C1730 He Raised the Antiflag

Yu Yuan smiled and asked, "Aren't you concerned about your sect master holding you accountable afterward?"

"With the state of the Vast Ocean World nearly upended by you, why should I be overly concerned?" Zhou Cangmin replied, his gaze piercing as he studied Yu Yuan. He sighed deeply and continued, "You weren't this formidable the last time we met. What on earth happened to you in the Gray Domain to make you so strong?"

Before Yu Yuan could respond, his eyes caught the familiar figure in red on the cold moon, prompting him to ask in astonishment, "How is she out here?"

"The Sect Master feared the civil war in the Vast Ocean World might reach her, so he summoned her early," Zhou Cangmin explained. "He was also worried she'd act recklessly upon learning of your troubles, possibly rushing to your aid without a second thought. Bringing her here is a way to protect her."

"I must say, I didn't expect your Sect Master Qin to be quite so considerate," Yu Yuan remarked, taken aback.

Qin Luo was greatly esteemed by the Demon Lord, Tan Xiaotian, who had vigorously secured his divine position for him.

Yu Yuan held no particular fondness or dislike for Qin Luo, but Zhou Cangmin's comments revealed Qin Luo's attentive care for Yuan Lianyao, prompting Yu Yuan to silently nod in approval.

As long as Qin Luo didn't act foolishly or join Han Miaoyuan in a desperate alliance, Yu Yuan was willing to turn a blind eye.

"Now's not the time for catching up. Keep an eye on her for me, and ensure she stays out of trouble," Yu Yuan said softly.

"You're overthinking it," Zhou Cangmin replied, shaking his head. He peered once more toward the Vast Ocean World from the boundary wall and added, "As for the old man, he hasn't stooped so low as to capture Yuan Lianyao to threaten you and the Divine Soul Sect. The so-called upright folks wouldn't dare stoop to such disgrace."

"The ones who might have considered it likely don't have the courage anymore, so rest easy."

Upon spotting Yuan Lianyao emerging from the moon, wrapped in the Red Demon Bell and hurrying toward them, Zhou Cangmin's brow furrowed slightly. "I'll go tell her not to wander off. Even if Han Miaoyuan has been defeated, we still have Lin Daoke from the Sword Sect and the unresolved battle in the Plover Realm to consider. We can't afford any rash actions."

Zhou Cangmin gracefully departed. Shortly thereafter, Yu Yuan witnessed him convincing Yuan Lianyao to return to the moon, dissuading her from meeting him in the open sky for all to see. Zhou Cangmin truly had Yuan Lianyao's best interests at heart.

"Mr. Han!"

With no concerns holding him back, Yu Yuan called out to the barrier. His thunderous voice boomed like a celestial drum, piercing through the barrier and the dense clouds, reaching the Profound Sky Sect on the Heavenly Source Continent.

The rupture in the barrier and the explosive shout caused a stir among everyone at the Profound Sky Sect.

After a long contemplation, Han Miaoyuan suddenly came to his senses with a slight tremor in his body.

He cast his gaze downward at Cao Jiaze, Lin Yu, Guanghong, and other Unrestrained Stage cultivators like Ren Yun, finally resting his eyes on Qin Luo.

"What's your opinion?" Han Miaoyuan inquired.

With a dry chuckle, Qin Luo responded, "I'll defer to your wisdom."

"Excellent!"

Han Miaoyuan nodded, then cast a sidelong glance at Zu Ann, who remained with the Thunder Sect. A fleeting sharpness flashed in his eyes. "Once Lin Daoke or Tan Xiaotian returns, you, Zu Ann, will have to shatter your divine position."

Above the Thunder Sect, Zu Ann furrowed his brow. After a moment's thought, he spoke with malice, "If you perish out there, Lin Daoke and Tan Xiaotian might not even bother with me upon their return."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to die," Han Miaoyuan retorted with a cold laugh.

Whoosh!

His immense divine image swiftly contracted into the Profound Dao Flag, ascending like a tornado reaching for the heavens.

Spiritual Qi from the Boundless Land converged from all directions, streaming into the Profound Dao Flag like myriad rivers, causing the tornado-like flag to swell and grow increasingly larger.

"The Boundless Spiritual Qi isn't yours alone," Zu Ann coldly huffed.

"I'm merely borrowing it for the moment," Han Miaoyuan replied.

The tornado-like Profound Dao Flag gradually ascended, carrying with it an immense portion of the Boundless Land's Spiritual Qi—nearly a quarter—to engage in a fierce battle with Yu Yuan in the Outland Star River.

The most impacted were the Heavenly Source Continent and the Quietus Continent, where the Spiritual Qi was exceptionally rich.

Han Miaoyuan's extraction of the spiritual essence from Heaven and Earth had repercussions for the cultivation sects and their formations across both continents.

"He's way too domineering."

"Indeed, it was one thing for him to redirect the spiritual essence for the benefit of the Profound Sky Sect's formation. But now, even after their formation is ruined, he still insists on taking the spiritual essence that Boundless Land has painstakingly converted."

"Hasn't this been his way for years, though?"

Dissatisfied with the Profound Sky Sect, factions like the Babel Chamber of Commerce and the Artifact Sect, along with practitioners from the Blood God Cult and the Silver Moon Sect, sensed the shift in spiritual essence and murmured their complaints.

...

"Why should Han Miaoyuan dictate the distribution and accumulation of spiritual essence, or who claims the Origin God Seat?"

Jun Chen of the Babel Chamber of Commerce, his face twisted in anger, glared at Han Miaoyuan ascending into the sky. He lifted his bamboo flute, and stars shimmered across his chest as if he was gathering strength to intercept.

