C2398 The Incarnation of the Origin!(1)
After what felt like an eternity, Zhiya, having parted ways with Yu Yuan, guided the Phoenix Shrine to a desolate star by following the call of blood and soul. The vast psionic power spilled into the many Maws of Oblivion scattered across the star's surface, flowing wildly into another realm.
Standing atop the shimmering star, Zhiya's vital energy radiated outward, yet she could not detect the Primal Beast's breath of life. Her heart heavy with concern for the little creature, she gazed at the Maws of Oblivion, each a gateway to a different world, and found herself at a loss for where to begin her search.
"Where have you gone?" she whispered, lost in thought.
Uncertain, Zhiya pondered which Maw of Oblivion might lead her to the small Primal Beast.
...
Deep within the void, the elongated Star River raced through nothingness, seemingly originating from this very place. Enveloped by the Origin Realm, the Abyss, and the Wasteland, the mysterious Star River was encased in a grey wall, speeding through the void at an astonishing pace.
Within the Origin Realm, in the Genesisverse named by the Primal Soul, there lay a wondrous land known as the Genesis Nebula. This enigmatic continent had begun to voraciously consume the cosmic energy of the entire Genesisverse, its tremors sending out chaotic and fierce vibrations from the Abyss.
With the Primal Soul and the Demon God Bertain long gone, the vast chasm that once led to the continent's heart now stood empty. The All Spirits Ban had ceased to exist, and thus, no supreme beings like Qin Luo, Yue Mu, or Jun Chen arrived to contemplate the intricate cosmic order left by the Primal Anima.
In this moment, the land's core, which should have been shrouded in darkness, was instead brimming with cosmic energy. Some of this immense power stemmed from its own consumption, while the rest was fueled by the infusion of a mysterious external force, turning the land's belly into a colossal furnace, blazing with an unending stream of energy. This very force was one of the drivers behind the roaring Star River.
In the Wasteland, the once-hidden Star River, known for its numerous springs and the Maws of Oblivion, saw its vanished Maws reemerge one by one.
Numerous abyssal holes spun slowly, unleashing vast cosmic energy, which served as one of the power sources.
The Abyss lay in silence.
Above a gleaming silver expanse of land stood a towering stone altar, fashioned in the shape of an archway.
At that moment, an incredibly potent cosmic energy burst forth from the depths of the arch, erupting through it and causing the silver land to instantly blaze with a spectrum of iridescent light.
This continent, too, was a source of power.
In the Origin Realm, the Abyss, and the Wasteland, many places exhibited sudden anomalies, propelling the Star River to roar through the void.
Yet, the mighty beings who resided there sensed nothing amiss.
In the Ashlands, all the formidable beings who had not ascended to the supreme level, such as Taixu, Tianqi, Kaiya, Youqian, the Abyssal Leviathan, the Starpierced, and tenth-level warriors like Denise and Elena of the Otherkin, awaited their fate.
The most exalted figures of the Everlands, including Zu Ann, Qin Luo, Yue Mu, Van Heqing, Tan Junshan, and Jun Chen, stood among them.
The azure-robed elder guarding the Holy Temple, some surviving Evil Gods, and even Sky Fiends all waited in the Ashlands in silence.
They awaited the return of Yu Yuan.
On this day, the Eiwrone burst forth with a divine, rainbow-colored brilliance. The shadowy caves that should have connected to the various Astral Domains of the Origin Realm now seemed linked to a concealed passageway of another realm.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Loong Jie, Zhong Chichen, Yuan Lianyao, and others, who had been in the Genesis Nebula, suddenly materialized before everyone.
"Taixu!"
"Kaiya!"
"Tianqi!"
"Loong Jie!"
"Zhong Chichen!"
"Weren't you all in the Otherworld?"
Those who had not attained the Supreme Realm gazed at them in terror, screaming, clueless as to how they had returned.
Zhong Chichen, Taishi, and the rest were equally bewildered, unsure of how they had been transported from the outer reaches of the Genesis Nebula to the Ashlands of the Origin Realm.
Beneath their feet lay a star brimming with space magic and governed by the Void Rules.
Two stars, one on the outer rim of the Genesis Nebula and the other deep within the endless void of the Everlands, were miraculously connected by the power of the Primal Soul!
In the next instant, a timid little Primal Beast emerged from one of the holes.
It gazed upon the familiar world, the Ashlands it knew so well, and the vast Everlands, its eyes brimming with bewilderment.
"That dire beast, spawned by the Dark Phoenix!"
The crowd exclaimed in astonishment.
They then noticed a figure in black standing on the dire beast's forehead—Yu Yuan.
His sudden appearance caused Zu Ann, Qin Luo, Yue Mu, and Van Heqing, as well as Tan Junshan and Jun Chen, to feel their primordial spirits quiver.
Those who had reached the Primordial Spirit Realm immediately discerned that this was not Yu Yuan, but the mightiest Primal Anima of the Three Realms.
It was the Primal Soul!
The Primal Soul, having embarked on a journey to the Otherworld, had now returned, standing atop the little Primal Beast and bringing with it numerous exalted beings.
The powerful individuals who had remained in the Ashlands awaiting Yu Yuan's return wore grim expressions, sensing that doom was near.
They all believed Yu Yuan had been slain by the Primal Soul in the Otherworld, and that the Primal Soul's return was a silent boast of its triumph.
"You..."
The guardian faltered, wanting to speak but hesitating, unsure of what to inquire about.
After all, the Primal Soul could perceive his thoughts and intentions.
"I am not the Origin. I cannot traverse the boundless void to instantly reach the Origin Realm," he declared, not to anyone in particular, but to the air itself. "Thankfully, the Star River is not far from the Origin Realm. It was where I came into being during the Ninth Era, serving as an excellent waypoint, sparing me a lengthy journey through the void to reach the Origin Realm swiftly."
With those words, he stepped on the little Primal Beast and ripped open a void crack.
Without pause, he and the Primal Beast glided through the void crack, departing without further discourse with the Ashlands' mighty.
Following his departure, Zhong Chichen, Loong Jie, and Yuan Lianyao found themselves encircled by the formidable denizens of the Ashlands.
"Patriarch!"
Denise, a warrior of the Starborn akin to Beru, was so overjoyed to see Ballo that she was nearly moved to tears.
Elena caught a glimpse of Loong Jie and felt an overwhelming pressure from the Way of Heaven emanating from him, almost to the point of suffocation.
...
On the outskirts of the tubular Star River.
When Yu Yuan and the small Primal Beast reappeared, they immediately spotted Yu Yuan's Solar Spirit and his real body commanding the Dragon Slaying Stage.
"The Dragon Slaying Stage is my point of reference."
He gave Yu Yuan a quick look and a faint smile spread across his face before he unceremoniously joined the small Primal Beast in descending toward the Dragon Slaying Stage.
The two Yu Yuans watched the third "Yu Yuan" arrive without any displeasure, allowing him and the small Primal Beast to land.
"Lin Daoke."
The three Yu Yuans exchanged glances, each wearing a meaningful expression.
...
At the Origin Realm.
Lin Daoke struck at the nothingness with his sword, the blade's light spanning the boundless void, its destination unknown.
Yet, this strike towards the void's boundary caused the five Primal Animas of fate, time, space, darkness, and light to surge into the Origin Realm first.
Subsequently, numerous Primal Animas from various native realms emerged from the deities they had been enshrined within, also blending into the Origin Realm.
