C2254 The Evil God Reappeared

Bertain exhibited a profound fascination with the existence of the other world. He was eager to learn whether the body and divine consciousness he had twice entered had managed to establish themselves in that realm.

The Demon God was acutely aware of the terror that being represented.

In the Origin Realm, the Abyss, and the Wasteland, only Yu Yuan and his current self could possibly match that entity. All others paled in comparison.

"You've sent Yu Yuan's body here so that our sacrificial power can enable you to manifest. Do you intend to discuss him with us?" Bertain asked with a smile, scrutinizing the faint grayish-green glow. "I imagine you all must feel quite overwhelmed by such a fearsome presence, am I right?"

Bertain was referring to 'you' in the plural sense.

The Demon God was convinced that, similar to the Origin Realm and the Wasteland, the other world must also be home to numerous formidable individuals.

The Secular Bird Queen, observing the activity within the Spring of Death while Bertain spoke, noticed that the grayish-green light offered no response to Bertain's commotion. She frowned and remarked, "He has no interest in communicating with you."

Caught in an awkward moment, the Demon God offered a sheepish smile and conceded, "Very well, then we shall wait for Yu Yuan to awaken."

Within the Levi River, connected to Yu Yuan's brain, the ghosts were perishing, their essence transforming into Soul Power that merged into the deep amber currents.

Yet, the consciousness and emotions generated by the ghosts vanished along with a multitude of death symbols.

The entity from the other side sought more than just Soul Power.

"How peculiar," Youyu mused, his expression one of confusion. "The spiritual wisdom of ghosts typically plays a role only in the birth of new life and still requires the purifying cycles of the Crucible of Rebirth. What purpose could that being have for desiring the spiritual sense of ghosts?"

It was beyond his comprehension.

Nevertheless, Youyu could see the grayish-green light within the Spring of Death swelling, seemingly metamorphosing into a phantom, as if it were indeed nurturing a nascent soul.

A newborn soul requires a cleansed spirit, devoid of any memories.

"He's crafting a new soul!" Yu Zhu exclaimed, her face alight with realization.

This master of Spirit Magic, wielding the arts of the Primal Soul and Primal Vitality, had seen her powers greatly amplified since assuming control of the Phoenix Shrine. Mysterious memories occasionally surfaced in the depths of her mind, enlightening her and allowing her to unravel intricate enigmas of the soul.

Upon hearing this, Youyu's spirit quivered as he acknowledged, "It does seem that way!"

Bertain, listening intently, fixed his gaze on the shifting phantom within the Spring of Death and, scratching his head, mused, "Strange, why do I feel like I recognize the fellow inside? I should know him quite well, too."

Whoosh!

The soul stone that Youyu had placed on Yu Yuan's forehead suddenly plummeted into Yu Yuan's brain, swiftly becoming shrouded by numerous symbols of death.

As Youyu gasped in horror, the soul stone that had briefly flickered in Yu Yuan's mind vanished without a trace!

The silhouette within the Spring of Death gradually sharpened into clarity.

There, the individual was clasping the soul stone that had disappeared from Yu Yuan's mind.

"The soul stone I've long coveted, along with my Origin Realm!"

The holder of the soul stone was overcome with profound sentiment.

From his hand in soul form, a multitude of mystic runes emerged, wandering through the expanse within the Hex Stone.

The soul stone's inner world was suddenly awash with the brilliance of Spirit Magic, the intricacies of space magic, and the Cosmic Order, seldom witnessed across the realms.

A sentient Lunar Meridian, the vast Levi River, and innumerable ghosts were all brought under his dominion in the blink of an eye.

The connection between Youyu and the soul stone severed, and his phantom within the stone dissipated like a wisp of smoke.

Matina, Razses, Luo Yue, and Wagner, all Gods of Ghosts, were left in a stunned stupor. The Levi River ceased its flow, and the ghosts appeared to be frozen in the void.

Only the Root of the Lunar Meridian within the soul stone continued to emanate an ancient and distant essence.

"Arthurs!"

"The Origin Deity!"

Bertain, the Light Spirit, along with Zhong Chichen and Youyu, stared at the figure who had emerged in the Spring of Death with eyes wide as if beholding a specter.

This individual was none other than Arthurs, the self-proclaimed Origin Deity!

Before the Abyssal Gate crumbled, he was the sole entity who had traversed it with his soul, wreaking havoc in the Origin Realm.

Mastering both soul and spatial powers, he stood out as a formidable Evil God. He had forged numerous Origin Gates across the Astral Domains of the Origin Realm. His creation, the Maw of Oblivion, had nearly engulfed the forces of the Ashlands.

