C1445 The Summoning of the Old Dragon

This location appeared to be a convergence of numerous devil souls, each with its own separate consciousness. As it descended into the earth's depths, some of the tentacles retracting into its body were entangled with Banes, creatures that Yu Yuan recognized. These Banes were supposed to be forming the Soul Shatter array to combat the Terra Fiend, but instead, they were being consumed by it.

The lower-tier Banes were ensnared by the Terra Fiend's tentacles, their remnant souls drained and pulled into its own spirited body for its own augmentation. The Terra Fiend, having slumbered in the Everlands' depths for millennia, refrained from any hasty movements upon awakening—times had changed.

Upon its awakening, the Terra Fiend discovered that the Everlands had undergone a significant transformation. The emergence of numerous primordial spirits, Dark Deities, and the Bone Wraith God in the Land of Terror had occurred. The presence of these entities, along with the God of Ghosts, ensured that the Terra Fiend remained subdued and compliant in its subterranean hideaway, especially since its powers had not fully returned.

Yu Yuan, upon his return to the Everlands, and Yu Yiyi, embodying the cauldron spirit, could sense the myriad soul items ripe for refinement hidden within the current Everlands. Believing she could consume them, Yu Yiyi ventured out on her own, only to encounter unexpected resistance.

With a sigh, the corpulent Terra Fiend withdrew entirely from view beneath the Dragon Slaying Stage, its bellowing voice diminishing into silence. Above the barren desert, Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit, stationed within the Dragon Slaying Stage, suddenly lost sight of the bizarre Terra Fiend. The spiritual link between him and Yu Yiyi's cauldron was abruptly severed.

The Terra Fiend, enshrouding the cauldron, had delved into a secret location underground, eluding the Dragon Slaying Stage's surveillance. Yu Yuan found himself facing a challenging situation.

Razses had spoken his piece, and with that, Yu Yuan had boldly stationed his Lunar Spirit within the Dragon Slaying Stage, harnessing the residual power of the Chronowyrm to pierce through the layers of space to this point. He had believed that the Dragon Slaying Stage under his command would be capable of subduing the Terra Fiend.

After all, the Dragon Slaying Stage, once a unified force suppressing ghosts and Terra Fiends in the Moonfall Sanctuary, had been compromised by his theft.

Shouldn't the Dragon Slaying Stage naturally suppress the Terra Fiend?

When the Terra Fiend detected his presence and that of the Dragon Slaying Stage, it raised a commotion, yet it dragged the Crucible of Evil and quickly descended. Clearly, it was fearful.

But how did the Terra Fiend manage to vanish from the Dragon Slaying Stage's perception when it retreated into the underground?

He also sensed something else. The peculiar Terra Fiend, entangling Yu Yiyi, didn't rush to drag her and the cauldron into the earth's depths. It seemed as if... it was waiting for him to approach!

Only after he arrived and fully sensed his and the Dragon Slaying Stage's auras did it feign fear and hastily withdraw.

Yet, he possessed such power!

He could have earlier pulled the cauldron deep underground, eluding any detection of Yu Yiyi and the Crucible of Evil's auras, but he refrained!

—He was baiting me to delve into the subterranean depths!

A flash of insight struck, and Yu Yuan quickly surmised the Terra Fiend's motives, realizing what the lone fiend or perhaps a collective of them were plotting.

Having encountered the White Walker, Fides, Qiyan, and the Plague Demon, he was well aware that the Terra Fiends of the Everlands were no simple foes; they were all devious and malevolent.

Yu Yuan, initially intent on plunging underground, instantly regained his composure, suppressing his impatience.

The Terra Fiend and the Bloodbrawlers were staunch allies, with the latter originating from the Rainbow Ocean. Had my search for the Bloodbrawlers' survivors in the Sundering Isles also drawn the Terra Fiend's attention?

Were the actions of the Terra Fiend below autonomous, or part of a larger scheme by their kind?

Perhaps the Bloodbrawlers were involved as well?

Was the Terra Fiend's intent in seizing the Crucible of Evil and luring me below to confront me, or to capture the Dragon Slaying Stage?

These rapid-fire thoughts coursed through Yu Yuan's mind, heightening his sense of unease and caution against any hasty moves.

Another thought involuntarily sprang to mind.

At a time when the five supreme powers had chosen to lay low, why were the Terra Fiend and the Bloodbrawlers bold enough to challenge and conspire against him?

Did they not fear that he might act recklessly and shatter the Crucible of Evil, devastating the Wintermaw and inflicting severe damage upon the Everlands?

