C2140 Death Spring

"It's planning to leave, intending to take all the souls and specters of the Demon Realm with it, using the heart stone I've refined."

Youyu didn't waste any words. Once he confirmed it was indeed Yu Yuan, he promptly disclosed the Origin Soul's intentions.

"Where is it headed?" Yu Yuan inquired.

Among the many Origin Souls, the Origin Soul was a high-level entity, yet its spiritual essence was somewhat weaker, resembling the more primitive and rigid Origin Souls.

It was exceptionally pure, devoid of cluttered thoughts, a veritable clear stream among Origin Souls.

"The Desolate Realm."

The response didn't come from Youyu, but from the spirit of the Origin Soul within the ancient vine.

In a mere moment, Yu Yuan and the Origin Soul exchanged thoughts countless times.

His physical form was locked in combat with the Abyss Origin Soul in the depths of endless darkness, contending with the darkness that had taken hold of Tan Xiaotian, and he had been compelled to retreat to the Cold Domain.

He shared these truths openly.

The Origin Soul confided in him that, besieged by the combined forces of the Protoss, Evil God, and Devaputra, it felt weakened and saw little hope.

Driven by a similar impulse to the Origin Blood, it harbored thoughts of departing the Origin Realm to seek fortunes in the Desolate Realm.

The heart stone, through its consecration with Youyu, had been transformed into a vessel capable of carrying all souls and specters.

Yu Yuan's dialogue with it wasn't through spoken words but through the Soul Altar.

Its thoughts and consciousness were projected onto the surface crafted within the Gray Domain by the power it wielded.

Yu Yuan could perceive it instantly, transmitting his intentions in a flash, and it, in turn, could receive them in due time.

This mode of communication was exponentially faster than verbal or soulful exchanges.

Yu Yuan experienced a sense of profound connection, as if he were engaging in a free-flowing conversation with his own spirit, his Yang God, and his Ghostly form.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan's gaze fell peculiarly upon the ancient vine, its leaves rustling.

He could discern numerous gray, brown, and pale speckles meandering along the vine's branches and leaves, seemingly the wandering thoughts of the Origin Soul.

Yu Yuan sensed that his interactions with the Origin Soul, the collision of their spirits, and the Origin Soul's consciousness manifesting repeatedly on his Soul Altar were catalyzing the growth and metamorphosis of the Origin Soul's spirituality.

The Origin Soul seemed to be tainted by his presence, taking on characteristics akin to the Origin Souls of light, vegetation, and thunder, and it began to harbor emotions it shouldn't possess.

Yu Yuan paused, allowing the Origin Soul time to assimilate the wealth of information he had disclosed. After a brief interlude, he resumed speaking.

"I can resolve Beilstein's soul contamination. If Beilstein departs from the Vast Expanse, I should be able to cleanse and purify him in another star system. There's a chance Beilstein might awaken and revert to the Great Demon God we know. As long as neither Beilstein nor my true form fall into that individual's hands, hope remains."

Yu Yuan began to coax the Origin Soul.

"Extract Beilstein? Perhaps I could attempt it," responded the Origin Soul.

Yu Yuan's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "How would you proceed?"

"First, describe Beilstein's current condition," requested the Origin Soul.

Yu Yuan recounted all he had recently learned from Yu Yiyi's discoveries in the Gray Domain, detailing every event.

"Thirty-six energy vortices? A spring's eye, and a flagpole soaring into the sky?"

"An unknown... symbol of death?"

The Origin Soul, intrigued, sought confirmation.

"What does this symbol of death look like? Since you've witnessed it within the Secular Bird's Soul Altar, can you recall and manifest it with your consciousness?"

"It's quite simple."

With a shift in his thoughts, Yu Yuan materialized the eerie symbols he had seen in the Secular Bird Queen's mind on the layer of the Soul Altar corresponding to the Origin Soul. The symbols, brimming with the essence of death, instantly manifested on the designated layer of his Soul Altar.

Abruptly, the death symbols he envisioned radiated a ghostly white light from the depths of his Soul Altar, like deathly flames being kindled.

Simultaneously, he sensed a disturbance in the remote reaches of the Gray Domain.

"These symbols!"

The ancient vine trembled violently, its leaves fluttering wildly in recognition.

...

In the Gray Domain, the Devaputra Pontiff, Reid, fixated on the gently swirling "spring's eye," vigilant and unblinking.

