C1461 The Progenitor of the Terra Fiend!

The Crucible of Evil drifted toward Yu Yuan's location, while Yu Yiyi's piercing scream echoed within his Lunar Spirit, laden with terror and anxiety.

Attempts by a vague remnant soul to manifest were disrupted by a wave of the hand from the contemplative, enigmatic figure standing atop the demon's head. This individual lifted his head, revealing a gaunt and unfamiliar face with features sharp and severe, as though chiseled by a sculptor's blade, exuding an air of steadfast resolve. Yet, where one would expect to find eyes, there were none—only twin orbs of purple dark fire smoldering in their place.

From his vantage point on the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan could discern that the substance coursing through the figure's veins was not blood but a seven-colored tainted essence. It was as if the waters of the Seven-Colored Lake were his lifeblood, the wellspring of power for his demonform.

The purple dark fire in his eye sockets signified his otherworldly nature: a formidable ancient Terra Fiend who had seized a human body and transformed it into his own demonform.

With a low chuckle, he watched the Crucible of Evil come to an abrupt halt before the Dragon Slaying Stage. Yuan Qingxi then effortlessly lifted his hand, seizing the renowned Cursed Artifact. "This crucible is sought by my master. He hasn't indicated his intent to give it to you—what's the rush?" he said, casting a sidelong glance at Yu Yuan and emitting a disdainful snort.

Yu Yuan, about to summon Yu Yiyi, noticed the Crucible's mouth brimming with the seven-colored water, binding the majority of the refined Bane within its viscous grasp. The Bane, ensnared by the lake water, resembled amber fossils rapidly solidifying.

The Bane of Armor Crusher, Chebus, and Grimlantern, though still subject to erosion, managed to retain some mobility.

On the tenth floor, the Frost Queen had transformed into a suit of glacial armor, enveloping Yu Yiyi's tender form. Merged with the Frost Queen, Yu Yiyi was impervious to the seepage of tainted essence, her consciousness unimpaired. Yet, it seemed she could not part from the Crucible of Evil, aware that leaving it would subject her to even greater pressure.

"Meow!"

The cry of a civet caused Yu Yuan's expression to shift subtly.

In the Crucible of Evil, he had unexpectedly failed to notice the purple civet known as Shadowfox. It was only when the cry echoed that he realized the purple civet had somehow already been in the hands of the enigmatic figure he had been pondering over earlier.

The figure caressed the Shadowfox's fur tenderly, the purple dark fire in his eye sockets matching the Shadowfox's purple fur and eyes perfectly.

The Shadowfox appeared utterly at ease and compliant in his grasp.

Moreover, the purple eyes of the Shadowfox now sparkled with the light of intelligence.

This indicated that the Shadowfox, previously on the ninth floor, had advanced successfully after receiving a wisp of Ann Ziqing's purple flame, transforming into a Bane as formidable as the Frost Queen.

The Shadowfox had regained its sentience and memories, along with its original strength.

Yet, this Shadowfox had not joined Yu Yiyi; it did not stand shoulder to shoulder with her in battle but instead remained docile in the mysterious man's hands.

"Him?" Yu Yuan inquired through his remnant soul.

"Him?"

Yu Yiyi, clad in her icy armor, surfaced within the cauldron. Noticing that the waters of the Seven-Colored Lake did not surge towards her at that moment, she understood that the creature perched atop the demon was also inclined to converse.

"He was the mightiest Bane of the previous generation. The original master of the Crucible of Evil captured him from the Rainbow Ocean and refined him into a Bane."

Yu Yiyi's voice carried a note of bitterness and resignation.

"In the beginning, he was pitifully weak, merely the lowest tier of Bane. The original master was unaware that he originated from the Seven-Colored Lake, one of the progenitors of the ancient Terra Fiends. A strand of the ancient Terra Fiend's devil soul drifted in the Rainbow Ocean until the original master found and refined it into a Bane."

"He grew as a Bane, gradually gaining strength and ascending through the ranks."

"The cauldron's original master successfully roused him, enabling him to reclaim all his memories and sentience upon reaching the pinnacle as a Bane."

"Yet, he remains under the thrall of the Crucible of Evil, devoid of freedom, and can only be directed by me in combat."

"He was the mightiest among the twelve Banes!"

"After the original master perished in battle, the Crucible of Evil suffered severe damage, and countless Banes were reduced to ash. I had believed that all the twelve mightiest Banes had perished. Unexpectedly, he managed to survive, breaking free from the Crucible of Evil's constraints and gaining true freedom."

