C1885 He Did Not Listen to the Advice
"What does that mean?"
Tan Xiaotian, who had not yet ventured into the Abyss himself, gazed at the Wraithbanner with a sense of bewilderment. He also noticed the shimmering light of the Origin Gate growing increasingly violent.
"And who are you clashing with in the Origin Realm?"
The Demon Lord was aware that Jihui's soul had guided Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit into the Origin Realm, but he was unaware of Youyu's involvement there.
With his mind clouded by uncertainty, he contemplated dispatching a fragment of his own soul to investigate the anomalies in the Origin Realm.
"Don't head over just yet."
Jihui quickly intervened.
He knew that if he couldn't best Youyu in the Origin Realm, Tan Xiaotian's soul would only provoke Youyu to strike with even greater ferocity.
The grudge between Tan Xiaotian and Youyu ran deeper than his own with Youyu.
Swoosh!
The Abyssal Leviathan, having assumed the form of a gaunt human elder, gently descended from the sky, positioning itself level with Yu Zhu.
With chilling eyes, one pearl white and the other crimson, it fixed its gaze on Yu Zhu's midsection. The Abyssal Leviathan spoke up, "I suspect this is the Dark Phoenix's doing."
He bowed his head, looking towards Yu Yuan who stood upon the vibrant sea, and continued, "Given that Yu Zhu is her progeny, possessing the Heart of the Phoenix, the origin of Yu Zhu's lineage traces back to her."
"She has gleaned a portion of the Secrets of Life from me, and has similarly discerned aspects of the Secrets of Life from Ann Wen and the juvenile Titan Spinosaurus."
"The parts she still lacks, she must seek from you."
"By aiding Yu Zhu in transcending her bloodline's limits, your life force will infuse the Heart of the Phoenix. As you assist her in fusing with the dragon's heart, the arcane knowledge you've acquired from the Primal Blood will naturally converge within her through the Heart of the Phoenix."
"She will thus become even more formidable!"
The Abyssal Leviathan, pinned beneath the Embers Sea by the Dark Phoenix, harbored a deep-seated loathing for her. He had no desire to witness the Dark Phoenix amassing more power.
"You've made a valid point."
Within the Wraithbanner, Jihui also sought to convince Yu Yuan, murmuring softly, "The Boulderdawn Sect was obliterated due to Han Miaoyuan's connection with her, leading to your own demise. Considering how formidable she has become, surely you wouldn't want her to gain strength through you, would you?"
"I refuse to let her become any stronger!" Tan Xiaotian declared icily.
The little spinosaurus pleaded, "Father, please don't..."
All the beings gathered at the Abyssal Gate, except for the silent Abyssal Greater Basilisk, took turns voicing their concerns. They were united in their opposition to fulfilling the Dark Phoenix's wishes.
They all suspected that the Dark Phoenix's act of sending Yu Zhu was part of a grand scheme.
A scheme to seize his Primal Blood!
As Yu Zhu's bloodline level ascended from the ninth to the tenth level, the Dark Phoenix, from her distant position in the Darkpinion Astral Domain, would exploit the opportunity to unravel more mysteries tied to the Primal Blood.
The Dark Phoenix would become increasingly invincible!
Despite her pale complexion and frail stature, Yu Zhu bit her lip and disregarded the persuasive words of those around her; her gaze was fixed solely on Yu Yuan.
With the revelation of her identity, she exuded an innate arrogance and dignity that transcended her outward appearance.
Observing her demeanor, her gaze, and the expressions that crossed her face, Yu Yuan was struck by a profound sense of familiarity, and Taishi's words echoed in his mind.
His spirit was intertwined with his true self, and Taishi had warned him to be wary of all those associated with the Origin and to exercise caution around those linked to the Abyss.
Jihui and Tan Xiaotian were among those who had ties to the Abyss.
Jihui had spent considerable time in the Abyss yet had always kept its secrets close to his chest.
He had been deliberately concealing something, likely aware of the connection between the Everlands' Origin and the Abyss's rare treasures. Perhaps he was also privy to the fact that the will of the Abyss had played a role in the annihilation of Boulderdawn.
He probably also knew that the reawakening of the Abyssal Will was aimed at vanquishing the Dark Phoenix.
And it was targeting him and his efforts with Project New Everlands!
Yet, Jihui's current efforts were solely directed against the Dark Phoenix, not the other schemer, Han Miaoyuan, who had first razed the Shadow's Keep and then orchestrated his plans in the extraterrestrial Darkpinion, even conspiring with the Origin Deity.
Perhaps...
Amidst his whirlwind of thoughts, Yu Yuan once again floated before Yu Zhu. In the presence of several astonished powerhouses, he reached out and took Yu Zhu's hand.
A surge of vital energy, rich with the Secrets of Life, abruptly flooded into Yu Zhu's arm, wrapping it tightly in a dark red glow akin to electric arcs.
Within the dense vital energy, millions of tiny red crystals ebbed and flowed, each one a vessel of the life-creating force, brimming with the potential to spur mutations!
Yu Zhu's eyes sparkled with excitement and joy, her lips curling into a slight smile as she cast a smug glance at the little spinosaurus, as if to declare herself the favored child of their father.
