C2044 The Great Lord of the Abyss

In the boundless darkness of the Abyss, the Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian soared through the void like a bolt of lightning, eventually coming upon an ancient divine tree that surpassed all his expectations. This was the Abyss's Tree of Life.

The tree's roots delved into the deepest shadows, while its dark green branches and leaves shared the same hue as the Origin. The foliage, lush and vibrant as the Uxthar Tree, brimmed with vitality. Its trunk was clad in bark that resembled dragon scales, gleaming with the icy sheen of black iron, exuding an air of impenetrable strength.

Each leaf was astonishingly vast, akin to a little world unto itself. At a glance, Tan Xiaotian could tell that the largest leaves on its boughs were the very substance that formed the sixty-four continents of the Abyss's seventh layer.

The Tree of Life could craft an authentic miniature cosmos from the leaves it bore. Tan Xiaotian's gaze wandered, noting how the smaller leaves, shrouded in darkness, drank deeply from the well of dark energy. When these diminutive leaves had their fill of dark energy, they darkened to an inky black.

Such leaves would detach from the venerable giant and settle upon a crystalline ice screen. Countless leaves blanketed the screen, their dark energy seemingly permeating through the icy barrier and infiltrating the space beyond.

"Dark Realm," Tan Xiaotian murmured as he drew closer. He observed countless leaves resting on the screen, while others, having shed their dark energy, fluttered back to the Tree of Life.

It dawned on Tan Xiaotian that the ice force on the other side of the screen was the gateway to the Dark Realm. The leaves from the Tree of Life, once saturated with dark energy, draped over the ice screen, channeling the dark energy into the Dark Realm of the Origin Realm. It appeared that this process was unique to the leaves of the Tree of Life.

"No wonder there's such pure dark energy in the Dark Realm of the Origin Realm," he mused. "When I was there, I searched far and wide to no avail."

So it was the dark energy from the Abyss, seeping through in this manner.

With a sudden whoosh, a massive branch of the Tree of Life, like a spear capable of piercing the heavens, thrust towards the part of the light screen not veiled by the dark leaves. The branch, with the force to rend stars, exploded into a cascade of ice shards.

The Tree of Life, deeply rooted in the shadows, seemed to convey to Tan Xiaotian a stark warning: the icy barrier of the Dark Realm was not something to be trifled with or easily shattered.

"You all failed before, but now that I, Tan Xiaotian, have arrived, there will be no issues," he declared confidently.

With a sudden crackle, bright lightning emerged beneath the thick, black iron-like bark of the colossal Tree of Life. The Primal Anima, concealed within the tree's roots and imbued with the mysteries of thunder, made its presence known, communicating with Tan Xiaotian.

"So, the Evil God named Samantha has perished. And you wish to reclaim what you're missing? That artifact resides in the Origin Realm, sealed by the Great Demon God Bertain?" Tan Xiaotian mused aloud, attuned to the consciousness of both the Tree of Life and the Thunder Spirit, understanding their desires.

"It's quite straightforward. If you two assist me, we'll first shatter the frigid barrier of the Dark Realm, granting me full dominion over it. Furthermore, I'll need your allegiance in the times ahead—not to Jihui, nor to the keeper of the Evil Temple."

"I sense that the guardian of the Evil Temple is beholden to another master."

"Regardless of who this master might be, I, Tan Xiaotian, will bow to no one. I aim to become the sovereign of the Abyss, the ruler of darkness, commanding all Evil Gods!" Tan Xiaotian's laughter boomed, echoing through the darkness as he advanced toward the glacial light screen.

The boundless dark converged upon him, and in a mere moment, the dark energy he summoned eclipsed the millennia of accumulation within the Tree of Life.

Ultimately, Tan Xiaotian transformed into a torrent of darkness, slamming into the light curtain that stood as the gateway to the Dark Realm. The icy screen, akin to a massive pane of glass, began to fissure under the onslaught of the fearsome dark flood.

Then, a thunderous roar erupted as the Evil Temple, rooted in the same dark depths, trembled violently on the Genesis Continent. The Holy Temple, crafted from the bones of innumerable Evil Gods, swayed as if on the verge of taking flight.

The disturbance at the Evil Temple caught Tan Xiaotian's attention and also roused the Tree of Life and the Thunder Spirit residing within.

Tan Xiaotian halted abruptly, narrowing his eyes as he turned to look around. He declared, "The one who granted me the entirety of dark magic, the Dark Anima from the Genesis Continent, has commanded me to pledge allegiance to Yu Yuan in the Origin Realm. But what of it, even if he was Taiyin, the first God-King of humanity?"

"Now, I am even more powerful than he was. Why should I take orders from him?"

"Not even the Dark Anima can make me, Tan Xiaotian, bow down and obey!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The branches of the Tree of Life stirred without any breeze, and the massive leaves rustled as if whispering secrets.

Tan Xiaotian listened intently, his face slowly contorting with horror as if he had stumbled upon something utterly unthinkable.

After a moment, the most formidable figure of the Devil Palace, now privy to the complete secrets of dark magic, had a flicker of indecision in his eyes. It took a long while before he stubbornly proclaimed, "No, that won't do at all!"

Once more, he transformed into a dark surge, relentlessly battering the icy barrier that led to the Dark Realm.

At last, after innumerable assaults, the ice wall of the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone in the Origin Realm, which sealed the Dark Realm, crumbled under the persistent onslaught of Tan Xiaotian, the Eleventh Level Demon Lord.

Boom!

Tan Xiaotian burst through the shattered barrier, the first to step into the Dark Realm. With a sinister chuckle, he announced, "I have returned!"

"In the Dark Realm, I shall forge my very own Darkland!"

Following his lead, the colossal Tree of Life morphed its branches into long spears, thrusting through the fissure Tan Xiaotian had opened, piercing the icy wall.

Before long, the Tree of Life, long yearning to enter the Origin Realm, along with the Thunder Spirit it harbored, also made their way into the Dark Realm.

...

In the Everlands, deep within the heart of the earth.

"Welcome back."

The Blazing Fire, now inhabiting Yuan Lianyao's Fire Demon form, gave a slight bow to Yu Yuan's true form and spoke with a voice both sweet and mellifluous, "It resides deep within your soul, having departed the Abyss alongside you. In the grand scheme, it is you who will emerge as the victor from your clash with the Titan Spinosaurus."

"The Titan Spinosaurus has perished, yet you live. Thanks to you, humanity has been reborn in the Everlands and now stands on the brink of conquering the Origin Realm."

"Moreover, your Solar Spirit Body has fully embraced the profound Secrets of Life from the Primal Blood. The Ashlands, a mystical world forged by the Titan Spinosaurus, is now yours to command."

"O great Lord of the Abyss, you have acquired all that you desired. Your victory is complete."

"Thus, you may now awaken in full."

Jihui spoke these words with a slow burn.

Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan was struck by an inexplicable mental shock.

*Crack!*

The dark green chains that once confined the dominant soul could no longer contain it. Memories and an unusual essence began to seep out into his sea of consciousness.

"Who ventured into Cao Jiaze's mind from the bowels of the earth? Who has been condensing the Origin in the Everlands? Could it be someone other than him?" Yu Yuan's primary self clutched his head, while the Solar Spirit shrieked in alarm.

"You are aware that the Everlands is home to two Primal Souls."

"The Primal Soul originating from the Abyss has been lurking within the recesses of your soul. It was ensnared alongside your memories, prior to the dominant soul, influencing the Primal Soul of the Everlands, warping its thoughts and essence."

"The Primal Soul of the Everlands believed it hailed from the Abyss, convinced that all its actions were justifiable."

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