C2291 Forbidden Area of the Wasteland
"Sect Master!"
"Lin!"
Xue Jiu and Han Miaoyuan exclaimed in surprise upon witnessing the scene at the border of Straikepera.
When the crystalline wall of the Frostlands shattered, the area ceased to be part of the Starry Sky Forbidden Zone and transformed into a realm connected to Straikepera.
With Han Miaoyuan's divine powers, he could clearly see the Divine Transcendence summoned by Lin Daoke. He also noticed the prismatic ice crystals symbolizing extreme cold, as well as the vast purple sea that stretched across a portion of the Star River.
The purple sea was so vast that it shrouded part of the Frostlands, making it nearly impossible to overlook.
"Han Miaoyuan!"
Within the Frostlands, beings like Taixu, Tianqi, the Abyssal Leviathan, and those akin to Starpierced took notice of him due to the wall's disappearance.
Han Miaoyuan, resurrected from death, remained the leader of the Gods and their most steadfast follower.
His presence unsettled everyone, as they sensed that he, having consumed the Primal Vitality, might unleash his power at any moment.
With the Dark Phoenix causing chaos within and Han Miaoyuan looming with predatory intent from without, the Frostlands' mighty found themselves trapped.
The little spinosaurus let out a roar, its violet-gold scales quivering. In the ferocious guise of a cosmic giant beast, it charged into the tumultuous purple sea following Lin Daoke.
Before the little spinosaurus plunged in, a streak of blood-red lightning struck its forehead.
This signified that a portion of the Primal Blood's spiritual sense had infused itself into the little spinosaurus's body, with the Primal Blood leveraging the dragon form of this new supreme being to battle the fierce creatures within the purple sea.
With a fleeting look of bewilderment, Ji Ningshuang seemed to heed Lin Daoke's well-meaning advice and gently descended onto the prismatic ice crystal.
The ice crystal, embodying the ultimate cold and the Primal Blood, swiftly took flight, distancing itself from the purple sea.
It appeared that both the Primal Blood and the extreme cold had reached a pivotal decision.
The Primal Blood, having infused its spiritual sense into the little spinosaurus, aimed to distract the Dark Phoenix and the vicious beasts within the purple sea, securing a chance for its true essence to break free from the extreme cold.
In the Wasteland, a mysterious Astral Domain, the Secular Bird Queen, Chen Qinghuang, hovered in the shattered expanse, her gaze fixed on an unfinished stone statue.
The statue, with its eight arms and gaunt, elongated torso, featured a single eye that blazed with black flames—a symbol of the breath of ruin.
This realm bore a resemblance to Creitecesh, devoid of cosmic energy.
Occasionally, fierce hurricanes would sweep through, bringing with them traces of cosmic energy. In certain areas of this desolate world, similar black flames would ignite, exuding the same aura of destruction.
Snap!
After a moment of contemplation, Chen Qinghuang began constructing the statue using charred bones, intent on revealing its form in this desolate domain.
Time passed unmarked until the Demon God Bertain appeared silently, pausing before the incomplete effigy.
"Cough, cough," Bertain cleared his throat to signal his presence, then spoke, "Before Yuan Le, the Wasteland had another ruler. His exact name escapes me, but he was of the God Eye Clan."
Without turning, Chen Qinghuang responded indifferently, "As the supreme ruler of the Origin Realm, it's hardly surprising that you're privy to such information."
"Hehe," Bertain chuckled, nodding as he casually shared the statue's secrets with her.
"The former Lord of Ruin is said to have succumbed to the lure of evil demons, forsaking the Wasteland's Primal Blood. It was here that he perished, his body consumed by flames. As his flesh and blood turned to ash, the energy of this Astral Domain was drained."
"Since then, his bones reignite into black flames whenever they encounter new psionic powers from the Star River."
"This is the Wasteland's forbidden zone, off-limits by decree of Yuan Le. The Beast God and the mighty of the Otherkin are all aware of this edict."
After a brief pause, Bertain continued, "Nevertheless, Mu Xiao and the Moon Succubus Queen once defied Yuan Le's prohibition and ventured here. I learned of this place after stripping their memories when I executed them with the All Spirits Ban."
"I suspected you would come, knowing you've delved into the power of destruction yourself."
The Demon God chuckled warmly.
Chen Qinghuang didn't respond immediately. Instead, she carefully placed a piece of charred bone at the foot of the stone statue, transforming it into one of the statue's toes. She then inquired, "What do you need?"
Bertain squinted his eyes, smiling slightly. "Let's discuss it later."
Shortly after, Chen Qinghuang also became aware of something and cast her gaze skyward.
