C1513 Xuanli

In the depths of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, the imposing figure of Hwa Xin stood at the bottom of a deep, silvery crater. His long hair cascaded casually over his shoulders as he leaned against a massive boulder, his expression as stern and unyielding as the stone at his back. The veins on his bare arms stood out prominently, resembling fierce green serpents coiled and ready to strike at a moment's notice.

A descendant of Ruan Lengling, Hwa Xin had mastered the Ancient Desolate Sect's body-refining secret arts. Unlike the typical newborns of the vast human race, he was born beyond this world, boasting a natural physique that rivaled the young of the Demon Clan—mighty in blood and Qi, brimming with life force.

This was why the new generation of the Divine Soul Sect's practitioners placed such emphasis on the rigorous tempering of their flesh. In contrast, most human cultivators, apart from the few from the Ancient Desolate Sect and the Evil Sect, sought to advance their realms swiftly, reluctant to invest time in physical refinement. After all, the inherent frailty of the human form was a long-standing disadvantage.

It seemed a clear loss to dwell excessively on one's weaknesses. Instead, the goal was to swiftly transcend the Spirit Accumulating Stage and the Profound Break Stage, focusing on the fusion of soul and spirit energy upon reaching the Penetrating Stage. It was in the strength of spirit and soul that the human race found its true power and advantage, with the Yang God representing the ultimate purity of these forces.

Yet, in Hwa Xin's era, the tide had turned. With their birth, the human race's greatest shortcoming had been addressed. Like the young of the Demon Clan and the mighty of other races, they were born with robust bodies and spirits. The Divine Soul Sect had effectively mended the human race's Achilles' heel, and Hwa Xin was a prime example of this new paradigm.

With a whoosh, a woman in a moon-white gown glided gracefully to the crater's floor. Her beauty was ethereal, her presence exuding an air of untouchable nobility. A misty allure danced in her eyes, enchanting those who met her gaze as if she were an otherworldly spirit.

She, too, was a vibrant member of this new generation, sharing Hwa Xin's formidable vitality. Every gesture, even the simple act of brushing her hair, was infused with undeniable strength.

"Yu Yuan didn't show up?"

As soon as Hwa Xin saw her, he rose to his feet at a leisurely pace. "I banished Hu Caiyun. When Mr. Yan escorted her away, I felt it distinctly. Yu Yuan must know what I've done by now. With the Dragon Slash Platform at his disposal and Mr. Yan by his side, he could have arrived here in an instant."

Jiaang Miaojie pursed her lips, chuckling as she shook her head. "Hwa Xin, you're being a bit hasty."

"You'd be anxious too, in my shoes."

Hwa Xin stamped his foot, and a myriad of fissures spread across the floor and walls of the deep pit. "I had a moment of insight, just beginning to grasp the subtleties of resilience, and the Dragon Slash Platform vanished on the spot. Where you're standing, a spatial rift appeared out of thin air."

"Are you aware that had that rift shifted even slightly, I could have been injured while in deep contemplation?"

Hwa Xin was incensed.

"Injured?"

Jiaang Miaojie's smile was laden with meaning. "Hwa Xin, I'm well aware of your extraordinary abilities and your level of power. But haven't you realized that the sudden spatial rift was the work of the ancient Space-time Dragon?"

"Had that rift truly emerged at your meditation spot, well..."

"It's likely we wouldn't be having this conversation."

She had known before her arrival just how formidable and unfathomable the civilizations birthed in the vast cosmos were, and she possessed a profound knowledge of the ancient Nagas.

The Space-time Dragon was once the bane of all alien races, a creature that even the Great Demon God Beilstein found vexing.

The entire Void Spirit Succubus Clan had exhausted their collective strength trying to subdue it, yet they never managed to gain the upper hand. Instead, they were caught off guard and many of their high-ranking members were ambushed.

Hwa Xin was still searching for the breakthrough to the Unrestrained Stage. No matter how fortified his body and Yang God were, how could they possibly withstand a spatial rift torn by the Space-time Dragon?

"Are you trying to provoke me?" Hwa Xin flexed his neck and arms. "What's the matter? Are you so idle that you're itching for a duel?"

"Save your breath. Without a suitable weapon, you're no match for me." Jiaang Miaojie scoffed. "As for the Dragon Slash Platform, you might as well give up hope. I suggest you pay a visit to the Artifact Sect or inquire with the Chamber of Commerce. Our return was to seek out a relic that resonates with our Great Dao."

