C2235 A Great Opportunity
The All Spirits Ban was suddenly abuzz with activity.
Yu Yuan's ethereal form emerged in the celestial void, and he sensed that the soul threads connecting him to the many Primal Animas within the seal had been severed.
Behind him, eleven splendid halos, each representing the true essence of the Water Primal Anima, were losing a significant amount of water essence.
The lost water essence was entirely consumed by the azure serpent formed by Green Willow, transforming into a Spirit Elixir that enhanced the serpent's bloodline.
Green Willow's serpentine body displayed rings of blue-green patterns.
Upon closer inspection, each pattern was revealed to be the Primal Anima of water, an essential truth of water imprinted within the All Spirits Ban.
He sensed that something was amiss.
Yet, the All Spirits Ban was the strongest prison he had painstakingly crafted over eons!
Here, he could unleash his full power, harnessing the energies of the perished Primal Animas. He was not prepared to withdraw without a fight.
"Starborn Ballo!"
"Shadowkin, Brie!"
"Where did this fellow come from?"
Zhong Chichen, Astral Tiger, and Yuan Lianyao watched as two more chieftains from the Otherkin entered the Origin Realm following Loong Jie, sparking an animated conversation.
The unfolding drama within the All Spirits Ban was so intriguing that even Zhong Chichen was itching to join in.
"Hehe, what a lively scene!"
Bertain burst into hearty laughter.
The arrival of Loong Jie and Green Willow didn't surprise Bertain, as they were commonly seen in the outside world.
However, the emergence of Ballo and Brie made the Demon God suddenly realize that Yu Yuan's real body, like the one controlling the All Spirits Ban, now held a portion of its authority!
He and Lin Daoke had been drawn here by the Primal Soul amidst the darkness.
They had glimpsed Ballo and Brie within the seal, clearly residing in the true Abyss.
These two couldn't have come of their own accord, nor would the Primal Soul have brought them.
If not the Primal Soul, then it must have been Yu Yuan.
"You too?"
Bertain's eyes sparkled as he gazed at the dark blue "Phantom of Yu Yuan" in the heavens, then turned to the Soul Altar above Yu Yuan's head and asked, "Do you also possess knowledge of this seal?"
"The Soul Altar I constructed shares similarities with the All Spirits Ban—it's essentially inspired by it," Yu Yuan acknowledged openly.
With the awakening of his ancient memories, he discovered that the All Spirits Ban harbored the true essence and energy of the Primal Anima, much like his eight-tiered Soul Altar, where each tier corresponded to a surface associated with a type of Primal Anima. Each tier of his Soul Altar refined a specific Primal Anima rule and its energy.
Like the All Spirits Ban, which had numerous layers, his Soul Altar was also multi-tiered. The difference lay in the All Spirits Ban's layers of sealing walls, which could blend the profound meanings and energies of various Primal Animas. In contrast, the layers of his crafted Soul Altar were distinct, with no intermixing of powers between them. This was the aspect in which it fell short when compared to the All Spirits Ban.
"Yu Yuan!" Ballo appeared abruptly, his astonishment immeasurable.
He hadn't anticipated that the realm he was led to would be so bustling. The sight of Bertain, Lin Daoke, Green Willow, and Loong Jie, all confined within, was overwhelming. Deeper within the seal, before a patch of multicolored flesh, he witnessed ancient and formidable Abyss creatures besieging a wounded yet defiant purple phoenix.
Above the multicolored flesh stood another Yu Yuan, his expression stoic, observing the fierce battle between the purple phoenix and the Abyss creatures without any indication of intervening.
The Dark Phoenix! Ballo's face drained of color in alarm.
Then, his gaze shifted to the world beyond, where he saw the Beast God Temple and the Phoenix Shrine rising amidst a sea of purple demon energy. Astonishingly, the Moonfang Tiger, Yu Zhu, the Death Viper, the black goat, and the smilodon seemed to coexist harmoniously.
"It's the Wasteland out there!" Brie, arriving a step later, murmured in disbelief.
His focus differed from Ballo's. Upon arrival, he immediately turned his attention outward, first noticing the multitude of Beast Gods and the two grand, enigmatic palaces.
Wasn't the Wasteland ruled by Yuan Le? Why were the Beast Gods, staunchly loyal to Yuan Le, showing such reverence to the Astral Tiger and Yu Zhu? What on earth had transpired in the Wasteland?
As Brie's heart raced with fear, he withdrew his gaze and finally noticed Bertain.
"Lord Bertain!"
In that moment, both Brie of the Shadowkin and Ballo of the Starborn prostrated themselves before the Demon God.
Seeing the Great Demon God Bertain gave them a sense of direction, as if they had found their anchor. Throughout the long years in the Origin Realm, they had grown accustomed to heeding Bertain's commands.
They were also convinced that Bertain was the mightiest in the Origin Realm.
"Your looks of reverence make me feel quite embarrassed," the Great Demon God said with an awkward chuckle, lifting the two chieftains to their feet. "While the Evil Gods of the Abyss were massacring the beings of the Origin Realm, I was confined within the Evil Temple. The one you trusted, me, failed to rescue you from the Everlands. To evade the soul corruption of the Evil God, I had no choice but to seek refuge in the Frostlands."
