C1693 The Master's Entrustment

In the Ashlands, after the Demon God Bertain boldly set foot in the Abyss, the Eiwrone swiftly reverted to its usual state, with no remnants of the Abyss's power seeping through.

The once void-like expanse of the starry sky was once again brimming with the Ashlands' myriad psionic powers, and all seemed unchanged.

It was as if Bertain and the Origin Deity had never existed, with no evidence of any conflict between them.

Only the Stormwraith stood bewildered, caught between the Eiwrone and the star transformed by the Abyssal Leviathan. It glanced back at the radiant Eiwrone and then gazed, perplexed, at the Duskjaw and the Three-legged Golden Crow.

The Golden Crow let out a cry, succinctly recounting the recent events to the Stormwraith.

The Stormwraith paused, visibly shaken, and then made its way toward the star where the Abyssal Leviathan and the others were gathered.

At that very moment, Youyu's brow furrowed as he witnessed two intertwining streams, one murky and one crystal clear, reforming within his soul.

The aura of the Root of the Lunar Meridian within the streams became vibrant and energetic.

Previously, when the specter of the Demon God Bertain manifested in the Stormwraith's mind, the two perennial streams in his consciousness had inexplicably vanished.

It was as if the streams were evading Bertain, fearful of attracting his attention.

Empowered by the Root of the Lunar Meridian, Youyu, now the exalted Supreme of the God of Ghosts, was acutely aware that the very Root that had forged his divine status was the entity he feared and respected the most.

During his battle with the Origin Deity, his spirited body emerged within Jessica's mind, tethered to the two streams of the Lunar Meridian, indicating his participation in the fray.

This suggested that the Root of the Lunar Meridian did not harbor a particular fear of the Origin Deity and was willing to engage in conflict.

Yet, as Bertain's specter began to materialize, the Root of the Lunar Meridian sensed something amiss and discreetly withdrew, no longer revealing its presence.

It seemed to prefer remaining unnoticed by Bertain.

Now, with Bertain's departure, Youyu immediately sensed the Root of the Lunar Meridian, located far in the Everlands, radiating an irrepressible thrill of excitement.

To Youyu, the Root of the Lunar Meridian appeared to have suddenly been granted a profound sense of freedom.

In the following moment, he distinctly heard a message. The Root of the Lunar Meridian informed him that should he engage in battle with an evenly matched opponent within the Extraterrestrial Star River, the assistance it could offer would surpass his wildest dreams. This ancient Root of the Lunar Meridian, entombed for eons beneath the Everlands and never having surfaced, now throbbed with the excitement of breaking free and making its presence known in the Extraterrestrial Star River.

A tributary of the Lunar Meridian, hidden beneath the Floating Life World in the Annihilation Nebula, could serve as its vessel. The God of Ghosts, Youyu, could also become a carrier. Yu Zhu, who had mastered the essence of the Turbid, might transform into its vessel at a critical moment and harness its strength.

Bertain's departure had stirred it into action. It was like a mouse that had been lurking underground for countless years, finally able to bask in the sunlight. It was ready to venture into the world above, to behold the magnificent landscapes and reunite with old friends. Hence its boundless excitement!

"So, it was Bertain whom you've truly feared all these years," Youyu realized with clarity.

The Everlands were protected not only by a natural barrier but also by the likes of Lin Daoke, Tan Xiaotian, the Dark Phoenix, and a host of supreme beings and Dark Deities. Even the formidable Demon God Bertain wouldn't dare to cause chaos. As long as it remained beneath the Everlands, it was secure from Bertain's remnant soul's infiltration.

It seemed aware that if it risked emerging from the Everlands, it would be vulnerable to Bertain's power, which could refine and strip away its soul. Thus, it had no choice but to remain concealed within the Everlands. But today, with Bertain gone, it finally had the chance to emerge and breathe freely.

Following Youyu's epiphany, the Ebon Meditation Mat beneath Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian began to roil wildly. Invisible to most, the rules that dwelled in the deepest darkness seemed to spring to life, eagerly reaching out as if sensing something.

Tan Xiaotian, striking in appearance, gazed at the darkness beneath him, murmuring as though in a soliloquy, "What's this? You feel incomplete? A part of you has spontaneously emerged, triggering this sensation? Then, where might it be?"

Abyssal Leviathan, Xuanli, Yin Tiehua, and the others regarded him with curious gazes.

Tan Xiaotian remained unfazed, continuing his conversation with the darkness beneath him, "It, it..."

The Demon Lord's form trembled, and he let out a shiver before taking a deep breath, "The Dawnbringers' Astral Domain! The other part of you was actually oppressed by the Dawnbringers, sealed away by numerous holy weapons of light! Hehe, I should've figured it out, I should've realized it long ago!"

Ignoring everyone else, Tan Xiaotian steered the Ebon Meditation Mat and departed on his own.

He even temporarily set aside his grudge against Youyu.

The Dawnbringers' Astral Domain was a realm he had avoided for years, aware of the immense terror lurking within and the strong bond between the Dawnbringers' Cardo and the Great Demon God Bertain.

Venturing into the Dawnbringers' Astral Domain recklessly would not only expose him to their onslaught but also potentially to the unknown horrors and to Bertain himself.

Yet now, under his very eyes, Bertain had unmistakably journeyed to the Abyss.

The enigmatic other half of the darkness beneath him seemed to sense Bertain's departure and reached out for assistance.

