C673 Illusion Orb

The Glacial Storm Seal ascended into the heavens, unleashing thousands of icy lightning bolts that streaked across the sky like dragons and anacondas. The world transformed in a flash into an alternate realm where thunder roared, the cold was biting, and lightning arced like rainbows.

Crack!

Yu Yuan heard a distinct sound of shattering. Placing a finger to his forehead, he focused his spiritual sense into his eyes and saw the once dim sky had darkened to a deep black. This blackened world glimmered faintly, cracking and crumbling around him.

With a resounding boom, the illusion shattered completely. Yu Yuan immediately realized that he and Xie Bin were inside a massive black pearl that seemed to roll along with their movements. Ahead of the pearl, a reflection of the Azure Vault shimmered like a mirage on water, an obvious illusion.

Looking around, Yu Yuan was astonished to find they had unwittingly left Afnetalos. Following the black pearl, they had come to a mysterious land dotted with marshes.

"We've actually left Afnetalos!" he thought in amazement, unable to comprehend how they had so quickly found themselves outside the city.

"Illusion Orb! Qi Yunhong!" Xie Bin exclaimed, his face falling as he recognized the black pearl revealed after the Glacial Storm Seal's lightning had shattered the illusion.

"Qi Yunhong?" Yu Yuan was puzzled by the name, one he had never encountered before.

"A madman expelled by the Thunder Sect a century ago, hunted across the world," Xie Bin explained with a grave tone, scanning their surroundings. "You've clashed with Qu Jing from the Ethereal Void Sect in the Scarlet Dunes, haven't you? Did you see the Spectral Umbrella he wields?"

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "The Spectral Umbrella creates its own little world upon opening. Qu Jing, wielding the umbrella, can manipulate the Cosmic Order within that small realm, making him a formidable opponent."

"The Spectral Umbrella and the Illusion Orb before us both originate from the same sect," Xie Bin declared.

With the situation at hand, he let go of his cautious stance and carelessly dropped Ann Ziqing, still wrapped in Glacial Storm Silk, to the ground. "We need to address this predicament before us first. There's no rush to reach the Azure Vault. One false move, and we could both perish right here."

"Are you referring to the Shifting Shadows Sect, the one that was eradicated long ago?" Yu Yuan inquired with curiosity.

Xie Bin was taken aback. "You're aware of that?"

Yu Yuan gave a subtle nod.

A millennium ago, the Shifting Shadows had enjoyed a brief period of prosperity before its swift downfall.

Today, part of the Ethereal Void Sect's sacred grounds once belonged to the Shifting Shadows, while another part was the domain of a sect known as the True Spirit Sect.

The True Spirit Sect and the Shifting Shadows had been at odds for a thousand years, engaging in both open and covert conflicts.

Ultimately, the True Spirit Sect emerged victorious, absorbing the Shifting Shadows and subsequently renaming itself to the Ethereal Void Sect.

Initially, the Ethereal Void Sect was a minor, third-rate sect. Gradually, it expanded to become one of the lower sects.

Later on, it rose to prominence as the foremost among the seven lower sects, subtly hinting at aspirations to ascend to the ranks of the upper sects.

In his past life as Hong Qi, Yu Yuan had deliberately researched the Ethereal Void Sect and was aware that it had grown by subsuming other sects.

The Shifting Shadows was merely one of the many sects consumed by it, and it was the first to fall.

He was aware of the Shifting Shadows' existence and its destruction but had limited knowledge of the sect's artifacts, spells, and mystiques. He was also unaware that both the "Spectral Umbrella" and the "Illusion Orb" he now encountered were relics of the Shifting Shadows.

"When the Shifting Shadows were annexed, the Thunder Sect also took part and reaped some benefits," Xie Bin elaborated. "The Qi family from the Songbird Empire are descendants of an early Thunder Sect patriarch. This connection has kept the Qi family and the Thunder Sect in a tight-knit relationship for centuries."

"Both Qi Yunhong and Qi Jinghai are members of the Qi family and have pursued their cultivation within the Thunder Sect. Qi Yunhong, an elder relative of Qi Jinghai, was entrusted with the Illusion Orb, a treasured heirloom of the Qi family, before his tenure at the Thunder Sect."

"However, this prodigy, who once made a name for himself in the Thunder Sect and across the Euwrea Continent, was seduced by a rival faction within the Thunder Sect and has long since defected."

