C2385 The Demon Lord's Encounter
Tan Xiaotian gazed at the Peak of Creation with a frosty look. His stance toward the Primal Anima had undergone a profound transformation.
To him, the Primal Animas dispersed throughout the worlds had become unforgivable aberrations, the mortal enemies of all living beings.
Whoosh!
The Peak of Creation, soaring through the skies, suddenly burst forth with blinding divine radiance. The intense light formed into sharp blades, unleashing the ultimate truth governed by the Light Spirit.
The swath of darkness that Tan Xiaotian had casually cast was riddled with holes by a thousand beams of dazzling divine light, yet the Peak of Creation's advance remained unstoppable!
"Ugh!"
Bertain cried out in astonishment, his demonform halting mid-flight as he gazed at the Peak of Creation with amazement.
The old demon realized that it was the Light Spirit, with its own sentience, that had infused the Peak of Creation with divine power, shattering Tan Xiaotian's dark barrier.
Then, the Peak of Creation turned towards Tan Xiaotian, revealing a spectacle of stars swirling and the sun and moon radiating intense brilliance.
The stars, sun, and moon, like luminous eyes, each emitted a blinding divine glow, with many cosmic orders hidden within.
The wall of obstruction, formed by Tan Xiaotian's dark energy, was torn to shreds under the assault of the light.
The Peak of Creation's trajectory through the void didn't falter for an instant!
"Heh!"
Provoked, Tan Xiaotian bared his teeth in a wide grin, "Bring it on! I want to see if you can shatter my Darkness Heavens after assimilating the mysteries of the Way of Heaven!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Behind Tan Xiaotian, six pitch-black canopies emerged from the void, resembling six enigmatic and elusive Worlds of Darkness, hovering in the deep space behind him.
The Demon Lord raised his arm and bellowed, the six dark heavens swirling around him like a massive, fluttering dark cloak.
Within these six dark canopies lay a patchwork of incomplete dark magic laws, presenting a vista of shattered dark realms.
The numerous dark magic laws concealed within these dark heavens were not bestowed by the Dark Anima of the Abyss.
The onlookers above the Wellspring of Creation fixed their eyes on the six dark heavens unfurling behind Tan Xiaotian, slowly sensing the presence of six Dark Overlords from different eras concealed within.
Historically, six individuals ascended to the rank of Supreme Being via the Dark Way. Yet, all ultimately met their demise.
"Hahaha!"
Tan Xiaotian, having unleashed six dark canopies, positioned himself before the Peak of Creation and underwent a sudden transformation.
Boom!
He manifested a towering Divine Transcendence in front of the dark canopies. With a sinister grin, he extended an immense black hand, effectively blocking the path of the Peak of Creation.
His dark hand loomed like an impenetrable mountain of shadows before the Peak.
The blinding light from the Peak of Creation, shaped into sharp blades by the Way of Heaven, struck his dark hand and was silently absorbed, vanishing as if it were a clay dragon swallowed by the sea.
Tan Xiaotian, full of pride, taunted, "I'm eager to see what you're capable of now!"
Whoosh!
The Tree of Life, once again lush and verdant, sprouted from the vibrant summit of the Peak of Creation. Its jade-like leaves sparkled with a crystalline radiance.
A rich vitality coursed through the Tree's branches, transforming into the nourishing essence of the Primal Anima.
Rip!
Strands of dark green lightning coiled around its bark, resembling scales, and spread throughout the leaves.
Enormous thunder balls, akin to fruits borne by the Tree of Life, emerged abundantly among its foliage.
The two ultimate truths of the Primal Anima, wood and lightning, began to converge in a powerful exchange of energy.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Subsequently, the soul form of Mother Earth, the Tree of Life's spiritual sense, and the consciousness of the Thunder Spirit materialized as three distinct apparitions within the Tree's trunk.
The soul images of the three Primal Animas radiated a feverish zealotry that seemed unsettling.
