C654 Yingye

A delicate green leaf imbued with the essence of plants silently materialized in Yu Yuan's Mindscape. The arrival of this leaf caused Yu Yuan's soul—a fusion of heaven, earth, and man—to momentarily stall. It was as if his ability to think had vanished in an instant.

The ethereal green leaf drifted gently toward his overlapping three souls within the Mindscape. Perhaps due to his sluggish thoughts and misjudgment, the leaf seemed to exude an aura of righteousness. As it approached his soul, Yu Yuan felt the leaf bore goodwill, seeking to moisten and assist his soul in condensing more rapidly.

His spirit surprisingly embraced the leaf's arrival with an open and receptive attitude.

"Master, be careful!"

The cauldron spirit's screeching warning abruptly tore through his soul, jolting Yu Yuan awake. He saw the once gentle leaf in his Mindscape now radiating a sharp, extraordinary light, transforming into a tiny sword aimed at his soul.

At that moment, myriad strands of dark light, like octopus tentacles, entwined around Yu Yuan's head.

Hiss, hiss!

The dark light, brimming with a savage thirst for blood, burst forth in Yu Yuan's Mindscape. Just as the green leaf was about to pierce his soul, the strands of light collided with it, forcing the leaf to retreat bit by bit.

The Crucible of Evil arrived just in time. As the cauldron was about to engulf Yu Yuan, the green leaf vanished without a trace. The threads of light, too, swiftly departed from the cauldron as it was about to envelop Yu Yuan again, retracting deep into the earth.

Within the cauldron's little world, Yu Yuan sat drenched in cold sweat, his expression dark and foreboding. Initially, the Abyssal Leviathan had used the cold moon to target the Fallen Star Eyes and launch an assault. After the Crucible of Evil blocked the first strike, the cosmic giant beast, realizing that this Terror Claws' ultimate treasure was once again in Yu Yuan's possession, promptly abandoned the second wave of attacks.

As a result, the cold extraterrestrial stars faded and concealed themselves. Just when Yu Yuan believed he was safe, an unexpected second wave of attack struck. He narrowly escaped with his soul intact.

"The first wave of attack was from the Abyssal Leviathan, but who launched the second wave with that green leaf?"

Yu Yuan, having narrowly escaped catastrophe, steadied his breathing to regain his composure. "The plant essence obscured my mind, its breath brimming with righteousness, as if aiding in the refinement of my soul. I was completely unaware of its influence. If not for your timely warning, and those beams of light..."

He inhaled deeply before continuing, "Those beams of light?"

"They came from the powerful Terra Fiend deep within the earth," the cauldron spirit responded.

"A Terra Fiend? We ventured to the Scarlet Dunes to slay such Evil Demons, and this Terra Fiend was on our hit list. Why would it assist me?" Yu Yuan asked, bewildered.

"Just a moment."

The cauldron spirit activated the little world within the cauldron, and the enigmatic glyphs prompted Yu Yuan to look up. He felt as though the little world was engulfed by ominous black clouds, swirling chaotically!

With a whoosh, the Crucible of Evil, its mouth facing downward, planted itself firmly on the sandy terrain of the Scarlet Dunes.

Yu Yuan's feet touched the ground, still within the Crucible of Evil. He then noticed the Frost Queen and the Second Bane materializing to his left and right, respectively, standing behind him.

With his rear end upturned and the mouth of the crucible anchored in the sandy earth, Yu Yuan bowed his head to examine the ground beneath him.

A phantom, radiating a fierce and murderous aura, silently ascended from the sands at his feet.

This mysterious Terra Fiend, assuming a human shape, held a beast skin etched with intricate patterns and offered it with reverence.

Speaking clearly in human tongue, the Terra Fiend said, "By the command of the Chen family, I present this beast skin to you, personally crafted by Chen Liangquan."

Yu Yuan, taken aback, uttered, "Chen Liangquan?"

"He is our master," the unnamed Terra Fiend confessed, revealing the truth. "Our master instructed that wearing this beast skin will protect you from three attacks by Yingye of the Ethereal Void Sect. My earlier attempt to connect with the Crucible of Evil was to deliver this beast skin to you, coinciding with Yingye's ambush."

"Ethereal Void Sect! Master Yingye!"

Without hesitation, Yu Yuan seized the beast skin and eyed the Terra Fiend, now in human form but still far from looking human. He spoke gravely, "I have never heard of a Sage named Yingye from the Ethereal Void Sect."

The Ethereal Void Sect did not count this individual among its seven Sages.

"He's the eighth Sage, but the Ethereal Void Sect hasn't made it public because Sage Yingye handles their dirty work in secret," the Terra Fiend explained earnestly. "Sage Yingye is only in the late stages of the Spirit Walk and hasn't ascended to the Solar Spirit level, so he doesn't truly merit the title of Sage."

"Yet, his clandestine contributions to the Ethereal Void Sect have been tacitly acknowledged. He is, in effect, the eighth Sage."

"Your friend, Yuan Lianyao, was ambushed by Sage Yingye just as she was nearing Gavanas. Had the Skyreach Consortium not intervened, she would have perished," the Terra Fiend disclosed.

"Was Yuanyuan gravely injured because of him?"

Yu Yuan felt a surge of anger flare up within him.

He vividly recalled Zhu Peining and Yuan Lianyao speculating about the stealthy attack by the remnant soul.

