C551 The Demonic Beast Surged In!

"I represent the Cold Yin Sect, Elder Weixian!"

The elderly man, his gray-white hair cascading over his shoulders and a cold crystal jade pendant hanging at his waist, cupped his fists and called out to Yu Yuan.

"Crack!"

The ice split apart, and Lim Hanyu suddenly broke free, coming to his senses.

"Elder We, I truly had no idea!"

As soon as Lim Hanyu regained consciousness, he fell to his knees, nodding and bowing in a plea for mercy.

Weixian's face remained impassive as he pointed and asked, "Do you recognize them?"

Lim Hanyu had been oblivious to his surroundings, unable to see anything while encased in the extreme cold. Following Weixian's gesture, he turned to look and his face instantly darkened.

"Yu Yuan!"

He hissed the name through clenched teeth.

"Heh!"

Weixian cracked a smile, his fingers hooking around Lim Hanyu's neck and hoisting him into the air.

Strands of chilling spiritual power infiltrated, paralyzing Lim Hanyu.

Holding him aloft, Weixian sneered and turned his attention back to Yu Yuan, "What about it? Do you care about the fate of your future father-in-law?"

Yu Yuan was at a loss for words. He pointed to himself, "You're speaking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?" Weixian retorted with a hint of surprise.

Yu Yuan glanced at Yuan Lianyao next to him and then over his shoulder at Old Cash, scratching his head, "I thought you were addressing them."

Weixian huffed, "The name of City Master Yuan has indeed been resonating far and wide of late. I've long admired your renown."

His gaze shifted to Old Cash and he shook his head dismissively, "But as for the Evil Devils of the Absence Relic, they're hardly worth mentioning."

Despite Yuan Lianyao's current level of cultivation not matching Old Cash's, Weixian was cautious due to her legitimate connection to the Red Devil Sect.

Regarding the likes of Old Cash, whose cultivation hadn't reached the level of a Yang God, Weixian didn't even consider them a threat.

As an elder of the Cold Yin Sect, he had led his disciples to the Absence Relic to hone their combat skills from the moment the Spirit Void Sect's space teleportation array was first established.

The likes of Old Cash, those sinister fiends lurking deep within the ruins, were precisely the prey they sought to hunt.

Old Cash, along with Chi Hongyi and Yellow Old Devil, were compelled to flee the relic site and seek refuge elsewhere, and Wei Xian had played a role in their expulsion.

Without the backing of a sect, Old Cash and his ilk didn't even register on Wei Xian's radar.

"He's an elder of the Cold Yin Sect, always aligned with the Great Elder, who ranks just below the Sect Master," Old Cash murmured, his expression grave as he explained, "At the Late Period of the Soul Wandering Stage, he's been seeking the chance to condense the Yang God. I've had run-ins with him in the past at the Absence Relic... let's just say I came out on the losing end."

As he reached the end of his tale, the "old gentleman" adorned in opulent attire and draped in copper coins, seemed visibly uncomfortable.

In their past encounter, Old Cash, boasting a higher level of cultivation, had challenged Wei Xian.

At the time, Wei Xian was merely at the Early Period of the Soul Wandering Stage, while Old Cash was at the Middle Period.

Old Cash entered the fray confident of victory, but Wei Xian's superior weaponry turned the tables, leaving Old Cash to suffer a resounding defeat after a desperate resistance.

That defeat taught Old Cash a valuable lesson: cultivation level wasn't the sole measure of combat power.

Since then, Old Cash had dedicated himself to gathering the imperial fortunes, scouring the Huangling Ancestral Tomb for years, and ultimately succeeded in crafting the "Jade Tower."

Regrettably, by the time he completed the Jade Tower, Wei Xian had already progressed from the Early to the Late Period of the Soul Wandering Stage.

Backed by the Cold Yin Sect, Wei Xian's advancement in cultivation and the quality of his weapons had also escalated.

Old Cash was well aware of his limitations and knew that the Wei Xian of a century later would be an even more formidable adversary.

A rematch would only spell a more devastating defeat for him.

"Senior Wei Xian, is it?"

Yu Yuan paused at a street corner, his gaze fixed on Wei Xian from a distance, and on Lim Hanyu, whom Wei Xian was holding aloft by the neck. "Since you hail from the Cold Yin Sect and recognize me, then surely you're aware of the significance of the ground beneath your feet."

Weixian snorted coldly.

Yu Yuan added, "As for my future father-in-law, do with him as you please."

With those words, he turned and, alongside Yuan Lianyao and Old Cash, began walking towards the city's outskirts.

"It's all because of Lim Zhuyun," Yuan Lianyao murmured with a soft sigh. "Life is so unpredictable, and the twists of fate are truly astonishing. Two years ago, Lim Zhuyun was the darling of the Cold Yin Sect, held in high esteem by the Great Elder. Before she ventured into the Ember Waters, she was diligently practicing within the Cold Yin Sect, with Tang Cann doggedly wooing her."

"The Lim family gained a connection to the Cold Yin Sect because of her, and Lim Hanyu rose to become the head of the family, his cultivation level soaring."

"Who could have foreseen that today, the Lim family, and even her father, would be facing disaster because of her?" She was deeply moved by the turn of events.

"Every action has its consequence," Old Cash interjected. He had made a point of learning about the relationship between Yu Yuan and Lim Zhuyun while on Babel Island and had come to know the full story. "That girl, possessed by the Devaputra, became the sworn enemy of the Cold Yin Sect after her rampage. The sect would naturally disavow her, treating her as a demonic entity."

"The Lim family, once under her care, has now become an irritant in the eyes of the Cold Yin Sect."

"With the rise of the Devil Moon Empire, when Weixian struck at Lim Hanyu and the Cold Yin Sect moved against the Lim family, they likely stood by and watched. The Yan family would relish the Lim family's removal from the empire, severing all ties with the Heavenly Source Continent."

