C1815 They Watched Him Leave
No one would think that the Dark Phoenix was fleeing at this moment—even though she was injured and indeed leaving the Dark Star Region. After Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit suffered severe damage and was dragged into the Primal Blood Continent by the frigid ice rock, the Dark Phoenix found herself without any rivals. Her decision not to head directly to the Primal Blood Continent might have been due to her wariness of the extreme cold and the unpredictable Primal Blood, rather than any concern for Taishi, the Chronowyrm, Zhong Chichen, or Reid.
In such a vast Astral Domain, where she faced no opposition, her departure could hardly be considered an escape. All anyone could do was watch as she, along with the majestic Phoenix Shrine, vanished from sight. Hundreds of thousands of archdemons and alien beasts had already slipped away through the widening fissures.
In the gloomy expanse of space, the Phoenix Shrine was left to drift alone towards the outer reaches of the galaxy. Millions of tiny purple phoenixes fluttered and flocked toward the shrine, merging with one another in an attempt to reconstitute the new Dark Phoenix.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Taishi and the Sky Fiend High Priest, Reid, emerged from the Primal Blood Continent in quick succession, standing by Yu Yuan's real body, much like the Chronowyrm, Zhong Chichen. They had already learned that Yu Yuan's grievously wounded Solar Spirit was safeguarded by the subterranean chill, just as Ningshuang was protected.
Yu Yuan's real body, still stationed beyond the starry sky, remained composed. From his demeanor, Taishi deduced that his Solar Spirit was intact and, despite his injuries, his life was not in jeopardy.
"She?" Taishi gazed at the Phoenix Shrine, his words trailing off.
The strength that the Dark Phoenix had shown was even greater than before, weighing heavily on Taishi's heart and increasing the pressure he felt.
"Anyone who encounters the Dark Phoenix in this state will perish," Zhong Chichen remarked grimly, devoid of any desire to pursue her. He let out a wry smile and continued, "An injured Dark Phoenix, when provoked by external forces, will retaliate recklessly. It's not that I underestimate ourselves, but currently, no one is equipped to handle a Dark Phoenix in such a condition."
While speaking, the Chronowyrm cast a glance at Yu Yuan, thinking that they would have to wait for his intervention.
Yu Yuan astonishingly managed to wound the Dark Phoenix, spilling its blood across the cosmos! Without having fully awakened or forged a new divine position with his primordial spirit, relying solely on the favor of the Primal Blood and the Solar Spirit, and exploiting the unique properties of the Dark Star, Yu Yuan inflicted damage upon the Dark Phoenix. Zhong Chichen was in awe, his mind racing with thoughts as he regarded Yu Yuan with newfound reverence.
"Let's wait a bit longer," he mused, a flame of hope igniting in his eyes, his blood boiling with anticipation.
The Nagas harbored the deepest loathing for the Dark Phoenix. The Chronowyrm, having been resurrected with great difficulty, vowed from the moment of its divinity to annihilate the Dark Phoenix and avenge the downfall of the Nagas. Yet, even with such hatred, he had to remain composed, knowing he stood no chance against the formidable foe. He believed that even Loong Jie at his peak might not be able to defeat the current Dark Phoenix. Ultimately, they might still have to depend on Yu Yuan.
...
"Both of you," the mighty tiger, as solid as a mountain, nodded at Untamed and Green Willow. Without further words, it transformed into a beam of snow-white light, hurtling toward the Phoenix Shrine.
The tiger was aware that Untamed and Green Willow's allegiance to Shadow's Keep was not genuine. They had been swayed by the Dark Phoenix's lure of immortality and the Blood Fiend's invasion of the Dark Star. Now, with the conflict boiling down to a duel between the Dark Phoenix and Yu Yuan, Ape and Green Willow's allegiances had clearly shifted. The Astral Tiger respected that neither Dark Deity had kicked their adversaries while they were down.
"Snow, take care," Untamed called out. "No one knows her intentions. Something feels off. Stay vigilant and don't get in over your head." The Astral Tiger remained silent.
"Mr. Zhong... Mr. Zhong," Taishi shifted his gaze from the soaring Phoenix Shrine to Zhong Chichen and said, "Please, make haste to the Wingkind's Astral Domain and inform those loyal to the Secular Bird Queen that the Dark Phoenix may be coming for them."
"Hehe," Zhong Chichen chuckled without much enthusiasm. He wasn't particularly concerned with Taishi's presence, so he had no intention of following orders.
"Senior Brother, you should make your move as soon as possible!" Yu Yuan suggested with a smile.
"Okay," Zhong Chichen promptly agreed.
"I know you don't want to see the Dark Phoenix grow any stronger."
Yu Yuan gave a light cough and turned his gaze toward the Primal Blood Continent. He could distinctly sense his Solar Spirit, which the Dark Phoenix had gravely wounded, taking on its original form within the massive ice rock, resembling stalactites.
Within each red crystal, the Divine Thunder that the Dark Phoenix had shattered was reconnecting. The Solar Spirit's restoration would require time, and he needed to assimilate the extraordinary insights he had gleaned from the battle, integrating the plethora of blood magic mystiques he had captured.