They had suspected the Sunlit Order or Mo Yan from the Devil Palace, never imagining that it was the Ethereal Void Sect right under their noses.

"Sage Yingye, still in the Spirit Walk Stage and not yet a Solar Spirit, operates within the Forgotten Ruins without breaking Shadow's Keep's laws," the Terra Fiend went on. "Chong Xiao had chosen Liang Jingyin to ascend to Solar Spirit at Ochre Mountain and introduced him to the Ethereal Void Sect as a counselor. Your return from the Marsh and subsequent defeat of Liang Jingyin thwarted Chong Xiao's plans."

"Within the Forgotten Ruins, Chong Xiao had to consider the Shadow's Keep and refrained from attacking you directly, instead sending Yingye to target your friend."

"Now that you've left the Forgotten Ruins, the Shadow's Keep won't keep a constant watch over you."

"Furthermore, since you haven't declared allegiance to either the Shadow's Keep or the Devil Palace, even cultivators with the backing of a sect are expendable below the Solar Spirit Realm. And as for you now?"

The formidable Terra Fiend presented Yu Yuan with a piece of beast skin crafted by Chen Liangquan himself, revealing the full story behind it. This mysterious creature seemed to possess an intricate understanding of the various sect rules within the Everlands, as if concerned that Yu Yuan might not grasp the details, it explained everything with exceptional clarity.

"I am only tasked with delivering this item and explaining its purpose," the Terra Fiend stated before silently retreating underground. Within moments, it had concealed itself thousands of miles beneath the surface, leaving no trace of its presence.

"Yu Yuan!" Liu Ying's voice called out from outside.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Yu Yuan removed his outer garment and donned the beast skin made by Chen Liangquan, then slipped his black robe back on over it.

"Ethereal Void Sect!" He inhaled deeply, his gaze turning icy as he willed the Crucible of Evil to levitate.

Stepping out from the cauldron, he saw Liu Ying standing above the Fallen Star Eyes, signaling to him. "Your unleashing of the Crucible of Evil has drawn the attention of many," she said.

"Many people?" Yu Yuan responded, taken aback.

"Yes, Zhao Yafu, Kong Banbi, and Hou Tianzhao, among others familiar to you, have all been drawn here by the Crucible's emergence," Liu Ying explained with a slight roll of her eyes. "And there are many others whom you may not know personally, but who have certainly heard of your reputation."

Holding the Fallen Star Eyes, she was able to observe the movements of most individuals in the vicinity of the Scarlet Dunes.

"Are there any from the Ethereal Void Sect?" Yu Yuan called out.

"Indeed, they were the quickest to arrive, even faster than Zhao Yafu and Hou Tianzhao," Liu Ying replied, unaware that Yu Yuan had been ambushed twice while she was in meditation within the Fallen Star Eyes. "What's your connection with the Ethereal Void Sect? After all, Wang Jinlin's death in the Forgotten Ruins was in vain."

"Wang Jinlin!" The name sent a jolt through Yu Yuan as he recalled the incident of Chong Xiao's hand-chosen disciple perishing in the Forgotten Ruins.

The Forgotten Ruins had since become Yu Zhu's private domain, tightly held by the Shadow's Keep. The Ethereal Void Sect had established a teleportation circle there long ago, clearly indicating their longstanding interest in the area.

Ultimately, Shadow's Keep emerged as the victor, claiming the lion's share of the profits from the Ethereal Void Sect's teleportation circle and the revenues from Gavanas, all going to Yu Zhu.

Externally, the Ethereal Void Sect maintained a facade of patience, but internally, could they truly be content?

"Where's the Crucible of Evil?"

"Is that Yu Yuan?"

While Liu Ying and Yu Yuan were conversing, a Starskiff carrying dozens of Ethereal Void Sect disciples glided over.

Crafted from over two thousand crystals, the Starskiff radiated a blinding divine glow against the night sky, almost too intense to gaze upon directly.

The Ethereal Void Sect's presence suggested they were aiming to rival the three upper sects. The cost of this single Starskiff was upwards of a million Soul Crystals.

Between constructing another teleportation circle in the Forgotten Ruins and commissioning Starskiffs, it's no surprise that the disciples of the Ethereal Void Sect have grown so haughty.

The disciples whispered among themselves, casting pointed glances at Yu Yuan.

Most of them were convinced that Yu Yuan had stumbled upon incredible luck. The insignificant young master from a ruined family in Asvetaesi, without any sect's backing, had managed to wield the Crucible of Evil and secure the coveted sword sheath, sparking envy among the Ethereal Void's ranks.

"I heard this kid is one of Yuan Lianyao's top followers from the Ruby Hand. A libertine witch like her could only be harbored by a sect such as the Ruby Hand," a woman from the Ethereal Void Sect sneered loudly. "In our hometown, a woman without shame would be dunked in a pig cage."

She continued to belittle Yuan Lianyao, simultaneously insulting Yu Yuan.

"Who is that little wretch?" Yu Yuan asked Liu Ying, nodding toward the woman.

"How should I know her?" Liu Ying replied, shaking her head vigorously. "Though she ought to recognize me. After all, I'm a person of significance in the Starmoon Sect. If I don't know her, she must be an inconsequential character."

"Ah, so she's a nobody trying to make a name for herself," Yu Yuan concluded. Then, with a booming voice that echoed through the area, he bellowed at the woman, "Hey, nobody! Can you shut your foul mouth that's spewing nothing but filth?"

...