C2150 A Light Punishment

Yu Yuan was taken aback.

Despite being aware of the mysterious origins of the death symbols and knowing they could drive her into a frenzy of spreading death's power, Chen Qinghuang refused to address them.

She was prepared to embrace a state of relentless killing and insanity.

"Why?" Yu Yuan couldn't help but inquire.

"I need greater strength," Chen Qinghuang explained, "To kill the Demon Phoenix, I'm willing to take the risk."

Yu Yuan fell silent.

She had perished in both her lives due to the Demon Phoenix Zhiya's schemes, a hatred that could not coexist under the same sky.

As a reborn human, her recent battle with Zhiya in the Gray Domain had her at her peak, stronger than she had been 100,000 years prior.

Yet, she felt no hope of victory against Zhiya.

In the boundless darkness, she abandoned any hope of rebirth, converting all her power to death, which unleashed a force beyond her previous self.

She realized that her conventional fighting style and power would likely be insufficient to defeat Zhiya.

The enigmatic death symbols, however, deepened her understanding of death's essence, revealing a potential way to vanquish Zhiya.

For that chance, she was ready to embrace the risks and disregard the lives lost in her wake.

"Don't concern yourself with me, nor interfere with me."

"And please, don't try to stop me!"

Chen Qinghuang's final plea resonated with unwavering resolve.

Yu Yuan observed her from a distance, noting her averted gaze, suggesting she didn't wish to meet his eyes.

The aura of death and firm resolve emanating from her indicated a decision made, one she didn't want anyone to alter.

In the Abyss, Origin Realm, and Desolate Realm, few were deemed worthy to engage her in battle.

Since Yuan Li and the Demon Phoenix had departed for the Origin Realm, only Yu Yuan remained who could best her, at least until Beilstein decided to emerge.

Her plea was clear: she hoped Yu Yuan would not stand in her way.

She sought to harness her frenzied spread of death to grasp a deeper, higher understanding of its true essence and to find the power to defeat the Demon Phoenix Zhiya.

All of this was pursued under the glow of the Soul Cleansing Brilliance.

Andrea and Yuv Qian, the two Great Demon Gods, overheard the exchange between him and the Secular Bird Queen. They exchanged silent glances, their eyes betraying an unusual intensity.

Yu Yuan, too, was frowning in silence.

Whoosh!

The greenish-gray Divine Bird soared toward the Sea of Falling Rocks that Saka had meticulously refined.

The Sea of Falling Rocks, resplendent like a galaxy, was now swarming with innumerable Yin Corpses. These Yin Corpses, like pebbles, were cast into the Sea, fragmenting Saka's Devil Soul into tiny shards.

The invisible earth veins that Saka had used to link the meteorites were being torn apart by the relentless Yin Corpses.

The Devaputra, lacking a physical form, had crafted this mysterious and expansive meteorite sea as his unique devilish body.

He could have ensnared Chen Qinghuang, encircled the greenish-gray Divine Bird with the meteorite sea, and hunted the Chaos Roc-like Starry Behemoth.

But now, the numerous Yin Corpses, like voracious parasites devouring an elephant, were wreaking havoc in the meteorite sea, damaging his devilish form.

He was not intimidated by massive creatures, yet the Yin Corpses, radiating with the power of death, were causing him great distress.

His primary Devil Soul, adjacent to the mountain of corpses and demonic creatures, manipulated thousands of feet of rubble and the earth's gravity itself, bombarding the colossus that towered millions of feet high.

Yet the mountain of corpses and demons felt no pain. With each strike, it was dismembered, only to be stitched back together and replenished by fresh Yin Corpses.

Once the immense mountain of corpses and demons was buried by the meteorites, the greenish-gray Divine Bird gently stirred its wings, causing the stones concealing the monstrosity to burst apart.

The mountain of corpses and demons broke free, dispersing its potent death energy into different fissures in the meteorite-strewn earth.

Bit by bit, the connections that constituted Saka's devilish body were severed.

The meteorites hurtled and howled, their flight and the profound secrets of the earth beneath them now tainted by the infusion of death energy.

Great Demon God Saka, the ancient Heavenly Demon with an eternal lifespan, was gradually being worn down by the Secular Bird Queen. He was inching ever closer to the path that leads to death.

On the other side, within the Still Starfield, Yang God Yu Yuan, who had remained in the Cold Domain, suddenly emerged. Within his divine form, a vibrant seven-colored light coursed through his veins and meridians, reminiscent of a primordial Heaven Opening Divine Stone radiating intense spatial abilities. At this moment, the Yang God could traverse to the battlefield in the Serene Starfield using his connection with his main body and the Dragon Slash Platform. Similarly, his main body could instantly reach the Yang God's location via the Dragon Slash Platform.

Jee Ningshuang, Ann Ziqing, and Xuanli, now free from the Abyss Origin Soul Seals, witnessed the arrival of ground beetles, a Spinosaurus, and a Chaos Roc. The emergence of Yang God Yu Yuan signaled to them that significant events were unfolding in the Serene Starfield. "The Secular Bird Queen has unleashed a catastrophe in the Serene Starfield," Yu Yuan murmured, keeping an eye on the developments there. "Don't be overly concerned; this is all part of the plan to rescue the Great Demon God Beilstein."

