C1812 A Familiar Smell
"So it's you."
As the Dark Phoenix uttered these words, Yu Yuan's heart sank with a foreboding sense of danger. It was difficult to articulate, resembling more of an intuition or instinct. He had an innate feeling that if the Dark Phoenix discovered his true identity and realized he was the God-King Taiyin, the situation would only deteriorate. The Dark Phoenix would become even more unhinged.
"The arcane secrets of the bloodline that have been gathered over millennia within the Solar Meridian shouldn't have been mastered so swiftly after infusing your meridians. If you were merely his successor, you wouldn't be so adept at the Mind Magic capable of splitting thousands of souls."
"Only those who have been anointed as gods and favored by the Primal Soul could possibly achieve what you have."
The gaze of the Dark Phoenix sharpened like the point of a spear. Her outstretched wings transformed, each feather seemingly morphing into thousands of razor-sharp swords!
"To divide so many devil soul consciousnesses and simultaneously grasp the intricacies of various bloodline mysteries in such a brief span is a feat only the Demon God Bertain could accomplish."
"And you, Taiyin!"
With a hiss, the supreme Dark Phoenix unfurled the wings of her Divine Throne, casting out streaks of purple Divine Thunder, while the massive throne itself blazed with deep purple flames.
For reasons unknown, Yu Yuan sensed that her level of threat had escalated exponentially. The fury in her phoenix eyes was on the verge of spilling over.
"That wretch! She knew before I did—I should have seen it coming!"
As if a sudden realization struck her, the Dark Phoenix's emotions spiraled out of control once more. "You truly never change! You knew full well my disdain for her, and you even used the mightiest from the extraterrestrial realm to end her, yet you dared to rescue her just as I was about to strip her of her rules of death, destruction, and rebirth!"
"All because she was beautiful?!"
Within the dense purple miasma, clusters of flames took shape, with the ominous crackle of lightning brewing within.
Yu Yuan's mind reeled at her words. A bolt of clarity shot through his thoughts, and he vividly recalled the moment he, as Hong Qi, had inadvertently encountered the little girl under the Songbird's protection and had casually saved her.
Indeed, it was not the first time.
The Secular Bird Queen perished in the Annihilation Nebula a hundred thousand years ago, yet her phoenix-like rebirth ability had previously enabled her to rise from the ashes.
This time, her revival went unnoticed as it concluded abruptly and ended in failure.
The Dark Phoenix, who had been eagerly anticipating her resurrection, seemed to have pinpointed the exact location of her return and once again extinguished her life.
The Dark Phoenix had intended to wait for the Secular Bird Queen's revival, her subsequent death, and the formation of her bloodline mysteries before consuming and stripping her of them.
The Dark Phoenix, who met her demise in the Annihilation Nebula, was slain by the pinnacle forces of the Otherkin. Since she was not present on the battlefield in time, she failed to capture the blood magic of the secular bird.
Obsessed with this loss, she waited in silence, meticulously calculating until the Secular Bird Queen's next rebirth, which she located with precision.
Her ambition was to claim all that belonged to the Secular Bird Queen.
Yet, it seemed that her own past self had thwarted her plans.
At this moment, within the recesses of Yu Yuan's mind, vague impressions and memories threatened to surface. However, due to his current disconnection from his true self, he couldn't fully unleash the memory sparkle.
"So what if she's attractive? I've killed her once more! I slaughtered her right before your eyes, yet you spoiled my scheme! Your meddling prevented me from consuming her entire bloodline, allowing her a second chance at rebirth!"
The Dark Phoenix was clearly seething with rage.
"I've heard that Hong Qi once saved her, and that Yu Yuan rescued her from the clutches of the Sky Fiend in the Dark Star Region."
"Whether it's Hong Qi or Yu Yuan, anyone but you is acceptable! If that wretch were to mix with Hong Qi or Yu Yuan, and if they truly are your heirs, then I wouldn't care."
"It would only prove her disgraceful nature! You, and any successors of yours, she would stoop to anything!"
"But it's always you! You're like a dog that can't stop returning to its vomit, always saving that wretch time and again!"
With a whoosh, the infuriated Dark Phoenix vanished from the colossal purple Divine Throne, which was then consumed by surging flames.
Yu Yuan, gripping the Bloodhell, braced himself for the imminent catastrophe he sensed was just moments away.
The Dark Phoenix had clearly lost her mind once again.
Yet, after a moment's wait, he found himself still trapped in this alien dimension, submerged in demon energy, with the uncontrollable Dark Phoenix not launching a frenzied attack as expected.
What was happening?
He scanned his surroundings with a sense of unease and attempted to use vital energy to pinpoint the Dark Phoenix's whereabouts.
...
Beyond the wall of the Primal Blood Continent.
A surge of dark purple demon energy, resembling a pair of closing wings, rolled tumultuously, causing a tightness in the chests of those watching. They immediately sensed an ominous turn of events.
Such drastic fluctuations in demon energy often mirrored the Dark Phoenix's emotional turbulence, signaling a clear warning.
Swoosh!
Brandishing her violet gold spear, the Dark Phoenix materialized abruptly before Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang. Her phoenix gaze didn't even glance at Yu Yuan but instead settled on Ji Ningshuang.
"Yu Yuan is acceptable, Hong Qi is acceptable, but he is not."
The Dark Phoenix's voice, laden with a bone-chilling coldness, sent shivers down the spines of all who heard it.
