C515 Escorting Him

The Sundering Isles were abuzz with shock.

The leaked aura of the Crucible of Evil had caught the attention of many cultivators, who employed their divine abilities to delve deep into the sea, seeking to uncover the truth and secrets beneath.

Yuan Lianyao, with Yu Yuan on her back, had been relentlessly assaulted by Mo Yan, and then ambushed by Zhang Miao, leaving her utterly drained.

Yu Yuan was still unable to quell the turmoil within his little world of vitality and was powerless to subdue the cauldron.

Suddenly, eight clusters of sunfire burst forth from his lower elixir field, sparking a new conflict.

Resting on Yuan Lianyao's back, his face flushed as red as a liver, he said, "The Abyssal Leviathan is using the eye of the burning sun to search again. I fear our location has been revealed."

Yuan Lianyao felt a surge of alarm, responding with a bitter tone, "What's meant to happen will always find a way."

Without the protection of the Divine Artifact, the Crucible of Evil, the cosmic giant beast would have already pinpointed her and Yu Yuan's whereabouts.

She was aware that their recent concealment within the Crucible of Evil had thrown off the Abyssal Leviathan's search, granting them a brief respite.

But the Abyssal Leviathan was not one to relent.

Indeed, employing the Eye of the Burning Sun once more, the cosmic giant beast had pinpointed Yu Yuan's location again and surely instructed Lin Zhuyun to hasten to them.

"What do we do?" she whispered.

"We're still a ways off from Celestial Isle," Yu Yuan mused, then declared, "Our pace is too slow beneath the sea. Now that the Abyssal Leviathan is onto us, hiding below serves no purpose! Let's head back to the surface and make for Celestial Isle through the air, as swiftly as we can!"

With no hesitation, the "blazing red lotus" carried Yu Yuan upwards toward the sea's surface.

Moments later, Yuan Lianyao burst forth from the water with Yu Yuan on her back.

Beneath her, red lotuses bloomed like platforms, elevating her several meters above the sea as she sped through the air.

The velocity above the waves was incomparable to their sluggish progress below.

"Eh!"

"Who is that? A woman from the Ruby Hand? The spell she wields, isn't that from the Ruby Hand's repertoire?"

The Ruby Hand was recently eradicated by someone in the Sundering Isles. They haven't appointed a new leader yet. Who could she be?"

"I'm not familiar with her."

On a nearby island, numerous independent cultivators spotted Yuan Lianyao and Yu Yuan from a distance. Narrowing their eyes, they began to whisper among themselves.

Yuan Lianyao's reputation had only recently begun to circulate within the Ruby Hand. This being her first visit to the Sundering Isles, few had laid eyes on her before, and thus no one made the connection to the "blazing red lotus."

As the onlookers watched in astonishment, Yuan Lianyao, carrying Yu Yuan, had already soared past the island.

No one took the initiative to investigate further.

"My fiancée, blessed with misfortune through possession by the Sky Fiend, will be revealed soon. I will unleash the Crucible of Evil once again at the first opportunity," Yu Yuan said to Yuan Lianyao, his voice raspy and spirit weary. "I'll make as much noise as possible to draw everyone's attention!"

"Aren't you worried that she might slip away quietly while you end up captured or killed?" Yuan Lianyao inquired.

"I can't worry about that now. It's a risk I have to take," Yu Yuan resolved.

He was certain that Lin Zhuyun would come.

When Lin Zhuyun arrived, he would have to deploy the Crucible of Evil to fend off her vicious onslaught with the Divine Artifact, and he'd also need to bring out the sword sheath to sustain their defense as long as possible.

Lin Zhuyun's temperament had undergone a severe shift; her realm hadn't increased, but her combat strength had skyrocketed to a horrifying degree.

Her power stemmed from the Frozen Flames originating from the Frozen Hellscape and the Moon Soul essence bestowed by the Abyssal Leviathan.

Lin Zhuyun's surge in combat strength was bound to have repercussions, inevitably causing her harm.

The Way of Heaven has its principles: power that isn't built up gradually through relentless cultivation is inherently unstable and fraught with weaknesses.

