C2223 Striking from Afar

The Wellspring of Creation came to an abrupt halt in the void.

Merely a hundred miles from the vast purple sea brimming with demon energy, it should have reached its destination in the blink of an eye.

The Astral Tiger, Death Viper, golden deer, and Iron-winged Bird Beast Gods, gathered before the Beast God Temple, cowered uncertainly, unsure of how to confront its nearing presence.

Its unexpected pause left the assembly of Beast Gods bewildered.

"A strand of spiritual essence seems to have slipped into Yu Zhu's mind," Zhong Chichen murmured, having long utilized the Book of Time to traverse the void and distance himself from the Wellspring of Creation. "It appears not to have shattered Yu Zhu's self-determination."

At his words, both Green Willow and Loong Jie regarded Yu Zhu with newfound respect.

After a discreet observation, they turned their attention to the massive green-black phantom sealed within, which seemed to be scrutinizing Yu Zhu with intent.

"My spiritual sense has been extinguished," declared the corpulent manifestation of Blazing Flame, addressing the colossal phantom amidst the tumultuous deep sea. "The Fire Demon Ancestor I created should not be able to contest my spiritual sense! She is my life's work; her bloodline, her soul, her very laws are born of me!"

Blazing Flame was visibly enraged.

It quickly noticed that the enormous phantom, peering at Yu Zhu through the barrier, seemed equally taken aback.

Upon closer inspection, Yu Zhu noticed the enigmatic Phoenix Shrine reverting to its original form from the corner of her eye.

The Phoenix Shrine loomed over Yu Zhu's head, as if to deter the petty beings of countless realms. The sounds of the Levi River's flow and the soul sea's undulations emanated from the shrine, filling the air.

The Phoenix Shrine grew more mystical, subtly exuding an aura of unity between the soul and the cosmic order, as if it wielded dominion over all souls of the heavens.

"What's going on?" Blazing Flame asked, sensing that something was amiss.

"Our spiritual senses should not be released rashly. In the Wasteland, Yu Yuan's true form has learned to refine our spiritual essence," came the grave reply.

Blazing Flame, taken aback, exclaimed, "Are you suggesting that the spiritual sense I released has been refined by the Fire Demon Ancestor? The supreme beings we've created have only ever been able to fend off our incursions, never before have they refined us!"

"There was nothing before, but now there is." After providing his answer, he continued, "I need to first possess Bertain here and then use him to break free from the seal."

Hisssss!

The spiritual sense of the blazing fire, extinguished by Yuan Lianyao, gradually merged into a sparkling, translucent Fire Crystal.

This Fire Crystal was not an illusion but a tangible entity, the crystallization of Yuan Lianyao's soul.

"It's an incredible sensation."

A tiny flame, no bigger than a fingertip, murmured to itself within the Fire Crystal.

Lotuses, manifestations of the Dao, fluttered inside the Fire Crystal, as if Yuan Lianyao herself were joyfully dancing among them.

These red lotuses, refined from her consciousness and thoughts, harbored her most treasured memories and the essence of the fire magic she had mastered.

The diminutive Fire Crystal was steadily growing, becoming ever more lustrous.

"Merge!"

With a soft cry, her Heart Aperture beneath her chest burst forth with numerous scarlet bloodline chains, intricately linking with the Fire Crystal in her mind.

At that moment, Yu Yuan, concealed within the fiery battlefield, revealed himself.

"How does it look?"

He smiled, gazing at the space between Yuan Lianyao's eyebrows, where a red lotus had blossomed.

"It's a success!"

Yuan Lianyao's fists clenched as lightning and meteors wove through the fiery clouds above her, crafting numerous novel and mystical rules.

"I've refined a portion of the creator's spiritual sense. My grasp of the flame's secrets has instantly escalated to a new height!"

Her eyes, fiery with excitement, Yuan Lianyao asked, "How did you know how to refine the creator's spiritual sense?"

"I was unaware before."

Yu Yuan candidly responded, "It was during my time inside the Peak of Creation, while refining the Primal Blood of the Wasteland with the Solar Spirit, that I stumbled upon the method. Previously, I only knew how to resist the spiritual sense's takeover. I could eradicate it, but not refine it to enhance my own power."

