C1439 An Unexpected Harvest

Feng Zhong's words sent ripples through Yu Yuan's Heart Lake, stirring up a tumultuous storm within.

The Bloodbrawlers, an order predating even the Boulderdawn's storied past and born from the mists of the Rainbow Ocean, showed signs of resurgence after their fall to the Boulderdawn. The shadowy figure orchestrating the demise of three sect masters from the Order of Healing—what was his endgame? Did the Binders of Shadows and the Poison Cult, born from the schism, know of his existence? Was his goal to reunite these two factions and resurrect the former glory of the Bloodbrawlers to challenge the Boulderdawn, newly returned from the extraterrestrial realms?

And what of the five great powers—did they clandestinely bolster his efforts? Feng Zhong had pointed out that the Poison Cult and the Binders of Shadows emerged during the Boulderdawn's period of silence, likely with the silent consent of these supreme forces. They didn't want to foster a threat within their ranks, hence they incited perpetual conflict between the two, ensuring they could never unite. But that was the past.

Now, the Boulderdawn had returned from the Star River with profound strength, bolstered by the Chamber of Commerce, the might of Untamed, the wisdom of Zu Ann, the resilience of White Bone, and the backing of the Colddeath. Would the great powers now prop up the Bloodbrawlers, allowing them to rise once more and serve as their weapon against the Boulderdawn?

These thoughts flooded Yu Yuan's mind, throwing his thoughts into disarray.

"If you were still Hong Qi, indeed you'd have cause for concern about the Bloodbrawlers and the mastermind behind them," Feng Zhong said with a sly chuckle, his demeanor carefree. "But you are Yu Yuan now! You command the Dragon Slaying Stage and practice Wraithbinding, standing as one of the Boulderdawn's mainstays!"

"With the support of the Boulderdawn and the Chamber of Commerce, what have you to fear?" he continued. "The Bloodbrawlers were once mighty, yet the Boulderdawn scattered them. In this age of fractured powers, without a supreme primordial spirit at their helm, the Bloodbrawlers can stir as they might, but they'll hardly make a splash."

Shifting the conversation, he added, "A girl named Yin Xueqi outside mentioned she wanted to meet with you because Chen Liangquan informed her."

"Chen Liangquan?"

Yu Yuan felt a flicker of doubt, but his speculations about the Bloodbrawlers were momentarily set aside.

Chen Liangquan was an unusual being, a hybrid of the Human Race and the Dawnbringers, who had earned the trust of the Dawnbringers early on. He also maintained close ties with the Chamber of Commerce and the Boulderdawn.

Yu Yuan hadn't intended to pay much attention to Yin Xueqi alone, but since she had mentioned Chen Liangquan, he decided to extend her the courtesy of a meeting.

"The Artifact Sect specifically wants to see me; I wonder what they're plotting," Yu Yuan murmured to himself.

"It has something to do with artifacts..."

Feng Zhong and Yu Yuan then casually discussed the state of affairs in the extraterrestrial realms and the recent developments in the Everlands.

Feng Zhong informed Yu Yuan that the five supreme powers planned to convene an important council soon. However, due to many esteemed experts either being in deep seclusion or roaming the vastness of the Infinite Galaxy, the event had been postponed.

Both the Boulderdawn and the Chamber of Commerce had received invitations and were deliberating whether to attend.

For the time being, the internal power struggles and the conflicts along the Star River had come to a halt.

Feng Zhong surmised that one reason for the pause was the destruction of the Glimmerdrift Nebula and the subsequent incidents at the Wintermaw, which posed a threat to the survival of the Everlands and shook the foundations of all involved.

Additionally, the formidable presence of the Origin Deity and the secrets of the Abyss demanded serious consideration.

Later, Feng Zhong mentioned to Yu Yuan that his family was thriving in the Serpent Spine Mountains and suggested that Yu Yuan visit them when he had some free time.

Yu Yuan, in turn, shared with Feng Zhong the intricate details of the battles in the Glimmerdrift Nebula and his own personal experiences.

Half an hour later, Feng Zhong brought Yin Xueqi, who had been waiting for some time, to meet him.

"What brings you to me?"

In the bright and spacious stone hall, Yu Yuan sat imposingly on an elevated platform, eyeing the visibly anxious Artifact Sect woman.

"You two talk; I'm off to catch up with Zheng and Qi."

