C1600 Taishi's Situation

"The lords are all awaiting your arrival."

Tian Zang, having hurried from the Everlands, stood before the vast ink-colored palace and gave a slight bow as Yu Yuan approached.

He was well aware of Yu Yuan's identity, and thus, each encounter with Yu Yuan was marked by a profound respect that came from deep within.

This reverence puzzled many of the Boulderdawn's younger generation, including Tianqi, who found it inexplicably odd.

They couldn't fathom why Tian Zang, with his advanced cultivation level, held Yu Yuan in such high esteem.

"It's quite towering."

Yu Yuan looked up and murmured, gazing at the ink-colored palace that loomed so high he had to tilt his head back to see it fully.

Upon his arrival, he had immediately noticed that this palace dwarfed all other structures built by the Otherkin in Ionodios.

It must have been several hundred feet tall!

Not only was it tall, but its sprawling grounds seemed to symbolize the lofty status of the Boulderdawn within Ionodios.

The last time he had departed from Ionodios, the palace had not even begun to take shape.

At the sides of the slightly ajar stone doors, there stood statues of menacing demons, so vivid they seemed like the nightmarish creatures of one's darkest dreams.

Yu Yuan caught sight of several unfamiliar faces observing him with evaluative eyes.

Their attire and auras indicated they were also members of the Boulderdawn.

Nearly all were of the Solar Spirit or Unbound Realm, numbering over a dozen, each exuding a commanding presence with Soul Power that roiled around them.

They were likely peers of Hua Xin and Jiang Miaojie, born in the extraterrestrial Star River, and esteemed newcomers of the Boulderdawn akin to Tianqi.

Perhaps they had come specifically to inquire after Taishi, having heard of his grave injuries at the hands of the Dark Phoenix.

Since they had not traveled to the Everlands nor met him before, their curiosity about him was evident.

With a brief scan, Yu Yuan assessed them with his soul and vitality. He could tell that these Boulderdawn novices, whether in the Solar Spirit or Unbound realms, were indeed stronger than their counterparts of the same realm within the Boulderdawn.

Moreover, there was an aura of seasoned warriors about them, as if they were perpetually engaged in battle.

Yu Yuan inwardly nodded in approval. Observing these individuals, he could tell that the new generation of Boulderdawn was anything but weak.

At that moment, Tian Zang stood to the side of the grand doorway, gesturing for Yu Yuan to proceed inside.

As Yu Yuan was about to step through the threshold, he glanced at Tian Zang and his expression shifted with curiosity.

Tian Zang gave him a knowing look, shook his head slightly, and said, "Please."

"Yu Yuan, you..."

Jiang Miaojie, with her ethereal grace, was also standing at the entrance. A trace of concern flickered in her lovely eyes, as though she harbored some worries.

"Aren't you coming in?" Yu Yuan asked, puzzled.

Jiang Miaojie gave an embarrassed smile, "The elders won't allow it."

"Please."

Tian Zang called out once more, clearly signaling Yu Yuan to hurry.

Without further ado, Yu Yuan entered the hall, which seemed quite dark from the outside, its interior hidden from view.

Once inside, Yu Yuan noticed that the lighting was indeed dim. In the center of the spacious hall was a massive pit that plunged deep into the earth.

A gentle emanation of Soul Power wafted from the pit, instilling a sense of tranquility and serenity, as if it could dispel all troubles and anxieties in an instant.

The patriarch of the Shadowkin, clad in a dark green cape and seated upon the Azurewood Sceptre, bore a face etched with the marks of time, revealing a sense of age and weariness.

He hovered in midair above the central pit, and upon Yu Yuan's arrival, he turned and nodded in acknowledgment.

The conflict in the Spirit World had shown him that Yu Yuan was deeply trusted by the secular bird, without any reservations.

Brie was uncertain why the empress held Yu Yuan in such high regard, but it was her favor that had saved his life and allowed him to restore his bloodline to the tenth level.

Given the empress's evident esteem for Yu Yuan, Brie resolved to remain amicable towards him.

Next to him, a petite enchantress was also suspended in the air.

Her long hair cascaded down past her waist, coiling into a cushion beneath her.

She sat on a cushion formed by her hair, her back bent and hunched, her green eyes piercing through the eerie and sinister atmosphere. It seemed that if one were to gaze into her eyes for too long, they would be pulled into a ghostly realm ruled by spectres.

