C1567 A Pie Fell from the Sky
At Skyreach Peak, Yu Yuan, Youyu, Zu Ann, and the others sat in a desolate silence, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the battle from beyond our world. They were all waiting for Han Miaoyuan to make his choice.
Following the alliance between the Untamed and the Astral Tiger, the two Dark Deities fell silent.
"Baibai..." Yu Yuan looked slightly taken aback. After leaving Zu Ann and Youyu's side, he approached Mo Baichuan and inquired, "What's wrong with you?"
Mo Baichuan, present in his true form, was flushed and shaking violently.
The group understood his distress and recognized his frustration. When the Dark Phoenix struck at Yuwen Hao, Mo Baichuan was powerless to intervene.
Tan Xiaotian and Lin Daoke had each taken action, but Han Miaoyuan seemed to waver once more after the Astral Tiger's threat to elevate Loong Jie to godhood.
Mo Baichuan's emotional turmoil was palpable to everyone, yet it appeared his current state was not solely due to his mood.
"Hehe," chuckled Qin Luo from the Ruby Hand, with a knowing glance at Mo Baichuan. "Mo Baichuan, your original body and Lunar Spirit may be here, but your Solar Spirit... has it ventured to the Earthfire, embarking on the trial?"
This revelation sparked a look of astonishment in those familiar with the Earthfire's significance, including the Untamed and Zu Ann.
Zu Ann let out a soft sigh, gazing at Mo Baichuan. "Why go to such lengths?" he asked.
Yu Yuan turned his attention to him.
Zu Ann elaborated, "The Earthfire of the Everlands demands a constant siphoning of ice energy from the Frozen Hellscape, drawn from seven Frostfell domains, to keep it in check. This ferocious blaze is far more tumultuous than any extraterrestrial flame or even the sun's fury. To date, no one has deciphered its enigmas, nor has anyone ascended to godhood through it."
He paused, then added, "However, should someone truly ascend to the highest echelon with the power of the Earthfire..."
Zu Ann left the thought hanging, concluding, "It would be unspeakably formidable."
Youyu spoke with a detached tone, "Not even the ancient fire dragon could grasp the essence of the Earthfire, nor dared to venture into it."
Yu Yuan grasped the situation immediately.
"Baibai, this path is perilous, and there's no successful precedent. Don't act on impulse!"
Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit leaned in close to Mo Baichuan, his voice grave, "If Yuwen Hao perishes, his sacred way will be vacant. You could potentially ascend to the Supreme God through that path with ease."
At this, Qin Luo of the Ruby Hand grew restless and let out a soft snort, "Yu Yuan, if Yuwen Hao falls, Zhou Cangmin will be poised to claim divinity."
Qin Luo's mention of Zhou Cangmin was a clear warning to Yu Yuan not to interfere recklessly.
"We can engage in fair competition," Yu Yuan declared.
Mo Baichuan's body shook violently as if billows of thick smoke were escaping from his Golden Sanctum.
His face contorted in agony, his body drenched in sweat, as if he were being scorched by intense flames.
This torment was because his Solar Spirit had merely grazed the outermost reaches of the Earthfire.
With the Solar Spirit and the real body interconnected, particularly through the Golden Sanctum, his little world, and the nine flame acupoints, his real body suffered the repercussions.
The distress of his real body indicated that his Solar Spirit, confronting the Earthfire directly, was enduring a pain magnified manyfold.
Witnessing his anguished expression, everyone could only imagine the sheer misery his Solar Spirit was experiencing.
"I'd rather meet my end on this uncharted sacred way."
With those words, Mo Baichuan cast a final glance at the Banner of Duality standing at the valley's edge, then abruptly shot up into the sky.
He disregarded Han Miaoyuan's commands and left without a word to Zu Ann, breaking away from Skyreach Peak.
His corporeal body, unable to bear the ferocity of the Earthfire, had joined the council in his real form.
