C628 Evil King Yu Xi

A wisp of spiritual sense silently permeated the earth like a tendril of smoke.

Yu Yuan, with his eyes closed, sensed his spiritual sense diving beneath the surface, feeling as though a hand was brushing against the soil of the underground.

Before long, his spiritual sense encountered a stone slab, both hard and cool to the touch.

However, the wisp of spiritual sense was unable to penetrate the slab and could not delve any deeper.

Normally, spiritual sense could pass through walls and earth with ease. If this were an ordinary stone slab, the spiritual sense would have passed right through without any hindrance.

Unless, of course, the stone slab buried deep below was engraved with a special array.

With this thought, his spiritual sense, which had penetrated the ground, suddenly detected spiritual energy radiating from the slab, as if it had triggered the array inscribed upon it.

In an instant, a peculiar suction force emerged from the stone slab.

Yu Yuan's body, filled with his unique essence of vitality, instinctively responded. Like his spiritual sense, it surged downward with great force.

Upon reaching the stone slab, the slab hidden beneath the earth sent forth an astonishing wave of energy.

In a flash, his spiritual sense perceived the array above the stone slab, releasing intricate patterns of blood that latched onto his vitality, seemingly deciphering its origins.

"An array capable of analyzing the intricacies of vitality must be from Colddeath!"

Yu Yuan's heart jolted.

Could his grandmother, Yu Ying, be from Colddeath?

This thought was swiftly followed by a surge of overwhelming and formidable vitality power bursting forth from the stone slab.

"Forgeroses!"

Yu Yuan was startled once more, his expression turning complex.

Having interacted with Shen Feiqing and having his physique refined by Zhongli Dapan using the Ancient Echoes of the Void mantra, he was all too familiar with the domineering and powerful nature of Forgeroses' vitality practices.

The underground stone slab, whose dimensions were unknown, contained not only the Colddeath's Blood Vein Array but also the formidable vitality power of Forgeroses.

What was the true background of his aunt, Yu Ying?

With a crackling sound, his vitality was being absorbed by the stone slabs underground, analyzed by one mysterious array after another, as if they were using his vitality to ascertain his identity.

"Only members of the Yu family who have broken through to the Subtlety realm can use their spiritual sense to investigate effectively. It's optimal when they've cultivated the Lunar Spirit, as the Lunar Spirit can penetrate and see with eyes, rather than merely touching."

He reflected on Yu Cen's words.

How could one confirm their lineage as a Yu family member?

The Colddeath's unique Blood Vein Array could discern one's origins through their vitality.

To reach the Subtlety Realm, one must first surpass the Veil Breaking Realm. Only when the middle elixir field is opened and vitality is condensed can it seep deep into the earth.

While he pondered, his vitality seemed to be authenticated, and the spiritual sense that had previously been blocked now effortlessly crossed the stone slab.

Whoosh!

The spiritual sense slipped through the stone slab and descended into an empty little world.

It must be an underground secret chamber.

The spiritual sense attempted to interact with the items in the secret chamber to ascertain what secrets it held. He wondered what exactly the aunt named Yu Ying had left for the Yu family's descendants.

Boom!

The wisp of spiritual sense collided with a remnant soul that carried just a fragment of a message.

The message was instantly perceived by the spiritual sense, and in a flash, both his spiritual sense and vitality shot back from the depths, swiftly returning to his body.

Jolted awake, his expression dramatically shifted.

"Did you find anything?"

The elder, who had cleared the area of all others, eagerly rubbed his hands together.

"Our Yu family has a more illustrious heritage than I ever imagined," Yu Yuan said, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "We are actually descendants of the Evil King, Yu Xi."

"Evil King Yu Xi!"

Yu Cen's frame trembled. "How is that possible? How did I not know? Are you referring to the Evil King Yu Xi from the Skyblight Cult seven hundred years ago?"

"Who else but him would dare claim the title of Evil King?" Yu Yuan replied.

Yu Xi was an unparalleled prodigy of the Skyblight Cult, a once-in-a-millennium talent from seven hundred years ago.

During his tenure as sect master, the Skyblight Cult was the most formidable sect in the Land of Quiescence, rivaled only by the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep.

Back then, the Skyblight Cult was as prominent as the current Ruby Hand, on par with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep.

