C1534 The Birth of the New Spirit

Within the grand palace of the Moonfall Sanctuary, constructed from rare extraterrestrial stones, two massive stone pillars rose, sculpted into the forms of Titan Clan members, their enormous hands upholding the dome.

Between these two "Titans," a burly man of human descent sat upon a stone chair, intently relishing a spread of sumptuous dishes before him. Various meats—fried, stewed, and deep-fried—released tantalizing aromas.

Silver chopsticks and finely crafted knives lay before the man, who carved the meats with practiced ease, a sight that was a delight to behold. He indulged in the feast with evident pleasure, occasionally pausing to speak softly to himself.

"The methods of cooking food were taught to me by you. It's a shame you can't enjoy these delicacies as I do."

He continued speaking without looking up.

"Only the pure spiritual energy of the Everlands could make the beef and mutton taste so exquisite. In other Domains, even with a wall purifying the energy, it's still not as refined. Alas, the so-called alien beasts from beyond don't compare to the flavors of the Everlands."

"You're aware that I'm not like you; I still need to eat. Back when I was struggling to survive at the edge of the Star River, I would eat anything that could fill my stomach."

"There was no choice; the environments were too harsh, and having something to eat was a blessing in itself."

"I used to doubt your tales of the Everlands' abundant and delicious food. It was only after arriving and sampling the variety of foods that I understood the true happiness of those who live here."

"And this happiness, hard-won by our forebears, is sadly taken for granted by those who came after."

"..."

The man, whose spiritual energy, vitality, and Soul Power were in perfect harmony, finally lifted his gaze.

He stared at the plain round stone pillar opposite him, his thick, dark eyebrows knitting together as he spoke, "Shouldn't you offer an explanation?"

"Explain what?" came the calm response from within the stone pillar, the voice of Gui Xu, the God-King.

Gui Xu, the God-King, who could inhabit and transform into anything, was partly represented by the stone statue still observing Hua Xin and Jiang Miaojie outside, while this fragment of his soul conversed with Tianqi.

"You were the one who initially told me to prepare to assist President Lyi in claiming the God Throne. Yet, you abruptly reversed your stance, opting to back Yu Yuan alongside Zu Ann and the Untamed," Tianqi said, furrowing his brow. "He hasn't even achieved godhood. Is his attitude truly worth such consideration?"

Gui Xu, the God-King within the stone pillar, remained silent.

"And another thing," Tianqi continued, his face growing stern. "He had Yan Qiling convey a message to Taishi, asking him to delay the convergence of the cosmic order. What makes him think he can sway Taishi?" Tianqi's tone was incredulous. "But strangely enough, Taishi isn't rushing to strip the cosmic order from Gu Xingkui."

"First it was you, now Taishi. Are you both perhaps too invested in him?"

"Aren't you going to give me an explanation?"

Tianqi, long stationed at the Moonfall Sanctuary, was plagued by doubts. He had been awaiting Yu Yuan's arrival, expecting him to come to the sanctuary with the Dragon Slaying Stage in tow.

In Taishi's absence, Tianqi was the one calling the shots for Boulderdawn in the Everlands.

Yu Yuan, a member of Boulderdawn and the current wielder of the Dragon Slaying Stage, should have made it a priority to pay his respects.

Yet, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Taishi and I see him as the heir to that individual. His ascent on the Path to Godhood is unstoppable. Tianqi, consider this: with the Dragon Slaying Stage in his possession, once he ascends to the highest echelons, he'll be poised to inherit that individual's sacred way. Shouldn't we take that seriously?" Gui Xu's voice emanated ethereally from the stone pillar.

"Unstoppable?" Tianqi straightened up, skeptically picking up a hefty chunk of beef with his chopsticks and savoring it thoughtfully. Once he had swallowed, he spoke again, "Hua Xin was my choice. He should have had a chance."

"You're mistaken. Hua Xin stands no chance," Gui Xu countered, his phantom-like presence becoming visible within the stone pillar. "Tianqi, once you truly meet him, you'll see why Hua Xin doesn't stand a chance. Like Hua Xin, you were born beyond our world and fail to grasp the significance of the Dragon Slaying Stage. Now that he has secured it, Hua Xin will never wrest it from his grasp."

"You should, like Taishi, start seeing him as that person," Gui Xu explained patiently.

