C2159 Success or Failure

After a considerable amount of time had passed, the stunning silhouette of the Secular Bird Queen finally vanished from Yu Yuan's view, and he slowly regained his composure.

A disturbance arose in the distance, indicating the presence of an active soul field. Yu Yuan cast a glance in that direction and commanded, "Come forth."

From the vicinity of the Galaxy Crossing, an inconspicuous silver stone suddenly expanded into a towering stone statue. The statue, as majestic as a mountain, emitted a luminous moonlight that gradually illuminated the surrounding dark void.

The statue had two faces, and the benevolent one bowed in reverence to Yu Yuan. "Great Abyss Lord," intoned the Evil God, Hamm, from a distance.

Upon Yu Yuan's summons, Hamm, who had shown unwavering loyalty since the era of the Desolate Swamp, approached with a flattering air. After performing an elaborate bow, he spoke, "The Guardian has been summoning me persistently, and my lack of response must have alerted him. Soon, I may become one of his eyes, allowing him to witness the events unfolding in the Serene Starfield."

Hamm watched Yu Yuan cautiously, fearful of inciting his wrath for not disclosing this information sooner. He had delayed his report to avoid drawing the attention of Beilstein, the old demon.

"The Guardian?" Yu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly as he remembered the deference shown by the Guardian within the hall.

The proximity of the Evil God Temple to the core of the vast expanse made it nearly impossible to withstand the encroachment and mental manipulation of the Guardian. Given his current power, any sentient being bearing his mark would find it exceedingly difficult to escape his influence.

"The Guardian may have already betrayed you," Hamm murmured.

Yu Yuan's keen gaze fell upon the evil soul within the statue, which possessed both malevolent and benevolent aspects, seemingly capable of governing the hearts of living beings.

"It brings me great comfort to know you stand firmly with me," Yu Yuan acknowledged with a nod.

"Master, the Abyss Tribe I hail from has always been loyal to you. It's not just me; every Evil God from generations past has held you in the highest regard. There are few left in the Abyss who revere you as we do," Hamm responded eagerly.

"Our tribe has grown strong because of you, and naturally, we see you as our leader."

"But..." Hamm hesitated before continuing, "Upon my return, once I re-enter the Evil God Temple, my spirit and self-awareness will be twisted and altered by him. The Guardian, due to the temple's location in the vast expanse, has become utterly subservient to him."

"It wasn't always like this."

Hamm had seen the Soul Cleansing Brilliance's power to purify the Devaputra with his own eyes in the Serene Starfield. He had also witnessed the Great Demon God Beilstein, who, using a purple crystal demon body akin to the Soul Altar, had shed the taint of his soul. It was clear to him that all Evil Gods were susceptible to its influence.

Hamm's ability to retain his spirituality was partly because he was from the Abyss Tribe and felt a profound connection to the Abyss.

Additionally, he had never stepped out of line or left the Gray Domain.

But the future was uncertain.

Confronted with the Devaputra in the Serene Starfield and faced with disagreements with Yu Yuan, Hamm chose to remain loyal to Yu Yuan because of his spiritual integrity.

The events that transpired would become memories etched deep within his soul, beyond his power to erase.

That one would surely know, as would the Guardian; there was no hiding from them.

"You could become the eyes of the Guardian, and thus His eyes," Yu Yuan pondered before advising, "Do not venture to the Cold Domain, and do not follow me for now. The Origin Realm is vast, as is the Abyss. You're free to roam, but remember, I have not forgotten you. Hamm, I remember what you've done for me."

Hamm bowed deeply, "I will heed your words."

While contemplating his next destination in the Origin Realm after parting ways with Yu Yuan, Hamm suddenly recalled, "Barol of the Star Race has been captured by Gomez. Knowing Gomez, he will savor Barol slowly and won't kill him quickly."

"And there's more. Brie from the Dark Elfkind has been caught as well."

Hamm continued, "The Guardian has called everyone back to the Sacred Hall. So Gomez, and the Evil God who seized Brie, will likely have to return, albeit reluctantly."

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed at the news.

His ties with Barol and Brie, two of the most powerful beings from different races, were far stronger than with Rebecca of the Banshee Clan.

Barol, in particular.

"Hao Yun, the temple that was once under my dominion," Yu Yuan murmured, his gaze heavy with thought.

"You absolutely must not go there!" Hamm exclaimed, his voice laced with alarm and earnest concern. "He is at the Heart of Hao Yun. The fragment of His spiritual consciousness there is but a shadow of His true might, and you know Him far better than I."

Yu Yuan squinted thoughtfully, choosing not to engage with Hamm's remarks.

...

Hao Yun, the Evil God Temple.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Evil Gods, once dispersed throughout the Origin Realm wreaking havoc, heeded the Protector's summons and reconvened from across the vast Starfields to the expansive temple.

