C621 Golden Elephant Helped Him out

The Lord of Churchsor Hill, Tang Zheng, radiated with a bright red Divine Visage, resembling an ancient Flame Deity.

With a forceful press of his hand, the space surrounding Yu Yuan instantly transformed into an independent little world, blazing like the sun itself.

A remnant soul shot out from Tang Zheng's palm, streaming towards the crown of Yu Yuan's head.

Hiss, hiss!

As the remnant soul fell, the laws of fire magic subtly shifted.

Yu Yuan felt as though he was trapped in a fiery wasteland, with both sky and earth scorched by relentless flames. His mostly exposed and bloodied body experienced a surge of excruciating pain.

A blood mist began to rise from within him.

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

Ji Ningshuang's "Stardust sword's wil" had left a network of deep wounds across his body, inflicting agonizing pain. Yet, these were merely superficial, aligning with Ningshuang's claim of a minor reprimand.

Despite the severity of his injuries, they began to mend spontaneously as the sword's wil receded.

Such wounds would fully heal within half a day.

But the cultivator from the Sunlit Order, at the Unbound stage, showed no regard for Yu Yuan's life. He was indifferent to the possibility of Yu Yuan's soul shattering and the consequent lasting damage.

Yu Yuan's body, scorched by the flames, and his Mindscape, on the brink of collapse from the remnant soul's strike, were testament to Tang Zheng's mercilessness.

"Churchsor Hill! Tang Zheng!"

Yu Yuan's eyes reddened as his spiritual sense acutely detected an intense remnant soul hurtling towards him.

In secret, he activated the Golden Sanctum's little world, using the rotation of sunfire to dissipate the infiltrating flame energy and counter the force unleashed by Tang Zheng's remnant soul.

He faintly realized that Tang Cen's influence was behind the Sunlit Order cultivator's ruthless actions.

A cultivator of the Unbound Realm in the Everlands was a figure capable of founding their own sect. Yu Yuan acknowledged that with his current level of cultivation and strength, he stood no chance in a confrontation.

"Cease!"

From hundreds of miles away, the Golden Elephant God's presence atop the Gold Mountain was felt in an instant.

Zhan Tianxiang and Zhao Yafu, from the summit of Gold Mountain, fixed their furious gazes upon Tang Zheng's Divine Visage.

The Divine Visage, attainable by cultivators in the Unbound Realm, could morph into either a Solar Spirit or a Lunar Spirit. This Divine Visage had numerous applications and could invoke a multitude of spells.

Tang Zheng's Divine Visage was both majestic and solemn, reminiscent of an ancient Flame Deity. Merely by hovering in the void, it resonated with the Mountain of Flames, the magma pool within, and the fiery veins deep within the earth.

With a single thought, Tang Zheng could make the flames erupt, spewing forth fiery magma.

He could also refine and draw out the earth's fire veins, transforming them into whips of flame to strike at his foes.

A cultivator in the Unbound Realm could merge with the myriad Ways of Heaven, not limited to mere mountains and lakes. It could be an object, a personal thought, each with its own unique marvels.

Although Tang Zheng was formidable, he was merely in the early period of the Unbound Realm and had not been in this state for long.

He paled in comparison to the Golden Elephant God.

When the Golden Elephant God bellowed "Cease!" a golden phantom of a colossal elephant materialized in Yu Yuan's little world.

In Yu Yuan's moment of despair, the phantom's hooves shone like golden lotuses, casting a radiant protective light around him.

The demon energy was pervasive, the presence of the Golden Elephant God omnipresent!

Yu Yuan's demeanor jolted with a surge of hope.

He realized that with the Golden Elephant God's intervention, he was saved.

The Golden Elephant God, an ancient archdemon that had ascended to the tenth level, had witnessed the pinnacle of power. Even after its decline to the ninth level, it remained far beyond the reach of Tang Zheng, a novice in the Unbound Realm.

And so it was.

As Tang Zheng's remnant soul descended, it met the golden elephant's phantom and instantly ignited with a hissing sound.

Engulfed by the fire magic, the remnant soul burned away, yet the elephant's image stood unyielding, safeguarding Yu Yuan.

Meanwhile, the true form of the elephant, commanding the Gold Mountain, seized the moment to approach beneath Tang Zheng's Divine Visage.

With a thunderous crash, the mountain, seemingly crafted from pure gold, collided with Tang Zheng's Divine Visage, which was a transformation of the Solar Spirit. It caused the Divine Visage to instantly revert to its original form.

"This child has been invaded by the evil soul of the Divine Statue. I intend to open his mud pellet acupoint to investigate the matter. Why do you obstruct me?"

