C1328 The Indestructible Sword Light
"You're not dead yet?"
Qi Yunhong's face registered shock as he stared at the suddenly appearing Yu Yuan.
A smile then crept across his face, rippling into a broad grin.
His laughter grew louder, and he began to gesticulate wildly, thumping his chest and dancing with delight. "I knew it would be like this!"
While speaking, Qi Yunhong shot Qiao Yuling a smug look.
The toothless old woman snorted, "Then why the act of surprise? Guessing he was alive is one thing, but how did you know he'd show up here?"
"Because of it."
Qi Yunhong gestured toward the majestic white bear resembling a towering snow peak. "It chattered on with so many details. Couldn't you see?"
"Who knows what it was trying to say," Qiao Yuling retorted, shaking her head.
Then, a flicker of tiny red sparks danced in the depths of her shadowy eyes as she glanced at the liquefied Qiyan.
Qiyan, upon seeing her, recoiled as if he'd seen a specter, quickly taking refuge behind Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan, having crossed the unseen threshold from the Brugeth to the Glimmerdrift Nebula, found himself baffled by the exchange between Qi Yunhong and the old woman.
"You anticipated my arrival?" Yu Yuan inquired, puzzled.
The ninth-level snow bear then began to nod and sway, drawing Yu Yuan's attention.
As Yu Yuan focused on the creature, the images of Yuan Lianyao and Faang Yao emerged within the depths of the snow bear's eyes. The pair from the Ruby Hand had been whisked away by Zhang Guanyu of the Unbound Realm amidst a blizzard, then faded from view within the bear's gaze.
The swirling snowflakes were clearly a manifestation of the snow bear's might.
Piecing together Cao Jiaze's earlier words, Yu Yuan realized the scene playing out in the bear's eyes must have taken place in the Silver Sands.
After entrusting Faang Yao and Yuan Lianyao to Zhang Guanyu, the bear had departed the Silver Sands.
Subsequently, it had made its way to the Glimmerdrift Nebula.
"Well done," Yu Yuan commended, nodding in approval. Unsure of how to express his gratitude or what the amiable snow bear sought in return, he simply admired its contented chuckle.
Yu Yuan turned his attention back to Qi Yunhong.
"We've encountered it, along with Yuan Lianyao and Faang Yao. We've also learned that the Everlands' experts will soon reach the Silver Sands. With no other option, we had to take refuge in the Glimmerdrift Nebula, much like this snow bear. Throughout this ordeal, the snow bear was quite determined, insisting on heading to the fringes of the Glimmerdrift..."
Qi Yunhong, lost in thought, explained to Yu Yuan, "I've heard of its intriguing ways. When it sought your favor, I sensed it was waiting for you. I didn't delve into the details or logic; it was purely instinctual."
Yu Yuan, taken aback, mulled over this for a moment before turning to Qiao Yuling. "And how did you become involved?"
Qiao Yuling, the head of Tempest's Edge in the extraterrestrial Star River, led a group of cultivators known for their independence. They had never heeded the commands of the Everlands' five major powers. Though originating from the Everlands, they had branched out, establishing their own faction and being branded as heretical.
Whether out of nostalgia or curiosity, Qi Yunhong had followed the snow bear here, and Qiao Yuling had not objected.
"Without it, the Glimmerdrift Nebula is too perilous, and I currently have nowhere else to go."
Qiao Yuling's expression darkened. "In the Silver Sands, I've detected the presence of the Banner of Duality. With Han Miaoyuan's emergence, I have no choice but to lay low. Wei Zhuo is no pushover either. I fear he might leverage Han Miaoyuan's power to have my apprentice and me killed in the Silver Sands."
Han Miaoyuan was the reigning patriarch of the Ebon Star, and the Banner of Duality was a Divine Artifact renowned throughout the Everlands for millennia.
Before leaving the Thunder Sect, Qiao Yuling was Wei Zhuo's elder. In earlier times, Wei Zhuo would greet her with meticulous respect.
Now, given the chance, he would not hesitate to eliminate her.
Yet, with Wei Zhuo, Cao Jiaze, and others in the Silver Sands, Qiao Yuling was far from intimidated.
Upon detecting the scent of the Banner of Duality and realizing that Han Miaoyuan was en route, she didn't hesitate to grab Qi Yunhong and swiftly retreat from the Silver Sands Astral Domain.
"Why are you so intent on following it through the vast Glimmerdrift Nebula?" Yu Yuan inquired once more.
Qiao Yuling cast a peculiar glance at the snow bear before responding with a touch of embarrassment, "Alonso has arrived, currently in the Glimmerdrift Nebula. Oddly enough, he seems to recognize this snow bear and has been quite accommodating to it. Wherever the bear is, Alonso keeps his distance."
"Alonso! The commander of the Shura?" Yu Yuan exclaimed in surprise.
In the first level of the extraterrestrial Star River, some groups boast more than one tenth-level Mighty. Within the Sky Fiend, there are three great Demon Gods: Bertain, Grec, and Reid.
The Shura's combat strength is only surpassed by the Sky Fiend. Aside from the Blood King Sabonis, the Grand Commander Alonso also possesses a tenth-level bloodline.
Since Sabonis was ambushed and grievously wounded in Ionodios, he has been convalescing in the Dark Realm, leaving most external affairs to be temporarily overseen by Alonso.
He had also learned of the emergence of the Blightwood and Voidweaver in Brugeth, as well as the dispersal of the Origin Deity's will. Thus, the Shura commander hurriedly made his way there.
"Who else could it be but him?"
