C1760 Terra Fiend's Atavism!

Yu Yuan's blade cleaved through the Lunar Meridian! His sword light was the catalyst for an irreversible rift between the Boulderdawn Sect and the Bloodbrawlers Sect. Few were aware of the Soul-Capturing entity from beyond the stars, lurking deep underground, now inhabiting Denise's body and engaged in a Soul Battle with the deep pool embodying the Lunar Meridian.

They assumed Yu Yuan had stealthily ventured back to the Everlands, seeking out the Land of Terror to confront the Root of the Lunar Meridian. But why target the Root? Observers of the Land of Terror were riddled with questions, having believed that the bonds between Yu Yuan, Youyu, and Yu Zhu would prevent the Boulderdawn and Bloodbrawlers from ever turning on each other.

Who could have anticipated that Yu Yuan, fresh from forcing Han Miaoyuan into retreat after their extraterrestrial confrontation, would swiftly draw and strike with a second sword?

"Damn it! It really is Yu Yuan wielding the sword!"

As Xuanli and his fellow Bloodbrawlers cultivators descended through the Rainbow Ocean's subterranean channels into the Defiled World, they all sensed the Soul Power pillar, the very essence of the Root of the Lunar Meridian, being severed by Yu Yuan's relentless strikes. The figure they revered as a spiritual anchor and deity now seemed helpless.

"What madness has possessed Yu Yuan and the Boulderdawn?"

Xuanli swore under his breath, resenting Yu Yuan's boldness in the absence of Youyu and Yu Zhu from the Everlands.

With a whoosh, the group plunged into the Seven-Colored Lake, only to find numerous Terra Fiends swirling around a silhouette on the water's surface. This entity, composed of seven vibrant, toxic streams, was none other than the fiend Qiyan.

"Qiyan!"

Xuanli, attempting to channel the Seven-Colored Lake's energy to aid the Lunar Meridian, was taken aback by the sight of Qiyan among the various Terra Fiends. He let out an involuntary cry.

"You do not belong here."

Qiyan's form shifted continuously, his features coalescing into an eerie set of eyes, revealing a purple devil soul.

"Henceforth, all Terra Fiends born of this place shall renounce their allegiance. The Terra Fiends of the Everlands have always had a different source and destiny, and ours has never been with it."

Qiyan's remnant soul transformed into a myriad of lively, twisting lines that intertwined with the Terra Fiends gathered there.

"The Terra Fiends and ghosts should have been distinct from one another. It was after our ancestors departed that it beguiled us, leading us to the false belief that it was the caretaker of the Terra Fiends, for it claimed to be our deity."

"That's not the case."

"It's nothing but an imposter! It doesn't deserve to lead us or command our allegiance any longer, so..."

Upon uttering these words, the Terra Fiends within the Defiled World began to slaughter the ghosts emanating the aura of the Lunar Meridian, igniting a civil war within the Defiled World.

"You all..."

Now acting as the spokesperson for the Terra Fiends, Qiyan fixed her gaze on Xuanli, Yuan Qingxi, Lianjing, and several Unbound Stage elders from the Bloodbrawlers. After a brief contemplation, she declared, "Since you are followers of the God of Ghosts, Youyu, I will allow you to return. I will not pursue you any further."

"Do you realize what you're doing?" Xuanli challenged.

"I do."

Qiyan nodded subtly, gesturing for Xuanli and the others to depart swiftly. With impatience in his voice, he explained, "A Terra Fiend is simply that—a Terra Fiend. The marks within our souls, the evidence of our existence, they originate from something far deeper beneath the surface! And it has been misleading and bewildering us until the descendants of our forebears returned, bestowing upon us a rebirth of the soul!"

Xuanli and his companions were taken aback by these revelations.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

But they quickly noticed that within the depths of the Terra Fiends' devil souls, who were purging the Defiled World of ghostly spirits, there were flickers of purple light.

It was as though a mysterious presence was recounting the ancient history to all the worthy Terra Fiends, revealing to them the facts and the truth.

The Terra Fiend was originally a Sky Fiend, born of the Everlands!

Following the departure of the Great Demon God Bertain, the Root of the Lunar Meridian threw the Mind Magic into disarray, concealing the true origins of the Terra Fiend and convincing them of their earthly nature.

The reborn Sky Fiends were marked by the Lunar Meridian, their innate devil seals obscured. The infusion of shadow energy within their devil souls caused a transformation, turning them into the Terra Fiends of the Everlands.

In fact, the existence of the Lunar Meridian was what held them back!

"Who is it? Who's imparting this knowledge to you?"

Yuan Qingxi's face took on a troubled look as he stared at Qiyan in disbelief. "It couldn't be Yu Yuan! His soul hasn't reached such a level before ascending to a supreme primordial spirit! Who else could it be?"

