C1566 Blood Sprays out of the Star River
"Do I truly have no hope?"
Ann Wen's eyes brimmed with a plea for mercy.
At his core, he was averse to approaching the Root of the Solar Meridian because he was of the Everlands, considering himself an integral part of it.
If there was even a glimmer of hope to attain a divine seat within the Everlands and ascend to the highest echelons, he would not seek outside assistance.
Moreover, the Root of the Solar Meridian, which gave rise to the Blood Fiend, was the very enemy in his heart...
This was why, even after Ann Wen left the Everlands, his resolve wavered, not quite solidified.
"It's with regret that I inform you, even if a divine seat were to become available, you would still..." Yu Yuan shook his head, extinguishing the faint hope in Ann Wen's heart. "Your only path lies outside. The moment you began practicing the mystiques of the Colddeath and melting the blood of the Otherkin, your fate was sealed."
He paused, his gaze turning contemplative.
He considered that his Solar Spirit possessed a full life force. By Taishi's account, he was forging a new sacred way for both himself and the Everlands.
Yet, this sacred way was bound to clash with the Dark Phoenix.
The Dark Phoenix of the Everlands could overpower all archdemons with its vital energy, even formidable beings like Tianqi and Zhongli Dapan.
Only the descendants of the Titan Spinosaurus, immune to her demonic blood, were beyond her influence, with even humanity somewhat constrained by her.
His Solar Spirit Body, with the complete Secrets of Life, was beyond comparison to Ann Wen. If he could fully grasp the Way of Heaven, he would likely ascend to godhood.
Unfettered by the Dark Phoenix, the power of his Origin of Life seemed to pose a direct threat to her standing in the Everlands...
His gaze involuntarily shifted to the Rebirth Nest suspended in the sky.
The empress's enmity with the Dark Phoenix ran deep. She had long been aware of his identity and that in this life, he was delving into a mysterious power.
She had supported him repeatedly, aiding in the consolidation of his Solar Spirit and generously bolstering his strength. But to what end?
Regardless of his willingness, as long as he sought to comprehend the Secrets of Life and ascend to godhood, he would inevitably stand in opposition to the Dark Phoenix. Moreover, from his first life, he harbored a profound enmity towards the Dark Phoenix. Thus, he and Chen Qinghuang were inherently aligned against her.
"Forget it, I don't want to think about this anymore."
Ann Wen shook his head in resignation and gazed up at the Kylin, his brow furrowing. "How could he have died? I'm not sure about the other Dark Deities, but the Dark Phoenix is said to have a sense for these things. She could feel it, whether in the Everlands or across the starry sea beyond, whenever he faced certain death."
"The Dark Phoenix is preoccupied with her own troubles," Yu Yuan said with a chuckle.
His Lunar Spirit left behind in the Everlands was unaware of the events unfolding in the extraterrestrial Star River. However, his Solar Spirit, through the channels of the Skyreach Consortium and Gui Xu, had learned of the significant upheaval currently taking place in the Everlands.
After departing from the Godsblight Marsh, his true form did not immediately come here. Instead, he journeyed to the Deathwing Lair within the Darkpinion. There, he awaited the Queen's summons, quickly learning that the Dark Phoenix had visited the Sunlit Order and mercilessly struck down Yuwen Hao.
As he was pulled from the Deathwing Lair to the Rebirth Nest by the Queen, he also discovered that Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian and Lin Daoke of the Sword Sect had entered the fray.
"She's unable to come? What's happened within the Everlands?" Ann Wen exclaimed, visibly shaken.
"Tan Xiaotian and Lin Daoke joined forces against her. She wanted to prevent the Kylin's death, so she set out to eliminate Yuwen Hao," Yu Yuan explained nonchalantly.
The Dark Phoenix was without her powers, and with the White Tiger detained at Skyreach Peak by Han Miaoyuan, there was no one from the evilkind to offer assistance. The Kylin, left isolated by the barriers Taishi and I erected, faced a certain demise.
"She bears an old grudge against the Dark Phoenix and seeks to slay the Kylin, thereby severing one of the Dark Phoenix's wings," Yu Yuan looked up, sensing the burgeoning energy within the Rebirth Nest. "Once the Kylin perishes, should Shadow's Keep and the Divine Hall truly go to war, she will join forces with me to confront the Dark Phoenix."
Ann Wen's face turned ashen with terror in that very moment!
Whoosh!
A majestic green giant bird soared out from beneath the golden barrier of the Rebirth Nest, its blade-like wings scattering death and destruction.
As the empress materialized in this miniature world in the guise of the secular bird, her wings fluttered gently.
The black flames of obliteration she unleashed dwarfed even the storms conjured by the Kylin, bursting upon its form like colossal mushroom clouds.
The ashen blades of death's light, carrying the chilling power to snuff out life, also descended upon the Kylin.
Its scales, once a formidable armor, now cracked and fell away in pieces.
The empress had yet to draw near, and the Kylin was already riddled with wounds.
Yu Yuan and Ann Wen gazed upon the graceful green bird, its beauty captivating them even as they were gripped by a profound sense of dread.
