C1573 The Mystical Dark Phoenix

After the primal energy was absorbed into the clear lake, it was immediately drawn to Green Willow.

Yu Yuan watched as the mysterious primal energy slowly made its way toward the massive demon snake form of Green Willow.

Meanwhile, the Titan Spinosaurus, which had been reluctant to leave, gradually settled down, its longing and desire fading away.

"Dragon slayer."

Yu Yuan whispered to himself, feeling a vague memory stirring deep within his dominant soul. Yet, it was firmly suppressed, not permitted to surface.

This hazy recollection seemed connected to the essence of the divine throne, as if it were a matter of great importance and secrecy.

Piecing together what Ape had mentioned, he began to suspect that in his first life, he might have indeed traversed the Earthfire as a pure soul and witnessed that very thing.

At that moment, the deep green Kylin Heart, carried by a surge of primal energy, slowly made its way toward the Dragon Slaying Stage.

Inside the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit, which had been eagerly awaiting, was now pulling the Kylin Heart, intent on consuming the vast vital energy within the Dark Deity's heart.

Yet, curiously enough...

He discovered that within the Kylin Heart, amidst the concentrated vital energy, not a single slender bloodline chain could be found.

The instant the Dragon Slaying Stage struck, the Bloodline Gem representing the rule of the storm burst apart, and the other blood magic inherent to the Kylin's heart shattered along with it.

As the divine seat fractured, all the marvels within the Kylin Heart, and the other mysteries he had discerned, vanished.

This was quite unusual.

For when Lin Daoke had slain Lee Sha with a single sword strike, the droplets of silvery lifeblood left behind still contained the Moon Magic that Lee Sha had mastered.

Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit could still refine and comprehend the Moon Magic, enabling it to mimic and wield the Moon Divine Ability.

If he chose, he could even use Lee Sha's bloodline mysteries to transform his Solar Spirit into a member of the Moonlit Wanderers.

Yet, the many bloodline chains that should have been present within the Kylin Heart had all disintegrated with the shattering of the divine seat.

Seeking enlightenment, he turned to Untamed for advice...

"The Dark Phoenix erased them," Untamed grumbled, his Demonic Eyes gazing toward the wall. "Even though she resides in the starry seas beyond the Everlands, the moment she felt the Kylin Demon Heart break, she obliterated all the bloodline chains that the Kylin had comprehended throughout his life, along with those he was born with."

"So, the Kylin Heart you now possess contains only dense vital energy, devoid of any bloodline mysteries."

"Fortunately, you were in the Marsh and not some other location in the Everlands. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to bring even the vital energy within the Kylin Heart to the Dragon Slaying Stage for your Solar Spirit to absorb."

Untamed shared the inside story, adding, "Aside from integrating with the Kylin Heart to create primal energy infused with the Storm's Divine Crystal, she can erase or extract anything related to vital energy and bloodlines with her power."

"In essence, she can meddle with anything connected to vital energy throughout the Everlands."

"Think of her as one of the Everlands' Solar Meridians for a simpler analogy."

As he spoke, Untamed's expression revealed a mix of bitterness and resignation.

"I didn't witness the Nagas' golden age. I became a Dark Deity after she, along with other human powerhouses, toppled the Naga rule, and I was with the Boulderdawn Sect. I don't know much about the Nagas' downfall, but I'm well aware of the Boulderdawn Sect's overthrow."

"When she targeted the Boulderdawn Sect, I was reluctant to exert any effort and instead chose to slip away to the Extraterrestrial Star River."

"But when she finally acted and her power began to manifest, I was terrified to find that the vital energy in my body, even in the Extraterrestrial Star River, was rapidly depleting."

"Can you imagine what that feels like?"

Ape's face was contorted with rage, "Without so much as a warning, she could just tap into your vital energy and extract it directly! It was then that I realized that in her eyes, whether it was me, the Kylin, or the Golden Elephant God, we were nothing but her puppets."

"That's why I've spent years residing in the Marsh. There, she can't manipulate my vital energy at her whim."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan gained a more concrete understanding of the Dark Phoenix in the Everlands.

In the Everlands, the Dark Phoenix was akin to the Root of the Solar Meridian on the Primal Blood Continent. She could actually erase the bloodline chain branded inside the Kylin Heart after the Kylin's death.

If the Kylin hadn't been in the marsh, even the vital energy concentrated within its dark green heart might have been taken by her.

The Untamed, having left the marsh he had painstakingly crafted, would have been equally vulnerable elsewhere, with the Dark Phoenix seizing his vital energy.

Yu Yuan felt this situation was akin to the blood bound slaves created by the Great Demon God Grec. When Grec dealt with Ann Ziqing, he seemed able to directly siphon her flesh and blood power for his own use when necessary.

The difference, however, was that Grec's blood bound slaves were completely subservient, devoid of their own spiritual wisdom and thoughts.

The Untamed, on the other hand, could still resist the Dark Phoenix. Though he might be unable to overcome her, he retained his own consciousness and could make some preparations, rather than being a blood puppet utterly enslaved.

"Green Willow, Yu Zhu, White Tiger, as long as their bodies contain rich vital energy, she can extract it whenever she needs, especially in times of danger?" Yu Yuan exclaimed in horror.

"Mm."

The Untamed spoke of this with a sense of helplessness, "Aside from the descendants of the Titan Spinosaurus like Ann Wen and Ann Ziqing, and unique individuals like you, any being in the Everlands with rich vital energy is at risk of having it forcibly taken by her when she requires it."

