C549 The New City
In the Forgotten Ruins, a teleportation circle crafted from five-colored jade stones stood majestically, square and imposing like a high platform. The rune circle of the jade stone building spanned three acres, its surface a complex web of shimmering light.
Beneath the stone platform, soulstones and Soul Crystals glowed, their interiors swirling with golden luminescence. Each activation of the array sent ripples through space; the stone platform vibrated under the dazzling light, tearing open numerous space rifts and unleashing chaotic spatial currents.
Whoosh!
Three figures suddenly materialized atop the jade stone building. Yu Yuan, feeling as though his muscles had been violently torn, experienced a bit of soreness but remained spirited. A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he observed the rune circle, once ravaged by Yan Qiling, now restored and operational thanks to the Ethereal Void Sect. "Still so convenient," he remarked.
Just moments before, they had been on Celestial Isle in the Sundering Isles. Now, in the blink of an eye, they stood in the Forgotten Ruins.
"Coming from Celestial Isle, the Merchant Association has given notice; there's no need for you to pay extra for the teleportation," a cultivator from the Ethereal Void Sect, seated nearby at the Subtlety level, said with a lift of his eyelids and a detached tone. "Visitors from the Sundering Isles, take heed. The Forgotten Ruins have changed. Whether you're here or venturing to the Shadowlight Empire or the Sunblessed Empire, do not behave rashly."
Surrounding the teleportation circle was a sizable city that had sprung up. The Ethereal Void Sect's rune circle stood proudly in the city's central square. Radiating from the teleportation circle were buildings of various heights, constructed from black stone, green stone, or granite.
Cultivators dressed in the garb of the seven lower sects bustled through the city, engaged in lively discussions. Some buildings even sported signs advertising the sale of medicinal herbs, tools, and pills, with cultivators on hand to greet and assist passersby. It was, unmistakably, a scaled-down replica of Celestial Isle.
"Come down, now!" The Ethereal Void Sect member, seeing the trio from Celestial Isle gawking like novices and marveling without stepping off the teleportation circle, urged them on with impatience. "There's a queue of cultivators waiting to use the teleportation to reach the Forgotten Ruins. Don't hog the spot if you're not using it!"
Yu Yuan chuckled softly, nodding before he took the lead and leaped down from the stone platform. Tong Laoqian and Yuan Lianyao, finding the experience novel and amusing, followed suit, descending from the teleportation circle.
"The transformation is truly remarkable," Tong Laoqian mused, looking around and laughing heartily.
Decades earlier, he had been a formidable figure in the Forgotten Ruins, rising above a band of ruthless and vicious independent cultivators to dominate a region rich in spiritual energy. Back then, the Forgotten Ruins were a desolate place, shunned by birds and turtles alike.
Cultivators from the Land of Quiescence, let alone those from the Aetherius Empire, were reluctant to venture into such a forsaken area. As a result, the Forgotten Ruins slowly became a haven for the nefarious. However, when the Ethereal Void Sect constructed a teleportation circle there and rumors of a hidden Mysterious Realm in the Lost Lands began to circulate, the once-abandoned expanse started to buzz with activity.
Numerous young members from the seven lower sects, guided by their elders, poured into the Lost Lands, intent on discovering the Mysterious Realm and vanquishing demons. Tong Laoqian, unable to provoke the lower sects, had no choice but to relocate.
Now, returning to this land and witnessing the earth-shattering changes brought about by the resurgence of spiritual energy, he was overjoyed with the promise he had received from Yu Yuan.
Yuan Lianyao, radiant in her red dress, shared his beaming smile, her steps light with excitement. As the mayor of Asvetaesi, the transformation of the Forgotten Ruins was immensely advantageous to her. The more prosperous and bustling the Forgotten Ruins became, the higher her standing would rise within the Shadowlight Empire and the Ruby Hand.
She was also privy to the connection between Yu Yuan and Yu Zhu.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
No sooner had the trio departed than the teleportation circle created by the Ethereal Void Sect vibrated once more, heralding the arrival of four cultivators.
"Coming from the Songbird Empire, we have four individuals. They've paid a total of four hundred soulstones," announced the representative of the Ethereal Void Sect, rising to his full height beneath the rune circle, extending his hand to the newcomers.
Four newcomers had just arrived: two men and two women, all clad in opulent attire that clearly indicated their high status.
Among them, three had reached the Subtlety Realm, while one man appeared to have recently achieved the Lunar Spirit state.
The quartet dutifully handed over a hundred soulstones each and, after stepping out of the teleportation circle, they began to casually stroll and converse within the city.
"The Songbird Empire..." Yuan Lianyao murmured under her breath.
"Only the Songbird Empire in Aetherius has the wealth and resources to construct a teleportation circle," Tong Laoqian observed, squinting as he watched the group depart. He spoke in a hushed tone, "If my eyes don't deceive me, that Lunar Spirit belongs to the Chen family."
"The Chen family!" Yuan Lianyao exclaimed, taken aback.
Indeed, the Chen surname was synonymous with the imperial lineage of the Songbird Empire. The Chen family was recognized as the preeminent family throughout Aetherius. The current head of the Chen family was none other than the Songbird Queen herself, an empress whose brilliance had eclipsed many in history.
The Chen family's renown extended far beyond Aetherius, commanding respect from many in both Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence. Countless prodigies had emerged from the Chen family, illuminating the vast expanses of the Everlands with their extraordinary talents.
