C1767 The Dark Overlord!
In the world, there are countless phenomena that are mutually reinforcing or opposing, and at times, it's challenging to delve deeply into their principles or understand their underlying mechanisms.
The Great Demon God Bertain's achievements can be attributed to the numerous arcane techniques he acquired from the Primal Soul in the Everlands. Yet, even as the mightiest in the Star River, he struggled to traverse the extreme cold of the Dark Star Astral Domain, despite being aware of the Primal Blood's presence there.
Likewise, the Dark Phoenix, who had mastered the Secrets of Life, remained secluded in the Everlands for many years, unable to cross the Earthfire and reach the Primal Soul.
The fire dragon and the golden dragon were similarly unable to overcome the Earthfire.
The Nagas are descendants of the Titan Spinosaurus, which rose to become the strongest of its era through the baptism of Primal Blood. Nevertheless, the Titan Spinosaurus met its end in the Everlands.
The extreme cold has always had a subtle dominance over the soul, a sign evident since ancient times. The draconic power of the ice energy originated from the extreme cold of the Primal Blood Continent. Yet, the presence of the Ice Dragon God left Youyu and Xuanli without recourse.
Within the Dragon Slaying Stage lies the remains of the Dragon God, held in check by the ice magic, making it difficult for the highest echelons of the Bloodbrawlers to ascend to that level.
Soul-Capturing expressed caution regarding Ji Ningshuang, advising Yu Yuan to also be wary. It appears that if Ji Ningshuang were to encounter that extreme cold and master the pinnacle of ice magic, she would pose a significant threat to the Boulderdawn.
Furthermore, should Mo Baichuan harness the power of the Blazing Fire, he would not only cause great discomfort to the Dark Phoenix but also impose a formidable constraint on Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body.
The Primal Soul has allied with the Earthfire, while the Primal Blood has united with the extreme cold. It seems both are vigilant against each other. The Primal Soul's choice of Earthfire is strategic; the intense flames can incinerate flesh and blood. Thus, anyone empowered by the Primal Blood and seeking to harm the Primal Soul would be thwarted by the Earthfire's presence.
The reverse is also true.
Even the Demon God Bertain, a master of Mind Magic, would find it impossible to traverse the extreme cold deep beneath the Primal Blood Continent.
Whoosh!
From the ruins of the collapsed Shadow's Keep, a dark vortex carrying an odd object suddenly shot out.
As soon as the object within the dark vortex emerged, Yu Yuan immediately felt a connection, sensing an extreme familiarity with it. It was something he recognized.
"It's a relic from our sect!"
Soul-Capturing, deep underground, also detected the scent and exclaimed in surprise, "It seems that when Boulderdawn was destroyed by various forces, the Dark Phoenix acquired a key item from our sect. Taixu never mentioned this item to me, but it must be of significant importance."
"I suspect that Jihui might be able to use this item to enter the Earthfire!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan was invigorated and said, "Perhaps this isn't such a bad thing after all."
"Hehe, I've actually found it for you."
Tan Xiaotian, the Demon Lord hovering in midair, didn't even reveal his Image of God but instead allowed the darkness enveloping him to descend, closing in the dark vortex.
Then, the dense darkness representing Tan Xiaotian abruptly departed from Shadow's Keep amidst the ruins and headed straight for the Fireheart Mountains of the Order of Healing!
The Demon Lord's enigmatic actions had captured everyone's attention. Now, no one knew what he was thinking or what his intentions were in the Fireheart Mountains.
"You should follow and see for yourself," Soul-Capturing advised Yu Yuan from below. "Leave the Dragon Slaying Stage to me for now. In a little while, once my aura is fully concealed, you can take the Dragon Slaying Stage with you."
"Understood!"
Yu Yuan swiftly took flight on his sword.
At that moment, he realized that after the Divine War, the Dark Phoenix must have taken a wondrous item belonging to Boulderdawn from the Moonfall Sanctuary.
This item, in the hands of the Dark Phoenix, might not unleash its full potential, nor would it enable the Dark Phoenix to traverse the Earthfire.
This was because the Dark Phoenix lacked proficiency in Mind Magic and relied on its physical strength and vitality. With its formidable foundation, it was perfectly countered by the Earthfire. Thus, even with the rare treasure in its possession, the Dark Phoenix would be powerless against it.
In the hands of the Dark Phoenix, the rare treasure might not reach its full potential, unable to help her cross the Earthfire. Her lack of expertise in Mind Magic and reliance on her demonic form and vital energy were her downfalls, as the Earthfire's flames naturally suppressed her strengths. However, when the item fell into the hands of Jihui, the God-King and prodigy from Boulderdawn, things changed. With his powerful soul and lack of physical constraints, he could undoubtedly unleash the item's full might, potentially even gaining an audience with President Lyi.
"Are you just going to leave like that?"
Cao Jiaze paused, equally eager to rush to the Order of Healing to witness the unfolding events.
"Tan Xiaotian!"
