C1974 Soul Gathering!

Mo Baichuan's spirit materialized on a desolate path leading to the Demon Realm, following a specific trajectory toward the Grim River.

Barring any unforeseen events, this newly ascended supreme being, empowered by the Geocentric Fire, would soon traverse the Shinra Net and join the souls within the Grim River in the Demon Realm.

On this spectral path, Mo Baichuan's fragmented spirit was in disarray, his consciousness murky and indistinct.

Now reduced to a ghostly wisp, a tumult of unresolved emotions filled his spirit, overwhelming the scant remains of his spirituality.

Only by reaching the Demon Realm and entering the Grim River did he stand a slim chance of regaining his consciousness and recalling past events.

It seemed the stronger the individual, the more challenging it was to reawaken their spirituality after death.

Without external intervention, Mo Baichuan's spirit would simply become a rich source of soul energy for the Demon Realm, to be assimilated into the Reincarnation Furnace.

The likelihood of him awakening as Fernand did was next to none.

"Bai."

From afar in the Demon Realm, Yu Yuan murmured softly.

His divine body possessed a unique meridian that instantly linked with the path of the departed.

A soul, formed of gathered Yin energy, defied the layers of space and manifested on that very path.

Upon its arrival, the scattered memories within Mo Baichuan's spirit clarified.

He instantly understood what had transpired.

Mo Baichuan had been deceived by the Demon Phoenix, flouting Han Miaoyuan's prohibitive decree and venturing alone into a fiery world, where he encountered two phoenixes.

Thus, Mo Baichuan met his end in battle, and after his divine status crumbled, the Fire Phoenix of the Desolate Realm seized it.

The pill furnace, dubbed the Heaven and Earth Furnace by Mo Baichuan, also fell into the Fire Phoenix's possession, becoming a convenient tool for this otherworldly visitor.

Yu Yuan had come to know much of Mo Baichuan's final exchange with the Demon Phoenix, as well as the details of their confrontation.

To his astonishment, Yu Yuan discovered that following Mo Baichuan's demise, it seemed even his core essence had been captured by the Demon Phoenix, preventing it from entering the vast expanse of consciousness.

"Why must you cling so tenaciously?" Yu Yuan lamented, pondering over how to revive Mo Baichuan's spirituality and engage in a meaningful dialogue with him.

With a swoosh, a colossal "Aura Altar," resembling a magical sapphire, soared across the distant cosmos.

It was none other than the Tears of Blue Devil belonging to the Devaputra!

Yuv Qian, now ascended to the rank of Great Demon God, marveled at the scorching Starfield from above the enigmatic Aura Altar.

"A bounty of soul energy is dispersing in this world, soon to become part of the cosmic powers."

The Aura Altar operated like a magnet for souls, drawing in strands of soul power.

"How odd. Such a surge of soul energy typically signifies the demise of a supremely powerful being. And yet..."

Yuv Qian mused aloud.

Souls of the mighty, such as those from the Asura, Bright Clan, and Star Race, would generally follow the path of spirits toward the enigmatic Demon Realm upon death.

Only Devaputras, Starry Behemoths, alien beasts, and members of the Demon Race would dissipate right where they perished.

When a human of the highest echelon died, their soul, along with their essence, would often return to the Vast Ocean.

The soul energy in this part of the galaxy, as sensed by Yuv Qian, didn't appear to originate from either the Starry Behemoth or an alien beast.

"Yuv Qian."

Yu Yuan's voice unexpectedly reached him from the unseen path of the dead.

Startled, Yuv Qian responded, "Yu Yuan!"

To his astonishment, he saw a ghostly shadow emerge from a cooler spot.

The shadow could only display a vague outline, but he recognized it as Yu Yuan.

"A path of the dead!"

Yuv Qian paused, then quickly grasped the situation. "Are you on a path of the dead? Is your ghostly divine body still in the Demon Realm? Who has perished?"

"Mo Baichuan," Yu Yuan revealed.

"Ah!" Yuv Qian gasped. "The soul of a human paragon should return to the Vast Ocean with their essence upon death! Oh, could it be because the Yin Meridian's source has vanished?"

As the former Ghost King Tianzang, a devilish genius of the Devaputra Race who frequented the Vast Ocean, Yuv Qian was well-versed in various mystical doctrines.

He was even deeply knowledgeable about the destinations of souls following the death of all beings.

"He was slain by the Demon Phoenix, which also seized his essence. Only a fragment of his soul entered the path of the dead. After his Primordial Spirit shattered, his soul energy dispersed right here in this galaxy, drawing you here," Yu Yuan clarified.

