C2391 The Destined Fate
In the abyss of nothingness, the Dragon Slaying Stage streaked past like a bolt of lightning.
Atop the blood-red, crystalline surface, Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit Body remained seated, still lost in a bewildered slumber.
His sudden awakening was triggered by the God of Oblivion, Harris, who attempted to penetrate the Land of Origin through a fissure in the All Spirits Ban.
In that instant, Yu Yuan, mired in the swamp of memories from eight lifetimes, came to a stark awareness!
He instantly knew something was amiss!
The colossal, multicolored form that had reached the Land of Origin, his Undead Sovereign body, had absorbed such an immense influx of memories. It might have been expected to enter a state of disorientation, but it should not have remained unrousable!
Certainly, some force had taken advantage of the moment, meddling as the memories flooded into him!
At this critical juncture, Yu Yuan was fraught with urgency. He could sense his two bodies near the Land of Origin, yet he was powerless to awaken them from afar.
He recognized that without his real body reaching the Land of Origin, rousing his other selves would prove exceedingly difficult.
Aware that something sinister was afoot, his desperation grew.
Whoosh!
From the Mindscape within Yu Yuan's real body, the ten-story Soul Altar silently soared out, radiating a splendor akin to the All Spirits Ban.
The resplendent glow enveloped the Soul Altar before descending upon his real body and finally alighting upon the Dragon Slaying Stage.
Propelled by the luminance of the Soul Altar, the Dragon Slaying Stage's velocity surged as it howled through the void!
Yu Yuan's perceptive abilities were vastly enhanced in this moment, keenly aware of the summoning force from the Land of Origin growing ever more potent!
Whoosh!
In the recesses of his mind, a vision surfaced, reminiscent of scenes that had unfolded eight times prior.
The call from the Spirit of Creation, bursting forth from the Land of Origin, manifested into a vivid ripple, akin to the All Spirits Ban's brilliance.
This ripple, traversing the void, expanded at an inconceivable pace, engulfing the Domain of Origin and the neighboring worlds in a deluge of resplendent light waves.
He witnessed the Primal Anima concealed within diverse realms. Regardless of their attempts to evade detection, no matter the distance from the Domain of Origin, they were all swept into a state of frenzy by the dazzling waves of light.
Light, darkness, the sun, the moon, the stars, vegetation, the earth, death, fear, time, fate!
Throughout the previous eight epochs, the Primal Animas, when faced with anomalies at the Domain of Origin, could not elude the perception and summons of the Spirit of Creation, regardless of their hiding places.
Every Primal Anima bore the mark of the Spirit of Creation, a sign of their origin.
As the divine might of the Spirit of Creation burst forth, it would envelop all the worlds, leaving no Primal Anima with a place to hide.
The Primal Animas dispersed across the worlds would inevitably return to the Domain of Origin, just like the earth, thunder, vegetation, and light converge.
Only two entities stood as exceptions—the Primal Blood and the Primal Soul.
He would often only manifest himself after he had gathered all the Primal Animas he had detected.
...
The luminous ring encircling the Genesis Nebula was a reservoir of abundant energies.
In a moment when time and space stood utterly still, the star that vanished from Yu Yuan's and the Solar Spirit's view now resided in a region of concentrated energy.
Atop this radiant star, numerous holes pocked its surface, resembling a honeycomb.
Within these cavities were Yuan Lianyao, Loong Jie, Ballo, Green Willow, Taishi, Zhong Chichen, Youyu, and Heesters, all bound by the divine powers of time and space, completely immobilized.
Their bodies were unable to move, their consciousnesses frozen in time.
Other holes harbored the Spirits of Calamity that had tormented Dickinson, the Spirits of Heavenly Sound, and the Spirits of Sorrow.
Furthermore, the Primal Animas from the thirty-six Otherworlds, including those from the Domain of Origin, had each found a niche within the star's many hollows.
At a glance, the Primal Animas, supreme beings, and deities within the cavities all remained utterly still.
The surface of the star shimmered with a silvery glow.
The Primal Soul, clad in black, gazed indifferently at the golden cape with Yu Yuan's visage. It slowly merged into the small Primal Beast's body, becoming the creature's strength.
The Spirit of Fate had been stripped away.
Deprived of Stephanie's form and the golden cape, the Spirit of Fate of the little Primal Beast remained unrefined. The Cosmic Order, spiritual sense, and energy were all confined by another All Spirits Ban beneath Yu Yuan's feet.
Beside the Primal Soul stood a Dark Anima, transformed into a seductive woman in black, and a graceful Light Spirit.
The eternal struggle between light and darkness, spanning millennia, was now paused by the Primal Soul.
The Spirit of Time and the Spirit of Space had become a resplendent River of Time and a towering mirror, respectively.
With emotions and consciousness awakened, the mightiest Primal Animas from various realms had come together.
These Primal Animas were not trapped in the hole, nor subjected to the forces of time and space, nor sealed by the All Spirits Ban. Instead, they had earned the trust and recognition of the Primal Soul.
"My root has already merged with the Domain of Origin," the Light Spirit declared, its form that of a sacred girl's specter. Its lingering gaze shifted from the little Primal Beast to Canli.
Canli's physical body was sealed within a cavity in the cosmos, unable to unite with the Light Spirit.
"What do you sense?" the Primal Soul inquired coolly.
The Light Spirit, now only a consciousness, gently shook its head under its scrutiny and replied, "I sense nothing."
"You're fortunate to still exist," the Dark Anima remarked with a huff.
"It is as it should be. Your root is from the Domain of Origin. It's only natural for you to return before the end of the world," the Primal Soul stated calmly.
