C1653 Divine and Demonic Creation!

Whimpers and roars echoed through the depths as three ninth-level alien beasts, trapped by the Abyssal Leviathan in a distant expanse of the ocean, gazed up at the sky, trembling at the scent of ancient gods and demons in their blood.

Still ensnared in an illusory state, with fragments of their beast souls scattered, they emitted low growls of terror.

"Yu, Yu Yuan!" Beru, the Starfallen Oracle, along with Leo and Gheirat, suddenly found their souls snapping back into place.

They had just regained freedom within the Mindscape of the giant beast, thanks to the battle between Youyu and the Mirage of the Mind. Returning to their bodies, they witnessed an awe-inspiring sight.

Behind Yu Yuan, in the vast Everlands and amidst the Star River, stood a succession of renowned gods and demons, as if ready to charge into battle at his mere thought.

Yu Yuan, still atop the Dragon Slaying Stage, exuded the aura of a sovereign among gods and demons.

"It's the Divine and Demonic Creation!" Leo, seemingly blessed by the stars from birth, realized the connection as he compared the sensations from his Altar of Rebirth with his clan's ancient tomes.

"The legends say that the God-King, who commands the Dragon Slaying Stage, can unravel the secrets of the souls of the Utmost Beings and Demon Gods he slays, allowing their spirited bodies to manifest anew," Leo declared.

"Divine and Demonic Creation!" Beru and Gheirat murmured, their faces etched with astonishment, clearly recognizing the term. The Divine and Demonic Creation was apparently a well-known concept among the intelligent life of the extraterrestrial Star River.

With a whoosh, the imposing ancient Demon Gods vanished like mirages behind Yu Yuan.

The intricate details of the Divine and Demonic Creation—the methods to extract the secrets of the spirited body and the arcane techniques to reshape it with spiritual sense—had all coursed through Yu Yuan's dominant soul just once.

He had grasped all the subtleties and complexities without the need for further contemplation.

Like the art of Wraithbinding, once reclaimed, it would integrate into his being, becoming one of his sources of power, for he had already penetrated its mysteries.

All it would take is lifting the veil to reveal the Spirit Magic, and he would comprehend it in its entirety.

That belonged to him.

In a secluded corner of the abyssal depths, there was an area strewn with rocks of dark yellow, grayish-brown, and a faint green, some even speckled with a myriad of colors. None of the rocks were particularly large, but they were numerous, and none exhibited any special vitality or Soul Power. In fact, they emitted no energy at all.

A beam of scarlet lightning, accompanied by the Abyssal Leviathan formed from thousands of gleaming silver fish, halted above a stone the size of a nut. With a hiss, the lightning paused for only an instant before it struck the stone.

The once inconspicuous rock, lost among thousands, suddenly burst into brilliance like a star, with countless tiny points of light emerging from within.

In the Mindscape, a broad bolt of scarlet lightning appeared without warning, spanning the sky. Souls and consciousnesses still trapped within the Mindscape felt a terrifying sense that the world was on the brink of tearing apart at the sight of the scarlet bolt.

The scarlet lightning existed for mere seconds before the Mindscape's rule, which repelled blood energy, obliterated it.

"It's my blood power," Yu Yuan, standing in the expanding gray and white domain usurped by Youyu, said with a gratified smile. Though the scarlet lightning was fleeting, his Lunar Spirit caught the scent of his own essence.

The wraith, intent on conquering this realm, appeared somewhat astonished, seemingly unable to fathom that Yu Yuan's vital energy could find its way into the sea of consciousness crafted by the Mirage of the Mind.

"Found it!" exclaimed the Abyssal Leviathan, circling the unassuming stone, echoing the surprise.

The stone, penetrated by the scarlet lightning, radiated an unrivaled energy, shining with the brightness of countless stars. In an instant, all other stones disintegrated into powder, dispersing across the ocean floor.

With a thunderous roar, the seafloor trembled violently, and the murky sediment churned. A colossal creature, whose body spanned tens of thousands of miles, burst forth, filling the entire sea. He did not diminish in size; rather, the entire dark sea rested upon his shell.

As the giant beast emerged, splitting the ocean floor, the soul stone, emitting a kaleidoscope of divine light, vanished from his shell.

The inky depths of the ocean churned abruptly as chaotic cosmic energy from the outside world infused the waters, diluting the power of water that the Abyssal Leviathan could harness.