This irrational fervor had obliterated their innate spiritual sense, driving them to obliterate any obstacle in pursuit of their fanatical devotion.
Every creature, every soul in the world, anyone who dared obstruct their pilgrimage would be annihilated by them!
"They've changed."
Ji Ningshuang, observing from above the Wellspring of Creation, gazed upon the soul images of the three Primal Animas and remarked to Yu Yuan, the Undead Sovereign at her side, "It seems impossible to communicate with them as we once could."
Yu Yuan gave a slight nod, indicating his understanding.
"Perhaps Tan Xiaotian is correct. All Primal Anima are aberrations," the Secular Bird Queen stated icily.
Whoosh!
The previously concealed soul form of the Light Spirit suddenly emerged atop the Tree of Life. It gracefully stood on a leaf that shimmered like jade, furrowing its brows as it gazed at Tan Xiaotian.
In contrast to Mother Earth, Thunder, and the Tree of Life's Primal Anima, the Light Spirit was noticeably different, remaining lucid and alert. Its face, as exquisite as polished jade, now bore an unusual hue. It looked at Tan Xiaotian with astonishment and exclaimed, "You have neither been overtaken by darkness nor tainted by the Primal Soul."
"Hahaha!"
Tan Xiaotian bared his teeth in a wild laugh, giving the Light Spirit's soul form a piercing look before inquiring, "Where's Canli?"
The Light Spirit could only manifest its full divine might within the supreme vessel that was Canli's body. Without her, even this formidable Light Spirit wouldn't be worth his consideration.
Tan Xiaotian, having had a serendipitous adventure in the Otherworld, was intent on settling the score with Canli and harbored a persistent ambition to overpower the Light Spirit.
What Tan Xiaotian coveted most was to confront the Light Spirit in its most potent state, possessing Canli, and to battle it at its peak.
He had fearlessly plunged into the Otherworld, endured countless trials, and emerged from relentless combat with his vast divine power. Naturally, he was eager to prove his mettle.
This was especially true with Yu Yuan, the great Demon God Bertain, Lin Daoke, and Chen Qinghuang present.
Tan Xiaotian wanted them all to bear witness!
"She's not here," the Light Spirit, with its bright eyes and pearly teeth, responded, a note of regret evident when Canli's name was mentioned.
"Not here?"
Tan Xiaotian paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he surveyed the Peak of Creation, then scrutinized Bertain, Yu Yuan, and Chen Qinghuang with a contemplative look.
"Hmm?"
After watching Tan Xiaotian for some time, the Great Demon God Bertain finally exclaimed, "Impressive, lad! You've managed to maintain your sense of self?"
He had been stealthily observing and discovered, to his surprise, that there was no trace of Primal Anima within the Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian's body.
Tan Xiaotian had not been possessed or refined by the Primal Anima, yet he managed to unleash the six incomplete veils of the Darkness Sky Curtain, halting the roaring Peak of Creation in its tracks, much to the surprise and delight of the big devil.
"Come on, tell me, how did your dark energy surge so much after you arrived in the Otherworld?" chuckled the Old Devil.
"Bertain!"
Tan Xiaotian inhaled deeply, his gaze fixed on the supreme being born in the Origin Realm, his expression growing significantly more solemn. "It was only after I reached the Otherworld that I realized you've also made quite a name for yourself across its thirty-six worlds!"
"It's nothing to write home about," the big devil said, dismissing the compliment with a smile.
The fact that Stephanie, who was ranked before him, was subtly influenced by the Spirit of Fate, and that the God of Time, Heesters, was still unaccounted for, dampened the big devil's spirits.
His pride was especially hard to muster when he considered the overwhelming power of the Primal Soul that originated from the Abyss.
With a whoosh, Yu Yuan, the "Undead Sovereign," materialized on the Peak of Creation, perching on a verdant branch. He inquired, "Mr. Tan, what brings you here?"
The Peak of Creation had come to a standstill.
