C1818 Bidding Farewell to the Divine Sword
At the summit of Ascension Peak, Zu Ann, who had long stood watch over this place, suddenly turned his attention to the small pond created by the Skywatch Mirror and noticed that Hellfire Mountain, home to the Medicine God Sect, had grown intensely hot.
Before long, the dormant volcanoes that had been silent for years began to spew lava and flames. The disciples of the Medicine God Sect, still within Hellfire Mountain, could no longer withstand the dramatic changes in the region. They gathered their pill furnaces, herb seeds, and alchemical tools, making the decision to relocate.
"Hmm," murmured Zu Ann, his expression subtly shifting. With a swift grasp of the Skywatch Mirror, he teleported to the skies above Hellfire Mountain.
Gazing downward, he extended his divine sense and felt a tremor of realization: "A new divine seat has emerged!"
Beneath him, in the fiery heart of the mountain, Mo Baichuan was at the base of the Flowing Flames Pill Furnace, harnessing the Origin Soul of Hao Ran's core to fortify his foundation for ascending to the heights of the Supreme Demon Phoenix.
The Geocentric Fire, in close affinity with the Origin Soul, seemed to favor Mo Baichuan, who had now received its blessing. With the formation of a new Origin Soul within the core of Hao Ran, Mo Baichuan's progression appeared to be a natural course of events.
"Demon Phoenix..." Zu Ann whispered to himself, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward the Quietus Continent, as if envisioning the fallen Demon Palace.
A sudden insight struck him: the collapse of the Demon Palace signified the fracturing of the Supreme Demon Phoenix's deeply rooted honor within Hao Ran, now challenged by the combined efforts of many.
Mo Baichuan's ultimate goal was to wield power on par with the Demon Phoenix, to confront her directly. To this end, he had forsaken the path of Sky Fire and obsessively pursued the Earth Fire Avenue, a path no one had ever successfully walked.
Now, it seemed as though he had swept away all hindrances, possessing all that was necessary to ascend to divinity.
"Why do I sense that Mo Baichuan's animosity toward the Demon Phoenix is also a crucial element? Could it be that the Geocentric Fire below shares Mo Baichuan's disdain for the Demon Phoenix, wishing for its demise as well?"
Zu Ann was startled by his own conjecture. Shaking his head, he chose not to delve any deeper into these thoughts.
On the other side, at the Red Devil Sect.
Whoosh!
A mountain erupted with raging flames. Yuan Lianyao's "Red Demon Bell" burned fiercely, seemingly extracting strands of Earth Flame essence and weaving them into an intricate array of fire.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Numerous fire beams, alive with energy, burst forth from deep underground, merging with the "Red Demon Bell."
Within the bell, amidst the roaring flames, Yuan Lianyao's fiery Yang God suddenly acquired an array of Earth Flame spells.
It was as if a pie had just fallen from the sky!
Zhou Cangmin, Faang Yao, and many esteemed cultivators of the Red Devil Sect converged from all directions, gathering at the mouth of the Mountain of Flames where the "Red Demon Bell" stood.
"Yuan is on the cusp of breaking through to the Unrestrained Stage."
Zhou Cangmin was puzzled, only aware that Yuan Lianyao's aura, concealed within the "Red Demon Bell," had undergone a transformation.
All previous doubts and uncertainties about certain matters and powers had vanished, replaced by unwavering resolve.
"Ah, it's quite disheartening. To think that in my lifetime, I'd witness someone ascend to godhood through the Great Path of Earth Fire. I had assumed that under my leadership, the Red Devil Sect would always overshadow the Primordial Yang Sect." Qin Luo's sigh echoed in the minds of Zhou Cangmin and Faang Yao.
The pair paused, then realized that Mo Baichuan, situated at Hellfire Mountain, must have received an immense fortune.
This fortune was so significant that Yuan Lianyao, who also pursued the Great Path of Earth Fire, reaped its benefits.
Mo Baichuan, the trailblazer, was demonstrating to the world that even the fiery power of the Boundless Underground could pave a divine path to the summit!
His existence and his approach would invigorate and encourage all who followed this path!
Practitioners like Yuan Lianyao, who once believed the Unrestrained Stage was the pinnacle, now understood that by harnessing the Great Path of Earth Fire, they too could achieve the highest divine state!
"Where did this origin come from?"
Faang Yao was utterly baffled. With his Unrestrained Stage mastery and abilities, he lacked the capacity to detect the emergence of this new origin, let alone discern its source.
"It's related to Yu Yuan, but I'm not clear on the specifics."
Qin Luo, whose whereabouts were unknown, gazed upon the Red Demon Bell as if through the Eye of God and remarked with a sense of reflection, "You brought this young woman into the Red Devil Sect and have cultivated her with great care. Looking at it now... it was indeed an extremely astute decision. The two of you have made a significant contribution to our sect."
Zhou Cangmin and Faang Yao exchanged a glance and then burst into laughter.
They were fully aware of the deeper meaning behind the Sect Master's words: by bringing Yuan Lianyao into the fold, the Red Devil Sect had established a connection with Yu Yuan. Regardless of how the future unfolded, this was a significant advantage for the sect.
...
On the Origin Blood Continent, many members of the Blood Devil Clan, under the leadership of the Great Demon God Grec, were either flying through the realm barrier or boarding the Galaxy Ancient Starship, setting off towards the outer realms.
The starry sky was littered with ruins, with many star realms having suffered destruction.
