C1852 Senior Brother may the Year of the Tiger
Xueyin's statement sent shockwaves through the extraterrestrial experts.
They were all aware of the longstanding friendship between Yu Yuan and the Colddeath, fostered by Ann Wen and his daughter Ann Ziqing. However, with Ann Wen slain by the Dark Phoenix and Ann Ziqing defecting to the Blood Fiend Otherkin, the Colddeath found themselves rapidly ostracized in the Everlands. Without the support of Yu Yuan and Boulderdawn, the sect might have already fallen to the Shadow's Keep and other powers.
The Colddeath's sudden veneration of Yu Yuan as their deity was met with incredulity by many.
Some speculated that the Colddeath was desperately latching onto Yu Yuan, seeking to align themselves with his strength to secure a foothold for survival in the Everlands.
Accusations of shamelessness were hurled at Xueyin.
Yet, Xueyin remained composed amidst the disparagement and scorn, treating only Lin Daoke with deference.
"Oh," Lin Daoke responded, his tone detached.
He was privy to certain confidential details, having realized in the battle at the Annihilation Nebula that Yu Yuan had consumed and assimilated the Solar Meridian, even showcasing the expansive Bloody River.
Given that the Colddeath's arcane origins, like those of the Blood Fiend, stemmed from the Solar Meridian—now refined by Yu Yuan—it made sense for them to pledge allegiance to him.
"My lord has instructed that all Mr. Lin needs to ensure is that the Everlands' wall remains free from the Dark Phoenix's vital energy control. Moreover, should any Astral Tigers or... Beast Gods from beyond attempt entry, we ask that Mr. Lin intervene to prevent them from penetrating the Everlands," Xueyin stated, bowing her head.
"Astral Tigers are one thing, but Beast Gods from outside? Alien beasts peak at the ninth level as beast kings. Is there even such a thing as a Beast God?" Lin Yue from Ebon Star inquired, puzzled.
"A precedent for a tenth level alien beast doesn't exist. Yu Yuan might be worrying needlessly," added a member of the Sunlit Order.
Xueyin offered no further explanation.
Lin Daoke, however, gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.
"Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Lin."
With a respectful bow, Xueyin concluded the message and withdrew from the assembly.
He had not returned to the Everlands, nor had he wandered the starry expanses of the extraterrestrial realms. Instead, from a distance, he watched the Everlands in silence, observing Lin Daoke as he frowned in deep thought.
He was aware that as long as he remained outside the Everlands' wall, Yu Yuan would be informed of everything happening there.
He served as Yu Yuan's Eye of the Extraterrestrial.
He even had a faint sense that Yu Yuan, from a distant and mysterious forbidden area, was at this very moment looking upon Lin Daoke and the Everlands through him.
...
Within the Everlands.
Sky Chariots, carrying a host of experts and nobles, arrived at the edge of the Marsh, their eyes fixed nervously on the region sealed in blood.
Yan Gui, the reigning emperor of the Silvermoon Empire, along with Yan Yu of the Yan family and elders from the empire's major families, approached aboard a Golden Ship.
They dared not enter but had learned of a disturbing development from the Windspeaker.
The deranged Supreme Being of Shadow's Keep sought to slay dragons in the Marsh, attempting to extract vital energy from the bodies of mortals.
In the Silvermoon Empire's territory, insects that defied the commands of Shadow's Keep's archdemons and Fellbeasts had begun to die off inexplicably, revealing the terrifying power of the Dark Phoenix.
Fear had truly taken hold of them.
Representatives from the Sunblessed Empire and the Crimson Sun Empire also arrived on a massive ship, trailing behind the Silvermoon Empire due to a delay in receiving the news.
"Shadow's Keep Supreme Being, two Dragon Gods, Zu Ann, Qin Luo, Mo Baichuan."
"And Yu Yuan!"
"Alas, all titans of the Everlands. Why can't they just keep their cool? If they must engage in battle, they should follow the extraterrestrial rules!"
"Rules? What rules are left? Youyu's assault on Zhu Zhenlin, Yu Yuan's offensive against Wei Zhuo, and the Dark Phoenix's attack on Mr. Yuwen—all took place within the Everlands!"
"Han Miaoyuan has lost his grip on the Everlands, leading to the current chaos."
"Let's hope this disaster can be quelled."
The marsh's vicinity swelled with anxious tension as the mighty from the three empires and hurried cultivators from various sects converged, each more restless than the last.
They feared that the crazed Dark Phoenix would indeed fulfill her threats, wiping out the inhabitants of the Everlands in an instant.
"We must drive out the Dark Phoenix!"
"The Dark Phoenix is the greatest scourge of the Everlands!"
At some point, those whose spirits were nearly shattered by the Dark Phoenix's oppressive power turned their anger toward her, glaring in the direction of Shadow's Keep.
