C566 The Cauldron Soared into the Sky
The Crucible of Evil paused in its journey upon reaching Gavanas. Yu Yuan gazed downward and noticed that the city, newly erected around the teleportation circle, had expanded to nearly double its size since his last visit. A massive banner billowed in the breeze at the edge of the city. It bore the image of seven-colored stairs stretching into the cloud-wreathed heavens—the distinctive emblem of the Skyreach Consortium.
Beneath the banner stood towering buildings, their silhouettes like swords thrusting into the sky, radiating a fierce determination to pierce the heavens and strike into the extraterrestrial, defying any rules of the wall. At the base of these structures milled numerous cultivators from the seven lower sects, the great empires of Aetherius, and even solitary practitioners from the Land of Quiescence.
They moved in and out of the buildings, some trading treasured magic items and herbs, others seeking to acquire scarce necessities. The presence of the Crucible of Evil aloft drew the attention of those with sharp senses, prompting them to look skyward. Bright beams of light exploded from their eyes as their concealed auras erupted in a sudden torrent.
For an instant, Gavanas was alight with divine radiance, and strange power swelled through the air. Wisps of pure remnant soul soared upward like signal fires, converging on the hovering Crucible of Evil from various districts of the city.
With narrowed eyes, Yu Yuan tapped into the Crucible of Evil's perception, discerning that the soul remnants originated from the domains of the Ethereal Void, Winter's Bite, and Thunder Sect. A handful of other remnants remained enigmatic, their origins and auras intentionally obscured, rendering them nearly impossible to trace.
Yu Yuan's assumptions were mistaken; these elusive presences were not from the seven lower sects but likely from the various empires and visitors from the Land of Quiescence. Unlike Celestial Isle or Rosy Cloud Island, Gavanas imposed no bans on flight. Cultivators of exceptional realms freely navigated the skies, whether piloting their enchanted artifacts, soaring on their own power, or traversing vast distances as a Lunar Spirit.
Most cultivators who come here, including those from evilkind, respect the Shadow's Keep and wouldn't dare to act rashly.
A large cauldron suspended in midair naturally caught the attention of many.
It was only logical to release one's remnant soul to sense and probe the surroundings.
"Hmph!"
Xu Zixi, from within the cauldron, poked her head out and let out a cold snort.
Pythons as thick as giant dragons burst forth from her body, making a brief, startling appearance above the Crucible of Evil before she swiftly retracted them.
In the moment the python ascended, Xu Zixi was enveloped in a powerful demonic aura. Her demon energy and spiritual energy swirled with her vitality, as if binding the very sky of Gavanas.
The python spiraled upwards, its demonic presence intimidating all around!
"Python Queen!"
"Shadow's Keep! Xu Zixi!"
One by one, the searching remnant souls retreated.
The Forgotten Ruins were recognized as the domain of the Shadow's Keep by all major sects and empires, a victory secured by the Dark Deity, Yu Zhu.
It was common knowledge that Xu Zixi, a human, practiced the spells of the Shadow's Keep.
As a representative of the Shadow's Keep, Xu Zixi commanded the skies—who would dare to challenge her?
Over at the Skyreach Consortium, Gao Qin rose on his sword. As he neared the Crucible of Evil, he abruptly halted. Cupping his fists in a salute, he said, "Mr. Yu, today is quite unfortunate. The head of my consortium is not in Gavanas at the moment."
He had gone to the mid-lake island, having been specially invited once, as Zhu Peining wished to speak with him.
Yu Yuan had agreed, and upon leaving the mid-lake island, he intended to meet with the consortium's head in Gavanas.
But, as it happened, Zhu Peining was not present.
"Yu Yuan!"
"Is that man the close friend of the Lost Lands' master?"
"Close friend? No, the true nature of their relationship remains unclear to this day."
The cultivators frequenting Gavanas, upon hearing Gao Qin address him as "Mr. Yu," deduced his identity. Then, seeing the cauldron floating in the air, radiating a mysterious aura of magic power, they knew exactly who had arrived.
"So it's Mr. Yu!"
Liu Xiao, the woman from the Ethereal Void Sect who had previously sensed his presence with her remnant soul, let out a chuckle. She soared into the sky alongside Gao Qin, standing shoulder to shoulder with him as she addressed Yu Yuan, whose head was the only part of him visible above the cauldron. "I was unaware of Mr. Yu's return last time and failed to welcome you properly. Please accept my apologies."
Yu Yuan gestured dismissively. "No need for such formalities. I have a question."
"Ask away!" Liu Xiao responded eagerly. "The Ethereal Void Sect has decreed that Mr. Yu may use our teleportation circle to travel to and from the Forgotten Ruins free of charge!"
"That's incredibly gracious of you." Yu Yuan felt a surge of curiosity.