At present, the Cold Domain was tranquil. Denise of the Star Race and their warriors had settled their emotions after joining forces with Elena of the Asura Clan. Tan Xiaotian only had a few remnants within his soul that needed cleansing, and as long as he stayed within the Cold Domain, there was nothing to worry about. The darkness on the other end was also stable, requiring no particular attention. Thus, his Yang God had left the Cold Domain, ready to synchronize actions with his main body.

In the Vast Expanse, the interior of the grand Evil God Temple housed the sealed Devil Soul of the Great Demon God Beilstein, encased within armor forged by the Heaven and Earth Furnace. The green-black Devil Soul was motionless, as if time itself had been suspended. Beilstein, the sovereign of the Origin Realm, had been in this state for quite some time. Across from the armor, a guardian resembling an elderly human would occasionally flicker into view. He would gaze intently at Beilstein's Devil Soul to confirm there were no anomalies before vanishing just as suddenly.

He served as the guardian of the temple, utilizing the Evil God Temple to communicate with the myriad of Evil Gods active in the Origin Realm. He could observe the movements of any Evil Gods present in the Origin Realm through this enigmatic temple, expending some energy to make them his eyes.

In a corner of the temple, Yu Yiyi leaned against the wall, which was as dry and brittle as bones, idly toying with the petite Evil Cauldron in her hands. Yu Yiyi had been commanded by her master to remain within the temple and was forbidden from leaving for the time being. She dared not defy the order.

"Master, may I be allowed to step out and catch a glimpse of Lord Beilstein?" pleaded Ice Concubine from within the miniature world of the cauldron. Having ascended to the rank of a formidable Evil Demon, she yearned for a closer look. Once a Freezing Devaputra, Beilstein represented the faith of the entire Devaputra Race to her—an unattainable and majestic presence. Both she and her father held a profound, heartfelt veneration for Beilstein.

Now, this revered figure was also within the temple, his Devil Soul housed within the peculiar armor, and she longed to pay her respects up close.

"There's nothing worth seeing," Yu Yiyi remarked dismissively. Yet, she relented and released Ice Concubine, allowing her to materialize outside the cauldron. The Ice Concubine, with her crystalline ice body and elongated form, her scorpion tail glinting with frost, was strikingly distinctive.

She edged closer, eager to lay eyes on Beilstein. A vague nervousness overtook her, as if merely being in his proximity could stifle her breath.

"Halt!" commanded the guardian, emerging just in time to prevent Ice Concubine from drawing any nearer. His authoritative voice boomed, "I am tasked with safeguarding Beilstein. He has instructed that no one is to approach him!"

Ice Concubine obediently came to a stop, a hint of grievance in her voice as she acknowledged, "Understood."

The enigmatic Evil God Temple and its equally mysterious guardian held unparalleled power, emblematic of the depths of the Abyss and an object of reverence for the Evil Gods. In the presence of such an entity, Ice Concubine, a mere Evil Demon, dared not overstep her bounds.

"There is, in essence, no real difference between you and me."

Yu Yiyi suddenly rose to her feet, gliding effortlessly to stand before the Ice Concubine, paying no heed to the guardian's rebuke. She positioned herself in front of the Great Demon God Beilstein's armor without a glance in his direction. Instead, she defiantly locked eyes with the aged guardian and declared coldly, "You are the Artifact Soul of this temple, and the temple itself is a formidable killing artifact crafted by our master. The master wielded this temple to dominate all the Evil Gods of the Abyss, just as I command the Fiend Demons within the cauldron."

"Senior, we are both Artifact Souls. Why must you be so high and mighty?" she challenged.

"It's different," the guardian retorted, elevating himself on a jet-black jade pillar, looking down with disdain at the presumptuous young woman. "Every Evil God that enters this temple possesses the highest level of power. Any one of the Evil Gods under my command could give you a run for your money, unlike those Fiend Demons in your cauldron..."

His gaze shifted to the Ice Concubine, and with a scoff, he continued, "Devils, Heavenly Devils, they don't hold a candle to the Evil Gods, let alone the Protoss. They lack even a flesh and blood body, riddled with too many imperfections to be deemed worthy of this temple's presence."

The guardian was privy to secrets unknown to many.

The Heavenly Devil was a race forged by the Vast Ocean Origin Soul, and their very source had been consumed by that entity.

In his heart, the guardian esteemed the Protoss born from the Abyss and other members of the Abyss Tribe as his true progeny.

To the guardian, as he stood now, the Heavenly Devils of the Origin Realm had diminished in stature.

"Without my permission, not a single one of your cauldron's Evil Devils may emerge!" he declared with a cold huff.

High above, within the vaulted dome, a myriad of spiderweb-like rainbows materialized, and a force beyond resistance surged downward.

Boom!

A hollow column of light enveloped the Ice Concubine, and lashes of lightning, born of laws, struck her mercilessly.

The formidable Evil Devil that was the Ice Concubine, her body as crystalline as ice, began to fracture and crumble under the assault.

Within her icy carved form, the soul of the Ice Concubine began to emit faint wisps of smoke.

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