The Light Spirit hesitated briefly before using its sway to plunge the other three Primal Souls, who had succumbed to their own spiritual sense, into a temporary daze.
The fervor vanished from the faces of the three Primal Animas, replaced by a bewildered emptiness as if their souls had momentarily departed.
Without Canli's presence and a chance to engage in a proper battle with the Light Spirit, Tan Xiaotian brooded, his brow furrowed, under the queries of Bertain and Yu Yuan.
After a short pause, Tan Xiaotian recounted his adventures in the Otherworld. "Here's what happened..."
Upon arriving in the Otherworld through the Wellspring of Creation in the Wasteland, he swiftly unraveled the enigmas of its thirty-six worlds and discovered the mystical Domain of Origin, the birthplace of all Primal Animas.
Thus, Tan Xiaotian made a beeline for the Domain of Origin.
While others were locked in combat with the Primal Soul of the Abyss in the Origin Realm and the Wasteland, Tan Xiaotian had already set out on his journey of discovery within the Domain of Origin.
He was eager to find another Dark Anima there and planned to refine it, ultimately crowning it as the God of Darkness in the Otherworld.
The method for refining Primal Anima that he had acquired was widely disseminated across thirty-six worlds in foreign realms, thanks to the Spirit of Fate, who spread it through the words of Stephanie.
After ascending to godhood, he intended to return to the Origin Realm and the Wasteland, where he would challenge Canli and the Light Spirit to battle.
He had drifted through the Domain of Origin for some time before finally entering the ring-shaped light of the Genesis Nebula, where he searched extensively.
Yet, he did not find any new Dark Spirits. Instead, he encountered a variety of Primal Animas and was constantly under their assault during his explorations.
It seemed that all Primal Animas in the Domain of Origin bore a particular animosity towards flesh-and-blood beings like him, leading to numerous grueling fights.
Eventually, he came across six shattered realms of darkness.
Within these realms, he found remnants of a highly advanced dark civilization and the remains of those who had delved into the powers of darkness.
From these remains and the six fractured realms, he discerned new principles of dark magic.
Ultimately, he comprehended the fragmented dark magic scattered across different locations within the Genesis Nebula and refined the six shattered realms of darkness.
As a result, he gained six Dark Sky Curtains, and his magical prowess surged.
However, this period of prosperity was short-lived. Soon after, he detected the familiar presence of Dark Spirits and the dreadfully powerful Primal Soul of the Abyss within the Genesis Nebula.
Tan Xiaotian, who had refined the six great realms of darkness, recognized that he was no match for the Primal Soul or the Dark Spirits and was forced to retreat into the boundless land he had previously discovered.
He had earlier realized that in the infinite void, Primal Animas were drawn by a mysterious force, which deterred them from venturing too deep into the void beyond the luminous ring.
He also found that the Primal Soul of the Abyss, which could otherwise corrupt him, was unable to detect his movements when he was deep within the void.
Firstly, neither the Primal Soul of the Abyss nor the Dark Spirits that had aided his rise to supremacy seemed eager to enter the void prematurely or to be influenced by the summoning power.
Furthermore, the Primal Soul of the Abyss could not afflict him within the void.
Aware of the numerous advantages the void's depths offered him, and to avoid detection by the Primal Soul and further possession by the Dark Spirits, he had no choice but to wander within the void.
"After I entered the Domain of Origin, all the Primal Animas were brimming with hostility towards me, each one trying to take my life."
Tan Xiaotian's expression was icy as he remembered those unfortunate and sorrowful days. He spoke with a chilling tone, "I've come to realize the truth. Regardless of the type, every Primal Anima will eventually be drawn into the void by that force. Moreover, that force grows stronger and more pervasive the deeper it reaches, its influence ever-expanding."
Finishing his thought, he turned his gaze to the Light Spirit, which still clung to its sanity, and warned, "Don't get smug! The fate of the Earth, the Tree of Life, and the Thunder Spirit is a preview of what's to come for you."
He had long since pierced the veil of reality.
