C1542 The Messenger

Inside the Dragon Slaying Stage, a baby created from a drop of a Frostlands snow bear's lifeblood, combined with the Moon Soul, had only ingested two drops of Lee Sha's lifeblood before he fell into a deep slumber, as if drunk. Yu Yuan observed the pure moon energy continuously infusing the child's bones, fortifying his body. The moon energy he had been lacking was not only replenished but seemed to overflow...

The growing, extraordinary body, having taken in two drops of Lee Sha's lifeblood, was pushed to its limits, necessitating a deep sleep to slowly process the excess. Despite this, Yu Yuan couldn't help but be astonished. The infant, who had only recently been born, had managed to consume two drops of Lee Sha's lifeblood and was not only surviving but also digesting it...

With a thought, Yu Yuan deactivated the Shadowflame Blight Array and watched as a resplendent palace floated toward him. The palace came to a serene halt, and Cao Jiaze emerged, landing before him with a smile. "You return without a word and stir up such commotion; you certainly have a knack for surprises," he commented.

"Is that a compliment or a slight?" Yu Yuan asked, a playful smirk on his lips.

He held no real animosity toward Cao Jiaze, the pride of the Ebon Star. Had their circumstances been different, Yu Yuan felt they might have been friends. Regrettably, Cao Jiaze was deeply esteemed by Han Miaoyuan, which gave Yu Yuan the impression that Cao Jiaze was destined to succeed Ji Tianyu as another exalted primordial spirit within the Ebon Star, aside from Han Miaoyuan himself. Han Miaoyuan saw Cao Jiaze as his heir, firmly believing in his eventual ascension to godhood—a status that would surely grant him greater combat prowess than Ji Tianyu.

"Does it make a difference?" Cao Jiaze asked with a laugh, surveying the surroundings. "Your arrival has triggered numerous earth-shattering events in the Rainbow Ocean. I'm beginning to suspect that if you stay much longer, it won't be long before chaos ensues."

"State your business," Yu Yuan prompted.

"Very well," Cao Jiaze replied, foregoing further delay. "My visit to the Land of Quiescence is to notify the various sects that the meeting concerning the Everlands will soon commence. The head of my sect is both the convener and the principal organizer. He has instructed that no one should leave the Everlands in the near future."

The meeting is scheduled to take place at Skyreach Peak, under the watchful eye of The Hon. Mr. Zu, who has given his consent for this arrangement.

"As long as everyone is present in the Everlands, our sect's leader will be able to notify everyone when the council convenes."

"For the Boulderdawn Sect, he has chosen you to represent us at the council. The Bloodbrawlers have selected Youyu. Mr. Lin from the Sword Sect has confirmed his attendance, and the Lord Astral Tiger has stated that he will attend on behalf of the supreme entity."

"Yuwen has requested Mr. Mo to represent him from the Sunlit Order. The Devil Palace will be graced by the presence of a clone of the Demon Lord."

"Qin Luo, the leader of the Ruby Hand Sect, will be returning from beyond our world, and the Untamed will also be in attendance," Cao Jiaze elaborated.

The invitees are all sects with supreme beings. Without a Supreme God seat, one is neither regarded by Han Miaoyuan nor eligible to attend.

"If the Moon Sect's leader hadn't been impulsive, Duan Yisheng would have been at the council. The only one qualified to attend without a Supreme God seat is President Lyi of the Skyreach Consortium. Unfortunately, since President Lyi has departed from the Everlands, the Consortium is no longer invited."

The attendees include Lin Daoke, Han Miaoyuan, Mo Baichuan, Tan Xiaotian, and the Moonfang Tiger, with Qin Luo from the Ruby Hand Sect and even the Untamed from the Marsh.

Representing Boulderdawn is Yu Yuan.

With such a formidable assembly, if they were to venture to the extraterrestrial Star River, aside from the Demon God Bertain's Sky Fiend, any other intelligent life form could face annihilation.

"You may need to make a trip back to the Moonfall Sanctuary to liaise with the two God-Kings," Cao Jiaze said with a light chuckle, bowing slightly. "I have others to notify, so I must excuse myself."

With that, he descended into the floating palace and set off towards Shadow's Keep.

"Skyreach Peak..."

After Cao Jiaze's departure, Yu Yuan's gaze became pensive.

He was aware that the central themes of this council would revolve around the stability of the Wintermaw, the mysterious origins of the Origin Deity, the secrets hidden within the Maw of Oblivion, and how to address these matters as a united front, given our shared roots in the Everlands.

It seems I must return to Moonfall Sanctuary and have a word with the two of them first," he murmured to himself.

Considering Gui Xu was once the Taixu God-King, there shouldn't be any issues with him.

The real challenge was convincing Tianqi, whom I have yet to meet.

I could sense that Tianqi, the God-King born beyond the Everlands, harbored some dissatisfaction towards me.

I need to figure out how to persuade Tianqi, or perhaps persuasion isn't necessary...

While pondering this, an unusual vibration emanated from the heart of my Solar Spirit, which had long resided in the little world.

"Hmm?"

I set aside all other thoughts and concentrated on the sensation coming from the heart of the Solar Spirit.

Almost immediately, I detected a presence of vitality linked to me emerging in the Everlands.

This vitality bore the essence of the Great Demon God Grec.

Before Yu Zhu ascended to godhood, I could occasionally sense a similar vitality within her, but since she claimed her divine seat, that sensation had eluded me.

Even after Ann Ziqing was favored by the Root of the Solar Meridian, the feeling was not as intense as this one.

Who could it be?

