C566 The Cauldron Soared into the Sky

As the Evil Cauldron made its way past Spider City, it paused momentarily.

Yu Yuan gazed downward and noticed that the city, newly constructed around the space teleportation array, had nearly doubled in size since his last visit.

A grand banner billowed in the breeze.

The flag bore the image of seven-colored stairs stretching into the cloud-wreathed heavens—a distinctive emblem of the Babel Chamber of Commerce.

Beneath the flag, towering buildings stood like swords thrusting into the sky, their presence radiating a bold defiance of the heavens and a readiness to shatter the barriers of the world.

At the foot of these skyscraping edifices milled cultivators from the seven lower sects, the Profound Sky Continent, and even solitary practitioners from the Quietus Continent.

They weaved in and out of the towers, trading treasured spiritual materials and herbs or acquiring scarce necessities.

The Evil Cauldron's presence above the city did not go unnoticed by those with sharp senses, prompting them to look skyward.

Brilliant light flared from their eyes as suppressed auras burst forth in a sudden tumult.

For an instant, Spider City was awash with celestial radiance and surging otherworldly forces.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Streams of pure soul thoughts rose like signal fires, converging on the hovering Evil Cauldron from across the city's various districts.

Yu Yuan, with narrowed eyes, tapped into the cauldron's senses and discerned that these soul thoughts originated from the Spirit Void Sect, Cold Yin Sect, and Thunder Sect.

A few other soul thoughts were enigmatic, their origins and energies deliberately concealed, making them nearly impossible to trace.

Yu Yuan's assumptions were off the mark; these elusive presences were not from the seven lower sects but likely from the great empires or newcomers from the Quietus Continent.

Unlike Babel Island or Rosy Island, Spider City imposed no bans on flight.

Eminent cultivators could soar through the skies on their artifacts or traverse vast distances with their Yin Gods—all within the bounds of what was permitted.

Yet the majority of visitors, including those of the Demon Race, respected the Demon Palace enough not to court trouble.

The sight of the great cauldron suspended in the sky inevitably captured the attention of many onlookers.

Releasing their soul thoughts to probe the surroundings was a common practice.

"Hmph!"

Xu Zixi, ensconced within the cauldron, popped her head out and let out a disdainful snort.

Pythons, as thick as dragons, burst forth from her body, making a fleeting appearance above the Evil Cauldron before she swiftly withdrew them.

As the python ascended, Xu Zixi radiated an overwhelming demonic presence. Her Demonic Power surged, mingling with her Qi and blood, seemingly ensnaring the entire sky above Spider City.

The python spiraled upwards, its formidable aura intimidating all in its wake.

"Python Queen!"

"Demon Palace! Xu Zixi!"

One by one, the probing soul thoughts retreated.

The Absence Relic was the acknowledged domain of the Demon Palace, a claim upheld by all the major sects and empires, and a victory secured by the future Demon God, Yu Zhu.

It was common knowledge that Xu Zixi, a human, had mastered the Spiritual Spell of the Demon Palace.

With Xu Zixi, the Demon Palace's emissary, dominating the skies, who would dare to challenge her?

Over by the Babel Chamber of Commerce, Gao Qin soared on his sword. As he neared the Evil Cauldron, he abruptly halted. Bowing respectfully, Gao Qin addressed Yu Yuan, "Young Master Yu, today's timing is truly regrettable. The head of my chamber is not present in Spider City at this time."

He had once extended an invitation to Zhu Peining on the mid-lake island, expressing her desire for a discussion.

Yu Yuan had agreed, promising to meet with the chamber's head in Spider City after departing from the island.

Yet, in an unfortunate twist, Zhu Peining was absent.

"Yu Yuan!"

"Is that man the close confidant of the relic's master?"

"Close confidant? Hardly. The exact nature of their relationship remains a mystery to this day."

The cultivators present in Spider City pieced together his identity from Gao Qin's reference to "Young Master Yu." Glancing at the cauldron suspended in midair, radiating a mystical demonic glow, they had no doubts about the newcomer's identity.

"It's Young Master Yu!"

Liu Xiao, the woman who had earlier sensed his presence with her soul consciousness, chuckled. Taking to the sky in her true form, she positioned herself alongside Gao Qin. Addressing Yu Yuan, whose head was the only part visible from the cauldron, she said, "I was unaware of Young Master Yu's last visit and regret my inattentiveness. Please accept my apologies."

Yu Yuan dismissed the formalities with a wave of his hand. "No need for such politeness. I have a question."

"Speak freely!" Liu Xiao responded with an easygoing air. "The Spirit Void Sect has decreed that Young Master Yu will be exempt from any fees when using our space teleportation array within the Absence Relic from now on."

"That's incredibly generous of them." Yu Yuan felt a twinge of suspicion.

He had no ties with the Spirit Void Sect, yet Taoist Chongxiao's direct disciple, Wang Jinlin, had perished in the relic before the resurgence of spiritual energy—and somehow, it involved him.

Why would the Spirit Void Sect go out of their way to curry favor with him?

