C1981 Sitting down
The rough-hewn palace, built of massive stones, stood before everyone like a crouching giant beast, a symbol of safety and tranquility that had always been a source of comfort.
Yet, in the instant the Dark Phoenix penetrated the stone walls, a palpable shift overtook everyone's mood.
This very palace, where Yu Yuan secluded himself for cultivation and which signified his esteemed status as the God-King, resembled a giant beast that was now slowly opening its maw, as if ready to consume someone.
"Taishi," Cardo addressed him directly.
"It's fine, just wait," Taishi responded with his usual unruffled demeanor, unfazed by the Dark Phoenix's intrusion.
With a whoosh, the Abyssal Leviathan and the Abyssal Greater Basilisk, both in the guise of intelligent life, materialized behind Taishi at the Starway and promptly positioned themselves before the palace gates.
These two cosmic giant beasts, flanking the sealed stone doors, awaited only Taishi's command to burst through and confront the Dark Phoenix in battle.
Having hunted down and feasted upon the flesh of the Beast God within the Aihoyari, these behemoths had fully assimilated their spoils in the Ashlands, priming them for peak combat readiness.
In addition to these formidable allies, Cardo, Reid, Taishi, and Tianqi stood ready. Even the formidable Demon God Bertain would be hard-pressed to tackle this assembly alone.
With another whoosh, a purple wraith emerged at the eaves of her exclusive palace, the abode of Soul-Capturing. She smiled and said, "With Xuanli's issue resolved, I can at any moment convene the dispersed devil souls to join the battle here."
"Soul-Capturing!" She had manifested one of her devil souls in response to Reid's summons from the sacred grounds of the Sky Fiend Clan. Her devil souls could freely converge or scatter their power, allowing her to amass her strength here in an incredibly short span.
The emergence of the Dark Phoenix had put all the God-Kings of Boulderdawn on high alert.
"Let's all take a moment to calm down," Taishi commanded, raising a hand to silence the crowd. Once the clamor subsided, he continued, "You've all overlooked one detail."
The crowd looked on, bewildered.
"Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit is attuned to his physical form. The Solar Spirit can utilize the Dragon Slaying Stage to arrive in an instant. The current Solar Spirit of Yu Yuan is second to none, and should he deem it necessary, he can make an appearance."
Taishi remained composed as he declared, "The absence of the Solar Spirit indicates that it is unnecessary."
"If the Solar Spirit were to appear..."
"This visitor from Shadow's Keep would not find it as easy as in the Dark Star."
Taishi's statement informed everyone present that their efforts were not needed. Should Yu Yuan sense danger, a mere Solar Spirit would suffice to contend with the Dark Phoenix.
"Indeed."
The Lizard and the Abyssal Leviathan nodded in agreement.
The devil soul, formed by Soul-Capturing, laughed softly and addressed the High Priest, "Reid, you should heed Taishi's plan."
"Understood."
The Sky Fiend High Priest bowed respectfully.
Their consensus left no doubt among those gathered: Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body was now capable of battling the Dark Phoenix across any Star River in the cosmos—no longer confined to the Dark Star or the Ashlands.
...
Within the dimly lit hall, the Dark Phoenix could hear the noise from outside, Taishi's counsel, and the fleeting appearance of the Soul-Capturing specter. She disregarded it all.
From the moment she entered, her focus was solely on Yu Yuan's chest.
She tore open his garment to reveal Yu Yuan's bare chest, where his heart throbbed, emitting a radiant glow of blood light.
The blood light, like a tender sapling, took root above his heart, gradually growing stronger.
His heart was in the midst of merging with the life dew from the Lord of Ruin.
To the Dark Phoenix's amazement, the life dew, an eleventh-level essence from the Lord of Ruin, did not voraciously consume Yu Yuan's flesh and blood.
Yu Yuan's body, in its Unbound state, was astonishingly able to withstand the life dew of the Lord of Ruin!
"Your real body is also remarkably powerful," she observed.
The Dark Phoenix advanced step by step.
Yu Yuan, who had been observing the subtle changes in his own heart, suddenly looked up.
