C1354 Converging and Colliding

"Disillusionment Sword" Du Yuan was generally a picture of composure, but beneath the surface, he harbored a streak of madness that he kept hidden for extended periods.

Those who knew him well, and had truly interacted with him, were aware of how challenging he could be.

So when Du Yuan suddenly let out a strange, eerie laugh, Demian's face turned pale, and he barked, "Be careful!"

To the left, an older Platinum Asura, ever vigilant, had been closely watching Du Yuan's facial expressions. At that moment, he too felt a surge of alarm.

"Keep your distance!" he also bellowed.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Millions of sword lights burst forth in the Stars World below, at the Silver Wolf's gathering place, in the icy cave where the ice python lurked, and in the depths of the sea where Frost Beasts dwelled.

The sword lights, with their aura of utter destruction, nearly wiped out all the alien beasts in the Stars World in the blink of an eye.

A small golden jar materialized in the world and began to expand swiftly.

The sword lights, having slain the alien beasts, dragged their carcasses into the jar.

The golden jar continued to amass the beast corpses, seemingly to trade them for a handsome sum of Spirit Stones in the future.

"Du Yuan!"

Enraged, Demian conjured the "Burning Blood War Drum" and pounded it furiously.

The thunderous drumming unleashed a wave of sound so fearsome that it filled the void where Du Yuan's dharma idol stood with innumerable fine cracks.

The space itself fragmented under the onslaught of the "Burning Blood War Drum."

Du Yuan's towering dharma idol, too, was instantly riddled with hundreds of fissures and crumbled to pieces.

Yet, in the very next moment, Du Yuan's dharma idol reassembled itself.

He materialized in the Freezing Land, home to the alien beasts, and with a gentle grasp of his dharma idol's hand, he held the golden jar collecting the beasts' remains. "Not a bad haul," he remarked with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Du Yuan!"

The three Platinum Asuras, dispatched on a mission, were incensed by his poise and disdain.

Thus, led by Demian, the trio of Platinum Asuras descended in fury, piercing the exceedingly thin veil of the barrier to enter the inner world.

As they touched down, they were astonished to witness the barrier that enveloped the world below undergo a sudden transformation.

Streams of interwoven sword light, like trickling streams, wove into an intricate net within the barrier.

The essence of water, shaped by the sword's intent, gradually permeated the barrier.

"Heavenly Water Net!"

The three Platinum Asuras instantly realized that the world's barrier had been transformed by Yue Mu's sword intent into a barricade designed to confine them.

"Sorry, but we're planning to trade you three for Alonso."

Yue Mu's indifferent chuckle echoed throughout the world's barrier, emanating from the dazzling "Heavenly Water Net."

…

"Du Yuan and Yue Mu collaborated to lay a trap right under Alonso's nose, ensnaring the three Platinum Asuras," Zhou You remarked, his eyes gleaming with admiration as he clapped his hands in praise.

"What's the deal with Alonso? Given his lineage and the crystal ball he wields, he should have been able to detect any irregularities in the majority of the Firefly Starfield's boundary walls."

Zhou You was baffled.

Yu Yuan shared his surprise.

From his vantage point on the Dragon Slash Platform, he had witnessed Demian and the other Asuras enter the realm of alien beasts, only for the sword intent of the "Heavenly Water Sword" to surge within the barrier walls.

Soon after, he noticed Yue Mu had stealthily refined a boundary wall into his own sword net.

Zhou You's comments about Alonso's delicate link with the Firefly Starfield's numerous boundary walls made Yu Yuan realize that Alonso's oversight might have been his own doing.

It was his use of the Dragon Slash Platform to coerce Ciara into wreaking havoc in the Freezing Land that had precipitated Alonso's arrival.

Alonso's spirit had momentarily departed, and it seemed Du Yuan and Yue Mu had detected it, swiftly concealing themselves and orchestrating their strategy in secret.

Thus, the current scene unfolded.

In a clash of masters, the slightest misstep or oversight could trigger a cascade of events, leading to unforeseen and complex outcomes.

Whoosh!

A sword light, grayish-white and thick with the scent of desolation, burst forth from another star.

"Xi Quan!"

Zhou You's frown deepened, his face taking on an odd look, "This madwoman, following right after Du Yuan, charged headlong into the cascade of sword lights. Is she out of her mind? Can't she see that Alonso has been lying in wait for quite some time?"

From the perspective of the Dragon Slash Platform, Yu Yuan also caught sight of Xi Quan wielding the "Withered Sword," her form streaking like a comet across the starry river, traversing millions of miles in a single breath.

"Du Yuan's Disillusionment Sword carries an aura intent on annihilating all beings and things. Meanwhile, Xi Quan's Withered Sword can lead plants and creatures of flesh and blood down the road to death. How is it that the swordsmanship they're mastering resembles Chen Qinghuang's powers of destruction and death?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.

"You're absolutely correct," Zhou You affirmed, before elaborating, "The essence of Du Yuan's Disillusionment Sword and Xi Quan's Withered Sword, as well as the principles of the Great Dao, share the same roots as destruction and death. Often, the Great Dao is interconnected, sharing many commonalities."

