C169 The Wraith Ape Came to Attack

"Crack!"

Inside the magma pool, the crescent pendant blazed furiously.

The refined remnant soul of the ancient Moonfiend struggled in vain to escape the pendant, tormented by the intense flames and fire characters.

This ancient Moonfiend was by no means weak.

It had managed to launch a surprise attack on Yu Yuan without Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan noticing, a testament to its unique mastery in concealing its remnant soul.

Unfortunately, after suffering a setback at the hands of Yu Yuan, it recklessly attempted to possess Duan Guanlan.

Did it really think it could easily break through the Cursemark?

Without the Cursemark affixed to their foreheads, Duan Tianhong and Duan Tianxi would never have remained so composed.

Without having reached the state of Subtlety, if Duan Guanlan had been slain by Lee Yuchan and Qin Yun, they would have struggled to defend him.

"The ancient Moonfiend is merely that," Duan Tianhong said with a radiant smile to Lee Yuchan. "Now, have you witnessed the might of our Cursemark?"

Lee Yuchan's face was ashen, still shaken by the encounter.

The ancient Moonfiend was even more perilous than Yue Fei. After ascending to the Lunar Spirit, she was only confident in battling Yue Fei to a draw.

The ancient Moonfiend, now refined by the magma pool, was undoubtedly more formidable than Yue Fei!

But what of it?

What fate awaited it when it foolishly tried to seize Duan Guanlan, who was shielded by the Cursemark?

If not for the Cursemark's severe blow, even the formidable Duan Tianhong might not have been able to dispose of it so effortlessly in the magma pool.

Such were her thoughts, had Yu Yuan not recognized the Cursemark's terrifying power, she too might have rashly attacked Duan Guanlan.

What then?

"Enough, there's no point dwelling on this," Yu Yuan said with a casual smile. "The emergence of an ancient Moonfiend signals that more alien souls will soon follow."

Neither the Crimson Soul Spell of the Ruby Hand nor the magma pool refined by Duan Tianhong possessed the ability to absorb remnant souls.

As the ancient Moonfiend perished within the crescent pendant, Yu Yuan distinctly felt the Soulforge Pool quietly assimilating it.

"It is indeed pointless," concurred Duan Tianhong. He squinted his eyes and gazed intently at Yu Yuan, remarking, "What intrigues me is how you managed to survive the ancient Moonfiend's assault."

Duan Tianxi and Duan Guanlan both wore expressions of surprise.

As a mysterious glow briefly illuminated the darkness, a cryptic pattern emerged on Yu Yuan's face, shining brilliantly for just a moment.

In that instant, the ancient Moonfiend shifted its focus and made a beeline for Duan Guanlan.

It seemed to recognize the enigmatic pattern on Yu Yuan's face, as if aware that Yu Yuan was not to be trifled with, which explained its decisive reaction.

Unexpectedly, it found itself ensnared by the "Cursemark," drawn into the terrifying flames within the mystic rune.

But why did that pattern appear on Yu Yuan's face?

If the pattern could instill such fear in the ancient Moonfiend, then...

Duan Tianhong and Duan Tianxi exchanged a glance, both realizing that this mysterious young man from Asvetaesi harbored many secrets, warranting their serious attention.

"Here it comes again!"

Duan Guanlan touched the Cursemark at his brow with one finger.

The inscribed lines on the spell flared up once more, each line resembling a miniature river of fire, teeming with highly refined flame energy and Soul Power.

"Awooo!"

A roar, laced with fury and frenzy, thundered from the distant land.

A white Wraith Ape, brandishing a deep red stone pillar, bellowed as it charged forward, leading the charge.

The other alien souls, seemingly in unspoken agreement, followed at a distance or stealthily concealed themselves.

Not understanding the situation at the Soulforge Pool, they refrained from acting rashly, preserving their sense of reason and alertness.

The Wraith Ape, with its single-mindedness, was the ideal fodder for probing their defenses.

"Heh!"

Duan Tianhong sprang from the depths of the magma pool to the sky above the Soulforge Pool. After a brief glance, he quipped, "A Wraith Ape, a sixth-level Fellbeast."

A sixth-level Fellbeast's combat prowess was on par with that of a human at the Lunar Spirit level.

