C1549 Complete Domination

Adjacent to the Rainbow Ocean was the Poison Cult.

In a valley swarming with venomous insects, numerous gaunt elders gathered. Some were adorned with vibrant paints, while others bore fierce tattoos on their necks and cheeks.

Deep within the secluded valley, Lin Tianming of the Poison Cult, Lianjing, a survivor of the ancient Bloodbrawlers, Yuan Qingxi, and a host of cultivators from both sects convened.

All cultivators, except for Yuan Qingxi, knelt before Xuanli, swearing their fealty to him.

Thanks to Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing's efforts, the Poison Cult and Binders of Shadows from the Land of Quiescence had been fully integrated. Any dissenters had been purged before Xuanli's return.

They had been anticipating Xuanli's return for quite some time.

Following the exposure of his whereabouts in the Forgotten Ruins due to Yu Yuan's unexpected arrival, Lianjing had begun preparations for his return.

With the loyalty ceremony complete, Xuanli, clutching the Spectre Binding Scroll, had covertly inscribed the soul marks of these individuals in his memory.

Once the ritual concluded, Xuanli gestured for the valley's occupants to disperse.

This included Lin Tianming, who had encountered Yu Yuan and was solicited by the Skyblight Cult to assassinate Chou Muge.

Xuanli retained only Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing.

"Old Yuan, how long has it been since we last saw each other?"

Xuanli asked with a playful grin, eyeing the somber Yuan Qingxi, "On such a splendid day, why didn't Youyu come to celebrate? Has he become too proud after regaining his divine status?"

In bygone eras, he and Youyu had led the Bloodbrawlers. Youyu, distant and reserved, rarely interfered with the sect's internal affairs.

Xuanli managed the sect's various matters, a master of manipulation. Despite his seemingly carefree demeanor, he was in fact cunning and merciless.

His tactics ensured a rigid hierarchy within the Bloodbrawlers, commanding obedience from all.

Yet, perhaps because he had devoted some of his focus to the sect's growth, his combat prowess was once slightly inferior to Youyu's.

He hadn't yet obtained a divine seat, so naturally, he couldn't compare to Youyu.

"Master will come to see you in person after the council concludes," Yuan Qingxi sighed internally, aware of Xuanli's constant preoccupations. "Master has taken Rovi's soul. He's in seclusion, attempting to extract all the useful information from Rovi's brain."

"Voidweaver, Rovi..."

Xuanli murmured under his breath.

His desire to meet Youyu stemmed from an incident on his return from the Hellmouth, where a soul was extracted from him in the Domain Channel. He maintained a faint connection with that soul, but it had been fading.

He deemed Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing unqualified to be privy to this matter. Youyu was the only one he trusted.

Youyu had ascended to godhood before him and had a deeper affinity with the Root of the Lunar Meridian. Hence, Xuanli sought to consult Youyu for insights.

"Lord Xuanli, you will lead the new Bloodbrawlers. I'll continue to oversee the Skyblight Cult for now. Once you ascend and have more energy, the Skyblight Cult will be transferred to your command," Yuan Qingxi declared.

The combined strength of the Poison Cult and the Skyblight Cult would ultimately converge around Xuanli.

His master, Youyu, had always had faith in Xuanli's capabilities, knowing he excelled in such matters.

Otherwise, Han Miaoyuan wouldn't have tasked Xuanli with the absorption of the Colddeath before his awakening.

Xuanli inherently had a deep fascination with power, adept and fond of wielding control over sects.

Previously, Youyu had entrusted him with the reins of the Bloodbrawlers, and the situation remained unchanged.

"The Rainbow Ocean is quite near us..."

Xuanli's lips curled into a smile as he gazed at the distant clouds, barely visible from the valley. "As you know, that's where our Bloodbrawlers' original domain was located."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing understood his intentions.

Lianjing had always been obedient to him, never daring to contradict or speak out against him in his presence. She remained silent.

"My master has made it clear that the Rainbow Ocean is off-limits," Yuan Qingxi stated with gravity, shaking his head. "Both the Rainbow Ocean and the Defiled World below fall under the Terra Fiend's dominion. In this age, they're part of Yu Zhu's realm. She's in the process of forging her divine seat, claiming both territories as her own."

Upon hearing this, Xuanli's expression darkened, and he demanded, "Why does she get to be first?"

Yuan Qingxi hesitated, his gaze dropping. "My master will provide you with a full explanation after the council concludes. Moreover, he instructs you to use our available resources to regain your strength. He believes more opportunities will arise soon, and when they do, he'll support your ascent."

He paused before adding, "Yu Zhu will also lend you her full support."

"That wretched girl stole a blood crystal from me beyond the stars! And in the Everlands, she took my divine seat!" Xuanli couldn't hide his irritation. "If it weren't for my trust in Youyu, I'd be in the Defiled World right now, shattering her divine seat."

