C1695 The Victorious Asa
The young beast was eager to witness the Secular Bird Queen and her archenemy, the Chaos Serpent, engage in a fight to the death within the Ashlands. It appeared that regardless of which side suffered defeat or heavy damage, the young beast stood to benefit, potentially accelerating its own growth.
As long as the battle took place in the Ashlands, the young beast could remain hidden if it didn't gain any advantages. It would bide its time until it reached maturity, at which point it would become the strongest entity in the Ashlands, no longer fearing the Secular Bird or the Chaos Serpent.
Naturally, it wouldn't tolerate the presence of Taixu interfering with the anticipated battle. Knowing the connection between Taixu and Yu Yuan, the young beast simply sent Taixu away instead of launching a direct and painful attack.
Whoosh!
The space surrounding Yu Yuan and the Dragon Slaying Stage was shrouded in an invisible wind, impervious to the horrifying energy emanating from the Chaos Serpent. Yu Yuan was well aware that the young beast was looking out for him, fearing that his unique soul might be tainted by the Chaos Serpent's corrupting forces.
He dreaded the thought of succumbing to a tragic fate, destroyed by his own hand. As long as he stayed within the confines of the protective winds, he would be safe from the psionic power and could still bear witness to the epic clash between the Empress and the Chaos Serpent. His role, however, was limited to that of an observer.
"You've really put some thought into this," Yu Yuan remarked with a light snort.
With Taixu unharmed and his faith in the Empress's combat prowess unwavering, Yu Yuan didn't believe she would be defeated. Thus, he settled into a calm state, watching the battle unfold from the sidelines.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The colossal snake, thrashing wildly, was left with a single head. Next to it, a thick fog intermingled with blood burst forth, growing more potent after drawing in cosmic energy, resulting in an even more formidable explosion.
Through Yu Yuan's eyes, the space around the Chaos Serpent seemed to collapse, revealing massive indentations. Each indentation, like a pit deep enough to hold a star, billowed with dazzling blood and dense mist.
The Secular Bird flapped its wings, unleashing a downpour of the flame of destruction and ashen death lightning. These forces appeared to be devoured and dissolved by the blood and mist swirling within the cavernous depressions.
Moments later, the Secular Bird Queen had significantly distanced herself from the Chaos Serpent.
The vast pits that had formed near the Chaos Serpent now appeared to Yu Yuan as a multitude of bubbles, each a different color.
Inside these bubbles, numerous ribbons of blood-red light shimmered, as if the profound meanings of certain rules were rapidly taking shape.
Boom!
The power of ruin emanated from these bubbles, spreading like a tidal wave in all directions.
It seemed that any being with flesh and soul that crossed its path would be utterly consumed.
Fortunately, this confrontation was taking place in the Ashlands, not the starry expanse of the outer world.
Otherwise, Yu Yuan feared that the spread of this ruinous power could have submerged entire worlds.
Rip!
A wing of the Secular Bird Queen suddenly burst with hundreds of blinding white bolts of lightning, as if the bloodline of death itself had transformed into visible crystal chains.
A wave of death force emanated from her feathers, showcasing the ultimate truth of this formidable power.
The ashen waves of death force collided with the twisted energies of calamity, creating a blinding brilliance that captivated Yu Yuan's gaze.
He had no doubt that if this clash had occurred in a place like the Zagreus domain, it would have spelled doom for all living beings there, possibly shattering vibrant stars into cosmic dust.
He felt a surge of relief.
He was thankful that this battle was contained within the Ashlands, under the watchful eye of a young beast safeguarding the treasury crafted by the Old Titan Spinosaurus, sparing the lives of those in the outside world.
Otherwise...
A shiver ran down his spine as he suddenly grasped the urgency behind the Demon God Bertain's efforts to eliminate the cosmic giant beasts.
The surviving giant beasts, not eradicated, were either hiding in the Ashlands or lurking at the fringes of the Star River, too fearful to return to the celestial currents.
The battles of these giant beasts seemed indiscriminate of location, unconcerned with the collateral damage to living beings or the annihilation of stars.
If left to their chaotic brawls, this world would one day face extinction, leaving nothing behind.
Hiss! Hiss!
The Chaos Serpent, with only its head remaining, flicked its tender green tongue as colorful, ring-shaped patterns emerged beneath it.
Each snake pattern appeared to be a mastery of bloodline mysteries, most of which were associated with potent toxins.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, vast swathes of the thick, smoky miasma of the poisonous swamp materialized as if from nowhere.
It was as though she had conjured an even larger expanse of the Rainbow Ocean out of thin air.
"So, it turns out to be a venomous serpent," Yu Yuan exclaimed, unable to contain his astonishment.
He then learned from the young beast's reply that the Chaos Serpent had one head that wrought havoc and another that wielded deadly poison.
Surprisingly, the one in control of the poison, the more docile head, was the very Asa that Taixu had spoken of.
And it was Asa who had emerged victorious!