"The cosmic order of Taishi limits much of the Kylin's power. With the Dragon Slaying Stage in my grasp, the Kylin cannot flee," Yu Yuan said with a smile. "And she is the driving force behind the Kylin's demise. If she were at her peak strength, she wouldn't even need Taishi's assistance."
To Yu Yuan, the formidable green giant bird before him was none other than Chen Qinghuang's Solar Spirit.
After a series of battles that led her back to the Star River and the sacred lands of the Wingkind and Shadowkin, the Solar Spirit, forged from blood and soul, underwent a metamorphosis.
The latent potential of blood and soul burst forth, taking on the secular bird's form and reviving the might of the cosmic giant beast.
Yet this incarnation of Chen Qinghuang wasn't her most powerful state; there was still infinite potential for growth.
She could further enhance her Soul Power, she possessed the Lunar Spirit, and her real body remained...
The secular bird before him was but a transformation of the Solar Spirit...
Through her, Yu Yuan glimpsed a path forward, sensing the wondrous transformation his own Solar Spirit might undergo.
With a swift dive, the secular bird, elegant and nimble, swept its serrated wings across the expansive back of the Kylin.
Hundreds of green scales and thick, dark green blood cascaded from the Kylin, suspended midair.
The Kylin roared in agony, its blood soaking the earth. Despite this, it could sense that Taishi, hidden deep underground, was using its blood to craft even more constraints and seals specifically designed to target it. The weight of its demon body grew increasingly oppressive, yet the secular bird, granted exemption by Taishi, remained unaffected by the gravitational field.
As death loomed ever closer, the Kylin resorted to a blood magic known only to itself and the Dark Phoenix, sending out a desperate plea for help. For tens of thousands of years, whenever death's shadow had crept upon it, this blood magic had always successfully connected it with the Dark Phoenix, who would swiftly respond, urging it to wait. And wait it did, until the Dark Phoenix arrived.
But this time, an exception occurred. Its call, its bloodline communication, went unanswered. For the first time, the Kylin experienced the bitter taste of despair.
...
In the extraterrestrial mining area rich with meteoric iron, a secret acquisition by the Skyreach Consortium unfolded. Comprising five starshards, the area boasted abundant meteoric iron and had been quietly exploited for some time. Recently, however, an executive order had been issued, and all those mining the meteoric iron were abruptly expelled.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Golden rivers gleamed on the surfaces and beneath the starshards, streams of refined meteoric iron converging towards a majestic Gold Mountain. This mountain, once the premier Gold Mountain of the Everlands, had been transformed by President Lyi. Now, as he continuously drew the essence of meteoric iron from the five starshards, his heart appeared as though gilded, radiating a brilliant golden light.
This place was known only to President Lyi and his closest confidants, and entry was strictly prohibited.
Yet, without warning, Zhong Chichen appeared, clad in a rainbow-colored robe with sleeves dancing in the air, a skull clutched in his fingers.
With a smile playing on his lips and surrounded by ripples of iridescent light, he said, "President Lyi, isn't it? Quite clever of you to realize the path was blocked and to change your approach."
At a mere thought from President Lyi, the dazzling mountain transformed into a throne. He seated himself regally upon it, eyeing Zhong Chichen. After a brief assessment, he was confident that Zhong Chichen posed no threat to him at this moment.
As the President of the Skyreach Consortium, he was well aware that the man before him, Zhong Chichen, was the Chronowyrm from ancient times.
"What brings you here?"
President Lyi was clearly in a foul mood, his impatience evident.
"Loong Jie will ascend to godhood in a short while," Zhong Chichen said with a smile, toying with a skull in his hand. He glanced at the diminutive soul fire in Xuanying's grasp and continued, "You must realize the implications for the vast Star River once Loong Jie becomes a deity."
The news visibly shook President Lyi, his face contorting with surprise. "That quickly?!"
Zhong Chichen simply smiled, offering no reply.
Taking a deep breath, President Lyi pondered, "If the rumors hold true, after ascending to a tenth-level golden dragon, his first target would be the Blood King Sabonis, wouldn't it?"
"You seem to be well-informed," Zhong Chichen remarked, a look of satisfaction on his face.
"Given that we're on the same journey, and he is its ultimate destination, I must make it my business to know more," President Lyi replied with a wry smile. "I just hope the Blood King hasn't sustained serious injuries. I truly hope... that Alonso didn't meet his end too soon."
"Sabonis dared to defy the will of that individual; his survival would be the real surprise," Zhong Chichen said, his eyes gleaming with scorn. "Even at the height of our power, we Nagas revered Bertain. Sabonis has certainly overstepped his bounds."
"If not for the demise of Loong Jie's ancestor at the hands of Taiyin, would the Shura have ever seen their golden era?"
"The Shura have indeed faced a tragic fate. Alonso made you, and yet Sabonis will fall to Loong Jie. Tan Xiaotian has nearly unraveled the secrets of the Dark Realm, and their stronghold is on the brink of collapse."
After a moment of reflection, Zhong Chichen made an offer: "Do something for me, and I assure you, you'll remain alive once Loong Jie achieves godhood."
President Lyi remained silent for a long while before letting out a sigh, "Go ahead, tell me."
