C1867 The Birth of a Great Change

In the dimly lit stone chamber of the Sword Sect, Lin Daoke frowned as he observed Lin Yu, an Unrestrained Stage cultivator from the Profound Sky Sect, bowing respectfully before him.

He even addressed him as "Ancestor."

"The Lingyun Empire fell thousands of years ago, and the Lin family in the secular world has since crumbled," Lin Daoke said with a displeased tone. "Let's not dwell on that. If you have something to say, get to the point."

"Understood," Lin Yu replied with reverence. Gazing at the once-renowned powerhouse of the Lingyun Empire's Lin family, he spoke with admiration, "I'm here to relay a message from Sect Master Han."

"Where is Senior Han currently?"

Lin Daoke straightened up against the stone wall, his previously dull eyes now gleaming with the sharpness of a sword.

Han Miaoyuan had been missing for far too long, and the emergence of the Ghost God Han Qi in the Oblivion Starfield had cast doubt on Han Miaoyuan's whereabouts.

He was eager to meet with Han Miaoyuan to resolve the questions weighing on his mind.

"He remains in the Realm of Demons," Lin Yu disclosed without hesitation, standing as erect as a pine. "He occasionally sends commands and intentions that only I can discern through secret methods. The Sect Master urges you to keep faith in him and to convey a message to the Divine Soul Sect: Yu Yuan's Yang God must venture into the depths of the earth."

Lin Daoke paused, taken aback.

Wasn't this the same request Mo Baichuan had made on behalf of the Geocentric Fire not long ago?

Wasn't it all about addressing the Demon Phoenix's threat to all living creatures? Surprisingly, Han Miaoyuan, even from the Realm of Demons, remained deeply concerned for the welfare of all beings, entrusting Lin Yu with a similar plea.

Lin Daoke's respect for Han Miaoyuan grew; he hadn't anticipated such dedication to the well-being of all.

"The new origin belongs to Andrea of the Divine Soul Sect, and there may be one or two more sources returning," Lin Yu conveyed Han Miaoyuan's sentiments. "The Sect Master asks that you assure the Divine Soul Sect: if Yu Yuan's Yang God consents to return and delve into the earth's core to address the Demon Phoenix's menace, the Divine Soul Sect will have the right to determine the fate of all three sources!"

Lin Daoke was taken aback. "Two more? Are they new?"

"The White Divine Tiger and Yu Zhu from the Demon Palace. Since the Demon Phoenix has resolved to oppose the Realm of Demons, the Demon Gods loyal to her must face the consequences," Lin Yu declared emphatically.

"Sky Tiger, Yu Zhu..."

Lin Daoke's brow furrowed deeply, the news from Han Miaoyuan leaving him stunned. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "With the Demon Phoenix present, who could possibly slay her subordinate Demon Gods? That tiger alone is a formidable opponent, even for me. Who could take him down?"

"There's no need for concern on your part. The Sect Master has instructed you to simply observe the unfolding events. Then, inform the Divine Soul Sect that Yu Yuan's Yang God is to return to the Realm of Demons. In exchange, the three primal sources will be entrusted to the Divine Soul Sect for reallocation. They have the freedom to bestow the divine status upon anyone they choose," Lin Yu explained, his eyes ablaze with intensity. "Just imagine, three new supreme beings. The Divine Soul Sect has no grounds to refuse such an offer!"

"Is this all his doing?" inquired Lin Daoke.

"Yes."

"Understood."

...

The Dark Wing Starfield.

The dark domain of Devil Lord Tan Xiaotian began to exude the fearsome aura of the Chaos Abyss, suddenly collapsing inwards and generating a massive gravitational pull that threatened to draw in all creation.

Boom! Thunderous vibrations!

The dim stars, the Hannya Divine Tree replenished with power, and even the Death Nest quaked intensely.

A pale green star plummeted from the high heavens, striking the rampaging Sky Tiger amidst the darkness.

The demonic form of the Sky Tiger, with a spine like treacherous mountains, unleashed beams of snow-white energy, piercing the massive star like a swarm of wasps attacking their hive.

Before the star, as vast as the Plover Realm, could descend into the abyss, it was cleaved into a shower of falling debris.

The fragments tumbled into the void, silent and without a ripple.

A golden stag strode forth, its hooves dispersing the darkness with each step, as golden light eroded the shadows, puncturing the dark realm with holes as if chiseled by an unseen hand.

It was wreaking havoc in its domain before delegating the fight against Tan Xiaotian's demonic form to the White Divine Tiger.