A vast expanse of five-colored flesh was speeding across from another Astral Domain, traversing the shattered realm where she and the Demon God Bertain stood, sweeping over their heads without pause.
It was consuming the various Astral Domains of the Wasteland, and no creature of flesh and blood could elude its reaping.
Yet, for Chen Qinghuang and the Demon God Bertain, it posed no threat at all.
Both of them looked up, watching it drift away into the distance.
"Were you just waiting nearby for it to pass?" Chen Qinghuang asked with a furrowed brow.
Bertain nodded and revealed, "Yu Yuan requires your assistance."
The Demon God quickly explained Yu Yuan's predicament, sharing that Yu Yuan sought to strike at the Primal Soul and hoped to leverage the might of the Death God, Kurkova.
After listening, Chen Qinghuang remained silent for a long while before speaking, "Canli hasn't ascended to Supreme Being status yet; his impatience won't change that. I also need to complete this statue successfully, hoping to make contact with the God of Destruction."
"This statue can actually establish contact with the God of Destruction?" Bertain asked, astonished.
Drawing from the memories of Mu Xiao and the Moon Succubus Queen, as well as his own prior knowledge, he deduced that Yuan Le, the former Lord of Ruin, had once encountered the malevolent demons of another world—the very God of Destruction Chen Qinghuang mentioned.
The previous Lord of Ruin ultimately perished here, and with his demise, the God Eye Clan met their extinction.
It was after this that Yuan Le emerged, and the alien beast clans rose to dominate the Wasteland.
This place was eternally designated as a forbidden area, off-limits to all living beings.
"The intrinsic power within the core of the Behemoth of Ruin from the Origin Realm originates from the very essence of destruction."
Chen Qinghuang hesitated before speaking reluctantly, "The forces of destruction and death share a similar origin and can even coexist. At the moment Zhong Chichen vanished into the Spring of Death, I sensed a whiff of the breath of ruin."
"In one of the thirty-six worlds, there must be a God of Destruction."
"This God of Destruction..."
She gazed at the stone statue before her and continued, "Its true form is likely one-eyed, with a large head, a small body, and eight arms. The former Lord of Ruin didn't refine enough Coal of Annihilation to establish contact with him. Perhaps I can succeed where he did not."
"Coal of Annihilation?" Bertain exclaimed in surprise.
Holding a piece of withered bone, Chen Qinghuang explained, "Those isolated flames of destruction transform cosmic energy into the pure power of destruction, and this process requires the bones of a mighty warrior. The previous Lord of Ruin didn't manage to accomplish this. Luckily, he perished here, and his bones serve as the raw material for the Coal of Annihilation."
"All I need to do is channel cosmic energy from the Star River or relocate this shattered realm to a place imbued with cosmic energy. Letting these bones burn with that energy, the Coal of Annihilation will take shape."
"The God of Destruction's stone statue, now left with only half a leg, will soon be complete."
Anticipation shone in Chen Qinghuang's eyes.
Scratching his head, Bertain asked with a puzzled look, "Is this what the Death God intended?"
Chen Qinghuang shook her head, "She hasn't spoken to me about anything concerning the God of Destruction. She even advised me against further pursuing the power of destruction."
With a smirk, the Secular Bird Queen added coldly, "During my time in the Origin Realm, when I slew the Deathwings and the Behemoth of Ruin, stripping them of their Bloodline Revelation, I realized something."
"The forces of destruction and death can coexist and intertwine."
"Recently, the fusion of soul and spirit on Yu Yuan's Soul Altar, and the descent of the sun, moon, and stars onto the Astral Plane, provided me with significant insight. If the power of destruction and death can coexist, it implies that both the Death God and the God of Destruction will seek to eliminate one another, each desiring to harness the other's strength for their own."
"It is precisely because they can coexist that they obsess over the idea of devouring one another, day and night."
Chen Qinghuang gestured, and the breath of ruin within her began to emanate, drawing more skeletal remains toward her.
Clutching a fresh bone, she scoffed, "I intend to reach out to the God of Destruction to see if this entity from the Otherworld is willing to grant me the true essence of destruction."
"Do you really think it's possible?" Bertain asked, astonished.
"The Death God and the God of Destruction have each refined Primal Anima of the same attribute in another world. I want to see if I can entice them to the Wasteland and subdue one of them."
Chen Qinghuang inhaled deeply, her voice steady, "Of course, it would be ideal if I could subdue both."
"It's worth a shot."
As Yu Yuan's voice echoed, the Dragon Slaying Stage materialized, tearing through the sky and arriving at the forbidden area of the Wasteland.