C2197 The Transformed Mother Earth
A celestial river of stars stretched infinitely above the Great Demon God Beilstein, with countless stars shimmering as the sun and moon shone simultaneously.
Beilstein's head, resembling a purple crystal, was bathed in the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars. This light transformed into a Law of the Dao that suppressed the soul, compelling Beilstein to constantly reassemble his fragmented soul. His myriad souls would split and then swiftly coalesce, in an endless cycle.
Within the brilliance refined from the sun, moon, and stars, the icy crystals and lightning orbs also made their presence known. The lightning orbs obliterated souls, while the cold crystals shattered thoughts, both embodying the true essence of extreme cold and thunder.
When Yu Yuan arrived and was sealed within the nine-layered barrier, the Soul Altar in his sea of consciousness accessed the essence of the origin spirit that was absent from this place. The principles of extreme cold and lightning naturally countered Beilstein, a master of the soul's Dao.
These two forces, intertwined with the light of the celestial bodies, caused Beilstein's numerous soul fragments and thoughts to be undone by the might of extreme cold and lightning, leaving him in agony.
Meanwhile, Lin Daoke of the Sword Sect was surrounded by a whirlwind of Spiritual Swords and Divine Swords. Gold-lit mountains and rivers, now with a gravitational force millions of times stronger, merged with the essence of vegetation and the power of flames, making his surroundings unbearably congested.
Lin Daoke wielded his sword in relentless succession. Gradually, the resplendent mountains and rivers transformed into golden longswords.
As the golden swords descended upon him, the truths of the sun, moon, and stars, the laws of the earth, the intricacies of plant life, and the gentle, unending flow of water were all revealed within the gleam of the sword light.
Suddenly, Lin Daoke felt as though he were facing peers of equal stature, fellow seekers of the ultimate swordsmanship, each a Great Sword Immortal in their own right. The luminous blades of the golden swords approached, and he found himself contending with several of the most exalted Great Sword Immortals at once.
His spiritual and soul energies were rapidly depleted, with no quick replenishment in sight, soon leaving him breathless and exhausted.
Whoosh!
Upon Yu Yuan's abrupt arrival, both Beilstein and Lin Daoke's spirits soared as they took in his presence.
Above Yu Yuan's head hung a dazzling eight-layered Soul Altar. The radiant glow from the miraculous tiers shielded him from the crushing gravity field that was millions of times stronger than normal.
The vines that had entwined around him, as if Yu Yuan had discerned the ultimate laws of nature, were easily cast off.
Neither the icy crystals targeting Beilstein nor the thunder would coalesce above Yu Yuan's head.
The Soul Altar, with its stages of earth and wood, diminished the strength of the sealing barrier's corresponding Dao phenomena.
The intense glare of the sun, moon, and stars that once oppressed the soul was now significantly lessened by the power of the eight-layered Soul Altar.
Beilstein and Lin Daoke had charged in headfirst. Yu Yuan, with the aid of the Soul Altar, deciphered some of the seal's power, appearing far more composed than the two of them.
"You two are indeed remarkable," Yu Yuan remarked, pausing to admire the celestial display above Beilstein's head and the golden Divine Swords that seemed to be wielded by Lin Daoke. "You've managed to overpower tenfold with your strength, breaking through the five-layered barrier and reaching the sixth layer. That is truly impressive."
He realized that his reduced pressure was due to the seal's power being largely diverted towards Beilstein and Lin Daoke.
Despite not understanding the profound mysteries of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, or the sun, moon, and stars, they had still managed to force their way to the sixth level with sheer brute force.
Yet, advancing further to the seventh, eighth, and ninth levels would likely prove to be exceedingly challenging.
Moreover, both Beilstein and Lin Daoke had expended a considerable amount of energy.
"We intended to join forces with you, not expecting you to have made it this far on your own."
Seeing Yu Yuan unharmed and sensing the astonishing energy flowing within him, Beilstein inquired, "You were quite frail before entering the seal. How have you recovered so swiftly?"
Yu Yuan felt a surge of warmth and replied with a smile, "I've connected with the sixty-four sinking lands."
"What lies within the true Abyss?"
Lin Daoke, evading streaks of golden light, brandished his sword single-handedly, shattering a colossal tree with one strike, and called out, "I'm eager to delve into the depths below and explore the Abyss."