The fallen divine tree, Diggs, once allied with the Voidweaver, with Diggs serving as their leader. Arthurs, the so-called Origin Deity, was grievously wounded in an ambush by Bertain in the Ashlands. Bertain further pursued him through the "Maw of Oblivion" into the seven layers of the Abyss, where he inflicted additional heavy injuries on Arthurs. This left the Origin Deity with nothing but a single evil soul remaining in the Holy Temple.

With the assistance of Yu Yuan, Youyu refined the Origin Realm created by Arthurs using the soul stone. After a period of dormancy, Jihui, the God-King, assumed control of the Abyss with the tacit approval of the guardians, succeeding the ambitious Arthurs and overseeing the unfolding events in the Abyss.

Arthurs, once the nightmare of all races in the Origin Realm and a source of terror that left the Everlands in unrest, began to fade from memory. As the Gods firmly established their presence in the Origin Realm, and with Yu Yuan and Tan Xiaotian ascending to supreme status, along with the return of the Demon God Bertain, the once-feared Arthurs was gradually forgotten.

Empowered by his divine might, Arthurs departed the Evil Temple, venturing into the Otherworld with the combined forces of the Wraithbanner and the Banner of Duality. His whereabouts became unknown. Meanwhile, a peculiar object, a flagpole devoid of its banner, emerged from the Spring of Death in the Ashlands. The death symbol on the flagpole sought out Chen Qinghuang in the Origin Realm, imprinting a mark on the Secular Bird Queen's mind, ultimately driving her into madness once more.

Arthurs, the Origin Deity, was the first soul to traverse the Spring of Death and enter the Otherworld from the three great worlds. Everyone presumed him dead, his soul dissipated in the distant Otherworld. Yet now, his gray-green phantom has reemerged within the Spring of Death. He has even claimed the soul stone! Observing his form and condition, it's evident that he retains his self-awareness, not having been overtaken by any foreign entity.

"Everyone, it's been a long time," said Arthurs, his gray-green phantom no larger than a fist, standing at the heart of the spring.

Ripples of death aura emanated from the depths of the Spring of Death, not from within him.

Arthurs' eyes moved over the faces of Bertain and Youyu, unexpectedly landing on the Light Spirit.

He acknowledged the Light Spirit with a nod.

"I recognize you!"

The Light Spirit let out a shriek.

Arthurs offered a slight smile and replied, "Yes."

Back when he resided in the Abyss, he had lived atop the highest lands and naturally encountered the Light Spirit, the beacon of light in that realm.

"There are many faces here I recognize."

Sensing the exterior from within the spring, Arthurs expressed mild astonishment, "If I'm not mistaken, you're not in the Origin Realm but in the Wasteland. How did so many of you manage to shatter the barrier that only Yu Yuan and the Lord of Ruin can breach?"

His question was met with silence.

"I am the envoy from the other side."

Arthurs spoke again, this time directing his attention to the Secular Bird Queen. After a brief pause, he continued, "There exists an ancient being on the other side who, through me, has learned of your acquisition of Death Magic and the inheritance, and your potential to ascend to supremacy. They have taken an interest in you, hence why they cast the flag your way."

Chen Qinghuang responded coolly, "Seeing you alive, I had my suspicions."

The flagpole, marked with the symbol of death, wouldn't have traversed the Spring of Death without cause, nor would it have so precisely sought her out to brand her soul with its mark.

The entity on the other end had learned everything through Arthurs and intended to cultivate her within the Origin Realm, raising her as a formidable puppet.

"Chronowyrm!"

Deep within the Spring of Death, Arthurs, clutching the soul stone, beamed with a radiant smile. "In the worlds I've visited, there lies an opportunity that could elevate you to supremacy."

Zhong Chichen eagerly asked, "Is that so?"

He had long sensed that on the other side of the Spring, there must be a being whose mastery of space magic far exceeded his own, for without such a presence, the Spring of Death could not exist.

"Indeed, it is true."

Arthurs nodded, his smile unwavering, as he gestured towards the spring. "This artifact is the work of that individual. Should you choose to enter, they will aid in your ascension. Naturally, if you're inclined to undertake some tasks for them, you may find your path to supremacy within the Wasteland as well."

Zhong Chichen inhaled deeply and asked with a grave tone, "What kind of price must I pay?"

"Pay attention, you need to do something for him," Arthurs reiterated.

"What exactly?"

"Break through the barrier between the Origin Realm and the Wasteland, allowing the two worlds to connect as quickly as possible," Arthurs promptly relayed the individual's demand. "You possess the power to do it now!"

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