C2257 The Result of Greed

The periphery of the Death Spring shimmered with a light so intense it seemed to cleave the very fabric of the void.

Zhong Chichen called forth the Time Book, standing upon the ancient tome that held the mysteries of time and space within its pages. He harnessed these pages to gather the radiant light spilling from the Death Spring's outer rim.

This resplendent light concealed the depths of the void, possessing the power to penetrate entire worlds.

With each strand of peculiar light the Time Book captured, the alternate universe within its pages expanded, becoming more vast and intricate, as new void mysteries were etched into it.

The frenzy of his pursuit had overtaken Zhong Chichen's once handsome and composed visage. His characteristic nonchalance, the ease with which he regarded all things, had vanished without a trace.

Unaware, he teetered on the brink of a snare, meticulously woven by some unknown entity. Engrossed in his quest for the ultimate truth, he sensed the Great Dao he so desperately sought drawing ever nearer.

Gradually, he and the Time Book ventured beyond the fringe of the Death Spring, delving further inward.

Meanwhile, all eyes were fixed on Yu Yuan, observing his transformation, leaving Zhong Chichen's actions largely unnoticed.

Without warning, the Death Spring, long still, began a slow and deliberate rotation inward.

Zhong Chichen, who had been attempting to decipher the essence of the void through the Death Spring's structure, was jolted to alertness. His face blanched as he realized he had ventured too far.

He hastily attempted to withdraw, to flee the clutches of the Death Spring and retract the power he had extended into its depths. Alas, it was too late.

Delicate as filaments, the prismatic light surged towards the Nether Domain, leading the way through the Death Spring.

This rainbow-hued brilliance was the Dragon Breath that Zhong Chichen had dispersed within the Death Spring, an embodiment of his power, as he sought to unravel the void's secrets.

He knew then that calamity loomed over him.

"Be careful!"

Yu Zhu, Yuan Lianyao, and Mother Earth perceived the peril he faced and shouted their warnings from a distance.

Simultaneously, they detected an ominous, burgeoning Death Intent lurking behind Arthurs in the Death Spring's abyss.

Beyond that, there was a terrifying presence utterly distinct from the will of death, as if it were intent on shattering the very fabric of the void. It seemed to have been drawn by the Death Spring, crossing over from another realm.

This fearsome presence caused the Gal Starfield to resemble a polyhedral prisma, which suddenly fragmented into pieces.

Dense spatial fissures proliferated throughout the Gal Starfield, spawned by the emergence of this dreadful aura.

The formidable entity from beyond the Death Spring appeared to have unleashed only a fraction of its power, yet it nearly obliterated the entire Gal Starfield, erasing all foundational void laws within this Starfield.

"I!" Zhong Chichen let out a terrified scream.

The Dragon Breath and spatial magic he had unleashed to delve into the mysteries of the Death Spring had now been claimed by another will.

In that moment, he was abruptly reminded of the two options Arthurs had presented to him.

He could either remain in the Desolate Realm, breaking down the barriers between the two worlds, where the entity on the other side would grant him deeper insights into the Void Truths, aiding his ascent to the Supreme Realm within the Desolate Realm.

Alternatively, he could pass directly through the Death Spring into the other realm, where he would achieve his advancement to the Supreme Realm.

Clearly, there was unwavering confidence that once he crossed over, he would be unable to escape the influence of that being and would inevitably become one of their number.

Only someone with such assurance would offer no conditions, simply assisting him in his rise to the Supreme Realm.

"Mr. Zhong!" Yuan Lianyao called out as she moved toward the Death Spring, only to be abruptly halted by Creation Peak.

"It's futile," Mother Earth declared with calm authority.

Zhong Chichen's descent into obsession and self-forgetfulness came from his deepening exploration into the Void Truths, which led to his current predicament.

Kurkova, the Death God, an entity of equal stature, had confidently targeted Zhong Chichen.

From the moment Zhong Chichen approached the Death Spring, silently perceiving its esoteric void secrets, a trap must have already been laid.

The entity had refrained from acting sooner to avoid raising Zhong Chichen's suspicions, offering enticements to lower his guard for an opportune strike.

Now, the Death Spring resembled a web woven in the void, set to ensnare Zhong Chichen, the unsuspecting fly.

Boom!

Beneath Yu Zhu, the Phoenix Shrine began to ripple with a void-like distortion, and the radiant light beneath the ripples swiftly faded away.

Under Yu Zhu's command, this enigmatic Phoenix Shrine attempted to rescue Zhong Chichen, yet it was shaken by a tremor emanating from the Death Spring.

Crack!

The grand Phoenix Shrine suffered from the shock, causing some bricks to burst apart and reveal a mural of a vibrant butterfly in flight.

This resplendent butterfly, etched with special blood, had lines that encapsulated the esoteric nature of the void.

It was the work of the Void Spirit Succubus.

A Tenth Level entity like Zhong Chichen, the Void Spirit Succubus was not only his archenemy but also the Starry Behemoth long coveted by the Demon Phoenix.

She met her end in the Gray Domain, devoured by a spinosaurus.

Yet, her mastery of the void's profundity was imprinted onto the Phoenix Shrine in this manner.

