C667 Coincidence

"Thank you, Uncle Master Tan."

Lau Ying's eyes sparkled with mirth, like a crescent moon. With a mere thought, the Fallen Star Eyes, crafted from a celestial meteorite, soared away from this realm.

In an instant, it was tens of miles distant.

"Taoist Qiyu, oh, the grandeur of your words," Tan Junshan's voice, laced with sarcasm, echoed once more from the crescent moon. "The Spirit Void Sect certainly carries itself with might. I've spent many years beyond the heavens, yet I've never seen any of the Spirit Void Sect's revered Taoists engage in a major bloody conflict."

"The Spirit Void Sect earns respect for preserving its power, but might it lack a certain... fervor?"

"The Spirit Void Sect manages to top the seven lower sects by making shrewd choices. You've dodged every battle that cost dearly, picking only those that barely scratch the surface."

"And with that, you presume to hold yourselves in such high regard within the Boundless Land."

"Tsk, tsk."

Just a short while ago, Tan Junshan, who had spoken to Yu Yuan with courtesy and warmth, now ridiculed the Spirit Void Sect with biting irony.

Taoist Qiyu's face turned steely, yet he remained silent.

He sensed that any attempt to counter would not lead to his death, but would certainly leave him gravely wounded!

Tan Junshan was simply baiting him, waiting for a moment of rage to provoke reckless words, and then deliver a lesson he'd never forget.

...

Hours later, the Fallen Star Eyes drifted away from the contentious area and halted at the fringe of the Crimson Desert.

From its vantage point, the grand city that seemed to stand as a colossus between heaven and earth was visible. Its silhouette was clear from above the Fallen Star Eyes.

That was Luan Bird City.

At that moment, if Lau Ying wished it, she could guide the Fallen Star Eyes out of the Crimson Desert and towards Luan Bird City.

Yu Yuan's initial plans were derailed by the emergence of the Thunderbolt War Chariot and Taoist Qiyu's ill will.

He had intended to alert Zhao Yafu and Zhan Tianxiang, then advise Hou Tianzhao and Lin Yue to leave early, to avoid perishing in the Crimson Desert.

However, he knew that if he remained in the Crimson Desert, he would inevitably become the target of relentless pursuit by Taoist Qiyu.

With no other choice, he decided to heed Lau Ying's advice—to withdraw for now.

"What level has your Martial Uncle Tan reached?"

Yu Yuan turned to gaze upon the sweltering Crimson Desert under the blazing sun. "Taoist Qiyu, along with those newly arrived Soul Wandering Stage masters, they all seem quite wary of him."

"The Unrestrained Stage," Lau Ying declared with a face brimming with pride. "He's in the Late Period of the Unrestrained Stage! It's widely rumored that he's the strongest in our Silver Moon Sect. His visits to the Boundless Land are exceedingly rare. This time, he only came because the Chaos Roc stirred him into action."

After a brief pause, Lau Ying added, "I believe he was the one monitoring the Starry Behemoth that broke free from the Boundless Land."

Yu Yuan felt a jolt of surprise.

The Late Period of the Unrestrained Stage—wasn't that on par with Zu Ann's power?

Had Tan Junshan returned so discreetly from beyond the heavens solely because of the Chaos Roc's distant assault?

Or had he detected something amiss within the Crimson Desert?

Zu Ann had forsaken the Boundless Land, allowing the Rock Clan to flood in. Could the three great upper sects, along with the Demon Palace and the Devil Palace, have already become aware of this?

It was even conceivable that Tan Junshan had surmised Zu Ann was lurking deep beneath the earth, the instigator of the turmoil in the Crimson Desert, and that's why he had appeared here.

"Where is your Martial Uncle Tan now? Are we truly going to meet him?" Yu Yuan inquired once more.

"No, Martial Uncle Tan left instructions within my heart lake. He advised us to seek refuge in Luan Bird City to escape the impending disaster," Lau Ying explained, squinting towards the towering city on the horizon. "Through the Fallen Star Eyes, I've observed a multitude of sects' elites steadily making their way into the Crimson Desert."

"That many?" Yu Yuan exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes, not just from around here. Members from the Fiend Sect, the Red Devil Sect, and both the upper and lower sects are all converging on the Crimson Desert, each arriving by different means—some openly, others in secret," Lau Ying said, her brows furrowed in concern. "The disturbances beneath the earth are bound to spark a fierce and bloody conflict right here in the Crimson Desert."

Yu Yuan was deeply moved. "A fierce clash between the native cultivators of the Boundless Land and the Outland Devaputra, as well as other alien races?"

"It seems so."

