C541 Troublesome

On Demon's Scar, Yuan Lianyao, clad in armor-like lotus petals and bathed in fierce flames, burst forth from a volcano's mouth. She tread the air as scarlet streams of magma, hidden within the petals like anacondas, coiled around her. An awe-inspiring aura erupted from her elixir field, signaling her formidable presence.

Any cultivator of the Unbound or primordial spirit realm present would instantly recognize the addition of a magma pool within her little world of vitality. Within this pool, flames churned, brimming with explosive fire energy, while several fire lotuses floated seductively amidst the fiery surge.

"The Pyreheart Incantations—she's actually mastered the entry level already," Yuan Qiufang observed with emotion as he watched his daughter approach from the volcano, the heat waves rolling off her. "I must concede that her innate talent for cultivation far surpasses my own."

The Pyreheart Incantations, a notorious dark art of the Ruby Hand, is renowned for its overwhelming power. When unleashed, it resembles an erupting magma pool, capable of unleashing a massive and terrifying surge of fire energy in a short burst. However, the technique's drawback is its lack of endurance.

Practitioners of the Pyreheart Incantations must seek out numerous erupting volcanoes, submerging themselves in the molten sea to refine the lava with the incantation and integrate it into their vitality's little world. Among the ranks of the Ruby Hand, few dare to undertake this perilous cultivation path.

Yuan Lianyao, having recently condensed her Lunar Spirit, was once again in the presence of Faang Yao, who imparted the Pyreheart Incantations to her. Her successful initiation on Demon's Scar was a testament to her prowess.

With a resounding boom, she landed beside Faang Yao and Yuan Qiufang. The red lotus petals adorning her were as red-hot as branding irons, exuding a scent of sulfur and lava.

"Thank you, Lord Faang," she said, bowing deeply with a radiant smile.

Faang Yao dismissed the thanks with a wave of his hand, "I knew you had it in you."

Having mastered the Pyreheart Incantations, Yuan Lianyao's remnant soul stirred. The armored petals unfurled from her body, reassembling into a lotus before vanishing into her Bracelet of Holding. "I must return to my duties as mayor of Asvetaesi on the Celestial Isle."

"Are you eager to get back to Asvetaesi, or are you rushing off to Celestial Isle to meet that young man named Yu Yuan?" Faang Yao asked with a teasing grin.

Yuan Lianyao responded earnestly, "I'm eager to return to Asvetaesi!"

"Oh," Faang Yao uttered, then added, "Yu Yuan has run into trouble."

At those words, Yuan Lianyao's frame shuddered, and she asked in a panic, "What's happened to him?"

"See, you see," Faang Yao pointed at her and turned to Yuan Qiufang, "There's no smoke without fire. I've been saying those rumors out there must be grounded in some truth!"

Yuan Qiufang wore a peculiar look and remained silent.

He harbored a secret he had never shared with Faang Yao...

He, who had first made contact with Yu Yuan in Asvetaesi, still believed that Yu Yuan, with his knowledge of alchemy, his ability to counteract the backlash of the Crimson Soul Spell, and his understanding of many mysteries, was actually a soul fragment of an ancient being from the northern reaches of the Land of Quiescence.

He held respect for Yu Yuan, yet he took no joy in the rumors.

How could such an ancient being be a suitable match for his daughter, who was rising in prominence and had been formally accepted by the Ruby Hand?

Thus, Faang Yao's jesting did not sit well with him; it was more irksome than amusing.

"What exactly is wrong with Yu Yuan?" Yuan Lianyao pressed urgently.

"Right!" Faang Yao pointed and explained, "He and Tong Laoqian went to that unnamed island in secret, driving away an old man with a hunchback named Du Jing. Tong Laoqian was supposed to cover for him, but Yu Yuan has disappeared without a trace. Right now, members from Devil Palace, Skyreach Consortium, Sunlit Order, Ethereal Void, and Ebon Star are all searching for him."

With his hands spread wide, Faang Yao expressed his astonishment, "The real issue is, nobody knows where he's gone!"

Yuan Lianyao glanced in the direction of the island and quickly grasped most of the situation, "I'm going there too!"

...

In the dimly lit hall.

Yu Yuan stowed the three-legged furnace into the Bracelet of Holding and held the key in one hand while scratching his head.

"Can't get in?"

He gazed at the dark cauldron floating before him, communicating with the cauldron spirit, "After refining this cauldron, it settled in my little world of vitality. Why can't I enter now?"

Just moments ago, the Crucible of Evil attempted to return to his little world of vitality but was unexpectedly repelled.

The Crucible of Evil, which had initially claimed that realm, was now unable to enter as effortlessly as before.

Yu Yuan was taken aback and confused. Despite repeated attempts, the Crucible of Evil remained unable to set foot inside.

He was suddenly at a loss.

The Crucible of Evil, a Divine Artifact in the midst of awakening, would shine anew as the presence of Bane demons increased, bolstered by its notorious reputation.

