C1576 The World Is in Chaos!

After acquiring the Serpentflame, Mo Baichuan decided to engage in intensive cultivation within the Fireheart Mountains, intent on reforging his Solar Spirit. He found Yu Yuan's presence, particularly his Lunar Spirit, to be a hindrance to his training and promptly banished him.

Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit, now unoccupied, leveraged the mystical link with the Dragon Slaying Stage. In an instant, he traveled from the Fireheart Mountains in the Land of Quiescence to the Dragon Slaying Stage nestled in the Marsh. There, Green Willow continued to craft his Bloodline Gem, with the Untamed standing guard.

Yu Yuan, reunited with his physical form, mulled over the enigmatic inscriptions related to Earthfire on the inner walls of his furnace, reflecting on his master's teachings. Regrettably, the more he dwelled on it, the hazier his memories became, leaving him without answers.

As time swiftly passed, a rare tranquility settled over the Everlands, and the tumultuous events of the past seemed distant. Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit remained at the Dragon Slaying Stage, simultaneously refining the Kylin Heart and delving into the essence of life power, contemplating his journey toward merging with the Dao.

Then, one day, the Ape, puffing on his pipe, gazed up at the heavens with a grave look. His form trembled mightily.

Yu Yuan felt the disturbance and, puzzled, inquired, "What's the matter?"

"The Dark Phoenix is attempting to harness my power from within the Star River," the Ape grumbled, his brow furrowed. "She knows full well that as long as I'm in the Marsh, she can't draw upon my strength. Why persist in trying?"

Yu Yuan shared in the bewilderment, "What could she possibly need your power for so suddenly in the Extraterrestrial Star River?"

"She wouldn't act without purpose. If she knows she can't succeed yet still makes the attempt, letting me sense it... there's a message in that," the Untamed mused, a sense of foreboding growing within him. "She's definitely up to something. Could it be a warning aimed at me? And considering her combat prowess, would she need to seek the aid of evilkind unless there was a fierce battle brewing?"

"It's been ages since she's faced an adversary that necessitated borrowing the power of evilkind," he continued.

"Yu Yuan, something significant must be unfolding in the Extraterrestrial Star River! I'll reach out to the Skyreach Consortium and our allies at Boulderdawn for information." No sooner had he finished speaking than the Ape vanished, as if he were never there.

Half a day later.

"The Death Crane that Jun Chen had tamed met its sudden end at the Hellmouth! Its heart burst, and the demon soul vanished into thin air," Untamed reappeared, bringing with him several pieces of news. "Moreover, some archdemons who betrayed Shadow's Keep and proved disloyal to me also perished in the extraterrestrial realms."

As he spoke, his gaze briefly rested on Green Willow in the lake.

"Had Green Willow not been in the Marsh, and found himself in the extraterrestrial Star River like the Death Crane, he too might have faced disaster," Ape said gravely.

"Who could it be?" Yu Yuan exclaimed, visibly shaken.

The white crane, a master of the death force with considerable skill, was a true ninth level Monster Lord.

Comparable to the Peacock Queen, Grey Wolf King, and the formidable mother of Yu Zhu, it was an exceedingly formidable archdemon.

The inexplicable demise of the Death Crane, along with several other archdemons lost in the extraterrestrial, was indeed alarming.

"In this world, the only being capable of meting out such punishment to the mighty archdemons of the Everlands is the Dark Phoenix."

Ape's mood darkened further. The Marsh was home to numerous eighth and ninth level archdemons. When the Sword Prison collapsed, some archdemons were cast into the extraterrestrial by his hand.

Thankfully, the archdemons loyal to him were mostly in the Marsh, with the others scattered across the Everlands.

Otherwise...

"Is she trying to send a message that she could easily slaughter any archdemon loyal to you if she wished?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"No, it's not that. I have a very bad feeling," Untamed replied, shaking his head without further elaboration.

He was aware that the Dark Phoenix was vengeful by nature. The death of the Kylin could very well send her into a rampage.

If the Dark Phoenix were to rampage...

"Let's hope it's just a misgiving," Untamed whispered to himself.

...

Two days later.

Ghost King Tian Zang, utilizing the teleportation circle from Moonfall Sanctuary, sought permission from Untamed before hastily making his descent.

He reached Yu Yuan and Ape with utmost urgency, his face pallid and his figure quivering.

"What's happened?" Yu Yuan demanded.

He had never seen Tian Zang so frantic before, and he instantly realized that something significant must have occurred.

"In the Extraterrestrial Star River, Taishi was ambushed by the Dark Phoenix on his way back to the Annihilation Nebula," Tian Zang's voice quivered as much as his form. "Taishi invoked the Great Earth Divine Ability and, despite his severe injuries, instantly retreated to the underground of Ionodios. Gui Xu and Tianqi, both God-Kings, have already hastened to Ionodios."

The Ape's face darkened, "She intended to kill Taishi!"

Yu Yuan was visibly shaken. "How could that be possible? How could the Dark Phoenix have located Taishi so swiftly? And the empress, was she present at the scene?"

"She and Taishi went their separate ways and returned to the Shadowkin Sacred Land shortly after you arrived. As for Taishi..." Tian Zang, ever loyal to God-King Taishi, let out a heavy sigh, "The item from the bronze coffin was stolen by the Dark Phoenix."

"What?!"

Yu Yuan's face contorted with dismay.

As long as Taishi was alive and made it back to Ionodios, with Tianqi there, his survival seemed assured.

