C460 Hand in Hand
His intuition told him that the primary target of the Blood Altar at the ocean's depths was none other than the Abyssal Leviathan!
He even had the sense that the Blood Altar, which roamed the sea hunting for life, had always been in search of the Abyssal Leviathan.
The more he pondered, the clearer it became.
The Blood Altar, buried deep beneath the sea, first craved the evilkind for their immense vitality. Next in line were the dark adepts and Forgeroses cultivators like Du Huang, who excelled in body refinement.
The Blood Altar yearned for a vast and powerful vitality.
What else at the bottom of the Embers Sea could rival the richness and vigor of the Abyssal Leviathan's vitality?
The golden bull and the lower-tier evilkind undergoing sea trials paled in comparison to the Abyssal Leviathan; their blood source was like comparing the glow of fireflies to the brilliance of the sun and moon—not even close.
Given that the Abyssal Leviathan was aware of the Tears of the Azurefiend, wouldn't the Blood Altar and the Soul Altar also be cognizant of its presence?
Hei Xun had mentioned that the "Azure Veil" constructed by the Blood Altar was the second layer of restraint imposed on the Abyssal Leviathan, in addition to the thirty-six ancient totem-poles.
It stood to reason, then, that both the Blood Altar and the Tears of the Azurefiend were well-informed about the Abyssal Leviathan.
Upon further reflection, the Abyssal Leviathan's urgency to emerge from the shipwreck's stern and its attempt to coax him into breaking a totem-pole to aid its swift escape must have been spurred by its knowledge of the disturbances caused by the Tears of the Azurefiend.
The Abyssal Leviathan was undoubtedly concerned that the Tears of the Azurefiend and the Blood Altar would pinpoint its location, discover the shipwreck, and find it.
Hei Xun had explained that until the Abyssal Leviathan could break through the Azure Veil, it was no match for the Blood Altar at the bottom of the Embers Sea.
Only by acquiring the Crucible of Evil could the Abyssal Leviathan stand a chance in battle.
At this moment, the Crucible of Evil, although it had left his elixir field and was floating near his chest, seemingly uncontrollable, remained linked to his vitality.
The Abyssal Leviathan was trapped within the sword light cage, struggling to break free and unable to seize the Crucible of Evil.
In this scenario, the Blood Altar, meticulously crafted by the Azurefiend, would soon arrive. The question was, who would be its first victim? The most likely candidate was the Abyssal Leviathan.
A myriad of thoughts raced through Yu Yuan's mind, sparking like lightning. In the face of dire straits, he managed to clear a path through his thoughts. Watching the Abyssal Leviathan's futile struggles, he couldn't help but smirk and chuckle, "How fascinating! I'm starting to think that the trials of the Embers Sea are quite the thrill!"
He continued to laugh, stepping back with each chuckle.
His hands firmly gripped the sword sheath, still aimed at the Abyssal Leviathan. Occasionally, he would unleash another streak of sword's will from the sheath, reinforcing the sword net.
The onlookers within the Fallen Star Eyes watched him, puzzled and unsure of what to make of his actions.
Yu Yuan made his way back to stand shoulder to shoulder with Liu Ying and Su Yan, so close he could catch the faint scent of Liu Ying's perfume.
Liu Ying's hair was disheveled, her face pale, and her breathing hurried. She opened her slender hand, revealing a palm that resembled a dense starry sky.
The starlight flickered within her pale palm, like tiny luminous grains.
Her hands seemed to cradle a celestial sea, each one brimming with bright, twinkling stars, mirroring the Fallen Star Eyes beneath her and etched into the deepest star arrays.
Suddenly, Yu Yuan turned to her with a beaming smile, "Are you okay?"
Despite her injuries, the blood she had coughed up, and the severe depletion of her spiritual energy, Liu Ying found comfort in his radiant smile amidst the gathering gloom. She gave him an annoyed look, "Do I look okay to you? My mind, vitality, and spiritual energy are nearly spent. How could I possibly be fine?"
"You'll be alright," he assured her.
Yu Yuan then extended one hand, covering Liu Ying's fair hand with his own amidst the astonished stares of those around them.
With her palm upturned, Liu Ying focused on the lines in her hand, her body trembling slightly as she channeled her spiritual energy to sift through the glimmering starlight.
Her heart fluttered, suddenly overwhelmed and her thoughts thrown into disarray.
Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, Yu Yuan did not grip his sword sheath with both hands. Instead, he extended one hand and pressed it against her upturned palm. What could this mean?
Liu Ying's cheeks flushed slightly, her heart aflutter with confusion. She shot him a fierce glare, ready to rebuke him.
But in the next instant, she found herself rooted to the spot in shock.