Feng Zhong playfully winked and nodded at Yin Xueqi and Yu Yuan, chuckling. "Yin Xueqi, your cultivation level is rather weak. If you aspire to craft a unique vessel, it would be more advantageous to leave the Everlands. Whether it's the Artifact Sect or the Order of Healing, they excel in both weapon and medicine refinement, and they can even advance to Solar Spirit status. But such talents are rare."

With that cryptic remark, he drifted away.

Whoosh!

The Baneblade, crimson as blood, was summoned by Yu Yuan, halting midair before Yin Xueqi's chest with a mere thought.

"This is Bloodhell."

Yu Yuan's demeanor was detached. Yin Xueqi's looks and cultivation level as a Lunar Spirit didn't stand out among the women he knew. He wouldn't have bothered meeting her if not for giving face to Chen Liangquan.

"Baneblade Bloodhell!"

Yin Xueqi's eyes sparkled with a frenzied fascination as she gazed at the hovering Baneblade.

Yu Yuan paused, her gaze reminding him of his own past obsession with leechcraft during his time assisting Hong Qi.

Yin Xueqi's admiration for the Baneblade was a reflection of respect for the forger, mirroring the passion he once held for a rare and special pill in his former life. She carried a semblance of his old self, who was once consumed by pills, while she was captivated by artifacts.

"This blade has turned against seven of its masters, including its creator..."

Her attention shifted from the Baneblade to Yu Yuan. "Why does it seem so docile and tame with you? You've wielded this blade since the days of Ionodios, and I've heard you've wielded it in numerous battles."

"Would you share the reason?"

"The greatest flaw in the artifacts I create is similar to that of this Baneblade. Our lineage of forgers specializes in evil weapons and Cursed Artifacts. The Cursed Artifacts used by dark adepts are somewhat more manageable, perhaps because they, too, are human. But when they become evil weapons in the hands of archdemons and Otherkin, the risk of backlash is significantly higher."

Yin Xueqi expressed the confusion weighing on her mind.

Yu Yuan listened intently, but as the saying goes, "The cobbler should stick to his last." He couldn't understand why the evil weapons crafted by the Artifact Sect's Otherkin were so dangerously unstable.

"I'm not versed in weapon forging."

After a brief pause, Yu Yuan spoke again, "I wasn't subjected to backlash because I can suppress the seven Bloodwraiths within. The Baneblade's seven former masters were nowhere near as powerful as I am. The Baneblade could overpower them, causing them to lose control or even die. But it doesn't work on me."

Yin Xueqi's gaze took on a peculiar quality.

She seemed skeptical about the veracity of his claim.

After all, the Baneblade's previous owners included Unbound cultivators from the Forgeroses, ninth-level archdemons, and extraterrestrial Shura from the Devil Palace...

Yu Yuan's current level of cultivation and realm clearly didn't match up to those predecessors, and yet he boldly claimed to be stronger.

"Hmm?"

As Yin Xueqi's eyes fell upon Yu Yuan, she noticed the incomplete Spirit Magic scroll on the table before him. Having attained the Lunar Spirit realm herself, she could make out the content and the bizarre symbols on the scroll without Yu Yuan making any attempt to conceal them.

"Are you also interested in the Bloodbrawlers' artifacts?" Yin Xueqi asked suddenly.

A flicker of intrigue flashed in Yu Yuan's eyes. "You're familiar with the Bloodbrawlers?"

"I'm a forger, a rather unconventional one at that! Forgers delve into all sorts of arcane scripts, magic circles, and symbols imbued with special powers," Yin Xueqi explained with a smile. "In this field, I excel. While others might not recognize the items of the Bloodbrawlers, I certainly do."

Whoosh!

The incomplete Spirit Magic scroll soared from the table in front of Yu Yuan, heading straight for Yin Xueqi.

"Take a good look at this," Yu Yuan urged gently.

As the scroll reached Yin Xueqi, she snatched it from the air and glanced at it briefly before saying, "The text on this talisman is a translation of those diagrams and symbols. It seems someone else recognized their meanings and transcribed them into our current language."

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "You mean the text on this talisman represents the meanings of those symbols?"

"Exactly," Yin Xueqi said with conviction. "Those symbols and patterns belong to the Bloodbrawlers. But from what I can tell, the person who transcribed the text didn't fully understand the Bloodbrawlers. They only managed to translate a portion of it, and there are even some errors in what they did translate."

Yu Yuan's eyes began to sparkle with excitement at Yin Xueqi's revelation.

An unexpected windfall!

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