C1309 He Humbly Asked for Guidance
"There's another one?"
The Great Sage Beru of the Starborn couldn't suppress a bitter smile upon hearing Qinghuang's words.
He regarded the Abyssal Winged Lizard as though it were an inanimate object, seemingly aware that the extraterrestrial alien beast's fate would be quite grim.
Unexpectedly, the empress suddenly withdrew all her aura. To the perception of everyone's souls and vitality, Qinghuang appeared to have become intangible.
Yu Yuan looked on in astonishment, his eyes brimming with questions.
"The bloodline of the Abyssal Winged Lizard is branded with a fear of me. My dispersed aura will trigger that ingrained fear, causing it to escape the butterfly's illusion and awaken abruptly," Qinghuang explained calmly.
"You?" Yu Yuan inquired, puzzled.
He meant to ask why she had previously intended to prey on it, and now that it had obviously intruded, why release it without cause?
"I wish to watch the tree grow, to see it sprout leaves, blossom, and bear fruit."
Qinghuang's stunning face was marked by a detachment from all life, as if the withering and renewal of all things could scarcely stir her interest.
Even when mentioning the Abyssal Winged Lizard and the growth of the Uxthar Tree, her expression remained impassive.
Roar!
The kilometer-long Abyssal Winged Lizard let out a bellow. Within its tooth-filled maw, there lay a shattered Solar Spirit, now fragmented into glistening jade-like pieces.
"Lee Xin!"
From within the thunder vortex, Chu Yao caught sight of the scene and gasped softly.
He remembered Lee Xin of the Cloudwater Sect well, as she had once sought a pill from him in the Kuvrepros Astral Domain.
It was hard to believe that Lee Xin, who had advanced to the middle period of the Solar Spirit Realm, was now being unwittingly chewed by the Abyssal Winged Lizard, her Solar Spirit Body shattered.
After the Abyssal Winged Lizard's roar subsided and it closed its mouth, the remnants of Lee Xin's Solar Spirit Body vanished.
Yu Yuan witnessed the entire scene with clarity.
The Abyssal Winged Lizard is not native to the Brugeth; it actually resides year-round in the Silver Sands Domain of the Silverscale Tribe. The domains of the Silverscale Tribe boast many ocean-rich stars, ideal for the Abyssal Winged Lizard's hunting grounds.
The Starfallen Oracle, Beru, well-versed in the many secrets of extraterrestrial realms, offhandedly remarked, "The Abyssal Winged Lizard and the members of the Silverscale Tribe from the Silver Sands Astral Domain have always lived in harmony. It does not prey on the Silverscale Tribe, and in turn, the tribe members consciously steer clear whenever it makes an appearance."
Upon hearing this, Moore from the Frostfiend Tribe and the Frost Queen, who had emerged from the Crucible of Evil, both appeared contemplative.
It seemed they were also aware of the enigmatic bond between the Silverscale Tribe and the Abyssal Winged Lizard.
"The lineage of the Abyssal Winged Lizard carries the essence of the Abyssal Greater Basilisk. The Silverscale Tribe shares a profound connection with the Abyssal Greater Basilisk as well, which is why the two can coexist without conflict," Chen Qinghuang stated calmly.
Beru's form trembled slightly as he respectfully bowed to her, expressing, "I appreciate your insight."
He had long harbored such suspicions but lacked the means to confirm them, especially since the Abyssal Greater Basilisk had vanished without a trace.
If the secular bird of a hundred thousand years past spoke with such certainty, then it must indeed be the truth.
Both the Abyssal Winged Lizard and the current Silverscale Tribe are creatures of the water, each possessing tough, natural scale armor.
It turns out that their ability to peacefully coexist in the vast starry seas of various regions is rooted in a shared ancestor.
With a thunderous crash, the colossal Abyssal Winged Lizard plummeted into the Spirit World, unimpeded by the empress.
Measuring nearly a kilometer in length, it seemed a formidable presence, yet upon entering the Spirit World, it paled in comparison to the towering Uxthar Tree.
The Uxthar Tree now stood a majestic ten thousand meters tall, its roots sprawling across a hundred miles.
Its branches, sharp as blades and rivaling the length of the Abyssal Winged Lizard, lashed out.
With a tearing sound, the sword-like branches struck the Abyssal Winged Lizard, sending sparks scattering from its black iron-like scales.
Though its scales remained unbreached, the pained creature made a beeline for the roots of the Uxthar Tree.
Diggs and Pei Yuling instantly perked up, their eyes brimming with excitement.
"It won't make it," Yan Qiling of Boulderdawn said as she looked down and shook her head with a hint of regret. "If Green Willow were here, he'd be thrilled. The Abyssal Winged Lizard is a substantial nourishment for him. Back when Green Willow was the Grand Commander of Shadow's Keep, he scoured the Star River in search of this creature to slay."
Green Willow, the archdemon, was a venerable leader of the ancient evilkind that mastered the water element in the Everlands, renowned for his exceptional combat prowess.
The Abyssal Winged Lizard, an alien beast with an affinity for water from extraterrestrial origins, was his most coveted adversary and the ultimate trophy.
"I have a question for you," Beru said, turning once more to Chen Qinghuang, who remained aloof. His demeanor was exceedingly humble, and his sincerity was palpable.
Their recent interactions, coupled with the empress's conduct in the Kuvrepros, had led the Great Sage of the Starborn to reassess his opinion of Chen Qinghuang. He perceived that she had changed significantly from the legendary figure of 100,000 years past.
She appeared more humanized, more willing to engage in conversation.
