C1663 A Mysterious Spectacle

The soul stone radiated with an intense brilliance, its Shadow Moon Essence twinkling like a constellation of stars, casting a sacred light that ensnared the spirit, beckoning one to venture forth into its depths.

At the expansive entrance of the Maw of Oblivion, the soul stone continued to swell in size. In a mere moment, it dwarfed even the star beneath the feet of the Abyssal Leviathan.

Compared to the soul stone's grandeur, Yin Tiehua's patch of yellow-brown land seemed minuscule.

The soul stone, expelled by Youyu, hovered motionless at the mouth of the Maw of Oblivion, unaffected by its pull.

It was evident that Youyu was attempting to coax the Origin Deity from the Maw of Oblivion, to entice the deity's spirit into the soul stone for a showdown within.

The emergence of the soul stone significantly alleviated the sensation of their minds being torn apart. Yin Tiehua, whose gaze had previously scattered, swiftly regained clarity. He peered deeply into the Maw of Oblivion with a mix of awe and trepidation, his voice rough as he uttered, "Origin Deity?"

Youyu gave a subtle nod.

Just as Yin Tiehua was about to speak, he noticed President Lyi was nowhere to be found. Stunned, he quickly surmised that President Lyi had seized the chance to slip away.

"The prize lies before you. Do you dare to enter and claim it?"

Observing Yin Tiehua's awakening, Youyu released his grip on his shoulder. With a slight shimmer, Youyu materialized above the enlarging soul stone.

Facing the colossal swirling vortex, he sensed the psionic power emanating from within and declared fearlessly, "Since you've made your presence known, you must have temporarily confined Tan Xiaotian. Free of any lingering concerns, yet you hesitated to seize the soul stone after I released it." Youyu's brow furrowed, sensing that something was amiss.

In that instant, Taixu, with the visage of a youth, shuddered as a peculiar gleam flashed across his eyes.

His gaze was fixed on the spinning Maw of Oblivion, as if trying to pierce through the veils of space to uncover the secrets lurking in its deepest recesses.

His heart was pounding furiously, and the Altar of Rebirth within him was spinning rapidly.

Yu Yuan, taken aback, inquired, "What's happening to you?"

Through the peculiar Altar of Rebirth, he had sharply detected an anomaly within Taixu's body. He could sense that Taixu was engulfed in immense confusion and astonishment, as though he had stumbled upon something inconceivable yet was unable to verify it on the spot.

Moreover, a surge of anticipation and joy was welling up in Taixu's heart, reminiscent of reuniting with a long-lost friend after many years.

"There's a trace of Jihui's presence."

Taixu's reply came through the Altar of Rebirth.

"Jihui!"

Yu Yuan's spirit trembled as he stared at the swirling Maw of Oblivion, uttering in disbelief, "How could this be?"

Jihui, the God-King, perished at Skyreach Peak, right where the Origin Gate later emerged in the valley. Both Han Miaoyuan, the human leader, and the Dark Phoenix, the supreme ruler of evilkind, confirmed Jihui's demise.

Given their stature and insight, a misjudgment seemed highly improbable.

"No, it's different," Taixu said, his expression somber as he shook his head dejectedly. "Jihui should have been utterly annihilated, yet it's possible that some remnants were claimed by the Origin Deity."

"You're not sensing Mr. Yan, are you?" Yu Yuan suggested.

Yan Qiling's mastery of space magic was derived from Jihui, the God-King. Along with Youyu, Tan Xiaotian, and others, he was transported into the Ashlands via the Domain Channel.

Youyu claimed that the moment Yan Qiling appeared, a mysterious space deep within the Ashlands pulled him in. The Origin Deity, a master of space magic, appeared to be in that same enigmatic location within the Ashlands.

Could it be that the Origin Deity, through Yan Qiling, had grasped a fragment of Jihui's spatial techniques and was deliberately emitting Jihui's essence to bait Taixu?

"No, it's definitely not that."

Taixu shook his head. When he tried to perceive the presence once more, he discovered that the aura had vanished without a trace.

With a whoosh, the Abyssal Leviathan glided into place, hovering between Taixu and Yu Yuan. He gazed intently at the vast spatial vortex, contemplating briefly before commanding, "Open!"

Whoosh!