Bertain, feeling remorseful, continued, "Please, no more grand gestures in the future. The days of my reign over the Origin Realm are behind us."
Then, with a sudden burst of laughter, he pointed at Yu Yuan and proclaimed, "Regardless of what status Yu Yuan held during the time of the Abyss, as he re-emerges in the Everlands, I am his master for two lifetimes! Hehe, he's my disciple, after all. The future of the Origin Realm... no! The future of the Three Realms will be in his hands!"
Bertain swelled with pride for having a disciple like Yu Yuan, his laughter booming.
His original intent was to topple the Nagas of the Everlands, which is why he covertly mentored Yu Yuan during his human era. Now, Yu Yuan had surpassed him, becoming the most formidable being across the Three Realms.
It might not be long before Yu Yuan eclipses all Primal Animas, bringing them under his sway as well!
"Hmph, that old man has never once considered me his disciple!" grumbled Zhong Chichen, listening to the Demon God's exuberant and proud laughter from within the Book of Time, feeling a prickling irritation.
"You're quite the enigma," remarked Yuan Lianyao, also present in the Book of Time. She cast a sidelong glance at the indignant Zhong Chichen and questioned, "He played a significant role in the downfall of your Nagas. He even slew your forebear in the Everlands. So why do you yearn for his recognition as his disciple?"
Zhong Chichen was taken aback and remained silent.
"Begin, the three of you."
Inside the All Spirits Ban, Yu Yuan nodded at the trio who had entered after him, signaling that they could embark on their quest for ascension to the Supreme Realm within the All Spirits Ban.
Whoosh!
The eight-tiered Soul Altar gradually ascended above Yu Yuan's head, swiftly reaching the azure-black dome above.
This resplendent Soul Altar, like a divine needle, dictated the will of the All Spirits Ban. Its presence meant that the Primal Soul could no longer firmly grasp the power left by the Primal Animas.
"Actually, I just got lucky—it was a fluke," Yu Yuan admitted.
His real body soared, still conversing with the identical Primal Soul beneath the Soul Altar.
"Had I not refined the Primal Blood from the Wasteland, the topmost level of the Soul Altar I constructed would always correspond to yours. As long as your emerald table remains at the pinnacle of my Soul Altar, I could never challenge your dominion over the All Spirits Ban whenever I entered with my real body."
Yu Yuan spoke with a serene demeanor, sharing the insight he had just realized.
"The profound meanings of the rules tied to my soul originate from you. As long as your representation on the emerald table stays at the top, and I happen to be within the All Spirits Ban, it's naturally impossible for me to surpass you."
"However, I've always been fortunate. The moment I surpassed you at the level of the Primal Blood, I knew that if I returned with my real body, I would be eligible to contest your authority."
Yu Yuan's smile beamed as he said, "With things as they are, why do you linger? I've already chosen successors for the power and the true essence left by the Primal Spirits within the All Spirits Ban."
"Are you staying to congratulate them?"
Met with Yu Yuan's taunts, he remained silent, casting a cold gaze upon Loong Jie, Green Willow, Ballo, and Brie.
Down below, Loong Jie, Ballo, and Brie were indeed making their breakthroughs.
Following a mighty dragon's roar, Loong Jie transformed into his "Ultimate Golden Body." Except for his heart, his corporeal form appeared as if it were forged from Sunsilver!
The dragon blood within him transformed into the pure essence of gold, silver, copper, and iron. His bones concealed the profound meaning of metal.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The true essence left by the Golden Spirit within the seal, along with the vast metal force, took the form of a Gold Mountain, a silver sea, a copper wall, black iron ore, lightning, a colossal cauldron, a silver bridge, and various other manifestations, all actively soaring towards the golden dragon god.
The golden halo that trailed behind him began to fracture unexpectedly as Loong Jie progressed in his advancement!
A massive chunk of gold, as if plummeting from the heavens with visible golden lightning coursing through it, hurtled toward Loong Jie's form.
Throughout this ordeal, Loong Jie was both exhilarated and tense.
He had previously witnessed all manifestations of the metal force being under the control of the Primal Soul. He feared that the Primal Soul might intervene, forcibly disrupting his momentous rise.
He also dreaded that these diverse manifestations might erupt within the core of his being, causing his immediate demise.
The ascension of a supreme entity was perilous—one misstep could lead to the obliteration of both form and spirit, with no hope of return.
Loong Jie was acutely aware that with great opportunity and destiny came an equal measure of risk and dread.
His dragon heart throbbed vigorously as he observed the various manifestations sinking into his dragon body, permeating his limbs and bones, vanishing into his golden dragon heart.
And yet, there was not a single anomaly!
"I'm alright, I'm actually alright! I'm still alive! Haha, Ballo, Brie, you can try it too!"
Loong Jie bellowed with joy, comfortably coiling his serpentine form within the All Spirits Ban. He persisted in stimulating his bloodline, seeking out more of the metal essence.
