C1962 Going Through the Old Accounts!

The Abyssal Gate.

A mountain range, constructed from a multitude of dazzling crystals, cascaded down onto the colorful sea's surface, unleashing a breathtaking array of radiant light.

Crystals of varying hues sparkled with brilliance, their facets interwoven with divine lightning rainbows that carried the profound rules of life's essence.

This enigmatic and wondrous inverted mountain range had become an awe-inspiring spectacle atop the Abyssal Gate, compelling onlookers to feel an urge to prostrate in reverence.

Any intelligent life within this realm, upon reaching this site and beholding the crystal mountain range suspended above, would find their bloodlines stirred and their hearts instantly quickened.

This was the manifestation of Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body.

With this form, he assimilated the Life Seeds acquired from the Wasteland, gaining insight into its myriad life forms and the various creatures that had emerged there.

A compulsion to depart from the Abyssal Gate, to hunt the beings of the Wasteland and venture into its expanse, was fermenting within him.

He was aware that this impulse stemmed from the Primal Blood.

...

Time passed, unmeasured.

Whoosh!

The crystals abruptly transformed, taking on the likeness and stature of Yu Yuan.

He bowed his head, gazing into the unfathomable darkness of the Abyss below.

An eternity seemed to have elapsed since the Evil Gods of the Abyss had last assembled, nor had they attempted another onslaught.

Jihui, too, who had traversed the Abyssal Gate, had not shown himself, seemingly content to abide within the Abyss.

Yu Yuan surmised that the intelligent beings on the other side of the Abyss had learned to refrain from futile resistance.

But now...

A barely perceptible shadow emerged beneath the chromatic sea, unlike the colossal Evil Gods that had previously assailed him. It flitted about continuously, imparting to Yu Yuan an unsettling sensation.

He watched warily as the shadow darted about, seemingly evading something.

Eventually, he observed the shadow drift from its initial region to a secluded nook.

Soon after, a subtle and elusive thought emanated from the ever-shifting shadow.

This thought infiltrated the Abyssal Gate, yet was evidently thwarted by the gate's sealing force, unable to penetrate through.

"Hmm!"

Yu Yuan, vigilant of the shadow's movements, sat above the colorful sea and proactively engaged his Bloodwraith to connect with it.

His vital energy could seep into the Abyssal Gate, attempting to reach out to the consciousness below to see who was causing trouble.

"It's me, Bertain. Hold off on opening the Abyssal Gate. I still have things to do in the Abyss. Wait a bit longer."

The consciousness vanished abruptly.

The Abyssal Gate, crafted during the peak of the Titan Spinosaurus era and refined with the profound bloodline mysteries of numerous cosmic giant beasts, had worn down his consciousness, preventing it from lingering.

Nevertheless, Yu Yuan had received a clear message.

Moments later, colossal figures comparable to cosmic giant beasts amassed beneath the Abyssal Gate, converging as if pursuing from every direction—the figure that had conveyed Bertain's consciousness among them.

"Bertain!"

Yu Yuan couldn't see clearly, but he sensed that the Evil Gods of the Abyss had picked up on Bertain's trail.

Thus, the Evil Gods banded together to hunt down Bertain.

The Evil Gods of the Abyss seemed perpetually vigilant of the Abyssal Gate, forbidding Bertain from manifesting.

"It looks like you're alright, Kaiya was worried for nothing. But you also said not to open it just yet."

Yu Yuan murmured thoughtfully.

Previously, the exalted Dark Phoenix from the Everlands had made a special visit, expressing her wish for him to continue guarding the Abyssal Gate a while longer to create more Beast Gods for this realm. Now, Bertain, who had plunged into the Abyss, echoed the sentiment.

Bertain, who had not revealed himself for quite some time, had sent a message, also instructing him not to open the Abyssal Gate.

Why?

If the Abyssal Gate were destroyed, the Great Demon God Bertain could escape the Abyss and reclaim his meticulously refined demonform.

As a Star-Spawned Terror, Bertain had only descended with his devil soul; his demonform remained in the Origin Realm.

His devil soul and his refined demonform needed to become one for the Great Demon God's power to reach its zenith.