These devastated lands were often the ancestral homes or territories of the Blood Devils from the Origin Blood Continent.
Accustomed to their own realms, they faced the task of rebuilding their homes after the departure of the Demon Phoenix and the disappearance of the great demons and alien beasts.
For those Blood Devil Clan members whose worlds had been completely destroyed, the challenge was to find new realms to inhabit.
With so much to be done, the road to restoration was long and arduous.
The Origin Blood Continent had always been the sacred land of the Blood Devil Clan, reserved for the most esteemed families and the most gifted among them, who alone were deemed worthy to live there and seek the favor of the Yang Meridian.
"Regrettably, due to the Demon Phoenix's wrathful actions, Hao Ran... has only formed a single Divine Throne."
Taishi watched as the Great Demon God Grec, looking dispirited, led away several Ninth Level Demon Gods. Once Yu Yuan was no longer present, Taishi confided, "You've had your designs on that supreme seat for a long time. I simply acted in accordance with your original vision," he said with a smile.
Yu Yuan, present on the surface, likely surmised the situation and chose not to dwell on the subject.
Instead, he stated, "The origin of the Yang Divine Veins, the Demon Phoenix, including all the great demons and alien beasts in our world, are undoubtedly foreigners. Their roots have never been here."
Taishi had always instilled a sense of confidence in him, so he shared the newly acquired information without hesitation.
The revelation sent a jolt through Taishi, who exclaimed, "Beilstein reached the same conclusion! But even he wasn't as certain as you are!"
"Beilstein thought the same?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.
"Yes, he mentioned it once. But he lacked solid proof, suggesting only the possibility. Of course, my source wasn't him, but rather... it was conveyed to me by Shehun."
Taishi fell silent after his explanation, seemingly lost in thought as he processed the news.
Eventually, Taishi shook his head firmly and decided, "Let's set this aside for now. Once Shehun and Lin Daoke's battle concludes, we three should meet and bring in Tianqi for a thorough discussion."
He abruptly extended his hand, requesting, "Hand over the Optimus Sword."
Caught off guard, Yu Yuan conjured the Divine Sword that had been integral to his journey since the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, immediately sensing the will of the sword soul.
"I'll find a new wielder for it, fulfilling the promise I made to Nie Qingtian long ago."
Without a hint of courtesy, Taishi took the Divine Sword straight from Yu Yuan's grasp.
He then touched the blade with a fingertip, seemingly communicating with the sword soul within, "Since your Yang God's transformation, you've reached a new level of strength, making you incompatible with this sword."
"Initially, you were merely a temporary bearer for it. Old Nie's sword spell, his philosophy, and the sword itself need a new successor."
Taishi offered words of consolation to the unresponsive sword soul.
Yu Yuan gazed at the sword, words failing him.
"The Dragon Slash Platform is truly yours, and even the Demon Blade suits you better now. I witnessed the final moments of your recent battle. You, with just your Yang God, may have already surpassed Old Nie. His Sword Dao True Spell and the sword he crafted could end up limiting you."
"This sword, due to its material, inherently resists the flow of blood energy."
With a whoosh, Taishi shook his head, and the Optimus Sword vanished from his palm. He glanced at the earth beneath him and announced, "Your Yang God should remain on the Origin Blood Continent for now; there's much for you to assimilate. As for your physical form, accompany me to the Oblivion Starfield. We'll witness the outcome of Shehun and Lin Daoke's clash."
"Alright."
...
In the Oblivion Starfield, with a whoosh, Zhong Chichen suddenly materialized among the Dead Silence Stars, where the Abyss Goanna, Chaos Roc, and Loong Jie were gathered. He let out a strange laugh and asked, "Are you all still eagerly awaiting the outcome of Lin Daoke's battle with Shehun?"
"Colorful Patriarch!" greeted Loong Jie.
He was aware of the recent upheaval in the Gray Domain and that the Patriarch before him had been incredibly busy. Yet, he was not privy to the details, unlike Zhong Chichen, who had the ability to appear wherever he wished.
"What else can we do?" The Chaos Roc gave a wry smile. "The old lizard mentioned that his efforts to freeze the Space-time Gate were shattered by Yu Yuan using the Dragon Slash Platform. Now that the link between the Space-time Gate and the Dim Starfield is sealed, we lack your abilities to travel there."
"Did Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang perish in the Dim Starfield?"
The Abyss Goanna was blunt, as if it had foreseen the outcome the moment Zhong Chichen showed up.
"No, he's still alive," Zhong Chichen said cheerfully.
"How odd. The Demon Phoenix is not one to be easily defeated. The Yang Meridian stands no chance against her. In today's world, with the Great Demon God Beilstein gone, there's no one who can best her," the old lizard expressed, confused.
"The Demon Phoenix hasn't been defeated," Zhong Chichen replied, his expression darkening. He pursed his lips and let out a cold snort. "It's just that in the Dim Starfield, she encountered overwhelming support and faced complexities beyond measure. Hence, she's temporarily withdrawn to target the territory of the Winged Race, aiming to eliminate the Secular Bird Queen first."
"Hehe, I've already informed the Winged Race of this news. What the Secular Bird Queen decides to do is beyond my concern," he said nonchalantly.
"My Muddy Divine Soil!" exclaimed the Abyss Goanna, eyes gleaming.
"Yu Yuan is here as well!" The Chaos Roc suddenly exclaimed.
...
