C622 Fame and Glory!

Above Gold Mountain, waves of an ancient and desolate aura surged, as if mighty, mountain-sized elephants charged through the heavens and earth, their Demonic Qi coursing powerfully within the mountain's core.

Atop the summit, people stood as firmly as if on solid ground.

The Raven Lord invoked his clan's secret methods, and soon after, the talkative little raven responsible for escorting Zhan Tianxiang and Zhao Yafu was located deep within the Great Swamp and brought to Gold Mountain.

With Zhan Tianxiang at the helm, Gold Mountain set its course directly for the Absence Relic, its once towering presence slowly diminishing, losing its dazzling brilliance.

"How are you feeling?" Zhao Yafu approached, concern etched on her face as she offered a bottle of vitality-rich pellets to Yu Yuan. "Chen Qingyan's master is so cold-hearted! She knows full well you were compelled to enter Sword Prison because of her disciple's life."

Yu Yuan gently pushed the bottle back towards her and, with a reassuring smile, declined, "I'm fine, thank you."

While seated on the mountain refined by the Golden Elephant Ancient God, Yu Yuan had already consumed pellets to restore his Qi and blood. With a slight activation of the Evil Body Refining Skill, he drew upon the essence of Qi and blood from the Blood Sacrificial Altar. His once ghastly wounds now seemed stitched together, the bleeding halting swiftly as the injuries mended at an astonishing rate.

"Remarkable," the Raven Lord, now in human form, marveled at the sight. "The Evil Sect's body refining techniques are truly formidable. Your wounds are nearly healed in such a short time."

"Ancestor, are you blind?" The little grey crow perched on Raven Lord's shoulder squawked in a piercing tone. "The Evil Body Refining Skill and the Ancient Desolate Realm's Void True Spell couldn't possibly heal his injuries this fast. Are you telling me you didn't detect the scent of Qi and blood essence he's been releasing?"

"Silence, you impudent child!" The Raven Lord huffed, swiping at the crow.

Nimbly dodging the blow, the little grey crow took flight, settling on Zhao Yafu's shoulder, undeterred. It continued its tirade, "That accursed old dragon and Zhongli have taken a keen interest in him. I knew there was something extraordinary about him."

Zhao Yafu nodded in agreement. "Little Grey is never wrong."

With a focused gaze on Yu Yuan's chest, at the site of the Profound Gate Acupoint, she continued, "The qi and blood you use for healing carry the scent of amber pine. I sense something extraordinary about your microcosm of qi and blood."

Yu Yuan offered a wry smile, choosing not to elaborate further.

In the Sword Prison, an Evil Demon from the Blood God Cult had recognized the exceptional origin of the Blood Sacrificial Altar, which had sparked his avarice. This same demon, having drawn too much power from the Sword Prison, ended up trapped by the Evil Cauldron and transformed into the second Evil Demon.

Before his attempt to flee the Desolate Swamp, he had communicated with the cauldron soul and learned of the imminent formation of the second Evil Demon. His intention had been to inquire about the altar's origins from this new entity. However, the Evil Cauldron, along with the sword sheath and sword soul, were ultimately separated.

Loong Jie, Zhongli, Ji Ningshuang, and even Zhao Yafu herself had either perceived or fully grasped the marvels of the blood sacrifice altar. This convinced Yu Yuan of the altar's significance, crafted as it was from the Giant Beast Soul Amber of the Chaos Roc.

The passage of time in the Golden Mountain accelerated.

Yu Yuan, with a furrowed brow, faced the Desolate Swamp, lost in thought. Yan Qiling was supposed to have emerged from the swamp alongside him, but as they neared their departure, only Yu Yuan was expelled, stripped of the Evil Cauldron, sword sheath, and sword soul.

Yan Qiling was likely still within the Desolate Swamp. Given the Desolate God's past ties with the Divine Soul Sect and knowledge of their history, it seemed he had purposefully kept Yan Qiling back for his own benefit.