Meanwhile, his Solar Spirit lingered at a juncture leading to the Earthfire, pondering the fierce heat at the fringe, not rushing to proceed.
When the Dark Phoenix emerged within the Sunlit Order and launched an attack on Yuwen Hao, Mo Baichuan, tormented by the unfolding events and the reactions of those around him, finally resolved to take that decisive step.
The fusion of spiritual energy and the soul created the Fire Crystal, as the Solar Spirit made official contact with the Earthfire. The process began at the outermost layer.
Regardless of whether Yuwen Hao was dead or alive, his resolve to pursue the Way remained unshaken. He renounced all pursuits of fire magic, focusing solely on achieving divinity through the vast Earthfire of the Everlands.
But what would it matter if Yuwen Hao attained godhood through his sacred way? He would still be no match for the Dark Phoenix. Knowing that his path would not enable him to exact revenge in the future, and that the Everlands could fall into peril, he risked being targeted by the Dark Phoenix or callously discarded by Han Miaoyuan, just as Ji Tianyu had been.
Mo Baichuan, having left Skyreach Peak behind, shook his head with unprecedented resolve.
"He's just going to leave, just like that?" Qin Luo was taken aback.
"Regardless of the result, his decision is impressive," said the Ape, his Demonic Eyes reflecting admiration. "The chances of success are slim, but he's aware that following Yuwen Hao's path won't allow him to stand against the Dark Phoenix. It's only by forging a new sacred way with the Earthfire that he can bring hope for the resurgence of the Sunlit Order in the future."
With Lee Tianxin gone, and Yuwen Hao possibly meeting the same fate, the once supreme Sunlit Order risked plummeting to the status of a lower sect. Without carving out a powerful enough sacred way, Mo Baichuan understood that his vengeance would remain unfulfilled.
He refused to end up like Yuwen Hao, Ji Tianyu, and Gu Xingkui, potentially becoming expendable pawns to Han Miaoyuan when the time came.
"Every path is forged by those who walk it. Remember, the first to venture into the sun were consumed by flames, yet now it's a well-trodden sacred way," Zu Ann remarked to Qin Luo.
Having chosen to guard a piece of the Earth at Skyreach Peak and standing before the Origin Gate, he continued, "I may not be close to Mo Baichuan, nor do we share a deep bond, but I truly hope he succeeds."
"I share that hope," declared Untamed.
Yu Yuan nodded, his emotions a complex tapestry.
He understood that if Mo Baichuan truly succeeded, he could ascend to godhood with the vast power of the Earthfire from the Everlands, and no one would dare to harm him. For if he did, he might unleash the Earthfire, reducing the Everlands to ashes and scorched earth.
Yuwen Hao, aspiring to such divinity, would find that Han Miaoyuan and the Dark Phoenix wouldn't dare entertain the thought, let alone lay a finger on him.
Moreover, if Mo Baichuan genuinely forged a new sacred way, he might manage to quell the Earthfire temporarily should any mishaps occur at the seven Wintermaw portals.
"Perhaps we'll never see him again," Qin Luo remarked nonchalantly.
"If we do see him again, he should have gleaned some understanding from the sacred way of the Earthfire. Naturally, that's hardly sufficient. He must survive. As long as he lives and continues to draw closer to the true Earthfire, there's hope," Untamed said, brimming with expectation.
...
On Dragon Island, Loong Jie's serpentine golden dragon form glistened like a radiant golden wall along the beach.
He gazed skyward, pondering why Tan Xiaotian, Lin Daoke, the Dark Phoenix, and Yuwen Hao had abruptly erupted into battle.
As the Nagas had always been marginalized, he was out of the loop with no information.
The five paramount powers and the Skyreach Consortium had previously disregarded the Nagas...
That is until Yu Yuan returned from his extraterrestrial journey and made an unexpected appearance on Dragon Island.
