C425 Not Saving Him When He Was in Danger
From the moment Yu Yuan stepped into the Nebula Gem, Hou Tianzhao had proactively extended a warm welcome. It was clear to Yu Yuan that this member of the Ruby Hand must have learned of his arrival from either Zhou Cangmin or the Python Queen, Xu Zixi.
Yu Yuan surmised that had he not accepted Liu Ying's invitation en route and disembarked from the Silver Rainbow Shuttle to join the Starmoon Sect, he might well have been embraced by the Ruby Hand. After all, it was the High Oracle, Zhou Cangmin—a Hellbreed of the Ruby Hand—who had arranged for his trial in the Embers Sea.
The Ruby Hand would have been the most likely group for him to join on this venture. As the leader of the Ruby Hand's expedition, it was no surprise that Hou Tianzhao was aware of Yu Yuan's name and presence.
Given Zhou Cangmin's stature, as well as his connections with Yuan Qiufang and Yuan Lianyao of the Yuan family, Yu Yuan held the Ruby Hand in high regard. So, when faced with Hou Tianzhao's friendly overtures, he naturally did not turn them down.
As a result, while Lu Baichan navigated the Nebula Gem in search of the Fallen Star Eyes and Liu Ying, Yu Yuan and Hou Tianzhao had already struck up a lively conversation.
Both men were astute; Hou Tianzhao didn't need to state outright that he was aware of Yu Yuan's circumstances. Yu Yuan, for his part, didn't call him out, choosing instead to share his own experiences beneath the sea.
"Brother Yu, you mentioned the 'Azure Veil'—does it have an actual name?" Hou Tianzhao inquired, gesturing toward the sea. "And how exactly did the 'Azure Veil' come into being?"
At this, Qi Nandou of the Skyblight Cult also showed a keen interest. However, he approached a bit sheepishly.
Hou Tianzhao's expression soured as he gestured dismissively, "Don't come any closer! You can listen, but please keep your distance."
While the Skyblight Cult and the Ruby Hand were not adversaries, often collaborating in the Land of Quiescence, Hou Tianzhao's distaste for Qi Nandou was evident, though he stopped short of outright hostility.
Moreover, Hou Tianzhao was well aware of Qi Nandou's cunning and the formidable reputation of the Skyblight Cult.
With the sea's depths now altered, and the presence of Kong Banbi from the Sword Sect and Tang Cen from the Sunlit Order within the Nebula Gem, the situation was anything but simple.
If conflict were to erupt, Qi Nandou and the Skyblight Cult would stand as his allies.
"I'll heed your advice."
Feeling somewhat aggrieved, Qi Nandou refrained from getting any closer due to Hou Tianzhao's remarks.
"It's difficult to discern the truth," Yu Yuan responded evasively, turning to glance at the Abyssal Leviathan hovering nearby. "One thing you should be aware of is that the Azure Veil's coverage definitely encompasses the entire seabed of the Embers Sea. Moreover, it's highly likely that it extends over the sky above as well."
Hou Tianzhao's face fell. "So, does that mean those above will face obstacles trying to leave the Embers Sea and return to their respective sects?"
Yu Yuan nodded. "The barriers and seals above might even be more formidable. Conversely, it might be somewhat easier to break through below the sea."
"How do you come by this knowledge?" Qi Nandou inquired, his tone tinged with mystery.
Yu Yuan simply smiled, offering no reply.
The Nebula Gem continued its flight just above the seabed. After a moment, Lu Baichan, who was guiding the gem, suddenly looked startled.
Astonishment flickered in her bright eyes. "There's an overpowering and rich vitality!"
"Where?" Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect demanded.
"There!" Lu Baichan pointed.
Kong Banbi paused briefly before explaining, "The Nebula Gem's sensory capabilities are decent, but projecting actual reflections isn't its forte."
He then produced a copper mirror from his chest.
The palm-sized, oval mirror shimmered with a watery sheen.
"The Illusion Mirror!"
The Sword Sect's disciples murmured in recognition as he brought out the mirror.
Lu Baichan gave a slight nod in agreement. "In terms of reflection, the Nebula Gem indeed falls short compared to the Illusion Mirror." She clearly recognized the item's provenance.
Kong Banbi formed a unique symbol with spiritual light and vitality in his palm and pressed it to the mirror.
The undulating light on the mirror's surface instantly stilled, becoming as reflective as glass.
Within the small mirror, a golden bull appeared, its image crisp and clear.
The golden bull, bathed in resplendent light, moved through the sea, its hooves parting the waters with each step.
