C1836 The Divine Position

A vortex of lightning materialized above the Thunder Pool where Qi Yunhong stood.

Within the hissing vortex, a radiant phantom slowly took shape, seemingly scrutinizing Yu Yuan from the shadows.

It was exceedingly cautious.

Upon its emergence, Qi Yunhong grew more reserved and began to explain, "Here's what happened."

He delved into the intricate details.

Wei Zhuo had been slain by the Soul-Capturing technique of the God-King. Following Wei Zhuo's death, the Thunder Pool he had consecrated plummeted into the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone, a realm sealed by the Demon God Bertain.

The Thunder Pool had merged with an entity within the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone.

Kaiya, being Bertain's own daughter, had free access to the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone under her father's dominion.

After claiming Wei Zhuo's essence, Kaiya discovered an untouched Thunder Pool within that forbidden expanse.

This entity possessed its own consciousness and, after a discussion with Kaiya, they struck a covert pact.

It entrusted Kaiya with the task of selecting a new successor.

Kaiya chose Qi Yunhong, giving him the Thunder Pool so that they might enhance each other's strengths.

"I hope..."

The voice of its soul echoed from the Thunder Pool.

It desired for Qi Yunhong to ascend to godhood on the main planet of Tyria within the Ashlands. It yearned for Yu Yuan's assistance to engender a novel species on Tyria.

This new species would be akin to the intelligent beings of the Silverscale Tribe, enchantresses, and the Starborn, yet capable of reaching the tenth level.

Their bloodline chains must inherently bear the mark of thunder magic, honoring it as the progenitor of their lineage and the wellspring of their might.

Moreover, it was ready to aid Yu Yuan and the Boulderdawn in combating the spectral entities from the Wraithlands, including the God of Ghosts.

It openly shared with Yu Yuan that its nature and origins were akin to those of the Lunar Meridian and the Solar Meridian.

But having been confined by the Demon God Bertain for an extended period, it had not been able to flourish rapidly, rendering it less potent than the Lunar and Solar Meridians.

"Create life, become the forebear of a tribe, and harness my power."

Yu Yuan murmured to himself, his eyes widening in surprise as he gazed at the swirling vortex within the Thunder Pool. "You seem much more complete than when you were with Wei Zhuo, right?"

The response was an immediate affirmation.

"Soul-Capturing informed you of my ability?" Yu Yuan probed further.

Again, the answer was affirmative.

"Tyria..."

Pondering, Yu Yuan noticed Qi Yunhong's eager anticipation and spoke, "If Soul-Capturing is involved, then Taishi must be aware as well, so there shouldn't be any issues. Here's what we'll do: once the great transformation of Tyria is underway, you'll join us. We can then figure out the best course of action."

Qi Yunhong's face lit up with delight at these words.

"As for the remnants of Tempest's Edge Sect and the Thunder Sect within the Everlands, if you're able to reorganize them, then by all means, proceed." Yu Yuan gave his consent with a nod.

With a respectful bow, Qi Yunhong departed, taking the Thunder Pool with him.

"Another contender for the divine seat," Yu Yuan mused after Qi Yunhong's departure. "The New Everlands haven't even been founded, and yet there are already so many vying for its divine positions."

Youqian, who was on the cusp of becoming a Great Demon God, spoke up softly, "Luckily, as a Star-Spawned Terror, I don't need to rely on any primal source to ascend to the rank of Great Demon God."

"Who else has staked a claim?" inquired Yu Yuan, intrigued.

"Taishi, Tianqi, and possibly Taixu, not to mention yourself. They're not rushing to merge with the Everlands' primal source because they plan to wait for the New Everlands to become operational and use it to forge new divine positions."

Youqian appeared to be privy to these details. "As for Lady Kaiya, her soul's imprint aligns with that of Lord Bertain, making her a native creature of the Everlands."

His tone was laced with reverence when he spoke of Kaiya, clearly having learned of the Soul-Capturing God-King's identity from the Great Demon God Bertain.

As they conversed, Yu Yuan could still sense Tschick, the Blood Fiend warrior, drawing ever closer to the Darkpinion region.

Tschick had become his eyes; everything Tschick saw was relayed back to him.

As warriors from various Otherkin factions surged into Ionodios through numerous channels, Yu Yuan utilized the Blood Fiends dispersed throughout the realms to monitor the shifting patterns of the cosmos.

Grec, the formidable Demon God, had settled down considerably. Now, he was leading his race's strongest members to establish a new homeland within the Dark Star Region.

The onslaught of the Dark Phoenix had left many stars severely damaged, with cracks forming in their walls. Grec used his power to mend these fractures, preventing the chaotic cosmic energy from seeping through and transforming the lower-tier Blood Fiends into Warpbeasts.

