C156 Soulforge Pool

Qin Yun, clad in the attire of a young scholar, stood silently under the night sky.

His gaze fixed on Yu Yuan, he extended his spiritual sense, keenly perceiving the most subtle ripples of spiritual energy around Lin Zhuyun and Yu Yuan.

"Such resilience and strength in one's physique are seldom seen in this world."

With just one look, he discerned that Yu Yuan, who had practiced Evil Body Refining, had honed his body to a degree unmatched by anyone within the same realm.

Qin Yun had witnessed many so-called prodigies across the Silvermoon Empire, the Crimson Sun Empire, and beyond.

Yet, at the Soul Awakening stage, none possessed a physique as formidable as Yu Yuan's!

Previously, Qin Yun hadn't paid him much attention, his concern centered on Yu Yuan's ability to commune with the sword spirit and invoke the prohibitions of heaven and earth.

Now, aware that the Soulforge Matrix no longer existed, he knew Yu Yuan could no longer harness the sword spirit to unleash divine punishment upon others within the forbidden area.

"This young man is extraordinary."

Qin Yun mused internally, quietly dismissing a fleeting thought that had arisen.

He had contemplated risking an attempt to extinguish Yu Yuan's three souls of heaven, earth, and man in a single moment.

Success would mean the mark on the Dawn Arrow would vanish once Yu Yuan's three souls perished.

But failure, leaving Yu Yuan with a sliver of spiritual wisdom to activate the mark, would result in devastating injury to Qin Yun if the four Dawn Arrows detonated.

Yu Yuan's daunting resilience instilled a sense of wariness in him.

Upon further reflection, he realized there was no deep-seated hatred between them. Moreover, Yu Yuan, having gained the sword spirit's approval in the forbidden area, surely had exceptional qualities.

Might there be a way to coexist differently now that the Soulforge Matrix had dissipated?

With a soft exhalation, Qin Yun's silhouette darted across the night sky.

In a flash, he materialized in the airspace between the battling Yu Yuan and Lin Zhuyun.

He offered Lin Zhuyun a gentle smile.

Marshaling his full strength to ward off the evil spirit, he shielded Lin Zhuyun from losing her sanity to the pervasive malice, aggression, and madness that sought to penetrate her mind, as if she had been struck by a formidable blow.

Boom!

Lin Zhuyun felt as though a Troll had plummeted from the heavens and stomped directly into her mind.

Billions of soul-shattering forces filled her Mindscape, threatening to obliterate her three souls of heaven, earth, and man in an instant.

With their realms so vastly apart, the peak Lunar Spirit attack left her with an overwhelming pressure, rendering her utterly powerless to resist.

"Hold on," Yu Yuan said with a light chuckle.

The terrifying force that could annihilate the three souls vanished in the blink of an eye.

Before Lin Zhuyun could regain her senses, a torrent of evil thoughts—saturated with hatred, violence, and madness—breached her defenses and overwhelmed her.

She was instantly submerged.

The clarity and purity in her eyes were replaced by a sinister mix of resentment, malice, and insanity.

Standing frozen, she shivered as the malevolent thoughts lurking in her spiritual wisdom began to consume her, little by little.

"Your fiancée's mental state has collapsed. She's very likely to fall into wickedness," Qin Yun of Midnightshields commented with a furrowed brow. "What exactly happened to her? I heard she was favored by Winter's Bite and ascended to the Veil Breaking realm. Afterward, she was to be personally guided to Euwrea by the Chief Elder of Winter's Bite."

He and Zhao Jian had ventured into the Moonfall Sanctuary with the initial intent of eliminating Lee Yu and the other so-called new moons.

The prominence of the Silvermoon Empire's five moons had caught the attention of many, including the Sunfire Emperor himself.

That was precisely why he was familiar with Lin Zhuyun's affairs.

Now, he noticed that Lin Zhuyun's Sacred Heart had been tainted with much negativity. After Yu Yuan's words prompted him to stay his hand, numerous evil thoughts had easily infiltrated her.

This indicated that Lin Zhuyun's Sacred Heart was already fractured; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so susceptible.

"Her journey of cultivation has hit a significant obstacle," Yu Yuan said coldly. "If she cannot conquer her inner demon and survive this ordeal, she won't be able to leave this forbidden area. Mr. Qin, let's not concern ourselves with her. The Way of Heaven is unforgiving. You reap what you sow, and many of her troubles are of her own making."

