C1647 See Youyu Again

"Youyu."

Yu Yuan's brow smoothed as he gazed upon the solitary, austere figure of the ghostly apparition, a look of pleasure dawning in his eyes.

His journey to the Gray Domain was spurred by a conversation with Yu Zhu back in the Epitaxial Realm; he was determined to ensure Youyu's well-being.

The news of Youyu, along with Tan Xiaotian, Xuanli, and Yan Qiling being transported to the Gray Domain via the realm passageway, had reached him through the source of the Yin Meridian.

Now, witnessing Youyu's spectral form materialize within the Sea of Hearts, Yu Yuan's heart settled into relief.

Youyu was not only unharmed but also possessed enough strength to act upon the Sea of Hearts, eradicating the souls of nearby alien beasts and creatures.

"Do you recognize him?"

The heart clam beast was out of sight, yet her gentle, ethereal voice persisted.

"It's Youyu, the ghost god!"

The soul shadow formed by the Chaos Roc abruptly materialized before Yu Yuan's Yin God. Although the Chaos Roc couldn't hear the heart clam beast, it had seen the image she had crafted especially for Yu Yuan.

He had been closely watching Yu Yuan, especially his Yin God, allowing him to immediately notice the anomaly.

"Yu Yuan, Youyu is unlike any of us. Our divine ascension involves transforming our main soul into a Primordial Spirit."

"But he's different."

"He has been infinitely fortifying his Yin God, guiding it through successive transformations and growth, embarking on an unprecedented path of the ghost god. Youyu's divine ascension in this life is starkly different from his first. In his first life, he too transformed his main soul into a Primordial Spirit."

"And this peculiar Sea of Hearts... why does it seem so familiar to Youyu?"

The Chaos Roc grew increasingly astonished as it spoke.

Yu Yuan listened, equally taken aback.

The first ghost god in history, his divine path was unlike any other in the vast expanse of humanity!

Youyu had achieved godhood through the Yin God!

"He seems to understand this place; he's familiar with the Sea of Hearts I created!"

The voice of the heart clam beast now trembled with fear, as if she had encountered the Origin Realm God herself.

With Youyu's entrance, she who could not merge the Sea of Hearts found Youyu probing its mysteries with his own Soul Dao, attempting to claim this strange sea so intimately connected to her. She was alarmed.

Yu Yuan called out into the void, "Take me to that guy's location!"

"I lack such power," came the reply.

The gaunt Chaos Roc, its visage a picture of melancholy, shook its head in the Sea of Hearts. "Yu Yuan, you know Youyu well. You two... used to be close. I get that you want to see him, to find out what's happened to him, but I'm not a heart clam beast. I can't transport you there."

"I wasn't talking to you," Yu Yuan said, the corner of his mouth curling slightly.

At that, the Chaos Roc paused, then exclaimed in surprise, "Is she the one communicating with you? Do you trust her? Alien beasts skilled in the secret arts of the mind can easily ensnare you in deep illusions, manipulating you to act on their whims without your awareness."

"Remember the attack by Leo and the three alien beasts? You just saw it with your own eyes—they were spurred on by her!"

Realizing that Yu Yuan had been secretly in touch with the heart clam beast, the Chaos Roc grew frantic, assuming that the beast had used its mastery of illusion and mental influence to ensnare Yu Yuan.

"Could I really be so easily deceived by her?" Yu Yuan scoffed, cutting the conversation short. He spoke with gravity, "I trust in your ability to bring me face to face with the intruder. Rest assured, I can handle him and prevent any further chaos."

"Are you certain?" the heart clam beast asked timidly.

"Absolutely!" Yu Yuan asserted.

"Fine, very well."

With a reluctant consent, the heart clam beast tapped into its innate abilities. Yu Yuan, who had been standing beside the Chaos Roc, felt as though he were traveling through a hidden passageway shrouded in Dark Dust Mist.

It was akin to darting through the brain's blood vessels and meridians of some ethereal being.