Yet to Duan Tianhong, such a Fellbeast seemed hardly noteworthy.

"Let's see what it does when it gets closer," Duan Guanlan interjected. "Wraith Apes are virtually unseen on the Aetherius Continent. I'm curious about the origins of this one."

"Wraith Ape..."

Lee Yuchan furrowed her brow and murmured softly, "Our Silvermoon Empire once subdued a Wraith Ape. If I'm not mistaken, it's the very same one."

Yu Yuan glanced at her.

"It was a very long time ago," Lee Yuchan elaborated. "I'm not clear on the details, but I need to make one thing clear: the Wraith Ape we subdued was not of the sixth level."

"It was of the seventh level!"

Upon hearing this, Duan Tianhong's expression subtly shifted. "Seventh level?"

"But it was definitely a sixth level!" Duan Guanlan interjected softly.

"Its rank has fallen," Lee Yuchan asserted. "It's likely the same Wraith Ape. After being suppressed for so many years without feasting on blood or absorbing spiritual energy into its demonic form, its rank naturally declined over time."

Yu Yuan's face took on a somber cast. "If that's the case, we'd better kill it quickly to prevent further trouble."

In his past life on the Land of Quiescence, he had gained extensive knowledge of the Shadow's Keep's Fellbeasts and understood that an archdemon that had dropped in rank could recover much more swiftly than a human.

A Fellbeast, given sufficient vital and spiritual energy, could rebound quite rapidly.

Only beings like the Golden Elephant God, who had reached the pinnacle as a Dark Deity, faced a more prolonged recovery after a fall in rank.

A sixth-level Wraith Ape was equivalent to a Lunar Spirit in human terms. With four individuals present who had attained the Lunar Spirit level, the Duan brothers were confident in their ability to slay a sixth-level Wraith Ape.

However, should the Wraith Ape regain its seventh-level strength, it would match the combat power of a human in the Spirit Walk state.

For those at the Lunar Spirit level, the effectiveness of their Spirit Magic and their devastating attacks would be significantly reduced against a seventh-level Fellbeast.

Surpassing an opponent by even one level could mean a multitude of risks and unforeseen dangers.

"A Wraith Ape that was once of the seventh level certainly warrants caution," Duan Tianxi said, his smile fading as he pondered. He then summoned the crimson big bell.

His Lunar Spirit burst forth, transforming into a Flame Deity.

The Flame Deity was encircled by fire clouds that resembled auspicious clouds.

Yu Yuan took a closer look, and upon noticing the ancient imprints within the depths of the fire clouds, he nodded appreciatively and remarked, "Quite impressive."

Duan Tianxi was taken aback. "What have you noticed, young man?"

"Not many from the Ruby Hand practice their dark arts, but you've done well." Yu Yuan sincerely offered his respect. "The dark arts of the Flame Demon were said to have been lost with his passing, with no disciples from the Ruby Hand able to master them fully. I never expected you, Duan Tianxi, to have cultivated the Flame Demon's dark arts to such an advanced level."

Both Duan Tianxi and Duan Tianhong were visibly shaken by this revelation.

In that moment, Duan Guanlan's eyes shone with intrigue as he fixed his gaze on Yu Yuan.

The Flame Demon was a legendary figure within the Ruby Hand!

At the height of his power, the Flame Demon was in the late stages of the Unbound Realm, just one step away from using his mortal soul to form a primordial spirit and becoming one of the most formidable beings in the vast Everlands.

The Flame Demon perished in the last great conflict between Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence.

Legend has it that the Sunlit Order was the first to step into the Land of Quiescence, seeking out the Ruby Hand.

At all costs, the Sunlit Order shattered the sect's sacred defenses and vanquished the Flame Demon.

Their aim was to thwart his achievement of the primordial spirit!

Clearly, the Flame Demon was seen as a significant menace by the Sunlit Order, one that had to be eradicated.

Following the Flame Demon's demise, his dark arts continued to be practiced within the Ruby Hand, but sadly no disciple could cultivate them to their full potential.

Who could have predicted that, after many years, an anomaly like Duan Tianxi would emerge?

"The Flame Demon, bearing the Duan surname, is an ancestor of our Duan family!"

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