"Dragon Slash Platform, Evil Cauldron, Demon Blade, Blood Prison!" Hwa Xin clenched his teeth in determination. "I can wield any one of these! If Yu Yuan doesn't have the courage to face me, then I'll just have to seek him out!"

With that, Hwa Xin soared into the heavens.

"How reckless," Jiaang Miaojie sighed, a hint of helplessness in her voice. Sensing Hwa Xin's departure, she turned and greeted with a radiant smile, "Greetings, Elder Tianzang."

Tianzang, in his human form, returned the nod with a smile. "Did you know? Taishi once agreed to let me comprehend the Dragon Slash Platform as well."

"You gained nothing from it?" Jiaang Miaojie expressed her astonishment.

"Artifacts possess their own sentience," Tianzang explained with a meaningful tone. "They select their rightful owner. It's not enough to refine them or grasp a fragment of their essence to claim them as your own. This is true for the Evil Cauldron, the Tears of Blue Devil, and even more so for the Dragon Slash Platform."

"What kind of person is Yu Yuan, really? Not to mention the Evil Cauldron, but why have both the Dragon Slash Platform and the Optimus Sword chosen him?" Jiaang Miaojie, a practitioner of the Divine King's legacy, spent most of her time at the Starry Border, often encountering various alien races. Her knowledge of the younger generation of the Boundless Human Race was limited.

Yu Yuan was the name she had heard most frequently on her journey, and her curiosity had only intensified.

She had played a role in the ousting of Hu Caiyun, not to aid Hwa Xin, but to hasten Yu Yuan's arrival at the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.

She was eager to meet Yu Yuan and quench her curiosity.

"Or maybe, it is Yu Yuan who is selecting the Artifacts," Tianzang said with a sly chuckle, aware of Yu Yuan's true identity. He was about to indulge in a little more teasing when a sudden tremor seized him, causing his smile to stiffen abruptly.

"Please accept my apologies. As you know, I am not always in control," he said, nodding and bowing in a particular direction.

...

Within the expansive, silver-white caverns of Horror Land, Youyu, clutching the Ghost Feeding Diagram, furrowed his brow and let out a displeased snort.

In the cavern, alongside Youyu, were Luo Yue, Yuen Qingxi, and the Kalpa Ghost King. The rest of the attendees, including members of the Ghost Wizard Sect, were dispersed throughout the area.

Yuan Qingxi had come to terms with her true identity, and Luo Yue had also realized that she had been selected by Yuan Qingxi long ago.

Qianjie, the former queen of the Demon Palace, had naturally accepted her fate and pledged her continued loyalty to Youyu.

The only one left to convince was the Ghost King, Tianzang.

"Master, about Tianzang... should we really not force him? Since his loyalty lies with Taishi, summoning him against his will could be problematic," Yuan Qingxi suggested gently.

Lianjing nodded in agreement.

Luo Yue, Chuan Qingxi, and Qianjie, the three Ghost Kings, remained silent.

"He was crowned Ghost King in Horror Land. His allegiance should be to me, not Taishi," Youyu stated icily, his hand slowly reaching down as if piercing through the earth to the Styx that ran beneath Tianzang's domain.

It was as though he had effortlessly seized the Styx, and with it, Tianzang's very throat.

"Come to me now, or I will strip you of your Ghost King title!"

His ultimatum was delivered with unyielding firmness.

Both Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing, the venerable ancestors of the Ghost Wizard Sect, were taken aback. Tianzang had sworn fealty to Taishi and was now part of the Divine Soul Sect. Why was Youyu being so confrontational?

Forcing Tianzang's hand was sure to provoke Taishi and the Divine Soul Sect, wasn't it?

"The Divine Soul Sect has yet to respond definitively. Taishi is in seclusion, and it seems the newly ascended Divine Kings are unaware of what the Ghost Wizard Sect, under my leadership, stands for."

Youyu's hand, buried deep underground, began to exert pressure.

Tianzang let out a harrowing scream, his soul seemingly torn asunder. Against his will, Youyu yanked his spirit from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.

With a swoosh!

The instant Tianzang materialized, he pressed his thumbs to his temples, emitting a low, agonized howl.

"Tianzang!"

Qianjie, Luo Yue, and Chuan Qingxi were visibly shaken.