At these words, the four Primal Animas of space, time, darkness, and light showed astonishment.
Through the Primal Soul's narrative, they learned that the Spirit of Creation intended to call all Primal Animas back to the Domain of Origin before the end of the world, to reunite them with the land.
Unwilling to return to the Domain of Origin and desiring to maintain their freedom, they all heeded the Primal Soul's guidance.
The diminutive Primal Beast lay prostrate on the ground, shivering as it overheard the Primal Animas' conversation. Imprisoned, the Spirit of Fate had been separated from Canli, leaving the Light Spirit to exist merely as a soul. Miraculously, it had survived against all odds. Through the golden cape, it had gleaned the esoteric truths of the Primal Animas and was in the process of integrating them.
Under different circumstances, the knowledge that it was amidst the Primal Animas would have filled it with immense excitement, had it not been aware of the impending end of the world. As the mightiest flesh-and-blood entity in existence, its heart had been imprinted with numerous Bloodline Revelations from birth. These revelations spanned the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, and extended to the sun, moon, and stars, encompassing a variety of Cosmic Orders.
Yet, the Cosmic Orders rooted in its heart, embodying various attributes, represented the pinnacle that a cultivator with a primordial spirit from the Everlands could achieve. These Cosmic Orders could never ascend to the heights of the Primal Anima, nor could they elevate a mighty warrior to the status of a Sovereign.
Now, the situation had changed. The golden cape, crafted by the Spirit of Fate, held many of the Primal Anima's secret truths, far surpassing its initial bloodline capabilities and offering it the potential for another surge in power. But any sense of joy was absent; it knew it still possessed consciousness, yet the Primal Soul had yet to decide its fate.
It was aware that its destiny was to be refined by a formidable Primal Anima, perhaps by the most fearsome Primal Soul or another Primal Anima entrusted by the Primal Soul.
"Have you sensed it?" The Primal Soul, manifesting in the guise of Yu Yuan, gazed at the Dark Anima, Light Spirit, and the Spirits of Space and Time, then turned its attention to the Spirit of Fate, whom it had bound.
The four unbound Primal Animas gently nodded in acknowledgment, signaling their awareness.
"Has it occurred eight times already?" inquired the Light Spirit.
With a thoughtful hum, the Primal Soul replied, "Once it begins, the summoning power emanating from the Domain of Origin intensifies. We Primal Animas will experience this most acutely and vividly."
"In the initial phase, the summoning power radiates outward from the Domain of Origin, spreading from the abyss of nothingness."
"When Primal Animas come into contact with the void, most are influenced and inevitably drawn to the Domain of Origin, where they ultimately enter," the Primal Soul remarked, glancing at the Light Spirit. "In the Peak of Creation, you were able to retain your spiritual essence because you were far from the Domain of Origin. Additionally, the initial summoning force from the Domain of Origin wasn't as intense."
"Now, any Primal Anima that touches the void, except for myself, will be pulled towards the Domain of Origin!" He finished speaking and cast a look at the Spirit of Fate, asking, "If I were to release you into the void right now, what do you suppose would happen?"
Within the hole, the Spirit of Fate transformed into a tangled mass of countless fate threads, concealing a divine power that twisted fate itself. Upon hearing this, numerous luminous fate threads burst forth from the mass, writhing like tendrils, and the Spirit of Fate shrieked, "Surely you didn't keep me here for this?"
The fear in its voice was apparent to the other Primal Animas, including the small Primal Beast. It seemed that even one accustomed to sowing chaos in the Otherworld, instructing Primal Animas across various realms to hide within the gods to gain spiritual consciousness and ascend by consuming the gods, was reluctant to enter the void and fully merge with the Domain of Origin.
"I'm still deciding whether to proceed with that," the Primal Soul stated icily.
Growing increasingly anxious, the Spirit of Fate pressed, "By using this star, you've intercepted all Primal Animas destined for the Domain of Origin. What exactly are you intending to do?"
The Primal Soul gave it a brief glance but offered no response. Instead, it addressed the free and compliant Primal Animas, "Soon, the call of the Domain of Origin will begin to penetrate the void from its depths."
The four Primal Animas present showed a hint of concern.
"Had it not been for this star drawing them in and anchoring them within this hole, all Primal Animas would have been swept back to their place of initial formation once the summoning power reached here from the void."
He unveiled the enigma within.
He informed the entities of darkness, light, time, and space—the four Primal Animas—that without his intervention, they would have been drawn back to the Domain of Origin. Had he not used this star to gather and shield the Primal Animas, the call from the Domain of Origin would have slowly reached across the void, beckoning all Primal Animas from the vast worlds to return to their source.
"After the Primal Animas from past ages returned to the Domain of Origin, did they... perish?" The Light Spirit inquired, a tinge of apprehension in its voice.
He was no longer able to sense his other self, nor could he feel his connection to the root of the Way of Heaven. This was precisely why he was willing to ally with the Primal Soul.
He was in the dark about the truth, while the Primal Soul seemed to be in the know. He had no choice but to place his trust in the Primal Soul.
"They're not entirely dead, but they can never leave the Domain of Origin. Moreover, the Primal Animas that have merged will exist in a state of perpetual chaos," the Primal Soul responded with a detached tone.
At these words, a wave of dread washed over the four Primal Animas once more.
In bygone epochs, Primal Animas with attributes like theirs had returned to the Domain of Origin following the destruction of their worlds, only to remain forever in a state of chaos, never to leave the origin.
This might not be death, but what truly differentiated it from death?
Not knowing oneself, not even knowing one's essence, and never awakening from the eternal chaos—wasn't this just another form of death?