His eyes were like twin vortexes of the soul, deep and enigmatic, bearing a resemblance to the cosmic energy whirlpools surrounding Tyria in the Ashlands.
He watched the Dark Phoenix in silence.
After locking eyes with him, the Dark Phoenix halted, then gazed into his eyes, entranced, and remarked, "Your face has changed, but your eyes... they finally evoke a sense of familiarity in me."
"Zhiya."
Yu Yuan's voice was deep and resonant.
The Dark Phoenix shuddered, her body stiffening suddenly. She licked her lips and steadied her spirit before tentatively asking, "What... what did you just call me?"
"Zhiya."
Yu Yuan repeated the name.
The Dark Phoenix inhaled sharply, her chest rising. The icy gaze that once commanded awe softened unexpectedly. "Tens of thousands of years have slipped by, and no one has uttered those two words to me. I find myself... nostalgic for those not-so-pleasant days."
She chuckled and shook her head.
Her unexpected display of tenderness would surely bewilder the Beast Gods of the Shadow's Keep and those in the Wasteland who pledged their loyalty to her. They would doubt their own eyes.
The revered and feared sovereign of the Shadow's Keep, known for her ruthlessness and capricious wrath, had never shown such vulnerability to them.
Even the fire phoenix, whom she treated like a younger sister, could never have fathomed that this formidable sibling harbored a softer side.
Yu Yuan let his heart, fused with the life dew, connect to the Life Keychain.
Sitting upright, he had to tilt his head up to meet the Dark Phoenix's gaze, which irked him. He frowned and commanded, "Sit down."
He disliked and was unaccustomed to craning his neck to look up at anyone while seated.
No exceptions.
The Dark Phoenix's expression softened, a trace of happiness playing at the corners of her mouth as she obediently sat down cross-legged, mirroring him. "So, you've finally awakened? Your demise was indeed my doing."
She raised her hands, as pale and delicate as jade, in front of Yu Yuan, gently swaying them. "With these very hands."
"Are you angry? When you saved that wretch, did you ever consider what I might do? Let me tell you, she will still die. As long as I exist in this world, her end is inevitable."
Their conversation flowed as if they were old friends casually catching up, yet every sentence from the Dark Phoenix was laced with violence and death.
Because Yu Yuan addressed her by her former name and because he was still alive, she refrained from exploding with rage over the loss of her dominion over the blood rights of the Everlands.
She remained fixated on Yu Yuan's past act of saving the Secular Bird Queen, as if it were of utmost importance.
Her priorities had become indistinguishable.
"We can settle our differences after I've ventured into the depths of the Everlands and witnessed its true form," Yu Yuan said.
"Haven't you already seen it?" Dark Phoenix asked, puzzled.
Yu Yuan nodded, touching his forehead. "All memories related to it remain sealed. I have this feeling that even if I ascend to a primordial spirit, those memories might still be hidden."
Dark Phoenix furrowed her brows. "Is it sealed by it, or by you?"
"I don't know," Yu Yuan admitted, shaking his head. "But I'm certain of one thing: unlocking this final fragment of my memories could trigger an incredibly profound transformation."
"And there's more... Cao Jiaze, that young upstart, ascended using a path similar to mine. Yet, after he became a primordial spirit, he manifested in the depths of my soul."
"It's as if I can perceive Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, and the snow bear through the Life Keychain. Whenever I think of him, I can see Cao Jiaze, and perhaps... I might even be able to twist his thoughts," Yu Yuan elaborated.
Dark Phoenix paused, taken aback.
She then retrieved two greenish-black magic balls, the embodiment of the Everlands' Origin, and grasped one in each hand.
"Are you suggesting that the entity in the Everlands' depths can lock onto all supreme beings through the Origin and exert influence over them, just like it's attempting with Cao Jiaze?" Dark Phoenix inquired, gazing at the twin Origins.
One had integrated with her Demon Heart, attempting to warp her thoughts, while the Ape's spiritual wisdom was on the brink of collapse, nearly driven to madness, on the verge of becoming a mere instrument of slaughter.
"That's essentially it," Yu Yuan confirmed.