"Hao Yun is truly fearsome," murmured the golden giant deer in awe.

Tan Xiaotian, with his sharp intellect, found the formidable combat prowess of the White Divine Tiger astonishing, prompting even this otherworldly beast god to deepen its reverence for the Demon Phoenix it worshipped.

The master it worshipped was indeed the most powerful in Hao Yun, a true standout in this world.

Suddenly!

The Sky Tiger's Demonic Eyes emitted a bloodthirsty and ferocious glow, transforming into two beams that pierced through time and shattered the encompassing darkness, aiming straight for Tan Xiaotian's towering form.

Tan Xiaotian let out a strange laugh, ready to engage in a fierce battle with his old comrade-in-arms.

However, the two dreadful beams of Demonic Energy unexpectedly began to shrink and fade mid-flight.

The demonic figure of Tan Xiaotian paused, then urgently called out, "Brutal Tiger! What's wrong with you?"

The imposing Sky Tiger, standing tall amidst the darkness, began to tremble inexplicably. The tiger stripes on its forehead deepened like chasms, and the vitality within its Demon Heart seemed to vanish into thin air.

Though they were enemies, Tan Xiaotian didn't seize the opportunity to claim the Sky Tiger's life; instead, he was visibly concerned.

"What's going on? Are you okay? Demon Phoenix, what have you done to him? You didn't drain his blood, did you?" Tan Xiaotian glared at the Demon Phoenix.

"Sky Tiger!"

Across the galaxy, a purple phoenix issued a cry of distress, as if it sensed the impending doom, shrieking, "It's not me! What was destined to arrive has finally come."

Whoosh!

The grand Phoenix Shrine soared through the void, shattering stars and earth in its path, and appeared above the darkness. A door, etched with the marks of countless years, swung open abruptly.

A beam of light brimming with life energy cascaded from the door, beckoning the Sky Tiger towards the shrine.

Simultaneously.

Yu Zhu, perched atop the shrine, looked down in astonishment, as if witnessing something both terrifying and bizarre.

"Return to the shrine now!"

At the Demon Phoenix's command, Yu Zhu was abruptly drawn into the Phoenix Shrine, vanishing from the hall.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Tan Xiaotian suddenly noticed that as the Sky Tiger and Yu Zhu vanished from the Phoenix Shrine, two warm and familiar energies emerged. They effortlessly bypassed the Dark Wing Starfield's seal and disappeared in an instant.

"Origin!"

Tan Xiaotian finally understood what had transpired.

The Origin, which the Sky Tiger and Yu Zhu had been refining, had inexplicably left them mid-battle, as if forcibly stripped away, departing the Dark Wing Starfield.

Where would the Origin go after its departure?

Logically, back to the vast expanse that had created it!

The Sky Tiger was no Desolate God. He was in the prime of his life, far from the end of his days, and he did not perish despite losing the Origin.

Yet, the sudden loss of the Origin aged him significantly, and his combat strength plummeted, necessitating the Demon Phoenix's swift intervention with the Phoenix Shrine for protection.

The same was true for Yu Zhu.

"How could this happen? How did it come to this?"

Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian felt no joy. He massaged his temples as though he feared that he too might lose the Origin's support at any moment, shattering his divine status.

But nothing of the sort occurred.

Whoosh!

The Secular Bird Queen, transformed into an elegant green Divine Bird, seized the chance to slip into the Death Nest. Her luminescent green wings gently enveloped the nest.

The divine tree, rooted in the Muddy Divine Soil, shrank along with the soil itself, moving toward the nest beneath her protective wings.

The Divine Bird and the nest began to contract, wrapped in cascading rings of light, as if they were forcibly carving a path through a spatial corridor, preparing to exit the Dark Wing Starfield.

At that moment, the Demon Phoenix was too preoccupied to pay her any mind.

The Demon Phoenix plunged into the deep purple sea of demonic energy, submerging the Phoenix Shrine. Inside this bizarre ocean of energy, she appeared to be fiercely contending with something.

"The things I've claimed, including the Origin, cannot be taken from me by anyone!"

Her piercing screech echoed through the sea of demonic energy, sending shivers down Tan Xiaotian's spine.

"What is this madwoman raving about? In the vast expanse of space, what force could possibly wrest something from her grasp?" Tan Xiaotian was baffled. As Extreme Intelligence approached, brandishing the Soul Summoning Flag, he inquired, "The Sky Tiger and Yu Zhu have mysteriously lost their Origin. Can you shed any light on what might have happened?"

Extreme Intelligence chuckled softly, yet offered no response.

...