Lau Ying harbored a quiet concern. "The situation in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area is already dire, and the Desolate Swamp is far from tranquil. Places like Horror Land and the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea are no different. Martial Uncle Tan must be correct; this is a major crisis for our realm. If we're defeated, the very fabric of our world could be altered."

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

As she spoke, a fleet of sword-shaped boats, each carrying a sword cultivator from the Sword Sect, soared toward the Crimson Desert.

Aboard the sword-shaped boats, the cultivators exuded a sword intent so powerful it seemed to warp the very fabric of space, their sharpness beyond belief.

"Why didn't Chen Qingyan show up in the Crimson Desert this time?" Yu Yuan murmured to himself.

"What's your relationship with her?" Lau Ying asked with a smirk. "Rumors say you two have an unclear and possibly deep connection."

"No, there's no special relationship," Yu Yuan deflected naturally, offering a sheepish smile. "I've only encountered her twice, once in the Jade Peak Mountain Range and then in the Desolate Swamp."

"After her defiance in the Desolate Swamp, her master commanded her to undergo a year of rigorous cultivation within the Sword Sect, effectively grounding her," Lau Ying explained, following Yu Yuan's remarks. "You won't be seeing her anytime soon. She disobeyed the sect's orders to withdraw and nearly caused a disaster."

At this, Lau Ying shot him a piercing glare.

"What's wrong?" Yu Yuan asked, perplexed.

"I've heard you ventured into the Outer Sword Prison because of her!" Lau Ying huffed.

Yu Yuan was momentarily taken aback.

He suddenly realized that their relationship had evolved, becoming tinged with ambiguity after a recent intimate gesture he made out of fear for Lau Ying's safety from Zu Ann.

Since then, Lau Ying's looks towards him carried a newfound tenderness, reminiscent of how Ji Ningshuang used to gaze at him three centuries ago.

"Whether she's involved or not, I must face the Sword Prison," Yu Yuan sighed. "The Demon Palace, under orders from the Babel Chamber of Commerce's elder chairman, specifically requested my presence in the Desolate Swamp because they knew I possessed the sword sheath. Having entered, I cannot shy away from this fated ordeal."

He mulled it over and decided that lingering in the Crimson Desert was unwise.

"Let's head to Luan Bird City."

"Oh."

Lau Ying showed no interest in prying further, deftly guiding the Fallen Star Eyes back towards Luan Bird City.

En route, she earnestly suggested to Yu Yuan that he align himself with a formidable sect for formal training.

The Sword Sect or the Red Devil Sect, for instance.

With the Sword Dao True Spell from the Chopping Moon cultivator in his possession, Yu Yuan, if endorsed by the Sword Sect and taken under the wing of a Great Sword Immortal like Ji Ningshuang, would gain an extra layer of protection in the Boundless Land.

Van Heqing of the Sword Sect was, in Lau Ying's opinion, an excellent choice.

If not the Sword Sect, the Red Devil Sect was a viable alternative. It stood shoulder to shoulder with the Spirit Void Sect, the Demon Palace, and the Devil Palace in strength and prestige.

Should Yu Yuan find favor with the Red Devil Sect and become an official disciple, his future endeavors would be greatly facilitated.

Yu Yuan, however, gently dismissed her suggestions.

Deep down, he felt a profound connection to the Divine Soul Sect ever since he acquired the white paper fan and began practicing the Soul Forging Technique. He was, in essence, already one of its disciples.

He even believed that his ability to resonate with the sword soul of the Chopping Moon cultivator was due to his practice of the Divine Soul Sect's Soul Arts.

The same was true for his recognition by the Artifact Soul of the Evil Cauldron in the Ember Waters.

Having been covertly part of the Divine Soul Sect from the outset, it wouldn't be right for him to switch allegiances to the Sword Sect or the Red Devil Sect.

With the world in disarray and the future of the three upper sects, the Demon Palace, and the Devil Palace uncertain in their guardianship of this realm, Yu Yuan, as a practitioner of the Divine Soul Sect's esoteric methods and a disciple in spirit, would inevitably cross paths with his distant fellow sect members.

"First and foremost, protect yourself. Avoid unnecessary risks and an early demise," Yu Yuan resolved.

"Young Master."

Ann Ziqing's sweet laughter unexpectedly broke through the silence.

Yu Yuan was taken aback. Glancing downward, he noticed a young girl clad in purple standing alone on the open ground below. She stood tall and elegant, beckoning to him with a gentle wave.

Upon closer inspection, Yu Yuan realized that Ann Ziqing was positioned exactly where Chen Langzhi, the Imperial Envoy, had previously descended into the earth with the Golden Carriage.

The coincidence was uncanny.

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