C638 Outside the City of Afnetalos!

Yu Yuan approached Lord Dusk Raven with a request to travel to the Scarlet Dunes.

Dusk Raven, who was currently overseeing the Lost Lands, sought the counsel of the Golden Elephant God via a demon soul. Once the Golden Elephant God consented, Dusk Raven promptly granted Yu Yuan permission to depart.

Dusk Raven informed Yu Yuan that Zhan Tianxiang and Zhao Yafu would soon be returning from the Shadowlight Empire, suggesting that the trio should join forces.

Yu Yuan had been kept in the Forgotten Ruins for his own protection; there were concerns that outside the Ruins, he might become a target for other sects and could be easily captured and confined.

Shadow's Keep felt a responsibility to look after Yu Yuan, especially due to Yu Zhu's involvement.

Yu Yuan had ventured into the Godsblight Marsh on behalf of Shadow's Keep, after all.

Another reason for keeping Yu Yuan was that the Golden Elephant God wished to personally inquire about the events that transpired in the Godsblight Marsh upon his return.

However, through exchanges with Untamed, Shadow's Keep had already learned much about the Sword Prison, the Abyssal Leviathan, and President Lyi.

Untamed, being an archdemon, had only briefly communicated with the Golden Elephant God from Shadow's Keep, explaining that Yu Yuan had been manipulated by President Lyi and had his consciousness briefly overtaken by the Evil Statue.

As old acquaintances, the Golden Elephant God was more inclined to trust Untamed, and his decision to allow Yu Yuan to proceed was influenced by Untamed's involvement.

Untamed had shared a great deal about Yu Yuan's situation, but remained steadfast on the issue of the Abyssal Leviathan's fate, maintaining significant reservations.

The standoff at the Marsh persisted.

Yu Yuan, in the meantime, was busy with preparations.

The extra twenty thousand soulstones he had earned from the Skyreach Consortium for selling information were now exhausted at the Gavanas branch of the Chamber of Commerce. He had acquired a small defensive array, the flesh and blood of vitality-rich Fellbeasts, and numerous fire attribute crystals.

Another deep night fell.

Yu Yuan was meticulously inventorying the herbs, pills, and various magic items within his Bracelet of Holding, deep in contemplation.

Suddenly, the portly figure of Tong Laoqian glided in like a specter, murmuring softly, "The pills are all sold out."

"How many soulstones did you sell?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"Seven hundred and thirty thousand soulstones. I've exchanged them for Soul Crystals and Psicrystals," Tong Laoqian replied with a smile. As he spoke, he glanced around the room, taking in the array of banners and the flow of spiritual energy. "We need to be cautious. Gavanas is filled with all sorts these days."

The sixteen banners were so potent that not even the remnant souls of those in the Spirit Walk state could penetrate them.

Within the array, the conversation between him and Yu Yuan was private—imperceptible and invisible to others.

In the vast Forgotten Ruins, only the Dusk Raven stood as an eighth-level cultivator. Yet, as a demon, Dusk Raven's sensitivity to the nuances of remnant souls was significantly less than that of a human cultivator.

With the sixteen banners in place, he had no concerns about being detected.

Tong Laoqian transferred sparkling, translucent Soul Crystals and Psicrystals from his Cosmos Ring to Yu Yuan's Bracelet of Holding.

In no time, Yu Yuan employed his spiritual sense to survey the contents of the bracelet. He saw a small mountain of Soul Crystals and Psicrystals, along with an array of cultivation materials prepared for his use.

"Is your Jade Tower now situated in the subterranean veins of Ochre Mountain?" Yu Yuan inquired.

"Yes, repairs are underway," Tong Laoqian said with a wide grin. "Liang Jingyin is gone, but the foundation of Ochre Mountain remains. Zhan Tianxiang has recalibrated the underground array using the Sunsilver Throne. Thanks to you, I might be able to restore the Jade Tower to its former glory!"

Yu Yuan nodded. "That's good to hear."

"Are you really set on heading to the Scarlet Dunes? I've heard that the area is currently unstable, with Terra Fiends, various malevolent spirits, and Sky Fiends emerging," Tong Laoqian expressed genuine concern. "Previously, I would have believed you'd be safe. But considering the events at Godsblight Marsh and the loss of the sword sheath..."

