C467 Order!

Mo Yan's eyes were shrouded in a swirling dark fog, and within their depths, lightning flashed and thunder roared. At his brow, the mud pellet acupoint transformed into a deep, dark pool, engulfing all life with a force that made hearts tremble and spirits quake.

"Condense!"

With a light cry, threads of spiritual sense, like thousands of fish, swarmed to the acupoint between his eyebrows. These threads, in a ferocious competition reminiscent of larger fish consuming smaller ones, quickly merged into a singular force.

This force, branded by the earthly soul, underwent a metamorphosis, swiftly giving rise to a new divine presence—the Lunar Spirit!

Such advancement was a marvel to behold, and Mo Yan's progression was exceptionally rare. In just a moment, in the snap of a finger, he shattered the long-standing cultivation wall, advancing from the late period of Subtlety to the formation of the Lunar Spirit with ease.

To others, this breakthrough might seem like child's play, but for Mo Yan, it was as natural as the flow of a river, effortlessly achieved. After all, this wasn't his first time condensing the Lunar Spirit!

Practicing the Cycle of Life and Death Spell, this was his third time achieving this feat. The previous two times, he had instantly shattered the Lunar Spirit upon its formation, returning to the Golden Sanctum without a moment's hesitation.

And this time?

"I'm going over!"

Mo Yan's newly formed Lunar Spirit unleashed a wave of Soul Power, refined from spiritual sense, and channeled it into the Shadowblade through the Ethereal Vial. Qi Nandou didn't even have a chance to react, let alone bid him farewell.

This indicated that Mo Yan had managed to break free from the Ethereal Vial's internal seal, relying on the Devil Blade and his own formidable strength, in a manner undetectable even to Qi Nandou.

Previously, the Shadowblade had been suppressing the Blood Altar, but once Mo Yan had condensed the Lunar Spirit and infused the Devil Blade with Soul Power, his bond with the blade was no longer constrained by the Ethereal Vial.

It seemed that at his mere whim, the Shadowblade could instantly appear in his hand. Likewise, merging with the Shadowblade was a matter of a single thought—a feat the Ethereal Vial couldn't hinder for even a second!

All who witnessed it saw that after Mo Yan condensed the Lunar Spirit, he appeared at the Shadowblade's location as if he had transcended spatial boundaries, akin to teleportation.

Hovering above the Blood Altar, the serrated Shadowblade emitted a furious roar that seemed to summon the wrath of a thousand demons.

The power to shatter the heavens and the earth emanated from the Shadowblade, instilling fear and unease in every creature at the ocean's depths.

The Devil Blade stood still, exuding the terrifying presence of an ancient, massive star that had emerged from beyond the Star River to suppress all beings.

Mo Yan, now towering in stature, was seated upon the blade of the Shadowblade. His black hair grew wildly, cascading over the blade's edge.

His hair intertwined with the Shadowblade like dark, veinous tendrils.

His remnant soul, consciousness, and mind resonated in perfect harmony with the artifact soul within the Shadowblade through the conduits of his hair.

While seated upon the Devil Blade, his body channeled a ceaseless flow of vitality and spiritual energy into it.

The turbulent magic power of the Devil Blade warped the gravitational field, anchoring the majestic Blood Altar to the seabed, unable to escape the gravitational clampdown.

The Blood Altar, like a toddler taking its first steps, began to rise slowly in an attempt to break the surface.

Crack! Crack!

Skeletons burst one after another, scattering colorful bone dust in every direction.

The flesh ensnared by the Blood Altar was refined into a river of rich blood, merging into the altar and imbuing the deep crimson structure with a surge of power that propelled it upward with force.

Mo Yan let out a grunt. As he sat upon the Devil Blade, he brought his palms together and pushed down with immense force.

It was as though the heavens had crumbled and the Star River had plummeted. An indescribable, crushing power, beyond Mo Yan's realm of ability, descended once more.

Boom!

The Blood Altar, which had barely begun to ascend, was slammed back down with great force.

The islands of the Embers Sea were battered by the Blood Altar, creating a vast chasm that plunged deeper into the ocean floor.

The seawater rushed into the chasm like mad, filling every crevice at the bottom.

And there, the Blood Altar lay trapped within the chasm, its movements even more restricted.

"This Blood Altar has truly been constrained by Mo Yan's Shadowblade!" exclaimed Chi Yin of the Taintborn Sect, witnessing the Blood Altar's futile struggles to rise from the seabed. A thrill of excitement overtook her as she mused, "Even the Blood Altar of the Star-Spawned Terror is not so formidable. Perhaps we've been overly cautious and worried without cause."

Lin Yue and Qi Nandou gave her a cold glance.

Hou Tianzhao cracked a sly grin and chuckled, "Is that all? Sister Chi, your naivety is somewhat endearing. Without Mo Yan forcibly advancing, and without him using the Shadowblade to hold you back, do you think you could even make the Blood Altar budge?"

Chi Yin huffed, "I don't see the Blood Altar as all that formidable."

"Yu Yuan!"

Qi Nandou of the Skyblight Cult called out, drawing everyone's attention before making his demand, "Mo Yan is already taking care of his responsibilities! Isn't it time you proved yourself?"

All eyes turned to him in unison.