Were the Terra Fiend and the Bloodbrawlers not concerned about the potential annihilation of the Everlands, the very foundation of their existence, as had happened with the Glimmerdrift Nebula and Brugeth?

On Celestial Isle.

"Old Feng, Taruer, and Razses, send word to the Chamber of Commerce and White Bone. Inform them that in a desolate desert between the territories of the Skyblight Cult and the Terror Claws, a Terra Fiend with numerous tentacles and a devil soul has ensnared my Crucible of Evil and dragged it into the depths below," Yu Yuan instructed, his expression somber within the confines of the secret chamber.

"Also, inquire with the five forces about their stance on the Bloodbrawlers and the Terra Fiend. And, inform Boulderdawn that White Walker needs to return; I have questions for him."

"The Terra Fiend, using the Crucible of Evil to provoke me, is trying to bait me into venturing deep underground," he mused, sharing his suspicions and theories with the Skyreach Consortium and the Land of Terror, urging them to jointly scrutinize the matter.

He had a premonition that this affair was far from trivial.

"Understood! I'll take care of it immediately!" Feng Zhong nodded, sensing the urgency. "I'll reach out to President Lyi right away!"

"Yu Yuan, Lord White Bone suggested that you might also consult with Loong Jie," Razses offered.

"The old dragon?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.

"Lord White Bone observed your actions on Dragon Island. He mentioned that the Nagas have extensive records on the Bloodbrawlers and the Terra Fiend, with insights far deeper than our own," Razses, the Ghost King, elucidated.

Yu Yuan's eyes sparkled with interest.

The Nagas were among the earliest beings to flourish in the history of the Everlands, ruling over it for many years.

The Bloodbrawlers, a sinister sect, emerged from the Rainbow Ocean during the nascent rise of humanity. The Terra Fiend, though long-existing, had been perpetually repressed by the Nagas until humans and other evilkinds united to resist the Nagas' dominion, allowing the Terra Fiend to emerge opportunistically.

Though the Nagas had declined, they were far from extinct; the only thing missing was the reappearance of the Dragon God. They still held onto many ancient texts, and the elder dragons would often share these with the newer generations, recounting tales of their former splendor. They spoke of the days when their kind was magnificent and mighty. These ancient books and illustrations from bygone eras symbolized their illustrious past and held profound significance.

"Um..." Yu Yuan began.

"Qi, could you tell that old dragon..." Feng Zhong was carefully choosing his words.

"Just tell him that I, Yu Yuan, summon him to the Sundering Isles!" Yu Yuan interjected.

At his words, Feng Zhong, Razses, and Yin Xueqi, among others, looked on in astonishment. Yin Xueqi of the Artifact Sect, in particular, was unaware that Yu Yuan's return to the Everlands had altered the cosmic order, nor did she know of his visit to Dragon Island and his in-depth conversation with the old dragon there.

She wasn't among the elite cultivators; she lacked the credentials to be privy to the deeper mysteries of the cosmos. Thus, when she witnessed Yu Yuan's tone and demeanor, commanding Qi Lingyu to summon Loong Jie as if he were calling upon a retainer, she felt a peculiar sense of unease but dared not voice any questions.

"Will that work?"

Qi Lingyu, one of the guardians of Celestial Isle, had received word of Yu Yuan's clandestine trip to Dragon Island via the Dragon Slaying Stage's mysterious connection. Yet, she was in the dark about what Yu Yuan had discussed or what exchanges had taken place with the Nagas there.

"Will it work?" Feng Zhong echoed.

"Just say it like that. Send a message to Loong Jie, telling him I want him here quickly," Yu Yuan confirmed with a nod.

"Alright then."

With a sense of resolve, Qi Lingyu agreed and, after asking the others to wait, she promptly exited the secret chamber. Left behind, Razses the Ghost King, Taruer, Feng Zhong, and Yin Xueqi all harbored a sense of bewilderment.

Loong Jie, one of the few remaining pure ancient golden dragons, had his pride. Whether dealing with the Dark Deity of Shadow's Keep or the primordial spirits of humanity, Loong Jie maintained a certain haughtiness.

If not for his fiery temper, Loong Jie would not have found himself confined within the Extraterrestrial Sword Prison for centuries.

What could have possibly transpired between Yu Yuan and Loong Jie on Dragon Island to instill such unwavering confidence in Yu Yuan, to the point where he could casually "summon" Loong Jie?

The wait was not long, as Qi Lingyu swiftly returned after departing the secret chamber.

"Loong Jie has responded," she announced. "He's already en route, soaring toward us. He asks for your patience and promises to arrive at the Sundering Isles from the ocean depths with utmost speed!"

​