Yet, he remained astounded by the Dark Phoenix's might. He had not anticipated that, despite deploying all his techniques and hastily summoning the ice force, and even applying the cosmic order of the Dark Star for suppression, he was unable to contain the Dark Phoenix, who forcefully shattered his multilayered seals.
When the Dark Phoenix broke free, her purple blood sprinkled across the Astral Domain, signaling her injury. But the extent of the damage was uncertain—no one could gauge it.
He refrained from pursuing her because the Phoenix Shrine housed not only Yu Zhu but also numerous other horrors beyond his perception. His instinct warned him that with his Solar Spirit in such a weakened state, and his real body distanced from the Primal Blood Continent, even if he combined the powers of Taishi, Zhong Chichen, and Reid, a relentless pursuit could spell disaster.
Should the battlefield shift away from the Dark Star, any pursuer would be courting a catastrophic fate.
The Dark Phoenix was correct; without the battlefield being in the Dark Star, without his novel Solar Spirit and the aid of the ice force, he stood no chance against her. Moreover, it seemed his Solar Spirit had sustained even more damage than the Dark Phoenix.
The most prudent course of action was to quickly assimilate all he had acquired from the Solar Meridian, blending the blood magic and life power, to ensure that once the Solar Spirit recovered, it would ascend to even greater heights.
"Why is she so eager to kill the Secular Bird Queen?" Reid asked, astonished.
"Whether it's personal vendetta or some other motive, if she manages to slay the Secular Bird, her power will climb yet another notch," Zhong Chichen said, casting a glance at Yu Yuan, his understanding of Taishi's words deepening. "Alright, I'll make a quick trip to the Wingkind's Astral Domain to warn the Secular Bird Queen."
"Let her... stay out of the fray for now," Yu Yuan sighed.
Having faced the supreme Dark Phoenix in direct combat, Yu Yuan had truly witnessed her fearsome energy.
He had come to realize why, after conflicts arose between humans and the Dark Phoenix in the Everlands, it was necessary for Lin Daoke and Tan Xiaotian to join forces.
Alone, it seemed they were no match for the Dark Phoenix.
"Understood."
Without further ado, Zhong Chichen, his form bathed in a rainbow glow, vanished from their midst.
A streak of prismatic light shot through the gap in the Primal Blood Continent in an instant.
"She may possess another form... a giant beast-like demon body. Within that thick purple demon energy, there's a massive creature brimming with her vitality and demon energy," Yu Yuan abruptly stated.
"Ah!"
Reid exclaimed in shock.
Untamed and Green Willow approached at this moment, and Ape, upon arriving, caught the tail end of the conversation, his face turning grave. "My goodness! What has this madwoman been up to in the Phoenix Shrine? She's been wandering the extraterrestrial realms all this time, and the Shadow's Keep has only one demon soul. Could it be for the purpose of crafting a new body?"
Yu Yuan shook his head, indicating his uncertainty.
"She's far more powerful and mysterious than I imagined," Ape mused, his gaze naturally drifting toward the shrine. "I have this nagging feeling that she's kept many secrets from us."
"Isn't that obvious?" Taishi retorted with an eye roll.
Then, Green Willow respectfully gave a slight bow to Taishi as a token of thanks.
His position as a Dark Deity owed much to the efforts of the Boulderdawn, and with Taishi now leading the sect, it was only proper for him to show his gratitude.
Taishi dismissed the gesture with a wave of his hand and turned to Yu Yuan. "Is that giant beast-like demon body truly hers?"
"I couldn't see her true face, but it felt like that," Yu Yuan remarked.
As they conversed, the Phoenix Shrine, soaring through the void, sped away from the Dark Star at the speed of Divine Thunder, vanishing from everyone's sight and perception.
All the graceful phoenix shadows had already caught up with the Phoenix Shrine and merged into it one by one.
For some reason, when the Phoenix Shrine was no longer visible, they didn't feel any sense of relief; instead, their mood grew even heavier. No one knew what madness the Dark Phoenix might unleash next or what turmoil she might cause.
"I need to return to the Sky Fiend Holy Land first," declared High Priest Reid, sighing with a sense of defeat and a lack of energy.
He reached out toward the Primal Blood Continent, tracing a complex spell, regardless of how the situation here unfolded. Ninth-level Demon Gods like Mitts and Adler, along with the multitude of Sky Fiends who had accompanied the High Priest, all emerged.
"Please allow us to return," they requested.
Reid pointed with his other hand toward a hidden place in the distant cosmos. There lay a secret passage that would allow Reid and the other extraterrestrial Sky Fiends to return home.
Yu Yuan nodded in agreement. "Fair winds on your journey."
"After a while, I'll come to Ionodios to visit your Boulderdawn," Reid said, expressing his thanks. He paused, then added with hesitation, "That is, if Ionodios still exists within the Annihilation Nebula by then."
With those words, he led the Star-Spawned Terrors who had come to aid the Dark Star away in front of Yu Yuan.
"What's the situation over there?" Untamed inquired.
"The fight between Lin Daoke and Soul-Capturing is still ongoing, with no clear winner yet," Taishi explained.
Ape expressed his astonishment with due respect, "I never imagined that within your Boulderdawn, there would truly be someone capable of battling Lin Daoke. I had assumed that he would have slain you all with a single stroke."
