C481 They Are Safe and Sound
In the deep of night, the sun and moon were suspended in the sky.
"Crackle!"
The Abyssal Leviathan, wreathed in endless Divine Thunder, burst forth from the depths of the Embers Sea.
The wind shifted, the clouds transformed, and the earth trembled!
Thirty-six totem poles, comprising the Starborne Ritual of Primeval Demons, seemed to glide through the ocean depths, carving out a vast expanse for the Abyssal Leviathan to thrash about.
It retained its bizarre fish form, yet it had grown to a size millions of times larger!
Its body was clad in shimmering scales that radiated a terrifying aura capable of extinguishing all life.
The fins that had once pierced the Azure Veil now resembled undulating mountain ranges.
A fiery red sun and a pale, cold moon were strikingly revealed as its eyes.
Most of its body remained submerged, but even the small portion that surfaced made its eyes appear as the sun and moon high in the heavens.
"My god! Is this the Cosmic Giant Beast?!"
Yan Lu from the Devil Palace, perched above Hou Tianzhao's Phoenix Feather Fan, turned to look back, his entire body quaking with awe.
The part of the Abyssal Leviathan that had emerged was larger than the City of Silvermoon where Yan Lu resided! The scales alone spanned several acres each, a size beyond imagination.
Anyone gazing from the sky would be astounded by the Leviathan's colossal form.
"If my master didn't deceive me, what we're seeing of the Cosmic Giant Beast now is less than one-tenth of its true size," Qi Nandou from the Skyblight Cult said with a wry smile, his eyes fixed on the Abyssal Leviathan nearly filling the Embers Sea. "An adult Cosmic Giant Beast should be at least as large as the Shadowlight Empire."
Yan Lu was at a loss for words.
"The hoof of a grown Cosmic Giant Beast might tower more majestically than any mountain in our Everlands," Hou Tianzhao mused, licking his lips and breaking into a mischievous grin. "Fascinating, truly fascinating! The anomaly in this sea is bound to draw the gaze of many!"
He was convinced that it wouldn't be long before the upper sects, Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep would be stirred into action.
The Abyssal Leviathan revealed its true form, and Hei Xun, the Guardian of Devil Palace, had turned traitor. He had already merged with the Embers Sea's heavens and earth, forcefully breaking into the Unbound realm.
Such a disturbance couldn't be concealed from the cultivators. There was no need for further action; peak experts would naturally arrive to quell the turmoil in the Embers Sea.
The Phoenix Feather Fan was in flight, and Liu Ying's Fallen Star Eyes were howling alongside it.
The Crucible of Evil they pursued had long since departed the Embers Sea, speeding off in a determined direction.
The Abyssal Leviathan suddenly unleashed a prolonged, piercing howl.
Yu Yuan, hearing just a single note, discerned a wealth of meaning within it.
The roar that reached Yu Yuan's ears was laden with the Abyssal Leviathan's immense rage toward him, accusing him of conspiring with Hei Xun and scheming behind the scenes, to the Leviathan's detriment.
Feeling unjustly accused, Yu Yuan wanted to offer an explanation but found himself at a loss for words.
Turning his gaze to the Embers Sea, he witnessed the Blood Altar ascending from the ocean floor, with the Spawn of Chaos perched atop it like a dish.
Hei Xun, now unified with the Lunar Spirit, stood on the Blood Altar, the Soul Altar hovering above him.
With the Lunar Spirit, Solar Spirit, and his original form merged, Hei Xun was encased within the Blood Altar, confronting the Leviathan's massive head. The surrounding area appeared to warp and shift, influenced by his presence.
Countless Divine Thunder, like myriad electric snakes, writhed over the Leviathan's body, burrowing into the crevices of its scales.
The Divine Thunder bore the Way of Heaven's order of the Embers Sea, with various seals and checks hidden within, ravaging the Leviathan's flesh and blood, and slowly consuming its tremendous vitality.
The depths of the sea heaved as spiritual energy and demonic power blended, pouring into the Blood Altar.
Transformed by the Blood Altar into a deluge of psionic power, it became the force that would purify the Lunar Spirit and the Solar Spirit, propelling Hei Xun's ascent into the Unbound realm.
The Abyssal Leviathan, growing ever larger, was torn asunder by Divine Thunder, its blood scattering across the vast sea.
Each drop of its blood that touched the sea was swiftly consumed by the Embers Sea, broken down, digested, and channeled into the Blood Altar, forming the cornerstone of Hei Xun's formidable power.
In that moment, the Embers Sea became Hei Xun's exclusive realm, a little world under his command.
The Pale Reaper, Peach Madam, and the white crane, along with the Crane Rider, settled near the head of the Abyssal Leviathan as it surfaced.
Thirty-six towering totem poles were anchored in the seabed corners of the Embers Sea, seemingly aiding Hei Xun in securing his domain.
"It's futile..."
The artifact soul's thoughts resonated silently within Yu Yuan's mind.
"You've inadvertently done Hei Xun a great service, for which he ought to be grateful. The Abyssal Leviathan, lurking at the ocean's depths, refused to emerge, leaving Hei Xun, even as the Guardian of Devil Palace, at a loss."
"It was you who ventured into the sunken ship, your sword sheath revealing to the Abyssal Leviathan the potential to shatter the totem poles."
"You gave the Abyssal Leviathan hope. He beguiled you, using your hand to truly break the first layer of the seal, causing the ship to rise from the ocean floor."
"Your unexpected arrival was the aid the Abyssal Leviathan needed, prompting Hei Xun to unleash the Blood Altar and create the Azure Veil, a second layer of suppression against the Abyssal Leviathan."
