C543
The Abyssal Leviathan harnessed the power of a cosmic giant beast, propelling an island through the stars, covering hundreds of miles in a single breath.
Within moments, the island had vanished without a trace.
The Dark Herald, the Sunlit Order, the Ethereal Void Sect, the Ebon Star Sect, and the Grand Sword Immortal from Sword Island all mobilized.
The sky was alight with anomalies, with cold lightning streaking chaotically through the void.
The Sunlit Order's Solar Spirit wielded a colossal scarlet seal, which vanished as swiftly as a mountain of iron.
The River of Swords, having departed from Sword Island, shifted course, slicing through space and fading into the distance.
The Silver Rainbow Shuttle transformed into a streak of silver lightning, piercing the heavens with unrivaled sharpness before vanishing in an instant.
Xueyin of the Colddeath, clad in a cape that resembled a sea of blood, unfurled a Divine Visage that bathed the world in a sanguine glow.
The blood-soaked Divine Visage, reminiscent of a Titan from the myths of the Star River, towered in the void, dwarfing the Sundering Isles.
Xueyin, his knees nestled in the clouds, took a few steps and was gone.
A carriage shaped like a golden swallow, a furnace forged from red crystal, and a gleaming red hammer each took flight from Celestial Isle, Healing Island, and Forge Isle.
More powerful beings from distant islands stirred upon hearing the news.
Ann Ziqing appeared in a flash beside the fiery orb where Faang Yao stood, startling him as she warned, "Don't stand too close to me!"
"Greetings, Lord Faang Yao," said Ann Ziqing, adorned in purple divine armor, bowing gracefully in midair. Her eyes, now cleared of their blood-red hue, sparkled with a restored black luster.
She smiled and greeted, "Hello, Yuanyuan."
Being from the Yu family of Asvetaesi, she naturally knew Yuan Lianyao.
Her senior brother had sought to refine his Lunar Spirit in the shadows of Asvetaesi, guarded by her while clashing with the mayor, Yuan Lianyao, and Yuan Qiufang.
Had Faang Yao not intervened, her senior brother might have succeeded in refining his Lunar Spirit there.
"I'm not worthy of being called 'sister,'" she demurred.
Yuan Lianyao gazed at the girl amidst the blazing inferno, the very one who had once wreaked havoc in Asvetaesi, nearly turning the city into a river of blood. Her feelings were a tangled web of emotions.
She had learned from Faang Yao that Ann Ziqing held a status in Colddeath akin to Zhou Cangmin's in the Ruby Hand. One was the Hellbreed of the Ruby Hand, and the other, the Goddess of Colddeath.
Zhou Cangmin was seen as the heir apparent to the Ruby Hand's leadership. Ann Ziqing, on the other hand, was regarded as the future matriarch of Colddeath.
Ann Ziqing was considerably younger than Zhou Cangmin and had been kept well-hidden by Colddeath, seldom making an appearance.
A personage of Faang Yao's stature had been aware for quite some time that the leader of Colddeath had taken on a promising disciple, earmarked as the successor. Yet, he had been in the dark about Ann Ziqing's background, origins, or even her level of cultivation.
It wasn't until Faang Yao encountered Ann Ziqing in Asvetaesi that he realized she had reached the middle period of the Lunar Spirit Stage at a remarkably young age. That was when he became convinced she was indeed the fabled Goddess of Colddeath.
Two years had flown by since that encounter in Asvetaesi, and the Goddess had now attained the pinnacle of the late period of the Lunar Spirit Stage. Rumor had it she was on the verge of breaking through to the Spirit Walk Stage.
Such an extraordinary individual had now appeared out of the blue in the Sundering Isles, right before her, catching Yuan Lianyao off guard and filling her with trepidation.
"She wouldn't harm Yu Yuan, would she?" Yuan Lianyao pondered, her demeanor far from pleasant.
"Sister Yuanyuan seems to be under some kind of misunderstanding," Ann Ziqing said, her lips forming a pout, conveying a sense of injury. "Back in Asvetaesi, I indeed had tasks to carry out, but I never succeeded. Moreover, I've never wronged my young master. After years of service, I've been nothing but devoted and diligent."
"Sister Yuanyuan, you..."
"Enough of that," Yuan Lianyao cut her off sharply. "What brings you here?"
"Sister Yuanyuan, what brings you here? I'm here for the same reason," Ann Ziqing said with a smile.
Yuan Lianyao paused, taken aback.
She had come here to wait for Yu Yuan to show up on his own. Could it be that this Priestess of the Colddeath was doing the same?
"I'm here for the entertainment," Yuan Lianyao huffed.
"What a coincidence, so am I," Ann Ziqing chuckled, eyes narrowing playfully.
