C2209 It Fell to the Ground

Yuan Lianyao's radiant face beamed with genuine delight as she smiled and said, "I never imagined that I would have the chance to meet you here in the Wasteland."

She embraced herself tightly, as though she wished to become one with Yu Yuan's body.

She had always felt like the most inferior among them.

The yet-to-awaken Secular Bird Queen, a sovereign of a nation in the Everlands, was an early cultivator at the Unbound Stage and held in high esteem by the three upper sects.

Yuan Lianyao couldn't hold a candle to her.

Moreover, Chen Qinghuang, once awakened, was the same secular bird that had commanded respect from all races a hundred thousand years ago.

"Ice sword!" Ji Ningshuang, the renowned Grand Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect, was greatly valued by Lin Daoke and had already clinched a supreme position for herself.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Ningshuang was indeed on track for promotion.

Both of their backgrounds, in terms of cultivation talent and insight, were leagues beyond hers.

In addition, there was Ann Ziqing from the Colddeath, who had spent years in disguise as a maid by Yu Yuan's side.

Once her identity was revealed and she returned to the Colddeath, she no longer concealed her innate gift. Ann Ziqing's rise was meteoric.

All three women had deep ties to Yu Yuan, with whispers of romance and scandal swirling around them. Whether in terms of beauty, lineage, or cultivation level, they were all vastly superior to her, plunging Yuan Lianyao into the depths of despair.

Even Liu Ying from the Starmoon Sect and Chen Qingyan, Ningshuang's disciple, possessed statuses and identities beyond her reach.

Her sense of inferiority was overwhelming.

Only through her connection with Yu Yuan was she grudgingly accepted into the Ruby Hand.

Within the sect, she wasn't the one blessed with the greatest talent. There was Zhou Cangmin, unmatched in wisdom and strategy, with a natural aptitude that soared above the rest.

Among the younger members, Hou Tianzhao's pace of cultivation and understanding surpassed hers, leaving her feeling powerless.

She devoted herself to relentless cultivation within the Ruby Hand, striving to catch up, yet she remained far behind the others. The vast gap in their statuses made her interactions with Yu Yuan timid and constrained.

It wasn't until this moment that everything changed.

Who would have guessed that she, with her average talent for cultivation and humble beginnings, would be the first to break through to the Supreme Realm after surviving so many hardships and brushes with death? Reaching the eleventh level of the Supreme Realm shattered all barriers of status and talent, and she now believed she was second to none.

The Secular Bird Queen, Ji Ningshuang, Ann Ziqing, and all the women rumored to be involved with Yu Yuan couldn't match her in cultivation or power.

With this newfound confidence, she took the initiative.

Her arms, graceful and fiery, encircled Yu Yuan's neck, her face alight with joy and anticipation.

"Tell me, how should I repay you? My current level of cultivation is all thanks to you. Without your help, both overt and covert, I would've perished long ago, never even dreaming of joining the Ruby Hand."

On either side of the golden flame chariot, pairs of Golden Crows stood motionless like statues.

They were so focused that they seemed oblivious to Yuan Lianyao's words.

As Yu Yuan stepped onto the chariot, Yuan Lianyao's divine presence spread, sealing it off from the Creitecesh. Only beings of her caliber or unique entities like the Dark Phoenix Zhiya could peer inside the chariot with their remnant souls.

"Yuanyuan, do we really need to stand on ceremony with each other?"

Feeling the intense heat radiating from her, Yu Yuan narrowed his eyes and noticed the acupoints throughout her body housed terrifying volcanoes of flame energy.

"It seems you've reaped substantial rewards from the various Astral Domains in the Wasteland," he said with a grin.

"I don't want to talk about cultivation! I can overlook the Secular Bird Queen's advancement and not interfere, but you..."

She interrupted him with a passionate kiss.

Yu Yuan's head spun as he embraced her curvaceous and fiery form, surrendering to his desires and willingly getting lost in her fervor.

"She's advanced in her realm, but you're going to stay with me for now. You need to keep an eye on things anyway."

As Yuan Lianyao spoke, her alluring eyes narrowed, and she murmured softly. Watching Yu Yuan lick his lips in relish, she blushed and playfully tackled him to the ground.

The massive golden chariot was suddenly swallowed by billowing flames. Above it, clusters of fiery clouds shimmered, seemingly emanating from Yuan Lianyao's divine power and vitality.

Above these fiery clouds were suns that had trailed from the Embers Star. Upon these suns, numerous fire lions, flamingos, Golden Crows, and Blazing Sun Toads remained ensnared. None could escape the fiery halos released by the suns to enter the death-filled Astral Domain.