Beilstein's expression showed a spark of interest.
"There's nothing there—no energy for you to absorb, just desolation and silence. Even the Chaos Djinn, dead for countless years, hold no value," Yu Yuan responded promptly. "It's a world that's completely perished. Regardless of how splendid the civilization once was, it's all history now."
Beilstein and Lin Daoke were instantly disheartened.
They had believed that with the Origin Soul and the eight Origin Spirits lurking in the abyss, there would be endless mysteries waiting for them to uncover and explore.
"The barrier we're in has a secret door connected to another barrier. Just hold on a bit longer, draw more power here, and I'll locate the secret door."
Yu Yuan could see they still had reserves of strength. After dropping this hint, he drifted within the barrier.
"The true abyss isn't worth your attention, but the destination of the secret door is definitely worth a visit."
Yu Yuan casually remarked as he floated about.
"A secret door? Where does it lead?" Beilstein demanded.
"The Desolate Realm!"
...
Within the Desolate Realm, deep inside Creation Peak.
The consciousness of the Light Origin Spirit watched as the Colorful Land within the City of Light steadily shrank.
The expanse of Colorful Land, once a hundred acres, was now reduced to just a few.
Its contraction signified the rapid loss of Earth Essence.
Yet, the delicate earth veins etched into the Colorful Land grew increasingly intricate and numerous, indicating that Mother Earth had indeed reaped substantial benefits from the Creation Pool.
Should Mother Earth manage to break free and return without depleting her spiritual consciousness and essence energy, she would experience a monumental breakthrough and transformation upon regaining her strength!
As the Colorful Land continued to shrink, so did Yang God Yu, who lay supine upon it, his limbs pointing skyward.
Moreover, as his soul consciousness permeated the Colorful Land, the rich life essence within him also began to infuse into the soil.
The portion of the Colorful Land beneath him, now just two or three acres in size, was tinged with a faint blood-hued sheen.
Time passed, and the once smooth Colorful Land grew uneven, forming two mounds that seemed to elevate and cradle Yu Yuan's back.
The consciousness of the Light Origin Spirit materialized once more above the City of Light, surveying the Colorful Land as it underwent a mysterious transformation. A look of bewilderment crossed its pristine, youthful face.
"Mother Earth, she shares my sentient emotions. She has chosen a gender as well."
"Given that she was known as Mother Earth before her demise, it stands to reason that she chose to be female."
As the Light Origin Spirit mused to itself, its gaze fell upon the undulating hills of the Colorful Land and Yu Yuan, who was sprawled out on the terrain, prompting an even more peculiar expression to emerge.
In time, the Colorful Land sprouted limbs, resembling an earthen statue, complete with a head and an indistinct visage. The legs, previously held together, began to separate.
As they did, Yu Yuan's own legs, which were resting atop, parted in tandem, still draped over the other's.
The scene unfolding below increasingly troubled the Light Origin Spirit. Mother Earth, whose spiritual consciousness had not yet coalesced, was evolving into a female form, with Yu Yuan lying atop her, their bodies pressed closely together.
"Yu Yuan, you truly have no shame!" the Light Origin Spirit whispered under its breath.
The cavern walls crumbled, and blood-colored prismatic crystals plummeted down. The shattered fragments, drawn by the world's origin blood, converged in one place.
As Mother Earth took on a human shape, her newly formed hands thrust upwards, propelling the substantial form of the Yang God Yu Yuan off the ground.
Thud!
Yu Yuan struck the cave's ceiling, sending debris scattering in all directions.
The scattered stones, along with those that had fallen, morphed into sharp projectiles, hurtling towards Yu Yuan from every angle. He was engulfed by the stony barrage before he could even touch the ground.
Mother Earth, now possessing a porcelain-like physique, descended from the air and settled onto the earth with a sigh.
A spiritual entity, born of the earth's energy and vitality, soared from the crown of the ceramic figure, gazing around in a daze.
The spirit, beholding the distinctly female form below, seemed momentarily lost in thought.
Within this bizarre, ceramic-like body surged a powerful and untainted life force. At the whim of its spiritual consciousness, the body could sculpt itself into any envisioned form.
...
