C2097 Fighting Against the Darkness
Nestled near the Stellar Oblivion, the mountains thrived with a vibrant breath of life.
Throughout its journey, the region had drawn numerous high-level alien beasts from the Origin Realm. The dispersal of Life Seeds had also fostered the birth of new species atop the mountain world.
The Uxthar Tree, deeply rooted in the mountain, bore leaves that resembled miniature worlds, each shimmering with a faint divine light.
Abruptly, the leaves of the Uxthar Tree began to shake violently.
Sensing Yu Yuan's presence, the divine tree swiftly reached out to Mother Earth, who was exerting her force deep within the earth.
Having absorbed many unique celestial bodies and lands through the mountain, Mother Earth's expanse had grown even more considerable.
With ease, a tendril of her consciousness took hold within Sekou's body.
Sekou, who appeared to be in deep slumber, was in fact assimilating the novel arcane knowledge of the earth. He suddenly rose to his feet.
His gaze fell upon the leaf, now as clear as a mirror, where a silhouette was slowly taking shape.
Sekou's face twisted with rage as he gasped for breath, his muscular chest heaving with boundless enmity.
Crack!
His earth-shattering power caused the integrated celestial fragments within the mountain to explode violently.
Far away, desolate and lifeless realms, too, felt his wrath as they burst asunder in the distant cosmos.
"Sekou?"
Yuan Le was startled and quickly made his way from the Beast God Temple, fearing that Sekou had encountered a mishap during Mother Earth's inheritance.
Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the Sekou before him was not the one he knew.
Sekou had been overtaken by Mother Earth.
Yuan Le's brow furrowed, and he spoke with displeasure, "I regard Sekou as a brother. He might not withstand the full brunt of your power before reaching the eleventh level. You are far more powerful than the Earth Spirit of old. I implore you to proceed with care; I cannot bear for Sekou to come to harm."
Mother Earth, within Sekou, paid no heed to Yuan Le's warning, her attention fixed solely on the image of Yu Yuan within the reflective leaf.
A tidal wave of hatred emanated from Sekou, causing the mountain itself to tremble.
Yuan Le paused, realization dawning on him as to the source of such fury.
The greater Sekou's power grew, the more complete his memories became, and with them, the vivid recollection of being torn asunder by Yu Yuan.
Back when it dwelled within the Phoenix Ashes, it was far too weak, harboring only a deep-rooted fear of Yu Yuan.
Yet as it grew in strength, the hatred and anger that had been buried deep in its memory for eons slowly began to ignite.
It utilized the contingency it had left in the Origin Realm, embracing rebirth through the Phoenix Ashes.
To its astonishment, the foe that had once shattered it had also been resurrected in this era, presenting it with an opportunity for vengeance.
"I can return to you the fragment of land that was severed from your body," Yu Yuan's voice emanated from the leaf, as clear as a polished mirror, audible even to Yuan Le.
"But you must agree to a condition: once you reclaim those lands and regain your full might, you will aid me in forging a new layer for my Soul Altar."
"Should you refuse, I will reduce those lands that have escaped the Abyss to dust."
"And more lands still will be consumed by darkness, never to return to your side."
"Consider your decision carefully."
Yu Yuan laid out the terms of the trade.
As an advanced Primal Anima, Yu Yuan had never grasped the arcane secrets of the rules during his time as Lord of the Abyss.
This had always been a significant regret of his.
When he was cleaving that massive tract of land, he was the sharpest blade, never contemplating rebellion.
Thus, before Mother Earth's demise, he hadn't given much thought to scheming for that portion of the earth's secrets.
Years later, he found himself opposed to that being who, after consuming the Primal Soul of the Everlands, had become the mightiest Primal Anima across all realms.
Intent on confrontation, he knew he needed to craft a more formidable layer within his Soul Altar.
Mother Earth, now awakened and swiftly regaining her power, was the ideal cornerstone for the foundation of his Soul Altar.
This was an opportunity he could not afford to miss.
"It was you, back then!"
Inhabiting Sekou's body, it bellowed at Yu Yuan through the leaf, its words slightly awkward and strained.
