C1405 Purple Flame
On this visit, Ann Ziqing's demeanor towards Yu Yuan had significantly changed from the past.
Perhaps it was the result of her being rescued from the brink of death in the Ionodios, but she had shed her former indifference for a newfound warmth and exuberance.
Yu Yuan found this adjustment unsettling.
He longed for the Ann Ziqing he knew – the one who harbored malice behind a smiling facade, whose every word was laced with sinister intent.
"Is the Crucible of Evil nearing its return to the ranks of the Divine Artifacts?"
Curiosity sparkled in Ann Ziqing's eyes as she peered around the cauldron, floating up to the level where Armor Crusher, Grimlantern, and Chebus resided.
A small purple fire suddenly ignited at her fingertips.
The tiny flame, pulsating with an extraordinary psionic power, startled Armor Crusher, Grimlantern, and Chebus.
The Bane sensed a familiar presence and began searching for its source.
At that moment, the Shadowfox perched atop the ninth floor snapped open its eyes!
The Shadowfox, resembling a purple civet with matching eyes, bore a striking resemblance to Ann Ziqing's attire and her purple divine armor.
Yet, its gaze was now filled with a wild ferocity, as if it had completely lost control.
"What an intriguing little cat!"
Ann Ziqing's attention bypassed Armor Crusher and Grimlantern, focusing solely on the Shadowfox. The purple fire at her fingertip directed at the creature, she said with a light laugh, "So it is you!"
Within the depths of the purple flame, cold lightning crackled, and tiny purple crystals emitted the scent of Bloodwraiths, intensifying the Shadowfox's frenzied state.
In a flash, like Divine Thunder, the petite civet darted towards the purple fire at Ann Ziqing's fingertip – without Yu Yuan's consent.
"Stop!"
Yu Yuan's face tensed with concern, fearing the Shadowfox might harm Ann Ziqing, and he quickly intervened.
The Shadowfox's behavior was alarming; it was clearly deranged, possibly influenced by the purple flame.
With a piercing screech, the glyphs on the cauldron's wall shifted, and a soul-rending force emanated from the Shadowfox's cries.
"I knew it!"
Ann Ziqing let out a sneer, her empty left hand twirling in mid-air as she conjured a five-colored blood membrane with a flick of her wrist. The Divine Thunder, transformed by the Shadowfox, crashed into the membrane and became ensnared.
Within the blood membrane, a dozen types of vital energy from the Otherkin were meticulously sorted by Ann's remnant soul, forming the Colddeath's blood sacrifice magic circle that firmly imprisoned the Shadowfox. The membrane morphed into a gory realm, oppressing the creature.
Tiny bolts of lightning, blood-hued mountains, and bodies of water manifested within the Shadowfox's corporeal form, creating the appearance of vivid, animated tattoos across its skin—depictions of lightning, landscapes, and waterways.
"You're only at the ninth level, just shy of the tenth," Ann said with a mischievous smile, her fingertip alight with a purple flame as she pointed at the blood membrane.
The world around the Shadowfox ignited with soul-extinguishing purple flames, filling the air with a scent that drove it into a frenzy of desire and madness, prompting it to let out a series of shrill squeaks.
Its cries even caught the attention of Yu Yiyi.
At the tenth level, the Frost Queen, akin to the Ice Goddess, opened her eyes as if roused from a deep sleep.
"I'm aware that only a Bane at the tenth level can awaken its intelligence and possess combat power comparable to the Unbound," Ann's gaze settled on the Frost Queen. "We've met before. Do you remember me? Back then, you were at the seventh or eighth level, not yet fully awakened."
"I remember," the Frost Queen responded coolly, then turned her gaze to Yu Yuan.
"Alright," Yu Yuan said with a hint of resignation, gesturing to the Frost Queen to hold back. "Ann, are you done playing? If you're looking for a fight, wait until the Shadowfox reaches the tenth level, then you can come back here and have your battle."
"It was clearly the one that attacked me first," Ann Ziqing said, feigning innocence.
With a gentle flick, she dispersed the five-colored blood membrane, and the purple civet was flung out, visibly cowed. It lusted after the purple flame at Ann's fingertip, yet dared not make another reckless move.
"It was meant to be fed to you, yet you chose to snatch it. I, for one, do not take kindly to misbehaving pets..."
Her slender fingers flicked, sending a small cluster of purple soulfire flying towards the Shadowfox, which it swallowed in one gulp. The moment it was consumed, a series of crackling sounds erupted from within the Shadowfox, like a string of firecrackers going off.
The Shadowfox's brain, with many gaps in its soul light, was instantly ignited by the purple flame. Both Yu Yuan and the Frost Queen witnessed the Shadowfox's Soul Power surge dramatically in that instant.
"That flame?" Yu Yuan asked, astonished.
"I stumbled upon it by chance. I knew there was a connection the moment I found it," Ann Ziqing said with a smile, her lips pursed. "It's likely a remnant of its original soulfire. Where I discovered it, there were engravings of its image, and it seemed some worshipped it as an Evil God."
"It was an Evil God?" Yu Yuan chuckled.
"It was once among the mightiest Banes, with combat power on par with those of the Unbound realm. It could even leave the Crucible of Evil and roam the outside world independently, much like Yu Yiyi is now," Ann Ziqing said, her expression turning grave. "At the height of its power, it was revered as an Evil God in many places."
With a swift motion, the Shadowfox ascended the ninth step after consuming the flame. It seemed to shatter invisible bonds, propelling itself to the tenth step. It then cast a glance at the Frost Queen before condensing into a ball of purple light, embarking on the final phase of its metamorphosis.
Yu Yuan immediately understood that upon awakening, the Shadowfox would regain its memories, along with its intelligence and spirit.
"I've been good to you, haven't I?" Ann Ziqing boasted, clearly pleased with herself.
"Yes, quite good, so..." Yu Yuan replied with a radiant smile, flashing his pearly white teeth. "So, let me show you what a truly flawless Solar Spirit looks like."
"Flawless!" Ann Ziqing's eyes widened in amazement, but her face quickly took on a grave expression.
This time, from the moment she reunited with Yu Yuan, she sensed something extraordinary. Unlike Yu Yuan, she couldn't peer into his little world of vitality to see what lay within. Yet her acute sensitivity to vitality made her realize that Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit was remarkably similar to her own.
Moreover, she found herself increasingly drawn to Yu Yuan. This attraction stemmed from her body, from her restless Solar Spirit, compelling her to instinctively want to draw nearer to Yu Yuan, to catch a whiff of his scent...
Ann Ziqing was intensely curious about what Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit had transformed into.
A thick, crimson lifeblood burst forth from Yu Yuan's Profound Gate acupoint, and before her very eyes, it morphed into another Yu Yuan in an instant.
The figure shimmered like red jade, its flesh translucent. Beneath its skin, the bones glowed with a pure light, and intricate bloodline chains sprawled across its body like a network of complex veins.
At just one glance, Ann Ziqing seemed bewitched, drawn inexorably towards his Solar Spirit with each step.
Her eyes sparkled with rapture, much like an artist beholding the most exquisite masterpiece, her face etched with incredulity as though she were admiring a rare and precious gem.
"Hey!"
Yu Yuan called out sharply.
The look in her eyes and her expression filled Yu Yuan with a sense of disquiet.
The instant his Solar Spirit emerged from the acupoint, Yu Yuan sensed an enigmatic equilibrium.
It was as though his Solar Spirit had the power to alter Ann Ziqing's physical makeup, redirect her bloodline pathways, delve into her heart and vitality, and even... harness Ann Ziqing's vital energy for his own use!
Yu Yuan was equally astounded.
