C541 Troublesome

On Red Devil Island, Yuan Lianyao emerged from a volcano's mouth, her body draped in armor-like lotus petals and bathed in fierce flames. As she stepped through the void, streams of scarlet lava, hidden within the petals like coiling pythons, pulsed with power. An awe-inspiring aura erupted from her dantian, signaling her formidable presence.

To any cultivator at the Unrestrained Stage or Primordial Spirit Stage present, it would be clear at a glance that her inner world of blood and Qi now housed a new feature—a lava pond brimming with surging flames and explosive fire energy. Amidst the churning lava floated several Flame Lotuses, their blooms enchantingly seductive.

"She's mastered the Magma Devil Spell just like that," Yuan Qiufang observed with a mix of pride and astonishment as his daughter approached, treading on air from the volcano's brink. The heat waves enveloped them, and he couldn't help but confess, "In terms of innate talent for cultivation, she far surpasses me."

The Magma Devil Spell, a notorious technique from the Red Devil Sect, was known for its overwhelming force. Unleashing it was akin to a volcanic eruption, capable of generating a massive and terrifying surge of fire energy in mere moments. Its strength lay in its explosive, albeit brief, bursts of power, with less emphasis on endurance.

Cultivators of the Magma Devil Spell sought out erupting volcanoes, immersing themselves in seas of magma to refine the fiery liquid through the spell and incorporate it into their personal realms of blood and Qi. In the contemporary Red Devil Sect, few dared to undertake this perilous path, and even fewer achieved any degree of proficiency.

Yuan Lianyao, having recently formed her Yin God, had been instructed in the Magma Devil Spell by Faang Yao. Utilizing the volcanic forces of Red Devil Island, she had smoothly initiated her journey into its mysteries.

With a resounding boom, she landed gracefully beside Faang Yao and Yuan Qiufang. The crimson lotus petals adorning her glowed like hot iron, exuding a scent of sulfur and molten rock.

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

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

Having achieved mastery of the Magma Devil Spell, Yuan Lianyao's thoughts turned to departure. "I shall return to Babel Island," she declared. The armored petals unfurled from her alluring form, reassembling into a lotus before vanishing into her Mustard Seed Bracelet. "After all, I remain the City Lord of Darkmoon City—it's time I returned to my duties."

"Are you rushing back to Darkmoon City, or are you eager to get to Babel Island to meet that Yu Yuan kid?" Faang Yao asked with a teasing grin.

Lianyao responded earnestly, "I need to get back to Darkmoon City!"

"Oh," Faang Yao uttered, then added, "Yu Yuan's run into some trouble."

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

"See, just look at that," Faang Yao pointed at her, turning to Yuan Qiufang, "There's no smoke without fire. I knew there had to be some truth to those rumors swirling around!"

Yuan Qiufang wore a peculiar look and remained silent.

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

He was the first in Darkmoon City to encounter Yu Yuan and still believed that Yu Yuan, with his knowledge of pill refining, his ability to counteract the backlash of the Devil Refining Spell, and his grasp of many mysteries, was a fragment of an old monster's soul from the northern Quietus Continent.

He held Yu Yuan in high regard, but he wasn't pleased by the rumors.

How could an old monster be a suitable match for his daughter, a rising star officially embraced by the Red Devil Sect?

So, Faang Yao's jesting didn't just leave him unamused—it irked him.

"What exactly is wrong with Yu Yuan?" Yuan Lianyao pressed, her anxiety evident.

"There!" Faang Yao pointed decisively. "He and Old Cash secretly visited an unnamed island, driving off a hunchbacked elder named Du Jing. Old Cash was supposed to cover for him, but Yu Yuan has vanished on the island. Now, members of the Devil Palace, Babel Chamber of Commerce, Primordial Yang Sect, Spirit Void Sect, and Profound Sky Sect are all searching for him."

Faang Yao threw up his hands, clearly astonished. "The real mystery is, nobody knows where he's gone!"

Yuan Lianyao caught a glimpse and immediately understood much of the situation, "I'm heading over there too!"

...

In the shadowy hall.

Yu Yuan stowed the three-legged pill furnace into his Mustard Seed Bracelet, scratching his head while clutching a key in his other hand.

"Can't get in?" he mused.

He gazed at the dark cauldron hovering before him, connecting with the cauldron soul, "After this cauldron was refined, it settled in the small world of Qi and blood. So why can't I enter now?"

Just moments ago, the Evil Cauldron attempted to return to its small world of Qi and blood, only to find itself inexplicably barred from entry.

The once-dominant Evil Cauldron, which had effortlessly slipped into this realm before, was now unable to do so.

Yu Yuan was taken aback. Despite repeated attempts, the Evil Cauldron remained stubbornly outside.

He was suddenly at a loss.

The Evil Cauldron, an Artifact in the midst of revival, was set to shine anew as the presence of Evil Demons increased. This infamous weapon was poised to reclaim its former glory through him.

