C2160 The Wild Ambition of the Primal Soul
Whoosh!
The guardian, taking the form of an elderly human, entered the Everlands through the heart of the Titan Spinosaurus, merging with an array of rare treasures.
Zi! Zi!
Countless arcs of dark lightning danced within the crystal wall of the spherical Heart of the Everlands. The profound meanings of life and the bloodlines of all living creatures dazzled before one's eyes.
Mountains, rivers, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the cycles of time, the growth and decay of plants, the frosty heavens—all these scenes and the cosmic order itself flickered across the crystal wall.
Scenes from unknown worlds, from their birth to their demise, were coldly displayed. The world, its creatures, the evolution of life and death, the passage of time—all seemed encapsulated within.
The guardian, like a specter, floated in silence, observing the scenes within the crystal wall as if uncovering the universe's greatest secrets.
At that moment, the dark pond contained an immense concentration of primal energy, capable of creating more supreme beings among the Gods. A look of uncontainable longing crossed his withered face.
Like Yu Yiyi, he was merely a spirited body, having long since lost his physical form. The pleasures known only to living creatures were likely beyond his reach forever.
Yu Yiyi had acquired a source of primal energy and a body to refine, which filled him with envy. His mockery and oppression of Yu Yiyi and the Frost Queen within the Holy Temple stemmed from jealousy.
He knew what he longed for, but neither that individual nor his former master seemed inclined to fulfill his dreams, leaving him no choice but to wait.
The soul sea, hovering above the pond, shimmered with a kaleidoscope of lights, seemingly intertwined with the Heart of the Everlands and the bloodline rules, unraveling some grand cosmic mystery.
Though he could not grasp it, he sensed its extraordinary nature and dared not interrupt.
Crack!
Occasionally, flashes of lightning and blinding light would burst forth within the soul sea.
As the old man, the guardian could see the Tree of Life, witness the mighty Demon God Reid, and observe the exalted figures of the human race, as well as the maneuvers of the Evil God.
He even saw Hamm!
The Guardian suddenly realized that the individual he had come to report to already knew everything he intended to share.
The entity inhabiting Yu Yuan, the Undead Sovereign, was merely a fraction of a spiritual sense. His true essence remained here, never having departed.
At his place of origin, with his breakthrough intelligence and spirituality, it seemed he was orchestrating something monumental.
A sphere of darkness and a flame symbolized the Dark Anima and Earthfire, respectively. Both Primal Vitalities were patiently awaiting something within his true form.
Lightning, light, darkness, vegetation, blazing fire, Primal Blood, and Primal Vitality—the Guardian could discern the profound meanings of many Primal Animas here.
There were also more complex auras that he couldn't perceive, seemingly emanating from other Primal Animas, including the lingering power of Mother Earth.
The surviving Primal Animas and the intricate Way of Heaven that he had comprehended and mastered, upon being acquired, were integrated into this place, aiding him in deducing something.
"Leave."
The Guardian abruptly received the command and, without fully grasping the situation, made his way back to the Holy Temple.
"There's no need to pursue Bertain. The Evil Gods are free to roam. The girl who was confined is permitted to leave the Holy Temple."
Before the Guardian made it back to the Holy Temple, the will was conveyed.
"At once."
The Guardian promptly complied.
After the Guardian departed, a vague, ethereal shadow emerged from the depths of the azure-black soul sea above the pool.
The figure he manifested bore the likeness of Yu Yuan.
His primary spiritual form, in the guise of Yu Yuan, stood amidst the boundless soul sea, gazing at the fleeting dark lightning within the crystal wall of the Heart of the Everlands. He contemplated the cosmic order, the secrets held by the various Primal Animas, and his current enlightenment of the Way of Heaven.
Darkness and the blazing fire stood by in quiet anticipation.
"The Primal Blood of the Abyss of Truth has perished, leaving behind its Life Seed and a mass of flesh that I have yet to fathom after all these years. This entity is my final hurdle. Once I merge the Primal Blood of this realm with that of the Wasteland, I will absorb the essence of life and the Bloodline Revelation they govern."
"If I refine that mass of flesh and blood once more, I might just be able to create a body of flesh and blood of my own! I no longer want to depend on Yu Yuan, nor do I need to possess him to manifest my power."
"Being extraordinary as we are, with only a spiritual sense, we lack bodies of our own."
"I will change this cosmic order."
Both the darkness and the blazing fire were thrilled by his declaration.
"The Primal Anima will begin to possess physical bodies starting with me. We won't have to depend on the living creatures we've created. Once I succeed, you too will have your own bodies, sparing you the arduous task of forging a supreme being."
...
In the Frostlands.
When Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit handed over the "mud ball" imbued with the arcane power of the earth to Taishi, Taishi was ecstatic.
The "mud ball" merged with Taishi's primordial spirit. Having lost his flesh and bones, Taishi, in the guise of a Sky Fiend, immediately began refining the "mud ball" into his demonform.
Standing at the edge of the Wellspring of Creation, Yu Yuan gazed at the well-behaved mass of flesh and blood, still sensing the awe-inspiring power within. "I will journey to the Wasteland," he declared.
He communicated with the Primal Blood consciousness within the deep crimson continent.
Primal Blood responded with elation, assuring him of its full cooperation.
"What's happening outside?"
Tan Xiaotian, whose soul still bore the unerased mark of corruption, approached with the question.
The Demon Lord was particularly concerned about Bertain. He was eager to learn whether Yu Yuan had encountered the Great Demon God and whether any significant progress had been made.
"Bertain will be arriving shortly," Yu Yuan replied with a smile.
