C1312 The Snow Bear's Flattering

The arrival of the Cold Domain Bear took everyone by surprise with its unexpectedly aggressive behavior.

In the Lissom Realm, the Hannya Divine Tree underwent a transformation after successfully penetrating Zhu Huan's Aspect, leading to the swift demise of this practitioner in the late Unrestrained Stage. Consequently, the divine tree experienced a significant metamorphosis.

The Deep Sea Basilisk, too, met a similar fate as Zhu Huan, impaled by the tree's sharp branches, which frenziedly drained its flesh and blood. As a result, the divine tree soared to an astonishing height of over fifteen thousand meters!

Yu Yuan, with narrowed eyes, could discern the branches' sharp edges gleaming with a mysterious luster, hinting at hidden laws and principles within.

Now significantly more lethal, the divine tree loomed over the Lissom Realm, beneath which lay the open Origin Realm Gate. With the half-conscious Void Spirit Succubus in attendance, the Cold Domain Bear would surely think twice before causing any trouble.

"Ignorant," remarked Denise, the noblewoman from the Illusion Starfield, her pale neck swaying gently as her diamond-bright eyes shimmered with a look of compassion.

The Cold Domain Bear, massive as a snow-covered mountain, had a dense coat of white fur that appeared both soft and endearing. From a bird's-eye view, this Ninth Level alien beast exuded an almost charming naivety.

Unseen to Denise, however, was the malevolence and brutality that filled its gaze when it looked upon the Lissom Realm. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity, imagining the bear meeting the same fate as the Deep Sea Basilisk, impaled by the divine tree.

With a thunderous crash, the nearly two-thousand-meter-tall Cold Domain Bear charged into the Hannya Divine Tree's main trunk, which stretched into the heavens. The impact caused the tree's roots to tremor throughout the underground of the Lissom Realm.

The Hannya Divine Tree's foundations quivered, and the Lissom Realm was abruptly torn asunder, accompanied by a horrific tempest and hailstorm. On closer inspection, the storm and hail were found to be composed of a myriad of descending snowflakes.

Vast expanses of menacing vegetation, shrubs, and flowers burst apart from the disturbance.

Despite the collision with the divine tree's main trunk, the Cold Domain Bear remained suspended in the void. It clearly had no intention of descending into the Lissom Realm for a direct confrontation with the Hannya Divine Tree.

It seemed to have already recognized that as long as it stayed out of the Lissom Realm, the offensive it would face wouldn't be nearly as fearsome.

"Hmm?"

Chen Qinghuang, previously gazing at the distant stars, turned gracefully to catch a glimpse of the Cold Domain Bear with her piercing, ice-like eyes.

"A rather clever bear."

The Empress nodded slightly, offering a few words of praise and regarding the creature with newfound respect.

The next moment presented a bizarre sight.

The Cold Domain Bear, having collided with the Hannya Divine Tree, had created a suitable distance from the tree's trunk. On the opposite side of the Lissom Realm, it seemed to be chuckling foolishly at Chen Qinghuang, Yu Yuan, and the others.

Its furry face, blanketed in thick snow, now bore a look of innocence, a stark contrast to its previously ferocious demeanor.

"This bear is actually quite adorable," Denise remarked with delight.

Beru, having departed from the Evil Cauldron, now stood before her and Leo, gazing intently at the Cold Domain Bear. The Great Sage's expression grew solemn as he pondered.

"This bear could very well be the one from the legends. Odd, it should possess considerable intelligence and shouldn't be found in the Deep Starfield," Beru mused, shaking his head.

"It appears to be seeking Chen Qinghuang's favor," Xu Jingyao commented dryly.

Wai Zhuo, within the vortex of lightning, gave a nod of agreement but remained silent.

It was typical for alien beasts like the Deep Sea Basilisk and the Cold Domain Bear to have an innate fear of the Secular Bird etched into their bloodlines.

Just as the Deep Sea Basilisk in the Lissom Realm yearned for Chen Qinghuang's aid, the Cold Domain Bear seemed eager to curry favor with her, hoping to preserve its sentience and avoid the deceptive charms of the Void Spirit Succubus, thereby preventing a rash invasion of the Lissom Realm.

"It's creating blizzards and charging at the roots of the great tree, stirring up storms and hail, likely to demonstrate its worth and power," Xu Jingyao observed, astonished. "Such intelligent alien beasts are indeed rare. I've heard that most alien beasts, like the Deep Sea Basilisk, possess only rudimentary sentience."

"Alien beasts are inherently so," Wai Zhuo responded. "They will never match the Great Demons of the Vast Ocean in wisdom or establish a sophisticated civilization and order with rich, ancient traditions and culture. That is precisely why they are simply known as they are."

"Regardless of their past, once the Great Demons of the Demon Palace undergo transformation and take human form, they can be referred to as 'he.'"

The distinction between 'it' and 'he' signifies the fundamental difference between mere intelligence and true wisdom.

In that moment,

Yu Yuan felt an odd sensation stirring within him. With a slight twitch of his mouth, he made small talk, "This Cold Domain Bear is quite clever."

Xu Jingyao's speculation aligned perfectly with Yu Yuan's thoughts. He, too, believed that the Cold Domain Bear's actions were aimed at currying favor with Chen Qinghuang to demonstrate its value.