The star he commanded transformed into a gigantic crystalline bubble in a mere instant. It ceased resisting the pull of the Maw of Oblivion and plunged directly into its depths.

Xuanli, Duskjaw, the Stormwraith, and the Three-legged Golden Crow were terrified and scattered in a frenzied escape.

They clearly hadn't anticipated that the Abyssal Leviathan would forsake a star so abundant in resources without any forewarning. They swiftly sought refuge on the lands of Yin Tiehua.

The star, now resembling a crystal bubble, emerged at the entrance of the Maw of Oblivion, shrouded in a haze of psionic power, right beside the soul stone.

Suddenly, the Star of Wonder, which had once belonged to the Mirage of the Mind, transformed into a series of mirrors.

One mirror revealed a landscape of towering mountains and meandering valleys and streams, nestled within the depths of billowing white clouds. A mountain soared into the sky, its grandeur awe-inspiring.

"Skyreach Peak!" Yu Yuan and Taixu exclaimed in unison.

"Within the Maw of Oblivion, numerous hidden passages lead to various Origin Gates! The location of the Origin Deity remains a mystery. Where President Lyi ended up after entering is anyone's guess! The Origin Deity has turned the Maw of Oblivion into a spatial nexus connecting different worlds!"

The Abyssal Leviathan's expression grew stern as his gaze shifted to another mirror.

In this mirror, a world awash with streaks of light unfolded, where many Voidweaver clanspeople gathered around a young girl, seemingly absorbing her teachings.

The girl bore the likeness and form of Benin, but the aura she radiated, the look in her eyes, and her mannerisms were clearly not those of the Benin Yu Yuan knew.

Sensing that she was being observed from another world through the bond of the Maw of Oblivion, Benin, mid-speech, came to an abrupt halt.

Her eyes and the cold smirk playing on her lips magnified until they filled the entire mirror.

"Abyssal Leviathan," an icy voice emanated from her pearly white teeth.

The Abyssal Leviathan responded with a cold smile of his own.

With a resounding boom, the mirror formed from the deep sea shattered.

"I've glimpsed the depths."

As the Abyssal Leviathan endeavored to unveil more worlds linked to the Origin Gate to the onlookers, Youyu abruptly exclaimed, "Hmm?"

Boom!

In the very star being refined by the Abyssal Leviathan, the Mirage of the Mind, once concealed in the ocean, now cast a vivid reflection in the water, seemingly mirroring the abode of the Origin Deity.

A reborn Uxthar Tree, vibrant with green leaves and branches, took root in the multicolored soil, drawing nourishment to grow robustly.

Coiled around its roots was a peculiar two-headed Chaos Serpent, seemingly guarding the nascent divine tree.

The serpent's heads at both ends were raised high, as if eagerly anticipating something.

"The Chaos Serpent!" The Abyssal Leviathan's expression soured. "She too is one of the cosmic giant beasts. She once battled the secular bird and fled, badly wounded. I never imagined she'd still be alive, let alone hidden in the Ashlands! Now I understand—the secular bird entered the Ashlands in search of her!"

"That is a newly sprouted Uxthar Tree!" Taixu interjected.

"Newly sprouted?" Youyu furrowed his brow.

"The corrupted Uxthar Tree that once grew in Brugeth must have perished. This new Uxthar Tree must have sprouted from its seed. The Uxthar Tree and the secular bird share a close bond, both possessing the ability to regenerate from their seeds."

As Taixu spoke, a spark of realization lit up his eyes, and he declared, "This freshly grown Uxthar Tree, sprouted from a new seed, should be untainted by corrupt influences. At this moment, the Uxthar Tree can still be saved, can still be reclaimed. If the secular bird manages to secure this tree in the Ashlands, it could return it to the Shadowkin and Wingkind."

Long ago, the secular bird made its home upon the Uxthar Tree—the two were natural allies.

"The Chaos Serpent must have received guidance and aid from the Origin Deity. She lies coiled at the base of the nascent Uxthar Tree, in the realm visible only to us. What she's truly awaiting... must be the secular bird!" The Abyssal Leviathan proclaimed with astonishment.

"She is determined to join forces with the Origin Deity to hunt down the Secular Bird Queen! Therefore, the Origin Deity cannot afford to be distracted, especially not at this critical juncture, by recklessly entering the soul stone to engage in multifaceted combat!"

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