C1354 Connected and Conflicting

Du Yuan, known as the "Sword of Destruction," was typically a picture of composure, but his underlying madness was seldom revealed, kept hidden for long stretches of time. Those who knew him well, who had truly interacted with him, were aware of how challenging he could be.

Thus, when Du Yuan suddenly let out a strange chuckle, Demian's face turned ashen, and he bellowed, "Be careful!" To Warren's left, an older platinum Shura, ever vigilant, had been closely watching Du Yuan's expressions. At that moment, he felt a surge of tension.

"Keep your distance!" he also cried out.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Thousands of sword lights burst forth in the starry world below, at the gathering place of the silver wolves, within the icy python's chilly lair, and in the deep-sea habitats of the ice beasts.

The sword light, imbued with a destructive force, wiped out the alien beasts in the starry world almost instantaneously.

A small golden jar materialized in that world and began to expand rapidly. The sword lights, having slain the extraterrestrial alien beasts, dragged their carcasses into the jar.

The golden jar continued to amass the bodies of the beasts, seemingly to later trade them for a substantial amount of soulstones.

"Du Yuan!"

Furious, Demian summoned the Heartthumper Drum and furiously pounded it. The thunderous drumming unleashed a wave of sound so terrifying that it filled the void where Du Yuan's Divine Visage stood with countless hairline fractures.

The space itself fractured under the onslaught of the Heartthumper Drum.

Du Yuan's towering Divine Visage was riddled with hundreds of cracks and collapsed in a flash. Yet, in the next moment, his Divine Visage coalesced once again.

He materialized in the Frozen World, home to the alien beasts, and with a gentle grasp of his Divine Visage, he held the golden jar collecting the alien beast corpses. "Not a bad haul," he said, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Du Yuan!"

The calm and scornful demeanor he displayed infuriated the three platinum Shura sent to confront him.

Led by Demian, the trio of platinum Shura, seething with anger, descended and passed through the exceedingly thin wall, entering the inner world.

As they landed, they were astonished to find that the wall, which enveloped the world below, had undergone a dramatic transformation. Streams of interwoven sword light, like trickling brooks, had woven into a magnificent net within the wall.

The water essence, guided by the sword's will, gradually permeated the wall.

"Skyfall Net!"

The three Platinum Shura immediately sensed that the world's wall had been transformed by Yue Mu's sword's will into a barrier meant to confine them.

"Sorry, but we plan to trade you three for that Alonso."

Yue Mu's carefree laughter echoed from within the resplendent Skyfall Net that spanned the wall.

...

"Du Yuan and Yue Mu have collaborated to spring a trap right under Alonso's nose, ensnaring the three Platinum Shura," Zhou You remarked, his tiny eyes rolling with admiration as he clapped his hands.

"What's the deal with Alonso? With his bloodline level and that crystal ball of his, he should've been able to detect any irregularities in the Glimmerdrift Nebula's walls."

Zhou You was baffled.

Yu Yuan shared his surprise.

From the Dragon Slaying Stage, he witnessed Demian and the other Shura enter the realm of alien beasts, where the sword's will of the Rillrender burst forth from the wall.

Soon after, he realized that Yue Mu had silently refined a wall into his own sword net.

Zhou You's comments about Alonso's subtle link to the Glimmerdrift Nebula's walls made Yu Yuan suspect that Alonso's oversight might have stemmed from his own actions.

His use of the Dragon Slaying Stage to intimidate Ciara had wreaked havoc in the Frozen World, precipitating Alonso's arrival.

The moment Alonso's soul departed, Du Yuan and Yue Mu sensed it and vanished, laying their plans in the shadows.

Thus, the current situation unfolded.

In a clash of masters, the slightest misstep or oversight can trigger a cascade of events, leading to unforeseen shifts in the battle.

Swoosh!

A sword light, tinged with a heavy breath of desolation, streaked forth from another star.

"Xi Quan!"

Zhou You's brow furrowed, his face taking on an odd look, "This madwoman is charging headlong into the River of Swords right after Du Yuan. Has she lost her mind? Can't she see that Alonso has been lying in wait there for ages?"

With the perspective of the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan also caught sight of Xi Quan wielding the Withered Sword, her movement swift as a comet piercing the Star River.

"Du Yuan's Sword of Destruction carries the intent to obliterate all life and matter, while Xi Quan's Withered Sword can lead plants and living creatures down the path of death. How is it that their swordsmanship bears such a resemblance to Chen Qinghuang's destructive death force?" Yu Yuan wondered aloud.

"You're right," Zhou You affirmed before elaborating, "The core principles of Du Yuan's Sword of Destruction and Xi Quan's Withered Sword, along with the ultimate truth, actually share the same roots as destruction and death. Often, the Way of Heaven is interconnected, sharing many commonalities."