Upon hearing this, the breaths of the mighty beings remaining in the Frostlands grew heavy.
The image of the Great Demon God Bertain loomed large in their minds. The news of this legendary figure's imminent arrival led them to believe that Yu Yuan had discovered a method to cleanse Bertain's soul of the invasive presence.
"Bertain?"
Tan Xiaotian, Taishi, Taixu, and the other God-Kings were all shaken by the mention of this name.
"He has already purged the invasive presence with his own strength," Yu Yuan clarified.
Everyone was increasingly astonished.
Shortly thereafter, following the Abyssal Leviathan, the little spinosaurus, Ann Ziqing, and Zhong Chichen, Bertain arrived in the Frostlands with Kaiya, Youqian, and Green Willow.
"This place was once known as the Dark Realm, but now it's the Frostlands. Indeed, a great transformation has occurred."
Bertain, clad in heavy armor, was a towering and formidable figure. His exposed arms and neck were made of purple crystal, pulsating with an astonishing demonic might.
Yet, within this exceptional amethyst demonform, one could still see the greenish-black Soul Power.
He had eradicated the force that could twist one's will, but he was unable to fundamentally alter its origin; his devil soul would never again be truly pure purple.
Sizzle! Sizzle! Sizzle!
The instant Bertain unleashed his Mind Magic upon arriving in the Frostlands, it began to subtly influence the entire world.
The Soul Power in the Frostlands was sparse and impoverished, not an ideal place for Sky Fiends to convene. However, Bertain's arrival and the power he carried seemed to quietly transform the Frostlands.
It was as though he possessed a natural gift, an instinct that was part of his very essence.
"Lord Bertain!"
Taishi, upon seeing him, burst into hearty laughter and eagerly approached.
Taixu, the God-King of Boulderdawn, paid his respects from a distance.
Others, like Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian, who had been among the mightiest in the Everlands, did not greet Bertain with the same warmth and familiarity upon his entrance into the Frostlands.
After all, Bertain had once been their mortal foe, the Dread Mount that the Everlands could never surmount.
"Primal Blood."
Bertain, perched upon the Book of Time, peered intently at it. After peering through the Star-Spawned Terror's devil soul and witnessing the birth of the Blood Fiend's continent, he suddenly broke into a sinister grin.
Yu Yuan detected the Primal Blood at the heart of the continent, along with the intense cold, both bracing themselves for Bertain's arrival.
Confronted by the Great Demon God Bertain, both the Primal Blood and the Extreme Coldness seemed to exhibit a hint of trepidation.
"Our Sky Fiend Clan's creator has perished. What grudges are there left to hold? With his death, the mantle falls to you. What reason do you have to fear me?" Bertain taunted.
The era when the cosmic giant beast reigned supreme over the Origin Realm came to an end with the death of the ancient spinosaurus, and Bertain stood as the representative of the Primal Soul of the Everlands.
Subsequently, Bertain assumed the role of the de facto ruler of the Origin Realm. Even the Otherkin, born of Primal Blood and Primal Vitality, held Bertain in high esteem, never daring to contravene his commands.
Inevitably, a rivalry persisted between Primal Blood and Primal Soul.
Observing that their combined creation, the Otherkin, could not overcome the Sky Fiend, Primal Blood covertly influenced the Solar Meridian, spawning the Blood Fiend on the Primal Blood Continent.
Though the Blood Fiend appeared to originate from the Root of the Solar Meridian, it was Primal Blood pulling the strings.
Primal Blood aimed to divide the group from within the Sky Fiend, using the aberrant Blood Fiend to throw the extraterrestrial Sky Fiend's schemes into disarray. Bertain likely saw through this long ago, well aware of the deep-seated animosity between the factions.
But these feuds became inconsequential when the Primal Soul from the Abyss engulfed that of the Everlands.
With a whoosh, Bertain soared up from the Book of Time and reached the crystalline wall. Tapping it several times, he inquired, "Is the Dark Abyss on the other side?"
Yu Yuan, present at the Wellspring of Creation, nodded subtly in affirmation.
"Have you ever considered venturing beneath that veil of darkness to explore the true Abyss?" Bertain asked, his tone light and inquisitive.
"I must visit the Everlands first," responded Yu Yuan.
"The Everlands?"
Bertain paused, momentarily taken aback, as Taishi, Tan Xiaotian, and the others exchanged glances, their expressions shifting with concern.
"The Everlands?!"
"Starborn Ballo and Shadowkin Brie have been seized by the Evil God in the Everlands; they're on the brink of death," Yu Yuan stated gravely. "I intend to rescue them."
Bertain fell silent.
Yu Yuan looked intently at Bertain, who had crafted a unique "Soul Altar" from amethyst, recognizing that Bertain was indifferent to the fates of Ballo and Brie.
Yet Ballo, Brie, and Cardo had all once been steadfast supporters standing behind him.
In Yu Yuan's memory, Bertain was a man of deep loyalty and compassion, not one to exhibit such callous disregard.
"The construction of your demonform will subtly influence you, so be mindful of it. I'm crafting a Soul Altar, and you're forging a demonform to counter the Primal Anima. We must remember, we are not the non-living Primal Anima; we should possess the full range of emotions characteristic of living beings," Yu Yuan said with heartfelt emphasis.
He became increasingly conscious of how timely Zhong Chichen's caution had been, allowing him to confront the issue head-on.
Engrossed in his battle against the Primal Anima, striving to escape the clutches of such a lofty, transcendent existence, he had, without realizing it, succumbed to becoming a being devoid of emotion—a far cry from his initial resolve.
