C188 Release the Tiger Back to the Mountain!
In the dark and chilly expanse of the Star River, a massive bronze coffin crushed brilliant crystalline lights as it soared through the void, riding the winds and waves of space. The coffin's surface was alive with countless inscriptions, buzzing around like flies.
Deep within the Star River, stars as radiant as jewels twinkled and glowed. Strands of starlight transformed into pure cosmic energy, flowing into the bronze coffin. A tattoo depicting a green-faced, fanged fiend materialized on the lid, as if it sensed the familiar scent of the extraterrestrial and yearned to emerge into the fresh, free air.
A cold shout echoed from within the coffin. The Indigo Wraith, materializing in his ethereal form, let out a stifled groan as his soul was instantly dispersed. A golden pill, as large as a mountain, burst forth from a speck of light no bigger than a grain of rice. The pill, engraved with ancient, long-forgotten curses, oozed a golden fluid.
This golden liquid, brimming with the most dazzling life essence, seemed capable of reviving the dead and regenerating flesh upon White Bone. The ancient curses burst into crisp, melodious laughter before transforming into thousands of beautiful women dressed in vibrant attire.
These women, with their graceful figures, wielded gleaming swords and arranged themselves into a sword circle, launching an assault on the bronze coffin. They resembled a string of meteors, interwoven with bright sword light.
From the depths of the void, silver chains, each as broad as the sea and stretching for thousands of miles, shot forth. They too coiled around the bronze coffin. The inscriptions on the coffin's surface, countless as the stars, suddenly took flight.
The once-dim Star River flared with dazzling starlight as the inscriptions morphed into a colossal hand. It gently grasped the sword circle of beautiful women, now solidified into a meteor, and seemed to tug at a river of light, hurling it toward the silver chains.
A blinding radiance burst forth in the Land of Nothingness surrounding the bronze coffin. Hundreds of orbs of light exploded, scattering billions of sparkling fragments in every direction.
"Let's part ways here!" taunted a voice from within the bronze coffin. Rings of dark light, emerging from the unknown, enveloped the coffin. Inside this gloom, the coffin miraculously shrank to the size of a tiny seed and then vanished along with the dark light.
The golden pill swelled briefly before contracting sharply. The thousands of beautiful sword-wielding women, like returning needles, disappeared into the pill.
The golden pill transformed into a shimmering golden short sword, cradled in the hands of an individual clad in golden Spirit Armor, forged from pure divine force and vitality. The Lunar Spirit exists as an illusion, while the Solar Spirit possesses a corporeal form, marking the essential distinction between the two.
At the other end of the silver chains, a diminutive figure materialized. With a delicate visage and a slender frame, silver lightning danced around his neck, unleashing power of unparalleled terror. The chains he held resembled the strings of a kite, yet their broad and lengthy nature contrasted starkly with his slight stature, creating a disconcerting imbalance.
A man and a woman gazed at the spot where the bronze coffin had vanished into the ether, remaining silent for an extended period.
Finally, the woman with the golden short sword let out a sigh, "He has escaped, taking with him the Indigo Wraith, White Walker, and the Stormcrowned Emperor."
"The last four of the top ten from the Moonfall Sanctuary have also freed themselves," the man commented, his face void of emotion.
"He shattered the Star River barrier and made sure we witnessed it. Is he signaling that he has no intention of opening the spatial passage?" the woman pondered. "Something must have changed in the Moonfall Sanctuary. Given his awakening and his ability to break the Soulforge Matrix, he could certainly reopen that passage."
"If he truly wished to open it, the beings of Aetherius would have already faced extinction," the man with the silver lightning around his neck remarked coolly.
"Why would he refrain from doing so?" the woman mused quietly.
"He was merely suppressed within the Moonfall Sanctuary, not utterly destroyed, precisely because he chose not to act," the man replied with detached calm. "Yet, his negligence allowed a portion of the Sky Fiend to escape the sanctuary and wreak havoc on Aetherius."
"What do we do now? If he ventures out from the Everlands and joins forces with the Boulderdawn remnants, our situation becomes even more dire," the woman expressed her concern.
"Not necessarily," the man countered, shaking his head. "I believe the dramatic upheaval in the Moonfall Sanctuary was no mere accident."
At this revelation, the woman was taken aback, "You mean it was deliberate?"
"Times have changed. He is currently weak, and the Boulderdawn Sect now boasts an abundance of formidable members," the man reflected. "His return could very well pose a threat to many within this generation of the Boulderdawn Sect."
"He's always had a foul temper, and he's been around for a long time."
"The internal strife within Boulderdawn might persist for some time. It's uncertain how many people will continue to recognize his authority or remain willing to follow him."
"We should be able to relax for a bit, just watching to see what sort of changes his return might bring about in Boulderdawn."
The woman was startled, "Aren't you worried about letting the tiger return to the mountain?"
"With so many tigers in Boulderdawn now, we're overwhelmed as it is," the man said, his expression darkening. "Letting this wounded old tiger go back to fight with the younger ones is exactly what some are hoping for."
"What about the Moonfall Sanctuary? There won't be any issues with the spatial passage, will there?" she pressed on.
"Without him, the rest are too insignificant to even dream of opening the spatial passage," he said contemptuously. "It's not worth our concern. Moreover, the sword spirit and sword's will left by the Sword Sect are highly antagonistic to us; we're better off not getting involved."
"Okay, if you say so."
...
The Terra Fiend, Fides, along with the other phantoms, managed to survive even after leaving the Soulforge Pool.
The seven manifestations of the sword's will methodically eliminated each phantom.
Fides, intent on deceiving Yu Yuan, and the azure-robed lad lurking in the spatial passage at the bottom of the Soulforge Pool, both transformed into streaks of green light and merged into the sword scars.
The ancient sword's will relentlessly pursued the alien souls and Aberrant Spirits, as well as the cultivators from the Silvermoon Empire.
Those that remained were increasingly distancing themselves from the Soulforge Pool, no longer daring to come close.
Ann Jieshan, who had possessed someone with the aid of a blood shadow, astonishingly evaded the sword's will's pursuit.
Zhao Yafu was also unharmed.
"Brother Yu," Zhao Yafu called out from the edge of the pool, her voice tinged with urgency, "Could you please spare the elder who passed down the Nagas' mystique to me?"
She had long noticed the profound connection between the sword's will on the pool's wall and Yu Yuan.
If she emerged unscathed, then so did Ann Jieshan, who was also spared by the sword's will. This could only be attributed to Yu Yuan.
At the bottom of the pool.
In Asvetaesi, Yuan Lianyao looked up at Zhao Yafu and Ann Jieshan, now with a body of flesh and blood. Her beautiful face suddenly registered shock.
She stared at Yu Yuan, her realization of a horrifying truth causing her lips to quiver.
"The sword's will on the pool's wall? Was that your doing?"
Her voice shook as she spoke.
Zhao Yafu was unharmed, and so was the blood shadow, Ann Jieshan, who had previously reached an understanding with Yu Yuan. This revealed much.
Yu Yuan had the power to influence the sword's will!
If so, what about the deaths of the numerous cultivators from the Silvermoon Empire outside the Soulforge Pool? Could Yu Yuan be implicated?
The patriarch of the Lin family, Lin Zhuyun's great-uncle, the shattering of his Lunar Spirit—could Yu Yuan be involved?
