C2079 It Was Useless

Ji Ningshuang's Divine Transcendence radiated a dreamlike starlight, as though it stood deep within the Star River. Ice crystals transformed into starshards, twinkling and swirling around her Divine Transcendence. Her eyes became like a crystalline moon, casting a divine light that could penetrate the heavens and the earth.

"Stars of the universe!" Ji Ningshuang exclaimed as she brandished her sword, stirring the celestial bodies.

The ice crystals and starshards threw Yuan Le's formation into disarray, preventing the Beast Gods from following their intended paths. A resplendent sword light weaved through the void, riddling the stars dominated by the Golden Striped Beast God with holes.

The tenth-level Golden Striped Beast God was initially encased in ice, its flesh and blood frozen solid, then thoroughly perforated by the piercing sword light. Ji Ningshuang had slain the Golden Striped Beast God.

With a whoosh, the lifeblood of the Golden Striped Beast God was drawn out by the sword light, merging into the blade and enhancing the Divine Sword's sharpness. This also added a golden pattern within the sword. The true essence of the metal cosmic order, a secret within the Stardust Blade, was a boon from the Primal Blood.

"Black goat."

Ji Ningshuang's gaze settled on the realm of the beast god transformed into a beautiful woman in a black dress. She watched as the woman, clutching the hem of her skirt, stepped across a smoke cloud made from residual souls, emerging from her shadowy starry domain.

The Stardust Blade leapt from Ji Ningshuang's palm, soaring like an icy peak towards the black goat. The Divine Sword, now an ice rock mountain, unleashed the frigid rule of the ice spirit, its power enough to shatter souls, making the black goat shudder.

The ice energy, forever bound to the Primal Blood, held a bone-chilling force that even the Great Demon God Bertain feared. Souls themselves could be rendered into nothingness by the ice force.

Ji Ningshuang caught the black goat employing Mind Magic, stealthily attempting to locate Taishi's soul within the Dragon Slaying Stage.

"It's you," Ji Ningshuang declared, marking her as the next target.

A cold, tangible light shot from Ji Ningshuang's eyes, piercing directly into the black goat's mind, preempting her Divine Sword's strike.

The horns of the black goat suddenly frosted over, sending a shiver down her spine.

As the chill set in, she realized her attempt to locate Taishi with her Spirit Magic had failed.

Her horns and the hand that had been shaking her dress were becoming numb from the cold.

She was taken aback and by the time she gathered her wits, the Stardust Blade had transformed into a towering ice peak right before her eyes. Attempting to flee back to her own star, she found her entire body had been frozen solid.

Ji Ningshuang's mastery of the Way of Frost instilled fear in the black goat.

"Return," commanded Yuan Le's Blood Clone with a low growl. The black goat shuddered and instantly regained its freedom, hastily retreating to the star realm she had meticulously crafted.

Crack!

The Divine Sword shattered the barrier made of countless residual souls, pursuing her relentlessly as it wreaked havoc in this world.

With the appearance of the Divine Sword, Ji Ningshuang's resplendent Divine Transcendence also breached the soul barrier, stepping into this realm.

The Untamed God beat his chest and stamped his feet, revealing his giant ape form alongside the bellowing smilodon, as they flanked Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body.

In front stood Sekou, inhabited by the Earth Spirit, with Yuan Le's Blood Clone perched on his shoulder.

To the left and right, the smilodon and the Untamed God's massive form emerged.

Yet Yu Yuan simply smiled radiantly, addressing Yuan Le directly, "It's futile. Without your true self here, they stand no chance at subduing me."

The Dragon Slaying Stage morphed into an immense shield, intercepting the Heaven-Shattering Hammer hurled by the Ape. With a resounding clang, a multitude of starshards exploded into dust.

Yu Yuan burst into laughter as he effortlessly extricated himself from the mountain's vicinity.

He burst through the debris of countless starshards, emerging from a meteoric abyss into the formless expanse.

The mountain and the vast array formed by the Beast Gods no longer held any sway over him.

Whoosh!

A deep, blood-red halo emerged behind his head, forming a colossal ring in the starry sky.

The Wheel of Life!

The moment the crimson aura materialized, it naturally created a magnetic field that siphoned the vital energy from all living beings.

Within the mountain range, the skeletons of the Beast Gods that Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang had slain began to float out. The colossal remains of the deceased Beast Gods soared toward the Wheel of Life. Yet, mid-flight, they burst with a resounding explosion, their fragmented bones and a shower of blood swept away by the grandeur of the mountain, vanishing within its depths.

