C1824 Kaiya

Kaiya.

Clearly, this was not a name commonly used by the people of the Everlands.

She was known as Kaiya, a title bestowed upon her by the Demon God Bertain among the Star-Spawned Terrors.

Emerging from the Levi River, she stood boldly in the center of the grand palace within the Sword Prison, towering over Han Qi. The spiritual energy and blood coursing through her were utterly immune to the influence of Shadow Mountain.

She had traversed the Star River, as if performing a spatial shift, arriving at the Sword Prison from another realm.

She had harnessed the power of the 'Levi River' etched into the stone slab behind Han Qi—an incredible feat.

Kaiya was a woman destined to command attention and be immortalized in the annals of the cosmos.

At her arrival, the deep sword scars on the outer walls of the Sword Prison, brimming with a fierce sword's will, seemed to be forcibly erased by her presence.

The Shadow Mountain, which Han Qi had brought from the Wraithlands and transformed into the Sword Prison, was instantly suffused with her dark will.

Despite being a newcomer, she had seized control of most of the Sword Prison's authority in a mere instant, establishing herself as a ruler on equal footing with Han Qi.

Her influence extended to the Shadow Mountain in the Wraithlands as well, with her power flowing freely and unimpeded.

Lee Yuchan, who stood beside Han Qi with her head bowed, was suddenly struck with awe at the sight of Kaiya.

Kaiya, in Yuchan's eyes, radiated a mysterious aura so intense that she found it difficult to gaze upon her for long.

She felt a natural sense of unworthiness in comparison.

Kaiya was the most enigmatic and formidable God-King of the Boulderdawn, a fact that Han Qi had emphasized to her during their journey from the extraterrestrial realm.

Even the Lunar Meridian, which her master had been so eager to refine, had already been claimed by Kaiya.

Such an awe-inspiring woman had entered her master's domain and seemed to barely acknowledge him, instead engaging in a cordial conversation with Yu Yuan.

'Has Yu Yuan already distinguished himself so within the Boulderdawn?'

Yuchan couldn't help but feel a twinge of self-pity.

"The Ghostly Cord of the Wraithlands."

Kaiya's keen eyes immediately recognized the rope encircling Tan Junshan's neck, apparently aware of its origin and significance. With audacious confidence, she declared, "I shall begin by lifting the seal."

She spread her hand, revealing a ball of gray-white light cradling two rivers—one clear, the other murky—as they intertwined within her palm. The point where they crossed suddenly brightened.

The ropes that had been wound around Tan Junshan's neck and those that dangled into the Mindscape of Duan Yisheng and Zhongli Dapan seemed to respond to her profound understanding of the Way of Heaven, eagerly flying out one after another. They swiftly descended into the glowing orb in her hand, right at the confluence of the two rivers.

Upon her arrival, the cultivators who had been confined in the Sword Prison and stripped of their Lunar Spirit power by Han Qi were instantly freed.

"Yu Yuan, you're not like the others. We... should be closer," Kaiya said, her true form exuding confidence and grace, a stark contrast to her concealed presence in the Everlands. "I've heard his name is Han Qi. What he desires is the Lunar Meridian, imprisoned within the Everlands. He intends to compete with Youyu for it, and I'm sure you're not pleased with that idea either, right?"

"Of course not," Yu Yuan replied with a smile and a nod. His real body, which should have been outside the Sword Prison, zipped through the rock wall and entered—a doorway opened by Kaiya herself.

If the words of the Great Demon God Bertain were true, then Kaiya, being Bertain's daughter, could be considered his junior sister.

The Lunar Spirit and the real body merged in an instant. Standing on the chilly stone floor, Yu Yuan gripped the Dragon Slaying Stage and once again set his gaze on Han Qi. "I have no intention of handing over the authority over the life and death cycle of the Everlands to you. Youyu has always been the choice of Boulderdawn, and I trust only Youyu."

Han Qi's brow furrowed in response.

Kaiya, having left her battle with Lin Daoke, followed the essence of the Levi River and, with the power of the Root of the Lunar Meridian, unexpectedly appeared here, much to Han Qi's surprise.

Han Qi's initial plan had been to reveal Kaiya's true form to Lin Daoke, ensuring Lin Daoke's victory. Kaiya was not supposed to be here.

Even more astonishing was that Kaiya not only identified the Ghostly Cord by name but also effortlessly neutralized it.

"It seems you've mastered not only the exquisite Spirit Magic of the Lunar Meridian but also scoured its memories," Han Qi realized. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully and then instructed, "Yuchan, go back to your room."

"Master, I..." Lee Yuchan began to protest with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Silly girl, you're not going to be of any help," Han Qi said dismissively, not waiting for her consent before he waved his sleeve and whisked Lee Yuchan back to the cave with a gesture.

Boom!

The cave door slammed shut, and a faint shadow energy swirled into a dense white fog, engulfing both the cave and Lee Yuchan. Through a slender gap, Lee Yuchan's inscrutable eyes peered out.

"You were able to make the swift journey here because you had an epiphany about the wonders of the Levi River after awakening from the Lunar Meridian that extends from the Wraithlands in the Everlands," Han Qi explained after ensuring Lee Yuchan was settled. "Since you've arrived, I'm concerned about Lin Daoke..."

