C1541 Returner

In the depths of the Great Swamp, Old Ape, leveraging his connection with the Desolate God, returned from the Ascension Mountain Range in a mere instant. As he was preparing to venture to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, he was met with the grim scene of Lee Sha's death.

Perched on a thick branch of a towering tree within the swamp, Old Ape let out a heavy sigh. On the Profound Sky Continent, the journey from the Great Swamp to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area was but a brief moment, and he had access to a space teleportation array. Yet, he now felt there was no longer any reason to proceed.

He was certain that Lin Daoke's sword strike would profoundly alter the perspectives of the Divine Kings Tianqi and Guixu, as well as the emerging generation from the Divine Soul Sect, granting them a newfound clarity regarding the vastness of the world.

Suddenly, Lvliu, the ex-Grand Marshal of the Demon Palace, approached in his human guise. He stood at the base of the massive tree, gazing up at Old Ape, who was leisurely puffing on his pipe.

"Why have you come here?" Old Ape inquired with a hint of surprise.

"I find this place to be safer," Lvliu replied, his demeanor relaxed. He saw no need for formalities with Old Ape. "That naive girl from the Moon Sect meddled in the affairs of the Sword Sect, and I sensed trouble brewing. With the Babel Chamber of Commerce situated too close to the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, and the Sword Sect not exactly fond of me, I thought it best to seek refuge here."

After a brief pause, Lvliu added, "You've returned as well, haven't you?"

"There's no need for me to hide; I've never crossed Lin Daoke," Old Ape responded with a sly grin, peering down at Lvliu. "I wonder if Yue Mu, of the Sword Sect's current generation who practices the grand Dao of water, realizes that two of his predecessors met their end indirectly because of you."

"What do you mean 'indirectly killed'?" Lvliu retorted, his brow furrowed in disagreement. "Out in the Outland Star River, amidst battles with alien powerhouses, who can be certain of survival? The Great Sword Immortals of the Sword Sect have never feared death. They willingly embrace hardship and are prepared to fight to the bitter end alongside their foes. How can anyone hold me responsible for that?"

"Hehehe!" Old Ape's laughter boomed, clearly tickled by Lvliu's remarks. "But why, of all people, did the Great Sword Immortal who fought with you beyond the heavens, the one attuned to the Dao of water, meet his end? If you're innocent, why rush to me after suspecting Lin Daoke would draw his sword?"

Lvliu let out a cold snort but offered no further defense.

"What's the deal with Jun Chen?" Old Ape probed once more.

"So many of the human race's younger generation have ascended to the Unrestrained Stage, yet they're still too green. Jun Chen is no exception. He never lived through Nie Qingtian's era, so he's oblivious to Lin Daoke's prowess."

Lvliu knew that in the presence of Old Ape, within the confines of the Great Swamp, he could speak freely without fear of eavesdropping.

As long as Old Ape stayed within the swamp, not even the Sword Sect Lord could touch him.

"Jun Chen was eager to compete, but as soon as the Silver Moon Sect lass showed up, Duan Yisheng had already messaged him to back down. I merely suggested he return to the Silver Moon Sect to seek out Duan Yisheng and clarify things. I insinuated that his father might have endorsed Tan Junshan."

"I used that pretext to incite Jun Chen to storm back to the Silver Moon Sect and confront Duan Yisheng."

"And that's how he dodged a bullet."

Lvliu's explanation seemed nonchalant.

"You're quite invested in Jun Chen," Old Ape remarked, taking a hefty drag from his pipe and coughing twice before grinning mischievously. "Lvliu, be honest with me. Are you like the Demon Phoenix, able to change your gender at will? In this new age, you can choose to be female or male, right?"

At these words, a look of alarm flashed across Lvliu's face, and she retorted angrily, "What are you spouting?"

"Otherwise, why did the queen bee obsess over you while you played hide and seek? Jun Chen's just a few centuries old—a mere handsome youth in your eyes, isn't he?" Old Ape shook his head, wearing a knowing smirk. "I'm disappointed in you. You're on the brink of becoming a Demon God—don't get lost in the throes of romance."

Lvliu gazed upon Old Ape with the same trepidation one might reserve for a demon or ghost. Her body rigid, she gradually sank into the earth.

...

Amidst the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea.

"It's time for me to go."

Jee Ningshuang spoke with a serene tone as she observed the droplets of blood that Lee Sha had left scattered on the ground following her demise.

The drops of silver blood essence, their souls obliterated by the sword's light, contained nothing but the purest lunar energy.

Within the luminescent blood essence, one could barely make out fine streaks of lightning. Magnified a million times, these would reveal themselves as Bloodline Crystal Chains.

Each Bloodline Crystal Chain appeared to reflect the clan's profound connection with the moon.

Yu Yuan snapped out of his reverie.

The afterimage of that sword light still lingered in his mind.

Lee Sha, with her Tenth Level bloodline, had been slain by a single sword strike, and he had been there to witness it all.

He suddenly grasped why the woman by Lee Sha's side had remained so composed and self-possessed throughout the ordeal.

Jee Ningshuang's Yang God and Starfrost Sword were in the company of Han Miaoyuan and Lin Daoke.

She had clearly been aware that the plan they had set in motion long before Lee Sha's arrival was not something she could alter.

"These drops of blood are of no use to me, but you might find them valuable."

