C1786 Father!
The Lizard and the Abyssal Leviathan arrived side by side.
Neither revealed their true giant beast forms, appearing instead as two decrepit, odd old men. The Abyssal Leviathan was missing teeth, its hair sparse and unkempt, while the form of the Abyssal Greater Basilisk from the Silverscale Tribe was twisted and hunched, its expression grave and weighty.
"I accepted an invitation from the Origin Deity to stir things up in the Ashlands. I've also heard..."
The Lizard glanced at the trembling young Starpierced and let out a low, rumbling chuckle, "I've heard that its bloodline descendant is being raised here in the Ashlands by the Old Titan Spinosaurus."
He emphasized the word "raised."
The few who had been rendered silent by Liu Ying's words couldn't help but turn their gaze toward him.
The Starpierced, which had briefly shown part of its head, quickly withdrew again. Despite Liu Ying's calls, it refused to reemerge, concealing the star charts that had appeared on its shell.
It now seemed nothing more than a harmless, unremarkable giant beetle.
"You timid creature, you lack the spirit of your ancestors!"
The Lizard huffed disdainfully. Noticing everyone's attention, he continued, "The Old Spinosaurus has been raising it with purpose, hoping that one day, when it matures, the star charts hidden on its carapace will fully emerge. The ambition of the Old Titan Spinosaurus is something you cannot fathom."
"Having been unrivaled in our world, he ventured into the Abyss and even claimed rare treasures from its depths."
"He learned of other exotic realms and set out to find them, intending to plunder their treasures just as he did the Abyss. That's why he's allowed the young Starpierced to thrive within his domain."
The Abyssal Greater Basilisk divulged these secrets.
"Other worlds, similar to the Abyss?"
Denise of the Starborn, upon hearing the Lizard's words and recalling Liu Ying's earlier description, felt a chill run through her.
Neither the Abyssal Greater Basilisk nor the Abyssal Leviathan, with its sinister chuckle, spared her a glance.
"I..."
The Lizard, who had spent years skirting the fringes of the cosmos, evading the Demon God Bertain, paused thoughtfully before adding, "In the last hundred thousand years, I've roamed the outermost borders and have been privileged to witness several marvels."
In one scene, there was a vast and boundless space where an aurora-like spectacle suddenly appeared. I saw a massive frog that seemed to notice me, as if it wanted to communicate something.
The moment it opened its mouth, I saw it held three suns within. The mucus in its mouth had dimmed their light. It appeared to be assimilating the suns in this manner.
The Abyssal Leviathan chuckled dismissively after hearing this, "That's not difficult. We could both manage that."
"Furthermore..."
The Lizard shot him a reproachful look for interrupting, "Twenty thousand years ago, around the crescent-shaped star chart region, now the extraterrestrial outpost of Boulderdawn, the sect was nowhere near as formidable as it is today. Life was incredibly tough, and it didn't even catch my eye."
"I was just passing by when I witnessed an illusion-like spectacle at the edge of the starry sky."
"I saw a golden deer being pursued by a sky full of flame meteors, each stretching for hundreds of miles. The golden deer attempted to break through the confines of the starry sky, as if trying to flee from another world to ours. Unfortunately..."
The Lizard shook his head with a tinge of regret, "I don't know what became of it, as the vision vanished abruptly."
"I lingered there for a century, but without any further discoveries, I eventually left, disheartened."
His account, detailing merely two scenes, had already deeply touched Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang. Liu Ying and Denise looked on with longing.
Conversely, the Dire Bear and the three peak ninth-level alien beasts grew agitated by his depiction.
"Are they your kin?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"No, not our kin. It seems more like..."
The Lizard turned to the Dire Bear, the Duskjaw, the Stormwraith, and the Three-legged Golden Crow, "They seem to be of their kind, having already shattered the constraints of their bloodlines to ascend to the pinnacle of the tenth level."
Roar! Roar! Roar!