Worry clouded his eyes.

Shoo! Shoo! Shoo!

Sword lights writhed like serpents within the silver-white walls of the central hall in the Sword Prison. In the presence of Yu Yuan, Han Qi, and Kaiya, the blinding sword light emerged from the rock face, quickly coalescing into a luminous spirited body.

It was none other than Lin Daoke's Solar Spirit!

"I didn't summon you and the Sword Prison here," Lin Daoke, unarmed yet embodying the essence of a sharp Divine Sword, confronted Han Qi with an accusation. "My battle with the God-King of Boulderdawn should not be subject to outside interference. I can tolerate other God-Kings from Boulderdawn entering, but I won't allow anyone from my side to meddle!"

Assuming the stance of a swordsman, Lin Daoke, composed of countless sword lights, thrust forward, sending beams of sword light piercing from his Solar Spirit.

Crack!

The Sword Prison, refashioned by Han Qi under Han Miaoyuan's guidance in the extraterrestrial, was riddled with sword light from within, transforming it into a vast honeycombed structure.

Rip! Rip! Rip!

Sword light pierced through the air, forcing Jun Chen, Zhou You, and Tan Junshan—all cultivators of the Unbound Stage—to flee in disarray, desperately evading the fearsome beams.

Taishi, as if transformed into a phantom, remained unharmed as the sword light passed right through him.

"Duan!"

Jun Chen cried out in a surge of excitement, narrowly dodging the razor-sharp sword light as he neared the pockmarked Sword Prison. He darted into one of the gaping holes.

With a flourish of his bamboo flute, he unleashed a sky full of stars, widening the opening even further.

Soon, he reached the cave where Duan Yisheng was slowly coming to. Jun Chen rescued his father, the leader of the Star Sect, who was no longer bound by the Ghostly Cord, from the newly erected Sword Prison beyond our world.

"Zhongli Dapan!"

Zhou You was even quicker. Witnessing the sword light penetrate the Sword Prison, he teleported instantly to Zhongli Dapan's side and escorted the master of the Forgeroses Sect to safety.

Zhou You then tirelessly continued his rescue efforts.

Following Han Miaoyuan's instructions, he extracted one cultivator after another who had previously aligned with Boulderdawn and the Chamber of Commerce.

Before long, the Sword Prison was deserted.

"Lin Daoke."

God-King Taixu, Sky Fiend Youqian, and Qin Yun soon arrived, encircling the Sword Prison.

The newcomers were unaware of Han Qi, a being of the God of Ghosts Realm, still inside the Sword Prison. They were puzzled as to why Lin Daoke would sabotage his own stronghold.

"Mr. Lin, what is your intention here?"

Han Qi was visibly uncomfortable. The Sword Prison he had painstakingly constructed, an extraterrestrial fortress of his own making, had been significantly damaged by Lin Daoke.

To restore the Sword Prison to its former function and form, he would need to make a trip back to the Wraithlands.

The real issue was that once the prisoners of the Sword Prison were released, he could no longer use their bodies to siphon their Soul Power with the Ghostly Cord.

"They were in the way."

Impatience was etched across Lin Daoke's face.

Across the cosmos, a stunning sword light raced with incomparable speed, leaving all in its wake.

That was Lin Daoke's real body, the one that wielded the sword.

"Tell Mr. Han that I'll heed his advice on other matters, but he must never interfere with my duel. From the moment I draw my sword to the moment I sheathe it, I won't tolerate any interruptions."

The leader of the Sword Sect lifted his foot and stomped down hard.

Boom!

As Han Qi's cries echoed, the vast Sword Prison crumbled. The cells that held the powerful captives began to drift away like lanterns vanishing into the void, including the caves where Loong Tianxiao and Lee Yuchan were confined.

Taishi and the others could only watch as rocks of various sizes broke away from the Sword Prison.

What remained was a towering stone hall, still suspended in the air, with a domed roof and stone slabs coursing with Yin Qi.

Seven stout gray and white stone pillars supported the hall, which stood without any surrounding walls.

Yu Yuan's real body, Kaiya, Lin Daoke's Solar Spirit, and the seemingly unremarkable Han Qi were now revealed to everyone.

The Sword Prison was empty, leaving only a wall-less hall and four individuals.

"God of Ghosts!"

"Another God of Ghosts!"

"Han Qi! It's Han Qi!"

Han Qi, the least conspicuous among them, suddenly became the center of attention, standing out remarkably between Soul-Capturing, Yu Yuan, and Lin Daoke.

"Sect Master!"

Yue Mu, Van Heqing, and other Unbound Grand Sword Immortals of the Sword Sect had hurried over from Ionodios, drawn by the unexpected involvement of Han Qi.

The edict of Lin Daoke regarding Ionodios had been ignored, as the battle with Soul-Capturing had dragged on for too long.

Others, like the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, the Abyssal Leviathan, Rebecca, and powerful entities, as well as nobles such as Beru and Leo, were also watching the scene unfold, using various mystiques and artifacts.

The newly revealed Kaiya, the abruptly emerging Yu Yuan, and the enigmatic Han Qi captured the gaze of countless onlookers.

​