"Having claimed a stretch of the Styx, it's time for you to pull your weight."

Youyu gave him a chilling look and, with a flick of the mysterious scroll he held, ensnared Tianzang within it.

Then there were Qianjie, Luo Yue, and Chu Ling, along with Youyu.

As the four Ghost Kings entered, Youyu once again grasped the Ghost Feeding Diagram, inhaling a breath of Yin energy. He addressed Yuen Qingxi and Lianjing, "Xuanli's soul has not perished; it persists in this era. However, the traces he left within the Ghost Feeding Diagram have eluded me, despite scouring the entire Boundless Expanse for a match."

Lianjing's soul body quivered. "What do you mean?"

Yuen Qingxi picked up the thread, "He's not in the Boundless Expanse?"

"Correct, he is likely engaged in battles beyond our realm. To locate Xuanli's reincarnation, I must harness the collective power of these four and extend the Styx from the Boundless Expanse into the cosmic rivers beyond."

After explaining, Youyu, clutching the scroll wrapped around the four Ghost Kings, descended toward the origin of the Yin Meridian.

"Regardless of his identity or in which corner of the cosmos he resides, I will ignite the mark of his soul and awaken him."

...

In the Dim Starfield, a dark red star shone above a grand stone fortress.

The terrain, reminiscent of red granite, was riddled with numerous tunnels leading to the underworld, a domain allocated to the Crypt Clan and Fire Lizard Tribe by the Blood Devil Clan.

Members of the Crypt Clan and Fire Lizard Tribe spent their lives subterranean, mining for gems and various unique gold metals to continuously offer as tribute to the Blood Devil Clan.

"Why does that demon linger on?"

"Alas, he is the eyes of the Great Demon God. His presence here is as if the Great Demon God himself watches over us."

Several Fire Lizard Tribespeople emerged from the underground caverns, arranging their recent harvest in designated spots. They gazed up at the blood-hued figure atop the castle with a mix of awe and dread.

That figure was a man.

A man transformed into a Blood Slave by the Great Demon God, Greco.

His name was Cao Yi.

A prodigious youth from the Profound Sky Sect, he had been targeted by Ann Jieshan of the Blood God Cult to infiltrate and poison his own sect. Instead, Cao Yi had covertly slain him, assimilating his essence and mastering the Blood God Cult's secret arts.

His actions were executed flawlessly, and with Yu Yuan's assistance in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, he had managed to return to the Blood God Cult.

After returning to the Blood God Cult, he reorganized their doctrines and amended their cruel practices, earning the cult gradual recognition from the Devil Palace and the Demon Palace. Had he not been exposed by Yu Yuan at a pivotal moment, he might have succeeded in eliminating Ann Wen and ascending to the position of the Blood God Cult's leader. In the celestial realms, it was he who grievously wounded Ann Ziqing, nearly causing her demise.

He also vied with Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang for the treasures of the Great Demon God Greco, plotting to acquire the offspring of the Titan Spinosaurus and venturing to the Origin Blood Continent in pursuit of the third blood crystal. There, during his attempt to possess Greco, his Yang Meridian was thwarted, leading to his enslavement as Greco's Blood Slave.

Perched atop a stone fortress for untold years, he became an extension of Greco's vision, ostensibly monitoring the Crypt Clan and the Fire Lizard Tribe. Situated on the fringe of the Dim Starfield, this star was drifting towards the Fallen Realm, where the Galaxy Crossing, crafted by the Boundless Human Race, lay.

His true concern was whether human cultivators from the Boundless Human Race or the forces of the Demon Palace might suddenly re-emerge. His turbid, bloodshot eyes were vacant, expressionless, devoid of focus or the spark of intelligence. Reduced to a mere walking corpse, a Blood Puppet without a will of his own, he was an empty shell.

Yet, unexpectedly, a faint white flame sparked to life within the numb void of his gaze. The flame, seemingly nourished by an external mystical force, rapidly transformed into a chilly, dense stream. As soon as the stream materialized, it vanished into his core soul, as if igniting a dormant sigil.

The light of wisdom, like a gentle rain, cascaded from his core soul, drenching his sea of consciousness and reviving memories sealed for eons. "The purpose of my rebirth," he realized, "is to aid in the severing of the Blood God Cult—to cut away the tendrils reaching towards the vast expanse!"

Xuanli was reawakened.

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