C1655 Add Fuel to the Fire!

Taixu's face beamed with a triumphant smile.

His presence had a calming effect on the three alien beasts that had been frantically trying to flee. They held a deep trust in Taixu, seemingly content to remain by his side as long as he was present.

Their loyalty to Taixu was unwavering, unlike their relationship with Yu Yuan, which was based on the potential benefits he could offer by transforming their bloodlines and enabling them to make a qualitative leap.

To them, Taixu was more than a benefactor; he was a true friend they could depend on.

"You guys are here too," Taixu remarked, his attention shifting from discussions of divine thrones and origins to the three alien beasts. "You're quite fortunate to have encountered him so swiftly in the Ashlands."

"Grec wants to kill them," Yu Yuan interjected.

The God-King, with his refined features, pondered briefly before nodding in understanding. "They could easily advance to the tenth level, given the right method."

The alien beasts understood and their eyes shone with excitement.

"...So it's the Mirage of the Mind. We were in her domain, hovering over the Alien Planet she had refined."

Taixu's slender eyebrows arched as realization dawned on him about his location.

Looking down at the deep sea, he witnessed the clash between the Abyssal Leviathan and the Mirage of the Mind. "Long ago, the Mirage of the Mind pledged allegiance to the master of the Dragon Slaying Stage. By her vow, anyone favored by the Dragon Slaying Stage would become her new master."

Taixu's expression turned frosty. "It seems she's having second thoughts!"

"She attempted to take my life," Yu Yuan disclosed.

"Ungrateful creature," Taixu, still in his youthful form, responded with a surge of lethal intent in his eyes. "She was meant to die, never to reach maturity. Without that individual's assistance, she could never have formed the Mindscape or refined the Hex Stone!" It was clear that Taixu was well-versed in the history behind these events.

The implication of his words was that Yu Yuan had assisted the Mirage of the Mind in its metamorphosis during his first life, helping the giant beast survive a perilous time and even facilitating the creation of the soul stone.

Yu Yuan also played a pivotal role in the formation of the Mindscape during the era of Taiyin.

Per an ancient pact, the Mirage of the Mind vowed to serve the bearer of the Dragon Slaying Stage as its master, regardless of the passage of time or whether the God-King Taiyin remained in this world. It pledged unwavering loyalty, even unto death.

Yet, the Mirage of the Mind has broken its vow!

"I'll stoke the flames further!"

With those words, the elegant Taixu vanished without a trace.

He disappeared from Yu Yuan's sight, as well as from the gaze of the three alien beasts, and even from the reach of spiritual perception, as if he had never been there at all.

Nevertheless, Yu Yuan could distinctly track Taixu's movements through the Solar Spirit, aware that Taixu had instantly materialized in the deep, ink-blue sea below.

In that moment, Taixu was stealthily drawing closer to the Mirage of the Mind.

Neither the Abyssal Leviathan nor the Mirage of the Mind detected his hidden approach, oblivious to the fact that Taixu had joined their fray.

Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes, observing Taixu transform into a blood shadow, imperceptible to the giant beasts, as he surreptitiously neared the Mirage of the Mind, all the while consuming the vital energy scattered amidst their fierce battle.

Amidst the chaos of the giant beasts' clashing and rending, Taixu managed to absorb the spilled blood, undetected.

"Taixu surpasses the original Demon God Andre in strength. His primordial spirit has merged with this body, which has been rekindled by the life-giving flames. With the emergence of the Altar of Rebirth, a profound transformation has occurred!" Yu Yuan marveled inwardly.

With Youyu and the Abyssal Leviathan at his side, plus Taixu, a master of stealth and now in his complete form, the Mirage of the Mind was trapped.

"I'll get you to safety first. Later on, we'll reconvene in a different manner."

Simultaneously, in the Mindscape, Youyu witnessed Taixu, the God-King in the real world, miraculously reborn in his corporeal body.

He overheard the conversation between Yu Yuan and Taixu, realizing that the Mirage of the Mind had once been under the command of his old friend.