Her obedience to the Abyssal Leviathan and her frenzied killing spree must be the cause.

Yu Yuan was confident that if he could just hold out for a short time, the cultivators from the surrounding islands would arrive. Lin Zhuyun would then become their primary target, taking his place at the center of their onslaught.

The massacres on Demon's Scar, Moonshadow Isles, and Icestorm Island were excessively cruel and bloody.

Perhaps, when the cultivators besieged Lin Zhuyun, Yu Yuan could seize the chance to make his way to Celestial Isle.

This was the only strategy he could conceive of in such a desperate situation.

From a distant island, the Jade Tower soared into the sky.

Beneath the bright blue sky, the Jade Tower stood resplendent, its crystalline glow shimmering. Atop the tower, the portly Tong Laoqian awaited Yu Yuan and Yuan Lianyao with a beaming smile.

It seemed he had anticipated their arrival.

"Tong Laoqian!"

Yuan Lianyao burst into anger, seeing the Jade Tower obstructing their path. She yelled, "Stop being so shameless, constantly provoking us! Do you really think your advanced realm means you can overpower us?"

"It's all a misunderstanding!" Tong Laoqian, from atop the Jade Tower, bowed and scraped, quickly explaining, "I waited here especially to offer you a ride. This Jade Tower is, after all, a heavenly artifact. I came to give you a lift."

"We'll pass," Yuan Lianyao retorted.

Tong Laoqian was well aware of Yu Yuan's reputation and the powerful items he possessed, like the Crucible of Evil and Sunsorrow. Clearly, his intentions were far from benevolent.

Entering the Jade Tower was simple, but leaving would be a different story.

"Get in!"

Yu Yuan suddenly commanded.

Yuan Lianyao, taken aback, asked, "What?"

"We need to enter Tong Laoqian's Jade Tower; she's on her way!" Yu Yuan urged, "We won't make it to Celestial Isle before she catches up with us, not at our current pace. And that Jade Tower can't possibly match this speed!"

At his words, Yuan Lianyao's face paled.

With a whoosh, she was pulled toward the Jade Tower by the Flame Lotus Stage, blazing like a ferocious inferno.

Tong Laoqian's face lit up with delight, "Welcome, welcome!"

Shortly thereafter, Yuan Lianyao and Yu Yuan touched down on the Jade Tower, which appeared to be sculpted from pure jade.

"Tong Laoqian, let's strike a deal," Yu Yuan proposed upon arrival. "If you can deliver us safely to Celestial Isle, I'll owe you a great favor. I have certain items, like the sword sheath and the Crucible of Evil—you know I won't part with them lightly."

"What else do you need?"

He was well aware that Tong Laoqian wouldn't offer help without expecting something in return. The instant he touched down, he had already summoned the sword sheath into his hand, ready for anything.

Should Tong Laoqian make one wrong move, he was prepared to unleash the remaining sword light and sword's will to obliterate the Jade Tower!

"I don't need the item. I have another favor to ask of you." Tong Laoqian's eyes gleamed, "Young man, take good care of that sword sheath, and don't act rashly."

In the Forgotten Ruins, the sword sheath's power could even eradicate the residual soul consciousness swirling within the platinum skull of a Dark Realm Shura.

Realizing Yu Yuan had brought out the item, Tong Laoqian knew he was being cautious and quickly clarified, "We'll discuss your request once we arrive at the Celestial Isle!"

As he spoke, the Jade Tower soared, making its way toward the Celestial Isle.

"You knew we were bound for the Celestial Isle?" Yu Yuan expressed his astonishment.

Tong Laoqian let out a sly chuckle, "I figured as much!"

"Fine!" Yu Yuan nodded in agreement, "If you can successfully get us to the Celestial Isle, I'll honor your request!"

In the face of life and death, he didn't bother to delve into the specifics.

"That girl who decimated Demon's Scar is on her way here. I'm quite frightened," Tong Laoqian lamented, "Yu Yuan, I'm taking a deadly risk here. If we make it to the Celestial Isle alive, you must keep your promise to me—no backing out!"

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