C1956 The Second Dark Deity That Was Persuaded
An intelligent lifeform, as vast as a mountain and resembling a giant beast, slowly emerged from the aurora-like barrier between two worlds. This was the One-eyed Giant. His stature rivaled that of the Beast God, surpassing even the Titans Yu Yuan had encountered in this realm. Clad in sackcloth woven from beast tendons, his waterfall of grayish-white hair cascaded over his shoulders.
His solitary eye was a dark brown hue, akin to a dimly lit Star River set in the center of his forehead. From him emanated an aura of the boundless wild, an ancient essence that filled the air.
Despite his singular eye and his immense size, he bore a striking resemblance to the intelligent lifeforms from the extraterrestrial realms. The vital energy coursing through him was akin to that of the Beast God.
The One-eyed Giant, with his lone eye, had traversed the Otherworld barrier, now standing before Kaiya and Yu Yuan.
With a whoosh, as if to pay homage to the Otherworld visitor and to present herself clearly, Kaiya's devil soul emerged from the flamingo form. In her pure soul state, she confronted the One-eyed Giant.
"It's neither the Beast God nor a member of the Lord of Ruin's kin, but..." She scrutinized the One-eyed Giant, her understanding dawning. "The Wasteland isn't home to just alien beasts. Because the Lord of Ruin is an alien beast, the beast race holds absolute dominion. Your people, and you... must have been subjugated by it."
"Sky Fiend!" The One-eyed Giant's voice resonated deeply, speaking the ancient tongue of the evilkind. His dark brown eye shifted towards Kaiya's devil soul, transforming into a deep, enigmatic lake.
Ripples danced across the lake's surface, hiding profound Soul Power, ready to weave a spell capable of piercing the soul.
Kaiya's phantom, seemingly ensnared by his gaze, resisted being drawn into the depths.
"Hah, even you, an outcast of the Wasteland, are versed in Soul Power," Kaiya scoffed, her devil soul, no larger than a human's, subtly shifting to alter the surrounding magnetic field.
The One-eyed Giant, with his intense gaze, continued to stare at Kaiya, yet he could not capture her devil soul in his solitary eye.
"You..."
Realizing his efforts were in vain, he shifted his gaze to Yu Yuan.
In the instant his solitary eye met Yu Yuan's, a myriad of lights and stray thoughts flickered into existence within his deep, lake-like pupils.
Yu Yuan instantly felt an odd sensation, as if his own thoughts and soul were being drawn into the influence of those expansive eyes.
"It is indeed different."
Yu Yuan chuckled lightly, effortlessly lifting the Dragon Slaying Stage and aiming its gleaming white side at the towering One-eyed Giant. "You can't see anything at all."
His mind sharpened, concentrating all his thoughts and consciousness into his dominant soul.
The Dragon Slaying Stage, directed at the One-eyed Giant, burst forth with dazzling light, transforming the rainbow-hued divine radiance into a series of violet-gold swords, thrusting towards the One-eyed Giant's eyes.
"Hmph!"
The One-eyed Giant closed his eyes, his eyelids dropping like Sunsilver walls over his pupils.
The violet-gold swords struck his eyelids, sending sparks scattering and ringing out like chimes.
Yet, he remained unscathed.
Upon reopening his eyes, the One-eyed Giant appeared much more composed, his gaze upon Yu Yuan and Kaiya carrying a newfound gravity.
It was as if he recognized that the two before him were paramount sovereigns of this realm, not to be trifled with lightly.
"We are willing to wait a few more years."
He expressed a keen interest in dialogue and, without waiting for Kaiya or Yu Yuan to inquire further, he volunteered, "The first of us Beast Gods who entered were tasked with collecting the vital energies of the Origin Realm, but more importantly, to understand it. The three Dark Towers, along with the remaining Beast Gods, will lie hidden in your world."
"We still lack a comprehensive understanding of your world; its structure eludes us."
"Suffering setbacks in the early stages might actually be beneficial. Our King has just learned of an impending massive war in the Everlands, the birthplace of the Dark Phoenix."
"This conflict will involve the highest echelons of the Everlands' inhabitants, including the Boulderdawn Sect and the Dark Phoenix."
"We've also recently discovered that your Origin Realm is connected to another world known as the Abyss. Your world is quite fascinating, and we are eager to learn more about it."
"We are nearly prepared. When we return, it won't be merely a second or third wave, but a full commitment."
"I hope you'll be ready by then."
With those words, the One-eyed Giant withdrew and vanished into the aurora, leaving Kaiya and Yu Yuan exchanging puzzled looks.
"The Wasteland's decision to slow down actually complicates things," Kaiya's specter, once merged with the flamingo, now seemed troubled. "The third Dark Tower must have concealed itself the moment it arrived. That particular Dark Tower, which refrained from slaughter, must have witnessed a great deal."
"If the Wasteland and the alien beasts had surged in all at once, we would have united against a common foe."
"But they've chosen to hold back."