"The Hall Master truly has foresight."
The human experts, like Xu Zixi, and the evilkind who had returned from the various continents of the Everlands, suddenly felt fortunate.
Shortly after their arrival, the Everlands' teleportation circle ceased to function, making transportation impossible.
...
Deep within the Marsh.
Loong Jie shrank his massive form into a miniature golden dragon, launching an assault on the Dark Phoenix under a blood-red sky.
Mo Baichuan, standing atop the Earthfire Crucible, saw intense flames form wherever he gazed.
Wherever he looked, unquenchable flames capable of obliterating heaven and earth burst forth.
Wielding a violet gold spear and flapping his enormous wings, he gracefully battled two incarnations of the Dark Phoenix in midair.
The golden dragon's divine body, reputed to be unbreakable, showed multiple shattered scales from the spear's stabs.
Meanwhile, Mo Baichuan's relentless Earthfire Crucible kept the Dark Phoenix's wings ablaze, much to her irritation.
This was merely a fraction of the Dark Phoenix's strength, not the presence of her true form.
Even with Loong Jie and Mo Baichuan working together, they only managed to gain a slight advantage against the Dark Phoenix within the confines of the Marsh, sealed by the Dragon Slaying Stage.
Zu Ann, wielding the Mirror of Fates, did not join the fray against the Dark Phoenix. Instead, he was preoccupied with using the mirror to mend the dispersed might of the three exalted beings.
Golden lightning, the blood-lit rain from the Dark Phoenix's spear, and even Mo Baichuan's flames, whenever they fell toward the earth, were caught by Zu Ann with the Mirror of Fates.
He tirelessly used the Mirror of Fates to dissipate the forces that could ravage the Marsh's surface and seep into its depths.
Atop the Dragon Slaying Stage, Zu Ann shielded the land with the Mirror of Fates, safeguarding the Everlands from permanent and irreversible damage that could undermine the foundation of the Most High.
As a newly ascended Most High, Qin Luo of the Ruby Hand opted to observe from the sidelines.
Perhaps his reluctance to join forces with Mo Baichuan and the Sunlit Order was due to fear of the Dark Phoenix's intimidating power; he simply watched from a distance.
Zhou Cangmin, reduced to mere skin and bones and manifesting through his Solar Spirit, was forced to suppress his rage.
With his power limited to the Unbound Realm, Zhou Cangmin was utterly incapable of confronting the Dark Phoenix.
"In the throes of battle within the Darkpinion..."
The branches embedded in Zhong Chichen's Seven-Colored Dragon form were suffused with scarlet vital energy and consciousness, granting Yu Yuan glimpses of fragmented scenes.
The Dark Phoenix and the Secular Bird Queen continued their clash in the Darkpinion, the queen yet to fall.
Each majestic Divine Bird, upon contact, unleashed cataclysmic forces, their battle raging on within the Darkpinion.
Their encounters caused their bloodlines to intermingle, throwing the psionic energies of the Astral Domain into utter turmoil.
The Dark Phoenix, through her bloodline's clash with the Secular Bird Queen, detected the Nest of Perdition in the Everlands and seized the chance to infiltrate it with her demon energy.
The Everlands, a realm well-known to the Dark Phoenix, was easily corrupted by her influence.
Yet, her true objective lay hidden elsewhere: the Rebirth Nest, secreted away by the Secular Bird Queen in a mysterious location. The Dark Phoenix sought to destroy this sanctuary and extinguish the queen's hope for rebirth.
Since the Rebirth Nest was deeply concealed and not within the Dark Phoenix's familiar territories, she had yet to locate it.
"I can break free now."
Zhong Chichen unleashed a resonant dragon's cry, his desiccated Seven-Colored Dragon body writhing in agony as he shed the branches embedded within.
The Book of Time in his maw activated its divine power, freezing time within a localized space.
All forces involved in the construction of the Nest of Perdition—the Secular Bird Queen, Dark Phoenix, and Yu Yuan—were momentarily halted.
Only Zhong Chichen, in the midst of his incantation, remained unaffected.
Crack!
Zhong Chichen, drenched in his own blood, had endured excruciating pain and, despite being lacerated by tree branches, finally escaped the deadly Nest of Perdition.
Once free, he immediately assumed his human form, revealing a body riddled with dozens of bloody wounds.
Coughing up clots of blood, he shakily retrieved a bottle of pills and swallowed them all at once—pills he had crafted himself during his tenure as the Sect Master of the Order of Healing.
With eyes threaded with blood, he gazed at Yu Yuan perched on the tree branch and whispered, "I'm astonished. I never anticipated that you would be willing to take such a monumental risk to rescue me."
"I saved you because you are my esteemed senior brother, Zhong Chichen. If you remain Zhong Chichen and not the Chronowyrm, then I can continue to be Hong Qi."