In that moment, Yu Yuan realized that Asa before him was likely the Peach Madam Hu Caiyun's ultimate objective. Yu Zhu, from the Rainbow Ocean, was probably a notch below Asa in the realm of toxins.
The myriad snake patterns were etched with nearly a hundred varieties of toxic rules.
"It's been a while," came a voice.
Out of nowhere, the Chaos Serpent spoke in human tongue, revealing herself amidst the dense miasma of the swamp with the form of a human head atop a serpentine body.
Her head bore a striking resemblance to the evilkind, with long hair that seemed to be a mass of writhing snakes.
Yet...
Her dark-brown serpentine body and the visage of an enchantress appeared quite swollen, as if she had overindulged and the excess had turned to corpulence.
Upon witnessing her transformation into a human-headed serpent, Yu Yuan's expression turned peculiar.
Did Taixu, so lean and spare, actually prefer such a plump woman?
He mused to himself with a touch of disdain.
"I always knew you would be the ultimate victor," the Secular Bird Queen declared, morphing into a majestic Divine Visage with three heads and six arms.
She confronted the Chaos Serpent, her deep eyes devoid of emotion, "Without the aid of the Origin Deity, the chaotic head could never have bested you."
"Your high regard for me is truly moving. My dear sister, you've come to my aid once again, and I hardly know how to express my gratitude," the plump-faced Chaos Serpent said with a chuckle, her small eyes nearly vanishing in her mirth.
"Remember, our battle was unresolved when you severed her head, allowing me to devour it. Thanks to you, I've enjoyed many years of freedom, suppressing her within my body and soul for tens of thousands of years. Alas, without the Origin Deity to lure my soul to the Origin Realm, she might never have been released."
The Chaos Serpent disclosed the hidden truth with a hint of pride.
"So what if she emerged? How long did she last before I bit her to death again? In our recent battles, without any outside interference, I've been the one to claim the final victory."
The image of the Chaos Serpent, a corpulent woman, exuded self-satisfaction as she recounted her fights with her adversary.
"I was hoping to see you as well."
Chen Qinghuang, with her three heads and six arms, stood like an immense Holy Mountain, a deity stepping right out of ancient myths.
She gazed upon the Chaos Serpent, coiled like a dragon, looking up at her. Suddenly, with a cold snort, she challenged, "Little thing, if you're brave enough, step out into the light. Stop skulking in the shadows, offering your sneaky assistance."
Yu Yuan, taken aback, scrutinized the scene and realized that the cosmic energy in the Ashlands was converging on the body of the Chaos Serpent's giant beast, the marshes she had created, and the thick clouds of smoke.
The Secular Bird Queen had not received a trace.
Both being cosmic giant beasts, the Chaos Serpent could gather cosmic energy just as the Secular Bird Queen could with her bloodline.
If she couldn't, there was only one explanation—the master of the Ashlands was withholding it.
The young beast was aiding the Chaos Serpent from the shadows!
"Is it you?" Yu Yuan's expression darkened amid the howling winds.
The young beast remained silent, offering no response, as if deaf to his words.
Its silence was as good as an admission.
"Don't interfere in affairs that don't concern you. Don't assume the Chaos Serpent is weak and try to balance the scales by granting her extra power. You'd best consider the consequences!" Yu Yuan admonished it sternly within the gale, "What's the matter? Can't bear to part with the Phoenix Ashes, longing for that tree? Remember, the Phoenix Ashes belonged to the tree before your ancestor took it by force."
The young beast howled reluctantly, informing Yu Yuan that whatever the old spinosaurus had claimed was now rightfully its own.
Yet, after the rebuke, it appeared to have a change of heart, ceasing its clandestine meddling in the conflict and relinquishing its control over the cosmic energy.
The moment it released its grip, Yu Yuan instantly witnessed a torrent of cosmic energy rushing toward the queen.
The Secular Bird Queen manifested once more as the Azure Bird, her wingspan vast as two continents, with each feather frantically drawing in cosmic energy.
The power she had expended in the earlier battle had nearly half returned in just a brief moment.
The cosmic energy concealed within the Ashlands was inherently superior to that of other regions, which is why the Old Titan Spinosaurus regarded it as his dragon's lair and treasure trove.
Every cosmic giant beast grew more swiftly in the Ashlands once the old spinosaurus departed.
Likewise, cosmic giant beasts that were gravely injured could recuperate more rapidly within the Ashlands.
"I'm warning you for the last time. Just let go and stay out of it. After my battle with her concludes, allow me to take the Phoenix Ashes and the Divine Tree, and I'll act as if nothing ever happened."
"If I catch you skulking around, meddling in the shadows, I'll ensure you never reach maturity!"
"Your ancestor only surpassed me because he was chosen by the Primal Blood, and the heart of the giant beast was refined. He became the supreme overlord."
"Now, you possess only his bloodline, without the enhancement of the Primal Blood. Even as an adult, you may not be able to stand against me. So, behave yourself."
The Secular Bird Queen issued her threat.
The young beast remained silent, yet another mournful howl emanated from within Yu Yuan's chest.
As if to declare that Yu Yuan himself was its Primal Blood.
