C1730 Raising the Reverse Flag!

Yu Yuan smiled and inquired, "Aren't you worried about being held accountable by your Sect Master afterward?"

"Why should I be concerned about that when you're on the verge of upending the entire structure of the Everlands?" Zhou Cangmin replied, his gaze piercing as he scrutinized Yu Yuan. He sighed deeply and remarked, "You weren't nearly as formidable the last time I saw you. What on earth did you go through in the Ashlands to become so strong?"

Before Yu Yuan could respond, he caught sight of a familiar figure in red on the distant moon and expressed his astonishment, "How is she out in the extraterrestrial as well?"

Zhou Cangmin clarified, "Mr. Qin was concerned that the internal strife within the Everlands might reach her, so he summoned her out early. He also feared that if she learned you were in trouble, she might act rashly to help you. Bringing her out here is a way of protecting her."

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "I must say, I didn't expect Mr. Qin to be quite so considerate."

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 affection or disdain for Qin Luo, but upon hearing Zhou Cangmin's words and understanding the care Qin Luo showed for Yuan Lianyao, he silently nodded in approval.

As long as Qin Luo didn't seek his own demise or blindly side with Han Miaoyuan, Yu Yuan was willing to turn a blind eye.

"Now's not the time for catching up. Please, make sure she stays safe," Yu Yuan requested softly.

"You're worrying too much," Zhou Cangmin replied, shaking his head. He glanced once more at the wall and continued, "As for the old man, he hasn't stooped so low as to capture Yuan Lianyao to use as leverage against you and Boulderdawn. Such dishonorable acts are not the way of those who claim to be from noble schools."

"The ones capable of such deeds likely no longer have the courage to try, so rest assured."

"Understood."

Upon noticing Yuan Lianyao emerging from the moon, wrapped in the Red Demon Bell and hurrying toward them, Zhou Cangmin's brow furrowed. "I'll go make sure she doesn't wander off. Even if Han Miaoyuan has been defeated, there's still Lin Daoke of the Sword Sect, and the outcome of the battle in Ionodios has yet to be determined. We can't afford any rash actions until then."

Zhou Cangmin departed gracefully.

Shortly thereafter, Yu Yuan witnessed Zhou persuading Yuan Lianyao, who had been ascending from the moon, to return. He didn't want her to encounter him in the Extraterrestrial World under the watchful eyes of the public.

Zhou Cangmin truly had Yuan Lianyao's best interests at heart.

"Mr. Han!"

With no concerns left to hinder him, Yu Yuan called out to the wall. His thunderous voice, akin to the pounding of a celestial drum, penetrated the wall and the dense clouds, reaching the Ebon Star Sect on the Euwrea Continent.

The blast that tore through the wall made everyone at the Ebon Star Sect turn pale.

After a moment of contemplation, Han Miaoyuan suddenly came to his senses with a slight shudder.

He looked down at Cao Jiaze, Lin Yue, Guang Hong, and Ren Yun, cultivators of the Unbound Stage, then at the fissures in the floating palace's rocky walls, and finally, his gaze settled on Qin Luo's face.

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

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

"Excellent!"

Han Miaoyuan nodded approvingly and cast a sidelong glance at Zu Ann, who remained at the Thunder Sect. A flash of severity crossed his eyes as he declared, "Once Lin Daoke or Tan Xiaotian returns, you, Zu Ann, will have to shatter your divine position."

Zu Ann, brooding within the clouds above the Thunder Sect, pondered for a moment before speaking with malice, "If you perish in the extraterrestrial, Lin Daoke and Tan Xiaotian might not even bother with me upon their return."

"Rest assured, I won't meet my end," Han Miaoyuan retorted with a cold laugh.

With a whoosh, his colossal Image of God was withdrawn into the Banner of Duality, which soared skywards like a twister.

Spiritual energy from the Everlands converged from all directions into the Banner of Duality, swelling it like a raging tornado, growing larger by the moment.

"The spiritual energy of the Everlands isn't yours to claim," Zu Ann remarked disdainfully.

"I'm merely borrowing it temporarily," Han Miaoyuan replied.

The Banner of Duality, now like a towering tornado, ascended, carrying with it an immense portion of the Everlands' spiritual energy—nearly a quarter—to engage in a fierce battle with Yu Yuan amidst the Star River of the extraterrestrial realm.

The two continents most affected were Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence, where the spiritual energy was exceptionally rich.

Han Miaoyuan's extraction of the divine force had repercussions for the cultivation sects on both continents, as well as their sect formations.

"He's way too domineering."

"Indeed, it was one thing for him to redirect the divine force of the Everlands for his Ebon Star sect's formation. But now, even after the Ebon Star's formation is destroyed, he still insists on taking the spiritual energy that the Everlands painstakingly converted."

"Hasn't this always been his way, though?"

The cultivators from the Skyreach Consortium, Artifact Sect, Colddeath, and Starmoon Sect, all dissatisfied with the shift in spiritual energy, quietly voiced their grievances.

...

"Why should Han Miaoyuan dictate the distribution and accumulation of spiritual energy, as well as who holds the Origin Divine Throne?"

Jun Chen from the Skyreach Consortium, his face twisted in fury, glared at Han Miaoyuan ascending into the sky. He lifted his bamboo flute, and a constellation of twinkling stars appeared on his chest, as if he was gathering strength to intercept.

Whoosh!

A halo of stars materialized behind Jun Chen's head, shining like a brilliant Star River.

