C195 Seed of Wisdom

Within the Moonfall Sanctuary, the sky was shrouded in dark clouds, hiding the sun from view.

Outside the forbidden area, the sun blazed brilliantly in the sky.

The heavens were a clear blue, save for a small patch dotted with white clouds.

Deep within these clouds, the state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire, in the guise of a white-clad youth, kept a vigilant watch on the happenings below.

Before the Soulforge Matrix had fully taken shape, he sensed an abnormal disturbance in the space.

But just as quickly, the disturbance vanished without a trace.

Subsequently, the ancient Soulforge Matrix, having devoured and filled with Soul Power, closed once more.

Even he could only gaze down upon a blanket of grey clouds that his remnant soul could not penetrate.

"Hu!"

Beneath the fierce heat of the sun, a sphere of light appeared abruptly and closed in swiftly.

Seated within the sphere was a one-armed elder.

His face was gaunt, his disheveled red hair cascading over his shoulders, and his prominent nose stood out as he quietly observed Zhou Cangmin within the radiant sphere.

Had Yu Yuan been present, he would have immediately recognized Faang Yao, the same figure who had appeared in Asvetaesi and taken Yuan Qiufang away.

Both masters of the Spirit Walk realm, their Lunar Spirits exuded vastly different presences. Faang Yao's Lunar Spirit was intensely fiery, evoking the image of a tumultuous Mountain of Flames.

In contrast, Zhou Cangmin's Lunar Spirit, in its youthful form, was cloaked and nearly invisible.

One was domineering and fiery, the other secretive and unseen, each with their own unique strengths.

"Why have you come?"

Zhou Cangmin was visibly surprised by Faang Yao's arrival. He instinctively extended his remnant soul to scan the area, and only relaxed slightly when he detected no other presence.

"These years have been hard on you," Faang Yao said with a hearty smile, looking upon the future of their sect, the Seed of Wisdom. "Rest assured, neither the Crimson Sun Empire nor the Silvermoon Empire can eavesdrop on our conversation. Once you join the Sunlit Order and master their mystique, integrating it with the secrets of the Ruby Hand, you will become the next Sect Master."

Facing Faang Yao, Zhou Cangmin's smile was genuinely warmer. "Whether or not I become the sect master of the Ruby Hand is of little concern to me. My only desire is to see the death of that individual from the Sunlit Order, to offer his demise as a tribute to the ancestor of the Zhou family."

"Has the Sunfire Emperor begun to harbor doubts about you?" Faang Yao inquired.

"Some within the nation have indeed expressed their skepticism, but those concerns have been addressed," Zhou Cangmin replied with a composed demeanor. "Regarding the Sunfire Emperor, he too wishes for me to ascend to the position of a core elder within the Sunlit Order. He's unlikely to delve into my origins or identity, understanding that whatever unfolds hereafter concerns only the Sunlit Order and myself."

The Sunfire Emperor was resolute in his ambition to reign supreme over the empires of Aetherius, devoted to mastering the Way of Heaven. His progress in cultivation had plateaued in recent years, and it seemed he would likely never achieve the esteemed state of Solar Spirit.

Faced with Zhou Cangmin, who was certain to attain Solar Spirit status, the Sunfire Emperor would naturally have his reservations, yet he would keep them in check.

"The Sunfire Emperor is so perceptive?" Faang Yao expressed his astonishment.

"In truth, the world has greatly overestimated the bond between the Sunlit Order and the Crimson Sun Empire," Zhou Cangmin said with a slight smile. "To the Sunlit Order, the Crimson Sun Empire is merely a minor connection. Even with knowledge of my identity and past, the Sunfire Emperor wouldn't take any action."

"Should the day come when I ascend to the helm of the Ruby Hand, becoming its sect master, he might even rejoice for me. Then, the Crimson Sun Empire would likely seek an alliance with our Ruby Hand."

