C2176 My Hand!
In the Wasteland, Yu Yuan wielded the Wellspring of Creation, soaring toward the mountain that once revealed the Origin Realm. This peak, encircled by stars, was known to the inhabitants as the Peak of Creation, symbolizing the seizing of the universe's essence.
Within the mountain lay Primal Blood, a concealed low-level Earth Spirit, and the Beast God Temple, capable of endlessly resurrecting the Beast Gods. Indeed, the Peak of Creation possessed the power to claim the universe's essence.
The Astral Tiger, having assumed human form, was broad and powerful, with vital energy swirling around its figure as it led the way. Despite Yu Yuan's repeated invitations, the Astral Tiger steadfastly refused to draw near the Wellspring of Creation. To him, after witnessing the tragic end of three Beast Gods, the Wellspring was nothing less than a monstrous peril.
Through conversation with Yu Yuan, it was revealed that the Dark Phoenix, wielding the Phoenix Shrine, was searching for something in the Wasteland alongside Yu Zhu. Zhiya had refined a star within the Wasteland, creating the Sacred Land of the Phoenix as a haven for the Beast Gods, alien beasts, and archdemons loyal to her.
Recently, with the departure of the Phoenix Shrine, the Sacred Land of the Phoenix, established by Zhiya, came under siege by the realm's Beast Gods. The Astral Tiger failed to await the Shrine's return or Zhiya's arrival.
Confronted by a multitude of Beast Gods, the Astral Tiger slew two and led the Shadow's Keep's mightiest from the Sacred Land of the Phoenix, drawing the most formidable Beast Gods away in a selfless act to allow the others to escape.
The pursuing Beast Gods informed him that Yuan Le had intervened, pursuing the Phoenix Shrine across the Wasteland, preventing Zhiya's return to the Sacred Land of the Phoenix.
When speaking of the Shadow's Keep's supreme leader, the Astral Tiger's expression was one of unmistakable reverence. He was convinced that the Dark Phoenix, even when facing the Lord of Ruin, would undoubtedly persevere.
Moreover, the Dark Phoenix would undoubtedly gain even greater power from her confrontation with Yuan Le.
His devotion and belief in the Dark Phoenix were beyond reason.
He was aware that Yuan Le's strength originated from the Peak of Creation, a mountain filled with Primal Blood, and the Beast God Temple, shrouded in more mystery than the Phoenix Shrine and intimately connected to the life and death of all Beast Gods in the Wasteland.
To deplete Yuan Le's power and alleviate the burden on the Dark Phoenix, he had guided Yu Yuan to seek out the Peak of Creation.
"Master, you often come up in conversations with Her Highness Yu Zhu," the Astral Tiger suddenly remarked.
Yu Zhu's tender connection with the Dark Phoenix's Zhiya was no secret.
As a loyal follower and confidant of the Dark Phoenix, the Astral Tiger was aware that Yu Zhu carried the Dark Phoenix's lineage within her.
Moreover, the Astral Tiger sensed Yu Yuan's soul presence in Yu Zhu, and her name remained unchanged by Zhiya.
"Your Highness?"
Yu Yuan, who had been examining the Wellspring of Creation and gently tracing the yet-to-materialize nine-layered wall to uncover its mysteries, looked up at the question, "How is Yu Zhu doing?"
"She rivals the Master in power. She's truly unique; among all the Beast Gods at Shadow's Keep, her soul is the most potent, with boundless potential for growth. She recently mentioned that she feels her soul has surpassed that of Yuan Le's black goat, and she's confident she could defeat it."
The Astral Tiger, harboring doubts, openly shared Yu Zhu's exceptional nature, "In all my travels through the Everlands and the Origin Realm, I've yet to encounter any evilkind or alien beast as extraordinary as her. The only one who might compare is Kaiya from Boulderdawn, but her physical form is far too frail."
He shook his head.
From his implication, it was clear that Yu Zhu's talents and potential eclipsed even those of the Demon God Bertain's daughter.