In a corner, Yu Yiyi, clutching the Evil Cauldron, seemed an odd fit among the Evil Gods.

Whether floating in the void, coiled around the towering peristele, or sprawled on the ground, the various bizarre Abyss Evil Gods watched Yu Yiyi with either eerie gazes or chilling intent.

"Why isn't Hamm here?"

"And Arthurs? Last I checked, he was sealed in a pillar."

"Protector, Beilstein was confined by our creator. How did he manage to leave?"

Evil Gods resembling prisms, tentacled octopuses, and withered trees clamored at the Protector.

Having feasted in the Origin Realm, they had grown more formidable than before. Reluctant to return to the temple, they yearned to continue their territorial conquests and rapidly amass power.

The octopus-like Evil God was slick with the blood and flesh of his victims.

His tentacles, each spanning thousands of meters and as thick as ancient tree roots, secreted a slime that enveloped and consumed the life and flesh of the Star Race clansmen.

Barol, the Star Race Patriarch, was entwined by slim, serpent-like tentacles at his chest.

His vitality hung by a thread, and the starlight within him, when it flickered, was greedily absorbed by the watching eyes on the tentacles.

Gomez, the Evil God, proudly displayed his trophy.

"Barol."

From her corner, Yu Yiyi gazed upon the once-admired Star Race Patriarch's tragic fate with a somber expression, yet she remained inactive.

Dozens of Evil Gods, empowered by the Origin Realm and emboldened by violent slaughter, radiated overwhelming might.

Yu Yiyi could sense that more than half of the Evil Gods present possessed the strength to end her.

Within the Evil Gods' lair, under the Protector's dominion, she knew better than to voice any untimely sympathies for Barol's plight.

"Haha, look who I've caught!"

Brie from the Dark Elfkind drifted through the open doorway, his body smeared with blood. Yet the eerie screams were coming from a human head lodged in his chest cavity.

This was an Evil God, akin to Samantha, with a body resembling the greenish hue of trees.

He was also slight in stature.

But now, he was embedded within Brie's form, his limbs interlocked with Brie's, his bald, knotty head bursting through Brie's chest as if it were growing from within, feeding off Brie's very life force.

His name was Olliergues, a member of the Abyss's Thunder Wood Race, born with mastery over lightning or versed in the secrets of flora.

Their creator, the Origin Soul, drew upon the mysteries governed by the lightning and vegetation spirits.

When these spirits pledged allegiance to the Abyss Origin Soul, they surrendered their comprehended laws and rules for the Abyss Origin Soul to penetrate.

Barol, barely clinging to life, strained his nearly shut eyes to see.

And what he saw was Brie, in an even more dire state than himself.

Barol's cloudy eyes, once bright, were now a dull gray, mirroring the despair in his heart, as if hope had vanished forever.

"Dead, all of them dead."

Brie endured a torment worse than death itself, unable to voice his agony, whispering only in his mind.

He longed for death but could not achieve it.

He saw Barol too, recognizing the shared desolation in their fates, recalling the horrific sight of the Dark Elfkind and Winged Race lands ravaged by the Evil Gods.

The Thunder Wood Race!

With Olliergues's aid, this race had invaded the realms of the Dark Elfkind and Winged Race. The Thunder Wood Race, with their tree-like forms, feasted on the flesh and blood of the Dark Elfkind.

Countless valiant Dark Elfkind warriors had been consumed like Brie, their essence drained by the parasitic embrace of the Thunder Wood Race.

The demise of each Dark Elfkind warrior was a sight too horrific to bear.

"Olliergues, you're far luckier than Samantha. Congratulations to you!"

"Samantha has perished, yet you've fortuitously survived and managed to lead your Thunder Wood kin to the Starfields of both the Dark Elfkind and the Winged Race."

"You truly are the envy of us all."

The Evil Gods gazed upon Olliergues, entrenched within Brie, and contemplated the Thunder Wood Race members who had once dwelled in the frigid lands. Now, they flourished in the Starfields of the Dark Elfkind and the Winged Race, as well as the Origin Realm. They silently vowed to swiftly seek out a fitting Starfield for the relocation of their own people.

The migration of the Abyss Tribe invariably came at the expense of the Origin Realm's living beings' deaths and enslavement. Such practices were customary for the Evil Gods.

"Silence!"

The Guardian uttered a sharp snort.

At his stern command, all the Evil Gods fell silent and fixed their gaze upon him.

"Stay here and await further news."

The Guardian's soul shadow, under the watchful eyes of the Evil Gods, slipped through the temple's earth and delved into the vast heart of the sea.

Gomez and Olliergues, two leisurely Evil Gods, continued to feast on the vital essence of Barol and Brie. Meanwhile, the rest of the Evil Gods covertly exchanged words, strategizing their next celestial hunting grounds for the most formidable of alien warriors.

To them, Tenth Level warriors were akin to the most exquisite delicacies the Origin Realm had to offer.

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