Old Cash saw the situation with piercing clarity and delivered his final verdict: "The Lim family is done for in the Devil Moon Empire."

Yuan Lianyao nodded in agreement. "It was bound to happen."

Listening to their exchange, Yu Yuan felt a pang of melancholy and found no joy in the situation. Before his Heavenly Soul and Earth Soul had awakened, Yinn Jue, Lim Hanyu's henchman, had been intent on harming him.

Lim Zhuyun feigned ignorance, only chastising him mildly when the situation became too dire to cover up.

He had every reason to despise and detest the Lim family...

Yet, just moments ago, witnessing Lim Hanyu being seized by Weixian of the Cold Yin Sect—handled like a lifeless hound and tormented with chilling forces—brought him no satisfaction. Lim Hanyu's death should have been by his hand, and the downfall of the Lim family should have been his doing.

"Cold Yin Sect..." he muttered under his breath.

In different realms, given his current state and strength, confronting the Cold Yin Sect seemed unrealistic. But in the Absence Relic, he had some tricks up his sleeve, some sway to exert.

He left the newly built city unobstructed, swiftly making his exit.

Atop the Spirit Void Sect's tallest tower, behind the space teleportation array, a spectral shadow emerged eerily on a small balcony. This shadow, a manifestation of the Yin God, watched in silence as Yu Yuan and his companions departed.

"Master!" The elderly woman of the Spirit Void Sect, who had been sitting in stillness, rose abruptly.

"The death of Jin Lin is tied to Yu Yuan," the spectral figure spoke in hushed tones. "I invested my entire being into Jin Lin, hoping he would carry on my legacy. Alas, to think he perished within my domain during his trials in the Absence Relic fills me with regret."

Wong Jinlin, the direct disciple of Taoist Chongxiao from the Spirit Void Sect, had met his end in the Absence Relic a year prior.

"Please, Master, accept my condolences." The old woman bowed her head, her voice tinged with anxiety, fearing his potential reaction. "The turmoil within the Absence Relic has been resolved. The Demon Palace has persuaded the three upper sects to recognize Yu Zhu as the rightful ruler of the Absence Relic. Yu Zhu was led there by Yu Yuan from the Jade Peak, and she owes him a great debt."

"Yu Zhu is the rising star of the Demon Palace, poised to succeed the White Divine Tiger as the next Demon God. The Demon Palace, Devil Palace, and the upper sects are united in ensuring that nothing jeopardizes her ascension. With the battles beyond our skies, a new Demon God is needed, and the Spirit Void Sect must not defy the prevailing winds."

Her concern was palpable; she feared Taoist Chongxiao might act rashly in the wake of Wong Jinlin's death.

"Yu Zhu is Yu Zhu, and he is his own person," Taoist Chongxiao, who had arrived with the Yin God, murmured before speaking to himself, "Moreover, Yu Zhu isn't currently in the Relic."

"Please reconsider, Taoist!" the old woman urged anxiously.

"Don't worry, I have my own strategies in mind; there's no need for concern."

...

Once they departed from the new city, Old Cash released one copper coin after another. Yuan Lianyao surrounded herself with a fiery lotus aura and shot up into the sky.

Yu Yuan paused briefly, choosing not to invoke the Evil Cauldron. Instead, Old Cash cast a spell, placing a copper coin beneath his feet.

Standing on the coin, he followed the pair toward the island in the lake where Yu Zhu had been refining.

Moments later.

"Awoo! Awoo! Awoo!"

The howls of Demonic Beasts echoed throughout the forests and swamps.

Cultivators from the seven lower sects were locked in fierce combat with the beasts amidst the miasma-shrouded lands.

"Something's not right," Old Cash, hovering in the air, expanded his soul consciousness and then shook his head, perplexed. "The Demonic Beasts of the Absence Relic were nearly wiped out by the trialists from the lower sects after the space teleportation array was established. Many of them migrated to the Desolate Swamp for the Desolate God's protection."

"After the Demonic Beasts dispersed, those trialists shifted their focus to us, the so-called evil demons."

"When Chi Hongyi, Yellow Old Devil, and I last visited, there were hardly any Demonic Beasts in the relic. The few we encountered were all lower-level, lacking any real sentience."

"How could such a multitude of Demonic Beasts have flooded in over just the past half-year?"

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

More copper coins tumbled from his sleeves, soaring like golden clouds toward various regions.

Each coin served as his eyes, aiding him in scrutinizing the ranks of the Demonic Beasts and the skirmishes involving the cultivators from the seven lower sects.

After a short time, Old Cash vibrated with realization and declared, "They must have originated from the Desolate Swamp!"

"What?" Yuan Lianyao exclaimed in surprise, "Are you suggesting that the Demonic Beasts that swarmed the Absence Relic recently came from the Desolate Swamp within the last six months?"

"Yes, it's absolutely true! I spotted several Demonic Beasts, and they hail from the Desolate Swamp," Old Cash said, furrowing his brow. "These beasts are not of a low rank, and their loyalty to the Desolate God is unwavering. They've not only arrived but have also brought along their subordinate Demonic Beasts, each vying for territory as if they're claiming land in the Absence Relic, engaging in their own battles."

Yuan Lianyao's surprise deepened. "Why would they do that?"

"It's possible that the major factions within the Desolate Swamp have secured their positions, and, unable to extract more Spiritual Qi and resources from the Desolate God, they've turned their attention here," explained Old Cash.

"This may not bode well," Yu Yuan said with a furrowed brow.

Upon his return to the Relic, he found himself unable to reach Yu Zhu, yet there was an unusual influx of Demonic Beasts from the Desolate Swamp. Something seemed amiss.

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