Upon seeing the Titan Spinosaurus within the Dragon Slaying Stage, Loong Jie understood why the balance of power in the Everlands had shifted, feeling a renewed sense of significance.
In that moment, Loong Jie's fighting spirit was rekindled, and his dragon blood surged with fervor!
Lin Daoke's arrival, however, forced him to confront the harsh reality that even with an empty seat among the gods, it wouldn't be his turn.
Bit by bit, Loong Jie ceased to harbor grand illusions, so even with the knowledge of a significant upheaval brewing as the supreme forces of the Everlands clashed in the extraterrestrial, he remained detached.
After all, the spoils of such events would never fall to him...
Splash!
Before Loong Jie, a delicate figure stood atop a translucent crystal ball, which abruptly leapt from the sea's embrace.
Loong Jie had not sensed anything beforehand. With his power, it was highly improbable for someone to approach him undetected, especially from a mere ten meters away in the deep sea. Yet, when he squinted to recognize the figure in the crystal ball, the reason became clear. The president of the Skyreach Consortium had personally arrived at the Everlands, bringing a treasure with her. It was no wonder she could elude his detection and appear without any forewarning.
"President Shi graces us with her presence. Dragon Island is truly honored by your visit," Loong Jie remarked coolly, eyeing the crystal ball that had settled on the beach, with no inclination to assume human form.
"I've brought a gift and some good news," Shi Jing'er said, her beautiful face adorned with a subtle smile. As the crystal ball came to a halt, she stepped out gracefully and placed a bright yellow Cosmos Ring beneath Loong Jie's massive golden dragon head, then quickly retreated to the crystal ball, seemingly not wanting to draw attention.
Loong Jie's gaze fell upon the Cosmos Ring, which levitated in response. The tiny ring perched on his snout, appearing as an inconspicuous speck. His remnant soul penetrated the ring, revealing vials of blood from the Silverscale Tribe, the Shura, various Otherkin, and even alien beasts—nearly all containing ninth-level lifeblood. Among them, a vial of striking golden blood stood out, its vital energy so potent that even Loong Jie's expression shifted. "Blood of the Golden Shura? Alonso's, I presume?" he inquired.
Shi Jing'er nodded in confirmation.
"Why would President Lyi prepare something meant for his own ascension and give it to me?" Loong Jie mused, perplexed. He huffed, "He's always been wary of me. What's made him so generous all of a sudden?"
Shi Jing'er was forthright, "Because you're on the verge of ascending to Dragon God."
Her attempt to ingratiate herself was evident, yet her candid and straightforward manner made it easy to warm up to her.
"Me?" Loong Jie finally shifted on the beach. Having had his spirit dampened once by Lin Daoke, he was skeptical of such unexpected fortunes. "You must be joking."
"I am Shi Jing'er. Do you really think I'd joke about this?" she replied.
Loong Jie's form shuddered, his body crackling with dazzling golden electricity as he transformed into his human shape. Gasping for breath, he clutched the Cosmos Ring and glared at Shi Jing'er, demanding, "Who? Who secured this divine seat for me?"
"Chronowyrm, Zhong Chichen," Shi Jing'er mused silently, her gaze fixed on the golden dragon's fiery eyes. "The battle beyond our world was fought to clear the way for your divine ascension. Ji Tianyu will relinquish her powers and shatter her own divine seat to prepare for Zhong Chichen."
Loong Jie felt as though a miracle had just dropped from the heavens, utterly dazed by the astonishing news.
"How could this be? How is this even possible?" Loong Jie repeated in disbelief.
Shi Jing'er offered no further explanation, confident that it wouldn't be long before Loong Jie grasped the full extent of what had transpired.
She had been the first to offer her congratulations and a generous gift, prompted by a message from President Lyi.
Aware that Loong Jie's ascension to godhood was inevitable, she understood that President Lyi's current hope was that once Loong Jie attained divinity, he would not turn his formidable dragon's might against him.
