C624 A Hindrance in the Way!

"Steady now!"

Zhu Peining, from within the battered Jade Tower, urgently called out to Tong Laoqian as they drew closer to the Sunsilver Throne, cautioning him to avoid getting overly excited and risking the collapse of the Jade Tower.

"Crack! Crack!"

The dilapidated Jade Tower emitted cracking sounds, and the iron-hardened earth beneath began to fissure.

The Sunsilver Throne, crafted by the Golden Elephant God—a tenth level Dark Deity—was the product of his demon energy after a millennium of devoted refinement, bringing it to the brink of being a Divine Artifact.

This Divine Throne had the power to transform all known gold mines and iron mountains in the Everlands, including the vein patterns deep beneath the surface.

Constructed of gold and jade, the Jade Tower was inherently dominated by the Sunsilver Throne. As it neared, it reacted like a lesser archdemon in the presence of an eighth or ninth level archdemon—instinctively filled with fear, trembling, and unease.

Already gravely damaged, the Jade Tower's fear of the Sunsilver Throne only deepened.

Tong Laoqian's face, once alight with joy, now contorted with panic. Heedful of Zhu Peining's warning, he scrambled to stabilize the Jade Tower.

As the Jade Tower contracted, Zhu Peining, Jiang Yurong, and Gao Qin swiftly made their exit. Approaching the Gold Mountain, Zhu Peining called out, "Zhu Peining of the Skyreach Consortium pays respects to Lord Dusk Raven and the Python Queen."

Dusk Raven offered a wry smile and a nod, but remained silent.

As an eighth level archdemon, equivalent to a human Solar Spirit cultivator and a member of Shadow's Keep, he naturally felt a sense of superiority when dealing with Zhu Peining of the Spirit Walk stage.

Only the three Solar Spirit Realm guardians of Celestial Isle could consider themselves his equals.

In both strength and status, Zhu Peining was outmatched.

Xu Zixi greeted them with a smile, then with a furrowed brow, she inquired, "Do you also intend to prevent Liang Jingyin from condensing his Solar Spirit?"

"We entertain the thought, but alas... in the Forgotten Ruins, we lack the strength," Zhu Peining admitted openly, without any attempt to conceal her intentions. "Liang Jingyin and our consortium have a history of enmity. We've made moves against him more than once."

She let out a faint sigh, her tone shifting dramatically, "It will be even harder for him to refine the Solar Spirit now."

"Yu Yuan!"

Tong Laoqian, having stowed the Jade Tower in his sleeve, approached with a beaming smile, calling out as he came.

Zhan Tianxiang gave Yu Yuan a look, to which Yu Yuan responded with a subtle nod.

Whoosh!

Tong Laoqian's plump figure seemed to pierce through an invisible ripple, landing firmly on the Sunsilver Throne. He exclaimed, "Liang Jingyin is in the midst of condensing the Solar Spirit. I..."

Yu Yuan cut in decisively, "Rest assured, he won't succeed!"

Tong Laoqian's face lit up with delight, "I knew it! My decision in the Sundering Isles couldn't possibly be wrong!"

"Sage, save me!"

Ochre Mountain quaked violently like a towering structure, with boulders tumbling down. Invisible to the naked eye, streams of golden light flowed like liquid gold from the peak down to the gold veins at the mountain's base.

Zhan Tianxiang's grin was cruel as he laughed, "In the presence of the Sunsilver Throne, did you really think you could use the underground gold veins to forge the bones of the Solar Spirit without consulting this Gold Mountain?"

At his words, the onlookers were astonished to see a stunning golden aura emanating from the fissures that had split open the earth below.

Dusk Raven narrowed his eyes, peering through his eighth-level demon soul. He could discern what seemed like millions of gold, silver, and dark green lines, woven from gold dust, iron filings, and pure silver, coalescing into countless golden dragons, iron serpents, and silver snakes, writhing through the subterranean world, forcibly altering the alignment of the Sunsilver array.

Had Liang Jingyin not been in the midst of a boundary breakthrough, Zhan Tianxiang, even with the Sunsilver Throne at his command, would have been powerless against him.

But fate had it that at the pivotal moment of his breakthrough, not only did Zhan Tianxiang arrive, but he also brought with him the Golden Elephant God's Gold Mountain!

"Ah!"

The independent cultivator Liang Jingyin let out a harrowing scream, so piercing it sent shivers down the spines of those who heard it.

Within the mountain, invisible to the eye, Liang Jingyin, shrouded by the five-tiered pagoda, hadn't yet fully formed the Solar Spirit before it began to disintegrate and collapse.

A golden spine, bridging head and tail, suddenly snapped.

Should the breakthrough of the Solar Spirit fail, the Solar Spirit would burst, severely injuring or even dissipating the heaven soul.

For Liang Jingyin, the decline in his cultivation was the least of his worries. Without his Solar Spirit, he would be missing one of the three souls of heaven, earth, and man, forever stunting his progress and extinguishing any hope of ever refining another Solar Spirit.

This would be a catastrophic blow to Liang Jingyin!

"Save me! Please, save me!"

Liang Jingyin's screams morphed into wails of despair, echoing through the heavens and earth.

Intelligent life within a hundred-mile radius could clearly hear his agonized cries.

"Exhilarating!"

Tong Laoqian roared with laughter, recalling Liang Jingyin's recent haughtiness. His laughter was deep and satisfying, feeling as though all the frustrations since his return to the Forgotten Ruins had been released.

"He got what he deserved!"