However, the once easily controlled Crucible of Evil's inability to return to the little world of vitality posed significant complications.

Without the ability to store the Crucible of Evil within his Profound Gate acupoints, its aura would escape, making it easy for powerful cultivators to detect its nature.

Such exposure would directly reveal his identity, greatly hindering his actions.

"It seems there's a conflict. The forces I've refined are a chaotic mix," the cauldron spirit responded. "The Blood Altar seeks purity, flawlessness, and the unblemished life force of vitality."

Yu Yuan paused, "Is that why you were expelled?"

"It appears so," the cauldron spirit answered. "In fact, this is more advantageous for you. The Blood Altar will be more beneficial to your little world of vitality. I'll find another place to reside."

Yu Yuan was suddenly unsure of his next move.

Moreover, he was troubled about how to exit.

Having refined eleven Sunsorrow gems, he had constructed a Blood Altar in his little world of vitality, and now, with his previous life's magic items secured, it was time to depart.

In his past life, he hadn't considered practicing the dark arts, and most of the pills he had prepared were unsuitable.

Upon leaving, he needed to find spirit animals rich in vitality. With the Blood Altar and the Crucible of Evil, he could smoothly advance through the Veil Breaking Realm.

According to his plan, he only needed to leave the palace and make his way to Celestial Isle to make some purchases. After that, he would head to the Forgotten Ruins to check for the return of any alien beasts. If that proved fruitless, his next move would be to stealthily enter Godsblight Marsh. Renowned as a sacred site for cultivation, Godsblight Marsh was teeming with innumerable alien beasts, and the Untamed, a rarely seen archdemon, presided over it. His goal was to evade the Untamed's detection and hunt down alien beasts akin to the Blackfang Beast, which would allow him to break through his current limits.

Given his level of cultivation, it was highly unlikely that he would draw the Untamed's attention while hunting alien beasts in Godsblight Marsh. He would face no trouble as long as he didn't have the misfortune of encountering Du Jing, Shen Feiqing, or the others there. But now...

The pressing issue was that he was trapped within the Dark Hall, with numerous formidable individuals lurking outside. "What's their problem? The Dark Herald, Zhu Peining, and a few others are all gathered here. What are they up to? Even as he's assumed the identity of Ming Kun on another island, these people are guarding this one. What exactly do they want?"

His greatest irritation stemmed from the fact that if he used the key to leave again, the subtle disturbance in the spiritual energy rune circle would surely alert those people. On one hand, he was reluctant to reveal the existence of this palace too soon, or his connection to his past life. On the other hand, he couldn't gauge the thoughts and motives of those people, nor could he estimate the lethal power of the Abyssal Leviathan.

The last thing he wanted was to step out of the palace and find the island instantly transformed into a battlefield, throwing everything into chaos. With his current power and level, he wouldn't stand a chance and could easily be killed.

"I need to devise a strategy to leave unnoticed, or perhaps instigate another conflict that will have them fighting each other to the death." After much contemplation, Yu Yuan had a plan forming in his mind. He needed to redirect the conflict toward the Abyssal Leviathan.

The one-eyed elder who had taken on the guise of Ming Kun on another island had managed to conceal his aura, remnant soul, and power so impeccably that it was virtually undetectable. Had Yu Yuan not had such a profound encounter with him at the bottom of the Embers Sea, even he might have failed to recognize him.

The Dark Herald, Zhu Peining, and their companions failed to detect his location or movements, which suggested that the Abyssal Leviathan, bold enough to show himself, was supremely confident.

The Abyssal Leviathan clearly believed that no one could truly identify him or fathom the extent of his terrifying concealed strength.

Yu Yuan's intention was to make it known that he was the cosmic giant beast lurking at the bottom of the Embers Sea. Once revealed, all eyes and focus would instantly be drawn to him.

Yu Yuan even suspected that Zhu Peining, the Dark Herald, and the other lurkers gathered on the island were actually aiming for the Abyssal Leviathan!

Protecting himself and pressuring Lin Zhuyun to appear were also strategies to draw out the Abyssal Leviathan!

The giant beast that arrived in the Everlands millions of years ago, subdued by the ancient evilkind and sealed beneath the Embers Sea, was likely the root of the turmoil in their eyes!

The disturbances in the Star River could very well be connected to the Abyssal Leviathan!

"How can I coax the Abyssal Leviathan into exposing itself in this shadowy hall?" pondered Yu Yuan, stroking his chin, determined to find a clear path forward.

A flicker of thought passed into the Bracelet of Holding as he inventoried his possessions and his attention was caught by a red jade pendant.

The material of the pendant bore a resemblance to the Blood Altar within his vitality's little world.

He had received the pendant and the Bracelet of Holding simultaneously, a gift from Ann Ziqing of the Colddeath before his trial in the Embers Sea.

"A token of the Colddeath. Could there be some mystery to it?"

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