Ji Ningshuang's heart pounded uncontrollably.
In the Dark Phoenix's words and eyes, she saw a tangible murderous intent. She was clueless about what had transpired, yet it was clear that the Dark Phoenix had suddenly developed a deep-seated hatred for her.
She was taken aback, as she had no close ties with the Dark Phoenix and had barely interacted with her in the past.
Why did the Dark Phoenix harbor such sudden and intense animosity towards her?
The icy presence beneath the Primal Blood Continent sensed the danger quicker than she did. The icy wall began to emit a thick cold fog that enveloped Ji Ningshuang and forcefully pulled her back.
Crack!
A massive prismatic ice crystal formed between Ji Ningshuang and the Dark Phoenix, shimmering with a dazzling silver brilliance.
"Another wretch! It's no surprise, I've always found you distasteful!" the Dark Phoenix spat out.
With a powerful beat of her expansive wings, she shattered the crimson River of Swords that Yu Yuan, wielding the Titanblade, had sent her way.
In this moment, Yu Yuan, whether in body or true form, was cast aside from her thoughts.
Her quest for blood magic and the completion of the Secrets of Life were momentarily forgotten.
With spear in hand, she lunged at the prismatic ice crystal blocking her path and declared fiercely, "Not even the bitterest cold can shield you!"
With a puff, the Ice Shard capable of withstanding the mightiest blow from a Cosmic Giant Beast was effortlessly penetrated by the violet gold spear. As the spear tip emerged through the Ice Shard, hundreds of purple arcs of Divine Thunder burst forth before Ji Ningshuang.
Ji Ningshuang tirelessly swung her sword, conjuring resplendent Ice Shards of the Star River around her. Yet as soon as they materialized, they were mercilessly shattered by the relentless purple lightning.
A stifled groan escaped Ji Ningshuang's lips, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth as numerous gashes tore across her body. She fought while retreating, no longer able to concern herself with Yu Yuan's fate.
She showcased the ice magic she had mastered, the boundless ice energy bestowed by the bitter cold, and the arcane secrets she had unlocked, all weaving a dazzling display around her. Despite her efforts, they were still being obliterated one after another.
With each vanishing Star River, the explosion of tiny ice stars forced her to withstand another onslaught from the Dark Phoenix's power.
Boom!
Ji Ningshuang's form collided with the crystalline wall, trembling slightly before passing through it. She plummeted from the high skies of the Primal Blood Continent like a kite severed from its string.
"What... What exactly is happening?" Zhong Chichen was utterly bewildered, unable to fathom why the Dark Phoenix, after having shrouded Yu Yuan with the Solar Spirit, would suddenly forsake him to instead target Ji Ningshuang as if she were a sworn enemy.
The Dark Phoenix's irrational behavior was beyond Zhong Chichen's comprehension, and indeed, beyond anyone's.
Thus, when Ji Ningshuang was grievously wounded in the blink of an eye and impaled by the Dark Phoenix's violet gold spear, there was no chance for anyone to prepare a defense or provide aid.
"I..." Taishi's spirit stirred as he gazed into the hate-filled phoenix eyes and pondered the Dark Phoenix's words. Yu Yuan could do it, Hong Qi could do it, but he couldn't.
Another despicable person...
"She knows," Taishi exhaled deeply, rocketing into the sky, intent on catching Ji Ningshuang as she descended.
But a deep red specter outpaced him, soaring higher with incredible speed. Cradling a crystalline Altar of Rebirth in its hands, the specter securely caught the falling Ji Ningshuang.
It was none other than the Great Demon God, Grec!
Left behind in the canyon's depths by Yu Yuan, Grec had summoned his innate Altar of Rebirth to shield the grievously wounded Ji Ningshuang.
"Grec!"
Taishi and Zhong Chichen's faces registered a slight change. They exchanged a glance and encircled him.
"Release her!"
Taishi let out a snort as the mountains and rivers of the Primal Blood Continent began to thunder ominously.
His rule of the land penetrated the earth, intending to join forces with Zhong Chichen to wrest her from Grec's grasp.
Yet, from beyond the wall, Yu Yuan's real body acknowledged Grec with a nod.
With one hand pressed against his chest, Grec bowed deeply to Yu Yuan with utmost reverence and humility. He then clarified to Taishi and Zhong Chichen, "I am following my master's orders to escort Ms. Ji to the frigid depths below."
Master? Escort?
Taishi and Zhong Chichen were taken aback. Their time on the Primal Blood Continent had been brief, and they had not been privy to many events, leaving them somewhat perplexed about Grec's allegiance.
However, they had grasped the gist of Grec's words and thus refrained from immediate action.
"He has become the progenitor of our entire clan."
Grec spoke in a somber tone, the Great Demon God's head bowed, his face etched with resignation and despair.
"The Solar Meridian has now become part of Yu Yuan. Having assimilated all the secrets of the Solar Meridian and the immense vital energy, Yu Yuan has transformed," declared High Priest Reid.
With this revelation, Taishi and Zhong Chichen refrained from intervening, allowing Grec to descend with Ji Ningshuang.
"What has she discovered?"
At the same elevation, Zhong Chichen and Taishi kept a vigilant eye on the Dark Phoenix beyond the wall while turning to Taishi for answers. "Can you tell me why she lost her senses so abruptly, why she was so intent on killing Fairy Ji? Shouldn't Yu Yuan be the prime target?"
Taishi exhaled deeply and replied, "You don't understand women."
