C460 Holding Hands

His intuition was clear: the primary target of the Blood Sacrificial Altar at the sea's depths was none other than the Chaos Roc!

He had this growing suspicion that the altar, which roamed the ocean hunting creatures, had been seeking the Chaos Roc all along.

The more he pondered, the clearer it became.

The altar, buried in the ocean's abyss, first craved the Demon Race for their abundant life force. Next in line were the Demonic Cultivators, as well as body-refining experts like Du Huang from the Ancient Desolate Sect.

The altar yearned for life force as boundless as the ocean itself.

What beneath the Ember Waters could possibly have a richer and more vigorous life force than the Chaos Roc?

The Golden Barbarian Ox, along with the lower-level demons undergoing their sea trials, paled in comparison to the Chaos Roc – they were mere fireflies against the brilliance of the sun and moon, not even close in terms of life force.

If the Chaos Roc was aware of the "Tears of Blue Devil" and the Blood Sacrificial Altar, how could the altar not be aware of the Chaos Roc's existence?

Heixun had explained that the "Dark Blue Curtain" constructed by the altar served as a second layer of confinement for the Chaos Roc, in addition to the thirty-six ancient totem pillars.

It stood to reason, then, that both the Blood Sacrificial Altar and the "Tears of Blue Devil" were well aware of the Chaos Roc.

Upon further reflection, it was evident why the Chaos Roc was so desperate to emerge from the sunken ship's stern and why it enticed him to shatter a totem pillar – it must have sensed the "Tears of Blue Devil's" activity.

The Chaos Roc surely feared that the "Tears of Blue Devil" and the altar would pinpoint its location, discover the wreck, and find it.

Heixun had mentioned that until the Chaos Roc could break free from the "Dark Blue Curtain," it was no match for the altar at the bottom of the Ember Waters.

Only with the "Evil Cauldron" could the Chaos Roc stand a chance in battle, assuming the two could be united.

At this moment, the "Evil Cauldron," even though it had drifted from his core and was floating near his heart, seemingly beyond control, still maintained a vital connection to his life force.

The Chaos Roc found itself ensnared by the sword light's cage, unable to break free in time to claim the Evil Cauldron.

In this predicament, the Blood Sacrifice Altar, meticulously crafted by the Blue Devil Clan, was on the verge of striking. But who would be its first victim? The Chaos Roc was the prime candidate.

Thoughts raced through Yu Yuan's mind with the speed of divine lightning, and in the face of dire straits, he managed to clear a path through his thoughts. Watching the Chaos Roc's frantic struggles, he couldn't help but let out a strange chuckle. "How fascinating! I'm beginning to think that the trials of the Ember Waters are quite the thrill!" he exclaimed, laughing heartily as he stepped back.

His hands, still gripping the sword sheath, continued to point at the Chaos Roc from a distance, occasionally sending out another streak of sword intent to weave back into the sword net.

The onlookers within the Fallen Star Eyes watched him with bewilderment.

Yu Yuan made his way back to Lau Ying and Su Yan, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lau Ying, so close he could catch the scent of her subtle perfume. Lau Ying, with her hair in disarray and her face a shade paler, was breathing heavily. Her delicate hands opened to reveal a constellation within her palms, stars twinkling and shimmering against the backdrop of her skin.

Her hands held a galaxy, each sparkling star mirroring those beneath her feet in the Fallen Star Eyes, etched into the deepest patterns of the Heavenly Star Array.

Suddenly, Yu Yuan turned to Lau Ying with a radiant smile. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Lau Ying, who had been coughing up blood and whose spiritual power was severely depleted, found comfort in his brilliant smile despite the gathering storm clouds. She gave him an annoyed glance. "Do I look okay to you? My mind, energy, and spiritual power are nearly spent. How could I be fine?"

"There won't be any trouble," Yu Yuan assured her.

In a surprising move, he extended one hand, covering Lau Ying's pale, delicate hand with his own as the crowd watched in astonishment.

With her palm turned upward, Lau Ying's body quivered slightly as she focused on the lines of her palm and channeled her spiritual power to sift through the stardust.

Her heart fluttered with uncertainty, her thoughts thrown into disarray.

With all eyes upon them, Yu Yuan had let go of his sword sheath to place his hand over Lau Ying's upturned palm. What could this gesture possibly mean?

Lau Ying's cheeks flushed with a hint of red as her heart fluttered in disarray. She shot him a fierce glare, poised to rebuke him.

But in the next instant, she froze.

The hand covering hers, Yu Yuan's hand, grew intensely hot.

