C454 The Transformation of the Fish!

Yu Yuan remained silent, his mind grappling with the many enigmas of the Crucible of Evil. The intricacies of absorbing an evil spirit and transforming it into a Bane were still unclear to him. For now, the crucible had been temporarily integrated into his elixir field after he refined it using the Evil Body Refining Technique.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his recent breakthroughs, including the unblocking of the eight extra-channels, were somehow influenced by an external force. His limited understanding of the Crucible of Evil meant he had overlooked the malevolent aura that had latched onto him after his bloody battle.

Had it not been for the presence of the Blood Altar and the looming threat of the Abyssal Leviathan, he might have immediately grasped the full potential of the crucible. Such insight would have revealed the distinction between an evil spirit and a Bane, along with the exact process of their transformation. Then, he wouldn't have been left speechless by Kong Banbi's remarks and could have taken steps to prevent this predicament.

"Vicious Qi, Crucible of Evil..." Du Huang of the Forgeroses mused, his gaze fixed on Yu Yuan with a contemplative air.

"Why are you so concerned?" Liu Ying snapped, her impatience evident. She let out a huff and fixed Kong Banbi with a frosty stare. "Are you trying to show off how much you know? You're aware of the Shadowblade, and you understand the differences between evil spirits and Bane. Does that make you feel important?"

"Liu Ying! Just because you possess the Fallen Star Eyes doesn't mean you can speak to Kong Banbi in such a manner!" A young woman from the Sword Sect retorted with fury in her eyes. "The Starmoon Sect is merely one of the seven lower sects. Why are you so full of yourself?"

"I am full of myself, what of it?" Liu Ying retorted, standing her ground.

The young woman from the Sword Sect opened her mouth to respond but was silenced by a look from Kong Banbi.

"Enough," Kong Banbi interjected, his brow furrowed. "I mean no offense. My concern is whether the movement of this malevolent aura could alert the Tears of the Azurefiend. Moreover, whether Yu Yuan still possesses the Crucible of Evil or whether it has been refined is, in fact..."

Before he could utter another word, the Fallen Star Eyes abruptly halted.

Liu Ying's complexion drained with shock!

Suddenly, thousands of strands of evil spirit light swirled ceaselessly within the Fallen Star Eyes.

Whoosh!

A chilling and eerie stream of light burst forth from the pristine stone platform before her.

Unaware of the impending danger, the spectral light shot straight towards her eyes.

Chi!

A miniature sword, as translucent as cold jade, pierced with uncanny precision into the spectral light.

The tiny sword had flown out from Kong Banbi's chest.

The beam of light that had been hurtling towards Liu Ying was violently severed by the miniature sword, scattering fragments of light onto Du Huang, who howled in agony.

Liu Ying suddenly coughed up blood, which sparkled with starlight.

Her blood splattered onto the stone platform before her, exploding into a mist of blood.

The starlit blood mist seeped into the platform, magically coalescing into successive star charts, as if it were aggressively wresting control from the Fallen Star Eyes.

"It's that!"

Su Yan of Abyssal Dawn's face transformed with urgency as she pointed at the motionless fish floating before them.

She saw with clarity that the fish's pale eye had grown increasingly luminous since Kong Banbi had spoken of the Crucible of Evil.

The brightness made her shiver with cold terror, and her eyes throbbed with a faint sting.

Then, the anomalies intensified!

"Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!"

A cascade of resplendent sword light burst forth from the sword sheath clutched by Yu Yuan, aiming for the floating fish.

It was as if a thousand rainbows had been unleashed!

A piercing screech erupted from the sword light, filling the little world within the Fallen Star Eyes with awe-inspiring and fearsome sword light.

A profound, vast, and ancient sword's will burst forth from Yu Yuan's arm bones.

His arms turned a deep shade of crimson! Beneath his skin, his bones shone like red crystal, his veins pulsing like streams of molten lava.

Yu Yuan's gaze was fixed on the Abyssal Leviathan as he endeavored to connect with the Soulforge Pool deep within the Moonfall Sanctuary and the celestial sword's will etched into its walls.

Regrettably, he was unable to establish a connection with the Soulforge Pool due to the presence of the Tears of the Azurefiend and the Azure Veil.

The Abyssal Leviathan, long oppressed by the ancient evilkind, had seemed amiable and docile upon contact with Yu Yuan's remnant soul. Its eyes, one scarlet red and the other pearly white, now glinted with malice, savagery, and a thirst for blood.

A sword light, embodying the cycle of day and night and the turn of seasons, streaked towards the Abyssal Leviathan, enveloping it in an instant with a mysterious sword's will.

Another sword light, etched with the intricate topography of Aetherius, twisted and turned as it approached the Abyssal Leviathan, as if redrawing the embryonic form of heaven and earth.

Yet another sword light, filled with boundless ferocity and intent on slaying all demons, came at the Abyssal Leviathan from the side.

Two additional intersecting sword lights, forming a radiant 'X', also aimed at the Abyssal Leviathan with unparalleled sharpness.

"Clang!"

A peculiar noise emanated from the mouth of the Abyssal Leviathan, bristling with sharp teeth.

