C1923 The Traces of the Beast God

In a remote corner of the frigid Star River, a Dragon Island forged from fine gold roared with a deep rumble. Dragons from the Everlands lay sprawled atop the island, their eyes brimming with bewilderment.

In response to Han Miaoyuan's summons, dragons of every rank were compelled to migrate to the extraterrestrial Star River. The Everlands were on the brink of becoming the most fearsome battleground known, as the formidable God-Kings of Boulderdawn prepared to return and engage in a titanic clash with the highest powers.

The news spread like wildfire, becoming common knowledge across the lands. Even the mortals from the Six Great Empires departed aboard the Voidfarer, a warship seized from the Otherkin. The Nagas, barely beginning to recover, dared not linger in the Everlands.

Thus, Loong Jie, the patriarch of the Ultimate Golden Body, selected an island to consecrate. Afterward, he gathered all the Nagas remaining in the Everlands. These Nagas were significantly less powerful.

The stronger dragons, those who had attained the eighth and ninth levels and could soar through the skies without the aid of Dragon Island, had already been dispatched to the Ashlands by Zhong Chichen and Loong Jie. Yet, at this moment, both Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen found themselves barred from entering the Ashlands.

With a whoosh, Zhong Chichen materialized solemnly before the golden archway of Dragon Island.

"What's the situation?" inquired Loong Jie, his massive golden dragon form pressing against the earth as he fixed his gaze on Zhong Chichen.

"At the Wraithlands' entrance, Yu Yuan, Kaiya, and the Stardust Blade emerged one by one. Tan Xiaotian and Untamed, having failed to meet with Jihui and Han Qi, had no choice but to depart in disappointment," Zhong Chichen reported succinctly, his hand instinctively caressing his Seven-Colored Heart.

For reasons unknown, whenever his discussions with Loong Jie touched upon unique individuals like Yu Yuan and Kaiya, the essence within his heart stirred to life. A warmth spread through him, as if the source from the Everlands' core that had elevated him to his ultimate form possessed its own sentience, quietly observing his every action.

Born in the Everlands, it could never escape its supreme nature...

Yu Yuan's words incessantly reverberated in Zhong Chichen's mind, prompting the sly Seven-Colored Dragon to delve into deep contemplation.

Moonfang Tiger, Yu Zhu, Ji Ningshuang, Youyu, and Kaiya.

The names of those who had tumbled from the echelons of the exalted after losing their essence were meticulously considered by him.

Kaiya and Ji Ningshuang had taken the initiative to do so.

"Loong Jie."

After what felt like an eternity, Zhong Chichen, now in human form, regarded Loong Jie with a tranquil gaze.

"I am here, Rainbow Sage."

Loong Jie's demeanor and voice became immediately reverent, sensing the determination in Zhong Chichen's soft call. "Old Ancestor, I may not be as clever as you, but I will follow your lead!"

Loong Jie declared his stance without hesitation.

Zhong Chichen felt a touch of relief, nodding as he explained, "The Ashlands merely prohibit our entry. Those who have not reached the supreme level or merged with the origin are not subject to this ban."

"Ancestor, what are you suggesting?" Loong Jie asked, astonished.

The dragon whelps on Dragon Island watched with bewilderment, sensing the prelude to a significant event.

"Transport them all to the Ashlands, to reunite with our kin. The Nagas trace their lineage to the exalted Titan Spinosaurus, and the Ashlands, crafted by our creator, is our ultimate haven!"

Zhong Chichen inhaled deeply, resolute: "As for us, if he won't allow us entry, then we simply won't go!"

"Origin, Dragon God, and the Supreme..."

He bowed his head, a sharp pain piercing the depths of his chest—a silent warning!

"If Kaiya can forsake it, if Ji Ningshuang has the courage to sever it, then surely... we possess that same bravery?"

Zhong Chichen's breath quickened, his hand clutching his chest now seeping seven-colored dragon blood.

Loong Jie opened his mouth to call out but realized that his scales, once as sturdy as divine metal, had suddenly grown fragile.

Just like Zhong Chichen, he too experienced the excruciating pain of his heart being torn asunder, as if an unseen, sharp hand was slowly clenching his heart with increasing force.

