C1881 The Old Is Gone and the New Doesn't Come
Ji Ningshuang stood at the entrance of the Dragon Slaying Stage, her eyes sparkling like diamonds as she gazed toward the Ashlands with a look of careful scrutiny.
She first detected the familiar aura of the Ashlands amidst the chaotic psionic power of the Star River, where a trace of extreme coldness unexpectedly emerged.
She was perplexed. What could this mean?
How could the Ashlands, separated by an infinite expanse from the Dark Star, sense her presence and exhibit... kindness?
"It abandoned me and expelled me from the Primal Blood Continent. Why this sudden change of heart?"
Ji Ningshuang murmured, her beautiful eyes brimming with confusion as she involuntarily turned her gaze to Yu Yuan.
Her intuition suggested that Yu Yuan might hold the answers.
Yu Yuan felt a jolt in his heart.
As the sovereign of both the Ashlands and the Dark Star, he could detect any anomalies in either world once the Space-Time Archway connected them.
The Space-Time Archway served as a conduit, enabling him to perceive one realm from the other, whether he was in the Ashlands or the Dark Star.
When the deep-seated cold within the Primal Blood Continent stirred to life, he instantly sensed it.
He knew that this surge of coldness was activated by Ji Ningshuang!
More precisely, it was after Ji Ningshuang shattered her Solar Spirit and her divine position that the frigid depths of the Primal Blood Continent began to show warmth!
Solar Spirit, divine position, the essence of the Everlands?
A flurry of thoughts raced through Yu Yuan's mind, leading him to a moment of clarity!
He could assist Ji Ningshuang in regaining her strength and fully breaking free from the shackles of the Will of Everlands!
What did it matter if the Solar Spirit was shattered? It could be reforged!
The previous Solar Spirit, crystallized from spiritual energy and Soul Power, could be forsaken in favor of a new one, crafted from his own lifeblood, in harmony with Ann Ziqing and Taixu.
This reborn Solar Spirit, molded from the vital energy of the Blood Fiend and favored by the extreme cold, could continue to expand the cosmic order of ice magic. Could it not ascend to the pinnacle like a Demon God?
Without the need for the essence of the Everlands, all that was required was the boundless growth of the Solar Spirit, allowing Ji Ningshuang to follow the path of the extraterrestrial Blood Fiend.
With this realization, Yu Yuan's rage and sorrow quickly diminished, and he even felt a sense of relief.
He was relieved that Ji Ningshuang had finally gained true freedom.
"It's alright. When one door closes, another opens."
Yu Yuan took Ji Ningshuang's hand once more, his lips curving into a comforting, warm smile. "This is for the best. Freed from the Solar Spirit and its Origin, you can truly be unbound and be yourself!"
"You're not the first to shatter their Solar Spirit. Kaiya from the Wraithlands made the same choice, and she's doing just fine."
After a brief pause, Yu Yuan turned his gaze back to the supreme beings outside the Ashlands, his eyes filled with a touch of sympathy.
"You can't part with the Everlands Origin, content to be its pawns. That's your choice, but don't try to coerce me into anything!"
With a whoosh, he and the Dragon Slaying Stage vanished.
At the Ashlands' entrance, a dazzling display of psionic power coalesced like a veil of mist, swiftly forming a membrane.
This membrane, created by Yu Yuan's abrupt departure, sealed the path for the outsiders trying to enter the Ashlands.
From that point on, any expert wishing to enter the Ashlands would have to break through this radiant barrier first.
The instant the barrier was breached, Yu Yuan would be alerted, immediately aware of the intruder's identity.
"Mr. Zhong!"
Han Miaoyuan, clutching the Banner of Duality, materialized before the Chronowyrm with a piercing look. "You should be able to penetrate this barrier and lead everyone into the Ashlands, shouldn't you?"
Zhong Chichen's face paled as he stepped back, "Han Miaoyuan, are you certain you want to proceed with this?"
Loong Jie cried out, "This must not be done!"
Zu Ann and Mo Baichuan looked on in shock, puzzled by the two Dragon Gods' evident dread of the Ashlands.
"What's the issue?"
Han Miaoyuan let out a cold snort, his face etched with urgency and impatience. "It's not just about you. I can bring Green Willow, Qin Luo, and Lin Daoke as well. With Ji's divine seat vacated, four sources of power lie within the depths of the Everlands. If Yu Yuan persists, I'll simply create four new Most Highs!"
"I refuse to believe that a dozen or so of the most powerful beings from the Everlands can't level the Ashlands!"
"The Soul-Capturing God-King is trapped in the Ashlands. Without the Everlands, what can Taishi, Tianqi, and Taixu do to oppose us?"