They were all aware that the Secular Bird Queen, having arrived from the Origin Realm, was conducting a sinister ascension ritual within the Creitecesh, yet they were powerless to intervene.

The four Golden Crows, transformed into childlike figures, stood dutifully on either side of the chariot, awaiting the moment for Yuan Lianyao and Yu Yuan to step forward.

...

In the Origin Realm, within the Heart of the Everlands, a greenish-black pool teemed with numerous primal souls, sufficient to forge ten new supreme beings.

Hovering above the pool, the Primal Soul took on the visage of Yu Yuan, gazing intently below.

Beside the soul sea, a sphere of darkness and one of blazing fire floated in silence, symbolizing their respective elements. Within the darkness, a seductive female form lurked without revealing her true face, while a rounded silhouette occupied the heart of the flames.

As the Dark Anima and the Fire Spirit evolved, their spiritual wisdom flourished, and they learned to shape their consciousness into ethereal human forms.

Together, the two Primal Animas and the Primal Soul turned their attention to an object within the soul sea.

Deep within the misty azure soul sea, a nine-layered, resplendent barrier materialized, ensnaring the Demon God Bertain and the Sword Sect Master Lin Daoke, both clearly visible.

The soul sea, like a reflective mirror, showcased the enigmatic nine-layered barrier that separated the darkness from the Abyss of Truth.

The three Primal Animas gazed upon the sealed layers deep within the soul sea, their eyes akin to deities observing the mortal world from on high.

Whoosh!

The nine-layered seal suddenly shifted, unveiling the bizarre flesh and blood within.

The barrier shrouding the Wellspring of Creation, now bathed in the light of the soul sea symbolizing the Abyss, allowed the three Primal Animas to peer into the scene unfolding inside.

Yu Yuan, in his transformed state, gazed at the burning flames and the indistinct figure within, saying, "The Fire Demon Ancestor that we created has attained the eleventh level in the Wasteland."

"The moment she ascended to supremacy, my power was bolstered. As the barriers between our realms thinned, her rise to supremacy unleashed a tremendous force that resonated with me."

Blazing Fire, slightly exhilarated, spoke from within the depths of the flames, "The Wasteland suits me perfectly!"

"Indeed."

The Primal Soul concurred with a detached tone, "There, amidst the many intensely hot Astral Domains, you will indeed thrive. Now that you've reached the intermediate level, a journey to the Wasteland could see you evolve to the advanced level in no time."

"Everlands, is it possible to traverse the barrier between realms as effortlessly as scaling a mountain?" Blazing Fire inquired with ambition.

"After I breach the Frostlands and refine the Primal Blood Continent, it will be possible," the Primal Soul mused. "But my two forms are currently delving into the extraterrestrial spirits and can't return just yet. However..."

After some contemplation, he added, "Yu Yuan's true form can pass through these nine layers of seals to reach the Wasteland. I can do the same. There's no need to rush; we'll wait for his results with the Primal Blood."

"My spiritual sense, once it enters the Wasteland, will instantly locate the Fire Demon Ancestor and possess her," Blazing Fire stated matter-of-factly. "Empowered by my strength to become supreme, she cannot escape me. She will become my vessel."

"We'll continue to observe for a while longer."

"Understood."

...

Peak of Creation.

Doubt flickered in the depths of Mother Earth's grayish-brown eyes as she levitated above the Wellspring of Creation. With a casual flick, she tossed a pebble at the resplendent barrier.

With a snap, the small stone shattered and transformed into a wisp of smoke.

He no longer needed to seek the secrets of the earth from the confining enchantments of the Wellspring of Creation. With a furrowed brow, he remarked, "Within this seal, there are nine types of profound mysteries of the Cosmic Order, including metal, wood, water, fire, earth, the sun, and the moon. Additionally, there is the exceedingly intricate and profound Mind Magic, accompanied by a form of Soul Power that surpasses any other."

"My spiritual sense had descended and bargained with the seal. It was the Mind Magic at play, preventing me from sensing that my external body was on the brink of exhausting its strength."

"Just moments ago, I felt a sudden shift in the seal's Soul Power, as if it was on the verge of being mastered."

Mother Earth spoke with a grave tone.

"Could it be the entity from the Abyss?" the Light Spirit cried out in alarm.

"It's highly probable."

Mother Earth nodded, conveying her findings and sensations to Yu Yuan deep within the mountain.

"The nine-layered wall is merely a blend of the nine Primal Anima's rules and energies, their spiritual wisdom long extinguished. Yet, a foreign soul consciousness has just penetrated it; you would do well to remain vigilant."

"Eh?"

Mother Earth had barely finished her warning when her expression abruptly shifted. She noticed that the original nine layers of the wall had unexpectedly expanded by two additional layers.

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