"It's only right," said Python Queen Xu Zixi, her demeanor cool. "The Absence Relic is Miss Yu Zhu's private domain, under the jurisdiction of the Demon Palace. The Spirit Void Sect has established a teleportation array there, and Yu Zhu claims a thirty percent share of all profits. Consider the free use of their array a bonus for your travels."

Her tone made it clear she wasn't fond of Liu Xiao, and she wasn't trying to conceal it.

"Xu is correct; it's only proper," Liu Xiao maintained his amiable facade. "What is it you wish to inquire about, Young Master Yu? If I have the information, I'll share it without reservation."

"Has Chen Liangquan from the Luan Bird Empire and his party left?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"They've been gone a while," Liu Xiao confirmed with certainty. "Chen Liangquan stands out; I've kept an eye on him. I made sure to notice when they departed."

"They've already left..."

A hint of regret crossed Yu Yuan's mind as he pondered the peculiar Chen heir who had absconded with the Silvermoon Queen's Yin God. He wondered what actions might unfold.

He had even considered confronting Chen Liangquan had he not already departed.

"Are you and Chen Liangquan acquainted, Young Master Yu?" Liu Xiao asked, his curiosity piqued.

Yu Yuan shook his head, offering no further explanation. He was about to assure Xu Zixi that all was well when his gaze caught Elder Weixian emerging from the Cold Yin Sect's building.

Their eyes locked.

Weixian's mouth twisted into a sinister smile. "Good to see you again, Brother Yu," he said, his voice icy, the threat in his words palpable.

Anyone with a modicum of cultivation could detect the underlying hostility between the two from Weixian's greeting.

"Yeah, we meet again," Yu Yuan said with a slight smile. "You seemed to have had a rough time at the lake last time, didn't you? It's tough to see someone of your age in such a sorry state, fleeing in disarray. It really tugs at the heartstrings."

Weixian's expression turned icy, as if his face could freeze over. He huffed and spun on his heel, retreating to his room.

He had done his homework, confident that Yu Zhu wasn't on the mid-lake island. Moreover, he'd heard through the grapevine that even Lu Qingyu, a Seventh Level Great Demon, had been wounded by Yu Yuan there.

Yu Yuan had cunningly employed the Ghost Poisoning Array concealed within the colorful miasma cloud, a trap left by Yu Zhu.

Even Weixian, for all his faults, realized that the one who had conjured the ice storm, sending a blizzard crashing down and throwing him into a panic-stricken flight, was none other than Yu Yuan.

During his hasty retreat, he had lost some of the Ice Soul Crystal, a loss that troubled him deeply.

Naturally, he harbored a deep-seated grudge against Yu Yuan.

But he held back, if only because Xu Zixi, the Python Queen, was there with Yu Yuan in the Evil Cauldron, and because they were in the Absence Relic, with many eyes upon them in the city. He didn't dare lash out impulsively.

"Weixian of the Cold Yin Sect," Xu Zixi said, her mouth twisting in a sneer of contempt. "Here in the relic, if you dare to cross him, the Cold Yin Sect will be swept out and forbidden from ever setting foot here again!"

"Gao Qin, I'll come to visit Senior Zhu another time," Yu Yuan declared, then he steered the Evil Cauldron away from Spider City, vanishing like a dark cloud.

It wasn't long before he encountered the head of the Babel Chamber of Commerce at Yellow Mountain.

"What in the world is happening?" Xu Zixi gazed at Yellow Mountain, her face a picture of bewildered intrigue as she watched the titanic battle unfold. "What are they fighting over?"

Yu Yuan was equally taken aback. "And why are there greater demons joining the fray?"

Beneath the blazing sun, the desolate Yellow Mountain quaked, with streaks of divine light and demonic energy weaving a tapestry of chaos.

There, amidst the tumult, Old Cash, piloting the dilapidated Jade Tower, was the least of them.

His Jade Tower was under assault by a gold-stripped beast, towering nearly a hundred feet tall, pummeling it with ferocious blows.

This beast wasn't the same one Yu Yuan had hunted before; it was likely the sovereign of the gold-stripped beasts!

Its body was ensnared in a web of golden lightning, and with every gesture, the sky and earth shifted hues. A fearsome blend of demonic energy and life force roared through the air, thunderous to the point of being overwhelming.

The once magnificent Jade Tower, now in ruins, shimmered with an overflow of golden and jade light under the massive paw of the gold-stripped beast.

The jade pavilions teetered on the brink of collapse, their structures riddled with cracks, emitting a brittle, cracking sound.

Old Cash's garments, adorned with hanging copper coins, emitted a faint, lackluster glow.

His expression was dark and contorted with pain as he repeatedly cried out.

Zhu Peining from the Babel Chamber of Commerce had surprisingly joined forces with the Yellow Old Devil, an acquaintance of Yu Yuan, to launch an assault on a practitioner seated at the summit of Yellow Mountain.

The practitioner, cradling a pagoda, faced the two adversaries, holding his ground despite being at a slight disadvantage.

Meanwhile, on Yellow Mountain, a formidable demon lay in wait, watching with a predatory gaze.

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