C342 Bathed in Blood and Fighting Bravely
Yu Yuan's spirit plunged into the depths of his mind.
Enshrouded in a thick white mist, he felt as though he had been transported to another realm.
The night was liquid, stars twinkling with a gentle glow, yet one star barely caught the eye.
That was the Fallen Star Eyes.
At that moment, the Starmoon Sect's young girl struggled to discern the unfolding situation.
Through the vision granted by the Fallen Star Eyes, she could only make out Yu Yuan wrapped in the white fog, his presence elusive. He seemed just below, yet as if existing in a different dimension.
On the floating island, Yu Zhu lay motionless in her own blood.
Suddenly, the tiny isle began to draw in the sparse spiritual energy of the Forgotten Ruins.
Along with the spiritual energy, the miasma, toxic smog, and poisonous vapors of the Ruins converged toward the island as if summoned by an unseen intelligence.
Within the blood pool, the luminescent green blood, as if sentient, flowed back into her slender frame.
Her petite and frail silhouette stirred, struggling, inching towards healing.
Led by Le Baixiong, the Blackfang Legion relentlessly pursued the empire's elite, now scattered in flight due to the Nimbuswing's downfall.
Caught in a moment of shock, Liu Ying stumbled upon a gruesome sight of dismembered remains.
The deceased was Yang Yinquan of the Abyssal Dawn, a Lunar Spirit Realm cultivator renowned across the Euwrea Continent for his benevolence, well-acquainted with the luminaries of the Sword Sect and Ebon Star.
Yang Yinquan had perished, yet the identity of his killer eluded her.
Possessing the Lunar Spirit, Yang Yinquan should have had a significant chance of escape, given its numerous advantages.
But Liu Ying couldn't even glimpse his Lunar Spirit.
Later, she observed that many residual souls, slain by the Blackfang Legion and previously cleaved by Shen Feiqing's space rifts, had inexplicably vanished.
It was as if someone, invisible in the shadows, evaded the reach of her Fallen Star Eyes, gathering these souls.
A sense of unease grew within Liu Ying.
In the dappled moonlight of the forest, Su Xiangtian, accompanied by Su Yan, made their way toward the Sunblessed Empire, venturing to the far side of the Forgotten Ruins.
The sound of the Blackfang Beasts' hooves hitting the ground ceased, their rhythmic pounding fading like a drumbeat in their hearts. Su Xiangtian gradually realized that the Blackfang Legion's commander, Le Baixiong, and the empress had long been in cahoots, possibly for years or even longer.
The empress had assured them she wouldn't have them killed, and soon enough, the pursuit by the Blackfang Beasts quieted. This indicated that Le Baixiong's Blackfang Legion could indeed communicate with the empress.
It was only after the empress's command and Le Baixiong's subsequent order that the Blackfang Legion halted their chase.
"Father, why don't we join the disciples from the Abyssal Dawn Sect?" Su Yan asked, her brow furrowed with worry. "Mr. Yang's abilities are top-notch, rivaling that of the brutal general. Wouldn't our chances of survival be greater with him and the Abyssal Dawn Sect?"
Su Xiangtian internally sighed, keeping to himself the grim news that the empress had personally slain Yang Yinquan and captured his Lunar Spirit.
"Sticking together in a group makes us an easy target. It's better if we go it alone," he said, gazing at the brilliant night sky. "If we survive tonight, we'll flee to the Sunblessed Empire. From there, we'll find another way to get you to the Abyssal Dawn. And after that... you must never return."
He had made up his mind. As the current head of the Su family, he needed to remain in Aetherius to await further developments. His daughter, however, had to be sent to train at the Abyssal Dawn, far from the turmoil of the empire.
The empress's collusion with dark forces in the Forgotten Ruins couldn't be kept secret forever. Eventually, the truth would come out for the whole world to see. What would then become of the Silvermoon Empire? Could the Lee family face ruin?
The empress, whom he had always held in high regard, was now an enigma. He couldn't predict her next move or what drastic steps she might take. Yet, as the trusted patriarch of the Su family, he had a duty to his lineage. He couldn't simply retreat to the Abyssal Dawn with his daughter.