With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Qiao Yuling said, "With Han Miaoyuan in Silver Sands and Alonso here, Brugeth, which could have been an alternate route, is now off-limits. No one knows whether the enigmatic Origin Deity is still lurking inside, so everyone is wary of trespassing."
"It seems we have no other choice."
Clearly, she was deeply vexed and stifled by the abrupt turn of events, effectively leaving her stranded for the time being.
"Because of you, the Shura commander hasn't even approached..."
Yu Yuan stroked his chin, his eyes twinkling with curiosity as he gazed at the formidable snow bear, wondering about the creature's mysterious origins.
"Glimmerdrift Nebula..."
He whispered to himself, using his soul and senses to detect that the ice energy in this Astral Domain was significantly denser than elsewhere.
This place was even colder than Brugeth, where the sun and moon had burst.
He had the sudden realization that cultivators from Winter's Bite, or beings like the Frost Queen and Frostfiends such as Moore, would find this starry expanse quite to their liking.
With this in mind, he channeled his Soul Power and spiritual energy into his eyes and carefully surveyed the distance.
There was no sign of the sun, only a crescent moon hanging in the far-off heavens. Many stars, symbols of the Domain, appeared shrouded in cold fog, their forms indistinct.
An empty region nearby, devoid of stars, caught his attention.
Thin, delicate streams of light, some intersecting, others solitary, were suspended in what seemed to him the coldest part of the void, as if frozen in place.
"Hmm?"
He uttered softly, concentrating all his power and focusing intently on that area.
He even covertly tapped into the strange power of the Chronowyrm within the Dragon Slaying Stage.
Space seemed to contract, and in a moment, he felt closer to that frigid expanse, revealing its full scope...
The slender streams of light from afar were, upon closer inspection, vast rivers of light!
At a glance, he counted nearly a hundred such rivers, some woven together, others strewn about haphazardly, all motionless in the cosmos. Yet the swirling ice energy nearby did not emanate from these rivers of light.
Rather, the intense ice energy seemed to be a barrier, preventing anything from nearing the rivers of light.
Consequently, Yu Yuan's extended vision through the Dragon Slaying Stage was also cut off by the ice energy, preventing him from getting a closer feel for the broad rivers of light.
Yet, for some reason, just the sight of these rivers sparked a sense of familiarity within him.
"What exactly are those resplendent rivers of light?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"I'm not sure. It's rumored to be a spectacle of the Glimmerdrift Nebula. The name 'Glimmerdrift' itself is likely tied to those brilliant rivers of light."
The one who responded was Qiao Yuling from Tempest's Edge. Having visited the Brugeth Nebula multiple times to assist her disciples in refining their thunder magic, she was well-acquainted with the tales of the Glimmerdrift Nebula.
"Before Fernand took control of the Glimmerdrift Nebula, the Glimmer had already existed. The Blood King Sabonis is said to have issued a decree prohibiting the Shura from getting too close to those rivers of light."
Fernand, who had become an outlaw, met his end in Ionodios, and Qiao Yuling was among the witnesses.
She was also aware that Fernand's entry into Ionodios was facilitated by Yu Yuan.
Her hesitation was evident as she spoke, knowing the profound connection between Yu Yuan and Elena.
After she finished, Yu Yuan felt a twinge of disappointment, as if her words had been in vain.
Qiao Yuling, who frequented the extraterritorial battlefield and was familiar with the Silver Sands, Darkpinion, Kuvrepros, and Glimmerdrift, could not provide Yu Yuan with any valuable insights. Left with no other option, Yu Yuan turned to the snow bear and asked, "Do you know anything?"
He suspected that this ninth-level snow bear had made its way into the Brugeth from the Glimmerdrift Nebula, considering the dense cold energy of the Glimmerdrift seemed perfectly suited for the snow bear.
Moreover, the fact that Alonso, the esteemed leader of the Shura, showed considerable kindness towards the creature only added to his suspicions.
The snow bear let out a silly chuckle and began to vigorously swing its robust arms, which resembled two frost wyrms undulating through the void in front of Yu Yuan.
Then, with a swift motion, it brought one arm crashing down against the other. The collision sent a flurry of snowflakes and ice shards scattering through the air, creating a spectacle akin to a hailstorm in the void.
As the snow bear continued its movements, Yu Yuan keenly sensed a surge of ice energy from the Glimmerdrift Nebula, frantically infusing the bear's body, coursing through its veins, and activating the intricate bloodline chains within.
Crackling and popping!
Countless strands of icy lightning zipped out from the arm bone, seemingly desperate to convey something to Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan watched, utterly gobsmacked, as the icy lightning danced before him, and he was rendered speechless for an extended period.
"Kid, do you really need to zone out that long?"
After a considerable pause, Qiao Yuling, seeing him still lost in thought, couldn't help but huff in impatience.
Yu Yuan licked his lips, his face contorting into an expression of bizarre realization. "I think I've figured out what those rivers of light actually are."
"What?!"
Both the master and disciple from Tempest's Edge exclaimed in unison.
"Nie Qingtian, during his battle here, wielded the Divine Sword. He slashed through the air, creating beams of sword light that ripped through the Star River. The residual power from those strikes never faded; it's remained here all this time."
His voice was strained, his face a mask of incredulity, as if he couldn't believe his own words.
Qi Yunhong leapt to his feet, his tongue clicking in disbelief. "How could that be possible? After so many years, how could those sword lights have never dissipated?"
He was just as incredulous as Yu Yuan, unable to fathom the possibility.
"So that's the truth of it."
Qiao Yuling inhaled deeply, her face a tapestry of complex emotions, yet she seemed to accept the revelation instantly.