C621 Golden Elephant to Save Him

The Mountain Lord of Quill Mountain, Tang Zheng, shimmered with a resplendent Dharma body, reminiscent of an ancient deity of flame.

With a forceful press of his hand, the space surrounding Yu Yuan was transformed in an instant into an isolated realm ablaze with scorching sun.

A wisp of soul thought spiraled out from Tang Zheng's palm, coursing towards the crown of Yu Yuan's head.

Hiss!

As the soul thought descended, the rules of the fiery Great Dao subtly shifted in response.

Yu Yuan found himself engulfed in a fiery wasteland, where both sky and earth were scorched by relentless flames, amplifying the pain across his mostly exposed and bloodied flesh several fold.

Puffs of blood mist steamed from his wounds.

His skin turned a deep crimson, as if he were on the verge of being roasted alive.

Ji Ningshuang's "Star Frost Sword Intent" had left a lattice of painful wounds on him, but these were merely superficial. True to her words, it was but a minor reprimand.

The grave injuries began to mend spontaneously as the sword intent receded.

Such wounds would fully heal within half a day.

Yet, the Unrestrained Stage cultivator from the Primordial Yang Sect acted without regard for his life, indifferent to whether his soul would shatter and leave lasting damage.

Flames consumed his body, threatening to obliterate his Consciousness Little World with a single strike of soul thought.

Tang Zheng showed no mercy!

"Quill Mountain! Tang Zheng!"

Yu Yuan's eyes blazed with fury as he keenly sensed an intense soul thought bearing down on him.

In secret, he mobilized the Yellow Court Little World, using the swirling Sun Essence Fire to dissipate the infiltrating flame energy and counteract the force unleashed by Tang Zheng's soul thought.

He had an inkling that Tang Zheng's merciless assault was partly motivated by Tang Can.

An Unrestrained Stage cultivator of such caliber could easily found a sect in the Boundless Land. Yu Yuan was acutely aware that his current level of power offered no chance of resistance.

"Halt!"

From hundreds of miles away, the presence of the Golden Elephant Ancient God and Zhao Yafu converged in a flash.

Atop Gold Mountain's summit, Zhan Tianxiang and Zhao Yafu fixed their furious gazes upon Tang Zheng's manifested Dharma body.

The Dharma Transformation, achievable by a cultivator at the Unrestrained Stage, can manifest through the Yang God or Yin God. This transformation boasts numerous applications, including the ability to cast a variety of spiritual spells.

Tang Zheng's Dharma Transformation was a sight to behold—majestic and solemn, reminiscent of an ancient fire deity. Merely hovering in the void, it resonated with the lava pools within the mountains and the fiery veins deep within the earth.

With a single thought, Tang Zheng could make the flames surge and spew forth molten lava. He could even refine and extract the earth's fire veins, transforming them into whips of divine flame to strike at his foes.

An Unrestrained Stage cultivator can merge with the myriad wonders of the Dao, transcending the confines of mountains and lakes, and encompassing objects or even personal thoughts.

Despite Tang Zheng's strength, he was merely in the early period of the Unrestrained Stage, having not been in this realm for long. He paled in comparison to the Golden Elephant Ancient God.

When the Golden Elephant Ancient God bellowed "Cease!", a golden phantom of a colossal elephant materialized in the world around Yu Yuan. In his moment of despair, the phantom's hooves, like golden lotuses, burst forth with dazzling light, enveloping him in its protective glow.

The space was saturated with overwhelming demonic power, the presence of the Golden Elephant Ancient God omnipresent.

Yu Yuan's expression transformed in an instant, realizing that with the Golden Elephant Ancient God's intervention, his salvation was at hand.

The Golden Elephant Ancient God, an ancient and formidable demon that had ascended to the Tenth Level, had witnessed the pinnacle of power. Even after its decline to the Ninth Level, it remained a force far beyond the newly ascended Tang Zheng.

As anticipated, Tang Zheng's soul consciousness, infused with the essence of the Fire Dao, met the golden elephant's phantom and instantly ignited, sizzling as it burned. Yet, the phantom stood unyielding, safeguarding Yu Yuan.

Meanwhile, the true form of the giant elephant, commanding the golden mountains and rivers, seized the moment to confront Tang Zheng's Dharma Transformation.

With a resounding boom, the mountain and river, seemingly crafted from pure gold, collided with Tang Zheng's divine flame form. The impact forced Tang Zheng's Yang God-crafted Dharma to revert to its original state in an instant.

"This child has been tainted by the malevolent soul of the Divine Statue. I must open his Niwan acupoints to uncover the truth. Why do you interfere!?"

