C1867 A Great Change

In the dimly lit stone chamber of the Sword Sect's hall, Lin Daoke frowned as he observed Lin Yue, a cultivator from the Ebon Star, bowing to him with utmost respect.

He even addressed him as "Ancestor."

"The Lingyun Empire fell thousands of years ago, and the Lin family in the secular world crumbled as a result. Let's not dwell on that," Lin Daoke said with a hint of irritation. He urged Lin Yue to skip over their shared history and get to the point.

"Understood," Lin Yue replied with reverence. Gazing at the once-renowned warrior of the Lingyun Empire, he added, "I'm merely here to convey a message from Mr. Han."

"Where is Mr. Han at the moment?"

Straightening his posture against the stone wall, Lin Daoke's previously dull eyes now sparkled with the intensity of sword light.

Han Miaoyuan had been missing for far too long, and the recent emergence of Han Qi, the God of Ghosts from the Annihilation Nebula, had cast a shadow of doubt over him. He was eager to meet Han Miaoyuan and resolve the uncertainties plaguing his mind.

"He remains in the Wraithlands," Lin Yue said, standing firm and upright, not daring to omit a single detail. "He occasionally manages to send commands and intentions through a mystique that only I can discern. The sect master urges you to keep your faith in him, and he requires your assistance to relay a message to Boulderdawn: Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit must venture into the depths of the earth."

Lin Daoke paused, taken aback.

Hadn't Mo Baichuan recently conveyed a similar request on behalf of Earthfire? Wasn't it all about addressing the Dark Phoenix's threat to the blood of the Everlands' inhabitants? It was unexpected that Han Miaoyuan, even from the Wraithlands, would still be so concerned about the welfare of the Everlands, entrusting Lin Yue with the same mission.

Lin Daoke felt a newfound respect for Han Miaoyuan's dedication to the Everlands.

"The new origin is tied to Kaiya of the Boulderdawn Sect, and it seems one or two more origins are set to return. The sect master has asked you to assure Boulderdawn that if Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit agrees to return to the Everlands and delve into the earth's core to address the Dark Phoenix's menace, Boulderdawn will have the right to determine the fate of all three origins," Lin Yue conveyed Han Miaoyuan's heartfelt intentions.

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

"The Moonfang Tiger and Yu Zhu from Shadow's Keep. Since the Dark Phoenix has resolved to oppose the Everlands, the Dark Deities loyal to her must face the consequences," Lin Yue declared emphatically.

"Moonfang Tiger, Yu Zhu..."

Lin Daoke's brow furrowed deeply, shocked by the information Han Miaoyuan had relayed to him. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "With the Dark Phoenix present, who could possibly slay her subordinate Dark Deities? Even I find the tiger's combat prowess daunting. Who could defeat him?"

"There's no need for concern on your part. The Sect Master has instructed you to simply observe the situation. Furthermore, you are to inform the Boulderdawn Sect that Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit is to return to the Everlands. In exchange, the three Origins will be entrusted to the Boulderdawn Sect for reallocation. They have the liberty to bestow divinity upon anyone they choose," Lin Yue explained, her eyes burning with intensity. "Consider it: the prospect of three new supreme beings is an offer the Boulderdawn Sect cannot refuse!"

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

"Yes."

"Understood."

...

In the Darkpinion Astral Domain.

The dark realm of Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian began to exude the dreadful essence of the Maw of Oblivion, causing a sudden depression below and generating a colossal gravitational pull that threatened to draw in all creation.

Boom! Thunderous vibrations!

The dim stars that remained, the trunk of the Uxthar Tree replenished with power, and even the Deathwing Lair shook with violent tremors.

A pale green star plummeted from the high heavens, crashing onto the Astral Tiger amidst the darkness.

The Astral Tiger, now in its demonic form, had a spine like a rugged mountain range. Its white energy beams, sharp as spikes that could slaughter all life, impaled the plummeting star, leaving it as riddled as a wasp's nest.

The star, as vast as Ionodios, was shredded into a shower of stones before it could even reach the darkness below.

The fragments descended silently into the void, stirring not a ripple.

A golden deer strode forth, its hooves dispelling the darkness with each step, as golden light corroded the shadows. The dark domain appeared as if it had been hollowed out with numerous cavities.

