C1349 You Can Stop at Any Time

Ciara's mind was adrift as she gazed upward, her eyes fixed on Yu Yuan, who stood upon the Dragon Slaying Stage. He seemed transformed, a stranger to her, stirring an unsettling feeling within her.

Bathed in a celestial golden glow, the Dragon Slaying Stage existed as a realm unto itself, emanating a divine might so intense that her heart threatened to cease its rhythm with each prolonged glance. She realized then that to gaze upon this legendary artifact for too long was to commit an act of profound irreverence.

As her eyes began to sting and tears flowed involuntarily, Ciara snapped out of her trance and averted her gaze. "The Dragon Slaying Stage!" she murmured, bowing her head, her spirit shaken to its core.

She endeavored to recall all she knew about the Dragon Slaying Stage and the dragon slayer, only to find, to her astonishment, that the details were scant. It was clear to her that the Boulderdawn, with their God-Kings, was the formidable power that had ushered in the golden age for humanity. Their unparalleled God-Kings had vanquished the rampant giant dragons, securing an esteemed place for humankind within the Everlands.

Subsequently, humanity, alongside the archdemons, ventured forth into the extraterrestrial realms, embarking on a monumental crusade against the beings of those foreign lands. The Nagas, in contrast, periodically plundered the extraterrestrial starry expanses, yet shied away from direct, large-scale confrontations with the elite armies of the Otherkin.

The havoc wrought by the Nagas upon extraterrestrial races paled in comparison to the Boulderdawn's impact. It was a mere nuisance, never striking at the core. The Boulderdawn, however, in alliance with the evilkind of the Everlands, engaged in true combat with the champions of intelligent life across the Star River and in every treacherous locale.

Countless warriors of the Otherkin and high-ranking alien beasts perished in these conflicts. The presence of the Boulderdawn led the extraterrestrial races to a gradual, sobering realization: Humanity had eclipsed the Star-Spawned Terror, ascending to become the supreme sovereign of the vast and infinite Star River.

The present five paramount powers are merely picking up where Boulderdawn left off, following in their footsteps and strategies to forge a path forward.

Ciara shook her head with a bitter expression.

Gradually, she came to realize that Yu Yuan must indeed possess something extraordinary to have earned the recognition of the Dragon Slaying Stage and to be able to wield it.

"Stop right there!"

Alonso, formed from a drop of golden blood, stood suspended in the air, his figure casting a golden sheen beneath the dazzling wall, his face stern with severity.

He was taken aback.

Clearly, he hadn't anticipated Yu Yuan's audacity, his brazen defiance even after knowing Alonso had arrived and declared his stance.

Yet, Yu Yuan's earlier remarks had put him under a certain amount of pressure.

After all, Yu Yuan was the successor to the Nine Celestial Slashes. It was possible he truly had the capacity to alter the River of Swords and command the sword force that had been concealed for eons.

"You think you can just call a halt?"

Yu Yuan's phantom within the Dragon Slaying Stage scoffed, dismissing the Golden Shura's words as if they posed no real threat. "I vaguely recall you sending Ciara a rather distasteful message not too long ago."

Alonso's expression chilled.

"Let's change the venue."

Yu Yuan's abrupt statement from within the Dragon Slaying Stage caught everyone off guard.

In a flash, the Dragon Slaying Stage, floating in this realm, shrank to the size of a palm at an inexplicable speed, casting a burst of iridescent light.

The sensation of space and time twisting caused the world's survivors to feel nauseous, many spitting blood.

Even Ciara, the platinum Shura, groaned, feeling as if her heart was being wrung, a sharp pain gripping her chest.

Alonso opened his mouth to shout, but he saw a slender fissure open in the void where the Dragon Slaying Stage had been—a vibrant space-time tunnel carved open by a Seven-Colored Dragon.

Deep within the tunnel, the ethereal shadow of a dragon could be faintly discerned.

With a whoosh, the Dragon Slaying Stage vanished without a trace.

The space-time tunnel that had appeared so abruptly dissipated like a bubble in water.

"This is your doing."

Alonso, hovering aloft, surveyed the devastated landscape below—the shattered mountains and rivers, the crumbling Shura Kingdom, the lamenting clanspeople, and the irreparably damaged subterranean ley lines. He addressed Ciara with icy reproach: "You knew full well he was allied with the Dire Bear and in command of the Dragon Slaying Stage, yet you failed to approach the situation with due caution! Once this is resolved, you'll answer to the clan leader for your negligence!"