He had no ties to the Ethereal Void Sect. Wang Jinlin, the hand-chosen disciple of Sage Chong Xiao, had perished in the Lost Lands before the resurgence of spiritual energy, and it was somehow connected to him.
Why would the Ethereal Void Sect go out of their way to curry favor with him?
"It's only right," stated the Python Queen, Xu Zixi, her demeanor cool. "The Forgotten Ruins are Miss Yu Zhu's private domain, under the jurisdiction of Shadow's Keep. The Ethereal Void Sect has established a teleportation circle within the Lost Lands, from which Yu Zhu takes a thirty percent cut of all profits. Your use of their circle without payment can be considered an added perk."
Her opinion of Liu Xiao was less than favorable, and she made no effort to conceal it.
"Sister Xu is correct; it's only proper," Liu Xiao maintained her friendly demeanor. "Mr. Yu, what is it you wish to inquire about? If it's within my knowledge, I assure you there will be no secrets."
"Has Chen Liangquan of the Songbird Empire and his party left?" Yu Yuan inquired.
"They've been gone a while," Liu Xiao confirmed with a nod. "Chen Liangquan is quite recognizable. I've been keeping an eye on him for some time and made sure to note their departure."
"They're already gone..."
Yu Yuan felt a twinge of regret as he pondered the mysterious Chen family member who had absconded with the Silvermoon Queen's Lunar Spirit, curious about what he might be planning.
He pondered what Chen Liangquan would do if he hadn't left.
"Is Mr. Yu acquainted with Chen Liangquan?" Liu Xiao inquired with curiosity.
Yu Yuan shook his head, offering no further explanation. He was about to reassure Xu Zixi that all was well when he caught sight of Elder Weixian emerging from the Winter's Bite tower.
Their eyes locked.
Weixian's grin was chilling as he greeted, "Brother Yu, good to see you again!"
His greeting was icy, laced with a hidden threat.
Anyone with a modicum of cultivation could detect the underlying hostility in Weixian's words.
"Indeed, we meet again," Yu Yuan replied with a faint smile. "It seems you had a rough time by the lake last time. It's quite painful to see someone of your stature fleeing in such a sorry state."
Weixian's expression turned frosty. He huffed and retreated to his quarters.
After investigating, he was certain Yu Zhu wasn't on the mid-lake island and had learned from other sources that even Lu Qingyu, the seventh level archdemon, had been wounded by Yu Yuan there.
Yu Yuan had utilized the Shadowflame Blight Array concealed within the seven-colored cloud, employing Yu Zhu's contingency plan.
Even Weixian, in his folly, recognized that the one who had conjured the ice tempest, sending him into a panic-stricken flight, was none other than Yu Yuan.
During his escape, he had lost some of the Celestial Ice Crystal, which still troubled him.
Naturally, Weixian harbored resentment towards Yu Yuan.
He refrained from acting out of impulse because Python Queen Xu Zixi was present with Yu Yuan in the Crucible of Evil, and they were in the Forgotten Ruins, with many onlookers within the city.
"Winter's Bite, Weixian," Xu Zixi said, her mouth twisting in scorn. "Here in the Lost Lands, should he dare to cross you, Winter's Bite will be swept away, never to set foot here again!"
"Gao Qin, I'll visit Senior Zhu another time," Yu Yuan declared. Then, commanding the Crucible of Evil, he departed from Gavanas like a dark cloud dispersing into the sky.
It wasn't long before he encountered the head of the Skyreach Consortium at Ochre Mountain.
"What's happening here?" Xu Zixi gazed upon Ochre Mountain, her face a mask of bewilderment as she witnessed the cataclysmic battle unfolding. "What are they fighting over?"
Yu Yuan was equally astonished. "Why is there an archdemon involved in the battle?"
Beneath the blazing sun, the barren Ochre Mountain trembled, with streams of divine light and demon energy weaving a chaotic tapestry.
Tong Laoqian, piloting the damaged Jade Tower, was surprisingly the weakest among them.
His Jade Tower was under relentless assault by a Golden Striped Beast, towering nearly a hundred feet tall.
This wasn't the same beast Yu Yuan had previously slain; it was likely the beast king of the Golden Striped Beasts!
Enveloped in golden lightning, its every movement caused the heavens and earth to shift hues, as fearsome demon energy and vitality thundered through the air.
The Jade Tower shimmered with gold and jade light under the colossal beast's pounding, the once magnificent pavilions now teetering on the brink of collapse, riddled with cracks.
The copper coins adorning Tong Laoqian's attire had lost their luster, and he grimaced in agony.
Zhu Peining of the Skyreach Consortium, who was acquainted with Yu Yuan, had allied with the Golden Fiend to launch an attack on a cultivator seated at the summit of Ochre Mountain.
The cultivator, clutching a pagoda, was holding his own but beginning to falter against the two-on-one assault.
Elsewhere on Ochre Mountain, another archdemon watched with a predatory gaze.
