C2166 Even More Brilliant Bewitchment

He is the final resting place for the souls of all beings in the Ashlands. His presence facilitated the emergence of the Gods and the Otherkin from the Abyss.

Having devoured the Primal Soul of the Everlands, even the extraterrestrial Star-Spawned Terrors regarded him as the origin of their souls.

Every word and deed of his was intimately connected to the soul forms of the Ashlands' creatures, and he possessed the power to extinguish the souls of the mighty in a mere thought.

Not just Tong Laoqian, but all the mightiest beings of the Ashlands could not evade his deathly gaze.

Should he wish it, his glance alone could snuff out a life instantaneously.

Boom!

The grand hall standing in the Star River echoed with the Voice of the Heavens, reverberating through the souls of the awakened.

They became acutely aware that without uttering a single word, he could reduce Zhongli Dapan to a blood-stained skeleton in the blink of an eye.

This was true for Zhongli Dapan, the Evil Gods, the supreme beings of the Gods, and the Demon Gods of the Sky Fiend alike.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Inside the hall, the bones of the Evil Gods clashed against each other, producing an eerie symphony akin to Sunsilver striking.

Accompanied by a series of crackling sounds, some Evil Gods' bones uncontrollably joined with their ancestors'.

Their sinews entwined with the bones of the deceased, bound by the hall's power, and even their evil souls were drawn and forcibly fused by an indomitable will.

Only at this moment did the Evil Gods of the Abyss comprehend the true purpose of the Holy Temple, realizing that from its inception, it was designed to ensnare them.

The bones of their forebears, refined through countless trials, had become the temple's very foundation.

In life, they contributed to the temple's power, and in death, their remains bolstered its strength.

Such was the inescapable destiny of all Evil Gods.

"Human nature, with its emotions, joys, sorrows, fears of life and death, indeed holds a peculiar allure."

He wore a serene smile as he observed the lifeless body of Tong Laoqian, who had perished soulless in the Jade Tower.

At that moment, the Jade Tower, having departed from the Tyria Star, drifted before Yu Yuan, still resplendent with its radiant glow.

Leaning against the white jade railing, Tong Laoqian's face was brimming with joy, a smile etched permanently on his chubby cheeks. Time seemed to freeze around him, preserving his posture for eternity.

His limbs would move no more, his facial expressions forever unchanged.

His soul had perished.

Yu Yuan gazed at the lifeless body, deep in thought, uncertain of how to remedy the situation.

With a tearing sound, at the edge of the Ashlands, the Soul Altar that had extended from Yu Yuan's forehead in an attempt to alter the fundamental rules of this realm was severed by an unseen force.

The grand Evil Temple comfortably contorted its "body," slowly developing hands and feet, as well as flesh and blood.

The image of its ethereal spirit body was perched atop the dome of the temple, seated above the head that was slowly taking on human form.

The towering Evil Temple, akin to a sacred mountain, received an infusion of spiritual wisdom. As the Evil Gods were drawn into the Abyss of Truth, the floating entities, more colossal and terrifying than cosmic giant beasts, began to transform.

The skeletal structure of the temple began to show flesh and fibers, and the bound Evil Gods within became the organs of this massive entity, vigorously supplying dense vital energy and their tumultuous evil souls.

When necessary, the temple, constructed at its command, could ensnare all the Evil Gods.

Much like the countless Bane within the Crucible of Evil, arranged in bizarre arrays to enhance the crucible's power, there was no fundamental difference between the Evil Gods and the Bane.

"We are both undergoing change," he said, eyes narrowing with a smile that suggested he was amused. "With each layer you add to the Heaven's Dais to combat me, you draw one step closer to the me of old. You must feel it—the death of those around you leaves your original body numb."

"The Way of Heaven is heartless. We are embodiments of the cosmic order, inherently devoid of emotion."

"In your efforts to fight and suppress me, you are, without realizing it, becoming me."

"And similarly..."

He burst into hearty laughter. "I, too, am experiencing things I've never before understood. I am feeling your likes and dislikes through the lens of your existence. I yearn to witness more of the beauty and the ugliness of your world."

He was aware of his transformation.

Before consuming the Primal Soul of the Everlands, no matter his strength, he always acted in the simplest, most straightforward manner, avoiding unnecessary complications.

For instance, he had the power to wipe the memories of Tong Laoqian and Yu Yuan, instilling in Zu Ann, Qin Luo, and Van Heqing an unwavering loyalty to him.

He could also alter the memories of the Sky Fiend High Priest Reid, convincing him of his role as the creator.

This method posed no risks, allowing him to effortlessly control the mightiest beings before him.

Previously, he would have opted for this efficient approach, keeping his loyal puppets devoid of any independent thought.

But now, things were different.

He was open to embracing complexity, eager to understand the unique emotions and experiences of the living creatures he had created.

And so, he lifted the seal.

"Yu Yuan..."

Adorned in white robes and a crest, Zu Ann stood in the extraterrestrial void, the Mirror of Fates in hand.

