C1887 An Epochal Change
In the desolate and frigid reaches of the Darkpinion Astral Domain, the Phoenix Shrine floated majestically. Suspended amidst the scattered meteors and shattered stars, it radiated a brilliant glow, illuminating the expanse like the combined light of the sun and moon.
Before the shrine lay a plaza paved with purple jade, shrouded in the enigmatic embrace of space magic. Here, the Thunderhawk, Flame Bull, Starbeast, Darkgold Beast, Abyssal Winged Lizard, Iron-winged Bird, Scarlet Tiger King, Desert Giant Crocodile, and other ninth-level beast kings had journeyed from the far reaches of the starry sky. Summoned by the Dark Phoenix, they now waited with bated breath, their anticipation palpable.
In the corners of the plaza, the three Beast Gods from the Otherworld perched quietly, their usually wild natures subdued by the gravity of the moment. Their excitement was evident; after all, an event that could reshape the destiny of all alien beast races was not something to be taken lightly.
At the shrine's entrance, the exalted Dark Phoenix sat upon her immense purple Divine Throne, assuming a human form. With one hand propping up her cheek, she gazed down at the plaza, a contemplative look on her face. In her other hand, she held a sphere of purple light, which she occasionally toyed with, her eyes betraying a chilling resolve.
Trapped within the sphere was an essence, struggling to break free, yet unable to escape its luminous prison and return to the Everlands. This essence, once fused with the Dark Phoenix's own Demon Heart, had been extracted and now languished under her formidable power. She kept it neither to destroy nor to release, but simply to observe.
"You've covertly observed me for countless years through this essence, and now, I watch you," the Dark Phoenix said with a sneer. Her slender, nail-tipped fingers would occasionally dart through the sphere like daggers, piercing the essence as if stabbing the very Will of the Deep.
"I blame myself for being deceived by you and Han Miaoyuan in the past. I was convinced he was the greatest threat, and I even aided in his downfall," she mused with a wry shake of her head, her expression growing peculiar. "Little did I know... in the end, I would tread the same path."
With a whoosh, a void corridor materialized on the purple jade plaza below, and a graceful purple phoenix emerged, its cries ringing out with exuberant delight.
The Dark Phoenix, her voice a soft murmur, revealed a look of loving affection upon seeing her. A smile played at the corners of her mouth. "I knew you would make your way back into the ranks of the Dark Deities."
"Mother."
Yu Zhu took on a fair-skinned, yet slender form in the square.
She gave a slight bow, her gaze sweeping over the numerous ninth-level Monster Lords and Beast Kings encircling the Purple Jade Plaza. She then glanced at the sealed doors behind the Dark Phoenix, aware that the Astral Tiger was still within.
"It seems like..." She began.
The Dark Phoenix gestured for silence, her tone warm and soothing. "Your intuition is spot on. You've shattered the transcendent existence and lifted the bloodline restrictions on the alien beasts. You ascended to the tenth level of Dark Deity without drawing upon the essence of the Everlands, effectively breaking the chains the Heavenly Dao imposed upon the alien beasts."
She sat up a bit straighter, her chest held high with pride, and declared, "From this moment forth, a Beast God will rise in this realm!"
Wails and roars erupted!
The extraterrestrial beast kings howled in a frenzy, beating their chests and stamping their feet in wild abandon.
Yu Zhu's eyes widened in amazement. "Is it truly so?"
The Dark Phoenix affirmed with a decisive nod. She turned her attention to the Darkgold Beast Kings, Starbeasts, Abyssal Winged Lizards, and the Scarlet Tiger Kings, instructing them, "Transform using the technique I've imparted to you."
Without hesitation, the alien beasts who had already received the transformation method began to activate their bloodlines.
Like the Frostlands snow bears, the once-blocked veins of these ninth-level extraterrestrial beast kings now flowed freely, allowing them to transform into... themselves.
Before they had even fully taken shape, they were already dancing with excitement, chattering in a variety of peculiar tongues.
"You must first become accustomed to your new forms and the fresh flow of your bloodlines. Next, I will guide you on how to evolve your bloodlines further, from the ninth level to the tenth," she continued.
With a serene demeanor, the Dark Phoenix gracefully waved her hand through the air, and a multitude of evil spells and demon runes transformed into tiny purple stars, filling the sky above.
These spells and runes held the secrets to transcending bloodline boundaries, methods for refining the Demon Heart, and the true essence of fortifying the bloodline chain.
The beast kings from beyond the stars, as well as the ninth-level Monster Lords of the Everlands, were all stirred into a frenzy. They suddenly realized that the supreme Dark Phoenix was making good on her promise, providing the extraterrestrial Beast Kings of the Star River with the magic arts needed to ascend to the tenth level as Beast Gods.