Jee Ningshuang pondered for a moment, her bright eyes sparkling with insight. "Aside from you, the youngster on the Dragon Slash Platform could also benefit from Lee Sha's blood essence to ascend. After all, she was a member of the Mondnacht Clan with a Tenth Level bloodline, and her blood essence's Bloodline Crystal Chains bear the imprints of the Moon Demon Clan's secret arts."

"Little guy..." Yu Yuan paused, instantly realizing who she was referring to.

"Understood."

Approaching the shimmering droplets of blood, Yu Yuan retrieved several glass vials from his Universe Ring.

He then collected the crystal-like blood that Lee Sha had left behind. After casually consuming a few drops with his Yang God, he instantly became aware of a wealth of mysteries surrounding the Mondnacht Clan and the ancient Moon Demon, now etched within his divine form.

It dawned on him that Lee Sha's ascension to a Tenth Level Bloodline warrior was not solely due to her Mondnacht Clan heritage but also her insight into the ancient Moon Demon's knowledge of the moon.

Even Lee Sha's soul had mastered several of the Moon Demon's Devil Spells.

It's no wonder that she could rally not only the Mondnacht Clan members but also the remnants of the Moon Demons.

The weakened Moon Demons must have sensed a change in Lee Sha, both in her body and soul, which is why they were willing to attach themselves to her and heed her commands.

"Sect Master Lin, you've truly surprised me."

After gathering all the blood, Yu Yuan stood up, softly expressing his amazement.

"The fall of the Divine Soul Sect didn't weaken Hao Ran; on the contrary, it has grown even stronger. This is evidenced by the emergence of more supreme seats," Ji Ningshuang stated earnestly. "Our expansion into the Outland Starry Sky has also reached further, yielding greater rewards."

"As a result, the current five supreme powers have indeed surpassed their predecessors, both in the number of Divine Thrones and the caliber of the Divine Sealers."

"It makes sense that Hao Ran would maintain its position as the supreme ruler of the Outland Starry Sky for tens of thousands of years to come. Those returning from beyond should seriously consider their next moves."

Ji Ningshuang spoke with genuine conviction.

Yu Yuan nodded in agreement.

"Well, I should return to the Sword Sect. Even Senior Han can't keep those Divine Thrones assembled for too long." Ji Ningshuang cast a lingering glance at the grass huts and the adjacent swamp, inhaling deeply the heavily damp air.

Before departing, she hesitated, then added, "Our Sect Master is incredibly powerful, far beyond their imagination. Since you have influence over Taishi, perhaps advise them to exercise some restraint. Unlike Senior Han, our Sect Master won't negotiate or consider the greater good once his bottom line is crossed."

She paused for a few seconds before adding, "Senior Han once made a remark about our Sect Master."

"What was it?" Yu Yuan asked, taken aback.

"Without the moon's presence, who can contend?"

...

In the Delude Devil Abyss of the outer realm, this stronghold, co-created by the Divine Soul Sect and the Babel Chamber of Commerce, features a Realm gateway that leads directly to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, making it a bustling hub of late.

Many great cultivators traveling to and from Hao Ran must pass through the Delude Devil Abyss.

One day, a practitioner from the Blood God Cult who introduced himself as Solemn, paid with Spirit Stones to use the Realm passageway to return to the Vast Ocean. Solemn was at the middle stage of the Yang God Stage in his cultivation.

Upon breaking through to the Yang God Stage, Zhu Peining, who presided over this area, along with the Death Crane, scrutinized Solemn. After confirming that he indeed practiced the Blood God Cult's secret arts, they allowed him to pass without suspicion.

Solemn then blended into the group of people traveling from the Delude Devil Abyss towards the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. However, as he was about to enter the Realm passageway, the Origin Realm Gate, an enigma that even Yan Qiling and Zhou You couldn't resolve, suddenly swelled and exerted a powerful suction.

Solemn, whose true form was still present and who practiced the Blood God Cult's secret arts, continued towards the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area with the others. Yet, his soul was extracted by the Origin Realm Gate in a fleeting moment, unnoticed by anyone.

If one were to observe closely as he fell into the Origin Realm Gate, they would notice a stark contrast between his soul and his physical form. His soul was Cao Yi, also known as Xuanli.

Upon awakening, Xuanli had freed himself from the Great Demon God Grec's enslavement and had been seeking a path home. With the vast expanse beyond the heavens guarded by the mightiest from the five supreme forces and Qin Luo, Xuanli, now an outcast from the Profound Sky Sect with his identity revealed, could not enter from the outside.

Thus, Xuanli, a master of the Blood God Cult's secret arts, assumed the identity of Solemn.

With a whoosh, Xuanli, now as Solemn, successfully traversed the Realm passageway and materialized in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. Once the others had scattered, Xuanli silently departed from the passageway's entrance.

Having previously escaped the forbidden land beneath his feet due to Yu Yuan, he now stood in the familiar Fallen Moon Forbidden Area with mixed emotions. He repeatedly gazed at the passageway's entrance, his eyes brimming with bewilderment. Astonishingly, the link to his soul remained intact...

He could sense that his detached soul had entered a mysterious realm, yet he was unable to discern the events unfolding there or what challenges his soul might encounter.

Upon sensing the presence of two immensely powerful soul forces within a grand palace deep in the forbidden area, he silently decided to take his leave.

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