Xie Bin succinctly outlined the connection between the Qi family and the Thunder Sect, as well as the origins of the Spectral Umbrella and the Illusion Orb.

As he conversed with Yu Yuan, the Illusion Orb that had ensnared them continued to roll above the water's surface, drifting farther from Afnetalos.

Soon after, Yu Yuan spotted a crystal-clear lake shimmering in the distance.

"That's Dedsend Lake. We're now in the southern region of the Songbird Empire," Xie Bin remarked coldly to Qi Yunhong, who was manipulating the Illusion Orb. "I'm well aware of your capabilities, Qi Yunhong. You're at the pinnacle of the Spirit Walk state, ready to refine your Solar Spirit at a moment's notice."

"We've never crossed paths before. What exactly are you planning by trapping us with the Illusion Orb?"

Abruptly, the surrounding scenery came to a standstill.

Yu Yuan quickly deduced that the Illusion Orb, which had been ceaselessly in motion, had come to a halt.

He sensed that the mastermind was about to make an appearance.

"Dedsend Lake..."

Yu Yuan wore an amused expression, surprised to find himself transported from Afnetalos to Dedsend Lake by the Illusion Orb.

At present, in the Forgotten Ruins, Lu Qingyu, a seventh-level archdemon seeking Yu Zhu's approval, was practicing her cultivation at Dedsend Lake.

He had not anticipated that after Lu Qingyu's departure, he would one day arrive at the very site of the archdemon's spiritual exercises.

From the direction of Dedsend Lake, a figure soared through the air and paused dozens of feet above the water, casting a distant gaze toward him and Xie Bin. "You can leave the girl from Colddeath here and return to Afnetalos now," the figure called out.

This statement made it clear that the master of the Illusion Orb had no quarrel with either Xie Bin or Yu Yuan.

His sole interest was Ann Ziqing.

"The Soulsear Bolt was your doing?" Xie Bin asked, a hint of surprise in his voice. "Qi Yunhong, the last time you attempted to refine your Solar Spirit, you were interrupted by the Thunder Sect's masters, which thwarted your advancement. You're still in the Spirit Walk state, and without a fully formed Solar Spirit, you shouldn't have the capacity to soar through the extraterrestrial Star River, should you?"

"How did you manage to create the Soulsear Bolt without visiting that realm?"

A group of cultivators from the Thunder Sect had established a foothold in an unusual location within the extraterrestrial Star River. There, they discovered a peculiar lightning pool, where the practice of thunder magic could lead to the formation of the Soulsear Bolt.

Qi Yunhong hadn't yet advanced to the Solar Spirit stage, so it was unlikely he could reach that place.

"My issues are none of Mr. Xie's concern," Qi Yunhong declared, closing the distance with a detached demeanor. His narrow eyes flickered with tiny crimson sparks of lightning. "Senior, your renown once spread throughout the Star River. Those who mentored me aspired to your level of talent."

"Yet, I'm aware that the Obsidian Thunder Sect alone occupies your heart, and you turned down the Thunder Sect's offer."

"As long as you refrain from joining the Thunder Sect or surrendering the Glacial Storm Seal, you are not our foe. You're correct, Senior; we have no quarrel with each other. However, by shielding the Colddeath girl, you've overstepped the boundary."

Qi Yunhong's features became more distinct as he approached. Yu Yuan observed him and noted his handsome appearance, bearing some resemblance to Qi Jinghai. Yet beneath Qi Yunhong's calm exterior lurked an unmistakable wildness, suggesting he could erupt at any moment.

"Should we save this girl?" Xie Bin, clutching the Glacial Storm Seal, hesitated and sought Yu Yuan's counsel.

The Glacial Storm Seal he wielded was particularly effective against the Soulsear Bolt. Having once been a Solar Spirit, he felt a measure of confidence confronting Qi Yunhong, now that he had returned to the Spirit Walk state.

Still, he was uncertain, unsure of what hidden tactics Qi Yunhong might possess or whether he had allies nearby.

Xie Bin questioned the wisdom of risking a deadly confrontation with Qi Yunhong over a girl from the Colddeath.

Prompted by his words, Yu Yuan began to deliberate, carefully weighing the potential gains and losses.

At that moment, perhaps due to some technique employed by Qi Yunhong, Ann Ziqing, who had been unconscious, suddenly opened her eyes, groggy and disoriented.

"Young Master!"

Upon seeing Yu Yuan before her, Ann Ziqing was filled with an overwhelming joy and couldn't help but exclaim with delight.

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