After hearing Andrea's account and through his own conjecture, Yu Yuan understood that a Devaputra like Yuv Qian often sought out places rich in soul energy to collect and refine it, thereby strengthening himself.

Yuv Qian had become a Great Demon God, akin to a sponge desperate for water, thus he scoured for soul energy to fortify his Devil Soul.

This was the standard practice for the cultivation of an Outland Devaputra.

"I see."

Yuv Qian appeared to grasp everything after the explanation.

"I hadn't anticipated that the Demon Phoenix could now intercept the essence of Hao Yu. In Hao Yu's Yin Meridian..." He gazed at Yu Yuan's soul form and continued, "After returning to the Demon Realm, the cycle of rebirth for the human race must have undergone changes."

"Mo Baichuan has perished. A fragment of his soul has fused with the Demon Realm, while another part dissolved at the site of his death."

"The Primordial Spirit of the human race, not returning with the essence to Hao Yu, is akin to the fall of a Great Demon God."

Yuv Qian spoke with a hint of uncertainty.

He stood respectfully at the Aura Altar, bowing to the apparition of Yu Yuan. "My lord, is there anything I can do for you? Mo Baichuan's Primordial Spirit has shattered, leaving no Soul Mark behind, only a significant amount of soul energy."

"If you require it..."

In his Aura Altar, the soul energy from Mo Baichuan's shattered Primordial Spirit was quietly accumulating.

"There's no need. Bai's corporeal form has been reduced to ashes; he no longer possesses a body of his own. At most, I can only restore him to a Yin God."

Yu Yuan shook his head.

...

In the Demon Realm.

A stray soul slipped through the Shinra Net, blending with a host of bewildered ghosts, making its way toward the blood-yellow currents of the Grim River.

Yu Yuan's ghostly form materialized abruptly.

Upon his sudden appearance, all the souls and ghosts perched upon the Dark Mountain knelt, incessantly bowing in reverence.

Regardless of their rank, it was evident to all that Yu Yuan held an exceptional status in the Demon Realm, even surpassing the ghostly Matina.

Without acknowledging the adulation of the ghosts, his gaze followed Mo Baichuan's lingering soul as it joined the procession of spirits entering the Grim River.

Upon his arrival, Mo Baichuan's remnant soul was on the verge of dissolving under the relentless assault of the Grim River. His essence, memories, life's journey, and understanding of the Geocentric Fire were all fading away, seemingly destined to vanish completely. The stronger the remnant soul, the more susceptible it was to disintegration upon being washed by the Grim River. Such was the fundamental law of the Demon Realm.

Not even ghosts and deities like Matina could alter this immutable law of the Demon Realm, powerless to restore the spirituality of Mo Baichuan's remnant soul—unless, of course, it was the work of the Undead Ruler.

"Reassemble your memories, and then awaken swiftly," commanded Yu Yuan, his voice carrying the weight of authority. A grayish-white glow, visible to all manner of ghostly beings, enveloped Mo Baichuan's fragmented soul. Specks of memory and delicate soul threads, on the brink of dissolution by the river's waters, were now tightly interwoven due to the presence of the spectral light.

The disordered memories and the fading light of spirituality suddenly shone with renewed clarity. In a short time, a gray soul shadow the size of a fist began to coalesce within the Grim River, as if sculpted by the grayish-white light into its former shape.

"Hmm," Yu Yuan murmured, a slight movement in his brow betraying his intrigue. He had just noticed Pantley of the Sea Clan, Harry of the Fire Lizard Tribe, and Ferris, a Demon Spirit, making their way past the Shinra Net toward the Grim River. The Sea Clan, Fire Lizard Tribe, and Demon Spirits were all intelligent beings commonly found beyond the heavens, their souls marked by the essence of primordial spirits.

Upon their deaths, their fragmented souls would naturally follow the path of the undead, eventually converging in the Demon Realm. "It appears there's no need for the Soul Searching Technique," Yu Yuan mused, his gaze resting on the remnant souls of the three. As they entered the Grim River, he whispered, "Ascend!"

The lights of their memories burst forth from the Grim River like a shower of raindrops, cascading toward Yu Yuan's outstretched hand. Within the Demon Realm, he had no need for intricate Soul Arts to extract memories. With a mere thought, he could effortlessly access the recollections of the trio.

In an instant, the experiences of the three, the means to communicate with the Beast God of the Desolate Realm, and their previous hideouts all flooded into the depths of Yu Yuan's soul.

It was crystal clear.

...