C2206 The Choice of Mother Earth
"Yes, okay."
Yu Zhu's eyebrows arched playfully, her lips curving into a smile as she waved farewell to Yu Yuan.
Rip!
The Dragon Slash Platform burst into a spectrum of colors, its blade-like edge tearing through the void to create numerous luminous fissures that reached out in search of the Gal Starfield Yu Yuan had mentioned.
This time, Zhiya did not dare to interfere. She refrained from spreading her wings or disrupting the void's laws.
"Found it!"
Deep within the spatial rifts, Yu Yuan's soul consciousness darted about until he spotted a familiar ring-shaped galaxy and steered the Dragon Slash Platform to vanish into it.
In the depths of Zhiya's phoenix eyes, a look of relief emerged as she silently exhaled in relief.
The King of Desolate Realm, whose massive head Yu Yuan had patted, glared fiercely, his pupils blazing with a wild, bloodthirsty light as he let out a thunderous roar.
Yuan Li felt deeply humiliated!
The gesture Yu Yuan made before departing, patting his head as if he were a pet, infuriated Yuan Li, who had dominated the Desolate Realm for years.
"Mother, we can begin the slaughter now."
Once Yu Yuan had departed, Yu Zhu, who had been joyful just moments before, quietly vanished into the enigmatic Phoenix Shrine.
Intricate and complex patterns, reminiscent of an intelligent race's neural pathways, adorned the shrine's rocky walls.
A mystical wave capable of connecting with the netherworld and bestowing souls emanated from the Phoenix Shrine.
The sound of Yin meridians flowing echoed from within, accompanied by the blood-yellow currents of the Grim River floating in the starry sea behind the shrine.
The murky Grim Rivers seemed to forge a pathway to the realm of souls and specters, establishing a connection with Yu Zhu's spirit.
Whoosh!
Atop the deep purple dome of the shrine, a soul-shaped purple phoenix materialized gracefully. Her clear, serene phoenix eyes calmly gazed upon Yuan Li.
This phoenix was a spiritual entity, crafted from pure soul energy, and represented Yu Zhu's soul form.
As her lucid phoenix eyes fixed on Yuan Li, the beast soul that had been bellowing in rage suddenly quivered and fell silent.
Yuan Li was suddenly seized by a sense of foreboding.
Before his eyes materialized a completely illusory Phoenix Shrine, conjured from the essence of spiritual energy within his own mind.
The shrine's sudden appearance cast doubt upon Yuan Li's beast soul, causing his consciousness to cloud over.
His beastly gaze grew vacant.
Then, an ear-piercing cry of a phoenix shattered the silence, emanating from Zhiya.
Transforming into a human shape of striking beauty, she reduced the Beast Temple to a miniature size, cradling it effortlessly in her palm before tossing it aside with icy detachment.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A tide of boundless purple demonic energy burst forth from the torn fabric of space, sweeping toward Yuan Li like an unstoppable ocean.
A colossal, hidden creature lurked within this dense purple abyss, as if it had been yearning for Yuan Li's body for years and was now on the cusp of claiming its prize.
The Beast Temple bobbed on the surface of the purple sea, its vast and powerful demonic energy, bolstered by the life force of nearly a hundred Beast Gods, amplifying the might of the purple depths.
The tumultuous sea churned, slowly swallowing Yuan Li whole.
Yuan Li felt a surge of terror as he realized he was cut off from the Starfield, the billions of alien beasts, and the entirety of the Desolate Realm.
Almost immediately, with his beast soul suppressed, Yuan Li sensed a bloodthirsty presence emanating from the depths of the demonic energy sea.
He was being hunted!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His heart pounded uncontrollably. For the first time, Yuan Li, the King of the Desolate Realm, was gripped by fear, and he sent out a desperate plea for salvation.
"Save me! I have cast aside the ashes of death. I am ready to be overtaken and to welcome your arrival!"
His plea transformed into a deep, resonant beastly roar that echoed through the starry sky near Creation Peak, thundering incessantly.
Yuan Li's roar caused the mountains of Creation Peak to fracture, the sound waves barreling towards the inner caverns.
Mother Earth's brow furrowed ever so slightly as the fractured mountainside smoothed over like glass. Yuan Li's thunderous roar met an impenetrable barrier, unable to infiltrate any further.