"The Azurefiend's Blood Altar can be divided in two. The Soul Altar is more lethal, while the Blood Altar is somewhat less so," Yu Yuan explained to the crowd, seemingly buying time. "The layer that the Blood Altar shed earlier could significantly enhance its strength. The Blood Altar you see now is not at its full power."

"Don't stall!" Qi Nandou barked.

Yu Yuan nodded slightly and instructed, "Leave the Blood Altar to Mo Yan, who will keep it in check with the Shadowblade. Now, take the Ethereal Vial and approach the blue shadow, draw near to the Abyssal Leviathan!"

"Ah!" Qi Nandou cried out in surprise, "Why not confront the Blood Altar?"

"If you want to stay alive, follow my orders," Yu Yuan stated.

Qi Nandou was about to protest when he was abruptly cut off by Mo Yan, seated with the Shadowblade, who commanded, "Heed his words! He just needs to prove himself, no matter the method!"

"Operate the Ethereal Vial!" Lin Yue of the Colddeath Sect ordered.

Hou Tianzhao also gave him a nod, signaling him to comply.

Reluctantly, under the combined pressure of Mo Yan, Lin Yue, and Hou Tianzhao, Qi Nandou maneuvered the Ethereal Vial, steering it towards the blue shadow that had once shrouded the Blood Altar.

With a whoosh, Yu Yuan, holding the Crucible of Evil, which he had refined using the Evil Body Refining and Soul Forging through Enlightenment techniques, casually tossed it.

The glowing barrier surrounding the Ethereal Vial, as if it were nothing but a mirage, was effortlessly penetrated by the Crucible of Evil.

Qi Nandou's face twitched, betraying his displeasure.

"Don't take it to heart. The Crucible of Evil was once a Divine Artifact, and after its destruction by the Terror Claws, it has a history with your Skyblight Cult. The two sects used to be quite close, with frequent exchanges and interactions," Yu Yuan said with a light chuckle. "The crafting of the Ethereal Vial and the Bone-Devouring Shuttle was even influenced by the Crucible of Evil. There's a bit of a connection between the artifacts."

His implication was clear: the Ethereal Vial and the Bone-Devouring Shuttle were inferior to the Crucible of Evil. Moreover, these treasured items of his had incorporated techniques from the Crucible of Evil in their creation, which is why the more advanced Crucible of Evil could easily penetrate the Ethereal Vial.

"If it's so easy, why did you announce yourself when you first arrived?" Qi Nandou asked with a frown.

Yu Yuan answered, "I was concerned that if I entered without warning, I might be mistaken for an aggressor and subsequently attacked by your group."

"Nandou, he's not wrong. Your Skyblight Cult and the now-defunct Terror Claws were neighbors," Hou Tianzhao interjected. "To put it bluntly, during the heyday of the Terror Claws, your Skyblight Cult was essentially their junior. This is something your sect may not acknowledge now, and naturally, your masters wouldn't speak of it."

Lin Yue nodded in agreement, "I've heard similar stories. It's also said that much of the current Skyblight Cult's territory originally belonged to the Terror Claws."

"The Skyblight Cult could only rise after the fall of the Terror Claws. There's only so much land to sustain cultivators. If the Terror Claws were still around, the Skyblight Cult wouldn't have been able to expand and would have had to remain subservient," Hou Tianzhao said, baring his teeth in a grin and winking at Qi Nandou. "Don't be downhearted; you've made progress since then, haven't you?"

The members of the Devil Palace and Taintborn looked on with peculiar expressions at Hou Tianzhao's remarks and Lin Yue's confirmation.

So, the Skyblight Cult was once just a vassal of the Terror Claws, with the latter leading the way?

"I don't believe it!" Qi Nandou exclaimed furiously.

"Believe it or not, it's the truth," Mo Yan called out from a distance, his words hammering the point home.

"You were aiming to penetrate the Azure Veil, but now you must strike into the shadows and target the Abyssal Leviathan," Yu Yuan instructed again. "Remember, unleash the most powerful combined strike of the Ethereal Vial and the Bone-Devouring Shuttle! Do not hold back, and do not conceal your strength!"

"What?!"

This time, the outcry came not only from Qi Nandou but also from Chi Yin and Hou Tianzhao.

"Just one strike!"

Yu Yuan inhaled deeply. "As the Ethereal Vial and the Bone-Devouring Shuttle launch their combined strike, I will steer it to ensure it stays locked on the target."

"Send me out!"

No sooner had he spoken than he activated the Evil Body Refining technique and, through a profound connection with the Crucible of Evil, propelled himself towards the blue shadow.

He crossed the light screen in an instant and plunged into the shadow without a second thought.

Daring to engage in combat within the shadow, at the early stage of Veil Breaking, was he ready to face the Abyssal Leviathan and the remnants of the Blood Altar?

"He's just going in like that?" Lin Yue couldn't hide his astonishment.

"Say what you will, but this guy has real courage!" Shi Si from the Devil Palace said, her fists clenched and swinging with force. "I'm starting to like him! He's even more decisive than Mo Yan, risking it all by charging headlong into danger!"

Hu Tianyang sneered, "I think he's just playing the hero. He knows he's going to die, so he might as well die with valor!"

"He mentioned directing the combined force of the Ethereal Vial and the Bone-Devouring Shuttle into the fray," Lin Yue said gravely, his eyes bloodshot as he fixed his gaze on Qi Nandou. "Please follow his instructions to the letter."

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