Kaiya was born of a union between the Sky Fiend and the Gods, a unique being in the Origin Realm, conceived from the Demon God's own lifesoul.
Suddenly,
A crimson flame, like a drop of blood, flickered to life on the tip of Yu Yuan's left finger, revealing Youyu within it.
After bidding Youyu farewell, Yu Yuan set off aboard the Wellspring of Creation to locate the mountain, having left behind a means of communication before venturing to explore the celestial expanses of the Wasteland.
On Youyu's side, there was a drop of blood refined by the Solar Spirit, which served as a communication device between the two.
Within the flames, Youyu observed the carcasses of black goats scattered around the dark green star encased by the soul stone. Above this star, where ghosts now roamed freely, a new Root of the Lunar Meridian was suspended in the sky.
The Root of the Lunar Meridian stretched across the heavens like a celestial river, drawing in the residual souls of alien beasts that had perished at the hands of the Secular Bird Queen.
Razses, Luo Yue, and Wagner, akin to Gods of Ghosts, directed a multitude of ghosts to swirl around the Root of the Lunar Meridian, transforming it into finer tributaries, which channeled their spirits for the use of the Root's spiritual essence.
"Yu Zhu has detected this Lunar Meridian," Youyu announced amidst the flames. "She's inquiring whether you've entered the Wasteland, and whether it was with your real body or your Solar Spirit."
The Wellspring of Creation came to a halt, and the Astral Tiger, leading the way, also took note of the peculiar activity within the flame.
The flame danced, morphing into a droplet of blood resembling red agate. Within this blood, Youyu's form and the emanations of his soul became apparent, and the Astral Tiger listened intently, perceiving the vibrations.
The name Yu Zhu reached the ears of the Astral Tiger.
"Your Highness!" he exclaimed suddenly, attempting to draw the attention of Yu Zhu within the droplet of blood.
Regrettably, only Youyu, the Undead Sovereign, had the ability to communicate with Yu Zhu through the Lunar Meridian in that shadowy green realm.
"Convey to her that the Astral Tiger is currently with me and that it will escort me to the Peak of Creation. I intend to visit the Peak of Creation and directly seek an audience with the Primal Blood of this realm," Yu Yuan directed.
"Understood," Youyu acknowledged with a nod. After a brief pause, he added, "Yu Zhu mentioned that she and her mother will also be visiting the Peak of Creation soon. She has requested that you look after the Astral Tiger to prevent it from falling prey to the Beast God."
Yu Yuan cast a peculiar glance at the Astral Tiger.
"What did Youyu say?" the Astral Tiger inquired.
"Yu Zhu and the Hall Master you serve will soon make their way to the Peak of Creation. It seems Yuan Le lacks the power to slay Zhiya in the Wasteland. Yu Zhu has asked me to watch over you, to ensure you don't become a target for the Beast God," Yu Yuan responded.
The Astral Tiger's face registered shock, but it quickly broke into a sly grin and nodded. "The Hall Master intends to visit the Peak of Creation in person; clearly, he doesn't see Yuan Le's pursuit as a threat. Hehe, that young lady is quite compassionate, worrying that I might be besieged by the Beast God."
"What else?" Yu Yuan pressed.
Youyu replied, "Her spiritual sense has departed."
With a somber tone, Youyu continued, "When she was in the Everlands, she ascended to godhood through the Root of the Lunar Meridian. She has only grasped a fraction of the murky mysteries of the soul. Oddly enough, she's become inscrutable to me. As soon as this new Lunar Meridian emerged and its spiritual sense was kindled, she instantly connected with it."
"She comes and goes from the Lunar Meridian at will, and I'm clueless about her whereabouts."
Youyu's frustration was palpable; even as the Undead Sovereign, he couldn't manipulate the Lunar Meridian remotely like Yu Zhu could within the Wasteland.
"She's at Zhiya's Phoenix Shrine, a place shrouded with too many secrets. There's no need for concern," Yu Yuan reassured.
Together, the man and the demon made their way toward the Peak of Creation.
