with Ji Ningshuang from the Sword Sect, Mo Baichuan from the Primordial Yang Sect, Lin Yu from the Profound Sky Sect, and Tan Junshan from the Silver Moon Sect, has been given special attention. Furthermore..."

Pointing to the lightning vortex that had engulfed Wei Zhuo, he continued, "That is the Thunder Divine Pool. It's not an heirloom of the Thunder Sect, but rather an extraordinary creation forged by Wei Zhuo over hundreds of years in the Outland Star River. While the Heavenly Thunder Hammer and the Ice Thunder Mark are formidable, they pale in comparison to the potential of the Thunder Divine Pool."

"The Thunder Divine Pool exudes the divine essence befitting a supreme Artifact!"

Both Beru and Yan Qiling held this leader of the Thunder Sect in the highest esteem.

"His ambition is vast; he aims to use the Thunder Divine Pool to assimilate various thunder pools and vortexes. Should he succeed, he'll undoubtedly displace someone to become one of the supreme beings in the vast cosmos. The Thunder Sect could then rival the Profound Sky Sect, the Sword Sect, and the Primordial Yang Sect, potentially even surpassing the latter," Yan Ziyang murmured.

Yu Yuan looked at him, taken aback.

Yan Ziyang of the Ghost Spirit Sect slightly recoiled, "Having assimilated the Evil Cauldron, can't you sense the threat the Thunder Divine Pool poses to it? I practice the Ghost Spirit Sect's techniques. Before my departure from the vast cosmos, I encountered Wei Zhuo and became aware of his grand ambitions."

"Wei Zhuo has yet to break through to the peak of the Unrestrained Stage; he's on the cusp. If he truly advances again, becoming one of the strongest below the Primordial Spirit, he indeed stands a chance of securing one of the highest ranks in the future."

Yan Ziyang seemed to instinctively fear Wei Zhuo. His demeanor became tense and uneasy upon Wei Zhuo's arrival.

Yu Yuan and Yu Yiyi, the custodians of the Evil Cauldron, exchanged a knowing look. Yu Yiyi, with a slight nod, conveyed to him that Wei Zhuo was exceedingly dangerous and could pose a significant threat in the future.

"Hah."

Beneath the towering Hannya Divine Tree in the Lissom Realm, Pei Yuling sighed and shook his head.

Like Diggs, a devotee of the Origin Realm God, he retained his own intelligence.

He had anticipated the events that would unfold in this fragmented starry expanse. Thus, when he was rousing Diggs, he was aware that Chu Yao, driven by fear, had already fled without waiting for his arrival.

Indeed, Chu Yao's decision aligned with his own desires.

As Diggs wished for Beru to stay out of the fray, he too hoped Chu Yao would sidestep this disaster. It was his way of honoring his friendship with Zhong Chichen by providing Chu Yao a safe passage.

By his calculations, Chu Yao should have already reached the Galaxy Crossing. He should have departed the Deep Starfield before the Divine Butterfly exerted its influence.

Unexpectedly, Chu Yao's journey was interrupted by encounters with Faang Yao, Yuan Lianyao, and Jin Lih, which led to unforeseen delays.

"Fate is always so enigmatic," Pei Yuling mused to himself, not dwelling on the matter further. He looked up at Diggs and sent a thought his way, "What's the deal with that demon?"

Qiyan was not dead.

The Celestial Star Beast, once its host, lay in fragments, yet Qiyan, who could transform into seven toxic streams, had survived multiple failed attempts to ascend. Now, Qiyan had taken over a lifeless body from the Crypt Clan and was roaming the Lissom Realm.

At that moment, Qiyan, now inhabiting a body from the Crypt Clan, had the audacity to approach Pei Yuling.

Pei Yuling was puzzled. He couldn't fathom why Qiyan's soul and powers had not been consumed by the Hannya Divine Tree, nor how it managed to evade the vicious attacks of the surrounding plants.

Whoosh!

Diggs, gaunt and swift, descended from the heavens and took his place beside Pei Yuling.

He observed Qiyan, who had approached without regard for his own life, and sensed the various potent toxins that saturated his soul...

Diggs could faintly perceive the nascent consciousness of the "Hannya Divine Tree" and after a few moments of contemplation, he remarked, "Our clan's sacred artifact finds that creature's soul repugnant."

"Repugnant?" Pei Yuling was at a loss for words.

"That creature's soul is rife with impurities. Even the bits of soul essence that hold some value are tainted with an excess of filth and venom." Diggs watched Qiyan approach with a look of revulsion, a peculiar sensation rising within him.

The "Hannya Divine Tree" scorned Qiyan's soul, yet the forces of the Lissom Realm forbade his escape.

They confined him but stopped short of annihilating him. What were the Divine Butterfly and our clan's sacred artifact truly contemplating?

"I am Qiyan, despised by man, ghost, and deity alike, yet here I am, alive. Albeit, not exactly thriving."

The Crypt Clan member, now possessed, his eyes ablaze with green flames, spoke boldly in the tongue of humans.

He seemed to have realized that he wouldn't meet his end in the Lissom Realm anytime soon, which lent him a certain air of confidence.

Qiyan's actions caught Yu Yuan and the others in the void by surprise, as well as Wai Zhuo in another sector of the Illusion Starfield.

Wai Zhuo, stationed within the Thunder Divine Pool and wielding the Heavenly Lightning Hammer, had encountered Qiyan in the Illusion Starfield before. Back then, Qiyan was so petrified that he shook uncontrollably, pleading for mercy.

Yet, here in the Lissom Realm, Qiyan was not only surviving but thriving against all odds.

In contrast, Zhu Huan, who had crafted a star of flame, was still being impaled by the branches of towering trees. The situation suggested that it wouldn't be long before Zhu Huan met his demise.

"He's realized that he won't die in the Lissom Realm, at least not for the time being," Beru noted with an odd expression.

Leo and Denise also found the unfolding scene below somewhat inconceivable.

Having witnessed Qiyan's dire state in the Illusion Starfield, they could hardly fathom how he could fall into the Lissom Realm, only to be trapped without being slain by the Hannya Divine Tree and the Void Spirit Succubus.

"Yu Yuan."

Qiyan abruptly looked up, adopting the visage of a Crypt Clan member, and called out to the lunar meteorite suspended in the void.

Yu Yuan stood at the edge of the meteorite, his expression detached as he gazed down at Qiyan, yet he did not respond immediately.

"Help me find her, let me see her, and I'll heed your every command here!"

Qiyan pleaded, gesturing towards the menacing trees, the endless flora, and the towering Hannya Divine Tree, "These plants and trees, they can't touch me. You might find it hard to believe, but it..."

He pointed to the Hannya Divine Tree, so vast its branches seemed to stab into the shattered star river, "I feel it's powerless against me too. Without the spatial constraints and if that butterfly doesn't make a move, I could be of assistance to you. I can do what's within my power."

"All I ask is that you help me find her, to let me see her."

The 'her' Qiyan spoke of was none other than Yu Zhu, the progeny of his lineage with the Spider Queen.

The crowd turned their gaze towards Yu Yuan, taken aback by Qiyan's words.

Yu Yuan disregarded Qiyan and, after a moment's contemplation, turned to the empress with a curious inquiry, "Could he truly pose a threat to the Hannya Divine Tree?"

Chen Qinghuang gave a slight nod in response.

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