C2179 The Death Silkworm

The Old Ape, harboring a deep-seated bias against Yu Yuan, was oblivious to the fact that Yu Yuan had just snatched him from the brink of death.

Upon hearing Sky Tiger's commanding shout, the Old Ape's expression shifted dramatically as he became aware of the severe wound in his chest.

Adorning his wrist was the Blood Vein Bracelet, a gift from Yuan Li, the King of the Desolate Realm, and a treasure meant to preserve life.

The bracelet would activate in times of peril.

At that moment, the Blood Vein Bracelet erupted with thick blood energy, detaching from his arm and transforming into a heart-protecting armor that sealed the gaping wound in his chest.

Glancing down, the Old Ape nearly jumped out of his skin. "My Demon Heart, my Life Keychain!"

Thump! Thump! Thump!

As the protective armor enveloped his languishing Demon Heart, the dark red armor's blood patterns morphed, forming nine intricate arrays that unlocked the dormant potential of life.

His body ceased aging, thanks to the armor bestowed by Yuan Li. Filled with terror, the Old Ape hastened to diminish his monstrous form.

In an instant, he reverted to the elderly man who was fond of smoking his pipe and perching on rocks.

"My road to eternal life!"

He lamented, realizing that the Life Keychain had dissolved and that the grand path to eternity Yuan Li had painstakingly forged for him had been shattered.

As a trusted confidant of Yuan Li, he was well aware that the Life Keychain required Life Stoste for its creation. Even as the King of the Desolate Realm, Yuan Li's ability to refine Life Stoste was finite.

He fell into a contemplative silence.

Meanwhile, the armor that had shielded his heart and staved off a swift demise flickered, projecting fragmented visions recorded by the armor into his mind.

Through these visions, he saw the emergence of a death vortex in his chest during his moment of despair and longing for death.

He also witnessed Sky Tiger's selfless rescue.

"This peculiar vortex!"

The Old Ape, familiar with the Gray Domain, sensed a connection. He slapped his shoulder, exclaiming, "There are similar vortexes in the Gray Domain, scattered around Tia Main Planet!"

A puzzled Sky Tiger inquired, "What are you talking about?"

"You wouldn't understand."

The Old Ape shot him a stern look and huffed, "How many times have I told you to distance yourself from the Demon Phoenix? Why won't you listen? Bai, the Demon Phoenix hasn't won the approval of this realm's origin blood and is no match for our patriarch! I'll introduce you to Creation Peak. The patriarch will honor my recommendation and welcome you into the Beast Temple!"

Sky Tiger firmly refused, "The Temple Master has been good to me. I won't betray her!"

"Foolishness!"

Old Ape was seething with anger. "Our clan's elder patriarch is the rightful ruler of the Desolate Realm, the King of all beasts. He can grant you the Life Keychain, giving you endless life. Just leave a drop of your blood in the Beast Temple, and you can be resurrected even if you fall in battle! Bai, you ought to heed my advice!"

Yet, no matter how much he pleaded, Sky Tiger simply shook his head.

"Sin!" Old Ape called out Yu Yuan's ancient name, "Did you bring the Secular Bird to the Desolate Realm?"

Yu Yuan snapped out of his reverie.

The resentful deathly roar that had emanated from the Death Vortex in Old Ape's chest, which Yu Yuan had obliterated with the Life Wheel, still resonated in his mind.

Through this Eleventh Level Yang God, he had discerned the power within the roar and grasped the intentions behind it.

Indeed, he had come to understand the other's thoughts.

The roar suggested that while he might sporadically disrupt the formation of a Death Vortex, he couldn't prevent the emergence of more.

An enigmatic being considered the Secular Bird Queen a harbinger of death, compelling her to create additional Death Vortexes in the Desolate Realm.

Moreover, this entity hinted that the fruit of the Desolate Realm was ripe and ready for harvest.

The mysterious presence from another realm regarded the whole Desolate Realm as fruit for the picking, leaving Yu Yuan with mixed feelings.

The fate of the Desolate Realm and whether the Beast God would become extinct were of no concern to him.

