C418 Death Filled the Air

Strands of brilliant sword light, akin to restless serpents of electricity, writhed at the bottom of the sword sheath. An ancient, vast, and boundless sword intent surged from within the sheath and from Yu Yuan's arm bones, enveloping the surroundings in an overwhelming force. Yet, the long-dormant sword soul remained asleep.

Despite this, the sword intent within the sheath, manifested as strands of luminous sword light, threatened to burst forth and pierce the leaden heavens. Unconsciously, Yu Yuan raised the sheath skyward.

Without releasing the sword light, the mere presence of the sword intent was enough to challenge the sky and the rows of fish bones arrayed against it. The tremors that had been shaking the Alien Realm subsided, and the towering peristele ceased their radiant outbursts.

"Uh..." Holding the sheath, Yu Yuan glanced between the sky and the massive stone pillars standing in the Spirit Stone plaza, his expression a mix of amusement and bewilderment.

The "big fish," once imprisoned by an ancient demon and now subdued by the sword sheath, ceased its thrashing and settled down. The unreleased sword light was unnecessary; the sword intent alone commanded respect and quietude.

"These stone pillars, engraved with ancient Demon Runes and marked by the Great Demons' power, seem to pale in comparison to the might of the Chopping Moon cultivator," Yu Yuan mused, a newfound reverence for the sheath in his grasp.

Without the Divine Sword, the sword intent emanating from the sheath was enough to pacify the "big fish" that had lingered for ages in the Ember Waters. "It seems I can take my time," he thought.

With a carefree smile, Yu Yuan placed the sheath in the crevice between two Spirit Stones, still pointing defiantly at the sky. After a moment of waiting, with no further disturbances from within the fish's belly, he settled down once more.

Yu Yuan resumed his practice of the "Glorious Heavenly Wheel," drawing in the "Sun Essence Fire" and methodically expanding his Yellow Court Little World. The Sun Essence Fire, condensed into crimson bolts, entered his dantian world. Upon bursting, they scattered like a shower of fiery stars.

The sparks dove into the lower layer of his spiritual sea, stirring up a maelstrom of waves. The surging spiritual power cascaded outward, like endless ripples across a vast ocean.

Upon reaching the boundary of the Yellow Court Little World, a hissing sound filled the air as spiritual power and blazing flames forcefully expanded the space.

The Yellow Court aperture underwent its seventh refinement, utilizing the intense heat of the Sun Essence Fire, coupled with the concentrated and robust spiritual power of the Alien Realm, to slowly progress.

The sword sheath was positioned before him in the eerily quiet Alien Realm, without a hint of anything amiss.

Yu Yuan continued his cultivation in peace, blissfully ignorant of the earth-shattering upheaval that had already taken place in the Ember Waters outside.

...

"We've lost all contact with the other team that descended with us."

Fei Yi of the Devil Palace, on high alert since the Spirit Sensing Pearl shattered, had been in constant communication with another group of Devil Palace trial-takers. But now, he hadn't connected with their leader for a full two hours. There was no response from them at all.

"The pressure from the sea is mounting," Yan Lu declared, his body enveloped in a faint demonic glow as he gazed out over the ocean.

"Whoosh!"

A bold streak of starlight shot across the sky, arriving before them in an instant.

"Silver Moon Sect! Lau Ying!"

Sheh Si uttered a soft huff, eyeing the newcomer who maneuvered the Fallen Star Eyes amidst a swirl of starlight, and cooed, "What brings you here?"

Yan Lu exclaimed in alarm, "What's happened?"

He could see that Lau Ying's complexion was poor, a stark contrast to her previously radiant, star-like eyes, now noticeably dimmed. This dimness wasn't due to a severe drain of spiritual power, but a collapse of her spirit. For a favored daughter of the Silver Moon Sect, destined to lead the Star Sect, only a truly horrifying event could cause such a state.

What could possibly happen here in the Ember Waters?

"All the cultivators from the Silver Moon Sect are dead!"

Lau Ying's words erupted with the starlight, booming like thunderous spring lightning under the sea, the blast reverberating in their ears, their eardrums thundering.

Their faces turned ashen.

"How can that be?" Hu Tianyang was the first to cry out, his voice bubbling up as he spoke, "Are you certain? Lord Heixun of the Devil Palace and the Raven Lord of the Demon Palace are both overseeing from above! Minor skirmishes at the sea's bottom are inevitable. But murder... Surely not?"

"He's neither a cultivator, one of our own, nor a demon," Lau Ying stated, her form shifting. "He must be a vicious being from the Alien Realm! The cultivators from our Silver Moon Sect have met with horrific ends."

