C1656 A Share of the Spoils

As the Mirage of the Mind sustained heavy blows, the Ashen Shadowmist encircling the star began to dissipate.

The ocean floor stirred, unearthing a multitude of skeletal remains.

Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes and realized that for centuries, the Mirage of the Mind had been dragging souls to the Hex Stone, draining them completely before hauling their corporeal bodies to this star. The numbers were staggering!

Moreover, they were all warriors and alien beasts of the eighth and ninth levels, including the mighty archdemons of the Everlands and the ninth-level Otherkin.

This confirmed Youyu's assessment was spot on.

The Mirage of the Mind's growth and power had been built upon a foundation of countless lives. Its feigned fragility, pitifulness, and friendliness were nothing more than a façade.

As the sea transformed into a mesmerizing blue and Taixu made his return, Yu Yuan was aware that the Mirage of the Mind was now prey to the Abyssal Leviathan.

Realizing that the Mirage of the Mind had first forsaken its oath, he was devoid of any sympathy.

He let the Abyssal Leviathan unleash a myriad of shimmering fish to feast on the Mirage of the Mind's flesh, his only concern being to repeatedly instruct the Abyssal Leviathan to safeguard the soul stone.

The Abyssal Leviathan readily complied.

"After the Mirage of the Mind is vanquished, his strength in matters of the soul and mind will surge significantly. These were areas in which he was not naturally adept," remarked the youthful and handsome Taixu, occasionally glancing at the deep sea with a hint of concern. "He's a bit more ruthless than the Mirage of the Mind. After all, he is the Abyssal Leviathan..."

Yu Yuan responded with a smile, "I'm aware."

In that moment, without tapping into the might of the Dragon Slaying Stage and merely using the Solar Spirit's keen sense of vitality, he detected the countless silver fish gnawing at the tender shellfish. Within the heart of the Abyssal Leviathan, a network of peculiar bloodline chains began to emerge.

These vibrant bloodline chains possessed an enchanting power.

Simultaneously, ethereal rainbows materialized around the Abyssal Leviathan's brain where the beast soul resided, creating a dazzling interplay with the emerging bloodline chains.

The clash of the giant beasts was a raw and brutal fight for bloodline dominance.

The Abyssal Leviathan devoured the heart of the Mirage of the Mind, assimilating its bloodline mysteries during the digestion process.

There was no further need for understanding.

By consuming and digesting the bloodline mysteries of the Mirage of the Mind, they became an integral part of the Leviathan.

"No wonder..."

Yu Yuan finally grasped why, in ancient times, the cosmic giant beasts in the starry skies were engaged in relentless combat.

For these beasts, the quickest and simplest path to power and advancement was through the slaughter of their own kind!

By killing and consuming a fellow beast, one could effortlessly acquire the other's bloodline talents.

Moreover, the flesh and vital energy of the vanquished would compensate for the toll of battle and provide ample energy for evolution.

Victory ensured a tangible surge in the victor's combat prowess.

This was unlike humans, who, after defeating an enemy, could not claim the Way of Heaven for themselves. Even with access to spells and arcane knowledge, they required time to internalize them.

Additionally, if the Way of Heaven was incompatible with one's own, attempting to merge forcefully would backfire.

For the warriors of the Otherkin, victory in combat against different races offered little more than a replenishment of vital energy.

The Shura could not gain the bloodline talents of the Shadowkin or enchantresses by defeating them.

The same held true for other races.

"How can you trust the Abyssal Leviathan so readily?"

Youyu's voice emerged suddenly, clear and real.

Yu Yuan looked up sharply to see Youyu, whose corporeal body was suffused with the unique Shadow Moon Essence, and the ashen-faced Xuanli, materializing together outside the terrestrial realm.

Upon seeing Youyu, the Everlands' inaugural God of Ghosts, clutching the reluctant Xuanli and plummeting, Yu Yuan sensed that the bulk of Youyu's Soul Power resided in the soul stone.

The Youyu seated within his corporeal form was merely a fraction of his entire soul.

"I share a common foe with the Abyssal Leviathan," Yu Yuan declared, his gaze following the descent of Xuanli and Youyu. Once they came to a halt in the void, he continued, "Besides, I have the means to constrain the Abyssal Leviathan."

Youyu paused, gazing down at the deep azure sea below. "He has assimilated the Mirage of the Mind and seized the Soul Power that lies beyond the mind. He's going to be even more troublesome," he remarked.