As he finished speaking, he transformed into a bolt of golden lightning and instantly shattered the barrier, speeding away.

Ciara was left behind in the Frozen Wastes, riddled with regret as she pondered how to salvage the situation and stabilize the massive upheaval in this world.

...

"Alright, let's stop here."

In another, even larger Frostlands domain, Alonso descended like a golden rainbow, halting amidst billowing white clouds and deliberately containing his astonishing vital energy.

Above the clouds, the Dragon Slaying Stage had resumed its regular size, quietly hovering.

Alonso squinted his eyes, and with a mere flicker of thought, he discerned that within the Glimmerdrift Nebula, there were as many as five nations under the Shura's dominion.

Additionally, some members of the Crypt Clan and the Moonlit Wanderers, who were allied with the Shura, coexisted in this realm.

The population of this entire world numbered in the hundreds of thousands, with even seventh-level Shura warriors among them.

And this world was, in fact, separated by a swath of space from the one they had just left.

Yu Yuan had managed to harness the Dragon Slaying Stage's power to forge a dazzling pathway and make his descent!

While it would take some time for him to arrive, Yu Yuan could reach it in an instant.

This meant that if Yu Yuan could keep using the Dragon Slaying Stage to traverse the Glimmerdrift Nebula, even with his tenth-level lineage, he wouldn't be able to immediately follow.

By the time he caught up, it would be too late.

"I'm going to act. By the time you arrive, this world will have already been destroyed."

Yu Yuan, steadfast in his decision to remain on the Dragon Slaying Stage, maintained his clarity and restraint. "Let me reiterate, the fates of Du Yuan, Yue Mu, and the others from the Sword Sect are of no concern to me. But the Stardust Blade, I want her safe and sound. Nothing should befall her before she meets me."

Alonso hesitated for only a few seconds before nodding decisively. "I promise!"

This time, his response was prompt and unequivocal.

Yu Yuan cracked a smile. "I think I've finally figured out the right way to communicate with the Shura."

Without subduing them or demonstrating sufficient power, many conversations wouldn't even begin!

The battle-hungry and death-defying Shura might just be the most down-to-earth of the Otherkin.

Only by making them realize that you possess the power to destroy everything they hold dear—their starry skies, their kin, and their worlds—will they engage in conversation with patience.

Only then will they seriously and cautiously consider your terms.

"If I had realized this sooner, I wouldn't be in this predicament."

Yu Yuan nodded with a smile. "Look, I once saved Fernand. Elena and I have a good rapport. Not long ago, I fought alongside her in the Kuvrepros Nebula. I've even lent a hand to Ciara and Demian, though they didn't acknowledge it."

"My mastery of the Titanblade is a separate matter; I haven't really slain many Shura."

He laid the groundwork for his argument.

Alonso wore a peculiar expression as he listened to Yu Yuan's bold claims without interrupting.

For some reason, as he watched Yu Yuan negotiate with unflappable confidence, a thought struck him out of the blue.

Nie Qingtian really has an eye for choosing his successors!

Then, he couldn't help but remember that Yu Yuan was also the custodian of the Dragon Slaying Stage.

With both Nie Qingtian and the Dragon Slaying Stage acknowledging him, this young man was clearly not to be underestimated.

This realization made him despise Ciara even more.

"I..."

Alonso was about to speak when his expression suddenly shifted, as if he had detected something.

He stared in astonishment at the River of Swords beyond the wall, his gaze seemingly piercing through the vast expanse to witness an astonishing phenomenon.

"What's the matter? Are Du Yuan and the others close to arriving?"

Yu Yuan inquired with a smile, sensing that given their level of cultivation and combat prowess, they could indeed have traversed the distance to reach the River of Swords.

After all, the River of Swords was also racing towards his own Domain.

"It's neither Du Yuan nor Yue Mu."

Alonso furrowed his brow and gave Yu Yuan a penetrating look before saying, "In any case, I assure you that the Stardust Blade will be intact the next time we meet. You must also promise not to rely on the Dragon Slaying Stage to wreak havoc in the Glimmerdrift Nebula."

"Remember, Elena will take control of this realm in the future. Once she returns from the Dark Realm, the Glimmerdrift Nebula will belong to her."

With those words, Alonso, who had been refined from a drop of golden blood, seamlessly merged into the fabric of this world's wall.

Then, under Yu Yuan's watchful eye, he vanished into the wall.

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