In an instant, its teeth transformed into Divine Weapons, intercepting the fearsome sword radiance one after another.

Simultaneously, the Abyssal Leviathan, in its bizarre fish form, let out a low whistle and rapidly shifted shape.

Before the eyes of the onlookers, the extraterrestrial Abyssal Leviathan morphed into a gaunt old man wearing a grey vest. His neck was adorned with patches of brown fish scales, and long whiskers hung from his mouth. With sunken cheekbones and a brooding demeanor, he appeared quite sinister.

His eyes, however, remained one red and one white.

Totem poles of the evilkind protruded from his back.

The old man lifted his hand, which was covered in spikes. As he deflected the incoming sword lights and sword's will, the spikes on his hand shattered explosively. With the disappearance of the sword light, he hummed softly, his hand dripping with blood from the piercing light.

"Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!"

Dozens of sword lights, each a different hue, burst forth from their scabbards, transforming into streaks of arc light that encircled the old man, now the Abyssal Leviathan.

The sword lights formed a prison, confining him to a mere inch of land, relentlessly striking and tearing at his teeth.

All the survivors from the Sword Sect were stunned as they watched dozens of sword lights envelop the elderly man like a cage of arc light.

"Kid, you've been wary of me all along."

The Abyssal Leviathan cracked a dry smile, its spiky hand shooting through the gaps in the sword light with lightning speed.

The prison of interwoven sword lights seemed to stretch, failing to immediately close after his arm passed through.

"Puff!"

The monstrous hand, now extended ten meters, impaled a young woman from the Forgeroses.

Her body was violently yanked back into the confines of the sword light cage.

With a loud pop, the Forgeroses woman, in the late stages of Veil Breaking, burst open above his head, her blood raining down and seemingly absorbed into his skin like a sponge.

"It's been ages since I've tasted the blood of human girls—still as sweet and delectable as ever."

The Abyssal Leviathan licked its lower lip, and suddenly, a snake-like limb shot out from within him, consuming the Forgeroses girl's flesh in mere moments.

Within ten seconds, not a bone was left, not even a drop of blood.

The transformation occurred too swiftly for anyone to anticipate.

"Pfft!"

Another grotesque hand thrust through the sword light cage, seizing the Sword Sect girl who had pointed at Liu Ying and dragging her before the Abyssal Leviathan.

She, too, exploded instantly, her blood drenching the Abyssal Leviathan as the rest of her flesh was devoured in a flash.

"Ah!"

The remaining trial-takers from the Forgeroses and Sword Sect were terrified, desperately fleeing from the Abyssal Leviathan, who was momentarily confined to a small space by the sword light.

"So clever, aren't you?"

Yu Yuan gripped his sword sheath, casting a cold glance at Kong Banbi, his disdain for the man growing.

"I..."

Kong Banbi was still at a loss as to why this elder from the evilkind had suddenly lashed out, attacking Liu Ying, Yu Yuan, and everyone else.

"Hand over the Crucible of Evil, and I'll get you out of here. After that, we're even."

The emaciated form of the Abyssal Leviathan began to take on a sinister sheen as the two girls perished. Licking his lips to savor the blood of the girl beside him, he wore a look of utter satisfaction. "Kid, I recognize your worth, and it's thanks to your assistance that I managed to break free so swiftly."

"Fiend, the Crucible of Evil!"

Su Yan, from the Abyssal Dawn, backed away significantly, her realization dawning upon her as she fixed a furious gaze on Kong Banbi. "This is all your doing!"

"I never imagined... it really was because of me."

Kong Banbi finally understood the meaning behind Yu Yuan's words about being too clever by half.

The strange fish had been after the Crucible of Evil all along!

From the stone platform within the Fallen Star Eyes, he had discerned the presence of the Crucible of Evil, revealing that Yu Yuan possessed it. This revelation prompted the strange fish, which had intended to remain hidden, to suddenly unleash a killing spree.

Had it not been for his revelation, the strange fish might have continued to feign docility, not rushing to reveal its brutal nature.

"You're mistaken; I don't possess the Crucible of Evil," Yu Yuan said, his demeanor cool as he strove for composure, gripping the sword sheath firmly and pointing at the Abyssal Leviathan, now in the guise of an old man. "This sheath is all I have. And, as per our agreement, I will allow you to leave, and in exchange, you will aid me in evading the detection of the Blood Altar."

"Kid, you're making this uninteresting," the Abyssal Leviathan said coldly, languidly stretching its limbs, joints cracking as if to lubricate its sinews and muscles. "It's been far too long since I've moved; I'm hardly accustomed to it anymore. Since those ancient evilkind trapped me beneath the sea, I've done nothing but watch, watch these laughable trials unfold."

"Watching those tender, delectable young girls swim past the sunken ship, I've been salivating in anticipation."

"At last, I can finally stretch my limbs and feast to my heart's content."

The teeth that the Abyssal Leviathan spat out clashed against the relentless assault of sword light, sparking dazzling arcs of lightning.

"Do you really think the sword light contained within that sheath can hold me for long?"

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