The gaze of the golden bull conveyed a profound sense of sorrow and desolation. As it navigated the sea, there was a palpable sense of panic, as if it were lost and directionless.
"There it is!"
Hou Tianzhao exclaimed in a hushed tone, "That's the leader of the evilkind. It led the first group, bringing over twenty of its kind into the sea. It's still alive, should we..."
The Devil Palace, Shadow's Keep, and the Ruby Hand had all descended upon the sea, with the golden bull at the helm of the evilkind. Most of the evilkind, lacking the necessary rank, were unable to shapeshift into human form.
"No!"
Yu Yuan shook his head, his voice resolute and brooking no argument.
Hou Tianzhao, taken aback, replied, "I haven't even said what I was going to suggest yet."
"Don't bother saving it, and don't concern yourself with it!"
Yu Yuan, speaking once more, turned to Lu Baichan of the Ebon Star, "Activate the 'Nebula Gem' and put as much distance between us and it as quickly as possible!"
His words carried an unmistakable tone of command.
The remaining trial-takers from the Ebon Star, standing behind Lu Baichan, glared at him with a mixture of resentment and anger, barely containing their outrage. Yu Yuan's presumptuousness had already irked them, and had it not been for Lu Baichan's restraint, they would have silenced him by now.
How dare this novice from the Golden Sanctum level presume to give orders to members of the Ebon Star Sect?
"Are you giving me orders?" Lu Baichan's displeasure was evident, his temper rising as his handsome face grew colder. "This one is not like the rest of the evilkind. He is their leader on this journey! Moreover, he's close by. I can save you, all of you! Why shouldn't we include him?"
"I believe he could be of use to us all!"
Lu Baichan, catching Yu Yuan's disdainful look, was filled with revulsion.
"Those who ally with the Ruby Hand and the Skyblight Cult are all cut from the same cloth—cold-blooded and merciless! To be able to laugh and chat while so many of their own have perished, such indifference is characteristic only of the cultivators from the northern reaches of the Land of Quiescence."
"Can't you stop insulting people like that, sister?" Hou Tianzhao huffed.
Qi Nandou, for his part, seemed unfazed, chuckling as he said, "Life and death are decreed by fate. Our cultivation is governed by this very rule."
"It's of no help to anyone," Yu Yuan declared, watching as Lu Baichan, undeterred by persuasion, maneuvered the Nebula Gem closer to the golden bull. "If you want us all to die alongside you, then go ahead and save it. We're still alive and not being pursued because the evilkind are the primary targets of the extraterrestrial beings!"
"What!?" Lu Baichan exclaimed in shock.
"The extraterrestrial Otherkin desperately seek the most potent and abundant flesh and blood, with the evilkind being their preferred choice, followed by the dark adepts," Yu Yuan explained, taking a deep breath. "The reason you're still alive and not being hunted down is that those beings prioritize the evilkind and dark adepts. The trial-takers from our kind that we've encountered were merely collateral damage."
"How much do you actually know?" Lu Baichan demanded, her voice tinged with alarm.
"If the evilkind are the initial targets, they'll draw the attention of the extraterrestrial Otherkin..."
Tang Cen of the Sunlit Order stepped forward, his eyes—one gold, the other scarlet—blazing like torches as he fixed his gaze on the Abyssal Leviathan floating alongside Yu Yuan. "Isn't this fish a member of the evilkind? You entered with it, so doesn't that make you a target and risk bringing the extraterrestrial Otherkin here?"
His words cast a shadow of hostility over the group's view of Yu Yuan.
Had he not mentioned the evilkind as targets and allowed Lu Baichan to attempt a rescue of the golden bull, perhaps they wouldn't have given the fish a second thought.
But now...
Bringing a fish demon along and claiming that its vitality would make it a prime target for attack by extraterrestrial beings seemed contradictory. Was he not putting everyone at risk?
"You mean this creature?" Yu Yuan turned to glance at the Abyssal Leviathan and responded, "It's not a concern. The extraterrestrial creatures wreaking havoc in the ocean depths won't bother with it. It's far too weak, insignificantly so. You can sense it lacks strong vitality; it won't be considered a target."
"What I'm most curious about is this: With no remarkable vitality and not being an archdemon, how can it remain suspended in the air?" Tang Cen challenged with a snort. "Can you provide a logical explanation for that?"
"I can't afford to explain everything. If you're set on rescuing that golden bull or just standing around, then fine, I'm out of here." Yu Yuan said with a nonchalant grin, "Alright, I'm off!"