It wreaked havoc in its realm before delegating the fight with Tan Xiaotian's demonform to the Moonfang Tiger.

"The Everlands are truly fearsome," the golden deer muttered in awe.

The astonishing combat prowess of Tan Xiaotian, Jihui, and the Moonfang Tiger left even the Beast God from the Otherworld in shock, deepening its reverence for the Dark Phoenix it worshipped.

Its master was indeed the mightiest in the Everlands, a figure of exceptional prominence in this world.

Suddenly!

The bloodthirsty and savage glow of the Astral Tiger's Demonic Eyes transformed into two beams of light that tore through time and shattered the encompassing darkness, aiming straight for Tan Xiaotian's imposing demonform.

With a strange laugh, Tan Xiaotian readied himself for a fierce battle with his former comrade-in-arms.

Yet, the two fearsome columns of demon energy began to wither and fade abruptly.

Caught in his towering specter form, Tan Xiaotian paused, then called out urgently, "Tiger! What's wrong with you?"

The formidable Astral Tiger, standing tall amidst the darkness, shook inexplicably, its forehead stripes deepening like chasms, as if part of its Demon Heart's vitality had vanished into thin air.

Despite being foes, Tan Xiaotian didn't seize the chance to claim the Astral Tiger's life; instead, he was unexpectedly concerned.

"What's happening? Are you okay? Dark Phoenix, what have you done to him? You didn't drain his vital energy, did you?" Tan Xiaotian accused the Dark Phoenix with a furious gaze.

"Astral Tiger!"

Across the Star River, a purple phoenix let out a cry of distress, as if it sensed the impending doom, shrieking, "It's not me! What was destined to come has finally arrived."

Whoosh!

The grand Phoenix Shrine soared through the void, shattering the celestial bodies in its wake, and materialized above the darkness. A door etched with the marks of ancient times swung open.

A beam of light, brimming with life power, descended from the portal, beckoning the Astral Tiger towards the shrine.

Simultaneously.

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

"You should return to the shrine as well!"

With a piercing cry from the Dark Phoenix, Yu Zhu was forcibly absorbed by the Phoenix Shrine and vanished from the hall.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Tan Xiaotian was taken aback when he noticed that as the Astral Tiger and Yu Zhu disappeared into the Phoenix Shrine, two warm and familiar energies defied the seals of Darkpinion and the Dark Phoenix, vanishing in an instant.

"Origin!"

Tan Xiaotian finally grasped what had transpired.

The origin that had been merged and refined by the Astral Tiger and Yu Zhu had inexplicably left them mid-battle, as if it had been forcibly stripped away, departing from Darkpinion.

Where would the Origin naturally go? To the Everlands, of course!

The Astral Tiger was not an Untamed deity; he was in the prime of his life, far from the end of his days. He didn't die from losing his Origin.

But the sudden loss of his Origin aged him considerably and his combat strength plummeted, which is why the Dark Phoenix swiftly used the Phoenix Shrine to protect him.

The same was true for Yu Zhu.

"How could this happen? How did it turn out like this?"

Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian felt no joy. He massaged his temples as if he feared that at any moment, he too would lose the bolstering of his Origin and his divine status would shatter.

But it didn't happen.

Whoosh!

The Secular Bird Queen, transformed into an elegant Azure Bird, seized the chance to descend into the Deathwing Lair. Her luminescent green wings gently enfolded the lair.

The divine tree, rooted in the Phoenix Ashes, along with the sacred soil, shrank and moved toward the lair beneath her wings.

The Divine Bird and its nest began to contract, encircled by layers of light, as if forcibly carving through a space tunnel, ready to depart from Darkpinion.

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

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

"What I have obtained, no one can take from me, not even the Origin!" her shrill voice echoed through the demon energy ocean, unsettling Tan Xiaotian.

"What is this madwoman talking about? In the vastness of the Infinite Galaxy, what force could possibly wrest something from her grasp?" Tan Xiaotian was baffled. Seeing Jihui approach with the Wraithbanner, he asked, "The Astral Tiger and Yu Zhu have mysteriously lost their Origin. Can you make any sense of this?"

Jihui let out a soft chuckle but offered no response.

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