The Evil Demon magnate was released from the Sword Prison because of him, and the Evil Statue entered the Moonfall Sanctuary. Yu Yuan had played a significant role in these events.

He ventured into the Godsblight Marsh on account of Shadow's Keep, which in turn shielded him within the Forgotten Ruins.

Yet, upon his arrival at the Scarlet Dunes, would the cultivators from the upper sects, the Devil Palace, and the seven lower sects direct their ire toward him?

"Don't worry about it," Yu Yuan said with an air of indifference.

Seeing that further persuasion was futile, Tong Laoqian nodded and took his leave.

Later, Yu Yuan sought out Qin Yun to discuss several matters, particularly warning him to keep an eye on Asvetaesi's new mayor, Gao Zhengxing. Should Gao Zhengxing prove to be too reckless, Qin Yun was to seek assistance from Xu Zixi.

Five days later, Yuan Lianyao's wounds had completely healed, thanks to the Violet Spirit Elixir.

She approached Yu Yuan once more, relaying that the Ruby Hand had summoned her to the sect's main headquarters in the Land of Quiescence urgently, as the turmoil in the Scarlet Dunes was not her battle to fight.

Yuan Lianyao proposed that Yu Yuan accompany her to the Ruby Hand, suggesting it would be ideal for him to join the sect.

Yu Yuan declined her proposal yet again, leaving her no choice but to return alone.

Two days later, Zhan Tianxiang, Zhao Yafu, and seven other young cultivators of human descent, who had been studying the Shadow's Keep's spells, returned from the Shadowlight Empire.

Like them, these individuals were set to represent Shadow's Keep in the Scarlet Dunes.

Yu Yuan was among this group.

In the sweltering heat at the heart of Gavanas, the teleportation circle was crowded with youthful cultivators.

Yu Yuan, Zhan Tianxiang, Zhao Yafu, Hou Tianzhao, Liu Ying, Lin Yue, Chi Yin, and others were all there, engaged in hushed conversations about the current state of affairs in the Scarlet Dunes.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy channels beneath the teleportation circle burst into a stream of light.

The rune circle roared to life.

Shortly thereafter, everyone on the teleportation circle vanished without a trace.

Following their departure, the next batch of individuals stepped onto the circle, continuing the cycle of teleportation.

After repeating this process five times, the teleportation circle, constructed by the Ethereal Void Sect in the Forgotten Ruins, finally settled into silence.

In a secluded corner of the tower, the ethereal shadow of Chong Xiao's Lunar Spirit lingered, seemingly fixated on the rune circle.

"Sage, has Liang Jingyin truly perished?" Liu Xiao, clad as an elderly woman, stood behind the Lunar Spirit of Chong Xiao, both gazing at the teleportation circle. She spoke in a hushed tone, "This independent cultivator was convinced by you, Sage, to join our Ethereal Void Sect after achieving his Solar Spirit."

Recruiting a Solar Spirit to serve as a counselor for the sect was a significant feat. For a lower sect like Ethereal Void, which had few Solar Spirits, each one was invaluable. The sect had invested heavily in Liang Jingyin.

His untimely death meant not only the loss of Chong Xiao's efforts but also the potential for the sect to hold him accountable for the mishap.

"The Shadow's Keep wanted him dead. Within the Forgotten Ruins, our hands were tied," Chong Xiao's Lunar Spirit stated, emotionless, his back to Liu Xiao. "He failed to rapidly form his Solar Spirit, especially at the critical moment of Yu Yuan's return and his encounter with Zhan Tianxiang..."

"It was simply Liang Jingyin's destiny."

After a brief pause, Chong Xiao added somberly, "As for Yu Yuan, we are powerless in the Forgotten Ruins, but now that he has ventured into the Scarlet Dunes..."

With those words, his phantom subtly shifted and vanished without a trace.

...

At the Chen family's teleportation circle just outside the city of Afnetalos, Yu Yuan materialized amidst the pulsating energies of the rune circle.

"Yu Yuan!" Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect called out upon spotting him.

"Yu Yuan!"

"That's Yu Yuan!"

"The God of Plagues from Asvetaesi?"

The revelation sent ripples through the crowd of young cultivators encircling the teleportation circle, igniting a flurry of excitement.

Caught off guard by the sudden attention, Yu Yuan stood there, stunned. "Wow, what a crowd!" he exclaimed.

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