C334 Demonic Blood Boiling

Droplets of blood beaded on the back of Yu Yuan's hand, reminiscent of the crimson dew on tree leaves at dawn. The hand he had pointed at the Asura's eye within the Dark Domain began to split across the back, and soon, fine wounds crept up his palm and along his forearm. Despite his body being hardened from extensive training, it could not bear the strain of the sword's intent.

The agony of his flesh was one aspect, but the torment of his three souls—Heaven, Earth, and Man—was another matter entirely. At some point, an intense chill of darkness had begun to seep into his soul. To combat this, Yu Yuan had to engage his Heavenly Soul with the Soul Forging Technique, drawing on the power of the alien souls from the Soul Transformation Pool deep within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area to maintain the clarity of his mind.

Intermittent remnants of thought, escaping from the Asura's pupil in the Dark Domain, would occasionally breach his defenses. His resolve was under constant assault, and a moment's lapse could mean losing his lucidity, plunging him into a state of no return. His predicament was now more perilous and horrifying than at any point in his cultivation journey.

Yu Zhu, Yan Qiling, and Xu Zixi watched him intently, ever vigilant. They were all aware that if Yu Yuan's suspicions were accurate, neither the commander nor the Earth Demon Bai Shang would rest; further actions were inevitable.

At high noon, under the blazing sun, a peculiar purple rainbow materialized. Upon closer inspection, it was not a rainbow at all, but a strip of purple silk ribbon streaking across the void. The ribbon was adorned with intricate patterns, resembling clusters of auspicious purple clouds. Beneath the fierce sun, the purple silk erupted in a blinding divine glow.

"A microcosm lies within!" Yan Qiling declared, her gaze lifting to the spectacle, her face etched with solemnity. "This must be the work of Shen Feiqing and the Earth Demon Bai Shang!"

Lau Ying, head bowed and eyes shut, using her Fallen Star Eyes to survey the cosmos, rose abruptly. With a flicker of her luminous finger, she pointed towards the heavens. The Fallen Star Eyes, hovering aloft, blazed with brilliance. Like a radiant star bursting forth in the bright daylight sky, it captured the attention of all present.

"Activate the Star Eyes!"

In the sky, a massive silver meteorite transformed into a luminous vertical eye, shining brilliantly and resplendent with light.

Lau Ying could feel the purple silk, targeted by the Fallen Star Eyes, being engulfed and scoured by the vast celestial powers.

The star energy infiltrated the silk, seeking to grasp the minutest details of the microcosm within.

Within the silk, a peculiar small world brimmed with purple auspicious clouds, eliciting a cold snort from Bai Shang.

The diminutive commander sat erect, while Wai Feng, whom she had taken under her wing and brought into the Tusk Troops as a child, floated five fathoms above her.

Droplets of purple blood, matching the hue of the silk, seeped from Wai Feng's skin.

These droplets of purple blood slowly transformed into dazzling beams of light, intricately weaving together to form a majestic phoenix, bursting with an enigmatic presence.

The purple phoenix, crafted from the blood expelled from Wai Feng's body, was concealed within the small world of the silk, emitting waves of demonic energy that left even the commander spellbound.

To the commander, the grand purple phoenix seemed like a volcano erupting with pure demonic power!

"The Silver Moon Sect is peering into our affairs," Bai Shang remarked with a cold snort, addressing Shen Feiqing. "Do your best to limit your reliance on her blood essence. The reconstitution of flesh and bone for that soul and intellect relies heavily on her blood essence. The complete recovery is critically dependent on the purity of Wai Feng's blood essence."

Shen Feiqing's brow furrowed as she clenched her small fist and struck at the sky.

A fist imprint burst forth from the purple silk.

Lau Ying, mentally linked with the Fallen Star Eyes, caught a glimpse of a miniature fist punching through the purple silk, carrying with it a wild, time-warping force that scattered the engulfing star energy.

Starlight scattered across the heavens like a spray of raindrops.

Lau Ying grunted, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of her mouth. Briefly, two tiny fist imprints materialized in the depths of her eyes before swiftly fading.

She slumped down, then abruptly opened her eyes, her face etched with dejection as she revealed, "You're right. Both the commander and Bai Shang are inside."

"What more did you see?" inquired Yan Qiling, his expression grave.

"I saw Wei Feng," Lau Ying sighed softly. "Her blood is purple, each drop stripped away and transformed into a sinister purple light, coalescing into... the original form of the Demon Phoenix. The one casting the spell is the commander, though I'm at a loss as to her intentions."

"Wei Feng! She's after Wei Feng's essence!" Xu Zixi exclaimed in alarm.

"That seems to be the case," Lau Ying agreed with a gentle nod. "She's unlike Zhao Yafu and Zhan Tianxiang. They are both purely human, gifted individuals who just happen to be capable of practicing the Demon Spell. But she's different; her veins carry the Demon Phoenix's blood, which has become incredibly pure over the generations."

"Feiqing took Wei Feng in as a child, snatching her from the Emperor's grasp, always shielding her. It wasn't out of a fondness for her talent or deep affection," Xu Zixi mused darkly. "She had known all along about the Demon Phoenix's blood coursing through Wei Feng. Her true aim has always been to awaken and refine that demonic essence."

"She never cared for Wei Feng's wellbeing, nor whether the Demon Phoenix would take notice of her in the future."

"All she desired was that demonic blood, whether to empower herself or to fulfill some nefarious purpose."

Whoosh!

Zhou Cangmin's silhouette reappeared from the Cloud Sail, landing within the crater.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

The ruins of the city began to inexplicably split, stone by stone.

From deep beneath the city, a low sobbing echoed, and soon after, an elderly crone with snow-white hair and a frail frame emerged, leaning on a cane.

Her hair cascaded down, veiling her face, but between the strands, one could glimpse two dark, sorrowful eyes.

Upon closer inspection, the old woman's ghostly white hair was revealed to be a mass of slender serpents.

Her cane, a stark white bone as sharp as a blade, shimmered with a faint light.

"I recognize her; she's one of the Silvermoon Queen's so-called three shadows," Zhou Cangmin observed. "Like Bai Shang, she must be an Alien Soul Demon who fled the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area in some bygone era. And she must have been restored to wholeness with the aid of the Lee family."

The elderly woman with strands of white hair lifted her gaze, her chilling eyes peering through the slender white snakes that hung like threads as she offered a respectful bow. "Master of the Nation, we have met before. As a youth, you encountered me during your trials in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. At that time, you were unaware of my identity, and I certainly did not foresee you attaining such eminence."

After a brief pause, she continued, "Had I known of your formidable power, I would have ended your life back in the Forbidden Area."

Zhou Cangmin was taken aback, his mind racing until a sudden realization struck him. "It's you! During my time in the Profound Break Stage, I was seduced by a malevolent spirit while striving to advance to the Penetrating Stage in that cursed place. That demon... was it you?"

The white-haired crone let out a sly chuckle, her walking stick, crafted from withered bone, thrusting suddenly towards Yu Yuan's back.

Innumerable white snakes transformed into myriad bolts of lightning, streaking towards Yu Yuan from both the heavens and the earth.

In a flash, the purple silk that had been suspended in the air expanded a hundredfold and plummeted down.

Bai Shang's spectral figure was the first to dart out as the silk descended.

As he fell, his gaze turned to Yan Qiling, "We are both prisoners of the forbidden area; you should be joining us, not aiding that sword-wielding boy! I am an Earth Demon, and are you not also a creature beyond the human realm?"

"And you!" His eyes then shifted to Yu Zhu.

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