C567 Enemy

The archdemon revealed its true form, taking refuge within a peach tree, its figure shrouded in a dazzling golden glow.

In comparison to the Golden Striped Beast, this demon's size was insignificant.

Yet the waves of vitality emanating from it caused the surrounding spiritual energy to surge like a flood.

Whoosh!

A massive vortex of spiritual energy formed, with demonic light blazing within like a wild inferno, subtly encircling the peach tree.

Unaffected by the spiritual energy and the fierce demonic light, the peach tree stood unscathed.

Within the golden sphere, the archdemon gradually materialized, transforming into a crimson bird.

Upon seeing Zixi emerge from the Crucible of Evil, the bird-shaped archdemon let out a mocking laugh.

The golden light withdrew into its wings as it nodded to Zixi with its sharp beak, speaking in a melodious human tongue, "I pay my respects to the Python Queen of Shadow's Keep."

"Golden flamingo!" Yu Yuan gasped upon recognizing its true form.

An average golden flamingo is merely a third-level Fellbeast.

This exotic bird naturally refines fine gold, incorporating it into its demonic blood to enhance its power.

The journey of advancement for a golden flamingo is notoriously arduous; only those who have consumed countless Sunsilver veins can reach the seventh level.

This golden flamingo was one such seventh-level archdemon, likely coveting Ochre Mountain for itself.

Both the seventh-level Golden Striped Beast and the golden flamingo could use the mountain's hidden veins to purify and temper their demonic forms.

Ochre Mountain was poised to bolster their strength once more, hence their involvement.

The archdemon that had surged in from Godsblight Marsh was on particularly good terms with the golden flamingo, conspiring to seize Ochre Mountain.

"Yu Yuan!"

Tong Laoqian, his face alight with joy from the relentless battering of the Jade Tower by the Golden Striped Beast, called out loudly and steered the Jade Tower towards the cauldron.

The towering Golden Striped Beast, wrapped in golden divine rainbows and a hundred meters tall, had eyes shining like golden orbs, from which golden lightning bolts erupted.

Boom!

Beams of golden brilliance transformed into totem-poles of evilkind, erupting from the ground beneath it.

There were seven totem poles in total, each forged from fine gold and infused with vitality. They shone with a dazzling light, their demonic power overwhelming!

Its eyes, a fierce golden hue, were full of brutality and ferocity as it let out an enraged roar, thumping its chest.

Awoo!

The seven gleaming totem poles shot up toward the heavens, as if intent on cleaving the sky and shattering the cosmic barrier!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Jade Tower, meticulously refined by Tong Laoqian, crumbled instantly under the assault of the seven towering golden pillars.

Copper coins and jade tiles shattered, falling apart. With a heavy heart, Tong Laoqian employed the Path of Metal he had mastered to gather them back into his sleeve once more.

The copper coins and jade fragments vanished like pebbles.

Tong Laoqian, appearing as a grieving landlord, hovered beside the cauldron, wailing, "Yu, you must stand up for me!"

As the seven totem poles were about to continue their onslaught on Tong Laoqian, Xu Zixi intervened with a cold command, "That's enough!"

Upon the earth, the Golden Striped Beast, massive as a mountain, seemed to snap out of its frenzy at her words.

No longer fixated on Tong Laoqian, the totem poles, under Yu Yuan's watchful eye, swiftly contracted, transforming into seven slender spikes.

Upon closer inspection, they were unmistakably seven slender golden bones.

These bones melded into the Golden Striped Beast, vanishing within its colossal form.

"Totem poles refined from one's own demon bones, bearing the innate powers of the Golden Striped Beast, are truly remarkable," Tong Laoqian remarked, still shaken, as he mopped his brow. "Yu, you promised me Ochre Mountain, but who could have foreseen it becoming such a coveted prize, fought over by all?"

"Liang Jingyin is one thing, but to think there are two archdemons as well."

He cast a glance at the subdued Golden Striped Beast and the golden flamingo perched motionless on a peach branch, lamenting, "Life has become unbearable. My suffering is too great!"

"Silence!" Xu Zixi rebuked.

Tong Laoqian offered a rueful smile and respectfully greeted her with a bow of his hands.

Despite his greeting, there was no hint of respect on his face; it was merely a cursory acknowledgment.

All present were peers in terms of cultivation, each at the Spirit Walk Stage. Xu Zixi was simply fortunate to have been accepted by Shadow's Keep, allowing her to practice the dark arts as a human and tread a unique path.

Without the backing of Shadow's Keep, would you dare to chastise me if we met in some other remarkable place? Tong Laoqian couldn't help but feel resentful.

At the summit of Ochre Mountain, Liang Jingyin, a solitary cultivator, was intently manipulating a five-story golden pagoda.

Once enlarged, the pagoda loomed above him like a second Ochre Mountain, emitting a blinding golden light as sharp as a sword, keeping both the Golden Fiend and Zhu Peining of the Skyreach Consortium at bay with its radiance.

Beneath the pagoda, Liang Jingyin was as unyielding as a boulder that had withstood the elements for millennia.

Regardless of the Golden Fiend's onslaught with his yellow gourd or Zhu Peining's barrage of spear flags, Liang Jingyin remained unmoved.

He even spared a moment to glance at the seventh-level golden flamingo, vigilant against any potential ambush.

"Tong Laoqian is unlikely to reclaim Ochre Mountain," Xu Zixi observed after a while. Having seen the golden pagoda withstand the assaults of both the Golden Fiend and Zhu Peining, she reflected briefly before adding, "This rogue cultivator is quite a handful. It seems the consortium has no effective strategy against him. The pagoda has integrated the ore veins beneath Ochre Mountain, effectively making the mountain an extension of Liang Jingyin himself."

