C2085 The Best Foundation

The mountain trembled continuously, yet it refused to depart from its place. Deep within, the Earth Spirit coveted the Muddy Divine Soil, eager to assimilate and refine it. Yuen Bu was indecisive.

Sekou, the Earth Bear, pounded his chest and stamped his feet in frustration as the star beneath the giant bear drifted away from the mountain. This giant bear was inhabited by the Earth Spirit of the mountain, and Sekou's actions were a reflection of the mountain's core spirit, a display of its will.

To the Earth Spirit, the Hannya Divine Tree above the Muddy Divine Soil posed no threat to the Dark Elfkind or the Winged Race. As for the Secular Bird Queen, she was clearly still recovering from severe injuries. The Earth Spirit saw no need for Yuen Bu to intervene.

However, Yuen Bu's gaze would occasionally shift to Yu Yuan. His concern was not with Chen Qinghuang or the Hannya Divine Tree, but with the potential interference from Yu Yuan.

"You?" The giant bear's gaze settled on Yu Yuan.

The bear was skeptical of the claim that Yu Yuan had once slain a source spirit, especially since the Eleventh Level Yu Yuan before him didn't seem to possess such prowess. The bear had never ventured into the abyss, nor had it encountered Yu Yuan's true form.

If only it could witness how both the Creation Wood and the lightning source spirit were so tame and well-behaved before Yu Yuan, then perhaps it would believe his claims.

Yu Yuan's eyes twinkled with amusement, offering no reply to the bear's silent questioning.

In that moment, amidst the brittle, yellow leaves of the divine tree, Chen Qinghuang slowly rose from her seated meditation. Her new, opulent green gown concealed her wounds, and aside from her pallor, there were no visible injuries. Yet Yu Yuan, Yuen Bu, and even the bone snake and black goat knew her wounds were far from healed.

Her haughty gaze moved past the Earth Bear Sekou and fixed on Yu Yuan, seeking answers with her eyes.

Yu Yuan gave a slight nod. "There's no rush. We'll wait for the old lizard."

Chen Qinghuang looked on in surprise.

"We'll handle it together later," Yu Yuan stated calmly.

"Oh," was all Chen Qinghuang replied, choosing to remain silent.

"Hmph!" Jee Ningshuang, who had been refining the Starfrost Sword, stood within the blood-red barrier of the Origin Blood Continent, just behind Yu Yuan.

She was harnessing the power of Origin Blood and extreme cold to replenish her depleted energy.

Jee Ningshuang felt a twinge of displeasure during Yu Yuan and Chen Qinghuang's brief exchange, unable to resist letting out an irritated snort. In her view, the likes of Yuan Lianyao, Lau Ying, Lim Zhuyun, and Elena from the Asura Clan, despite the rumors, were simply not on Yu Yuan's level—they were too weak.

Chen Qinghuang was the only one who truly unsettled her. Whenever she heard tales of Chen's dealings with Yu Yuan, she sensed trouble. Their ambiguous relationship, riddled with secrets unknown to others and seemingly intertwined with Yu Yuan's past life, frustrated Jee Ningshuang.

To her dismay, after sustaining serious injuries, Chen Qinghuang had managed to make her way from the Gray Domain. This only added to Jee Ningshuang's irritation.

Regrettably, her cold snort went unnoticed by Chen Qinghuang, and Yu Yuan feigned ignorance.

"Yuen Bu, Zhiya has already returned to the Desolate Realm. If you can't make it back, she'll claim the throne," Yu Yuan said with a sardonic grin, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Keep in mind, Beilstein can emerge from the Evil God Temple at any moment. If he steps out and you're still here, retreating safely to the Desolate Realm will be no simple feat."

Yuen Bu's expression twisted uncomfortably. His five Beast Gods, aside from Sekou, who was possessed by the spirit of the earth, all showed signs of alarm.

The Demon Phoenix, second only to Yuen Bu in strength and possessing the pure lineage of the Phoenix Tribe, had gathered numerous Beast Gods in the Desolate Realm. They had all witnessed Zhiya's formidable power. Should any misfortune befall Yuen Bu, Zhiya would undoubtedly ascend as the new ruler of the Desolate Realm and be favored by Origin Blood.

These Beast Gods, having once been part of an attempt to assassinate Zhiya, might now face retribution and be purged by her, paving the way for the rise of new Beast Gods.

With a thunderous roar, the colossal Abyss Goanna, its platinum scales shimmering, traversed a stretch of the galaxy to reach this desolate and silent universe.

