C1438 The Disappearance of the Sect

Feng Zhong's demeanor was grave, his typically nonchalant attitude nowhere to be seen. His eyes, normally sly, now blazed with an astonishing brilliance as he intently examined the fragmented Spirit Magic on the table.

Qu Yun had recently viewed these scenes through his Lunar Spirit, and the knowledge Yu Yuan possessed, along with the myriad conjectures in his mind, had become clear to him.

He was now fixated on the incomplete Spirit Magic that Lian Hu had stumbled upon, scrutinizing the ancient symbols beneath the script. The language used to inscribe the Spirit Magic was that of the Everlands' contemporary human race, with nothing out of the ordinary.

The paper, however, was visibly aged, its yellowed surface adorned with characters resembling flowers, birds, trees, and insects, as if concealing some profound secret.

Feng Zhong studied the text with great care and concentration, his brow furrowed in deep thought.

Yu Yuan kept quiet, his heart brimming with expectation. Feng Zhong's current behavior suggested that the Windspeaker's leader might have some insight.

As half an hour slipped by silently, Feng Zhong finally shifted his gaze away from the table's incomplete Spirit Magic. Noticing Yu Yuan's eager questioning, he simply shook his head.

He then retrieved an emblem from his sleeve, channeling strands of remnant soul into it, apparently consulting some hidden records through the emblem.

Soon, his remnant soul, carrying fragments of messages, returned to his consciousness.

"In the extensive annals of history, numerous sects have briefly flourished before fading away," Feng Zhong began, gripping the emblem as if it were a conduit to a vast repository of knowledge. "The now-extinct Terror Claws Sect once possessed a deeper foundation than both the Colddeath Sect and today's Ruby Hand Sect."

Yu Yuan nodded in acknowledgment.

"In the Land of Quiescence, two sects have risen and fallen over the years, yet they have always endured. One is known as the Poison Cult, and the other as the Binders of Shadows," Feng Zhong continued, his expression growing somber. "It's a little-known fact that the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows were originally one and the same."

"One family?" Yu Yuan's expression was deeply moved.

He had an extensive knowledge of the Poison Cult, having once engaged in profound discussions with the former patriarch about the methods of concocting deadly poisons. He had also taken Luo Yue under his wing, guiding her diligently for many years.

His dealings with the Binders of Shadows were not unfamiliar to him either; he was somewhat versed in the sect's mystique.

The Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows had always been at odds, their strife seemingly endless.

Could it be that these two sects were originally one and the same? The thought seemed incredulous to him.

"Yes, the two sects were indeed one at the beginning. This sect's history dates back to the era when Boulderdawn was established, making it an ancient human sect that possibly predates even Boulderdawn. Not even the current three great upper sects, nor the Devil Palace, can claim a longer history than this one."

"It was known as the Bloodbrawlers!"

"The Bloodbrawlers were divided by Boulderdawn, resulting in the creation of the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows. The fragmented Spirit Magic before us is the very Spirit Magic of the Bloodbrawlers, which is entirely distinct from the paths of the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows."

"Born from the original Bloodbrawlers, during the time when humans stood against the Nagas, were individuals of remarkable brilliance. Supreme experts of the Divine Level emerged, and at its zenith, the might of the Bloodbrawlers was second only to Boulderdawn. They were stronger than the three upper sects and even the Devil Palace, another human sect."

"Regrettably, in the battle where humans and evilkind joined forces to overthrow the Nagas, two primordial spirits of the Bloodbrawlers perished."

"From that point on, the Bloodbrawlers began their descent into obscurity, eventually fading into silence. As Boulderdawn grew in strength and dominated the Everlands, the Bloodbrawlers vanished completely."

"Until..."

"It wasn't until Boulderdawn was expunged from the Everlands by the united powers of the realm that two new sects emerged in the Land of Quiescence — the Binders of Shadows and the Poison Cult."

"According to the intelligence I've gathered, the decline of the Bloodbrawlers was due to the overwhelming power of Boulderdawn. It was one or several God-Kings within Boulderdawn who no longer wished for the Bloodbrawlers to exist."

"Therefore, it was only after the fall of the Boulderdawn Sect that the once-ousted Bloodbrawlers were able to resurface as the Binders of Shadows and the Poison Cult."

"Regrettably, after their separation, neither the Binders of Shadows nor the Poison Cult has managed to reclaim the former glory of the Bloodbrawlers. According to the records, up to this point, neither sect has produced a primordial spirit."

"..."

Following an extensive narrative.

Feng Zhong spoke softly, "The individual who possessed Qu Yun left engravings on the rock walls within the forbidden area of the Order of Healing. The style of these symbols bore a resemblance to the spellcraft of the Binders of Shadows. Yet, these symbols and carvings also released a toxic smoke capable of eroding the soul, which bears the hallmarks of certain arcane practices of the Poison Cult."

