C1709 He Didn't dare Anymore

"From this moment forward, I am the one who rules the Ashlands. I will decide its fate, its life and death, and its growth."

Yu Yuan let out a sneer as the small whirlpool on Loong Jie's forehead began to spin faster, prompting him to emit a piercing scream.

"It was I who returned the Dragon Slaying Stage, allowing your Nagas to escape the seal and enabling both you and Zhong Chichen to advance to the tenth level."

"Yes, its arrival freed your Nagas from the Everlands' constraints, giving you hope and the realization that you could transcend your bloodline to achieve the status of Dragon God."

"But how did it manage to survive?"

"Had I not ignited its life force, incubated it, and sought out dense vital energy to feed it, how would it have been able to crack the dragon egg and burst forth from the Dragon Slaying Stage?"

"Its return to the Ashlands, its very survival to this day—is it not due to my grace?!"

Boom! Thunder rolled!

As Yu Yuan's voice thundered with rage, the world around them was lit with flashes of lightning. Beams of crystal light, imbued with the ultimate truth of the Way of Heaven, streaked toward the Alien Planet where the young creature hid.

Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie heard the plaintive cries of the young beast and the anguished screams of many giant dragons—echoes of their own past actions.

The two dragons who had schemed to aid the young beast in consuming the Secular Bird Queen were now overwhelmed with terror, fearing that the Nagas might be reduced to cinders by Yu Yuan's wrath.

At this juncture, Loong Jie also learned from Zhong Chichen that the man before them was none other than Taiyin himself!

Recalling his reputation as the dragon slayer and the bloody massacre of the Nagas, both Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen were struck dumb with fear.

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan materialized before Loong Jie, the space beneath his feet rippling as he drew the Dragon Slaying Stage toward them.

A murky fog appeared out of nowhere, enveloping the Phoenix Ashes and shielding them from the Uxthar Tree's detection.

Chen Qinghuang, taken aback, then lithely stepped away from the Phoenix Ashes.

She hovered above the dense gray mist, aware that Yu Yuan likely had something significant to impart due to the Dragon Slaying Stage's presence.

Yu Yuan was determined to keep his conversation private from the Uxthar Tree. Standing atop the Dragon Slaying Stage, he felt as though he had the entire Ashlands beneath his feet. He could distinctly sense that as the cosmic orders within the stage permeated the main planet, his mastery over this realm and its rules became increasingly refined.

The Ashlands were slowly being assimilated by the Dragon Slaying Stage, its many profound meanings eroded by the ancient wisdom of the Everlands.

Through the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan could stretch his consciousness endlessly. He felt as if he had become the deity of the Ashlands, the ultimate sovereign of this world. This was particularly true for his Solar Spirit!

The complete Secrets of Life within his Solar Spirit had seamlessly integrated with the Ashlands, elevating him above the young beast. "So this is how it works!" Yu Yuan's smile was radiant, his eyes piercing through the thick haze to see the main planet that the young beast had kept hidden and protected.

"Do you know? When your ancestor crafted the Ashlands and transformed it into his dragon's lair, the heart of his giant beast had already been imbued with a divine life ability by the Primal Blood. You may communicate with this wondrous realm through your bloodline, but I can refine it with the Secrets of Life within my Solar Spirit!"

"Perhaps it wasn't meant for you after all!"

"Anyone who receives the Primal Blood's blessing and is granted the complete Secrets of Life can gain the Ashlands' recognition!"

"You are merely his descendant, but I am his peer, a kindred spirit with power that shares the same origin!"

Yu Yuan's laughter echoed like an oracle across the main planet of the Ashlands, causing the giant dragon, constrained by the Draconic Soul Shackle, to wail in anguish.

The young beast, too, was silent within the main planet. It sensed the truth...

As Yu Yuan had stated, the Ashlands' swift acceptance and recognition of him were not solely due to the cosmic order of the Dragon Slaying Stage or its infiltration into this world. It was also because of Yu Yuan's extraordinary Solar Spirit!

If Primal Blood was the master and his ancestor the eldest senior brother, then Yu Yuan was now the junior brother.

Both were graced by the Primal Blood, each having gleaned the complete Secrets of Life from it. They bore the duty to disseminate the will of the Primal Blood and rejuvenate the forces of life.

The Ashlands came into being and flourished during the zenith of its progenitor's strength, where the heart of the giant beast held numerous Secrets of Life.

Yu Yuan, too, stood a chance at recognition!

