C1786 Father!

The old lizard and the Chaos Roc arrived side by side.

Neither of them chose to reveal their true monstrous forms, instead appearing as two bizarrely aged men. The Chaos Roc was missing teeth, its hair sparse and unkempt, while the Silver Scale Clan's elderly Abyss Goanna was hunched and twisted, its expression grave and weighty.

"I accepted an invitation from the Origin Realm God to meddle in the affairs of the Gray Domain. I've also heard..."

The old lizard glanced at the trembling young ground beetle and let out a low, rumbling chuckle. "I've heard that its kin, a descendant of its bloodline, is being nurtured by the venerable Titan spinosaurus within the Gray Domain."

He emphasized the word "nurtured."

Stunned into silence by Lau Ying's revelations, the onlookers couldn't help but turn their gaze toward him.

The ground beetle, which had briefly shown itself, quickly withdrew again. Despite Lau Ying's calls, it refused to emerge, even concealing the Galaxy Map patterns that adorned its shell.

It seemed nothing more than a benign, oversized beetle devoid of any mystique.

"You timid creature, you lack the spirit of your ancestors!" the old lizard scoffed. Noticing everyone's attention fixed on him, he continued, "The old spinosaurus has been raising it with purpose, hoping that one day, when it matures, the Galaxy Map will fully manifest on its carapace. The ambitions of the old Titan spinosaurus are unimaginable to you."

"He became invincible in our world after venturing into the Abyss and claiming a rare treasure."

"Upon discovering other extraordinary realms, he sought to explore each one, plundering their treasures as he did with the Abyss. That's why he ensures the young ground beetle thrives within his domain."

The Abyss Goanna revealed the underlying truth.

"Other worlds, similar to the Abyss?"

Denise of the Star Race, absorbing the old lizard's words and recalling Lau Ying's description, felt a chill run through her.

Neither the Abyss Goanna nor the brooding Chaos Roc spared her a glance.

"I..."

The old lizard, who had spent years skirting the fringes of the Starry Border to evade the Great Demon God Beilstein, paused thoughtfully before sharing, "In the last hundred thousand years, I've roamed the outermost frontiers and been privileged to witness several marvels."

In one scene, there was a boundless void illuminated by an aurora-like phenomenon. I beheld a massive frog that seemed to notice me and appeared to want to communicate something.

As it spoke, I saw three suns held within its mouth. The mucus there obscured their brilliance, suggesting it was assimilating the suns in this manner.

At this point, the Chaos Roc chuckled dismissively, "That's not difficult. We could both manage that."

"And another thing..."

The Abyss Goanna shot him a reproachful look for the interruption. "Twenty thousand years ago, in the crescent-shaped sector of the Galaxy Map, now the extraterrestrial outpost of the Divine Soul Sect, the sect was nowhere near as formidable as it is today. They led a life of extreme hardship, beneath my notice."

"As I was passing by, I witnessed a desolate expanse at the Starry Border transform into a mirage-like spectacle."

"I saw a golden stag being pursued by flame meteors, each spanning hundreds of miles. The stag was attempting to break through the Starry Border, seemingly desperate to flee from another world into ours. Alas..."

The old lizard shook his head with a tinge of regret, "I never learned its fate, for the vision, real or illusory, vanished abruptly."

"After lingering there for a century without further discoveries, I left, disheartened."

His recounting of merely two scenes had deeply touched Yu Yuan and Jee Ningshuang, while Lau Ying and Denise looked on with longing.

Conversely, the Violent Bear and the three alien beasts at the Peak of Ninth Level grew agitated by his depiction.

"Are they of your lineage?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"No, they're not from our lineage. It seems more likely..."

The Abyss Goanna turned to the Violent Bear, Ash Divine Crocodile, Raymon Beast, and Three-legged Golden Crow, "They seem to be of their kind, having transcended the constraints of their bloodlines to reach the Peak of Tenth Level."

The alien beasts of this realm, stirred by the Abyss Goanna's words, let out a collective, impassioned roar.

