C1979 Blood Mutation!

The Demon Phoenix ascended to divinity by mastering the intricate essence of blood from all living creatures. She steadfastly dominated the divine path, resembling a crimson river suspended in the vast emptiness.

All beings from the Vast Expanse, save for the Nagas, could be detected by her if their blood was potent enough. Even beings like Old Ape and Lvliu could be faintly perceived by her from the Outer Star River.

Once Old Ape acquired the 'Life Keychain' and eternal life, he became undetectable to her.

Lvliu, having ascended to Demon God using the white python technique, also rendered her powerless.

Yet, Yu Yuan, the individual she monitored most closely, whose very essence originated from the Vast Expanse, could still be sensed by her, albeit at a cost.

However, attempting to sense Yu Yuan's original form risked alerting his Yang God, a risk she had thus far avoided.

But recently, she experienced an unsettling sensation.

This anomaly instilled in her a fear of losing her grip on the blood of the Vast Expanse's creatures, preventing her from pinpointing the location of those with formidable life force.

With beings like Zhongli, who possessed an overwhelming blood energy field, she had maintained a delicate link.

The sudden potential loss of control over the Vast Expanse's blood power pointed to one possibility.

Yu Yuan's primary soul, shrouded in the mists of his sea of consciousness and marked with the power of the Vast Expanse's Origin Soul, was known to be exceptionally unique.

As the prime embodiment of the subterranean will, Yu Yuan's main soul could resonate with the foundational laws of the Vast Expanse.

It could even influence the core laws' trajectory.

Now, the Demon Phoenix's growing inability to control the blood of all living creatures suggested that Yu Yuan's main form had undergone some transformation.

The likely cause of this shift, and the alteration of the Vast Expanse's blood laws, was the Life Stoste from the King of Desolate Realm, which came to her mind first.

Yu Yuan's Yang God was unable to decipher it, but his heart could assimilate it. Given Yu Yuan's unique nature, the fusion with the Life Stoste could potentially transfer the blood authority that the Demon Phoenix held.

The King of the Desolate Realm might effortlessly ascend above all living creatures with the power of the Life Stoste.

How could she not be filled with urgency?

"Has that man lost his mind?"

The fire phoenix quickly grasped the situation and exclaimed, "His true form is merely a human cultivator at the Unrestrained Stage, not yet ascended to the supreme level."

"How can his heart withstand the Life Stoste of the King of the Desolate Realm? It will surely consume him to the bone!"

Shuddering, the fire phoenix expressed her concern, "I fear the King of the Desolate Realm might make an early arrival because of this!"

"I'm losing my grip on the blood of all living creatures."

Without further delay, the Demon Phoenix flashed out of the Freezing Land and emerged into the vast expanse of the void.

Whoosh!

Her formidable phoenix form was revealed.

Threads of purple lightning, with the power to rip through the void, lit up the dim starry river, creating innumerable fissures from which strange, otherworldly lights burst forth.

With a slight squint of her phoenix eyes, she searched for the right passage among the exploding spatial rifts.

"Demon Phoenix!"

"My heavens!"

The mighty beings of the Serene Starfield, including the Demon Gods of the Devaputra Race, were astounded by the sight of her phoenix form and the intricate cracks in the surrounding void. Yet, none dared to draw near.

"You head back to the Dark Wing Starfield; I'll handle this."

With those words, the graceful purple phoenix dove into one of the spatial rifts.

The rifts wouldn't take her directly to the Perish Starfield; she would need to navigate several transfers to arrive at her destination.

Her urgency was palpable.

...

The Firefly Starfield had been forsaken.

Following Alonso's demise and the vanishing of the river of sword light, a concerted assault by the Desolate Realm's powerhouses on the Chaos Roc had left many stars shattered, rendering the Starfield desolate.

The Asura Clan had largely evacuated as well.

A Shrouded Tower from the Desolate Realm now stood in this barren world.

The Old Ape, brimming with vitality, suddenly became aware of something. He lowered his gaze to his heart, attuned to the stirrings of the Life Keychain.

"Another force, emanating from its Life Stoste, seems to be taking root."

The Desolate God expressed his astonishment.

Currently, only he, the white python, and Lvliu were present on the Shrouded Tower.

The white python, transformed into a stunning woman, paused briefly before speaking. "That's impossible. The intelligence we've gathered indicated that the operation against Cadorath failed, and the box with the Life Stoste ended up in her hands. Could it be?"

