C1408 Marsh

The Everlands, the Forgotten Ruins, and Gavanas.

Shrouded in a mist of spiritual energy, the teleportation circle constructed by the Ethereal Void Sect gently spun, casting colorful spatial ripples.

After a moment, representatives from Shadow's Keep, led by Xu Zixi, materialized at the circle's heart.

"Ms. Xu, why has Shadow's Keep arranged for us to visit the Aetherius Continent?" inquired Zhao Yafu with curiosity.

Years had refined Zhao Yafu into an elegant and spirited woman.

Having advanced to the late period of the Lunar Spirit, she had been active in the Land of Quiescence and its vast neighboring seas.

Even the Dragon Attendants of Dragon Lake, along with the dragons themselves, gave her a wide berth.

Her mentor was none other than the Moonfang Tiger from Shadow's Keep, a living Dark Deity.

Shadow's Keep's influence extended to every nook of the Everlands and even into the extraterrestrial starry expanses.

The once-thriving Dragon Lake and its dragons dared not trouble her.

"I'm not entirely sure myself."

Xu Zixi, now in the middle period of the Solar Spirit, gestured for Zhao Yafu, Zhan Tianxiang, and a group of Shadow's Keep's younger members to disperse before she ascended into the sky.

Hovering above Gavanas, she paused to survey her surroundings.

Gavanas had long lost its former glory. Cultivators from the Starmoon Sect and the Forgeroses had withdrawn ages ago and had not returned.

With President Lyi's resurgence, the Skyreach Consortium had even relocated their palatial structures.

The original site of their local branch had since moved to the Serpent Spine Mountains.

The Thylethlume, once vibrant within the Forgotten Ruins and home to the Yu family, now stood empty of its original inhabitants.

Now, the Zhao and Zhan families, along with a few smaller clans allied with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, resided in the town.

The Lost Lands, still rich with recovering spiritual energy, remained a suitable place for cultivators and archdemons to thrive.

Yet, for various reasons, this region had fallen into decline.

Xu Zixi's gaze drifted involuntarily toward the mid-lake island ensnared within the Shadowflame Blight Array. She was aware that Yu Zhu was there.

Yu Zhu, having returned from her extraterrestrial journey, recently re-entered the Forgotten Ruins, claiming her status as a ninth-level Monster Lord.

Contrary to Shadow's Keep protocol, Yu Zhu did not report back to them, nor did she seek an audience with the Moonfang Tiger or the Kylin. She simply stated her intention to solidify her realm of power.

Since then, she secluded herself within the depths of the mid-lake island and vanished from sight.

Given her Monster Lord bloodline level, Yu Zhu's combat prowess could naturally ascend by one tier within the Forgotten Ruins, a place attuned to her essence. Even the Moonfang Tiger and the Kylin, within these ruins, would lack confidence in their chances of besting her.

The details of what Yu Zhu encountered in the extraterrestrial realms remained a mystery. Rumors had it that ever since her time in the Dark Star, she became reticent, engaging only in relentless slaughter.

Both the Shadow's Keep and the archdemons harbored a deep-seated fear of her.

Her thoughts were unknown, as was the duration of her seclusion in the Forgotten Ruins.

"Ms. Xu, where are the Yu family members currently?" inquired Zhan Tianxiang, who had grown into a figure of imposing stature and newfound composure. The once wild and impulsive heir of the Zhan family had undergone a profound transformation following the Golden Elephant God's demise.

Fortified by the mystique passed down from the Golden Elephant God, his physique was unyielding, akin to iron and steel. He was utterly immersed in his cultivation, driven by an eagerness to ascend to the extraterrestrial realms.

He had aspired to hone his Lunar Spirit in the Land of Terror, but the Shadow's Keep had imposed a strict prohibition.

The Devil Palace, the Shadow's Keep, and the cultivators from the Land of Quiescence, who once braved the Land of Terror for their trials, now hesitated to tread its perilous grounds.

Only the sects allied with Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium dared venture into the Land of Terror, for it was there that a God of Ghosts had emerged.

"The Yu family? I've heard that most of them are in the Serpent Spine Mountains," he answered.

Xu Zixi descended gracefully, positioning herself among a group of young disciples. Observing the youths who, like her, were diligently practicing the spiritual spells of Shadow's Keep, she spoke, "After reuniting, Yu Yuan's parents journeyed to the Serpent Spine Mountains. The Yu family has gradually relocated there from Asvetaesi in the Silvermoon Empire."