His sole desire was to reach Creation Peak as soon as possible, locate the realm's source blood, request the secrets of life from it, and swiftly unravel the wonders of the flesh within the Creation Pool.

"Chen Qinghuang didn't come to the Desolate Realm because of me, but I will ensure her survival," Yu Yuan stated with discontent.

"Her survival means she'll keep sowing death, turning the Starfield where the alien beasts roam into a wasteland," Old Ape raged, "Sin, you remain as selfish as ever! In your heart, you only care about the well-being of those closest to you!"

Whoosh!

The outermost layer of the Creation Pool's nine-layered barrier burst into view, its dazzling light screen revealing itself as a fiery sun materialized on the first layer, accompanied by the sudden appearance of stars and a crescent moon.

Within the first layer, a wriggling snow-white silkworm gradually emerged.

The plump silkworm immediately caught the gaze of Yu Yuan and the two Demon Gods, who sensed in it an embodiment of the mysteries of death.

It radiated an intense aura of death as it began its ascent toward the second layer of the barrier.

Old Ape and Sky Tiger watched the deathly white silkworm intently, and within moments, both Beast Gods were overwhelmed with a desire for death.

Boom!

A blazing sun descended, stars converged their light, and the crescent moon shone like a blade, all engulfing the silkworm. The Dao Image of the silkworm vanished in an instant.

With the disappearance of the corpulent silkworm, Old Ape and Sky Tiger's death wish dissipated, and the robust Death Dao Law of the entire Deathly Silence Starfield shattered simultaneously.

Suddenly, they sensed the absence of death's aura in the Starfield's void energy.

Life force from other Starfields flowed in, revitalizing this Starfield with a newfound vibrancy, no longer tainted or transformed by the laws of death—all because of the silkworm's demise.

"That white silkworm had the power to influence an entire Starfield? What in the world was it? A physical manifestation of the Death Law, or perhaps a primordial spirit of death?" Old Ape exclaimed in horror.

Sky Tiger, too, widened its eyes and turned to Yu Yuan.

The eerie occurrences in the Creation Pool, along with the emergence of the Death Dao Image following Yu Yuan's arrival in the Desolate Realm, filled Sky Tiger with dread.

"God of Plagues."

The title Yu Yuan had carried since the Vast Ocean era sent a shiver through him. He couldn't shake the feeling that Yu Yuan's entry into the Desolate Realm would unleash a horrific calamity.

"I have neither the time nor the means to explain!" Yu Yuan declared, sensing the urgency. "I have no interest in the struggle between Yuen Bu and Zhiya for the throne of the King of Desolate Realm. Desolate Lord, Sky Tiger, lead me to Creation Peak without delay. I must meet with the Origin Blood of this realm!"

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out as a blow struck the heart-protecting armor on Old Ape's chest.

Old Ape, who had been gearing up to rebuke Yu Yuan, let out a cold, frustrated snort and said, "I'll take you there."

Yu Yuan, taken aback, asked, "Is this Yuen Li's wish?"

"The Origin Blood has given direct orders," Old Ape replied with reverence.

Yu Yuan nodded, "It must realize how grave the situation is."

"Bai, our tribe's elder chieftain has ceased his pursuit of the Demon Phoenix. He's in the Desolate Realm searching for the Secular Bird Queen. Four Starfields have already been destroyed due to the Secular Bird Queen. If she isn't handled properly, all the clans of the Desolate Realm will face extinction. The fight with the Demon Phoenix is utterly pointless!" Old Ape declared, clearly exasperated.

"Enough talk, take me to Creation Peak!" Yu Yuan pressed.

"Wait for the Shrouded Tower to arrive," Old Ape grumbled.

Shortly after, the Shrouded Tower, consecrated by Yuen Li, the King of Desolate Realm, materialized in the revitalized Starfield.

Ice Phoenix Alex stood on the black jade altar within the Shrouded Tower, his face showing clear reluctance as he said, "I've been ordered to escort you to Creation Peak."

"Bai, if you're not willing to submit to the Beast Temple, then don't come along," Old Ape whispered.

Sky Tiger turned and walked away.

