C236 The Upper Sect's Deterrence!

The Nightstorm emerged from the depths of the dark and foreboding cave. Yu Yuan had been sitting at the cave's entrance, legs swinging, engaged in animated conversation. Now, he remained there, merely shifting his body to allow the Nightstorm to pass through unimpeded.

"Poison Master..." Standing within the cave, he furrowed his brow slightly as he gazed upon the valley floor and its network of caves that burrowed into the earth. He pondered whether the Poison Masters, once notorious for their misdeeds across the Aetherius Continent, were still alive.

Loong Tianxiao and Guan Xianyun had made a mistake; it wasn't Yu Yuan who controlled the Nightstorm, but rather someone within the miasma. He had formed a tacit agreement with this individual because of Mei Qiurong. This person could instantly perceive his thoughts and respond in kind. Although the Nightstorm's trajectory was indeed influenced by him, he was not the one wielding control.

"Mei Qiurong of the Ebon Star, brandishing the Mark of the Celestials, has made an unexpected appearance in Gloomhollow. There's undoubtedly more to it," Yu Yuan thought to himself, setting aside his concerns about Mei Qiurong. He continued to delve into the Soul Forging through Enlightenment, maintaining his covert connection with the enigmatic space beneath the Soulforge Pool.

His mind was rife with questions. For instance, the moment he connected with the four ancient black characters of the Soul Forging through Enlightenment and the singular space, the Maelstrom of Oblivion that Mei Qiurong wielded became ineffective. His three souls—of heaven, earth, and man—were able to break free from the Maelstrom's grasp and remain anchored within his Mindscape. The phenomenon was baffling.

He had known of the Ebon Star's formidable Spirit Magic, the Maelstrom of Oblivion, from his past life. It was a technique so potent that even Trolls and archdemons fell victim to it, their souls torn asunder and extinguished in mere moments. Mei Qiurong, a practitioner of the Lunar Spirit Realm, had demonstrated its formidable power.

Yet, why did the Maelstrom of Oblivion suddenly become ineffective the moment he connected with the four ancient black words, 'To Know All is to Suffer All,' within the singular space beneath the Soulforge Pool?

Rumors suggest that the Maelstrom of Oblivion didn't originate from the Ebon Star Sect but belongs to another sect entirely. It was a sage from the Ebon Star who stumbled upon this technique and, through meticulous study and refinement, transformed it with the help of the sect's seasoned cultivators. This led to the creation of the Maelstrom of Oblivion, a unique thaumaturgy of the Ebon Star Sect.

"The other sect?"

Yu Yuan pondered for a moment, slowly unraveling the enigma.

"If I'm not mistaken, that other sect is likely Boulderdawn!"

A cold smile played on his lips as he came to a realization, "As the once-dominant upper sect of Euwrea, Boulderdawn's depth and might surpassed that of the Ebon Star before its downfall. Their Spirit Magic was unparalleled among mortals, commanding respect across all three continents."

"It's highly probable that the arcane knowledge acquired by the Ebon Star's sage originated from Boulderdawn!"

"Given that the Maelstrom of Oblivion traces back to Boulderdawn, and considering that an adept from the same sect left behind the White Paper Fan and the inscription 'To Know All is to Suffer All,' it stands to reason that the Soulforge Pool, a pinnacle of Boulderdawn's wisdom, would be immune to the Maelstrom's influence!"

"After all, in a sense, the practice of Soul Forging through Enlightenment and the refinement of my heaven soul are also derived from Boulderdawn, representing its true legacy."

Yu Yuan quickly arrived at this conclusion.

"Why did Mei Qiurong come to Gloomhollow? My setup there is incredibly discrete; it stands to reason that the Ebon Star should be oblivious to it. Could it be because of that? No, that can't be right. It was freed from the marsh too recently for the Ebon Star to have learned of it so swiftly."

"If not that, then something within Gloomhollow must be drawing the Ebon Star's attention!"

"Could it be the Poison Masters, whose fates—dead or alive—are unknown?"

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed deeply.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to him, Mei Qiurong's real body was drenched in blood.

Mei Qiurong's skin was lacerated with streaks of blood, her visage too ghastly to bear.

Deep within the thick miasma, each assault on the palace by some unnamed entity felt like a direct stab to her own flesh, unbearable in its intensity.

Dodging the relentless Nightstorm, she struggled to concentrate, unable to sustain her mana application to the Mark of the Celestials.

Moreover, with her Lunar Spirit corroded by peculiar emotions and unable to return to its real body, she found it nearly impossible to regain control over the Mark of the Celestials, even if she paused.

"Thunder Temple..."

A flicker of strange light crossed Mei Qiurong's eyes as she turned her attention to three cultivators from the Thunder Temple.

Under her piercing gaze, an inexplicable chill settled in the depths of their hearts.

"Ms. Mei?"

The tall elder clutching a yellow gourd chuckled nervously, "It's not that we're unwilling to assist; we simply lack the power to do so!"

Identifying himself as the Chief Elder of the Thunder Temple, he gripped the yellow gourd firmly, nodding and bowing to Mei Qiurong.

He was caught between the fear of displeasing Mei Qiurong and the dread of becoming a target for the miasma-shrouded entity, which could mean instant death.

"You can still make an effort."

Mei Qiurong's real body continued to dart about, while her Lunar Spirit transformed into a streak of light, hurtling toward the Chief Elder of the Thunder Temple.

"Maelstrom of Oblivion!"

She unleashed the same Spirit Magic once again, this time not against Yu Yuan, but targeting the Chief Elder of the Thunder Temple.