Yet now, the once easily controlled Evil Cauldron's inability to return to the small world of Qi and blood presented a host of complications.

Without access to the Xuan Gate, the cauldron's aura would seep out, making it easy for powerful cultivators to detect and identify it.

Such exposure would lay his identity bare, greatly hindering his actions.

"The forces at play must be clashing. The powers I've refined are a chaotic mix, lacking any semblance of order," the cauldron soul explained. "The Blood Sacrificial Altar seeks purity, flawlessness, and life-force-rich Qi and blood devoid of any impurities."

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

"It seems so," the cauldron soul responded. "In truth, this turn of events is more advantageous for you. The Blood Sacrificial Altar will serve your small world of Qi and blood far better. I'll find us a new sanctuary."

Yu Yuan was suddenly uncertain about his next move.

Moreover, he was vexed about how to make his exit.

Having refined eleven pieces of Giant Beast Amber to construct a Blood Sacrificial Altar within his small world of Qi and blood, and having secured the spiritual materials from his past life, it was time to venture forth.

In his previous existence, he had not considered practicing the Devil Spell, and most of the pellets he had prepared were now unsuitable.

Upon departure, he planned to seek out spiritual beasts brimming with Qi and blood, and with the aid of the Evil Cauldron and Blood Sacrificial Altar, he would be well-equipped to break through the Profound Break Stage.

His strategy was simple: leave this hall, head to Babel Island for supplies, and then explore the Absence Relic in search of any returning alien beasts.

If he couldn't manage it, he'd have to slip into the Desolate Swamp unnoticed.

Renowned as a sacred site for cultivation, the Desolate Swamp was teeming with countless alien beasts, and the Desolate God presiding over it was a rare and unparalleled great demon.

His task was simple: evade the Desolate God's detection and hunt down Tusk Beasts to achieve a breakthrough.

Given his current level of cultivation, it was highly unlikely that he would draw the Desolate God's attention while hunting alien beasts in the swamp.

As long as he didn't have the misfortune of running into Du Jing and Shen Feiqing, he would be in the clear.

But at the moment...

His most pressing issue was that he was trapped inside the Darkness Palace, with numerous powerful figures lurking outside.

"What's their problem? The Devil Envoy, Zhu Peining, and several others, why are they all converging here? And he, disguised as Ming Kun, is on another island. What exactly are these people up to?"

The most irritating part was that if he tried to leave again using the key, even the faintest disturbance in the spiritual array would surely alert those outside.

On one hand, he was reluctant to reveal the palace prematurely or his connection to his past life.

On the other hand, he couldn't gauge the intentions or motives of those people, nor could he estimate the extent of the Chaos Roc's lethal force.

Stepping out of the palace could instantly transform the island into a warzone, turning everything upside down. With his current power and realm, he was no match for what awaited him, and he could very well end up dead.

"I need to figure out a way to leave without a trace, or perhaps incite a conflict that will have them fighting each other to the death."

After much deliberation, Yu Yuan found his strategy. He needed to find a way to redirect the conflict.

He decided to shift the focus onto the Chaos Roc!

The one-eyed elder, now known as Ming Kun on another island, had concealed his aura, soul, and strength so seamlessly that it was nearly undetectable.

Had it not been for Yu Yuan's profound encounter with him in the depths of the Ember Waters, he might not have recognized him at all.

The fact that the Devil Envoy, Zhu Peining, and the rest hadn't picked up on his presence or movements was proof enough that the Chaos Roc, bold enough to show himself, was supremely confident.

The Chaos Roc exuded confidence, certain that no one could fully grasp who it was or the extent of its terrifying concealed power.

Yu Yuan's goal was to make it known that he was the Starry Behemoth lurking in the ocean depths of the Ember Waters. That way, all eyes and attention would immediately shift to him.

Yu Yuan even suspected that Zhu Peining, the Devil Envoy, and several other lurkers who had gathered on the island where he was hiding were actually after the Chaos Roc itself. Guarding himself and pressuring Lim Zhuyun to come forward was also part of the strategy to draw out the Chaos Roc.

This ancient creature, which had descended upon the Boundless Land millennia ago and was subsequently subdued and sealed by the old Demon Clan at the bottom of the Ember Waters, was likely seen as the root of all turmoil.

The disturbances in the Outer Star River and the significant upheavals could very well be linked to the Chaos Roc.

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

His mind's eye drifted into the Mustard Seed Bracelet, taking inventory of his assets when he noticed a blood-colored jade pendant. The material of the pendant bore a resemblance to the Blood Sacrificial Altar within his Qi Land.

This pendant, along with the Mustard Seed Bracelet, had been acquired together and was a parting gift from Ann Ziqing of the Blood God Cult before his trials in the Ember Waters.

"A token of the Blood God Cult... Could there be some mystery to this object?"

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