The Water Magic that the Abyssal Leviathan had stealthily woven into the structure of the sea was also swept away.

This inky sea was meant to be the Abyssal Leviathan's Water Domain, where all the concealed power of water was at his disposal. Yet, the arrival of the Mirage of the Mind shifted the balance.

The Mirage of the Mind drew forth the lingering malevolent thoughts and remnants of lost souls that were imperceptible to mortals, floating in the starry expanse.

The dark sea morphed into a magnetic field that warped the minds of those within it, and the sea's power was greatly diminished.

Using the mental laws he had mastered, the Mirage of the Mind expelled the Abyssal Leviathan's power of water, claiming the sea as his own domain.

"Since you're so fond of games, I'll indulge you with a proper challenge!" bellowed the Abyssal Leviathan. Water from other regions of the planet soared into the sky, forming a river miles wide, which then poured into the dark sea.

The deep sea's hue shifted from pitch black to a deep blue as the expansive river cascaded down, creating towering waves that sent the Duskjaw, Three-legged Golden Crow, and Stormwraith soaring into the heavens.

The Abyssal Leviathan seemed aware that the spiritual clash between Youyu and the Mirage of the Mind had roused the Duskjaw, Three-legged Golden Crow, and Stormwraith from their slumber, and thus he refrained from suppressing the three alien beasts any longer.

As a result, the alien beasts, now airborne, perched obediently beside Yu Yuan.

Leo and others, their spirited bodies now reclaimed, invoked the Divine and Demonic Creation and maneuvered the Star Altar to Yu Yuan's side.

Beneath them, the sea roared with tumultuous waves, and the earth trembled with thunderous splits.

The Mirage of the Mind's fabricated Starborn palaces and structures were obliterated in an instant.

The two cosmic giant beasts clashed fiercely in the sea below.

Yu Yuan was also aware that, simultaneously, the beast soul of the Mirage of the Mind was still contending with Youyu within the Mindscape, to prevent Youyu from usurping the consciousness world he had crafted.

"We..."

Beru's face was etched with concern as he rubbed his hands together, remarking, "The Ashen Shadowmist hardly affects us, and we're immune to the illusions, but the battle between the cosmic giant beasts is beyond our intervention."

"You should make your exit sooner rather than later," Yu Yuan said with an encouraging smile.

"Great Sage!" Leo protested, his voice tinged with discontent.

Gheirat, on the other hand, kept his silence.

Leo, brimming with youthful energy, was clearly struggling to come to terms with the loss of three of his fellow clansmen, a defeat that sat heavy on his heart.

Gheirat, however, was more pragmatic. He understood that their current strength was insufficient for revenge, and without Yu Yuan's protection, once the conflict between the Abyssal Leviathan and the Mirage of the Mind was resolved, their chances of survival in the Ashlands were slim.

To the giant beasts, they were mere lambs, mere morsels to replenish their vital energy.

Their best course of action was to take advantage of the chaos and leave the Ashlands at the earliest opportunity.

"Fate willing, we'll meet again."

At this juncture, Beru, undeterred by Leo's opposition and acting as if he hadn't heard his complaints, addressed Yu Yuan: "Should we survive our departure from the Ashlands, we will surely visit Ionodios to properly thank you. And if you happen to be in the Everlands... we'll await your arrival in Ionodios."

His memories of the Everlands were still fresh, and he had resolved that until Boulderdawn claimed dominance there, he would not set foot in the Everlands again.

"Retreat immediately!"

Having said his piece, Beru fixed Leo with a stern gaze and declared, "You are the hope of our Starborn, destined to exceed Ballo! Any of us may perish, but you must not! The Ashlands are far too perilous now. You must consider your own safety, as well as ours!"

"Let's move!"

Gheirat also pressed them to hurry.

Without further ado, Beru and Gheirat took hold of Leo, disregarding the Star Altar, and made a beeline for the outside world.

As Leo moved, the Star Altar that had been nurtured within him automatically followed.

The Stormwraith let out a low, uneasy growl as the trio made their escape, its howls echoing their anxiety.

The creature communicated to Yu Yuan through its roar, conveying the extreme danger of remaining in this bizarre world. It implored Yu Yuan to take them along and evacuate at the earliest opportunity.

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