The pain was so intense that he was rendered speechless.

"The Origin is both a necessity for the Most High and a prison of chains. Should we defy it, should even the slightest thought of rebellion arise, we will likely face severe punishment upon its awakening."

Zhong Chichen realized this truth amidst his agony.

...

Stellar Oblivion.

Yu Yuan, standing on the Dragon Slaying Stage, utilized the Path of Undead to make his presence known in this secluded Astral Domain.

The long-forgotten Stellar Oblivion appeared to be situated at the far northern reaches of the Star River, bordering the realm where the Beast God roamed.

"Path of Undead."

Kaiya laughed softly, her bright eyes scanning the ground beneath her with curiosity.

Then, she cast her gaze further afield.

The Path of Undead, stretching tens of thousands of miles, was not a straight path but meandered like a serpentine stream, revealing itself throughout the world of Stellar Oblivion.

She could sense the Path of Undead, unlike Ji Ningshuang, Yu Yiyi, and all the Banes who were oblivious to it.

"Does it extend from here to there?"

Having delved into the arcane secrets of reincarnation with the Bloodbrawlers and ventured to the Everlands to master the Soul Secret Technique of the Root of the Lunar Meridian, she gestured, eager to discern more details.

"Roughly, yes."

Yu Yuan responded noncommittally.

To him, the sinuous Path of Undead was as vivid as one of his own meridians.

His thoughts and consciousness roamed freely within it, rapidly expanding outward, absorbing the marvels of the Stellar Oblivion.

He swiftly grasped the structure of the Astral Domain, its formation, and the distribution of energies.

The cosmic energy here was exceedingly sparse, akin to the fringes of the cosmos. There were no complete star worlds, only fragments of stars.

Shura, Starborn, Shadowkin, Dawnbringers, Silverscale Tribe, and the remains of Otherkin species that seemed extinct, all drifted in the disordered cosmos or lay upon the star shards, coated in dust, untouched for eons.

The entire starry sky was suffused with a deathly stillness, exuding an odor of rot and decay.

It seemed as if it had been abandoned for countless years, devoid of any starship wreckage, usable artifacts, or even the slightest hint of flora. It was a realm of utter silence and tranquility.

Legend among the Otherkin held that the Stellar Oblivion was destroyed before the rise of the human race in the Everlands, possibly even before their birth, as a result of battles between the Otherkin themselves.

Yet...

"Something seems off."

Using the Path of Undead, Yu Yuan could glimpse the ancient battle scenes of the Otherkin.

He examined the remains of the Otherkin and the battle scars on the Starshards, piecing together his own analysis.

What puzzled him was that the lethal wounds on the nearby Otherkin corpses didn't appear to be inflicted by one another.

Many of the Otherkin had suffered brutal deaths, as if they had been gnawed and ripped apart by massive alien beasts, their bodies cleaved by razor-like teeth and claws.

The Otherkin warriors of that era possessed high-level weapons, bloodlines, and a dazzling array of combat skills.

Surely they wouldn't have engaged in such savage, bloodthirsty combat?

"What have you discovered?"

Kaiya asked, a hint of anticipation in her voice as she stretched her delicate body with a sense of ease, as if she were at home.

"This wasn't an internal conflict."

Yu Yuan's expression and tone became gravely serious as he declared with conviction, "It was the Otherworld with the Beast God! Long, long ago, the Beast God from that world shattered the barriers between two worlds and came here!"

"We... The mighty of our world once converged in the Stellar Oblivion for a fierce slaughter against them!"

He hesitated when he said "we," his emotions tinged with complexity.

He had learned from Jihui that the human race might also have originated from the Abyss, suggesting he too might be an outsider, not quite fitting the term "we."

"Mm, I knew you wouldn't be kept in the dark once you arrived."

Kaiya smiled and nodded in affirmation, "You're correct. The Beast God of that world took away the remains of the formidable alien beasts that perished in the Stellar Oblivion."

"Even the mighty ones from our world, those brimming with lifeblood, were carried off by the alien beasts."

"We were, in fact, the ones who suffered a crushing defeat in this brutal conflict."

Kaiya stated the harsh reality with a grave expression.

"..."