They finally glimpsed hope!

If the frog clutching three suns in its mouth and the golden giant deer were part of the alien beast community, it would mean that their lineage was not confined to the current Ninth Level!

The Ninth Level was not their ultimate boundary!

"This could be just one of many worlds. A world overrun with alien beasts of unimaginable strength," the old lizard's voice was laden with gravity, his gaze turning complex. "You have the option to nurture the young ground beetle, allowing it to grow and eventually unveil the entire Galaxy Map. Or... you could choose to eliminate it prematurely, ensuring the Galaxy Map remains hidden forever."

The ground beetle shivered, evidently comprehending the gravity of the situation.

"You," Yu Yuan addressed the old lizard with a shake of his head, "have lived through the era of the ancient Titan spinosaurus and the reign of the Great Demon God Beilstein, who dominated the cosmos. Their presence has dulled the edge within your bloodline. Does the thought of the Abyss Evil God and a world dominated by supreme alien beasts unsettle you?"

The old lizard remained silent, while the Chaos Roc let out a weary sigh.

They were like brothers in adversity, one driven to the fringes of the cosmos by Beilstein's terror, the other perennially oppressed by the Demon Phoenix in the vast Ember Waters.

As Yu Yuan pointed out, their once fervent ambition and the voracious drive in their blood had been diluted by years of suppression and fear.

Their stance towards the unknown world, the abyss, and that peculiar realm was one of resistance and reluctance, rather than a thirst for discovery.

"Shehun, you're definitely keeping secrets from me," Yu Yuan hummed thoughtfully. He pondered the newly crowned Divine King Shehun, stationed at the crescent-shaped galaxy, possibly tasked with containing unknown entities.

What were these unknown entities? Where did they originate? And by what means did they arrive?

Being the daughter of the Great Demon God Beilstein, what did that imply?

—Surely, Beilstein must be privy to this knowledge.

Abruptly, Jee Ningshuang stated with succinct clarity, "Keep it, and let it mature."

"I share the same sentiment," Yu Yuan said with an easy smile, casting a glance at the old lizard and the Chaos Roc. "I am confident that we are the mightiest. And I believe that regardless of the nature of other worlds, we possess the strength to overcome them."

"Up to this point, it seems that our world has been steadily encroaching upon others."

"Back in the day, the ancient Titan spinosaurus overpowered all the Evil Gods of the abyss and returned with its treasures. I suspect the splendor of the Hao Yu civilization owes much to that treasure. And now, the Great Demon God Beilstein has ventured into the abyss. I'm confident he will render the Evil Gods there powerless."

"The Origin Realm God came over, only to be repelled. His last remaining soul fragment, which attempted to reclaim the abyssal treasures, was annihilated by the Demon Lord and the Supreme Intellect. The Supreme Intellect has risen to become one of the titans of the abyss, while Tan Xiaotian is consolidating the dark forces within it."

"We must believe that we are the central overlords of the infinite world, and it is not us who should be feared."

"Rather, it's them!"

Yu Yuan declared his views with fervent emphasis.

In that moment, to Ji Ningshuang, Lau Ying, and Denise, he seemed to radiate a solar brilliance.

The blood within the Chaos Roc was set ablaze. It inhaled deeply and declared resolutely, "Then keep it!"

The Abyss Goanna fell silent for a moment before giving a slow nod of agreement.

The ground beetle, quivering initially, seemed to gradually unwind in response to Yu Yuan's words and the reactions of the Chaos Roc and the Abyss Goanna.

"The starry patterns on its shell are of no consequence to me until it matures."

Ji Ningshuang withdrew her icy gaze from the ground beetle and gave Denise a brief look, advising, "You may enhance your bloodline with the Galaxy Map on its shell. But remember, you are not destined for it, and it has not chosen you, so cast aside any other aspirations."

Denise replied meekly, "I understand what I need to do."

