C178 Incredible Character
Through the Celestial Clothing, Su Xiangtian had the unique ability to communicate telepathically with his daughter, Su Yan. He could effortlessly perceive her thoughts and feelings.
Su Yan had deliberately shared her innermost thoughts with her father, revealing to him the astounding feats Yu Yuan had accomplished in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area.
Intent on mending the strained ties between the Su and Yu families, Su Yan wished for her father to recognize Yu Yuan's exceptional talents, hoping he would take the lead in fostering a renewed harmony between their houses.
In her transmissions, her words were filled with praise and admiration for Yu Yuan.
She spoke with clarity about Yu Yuan's intelligence, his decisive and ruthless actions in pivotal moments, and his deep understanding of their world.
Su Xiangtian had always adored and doted on his beloved daughter.
After hearing her thoughts and marveling at Yu Yuan's wondrous deeds, he began to entertain other ideas.
"This girl has always set her standards high, never sparing a second glance for the likes of Lee Yu and Yan Lu. After all these years, she has never spoken so highly of any peer. Could it be that she has developed a fondness for him, and that's why she speaks so glowingly?"
Deep down, Su Xiangtian was convinced that none of the young cultivators from the Profound Sky Continent were a match for his daughter.
Beyond the Silvermoon Empire, not even Rainier Empire's Duan Guanlan, despite being esteemed by the Primordial Yang Sect, nor the acclaimed young talents from other empires, seemed suitable for her in his eyes.
He had always envisioned that his future son-in-law would come from either the Heavenly Source Continent or the Quietus Continent.
The high regard in which his daughter held Yu Yuan took him by surprise, and he couldn't help but wonder if her affection for Yu Yuan was coloring her praise.
Nevertheless, he remarked to Yuan Lianyao, "Darkmoon City has produced a remarkable individual!"
"A remarkable individual?"
Lim Fengyan of the Lim family raised an eyebrow and commented, "The trialist from Darkmoon City, Zhao Yafu, is quite the sensation. It's said her skills and power surged impressively just before she ventured into the forbidden area."
The once indolent old general, who had been stationed at the entrance to the forbidden area, was now amidst the Silvermoon Empire's crowd.
He blinked, a name coming to mind, yet he kept his thoughts to himself.
"Guess who?" Su Xiangtian's demeanor remained serene, yet a hint of scrutiny flickered deep within his clear eyes.
"Yu Yuan," Yuan Lianyao responded offhandedly.
"Yu Yuan?" Lim Fengyan echoed, taken aback.
The seasoned general gave a slight nod.
The visiting dignitaries from the Silvermoon Empire exchanged bewildered glances. The vast majority had never ventured to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, and thus, had neither seen nor heard of Yu Yuan before.
"That Yu Yuan happens to be the Lim family's son-in-law, betrothed to their daughter," the old general clarified.
"What? The fool from Darkmoon City?"
"Can it be? Isn't Lim Zhuyun's fiancé known to be lacking in wit?"
The revelation stunned the practitioners from the Silvermoon Empire.
"How can you be so certain it's him?"
Su Xiangtian's eyes shone as he fixed his gaze on Yuan Lianyao, speaking in a hushed tone, "You shouldn't be aware of his actions within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. What makes you so convinced that the notable figure from Darkmoon City is Yu Yuan and not someone else?"
Yuan Lianyao chuckled, "You're far too uninformed about Darkmoon City. Moreover, you haven't paid the Yu family the attention they deserve."
Su Xiangtian's brow furrowed, "I wasn't the one who dealt with the Yu family."
"I understand," Yuan Lianyao acknowledged with a nod. "Now that you recognize Yu Yuan's exceptional talent, I trust you'll invest more effort."
She was oblivious to the Soul Transformation Pool and the intricate link between Yu Yuan and the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation, assuming Yu Yuan was merely confined within the cavern ahead.