"You ought to know that even if he has mastered all the Mind Magic, he poses no threat to me," Yu Yuan replied with a confident chuckle. "Once I advance further, it won't matter how formidable the Abyssal Leviathan's beast soul is—I'll handle it."

With Yu Yuan's declaration, Youyu held his peace.

Contemplating Yu Yuan's eventual full awakening and the restoration of Taiyin's Soul Power, Youyu couldn't help but feel that the Mind Magic mastered by the Abyssal Leviathan would pale in comparison. How could it possibly stand against the full might of Taiyin?

"Greetings to you both," said the youthful Taixu, nodding respectfully to Youyu and Xuanli. His demeanor was measured, betraying a sense of maturity that belied his appearance.

He was aware that Youyu and Xuanli had been ancient leaders of the Bloodbrawlers, both at the Divine Level. As for himself, he was a promising newcomer from the Boulderdawn, having ascended to godhood with Taiyin's assistance. By the time he had come into his own, Youyu and Xuanli had long since perished, leaving no opportunity for their paths to cross.

His initiative in greeting them was purely a formality, as he was the God-King of the Boulderdawn, and Youyu and Xuanli were emissaries of the Bloodbrawlers.

"You are..." Xuanli, with his ghostly white complexion, initially failed to recognize Taixu. Even though Youyu had mentioned him earlier, it wasn't until this moment that he realized the youth before him was the newly reborn God-King Taixu.

"You are... what?!" Xuanli exclaimed in sudden alarm, pointing at Taixu and turning to Youyu, "He's a great Demon God of the Blood Fiend! I'm certain of it! Just like Grec, he harbors a novel Altar of Rebirth within him! No, wait! It's impossible for there to be two Altar of Rebirth at the same time, even if the Blood Fiend could have two great Demon Gods!"

Xuanli was utterly bewildered, his face a picture of shock.

Back when he was known as Cao Yi, he had endured a harrowing Soul Battle with Ann Jieshan of the Colddeath and emerged victorious, mastering many of Colddeath's arcane techniques in the process.

During his time on the Primal Blood Continent, his attempt to take over Grec's body failed, and he was instead transformed into a blood bound slave by Grec.

Even after Xuanli's full awakening, he remained intimately familiar with the blood magic and innate talents of the Blood Fiend, understanding their aura all too well.

"The great Demon God of the Blood Fiend..." Youyu murmured quietly.

"That's one way to put it, though it's not entirely accurate," Taixu responded with detachment. "The original owner of this body was a great Demon God of the Blood Fiend, the first in their history. But I am still Taixu. This body is merely the result of my refinement, and..."

Taixu gazed at Xuanli, suddenly emitting a nebulous glow of blood light.

The layers of blood light enveloped Taixu, forming rings around him and imposing a formidable pressure on Xuanli.

"My Altar of Rebirth's foundation should surpass that of Grec!"

Taixu's subsequent declaration was brimming with authority!

The creator of Grec's Altar of Rebirth was the Root of the Solar Meridian, whose grasp of the Secrets of Life was, in fact, incomplete.

The one who bestowed the Altar of Rebirth upon him was Yu Yuan, purified by Primal Blood and in possession of the full Secrets of Life.

Compared to the Root of the Solar Meridian, Yu Yuan had yet to fully grasp these Secrets of Life and had not reached the ultimate pinnacle; his total vitality was significantly less.

But in terms of rank, Yu Yuan stood above the Solar Meridian. Consequently, the Altar of Rebirth formed by Yu Yuan held greater potential than Grec's.

"I'm not following," Xuanli confessed softly.

"There's no need for you to understand," Taixu said coolly, gesturing toward the ocean depths. "Youyu brought you here to claim a piece of the prize, to heal your wounds with the flesh of the Mirage of the Mind. So right now, your priority should be to dive in without delay."

With Youyu present, the wounds afflicting Xuanli's soul could be easily mended.

Xuanli's injuries, however, were to his corporeal body. His flesh, organs, and bodily functions were extensively damaged and severely impaired.

Xuanli turned to Youyu.

"The Abyssal Leviathan will cede a portion to you. I'm in communication with it," Youyu confirmed with a nod, gesturing for him to descend into the depths to harvest the flesh of the Mirage of the Mind, which he would then refine using the arcane arts he had mastered.

Youyu was aware that Xuanli was proficient in numerous blood magic techniques. With an appropriate source of flesh, he would be able to heal swiftly.

"Understood!"

Xuanli responded decisively and plunged into the deep sea.

"President Lyi must be dealt with promptly."

After Xuanli's descent, Youyu echoed Taixu's sentiment.

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