The alien beasts of this world, stirred by the Lizard's words, roared with abandon.
They finally glimpsed hope!
If the frog clutching three suns in its mouth and the golden deer were part of the alien beast community, it would signify that their lineage was beyond the ninth level!
The ninth level was not their ceiling!
"This could merely be one of many worlds. A world teeming with alien beasts of unimaginable strength," the Lizard said, his voice laden with gravity, his gaze growing complex. "You have the choice to nurture the young Starpierced and allow it to grow and unveil the full star chart. Or... you could eliminate it prematurely, ensuring the star chart remains hidden forever."
The Starpierced shuddered visibly.
It evidently understood.
"Oh, you," Yu Yuan said, shaking his head at the Lizard. "You've lived through the Old Titan and the Spinosaurus's era, and the epoch when the Demon God Bertain dominated the Star River. They've dulled the edge in your bloodline. The Evil God of the Abyss and the world dominated by peak alien beasts unsettle you, don't they?"
The Lizard remained silent.
The Abyssal Leviathan let out a weary sigh.
They were akin to brothers in hardship—one haunted by Bertain to the fringes of the cosmos, the other perennially oppressed by the Dark Phoenix in the vast Embers Sea.
As Yu Yuan had pointed out, their drive for advancement and the ambitious hunger in their blood had been diluted by years of suppression and fear.
They harbored more resistance than curiosity towards the unknown world, the Abyss, and that peculiar realm.
"Soul-Capturing, you're surely keeping something from me," Yu Yuan mused with a huff. He pondered the newly crowned God-King Soul-Capturing, stationed at the crescent-shaped Star River, likely tasked with restraining unknown entities.
What were these unknown entities? Where did they originate? And by what means did they arrive?
Being the offspring of the Great Demon God Bertain, what did that imply?
— Bertain must be privy to it.
Abruptly, Ji Ningshuang interjected with succinct clarity, "Keep it, and let it reach maturity."
"I share the same sentiment."
Yu Yuan's expression was one of ease as he cast a sidelong glance at the Lizard and the Abyssal Leviathan, smiling confidently. "I believe we are the mightiest. And I trust that, regardless of what other worlds may hold, we possess the strength to overcome them."
"Up until now, it seems that our world has been constantly encroaching upon others."
"The Old Titan Spinosaurus once bested all the Evil Gods of the Abyss and returned with the Abyssal Treasure. I suspect that the splendor of the Everlands civilization owes much to that treasure. And now, the Great Demon God Bertain has ventured into the Abyss. I'm confident he will leave the Evil Gods there at a loss."
"The Origin Deity's soul came here only to be repelled. His last remaining soul fragment, in an attempt to reclaim the Abyssal Treasure, was annihilated by the Demon Lord and Jihui. Jihui has risen to become a major power in the Abyss, and Tan Xiaotian is unifying its dark forces."
"We must believe that we are the supreme rulers of the infinite worlds. It is not us who should be feared."
"It's them!"
Yu Yuan spoke with fervor and conviction.
In that moment, to Ji Ningshuang, Liu Ying, and Denise, he shone with a brilliance akin to the sun.
The Abyssal Leviathan's blood was set ablaze. It inhaled deeply and declared, "Then we keep it!"
The Lizard fell silent for a moment before giving a slow nod.
The Starpierced Armor, once trembling, seemed to find solace in Yu Yuan's words and the Lizard's response.
"The stars on its shell hold no value for me until it matures."
Ji Ningshuang withdrew her icy gaze from the Starpierced and glanced at Denise, saying, "You may study the star chart on its shell to enhance your bloodline. But remember, you are not destined for it, nor is it choosing you. Do not harbor any other aspirations."
Denise replied with a dutiful nod, "I understand what to do."
The Starpierced clearly had no affinity for the Starborn. Denise should be content with gleaning even a fraction of the stars' intricacies.
She had realized before arriving that she stood no chance against Liu Ying.
