C2137 A Few More Glances

Yu Yiyi steered the Crucible of Evil, drifting without purpose through the Ashlands. Having recently ascended to the highest echelons, she seemed to be languishing in ennui, having lost her sense of direction and purpose. She roamed the stars of the Ashlands, avoiding conversation with anyone she encountered.

Whether it was Tyria, Eiwrone, or other stars occupied by Evil Gods or active Abyss tribes, Yu Yiyi explored them all. As she passed by, Evil Gods and Sky Fiends from other realms would bow respectfully in her presence—her reputation preceded her.

Yu Yiyi paused at a small star once concealed by the Starpierced, now claimed by the Starmoon Sect, and gazed down curiously from the heights above. Her appearance stirred Duan Yisheng, Liu Ying, and many other cultivators of remarkable prowess.

"Miss Yu," Duan Yisheng called out, clearing his throat and gesturing for her to join them below with a welcoming wave.

She acknowledged him with a subtle nod and, without uttering a word, drifted away atop the Crucible of Evil.

As the Starpierced, the Abyssal Leviathan, and the little spinosaurus departed, Liu Ying and her companions remained. "Why has she become so peculiar?" Liu Ying, now a cultivator in the Unbound Realm, gazed into the luminous heavens, her eyes sparkling with clarity. "Qin Luo, Zu Ann, and Old Tan—they all seem different after their ascension to the highest level."

Duan Yisheng shot her a stern look and snapped, "Don't spout nonsense!"

"I'm being serious!" Liu Ying retorted, her lips pursed. "Old Tan used to be so kind to me. Ever since he advanced using the Path of the Moon and tapped into the essence of the Everlands, he's hardly acknowledged me."

"Master..." Liu Ying's voice dropped to a whisper as her eyes darted around cautiously. "Reid, the High Priest of the Sky Fiend Clan, Youqian, and numerous Grand Sword Immortals from the Sword Sect—don't you find their behavior odd? Back on Tyria, I overheard them discussing the corruption of the Everlands by the Evil Abyss."

Duan Yisheng's face darkened as he sharply interjected, "Enough with the wild speculation! Jihui, Zu Ann, Lu Hongpeng—all the exalted ones who have returned from the Abyss have confirmed that the Gods' origins lie within the Abyss itself! There's no such thing as an Evil Abyss. The Sky Fiend Clan simply misunderstood before."

Liu Ying pursed her lips, "I just don't believe it."

His level of cultivation was low, not yet having ascended to the ranks of the Most High. His spiritual sense remained unaltered and pure, allowing him to retain his actual self.

Duan Yisheng was in the same boat.

Regrettably, the prevailing trend was the unification of the Gods, Sky Fiend, and Evil God. Those who dared to question this unity faced severe punishment from the highest echelons within their own sect.

Cultivators who had ventured into the Abyss and witnessed their kin at the lowest depths had come to believe that the Human Clan of the Everlands were indeed the Gods of the Abyss.

Once this realization set in, members of the Starmoon Sect, Skyreach Consortium, Forgeroses, and those who had staunchly supported Yu Yuan and Boulderdawn, all suddenly saw the situation for what it was.

Yet within their ranks, some of the younger generation, like Liu Ying, still harbored doubts.

Duan Yisheng was acutely aware that Liu Ying's skepticism was not a trivial matter.

He was already contemplating ways to eradicate Liu Ying's doubts.

There were many like him who, despite possessing uncorrupted spiritual wisdom, had resigned themselves to their fate.

"Focus on your cultivation and stop indulging in wild fantasies!"

...

Yu Yiyi, guided by her own heart's voice, instinctively navigated the Ashlands as if she were the eyes of another.

Neither the Sky Fiend, the Evil God, nor the mighty of the various Gods' sects harbored any suspicion towards her.

She was one of the Most High, and her eyes, a deep shade of blue-black, clearly indicated her profound integration with the source.

The deeper the hue of her eyes, the stronger her connection to the source.

Unlike Lu Hongpeng and Van Heqing, the Most High of the Sword Sect, whose primordial spirits in the depths of their consciousness were blue-black, their eyes did not reflect this transformation.

Yu Yiyi's eyes were her devil soul, her very essence.

She drifted through the Ashlands, deliberately avoiding the Everlands, content to observe from a distance, never choosing to descend into its midst.

That day, after another circuit of the Ashlands, she returned to the starry expanse outside the Everlands, materializing beside the Grand Shaman, Reid.