Warmth gently flowed from his palm, unimpeded and direct, seeping into her skin and marvelously integrating with her body. It stabilized her injuries and nourished her life force.

This warmth, infused with the sun's power and the Spiritual Spell she practiced, not only avoided conflict but also brought her a profound sense of ease.

Upon closer examination, she could sense what seemed like nine tiny suns within Yu Yuan's palm, radiating light and heat in a continuous cycle.

"The power of nine suns, like a circlet of light..."

Lau Ying trembled, her beautiful eyes sparkling with realization.

Yu Yuan remained silent, offering her a gentle nod and a soft smile.

The "Glorious Heavenly Wheel" Spiritual Spell from Yang Mountain might not directly heal Lau Ying, but the Sun Essence Fire it channeled into her could.

The Silver Moon Sect was split into the Star Sect and the Moon Sect.

While the Moon Sect held its mysteries, it was the Star Sect that represented the true lineage and the cornerstone of the Silver Moon Sect's standing.

In the vast expanse of the Outland Star River, stars were innumerable, with bright moons and fiery suns among them.

In the Boundless Land, the bright moon and sun might seem singular. Yet, deep within the starry expanse, their numbers were not so few.

But whether moon or sun, those great cultivators who had ventured beyond the Boundless Land and wandered the cosmos attested that, at their core, both were still stars—albeit special ones.

The Silver Moon Sect's time-honored Spiritual Spell could harness the power of the stars at night, draw on the moon's energy, and even capture a sliver of the sun's brilliance by day.

Yu Yuan was privy to this secret.

In the Boundless Land, where the sun and moon were solitary, gathering their light through the Star Sect's Spiritual Spell was not the most efficient. It paled in comparison to the act of absorbing scattered starlight from the infinite stars and converging it into a single, potent force.

The Star Sect's Spiritual Spell proved capable of withstanding not only the moon's essence but also the Flaming Sun Essence Fire.

While the Star Sect might not match the Moon Sect's prowess in refining lunar essence, nor the Primordial Yang Sect's ability to absorb solar power, its strength lies in its breadth—able to harness and refine the essences of both sun and moon.

Today's attempt confirmed its feasibility!

Yu Yuan felt the Sun Essence Fire he had refined within his Yellow Court Little World merge with his spiritual power and slip secretly into Lau Ying's palm via the "Glorious Heavenly Wheel."

Observing the easing tension in Lau Ying's brow and her improved complexion, Yu Yuan smiled slightly and said, "With the Fallen Star Eyes under our control, let's approach the glass bottle."

"Ah!" Lau Ying gasped.

Her hand pressed against Yu Yuan's, she struggled to come to her senses, her mind still foggy.

"Just get close to the glass bottle," Yu Yuan instructed, his hand clasping Lau Ying's delicate one, tightening his grip to contain the Sun Essence Fire's radiance within his palm. "He's trapped by my sword light, and I will..."

Mid-sentence, the lattice of crystalline sword light surged upward, drawn by Yu Yuan's force.

"Open!"

With a sudden burst of strength, Yu Yuan clutched Lau Ying's hand, signaling her to focus.

Pain in her palm jolted Lau Ying to full alertness, and she saw the Chaos Roc within the sword light cage thrashing wildly, roaring in its bid for freedom. She quickly realized what was happening.

The impenetrable star energy barrier, now several times thicker, formed a passageway at the whim of her thoughts.

The Chaos Roc, ensnared by the sword light, shot through the channel and out beyond the Fallen Star Eyes in an instant.

"Chi! Chi! Chi!"

Transformed into the teeth of a divine weapon, the Chaos Roc clashed ferociously with the intertwining sword light.

The gaunt elder, imprisoned within the cage, glared at Yu Yuan with eyes filled with bone-deep hatred, bellowing, "Boy, you dare to deceive me?"

"I've learned from the best," Yu Yuan retorted, holding Lau Ying's hand and looking up at the elder with a cheerful grin, halting the restlessness of the remaining sword lights in his scabbard. "The Blood Offering Altar is rapidly approaching, and I doubt you'll be able to escape anytime soon."

"You will die! Everyone close to you will die!" The Chaos Roc's voice turned icy, each word delivered with a chilling, unforgettable cadence.

Yu Yuan couldn't help but let out a wry laugh. "I'll be waiting."

He then gripped Lau Ying's hand more firmly and whispered, "Activate the Fallen Star Eyes and bring them near the glass bottle. We'll keep him in these waters for the Blood Offering Altar to choose its target."

"Oh, right, got it."

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