C304 The Gathering of the Eight Directions!
The commander of the Blackfang Legion, swift as a bolt of lightning, tore through the fiery evening sky and sped forth. In pursuit, a Silverfrost Dragon relentlessly followed, its icy gaze flickering with cold excitement, like twin orbs of frozen fire against the dusk horizon.
Behind them, a sphere of light mingled with shards of ice tumbled through the void. Fragments of Blackfang Armor, each the size of a fingernail, shed from the commander's body. The once formidable armor, crafted at great expense, could no longer endure the ferocity of battle and was on the brink of shattering.
At the Silverfrost Dragon's movement, the numerous Dragon Attendants from Dragon Lake converged in response.
"The flaw of the Ancient Echoes of the Void has emerged!" they exclaimed. "Shen Feiqing is about to face the backlash. Everyone, be prepared!"
"Let's go after her!" In an instant, cultivators hidden in the corners of the Forgotten Ruins, who had been covertly observing the conflict, sprang into action.
The Golden Ship, resplendent with divine brilliance, also surged into the sky from its position. Adjusting its trajectory, the ship gave chase to the commander, now a streak of lightning across the firmament.
Onboard, Wei Feng sat with her head bowed, nestled in a corner of the ship. Her demeanor was one of tranquil resignation, devoid of struggle or thoughts of a suicidal escape.
At the ship's prow, Wei Wujiang of the Sunblessed Empire stood shoulder to shoulder with Wang Jinlin of the Ethereal Void Sect. Their eyes were fixed on the lightning trail that was Shen Feiqing, their faces alight with anticipation.
"Brother Wei," Wang Jinlin inquired with a smile, "if we indeed locate and unlock the Mysterious Realm here in the Forgotten Ruins, will you be acting on behalf of the Sunblessed Empire or the Thunder Sect?"
Upon hearing this, the cultivators behind Wei Wujiang instinctively shifted their gaze. These were men of the Sunblessed Empire, with no ties to the Thunder Sect. Wei Wujiang, a scion of the Wei family and a royal offspring of the Empire, was also the prized disciple of the Thunder Sect's Sect Master. Though the Thunder Sect and the Sunblessed Empire had always maintained a cordial relationship, the matter of the Mysterious Realm...
"The sect!" declared Wei Wujiang without a moment's hesitation.
Upon hearing this, the envoys from the Sunblessed Empire silently furrowed their brows. As scions of the imperial lineage, they were privy to the secrets of the Mysterious Realm, yet their concerns lay not with the welfare of the imperial family but solely with their sect. This disregard left them displeased, prompting them to consider informing the emperor of this attitude.
Unperturbed by their reaction, Wei Wujiang continued earnestly, "Brother Wang, thanks to the Ethereal Void Sect's rune circle, the elite from all the major sects across Euwrea can come and go from the Forgotten Ruins with ease. Moreover, the Forgotten Ruins are not under the jurisdiction of either the Sunblessed Empire or the Silvermoon Empire. Therefore, the Mysterious Realm uncovered here is not something either empire has the right to claim."
Despite his birth within the Sunblessed Empire, Wei Wujiang was acutely aware that the seven lower sects of Euwrea would never allow the empire to partake in their discoveries.
If he were to stand as a representative of the Sunblessed Empire or the Wei family, Wang Jinlin would hardly engage in further conversation with him.
He was also cognizant of the fact that the Ethereal Void Sect had long coveted the secrets of the Mysterious Realm within the Forgotten Ruins.
The strategic placement of the teleportation circle within the Forgotten Ruins was a testament to the Ethereal Void Sect's long-term planning, a clear indication of their belief in the existence of a Mysterious Realm at this site.
Should the Mysterious Realm be revealed, possession of the teleportation circle would afford the Ethereal Void Sect a significant upper hand.
Not just the seven lower sects, but even the three upper sects—Sword Sect, Ebon Star Sect, and Sunlit Order—would likely need to utilize the Ethereal Void Sect's teleportation circle to explore the Forgotten Ruins.
Having borrowed the Ethereal Void Sect's teleportation circle, even these prestigious sects would need to show due respect.
Thus, with the teleportation circle at their disposal, the Ethereal Void Sect stood to gain immensely once the Mysterious Realm was unlocked.
It was only after visiting the Thunder Sect that Wei Wujiang realized the sects of Euwrea viewed the empires of Aetherius as mere tributaries.
In the vast expanse of the Everlands, the formidable sects reigned supreme, far surpassing the might of any empire.
Since time immemorial, it has always been so!
Wei Wujiang was acutely aware of the formidable resources and combat strength that the three upper sects and the seven lower sects wielded!
