C2097 Fighting Against the Darkness
Nestled near the Perish Starfield, the mountains thrived with an exuberant breath of life.
Throughout its journey, the mountain had beckoned numerous high-level alien beasts from the Origin Realm. The dispersal of Life Seeds had also fostered the birth of new species atop its peaks.
The Hannya Divine Tree, rooted firmly in the mountain, bore leaves shaped like miniature worlds, each shimmering with a faint divine glow.
Without warning, the leaves of the Hannya Divine Tree began to tremble intensely.
Sensing Yu Yuan's presence, the divine tree swiftly reached out to Mother Earth, who was exerting her power deep beneath the surface.
Mother Earth, having drawn in an abundance of special stars and soils through the mountain, expanded her vastness even further.
Her consciousness effortlessly inhabited Sekou's form.
Sekou, who appeared to be deep in slumber, was in fact assimilating the newly encountered arcane knowledge. He suddenly rose to his feet.
His gaze fixed upon the leaf that had turned as reflective as a mirror, where the silhouette of Yu Yuan was slowly taking shape.
With a fierce look etched across his face, Sekou gasped for air, his robust chest heaving with boundless enmity.
Crack!
His power, capable of fracturing the cosmos, caused the integrated stars within the mountain to burst apart.
Far away, numerous desolate and lifeless realms felt the influence of Mother Earth, detonating in the celestial expanse miles distant.
"Sekou?"
Yuen Bu was startled and quickly made his way from the Beast Temple, fearing that Sekou had encountered an accident during the inheritance from Mother Earth.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that this Sekou was not the one he recognized.
Mother Earth had taken possession of him.
Yuen Bu's brow furrowed in displeasure. "I regard Sekou as a brother. He may not be able to endure the full brunt of your power before reaching the Eleventh Level. You surpass the former Earth Spirit in strength; I urge you to proceed with caution. I cannot bear the thought of Sekou coming to harm."
Mother Earth, residing within Sekou, ignored Yuen Bu's cautionary words, her focus solely on the image of Yu Yuan within the crystalline leaf.
A tidal wave of hatred emanated from Sekou, sending tremors through the mountain.
Yuen Bu paused, a sudden realization dawning on him as to the source of such fury.
The stronger it became, the more complete its memories grew. It could vividly recall being torn asunder by Yu Yuan.
Back when it was merely part of the Muddy Divine Soil, it was too feeble, harboring nothing but a deep-seated fear of Yu Yuan.
But as it grew in power, the hatred and rage that had been buried deep within its memories for eons slowly began to ignite.
With the ace it had left in the Origin Realm, it was reborn in the Muddy Divine Soil, ready to face Yu Yuan anew.
The very foe who had once shattered it had also been resurrected in this era, presenting it with an opportunity for vengeance.
"I can return the fragment of land that was once part of you," Yu Yuan's voice emanated from the leaf, as clear as a polished mirror, audible even to Yuen Bu.
"But you must agree that once you reclaim those lands and regain your full strength, you will aid me in forging another layer for my Soul Altar."
"Otherwise, I will reduce those lands that have escaped the Abyss to dust."
"More lands will be swallowed by darkness, never to return to you."
"Consider your options carefully."
Yu Yuan laid out the terms of the trade.
As a high-level Origin Soul, he had never accessed the arcane secrets of Mother Earth during his reign as the Abyss Lord, nor had he managed to incorporate them into his Soul Altar.
This had always been a significant regret.
At the time he was severing that vast continent, he was the sharpest blade, without a thought of rebellion.
Thus, he had not fully contemplated the earth's secrets before Mother Earth's fall.
Years later, he found himself opposed to that entity, who, after consuming the Origin Soul of its own kind, had become the mightiest Origin Soul across all realms.
To stand against such a force, he needed to reinforce his Soul Altar with a more robust layer.
The reawakened Mother Earth, swiftly regaining its might, was the ideal foundation for the lowest tier of his Soul Altar.
This was an opportunity he could not afford to miss.
"It was you, back then!"
It, now inhabiting Sekou, roared at Yu Yuan through the reflective leaf.