Tianqi still hadn't put down his chopsticks. He popped a piece of braised deer meat into his mouth and chewed slowly. After swallowing, he shifted the conversation away from Yu Yuan and asked, "Having traveled through the Everlands, who, in your judgment, is the toughest to handle and who possesses the greatest combat strength?"

"I didn't dare venture into Shadow's Keep," the God-King Gui Xu paused before continuing, "When I visited Ebon Star, Han Miaoyuan sensed my presence but acted as if he was oblivious. He let me roam freely and observe every palace within their domain."

Gui Xu paused his recount.

"Apart from the one from Shadow's Keep, the most formidable is Lin Daoke, the Master of the Sword Sect. The Sword Sect is indeed formidable; each new Master surpasses the previous. And the primordial spirits of the Sword Sect? The successors are almost always more powerful than their predecessors."

"Moreover, the Grand Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect fears neither death nor covets the throne of a deity."

...

Within the Dragon Slaying Stage.

Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang's Lunar Spirit, hand in hand, entered the frost wyrm's boneyard. Yu Yuan immediately noticed the severely damaged Wintermaw that had been cast aside was now slowly mending itself.

The ladder-shaped Wintermaw, set upon the ice rock-like terrain, was drawing the necessary power from deep within the earth.

In the little world where the Chronowyrm resided, a seven-colored radiance emerged from the ground, blending with the ice force of this realm, infusing the Wintermaw with energy.

Numerous fragmented "wellstones" within the well's walls began to re-adhere, steadily becoming more solid.

"Hmm?"

Yu Yuan couldn't help but utter a soft exclamation after just one glance.

The initial repair of the Wintermaw relied on assistance from other Wintermaws at the base of the Frozen Hellscape.

Previously, the Dragon Slaying Stage lacked such miraculous capabilities and couldn't mend the Wintermaw.

It seemed as though, with the maturation of the Titan Spinosaurus and the return of the third Dragon Slaying Stage, this wonder was made possible.

"I had assumed I'd need to make another trip to the Frozen Hellscape, but it looks like that won't be necessary now."

As Yu Yuan whispered to himself, he noticed Ji Ningshuang releasing his hand, her Lunar Spirit gracefully touching down upon the ground. In that instant, the ice magic of the frost wyrm resonated with the Stardust sword's will she had come to understand. "Just as I suspected..." she murmured. Her Lunar Spirit, in its spirited body form, seamlessly blended into the ice rock below, like water merging with water.

Within the ice rock, Yu Yuan could sense—and see—silver-white lightning that suddenly sprang to life. The frost wyrm's remains, now massive ice mountains, contained bloodline chains related to frost, which seemed to stir slightly. As the sovereign of this realm and its true master, Yu Yuan was aware that Ji Ningshuang's Lunar Spirit was gradually making contact, seeking to understand the ice magic here and the awakened crystal chains within the frost wyrm's remains.

Elsewhere, Yu Yuan was astonished to discover a tiny infant curled atop an ice mountain peak. This ice mountain was a segment of the frost wyrm's corpse, encased in ice. The infant, with Moon Soul for bones and a drop of the snow bear's lifeblood, had formed a heart of silver within its chest—a gift from Yu Yuan. The baby's heart throbbed, with many delicate and luminous strands of blood magic slowly taking shape. Within that heart, Yu Yuan detected the essence of the Arctic Breath and the scent of the moon.

"This is astounding," Yu Yuan thought, amazed that the promise he made to the snow bear was coming to fruition so swiftly. With the young Titan Spinosaurus revitalized by the golden dragon god's blood and the third Dragon Slaying Stage reclaimed, Rovi's lifeblood had fused with the Divine Artifact, prompting an ineffable transformation.

The snow bear's wish, to create a new being from its lifeblood, had been long unfulfilled. Yet now, quite suddenly, it had manifested as an infant—a male infant at that. Atop the snowy peak, the child seemed to be quietly absorbing the residual dragon's breath of the frost wyrm and the rich ice energy of this world, accelerating his growth. He was developing at a pace far outstripping that of the young Titan Spinosaurus. Emitting both the chill of ice and the aura of the moon, he continued to refine the ice energy within his heart, all the while seemingly longing for the caress of moonlight.

He was feeling somewhat anxious, eager to step outside.

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