Taishi was integral to the Everlands. Unless the Dark Phoenix had gone completely mad, disregarding all, she would spare Taishi's life.

But the contents of the bronze coffin were a young Titan Spinosaurus! It was the Boulderdawn Divine Sect's key to the Project New Everlands, intended for future confrontations with the Everlands' supreme powers.

And the Dark Phoenix was the primary target!

The loss of the young beast was beyond Yu Yuan's imagination.

"You all..."

Untamed gazed at Yu Yuan and Ghost King Tian Zang, unaware of what lay within the bronze coffin, but the Dark Phoenix's swift and decisive actions weighed heavily on him too.

"We've just learned that shortly after leaving the extraterrestrial, the Dark Phoenix, Lin Daoke, Tan Xiaotian, and others encountered something that made the Dark Phoenix abruptly conclude her skirmish with Lin Daoke and Tan Xiaotian, and she took off alone."

"She left a message for Han Miaoyuan, instructing him to handle Yuwen Hao."

Lin Daoke remained silent, trailing the Dark Phoenix through the starry sky.

Tian Zang explained with a defeated look on his face.

Yu Yuan forced himself to remain calm. After careful consideration, he realized that the Kylin's dying message must have been detected by the Dark Phoenix.

The Dark Phoenix didn't respond, but she swiftly ended her skirmish with Lin Daoke and Tan Xiaotian.

Then she headed straight for the part of the sky where they were!

The Dark Phoenix must have known that the Kylin's death was imminent and understood that she wouldn't make it in time to save it.

Yet, she still went!

Her goal wasn't to rescue the Kylin, but to eradicate Taishi and Chen Qinghuang!

The Kylin's blood, spilled into Taishi's bronze coffin and consumed by the young creature, provided a clear directional beacon for the Dark Phoenix.

She should have been able to locate Taishi and Chen Qinghuang through the Kylin's blood and flesh.

After Taishi and Chen Qinghuang went their separate ways, she ultimately chose to ambush Taishi.

As a result, Taishi was gravely wounded, and the Titan Spinosaurus's offspring was lost.

"I'm returning to Ionodios!"

Yu Yuan stood up, intending to go to the Nest of Perdition, connected to the Darkpinion, to check on Taishi's condition and to warn Chen Qinghuang about the Dark Phoenix.

"Don't! Don't go out yet!"

Tian Zang urgently stopped him, "Lord Xu has said that you should stay in the Marsh for now and avoid leaving! That Dark Phoenix might have gone mad; she's slaughtering people all over the extraterrestrial. Even Ann Wen..."

Tian Zang shook his head. "Ann Wen also fell to her."

"Don't leave the Marsh!"

Untamed swooped in, holding Yu Yuan's shoulder down, forcing him to sit once more, "You're safest here in my Marsh! In her frenzy, she's capable of anything! Right now, your priority is to advance to the Unbound Realm as quickly as possible!"

Upon hearing of Ann Wen's death, Yu Yuan was firmly pinned down by the Ape, unable to move no matter how hard he struggled.

...

Adjacent to the Land of Terror lies the Sunfeather Glade.

Ji Tianyu, once a deity, now sat as an elderly woman with gray hair beneath a towering tree, her thoughts lingering on Chen Qinghuang who had appeared in this very place years ago. As a former pinnacle member of the Ebon Star, she was aware that Youyu had recently uncovered a Rebirth Nest here.

She faintly recalled Han Miaoyuan mentioning the Uxthar Tree, the progenitor of the Shadowkin, which had a profound connection with the secular bird before its corruption. It was said that the branches used by the secular bird to construct its nest may have originated from the Uxthar Tree itself.

As the erstwhile deity of the Everlands, she held a deep reverence for the Uxthar Tree. Now, with her divinity fractured, she had arrived at this place in a state of desolation, without any particular purpose other than seeking solace.

An inexplicable wave of sorrow suddenly washed over her. She gazed at the large tree opposite her, which seemed to be grinning at her in a most eerie manner. What was once just an ordinary tree now appeared to be alive, its visage twisted and menacing.

She watched in a daze as the tree seemed to pulsate with a malevolent vitality. Without warning, its sharp branches lunged at her like spears!

By the time Han Miaoyuan arrived, urgently wielding the Banner of Duality, he was met with the sight of Ji Tianyu impaled by the tree, her life force completely drained. Not only had she perished, but her residual soul had vanished, seemingly spirited away.

With a grave expression, Han Miaoyuan caressed the tree branch, examining it closely before his gaze shifted toward Skyreach Peak.

...

After departing from the Moonfall Sanctuary, a member of the Skyreach Consortium cast a glance toward the Stormcrown Empire, intent on retrieving the Stormcrowned Emperor and swiftly returning him to Ionodios.

The news had reached him that even the Taishi God-King of Boulderdawn had suffered a grievous wound at the hands of the Dark Phoenix in the extraterrestrial realm. Concerned that loyalists like the Stormcrowned Emperor might become targets, he knew swift action was necessary.

According to the intelligence he had gathered, the supreme being of Shadow's Keep had begun to retaliate against Boulderdawn in the wake of the Kylin's demise.

With a tear through the fabric of reality, a luminous space rift was pried open, and he leapt through it.

He was meant to materialize beside the Stormcrowned Emperor within the Stormcrown Empire in the very next instant.

Yet, it seemed as though an external force had violently warped the space rift, ensnaring his corpulent form within its folds, never to emerge again.

Zhou You had vanished without a trace.

Chaos reigned within the Everlands as turmoil spread.

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