"Demon Lord!"
The cultivators of the Order of Healing in the Fireheart Mountains watched in terror as darkness crept closer, their screams echoing with fear.
What could Tan Xiaotian, who had just obliterated the Shadow's Keep, want in the Fireheart Mountains? The current sect master of the Order of Healing, Zhong Chichen, and his predecessor, Hong Qi, also known as Yu Yuan, were both seemingly at odds with the Devil Palace. If the Demon Lord could destroy the Shadow's Keep, the emblem of the supreme Dark Phoenix, without hesitation, what would stop him from targeting the Order of Healing?
Boom! Boom! Boom! Volcanoes erupted in succession, spewing lava like fire dragons into the sky before it crashed down onto the landscape, transforming into scorching rivers of flame that snaked through the mountain range.
Mo Baichuan, who had merged with the Dao at the Fireheart Mountains, was shaken. "It's the Earthfire! The Earthfire from the depths of the Everlands is enraged. This is the first time I've sensed it has emotions!"
Whoosh!
Seated atop the Serpentflame furnace, Mo Baichuan turned to the equally astonished Zu Ann and remarked, "President Lyi is diving recklessly into the depths, as if he has provoked the Earthfire!"
"Does it have consciousness?" Zu Ann wondered aloud.
"It seems likely..."
Mo Baichuan, who had been studying the Blazing Fire, wasn't entirely certain. He had never encountered the will of the Blazing Fire and was unsure if this enigmatic entity possessed an independent intelligence like the Lunar Meridian and the Solar Meridian.
In this moment, it was Mo Baichuan alone who could feel its wrath. The Earthfire had emotions, and they were stirring.
The figure of Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian emerged from the vast expanse of darkness, like a specter from the deep sea. The darkness then descended like a curtain, sealing off the skies above the Fireheart Mountains. The Demon Lord himself glided out from the shadows.
"Zu Ann, Mo Baichuan, you two seem quite frightened of me," he remarked, shaking his head. Strands of black lightning surged from within him, merging with the dark abyss overhead, as if the dark magic was fortifying the seal.
His actions mirrored those of Yu Yuan, who had used the Dragon Slaying Stage to conceal the Land of Terror.
The darkened sky spread over the Fireheart Mountains, progressively blocking out all external light, plunging the entire region into an abyssal darkness.
Before long, Mo Baichuan realized that his connection to the souls of the mountain range, including his own spiritual link, had vanished. The darkness had engulfed all his senses.
Blind, deaf, and numb to the world around him, Mo Baichuan found that the Fireheart Mountains, with which he had merged his Dao, were now shrouded by Tan Xiaotian's Darkland, stripping away his advantage in this realm.
"Fear not, I am but ridding the Everlands of a scourge. This fleeting darkness will usher in a new era of hope and light," Tan Xiaotian's voice echoed, audible only when he wished it to be heard by Zu Ann and Mo Baichuan.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the absolute darkness, Mo Baichuan and Zu Ann suddenly glimpsed the figure of Tan Xiaotian once more.
He alone was visible in the immense World of Darkness. The two could see neither the nearby mountains and rivers, the volcanoes spewing flames, nor the scalding rivers of lava. They couldn't even see each other.
In the valley, the cultivators of the Order of Healing, the herbalists, and those meditating in the alchemy chambers, along with all the creatures cloaked in darkness, could only see one person in this world—Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian.
It was as if he was the sole presence in the entire world, the only being amidst the boundless darkness.
In the darkness, the onlookers were fixated on Tan Xiaotian, who stood at the entrance of the alchemy hall. They could no longer feel the heat of the lava or hear the sound of flowing water. It was as if they had lost the ability to feel themselves.
Silhouettes lurked in the darkness, all eyes fixed on the figure of the Dark Overlord, Tan Xiaotian, suspended in midair. Whether at the cave entrance on the mountainside, outside the palace where potions were brewed, or beside the river where flames flowed like water, they watched intently, unable to feel the heat of the magma, hear the sound of flowing water, or even sense their own presence.
"Go and do your thing," Tan Xiaotian said with a light chuckle, seemingly addressing another presence in the shadows. "No matter how deeply he's hidden, the moment his soul leaves the Earthfire and he shows himself, touching my Darkland, he'll become my prey. If the battle had not taken place in the Domain Channel, filled with the chaos of space magic, and if it had not been in the Everlands, he might not have been able to hold me at all."
Memories of being outmaneuvered by the Origin Deity during his fight with Youyu caused Tan Xiaotian to let out a cold snort.
"Leave it to me," a voice emerged, audible only to Tan Xiaotian, while the others shrouded in darkness heard nothing.
"Yu Yuan, you just wait outside. What kind of storm can he stir up, a mere fragment of his soul, pathetically clinging to President Lyi's body?" Tan Xiaotian spoke with a sneer.
Outside the veil of darkness, Yu Yuan, having arrived on his flying sword, bowed his head, feeling as though he had stepped back into the World of Darkness.