C1518 President Lyi's Backup Plan(1)

In the southern reaches of the Land of Quiescence, the Skyreach Consortium's headquarters was home to a massive teleportation circle that hovered silently in the sky. Octagonal and spanning dozens of acres, it radiated brilliance.

Below, thousands of consortium members craned their necks upwards, their faces awash with awe and reverence. Normally, this marvel of a teleportation circle would be stationed in the plaza at the heart of the consortium's majestic palaces. But now, it floated thousands of meters above.

Crafted with a multitude of Riftstones and a plethora of rare magic items, the circle could transport consortium members instantaneously to any location in the Everlands equipped with a rune circle.

At the edge of a gleaming stone platform, figures with auras as deep as the sea gazed intently at the Devil Palace. Their high level of cultivation allowed them to perceive the unfolding events without the aid of any instruments, especially given their proximity to the palace.

Among them stood titans of renown: Green Willow, former Grand Commander of Shadow's Keep; Zhongli Dapan; Jun Chen; Zhou You; Feng Zhong; and Yan Qiling. They seemed to be anticipating something momentous.

After a while, a subtle spatial disturbance emanated from the formation's core. The assembly turned to see President Lyi materialize before them, looking travel-worn but composed.

"President Lyi!"

"President!"

Some greeted him with warm smiles, while others bowed deeply in respect.

"I've come directly from the Moonfall Sanctuary, after first passing through the Hellmouth," President Lyi explained, his powerful presence barely contained, save for the fleeting glimmers of golden light in his eyes.

His blood qi was distinctly extraordinary, a fact that did not escape the notice of those present. Having assimilated the First Peak of the Everlands and seized the golden blood from Alonso, he had ascended to become one of the most formidable figures beneath the Primordial Spirit of the Everlands.

Armed with an array of rare treasures and a mastery of various rune circles and walls, President Lyi had ample resources at his disposal for combat.

He had hurried here upon learning that Youyu had descended upon the Devil Palace and was poised to confront Zhu Zhenlin in a battle that could swiftly turn deadly. President Lyi's urgency was driven by one goal: to claim the coveted divine seat for himself.

"The Boulderdawn Sect will fully support you; that's our promise."

President Lyi had just arrived, and before he could exchange greetings with everyone, a gentle voice broke the silence. Suddenly, an Evil Statue emerged.

The Evil Statue had two faces, but at that moment, it only revealed its benevolent side to those gathered. "Our sect is grateful to President Lyi for all he has done for us, the Everlands, and for everyone here. I've discussed matters with Tianqi, and both Zu Ann and Lord Untamed will back you in your quest for the divine seat."

"Lord Xu!"

"We pay our respects to Lord Xu!"

Green Willow, Zhongli Dapan, Yan Qiling, Zhou You, and even Jun Chen hurriedly bowed in greeting.

The two-faced statue had been confined alongside them in the Sword Prison.

Thanks to President Lyi's strategy, which involved leveraging the power of the extraterrestrial Otherkin, they breached the defenses of the Sword Prison guardians, causing the Sword Prison to plummet into the Godsblight Marsh.

This allowed Green Willow, Zhongli Dapan, Zhou You, Xi Quan, and Loong Jie to break free.

The statue, meanwhile, had assimilated the Sword Prison, making it part of itself.

Originally, this statue was a relic of the Taixu God-King.

Now, Lord Xu, lacking a corporeal form, depended greatly on this Evil Statue.

The statue had become Lord Xu's primary avatar and his most potent Divine Artifact.

President Lyi played an indispensable role in their liberation and in Lord Xu acquiring the statue.

Thus, at this pivotal moment, though Lord Xu was not physically present, he sent the statue to represent him and to convey Boulderdawn's unequivocal stance.

"Tianqi, you, Zu Ann, and Untamed! With your support, I..."

Even the typically composed President Lyi couldn't contain his excitement.

"Don't get too worked up. Let me finish speaking," Gui Xu's lingering voice interjected, "Once the new deity is chosen, the three upper sects and Shadow's Keep are unlikely to challenge us. Our only concern should be Youyu. If..."

"If Youyu has made his choice and remains adamant about it, we need to carefully consider our position and communicate with him."

"He embodies the Root of the Lunar Meridian, and we must show the utmost respect for that source."

"Of course, President Lyi, if you're unable to secure this divine seat, we have a contingency in place."

The voice within the statue paused.

"A contingency plan?"

Not just President Lyi, but the others turned their attention sharply, their surprise evident.

"President Lyi, after you assimilated the First Peak of the Everlands and stripped Alonso of his golden heart, you took everything from him. We've actually carved out an alternative path for you. Through it, you can ascend to a being akin to Alonso. By having your Solar Spirit consume your physical form, you can grow as powerful as Alonso on this divergent path."

"Think of it this way: all the power converges within the Solar Spirit, triggering a transformation of life form, elevating you to the stature of a tenth-level Otherkin warrior. Moreover, you're likely to be stronger than Alonso, potentially matching the Blood King Sabonis in the future."

Gui Xu narrated.

For titans like Zhongli Dapan, Green Willow, and Jun Chen, this revelation was unprecedented, leaving each more astounded than the last.

They had not anticipated that the Boulderdawn, hidden away on the fringes of the cosmos within the forbidden area for tens of thousands of years, had managed to forge such an extraordinary path.

This was akin to the rebirth of a being!

Using the Solar Spirit of the Human Race, one could infinitely enhance oneself, engulfing both the physical form and the Lunar Spirit, even merging with the dominant soul to become an exceptional and supreme entity.

"I'll spare you the details. I'll only discuss the pros and cons. The advantage is that you can attain the power comparable to a peak tenth-level Otherkin warrior without depending on the fortunes of the Everlands. This isn't a brand-new life form, nor is it Otherkin; it's a highly potent and unique new state, with combat prowess that can challenge the primordial spirit."

"Of course, this state comes with stringent requirements, the bare minimum being the lifeblood of a peak Otherkin."

"There are other limitations as well, but we've discovered ways around them over the years. Naturally, you've already transcended many of these constraints."

"As for the downsides..."

Inside the stone statue, Gui Xu's compassionate visage betrayed a hint of resignation.

"Since it's not a true primordial spirit, it lacks immortality. Like the peak warriors of the Otherkin, their end is inevitable, marked by the expiration of their lifespan. And it may come even more swiftly than that of the pure Otherkin."