Grec often reflected on his origins and the beginnings of the Blood Fiend race. He harbored doubts about their roots, questioning whether they stemmed from the Root of the Solar Meridian or the deeper Primal Blood. Yu Yuan frequently attuned to his thoughts, understanding his concerns and suspicions.

After refining the Root of the Solar Meridian, Yu Yuan had gained the ability to delve into the hearts of others and twist the will of the Blood Fiends. His Solar Spirit was on the Primal Blood Continent, assimilating the various secrets of blood magic he had acquired and methodically integrating them.

...

That day, the fiend Qiyan materialized at the Starway. Once he had a grasp of the extraterrestrial situation, he became notably compliant. He dutifully informed the chamber of commerce representatives of his purpose, stating he was acting on Yu Yuan's orders and had traveled from the Everlands.

Upon hearing Yu Yuan's name, the chamber of commerce personnel did not dare to delay, promptly arranging for Qiyan's transport to the Boulderdawn territory. En route, Qiyan, now in humanoid form and not possessing any creatures or objects, inadvertently glanced at the extraterrestrial sky.

He caught sight of the familiar Zekrica. The harrowing memories of being confined by Nie Qingtian, along with a branch of the Lunar Meridian underground, rushed back to him, filling him with intense frustration.

"Qiyan!" Denise, who was conversing with Leo, Gheirat, and others in the jade square, occasionally glanced towards the Starway, awaiting the esteemed arrival of Patriarch Ballo. When she spotted Qiyan, she exclaimed in astonishment.

Gheirat chuckled and remarked, "He must be here on some errand."

"Qiyan, a demon spirit born from the toxic miasma of the Rainbow Ocean, bears a mark within his soul that feels strikingly similar to the Star-Spawned Terror," Leo observed intently, his eyes shining like a multitude of stars before he looked away.

He noticed Qiyan heading towards Yu Yuan and Youqian.

...

"Xuanli mentioned you wanted to see me?"

Qiyan, adorned in a vibrant dress, halted before Yu Yuan and bowed respectfully.

"Don't be nervous. I just have a few questions for you."

"Ask away."

Yu Yuan began his inquiry, with Qiyan responding dutifully.

The questions mostly pertained to the eight-legged spider and her offspring.

Qiyan found the situation peculiar but dared not defy Yu Yuan, sensing that any attempt to lie could lead Yu Yuan to strip the memories straight from his mind.

Thus, he spoke candidly, sharing everything he knew. After Yu Yuan finished his questioning, Qiyan hesitated before asking, "Is she okay?"

"For the time being, yes. The Dark Phoenix has been treating her exceptionally well, to the envy of other demons."

Yu Yuan dismissed Qiyan with a wave of his hand; his presence was no longer required.

Still brimming with curiosity, Qiyan ventured another question, "May I visit Zekrica?"

"As you wish."

Granted permission, Qiyan transformed into a vivid, toxic stream and set off towards Zekrica in the extraterrestrial realm.

"Based on Qiyan's account, during the spider's birthing process, he continually nourished it with his own Terra Fiend soul. He was certain of one thing: little Yu Zhu, still in the womb, required an immense amount of soul and blood. The soul was drawn from his Terra Fiend essence, and the blood was provided by the eight-legged spider," Youqian mused, his expression odd, having learned from Yu Yuan what had transpired in the Dark Star.

"The Terra Fiend's soul, along with Qiyan himself, might as well be considered a Sky Fiend. Little Yu Zhu, yet unborn, is already drawing on the devil soul and copious vital energy, leaving both the eight-legged spider and Qiyan utterly drained."

"Our Sky Fiend lineage, from its first generation, lacked physical forms; they existed solely as pure devil souls."

The strongest among the Sky Fiends discovered a method to produce offspring without relying on a physical body. They refined the imprint of their devil soul into a Hellbreed, nurturing it with their own devil soul, thus allowing the Hellbreed to develop its own consciousness under various influences.

Kaiya is the creation of the Demon God Bertain, who infused a single Hellbreed into the mind of a human woman.

"According to Qiyan, there seems to be no issue with how Little Yu Zhu came into being," Youqian remarked.

Yu Yuan pondered for a moment and then asked Youqian, "If a Demon God like Bertain were to implant a Hellbreed into the body of his human female companion, could another Sky Fiend's devil soul sustain that Hellbreed?"

"Absolutely," Youqian answered. "Once the Hellbreed is formed, its growth simply requires the energy of a devil soul. It doesn't matter whether the energy comes from the Hellbreed's creator or not."

Yu Yuan nodded in understanding. "If that's the case, then the Hellbreed responsible for Yu Zhu's condition might not necessarily be Qiyan's."

Youqian fell silent for a brief moment before agreeing, "Indeed, that is a possibility."

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