"While the Sunlit Order is among the three mighty upper sects of Euwrea, it is considered the lesser in ranking. Our Ruby Hand, on the other hand, has seen a surge of formidable practitioners in recent years, with an increasing number of cultivators reaching unparalleled levels of mastery."

"In the years to come, our Ruby Hand may very well share dominion over the lands with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep. It's possible that the Sunlit Order could be overtaken by one of the seven robust lower sects on the continent of Euwrea."

"In light of these trends, the Sunfire Emperor would be wise to prepare for all eventualities," Zhou Cangmin declared confidently.

Little did anyone suspect that the state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire, so esteemed by the Sunlit Order and promised a seat among the elders, hailed from the Sunlit Order's archrival—the Ruby Hand.

"What's the situation down there?" Faang Yao inquired with a grin.

"The Soulforge Matrix has sealed off everything; there's nothing to see," Zhou Cangmin replied, furrowing his brow. "There was a minor disturbance in the fabric of space when the matrix was activated a second time, but it quickly stabilized. After that, I couldn't sense anything."

"Oh, by the way, is there a kid named Yu Yuan down there?" Faang Yao asked.

"Yu Yuan?" Zhou Cangmin expressed surprise. "Yes, he's quite knowledgeable about many affairs of our Ruby Hand. He's as familiar with the Duan brothers' spells and the Cursemark as if they were second nature to him. Why do you ask? Yu Yuan isn't your clandestine disciple in Aetherius, is he?"

"Not at all, I don't have that kind of leisure time," Faang Yao replied, shaking his head. "Recently, I brought Yuan Qiufang back to Asvetaesi; he's been studying the sect's spells. Yuan Qiufang informed me that it was Yu Yuan who neutralized his fire toxin. You know how challenging it is to deal with the fire toxin that comes from practicing the Crimson Soul Spell and succumbing to its madness."

"It's indeed odd that Yu Yuan could diagnose the issue and provide an effective remedy for the fire toxin."

"Yuan Qiufang also entrusted me with the task of looking out for Yu Yuan."

"Based on Yuan Qiufang's account, it's highly probable that Yu Yuan is the reincarnation of a soul from an ancient demon in the northern part of the Land of Quiescence."

Faang Yao made his assessment, "That individual must be well-acquainted with our Ruby Hand!"

"Ah!" Zhou Cangmin's face turned pale with shock. "A single remnant soul residing in Yu Yuan's body, roaming the Aetherius Continent? If he's neither a Lunar Spirit nor a Solar Spirit, and yet this single soul can perceive such profound mysteries, what then?"

He had been observant, but on Yu Yuan, he had detected no signs of a great cultivator, Lunar Spirit, or Solar Spirit.

If it wasn't a Lunar or Solar Spirit, but rather some enigmatic Spirit Magic at play, with a remnant soul subtly residing within and covertly influencing Yu Yuan, then the adversary's skill and level might be beyond his ability to measure.

"If Yuan Qiufang's suspicions are correct, the entity that has taken residence in Yu Yuan's mud pellet Sea of Souls likely hails from Shadow's Keep or Devil Palace, with a level of cultivation that far surpasses both of us," Faang Yao admitted with a hint of resignation. "Only a figure of that caliber could remain undetected in the Moonfall Sanctuary, manipulating events from the shadows."

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Cangmin fell into a contemplative silence.

Piecing together his recent observations of Qin Yun's soul, the anomalies, and the recognition from the forbidden area, he began to trust Faang Yao's assessment.

Yu Yuan had been overtaken by an entity from the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep in the northern reaches of the Land of Quiescence!

"I've got the picture," Zhou Cangmin said with a slight nod, then inquired, "Have you encountered the Empress of the Silvermoon Empire?"

"Just before coming here, I did," Faang Yao replied with a smile. "She's quite the ambitious one. But it's precisely that level of ambition that has made her the Empress of the Silvermoon Empire."

"And what of the sect?" Faang Yao probed further.

"The plan is to foster close ties and make them useful to me," Faang Yao explained.

"Understood."

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