C1381 A Large Increase in the Third Eye
Ji Ningshuang, clad in white, gracefully descended upon the peak of the snowy mountain.
There, Yu Yuan was seated, engaged in the refinement of his Solar Spirit.
Her choice to come here seemed to be solely because Yu Yuan had also been here not long ago...
Three hundred years later, she had risen to become a Grand Sword Immortal of the Unbound Realm within the Sword Sect, ranking as one of the most eminent figures beneath the Supreme God in the Everlands.
Upon learning that Yu Yuan might be facing trouble in the Glimmerdrift Nebula, she disregarded the sacred rules of the forbidden area and forcefully made her way in.
She had hoped to use her formidable combat prowess and her Stardust Blade to safeguard Yu Yuan on his journey.
Yet...
A bittersweet smile played on Ji Ningshuang's lips, overshadowed by a deep-seated pride and contentment.
After all, it was him!
After all, he was the man whom she, Ji Ningshuang, cherished deeply!
Mo Baichuan, Du Yuan, and Yue Mu remained suspended above the ocean, gazing intently below, as if trying to detect the movements within the Wintermaw. They were curious to see if the ice energy from the Glimmerdrift Nebula had already seeped through the Wintermaw and spilled into the Frozen Hellscape of the Everlands, and whether the Titanblade was present.
Ji Ningshuang, however, appeared utterly indifferent to the Wintermaw, her gaze fixed on Yu Yuan.
Her eyes sparkled with a vibrant array of emotions.
Sensing her gaze, Yu Yuan looked back.
Their eyes locked, and a myriad of unspoken words passed between them like invisible streaks of light, each understanding the other's thoughts, concerns, and the complexities of the current predicament.
Inwardly, Yu Yuan sighed.
The enigmatic state of affairs in the Glimmerdrift Nebula prevented them from speaking openly. He stood as a representative of the Boulderdawn and the Chamber of Commerce, while Ji Ningshuang was backed by the five supreme powers of the Everlands.
They remained on opposing sides.
He harbored a multitude of regrets, yet he was compelled to keep them at bay, unable to cast aside all obligations and rush to her side...
A profound sense of longing filled his Heart Lake. Yu Yuan squinted, preparing to let a sliver of his concealed emotions show, when suddenly a crimson gleam flickered in his pupils.
Within his little world of vitality, Yu Yuan's unique Solar Spirit trembled faintly. His gaze sharpened, piercing through the veils of the world's enigmas, discerning the anomalies within the flesh of others.
He observed golden and silver threads concealed within Ji Ningshuang's living heart. These threads, extensions of the Earth-Tethered Cage, infiltrated her heart's walls, wreaking havoc on her delicate blood vessels. Tiny Stardust sword lights within her heart's core attempted to sever these metallic intruders. Yet, each attempt aggravated Ji Ningshuang's wounds, causing her organs to rupture and her painstakingly gathered sword force to scatter abruptly.
A shadow crossed Yu Yuan's face. He realized that Ji Ningshuang's desperate attempt to escape the Earth-Tethered Cage had left her with severe, untreated injuries that had now become a latent threat. Alonso's lack of urgency stemmed from his conviction that the residual effects of the Earth-Tethered Cage were continuously assaulting her heart—a vital weakness. The Shura commander was certain that this affliction would halt Ji Ningshuang's journey on the Path to Godhood.
"I can see so clearly!" he thought, both concerned and astonished. Turning his attention to Du Yuan, wielding the Sword of Destruction, Yu Yuan employed the Solar Spirit's Soul Power and vital energy to activate his enhanced Third Eye, revealing the subtlest irregularities in the flesh of all beings.
He saw that Du Yuan's bones, not particularly resilient, were riddled with fissures. The aura of destruction from the Sword of Destruction had seeped into the marrow and membranes, silently damaging his organs and sinews. Innumerable, delicate strands of this destructive force, like unrefinable slag, lay hidden within his body.
Du Yuan appeared formidable, yet his real body bore countless scars. His neglect in fortifying his physique had led to significant risks. Alonso's remarks now made sense; the power that Xi Quan and he had comprehended was also harming them continuously. Unlike the secular bird, they lacked the divine power of regeneration.
The repeated backlash from wielding the sword would inevitably lead to Xi Quan and Du Yuan facing significant setbacks one day.
"He'll never break through to the primordial spirit. Even with an open seat, Du Yuan remains without hope," Yu Yuan concluded, echoing Alonso's sentiments.
