C1873 Origin Realm

"Why aren't you going?"

After the Yin God followed Ji Hui through the Origin Realm Gate, Yu Yuan, who remained above the vibrant sea, noticed Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian sitting still on his Dark Cushion and curiously inquired.

The Soul Summoning Flag was also suspended midair.

"I've encountered the Dark Lord and some so-called Evil Gods," Tan Xiaotian said with a sly grin, followed by a peculiar chuckle. "The Origin Realm is merely an illusion, not the real deal. It's the Abyss I yearn to enter; that's where my true treasures lie!"

His gaze fervently swept over the ocean beneath Yu Yuan's feet as he urged, "If you're truly capable, then break through it quickly!"

"Mr. Tan, don't assume I've completely departed."

Ji Hui's calm voice emanated from the fluttering Soul Summoning Flag, cautioning the Demon Lord against any hasty moves, "Believe me, the shattering of the Abyss Gate at this juncture would do you no favors."

Tan Xiaotian shrugged nonchalantly and replied, "I was merely speaking in jest. Don't take it to heart."

"I might take others at their word when they jest, but with Mr. Tan's statements... I must exercise caution."

Ji Hui, who had invested a soul into the Soul Summoning Flag, was evidently different from Yu Yuan. His soul could maintain a connection with its counterpart in the Origin Realm.

Yu Yuan's Yin God, on the other hand, became undetectable to him once it entered the Origin Realm Gate, reminiscent of his soul's journey into the Sea of Hearts.

Of course, Yu Yuan was prepared to lose his Yin God, knowing he had the means to reforge it.

Given that his Yin God was the weakest and he hadn't dedicated as much effort to its cultivation as Han Qi had, should it truly perish in the Origin Realm, it wouldn't be overly challenging to reconstitute.

This confidence underpinned his bold exploration of the Origin Realm with his Yin God.

"Mr. Tan, you'd do well to keep an eye on the Origin Realm Gate. It's possible that after ensuring the safety of Sky Tiger and Yu Zhu, the Demon Phoenix might actually enter through the breach I've left," Ji Hui's voice continued to drift from the Soul Summoning Flag. "Once she enters, my soul will swiftly return to the Origin Realm."

"Our plan to ambush her can still proceed at the Abyss Gate."

"Now that her threat has been neutralized, we can afford to wait until the situation in Haoxuan is resolved before shattering the Abyss Gate."

As the supremely intelligent being escorted Yu Yuan's Yin God to the Origin Realm, he kept a vigilant eye on this place, cautioning Tan Xiaotian to avoid any disturbances.

Tan Xiaotian huffed, issuing a reminder, "Just remember what you promised me. I'm also curious to see the true forms of those Evil Gods in the Abyss, to find out if they're as revolting as their manifestations in the Origin Realm."

...

Elsewhere.

In the vast, illusory world devoid of suns, moons, stars, sky, earth, or any form of energy, lay the Origin Realm.

"Doesn't it remind you of the Sea of Hearts?"

The Pure Soul form of the Supreme Wisdom, with his silver hair billowing as if in an unfelt breeze, exuded an aura of majesty and profound wisdom that made him irresistibly charismatic.

Behind him and Yu Yuan's Yin God, a miniature Origin Realm Gate stood open, a passageway for the Soul Spirits.

Tan Xiaotian's Devil Soul had not entered.

At that moment, Yu Yuan's true form and the Dragon Slash Platform were stationed in the Gray Domain. His Yang God stood atop the Abyss Gate, while his Yin God joined the Supreme Wisdom in exploring the Origin Realm.

Remarkably, his three souls were situated in distinct realms and temporal planes.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Four enormous, shadowy soul figures approached swiftly from the distance.

They, too, were Pure Soul forms.

These towering Soul Spirits, clad in thick, ancient armor with elephantine hooves, stood upright like humans. Their visages were fierce, with protruding fangs and large, dark eyes that glinted with a savage thirst for violence.

Clusters of formless evil spirits, bound by the armor's suction in hues of black, pale green, and dark red, clung to them.

As they traveled, they occasionally plucked these spirits from their armor, devouring them with relish as if snacking on rations during a march.

"Lord Supreme Wisdom, where is our Dark Lord?"

The leading Soul Spirit spoke with impeccable diction in the ancient tongue of the Boundless Human Race, resonating with a bygone era's cadence.

"You taught them?" Yu Yuan asked in surprise.

"No."

