C1326 The Road Was Blocked
Yu Yuan gazed quietly at the palace nestled within the Silver Sands Astral Domain, his Lunar Spirit's aura carefully concealed.
He was uncertain who else might be present in the Silver Sands, aside from Cao Jiaze.
As the primary heir to the next sect master of the Ebon Star, the sect had invested all of its rare resources in him, keen on avoiding any mishaps.
It was likely that the area was teeming with formidable experts.
The palace, constructed of gold and jade, emitted a soft glow, poised at the boundary's edge, seemingly without immediate plans to venture into the void.
Yet Yu Yuan, already on high alert, dared not make any hasty moves, opting instead to wait in silence and secrecy.
Time passed unmeasured...
A subdued light streaked from the palace, unmistakably under Cao Jiaze's watch. It advanced unhurriedly towards the Brugeth Void, prompting Yu Yuan to proceed with caution.
...
Whoosh!
As Cao Jiaze's palace entered the silent void, he was tense, constantly vigilant.
He harbored a deep fear of the Origin Deity's will, which might unexpectedly surge forth and pull him into the Abyss, to be forever lost.
For some time now, he had been skirting the border between the Silver Sands and Brugeth, venturing in with great care at intervals, yet never daring to delve too deeply.
His purpose was merely to sense any significant changes in this enigmatic region.
His current focus was monitoring the anomalies of this desolate realm, awaiting the arrival of additional powerhouses. Once assembled, they planned to explore the Land of Destruction in the Spirit World.
Then, he encountered Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit.
"Yu Yuan!" Cao Jiaze exclaimed, more startled and agitated than Yu Yuan himself. "You're still alive, you rascal?!"
Without waiting for a response, he exhaled a sigh, speaking more to himself, "Though you've only preserved your Lunar Spirit, it's fortunate nonetheless. At least you can return to the Land of Terror and practice necromancy. With White Bone as a precedent, you still have a chance for rebirth. Alas, it's somewhat regrettable."
Having not expressed himself freely for some time, Cao Jiaze found Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit and suddenly his stream of words flowed unchecked.
Observing his demeanor, it was incredibly fortunate that Yu Yuan still had a fragment of his Lunar Spirit remaining.
Yu Yuan, in his spirited body form, wore a peculiar expression and didn't rush to respond. Instead, he scrutinized the palace adorned with gold and jade, glancing behind it to check for any other figures emerging. After a brief wait, seeing that Cao Jiaze was alone, he eased up. "Why do you think my real body has perished?"
"It's based on the analysis of the information brought back by Wei Zhuo and Xu Jingyao," said the prodigy of the Ebon Star, visibly taken aback. He composed himself and ventured, "Is your real body still intact?"
Shaking his head, Cao Jiaze looked utterly baffled. "You're incredibly fortunate."
"No! That's not right!" He quickly corrected himself, "You're a harbinger of misfortune! First, there was unrest in the Dark Star Region, and now you've caused such a terrifying disturbance on the extraterritorial battlefield!"
At this point, Cao Jiaze regarded Yu Yuan as if he were staring down a monstrous ghoul.
"What have you heard?" Yu Yuan asked, a touch of resignation in his voice.
"When Chen Qinghuang was battling the Voidweaver, you vanished without a trace, along with the Dragon Slaying Stage. Soon after, Diggs of the Shadowkin seemed to channel the will of the Origin Deity, unleashing a mysterious psionic power from the Origin Realm into the Spirit World," Cao Jiaze narrated.
His account, gleaned from Wei Zhuo and Xu Jingyao, largely matched Qiyan's version of events.
"As Wei Zhuo and the others withdrew, they sensed Qinghuang's impending defeat. The corrupted great tree had grown to inconceivable proportions, its limbs piercing through asteroids, drawing in all the disparate psionic powers from the extraterritorial battlefield. When the Spirit World shattered, the enigmatic psionic power from the Origin Realm wildly proliferated, reducing the extraterritorial battlefield to a void," he elaborated.
Yu Yuan glanced over Cao Jiaze's shoulder and inquired, "How did you end up in the Silver Sands?"
"It's not just me. Wei Zhuo, Xu Jingyao, and other powerhouses from the Everlands have also flooded into the Silver Sands through the Starway I provided," Cao Jiaze revealed candidly. "Yu Yuan, heed my advice. Whatever your prior intentions, steer clear of the Silver Sands."
"Why?" Yu Yuan inquired with a hint of curiosity.
"Unless you wish to die."
Cao Jiaze gave an eye roll, "Had you not sent me a message through Chen Qinghuang's assistance before the chaos erupted, I wouldn't have wasted my time on you."
His demeanor shifted abruptly to one of grave seriousness.
"Let me be clear, we've taken control of Silver Sands. Zhu Huan is dead, as are Elder Fu and Ogeus from Shadow's Keep. The upheaval on the extraterritorial battlefield, the enigmatic Origin Realm, the Voidweaver, and Diggs, who seeks to usurp Brie... all these developments," Cao Jiaze said, pausing to glance back at Silver Sands.