"Your master will be safe. I've instructed Du Yuan at the Sword Sect to ensure that those detained in the Extraterrestrial Sword Prison do not act rashly," Ji Ningshuang reassured Liu Ying.
Liu Ying, who had been wary and distant towards Ji Ningshuang since entering the Ashlands, seemed to soften slightly in her demeanor.
"Let's leave this juvenile beetle to them," Ji Ningshuang gestured to Yu Yuan to lead the way. She was eager to visit Tyria, the main planet in the Ashlands, to gain insight into the state of affairs in the Dark Star region.
"Yu Yuan, we have resolved to join the battle!" declared the Abyssal Leviathan with a grave tone.
"Excellent. You've finally seen the light," Yu Yuan said, his smile beaming with satisfaction as he regarded the Lizard and the Abyssal Leviathan. "Once the Dark Phoenix has obliterated the Solar Meridian and seized the Secrets of Life from the Primal Blood below, there will be no one left in this world who can contend with her. Neither of you, nor any of the Cosmic Giant Beasts, including the young Titan Spinosaurus, will escape her wrath."
"For reasons unknown, she harbors a deep-seated hatred for all Cosmic Giant Beasts. She has spent these years relentlessly hunting your kind."
With the Abyssal Greater Basilisk and the Abyssal Leviathan committed to the fight, along with the support of Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen, and the Secular Bird Queen at the height of her power, Yu Yuan felt a surge of confidence for the impending conflict.
...
On Tyria, the main planet.
Amidst the expansive deep sea, a muscular figure burst forth, enveloped by a myriad of divine glows and shadowy lightning, resembling visible bloodline chains.
Boom!
He landed next to Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit, revealing himself to be a youth with an inherently imperious aura. His expression was stern, his gaze resolute, and his neck and the exposed portion of his arm were covered in natural violet gold dragon scales.
His violet gold eyes, matching the hue of the dragon scales, emitted an intimidating light, conveying a sense of immense danger and voracious greed.
"Greetings, Father," he said, bowing to Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit before lifting his head to meet Yu Yuan's gaze directly. With a hint of mockery, he added, "Why must you complicate things, Father? I have a far better strategy for dealing with the Dark Phoenix of the Everlands. The Abyssal Greater Basilisk and the Abyssal Leviathan—just help me out, Father. With these two Dragon Gods, we can simply kill and consume them."
Licking his lips with a cruel smirk, he continued, "After feasting on these two giant beasts, you can turn a blind eye while I devour the Secular Bird Queen too. With the strength of these three behemoths as my foundation, I could easily scour the Star River and put an end to the Dark Phoenix."
"My old father has passed away. You're my new father now. Aren't you supposed to help me?"
The fierce and brutal youth, who appeared to be only twelve or thirteen, towered over others, his entire being exuding a palpable sense of greed and bloodlust that frightened the dragons near the colorful archway into hiding.
Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen watched him with a mix of reverence and concern.
"You've grown rapidly, already capable of assuming human form and developing quite the sharp tongue."
Yu Yuan, embodying the Solar Spirit Body, scrutinized the little spinosaurus struggling to contain its inherent nature. "I'm taken aback that you would call me father. Out of respect for that title, I'll overlook your previously malicious intentions. You're still young, and it seems you don't fully grasp what the Dark Phoenix signifies."
The little spinosaurus huffed, ready to mock, but his face suddenly turned grave.
A new fissure had formed in the multicolored gateway, and this time it wasn't Zhong Chichen's handiwork.
A violet-gold dragon shadow darted through, silencing Yu Yuan, Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, and the taunting little spinosaurus.
"My... sister. She's been raised exceptionally well by the Dark Phoenix, far exceeding my expectations! Her growth rate is astonishing. It appears the bloodshed in the Dark Star realm has inadvertently become the nurturing ground for her rapid empowerment."
The little spinosaurus's gaze turned icy as he coldly observed the now-sealed fissure, declaring, "She was the first to sense my presence!"
