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Lee Yuangui collapsed to the ground with a resounding crash.

His three souls extinguished, his eyes were charred black, and flames still flickered within his nostrils and ears.

The infernal blaze consuming his mud pellet acupoint and Mindscape was the most authentic Crimson Soul Spell practiced by the state preceptor himself!

The state preceptor had collected dozens of earthfire types from the vast Everlands, melting them together in a single furnace.

Now, the white-clad, suave Lunar Spirit before them resembled a Demon God wreathed in flames.

Within the depths of Zhou Cangmin's Lunar Spirit eyes, a fierce torch blazed, emanating an aura brimming with the mysteries of annihilation.

"So, it is the Ruby Hand."

Yang Yinquan of the Abyssal Dawn sect retreated several steps with a wry smile, distancing himself from Lee Yuangui's body. "Aren't you worried about revealing your identity and inviting an assassination by the Sunlit Order? Don't you fear the backlash and targeted hostility from the Crimson Sun Empire and its sects?"

"Sunlit Order? Crimson Sun Empire?" The High Oracle scoffed with contempt.

Yang Yinquan gave him a long, penetrating look and sighed inwardly, choosing to remain silent.

He could tell that Zhou Cangmin was fated to become a towering devilish force within the Land of Quiescence, a prodigy who might one day surpass even the Sect Master of the Ethereal Void Sect.

A person of his caliber, if still fearful of the Sunlit Order and the Crimson Sun Empire, would hardly deserve the title of top Hellbreed from the Ruby Hand.

Lee Yuchan was poised to strike upon witnessing the elder's death.

However, Yuan Lianyao, who was usually at odds with her, swiftly positioned herself beside Lee Yuchan, gently pressing on her shoulder and whispering, "Don't act impulsively. The old general's death may be tied to Bai Shang. You mustn't do anything foolish!"

"He was a member of the Lee family!" Lee Yuchan exclaimed furiously.

The High Oracle chuckled derisively, "That Bai Shang isn't even one of our kind. He's a Terra Fiend that should have remained suppressed within the Moonfall Sanctuary. Bai Shang is the result of a trial orchestrated by the Silvermoon Empire, where someone must have acquired an artifact containing his soul."

"The Terra Fiend lineage is known for its cunning and malevolence. They despise us—surely you're aware of that?" The moment these words were uttered, the faces of everyone aboard the Nimbuswing turned ashen.

If Bai Shang is a Terra Fiend, carrying out the Silvermoon Queen's orders, what does that imply about the Silvermoon Empire? Could it be that the three shadows, spoken of in whispers behind Her Majesty, are all like Bai Shang—archdemons from the forbidden lands?

"In the vast expanse of the Everlands, humans and Half-Demons coexist. They are still human, just distinguished by their different cultivation techniques, hence the term 'Demons,'" Zhou Cangmin scoffed. "The Human Demon Path is represented by institutions like the Devil Palace and our Ruby Hand. But the Sky Fiend and Terra Fiend are entirely different. Those Demons beyond the Everlands are known as Sky Fiends, while those within are Terra Fiends."

"Sky Fiends and Terra Fiends share a similar nature, but they are not the same kind of beings as us. They've always harbored hatred for us, seeing us as enemies."

"That's why many Sky Fiends, as well as Terra Fiends who wreak havoc within our realm, are suppressed within the Moonfall Sanctuary."

"Bai Shang, being a Terra Fiend, would hardly be content under the thumb of the Moonfall Sanctuary. Regardless of whatever secret dealings he has with the Silvermoon Queen, his true intention is to target us."

With these words, Zhou Cangmin cast a glance at Lee Yuangui, who lay motionless on the ground, and said coldly, "Old General, since you're privy to Bai Shang's dealings with the Queen and have been commanded to assist, your fate is sealed."

The High Oracle's declaration sent a shockwave through the Silvermoon Empire's elite. Influential figures from the five major families, like Yan Yu and Van Yan, were filled with trepidation.

Colluding with a Terra Fiend is a grave offense, one that society will never tolerate.

The upper sects of Euwrea would not be alarmed if they learned of the Silvermoon Queen's alliance with the Ruby Hand. Many other empires, along with the Ruby Hand, the Devil Palace, and the Shadow's Keep, maintain various connections.

The Devil Palace, the Shadow's Keep, and the Ruby Hand have managed to coexist peacefully on the two continents, avoiding all-out war. Minor skirmishes between them have been tacitly allowed by both parties.

The minor skirmishes between Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence are considered inconsequential below the level of the Solar Spirit. Without reaching the Solar Spirit Realm, one lacks the credentials to freely traverse the extraterrestrial skies. Cultivators beneath this level are confined to their own internal realms, where their conflicts and competitions actually serve to foster the emergence of more formidable practitioners, leading to the birth of Solar Spirits and those in the Unbound state.