To Han Miaoyuan, the Supreme God's seat of the Everlands was merely a token he could distribute at his whim.
Endorsed by the Will of Everlands, he had the authority to appoint the Supreme God. Any dissenters would be stripped of their divine status.
If one fell, he would simply create another; the Everlands had no shortage of eager candidates for divinity!
"You won't succeed in subduing them."
Zhong Chichen shook his head, eyeing Han Miaoyuan, who seemed possessed, "You really ought to visit the Ashlands yourself. Beyond the Boulderdawn's God-Kings, there are countless extraterrestrial powerhouses and giant beasts lurking there."
Han Miaoyuan's brow furrowed. "How many?"
"From what I know, there's Cardo of the Dawnbringers, Ballo of the Starborn, Rebecca of the Shadowkin, and Brie. There's also Reid, a Star-Spawned Terror, and likely Grec. Among the cosmic giant beasts, we have the Abyssal Leviathan and the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, and possibly... the Secular Bird Queen."
As Zhong Chichen continued, Han Miaoyuan's face grew darker, his mood heavier.
"How does Boulderdawn have the power to rally them all and command their obedience?" Zu Ann marveled.
"Yu Yuan, or should I say Taiyin, indeed possesses such power and energy. He's planning something monumental on Tyria, the main star of the Ashlands, and has even managed to involve various extraterrestrial races," Zhong Chichen said with a wry smile.
Even now, Zhong Chichen had no intention of directly confronting Yu Yuan; he was merely maneuvering around Han Miaoyuan.
—Because he didn't want to risk the divine position he had so painstakingly secured.
"He's set on forging a New Everlands! He conceived this idea millennia ago and has been quietly executing it."
Han Miaoyuan inhaled deeply, his face clouded with gloom, and exclaimed, "He and the Boulderdawn perished for this very scheme. I never imagined his treacherous ambitions would persist, that he'd continue to advance this cause!"
"The New Everlands?"
Zu Ann, Mo Baichuan, and the Untamed were perplexed.
Zhong Chichen fell silent upon hearing Han Miaoyuan's words. He had finally confirmed that the fall of the Boulderdawn and the demise of the various God-Kings were indeed influenced by the Will of Everlands.
"The destruction of the Boulderdawn resulted in the death of many Most Highs. Shouldn't it have been easy to strip the God-Kings of their essence?"
Zhong Chichen, skeptical, stared at Han Miaoyuan and questioned, "If you represent its will and caused the Boulderdawn to vanish, why was it such a struggle?"
Han Miaoyuan let out a heavy sigh, his eyes filled with awe as he seemed to reminisce about the past.
"Taiyin, back in the day, was even more troublesome than the Dark Phoenix is now. He had ventured far into the mysteries of the soul. With his mastery over Soul Power, he managed to resist the Will of Everlands, safeguarding the divine essence of several God-Kings."
"After all, his innate Soul Power originated from the Will of Everlands. He achieved what the Dark Phoenix has yet to accomplish."
Han Miaoyuan continued after a pause, his voice heavy with emotion.
Despite the Dark Phoenix's immense strength, she couldn't preserve the essence of the Astral Tiger and Yu Zhu. She could only protect her own, helplessly watching their powers plummet as they lost their essence.
Her approach was limited to bloodline powers.
Yet, the God-King Taiyin had the strength to challenge the Will of Everlands, preventing it from smoothly reclaiming the essence of the God-Kings.
That's why it sought out Han Miaoyuan.
...
"I will now forge your Solar Spirit anew!"
At the center of Tyria, Yu Yuan gestured to Ji Ningshuang to get ready as the Dragon Slaying Stage came to a halt.
"Ms. Ji!"
Jun Chen, Duan Yisheng, Shi Jing'er, and others from the Starmoon Sect were astounded to see her appear so abruptly, her realm clearly diminished.
"What's happened?" Taishi inquired.
"Han Miaoyuan, Mo Baichuan, Zu Ann, Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, and the Ape are outside the Ashlands," Yu Yuan briefly explained. The Dragon Slaying Stage in his hand slowly turned a deep red. "Step inside!"
Caught off guard, Ji Ningshuang was lost in thought when the Dragon Slaying Stage's sudden pull ensnared her.
In an instant, she was swallowed by its force.
The firmament had darkened to a blood-red hue, with roiling clouds resembling a torrent of vital energy from another realm spilling into this one.
Whoosh!
A lance of frosty light pierced through the Space-Time Archway, making its way directly toward the Dragon Slaying Stage—a frigid offering from the depths of the Primal Blood Continent.
