C597 The Evil Art Works

In a secluded corner of the Sword Prison, a withered man resembling a corpse manipulated a Golden Elephant in the palm of his hand, kneading it as if it were clay. This descendant of the Golden Elephant God lineage stood twenty feet tall, its formidable presence akin to a Gold Mountain. Archdemons of such stature possessed bones as durable as divine metal, capable of withstanding even the sharpest earthly blades. Yet, under the man's theurgy, the once-mighty Golden Elephant was reduced to a series of brittle snaps within his grasp, its centuries-refined bones shattered effortlessly.

Golden light scattered in all directions, and the Golden Elephant, unable to utter a single cry, was silenced. Strands of golden blood seeped through the man's fingers, trickling down like rivulets of molten gold. With a radiant smile, he watched as the miniature elephants, formed from the golden blood, shattered in a frenzy of panic. "To think of escaping from my clutches is sheer naivety," he mused.

Golden particles rose spontaneously from the earth, converging with the crushed remnants of the archdemon's bloodline crystals in his hands. His gaunt palms emerged as if retrieved from a pool of golden essence, now coated in a fine dusting of gold. He examined his hands, dissatisfied, and with a resigned sigh, he conceded, "I'll have to attend to this after I leave."

Had Yu Yuan been present, he would have recognized the striking resemblance between this man and an individual he had encountered on the fourth deck of the Sea Wanderer during its mooring at Rosy Cloud Island.

In the blink of an eye, a streak of sword light darted forth. The man's grin widened with delight, and in an instant, his form condensed into a gossamer thread of crystalline lightning, fine as a strand of hair, in pursuit of the fleeting sword light.

Elsewhere within the Sword Prison lay a cramped cave, barely spacious enough to house a child. This cave stood apart from the rest, devoid of the interconnected stone pathways typical of the others. It was a sealed sanctuary.

Within this confined space rested a single, delicately crafted statue. Fashioned from greenish-brown wood, the statue featured two faces and four arms on both its front and back. The wooden effigy exuded a serene benevolence, its front visage radiating a sorrowful empathy. The spell seals held by its front arms instilled a sense of tranquility and warmth, enveloping one in the comforting embrace of a spring zephyr.

On the reverse side of the statue, a second visage exuded ferocity and bloodlust, radiating an aura of ultimate malevolence. The spells clenched in its hands seemed poised to annihilate all beings.

This diminutive effigy, in such a state, had been ensconced within this sealed cavern for innumerable years.

Within the cave's rocky walls, streams of sword light cascaded, perpetually exuding the essence of the sword's will.

Yet, as Yu Yuan delved into the sword's mysteries and introduced them into the Sword Prison, the scabbard that had absorbed the swordsmanship of the cultivator known as Moon Slayer began to attract numerous strands of sword light and sword's will, including those concealed within this very cave.

With the departure of each thread of sword light and sword's will, the sealed cavern's walls began to crackle, as if a formidable force was compressing and battering them, gradually revealing fissures.

The statue, whose remnant soul and consciousness had been confined, experienced an awakening as its internal thoughts and memories, once frozen like a river, began to thaw.

As the icy river started to flow once again, the statue's memories and suppressed mental impulses stirred to life.

The statue, embodying both good and evil, saw all four of its spell-wielding hands suddenly blaze with light.

Boom!

The cavern trembled violently as the already fissured walls burst open along the cracks.

Moments later, a slender crevice wide enough for the statue to pass through emerged, and the statue levitated, gliding away from the stone peak.

...

Within the Sword Prison, the imprisoned Evil Demon magnates engaged in mutual slaughter.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan, under the influence of Zhan Yun's Spirit-Birthing, was lost in a bewitching and soul-consuming reverie, oblivious to the passage of time.

The relatively spacious cave housed Zhongli Dapan, Xi Quan, Loong Jie, Chen Qingyan, and three newcomers, all of whom watched Zhan Yun's spellcasting with detached interest.

Among the newcomers was a small, luminescent green snake, merely a meter in length.

Its eyes, the size of soybeans, glinted with a chilling, sinister light that seemed to extinguish humanity itself.

Within it echoed the eternal sound of flowing water, as if it had mastered the rivers of the Everlands and even the Star River beyond, adept in the ultimate truth of the Great Dao of Water.

The little snake remained in its original form, hovering in midair with its power contained.

However, whether it was Zhongli Dapan, Xi Quan, who wielded the Withered Sword, or the ancient patriarch of the Nagas, they all tacitly acknowledged its presence. Upon its arrival, they nodded in silent acknowledgment.

Once a formidable leader of the evilkind's armies in the Star River, its reputation was indeed formidable.

Its appearance here brought to mind its astonishing battle history. The thought of the Sky Fiend and Otherkin armies that had perished at its hands filled Zhan Yun with dread. She quickly reassured, "I am performing Spirit-Birthing on him. Rest assured, the process won't interfere with his understanding of the sword spell, nor will it delay our departure."