Who in the entire Star River could aid the one suppressed by the Dawnbringers?

Who else could it turn to for help?

Naturally, it was I, Tan Xiaotian!

With a whoosh!

Without a moment's hesitation, Tan Xiaotian, aboard the Ebon Meditation Mat, chose to leave the Ashlands at top speed, heading directly for the Dawnbringers' domain.

"Lizard?"

The Abyssal Leviathan watched Tan Xiaotian's departure until the darkness was out of sight, then turned to the Abyssal Greater Basilisk still perched atop the World-Sundering Stone. "Bertain has left. Now that he's ventured into the Abyss, you're safe."

Upon hearing this, the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, which had been rigid for quite some time, arched its back, seemingly regaining its vigor.

It nodded, visibly more at ease, "With Bertain gone from this world, I too am free. Leviathan, let us join forces. Together, we can traverse the Infinite Galaxy!"

The Lizard was indifferent to the events transpiring in the Abyss. His sole ambition had been to harness the power of the Origin Deity to confront the formidable Demon God, Bertain. With both Bertain and the Origin Deity now venturing into the Abyss, could anything be more gratifying for him? Freed from his bonds and cages in an instant, he experienced liberation.

"Leviathan, there are places you and I have longed to visit. But with Bertain's presence, we stood no chance of gaining anything, so we've held back. Now, our opportunity has finally come!" Lizard extended an invitation.

"I... I'll think about it," the Abyssal Leviathan replied, somewhat uncertainly.

"Very well," Lizard nodded. He turned to the Shadowkin elder and asked in a grave tone, "And you?"

"I will accompany you," the elder replied, bowing his head.

"Good, you know your place."

Without further ado, Lizard, sparing no words or energy, promptly gathered Jessica, the Shadowkin elder, and the two ninth-level warriors from the Silverscale Tribe. Together, they departed from Eiwrone.

"Just let him leave, just like that?" Xuanli was astonished.

"And why not?" The Abyssal Leviathan regarded him with scorn. "The one he truly fears is the Demon God, Bertain. He's been lurking at the edge of the stars because of him. Now that Bertain is gone, only a handful in this world, like the Dark Phoenix and Lin Daoke, are of any significance to him."

"You all..."

The Abyssal Leviathan's gaze swept over Youyu as he shook his head. "You are not even on his radar."

"What about Tan Xiaotian?" Xuanli asked, frustrated.

"Once Tan Xiaotian retrieves that which has been sealed for eons within the Dawnbringers' domain, he might just possess the power to make the old Lizard wary," the Abyssal Leviathan huffed.

...

At the site of the Phoenix Ashes, Yu Yuan, the Secular Bird Queen, and the God-King Taixu watched everything that unfolded on Eiwrone with crystal clarity.

Even the Uxthar Tree, in its early stages of spiritual wisdom, witnessed the departure of the Demon God through the Dragon Slaying Stage.

"He actually ventured into the Abyss!"

Taixu's face registered shock as he massaged his temples and said with a hint of bitterness, "His departure is bound to make every demon and ghost in this world uneasy."

The empress, not often one to show agreement, nodded her head.

Being privy to the inner workings, she was well aware that while the Demon God Bertain dominated the Star River, he also served as the guardian of the entire world, the one who established its rules.

Moreover, he kept many magnates in check.

The presence of Bertain had long deterred some of the most ancient and fearsome creatures from causing havoc. They had kept their violent nature and instincts well in check, fearing his attention and the possibility of being extinguished by his hand.

But now, he had departed for the Abyss.

Many powerful beings among the Otherkin, connected to the Star River through the Eiwrone, were now aware of this development. The Otherkin hidden within the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone would surely receive the news swiftly.

With the oppressive force of Bertain no longer overhead, undoubtedly numerous terrifying entities would emerge, ready to wreak havoc in this corner of the cosmos.

"You?"

Chen Qinghuang suddenly turned her gaze, picking up on a subtle disturbance in Yu Yuan's thoughts.

"Who are you communicating with?" she asked, her surprise evident.

"That juvenile creature."

Yu Yuan smiled. Indeed, right after the Demon God Bertain's departure, he had once again made contact with the young beast.

The Titan Spinosaurus's offspring sent a feeble message: Has he truly gone?

Once Yu Yuan confirmed the truth, and the young beast learned that the Demon God Bertain had indeed ventured into the Abyss, taking the Origin Deity along, it grew incredibly bold.

With the Origin Deity's blight on the Ashlands thwarted by the Eiwrone, the young beast no longer had to fear the threat of the Origin Deity, nor live in dread of Bertain. As it gradually came to fully comprehend the enigmatic Ashlands, its sense of security surged dramatically.

It had plenty of reasons to rejoice.

Yet, neither Chen Qinghuang nor Taixu knew that before Yu Yuan had begun communicating with the beast, he had already had a conversation with someone else.

In the vastness of the Everlands, Yu Yuan engaged in a profound dialogue with another part of himself.

A whisper of his consciousness implored him to protect this world with diligence.

The world that remained after Bertain's departure.

Yu Yuan was acutely aware that his mentor from his first life had withdrawn from this realm, venturing into the Abyss to battle formidable adversaries. He had entrusted the stewardship of this world to Yu Yuan.

Bertain had immense faith in him!

It appeared that Bertain's confidence to journey into the Abyss stemmed from Yu Yuan's presence and the complete resurgence of his strength!

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