Zhu Peining of the Skyreach Consortium watched the tumultuous events at Ochre Mountain with an icy gaze, taking pleasure in Liang Jingyin's lamentations.

Liang Jingyin had not only plundered the consortium's resources but had also murdered its deacons and leaders, including women and children.

His deeds were beyond redemption, and the consortium was resolute in their pursuit to eliminate him.

One group sent to hunt him down had been ambushed and slaughtered by Liang Jingyin and other rogue cultivators. A loyal deacon of the consortium had been flayed by Liang Jingyin and grotesquely displayed on the shattered hull of a merchant ship, a grisly insult to the consortium.

"Sage, oh Sage, save me!"

Liang Jingyin continued to cry out in desperation.

Whoosh!

A wraith-like Lunar Spirit, reluctantly, drifted from the shadows hundreds of miles away. In mere moments, it manifested within the trembling shadows of Ochre Mountain.

The visitor's silhouette was elusive against the backlight of the shadows, yet the presence of their soul was unmistakably potent.

"Lord Dusk Raven, may I implore you to show leniency on behalf of the Ethereal Void Sect and spare this individual?" Chong Xiao, whose true form was obscured by shadows, made his plea to Dusk Raven seated upon the Sunsilver Throne. "I oversee the Forgotten Ruins, ensuring the teleportation circle is maintained and facilitating all conveniences for Shadow's Keep. The revenue from Gavanas and the teleportation circle will be shared with Master Yu Zhu as per our agreement."

"The Ethereal Void Sect's actions within the Forgotten Ruins have not contravened the wishes of Shadow's Keep."

"Lord Dusk Raven, this independent cultivator is indeed favored by the Ethereal Void Sect. His advancement in cultivating the Solar Spirit may seem slightly excessive, but I earnestly request that you look the other way."

Within the vast expanse of the Forgotten Ruins, the Ethereal Void Sect's power is second only to that of Shadow's Keep, bolstered by their own teleportation circle in the Lost Lands.

Shadow's Keep has decreed that cultivators of the seventh level and those beyond the Spirit Walk Stage are forbidden from entering the Forgotten Ruins. Chong Xiao may well be the sole exception, as Shadow's Keep has sanctioned his Lunar Spirit to oversee the teleportation circle within the Lost Lands. Beyond Shadow's Keep, Chong Xiao is a figure of unique privilege in the Forgotten Ruins.

"Lord Dusk Raven!" Zhan Tianxiang's expression turned grim as he glared and bellowed, "Who does Liang Jingyin think he is? Having crossed Yu Yuan, he has no right to pursue the Solar Spirit within the Lost Lands! If he succeeds in solidifying the Solar Spirit, he would be in direct violation of Shadow's Keep's edicts!"

Zhan Tianxiang was indifferent to Liang Jingyin's identity or his ties to the Ethereal Void Sect; his loyalty lay unwaveringly with Yu Yuan.

Zhao Yafu added, "Lord Dusk Raven, Ochre Mountain is Master Yu Zhu's personal domain! Should this man succeed in manifesting the Solar Spirit, Ochre Mountain will be ruined. His success hinges on the destruction of Ochre Mountain and the Forgotten Ruins, which should not be permitted."

"The young ones make a compelling argument," concurred Xu Zixi.

The Shadow's Keep had instructed Dusk Raven to take temporary command of the Forgotten Ruins, stepping in for Yu Zhu to manage the unfolding events. This eighth-level archdemon was now the de facto ruler of the area.

Dusk Raven, in his true form, was the most formidable being present, far outmatching Chong Xiao, who was merely a Lunar Spirit.

The opinions, attitudes, and words of Dusk Raven had become the unbreakable laws of the Lost Lands.

Tong Laoqian watched the gaunt elder from the Shadow's Keep, his heart filled with trepidation.

Yu Yuan spoke softly, "If Liang Jingyin can manage to refine his Solar Spirit at Ochre Mountain, I'll attempt to convince Yu Zhu to break ties with the Shadow's Keep upon her return."

A glint of malice flashed in Dusk Raven's eyes as he took a deep breath and glared at Yu Yuan.

Unintimidated, Yu Yuan stated, "I've made my position clear. The next move is yours."

"You insolent boy, you dare to threaten me, Grandpa Raven!" A lower-ranked crow, seething with anger, lunged at Yu Yuan, aiming for his eyes.

Zhao Yafu swiftly caught the crow by its claws, yanking it out of the air.

"Well done, you have the audacity to negotiate with the Shadow's Keep! If it weren't for the Golden Elephant, Tang Zheng's assault would have shattered your soul. You show no gratitude and still dare to speak to me in such a manner!" Dusk Raven retorted icily.

"I entered the Marsh on the Shadow's Keep's orders. I still hold the Crucible of Evil, and in the process, I lost the sword sheath," Yu Yuan countered, his expression stern. "I haven't even sought compensation from the Shadow's Keep. Is it not a given that the Shadow's Keep should protect those who risk their lives for it?"

"You are not one of us!" Dusk Raven screeched once more.

Yu Yuan just smirked oddly, choosing not to continue the argument.

With a deep breath and a belly full of rage, Dusk Raven declared, "A cultivator who hasn't ascended to the Solar Spirit is worthless and can be easily disposed of!"

From the palm of his hand, a Palace of Bones took flight, making its way slowly toward Ochre Mountain.

The sound of Liang Jingyin's despairing cries rose in pitch, echoing through the air like the wails of tormented spirits.

...