Seven hundred years ago, Yu Xi was a formidable cultivator in the Primordial Spirit Realm. Legend has it that he was besieged and slain by the Sky Fiend and numerous Otherkin experts in the extraterrestrial realms.

There's a belief that Yu Xi, having achieved his primordial spirit, was too eager to prove himself, leading to his aggressive actions in the extraterrestrial world.

Had Yu Xi survived and successfully returned from the Star River in the extraterrestrial domain, the Skyblight Cult could have ascended to the status of a first-level sect, just like the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep.

The current leader of the Skyblight Cult, a late-stage cultivator in the Unbound Realm, was Yu Xi's hand-chosen disciple.

Yu Yuan's remnant soul revealed to him that the Yu family descended from the Evil King, who had left his lineage in Aetherius before his extraterrestrial campaigns.

If Yu Xi had not perished in that battle seven hundred years ago, the Yu family would have been elevated within the Skyblight Cult, reaching great heights.

Otherwise, the Yu family's origins would remain concealed, never to be disclosed.

"Grandma Ying's message also mentioned that there was more to our ancestor's death, though she couldn't uncover the details," Yu Yuan mused, stroking his chin. "Evil King, if the Yu family descends from the Evil King, then there's the matter of Ann Ziqing inscribed on the stone tablet..."

Yu Cen, the patriarch, was still reeling from the revelation, gripping his fists tightly and murmuring to himself, "Yu family, descendants of the Evil King, Yu Xi, the Evil King..."

After the initial shock subsided, Yu Yuan regained his composure and turned his thoughts to other matters.

Yu Ying had been vague about certain things.

Yu Yuan, having lived two lifetimes, lacked a complete sense of belonging to this one. Thus, learning of his ancestor Yu Xi, the Evil King, only mildly surprised him.

He recalled the tales of the Evil King from his past life.

Seven hundred years ago, Yu Xi was close friends with Tan Xiaotian, the current Demon Lord of the Devil Palace. But his dearest friend was Ann Wen from the Colddeath sect.

At that time, Ann Wen had not yet become the sect master of Colddeath...

There were numerous indications that Ann Ziqing was likely a descendant of Ann Wen, possibly his granddaughter or even his great-granddaughter.

Ann Wen, the sect master of Colddeath, was almost certainly privy to the Yu family's background. It stands to reason that Ann Ziqing's presence in the Yu family was by Ann Wen's directive.

It's possible that Ann Ziqing herself was unaware of the reasons for her stay in Asvetaesi and with the Yu family.

The Huang family, long-standing adversaries of the Yu family, were backed by Colddeath, led by an individual intent on harnessing Asvetaesi to forge a Lunar Spirit.

This could very well be a calculated move by Ann Wen, a strategic facade.

Yu Ying was spotted by passing Forgeroses masters who recognized her exceptional talent. Upon reaching a certain level, she likely learned through Ann Wen that the Yu family descended from the Evil King, Yu Xi.

Yu Ying's return was clandestine. During her work on the stone tablet array, it's probable that members of Colddeath, perhaps even Ann Wen himself, were complicit.

Something significant must be hidden in that underground chamber, but for now, he could only tap into a strand of Soul Power with his spiritual sense.

Without having forged a Lunar Spirit, he couldn't clearly discern what lay within.

"Yu Yuan, is this something we can discuss openly?"

After a moment, the bewildered elder clutched Yu Yuan's arm, his voice tinged with excitement, "The Evil King's progeny... Shouldn't our Yu family acknowledge our lineage and return to our roots? If our Yu family's youth are gifted, wouldn't it be wise to send them to train with the Skyblight Cult?"

"No, that's not an option," Yu Yuan quickly countered, shaking his head. "Ms. Ying, upon her secret return, seemed to be fleeing from the Skyblight Cult's pursuers. She entrusted me with her remnant soul to guard this secret."

"Why would the Skyblight Cult be after her?" Yu Cen demanded.

"Maybe once I've forged a Lunar Spirit, I'll be able to delve into the depths and uncover the truth," Yu Yuan mused, his brow furrowed as he signaled for silence.

Shortly thereafter, Yuan Lianyao arrived, her tone a mix of annoyance and affection, "You've all returned to the city, and yet you didn't come to see me?"

...