At this juncture, there was no longer any need for Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit to remain.

Youyu's dominion over this realm was strengthening. Once the door was closed, it would become problematic to send others away.

Yu Yuan, formerly a creator, had assisted the Lunar Spirit in breaking free from the Mindscape. With his aid, the Lunar Spirit could disregard the door's seal!

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit initially manifested in the Dragon Slaying Stage's world before abruptly returning to its original form.

The excruciating screeches that seemed to split one's head in two began to resonate from every corner of this true world. Yu Yuan was too indifferent to feel or observe, but he knew that the Mirage of the Mind had sustained severe damage.

Both the beast soul and the giant beast were enduring devastating blows.

Once his Lunar Spirit departed, Youyu was free from concern, utterly indifferent to the fate of the weak souls and consciousnesses manipulated by the Mirage of the Mind.

Those consciousnesses that had sunk and were trapped within the Mindscape were consumed by the sweeping currents.

The enigmatic Ashlands continued to expand, usurping control.

Crack!

A dazzling blood light, carrying Taixu's essence, burst forth in the deep blue sea below, cleaving the Mirage of the Mind in two like a blade through a sturdy carapace.

The wails of the Mirage of the Mind grew even more intense.

Around Yu Yuan, dozens of fragile soul phantoms emerged. With the shells shattered, she pleaded pitifully for Yu Yuan's mercy.

She reminisced about her past with Taiyin, her once compliant and sensible nature.

In her frantic state, she swore an oath, hoping to elicit Yu Yuan's compassion and avoid the calamity at hand.

This time, Yu Yuan remained unmoved.

As the dark blue of the sea faded to a pale, dreamlike blue, the tumultuous waters became the domain of the Abyssal Leviathan.

The Abyssal Leviathan reached the center of the fragmented shell, uncovering the delicate flesh that signified the Mirage of the Mind's physical form.

"Soul stone!"

The voices of Yu Yuan and Taixu rang out in unison, cautioning the Abyssal Leviathan to execute the kill without damaging the stone.

"Don't worry."

Countless silver fish burst forth from the colossal body of the Abyssal Leviathan, which filled the sea, and swam toward the giant clam's shell, gnawing at its flesh.

One by one, the feeble phantoms of the Mirage of the Mind grew fainter beside Yu Yuan.

She continued to scream and plead, but no sound emerged.

Youyu, the Abyssal Leviathan, and Taixu, the God-King—three of the most formidable beings in the Star River—had joined forces to end her. There was no escape for her.

Yu Yuan withdrew his attention, no longer bothering to sense her presence, aware that the Mirage of the Mind had brought this upon itself and could blame no one else.

Taixu, appearing as a young man, emerged from the deep blue sea, seemingly noticing the departure of the Starborn. He asked, puzzled, "Why are Leo and Beru leaving in such a rush?"

"They fear the Mirage of the Mind, but they fear the Abyssal Leviathan even more," Yu Yuan replied with a smile.

"Fear of the Abyssal Leviathan is justified. The Starborn elders have attempted to besiege it multiple times. Battles between different life forms are invariably brutal." Taixu, having lived so long, had seen it all and was indifferent to vendettas and the parting of life and death.

"Hmm! Youyu seems to be heading our way. What could he want?"

"President Lyi has enlisted Yin Tiehua's help to transform into an object. He intends to withstand the scorching of the Earthfire and then... he plans to enter the realm wrapped in the Earthfire."

"He's seeking his own demise!"

Taixu's gaze turned icy upon learning of President Lyi's plot to obtain the Primal Soul, losing all favorable regard for him.

"We haven't reneged on the divine position we promised him; we're simply asking for a bit more patience from him. He's waited for thousands of years; what's a little more time to him? Besides, I've already forged a new path for him, one that holds the potential for immortality, thanks to your presence."

"He's asking for too much. He's aware that the most exceptional Soul Power has the ability to annihilate Loong Jie."

"This man cannot be allowed to remain. Even if it means crossing the Chamber of Commerce, we must eliminate him without delay!"

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