Yu Zhu's triumph had shattered the cosmic seal, paving the way for their success!
Soon, the celestial realms of this world would see the rise of powerful tenth-level Beast Gods, enabling the alien beasts to contend with the intelligent life from beyond!
"Do you expect me to bow down and blindly serve you as I did before?" The Dark Phoenix, holding a purple orb of light, gazed scornfully at its essence. "Dream on."
...
Within the Dragon Slaying Stage.
Ji Ningshuang sat serenely upon the frost-covered ground, as new strands of ice magic crystallized within her nascent Solar Spirit Body.
Her Solar Spirit, like the Dragon Slaying Stage itself, gleamed with a pearlescent hue, brimming with an abundance of life essence.
This was the fusion of blood and soul.
A supremely cold force, carrying pure vital energy, was aiding in the forging of her new form.
This was a gift from the depths of the Primal Blood Continent.
Yu Yuan, deeply moved, remarked, "It seems to me that by forsaking the origin of the Everlands, you've turned misfortune into a blessing. The extreme cold didn't just deliver its icy energy; it also brought a portion of the Primal Blood's energy. I hardly had to exert any effort to complete the refinement of your Solar Spirit."
He had initially intended to harness the abundant vital energy from the Abyssal Gate.
However, Ji Ningshuang had willingly relinquished her connection to the Everlands' origin and shattered her Divine Throne, seemingly earning the extreme cold's favor.
It not only drew nearer to Ji Ningshuang but also offered recompense by shifting a portion of the vital energy from the Primal Blood.
This segment of vital energy, teeming with life-enhancing power, meant that Yu Yuan didn't need to seek additional vital energy, allowing Ji Ningshuang's body to be successfully forged.
"First, reclaim your Solar Spirit status. Then, we'll return to the Primal Blood Continent to merge with it in a manner it accepts. Once you've reached the Unbound state, continue to expand your Solar Spirit indefinitely, and you may ascend to the highest echelons of the extraterrestrial realm."
Seeing Ji Ningshuang in a stable Solar Spirit state, Yu Yuan nodded in relief and instructed her on the next steps.
Shortly thereafter, he discovered that Yu Zhu, at the Abyssal Gate, had broken the Primal Blood's seal with the aid of his other soul.
He then witnessed the Dire Bear being the first to successfully transform.
"Hmm!"
With a mere thought, he stepped off the Dragon Slaying Stage and instantly teleported across Tyria.
The Stormwraith, the Three-legged Golden Crow, and the colossal Duskjaw were also attempting to transform on their respective islands, following the method provided by the Dire Bear.
Elsewhere, the greylag, another alien beast, was undergoing its transformation.
These ninth-level alien beasts, realizing there was no barrier to their transformation, all came to an exciting realization:
The tenth-level bloodline was no longer an elusive luxury!
"Did the Dark Phoenix break the bloodline shackles?"
Meanwhile, Taishi approached on Tyria's main planet. Seeing Yu Yuan emerge from the Dragon Slaying Stage, he asked curiously.
"It wasn't the Dark Phoenix. It was I who aided Yu Zhu in returning to the highest echelons at the Abyssal Gate. Yu Zhu's triumph shattered the existing seals, paving the way for all alien beasts to progress," Yu Yuan explained with a smile.
Taishi's spirit vibrated with the revelation, capturing the essence of the matter with a look of astonishment. "Is it... the Primal Blood's seal?"
Yu Yuan nodded in confirmation.
"This era is becoming increasingly fascinating."
Taishi paused, then burst into laughter, clapping his hands. "It appears that the extraterrestrial Star River will soon see a surge of tenth-level Beast Gods. With such formidable Beast Gods under her command, the Dark Phoenix's external forces will grow even more fearsome."
"The Everlands' internal strife, the clash between intelligent life and alien beasts, the Abyss, and the Beast Gods of the Otherworld! To witness this magnificent era is to justify years of survival in the Moonfall Sanctuary!"
...
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Within the shattered star concealed by the Starpierced Armor, the land sparkled with brilliant starlight as the armor shook its head, transforming and invoking the theurgy of the giant beast.
It had transformed into him, not due to Yu Zhu shattering the bloodline constraints, but because he had come of age.
He had grown into a burly young man with a hefty build. Across his wide back, a pattern of star charts, like specks, was branded into his blood and seared into his mind.
A torrent of disordered memories burst forth from the heart of his giant beast form, swiftly endowing him with knowledge of many things.
"He has reached adulthood. Let him forge a barrier for the key stars of the Ashlands, providing a haven for the humans arriving from the Everlands."