However, Yu Yuan's insight came after he had activated his Third Eye using the Soul Forging through Enlightenment technique, post the formation of the Solar Spirit. It was only with the combined soul power and blood energy of the Solar Spirit that he could see so clearly.
Next, he turned his attention to "Rillrender" Yue Mu and his old friend Mo Baichuan.
To his astonishment, he found no apparent defects or hidden ailments deep within the flesh of Yue Mu and Mo Baichuan.
Yue Mu's veins coursed with refined spiritual water energy, creating a "Skyfall Net" throughout his body.
This net, woven from his veins, spread across his limbs and torso, continuously nurturing his physique.
As for Mo Baichuan...
Yu Yuan observed that within his old friend's middle elixir field, the little world of vitality was not exceptionally powerful.
Yet, Mo Baichuan had managed to forcibly carve out nine acupoints around his waist and abdomen.
These appeared as nine fiery microcosms, with volcanoes dotting the landscape and fiery streams snaking through, forming a network of fiery rivulets.
The skies above these nine microcosms were a deep crimson, as if locked in eternal combustion.
Even more astonishing was the discovery that these nine acupoints were interconnected!
"No wonder he's seen by those at Boulderdawn and the Chamber of Commerce as the most likely successor to Lee Tianxin's legacy," Yu Yuan mused, nodding in agreement.
Back in the Land of Terror, with the assistance of the Root of the Lunar Meridian, he had used the Shadow Moon Essence to open numerous acupoints.
Although he had created more acupoints than Mo Baichuan, the vibrancy of the flame aura within Mo Baichuan's acupoints was far superior.
"The Nine Glories Wheel within him has formed nine distinct fiery little worlds, each autonomous yet capable of merging into a single entity at a given moment," Yu Yuan discerned, appreciating the profound intricacies.
After advancing to the Solar Spirit Realm, he activated his Third Eye once more. Astonishingly, he could now perceive even the most intricate details within the Unbound Realm cultivator's body with crystal clarity.
"Alonso, I'm uncertain where to conceal..."
With that thought, the Solar Spirit within his little world of vitality seemed to transform into a second heart, aiding him in detecting the vital energy of all living beings.
Billions of tiny specks of light, each representing a vibrant life, suddenly flooded his mind.
The fainter lights were inconsequential, flickering by in an instant.
Around him, Jun Chen, Zhou You, Bai He, Tian Zang, and Ji Ningshuang, not far off, all appeared as larger orbs of light, indicative of the potency of their vital energy.
Across the expanse of the Star River, a burst of golden light emerged.
Alonso!
As his gaze settled on the Star River, the Dragon Slaying Stage beneath him responded instinctively!
Having lost the Frost Well and carrying the golden crystal ball, Alonso, who had fled with four platinum Shura, was now within the purview of the Dragon Slaying Stage.
Yu Yuan immediately spotted Alonso, Demian, and the others concealed within a vast ice cavern.
Alonso cradled the crystal ball, releasing droplets of golden blood from the golden realm within.
Each drop of golden blood was a crystallization of his energy, capable of enhancing his combat prowess!
Ciara, Demian, and the rest encircled him with grave expressions, whispering incantations.
Demian, seated upon the Heartthumper Drum, inscribed something with his silver blood, seeking some form of assistance.
Ciara, now without the Frost Well, had many broken bones, rendering her the most pitiable among them.
Suddenly, the starwall where they hid silently fractured.
Several bloodline chains within Alonso's golden heart snapped taut, causing a stabbing pain in his chest.
He, attuned to the subtleties of the Shura-ruled starwall, immediately realized that the wall had been breached and knew the identity of the perpetrator.
"The Dire Bear has discovered our hiding place; it has destroyed the wall."
A trace of bitterness crossed Alonso's face. "The entire Glimmerdrift Nebula has long been ceded to it. It can command the ice energy and the starwall through its bloodline. Alas, my only regret is failing to assassinate Yu Yuan and secure the Dragon Slaying Stage!"
Deep beneath the earth, an unexpected tremor rippled through the ground.
The star where Alonso and his companions sought refuge shone with an intense brightness, piercing the dark void like a beacon!
And then...
The Abyssal Leviathan, rampaging through the Glimmerdrift Nebula in a state of frenzy, appeared to be drawn to the suddenly luminous star.
It fixed its gaze on the star, and after a few intense moments, it let out a roar and surged forward!
In its frenzied state, the space between them seemed to contract.