Suddenly, a thick miasma of death seeped from the depths of the "spring," and on the opposite side, as if a foreign entity had been roused, power began to emanate, probing the Gray Domain for something.

The demonic flame deep within Reid's eyes flickered as if it might be snuffed out by the dissipating aura of death.

An intense longing for death surged from the depths of his Devil Soul, compelling him to dash toward the "spring" in pursuit of his own demise.

Yet, as a Tenth Level Great Demon God, he had mentally braced himself for such moments. With decisive action, Reid retreated.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, Reid had put several hundred meters between himself and the "spring."

Once his initial shock subsided, Reid's Devil Soul quivered. He employed six secret techniques taught by Beilstein to anchor his mind and quell his stray thoughts, regaining his composure.

However, as he withdrew, members of the Fragrance Miasma and Blood Fang Clans, along with a few Eighth Level Devaputras, were lured by the deathly aura emanating from the "spring."

They approached the "spring," tuning their souls and lifeblood to it, seeking a clearer understanding.

Suddenly, the Fragrance Miasma and Blood Fang Clan members, their faces twisted with madness, hurtled toward the "spring."

Their eyes shone with a lust for death, as if bewitched, ready to sacrifice themselves in a frenzied rite.

It was as though the "spring's" depths held the treasures of their dreams, the lifelong pursuits, and the beloved they had missed the most.

Death's intent enveloped them, yet they were unaware of the fervor gripping their souls and every drop of their blood.

They were exhilarated by the prospect of death!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Upon entering the "spring," the Fragrance Miasma and Blood Fang Clan members were instantly pulverized, their remains and blood drawn into the abyss.

Following them, the Devaputras from the Perish Starfield entered the "spring" and silently dissipated into demonic vapor.

All met a gruesome end in the moment of their entry.

Reid, horrified, let out a piercing cry: "All Protoss, Devaputras, and members of the Abyss Tribe must not come any closer to this place!"

His Devil Soul trembled as he pointed toward the "spring," the source of the deadly vibrations, and declared, "Especially here!"

Reid had not anticipated that, as he fled in terror, more Fragrance Miasma and Blood Fang Clan members would be drawn in, and even the Devaputras would be overwhelmed by thoughts of death.

He didn't have time to intervene. Battling his own inner thoughts of death was challenging enough.

"What happened?"

Yuv Qian, Yu Yiyi, and Green Incubus, the Great Demon Gods who had just returned from Heaven Opening Flare Star, immediately noticed something was amiss as they emerged.

Green Incubus remained at a distance, his eyes shimmering with a profound demonic light. He didn't rush forward, deliberately staying back, observing from afar as if wary of something.

Reid beckoned Yuv Qian over and pointed to the "spring," explaining, "Something unusual occurred not long ago..."

As fellow Great Demon Gods of the Devaputra Race, Reid and Yuv Qian shared a special bond. Reid was transparent with Yuv Qian, sharing the details of the recent events.

Meanwhile, Green Incubus, still at a distance, suddenly turned his attention to the Boundless Great World.

...

In the Boundless Great World, a figure exuding a chilling presence emerged from a fissure in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and materialized in the Evil God Temple in the blink of an eye.

Using the body of Yu Yuan, the "Undead Sovereign," he approached the guardian's station and noticed the empty staff wrapped in a cloak.

"You've finally returned."

The guardian, devoid of a fleshly body, bowed deeply within the obsidian column, displaying a mix of piety and humility.

He nodded slightly, his gaze first falling on the Devil Soul of Beilstein, encased within the armor. He meticulously inspected Beilstein's Devil Soul.

Only after confirming there were no anomalies and that Beilstein's thought contamination would conclude shortly did he nod with satisfaction.

He had been informed by the guardian prior to his arrival and was well aware of the peculiar events—the "spring," the bare staff, the strange talisman on the flagpole, and its effects on Reid.

After examining Beilstein, he turned his attention to the cloaked staff and extended a hand. The cloak suddenly soared towards Reid, who was outside the temple.

The staff, previously displayed within the sanctuary, now rested in his grasp. The strange talismans atop the staff grew increasingly vivid and deep.

A deathly aura emanated from the staff, threatening to permeate the Evil God Temple and spread throughout the entire chamber.

Even the guardian sensed instability within his soul consciousness, and deep within his spirit, a faint desire for death began to surface.

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