The Abyssal Leviathan's expression darkened. "You should have heeded the warning!"
The little spinosaurus let out a sigh of resignation.
Jihui's Third Eye brimmed with icy detachment and frosty desolation, his phantom quivering intensely as his emotions surged. "Dark Phoenix and Han Miaoyuan have ruined our legacy, leading to our successive downfalls. Yet, your current actions only serve to benefit Dark Phoenix."
"My lord, I supported your decisions in the Dark Star Region and even took the Origin Gate from the Everlands at your behest."
"But this time, you truly should not have proceeded as you did!"
The phantom within the Wraithbanner shook its head in disapproval.
"Your support?"
Yu Yuan spoke with a tone of finality, ready to abandon the Lunar Spirit, his presence in this realm unaware of the events transpiring in the Origin Realm.
He was oblivious to Youyu's emergence, unaware that his Lunar Spirit had been ensnared within Youyu's crafted Mindscape.
"You probably wish for my Solar Spirit to descend into the depths of the Everlands after refining the Root of the Solar Meridian in the Dark Star, aligning with the desires of the Everlands' Will of the Deep?" Yu Yuan said with a knowing smile. "Ji Ningshuang's essence has been stripped away; how then can Tan Xiaotian's remain?"
"You've already plummeted into the abyss, and Tan Xiaotian has always been drawn to its depths. You both aim to shatter the Abyssal Gate."
"The two of you wish to fracture the Abyssal Gate, which, perhaps, aligns with the aspirations of the Will of Everlands?"
"It now represents... the Abyss itself, doesn't it?"
Yu Yuan's voice grew colder with each word.
The Lizard, the little spinosaurus, even the previously enraged Abyssal Leviathan, and Yu Zhu herself all fell silent at Yu Yuan's piercing words.
Tan Xiaotian, visibly agitated, ran his fingers through his hair, his breaths growing heavier as if a ferocious demon was on the brink of unleashing its fury.
Jihui remained silent within the Wraithbanner for quite some time before he finally spoke, "I don't understand what you're referring to."
"You're deeply familiar with it. You're aware that it has awakened, and you also know that it cannot remain awake indefinitely—it will eventually succumb to a prolonged slumber once more," Yu Yuan said, fixing his gaze on Jihui in the Wraithbanner. "I have a feeling it's quite fond of you."
"I'm even convinced that it reached out to you just as it did with Han Miaoyuan when you arrived in the Everlands. Since it's awake, it has also covertly observed me. Naturally, it has the means to locate you as well."
With a sudden boom, the peculiar Origin Gate shattered unexpectedly, without any forewarning!
The collapse of the Origin Gate signified that the Dark Phoenix could no longer return, and that Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit would have to find an alternative route back to the Origin Realm—or perhaps never return at all.
"I sensed it—the presence of Mother's power at the Origin Gate just now."
With a voice as if in a trance, Yu Zhu gazed at the drifting Wraithbanner, "It wasn't Mother who destroyed the Origin Gate. It was Jihui, the God-King himself, who did it out of a sudden fear of Mother's arrival."
"My lord, I will find a way to transport your Lunar Spirit to the true Abyss. Maybe then, you'll find the answers you seek and realize that I wasn't the one at fault."
"Please, keep this flag safe for me."
Jihui's phantom emerged from the Wraithbanner and swiftly descended towards the colorful expanse of the sea.
The Abyssal Gate, intricately woven from numerous bloodline mysteries, posed no barrier to him—a master of space magic with a purely spirited form.
And so, Jihui's phantom plunged into the genuine Abyss!
Those who, like him and the Origin Deity, were versed in the truths of space magic and possessed a purely spiritual form, could navigate through the Abyssal Gate.
He chose to depart at this very moment!
Everyone could tell that something was amiss with him. They all realized he must be concealing many secrets and began to suspect his unique connection with the Will of the Deep and the Abyss.
"Last time, he advised me not to hastily destroy the Abyssal Gate because he wanted to leverage the combined strength of myself and the gate to ambush the Dark Phoenix. I suspect she's waiting for the gate to become more stable before trying to persuade my Solar Spirit to return to the Everlands."
"Instead of infusing the power left by the ancient spinosaurus within the Abyssal Gate into the Solar Spirit."
Yu Yuan sneered, gazing at the sea below as if peering at Jihui through the Abyssal Gate.
"This Solar Spirit, imbued with the complete Secrets of Life but lacking the bloodline of the giant beasts, will not reach the heights of the ancient spinosaurus without shattering the Abyssal Gate and acquiring all the giant beast bloodlines."
"Such a Solar Spirit, returning to the Everlands and descending into the depths, should pose little threat and would be more easily manipulated."
"Once it claims my Solar Spirit, the Abyssal Gate, devoid of the Ashlands' energy supply, will inevitably shatter, and the two realms are fated to merge."
Yu Yuan believed that Han Miaoyuan, Jihui, and the Demon Lord were all tied to the will of the Everlands, likely favoring a connection with the Abyss.
Thus, the foundation of the Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian was unshakably solid.
"I will aid your ascent to the tenth level, not by depending on the subterranean forces of the Everlands, but to reclaim your place among the Dark Deities!"