The Wasteland, much like the Origin Realm, consisted of numerous astral domains. The Wellspring of Creation had reached an unfamiliar astral domain, where dozens of stars of varying sizes were suffused with an aura of death.
In the rugged, ancient stone temple, amidst the cracked earth and beside the withered ancient wood, lay the skeletons of alien beasts.
It was evident that the Secular Bird Queen had visited this place.
Unlike the Otherkin in the domains of Zagreus and Straikepera, these fallen alien beasts hadn't transformed into ghouls capable of movement; they simply lay in isolation on the ground.
The cosmic energy of the Astral Domain, once a source of nourishment for living flesh, seemed to have been usurped by a pervasive death force.
This was a stark contrast to the place Yu Yuan had first encountered.
The Secular Bird Queen, through her relentless dissemination of death across the Wasteland, had grown even more formidable and fearsome.
In the wake of her departure, the death force within the Astral Domain had consumed the life force of the cosmos, rendering the entire space devoid of vitality. Powerhouses like Yu Yuan and the Astral Tiger found themselves unable to draw upon the cosmic energy of this realm to replenish their own vitality.
The Astral Tiger furrowed its brow, conjuring a protective light barrier around itself to ward off the encroaching death aura.
"Did she come to the Wasteland just to slaughter alien beasts?"
The Astral Tiger learned from Yu Yuan that the Secular Bird Queen's arrival had left all the alien beasts as nothing but bones. His face grew grim with displeasure.
While the Wasteland was a haven for alien beasts, it was also home to a mix of other intelligent lifeforms, most of whom regarded Yuan Le as their sovereign.
Yet, there were alien beasts and intelligent lifeforms that did not fall under Yuan Le's dominion, living independently in the Wasteland's remote corners.
The Astral Tiger was aware that the Everlands' evilkind originated from the Wasteland, and he shared a common ancestry with those perished alien beasts.
Witnessing the demise of so many alien beasts at the hands of the Secular Bird Queen, he couldn't help but harbor resentment.
Yu Yuan remained silent, his attention fixed on the Wellspring of Creation as he contemplated how to decipher the nine layers of the wall.
The odd mass of flesh and blood quivered intermittently, and he sought a method to master it.
The nine layers felt like a formidable barrier from another realm, striking a chord of familiarity within him, though he couldn't quite place the memory.
"If I only penetrate one or two layers, I should be able to reach the flesh and blood without issue."
With this thought, he extended his regenerated arm toward the Wellspring of Creation, effortlessly breaching the first and second layers before halting at the third.
Inserting his arm felt akin to piercing two layers of water, his fingertips brushing against a refreshing coolness.
Beyond that, he felt nothing more.
The two layers he had passed began to shimmer with divine radiance, as numerous enigmatic runes swiftly emerged, converging toward the location of his arms.
The Abyss.
"Look up at the sky!"
Brie of the Shadowkin shrieked atop the Dragon Slaying Stage, pointing at the tumultuous dark firmament. A colossal arm appeared to break through the ultimate darkness, descending from an alternate dimension.
The vast and mighty limb, like a deity lurking in the shadows, seemed poised to extinguish the lives of all beings within this realm.
The moment the arm materialized, the nine layers of the wall, previously unseen in the darkness, became visible.
Divine radiance filled the heavens, with innumerable runes twisting and intertwining to form a supreme array of the Heavenly Dao, emanating an infinite and formidable presence.
"These are the nine layers of seals!"
"Who is attempting to breach the seals? Why have they suddenly become visible?"
The vegetation and the Thunder Spirit were shrieking in alarm.
"Uh..."
Upon glancing up, Yu Yuan, in his real body within the Abyss, recognized the arm piercing through the darkness from another dimension as belonging to his Solar Spirit.
Seven layers of seals stood between him and that arm.
That arm had previously encountered significant setbacks within the little world inside the Wellspring of Creation, hence it had not traversed further seals nor rashly intruded.
"This is my arm, one of my arms within the Wasteland."