...

The Abyss.

The heavens revealed an anomaly!

A plump, snow-white silkworm, reminiscent of the many Chaos Djinns that had perished in this world, suddenly emerged from the darkness at the first layer of the barrier.

The silkworm appeared to scrutinize the abyss below, seemingly astonished by its eerie silence.

"A silkworm!"

Those atop the Dragon Slash Platform, vigilant for any changes in the void, looked up in wonder.

They then witnessed the bizarre snow-white silkworm being obliterated by the combined extreme powers of the sun, moon, and stars. It was destroyed before it could even breach the second layer of the barrier.

Boom!

While the onlookers were still processing their shock and speculating about the silkworm's origins, a purple crystal demon form, clad in heavy armor, burst through the endless darkness and slammed into the first layer of the barrier.

"Great Demon God Beilstein!"

"It's Lord Beilstein!"

Brie and Barol shouted in astonishment, their faces alight with joy and excitement, as if they believed Beilstein was on the verge of breaking through the seal, descending from the darkness above into the abyss.

The sun reemerged, and the stars and moon coalesced, a dazzling river of stars encircling Beilstein's demonic form.

Mountains forged from pure gold, vast blue oceans, and intricate patterns of flora emerged, all rushing towards Beilstein.

Clad in heavy armor, Beilstein charged forward with a wild grin, but he only managed to breach the third layer of the barrier.

As the ultimate mysteries of the sun, moon, stars, and elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth evolved and intervened, Beilstein's onslaught was halted.

His purple crystal demon body, along with the armor encasing it, was flung back into the darkness above.

Beilstein was cast back into the profound depths of darkness.

Barol and Brie, who had placed their hopes in him, saw their vision of the invincible Great Demon God of the Origin Realm dashed; he was unable to shatter the nine layers of the barrier and enter the true abyss as they had wished.

"Even Lord Beilstein can't descend. It seems we truly can't escape," Barol lamented with a heavy sigh, his spirit seemingly crushed. "The silent Abyss of Nothingness is nothing more than a vast prison. In such a world, we won't survive long before we're ultimately slain by Him."

Brie nodded solemnly in agreement.

They both firmly believed that the Origin Soul, born from this real abyss, had not yet struck because it was preoccupied with more pressing matters.

Knowing they couldn't escape, it allowed them a brief reprieve, biding its time until it could turn its full attention to their slaughter.

Time passed, unmeasured.

Suddenly, a massive expanse of land appeared beneath the darkness, filling a portion of the heavens.

"Creation Land!"

The Origin Spirits of the vegetation and thunder within the Tree of Life and Death became ecstatic at the sight of this immense landmass.

"Could it be that the Great Demon God Beilstein, after his initial failure, has now taken control of Creation Land?"

"No, that can't be right. The Darkness resides within Creation Land!"

"If not, then it must be Creation Land emerging from the abyss. But why has it suddenly begun to descend?"

"It has to be Beilstein!"

"Impossible!"

The clamor of the Origin Spirits of flora and thunder within the Soul Altar of Yu Yuan's consciousness was deafening, prompting Yu Yuan to exclaim, "Enough!"

Barol, Brie, and Qi Yunhong, who were also caught up in the commotion, fell silent at once.

"I wasn't referring to you all."

Yu Yuan massaged his temples, his attention returning to the vision of Creation Land before him. He experienced a sudden revelation—a soul connection to this enigmatic land that not even the Nine Seals could obstruct.

The Creation Land, formerly the site of the Evil God Temple, was likely the mightiest Chaos Djinn of the Abyss, born from a fusion with star fragments.

It, too, was a withered husk, yet it possessed the ability to depart from the Abyss.

The Creation Pool was destined for it, meant to serve as a wellspring of vibrant energy, aiding its flight from the Darkness World into the Origin Realm or even the Desolate Realm.

By intercepting the Creation Pool and taking it to the Cold Domain, then to the Desolate Realm, he had left it stranded in the shadows.

Yet, it was because of his descent from the true abyss that it had emerged from the darkness.

Yu Yuan was struck by the realization that it was his.

It always had been.

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