"I'm aware. It was I who shattered you, who led to your demise in the abyss," Yu Yuan's image remained composed within the verdant foliage. "I'll ask you just one question. Do you wish to reclaim what you've lost? But remember, to desire is to be willing to pay the price."
Whoosh!
A dense lifeblood light burst forth from the dark gray mountain.
The Origin Blood that had given rise to Yu Yuan in the Desolate Realm was now joining the fray.
It was communicating with Mother Earth.
The enraged Sekou and the thunderous mountain began to quiet down as the power of the Origin Blood's aura dissipated.
"Yiya, it's you!"
Yu Han, the Snow Child, placed on the mountain by Yuen Bu, had spotted the silhouette of Yu Yuan within the mirror-like leaves.
He affectionately approached and spread his arms, soaring toward the leaf.
He was eager to enter the leaf and reach Yu Yuan's side.
"Head to the Desolate Realm and advance to the Tenth Level there."
Yu Yuan's gaze narrowed as he peered intently at the Snow Child across the vastness of space and time. He then instructed Yuen Bu, "Watch over him. If anything happens to him, we'll come to the Desolate Realm to hold you accountable."
His reference to "we" also encompassed the two other Origin Spirits in the Origin Blood Continent.
"He's quite unique. It was with good intentions that I wished to take him on a journey through the Desolate Realm. Our realm is home to many naturally formed, icy worlds."
Yuen Bu responded with composure, "That extreme coldness, isn't it our hope that he will integrate it into his heart while in the Desolate Realm?"
Boom!
The mountain came to an abrupt halt.
The entity possessed by Sekou stated indifferently, "I have made a promise. Once I regain my full strength, I will deliver what you desire."
"Excellent."
Yu Yuan nodded with a smile, adding, "Oh, and feel free to take the remaining lands. But spare the creatures living above from further harm."
"You're actually concerned about the welfare of the Abyss Tribe?" Yuen Bu asked, puzzled.
Yu Yuan simply fixed his gaze on Sekou.
"Agreed."
At last, the two parties had come to an understanding.
...
In the Abyss.
Standing on the fifth level, Yu Yuan inhaled deeply. His body, housing a six-tiered Soul Altar, suddenly morphed into a multifaceted prism.
A ceaseless cascade of light emanated from his form, instantly bathing the entire Abyss in radiance.
Thousands of luminous streaks of electricity darted within him, weaving together into an intricate tapestry of arcane brilliance.
The light source spirit atop the highest continent, coerced by him, reluctantly shed beams of divine light that bathed his body in their glow.
Then, the divine light was amplified a millionfold by this form.
Yu Yuan's true form, on the fifth level of the Abyss, became the brightest star in existence!
His radiance pierced the surging darkness below.
One by one, the cavities in the ground were penetrated by the columns of light emanating from his body. The cavities, eroded by the light, seemed unable to close again.
The human cultivators and the mighty ones of the Abyss Tribe watched in awe as Yu Yuan contended with the darkness.
They were puzzled as to why Yu Yuan, the Abyss Lord, would oppose the darkness.
Wasn't the darkness supposed to be his ally?
The vast, infinite darkness, swelling like a rising tide, was poised to submerge the lands on the sixth level of the Abyss. Yet, due to Yu Yuan's sudden surge of power, hundreds of broad pillars of light emerged within the sea-like darkness.
The dazzling and mysterious pillars of light descended into the darkness below, as if to pierce through the very fabric of the void.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The immense energy of the Abyss, never engulfed by the darkness, from the five upper levels of the Abyss World, converged madly upon Yu Yuan, becoming his wellspring of power.
The wild and tumultuous energy of the Abyss was transformed and purified within Yu Yuan's form, coalescing into a singular force of divine light.
The Abyss Lord, who once restored light to the Abyss for the sake of its inhabitants, now once again manifested his power to halt the encroachment of darkness upon the world.
"Darkness!"
Yu Yuan's resonant voice echoed throughout every level of the Abyss, clearly audible to all members of the Abyss Tribe.
"Remember, without my consent, you shall not act," Yu Yuan declared with authority, gazing at the dark waves and sensing the will of the Origin Spirit, he sneered, "Since you've acted, you must now face the consequences."