As a result, the three upper sects, the seven lower sects, the Devil Palace, Shadow's Keep, and other such sects, do not escalate conflicts over the deaths of those below the Solar Spirit level. This avoids unnecessary bloodshed between the two continents and prevents internal human conflicts from inadvertently aiding extraterrestrial foes.

For the Silvermoon Empire, an alliance with the Ruby Hand, or even liaisons with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, is not particularly concerning. The Terra Fiend, however, is a different matter altogether. These beings are not human and have a natural affinity with the Sky Fiend, making them long-standing malignancies in the eyes of human cultivators. Upon encountering a Terra Fiend, cultivators across all three continents typically seek to eliminate or refine them.

Moreover, practitioners from the Devil Palace and Ruby Hand often dwell in enigmatic locales, hunting Terra Fiends to harness as devil souls for their weapons or as crucial components for their dark arts. The resentment and enmity the Terra Fiends hold towards cultivators are well understood by all factions.

The formidable sects and powers of both Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence have made it clear that the empires of Aetherius must not ally with the Terra Fiend, lest they endanger the human race itself. The revelation that the Silvermoon Queen and Bai Shang have a covert pact with a Terra Fiend could spell catastrophe for the entire empire.

"The Silvermoon Empire is not solely the domain of the Lee family; they are merely its current stewards," declared Van Yan of the Van family, his face twisted in revulsion as he gazed upon the corpse of Lee Yuangui. "If the Lee family has conspired with the Terra Fiend, they have forfeited their right to guide the Silvermoon Empire!"

Others, hailing from various influential families and sects, voiced their agreement. Even Yan Yu, after a moment of contemplation, added, "The actions of the Lee family should not tarnish the entire Silvermoon Empire. The other families and sects are unaware of their misdeeds."

Su Xiangtian nodded slightly. "Exactly."

Lee Yuchan, her shoulders pressed down by Yuan Lianyao, listened to their conversation and observed the demeanor of Yang Yinquan from the Abyssal Dawn and the High Oracle. The esteemed position of the Lee family within the Silvermoon Empire could very well be overturned because of this incident. The family itself might even face complete eradication.

Aboard the Nimbuswing, members of the Lee family, like herself, were suddenly plunged into a deep sense of fear and anxiety, uncertain of the repercussions this event would have within the empire.

"The old general will die because he knew Bai Shang is the Terra Fiend. Knowing full well it was the Terra Fiend, he still dutifully obeyed and delivered Wei Feng. Doesn't he deserve to die?" Zhou Cangmin only had eyes for Yang Yinquan as he spoke.

On this vessel, Yang Yinquan stood as a representative of the Abyssal Dawn and the sects of Euwrea. Without a moment's hesitation, Yang Yinquan nodded emphatically and declared in an irrefutable tone, "Since he is the Terra Fiend and Lee Yuangui was aware yet complied, his death is justified. Furthermore, if it can be proven that Bai Shang acted under the Silvermoon Queen's orders, then someone will certainly step forward to execute your empire's queen!" His statement made his stance crystal clear.

The sects of Euwrea, along with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, were known for their resolute and unyielding approach towards those who harbored or allied with the Terra Fiend.

"Mr. Yang, am I correct?" Zhou Cangmin hesitated before addressing the representative from the Abyssal Dawn. "The teleportation circle in the Forgotten Ruins was sabotaged by me, but not completely destroyed. I also killed all the people who were there, and there's no denying that. However, I now realize my mistake."

"What do you mean?" Yang Yinquan, recovering from his initial shock, pressed for an answer.

"Someone tricked me into destroying that teleportation circle because they didn't want cultivators from the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea to arrive in time," Zhou Cangmin had come to understand Shen Feiqing and Bai Shang's true intentions. "Without the Unbound Realm cultivators, it's very likely they won't be able to contain the threat."

He could feel a headache starting to form.

"What exactly is happening?" Yang Yinquan was desperate to uncover the truth.

"That object."

The High Oracle gestured toward the massive platinum skull. "That is the Dark Realm Shura, a platinum-grade entity! He isn't fully dead. His residual soul and spiritual wisdom are contained within the brown eyeball. Feiqing and Bai Shang, along with possibly others, are attempting to awaken him."

"A platinum-grade Dark Realm Shura?" Yang Yinquan was taken aback.

The others aboard the ship were equally bewildered.

"He's equivalent to a cultivator at our Unbound Stage!" Lee Yuchan's face paled.

"Oh? How did you come to know this?" Zhou Cangmin asked, astonished.

"I, I, I heard about it once from my sister," Lee Yuchan admitted, her head bowed in distress.

Her sister was none other than the current head of the Lee family, the reigning Silvermoon Queen.

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