Having regained all his memories, Zu Ann sighed, "Perhaps you are too obstinate."

He was the progenitor of the Gods, their creator, with his might tied to the fate of the entire race; the rise and fall of the Gods were intimately linked to him.

Why resist him at all?

Zu Ann's initial resistance at the Ashlands' entrance was because he believed himself to be the human origin, the Primal Soul of the Everlands, and considered him the embodiment of evil.

Now convinced of his true identity as the origin and creator of the Gods, resistance seemed pointless and unnecessary.

Van Heqing and the others remained silent.

Jihui, observing from behind the Eiwrone, saw the release from the Evil Temple and, understanding the unsealing, chose silence as well.

With a whoosh, Yu Yuan's Divine Visage contracted to its usual size. Holding the Dragon Slaying Stage, he descended into the Jade Tower, greeted by the smiling Tong Laoqian.

As he had said, Yu Yuan was unable to feel much in the way of sadness or other emotions. The Seven Emotions and Six Desires seemed to drift further away from him as the Soul Altar grew ever higher.

He could only experience a sense of sorrow and helplessness through his Solar Spirit, reflecting the scenes before it into his consciousness.

In the midst of transforming into a deity, his Primal Soul was grappling with the complex emotions of humanity, leaving him suddenly bewildered.

Atop the Jade Tower, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Tong Laoqian, who had lost his soul, both resting their hands on the railing, gazing out at the inhabitants of the Everlands, Tyria, and the other celestial bodies.

He watched Liu Ying attempt to break free, only to be restrained by Duan Yisheng.

He also noticed the apologetic look on Shi Jing'er's face from the Skyreach Consortium.

Tan Junshan of the Starmoon Sect, having regained his self-awareness atop a crescent moon, occasionally glanced at the bloodless skeleton that was once Zhongli Dapan.

Tan Junshan's gaze towards him was filled with reverence and awe.

Reid, the High Priest of the Sky Fiend Clan, was internally conflicted.

Then, his voice suddenly resonated within Reid's devil soul, "You will succeed Bertain as the new leader of the Sky Fiend Clan. I will grant you deeper Mind Magic, elevating you to the eleventh level."

Reid was momentarily dumbstruck, then, like Jihui and Tan Junshan, fell into a contemplative silence.

The profound Mind Magic of the Great Demon God, Bertain, originated from the Primal Soul of the Everlands.

Having assimilated the Primal Soul of the Everlands, he had become the pinnacle and the sole soul in existence. The Mind Magic he now offered would undoubtedly surpass that of the previous Demon God, signaling that Reid's compliance would yield greater benefits than Bertain's had.

Unable to resist such a lure, Reid's heart stirred with temptation.

"See, many who awaken still opt for the same path. I am the wellspring of their souls, their creator. My might is intimately linked to them. And should the day come when I face destruction, when I cease to exist..."

His voice suddenly reverberated across the heavens and earth, his enigmatic words audible to all in the Ashlands with sufficient spiritual cultivation, emanating from the void itself.

"If I cease to exist, will the souls that came into being because of me simply vanish into nothingness? I'm not sure myself."

With these words, those who had been indecisively swaying in their hearts suddenly found their resolve.

"Let's get out of the Ashlands."

Ballo of the Starborn, while reconstructing his flesh on the Dragon Slaying Stage, spoke to Yu Yuan: "He's enchanting people's hearts with a subtler form of manipulation, not just simple soul corruption. He's the origin of their souls, and he's become more cunning."

Brie added, "If you stay, you'll be besieged by the Gods and the Sky Fiend. Are you prepared to slay those who were once close to you, like Tong Laoqian?"

"Zu Ann, Van Heqing, and the rest will be commanded to hunt you down."

"What will you do?"

The two supreme beings of the Otherkin discerned the eerie mood of the Ashlands and realized that he was persuading the inhabitants, deeply connected to him, to comply with his will willingly.

"Fine."

Yu Yuan, gripping the Dragon Slaying Stage, gritted his teeth and resolved to trigger its spatial teleportation power.

The Dragon Slaying Stage emitted a seven-colored radiance, stirring ripples that shook the very fabric of the void, attempting to break free from the Ashlands.

Suddenly, the void turned impenetrable, with no space rifts appearing; the Dragon Slaying Stage's capability to pry open the void was stifled by the power of the Ashlands.

Rings of green and black light emanated from the Holy Temple at his feet, throwing the established Void Rules into chaos.

The Holy Temple, monstrous in size, now sprouted limbs and a colossal skull.

Flesh rapidly formed on the bizarre skull, hinting that it might soon possess a real face.

The vacant eye sockets of the skull abruptly fixed their gaze on the Jade Tower where Yu Yuan and Tong Laoqian were. The artifact, meticulously crafted by Tong Laoqian, began to disintegrate.

With a clatter, the Jade Tower fell apart into a shower of jade pieces, gems, divine crystals, and gold coins.

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