Were it not for the deep entanglements between the various empires and the sect forces of the Land of Quiescence and the Euwrea Continent, the arrival of a single Solar Spirit could inflict incalculable damage upon an empire.
Such was the might of the Solar Spirit, and even more so for those in the realm of the primordial spirit, who possessed the power to turn the world on its head.
In the eyes of true cultivators, they were the protectors of the Everlands, safeguarding it from invasions by the Star-Spawned Terrors and the Otherkin.
On the Aetherius Continent, the various empires merely upheld the workings of the Human Empire.
Deep down, they regarded the emperors and kings of these empires as little more than their own stewards.
Having visited the Euwrea Continent, Wei Wujiang had deepened his interactions with the Thunder Sect and other sect cultivators, coming to a clear understanding of this reality.
Thus, when it came to choosing between the sects and the imperial families, he didn't hesitate to align himself with the sects.
His gaze settled on the tumultuous thunderclouds, and he mused, 'Such a number of Spirit Walk experts, and the Thunder Sect alone boasts over a dozen, not to mention the five Solar Spirits.'
Moreover, the Thunder Sect also had two Unbound Realm cultivators stationed beyond the terrestrial realm.
Yet even with such a formidable foundation, the Thunder Sect was considered middle-tier among the seven lower sects.
Among these sects, the Thunder Sect was merely above average.
The cultivators from the Sunblessed Empire and the other major families were like frogs at the bottom of a well.
What right did the mere Human Empire have to compete with the sects for the Mysterious Realm?
...
On the mid-lake island, Yu Yuan rose abruptly from his seated meditation to a poised stand.
His posture was upright, exuding an effortless aura of freedom.
He offered Su Yan a warm smile and gave Su Xiangtian a respectful nod, "We meet again."
The hulking soldier of the Blackfang Legion silently looked up, his gaze piercing the distance like a meteor in broad daylight, his tiger-like eyes gleaming with intensity.
He let out a deep, raspy roar.
All the warriors of the Blackfang Legion abruptly stood, their hands firmly clutching their spears.
Deep red flames burst forth from their weapons, engulfing the lakeside with an immense surge of vitality and psionic power.
In that instant, many felt a connection.
Their gazes lingered on Yu Yuan and Liu Ying for several seconds before simultaneously shifting to the not-yet-fully-matured Phaseblossom nearby.
Liu Ying was taken aback. Through the unique vision of her Fallen Star Eyes, she could see the slender threads of deep red vitality converging from the Blackfang Legion's weapons onto the Phaseblossom beside her and Yu Yuan.
Yu Yuan flashed a sudden smile and nodded towards the burly leader of the Blackfang Legion.
Beneath the mask, the eyes of the bear-like soldier were as sharp as a hawk's, exuding a cold, merciless aura.
He paused for a few seconds, as if receiving a silent command, and then returned the nod.
Liu Ying exclaimed in astonishment, "You, you know him?"
"A recent acquaintance," Yu Yuan replied with a smile.
Su Xiangtian, the current head of the Su family, watched Yu Yuan on the mid-lake island and was struck by an odd sense of discomfort.
It was as if the Yu Yuan from the Moonfall Sanctuary had returned...
The Yu Yuan of the forbidden area, who had once harnessed the power of the Soulforge Pool through his synergy with the Soulforge Matrix, was imperious and wild.
When they had last met, Yu Yuan had been more reserved, lacking his former edge.
Yet now, it seemed as if that version of Yu Yuan had made a comeback.
"Whoosh!"
A rainbow streak, slicing through the sky, plummeted under the intense stares of the Blackfang Legion soldiers.
Amidst the multitude of Phaseblossom around Yu Yuan and Liu Ying, a new figure emerged.
Shen Feiqing stood there, her black heavy armor gone, leaving only her fierce mask. Her true form was surprisingly petite and exquisite.
Stripped of her armor, her form-fitting black attire accentuated her shapely figure, though it was stained with blood.
Beneath the ferocious mask, her eyes shone with a bright and extraordinary calm.
"Greetings, Elder Shen," Yu Yuan said, bowing slightly with a respectful nod and a warm smile.
In the heavens above, the Silverfrost Dragon loomed like an ominous cloud.
A thunderous orb and a massive shard of ice reached their destination in quick succession.
In the distance, the Golden Ship was also hurtling through the sky with a piercing howl.
Hidden within Dragon Lake, the Dragon Attendants lay in wait. Liu Wei, Lei Xiao, and seven other disciples from the lower sects were fervently following the arc light that Shen Feiqing had become, desperately trying to catch up.
...
