C657 Enemy!

The Crystal Boat lay anchored in a realm beyond our own.

Stars were faint, the heavens deep and mysterious—it was a night shrouded in darkness, particularly after the Fallen Star Eyes vanished.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Figures converged from all directions of the Crimson Desert—some riding artifacts, others draped in Celestial Clothing, or soaring on swords.

Their purpose was singular: the emergence of the Evil Cauldron.

"Where's Yu Yuan?"

Zhan Tianxiang, having just returned the Divine Mount to his master, descended like a rampaging elephant, the ground trembling beneath him.

The golden aura of the elephant's shadow only merged into him upon landing.

Brimming with demonic energy, his life force roaring like a cascade, Zhan Tianxiang gazed skyward to behold a black umbrella of colossal scale unfurling.

This Spectral Umbrella spanned hundreds of acres overhead, its interior alive with the swirling power of clouds, like a churning sea of mist.

Even with Zhan Tianxiang's formidable cultivation, the sight sent a shiver through him—it hinted at a conflict beyond his ken.

"Spectral Umbrella!" Kong Banbi, arriving on his sword, cried out in astonishment.

"Nephew Kong."

At the Crystal Boat's prow, Han Xu of the Spirit Void Sect braced himself to greet the newcomer. "It's our junior disciple, Chu Jing, conversing with Lau Ying and Yu within the Spectral World."

Kong Banbi hailed from the Sword Sect. Though not as renowned as Chen Qingyan, he was no less remarkable, having steadily risen to power.

The Sword Sect, an upper echelon like the Spirit Void Sect on the Heavenly Source Continent, commanded respect—which Han Xu was careful to give.

"What exactly is this Spectral Umbrella?"

Zhao Yafu, clad in Celestial Clothing, looked every bit the celestial wanderer adrift in the cosmic river. New to the Boundless Land, she was unaware of the entanglement between Qu Jing and Yu Yuan. "Tell Qu Jing to stow that Spectral Umbrella at once. I need to speak with Yu Yuan."

The fame of the White Divine Tiger was widespread, and Zhao Yafu, a disciple of the Sky Tiger, shone brightly in the Crimson Desert of late. Han Xu certainly knew of her.

"Give me a moment," Han Xu said, rubbing his temples.

Kong Banbi inhaled deeply, his face etched with concern as he eyed the expanded Spectral Umbrella. After a moment's reflection, he spoke, "I'm familiar with Qu Jing's tactics and his temperament. Lau Ying doesn't worry me—I'm confident that neither he nor the Spirit Void Sect will trouble her."

"Who's Qu Jing? Is he after Brother Yu?" Zhao Yafu demanded.

"Qu Jing needs to release him," Kong Banbi stated firmly as he landed, sword in hand, and looked up at Han Xu. "I'm not privy to the issues between your Spirit Void Sect and Yu Yuan, but I urge you to send a message to Qu Jing. Tell him to back off."

"I'm aware you oversee this Crystal Boat and have the means to make Qu Jing listen," he continued.

Han Xu offered a wry smile and nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

He could afford to dismiss Zhao Yafu, Zhan Tianxiang, and the newcomers Hou Tianzhao and Lin Yue, since they hailed from the Quietus Continent and were naturally adversarial. But Kong Banbi was a different story, representing the esteemed Sword Sect from the Heavenly Source Continent. Han Xu had no choice but to comply.

...

In the Illusionary Spirit World within the dark umbrella, under the shimmering icy barrier, Yu Yuan's expression was frosty. "Stop right there!" he commanded.

Lau Ying, her fingers quivering, clutched the diamond-shaped star pendant, poised to tear it off. At his words, her wrist stilled, and she turned her bright, expressive eyes toward him. Her face was a canvas of hurt and reluctance, her emotions too raw to conceal. As now, her heart brimmed with sorrow, plainly written across her features.

"I don't want you to be harmed," Lau Ying managed, forcing a smile more pained than tears. "Yu, you've saved me countless times. It's only right I return the favor."

With that declaration, a weight seemed to lift from her, the consequences of her actions no longer her concern. She yanked hard, and the pendant, crafted from Mystic Crystal, dropped into her hand like a fallen star. Her fingers came together, forming makeshift scissors, ready to sever a lock of her dark hair that draped over her shoulder.

Yu Yuan's voice boomed, "I've already said there's no need for this!"

Whoosh!

The second Evil Demon burst forth from the Evil Cauldron, transforming into a streak of scarlet light that shot directly towards Chu Jing.

"An Evil Demon crafted by the Blood God Cult's followers—how intriguing!"

Chu Jing, far from alarmed, was delighted. His hands formed a mystical seal, and he emitted a piercing, resonant screech.

