C187 Hidden Passageway

"Just die right here."

Yu Yuan gazed up at Earth Demon Xiquan, a smile playing on his lips.

"Why?" Xiquan asked, bewildered.

"The Earth Demon is sly and excels at ensnaring hearts, truly living up to its reputation," Yu Yuan said serenely. "Just like Lord White Ghost, you're no different."

"Yu, could you clarify?" Xiquan pleaded, his face twisted in frustration. "My only desire was to escape this realm. Surely, that hasn't impacted you?"

Yuan Lianyao, drawing closer to Yu Yuan, shared in the confusion.

She couldn't fathom why Yu Yuan had suddenly turned antagonistic mid-conversation.

"Lord Xiquan, it seems to me you're not actually trying to leave this place but rather, you intend to allow something from the outer realm to enter, don't you?" Yu Yuan remarked with a scoff.

At those words, Earth Demon Xiquan's face dramatically darkened.

Without uttering another syllable, his silhouette, once hovering over the Soul Transformation Pool, leapt up, poised to soar into the heavens.

He was unmistakably attempting to flee!

"There's no escape."

Yu Yuan's sneer was icy, his gaze sharp. Channeling his Heavenly Soul, he summoned the sword soul, locking onto Xiquan.

"Perish!"

From the sword marks etched into the pool's walls, seven sword intents burst forth in rapid succession!

Each of the seven sword intents followed one after the other, thrusting at Earth Demon Xiquan.

Xiquan's form, having already left the Soul Transformation Pool, subtly shifted, multiplying into dozens of different incarnations.

Each of the Xiquans bore the essence of his soul, none a mere illusion.

The seven sword intents, like frigid bolts of lightning, pursued the many Xiquans relentlessly.

In a flash, Xiquan and the seven sword intents vanished from the vicinity of the Soul Transformation Pool.

"He won't escape," Yu Yuan muttered, his brow furrowed, his voice a deep rumble. "Xiquan deceived me; his goal was never to flee the Boundless Land!"

Yuan Lianyao hung her head, observing the ebb of the dark soul energy and the subsequent surge as the sword intents claimed more souls. "What's happening?"

"The Soul Transformation Pool is not only the heart of the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation but also the linchpin in containing the subterranean passageway!"

Yu Yuan inhaled deeply before continuing, "Beneath the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area lies a spatial passageway, anciently forged by the Devaputra Race. The Divine Soul Sect established the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation precisely to restrain that passageway, thwarting the Devaputra Race's attempts to invade from beyond our skies."

"What?" Yuan Lianyao exclaimed in horror.

"The Devaputra, attempting to traverse the starry barriers of the Boundless Land, face an arduous task," Yu Yuan said, gazing into the gray sky. "The great cultivators from the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents have long guarded the fringes of the cosmos, laying down myriad seals to thwart these devils from breaching our defenses and infiltrating the Boundless Land."

"Sometimes, a Green Incubus slips through, fortuitously entering our realm. But they are quickly detected and either subdued or slain."

"Yet, if the spatial gateway were to be left unchecked, we'd see an overwhelming tide of the Devaputra Race pouring in."

"These extraterrestrial fiends feed on the tripartite souls of humanity, rapidly amassing strength. Should they run amok on the Profound Sky Continent, our predominantly mortal population would face annihilation."

"The empires are powerless to stem the flood of devils that would ensue."

"Countless mortals, consumed by these devils, would perish, their souls devoured, empowering the Devaputra even further. By the time the grand cultivators from the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents could respond, it would likely be too late."

"Moreover, it's impossible for the cultivators of those lands to eradicate every last devil swiftly."

"We're facing a grim prospect where the mortals of the Profound Sky Continent, along with all sentient Demonic Beasts, could be wiped out by the devils."

"The mortals of the Profound Sky Continent number in the millions; they are the bedrock of both the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents. You're probably aware that the more powerful the cultivator, the more challenging it is to conceive offspring. As they ascend in their practice, the likelihood of having children dwindles."

"The sects and powers of the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents depend on the mortals of the Profound Sky Continent to select and cultivate their future disciples."

"The extinction of the Profound Sky Continent's mortals spells a bleak future for both the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents," Yu Yuan elucidated.

"Is Earth Demon Xiquan, along with that Demonic Tree and the creature with a dragon's head and a human's body, planning to fling open the spatial passage and unleash the devils?" Yuan Lianyao felt a chill run down her spine at the thought.

"I'm not sure if the rest of the Alien Soul Demons are aware, but Xi Yue is definitely in the know," Yu Yuan said with a cold huff. "If they manage to pull it off, opening the spatial passageway, the Heavenly Demons will swarm in like locusts and lay waste to the entire Profound Sky Continent."

"What exactly is going on with the Divine Soul Sect?" Yuan Lianyao asked, visibly shaken.

"The Divine Soul Sect constructed the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation to keep that spatial passageway in check. Yet, within the sect, some have covertly opened it, luring in Heavenly Demons and Alien Souls. Because of the Formation, these invaders can't escape, so the sect's cultivators refine them to boost their own power."

He gestured towards the Alien Souls being wiped out by the sword intent, their essence seeping into the sword scars on the pool's walls. "Those were trapped here years ago."

"Some in the Divine Soul Sect have flouted the pact, stealthily opening the passageway, much to the chagrin of other powerful sects," Yu Yuan explained, sorting through the new information he'd received. "Moreover, some sect disciples have fallen under the sway of the Heavenly Demons, leading to severe rifts with the sects of the Boundless Land."

"They've secretly unleashed several Heavenly Demons, toppling the once-thriving empires of the Profound Sky Continent overnight, bringing untold suffering to its inhabitants."

"The backlash against the Divine Soul Sect was fierce, prompting an alliance of sects to besiege and attempt to eradicate them."

"The conflict escalated, sparing not even the most devoted disciples of the Divine Soul Sect. Many innocents were caught in the crossfire and perished as the situation devolved into a relentless, bloody stalemate."

"Some disciples of the Divine Soul Sect have indeed fled far into the starry expanse, scattered across the cosmos, for better or for worse."

"To this day, those from the Divine Soul Sect who reside beyond the stars have splintered into various factions. Some have banded together with the Devaputra, intent on returning to the Boundless Land to reclaim what was lost. Others have established new strongholds in the galactic void, continuing their pursuit of the Heavenly Demons and advancing their own cultivation."

As he spoke, Yu Yuan gazed into the sky, his face etched with solemnity.

"The remnants of the Divine Soul Sect, in league with the Devaputra, have grown so powerful that the various sects of the Boundless Land are becoming increasingly uneasy. Within the Boundless Land itself, many malevolent entities have fallen under the sway of the Divine Soul Sect and the Devaputra, their loyalties shifting."

"It's likely that Xi Yue was already convinced by the Divine Soul Sect's devils, persuaded by some Devaputra to activate that spatial channel."

"I suspect the White Ghost and the Green Incubus I encountered earlier harbored similar intentions."

A sense of curiosity suddenly struck Yu Yuan.

The one in the bronze coffin, whom the White Ghost had labeled the greatest transgressor of the Divine Soul Sect, had not attempted to open the spatial channel after his escape.

Instead, he bound the White Ghost, Green Incubus, and the Sky Shocking Emperor and made his way out of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, venturing into the Outer Star River.

Was he unaware of the consequences of opening the spatial channel?

He was deemed the greatest transgressor, clearly more suited to the task than Xi Yue, and likely to succeed. So why did he refrain?

If he were part of the Divine Soul Sect's descent into darkness, allied with the Devaputra, why would he hold back?

Where did his allegiance truly lie?

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