C1597 Fear
When the Great Demon God Bertain spoke of the Dark Phoenix from the Everlands, he referred to her as a young phoenix, yet his demeanor and tone were laced with clear recognition and admiration. As the undisputed top being in the Infinite Galaxy, his high regard for the Dark Phoenix took Yu Yuan by surprise.
Even more astonishing was the fact that the supreme Titan Spinosaurus had been slain by Bertain himself! Although Bertain had initially orchestrated a trap by luring other cosmic giant beasts to attack and severely wound the Titan Spinosaurus, Yu Yuan maintained a deep reverence for his power, especially considering his relatively brief interaction with the Primal Soul.
"The young phoenix is indeed remarkable. Despite my personal feelings towards her, I can't deny her astonishing accomplishments."
Clang! Boom!
At his words, the elite warriors from various races, the fallen archdemons, and the human remains all crashed to the ground. The battlefield, desolate and ravaged, was engulfed in a whirlwind of dust and bone fragments, as if sandstorms of varying magnitudes had erupted from the earth itself.
Even the mightiest platinum Shuras and ninth-level Monster Lords were no match for the ravages of time. After tens of thousands of years, their bones, now brittle, shattered upon impact with the ground. Yu Yuan witnessed the Starborn elder, with a pierced brow, turn to smoke the moment he touched the earth.
It became apparent that the dead's ability to move was solely due to Bertain's masterful manipulation. The battlefield, seemingly ablaze with the ferocity of tens of thousands of combatants, was actually devoid of any true fatal encounters.
Bertain's mastery over these puppeted remains was nothing short of exquisite. While he spoke, tens of thousands of dark wills controlled an equal number of skeletons in a mesmerizing display of combat where not a single bone shattered nor a single fallen warrior sustained real damage.
But as soon as they hit the ground, disinterested, he allowed the weathered bones to crumble into ash and dust. The presence of Bertain and the tens of thousands of dark wills at that moment was merely a fraction of his countless powerful devil souls—a mere extension of his manifold presence.
"It is through my contact with the Primal Soul that I received its blessings and favor, allowing me to grasp the true essence of the soul and achieve what I have today. It was I who elevated the entire Sky Fiend race. I, Bertain, was the first to ascend to the rank of Great Demon God, the first to unravel the enigma of the soul's immortality through the Primal Soul."
Aside from the Primal Demon Race born in the Everlands, there are other Sky Fiend Races scattered across the cosmos, who, like us, exist in pure soul form. Under my guidance, they have been able to ascend to the status of Great Demon God, achieving immortality in that form.
In this regard, I am selfless.
It is because of me that the entire Sky Fiend Race has been elevated, and thus, many branches of the Sky Fiend Race have always regarded me and the Primal Demon Race from the Everlands as their leaders.
Grec, the Great Demon God, was created from Primal Blood and backed by the Solar Meridian, which might make him somewhat rebellious.
Bertain smiled nonchalantly, "In reality, Grec cannot change much."
The inner demons, Shadowspawn, Frostfiends, Azurefiends, and the elders of these groups all understand the reason. I maintain absolute control over the entire Sky Fiend Race. Without me, they would not be able to ascend to Great Demon God status, nor achieve eternal life in that form.
As for the young phoenix, you can regard her as my counterpart among the alien beasts.
The Great Demon God's eyes took on a serious hue. "As an alien beast, she has achieved two monumental feats without obtaining the Dragon Blood of the Titan Spinosaurus or ascending her life's essence."
"Firstly, she elevated her bloodline from the ninth to the tenth level, something no alien beast has accomplished before."
"Secondly, she grasped the profound meaning related to eternal life, imprinted within the Abyssal Leviathan by the Primal Blood, thus gaining immortality." Bertain's face showed a hint of wistfulness.
Yu Yuan regarded her with solemn respect.
I hadn't anticipated the Dark Phoenix of the Everlands to be so remarkable. As an alien beast, she has reached milestones previously unattained, just like the Demon God Bertain.
The ancient evilkinds of the Everlands were able to break through to the tenth level and become Dark Deities, partly due to the integration of spinosaurus blood, and partly due to her enlightenment.
Upon my departure, she indeed enacted significant deeds within the Everlands, achieving great feats.
Regrettably, after she ingeniously broke through the confines of vital energy and elevated her bloodline level to the tenth, the Nagas, born from the spinosaurus lifeblood, emerged as an unstoppable force. Shortly after her breakthrough, before she could even grasp the situation, multiple Dragon Gods had already come into existence.
"After all, it was a supernatural being directly birthed from that individual's lifeblood, complete with a naturally formed bloodline chain in its heart, and I wasn't present..."
Bertain said with a sigh.
"Why weren't you in the Everlands after the Titan Spinosaurus died?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.
"The Titan Spinosaurus! Did you really think it was as easy to kill as I made it sound?" Bertain's already ruddy face turned a deeper shade of red, and he seemed somewhat embarrassed as he defended himself, "I had only been under the Primal Soul's favor for a short time, far less than the time it had been shaped by the Primal Blood. My resources at the time were insufficient..."