In the depths of the ancient lizard's eyes, a green-black flame seemed to flicker. Its spiny tail whipped through the void, creating a swirling Chaos Abyss with a gusty whoosh.

The Chaos Abyss spun outward, not to draw in the galaxy's power, but to unleash the violent and chaotic energies of the Abyss.

The galaxy's energy in this world had long been depleted by the mountains, leaving it a barren void.

With the emergence of the Chaos Abyss, as it continuously expelled energy, this realm seemed to be transforming into an extension of the abyss itself.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A deep red light emanated from the blood-colored barrier where Jee Ningshuang stood, casting its glow upon the ancient lizard.

Bathed in the deep red radiance, the Bloodline Crystal Chain within the heart of the ancient lizard appeared to be erased, link by link.

The Starry Behemoth, like the Secular Bird Queen, the Chaos Roc, and others, was a creation tied to the origin blood of this realm.

Having been tainted by the Origin Soul of the abyss, its body and bloodline were altered, earning the enmity of the origin blood.

The origin blood was exacting its retribution.

Another deep red light, imbued with a purposeful will, shone upon Chen Qinghuang.

Beneath her dress, her torn flesh rapidly knitted together.

Her severe wounds, inflicted during her brutal fight with the Demon Phoenix Zhiya, were now being flooded with an immense surge of blood energy under the glow of the scarlet light.

For the first time, Chen Qinghuang felt the favor of the realm's origin blood, and she gazed in wonder at the crimson star.

The origin blood had sanctioned her to slay the ancient lizard, leaving her with a moment of hesitation.

Boom!

Yu Yuan, towering like the Scarlet Holy Mountain, positioned himself between the Muddy Divine Soil and the Demon Phoenix, confronting the giant ape possessed by the spirit of the earth. He asked, "I'll ask you one last time, do you truly wish to merge with it?"

Sekou nodded.

The mountain trembled mightily.

"Then so be it," Yu Yuan declared.

He conveyed a silent message to Chen Qinghuang, "The Muddy Divine Soil may yet prevail. The once-great Mother Earth could be on the verge of a rebirth. We should possess the strength to aid the Muddy Divine Soil's revival. I, too, require the reborn Mother Earth to acquire something I've never been able to obtain before."

He aimed to forge another layer of the "Soul Altar," with the foundation crafted from the spirit of the earth itself, serving as the cornerstone for the "Soul Altar" within his sea of consciousness, supporting his layered construction.

Indeed, there could be no more fitting foundation than the mysteries of Mother Earth.

Chen Qinghuang hesitated briefly before reaching out to the Hannya Divine Tree. Reluctantly, the divine tree, lush with foliage, withdrew from the Muddy Divine Soil.

The mighty ones from both the Dark Elfkind and the Winged Race took flight from the ashen land, alighting upon its branches.

"This is your opportunity for rebirth—treasure it," Yu Yuan's thoughts manifested over the enchanted soil, invigorating the sentient beings within.

The Muddy Divine Soil then soared toward the mountain, gliding over Sekou's head.

Yuen Bu, along with the Beast Gods and the Earth Spirit inhabiting Sekou, were taken aback, struggling to comprehend why the land, once part of another Earth Spirit, had become so proactive.

With a whoosh, the Muddy Divine Soil vanished into the mountain, seeping into the rock face unseen. As it did, a surge of the Earth Spirit's essence was drawn out from Sekou's form.

The Earth Spirit was concentrating all its energy to refine the Muddy Divine Soil, eager to achieve its desired evolution.

"Yuen Bu, am I about to make a breakthrough?" Sekou inquired with a guileless grin.

"Congratulations," Yuen Bu replied with a smile, nodding in approval. He was more than willing to wait for the Earth Spirit and Sekou.

Simultaneously, Yu Yuan's true form, deep within the boundless darkness, bid farewell to Jianmu and the Thunder Origin Spirit, setting off toward the Creation Land, the former abode of the Abyss Origin Soul.

The Creation Land, vast beyond the expanse of Tia Main Planet, sprawled out like the jagged spines of a colossal beast. The Evil God Temple had departed, and nothing particularly striking remained to catch his eye.

Yet, as he drew near, Yu Yuan sensed a fervent welcome from the land itself, as if it were eagerly anticipating his return.

The Creation Land, rising from the depths of darkness below, seemed to possess a consciousness, eternally awaiting him.

Yu Yuan felt an intrinsic connection to this land; it was his, regardless of the changes he underwent or the form he assumed.

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