C2242 Unique Charm
The Beast Gods who had pledged their loyalty to Yuen Bu fled in the face of Yu Zhu's menacing threats. As Yu Zhu pursued them with the forces of the Phoenix Shrine, the Sky Tiger intervened in an attempt to dissuade her, resulting in a significant decline in the number of Beast Gods gathered before the temple.
In the purple sea that remained, only a few Beast Gods were left, most of whom were the trusted confidants of Zhiya, having stood by her side for many years. A silver wolf, its fur glistening like freshly fallen snow, stood tall and solitary, gazing intently at Zhiya within the Creation Pool.
Zhiya's hands were stained with blood, her knuckles shining like polished jade. She watched over the endless abyss with a grave expression, her chest rising and falling erratically as her breath grew ragged.
In an instant, the silver wolf's form shifted, transforming into a young man with a stern countenance and white fur gracing his cheeks. Now in human form, he exuded the fierce aura of a piercing spear ready to shatter the heavens.
"It is only through the grace of our Hall Master that I was able to transcend my bloodline and ascend to the rank of a Tenth Level Beast God," the silver wolf mused, his voice heavy with the weight of impending sacrifice. He glanced back at the temple and declared with resolve, "I too possess a drop of blood. After the Hall Master consecrated the Beast Temple, she allowed me to place it within these walls. My comrades, I hope to see you again."
With his mind set, he was prepared to offer his life to compensate for the loss Zhiya had suffered.
Although his time with Zhiya had been brief, his experiences had convinced him of her wisdom and capability as a leader. Shortly after their arrival in the Desolate Realm with the Phoenix Shrine, they faced an onslaught from the numerous Beast Gods under Yuen Bu's command. Zhiya had not abandoned them, nor had she sacrificed them as mere pawns. Instead, she had drawn Yuen Bu away, fiercely defending her followers.
Their survival to this point was a testament to Zhiya's bravery and selflessness. In the face of countless life-or-death situations, her unwavering support had earned the silver wolf's profound gratitude.
Recognizing Zhiya as a sovereign worthy of allegiance, the silver wolf was prepared to lay down his life in her time of peril, hoping to secure her a few precious moments more.
"You go ahead. I'll follow shortly."
The golden giant deer smiled confidently, showing no fear. To die just once was a price he was willing to pay.
"We're not like Yuan Li's followers."
The Tenth Level Dark Gold Beast chuckled and added, "Our Hall Master is different from Yuan Li. The Hall Master cares about our lives, and we are ready to lay them down for him!"
The iron-wing bird, the crow, and several other Beast Gods who had stayed behind watched as Zhiya was besieged. They too declared their willingness to head to the Creation Pool and offer up their cultivation and flesh to buy Zhiya some time.
Their decision was voluntary, not coerced by the Sky Tiger or Yu Zhu.
Their extraordinary actions astonished the black goat, Zhong Chichen, Yuan Lianyao, and the Great Demon God Beilstein.
"The Demon Phoenix truly commands my respect. Forget the Golden Elephant Ancient God and the Qilin, even the Demon Gods who've been loyal to her for years. But to think that the Dark Gold Beast, Silver Wolf, and iron-wing bird... Impressive! Ah, this Phoenix is truly formidable!" Beilstein mused, his aged face showing a hint of resignation.
The Beast Gods behind him, once Ninth Level Alien Beast Kings of the Eon Realm, had ascended to Tenth Level Beast Gods with the Demon Phoenix's aid.
Yet their time with Zhiya had been brief.
What allure did this Demon Phoenix possess to make those Beast Gods so readily embrace death for her sake in such a short time?
Beilstein was inwardly pained.
He had ruled the Origin Realm for years, yet his own veteran Heavenly Demons had been swayed by a mere whisper from the Origin Soul, without even a token resistance.
Saka had been loyal to him for countless years.
The Silver Wolf had been with the Demon Phoenix for how long?
Upon comparison, the Great Demon God Beilstein seethed with anger. He ranted within the Myriad Spirit Restriction, "I'm still not clever enough. Those who focus on the body over the soul when cultivating are more dependable in a crisis! It's not me who's wrong; it's simply a matter of racial differences!"
He stubbornly refused to concede that he was inferior to Zhiya in this regard, attributing the issue to racial disparities instead.
"She's truly formidable," Yuan Lianyao couldn't help but express her admiration.
Youyu, also hailing from the Vast Ocean, gave a slight nod, observing the Demon Phoenix ensnared within the Creation Pool. Despite her grave injuries and the impossibility of healing, she stubbornly refused to seek aid from Yu Yuan. "She certainly has exceptional qualities. Her Demon Gods and Beast Gods genuinely acknowledge her leadership, ready to charge into battle and even lay down their lives for her," he remarked.
