C1402 Green Fluorescent Realm
"I hope you remain the same as you were," Peach Madam whispered to herself, her heart heavy with concern that upon their next meeting, Yu Yuan might have transformed into someone else—into the Medicine God, Hong Qi, from three centuries past.
She preferred Yu Yuan to stay true to himself; her past encounters with Hong Qi in the depths of the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea had left her well aware of his deeds. As a new member of the Divine Soul Sect, she was astonished to discover the high regard in which Yu Yuan was held by the sect's most influential figures. The might of the Divine Soul Sect was incomparable to that of the Medicine God Sect.
She pondered the potential calamities that could befall the Vast Expanse if Yu Yuan's memories were fully restored and he wielded his current influence to act as he once did.
"The Divine Soul Sect, that young man named Yu Yuan, is nearing us aboard the Dragon Slash Platform!" In the heart of a colossal, withered tree, several elderly members of the Dark Elfkind and Winged Race concluded their council and emerged from their suspended wooden dwellings.
Among them was a Winged Race elder whom Yu Yuan had previously encountered in the ethereal Deep Starfield. These venerable figures had been deliberating whether to re-engage with the Vast Expanse, seeking a more intimate alliance with the Divine Soul Sect and the Chamber of Commerce, especially now that the Death Nest and the Vast Expanse's Destruction Nest had been linked.
Lately, beings from the Vast Expanse had begun to venture into the Dark Wing Starfield through the Death Nest, with ambitions to explore the Firefly Starfield and gather its unique treasures from the fragmented stellar currents. They were also considering sending their kin to witness the wonders of the Desolate Swamp, home to the Destructive Lair.
However, recalling how numerous mighty representatives from various tribes had nearly failed to return from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, they wavered in their decision.
"This Yu Yuan is held in high esteem by that individual..." The aged Winged Race elder, his form shrouded in a thick miasma of death, had eyes that seemed to mirror the Dragon Slash Platform. "She mentioned before her departure that Yu Yuan would make his way here."
"Let us proceed with caution," they agreed.
"I have a feeling that her collaboration with the Divine Soul Sect and the Chamber of Commerce has been greatly influenced by Yu Yuan."
The elders of the Winged Race and the Dark Elfkind gazed solemnly at the transparent barrier before them.
...
Whoosh!
The Dragon Slash Platform finally breached the transparent barrier and smoothly entered the Green Fluorescent Realm of the Winged Race, instantly teleporting to the location of Yu Yiyi and Yan Qiling.
"Master!"
"Yu Yuan."
The reunion with Yu Yuan in the Green Fluorescent Realm stirred great excitement in both Yu Yiyi and Yan Qiling.
Upon inspecting the Evil Cauldron, Yu Yuan immediately noticed an increase in the number of Evil Devils within its miniature world. The one known as Nether Cat seemed on the verge of breaking through to the tenth level.
"Master!"
Ice Concubine materialized, her crystalline form radiating vibrant life. "Thanks to Master, Moore has also..." She trailed off mid-sentence as her eyes fell upon a snow-white bear squatting atop the Dragon Slash Platform.
Ice Concubine regarded the creature with a mix of surprise and curiosity, quickly recognizing it as the Violent Bear.
"It's good to see you're alright," Yu Yuan said with a reassuring smile.
At his behest, the snow bear, now merely two meters tall after condensing its bloodline, yawned indifferently.
The bear appeared wholly uninterested in the Dark Wing Starfield and the Green Fluorescent Realm. Accustomed to the wonders of the cosmos after years of overseeing the Firefly Starfield and roaming other starfields, the Winged Race's corner of the stars—adjacent to its own territory—held no surprises for it.
"Master, is that really the Violent Bear?" Ice Concubine sought confirmation.
Yu Yuan gave a confirming hum, his attention divided between the number of Evil Devils in the Evil Cauldron and the structural intricacies of the Green Fluorescent Realm, as well as its concealed powerhouses.
He noticed Mia, Lulu, and Hu Caiyun approaching him.
He also overheard the elders of the Dark Elfkind and the Winged Race quietly discussing him.
Meanwhile, he continued to converse with Yan Qiling, smiling as he listened to Yan Qiling recount how Yan Ziyang of the Ghost Spirit Sect had been dispatched to Horror Land to pursue the path of the Ghost Dao, in hopes of one day advancing to Ghost King and, in a new life, restoring the Ghost Spirit Sect.
Yan Qiling also mentioned that the "Destruction Nest" had been relocated to the Desolate God Great Swamp.
The "Rebirth Nest," previously guarded by the ghostly deities in Horror Land, had been transported by the Luan Bird and was now beyond the Boundless Great World, en route to the sacred grounds of the Dark Elfkind.
Chen Qinghuang, along with Brie from the Dark Elfkind, were both currently at the Dark Elfkind's holy site.
Her goal was to use the Rebirth Nest and the flesh and blood of the Chaos Roc to forge a connection between the Boundless Great World, the Winged Race, and the Dark Elfkind's sacred lands.