Xuanli, initially startled, quickly came to a realization. "Who resides within Denise's body?"

"Please return to the surface. Out of respect for Lord Youyu, I'll offer you one more piece of advice. Do not engage in this battle; you lack the capability. If you insist on venturing into the Land of Terror, you'll be nothing more than lambs to the slaughter."

"Just like this!"

The vibrant surface of the Seven-Colored Lake suddenly revealed scenes of ghosts, Spectres, and Celestial Shades. These ghastly beings were disintegrating in a bizarre deep pool.

They burst into orbs of soul fire.

Xuanli and his companions, witnessing the obliteration of numerous souls within the pool, fell into a somber silence.

"Go back. When Youyu returns from his extraterrestrial journey, he will assume control of the Lunar Meridian. An anomaly like the Lunar Meridian doesn't belong in the Everlands. It has been siphoning the souls of its inhabitants to fortify itself; it's high time it was eradicated." Qiyan spoke in a haunting tone.

"Youyu?"

"Our Lord!"

The revelation from Qiyan sent a jolt through Xuanli and Yuan Qingxi, leaving them momentarily stunned before they grasped the implication.

Could it be?

Qiyan gave a slight nod, "The roles of master and servant are about to be reversed. All that it commands will soon be entrusted to Youyu."

After the initial shock, Xuanli and the others regained their composure. They exchanged glances with Qiyan and the Terra Fiend, then retraced their path, ascending once more.

The Lunar Meridian's compulsion and commands churned like ceaseless waves in the depths of the souls of Xuanli, Yuan Qingxi, and Lianjing.

Yet they were countered by a surge of multicolored soul light!

"It's the Master!"

Yuan Qingxi's expression was one of fervent excitement. He keenly sensed that the power aiding them against the will of the Lunar Meridian was none other than Youyu's!

It seemed Youyu had foreseen this day and had secretly left behind his strength. As they were being driven to their doom by the Lunar Meridian, it was his power that shielded them from its enslaving will.

Without Youyu's power, they would have become like the countless ghosts and spirits around the world, fearlessly charging toward the Land of Terror, each stepping onto the path of death.

"That bastard Youyu didn't even notify me!" Xuanli swore angrily.

"We were clueless too. No one got any messages. But why would Lord Youyu have such a significant disagreement with it?" Lianjing wondered softly.

"Razses, Luo Yue, Taruer!"

Upon severing the Soul Power pillar, Yu Yuan was taken aback to see the three Ghost Kings enveloped in a five-colored aura.

The halos emanated from the soul stone!

Youyu, having refined the soul stone, appeared to have left his mark within the spirited bodies of Razses, Luo Yue, and Taruer, and it wasn't derived from the Lunar Meridian!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Others, who had followed Youyu since his White Bone days, had grown into Spectres and Celestial Shades under his command. Their spirits, too, were shrouded in the five-colored glow.

Those ghosts with the five-colored halo within them retained their consciousness, not overshadowed by the Lunar Meridian. They did not lose control and charge fearlessly into the abyss, nor did they become expendable fodder.

Some of the ghosts, now releasing a five-colored light, seemed confused, suddenly unsure of their direction.

They were uncertain whether to heed the Lunar Meridian and continue to become part of the River Styx or to break free from its flow.

"Was this the work of the God of Ghosts Youyu?"

Watching a thick pillar of Soul Power crumble, dissipating into the Land of Terror with bursts of five-colored light emerging below, Cao Jiaze noticed the anomaly and couldn't help but express his amazement, "Could it be that Lord Youyu had foreseen this day?"

Whoosh!

Luo Yue escaped the pull of the River Styx, rising into the air with her flower basket, and positioned herself alongside the descending Yu Yuan.

She was bathed in the five-colored light, and deep within her brow, a hidden thought had just been awakened.

This thread of thought held the message Youyu intended for Luo Yue to convey to Yu Yuan.

"The Lunar Meridian has demanded the soul stone from me, and after my departure from the Everlands, it secretly communicated with Earthfire and President Lyi. I have a hunch that its true intent is not to communicate with President Lyi, as he is no longer human."

"It's reaching out to something within President Lyi."

Luo Yue relayed the message to Yu Yuan, echoing Youyu's sentiments.

Yu Yuan grasped the situation immediately.

The Lunar Meridian was aware that a fragment of the Origin Deity's soul resided within President Lyi, and it sought to connect with the Origin Deity rather than annihilate it. What could it possibly be planning?

It was also insisting that Youyu present the soul stone. Could it be aiming to use the soul stone to bridge a connection to the Origin Realm, facilitating a broader exchange of souls between the two worlds?

Clearly, Youyu was opposed to this and thus aimed to thwart the Lunar Meridian's clandestine efforts at the Root of the Lunar Meridian.

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