"Mother Earth!"
Within the blood-red cavern, the Origin Blood of the Desolate Realm communicated its intent through unique waves of consciousness, reaching out to the rocky walls.
It was certain that Mother Earth, perched atop the peak, would hear its call.
"Allow a strand of my consciousness to depart. I wish to possess Yuan Li!"
Hua! Hua! Hua!
Streams of bloody light cascaded like waterfalls within the blood membrane formed by Yu Yuan's arm, struggling to shatter Yu Yuan's life seal and flee Creation Peak.
Should the pristine King of Desolate Realm be overtaken by its spiritual consciousness, its might would surely surge.
In possession of Yuan Li's body, it could manifest all its strength and life principles, potentially reversing the current disadvantage and perhaps even wrest control from Yu Yuan.
"I'll agree to any condition, just let me go!" His thoughts reverberated throughout the cave.
He was aware that Mother Earth held such power; with just a slight nudge of assistance, his spiritual consciousness could break free and infiltrate Yuan Li's mind.
Boom! Boom!
Creation Peak quivered subtly.
Atop the peak, Mother Earth gazed upon the dazzling Creation Pool and Yu Yuan's departing true form, while Demon Phoenix and the mother-daughter duo, Zhiya and Yu Zhu, jointly subdued Yuan Li.
"You made a promise to Yu Yuan not to interfere with his battle against the Origin Blood. Even though Yu Yuan's true form has departed, he remains within the Desolate Realm. You'd best consider this carefully."
The youthful girl from Light Star, sensing Mother Earth's indecision, quickly chimed in with a crisp warning.
"Don't take offense at my bluntness, but you've only just been resurrected, acquiring a wondrous new body and nearing a power that surpasses your former glory. If the Origin Blood were to possess Yuan Li, it might stir up trouble in the Desolate Realm, possibly evading the Demon Phoenix's predation."
"But surely you don't believe that after possessing Yuan Li, it could actually overcome the Abyss Lord?"
"Given the choice between the two, I believe..."
The girl deliberated the advantages and disadvantages, sharing her perspective.
"Silence!" Mother Earth's expression grew stern, yet her voice remained melodious, "I don't need your guidance on what to do."
Creation Peak stood unyielding, impervious to Yuan Li's beastly roars and the Origin Blood's struggles against the mountain firmly in Mother Earth's grasp.
Not a single wisp of the Origin Blood's spiritual consciousness could slip away from beneath her vigilant gaze.
Confronted by Zhiya and Yu Zhu, Yuan Li, feeling utterly powerless, braced himself for possession. Regrettably, the chance to be infused with the Origin Blood's spiritual consciousness never came.
Roar!
Yuan Li roared, wielding the "Heaven Bearing Life Pillar" as he desperately ascended through the depths of the dark purple Demon Cloud Sea. He was well aware that an alien beast, nurtured for years by the Demon Phoenix, had set its sights on him.
Above him, the diminished Beast Temple exerted a relentless pressure.
As the Sky Bearing Beast's body surged upward, it felt as though it were slamming against successive layers of barriers, unable to break through the void and free itself from the clutches of the dark purple Demon Cloud Sea.
Eventually, the vast expanse of void above him was engulfed by the sinister purple Demon Energy.
Slowly, a chilling sound of bones shattering emanated from Yuan Li's midsection.
"You're courting death!"
Enraged, Yuan Li descended with the "Heaven Bearing Life Pillar," engaging in a fierce battle with the alien beast within.
The genuine Phoenix Shrine, now looming larger in the expansive purple sea above, still housed the soul of Yu Zhu atop its dome.
The newly matured purple phoenix gazed curiously at the sea of dark purple Demonic Energy.
Aside from her, there was no one else who could perceive the unfolding events within.
Mother Earth and the Light Origin Spirit were equally oblivious to the commotion inside, unable to discern who Yuan Li was contending with.
"Mother?"
The sound of Yu Zhu's puzzled voice echoed from the phoenix's soul.
She had undoubtedly witnessed an astonishing spectacle within the dark purple Demonic Energy Sea, one that surpassed her comprehension and imagination, prompting her involuntary inquiry.
"I will explain later," Zhiya said with a gentle smile.
"Oh, alright."
With that, Yu Zhu refrained from asking any further questions.