This ancient Sky Fiend had assumed the form of a gaunt old man, his brow furrowed in concern as he gazed at the slowly spinning "spring eye," vigilant for any anomalies that might lurk within.

Yu Yiyi's recent peculiar actions had not escaped Reid's notice, though he remained unconcerned. It wasn't until he caught Yu Yiyi's transfixed gaze on the same spinning "spring eye" that he took the opportunity to explain, "Not long ago, a staff emerged from there, marked with unknown symbols that emanated a dense aura of death. I've since placed it within the Holy Temple in the Everlands."

The deep-set shadows in Yu Yiyi's eyes were a rich indigo, nearly identical to the devil soul within Reid himself. He saw her as a fellow Sky Fiend, a kindred Demon God, having ascended to the Most High through the power of her cauldron spirit. As such, Yu Yiyi was entitled to converse with him.

With time to spare, he divulged the inner workings of the situation. Yu Yiyi regarded him silently before her gaze returned to the enigmatic "spring eye," the black in her eyes giving way to a more pronounced green.

After a lengthy silence, Yu Yiyi inquired softly, "Lord Bertain, what is the current state of the Holy Temple?"

"The elder patriarch is pondering some issues and has yet to reach clarity," Reid replied, his demeanor unchanged as a dark green flame flickered deep within his eyes, mirroring Yu Yiyi's. "When it comes to the soul's understanding, the elder patriarch has delved too deep, entangling himself in his own thoughts."

He offered a serene smile. "However, there's no need for concern. The Holy Temple's guardian has assured us that our shared origin holds the elder patriarch's condition in high regard and is actively aiding him in untangling his thoughts."

"It won't be long before the elder patriarch emerges from his self-imposed cognitive labyrinth to continue leading us."

"I share that belief," Yu Yiyi nodded, choosing to leave it at that.

She persisted in her travels aboard the Crucible of Evil, navigating the expanse of Tyria. Ultimately, she ventured into the Origin Realm through the caverns of Eiwrone.

There, amidst the ruins of the Stellar Oblivion where the Boulderdawn once stood, she witnessed the demise of the enchantress tribe leader, Rebecca, at the hands of Youqian, the rising Demon God of the Sky Fiend clan.

The final group of elite enchantresses seeking to relocate to the Wasteland was nearly wiped out.

Upon meeting her, Youqian was quite enthusiastic, laughing warmly as they conversed.

Yet, his gaze lingered on Indigo Wraith a few times.

Indigo Wraith, under her scrutiny, was still a ninth-level Demon God who hadn't undergone the transformation that Youqian had. His devil soul quivered slightly, as though something had burrowed into his soul.

After searching and finding nothing amiss, Indigo Wraith dismissed it as a mere figment of his imagination.

They exchanged jokes and laughter, leaving behind some Evil Gods to stand watch, while they awaited the desperate alien beasts and the formidable beings from various races who sought to enter the Wasteland.

Yu Yiyi and Youqian, along with Indigo Wraith and a group of Sky Fiends, made their way through the passage to the Ashlands.

...

On the outskirts of the Frostlands lies the Straikepera, a world where cosmic energy is scarce. It is one of the astral domains that perished due to the frenzy of the Secular Bird Queen.

It is situated not too far from the Annihilation Nebula and Zagreus.

Now, at the edge of this domain, a crystalline mountain range has emerged.

The mountains, smooth as glass, shine with the light of another world.

Crafted by Ji Ningshuang, this mountain serves as the portal to the Frostlands and a crossing to the Annihilation Nebula.

The location where this mountain stands, at the boundary of the Star River, remains a mystery, but it is certainly not the Wasteland.

The Stellar Oblivion and the Straikepera occupy diametrically opposite locations within the Origin Realm.

Currently, in front of the icy range, a luminescent Hex Stone hovers.

Atop the Hex Stone sits Yu Yuan in his real body, his powerful soul consciousness traversing the universe.

He communicates with the hidden entities his soul can perceive, exerting his influence upon them.

With the ability to fragment his soul and wander through various star systems and worlds, he subtly shifts the thoughts of intelligent beings.

He is wielding the divine power he had previously mastered.

Beside him are Ann Ziqing, free from the corruption of the Primal Soul, Ji Ningshuang, the Secular Bird Queen, Xuanli, and the Abyssal Leviathan.

This icy mountain served as the gateway to the Origin Realm for the formidable Otherkin.

He suddenly turned to Chen Qinghuang, his expression growing more solemn, and murmured, "An unknown... perhaps a symbol of death, or maybe it originates from the spring's eye."

Chen Qinghuang met his gaze without hesitation.

...