"Had she and Yuen Bu been born in the Desolate Realm rather than the Origin Realm's Vast Ocean, it's possible that the Origin Blood refined by Yu Yuan might have chosen her first. Such a turn of events would have undoubtedly altered the destiny of the Origin Blood," Zhong Chichen reflected with a sense of poignancy.
In that moment, he realized that his deep-seated enmity towards the Demon Phoenix was gradually diminishing.
As his lost memories returned, he remembered he was the Colorful Divine Dragon from ancient times. Recalling the Naga's history, his disdain for the Demon Phoenix grew, mirroring that of Loong Jie.
To all Nagas, the Demon Phoenix was a betrayer, an ally to foreign creatures that had conspired to dethrone them.
Initially, both he and Loong Jie were determined to annihilate the Demon Palace and the Demon Phoenix, who had claimed dominance over the Vast Ocean's forces.
Yet, with an increasing number of revelations and experiences, he traced back further to find that Beilstein and Yu Yuan, the former Abyss Lord, were also responsible for the downfall of their kind.
With the Three Realms now plunged into turmoil and upheaval, he found it increasingly challenging to consider Zhiya as his primary foe.
Upon reassessing the situation with a clear mind, he recognized that this purple phoenix, born in the Vast Ocean, possessed many admirable traits.
Though of phoenix lineage, she was not naturally gifted among the Phoenix Tribe of the Vast Ocean.
She wasn't particularly beautiful nor did she stand out in her community, but it was her relentless determination and wild fervor that allowed her to rise above the thirty-six ancient Demon Tribes of the Vast Ocean.
She was the one who ultimately brought down the divinely favored Naga and ascended to the throne of the Demon Palace.
Not long ago, she also vanquished Yuen Bu, the King of the Desolate Realm, and consecrated the Beast Temple.
The Demon Gods and Beast Gods under her command, including the ancient Qilin, the Golden Elephant Ancient God, the Sky Tiger, and the newly subdued iron-wing bird, silver wolf, and crow, all genuinely acknowledged her leadership.
She was truly a formidable figure of her time.
Deep within the Creation Pool.
Zhiya, her body riddled with wounds and her flesh exposed, was covered in ghastly bloody holes. Her long hair, flowing like a waterfall, stirred without any breeze. Her once-flawless features, now marred, were beyond recognition.
Her life force was ebbing away. She was tormented by her inability to recover or reach the purple sea.
She watched as the black-scaled demon and the venomous green giant lizard emerged slowly from the mottled flesh.
Her once-luminous eyes now flickered with resignation.
She had noticed that the Beast Gods, who had pledged their loyalty due to Yu Zhu's threats and the change of leadership at the Beast Temple, were now deserting her.
She also heard the Beast Gods, including the Silver Wolf, Golden Deer, Iron-wing Bird, and Dark Gold Beast, vow to lay down their lives for her.
She felt a tinge of solace. As the Silver Wolf was about to approach, she suddenly demanded, "What exactly do you want to know?!"
Her expression was stern, as if she were challenging Yu Yuan rather than conceding.
But Yu Yuan, who understood her well, recognized this as her form of capitulation, the utmost she was capable of.
"Come in, then we'll talk."
Yu Yuan refrained from taunting her at this moment. Instead, he tossed the Dragon Slash Platform towards her, saying, "I'm not sure if the Dragon Slash Platform can protect you, but it's worth a try."
Without hesitation, Zhiya leapt into the Dragon Slash Platform.
She was acutely aware that if she wanted to avoid death in this place, she had to heed Yu Yuan's advice.
She had no alternative.
...
"Hall Master!"
"The Hall Master has entered the Dragon Slash Platform!"
The Silver Wolf, resolute in his sacrifice, along with the newly risen Beast Gods, cried out upon noticing her sudden disappearance into the Dragon Slash Platform.
"It seems we're no longer needed. The Hall Master... does not wish for us to die on her behalf."
The Golden Deer, who had loyally followed Zhiya for many years and had refused to submit even when Yuen Bu extended an olive branch and offered the Life Keychain, spoke softly, "There's no need for anyone to enter. We'll just wait here for news."
The Beast Gods gradually regained their composure.
They stood before the Beast Temple, gazing into the void that had swallowed Zhiya, their eyes fixed on the Dragon Slash Platform where she had vanished. In their eyes shone sincere respect and devotion.
The Golden Deer was confident that once the Hall Master emerged, at her single command, these Beast Gods would willingly lay down their lives for her.
Whomever she wished to vanquish, these faithful Beast Gods would rally to her cause with fervor.
Even against a deity, even against the very creator of their bloodline, the Beast Gods would stand ready to battle at her side!