After a brief pause, Zhou You continued in a hushed tone, "The empress, known as the Secular Bird, embodies the concept of the undead because she can be reborn. To be reborn, to live anew, implies immortality, hence the name Secular Bird. The secret of her rebirth is said to be her innate power, branded within her bloodline and heart."

"As for her powers of destruction and the true essence of the Death Wing, some say she usurped them from other behemoths."

"The behemoths of destruction and the Death Wing appear to have been among the first Starry Behemoths. After she vanquished them, she claimed their profound mysteries of destruction and death as her own."

While sharing this information, Zhou You glanced cautiously toward the Dark Wing Starfield.

Yu Yuan was taken aback, though he had harbored such suspicions himself.

He had speculated that the Secular Bird, ranking just below the Titan spinosaurus in the first echelon of Starry Behemoths, had also endured a brutal, bloodstained struggle to seize these secrets.

The Spinosaurus, as the sovereign of the behemoths, was a formidable presence that hunted its kin extensively.

It's possible that its prey included the progeny of the behemoths of destruction and the Death Wing. After claiming their power, it infused a portion of the essence of destruction and death into the cosmos, transforming it into destiny and law, imprinting it upon the rules of the universe.

Du Yuan and Xi Quan were fortunate enough to encounter and discern the subtleties of this power, integrating it into their own swordsmanship.

"Du Yuan and Xi Quan, is there any hope for you to ascend to the Primordial Spirit? With the Void Spirit Succubus in the Outland Star River, who has mastered ultimate destruction and death, do you still stand a chance?" Yu Yuan exclaimed.

"The Vast Expanse is its own realm, distinct from the external world," Zhou You said, stroking his smooth chin with a chuckle. "If we didn't make that distinction, the existence of the Void Spirit Succubus would prevent the birth of the Tenth Level Space-time Dragon. The Asura King Sabonis, with his understanding of the essence of golden power and the keen potency of his bloodline, shares common ground with President Lyi."

"This doesn't hinder President Lyi's breakthrough to the Primordial Spirit Stage. In fact, back in the Plover Realm, we aimed to slay Sabonis so President Lyi could assimilate his golden blood, but alas, we didn't succeed."

Zhou You paused, then continued, "Those from the Vast Expanse only need to look within it to see if there are peers or contenders for the Great Dao. President Lyi's most formidable adversary was actually the Golden Elephant Ancient God from the Demon Palace. With his death, President Lyi's path forward is now clear."

"All he lacks now is a new seat."

"…"

Zhou You's insights dispelled many of Yu Yuan's confusions.

He now understood that Du Yuan and Xi Quan could potentially leverage the Disillusionment Sword and the Withered Sword to vie for the highest seat of the Primordial Spirit, free from Chen Qinghuang's constraints.

Xi Quan's rival might be the white crane, given its mastery of the mysteries of death.

"Does that mean your future adversaries could likely be Pei Yuling and Yan Qiling?" Yu Yuan asked, astonished.

Zhou You nodded slowly, offering no contradiction.

Yet, he quickly let go of any concern, remarking with ease, "Strictly speaking, Mr. Yan isn't really my rival. His soul's form is off, and his body isn't natural. He... likely has no chance of claiming the highest Primordial seat. Any attempt to force his way through would only result in his demise."

Yu Yuan paused, then grasped the meaning behind the words.

He remembered that Yan Qiling's initial form was merely the Artifact Soul of the Splitting Soul Staff.

Yan Qiling and Yu Yiyi, residing within the Evil Cauldron, shared the same kind of existence. Despite having condensed a corporeal soul and delving into the intricacies of space, he was still without a physical body and thus could not be categorized as a conventional life form.

As a result, his journey along the path of the Great Dao was destined to be incomplete.

It made sense, then, why Yan Qiling and Yu Yiyi got along so well.

Both were part of the Divine Soul Sect, sharing similar fates, with nearly identical forms and essences.

"Is he okay?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"He's fine, back in the Delude Devil Abyss. They'll find out about the Death Nest in the Dark Wing Starfield soon enough. He and the Evil Cauldron are likely waiting for you there already," Zhou You replied, smiling.

In the distance, Du Yuan and Yue Mu, wielding the Heavenly Water Sword, had encircled the three Platinum Asuras, aiming to inflict serious damage or capture them for negotiations with Alonso.

Xi Quan, traveling alone by sword, was nearing the river of sword lights.

Yu Yuan and Zhou You, like bystanders, observed the developments while finding time to converse.

A short time later, Ciara, bearing the Frost Well, emerged from the shattered Freezing Land and returned.

Upon seeing the rotund Zhou You, her expression shifted.

Then, with a grave demeanor, she addressed the Cold Domain Bear in the language of the Asura Clan, "Commander, and... Patriarch, I've come to seek your stance on the matter."

The bear responded with a low growl, its voice laden with restlessness, fierceness, and a thirst for violence.

Ciara nodded, understanding, and expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, I've got it!"

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