He was resolved to stand his ground on this continent before returning to the Silvermoon Empire.
...
Three warriors clad in black armor, each astride a Blackfang Beast and wielding a crimson spear, sat motionless, directing their weapons with their spiritual sense. The spears transformed into three bloodthirsty flood dragons, encircling and assaulting Yuan Lianyao.
The Blackfang Beasts snorted aggressively, fixing Yuan Lianyao with a savage, bloodthirsty stare. Streaks of blood shimmered in their eyes, weaving together into bolts of lightning that surged toward her.
"Chi! Chi!"
Yuan Lianyao's alluring figure was surrounded by sparks as her spiritual sense was ruthlessly shattered.
In the late period of Subtlety, her spiritual sense infused the blazing red lotuses, which fought against the spear-turned flood dragons. The destruction of her spiritual sense sent sparks scattering in all directions.
The blazing red lotuses suddenly spiraled out of control, unable to shield her any longer.
Fear flashed in Yuan Lianyao's beautiful eyes, and her once vibrant red lips faded to a pale hue.
The three Blackfang Legion soldiers besieging her were also in the late period of Subtlety, with two at the middle period. Skilled in coordinated combat, they had confined her to this region, making escape nearly impossible.
It was only in the heat of battle that she recognized the Blackfang Legion's formidable reputation.
A spear thrust through her left shoulder and swiftly retracted.
Her previously graceful and nimble form became weighed down, and as excruciating pain overtook her, the sinister spiritual energy within the spear branched out like countless tendrils through the flesh of her shoulder.
The pain was so intense that it made her scalp tingle, and her three souls shuddered in fear.
The eyes of the Blackfang Legion soldiers encircling her were icy and devoid of emotion, resembling those of dire beasts rather than humans.
Yuan Lianyao sensed imminent danger.
A dazzling column of light cascaded down like a waterfall, enveloping her. She looked up in astonishment.
The next moment, she was lifted by the radiant light, ascending amidst a swirl of tiny, twinkling stars.
Upon entering the Fallen Star Eyes, she saw a young woman from the Starmoon Sect looking even paler than herself, forcing a smile that was more pained than tears.
With just one look, she could tell that the girl before her was seriously injured.
"Why did you save me?"
Having narrowly escaped death, Yuan Lianyao plopped down and, while speaking, she took out a dark green, fragrant pill and swallowed it.
"I think you're really important to Yu," Liu Ying said.
Yuan Lianyao paused, then responded, "There are many others down there being pursued by the Blackfang Legion. Do you want to join them?"
Liu Ying shook her head.
"Zhan Tianxiang and Zhao Yafu of the Zhao family are among those being hunted," Yuan Lianyao pointed out.
"The soldiers of the Blackfang Legion haven't relentlessly pursued those two," Liu Ying replied. "The girl from the Zhao family carries the Moonfang Tiger's cast-iron sign. That sign is her amulet, and neither the Blackfang Legion nor anyone else will dare to trouble her if they don't want to court disaster."
Yuan Lianyao, who had not truly visited the Ruby Hand, was naturally unaware of the intricacies of Shadow's Keep.
As the future leader of the Star Sect, Liu Ying had been privy to many secrets from her master and understood the significance of the iron sign Zhao Yafu wore around her neck.
Should Zhao Yafu's life be in danger, the demon energy within would erupt.
"She's one fortunate girl," Yuan Lianyao remarked with envy.
Then, in that instant!
Above the pit, the purple ribbon floating under the night sky suddenly blazed with light.
The general, who had been concealed within for quite some time, now stood boldly atop the ribbon.
The greatly enlarged purple ribbon radiated a dazzling light, shimmering with colors, enigmatic and profound.
Shen Feiqing still donned the ghastly mask.
Her fists clenched, she radiated an aura that was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Beneath her feet, the purple ribbon materialized into a majestic purple phoenix, poised for flight.
Thick purple luminescence, like a rainbow, streamed from the ribbon underfoot, and the purple phoenix soared out, linking to her with streaks of purple lightning.
The general's vitality churned like molten magma, formidable and intense.
She slowly bowed her head, surveying the scene below, her gaze locked onto Yu Yuan.
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