Extreme Wisdom shook her head and gestured toward the four massive beings, introducing them to Yu Yuan, "These are the four Dark Lords. They recently encountered Tan Xiaotian and have chosen to serve him as their master. Within the myriad races of the Abyss, they are known as Dark Demons."

"Dark Demons," Yu Yuan noted to himself.

"Oh, and remember, all beings that enter the Abyss are in their soul form, which allows them to alter their appearance to suit their preferences. So the four Dark Lords you see before you, as well as all the other guests we will meet, may not be in their true form."

Extreme Wisdom offered this explanation before addressing the lead Dark Lord, "Komaz, what's the situation?"

"Who is this?"

Komaz, the Dark Lord, fixed a cold gaze on Yu Yuan.

"He's a newcomer from the Origin Realm, akin to Pei Yuling, the former Diggs, and Awkwafina," Extreme Wisdom replied nonchalantly.

Komaz did not press further. It seemed he had grown accustomed to the presence of powerful beings from other worlds, brought over by the Origin Realm God and Extreme Wisdom.

"The Sea of Hearts, which has longed for connection, has finally reached out to the Origin Realm. You missed something, though. In that world, there's a place called the Realm of Demons, where another Origin Realm Gate left by that person exists," Komaz informed her.

"I suspected as much. That world is complex. The Realm of Demons is part of the Starry Forbidden Ground, and its entrance and exit remain elusive. I've never been there, so I was unaware of any remaining Origin Realm Gate," Extreme Wisdom sighed, then added, "I've been in control of the Origin Realm for too brief a period."

"Let's go have a look," Komaz suggested.

"Indeed."

Extreme Wisdom nodded in agreement.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Spatial ripples emanated from Extreme Wisdom's soul, gradually enveloping both Yu Yuan's Yin God and the soul forms of the four Dark Lords.

Extreme Wisdom, having taken over as the ruler of this world from the Origin Realm God, was akin to a deity in this place.

She could wield her soul and spatial powers effortlessly.

As the spatial ripples surrounded him, Yu Yuan came to a realization.

In the Origin Realm, his status as a Yin God with Extreme Wisdom as an enemy left him with no hope of victory.

It wasn't just him; anyone who entered the Origin Realm as a Soul Spirit would be suppressed by Extreme Wisdom, who held the power of life and death over them.

It's no surprise that the Great Demon God Beilstein's Devil Soul bypassed the Origin Realm and descended directly into the Abyss.

The Abyss is a tangible reality. Even the Abyss Evil Gods and so-called powerhouses like Extreme Wisdom lack such empowering abilities there.

Whoosh!

The world around them transformed.

Ahead lay a dazzling, dreamlike ocean, its vast expanse approaching.

This fantastical sea was the Sea of Hearts, a place Yu Yuan had visited in soul form and was now under Youyu's control.

From what he had learned, the Sea of Hearts was formed with guidance from his first life to the heart clam beast.

"Youyu has re-crafted the Sea of Hearts to more closely resemble the Origin Realm. Using the Origin Realm Gate of the Demon Area, he's brought the Sea of Hearts to erode the Origin Realm," he reflected.

Extreme Wisdom furrowed his brow and let out a cold huff, "The Sea of Hearts is merging with the Origin Realm. I can sense Youyu's presence; he aims to become a ruler of this world, just like me."

"Eradicate him!"

"The Origin Realm must remain under the Abyss's dominion!"

"Extreme Wisdom, you're the one who should triumph over him, right?"

In the silent depths of the Origin Realm, behind Extreme Wisdom and Yu Yuan, immense figures materialized from nothingness.

These entities towered tens of thousands of feet high, like sovereign deities of another realm.

Their pure soul bodies were bizarre and varied, some resembling hybrids of colossal beasts from various tribes, others just vast leaves the size of continents, and some were merely bulbous sacs dripping with venom.

They were the so-called Abyss Evil Gods.

These Abyss Evil Gods were clamoring in the Origin Realm, their speech in the language of the Boundless Human Race!

Within a massive prism, a faint shadow emerged, and beneath it, a figure bent over as if absorbing the shadow's teachings.

It was none other than Awkwafina of the Shadow Clan!

The sinister and grotesque Awkwafina, feeling Yu Yuan's watchful eyes, raised her bowed head from beneath the prism and glanced at Yu Yuan, standing among the four Dark Lords.

Awkwafina let out an involuntary scream, terror gripping her heart.

​