Tong Laoqian's face darkened even further at her words.

"Is there something of yours hidden beneath Ochre Mountain?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.

After a moment's hesitation, Tong Laoqian gave a slight nod and sighed, "Before I left the Forgotten Ruins, I left many valuable items beneath Ochre Mountain. I even had a master engrave a rune circle capable of concentrating metal magic. Thanks to that array, once the spiritual energy in the Lost Lands was restored, Sunsilver could rapidly accumulate metal magic and form a metal vein, all due to the enhancement of the rune circle."

"No wonder he attracted two archdemons besides Liang Jingyin," Yu Yuan realized the underlying cause.

"You've unwittingly made a wedding dress for someone else," Xu Zixi mocked. "Forget it, it's too late now. I suspect Liang Jingyin intends to use Ochre Mountain as a stepping stone to achieve a breakthrough into the Solar Spirit Realm."

She paused, then added in a low voice, "There must be another master secretly watching over him."

"What do you mean?" Tong Laoqian suddenly caught on.

Yu Yuan frowned in thought.

Meanwhile, Zhu Peining from the Skyreach Consortium, having failed to make progress, decided to stop her assault. She grabbed the flag with its spear-like tip and drifted towards the Crucible of Evil. "Liang Jingyin is favored by the Ethereal Void Sect. Once he successfully refines the Solar Spirit at Ochre Mountain, the sect will formally welcome him and grant him the status of a counselor."

"So that's the situation!" Tong Laoqian exclaimed. "I knew there was something off! How did Liang Jingyin so quickly uncover the secrets of Ochre Mountain and claim it? The Ethereal Void Sect has been cultivating the Forgotten Ruins for years, with Sage Chong Xiao himself overseeing it. He must have noticed my setup at Ochre Mountain!"

"Liang Jingyin's return and his claim over Ochre Mountain could very well be orchestrated by the Ethereal Void Sect!"

"The Ethereal Void Sect! Coveting my land, using my resources as a bargaining chip – I will not stand for this!"

Tong Laoqian was livid, pointing towards Gavanas and unleashing a tirade of curses.

Following Zhu Peining's departure, the big devil rode in on his yellow gourd.

A year earlier, he had returned alongside Tong Laoqian and Qi Hongyi, intent on vying for the Shura skull from the Dark Realm. Upon encountering Yu Yuan, his demeanor was more respectful than ever. "I have the honor of meeting Mr. Yu," he greeted.

Zhu Peining was taken aback by the reverence.

The Golden Fiend, an outsider recruited by the Skyreach Consortium, was as formidable in cultivation as she was, and she held a healthy respect for his mastery of dark arts and Spirit Magic.

Had it not been for Liang Jingyin's assimilation of the mineral veins beneath Ochre Mountain, which bolstered his combat abilities, and the tower he wielded, she doubted she could match the Golden Fiend in battle.

She couldn't help but feel that even Tong Laoqian and the Python Queen might not measure up to the Golden Fiend.

Yet this formidable devil, who had gained the Skyreach Consortium's recognition and was deemed a promising independent cultivator, showed not only respect but also a hint of fear when facing Yu Yuan.

He had never shown such deference to the Solar Spirits of the Skyreach Consortium!

Why was he so fearful of Yu Yuan?

Zhu Peining was baffled, as were all those present, including Tong Laoqian, the Python Queen, and even Yu Yuan himself.

Only the Golden Fiend knew the truth...

Having witnessed much within the confines of his soul's little world, the Golden Fiend had seen a massive phantom emerge from Yu Yuan, altering the course of events and transforming everything.

Without that colossal phantom, the Forgotten Ruins would likely be very different today.

Whenever the Golden Fiend recalled the phantom that had appeared only within the Shura Eye's little world of the Dark Realm, he shuddered to his core, overwhelmed by an all-consuming fear.

This was why, among the three most formidable devils, the Golden Fiend was the most reverent towards Yu Yuan.

"It's been a while, you've joined the Skyreach Consortium?" Yu Yuan said with a smile, noting his unease. "No need to be so formal. The affairs of the Lost Lands are long resolved, and you remain my elder."

"I dare not presume!" exclaimed the Golden Fiend, perched atop his yellow gourd, bowing deeply in a flustered manner. "Having grown weary of the constant invitations, I sought refuge with the Consortium. Their support with magic items allows me to concentrate on my cultivation, aspiring to greater heights."

"Yu Yuan, with the Golden Fiend residing in the Lost Lands, will there be any issues?" inquired Zhu Peining.

Yu Yuan chuckled, casting a glance at the Python Queen, Xu Zixi.

"In this realm, Miss Yu Zhu's word is law. The Shadow's Keep does not intervene," Xu Zixi affirmed earnestly.

"Then it's settled," Yu Yuan concluded.

Both the Golden Fiend and Zhu Peining expressed their gratitude, after which Zhu Peining added, "Should the Yu family's herbs lack a buyer, I am prepared to make a purchase on behalf of the Skyreach Consortium, guaranteeing a price that will not fall short of the market value."

Yu Yuan nodded, then turned his gaze toward Ochre Mountain and Liang Jingyin.

Rising to his feet with a composed smile, Liang Jingyin clasped his hands in greeting and said, "I am Liang Jingyin, a solitary practitioner. I've long admired the renowned young master of the Yu family. I'm looking forward to your support!"

"I assure you, when Yu Zhu returns, she will certainly extend her support to you," Yu Yuan replied with a light chuckle. "It would be in your best interest to successfully refine your Solar Spirit before her return. Otherwise, all the advantages you've gained at Ochre Mountain will vanish once she reenters the Lost Lands."

Liang Jingyin's face darkened, and he replied with a chilly tone, "Noted."

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