It was clear the ground beetle had no affinity for the Star Race. Denise should be content with gleaning even a modicum of the stars' intricacies.

She had realized before arriving that she stood no chance against Lau Ying.

"Your master will be safe. I've instructed Du Yuan at the Sword Sect to ensure that those confined in the Outer Sword Prison do not act rashly," Ji Ningshuang reassured Lau Ying.

Since her arrival in the Gray Domain, Lau Ying, who had been wary and cool towards Ji Ningshuang, seemed to soften her stance slightly.

"Let's leave this juvenile ground beetle to them," Jee Ningshuang gestured for Yu Yuan to lead the way. She was eager to visit the Gray Domain's Tia Main Planet to get a grasp of the situation in the Dim Starfield.

"Yu Yuan, we've resolved to join the battle!" declared the Chaos Roc with a grave tone.

"Excellent. You've come to your senses," Yu Yuan replied, his smile radiant as he regarded the old lizard and the Chaos Roc with satisfaction. "Once the Demon Phoenix annihilates the Yang Meridian and seizes the life essence from the source blood, no one will be able to handle her. Neither you two nor any of the Starry Behemoths, including that young Titan Spinosaurus, will escape her pursuit."

"It's baffling why she harbors such animosity towards all Starry Behemoths. Her actions over the years have been nothing but a relentless hunt of your kind."

With the addition of the Chaos Roc and the Abyss Goanna to the fray, coupled with Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen, and possibly the Secular Bird Queen restored to her peak, Yu Yuan felt a surge of confidence for the impending conflict.

...

On the Tia Main Planet.

A muscular figure burst forth from the depths of the vast ocean, encircled by a myriad of divine lights and shadowy lightning, resembling visible Bloodline Crystal Chains.

With a thunderous crash, he landed next to Yu Yuan's Yang God. It was a young man exuding a naturally fierce aura.

His expression was stern, his gaze resolute, and his neck and the exposed portion of his arm were covered in natural purple-gold dragon scales.

His purple-gold eyes, matching the hue of his scales, sparkled with an intimidating brilliance that conveyed both extreme danger and insatiable greed.

"Greetings, Father," he said, bowing deeply to Yu Yuan's Yang God before raising his head to lock eyes with Yu Yuan. With a taunting tone, he said, "Why must you complicate things, Father? I have a better plan for dealing with the Demon Phoenix. Just help me with the Abyss Goanna and the Chaos Roc. With these two Dragon Gods as my feast, I can handle the rest."

He licked his lips with a cruel smirk, "After consuming these two behemoths, you can turn a blind eye as I devour the Secular Bird Queen as well. With the strength of these three giants as my foundation, I can easily prey upon the stars and vanquish the Demon Phoenix."

"Now that the old man is gone, you're my new father, aren't you? You should be helping me, right?"

The fierce and brutal young man appeared to be only twelve or thirteen years old, yet he stood taller than most, exuding an aura of greed and bloodlust that sent the dragons near the rainbow-hued archway into hiding.

Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen regarded him with a mix of reverence and concern.

"You've grown quite rapidly, already able to shift into human form and develop a sharp wit," observed Yu Yuan, examining the little Spinosaurus whose true nature was beginning to show. "I must admit, I'm surprised you call me 'father.' Out of respect for that title, I'll overlook your previous malicious intentions. You're still young, and it seems you don't fully grasp what the Demon Phoenix signifies."

The Spinosaurus huffed, ready to retort with scorn, but his expression suddenly turned grave.

A new fissure had formed in the colorful archway, and it wasn't Zhong Chichen's handiwork. A purple-gold dragon shadow darted through, silencing Yu Yuan, Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, and the Spinosaurus.

"My... sister. She's been nurtured exceptionally well by the Demon Phoenix, far exceeding my expectations. Her rapid development suggests that the bloodshed in the Dim Starfield has inadvertently become the perfect ground for her to flourish," he reflected, his eyes glinting with menace as he coldly watched the now-sealed crack. "She was the first to sense my presence!"

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