In a flash, Tang Zheng resumed his human appearance, donning a dark red robe, and frowned at the Golden Elephant Ancient God. "He has not pledged allegiance to the Demon Palace. He is not one of their ranks. What is your reason for defending him?"

Tang Zheng had been gathering information on Yu Yuan.

Since the death of his grandson, Tang Can...

He learned that Yu Yuan had made numerous foolish choices, driven by his infatuation with a girl from the Cold Yin Sect, the same girl Tang Can had admired.

The Great Elder of the Cold Yin Sect had acted against the Yu family of Darkmoon City to ensure Lim Zhuyun's peace of mind, and Tang Zheng was aware of these interventions.

To Tang Zheng, these were minor issues, unworthy of his concern.

Yet, following Tang Can's demise during the trials in the depths of the Star Ember Sea, where Lim Zhuyun fell under the influence of a Heavenly Demon, and the Chaos Roc broke free, things escalated. The Evil Cauldron and the Giant Beast Amber were also lost to the heavens. Yu Yuan, having acquired the Evil Cauldron and the Giant Beast Amber, returned from the Star Ember Sea trials laden with spoils.

Through his inquiries, Tang Zheng confirmed that Tang Can's death was indeed at the hands of Mo Yan from the Devil Palace.

But Yu Yuan was also complicit.

Even before descending into the sea, Yu Yuan had already clashed with his grandson, and their conflicts intensified on the ocean floor.

His son lacked talent, but his grandson, Tang Can, was exceptionally gifted from a young age and was expected to succeed him.

Now with his grandson gone, Mo Yan was the principal offender, and Yu Yuan and others were marked as accessories to the crime.

Mo Yan, a prominent Demonic Seed within the Devil Palace, held considerable influence, making it difficult for Tang Zheng to take immediate action.

Yu Yuan, rumored to be in good standing with the Red Devil Sect and connected to the Sword Sect, also had ties to the Demon Palace.

Yu Yuan had not explicitly aligned himself with any sect or faction. Lacking the backing of a major sect and having erred within the Desolate Swamp, Tang Zheng found the perfect pretext to intrude upon Yu Yuan's Niwan acupoints, disregarding the potential harm to his soul.

To his surprise, the Golden Elephant Ancient God took a firm stand against him over such a youngster. "Yu Yuan was commissioned by the Demon Palace to delve into the Desolate Swamp. It is our duty to look after him," the imposing and robust form of the Golden Elephant Ancient God declared from the summit of Gold Mountain. As he watched Yu Yuan ascend, guided by a strand of his demonic soul, he addressed Tang Zheng, "Any lingering effects or tampering by the Evil Soul of the Divine Statue will be thoroughly investigated by the Demon Palace later. Your intervention is unnecessary."

Tang Zheng remained silent.

Turning to Jee Ningshuang, the Golden Elephant Ancient God suggested, "You've already reprimanded him for his insolence. Shall we leave it at that?" Jee Ningshuang nodded in agreement, then turned to Tang Zheng with a challenge, "Snatching someone from my grasp without warning—I'll be looking forward to a friendly spar with you."

Tang Zheng's silence persisted.

With a whoosh, Loong Tianxiao, a servant pledged to Chen Qingyan, emerged from the Great Swamp, clutching the Dragon Race's totem pillar, now miniaturized to the size of a stone rod. "I'm here!" Chen Qingyan called out.

Loong Tianxiao surveyed the scene, noting not only Chen Qingyan's presence but also Loong Yang, the jade dragon, and even his own father, Loong Jie, all ensnared by the galactic bonds of the Starfrost Sword.

Then, his gaze fell upon Yu Yuan, prompting a brief pause before he respectfully gestured with a fist salute from afar. His mind teemed with questions, yet he knew this was neither the time nor place for careless words. How had the evil statue that seized his soul turned to aid his escape and recovery? The aura was unmistakably Yu Yuan's—not that of another possessed by the evil statue's spirit.

"Loong Jie, I'll be taking them back to the Sword Sect," Jee Ningshuang informed Loong Tianxiao. "As for Loong Yang and the jade dragon, their survival hinges on Hidden Dragon Lake providing an explanation. You serve my disciple, and for the way Hidden Dragon Lake has treated you, they must be held accountable."

Loong Tianxiao hastily expressed his gratitude, "Thank you."

"Raven, Xu Zixi, escort them to the Absence Relic," commanded the Golden Elephant Ancient God before soaring away from the Gold Mountain.

The Gold Mountain moved autonomously towards Raven Lord and Xu Zixi.

Zhan Tianxiang, standing atop it, took charge of the Gold Mountain and reassured, "Master, rest assured. I will manage this mountain skillfully and ensure it doesn't collide with anything else."

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