For Beru, a seeker of knowledge, the empress was akin to an immense repository of wisdom, capable of illuminating countless enigmas.
With his head bowed, Beru adopted a posture of deference, awaiting the empress's reply.
The empress, whose beauty seemed otherworldly, cast a brief glance at him with eyes that could pierce the veil of the universe's deepest secrets. With a touch of haughtiness, she said, "Let's hear it."
"Why is it that only demons from the Everlands can transform into human form at certain moments and significantly enhance their intellect? This question has vexed me for years, and it has left the mightiest of the Extraterrestrial realms at a loss. I beseech you for an answer. I, Beru, on behalf of the entire Starborn, would be deeply grateful for your guidance."
By invoking the Starborn, the Great Sage implied that should the empress resolve his quandary, the whole Starborn would owe her a debt of gratitude.
Leo and Denise, along with the others, were taken aback.
Yu Yuan, Yan Qiling, as well as Moore and the Frost Queen, were all deeply moved by Beru's words.
Upon closer reflection, they realized it was indeed true!
Alien beasts from the Star River, such as the ninth-level Abyssal Winged Lizard and the Starbeast, could not transform into humans upon reaching the seventh level of their bloodline, unlike the evilkind from the Everlands.
Fellbeasts, too, would undergo a transformation after the seventh level. When they took human form, their spiritual wisdom would experience a radical transformation!
For those lineages where a Dark Deity had emerged, even the newborn offspring possessed a level of spiritual wisdom not inferior to humans.
Yet, this was something the extraterrestrial alien beasts could never match!
No matter their strength or rank, these alien beasts could neither assume human nor Otherkin form, nor could they ever attain the level of spiritual wisdom found in the Everlands' inhabitants.
They remained firmly categorized as alien beasts.
"In the Everlands, there is a place known as the Land of Terror, beneath which lies the Root of the Lunar Meridian. Its tributaries extend throughout the entire realm, blessing all life within the Everlands," Chen Qinghuang replied succinctly.
"Land of Terror! Root of the Lunar Meridian!" Beru clenched his fists tightly, murmuring to himself in realization.
Yan Qiling, too, was taken aback, bowing his head in deep thought, equally overwhelmed by the revelation.
The others shared similar expressions of astonishment.
After a moment's pause, Chen Qinghuang, who seemed to have become ethereal, suddenly had her hair dancing wildly. Her eyes ignited with the fires of destruction and death, as if something had provoked her wrath.
The bloodlines and souls of everyone in her proximity shuddered, enveloped by a sense of impending destruction and demise.
On the surface of the Spirit World, the Abyssal Winged Lizard, beleaguered by the Uxthar Tree, was suddenly gripped by a bone-deep terror and snapped back to consciousness.
The creature struggled, attempting to escape the entrapment of the sharp branches, desperate to break free from the Spirit World.
Waves of multicolored ripples, bearing the weight of spatial constraints, pressed down upon the broad wings of the Abyssal Winged Lizard, plunging it back to the ground once more.
The Abyssal Winged Lizard seemed to have realized that something was amiss and was contemplating a stand against the Spirit World.
Whoosh!
Her Majesty soared through the skies, swiftly leaving the meteorite controlled by Yan Qiling behind.
Her presence alone prevented those around her from falling under the influence of the Voidweaver's illusions, causing a wave of panic to spread among them.
Yan Qiling, gripped by fear, urgently advised, "Everyone, guard your hearts!"
Yu Yuan, alarmed, exclaimed, "What's happening?"
Chen Qinghuang ascended higher, yet she remained within a close proximity, as if her divine power continued to protect everyone.
The group managed to maintain their composure, not succumbing to the illusion.
Whoosh!
Yu Yuan, wielding the Crucible of Evil, soared after Chen Qinghuang, quickly reaching her side in the sky.
Following her gaze, Yu Yuan observed the ripples ahead being effortlessly dispersed by the force emanating from her.
In the distant Star River, a Songbird, similar to those Yu Yuan had seen before, appeared alongside a Greylag, which was even larger than the kilometer-long Abyssal Winged Lizard.
The Greylag's dark brown eyes betrayed its agony and struggle, as bursts of the flame of destruction flickered into existence, only to be extinguished just as quickly.
Vines as thick as serpents coiled around the Greylag's slender neck, with a massive wooden scepter firmly pressing down upon it.
Perched atop the scepter was the current patriarch of the Shadowkin.
Brie's expression was somber, and sensing Chen Qinghuang's intense scrutiny and fury, he slowly rose from his seated position, his gaze meeting hers across the void.
Yet the scepter and the vines emanating from it continued to tighten around the Greylag's neck, threatening to strangle its breath away.
"Do you want to die?"
Chen Qinghuang's lips barely moved as her distinct, indifferent voice cut across the expanse, reaching Brie and shattering the spatial ripples conjured by the Voidweaver.
Yu Yuan, well-acquainted with her temperament, recognized the empress's genuine wrath and her fierce intent to eliminate Brie.
It was evident that Her Majesty's fury was sparked by the enormous greylag. The greylag's ashen wings, capable of igniting the flame of destruction, were likely connected to her. Reflecting on the Abyssal Winged Lizard, the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, and the relationship between the Silverscale Tribe and the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, Yu Yuan had an epiphany.
The Wingkind, as well as the massive greylag, were probably born of her lineage, the progeny she had left behind in the Star River.
With this realization, Yu Yuan understood the root of her thunderous wrath.
Yet another question involuntarily emerged in his mind.
Was Brie of the Shadowkin simply idle, or was there a reason he sought to provoke her?
Perhaps it was tied to this particular moment?