Dragon Lake, which once confined Yu Jue, later released him, willingly delivering him to Colddeath.

The couple, after their reunion within Colddeath, spent some time in the Land of Quiescence before returning to the Yu family. Subsequently, they accepted an invitation to the Serpent Spine Mountains and made their home there.

The Serpent Spine Mountains are situated at the heart of the Silvermoon and Crimson Sun Empires, with the enigmatic Moonfall Sanctuary nearby.

The Moonfall Sanctuary is now among the most mysterious locales in the Everlands.

"I wonder how Brother Yu is faring out there," Zhao Yafu murmured to herself.

"Brother? Please be mindful of your language from now on!" A gaunt man, who had once trained with the Grey Wolf King, fixed her with a stern look. "That man, Yu Yuan, is a traitor to our Everlands, a stain upon our honor!"

Having lost his support within Shadow's Keep due to the Grey Wolf King's demise in the Moonfall Sanctuary, it was no surprise that he harbored resentment towards Yu Yuan.

"Oh," Zhao Yafu responded indifferently.

The gaunt man seemed eager to continue, but Xu Zixi interjected, "Enough. Everyone is free to explore the Forgotten Ruins. Just remember one thing: do not venture near the mid-lake island where she is cultivating. If she ends up killing you by accident, Shadow's Keep won't seek justice on your behalf."

At the mention of Yu Zhu, the faces of all the Shadow's Keep's younger members turned somber. They had heard from returning demonic cultivators and archdemons that Yu Zhu had slain numerous extraterrestrial powerhouses in the Dark Star domain.

With her ninth-level bloodline, Yu Zhu had become Shadow's Keep's weapon of doom. It was rumored that not a single Otherkin stood a chance against her lethal prowess.

Thanks to Shadow's Keep's intentional promotion, she had now eclipsed the late Peacock Queen and Grey Wolf King, rising as the formidable new Monster Lord of their generation.

Deep within the Marsh, a barefooted Ape dressed in sackcloth, his waist cinched with a hemp rope, smoked a pipe while basking in the sunlight.

A hundred miles away, beside a crystal-clear lake, stood a peculiar, leafless tree. Its grayish-brown trunk rose a hundred meters high, with roots thick and sturdy. Atop the tree sat an enormous bird's nest, seemingly out of place, as if it had been transplanted there from elsewhere. The nest's dark branches were interwoven with a shadowy psionic power that occasionally sparked with flashes of spatial light.

The disciple Ho Zhan, along with several cultivators of unknown origin, sat in silence near the odd tree. After a considerable time, they opened their eyes to gaze upon the nest above.

This Nest of Perdition was guarded by a Songbird demon soul, unlike the Deathwing Lair and the Rebirth Nest. With the Songbird's presence, there was little need for concern or additional effort on their part.

Nearby, several archdemons loyal to the Untamed stood tall as hills, eyeing the nest from a distance, debating whether to approach. These wise archdemons had learned that this nest could serve as a gateway to the Darkpinion extraterrestrial realm.

They were also aware that the Brugeth Nebula had dissolved into oblivion and the Glimmerdrift Nebula had burst open.

Bound solely to the Untamed and independent from the Shadow's Keep, these archdemons seldom ventured from the Everlands and refrained from engaging in conflicts with the five supreme forces.

Thus, they harbored a deep curiosity and a desire to witness the wonders of the extraterrestrial realms for themselves.

Previously, the Untamed had kept them in check, forbidding reckless behavior and extraterrestrial excursions.

However, not long ago, the Untamed had relaxed these restrictions, signaling their consent for these beings to explore beyond their familiar territories.

As they wavered in their decision, a sudden disturbance emanated from the Nest of Perdition, startling the Songbird within.

A misty emerald glow coalesced into the form of the Songbird's soul, which floated in the void, gazing downward.

"Yu Yuan..."

Shortly thereafter, the Songbird began to speak in human tongue.

It leapt into the air with joy, unfurling its wings above the Nest of Perdition and danced gracefully as a soul.

Here in the Godsblight Marsh, within the domain of Lord Untamed, it harbored no fear of mishaps, nor concern for attacks from the Baneblade and Bloodhell while in its soul form.

"Yu Yuan!"

Ho Zhan sprang to his feet.

A hundred miles away, the Ape, barefoot and rubbing his nose, spoke with a touch of sorrow, "The presence of the Sky-Shaking Ape... That foolish one pledged loyalty to Shadow's Keep, only to be rightfully consumed by the Baneblade and Bloodhell."