C1695 The Victorious Aliosha
The young beast yearned to witness the Secular Bird Queen and her arch-nemesis, the Disaster Snake, engage in a life-or-death struggle within the Gray Domain.
It appeared that the young beast stood to gain from either combatant's demise or severe injury, which would hasten its own maturation.
As long as the conflict unfolded in the Gray Domain, the beast could remain hidden, reaping no benefits but avoiding harm.
It would stay concealed until it reached maturity. Once grown, it would be the undisputed strongest entity in the Gray Domain, no longer intimidated by the Secular Bird Queen or the Disaster Snake.
Naturally, it wouldn't permit the presence of the Great Void to disrupt the eagerly anticipated battle, and knowing the connection between the Great Void and Yu Yuan, it simply banished the Great Void rather than striking it down directly.
Whoosh!
The space around Yu Yuan and the Dragon Slash Platform was shrouded in an unseen gale, impervious to the horrific energy emanating from the Disaster Snake.
Yu Yuan was well aware that the young beast had shown him consideration, fearing that his unique soul might be tainted by the Disaster Snake's warping force, leading him to a tragic end through self-harm.
As long as he stayed within the gale's protection, he would be safe from the Disaster Snake's malevolent power and could still bear witness to the clash between the Queen and the Snake.
He simply couldn't join the fray.
"You've really put some thought into this," Yu Yuan remarked with a snort.
With the Great Void unharmed and his faith in the Queen's combat prowess unwavering, he didn't expect her to lose. Thus, he settled down to observe the battle as an onlooker.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The colossal snake, writhing in its frenzied state, was left with a single head. Beside it, a thick cloud of smoke and blood burst forth, intensifying into a more powerful explosion after drawing in the celestial energies.
In Yu Yuan's view, the space around the Disaster Snake seemed to implode, revealing massive cavities.
Each cavernous depression, capable of holding a star, was filled with brilliant blood and rising smoke.
The Secular Bird unfurled its wings, unleashing a torrent of Destruction Fire and ashen deathly lightning, which appeared to dissolve amidst the blood and dense smoke within those vast hollows.
Moments later, the Secular Bird Queen's elegant silhouette had significantly distanced itself from the Disaster Snake. The massive pits that had formed near the Disaster Snake now appeared to Yu Yuan as a multitude of bubbles, each a different color. Within these bubbles, numerous ribbons of colorful bloodlight shimmered, as if some arcane law was rapidly taking shape.
Boom!
From the multitude of bubbles, a chaotic power capable of warping the soul emanated, sweeping across the expanse like a tidal wave from the ocean. It seemed that any living being with flesh and a soul that encountered this wave would be utterly consumed.
Thankfully, this conflict was unfolding within the Gray Domain, not the vast starry skies beyond. Yu Yuan was convinced that if this chaos were to spread there, it could easily submerge entire worlds.
Rip!
A Secular Bird's wing flashed with hundreds of blinding white bolts of lightning, as if the bloodline of death itself had transformed into Crystal Chains, vividly manifesting before one's eyes. Rings of deathly energy rippled out from the wing, showcasing the ultimate essence of the power of death. The ashen waves of death collided with the distorted energies of disaster, casting a mesmerizing brilliance that captivated Yu Yuan.
He had no doubt that if this clash were to occur within the Serene Starfield, it would spell the end for countless lives within that realm. Perhaps, even vibrant stars would be crushed under their might, reduced to cosmic dust and ashes.
A sense of relief washed over him. He was grateful that this battle was contained within the Gray Domain, under the watchful eye of a young beast within the treasury crafted by the ancient Titan and Spinosaurus, sparing the beings of the outer world from harm.
Otherwise...
A shiver ran down his spine as he suddenly grasped the Great Demon God Beilstein's urgency in eradicating the Starry Behemoths. The surviving giants, not vanquished, were either hiding in the Gray Domain or lurking at the Starry Border, too fearful to return to the Eon Realm. The battles of these colossal creatures seemed heedless of location, indifferent to the lives caught in their wake, and unconcerned with the annihilation of stars.
Should the behemoths continue their chaotic skirmishes, this world would inevitably face destruction, leaving nothing in their wake.
Hiss! Hiss!
The Disaster Snake, with her singular head, flicked a tender green tongue. Below her head, colorful ringed patterns emerged, each seemingly tied to a mastery of bloodline secrets, predominantly associated with deadly toxins.
Whoosh!
In an instant, numerous venomous marshes materialized, thick as if mixed with water vapor, spreading out like a vast expanse of the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea.
"So, it's a venomous serpent after all," Yu Yuan remarked, astounded, as he let out a reflective sigh.
He then received insight from the young beast explaining that the Disaster Snake's two heads had distinct roles: one wrought havoc, while the other wielded poison. Surprisingly, the gentler head, Aliosha as referred to by the Great Void, was the one in control of the venom. And it was Aliosha who had emerged victorious!
In that moment, Yu Yuan realized that Aliosha before him was likely the ultimate pursuit of Hu Caiyun, the Peach Madam. Even Yu Zhu of the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea might fall short in the art of poison when compared to Aliosha.