He chose to linger in the Abyss, reluctant to return to the Origin Realm, and he urged Yu Yuan not to shatter the Abyssal Gate, preventing the Evil Gods from emerging. But for what reason?

"Then, I shall continue to stand guard for a while longer."

Puzzled, Yu Yuan shook his head and resolved to keep watch for some time more.

...

Time passed.

Whoosh!

A Dark Tower burst forth from a suddenly split space rift, suspending itself in midair above Yu Yuan.

Beneath the ominous iron tower, atop the Onyx Altar, stood two tenth-level beings transformed into human form.

Untamed, along with a woman dressed in a white pleated gown—the white boa of the Wasteland.

Untamed, clutching his smoke tube and clad in coarse sackcloth, sat upon the Onyx Altar, his gaze fixed on Yu Yuan with a mix of emotions. He scoffed, "You failed to fulfill your promise!"

The Ape's fur, once a dull grey on his arms and cheeks, now shimmered a glossy silver-grey, exuding an aura of overflowing vitality.

Indeed!

The instant Yu Yuan laid eyes on him, he knew the Ape had attained immortality, freeing him from the concerns of a finite lifespan.

"How did you manage to find this place?"

Yu Yuan's penetrating gaze seemed to cut through all obstructions, settling on the Ape's chest where he spotted the beast's heart.

Within the Ape's heart grew a tiny sapling, unmistakably a Life Keychain.

Yet, this sapling was not the gift of Yu Yuan, unlike those within Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, and the Dire Bear. The Ape's heart bore a sapling from the Lord of Ruin himself!

The chosen champions of Primal Blood from both worlds possessed the power to bestow eternal life upon living creatures.

The circumstances were strikingly similar.

"Am I not allowed to come? When I was in the Ashlands, it was you who drove me away. Later, at the entrance to the Ashlands, you barred me from entering," the Ape inhaled deeply from his smoke tube, puffing out clouds of smoke as he spoke bitterly, "Before I left the Ashlands, I didn't mistreat you or Boulderdawn, did I?"

Yu Yuan paused, then sighed, "You treated us well."

"When you and Han Miaoyuan were at odds, didn't my marsh provide refuge for many of your experts? If not for the marsh, would the connection between you and the outside world have been so seamless?"

"And you? Did you ever honor your promise to me?"

"Eternal life, and the resurrection of my deceased offspring—you've accomplished neither."

The Ape's face darkened as he dredged up past grievances.

The white boa listened intently, its gaze drifting across the colorful sea surface, clearly enthralled.

"You didn't give me enough time."

Yu Yuan offered a wry smile and spoke with a sense of resignation, "When I urged you to leave the Ashlands, it was because you harbored the primal essence of the Everlands within you. It wasn't a personal affront. Back then, I hadn't fully grasped the power to grant you immortality, so I was hoping you could wait. Yet, what transpired was your alliance with Han Miaoyuan."

He felt a twinge of guilt toward the Ape and had taken the time to earnestly explain himself when confronted.

"At the Ashlands' entrance, you were already off-kilter. If I'm not mistaken, the primal essence had begun to corrupt your mind. Your subsequent actions, the way you dealt with Loong Jie and Zhong Chichen, showed you were increasingly under its influence."

"In such a state, the Ashlands were even less suitable for you, necessitating further patience."

Yu Yuan shared his predicament.

"Wait? Can I afford to wait like Green Willow? How could I possibly wait?!"

The Ape scoffed, "I can sense that Han Miaoyuan has the power to extract the primal essence from me. How old do you think I am? Without that essence, I'd turn into nothing but a pile of bones, or even dust, in an instant."

"What choice do I have?"

"Other than submitting to Han Miaoyuan's will, what other options do I have?" Untamed roared in frustration.

"With the situation as it is, there's little left to say. What do you intend to do with your visit?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"The blood clouds beneath the Abyssal Gate are remnants of the cosmic giant beasts. You've stood guard all this while, yet you've never chosen to consume them..."

The Ape took flight from the Dark Tower, descending gradually, his attention shifting from Yu Yuan.

It settled on the vibrant sea.

"Yu Yuan, leave this place and relinquish the Abyssal Gate to me. Consider all your promises to me fulfilled."

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