The Chief Elder's face turned ashen, and he stammered, "Guru, what, what is your intention?"

Mid-sentence, he attempted to open the yellow gourd.

But before he could act, Mei Qiurong's "Maelstrom of Oblivion" had already engulfed him. "Come forth!" Mei Qiurong commanded.

Seven shadowy orbs materialized above the Chief Elder's head, coalescing into a sinister vortex that seemed to devour souls.

A bizarre suction force emerged!

With a hiss, the space above the Chief Elder's head twisted, emitting terrifying, strange ripples.

Like a goldfish ensnared in a net, the Chief Elder's Lunar Spirit was abruptly drawn out.

The golden Lunar Spirit darted into the seven shadowy specks of light and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Subsequently, the heaven soul and the dominant soul, unable to evolve into the Solar Spirit and the primordial spirit, were forcibly extracted one after the other. In a mere moment, they tumbled into the "Maelstrom of Oblivion" and vanished without a trace.

"Phew!"

Before the other two members of the Thunder Temple could react, Mei Qiurong's real body materialized in front of the Chief Elder.

She continued to wield the "Maelstrom of Oblivion" with her Lunar Spirit, dissolving and refining the Chief Elder's three souls.

Her real body then seized the yellow gourd, took a deep breath, and declared, "Such a treasured object, originating from the Thunder Temple, must be the refined essence of lightning if I'm not mistaken!"

The two cultivators from the Thunder Temple were visibly shaken and glared at her intently.

"Given the Thunder Temple's profound ties with the Thunder Sect, you should be well aware of the relationship between the Thunder Sect and our Ebon Star!" Mei Qiurong said icily to the two men. "For the Thunder Temple, the loss of a Chief Elder is not insurmountable. You two are also elders within the Thunder Temple; you can assume his duties upon his demise."

"I'll just borrow this essence of lightning from the gourd for the time being!"

No sooner had she spoken than she retrieved a piece of yellow paper from the deceased Chief Elder's chest.

The paper fit snugly over his palm like a glove.

Instantly, a golden radiance spilled from the yellow paper, cascading through her fingers like water.

She pried open the gourd's stopper and tipped it over, pouring out its contents.

With a hiss and a thunderous roar, bolts of emerald glow lightning burst forth from the mouth of the gourd.

"He may be dead, but his resources can still be utilized."

Mei Qiurong murmured to herself, then extended her hand to press down on the Chief Elder's chest and gave a forceful tug.

A radiant beam, infused with the fierce essence of lightning and vitality, was pulled forth by her grasp.

In an instant, Mei Qiurong was surrounded by streaks of emerald glow lightning, and the ear-splitting peals of thunder echoed around her.

With a crackle, the space around Mei Qiurong erupted with electric flashes and thunder, as countless fragmented beams of light flickered into existence, only to be extinguished moments later.

The region surrounding Mei Qiurong alternated between bursts of brilliant light and moments of sudden darkness. A chilling, gloomy Nightstorm wind, carrying the force of Tectonic Bolts, swept through the area, clashing with the myriad bolts of lightning from the external lightning pool, setting off a chain of explosive reactions.

Mei Qiurong, clutching her yellow gourd, sapped the vitality from the Chief Elder of the Thunder Temple, watching him collapse limply to the ground. She showed not the slightest hint of remorse; on the contrary, she stood tall and imperious as she commanded the other two from the Thunder Temple, "Follow my orders closely. Once we emerge from Gloomhollow, the Thunder Temple will acknowledge your service."

The two appeared bewildered. "The Thunder Temple serves at the behest of the Thunder Sect, and the Thunder Sect has been a longstanding ally of our Ebon Star!"

Mei Qiurong let out a cold scoff. "I wield the Mark of the Celestials, entrusted with the great expectations of our sect. My mission to the Serpent Spine Mountains is a solemn duty! Upon my success, the sect will reward me generously! With just a few favorable words from me to the Thunder Sect, they will convey my commendations to the Thunder Temple."

"Because of me, you two will be appointed as Chief Elders by our sect and receive substantial rewards! And should any harm befall me in Gloomhollow, none of you will escape the scrutiny of the Ebon Star Sect!" She alternated between threats and promises.

"We shall heed the Guru's command," they replied.

Despite being cultivators of the Lunar Spirit Stage from the Thunder Temple, they found themselves unable to muster any will to retaliate after witnessing the Chief Elder's demise at the hands of Mei Qiurong's Maelstrom of Oblivion, especially under the combined pressure of the Ebon Star and the Thunder Sect. Regardless of their internal grievances, they ultimately bowed their heads, signaling their willingness to abide by her directives.

In the vast expanse of the Everlands, across the three continents, the intricate and complex relationships among the sects had led to this peculiar standoff. The way the most powerful sects could dominate the lesser ones was truly fearsome! Just like the Thunder Temple, which, due to its ties with the Thunder Sect, found itself powerless against the oppression of Mei Qiurong from the Ebon Star. They had no choice but to endure, even after the loss of their Chief Elder.

"The Nightstorm no longer poses a threat to me!"

Clutching the yellow gourd, Mei Qiurong drew a deep breath and began to summon her Lunar Spirit.

Yu Yuan had emerged from the cave that had been emitting the Nightstorm. He now found himself inexplicably at the entrance of another cave leading underground. Overlooking the opening, he murmured to himself, "All the Poison Masters are gone, the air is thick with the stench of blood. This sensation... it feels somewhat familiar."

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