"I'm aware. It was I who fragmented you, I who led to your downfall in the Abyss."
Yu Yuan's image, serene within the verdant foliage, spoke calmly, "I'll ask you just one thing. Do you wish to reclaim what you've lost? But remember, to desire is to commit to the cost."
Suddenly, a vibrant surge of life, a brilliant blood light, burst forth from the ashen mountain.
The Primal Blood that had been instrumental in the creation of Yuan Le within the Wasteland was now actively involved.
It was communicating with Mother Earth.
The enraged Sekou and the thunderous mountains gradually returned to tranquility as the presence of the Primal Blood faded away.
"Yiya, it's you!"
Snow Kid, Yu Han, who had been placed on the mountain by Yuan Le, noticed the silhouette of Yu Yuan within the reflective leaf.
He affectionately approached and spread his arms, soaring toward the leaf.
He yearned to enter the leaf and reach Yu Yuan's side.
"Travel to the Wasteland and advance your bloodline to the tenth level there."
Yu Yuan's gaze intensified as he peered deeply at Snow Kid, separated by vast distances, and then addressed Yuan Le, "Watch over him. Ensure his safety, or we will come to the Wasteland to hold you accountable."
His reference to 'we' implicitly included the other two Primal Animas on the Primal Blood Continent.
"He is indeed unique. It was with good intentions that I wished to bring him to the Wasteland for an excursion. Our Wasteland is home to numerous realms of ice magic," Yuan Le explained with composure, showing no signs of distress. "That ice force, isn't it meant to be integrated into his heart while he's in the Wasteland?"
Boom!
The mountain abruptly halted.
The entity embodying Sekou spoke indifferently, "I have made a promise. Once I regain my full strength, I will deliver what you desire."
"Excellent."
Yu Yuan nodded in approval, adding, "Oh, and feel free to take the remaining lands. But refrain from harming the creatures of the Abyss that dwell above."
"You're actually concerned about the fate of the Abyssal beings?" Yuan Le asked, intrigued.
Yu Yuan simply fixed his gaze on Sekou.
"Agreed."
With that, both parties had reached a consensus.
...
In the Abyss.
Standing on the fifth level, Yu Yuan drew in a deep breath. His body, housing a six-tiered Soul Altar, suddenly morphed into a multifaceted prism.
A boundless radiance emanated from him, casting light across the entire Abyss in an instant.
Thousands of luminous arcs of electricity darted within him, weaving together into an intricate tapestry of light magic.
The coerced Light Spirit from the highest realm reluctantly shed beams of divine light, which bathed his body in their glow.
Then, the divine light was amplified a millionfold by his form.
Yu Yuan, in his real body, became the brightest star in the fifth level of the Abyss!
His radiance pierced the surging darkness below.
One by one, the cavities of light were penetrated by the beams emanating from within him. These perforated cavities seemed corroded by the light, unable to close once more.
The human cultivators and the powerful beings of the Abyss watched in astonishment as Yu Yuan contended with the darkness.
They were puzzled as to why Yu Yuan, the Lord of the Abyss, would oppose the darkness.
Wasn't the darkness supposed to be his ally?
The vast, endless darkness, like a rising tide, was about 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 deep-sea darkness.
The resplendent and mysterious pillars of light sank towards the darkness below, as though they intended to pierce through the very fabric of the void.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The immense energy of the Abyss, never drowned by darkness, surged frantically towards Yu Yuan from the upper five levels, becoming his wellspring of power.
The wild and tumultuous energy of the Abyss was transformed and purified within Yu Yuan, coalescing into the singular force of the God of Light.
The Lord of the Abyss, who had once returned light to its denizens, now once again demonstrated his might, halting the encroachment of darkness upon the world.
"Darkness!"
Yu Yuan's voice, grand and resonant, echoed through every level of the Abyss, so clearly that all its inhabitants could hear.
"Remember, without my consent, you shall not act," Yu Yuan declared with commanding presence, gazing at the dark waves and sensing the will of the Primal Anima. With a sardonic chuckle, he added, "Since you've acted, a price must be paid."