The handle of the Spectral Umbrella plummeted from the heavens like a fierce lance.

It was as though a sword had cleaved the heavens, bridging two realms!

The handle drove straight down, piercing the fleeting scarlet light within the Spectral World with unerring precision.

Struck by the umbrella's handle, the second Evil Demon exploded into a shower of blood, scattering in all directions.

Yu Yuan keenly sensed the second Evil Demon's anguished howl.

"Master, the wielder of the Spectral Umbrella possesses immense power, with the potential to advance to an Artifact," the cauldron soul's voice echoed in Yu Yuan's Consciousness Little World. "This individual is the future Sect Master, meticulously groomed by the Spirit Void Sect, with the aspiration of attaining the Primordial Spirit."

"His realm is lofty, his treasures rare, and with the Spectral Umbrella, he presents a formidable challenge."

"The Ice Concubine and the second Evil Demon must continue to nurture the growth of the Evil Cauldron. Moreover, the Cauldron's greatest strength lies in its ability to amass legions of Evil Demons, forming a vast formation to overwhelm by sheer numbers."

"Therefore..."

The cauldron soul reluctantly communicated with Yu Yuan, following the Ice Concubine's defeat and the second Evil Demon's impalement by the umbrella.

"Yu Yuan, if you have any other strategies up your sleeve, now's the time to deploy them."

Chu Jing's eyebrows arched slightly. He had already covertly received Han Xu's message.

Yet, he remained unfazed.

As the custodian of the Spectral Umbrella, his connection to the outside world had never been severed.

He didn't need Han Xu's hints; he was acutely aware of every arrival, every expression, and every word spoken by Zhao Yafu, Zhan Tianxiang, Kong Banbi, and the rest.

Still, none could unsettle his resolve.

"I'm curious about something."

With a mere thought from Yu Yuan, the second Evil Demon, now a mist of blood, reassembled and descended into the crystal-clear barrier. Using its own power, the second Evil Demon infused the barrier with a tinge of crimson.

It could provide a bit more stability and endurance.

"Go ahead and tell me, but I can't promise I'll be able to clear up your confusion."

Chu Jing's expression remained unchanged, and with a casual air, he addressed Lau Ying, "Junior Sister Lau, let's not rush. I'm curious to see what doubts and tricks this youngster, who has abruptly emerged from Darkmoon City in the past three years, possesses."

"Is Taoist Yeyin in the Crimson Desert too?" Yu Yuan called out.

Chu Jing fell silent. After a pause, he finally responded, "I'm not sure if he's there."

"Taoist Yeyin!" Lau Ying clutched the diamond pendant, her realization dawning. Aware that Spirit Void Sect had an eighth Taoist, she gasped, "The very Taoist Yeyin, renowned for his assassinations, has made a move against you?"

"It happened just before the Crystal Boat made its appearance," Yu Yuan explained.

"Why?" Lau Ying couldn't believe it, "He's in the late stages of the Soul Wandering Stage, having slain both the Yang God and an Eighth Level Demon. Why would he strike at you, a junior?"

"That's a question for the Spirit Void Sect," Yu Yuan retorted with a snort.

Chu Jing's brow furrowed. The mention of Taoist Yeyin sparked a curious glint in his eyes, and after a brief moment, he abruptly declared, "I apologize, Junior Sister Lau, but I've changed my mind."

"What?" Lau Ying was perplexed.

"I no longer require that pendant, nor do I need it wrapped in your hair as a gift for Jinghai," Chu Jing expressed with a sigh of regret, "I must take Yu Yuan's life."

No sooner had he spoken than the handle of the Spectral Umbrella reappeared, thrusting towards the acupoint between Yu Yuan's eyebrows.

Lau Ying's complexion turned pale as she was suddenly consumed by intense regret. She lamented her earlier hesitation, wishing she had immediately, without a second thought, removed the pendant to secure Yu Yuan's departure from the "Spectral Realm."

Deeply self-reproachful, she blamed her own indecision for prompting Chu Jing's lethal action.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

One after another, beams of brilliant starlight shot towards the umbrella's handle.

The starlight shattered upon impact, scattering into a sky full of twinkling fragments.

The umbrella's handle surged forward with relentless ferocity, poised to pierce Yu Yuan's acupoint.

"With the Evil Cauldron now revealed, you should be aware that another artifact of mine might well be in my possession," Yu Yuan inhaled deeply, gripping in his hand the sword sheath left behind by the Chopping Moon cultivator.

The sword soul burst forth from the sword spell's mark etched into the arm bone, seamlessly linking Yu Yuan's arm with the scabbard.

It thrust toward the handle of the umbrella.

"..."