After a brief pause, Zhou You spoke softly, "The empress, known as the secular bird, embodies immortality through her ability to be reborn. To be reborn, to live again, means she cannot die, hence the name secular bird. The mysteries of rebirth are said to be innate to her, imprinted in her bloodline and core."

"As for the essence of the Behemoth of Ruin and the true meaning of the death force, it's believed she stripped those from other giant beasts."

"The Behemoth of Ruin and the Deathwings, also among the original cosmic giant beasts, were slain by her. She then claimed their profound insights into death and destruction as her own."

Zhou You glanced cautiously towards the Darkpinion as he spoke.

Yu Yuan was taken aback. He had harbored similar suspicions.

He surmised that the secular bird, ranking just below the Titan Spinosaurus on the first level of cosmic giant beasts, had also endured a brutal, blood-soaked struggle to seize other secrets.

The Titan Spinosaurus, the sovereign among giant beasts, had hunted and killed the most of its kind, likely including the offspring of the Behemoth of Ruin and the Deathwings.

After its conquests, it infused a portion of the true essence of death and destruction into the Everlands, transforming it into destiny and cosmic order, branding it into the world's laws.

Du Yuan and Xi Quan were fortunate enough to encounter and perceive its intricacies, integrating it into their swordsmanship.

"Do Du Yuan and Xi Quan have any hope of ascending to primordial spirits? With the secular bird already mastering ultimate destruction and death in the extraterrestrial Star River, do they stand a chance?" Yu Yuan exclaimed.

"The Everlands is distinct from the outside world; they are separate entities," Zhou You remarked, stroking his chin with a chuckle. "If we didn't distinguish them, the existence of the Voidweaver would preclude the birth of a tenth-level Chronowyrm. The Blood King Sabonis, who has grasped the true essence of metal magic and the keen power of his bloodline, shares commonalities with President Lyi."

"This won't hinder President Lyi's advancement to the realm of the primordial spirit. In fact, back in Ionodios, we aimed to slay Sabonis so President Lyi could assimilate his golden blood. Sadly, we didn't manage to achieve that."

Zhou You hesitated, then added, "One from the Everlands merely needs to look around within it to find fellow travelers on the Way of Heaven or contenders. The most formidable adversary President Lyi once faced was the Golden Elephant God from Shadow's Keep. With the Golden Elephant God's demise, President Lyi's path forward is now clear."

"All he lacks now is a new position."

"…"

Zhou You's words illuminated many of Yu Yuan's perplexities.

He also realized that both Du Yuan and Xi Quan could potentially leverage the Sword of Destruction and the Withered Sword to ascend to the highest echelons of the primordial spirit, free from Chen Qinghuang's constraints.

Xi Quan's rival might well be the white crane, for it too has mastered the secrets of death.

"Does this mean your future adversaries are likely to be Pei Yuling and Yan Qiling?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.

Zhou You slowly nodded, offering no contradiction.

He quickly came to terms with it, saying with ease, "Strictly speaking, Mr. Yan isn't really my rival. His soul's form is off, and his body isn't natural. He stands no chance of claiming a seat among the Supreme Gods. Any attempt to force his way through would only result in his utter destruction."

Yu Yuan paused, then grasped the implication.

He thought of Yan Qiling's initial state as merely the artifact soul of the Soul Splitting Staff.

Yan Qiling and Yu Yiyi, from the Crucible of Evil, were of the same nature. Even after Yan Qiling had formed a corporeal soul and delved into the enigmas of space, he remained devoid of flesh and blood and couldn't be considered a standard life form.

Thus, his journey along the Way of Heaven was destined to fall short of perfection.

No wonder Yan Qiling and Yu Yiyi got along so well—they were both part of Boulderdawn, sharing similar fates and essences.

"Is he doing okay?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"He's fine; he's already back at the Hellmouth. They'll find out about the Deathwing Lair's location in the Darkpinion soon enough. He and the Crucible of Evil were supposed to wait there for you before you arrived at the Darkpinion Astral Domain."

Zhou You said with a smile.

In the distance, Du Yuan and Yue Mu, wielder of the Rillrender, worked together to besiege the three Platinum Shura, aiming to either severely wound or capture them and then negotiate with Alonso.

Xi Quan, meanwhile, was nearing the location of the River of Swords, traveling alone on her sword.

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

After a short time, Ciara, bearing the Frost Well, emerged from the frozen world shattered by Yu Yuan and returned to their midst.

Ciara's gaze shifted as she looked at the portly Zhou You, her expression changing. She then turned to the snow bear with a solemn demeanor and inquired in the Shura tongue, "Commander, and... Patriarch, I seek your stance on this matter."

The snow bear let out a low growl, resonating with impatience, ferocity, and a thirst for blood.

Ciara nodded, understanding, and said, "Got it, thank you!"

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