Above that very cavern loomed a congregation of Alien Soul Demons.
Among them lurked the Earth Demon Xiquan, a Demonic Tree, and a swirling mass of blood.
Prior to her arrival, she had learned through Su Xiangtian that the Earth Demon Xiquan, the Demonic Tree, and the blood mass had manifested multiple times throughout the Silvermoon Empire's history.
Each occurrence had unleashed havoc, drenching the empire in blood and despair.
The intelligence Su Xiangtian had gathered was sourced from the empress herself, inscribed within the empire's ancient tomes.
"Old General," Su Xiangtian greeted with a slight bow, turning his attention to the elder who had accompanied him from the Forbidden Area. "Duan Tianhong of the Rainier Empire is locked in combat with the ghost ape. Your involvement could tip the scales and subdue the creature."
"Understood." The venerable general, aged yet spry, nodded and soared into the heavens.
Beneath his feet, a light boat materialized, unfolding gracefully. Crafted from jade, its translucent form contained a Qilin and a black tortoise, as if sealed within. A torrent of Qi and blood energy, vast as the ocean, churned inside the boat. The Qilin and the black tortoise voraciously absorbed the energy, propelling the vessel with lightning speed to the battlefield where Duan Tianhong faced the ghost ape.
With a thunderous roar, the Qilin and the black tortoise burst forth from the jade boat, their cries echoing as they consumed the powerful Qi and blood.
The black tortoise, now visible, slowly enveloped the Qilin, commandeering it as a mount with an increasingly fearsome presence.
"Lee Yuangui!" Duan Tianhong, perched above a lava pond, unleashed a fiery rain upon the ghost ape below.
The ghost ape, its snow-white fur sharp as needles, blazed fiercely, its anguished howls reverberating through the sky.
"You came to the Forbidden Area with overwhelming force, compelling me to retreat," the old general remarked, standing upon the light boat as he watched the black tortoise swell in size. "But now, the tables have turned. We are united."
With that, the light boat plummeted.
In an instant, the black tortoise, as if mounted upon the Qilin, solidified and, by some unknown means, produced dark, ominous water orbs that it hurled at the ghost ape.
Each orb, heavy as a mountain, bore ancient turtle glyphs, symbols of primordial water mastery.
The battle surged anew.
At the edge of the Soul Transformation Pool, Earth Demon Xiquan glanced down at the dark soul energy filling the pool's depths. Sensing the shift, he turned, a sly smile on his face, and gazed toward the ghost ape.
"The Profound Turtle's spirit consuming the Qilin, the black Water Profound Pearls crafted by the old fellow... He certainly doesn't lack for audacity."
Xiquan spared only a glance, yet it seemed he had discerned the cultivation methods of the venerable General Lee Yuangui. He recognized the origins of those black water orbs and the formidable might of the black Profound Turtle.
"Brother Yu, may I come down for a chat?"
He turned once more, his gaze settling on Yu Yuan, who sat in tranquil meditation at the bottom of the Soul Transformation Pool, his face etched with earnest hope.
Yu Yuan looked up, beckoning with a radiant smile, "Well then, come on down."
"Your waving makes me a bit nervous," Earth Demon Xiquan admitted, suddenly recoiling.
As Yu Yuan gestured, strands of ancient sword intent surged from the earth's fissures, zeroing in on his soul.
Simultaneously, a fearsome thunderclap erupted from the cloud's depths.
It was as though the Thunder God himself was enraged, poised to unleash his divine wrath.
A shiver ran through Xiquan's core, and he promptly withdrew, abandoning the thought of descending into the Soul Transformation Pool.
A flurry of soul thoughts sprang forth from him.
The Ghost Ape, the Demonic Tree, the sphere of bloodlight, and even the distant figure with a dragon's head and a human's body all tuned in to the message he broadcasted within his heart.
"The kid is truly in sync with the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation. Don't even think about breaking into the Soul Transformation Pool."