With that, she suddenly turned her head to gaze at Mo Yan, who stood astride the Shadowblade, her demeanor chilling. "Back in Asvetaesi, Yu Yuan was my young master. I'd advise you to be more cautious in your future endeavors!"
"Him? Your young master?" Mo Yan was dumbfounded. "What has Yu Yuan done to deserve such a title from you? Ann, I'm well aware of your antics."
While speaking, Mo Yan steered the Devil Blade directly towards Devil Island.
He seemed reluctant to engage with Ann Ziqing.
Observing Ann Ziqing's arrival and her veiled warning about her close ties to Yu Yuan, Mo Yan preferred not to engage in further discussion or entanglement.
The Shadowblade swiftly exited the scene.
Yuan Lianyao was astonished.
Listening to Mo Yan and Ann Ziqing, it was clear they were old acquaintances, familiar with each other to a significant degree.
"I've done some digging. Mo Yan is ranked third in the Hellbreed Ranking of the Devil Palace," Faang Yao whispered.
Yuan Qiufang was startled. "He's in the top three?"
"How can that be?" Yuan Lianyao was equally incredulous.
"This individual has an unusual background, one that even the Ruby Hand has yet to fully understand," Faang Yao said, furrowing his brow. "His approach to cultivation is also quite unique. Despite appearing to have average talent and not being particularly young, he is indeed a strong contender for the next Demon Lord."
"Mo Yan is no simple character," Ann Ziqing interjected. "Would a simple man be sent by the Devil Palace to train at the bottom of the Embers Sea? His grudge against my young master stems from the Crucible of Evil, which the Devil Palace had promised him for his enlightenment and refinement."
"What exactly is his background?" Faang Yao exclaimed, visibly shaken.
"It's not something I can discuss," Ann Ziqing replied, closing the topic.
Dressed in her purple divine armor, she hesitated briefly before descending from the heavens to land on the island where Yu Yuan was concealed. She then began to stroll along the beach.
Zhu Peining scrutinized the area and, after a moment of contemplation, turned to Gao Qin and said, "We should leave."
Gao Qin smiled in agreement.
"Celestial Isle will always welcome both you and Yu Yuan," Zhu Peining stated earnestly to Yuan Lianyao. "When you meet him, please extend an invitation for him to visit the island. The Chamber of Commerce is interested in purchasing certain items from him. I hope he remembers that."
With that, Zhu Peining and Gao Qin departed from the island.
"It looks like the excitement is over," Faang Yao remarked, finding the situation lackluster. "Even if the cosmic giant beast was formidable, it was still subdued by the ancient evilkind. Now, with humanity reigning supreme in the Everlands, we are stronger than before. If we could suppress it then, we can do the same now."
"Master Faang Yao, please take my father back to Demon's Scar first. I'd like to have a word with her," Yuan Lianyao requested, gesturing toward the Divine Lady of the Colddeath.
"Understood," Faang Yao replied.
Leaving Yuan Lianyao behind, he maneuvered the blazing fireball, escorting Yuan Qiufang toward Demon's Scar.
Demon's Scar was not far, and since Yuan Lianyao had mastered the Pyreheart Incantations, she had become a formidable Lunar Spirit Stage warrior. She was not defenseless against the goddess of the Colddeath.
With Yuan Qiufang safely on Demon's Scar, there was little cause for concern.
"Tong Laoqian, you head to Celestial Isle first," Yuan Lianyao suddenly instructed.
Following the appearance of the Abyssal Leviathan, Tong Laoqian found himself awkwardly suspended in midair, uncertain of his next move. With no one seeking him out for information on Yu Yuan's whereabouts or activities, he felt a sudden ease but was unsure of what to do next.
He had no knowledge of Yu Yuan's hiding place. In fact, he only knew of Yu Yuan's directive to expel Du Jing. The reasons behind Yu Yuan's choice of this island, his stealthy entry into the Silverwoods, and his subsequent disappearance were all mysteries to him.
"Yu Yuan will visit Celestial Isle in a few days," he reassured himself.
Noticing his indecision, Yuan Lianyao spoke up once more.
Tong Laoqian was persuaded and nodded in agreement, "I'll wait for you on Celestial Isle."
With those words, he soared into the sky and departed.
Some time passed, and other recluses silently slipped away.
The watchful eyes that had been lingering on this place also faded away gradually.
The once bustling, unnamed island slowly returned to tranquility.
Yuan Lianyao, who had intended to have a few words with Ann Ziqing, made no move until the crowd had completely dispersed. Then, she emerged beneath the locust tree where Du Jing had once been stationed.
Ann Ziqing did not venture into the Silverwoods; instead, she took a solitary walk along the seaside, quietly waiting.
Days passed in this manner, until Yu Yuan appeared out of nowhere, like a specter.