"As for Yu Zhu, due to her unique nature and partial comprehension and refinement of the Demon God's blood energy, perhaps, just perhaps, she might have a chance to escape her grasp. Astral Tiger, Green Willow, other archdemons, and mighty figures from the Forgeroses like Zhongli Dapan, as well as you, Tianqi from the Boulderdawn Sect—the stronger your flesh and blood, the greater her influence over you."

The Dark Phoenix's terrifying ability to suppress the blood energy of all beings in the Everlands left Yu Yuan in awe.

Yu Yuan also realized that his dedicated pursuit of the Dao of Life in this lifetime would inevitably lead to a fierce confrontation with the Dark Phoenix.

...

On the moon, high above the extraterrestrial realm.

Yue Mu, practicing the Rillrender Sword technique, hung his head and sighed in utter despondency.

Van Heqing emerged from the Sundering Isles with news of Green Willow's bid to ascend as a Dark Deity.

Yue Mu felt deflated. He spent hours sitting silently in the gleaming Silver Tower, not uttering a single word.

"I never expected you to still harbor ambitions of reaching the Supreme Realm."

Van Heqing regarded the Grand Sword Immortal, notorious for his indolence within the Sword Sect, with surprise. "With your exceptional talent, a bit more effort over the years could have seen you advance to the late period of the Unbound Realm. I assumed you were aware of the Sword Sect's longstanding limit of two divine seats and had resigned yourself to that fact."

"Indifferent as I may seem, I still cling to hope," Yue Mu retorted with an eye roll. "With Green Willow's ascension, my hopes are dashed."

He and Green Willow had both trodden the same path, but now his own sacred way was severed.

It would be odd if he could find any joy in that.

"A Dark Deity isn't like our primordial spirit; he will eventually meet his end," Van Heqing offered in consolation.

"You're not seriously using that to cheer me up, are you? Van, you're hardly a skilled conversationalist. Arguing with you could drive a person to their grave," Yue Mu grumbled, unwilling to engage further. "Sure, Green Willow will die, but without a divine seat, I'll die too!"

"Besides, you're well aware that unless we humans ascend to godhood, we can't match the evilkind in longevity. Managing to live for a few thousand years in the Unbound State is already a feat, but Green Willow, as a ninth level Monster Lord, already boasted a lifespan well beyond ten thousand years. As a Dark Deity, his lifespan will extend even further, making a few tens of thousands of years quite normal."

"If I don't ascend, how can I outlast Green Willow? By the time he dies a natural death, I'll have perished countless times over!"

The more Yue Mu dwelled on it, the sadder he became.

Humans may progress rapidly through the realms, clearly outpacing the evilkind in that regard, yet their lifespans remain pitifully short in comparison to the archdemons.

To ascend to godhood, one must achieve divinity in a single step; otherwise, even at the pinnacle of the Unbound State, like Zu Ann, surpassing ten thousand years of life would be a challenge.

The evilkind, however, are different. A ninth-level Monster Lord, if not slain in battle, could effortlessly live for ten thousand years.

Upon becoming a Dark Deity, they could extend their lifespan by several tens of thousands of years. While not eternal, it is a longevity unattainable to human experts who have not ascended to godhood.

Thus, without Green Willow's demise, Yue Mu stood no chance.

"Why not try a different sacred way?" Van Heqing offered.

"Try a different sacred way? It's not that simple. Can one simply switch paths on a whim? Please, return to the Everlands and the Sundering Isles. Stop trying to provoke me," Yue Mu retorted, nearly spitting blood at the suggestion.

"My affinity is with water. If I were to change my path, I'd seek one akin to it. The only variation in water is ice. Are you suggesting I kill Ji Ningshuang and steal her sacred way?"

"I'm not tired of living yet!"

Before Van Heqing could respond, Yue Mu forcefully expelled the Shatterblade from his presence.

He had no desire to entertain any further nonsense from Van Heqing.

...

The Poison Cult.

Venomous insects fluttered through the valley like multicolored fireflies. Xuanli squinted at the Voodoo Shade merging with the soul of the insect, observing the gradual transformation.

He pondered whether to collect a swarm of these venomous insects and release them into the neighboring Rainbow Ocean.

Suddenly, Youyu appeared, gracefully coming to a halt before Xuanli. He observed the swarm, intrigued by the unique fusion of two souls. "You've been quite busy," he remarked.

"Well, if it isn't Youyu, the Everlands' first-ever God of Ghosts," Xuanli said with a sardonic edge. "What brings you here? It seems I should have been the one to visit you in the Land of Terror. How about you return, and I'll make my way there? I could negotiate with the Ghost King in your domain for an audience with you."

"It's the same old story, just as harsh as ever," Youyu said with a detached gaze, showing neither sorrow nor joy.

He had long grown accustomed to Xuanli's biting remarks; they didn't faze him in the slightest.

He had no interest in engaging in a war of words with Xuanli, preferring to get straight to the point. "I was the one who killed Zhu Zhenlin. This divine seat rightfully belongs to us, so I'm fairly confident in my plans. The person from Shadow's Keep also requires my strength, and with Yu Zhu's unique abilities, her ascension to divinity should be relatively smooth."

"Looking ahead, if I'm to secure a divine seat for you, we'll need to earn our stripes with the Bloodbrawlers and Shadow's Keep. Only if we prove our worth to Everlands will Han Miaoyuan and the individual from Shadow's Keep lend their support for the throne."

"My strategy is to target the Origin Gate, Everlands' Achilles' heel."

Youyu laid out his strategy.

Xuanli paused, then responded, "Speaking of the Origin Gate, I actually have a matter to discuss with you."

​