After a brief contemplation, I summoned the Dragon Slaying Stage and allowed the Solar Spirit to depart from the body. Grasping the Dragon Slaying Stage with the hand of the Solar Spirit, I amplified its blood sensing capability manifold.

Instantly, a figure came into view.

In the distant Aetherius Continent, within the Forgotten Ruins—Yu Zhu's former domain—on the mid-lake island I had once helped shape, a mysterious silhouette emerged.

The figure slowly became more distinct, resembling a cultivator from the Colddeath.

Within this unfamiliar cultivator, the vitality of the Demon God Grec was present, fully subdued and in the process of being refined.

"So, you've returned."

Yu Yuan flashed a knowing smile, immediately recognizing the individual. As the Solar Spirit reunited with my body, I grasped the Dragon Slaying Stage with my real body and said, "Cao Yi, it's been some time since we last met."

The words "Not seen?" had barely left his lips when he harnessed the temporal powers of the Dragon Slaying Stage to traverse from the Rainbow Ocean straight to the mid-lake island.

Xuanli stood at the heart of the mid-lake island, gazing at the spot once frequented by Yu Zhu, surrounded by the flowers and plants she had cultivated. Lost in thought, he was jolted back to reality by the familiar voice of Yu Yuan, who appeared in an instant.

In that moment, Xuanli invoked the shared mystique of the Blood Fiend and Colddeath, reverting to his true form.

With a cold demeanor, he spoke, "I came to see the place where the one who first snatched the blood crystal from my grasp, and then my divine seat, used to ponder daily."

Yu Yuan and Yu Zhu had each consumed one of the three blood crystals used by the Demon God for resurrection. The third piece lay within the Primal Blood Continent. When he attempted to claim it, he discovered Grec had already been resurrected.

Standing atop the Root of the Solar Meridian, Grec swiftly regained his strength. Xuanli's attempt to take over Grec's body had failed, and he had become a blood bound slave instead.

It was Youyu who had rekindled the soul fire within him, helping him remember his identity and prompting his return with a plan in mind.

Yet, he arrived to find he was too late; Yu Zhu had already ascended to godhood through the death of Zhu Zhenlin.

After leaving the Moonfall Sanctuary, he found himself alone in the Forgotten Ruins and eventually made his way to this mid-lake island.

As he pondered his situation and continued to assimilate the power within Grec's bloodmark, he hadn't anticipated that it would alert Yu Yuan, drawing him across the void.

Xuanli's mood was sour, his expression darkened by the realization that Yu Yuan's arrival had instantly exposed him. Flickering gazes from across the Everlands fixed upon him, and in an instant, his identity was known to all.

"Master!"

From the depths of his soul, he heard the shrill, overjoyed scream of Lianjing. He knew that this follower was already en route from the Poison Cult.

Across the Land of Terror, the watchful eyes of Youyu and Yuan Qingxi seemed to converge upon this very place.

"You've really done it now!" Xuanli said icily, casting a glance at the Dragon Slaying Stage held in Yu Yuan's grasp. A dull ache throbbed in his soul. "I only regret that he's already dead. Otherwise, I'd spare no effort to challenge him once more!"

In his past life, his divine position had been usurped by Han Miaoyuan of the Ebon Star, following his own demise. It was only due to his fall that a vacancy for godhood arose, which Han Miaoyuan then smoothly filled.

Yet, the one responsible for his downfall was the original master of the Dragon Slaying Stage.

Upon awakening, Xuanli discovered that the man he most despised had been slain tens of thousands of years ago in the extraterrestrial realm, leaving him without a target for his vengeance.

"Forget competing with him. From now on, direct your challenges at me," Yu Yuan offered with a smile.

After Xuanli's identity was revealed, Han Miaoyuan of the Ebon Star made no move against him. This suggested that due to Youyu's presence, Han Miaoyuan likely wouldn't pursue Xuanli any further.

And for Yu Yuan, even with a forgotten past, he wouldn't strike at Xuanli now, out of respect for Youyu.

—Unless Xuanli sought his own end.

"Me?" Xuanli regarded him coolly and nodded. "It's inevitable. You've taken his belongings, so you must face the consequences. There's no chance for peace between us." He paused, then abruptly shifted the subject. "Pass a message to Ann Wen of Colddeath. Tell him to watch out for the Kylin in the extraterrestrial realm."

"The Kylin?" Yu Yuan's brow furrowed.

"As a member of Colddeath, I was hunted by an archdemon of Shadow's Keep while searching for the Path to Godhood in the extraterrestrial realm. I've heard that Shadow's Keep has issued a death warrant for Ann Wen, with the Kylin personally overseeing the matter." With those parting words, Xuanli transformed into a streak of crimson light and shot off into the distance.

"Why would the Kylin want to kill Ann Wen?" Yu Yuan pondered to himself, his expression growing increasingly grave.

After some thought, he surmised that it was likely his own proposal that had convinced Ann Wen to venture into the extraterrestrial space, to seek out the Root of the Solar Meridian and pursue the Path to Godhood from there.

Ann Wen's decision must have caught the attention of Shadow's Keep, prompting them to eliminate him.

Yet, Xuanli, who had been masquerading as Cao Yi, was equally intent on toppling the Colddeath Sect, aiming to seize control for himself. Surprisingly, he now wanted Ann Wen to be warned.

What could Xuanli possibly be planning?

Yu Yuan mulled over this for some time but, unable to come up with an answer, he decided not to dwell on it any further and reactivated the Chronowyrm at the Dragon Slaying Stage.

"It's time to return and check in."

With that, he traveled directly from the Forgotten Ruins to the place he felt most connected to—the Moonfall Sanctuary.

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