Whoosh!

A halo of stars materialized behind Jun Chen's head, resembling a dazzling galactic river.

"Just calm down for now. He's not your opponent, not yet anyway," Hu Po from the Artifact Sect said, chuckling as he attempted to soothe the situation.

"Exactly. There's no need to rush; the real spectacle might be just beginning," Yinn Tiehua, privy to some secrets, urged everyone to settle down and watch intently. With a light laugh, she added, "Boundless Land, Plover Realm, Gray Domain, and then the Dim Starfield. Not to mention the upheavals in the Starry Forbidden Ground and beyond. We really don't need to rush."

Her words left the crowd pensive, pondering the deeper implications.

As Shi Jing'er was about to speak, her expression shifted dramatically, and she turned her gaze toward the nearby Horror Land and the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea.

The Horror Land and the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, forbidden zones within the Vast Ocean, seemed to suddenly develop a gravitational pull.

The spiritual essence that had been drifting in the void not only came to a halt but also yanked back some of the essence that Han Miaoyuan's Profound Dao Flag had collected.

Members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Artifact Sect narrowed their eyes as they witnessed two dense rivers of spiritual essence cascading down from the Profound Dao Flag high above.

Han Miaoyuan's authority has come under challenge.

Fong Zhong, sporting a sleazy grin and stroking his goatee, seemed quite pleased with the situation.

...

"What does this mean?"

Deep within the Ghost Wizard Sect, Xuanli hovered in midair, casting his gaze first over the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea and then in the direction of Horror Land. "It's refusing to let Han Miaoyuan tap into the spiritual qi of those two worlds. Is it planning to align with the Divine Soul Sect?"

Yuen Qingxi and Lianjing wore expressions of bewilderment and surprise.

Horror Land was thick with Yin Qi but also held the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. The Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, despite its toxic miasma, was rich in spiritual qi.

These two minor worlds were intimately connected to the source of the Yin Meridians and were within his realm of control.

At a time when Han Miaoyuan urgently needed to gather spiritual qi from the vast expanse of the Boundless Land, the source of the Yin Meridians went against him, refusing to let Han Miaoyuan transfer power from the two domains it controlled. What could this signify?

Xuanli and the others turned their attention to Youyu.

"That spiritual energy is ours by right. If Han Miaoyuan were to take it, it would suggest we're allies."

Youyu's mind was clear. After a brief, silent exchange, he resolved the trio's confusion: "By not allowing Han Miaoyuan to take our spiritual energy, it's asserting its neutrality."

"Neutral, you say? That's reassuring," Yuen Qingxi agreed, nodding.

Xuanli kept his silence.

A majestic roar echoed from the Desolate Swamp on the Profound Sky Continent. Clusters of spiritual qi, which had just broken free from the swamp, plummeted back down.

Boom!

The spiritual qi cloud burst, dispersing throughout the swamp, eluding Han Miaoyuan's grasp.

"The offspring of the Desolate God!"

Anyone who heard the roar knew that even though the Desolate God was aiding the demons in the Dim Starfield, his bloodline descendants remained hidden deep within the Great Swamp.

His heir had reached the pinnacle of the Ninth Level, just a step away from ascending to the status of Demon God.

The Desolate God's lifespan was finite, and he intended to bequeath his essence and divine position to his offspring upon his passing. However, the Supreme Demon Phoenix from the boundless seas never consented to this plan, leading to a divergence in their views.

Subsequently, the Desolate God fostered a relationship with the Divine Soul Sect and covertly connected with Taishi. It was the Divine Soul Sect that agreed to facilitate the transition between the two Demon Gods.

A low growl from his progeny caused the spiritual qi soaring in the heavens to plummet abruptly.

This resulted in a decrease in the spiritual qi gathered by Han Miaoyuan's Profound Dao Flag.

"And me!" Zu Ann grunted, instantly returning to the summit of Ascension Peak from the Thunder Sect. He gazed coldly at the massive "tornado" slowly moving towards the boundary wall in the sky and declared, "Senior Han, I may not be able to do much, but I can certainly trip you up and make your victory less sweet."

With a whoosh, pillars of spiritual qi cascaded from the tornado, drawn back to the Ascension Mountain Range by Zu Ann.

The Horror Land, Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, Desolate Swamp, Ascension Mountain Range, and the Boundless Great World—all vast territories rich in spiritual qi—raised their banners of defiance, refusing to let the Profound Dao Flag and Han Miaoyuan siphon their spiritual energy.

Only Zu Ann, the Demon King whose lineage was identical to the Desolate God's, and who resembled the wellspring of Yin Meridians, had the power to prevent the loss of spiritual qi within his domain.

Other sects and sacred lands, though resentful of Han Miaoyuan's encroachment, lacked the capacity to resist effectively.

"Good! Very good! You're all doing splendidly!" Han Miaoyuan's voice echoed from the depths of the void, his face stern as he surveyed the four lands below, all resisting the drain of their spiritual qi.

With a swift whoosh, the Profound Dao Flag finally crossed the boundary wall, bursting into the starry sky from the Boundless Great World. Han Miaoyuan's gaze fell upon Yu Yuan, who stood on the Dragon Slash Platform, wielding the Optimus Sword.

The sun shone brilliantly, and the moon glowed with a serene chill, each flanking the vast expanse.

Though Qin Luo was absent from the sun's embrace, the Yang Gods and Unrestrained Stage cultivators from the major sects stood atop the moon, their eyes fixed on him with an intensity that seemed to lack the reverence of days past.

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