"He was initially a Terra Fiend, transformed into a Bane. Once he obtained his freedom, he reverted to a Terra Fiend. Regaining his memories and sentience, he returned to the Seven-Colored Lake, to the place of his origin."

"I never imagined it was him down there, rallying and unifying the Terra Fiends, even drawing me in."

"..."

Yu Yiyi sighed softly.

It was evident that she felt overwhelmed by this ancient Terra Fiend.

When the sect master of the Terror Claws was alive, she, along with that leader and numerous formidable Banes, could deter and control this fiend, bending it to their will.

After the sect master's death, both she and the cauldron were gravely wounded, which allowed the fiend to break free.

The fiend returned to the Defiled World below, regaining its strength within the Seven-Colored Lake, and once again became the ancient progenitor of the Terra Fiends.

She and the Crucible of Evil could no longer bind this fiend or impose any restrictions.

This fiend, having spent many years within the Crucible of Evil, was as familiar with the cauldron as she was and understood the methods of refining Banes. It could now use the tainted essence to transform the Banes.

He was turning the Banes within the cauldron into his followers, commanding them at will.

For now, it was only the weaker Banes at the bottom that were immobilized by the waters of the Seven-Colored Lake. Gradually, Armor Crusher and Chebus would succumb, and ultimately, Yu Yiyi and the Frost Queen would fall.

Had Yu Yuan not appeared, if the cauldron were still ensnared by that bloated monster at the Seven-Colored Lake...

Gradually, the treasured possessions of the Terror Claws, Yu Yiyi, and all the Banes that Yu Yuan had diligently collected and refined would become the weapons of this fiend, wielded to wreak havoc across the lands.

"Let me introduce him to you. His name is Huangyin, one of the original ancestors of the ancient Terra Fiends. Fides, White Walker, and Plague Demon, whom you know, are his descendants. He too fell in the Battle of the Divine, the Devilish, and the Supernatural. His return to this world is truly owed to the sect master of the Terror Claws."

Yuan Qingxi smiled at Yu Yuan and said, "Without the sect master of Terror Claws discovering his remnant devil soul and refining it into a Bane, it would take him thousands of years to awaken."

Yu Yuan remained silent.

"Huangyin..."

White Bone's grip on the scroll tightened ever so slightly, as if recognizing something familiar.

At that moment, the ancient Terra Fiend Ancestor known as Huangyin, perched atop the massive monster's head, turned his gaze toward White Bone.

The purple dark fire in Huangyin's eye sockets flared up. He inhaled deeply from the colorful miasma cloud and rose to his feet. He nodded at White Bone and said, "To reunite with you in this era is no small feat. Youyu, I welcome your return."

"Youyu!" Yu Yuan exclaimed, a tremor in his voice.

The names Youling, Yu Xi, and White Bone had never stirred anything within him, never evoked a sense of strangeness or familiarity.

But the moment the ancient Terra Fiend Ancestor uttered the name Youyu, Yu Yuan felt a profound connection, as if the name had been known to him from a distant past, etched deep within his soul.

Currently, his real body was absent, with only his Lunar Spirit concealed within the Dragon Slaying Stage. The presence of the stage made it difficult for White Bone to discern his inner thoughts.

Nevertheless, the unusual behavior of his Lunar Spirit caught the attention of both White Bone and Huangyin.

They glanced at him briefly before shifting their attention away.

"I have yet to make a formal decision," White Bone stated with a detached air.

Huangyin nodded, seemingly understanding and respecting his choice. "Youyu, there's no rush. You can decide when to return. As long as you survive this lifetime, our true meeting is inevitable."

After a pause, Huangyin, his eyes ablaze with purple dark fire, turned to Yu Yuan.

He chuckled and asked, "I've heard that you've brought Caiyun into Boulderdawn?"

"Caiyun?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.

"Hu Caiyun, also known as Peach Madam," Huangyin clarified.

Yu Yuan was dumbfounded. "What does she have to do with this?"

"How should I express this..."

Huangyin struck a contemplative pose once more. He appeared to relish deeply considering matters. "The body I've refined was once her companion. I've fused with the soul of her partner, and occasionally, I would transform into that individual. At times, the one who was whispering sweet nothings with her... was actually me."

"I quite enjoyed that chapter of my life."

Huangyin spoke with a touch of melancholy.

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