C642 I Have Been Found!

The moonlight cast a cold, serene glow over the stillness of the night.

Outside the Moonfall Sanctuary, a tall figure arrived in silence.

"Lord."

"Lord."

His presence prompted hidden cultivators from the Sunlit Order, stationed at the entrance to the Serpent Spine Mountains, to emerge and pay their respects.

The Menend Hill contingent had been on watch for half a month, tasked with uncovering the events that had transpired within the Moonfall Sanctuary. Yet, despite their efforts, they remained barred from entry and thus, without answers.

The arrival in question was none other than Feng Pu, the Lord of Menend Hill, a middle-period Unbound cultivator. With his full beard and worn attire, he bore the appearance of a disheveled vagrant, weathered and in need of sustenance.

Upon his arrival, the spiritual energy within a thousand miles of the sanctuary subtly shifted. The divine force of the Serpent Spine Mountains, along with the subterranean fire sources, began to stir and gravitate towards him as if drawn by a magnet.

In the Unbound realm, a cultivator's mere presence could sway the natural world and bring about change.

Standing at the threshold of the sanctuary, Feng Pu gazed up at the undulating patterns of the Soulforge Matrix and inquired, "When was it discovered that this formation had been fully activated?"

"About a month and a half ago, Zhou Cangmin, a Hellbreed from the Ruby Hand, first detected the anomaly," explained a woman with her hair neatly coiffed. "When Zhou Cangmin alerted the various sects, they initially dismissed it as such occurrences were not uncommon."

"It was only later, upon learning that the Evil Statue had been transported from the Godsblight Marsh to the sanctuary, that the matter was taken seriously."

She spoke with a furrowed brow and a deep sigh.

The Crimson Sun Empire and the Shadowlight Empire were locked in fierce combat. Following Zhou Cangmin's departure, the Crimson Sun Empire's ruler seemed to lose his resolve, suffering defeat after defeat at the hands of the Shadowlight Empire.

It was widely believed that the Sunlit Order was the Crimson Sun Empire's staunchest ally. Their failure cast doubts on the Order's strength.

A cascade of troubles ensued, leaving the woman traversing Aetherius overwhelmed and beleaguered.

Feng Pu nodded slightly as he listened.

Whoosh!

A dark red shield was released by Feng Pu, soaring into the sky.

The Soulforge Matrix seemed to detect an unusual presence, its surface light screen suddenly illuminating with a dazzling moonlight glow.

Refined beams of moonlight cascaded from the heavens, infusing the light screen with energy, while a torrent of spiritual energy within the forbidden area resonated, seemingly fortifying the Soulforge Matrix.

Feng Pu, having released the shield, remained composed as he sensed the Soulforge Matrix's turbulence.

After a moment, he retrieved the shield from the sky and inquired, "I heard there was once a young man from Asvetaesi who could freely come and go through this rune circle?"

"His name is Yu Yuan."

"Where is he now?" Feng Pu asked.

"It seems he's gone to the Scarlet Dunes, aiming to eradicate evil alongside the trial-taker from Shadow's Keep," the woman responded.

"Notify Shadow's Keep that a significant upheaval is imminent in the Moonfall Sanctuary. Even with my power, breaking through is a challenge," Feng Pu commanded. "Have Shadow's Keep summon Yu Yuan to venture inside the forbidden area and investigate the situation."

"Lord, what are you thinking?" the woman asked, taken aback.

"The Evil Statue has fallen into the sanctuary. I fear the space channel linking to the extraterrestrial Star River may have already opened," Feng Pu sighed. "If that's the case, we're in for serious trouble."

The woman's expression turned grave as she exclaimed, "I'll contact Shadow's Keep immediately!"

She was acutely aware of the grave consequences should the space channel spiral out of control.

...

In the subterranean city of Afnetalos.

Chen Liangquan, an Inhuman, watched with delight as Yu Yuan employed the Evil Body Refining technique, aided by the Blood Altar, to consume the residual vitality of a seventh-level archdemon.

Yu Yuan was in this very room, once again purifying his body and strengthening his bones and organs.

Chen Liangquan kept him company with an air of leisure.

As Yu Yuan honed his corporeal body, Chen Liangquan used a special communication device to issue commands, ensuring the smooth operation of Afnetalos's underground realm.

Five days later.

The drained skeletal remains of the seventh-level archdemon had been tidied away, making the room appear much more spacious. Chen Liangquan smiled as he observed Yu Yuan gradually awakening.

"The folks at Shadow's Keep are looking for you."

Yu Yuan's eyes snapped open. Before he could marvel at the peculiar Blood Altar and gauge the benefits of his recent physical refinement, Chen Liangquan's unexpected words reached him.

"Uncle Chen, you were the one who brought me here from Shadow's Keep because someone wanted to meet me," Yu Yuan replied while internally examining himself with his spiritual sense. "It's been some time since I've been out of their sight. Isn't it natural for them to seek me out through the Chen family?"

Despite being stripped of its Demon Heart and having its sinews and bones harvested, the seventh-level archdemon's vitality remained formidable.

The residual vitality was drawn into the Blood Altar; some merged with the altar itself, while the rest bolstered his corporeal body.