The hand Yu Yuan placed over her palm began to radiate an intense heat.
Streams of warmth stealthily penetrated from Yu Yuan's palm, effortlessly infiltrating the skin of her palm and miraculously blending into her body. This warmth stabilized her injuries and replenished her vitality.
The comforting warmth carried the essence of the burning sun and harmonized with the spell she practiced. Far from clashing, it brought a soothing relief throughout her body.
Upon closer examination, she perceived what seemed like nine tiny suns within Yu Yuan's palm, continuously emitting light and heat in a circular pattern.
"Nine points of flame energy, like a ring of light..."
Liu Ying trembled, her beautiful eyes suddenly sparkling with realization.
Yu Yuan remained silent, simply nodding at her with a gentle smile.
The Nine Glories Wheel from Mount Solarian might not directly heal Liu Ying, but the infusion of sunfire driven by the Nine Glories Wheel into her body could indeed aid in her recovery.
The Starmoon Sect is split into the Star Sect and the Moon Sect.
While the Moon Sect is shrouded in mystery, it is the Star Sect that holds the orthodox lineage and forms the cornerstone of the Starmoon Sect's status.
The vast, limitless Star River of the extraterrestrial realm is home to innumerable stars, including the bright moon and the blazing sun.
In the Everlands, the moon and sun may seem unique, yet there are more of them deep within the Star River.
Nonetheless, whether it be the moon or the sun, they are essentially stars, as described by cultivators who have ventured beyond the Everlands into the extraterrestrial realm. They are simply more exceptional types of stars.
The Star Sect of the Starmoon Sect has passed down an enigmatic spell that not only draws in the star power from the night sky but can also harness moon energy and, during the day, capture a portion of the sun's radiance.
This secret is known to Yu Yuan.
Because the Everlands have only one sun and moon, using the Star Sect's spell to collect their light is not particularly efficient. It pales in comparison to the accumulation of starlight drawn from the myriad stars scattered across the infinite heavens.
If it can absorb the radiance of the sun and moon, it indicates that the Star Sect's spells are also capable of harnessing the essence of the moon and the fiery core of the sun.
While the Star Sect may not match the Moon Sect in the singular art of refining moon energy, nor the Sunlit Order in absorbing solar power, the Star Sect excels in its breadth, able to draw and refine from the sun, moon, and stars.
Today's attempt proves it's indeed feasible!
I can feel a bit of the sunfire I've refined within my Golden Sanctum's little world, merging with spiritual energy and discreetly flowing into Liu Ying's palm through the Nine Glories Wheel.
Observing Liu Ying's brow smoothing and her complexion improving, Yu Yuan offered a slight smile and said, "Let's harness the Fallen Star Eyes and approach the Ethereal Vial."
"Ah!" Liu Ying gasped softly.
Her palm pressed against Yu Yuan's, she couldn't immediately come to her senses and remained somewhat disoriented.
"Simply approach the Ethereal Vial," Yu Yuan instructed, his hand clasping Liu Ying's delicate hand and slowly tightening to prevent the sunfire within from spilling out. "He's trapped by my sword light cage, and I will..."
Mid-sentence, the cage of interwoven sword light suddenly shot upwards, drawn by Yu Yuan's force.
"Open!"
With a forceful tug, Yu Yuan gripped Liu Ying's hand to alert her.
The pain in her palm snapped Liu Ying to attention, and seeing Yu Yuan's intense focus on the Abyssal Leviathan thrashing and bellowing within the sword light cage, she realized it was trying to break free.
The impenetrable, thickened screen of cosmic energy formed a passageway at her will, creating an opening.
The Abyssal Leviathan, ensnared in the sword light, shot through the channel in an instant, emerging beyond the Fallen Star Eyes.
"Chi! Chi! Chi!"
Transformed into the biting teeth of a Divine Weapon, the Abyssal Leviathan clashed wildly with the sword light.
The gaunt elder, imprisoned, glared at Yu Yuan with eyes filled with bone-chilling hatred and bellowed, "Boy, you dare to deceive me?"
"I learned from the best," Yu Yuan replied, still holding Liu Ying's hand, looking up at the elder with a bright smile, keeping the other sword lights in check. "The Blood Altar is rapidly closing in. You likely won't be able to escape anytime soon."
"You will die! Everyone close to you will die!" The Abyssal Leviathan's voice turned ice-cold, each word etched with bone-chilling finality.
Yu Yuan couldn't help but let out a wry laugh. "I'm waiting."
He gripped Liu Ying's jade hand a bit tighter and whispered, "Activate the Fallen Star Eyes and bring them near the Ethereal Vial. We'll keep him here in the Embers Sea so the Blood Altar can select its target."
"Oh, right, got it."