"Only those who have mastered the Spirit Magic of both the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows could accomplish such a feat."

"However, based on intelligence from the Windspeaker, there is no such individual in the Everlands. The five dominant powers have tolerated the presence of the Binders of Shadows and the Poison Cult, but they seem reluctant to witness the resurgence of the Bloodbrawlers."

"As a result, you'll find that the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows are perpetually antagonistic, forever engaged in clandestine conflict."

"This enduring hostility is a deliberate outcome orchestrated by the five great powers. When our Merchant Guild joined forces with your Boulderdawn Sect, and the Binders of Shadows pledged their allegiance, I believed it was with the tacit consent of these powers."

"At no point do these five factions wish to see the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows unite and give rise to the Bloodbrawlers once more."

"..."

Feng Zhong elaborated on the intricacies of the situation.

Yu Yuan listened intently, his face a mask of tranquility. Yet, as Feng Zhong uttered the term "Bloodbrawlers" after a lengthy exposition, Yu Yuan felt an instinctive wave of revulsion.

This aversion was etched deep within his dominant soul!

Despite this, his Mindscape revealed no memory sparkles that might trigger recollection.

Nevertheless, he was aware that the Bloodbrawlers had indeed emerged during the epoch when humanity stood against the Nagas. His profound loathing for the name "Bloodbrawlers" prompted him to speculate...

According to Feng Zhong, there was at least one God-King within the Boulderdawn Sect who did not wish for the Bloodbrawlers to exist, and thus they faded into silence.

Was it he who personally eradicated the Bloodbrawlers in his first life, leading to their disappearance?

The shadowy figure lurking in the darkness, practicing the arcane arts of the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows, could be considered a member of the Bloodbrawlers. Was he aware of the issue with Hong Qi in his second life, or was there another reason for his deliberate targeting of the Order of Healing?

If this was a clash between sects, if he saw the influence of Boulderdawn on Hong Qi in his second life, then...

Yu Yuan's expression darkened as he pondered further.

"As the human race strives to ascend and make its mark on the grand stage of the Everlands, there's a so-called Battle of the Divine, the Devilish, and the Supernatural," Feng Zhong mused. "Divine refers to Boulderdawn. Ghost represents the Bloodbrawlers. Devil encompasses both Terra Fiend and Half-Demon. And Supernatural currently means evilkind, which previously included the Nagas."

"This is a confrontation of powers, not a generic conflict between humans and supernatural beings."

"As the head of the Windspeakers, I don't have all the details. All I know is that Boulderdawn emerged victorious from the Battle of the Divine, the Devilish, and the Supernatural. As a result, Boulderdawn became the dominant force in the Everlands, eventually venturing into the extraterrestrial realm to become a predator of the Star River."

"The Bloodbrawlers suffered the most; during the conflicts with various factions and the Nagas of the Everlands, both of their primordial spirits perished."

"With the fall of the Nagas, the Bloodbrawlers had already vanished, thus reaping no benefits from the victory. The evilkind formed the Shadow's Keep and became a formidable power. As for the Half-Demons, the dark adepts among the humans established the Devil Palace and were also beneficiaries."

"However, many of the distinguished Terra Fiends fell, relegating them to a marginal role."

Feng Zhong paused, uncertain.

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "The Terra Fiend once flourished?"

Feng Zhong nodded. "This fragmented Spirit Magic you speak of, where did you acquire it?"

"From the Rainbow Ocean," Yu Yuan replied.

"The Rainbow Ocean..." Feng Zhong's expression turned peculiar as he nodded and continued, "The birthplace of the Bloodbrawlers is the Rainbow Ocean. The Bloodbrawlers and the Terra Fiend of the Everlands appeared to be eternal allies. When Boulderdawn rose to become the most powerful force in the Everlands, the Bloodbrawlers and the Terra Fiend faced the harshest oppression."

The Bloodbrawlers have been expunged from the records. The Terra Fiend, once reduced to a vassal of the Half-Demons and enslaved by the Devil Palace, has fallen into a prolonged silence.

Moreover, the Terra Fiend has found fertile ground for growth in the vast continents and deep seas of the Everlands.

Yet, it is the Terra Fiend originating from the Rainbow Ocean that has historically held the mantle of leadership among their kind. To put it another way, the Terra Fiends of the Rainbow Ocean are akin to the royal lineage within their ranks.

The Dark Herald, also known as the Blighttoxin or the Plague God, along with the fiend Qiyan, all hail from the Rainbow Ocean.

The Rainbow Ocean – the sacred territory of the Terra Fiends!

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