Kaiya massaged her temples, her frustration evident. "Once we're locked in a life-or-death struggle with Han Miaoyuan, Lin Daoke, and the rest in the Everlands, it'll be a real mess if they decide to make their move."
Yu Yuan added, "There are three Dark Towers, all interconnected. The Beast Gods lurking within, traveling between the various Astral Domains of our world, are a real nuisance."
Each Dark Tower acts as a vessel capable of traversing the cosmos, granting the Beast Gods within the freedom to move at will.
Even for him and Kaiya, the prospect of facing three Dark Towers capable of escaping through space at any moment was daunting.
The remaining Beast Gods, intent on hit-and-run tactics and armed with the Dark Towers, posed a significant challenge.
In the current state of the Origin Realm, with the Voidweaver gone, Rovi deceased, and Zhong Chichen weakened, it seems impossible to find another being adept in space magic and at the tenth level.
Without such a being, not only is it a challenge to confront the three Dark Towers, but even locating them is a tall order.
"I must hasten to assist Brother Zhong in his return to the Dragon God!"
...
Elsewhere in the Star River.
On a star that shimmered with moisture, Green Willow, in his human guise, lay on the beach, his vertical pupil narrowed in contentment.
Beneath the vast expanse of the deep sea, his droplets of Dark Deity blood transformed into serpents, absorbing and expelling the water essence.
With an abundance of water in this star's ocean, he planned to refine each drop before integrating it into the Demon Heart, creating water Demon Crystals.
Unlike the Ape, Green Willow, a newly ascended Dark Deity, enjoyed a lengthy lifespan.
He wasn't concerned about meeting a swift end like the Ape.
Immortality was pressing for the Ape, but for Green Willow, it wasn't currently a top concern.
As the conflict between Han Miaoyuan's forces and Yu Yuan's Boulderdawn sect escalated, Green Willow preferred to stay out of it, opting to keep a low profile.
So long as the Demon Heart's core didn't coerce him into action, he would continue to cultivate his power in the extraterrestrial realms.
Given the distance, it was difficult for Han Miaoyuan to track him down.
He deliberately sought to distance himself from disputes, aiming to sidestep the imminent battle in the Everlands.
Suddenly, the Dark Tower that had materialized in the Brugeth appeared before Green Willow.
Atop the Onyx Altar beneath the black iron tower, a white boa lay coiled.
Upon noticing Green Willow, the Beast God from the Wasteland hesitated briefly before transforming.
She became a fair-skinned, beautiful woman in a white pleated dress, her eyes bashfully fixed on Green Willow.
Green Willow, ever intent on dodging conflict, paid no mind to the Dark Tower or the Onyx Altar.
Yet, upon glimpsing the white boa, he immediately tensed, even before she assumed her human guise.
This Dark Deity, quite young among his kind, suddenly appeared bashful and restrained.
As the white boa adopted a human form, becoming a strikingly beautiful woman, Green Willow was captivated. His heart, which had always been as still as a placid well, now churned with emotion.
Of the same race, origin, and both at the tenth level as Beast Gods.
There was no one more fitting to be Green Willow's mate than the white boa before him. If Green Willow sought to procreate and revive their lineage, she was the ideal choice.
Until this day, Green Willow had neither encountered nor heard of such kin in the extraterrestrial starry skies.
"Miss, from whence do you hail?"
Green Willow adjusted his attire, adopting a courteous demeanor. He resembled a smitten young man, enamored with the woman before him, as he offered a sheepish smile and said, "My name is Green Willow, and I hail from the Everlands."
"No, your hometown isn't in the Everlands. You belong to the Wasteland, just like me."
The woman, who had transformed from a white boa, spoke softly.
"You say I belong somewhere, then that's where I belong! The Wasteland, what place is that?"
Green Willow, who wasn't much for jokes before, seemed to shed his previous restraint upon seeing her. He became like a carefree rogue, his words smooth as silk: "From now on, your home is my home!"
The white boa rolled her eyes, not expecting that meeting Green Willow would turn out to be much more successful than meeting the Untamed.
The speech she had prepared and the hidden gifts she brought seemed unnecessary now.
"If you want to be with me and win me over, how about you start by stripping away your connection to the Everlands?" the white boa suggested enticingly. She was ready for Green Willow to refuse, at which point she would reveal that even without the Everlands' essence, she could help him return to his Dark Deity status.
To her surprise...
Green Willow's eyes flickered with indecision before he clenched his teeth and declared, "Miss, if you're serious, and if this is the only condition, I, Green Willow, am willing to strip away my essence!"
"I just hope that after my bloodline is diminished, you won't scorn me and deem me unworthy of you."
Green Willow said, scratching his head sheepishly.
The white boa from the Wasteland watched Green Willow, who oscillated between levity and earnestness, and was at a loss for words for quite some time.
"With my talent and bloodline, I can survive without my essence for the time being. I've experienced the splendor of a tenth level Dark Deity and the myriad wonders of my bloodline."
"But none of that compares to your presence today."