Evil Body Refining, much like the Ancient Echoes of the Void, was an extraordinary spell capable of steadily strengthening the corporeal body.

As Yu Yuan attuned to his senses, he discovered a quiet accumulation of vitality essence within his bones and organs.

"Hmm?"

He suddenly noticed an astonishing detail.

The sword light branded into his arm bones was siphoning vitality from within him!

The sword light, etched upon his arm bones, coiled like malevolent dragons and anacondas.

This sword light was, in fact, the sword spell etched into the bone, designed for him to grasp and perceive the true essence of the sword, enabling him to activate it in crucial moments and coordinate with the sword spirit to battle foes.

However, the sword light's power was meant for a single use. Once expended, the sword spell's imprint remained, but its power did not.

The power left behind by the cultivator known as Moon Slayer was not self-replenishing. It could only be restored from within the sword sheath and the walls of the Soulforge Pool, allowing him to wield the sword anew.

Yet now, Yu Yuan was amazed to find that the sword light and sword scars branded on his arm bone seemed to be slightly gathering traces of sword power.

This was possible through the Blood Altar in his Golden Sanctum, his middle elixir field, and the filaments of spiritual sense within his consciousness.

The fusion of spiritual energy, vitality, and spiritual sense could coalesce the sword light and sword scars within his arm bone into tangible sword power.

"So, it's not irrecoverable after all! The condensation of the sword's power requires the melding of three forces. It seems my previous cultivation level was insufficient! Perhaps it's also because, during my time in the Sword Prison, my spiritual sense had just begun to form, and I truly started to understand the sword spell, grasping its situation and the sword's will!"

Yu Yuan's expression quivered slightly, his excitement palpable due to the transformation of his arm bone. At this juncture, with the sword spirit gone and the sword sheath stripped away, the fact that the sword light etched into his arm bone could once again coalesce into sword power suggested a tantalizing possibility: might he, upon fully grasping the intricacies of the sword's will, be capable of unleashing the sword spell of the legendary cultivator known as Moon Slayer?

"The Shadow's Keep isn't summoning you to the Scarlet Dunes for training," Chen Liangquan said, a hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "The disturbance at the Moonfall Sanctuary has caught the attention of the three upper sects, the Devil Palace, and the Shadow's Keep. Penetrating the fully activated Soulforge Matrix is no simple feat, and certainly not within the reach of a mere Unbound cultivator."

"Moonfall Sanctuary!"

At the mention of those words, Yu Yuan's fears were confirmed—the very thing he dreaded most had come to pass. His hurried journey to the Scarlet Dunes was an attempt to stay hidden, to elude the upper sects, the Devil Palace, and the Shadow's Keep. He had no desire to be at the beck and call of the Shadow's Keep, probing into the mysteries of the Moonfall Sanctuary.

He had already glimpsed the situation within through his Fallen Star Eyes. Knowing the chaos that reigned there was precisely why he wished to avoid it.

"You don't want the Shadow's Keep to know your whereabouts, do you?" Chen Liangquan asked, his smile widening.

Yu Yuan's heart skipped a beat, though he managed to keep his composure. "The Shadow's Keep has been good to me. I would heed their commands, provided they don't send me to my doom."

"No, that's not the case," Chen Liangquan countered, shaking his head as if he'd already unraveled Yu Yuan's innermost thoughts. "If you were truly obedient to the Shadow's Keep, you wouldn't have hurried here. Nor do you genuinely wish to train in the Scarlet Dunes. You're simply seeking a place to hide, somewhere you can remain undetected for the time being."

Yu Yuan rose languidly from his seated position. "Why did you have me absorb the residual vitality of an archdemon?"

"I believe that our paths are aligned," Chen Liangquan replied earnestly.

"Our paths? You and I?" Yu Yuan scoffed.

"Sooner or later," Chen Liangquan said with a chuckle. "Look, the Untamed has learned of your presence here and has sent back what was rightfully yours all along."

The Crucible of Evil and the scabbard, enveloped in two orbs of bloody light, materialized in the palms of his hands.

Yu Yuan's eyes widened, his breath quickening. "Untamed, did you know I was here and sent these to me? Didn't he say I should come and retrieve them later?"

The sight of the Crucible of Evil and the scabbard made it difficult for Yu Yuan to stay calm!

Both items, acquired through immense hardship, were crucial to his cultivation and the enhancement of his combat abilities. On the verge of regaining them, his excitement was undeniable.

"Take them," Chen Liangquan offered.

Yu Yuan extended his hands to accept them. As his fingers made contact with the bloody lights, they trembled violently, as if discerning his identity.

In a flash, the bloody lights receded, and the Crucible of Evil and the scabbard settled into his grasp.

"Master!"

The cauldron spirit's jubilant voice emanated from within the Crucible of Evil.

The moment he touched the scabbard, the sword spirit soared out from its base and concealed itself within the sword light imprints on his arm bones, just as before.

The sword spirit, too, was overcome with excitement, seemingly thrilled at the prospect of gathering sword force independently.

"The item has returned to its rightful owner," Chen Liangquan said with a smile, then added, "Untamed, I hope you will undertake a task for him."

"What task?"

"First and foremost, conceal yourself well to avoid detection by Shadow's Keep."

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