Rarely had she felt such seething rage since she began her cultivation journey, a rage that now spurred a desire for vengeance. The grisly fates of Li Yue'er and her fellow disciples haunted her thoughts incessantly, refusing to be quelled.

Her knowledge of the outer domain's beings—of their inherent cruelty and bloodlust—came from her master and the sect's elders. Yet, having only heard tales and never witnessing their brutality firsthand, her understanding had lacked depth. This encounter, however, had been a profound and personal revelation.

Her mood was foul, the sense of injustice overwhelming.

"How can this be? Creatures from the Alien Realm appearing in the Ember Waters is impossible!" Sheh Si shrieked in disbelief.

Disinclined to waste words, Lau Ying simply gestured upwards. "Try for yourselves. See if you can break through the sea's surface."

"I'll give it a shot!"

Hu Tianyang sprang into action, transforming into a demonic beam of light that surged toward the sea's surface.

Boom!

His body rebounded like a ball against an iron wall, plummeting back down with even greater speed after colliding with a shimmering blue barrier. The impact left him reeling, stars dancing before his eyes.

Witnessing this, Fei Yi wasted no more time. He tore off the Demon Token hanging around his neck and poured his spiritual consciousness into it, sending a distress signal to Heixun.

All eyes were fixed on him, the tension palpable.

In that moment, no one questioned Lau Ying's words any longer. They all understood that something extraordinary must have transpired in the depths of the Ember Waters.

The group watched Fei Yi and the Demon Token with bated breath, anxiously awaiting Heixun's reply.

What was merely an instant seemed to stretch into an endless void.

"No response," Fei Yi announced, his face the picture of despair. "Lord Heixun isn't responding, and we've lost contact with the other team as well."

"We're doomed," Hu Tianyang declared, succumbing to hopelessness. "That blue barrier has cut us off from everything! Lord Heixun likely hasn't received our message, and we have no idea what's happening beneath the sea!"

"My Fallen Star Eyes can locate those who are scattered. I'll gather everyone together!"

Lau Ying cast a disdainful glance at Hu Tianyang, a sudden thought crossing her mind: If Yu Yuan were here, he'd surely have a plan, a calm and collected strategy.

He wouldn't succumb to despair, spreading negativity.

Inwardly, she compared him to Yu Yuan and knew that, despite Hu Tianyang's talent, his achievements in the path of cultivation paled in comparison to Yu Yuan's.

"That would be ideal."

Yan Lu nodded in agreement, then added, "By the way, I recall Yu Yuan was with your Silver Moon Sect. He..."

His voice trailed off as his heart grew heavy. Shaking his head subconsciously, he muttered, "No, it can't be. Knowing that kid, he's got the resilience of a cockroach!"

In the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, Yu Yuan's keen sense of smell was unmatched. He was the first to detect the Moon Demon and sense the anomalies.

Even in the Ember Waters, Yan Lu was confident in Yu Yuan's instincts and his array of mystical abilities to keep him safe.

"You really trust him," Lau Ying observed, her respect for Yan Lu growing. "You're right. He parted ways with us shortly after descending. I've searched for him but to no avail."

"In that case, make finding Yu Yuan a priority when you search for the others," Yan Lu suggested after a pause. "He and I have faced many trials together in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. At a time like this, his presence is crucial! If he's here, he might just lead us to survive rather than perish one by one."

"Yan Lu, you hold that kid in such high regard?" Fei Yi expressed his surprise.

"Senior Brother Fei, Yu Yuan, who accompanied me, is truly exceptional. He's saved many lives in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, mine included," Yan Lu earnestly replied. "His combat prowess and cultivation level may be modest, but I'm convinced that in our current predicament, he'll be indispensable to us."

Fei Yi nodded, still somewhat skeptical, and responded, "Let's hope that's the case."

"No need for reminders; I'm already intent on finding Yu Yuan!" Lau Ying declared before briskly adding, "The Taiyuan Sect's members are close by. Follow me!"

Her Fallen Star Eyes, renowned across the globe, were beyond question.

As she soared away with the Fallen Star Eyes, Fei Yi signaled with his hand, prompting the others to keep pace.

Yet Lau Ying, wielding the Fallen Star Eyes, was exceedingly swift—so swift that the onlookers could catch merely a streak of starlight.

"Fallen Star Eyes! Lau Ying!"

Amidst the corals, Su Yan of the Taiyuan Sect spotted the incoming starlight and called out with fervent excitement.

"..."