In an instant, Tang Zheng reverted to his normal human form, donning a dark red robe and frowning at the Golden Elephant God. "He has not joined Shadow's Keep; he is not one of their number. Why do you protect him?"

Tang Zheng had been gathering information about Yu Yuan. Following the death of his grandson, Tang Cen...

He learned that Yu Yuan's foolish actions were motivated by Lin Zhuyun and Tang Cen's infatuation with a girl from the Winter's Bite Sect. The Chief Elder of Winter's Bite had ensured Lin Zhuyun's safety, which involved several attacks on the Yu family in Asvetaesi City, all of which Tang Zheng was aware of.

To Tang Zheng, these were trifling matters, unworthy of his concern. However, following Tang Cen's demise during the trials in the depths of the Embers Sea, Lin Zhuyun's possession by the Sky Fiend, the Abyssal Leviathan's escape, and Hei Xun's flight to the extraterrestrial with the Blood Altar, Yu Yuan's acquisition of the Crucible of Evil and the Sunsorrow from the giant beast meant he returned from the trials laden with treasures.

Through his inquiries, Tang Zheng confirmed that Tang Cen's death was indeed caused by Mo Yan of the Devil Palace. Yet, Yu Yuan was also complicit. Before even entering the sea, Yu Yuan had already become an adversary to his grandson, and their conflicts intensified beneath the waves.

Tang Zheng's son lacked talent, but Tang Cen, his grandson, was born with exceptional gifts and was seen as the one to carry on his legacy. With his grandson gone, Mo Yan was the primary offender, and Yu Yuan and others were deemed his accomplices.

Mo Yan, a top-ranked Hellbreed of the Devil Palace, held a position of great significance, making it difficult for Tang Zheng to take immediate action against him. Yu Yuan, it was rumored, had strong ties with the Ruby Hand and the Sword Sect, and through Yu Zhu, connections with Shadow's Keep as well.

Yu Yuan had not explicitly aligned himself with any particular sect. Lacking the support of a major sect and having made a mistake within the Godsblight Marsh, Tang Zheng found the perfect pretext to intrude upon his mud pellet acupoint, indifferent to the harm it might cause to Yu Yuan's soul. To his surprise, the Golden Elephant God openly opposed him over a mere youth like Yu Yuan!

"Yu Yuan was tasked by the Shadow's Keep to delve into the mysteries of the Godsblight Marsh. It is our duty to look after him," the Golden Elephant God declared, now in his imposing human form atop Gold Mountain. He watched as Yu Yuan was guided by a strand of demon soul towards the summit where he stood. Addressing Tang Zheng, he continued, "Should the Evil Statue's soul have left any lingering effects or tampered in any way, the Shadow's Keep will conduct a thorough investigation later. Your interference is unnecessary."

Tang Zheng remained silent.

Turning to Ji Ningshuang, the Golden Elephant God suggested, "He has already received his reprimand for his insolence. Shall we leave it at that?" Ji Ningshuang nodded in agreement, but then turned to Tang Zheng and remarked, "Next time, announce yourself before you intercept someone from me. I'll seek an opportunity to have a friendly contest with you."

Tang Zheng kept his silence.

With a whoosh, Loong Tianxiao, serving under Chen Qingyan, emerged from the marsh, clutching the Naga totem-pole, now reduced to the size of a stone rod. "I'm here!" Chen Qingyan called out.

Loong Tianxiao focused his gaze and saw not only Chen Qingyan but also Loong Yang, held captive by the sword's will, and his own father, Loong Jie, ensnared by the galaxy created by the Stardust Blade, both struggling in vain to escape.

Then, Loong Tianxiao's eyes fell on Yu Yuan. He paused, momentarily taken aback, before offering a fist salute from a distance. His mind teemed with questions, yet he understood that this was neither the time nor place for inquiries.

Despite being previously possessed by the Evil Statue's soul, why did it assist him in his escape and aid in his recovery? He could distinctly sense Yu Yuan's presence. It was indeed Yu Yuan, not someone else dominated by the Evil Statue's malevolent spirit.

"Loong Jie, I'll take them back to the Sword Sect. As for Loong Yang and the Amethyst Dragon, they'll need to provide an explanation to Dragon Lake if they wish to survive," Ji Ningshuang told Loong Tianxiao. "You serve my disciple, and for the way Dragon Lake has treated you, there must be recompense."

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

"Dusk Raven, Xu Zixi, both of you will escort them to the Forgotten Ruins," commanded the Golden Elephant God in a firm tone before soaring away from the Gold Mountain.

The Gold Mountain moved towards Dusk Raven and Xu Zixi.

Zhan Tianxiang, standing atop it, assumed control of the Gold Mountain. "Rest assured, Master. I'll manage the mountain carefully to avoid any collisions," he assured.

​