"Just cool it for now. He's not your opponent, at least not yet," Hu Po from the Artifact Sect said, chuckling as he tried to calm him down.

"Exactly. There's no need to rush. The real spectacle might just be starting," Yin Tiehua added, privy to some inside information. She urged everyone to watch quietly, a light laugh accompanying her words: "The Everlands, Ionodios, the Ashlands, and then the Dark Star Region. Not to mention the upheavals in the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone and beyond. We really don't need to rush."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked thoughtful, pondering the deeper implications of her statement.

Shi Jing'er was about to speak when her expression suddenly shifted, and she turned her gaze toward the Land of Terror and the Rainbow Ocean.

The Land of Terror and Rainbow Ocean, forbidden areas within the Everlands, seemed to have developed a sudden gravitational pull.

Not only did they abruptly halt the flow of divine force in the void, but they also forcefully reclaimed a portion of the spiritual energy previously gathered by Han Miaoyuan's Banner of Duality.

Members of the Skyreach Consortium and the Artifact Sect narrowed their eyes, as if witnessing two thick streams of spiritual energy cascading down from the "Banner of Duality" high above.

"Han Miaoyuan's authority is being challenged."

With a sleazy grin, Feng Zhong stroked his goatee, clearly delighted by the turn of events.

...

"What does this mean?"

In the depths of the Bloodbrawlers Sect, Xuanli hovered midair, first glancing at the Rainbow Ocean and then towards the Land of Terror, pondering, "Is it rejecting Han Miaoyuan's attempt to draw on the spiritual energy of these two worlds? Could it be aligning itself with Boulderdawn?"

Yuan Qingxi and Lianjing wore expressions of bewilderment and surprise.

The Land of Terror was dense with Yin Qi, yet it also held the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Beyond the toxic miasma, the Rainbow Ocean was rich in spiritual energy.

These two minor realms were intimately linked to the Root of the Lunar Meridian and were within its sphere of influence.

At a time when Han Miaoyuan desperately needed power and was amassing spiritual energy from the entirety of the Everlands, the Root of the Lunar Meridian defied him, refusing to let him transfer power from its two controlled territories. What could this signify?

Xuanli and the others turned their gaze to Youyu.

"That spiritual energy is ours. If Han Miaoyuan were to claim it, it would imply we're allies."

Youyu, with clarity in his heart, silently communicated with it and clarified for the trio, "By not allowing Han Miaoyuan to take our spiritual energy, it's asserting its neutrality."

"Neutral? That's reassuring," Yuan Qingxi quickly agreed.

Xuanli kept his silence.

A majestic roar echoed from the Godsblight Marsh in Aetherius. Clusters of spiritual energy, like billowing clouds, had just risen from the marsh only to plummet back down heavily.

Boom!

The clouds of spiritual energy burst, scattering throughout the marsh, untouched by Han Miaoyuan.

"The progeny of the Untamed!"

Those who heard the roar knew that although the Untamed was aiding evilkind in the Dark Star domain, his descendants remained deep within the marsh.

His descendant had already reached the pinnacle of the ninth level, just one step shy of ascending to the status of a Dark Deity.

Untamed's lifespan was finite. He intended to bequeath his essence and divine station to his child upon his own passing.

The supreme Dark Phoenix of the Everlands had never consented to this arrangement, and there was a divergence of opinion between them on the matter.

Later, Untamed fostered a close relationship with Boulderdawn and covertly made contact with Taishi. It was Boulderdawn that agreed to assist in the transition of power between the two Dark Deities.

His offspring's low growl caused the spiritual energy that soared to the heavens to plummet abruptly.

The divine force amassed by Han Miaoyuan's Banner of Duality was thus diminished.

"And me!"

Zu Ann grunted as he instantly returned to the summit of Skyreach Peak from the Thunder Sect, casting a cold gaze at the massive tornado slowly moving towards the wall in the sky. He declared, "Mr. Han, there's not much I can do, but I can certainly trip you up and spoil your plans."

Whoosh!

Streams of spiritual energy cascaded from the immense tornado, reclaimed by Zu Ann back to the ranges of Skyreach Peak.

The Land of Terror, Rainbow Ocean, Godsblight Marsh, and Skyreach Peak within the Everlands, all territories vast and abundant with spiritual energy, had hoisted their banners of defiance, refusing to surrender their spiritual energy to Han Miaoyuan and his Banner of Duality.

Only Zu Ann, whose lineage was identical to Untamed's and who was akin to the Root of the Lunar Meridian, had the power to halt the drain of divine force within his own domain.

The other sects, forbidden areas, and holy sites, despite their discontent with Han Miaoyuan's encroachment, lacked the capability to intervene.

"Excellent! Very excellent indeed!"

Deep within the void, Han Miaoyuan, having suffered repeated losses of spiritual energy, gazed down at the four lands below from within the depths of the colossal tornado and uttered a few icy snorts.

Whoosh!

The Banner of Duality finally breached the wall, surging from the Everlands into the cosmos. Han Miaoyuan's gaze fell upon Yu Yuan, who stood on the Dragon Slaying Stage wielding the Titanblade.

The sun blazed fiercely, the moon shone with a cold clarity, each flanking the Everlands.

Qin Luo was absent from the sun's embrace, but above the moon hovered the cultivators from various sects, including Unbound practitioners and Solar Spirits, all fixated on him with bated breath.

The looks he received now carried a hint less reverence than in the past.

...