He even detected a faint briny scent...

It was as if he were inside the heart clam beast itself, or perhaps its mind.

With a whoosh, Yu Yuan's Yin God came to a halt, and there he was, not far from Youyu. "Seeing you here in the Outland Star River is quite the pleasure," Yu Yuan remarked with an easy smile.

"You... Yu Yuan!" Youyu, almost blurting out 'too cold', was taken aback by Yu Yuan's abrupt appearance. Yet, in a flash, he regained his composure, as if all the pieces had suddenly fallen into place.

As soon as I stepped into this world, its peculiar nature immediately brought you to mind."

"The Sea of Hearts and Demons, the ocean of spirits and inner demons, has truly been conjured by you. We once explored and envisioned such a fantastical sea together, and yet you've managed to create it within the Gray Domain using a Starry Behemoth."

Youyu reflected with a hint of nostalgia.

"The Sea of Hearts and Demons!"

Yu Yuan, on the other hand, found himself at a loss for words upon hearing this.

"The Sea of Hearts, the Sea of Demons, the Sea of Hearts and Demons—it doesn't matter what we call it. Ultimately, this is the wondrous sea we once dreamed of, one I never saw before my demise."

A trace of contentment crossed Youyu's face. "In our early days, we honed our Soul Arts, you and I..."

He abruptly fell silent.

"Don't attempt to probe into my thoughts. Since you've come, why not reveal yourself? I am Youyu, hailing from the Boundless Great World, the embodiment of the Yin Meridian's will."

From the moment he began speaking of this realm's enigmas, none of the soul consciousnesses present could grasp his meaning.

That includes the Heart Clam Beast, the Founder.

For he had drowned the surrounding Sea of Hearts and Demons with his ghostly powers, claiming it as his domain, effectively wresting a territory from the Heart Clam Beast.

In this territory, Youyu was the sole deity.

He ceased speaking as the Heart Clam Beast hastened over, eager to eavesdrop on his exchange with Yu Yuan, curious about the unfolding events.

Whoosh!

The Heart Clam Beast, encased within two shells, reemerged from its concealment, its soul shadow form appearing fragile and submissive, as though intentionally displaying vulnerability.

Yet, as the creator of the Sea of Hearts, she was barred by a veil of gray-white brilliance.

She was unable to enter.

"She recognizes you, hence her display of feminine frailty, seeking to elicit your compassion. I noticed this mature creature the moment I arrived; she is far from the delicate being you perceive when dealing with others. The number of people and beasts that have perished at her hands is untold," Youyu remarked with a cold huff.

Afterward, Youyu cast a profound look at Yu Yuan and inquired, "Does she know who you are?"

"She sees me as her successor," Yu Yuan responded to Youyu with a hint of awkwardness in his voice.

Youyu understood.

"Watch out for the Origin Realm God! He's been searching for this Sea of Hearts. If you don't let me close the gate, I fear he might find his way here!" the heart clam beast shrieked from outside.

"Origin Realm God!"

Youyu's expression grew noticeably graver.

"I get it now. The Origin Realm God brought me here because he knew the Sea of Spirits and Souls was concealed within the Gray Domain. It looks like he's trying to locate the Sea of Spirits and Souls, crafted by the behemoth, through me."

With a whoosh, countless beams of gray light burst forth from his ghostly spirit form, swarming like a multitude of probing locusts across the enigmatic sea.

"I'll search for any of his followers who might have already taken their positions. He can manifest through any of them by descending with his soul. The Origin Realm shares similarities with this Sea of Spirits and Demons. He intends to engulf and assimilate the Sea of Spirits and Demons using the Origin Realm, as a means to confront the souls of all living beings in our world."

"Ultimately, he's looking to leverage this in a battle against the Great Demon God Beilstein."

Youyu, with a furrowed brow, paid no mind to the heart clam beast's clamor, nor did he withdraw his power or show any intention of closing off this peculiar sea.

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