The green serpent spoke in the ancient tongue of the evilkind, "Should he suffer any mishap that jeopardizes our plans, your life will be forfeit."

Most of those gathered understood the ancient language of the evilkind. Those who did not, still perceived the threat in its words.

Zhan Yun responded with a smile, "As long as there are no interruptions, all will be well."

The serpent offered no further comment.

In addition to the serpent, there was a gaunt old man with unkempt hair and tattoos resembling arcane symbols covering his face, neck, and all visible skin.

Clearly, he was an elder from the Binders of Shadows, his body a testament to their art.

Upon entering the cave, his first instinct was to strike at Zhan Yun, but upon realizing she was engaged in Spirit-Birthing, he begrudgingly deferred, "Old crone, we'll settle our debts later!"

The third was a fat old man with an air of nobility, clutching a horsetail whisk in one hand and a wine pot in the other. His worn garments bore the distinctive emblem of the Skyreach Consortium, suggesting he was a counselor for the organization, now inexplicably confined within the Sword Prison.

One by one, these infamous fiends with a dark legacy in the Everlands followed the trail of sword light.

Upon arrival, they found Zhan Yun already ahead of them, administering Spirit-Birthing to Yu Yuan.

These malevolent old demons, each with their own secret schemes, recognized the intricate subtleties of the Nightbane Sect's Spirit-Birthing. They feared any reckless interference could lead to failure, potentially obliterating Yu Yuan's very essence.

Sword lights and the will of the sword swirled around the entrance to the Sword Prison. They had no choice but to wait passively, for if Yu Yuan's spirit were to be extinguished before their departure, all his efforts would have been in vain.

The demons gathered there exhibited remarkable patience. Even as Zhan Yun cast the Spirit-Birthing spell on Yu Yuan, they exchanged smiles and pleasantries amongst themselves, unhurried as if they could wait a century more if necessary.

Chen Qingyan of the Sword Sect was the only one in agony. Watching Yu Yuan fall under the influence of the Nightbane Sect Master's Spirit-Birthing, she yearned to intervene. Despite her attempts to persuade Xi Quan, once the intricacies of the spell were explained, she reluctantly stood down—for she did not wish for Yu Yuan's demise.

Back in the Serpent Spine Mountains, Yu Yuan had come to her aid, and she was convinced that the sword spirit within him was indeed a sage from her sect. The encounter in the Sundering Isles, where Van Heqing drew his sword, further suggested a connection between Yu Yuan and the sect. She had been quietly gathering information about him, her curiosity and admiration growing by the day. Among all present, she was the most concerned for Yu Yuan's well-being and the most eager for his safety. Yet, in the Sword Prison, she felt powerless.

Time slipped away silently.

After what seemed an eternity, the glow in Zhan Yun's profound and mysterious eyes faded. The current Sect Master of the Nightbane, who had mastered the art of enchantment, exhaled softly and announced in a low, cheerful tone, "It's done."

"It's done!" The spirits of the demons and magnates in the cave lifted, and they all turned their attention to the source of the announcement.

Yu Yuan, awakening from a deep, bewitching dream, wore a smile of utter contentment. He had never truly closed his eyes, but previously they had been unfocused, devoid of life. Upon awakening, his gaze met Zhan Yun's, and his entire outlook transformed. Zhan Yun, in his eyes, had become the divine figure he had longed for, the one he would devote his life to protecting. Her every word and gesture seemed to touch his soul, compelling him to follow her every command without the slightest inclination to resist.

After a brief spell of disorientation, he finally noticed that the cave was not only inhabited by Zhan Yun but also by the magnate and Trolls he had previously encountered.

"Yu Yuan, are you... okay?" Chen Qingyan whispered.

Yu Yuan blinked in surprise.

"Focus on mastering that individual's swordsmanship spell," Zhan Yun instructed gently.

Her words, soft yet seemingly imbued with boundless magical power, prompted Yu Yuan to nod subconsciously. "Okay."

Her words took precedence over emotion and logic, claiming the top priority.

Without giving it another thought or glance, Yu Yuan didn't ponder why the numerous Evil Devils had gathered. Following her directive, he sat down docilely and took up his sword once more.

The effects of the Soul Essence Pill had already faded, rejuvenating his spiritual sense.

His consciousness was once again immersed in the sword spirit within his arm bone.

Hiss, hiss!

The silver peak that the Sword Prison had morphed into, with its dense sword's will and sword light at the cave's mouth, was pried away as he delved into the arcane aspects of the Moon Slayer cultivator's swordsmanship, sending them flying from the entrance.

Evil Devils who had reached a certain level of power sensed this and their eyes lit up with excitement.

The pathways within the Sword Prison were interconnected. If a single entrance was cleared of the sword's will and sword light, they could follow it out of the Sword Prison and gain their freedom!

Evil Devils and archdemons, some confined for a century, others for a millennium within the Sword Prison, awaited their moment with eager anticipation.

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