Yuan Qingxi coughed awkwardly, his laughter strained as he continued, "My master has said the Defiled World beneath us is already her domain. You won't be able to destroy her divine seat, even as she forges it. He also advises that you avoid her until you ascend to godhood. It's best to delay any confrontation."

"What does Youyu mean by this?" Xuanli snapped.

"He insists it's for the best," Yuan Qingxi murmured, bowing his head even lower, not wishing to incite the rash man who might recklessly dive into the Defiled World.

"For the best? If it were truly for the best, he should have waited for my return before going after Zhu Zhenlin!"

"Why couldn't he wait for me?"

"That man, who couldn't utter a word in ages, never waited for me! It was only after my death that he sought out Taiyin! If he had stood by my side back then, we could have faced anything together—no one would have perished!"

"Perhaps the Everlands would now be under the rule of us, the Bloodbrawlers!"

Xuanli, incensed, unleashed a tirade of curses within the depths of the valley, dredging up old grievances.

Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing exchanged a glance, remaining silent, allowing him to vent his fury on Youyu and the dragon slayer.

Indeed, it was him...

They silently acknowledged to themselves.

...

At Moonfall Sanctuary, the Yu Yuan within the training field swiftly merged, reverting to their original Solar Spirit forms.

Hua Xin, battered and breathless, huddled in a corner, devoid of any remaining strength to retaliate.

His vitality and spiritual energy were nearly depleted. The different Yu Yuan had deliberately honed him until it felt as though he had battled against the strongest of the starry sky's races in a brief span.

Each one appeared to wield the might of a ninth-level warrior.

Facing any single Yu Yuan, Hua Xin stood no chance, much less several.

Thankfully, the Yu Yuan did not gang up on him; they came at him one by one, steadily draining his strength until he was spent.

As Hua Xin slumped down, his gaze empty, he watched the multitude of Yu Yuan merge.

His competitive spirit suddenly waned considerably.

"Alright, that's enough. Time to break it up," Jiang Miaojie called out, signaling everyone to go about their business before approaching Hua Xin. She crouched beside him, peering at his somewhat despondent expression, and asked, "Are you okay?"

Hua Xin shook his head but remained silent.

Jiang Miaojie inwardly sighed, understanding that Hua Xin was simply overwhelmed by the excessive drain on his spiritual energy and vitality. A few days' rest would set him right.

Her real concern, however, was the dip in Hua Xin's morale and self-assurance...

Hua Xin's talent was as remarkable as her own, both emerging stars of their generation. She had followed the sacred way left by Taisu, while Hua Xin had chosen the path of Taiyin.

Before encountering Yu Yuan and arriving at Everlands, Hua Xin had believed he was the furthest along this path.

He had assumed he would be the first to reach the end.

This battle had painfully forced Hua Xin to realize that someone had completely overshadowed him in every respect.

Jiang Miaojie was aware that Hua Xin needed time to adjust his mindset. Without this adjustment, he was at risk of quickly fading into obscurity among his peers, potentially ending up at the bottom of the pack. And then, during an exploration of the starry sky's forbidden area, he could meet his end—his life and soul extinguished, never to return.

With a furrowed brow, Jiang Miaojie pondered how to comfort Hua Xin, to inspire him to rise again. Even if surpassing Yu Yuan was out of reach, he mustn't give up on himself too soon.

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan's real body concluded his conversation with Gui Xu, now aware of their intentions involving him. He stepped out of the majestic hall.

"Hmm?"

He smiled slightly and nodded at the person before him.

"Lord Taishi sent me to see you," he said.

The Stormcrowned Emperor, a practitioner of the Shadow Curse, had emerged from the forbidden area. The instant he materialized in the palace, a weighty, unseen pressure bore down on him.

Yu Yuan seemed to have the power to influence his body and soul at any moment—a sensation he had never felt in Yu Yuan's presence before.

"What is the matter?" Yu Yuan inquired softly.

"I've run into some issues with my Shadow Curse practice. I intended to seek Lord Gui Xu's counsel, but Lord Taishi directed me to you," the Stormcrowned Emperor answered, his confusion evident.

He couldn't fathom why Taishi would send him to Yu Yuan instead of Gui Xu. After all, he knew that the legacy of the sacred way had been documented by Gui Xu and taken to the extraterrestrial Star River, paving the way for successors like Hua Xin.

Taishi had suggested that the Shadow Curse he had developed was an offshoot of that individual's Spirit Magic. Shouldn't he be consulting Gui Xu, then?

"Let's find a more suitable place to talk."

With a mere thought, the Solar Spirit that had been at the training field seamlessly integrated into his body.

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