"Hei Xun has plotted against the Abyssal Leviathan for more than a day or two, yet never found the opportune moment. Bound by his role as a guardian, he could not enter the ship's inner sanctum, nor could he convince the Abyssal Leviathan to willingly come forth."
"All of this began because of you."
"..."
As Yu Yuan was whisked away by the cauldron, it imparted to him the profound secrets within.
He learned that Hei Xun had chosen to merge with the Embers Sea to ascend beyond the Unbound Realm, all to confront the Abyssal Leviathan.
Together with the Blood Altar, the Pale Reaper, Peach Madam, and the White Crane, they sought to devour the Cosmic Giant Beast that had roamed the stars for untold eons.
He must have been scheming for years, just waiting for the perfect moment to act.
As the Guardian of the Abyssal Leviathan, Hei Xun was bound by the rules of the Devil Palace. He lacked the power to break the ship's seal on his own and was unable to release the Abyssal Leviathan.
Should he dare such a move, he would immediately alarm the dark adept of the Devil Palace, dooming his plan to premature failure.
Since he was from the Devil Palace, he couldn't gain the trust of the Abyssal Leviathan. The creature, cunning and malevolent, had dwelled in these waters for aeons and would not fall for his deceit, nor would it willingly emerge from the sunken ship.
It was Yu Yuan's arrival that changed everything. He "stumbled" into the shipwreck and, using the Nine Glories Wheel, refined the sunfire. His remarkable sword sheath, originating from the Sword Sect and not the Devil Palace or Shadow's Keep, inadvertently gave the Abyssal Leviathan a glimmer of hope for escape.
Later, the release of the Blood Altar was nothing more than Hei Xun riding the tide of events he had helped set in motion.
The Azure Veil's emergence sealed off the entire sea, and the Blood Altar began its relentless wandering...
All of Hei Xun's actions were leading up to this very moment!
He had become one with the Cosmic Order of the Embers Sea, rendering the Azure Veil unnecessary, as it naturally aligned with the Cosmic Order of the realm.
The Starborne Ritual of Primeval Demons, situated within the Embers Sea, could offer no aid to the Abyssal Leviathan!
In this domain, at this stage, without the presence of a cultivator with a primordial spirit, Hei Xun was likely unbeatable.
Moreover, he had the support of the Pale Reaper, Peach Madam, the White Crane, and the Crane Riders.
His goal was to devour the Abyssal Leviathan, consolidate the Blood Altar, and use the creature's flesh and bones to reinforce the flying ship, enabling it to shatter the wall and soar into the extraterrestrial realms.
"I didn't want it to come to this, but you brought it upon yourself. You have no one to blame but yourself."
After the artifact soul provided its analysis, Yu Yuan, now fully aware of the situation, shook his head with a wry smile. "You'd better pray for good fortune. I hope you retain a shred of spiritual wisdom, so we might meet again beyond the stars. If by chance you survive, we can settle our differences then."
"Yu Yuan! Wait for us!"
Above the Fallen Star Eyes, Su Yan's voice rang out, urging him to stop.
Aboard the Phoenix Feather Fan, Yan Lu, Hou Tianzhao, and others were also yelling at the top of their lungs, pleading for him to slow the Crucible of Evil so they could all escape together.
"Take care, everyone. It's time we went our separate ways."
Standing within the cauldron, Yu Yuan waved to Liu Ying and the others, as well as to those on the Phoenix Feather Fan. "In these chaotic times, it's best we part ways. We'll meet again someday."
He glanced down at the Sunsorrow amber from the giant beasts within the cauldron and murmured, "Leave them behind."
The Crucible of Evil surged forward with sudden speed. As a Divine Artifact, the cauldron outpaced the Fallen Star Eyes, which was short on cosmic energy, and left the Phoenix Feather Fan far behind in an instant.
Liu Ying, Hou Tianzhao, and the rest could only watch as the Crucible of Evil disappeared into the distance.
"Yu Yuan! You scoundrel! Why are you running? Do you think we're going to devour you?!"
Liu Ying's indignant shouts echoed across the sea, her frustration pushing her to the brink of madness.
She had been so anxious, ignoring all threats, determined to wait for Yu Yuan to show himself.
She could never have imagined that after Yu Yuan took to the skies, he would briefly survey the scene and then, without a word, turn and leave.
She had pursued him with the Fallen Star Eyes for so long, but Yu Yuan hadn't stopped; in fact, he sped up even more.
"Does he think I bring bad luck?" Liu Ying fumed, stamping her foot and nearly breathing fire, her frustration palpable.
"What's he running for?" Yan Lu, perched atop the Phoenix Feather Fan, watched the Crucible of Evil vanish without a trace, completely bewildered. "Wasn't he targeted by the cosmic giant beast? He surely doesn't want to bring that trouble down on us, does he?"
"As expected of a true brother, we all have his best interests at heart," Hou Tianzhao scoffed. "That guy has simply mastered the Crucible of Evil and seized the Sunsorrow from the giant beast. He's reaped all sorts of benefits and has no desire to share with anyone. He's also concerned that the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep might come after him for the Crucible of Evil, so he seized the chance to flee."
"Uh, is it even possible for him to get away?" Yan Lu asked, astonished.
"For the time being, the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep should be too preoccupied with their own issues, right?" Hou Tianzhao glanced over his shoulder. "They must be fully engaged in subduing Hei Xun, contending with those adversaries, and stopping the Blood Altar from ascending. They hardly have the resources to spare a thought for him."