"The reason I can be at the edge of this realm is because the sect master of Ebon Star himself has graced us with his presence."
At these words, Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit shuddered.
The sect master of Ebon Star, an ancient cultivator of the Primordial Spirit Realm and a Most High who has lived for untold years, had relocated to Silver Sands due to the massive upheaval in Brugeth!
It was no surprise...
One could surmise that, in addition to Ebon Star, a multitude of other formidable individuals from the Everlands must be converging here.
They all likely seek to unravel what has transpired in this desolate and silent expanse.
For now, they seem to be holding their positions, perhaps due to incomplete numbers. Maybe they're awaiting the arrival of other Primordial Spirit cultivators.
"Yan Qiling, the Crucible of Evil, and Yuan Lianyao, what's their status?" Yu Yuan demanded.
"Yuan Lianyao belongs to Ruby Hand. What could possibly happen to her? Zhang Guanyu of Ruby Hand has arrived, and both she and Faang Yao are alive. A snow bear has reportedly infiltrated the Glimmerdrift Nebula. As for Yan Qiling and your cauldron, they've been shuttling through space long before our sect master arrived, and their whereabouts are now unknown."
"Pei Yuling has turned her back on the Everlands. Without an expert in space magic on our side, we could only watch Yan Qiling make his escape."
Cao Jiaze offered a few words of explanation.
Yu Yuan's anxiety was somewhat alleviated. He also understood that with the Starborn's Ballo possibly arriving from Kuvrepros at any moment, and with two ninth-level Shura in the Glimmerdrift Nebula, as well as the mysteries surrounding Chen Qinghuang in Darkpinion, Cao Jiaze, the guardian of the Starway, had opted for Silver Sands.
Upon reactivation of the Starway, the Everlands' experts were instantly alerted to the unfolding events, sending shockwaves throughout the factions.
One by one, the powerful figures descended.
"What exactly has transpired?" Cao Jiaze asked, his face grave. "Setting aside our standoff with Boulderdawn for a moment, where did you vanish to after you disappeared? Is Chen Qinghuang alive or dead? And the Voidweaver, is the Blightwood still within?"
The powerhouses who reached Silver Sands took their time to meticulously scout the Brugeth Astral Domain.
Cao Jiaze, naturally, sought deeper insights from Yu Yuan to better prepare for what lay ahead.
His fear was that when the Everlands' mightiest converged and ventured into the void's depths, they would encounter terrifying forces beyond measure, leading to a dire fate.
Should the Origin Deity rally additional forces, including Boulderdawn's involvement, the outcome would be incalculable.
"It went like this..."
Yu Yuan condensed his tale, recounting how Diggs, under the Origin Deity's will, had pulled him into an extraordinary realm, from which he eventually broke free via the Dragon Slaying Stage.
He briefly described the wondrous landscape of that domain.
He informed Cao Jiaze that the Origin Deity's covert plot against the Brugeth had been successfully executed.
Diggs had achieved eternal life and was on the verge of advancing to the tenth level of Bloodline. The fabled Uxthar Tree, having succumbed to corruption, had fully matured.
Yet, the beings devoted to the Origin Deity had vanished from the Brugeth.
Certainly, they would enact new plans, but it was highly unlikely they would target the Brugeth again.
He also warned that the Origin Deity's power and will could manifest through any Origin Gate, advising Cao Jiaze to remain vigilant.
After all, other regions within the Everlands also harbored Origin Gates.
Cao Jiaze pondered Yu Yuan's words for an extended period, his silence indicative of the careful consideration he was giving each statement, his brow furrowed in thought.
Finally, he spoke again, "Let us act as if this meeting never occurred. Given our differing allegiances, it's as though we never saw each other, which is for the best. The information you've brought is critical, and I must fully comprehend it."
"Whether it's Darkpinion, Glimmerdrift Nebula, or even Kuvrepros, feel free to choose your destination."
"Just steer clear of Silver Sands. Once you're there, there's no turning back."
"..."
Cao Jiaze offered his earnest advice.
"The lineage of the Silverscale Tribe traces back to the Abyssal Greater Basilisk. Legend has it that this creature is the only giant beast capable of reaching into the Abyss. Now that you've taken over Silver Sands, you might as well start there and search for clues about the Abyss."
Yu Yuan shared his advice, sensing that the enigmatic "Origin Deity" would soon become a common foe for all. A deeper understanding of the Origin Realm and the Abyss would be beneficial in countering this nascent malevolent power.
"Very well, let's both stay safe. I hope our paths cross again."
In the palace, Cao Jiaze bowed with clasped hands to Yu Yuan, then stepped back to take his leave.
"Had you not joined Boulderdawn, we could have been close friends, much like you were with Zu Ann. Yu Yuan, you're very much my kind of person—resilient and strong."
With a hint of regret, Cao Jiaze expressed his feelings before vanishing.