Her Rebirth Nest, combined with the Chaos Roc's tissues, promised to help Brie regain much of his power.
The Dark Elfkind's chieftain, who had suffered betrayal at the hands of Diggs and the Fallen Divine Tree in the Deep Starfield, now looked to Chen Qinghuang for leadership, obeying her every command.
Not just Brie, but all of the Dark Elfkind recognized that the enigmatic Secular Bird and the Hannya Divine Tree, their creators, were their staunchest allies from the earliest times.
"The pact our Empress forged with us in the Plover Realm is growing ever stronger," they acknowledged.
Yan Qiling continued to brief Yu Yuan on the dynamic and complex developments unfolding across the cosmos.
"The Great Demon God Beilstein, having received communications from Brie, is intrigued by the Chaos Abyss and the enigmatic Origin Realm God, and he's delving deeper into these mysteries. His perspective represents the views of a significant portion of the sentient beings within the Outland Star River."
"He's tasked High Priest Reid with venturing into the rifts of the Void Spirit Succubus to investigate any anomalies with the Divine Butterfly's true form."
"..."
Yan Qiling meticulously outlined the shifting cosmic landscape, sparing no detail.
Yu Yuan couldn't shake the feeling that this extraordinary individual from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area had become one of his subordinates...
Perhaps deep down, Yan Qiling also felt somewhat diminished in stature.
This also implied that Yan Qiling, Yu Yiyi, and Tianzang, the Ghost King, were aware of his original identity.
Since his first incarnation was a peer of Taishi, the Primordial Divine King, and was bound to fully awaken, it was understandable that Yan Qiling maintained a respectful demeanor.
Suddenly, Yu Yuan declared, "I need to meet with Taishi."
He was convinced that only Taishi, the Primordial Divine King, could unravel the myriad questions in his mind. Having advanced to the Yang God Realm and witnessed the Sky High Divine Sword in action, Yu Yuan felt it was time for a serious discussion with Taishi.
He was eager to learn more about the juvenile Titan Spinosaurus and what the Divine Soul Sect aimed to achieve by hatching it in the Plover Realm. He suspected that only forces connected to the Yang Meridian's source and the essence of life itself could incubate the creature.
As a result, Taishi had allowed Grec to perish once within the Plover Realm, stripping him of his foundational power. He destroyed the Life Altar, repurposing its fragments to incubate the purple-gold egg concealed within the bronze coffin.
That very egg, initially incubated by Grec, had by a twist of fate ended up in his possession on the Dragon Slash Platform. The original Life Altar, along with Grec's vital essence, both imbued with the power of life's source, had the potential to catalyze the dragon egg, kindling the spark of life within the young beast.
During their time on the Origin Blood Continent, Grec had harbored an insatiable greed and longing for the hatchling. Alonso felt the same way.
The young creature appeared to wield a mysterious influence over the vast expanse of the Boundless Great World. He was determined to seek answers from Taishi, to uncover his own past, and to unravel the myriad secrets of the Dragon Slash Platform.
"This..." Yan Qiling appeared to be in a quandary. "My master and President Lyi are still assimilating the Golden Asura. Yu Yuan, please be patient. My master believes the time isn't right yet. He also mentioned that you don't need to seek answers from him; you've always known the real answer deep down."
Yu Yuan was taken aback.
"My master has been doing a lot of things lately that are..." Yan Qiling gave him a peculiar look.
It was as if he was implying that his master was adhering to Yu Yuan's philosophy and directives, advancing along the path Yu Yuan had charted.
"Yu Yuan!"
Hu Caiyun, Mia, and Lulu had finally caught up. Yu Yuan composed himself and greeted them with a smile. He nodded at Hu Caiyun and inquired, "How are things?"
"Not too shabby. Congratulations on your ascension to Yang God," Hu Caiyun replied with a grin.
"I've encountered Qiyan," Yu Yuan mentioned offhandedly.
A look of revulsion instantly crossed Hu Caiyun's radiant face. "Let's not talk about that creature! It's a harbinger of misfortune, having brought numerous calamities to the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea."
Yu Yuan unconsciously massaged his forehead, his expression tinged with awkwardness.
"I wasn't referring to you!" Hu Caiyun quickly clarified.
"Forget it," Yu Yuan said with a dismissive wave of his hand, indicating he didn't wish to dwell on the subject. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Senior Mia. I'm grateful for everything you've done for Lulu."
"The clan leader speaks very highly of you," Mia responded with a smile.
"Clan leader? Oh, you're referring to Brie?" Yu Yuan caught on. "I've heard he's been giving you a hard time. He's not exactly friendly to me either, especially in the Deep Starfield. It wasn't me who killed his son, as you well know."
"He did have some reservations before, but not anymore," Mia clarified.
"That's a relief," Yu Yuan said, his face breaking into a broad smile before he shifted the conversation. "Since Mr. Yan is also present, I'd like to ask you, Senior—you're familiar with the Winged Race and the Dark Elfkind—do you think it's feasible to bring members of the Medicine Sect and the Medicine God Sect here to this starfield, which is so well-suited for alchemists?"