Her eyes sparkling with realization, she gasped, "Could it be that Cadorath secretly consumed the Life Stoste?"

"This woman apparently couldn't withstand the temptation."

Lvliu pursed her lips and scoffed, "I despise women who are not as they appear. She assumed such a posture at the Divine Soul Sect's main base and even passed the role of Patriarch to Canli. Yet, after departing with the box, she still chose to merge with it."

"Who could withstand such a lure?"

The white python cast a glance at the shocked Old Ape and shot Lvliu a look, remarking, "I'll remind you, once Cadorath successfully merges with the Life Stoste, she becomes one of our own."

Lvliu huffed but remained silent.

"No, something's not right! I have a bad feeling about this!"

The Desolate God shook his head in dismay, turning to the white python, "Sanya, is it possible that Yu Yuan's Yang God has dissolved the Life Stoste?"

"Impossible!" Sanya declared emphatically.

"Then why do I detect Yu Yuan's scent?" Old Ape inquired.

Sanya rose swiftly from the black jade altar beneath the Shrouded Tower, then chuckled lightly. "That must be Yu Yuan's true form attempting to merge. He's on a path to his own demise! Only those like you and Cadorath, with incredibly robust flesh and blood and who have attained the Tenth Level, could possibly sustain the King's Life Stoste and create a Life Keychain."

"Yu Yuan's true form is merely that of a human from the Vast Ocean World. The human race's physical vitality is insufficient, especially since he's only at the Unrestrained Stage."

Sanya asserted, "His true form will be utterly consumed by the King's Life Stoste, leaving not even his bones or flesh behind!"

Old Ape appeared taken aback but spoke nonchalantly, "A true form like his isn't all that significant to him anymore."

Lvliu remarked, "He's already immortal. If he can refine the Life Stoste as a Yang God, why would he need to merge with it?"

Both the white python and Old Ape shook their heads in confusion.

...

Vast Ocean.

"How odd."

Zu Ann was suddenly overcome with a sense of ease, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from within him.

Lin Daoke, too, opened his eyes, his perception even sharper. He pinpointed the situation: "The Demon Phoenix's grip on the blood of all living creatures in the Vast Ocean World is weakening."

"Have you all noticed?"

Han Miaoyuan arrived in haste, his face alight with unhidden elation. "The Demon Phoenix may no longer be able to use the power of blood to coerce the beings of the Vast Ocean World."

His decision to relocate all mortals from the Vast Ocean World stemmed from his fear of the Demon Phoenix's capabilities.

Should the Demon Phoenix return with the intent to obliterate the human foundation of the Vast Ocean World, it would be a simple task for her.

But if the mortals were scattered across various Starfields in the Outer Star River, the vast distances would hinder the Demon Phoenix's ability to exert control.

She would have to personally traverse these realms, seeking out each world and nation where the Vast Ocean World's mortals resided to carry out her plan.

Given her power to destroy worlds, those she targeted would stand no chance of escape.

Now, with mortals dispersed across numerous worlds within the Starfields, finding and exterminating them one by one would not be an easy feat for her.

Moreover, many were destined for the Gray Domain.

Even if the Demon Phoenix wished to strike with ferocity in the Gray Domain, it's doubtful she would have the means to do so.

Thus, relocating the mortals served a dual purpose: to prevent their extinction should the Vast Ocean World shatter and out of fear of the Demon Phoenix's abilities.

The Demon Phoenix has always been a looming, oppressive cloud over all living creatures.

Yet now, this oppressive cloud seems to be thinning, as if on the verge of dissipating.

A collective sigh of relief was felt by all.

...

"Demon Phoenix!"

"The Demon Phoenix of the Vast Ocean World!"

As a majestic purple phoenix tore through the layers of the void and emerged in the Perish Starfield, the formidable beings of the Divine Soul Sect's headquarters were instantly alerted.

None could fathom why the Demon Phoenix, who had claimed the Secular Bird's domain in the Dark Wing Starfield, would suddenly make an appearance here.

"Head to the Gray Domain and notify Taishi immediately!"

Reid, the High Priest of the Devaputra Race, instructed Zhao Lan, the guardian of the Galaxy Crossing. "Tell him the Demon Phoenix has arrived!"

"Understood!"

Without a moment's delay, Zhao Lan was poised within the Galaxy Crossing as soon as Reid's words were spoken.

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