Ji Ningshuang, Tang Zheng, the Golden Elephant Ancient God, and the two formidable practitioners from the Profound Sky Sect and Devil Palace stood vigil outside the Desolate Swamp. Their presence served a dual purpose: to prevent the escape of any more evil demons and to await the decisions of the Chaos Roc, Lim Zhuyun, and President Lyi regarding their departure from the swamp.

Moreover, it appeared they were poised to enter negotiations with the Desolate God.

Ji Ningshuang and the other four elite cultivators represented the pinnacle of power from the five factions of the Boundless Land. Their presence here was a statement in itself.

Even the Desolate God, as a Tenth Level Demon God, owes an explanation for the chaos it has caused.

Otherwise, the Desolate God might remain unscathed, hidden away in the Great Swamp.

But for those who have left the Desolate God's Great Swamp, the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Level Demons under its command, their fate looks grim if the five supreme sects unite against them.

The Desolate God, out of concern for its followers, must provide some answers to Ji Ningshuang and the rest.

"If the Desolate God lends its aid from the shadows, the Chaos Roc, Lim Zhuyun, President Lyi, and others should manage to slip away." Yu Yuan mused, considering that beings like the Chaos Roc could delve deep into the Great Swamp and, using Earth Shrinking Secret Arts, evade detection and escape right under Ji Ningshuang and the others' noses.

Now, it all depends on the Desolate God's next move.

"I'll put this matter to rest for the time being. Once the situation in the Great Swamp settles, I'll return to claim what's mine." Having made his decision, Yu Yuan planned to look after the Demons that had flooded into the Great Swamp upon his return to the Absence Relic.

In the Great Swamp, the Desolate God hadn't attacked him recklessly as he had anticipated.

Instead, due to his covert connection with the Divine Soul Sect, he had received considerable support.

The Golden Mountain, refined by the Golden Elephant Ancient God, had moved with astonishing speed. In just half a day, it had traversed the Divine Might Empire's borders and materialized above the Absence Relic.

"Zhou, your true self has returned to the Quietus Continent, while your Yang God form campaigns in the Outland Star River."

Upon entering the Absence Relic, Xu Zixi, the Python Queen, spoke with a touch of resentment, "You left without even saying goodbye, you heartless dog of a man!"

Yu Yuan immediately recognized that she referred to the White-robed Imperial Advisor, Zhou Cangmin.

"What's the rush?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"The situation outside is quite chaotic," replied the Raven Lord. "And it's not just external turmoil; the Boundless Land has been unstable lately. Oh, and Yu Zhu hasn't returned yet; it'll be a while. Lord Golden Elephant sent a message for me to tell you not to leave the Absence Relic until he arrives."

Yu Yuan's expression darkened. "Is the Demon Palace trying to imprison me?"

"It's for your protection," Xu Zixi interjected. "You've been at the heart of many incidents: the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, the Ember Waters, and the Desolate Swamp. You've been the catalyst, causing massive upheavals. Your moniker as the God of Plagues isn't just circulating within the Chamber of Commerce—it's spreading across numerous sects now."

A look of distress crossed Yu Yuan's face. "All just coincidences."

"Regardless, you've caught the attention of many, including Tang Zheng," Xu Zixi said gravely. "The Absence Relic is under the Demon Palace's jurisdiction. You'll be under their protection there. For the time being, the Raven Lord will personally oversee the area to prevent any mishaps."

"Is there someone out there who wants me dead?" Yu Yuan asked, his voice heavy.

"Some may want you dead, others might aim to capture you alive to extract your secrets through a soul-searching technique," Xu Zixi revealed. "Either way, stay within the Absence Relic for the near future."

"What about Darkmoon?"

"Should you need to return to Darkmoon, let me know ahead of time. I'll accompany you," Xu Zixi offered.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The Golden Mountain that Zhan Tianxiang was aboard began to tremble violently in the sky.

He glanced down and announced, "Someone below is attempting to ascend to the Yang God Stage! Their cultivation technique is linked to the power of metal!"

Yu Yuan peered down and exclaimed, "It's the Rogue Cultivator Liang Jingyin!"

"Liang Jingyin?" Xu Zixi huffed.

"Tianxiang, sabotage his efforts discreetly—don't let him break through!" Yu Yuan commanded.

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