When Yu Yuan entered, she glanced up from the deep pit she was observing, gave him a brief look, and then returned her attention to the abyss. The majestic God-King Tianqi, the only one firmly grounded, had been facing away from Yu Yuan, peering into the vast hole. But upon Yu Yuan's approach, he turned abruptly.

The God-King, renowned within Boulderdawn for his robust vitality, shuddered mightily, his expression growing increasingly grave. He couldn't pinpoint what new wonder had occurred within Yu Yuan, but he sensed that the Solar Spirit, concealed within Yu Yuan's little world of vitality, was even more awe-inspiring than before, emitting no particular aura yet stirring a profound sense of alarm within him.

What was happening?

Tianqi's eyes were deep pools of contemplation as he surveyed Yu Yuan, his gaze lingering on his chest. The dual-faced stone statues, representing God-King Gui Xu, hovered above the pit. Across from Tianqi, on the opposite side of the chasm, a black cape billowed.

Reid, the High Priest of the Star-Spawned Terror, emanated darkness from his cloak. The purple dark fire in his eye sockets roiled as he offered Yu Yuan a subtle smile. "Yu Yuan, meet the matriarch of the enchantresses—Rebecca," Gui Xu called out from within the stone statue.

Rebecca, ranking just after Brie among the extraterrestrial powerhouses, kept her gaze fixed downward, showing no inclination to engage with Yu Yuan. It seemed that in her eyes, Yu Yuan, a junior of Boulderdawn, did not merit standing beside her—unless this wasn't Boulderdawn's domain.

Yu Yuan responded with a serene smile and a nod, choosing silence over words.

Reid, Brie, Rebecca, Tianqi, and Gui Xu—the two God-Kings—formed a circle around the pit. With a thought, Yu Yuan levitated and positioned himself next to Gui Xu, the one he knew best.

He observed the Soulforge Pool floating within the deep chasm at the heart of the vast palace.

Resting above the Soulforge Pool was the bronze coffin, a symbol of the Taishi God-King.

The Soulforge Pool, resembling a table, supported the miniaturized bronze coffin, both suspended beneath the shadowy depths of the pit.

Yet, the Soulforge Pool was still a considerable distance from the bottom of the dark abyss.

Around the Soulforge Pool's edges, numerous ghosts swirled, with purple-black, pure Soul Power seeping from the pool's walls and merging into the bronze coffin.

The bronze coffin was securely sealed by its lid.

Innumerable tiny characters danced over the coffin's surface like stars in the night sky, exuding a sense of mystery and otherworldliness.

"Taishi, what's the current state of affairs?" Yu Yuan inquired.

He now understood the gravity etched on everyone's faces. Despite being there, he had failed to detect Taishi's movements, uncertain whether Taishi was dead or alive.

Tian Zang was the only one who had followed him through the entrance. After the door closed slowly behind them, he approached without a word.

Tian Zang didn't take to the air but instead took a detour to stand beneath the hovering black cloak, alongside Reid.

Yu Yuan gave Tian Zang a second, puzzled glance.

"From now on, call me Youqian."

His face emotionless, he clarified Yu Yuan's confusion, "Not long ago, the Demon God Bertain purified my devil soul. Every mark associated with the Lunar Meridian, shadow energy, and soul thread has been wiped clean. My devil soul... has been repositioned by him."

"Hereafter, I have no ties to the Land of Terror, Youyu, or the Lunar Meridian."

Youqian revealed the cause.

Yu Yuan paused, then nodded in understanding.

At the entrance, he had already sensed the absence of shadow energy from the Land of Terror in Youqian's presence.

The ice magic that was once a part of his devil soul had been thoroughly removed.

With the intervention of the Demon God Bertain, the Ghost King Tian Zang had been transformed back into the Sky Fiend, Youqian.

This transformation also granted him the opportunity to once again vie for the title of Demon God!

Hiss! Hiss!

Beneath the enchantress Rebecca, her cushion burst forth with thousands of luminescent green soul threads, shooting towards the bronze coffin like myriad bolts of ghostly lightning, seemingly awakening something within.

Yu Yuan watched in astonishment as countless tiny characters coalesced in an instant into phoenixes that danced gracefully through the air.

A purple phoenix!

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