Yu Yuan felt not an ounce of sympathy for his fiancée, only growing more repulsed by her.

The Soulforge Matrix had been dismantled. He was uncertain whether there were any theurgists in the Silvermoon Empire capable of observing the heavens and earth, so he refrained from harming Lin Zhuyun.

Besides, in his eyes, Lin Zhuyun was no longer a threat.

She was no match for him.

"Your sister is safe now."

Qin Yun consciously maintained a distance, wary of any potential misunderstandings, "That Terra Fiend, the White Walker, didn't lay a hand on your sister. The diamond-shaped mark on her forehead has successfully integrated with her mud pellet. I'm convinced that the mark will only benefit her, strengthening her three souls of heaven, earth, and man."

After a brief pause, Qin Yun spoke again, "What happened?"

"Did you catch sight of that bronze coffin?" inquired Yu Yuan.

Qin Yun nodded, "The spectacle of the bronze coffin ascending was incredibly dramatic. It was so noticeable that I believe even the slightly more powerful alien souls or goasts could have seen it."

"What exactly is that bronze coffin?"

With a grave expression, Qin Yun asked, "White Walker, what connection do you have with that bronze coffin?"

"The bronze monument we saw is actually the lid of the coffin, and beneath the bronze coffin lies what White Walker referred to as the greatest demon in this forbidden area!" Yu Yuan took a moment to reflect before deciding to reveal the truth, "That individual is a sinner from Boulderdawn, seemingly the catalyst for the sect's downfall."

Qin Yun was astounded, "Has he awakened?"

"It seems he has," Yu Yuan replied with a wry smile. "The Stormcrowned Emperor, along with the Sky Fiend Indigo Wraith, Terra Fiend White Walker, and the Soul Splitting Staff seized by White Walker, have all departed the Everlands with that bronze coffin, hurtling into the cosmic void."

Qin Yun was left speechless by these revelations.

"I'm questioning everything now, doubting every piece of information White Walker provided, even the existence of the Soulforge Pool," Yu Yuan continued without waiting for Qin Yun to process the information. "That's why I need to verify it myself."

Qin Yun was still reeling from the shock.

"Mr. Qin, I can no longer use the sword spirit to trigger the restrictions," Yu Yuan said with a wry smile. "But I still hope you can lend me your support and accompany me."

"Agreed!"

After a moment, Qin Yun gave a firm nod.

Both he and Lin Zhuyun, looking utterly disheartened, avoided any further eye contact.

Yu Yuan took the lead, with the Midnightshields' sect master wary of arousing Qin Yun's suspicions. He deliberately maintained a distance and even retracted his spiritual sense.

Half a day passed.

They discovered an oval, sunken pond etched into the earth.

The pond was vast but shallow. Its bottom was riddled with numerous holes, ranging from the size of a fist to that of a finger, seemingly tunneling into the earth's depths.

The rocky walls of the pond were etched with numerous sword scars.

The sword scars were dense and chaotic, crisscrossing in a seemingly meaningful pattern.

"Is this what they call the Soulforge Pool?"

Qin Yun glanced down at it and said with a baffled look, "It seems Lord White Walker has deceived us once more. This rudimentary pond, devoid of any remnant soul activity or signs of a Soul Nexus, couldn't possibly be the hub of a rune circle."

Yu Yuan surveyed the area briefly but found nothing remarkable. He nodded in agreement, "White Walker's words appear to be mere fabrications."

"So, what's our next move?" Qin Yun hesitated, "The Silvermoon Empire might have already been infiltrated by numerous evil spirits and alien souls. I propose we head to the Crimson Sun Empire. I still wield some influence there and can ensure your safe return to Asvetaesi."

He paused for a few seconds before adding, "That is, if you're willing."

"What are you implying?" inquired Yu Yuan.

"Asvetaesi may not be the optimal choice for you. If you're open to it, the Midnightshields would gladly welcome you." Qin Yun's tone was earnest and sincere as he spoke, "I will dedicate myself to your development. I'm confident that you'll have a promising future with the Midnightshields."

Yu Yuan paused, momentarily taken aback, and was about to respond when he suddenly felt the sword light in his arm bone warming up once more.

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