This indicated that the bear's intelligence was remarkably high.

"It certainly is clever."

Chen Qinghuang's eyes, which seemed capable of piercing through all secrets, suddenly widened in surprise. She shifted her gaze from the grey geese and looked towards Yu Yuan, whose lips had just moved.

No sound was made, yet a thread of soul thought silently reached Yu Yuan's heart lake.

It doesn't want to please me, but to please you, to gain your favor...

Yu Yuan's frame shuddered slightly.

Upon closer inspection, he realized that the Cold Domain Bear, which seemed so simple and honest, was actually directing its gaze at him, not the empress!

Why me?

Yu Yuan felt a sense of disorientation as he instinctively scratched his head, filled with puzzlement.

He pondered over the unusual feeling that had arisen when he first laid eyes on the Cold Domain Bear.

That sensation was an inexplicable familiarity...

Where had he encountered it before?

Despite racking his brain, he couldn't recall ever interacting with a Ninth Level Cold Domain Bear.

In his second life as Hong Qi, he had never ventured into the Outland Star River, and this was his first encounter in his current life.

If there was any chance he had met it before, then it must have been in his first life!

But why was there no recollection? No burst of memory had sparked, bringing the bear to mind.

After a moment, Yu Yuan shook his head, entertaining a thought that seemed almost laughable.

Perhaps in his first life, he had indeed encountered this bear but had not considered it significant, and that's why it had left no lasting impression.

Because it wasn't impactful enough, there was no burst of memory to instantly trigger the recollection.

"Hehe, hehe."

The massive Cold Domain Bear chuckled in its simple, endearing way, unfazed by the raging storms and hail of the Lissom Realm, standing steadfast like an unyielding mountain of snow.

If it hadn't fallen, it wouldn't have been able to endure the onslaught from the Hannya Divine Tree, the Void Spirit Succubus, Diggs, and Pei Yuling. It managed to stay composed and untroubled.

Whoosh!

Millions of miles away, the Yang God that had departed suddenly returned, merging once more with its true form. Upon the Yang God's reintegration, Chen Qinghuang's presence surged dramatically.

"Where's Brie?" Beru cried out in alarm.

"Senior, I've made it. Thank you for your concern."

A massive wooden scepter, entwined with withered vines, appeared abruptly, striking like a bolt of lightning.

The current chieftain of the Dark Elfkind wore a grimace. His dark green robe was ragged, riddled with numerous charred holes. His once-handsome face, seasoned by the elements, was smeared with soot, as if dust-laden. Strands of gray-white deathly lightning still zipped through the vines, their residual force lingering.

At that moment, Brie looked no better than a beggar, clutching the now-shrunken scepter beneath his feet after a heavy sigh. With a profound gaze, he first glanced at Chen Qinghuang, then expressed his gratitude to Beru once more before gracefully descending into the Lissom Realm. "Old Diggs, I've fulfilled your desire by stepping once again into the Lissom Realm you zealously sacrificed for."

Boom!

Brie touched down, planting the shrunken scepter into the earth with casual ease. He crouched down, grasping the vine-wrapped scepter with his left hand while his right fingertips lightly brushed the cold, hard ground. He began to murmur in the ancient Dark Elf tongue, long since forgotten.

A wave of dark green light, matching the hue of his robe, rippled swiftly from his position. In moments, it had spread across a third of the Lissom Realm's surface and continued to expand. Numerous plants, once withered from the Cold Domain Bear's blizzard, storms, and hail, sprang back to life under the dark green glow.

Yet the reborn flora no longer bore any trace of malevolence, as if all impurities and dark energies had been purged. It was clear to all that the Dark Elfkind patriarch was using his mastery of plant life, his own lineage, and the scepter in his hand to cleanse the Lissom Realm of its corruption.

"You're still as self-righteous as ever!" Diggs declared, his face stern and his voice dark, "But you've forgotten our ancestors! You are the true sinner of the Dark Elfkind! I intend to return our ancestors to this world. What issue could there possibly be with that?"

Brie kept his head down, tuning out the accusations, continuing to murmur to himself.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In the newly reconstructed Lissom Realm, three areas suddenly cracked open, revealing shadowy caverns. From these, three massive altars, overgrown with weeds and dead branches, rose into view for all to see.

These altars, each spanning a hundred acres, were laden with various heads, clearly belonging to different races.

Heaps of heads from the Dark Elfkind, Silver Scale Clan, Asura, Void Spirit Succubus, Winged Race, and Star Race formed small mounds atop the altars, with the Dark Elfkind's being the most numerous.

Dust-coated and some marked with bloodstains that had persisted for millennia, the heads exuded a chilling, horrifying, and malevolent presence that enveloped the altars. The sight of these heads, large and small, was enough to oppress the soul and vitality of any onlooker.

Finally, Brie looked up, his eyes brimming with tears. "These are the souls you've sacrificed, many of whom were loyal warriors ready to die for you! I couldn't stand the sight of their heads, so I buried them, unwilling to let our tribe's disgrace be revealed."

"Old Diggs! If the return of the ancestral tree comes at the cost of our people's lives, I'd prefer it never resurface!"

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