"You cannot take them with you."

Yuan Le rose from his crouched position on Sekou's shoulder. A Dark Tower emerged from behind him at the Beast God Temple, providing a platform for him to stand upon. He ascended to the summit of the mountain, positioning himself before the Beast God Temple, and declared, "The Beast Gods have returned."

One by one, the surviving Beast Gods emerged from their unique realms within the stars, converging on the Beast God Temple they revered as holy. In mere moments, the majority had taken refuge within its walls. They were well aware that lingering outside could leave them vulnerable to the influence of the Wheel of Life behind Yu Yuan, potentially drawing them in uncontrollably.

Soon, only Yuan Le's Blood Clone and his five mightiest Beast Gods remained outside: Sekou, who was inhabited by the Earth Spirit, the black goat, the smilodon, the Death Viper, and the Ape. Yuan Le was confident that these formidable five, along with the strength they had demonstrated in battle against Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang, would not be overwhelmed by the Wheel of Life.

"Spectacular, truly spectacular. I'm glad I didn't rush off," Tan Xiaotian remarked as he observed the scene from the sidelines. Even within his World of Darkness, he couldn't resist offering his critiques, "Yuan Le, without your true form returning, you'd likely be at a loss against Yu Yuan."

At these words, Yuan Le's brow furrowed. His true form had ventured into the Abyss, locked in combat with Yu Yuan. It wasn't that he was unwilling to return immediately; rather, his path back to the Beast God Temple was severely hindered within the Abyss, preventing his swift return.

...

In the Ashlands.

"It is complete." Yu Yuan's Demonic Vessel offered a bow to the ancient tree. "I am grateful for your generosity."

Deep within the ancient tree, the Primal Vitality's consciousness stirred, enabling him to swiftly address the Beast God of the Wasteland and obliterate the star-encircled mountain.

"Rest assured, my Solar Spirit is already on it."

Yu Yuan felt the power coursing through his body, and with channels like the Path of Undead filled with Shadow Moon Essence, he suddenly made his way towards the eerily silent, burning Everlands.

Something was off. The Everlands were too quiet, as was the Primal Soul of the Abyss.

Knowing the Primal Soul as he did, he was aware it was a force of immense terror and should not be so subdued.

His real body was overseeing the situation in the Abyss, with the Solar Spirit keeping the Beast God from roaming freely.

Descending from the towering inferno was the Demonic Vessel.

He settled within the flames at the Evil Temple in Aetherius, observing the multicolored blood that seeped from the temple walls only to be instantly vaporized.

Who knew how many Evil Gods had fallen to the Great Demon God Bertain within these halls?

The image of the guardian materialized before the door, gazing solemnly at him. "The Evil God has perished, and though new ones will eventually emerge from the Abyss, it requires an extensive period of gestation. Bertain has already extinguished half of the Evil Gods. Can you stand by as the ones who serve and wish to follow you are annihilated by Bertain?"

The guardian paused before adding, "The half that perished were the most defiant and deep down, they harbored resistance towards you."

"They were the most susceptible to corruption and influence. Those who survive are firmly within my grasp, unwavering in their loyalty to you."

The guardian's persuasion was gentle yet insistent.

"You can't kill Bertain," Yu Yuan interjected abruptly.

"It's exceedingly difficult, but not impossible," the guardian conceded after a moment's pause. "Had you been willing to intervene, he would have been dispatched long ago, sparing me considerable effort."

Yu Yuan pondered but remained silent, instead sinking deeper into the earth.

His real body, yet to be fully realized at the Soul Altar, was constrained by the Primal Soul of the Abyss, and his Solar Spirit Body was vulnerable to the targeted assaults of the underground blazing fire.

In contrast, the Demonic Vessel seemed the most appropriate choice for the moment, least affected by the influence of the three Primal Animas below.

Whoosh!

In a flash, he reappeared at the Heart of the Everlands.

Everything seemed unchanged, except for Cao Jiaze, now possessed by the Primal Soul of the Everlands, whose eyes had reverted to black instead of purple.

Descending, Yu Yuan caught sight of Cao Jiaze's eyes and glanced at the pond ablaze with flames, his expression shifting.

The contest had concluded.

The Abyss's Primal Soul had reclaimed dominion over the Heart of the Everlands, quelling the presence of the other Primal Soul.

Yu Yuan could even sense that the Primal Soul, which had taken over Cao Jiaze and given rise to Bertain, had been thoroughly integrated.

It was no longer a matter of corruption, but of a complete and utter fusion.

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