Zhiya, the Demon Phoenix, had somehow acquired her blood essence, gleaned a portion of her void insights, and merged them with the fallen Space-time Dragon's bloodline secrets. Using the blood of the Void Spirit Succubus, she etched its image into the Phoenix Shrine.

As Zhong Chichen was on the verge of vanishing into the Death Spring, Yu Zhu attempted an interception with the Phoenix Shrine, only to have another will within sense her efforts. A surge of power shattered the bricks concealing the butterfly mural.

Yu Zhu let out a muffled grunt, fearing the entire Phoenix Shrine might burst apart, she reluctantly reined in her power.

She also sensed a gaze from within the spring, intent on memorizing her presence and the Phoenix Shrine she wielded.

After a moment's hesitation, Yu Zhu prudently withdrew into the sanctuary of the shrine.

Whoosh!

In that instant, Zhong Chichen, along with the Time Book, finally transitioned to the far end of the spring.

The onlookers could only watch as Zhong Chichen faded from view.

Youyu, Yuan Lianyao, Chen Qinghuang, Mother Earth, and the Light Origin Spirit, lacking any delve into spatial enigmas, could do nothing. Meanwhile, a Devil Soul of the Great Demon God Beilstein stirred within Yu Yuan's form.

"This Space-time Dragon was hell-bent on its own demise."

Arthurs watched impassively as the Death Spring gradually stilled once more, aware that the powerful being who had seized Zhong Chichen had also departed the Nether Domain.

At the same moment, an exceedingly subtle wisp of Death Qi seeped through Arthurs' hand into the heart stone.

The heart stone remained unchanged, save for the gentle stirring of the gray stream that symbolized the Yin Meridian.

While the rest of the group fixated on the Death Spring, they were oblivious to the faint Death Qi. Only Chen Qinghuang sensed something amiss, her cool gaze filled with perplexity as she observed the stream within the heart stone.

She recognized that Kurkova, the expert Arthurs referred to, was making contact with the Yin Meridian of the heart stone.

The Death Qi merely passed through Arthurs' hand, its deeper significance lost on him.

But she grasped its meaning.

After some reflection, she understood that the Death Qi conveyed a message to the Yin Meridian: You are not whole. Even if you reach the Nether Domain, you cannot ascend to a new Source Soul due to your inherent incompleteness.

Chen Qinghuang had an epiphany.

The Yin Meridian capable of evolving into a Source Soul should have proactively communicated with Arthurs and sought assistance from the Death God beyond.

The other side, recognizing its imperfection, did not consent to its plea.

Whoosh!

All of a sudden, Beilstein's Devil Soul, after a brief tour inside Yu Yuan's body, wafted out from his chest, exclaiming in astonishment, "Eh? Where's Zhong Chichen?"

The group remained silent.

"He was absorbed by some entity on the other side while investigating the spring," came the detached explanation from Mother Earth, who had earlier barred Yuan Lianyao.

Beilstein's face darkened instantly. The group could discern the unspoken fury in his eyes, tinged with a hint of frustration. The Great Demon God spoke icily, "His greatest fault is his belief that once he regains his full power, no one can hinder him."

"This conviction is deeply ingrained in his bloodline and will never fade."

The Great Demon God's gaze lingered on the spring, focusing on Arthurs at its deepest point.

Feeling the weight of such scrutiny, Arthurs squirmed uncomfortably, memories of past beatings resurfacing.

"Back when the Nagas wreaked havoc in the Origin Realm, he was the toughest to handle. He could even elude my pursuit. Now, with his power restored and the Time Book in his possession, he can effortlessly withdraw from any encounter in the Desolate Realm or Origin Realm."

This allowed him to lead a carefree life, always remaining calm and composed. It was because he had never encountered anyone who could surpass his mastery of spatial power.

But now that he had met such a person, he thought he could easily escape danger as he had in the past.

Ultimately, he took a significant fall.

Beilstein identified Zhong Chichen's issue and then addressed Yu Zhu, "I can awaken Yu Yuan and assist him in reassembling the remaining memories of his soul. However, my Devil Soul lacks strength. I need you to grant me some of the soul energy from this shrine."

"If Youyu's heart stone hadn't been lost, I would have drawn power from that Divine Stone. Now, I have no choice but to turn to you."

Beilstein set aside the effects of Zhong Chichen's disappearance and readied himself to proceed with Yu Yuan's awakening.

"I will awaken him myself."

Yu Zhu disagreed. As Beilstein left Yu Yuan's body, she manifested a pure soul form and descended into Yu Yuan's mind.

"You know far less about the Origin Soul than I do!" Beilstein exclaimed in displeasure.

Yu Zhu ignored his comment.

Whoosh!

As Yu Zhu's soul form was about to land, Yu Yuan's body turned a luminous green, and her descending spirit was repelled by the bright light.

She tried to descend but was unable to.

"At the Creation Pool, Yu Yuan's true body is reestablishing its connection with the Undead Sovereign's body."

With just one look, Beilstein recognized the issue and expressed his astonishment, "One of my Devil Souls can't maintain a connection with my body in the Myriad Spirit Restriction. His true body is deep within, yet this Undead Sovereign's body remains unconscious!"

The Great Demon God spoke with a tone of incredulity.

"Can it still establish a connection?"

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