"Loong Jie."

With a touch to the small vortex at Loong Jie's brow, Yu Yuan endowed his Lunar Spirit with the divine might of the Ashlands' sovereign.

Within Loong Jie's mind, his Lunar Spirit manifested as a colossal spectral phantom, gripping the Dragon Amulet in one hand.

The ghostly hand tightened its hold on the Dragon Amulet.

As the Dragon Amulet ensnared Loong Jie's soul, more essence seeped out. His massive golden dragon form writhed wildly, seemingly desperate to flee the Ashlands just as the Great Demon God Grec had, to escape Yu Yuan's torment.

"Do you think you can come and go from the Ashlands without my consent?"

Yu Yuan's laughter echoed as Loong Jie, in his frantic struggle, found himself drawn away by an unseen force, moving ever further from the Ashlands' portal.

"What exactly do you want?" Zhong Chichen, drenched in blood, had lost his earlier nonchalance, his face dark and grim.

"I need you to leave the Ashlands and do something for me."

At Yu Yuan's command, Loong Jie's struggles ceased, and the golden blood no longer trickled from the corners of his eyes.

The bleeding on Zhong Chichen also stopped. His features contorted, he demanded with a fierce snarl, "What is it?"

"I need you to venture to the Dark Star Region or a neighboring astral domain and carve out a Domain Channel for me. This Domain Channel must link to Eiwrone, allowing me to traverse at will. Remember, the closer to the Dark Star Region, the better. If you can manage to create a passage for me there, discreetly, that would be ideal," Yu Yuan revealed his plan.

The Voidweaver had perished, and Rovi had met his end. The Origin Deity was repelled back into the Abyss by Bertain. In light of these events, the only entity capable of forging a pathway between the Eiwrone and the Dark Star had to be the Chronowyrm before us. Moreover, this Chronowyrm possessed a significant understanding of the Eiwrone, making him the ideal choice for the task.

"Dark Star Region?" Zhong Chichen's gaze sharpened as he pondered Yu Yuan's motives. He quickly reached a startling conclusion, exclaiming, "You... you intend to join the fray between the Dark Phoenix and the Solar Meridian?!"

"The little one you serve fears being slain by the Dark Phoenix. Grec is terrified she'll annihilate the Solar Meridian, leading to the Blood Fiend's extinction, and he's also concerned she'll consume the Solar Meridian. The Abyssal Leviathan, too, fears becoming her prey, only to be killed and used to nourish another."

"She orchestrated the Nagas' demise. Likewise, she played a pivotal role in Boulderdawn's downfall!"

"Given that everyone fears her and wishes for her downfall, not wanting her to rise as a power to rival Bertain, I've resolved to obliterate her!" Yu Yuan declared resolutely.

"I will join the battle."

Without a moment's hesitation, Chen Qinghuang, adrift in the grey mist, stated her position unequivocally.

"First, I'll return the divine tree to the Shadowkin's sacred land. I'll neutralize the poison within me. Once my combat prowess is fully restored, I'll join the assault against her."

The Chaos Serpent may be her archenemy, but the Dark Phoenix is her nemesis. Her demise a hundred thousand years ago was at the hands of the Dark Phoenix of the Everlands. Had it not been for her mental breakdown, spreading ruin and death, the Demon God Bertain wouldn't have rallied the mightiest warriors to eliminate her. Thus, the Dark Phoenix could very well be the foe she despises most in this lifetime.

"Isn't it a bit premature for you?"

"Are you certain you want to engage in the epic conflict within the Dark Star Region now? The Dark Phoenix is far more formidable than you imagine. Otherwise, our revered Greco, including the Abyssal Leviathan, wouldn't harbor such deep-seated fear of her, nor would they all be steering clear of her." Zhong Chichen's expression was grave, his deep-seated dread of the Dark Phoenix evident.

"It might be a bit premature now, but once I get involved, once I truly stand before her, the timing should be perfect," Yu Yuan declared.

"In that case, what about Loong Jie?" inquired Zhong Chichen.

"Loong Jie is forbidden from leaving the Ashlands until the channel opens! And the same goes for your Nagas' dragons—keep them in line. While they're in the Ashlands, if I decide to crush one, then it's done. I won't have you scheming in the shadows!" Yu Yuan let out a cold huff.

"I wouldn't dare," Zhong Chichen responded with a wry smile, resigning himself to the situation and refraining from making any further pleas.

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