"If the spiritual sense of the blazing fire continues to seep in, can I still refine it?" Yuan Lianyao asked, her voice vibrant with excitement.

"It's best to remain cautious," Yu Yuan advised after a moment's thought, elaborating, "He underestimated you and is unaware of my presence by your side, which is why the spiritual sense that attempted to possess you was so weak. If this time the spiritual sense was a stream, next time it could be a waterfall!"

"Use the method I taught you to forge your Fire Crystal and continuously strengthen your soul."

"Only by doing this will you stand a chance of prevailing the next time he attempts to possess you. Remember, the rule bestowed by the Primal Anima is entirely different from refining a Primal Anima itself!"

Whoosh!

Yu Yuan unveiled his eight-tiered Soul Altar.

At the top tier, his contemplation of the Life Seed ceased, and the Tree of Life that manifested there became still.

Yet, with a mere thought, his Solar Spirit materialized on the highest tier.

The Solar Spirit was in a state of stupor.

Not even the Abyss's wall, governed by the Primal Soul, could sever the connection between him and his Solar Spirit. He could see his Solar Spirit and had the power to awaken it with his Soul Altar in a mere instant, breaking free from the Primal Soul's restraint.

But he chose not to act.

His physical presence remained in the Creitecesh, yet he could overhear the dialogue between the Primal Soul and the Blazing Fire.

The Primal Soul and Blazing Fire were under the impression that the Solar Spirit was still constrained, believing the link between the Solar Spirit and his physical form had been cut.

"Refining a Primal Anima completely transcends the level of a living being!"

Yu Yuan had an epiphany.

...

"She's awake!"

After some time, Yuan Lianyao exclaimed.

Yu Yuan's spirit jolted. Narrowing his eyes, he saw Chen Qinghuang opening her eyes beneath the bizarre tree shrouded in death aura.

The tree continued to breathe, transforming the energy of the Creitecesh and allowing the death force to permeate the entire Astral Domain.

The Spring of Death, transformed from Yuan Le's flesh, was akin to the one in the Ashlands, silently nestled in the depths of the Star River.

Beneath the barren tree, Chen Qinghuang, with her overly pale hands, massaged her forehead and temples as if struggling to remember something.

Her pupils were filled with numerous death symbols, seemingly integrating them into her soul and memories after a process of consolidation.

"Death..."

She whispered, her gaze lingering on the tree that brought her tranquility before shifting to the still Spring of Death.

Seeds scattered, giving rise to more Wraith Trees, spreading across the vast Astral Domains of the Wasteland.

The memories she had assimilated into her soul bore the intent of an entity from another world.

Since she ceased to draw upon the death force, gray-white orbs of energy began to form within the Wraith Tree's trunk, resembling fruit, yet not on the branches, but inside the trunk itself.

Before long, over a dozen of these orbs materialized, brimming with an intense death aura.

Chen Qinghuang immediately realized that once the Wraith Tree absorbed all the blood energy from the beings in Creitecesh, these orbs would become seeds of death.

With her power, she could plant these seeds in other Astral Domains, giving birth to new Wraith Trees.

Thus, the realms of the Wasteland would become as Creitecesh is.

This was her new mission, the cost of her ascension to supremacy.

"Yu Yuan!"

Lost in thought, she caught sight of a golden chariot drawn by four Golden Crows.

The firmament above the chariot appeared ablaze, with suns in hot pursuit.

Yu Yuan stood at the forefront of the chariot.

"I will cut down this tree and destroy the Spring of Death."

Yu Yuan's voice, resolute and unwavering, cut through the death force flooding the starry sky, reaching Chen Qinghuang's location and causing the Wraith Tree's branches to shake violently.

The Wraith Tree sensed an immense and terrifying power emanating from Yu Yuan.

"Shatter!"

Yu Yuan commanded from a distance.

Under the onslaught of multiple celestial forces, the Wraith Tree, still fervently transforming energy, felt its branches snap and its nascent seeds turn to ash within its trunk.

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