"If my Yuan family could one day rise to become the foremost family in Aetherius, just like the Chen family, our ancestors would surely find peace," Yuan Lianyao said, her eyes gleaming with aspiration as she watched the group fade into the distance. "The Songbird Queen is among the most illustrious emperors in the annals of Aetherius."
"At present, she is spoken of in the same breath as the Stormcrowned Emperor. She's still among us, continuing to advance," Tong Laoqian remarked with a tone of reverence. "Frankly, if it weren't for maintaining continental equilibrium and appeasing the major sects, she would have undoubtedly succeeded in unifying Aetherius."
Rumors abound that the sects of both Euwrea and the Land of Quiescence would not permit any single individual to achieve absolute dominion over the empire of Aetherius.
In the unified Aetherius, there would be no more battles or killings. This environment was not conducive to the development of the strong, nor was it beneficial for the training of cultivators.
Only a world in constant turmoil, with endless wars, could forge more powerful cultivators and align with their interests.
The Songbird Queen understood this perfectly. Thus, after leading the Songbird Empire to dominance over Aetherius, she chose a life of seclusion.
She refrained from inciting wars, opting instead to turn her attention to the stars beyond! With her formidable personal combat prowess, she ventured into the starry expanse outside the Everlands!
Rumors abounded of her illustrious military achievements in the extraterrestrial realms, earning her the respect of the three upper sects, the Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep.
She even interacted as an equal with the pinnacle experts of the pyramid-topping sects in the extraterrestrial.
The Songbird Queen was a living legend throughout Aetherius and the broader Everlands.
And her legend continues to unfold...
Yuan Lianyao spoke of her with evident admiration, like a young girl looking up to an exceptional older sister, aspiring to emulate her and follow in her footsteps.
"In just half a year, the Forgotten Ruins have undergone a remarkable transformation. Even the Chen family from the Songbird Empire made a point to visit."
Yu Yuan was indifferent to the arrival of the Chen family members. His joy stemmed from the transformation of the Lost Lands. Observing the bustling streets filled with cultivators from various regions, he squinted and noticed that they were not only from the seven lower sects.
Individuals from the Shadow's Keep, Taintborn, and Skyblight Cult were also occasionally spotted.
A ripple stirred within Heart Lake as he attempted to reach out to Yu Zhu.
"Hmm?" Surprisingly, Yu Zhu, who had always been in sync with his consciousness, gave no response when he tried to reconnect upon his return to the Forgotten Ruins.
"That's unexpected."
Given Yu Zhu's rank and her command over the Forgotten Ruins, she should have immediately responded to his mental call. "Could she be in deep cultivation, or perhaps... she's temporarily away?"
He frowned, unable to establish a connection with Yu Zhu immediately.
"Yu Yuan! Yuan Lianyao!"
A distinguished man with white at his temples emerged from a pavilion selling medicinal herbs, his demeanor gentle and scholarly. Catching sight of something unexpected, he couldn't help but exclaim softly.
"Su Xiangtian!"
Yuan Lianyao's eyes lit up with recognition, and she approached him with a reserved smile.
Yu Yuan was taken aback as well. He had not anticipated encountering Su Yan's father, the current patriarch of the Su family, Su Xiangtian, so soon after his return to the Forgotten Ruins.
Su Xiangtian's presence in the newly established city of the Forgotten Ruins suggested he was in search of particular medicinal herbs.
The Su family, renowned as the most prominent medicinal herb and alchemy lineage within the Shadowlight Empire, held sway over the empire's medicinal herb supply. They also engaged in trade with the Sacred Hands sect of the Serpent Spine Mountains.
Su Xiangtian's arrival in this nascent city underscored its burgeoning significance.
"Long time no see," Yu Yuan greeted, offering a curt nod to Su Xiangtian, his demeanor neutral.
Since awakening his heaven soul and earthly soul, Yu Yuan's regard for the Su family had cooled. As the Yu family's primary client, the Su family's elders had conducted themselves less than honorably, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
Despite Su Xiangtian's rise to leadership from a side branch of the family, he had yet to consolidate full control, with individuals like Su Yin stirring dissent. Of the entire Su family, Su Yan was the sole member Yu Yuan viewed favorably.
"Indeed, it has been quite some time," Su Xiangtian replied, his expression a mix of emotions as he returned the nod. Internally, he sighed.
He had not expected to encounter Yu Yuan, who had vanished for so long, in this place. At a glance, Su Xiangtian, with his Lunar Spirit cultivation, could discern that Yu Yuan had ascended to the Veil Breaking Realm.
Standing before him, Yu Yuan exuded a subtle presence, but even without probing with his remnant soul, Su Xiangtian sensed that Yu Yuan was profoundly enigmatic.
After Su Yan, his daughter, made her escape from the depths of the Embers Sea and returned to the Abyssal Dawn sect, she sent a letter to him.
The name that appeared most frequently in the letter was Yu Yuan.
She detailed her interactions with Yu Yuan and her assessment of him, urging Su Xiangtian to exercise caution with the Yu family in the Shadowlight Empire and to avoid any rash actions.
The letter contained many things, but as a father, Su Xiangtian read between the lines and sensed something more.
He sighed, reflecting on the sight of the empire's most radiant figure, the blazing red lotus, standing shoulder to shoulder with Yuan Lianyao, and then thought of his daughter, prompting another quiet exhale.
"Disrespectful youngster," muttered a member of the Su family standing behind Su Xiangtian with a cold huff.
Yu Yuan was taken aback.