Dozens of ribbon-like patterns, etched with various toxic laws, adorned her form.
"It's been a while," the Disaster Snake suddenly said, her voice human. Amidst the dense miasma and the poisonous lakes she conjured, she appeared with the torso of a woman and the body of a serpent. Her face bore a striking resemblance to the Banshee Clan, her long hair undulating like a multitude of serpents.
Yet, her dark-brown serpentine body and the Banshee features appeared unusually swollen, as if she had overindulged and the excess had turned to corpulence.
Yu Yuan's expression turned peculiar at the sight of her human-headed, snake-bodied form. Could it be that the lean Great Void favored such a plump woman? He mused to himself with a hint of disdain.
"I always knew you would be the ultimate victor," declared the Secular Bird Queen, transforming into a towering figure with three heads and six arms. She gazed at the Disaster Snake with an impassive, destructive intent in her deep eyes. "Without the aid of the Origin Realm God, there's no way the head responsible for disaster could have bested you."
"Your high regard moves me deeply. My dear sister, you've come to my aid once more, and I'm at a loss for how to express my gratitude," the Disaster Snake responded, her plump face and body shaking with laughter, her small eyes nearly vanishing in mirth.
"Back then, our battle hadn't even concluded when you decapitated her and forced me to swallow her head. Thanks to your assistance, I gained many years of freedom, imprisoning her within my body and soul for tens of thousands of years. Alas, if it weren't for the Origin Realm God's meddling, coaxing my soul to the Origin Realm, she might never have been released."
The Disaster Snake disclosed the hidden truth.
"And what of her release? How long did she last before I killed her again? In our recent battles, without any outside interference, I have consistently emerged victorious."
The Disaster Snake, with her plump womanly form, boasted about her victories with evident pride.
"The one I wished to see was you."
Chen Qinghuang, with her three heads and six arms, stood towering like a colossal Holy Mountain, a deity stepping right out of ancient myths.
She gazed at the Disaster Snake, coiled like a mighty dragon, and let out a cold snort, "Little creature, if you're brave enough, step out into the light and offer your help. Stop skulking in the shadows."
Yu Yuan, taken aback, scrutinized the scene and noticed that the Galaxy Extraordinary Talent within the Gray Domain was converging on the Disaster Snake's massive form, the created lakes and marshes, and the thick clouds of smoke.
The Secular Bird Queen received none of it.
As a Starry Behemoth, the Disaster Snake could naturally harness the Galaxy Extraordinary Talent that the Secular Bird Queen's lineage could also attract.
If she couldn't, there was only one explanation—the master of the Gray Domain was deliberately withholding it.
It was the young beast secretly aiding the Disaster Snake!
"Is it you?"
Yu Yuan's expression grew stern amidst the gale.
The young beast remained silent, offering no response, as if oblivious to the accusation.
Silence, of course, was as good as an admission.
"Stop interfering. Don't mistake the Disaster Snake for weak, and don't try to balance the scales by granting her additional power. You'd best consider the consequences!"
Yu Yuan reprimanded sternly within the howling wind, "What's the matter? Reluctant to part with the Muddy Divine Soil, are you coveting that tree? Remember, the Muddy Divine Soil rightfully belongs to that tree; it was your forebears who stole it."
Wail.
Reluctantly, the young beast responded, informing Yu Yuan that whatever the old spinosaurus reclaimed was rightfully its own. Yet, after a stern reprimand, it seemed to have a change of heart, ceasing its covert meddling in the conflict and relinquishing its sway over the Starry Behemoth's power.
As soon as it released its hold, Yu Yuan instantly witnessed an overwhelming surge of the Starry Behemoth's might flowing towards the Secular Bird Queen.
Transforming into the verdant form of the Divine Bird, her wingspan vast as two continents, she furiously drew in the Starry Behemoth's energy. The force she had expended in earlier combat was nearly half restored in mere moments.
The Starry Behemoth's power, deeply ensconced within the Gray Domain, was inherently superior to that found elsewhere, or the old spinosaurus would not have considered the Gray Domain both his lair and treasure trove.
Each Starry Behemoth's growth accelerated in the absence of the old spinosaurus from the Gray Domain.
Likewise, wounded Starry Behemoths could recuperate more swiftly within the Gray Domain.
"I'm warning you for the last time. Behave yourself, don't meddle. After my battle with her concludes, allow me to take the Muddy Divine Soil and the Divine Tree. I'll act as if nothing ever happened."
"If I catch you skulking around, causing trouble again, I'll ensure you never reach maturity!"
"Your ancestor only surpassed me because he was graced by the Origin Blood, his beastly heart refined. He became the supreme overlord."
"You possess only his lineage, not the enhancement of the Origin Blood. Even as an adult, you may not be my equal. So, mind your manners."
The Secular Bird Queen issued her threat.
The young beast remained silent, only letting out another wail from within Yu Yuan's chest, as if to declare that Yu Yuan was its blessing of Origin Blood.