"Okay, I'll admit I was gravely wounded, and my devil soul's consciousness was fuzzy for some time."
"Therefore, I had no choice but to retreat to the extraterrestrial realms, to a haven crafted specifically for me by the entire Star-Spawned Terror race."
"In that place, I had loyal followers, the newly born Demon Gods of the Primal Demon, and the powerful leaders from other Sky Fiend branches who revered me as a deity. They took good care of me, allowing me to safely navigate through that vulnerable period." Bertain revealed the hidden details of that time.
From his account, it was clear he had been extremely weakened after slaying the Titan Spinosaurus. He feared being targeted by other powerful beings and cosmic giant beasts, so he had to seek refuge in the stronghold of the Star-Spawned Terror, relying on the strength of the entire race to survive the ordeal.
Consequently, he was unable to attend to the earth-shattering upheaval that was about to engulf the Star River in the Everlands.
"Only after I fully recovered did I learn of the incredible miracle that had occurred on the Primal Demon's ancestral grounds due to the collision of blood and soul."
The tall, red-bearded elder's face glowed with an odd luminescence, reflecting a mix of pride and concern.
"Fortunately, by the time I made the decision to confront the Titan Spinosaurus in the Everlands, all of my Primal Demon kin had already evacuated. I wasn't entirely sure I could face that supreme entity. Fearing for the safety of my people, I had them leave well in advance."
"When I awoke, I discovered the emergence of the Nagas, the birth of a new and vulnerable human race, and alien beasts that had been transformed by dragon blood, elevating their life essence and endowing them with remarkable spiritual wisdom. It was then that I realized the Root of the Lunar Meridian had also been sought out after my departure."
"The rise of the Nagas, the turmoil within the Lunar Meridian, and the young phoenix gathering strength..."
"The events unfolding in my homeland are beyond belief, so mesmerizing that I am compelled to marvel at them. Yet, at that time, I felt no urgency to return or to intervene."
"Though I could have influenced the course of events had I chosen to intervene, I refrained from doing so."
"The sole reason for my inaction was the Titan Spinosaurus. Before its death, it enlightened me about the Abyss."
"It warned me that the Abyss posed a great threat to us, particularly after it perished by my hand."
"In fact, it had emerged from the Abyss shortly before being besieged by the cosmic giant beasts."
Bertain paused.
Yu Yuan was astounded. "It had been there?"
He had always believed that no life form had ever ventured into the Abyss, thinking that the Abyssal creatures were constantly attempting to invade his world.
Much like the Origin Deity, who sought to establish Origin Gates throughout the universe with the intent of upheaving the entire Infinite Galaxy.
Bertain nodded. "It was the pioneer in exploring the Abyss, venturing in and wreaking havoc. At that time, the Abyss had no gate; it stumbled upon it by chance and entered."
"It is also the only known being from our world to have truly set foot in the Abyss."
"With its formidable prowess, it was invincible in our starry realm and could dominate within the Abyss as well. The mightiest beings of the Abyss had to unite to expel it. To prevent its return, they exhausted their strength to forge the Abyssal Gate."
"The creation of the Abyssal Gate was the Abyss's way of defending against it, fearing its intermittent return."
"After being expelled, it discovered the Abyssal creatures had erected the Abyssal Gate. In a rage, it imposed its own unique seal upon the foundation of the gate."
"Thus, the current Abyssal Gate is a fusion of the Abyssal creatures' efforts and its own power."
As Bertain spoke, his face lit up with awe, "It was such an extraordinary and formidable entity."
"In the beginning, it was us who first invaded the Abyss. The beings there were no match for it in its most formidable state, and the result was a sight too pitiful for words."
"Out of sheer desperation, they had to rally the forces of the Abyss, exerting every effort to expel it. And in their fear of its return, they went on to construct the Abyssal Gate to block any possibility of it coming back."
The Demon God cleared his throat and continued, "Thus, the very first thing I did upon regaining my strength was to follow the trail it left to the Abyss. Upon my arrival, I could sense the presence of an Abyssal creature patrolling beneath the Abyssal Gate. The sensation was distinct from that of the current inhabitants. Back then, the Abyssal beings were on high alert, gripped by terror."
"Fearful of it?" Yu Yuan inquired, intrigued.
"It was certainly a primary cause, but there was an even greater reason that I only came to understand later," Bertain, the Demon God, said with a faint smile. "Fear of the unknown is a universal trait among all living things. At that time, it had already ventured into the Abyss, uncovering its wonders and becoming familiar with the state of the Abyss and the tiers of its inhabitants."
"However, the Abyss knew nothing of us. The only entity from our side they had ever encountered was the supreme one."
"They must have assumed that all the beings in our world operate on the level of the Titan Spinosaurus."
"Can you imagine? Would they be able to live in peace, or would they be plagued by fear day and night?"