C679 Trapped
A faint green glow emanated from the walls of Afnetalos, casting a luminescent sheen over the towering buildings and the expanse of Cloud Lake within the city. Everyone in Afnetalos who had attained a certain level of mastery felt a stirring in their hearts.
Liu Ying narrowed her eyes. She didn't need the aid of Fallen Star Eyes to detect the subtle shifts occurring within the most magnificent city of the Everlands.
Yu Yuan scanned the surroundings, observing the green light blossoming from various points within the city, and declared, "The rune circle that guards Afnetalos is now operational."
"That sounds about right," Liu Ying agreed, nodding. "My master once told me that the protective circle of Afnetalos is exceptionally powerful. With the Ashen Shadowmist engulfing the skies outside and creeping closer, it's no surprise that the Chen family has been alerted and has activated the circle."
The difference between an active and inactive rune circle was night and day. Afnetalos, a marvel crafted by the mightiest empire of Aetherius, seldom required such defenses.
No one, no empire, would dare to provoke it.
Once activated, the rune circle capable of shielding the entire city would consume vast amounts of soulstones and a plethora of rare magic items daily.
Only in dire times would the protective measures of Afnetalos be engaged. The current activation was a harbinger, a sign of impending danger, warranting preemptive caution.
It also indicated that both the Chen family and the Songbird Empire were feeling the squeeze, fully aware of the vulnerability that the encroaching Ashen Shadowmist posed if it were to penetrate the city.
"Odd, could I be overthinking this?" Yu Yuan mused, stroking his chin in contemplation. The activation of Afnetalos's grand circle had sown seeds of doubt in his mind.
He had previously suspected that members of the Chen family, like Chen Liangquan, might be colluding with Zu Ann and the extraterrestrial entities.
Yet, as Chen Langzhi had pointed out, Chen Liangquan had played a significant role in the construction of the city's protective circle.
If Chen Liangquan were truly aligned with Zu Ann and the Otherkin, the Sky Fiend, he wouldn't have initiated the city's defenses. Instead, he would have allowed the Ashen Shadowmist to surge forth unimpeded, submerging Afnetalos entirely.
Could it be that Chen Liangquan, one of the architects of this grand rune circle, actually lacked control over it?
Who else in the Chen family could fully command this formation, if not Chen Liangquan?
The Songbird Queen?
This thought sent a shiver through Yu Yuan, and he felt increasingly perplexed, as if his mind was shrouded in Ashen Shadowmist.
"Yu Yuan!"
Zhan Tianxiang from Shadow's Keep, having spotted the Fallen Star Eyes twinkling in the void, raced over.
"Is everyone okay?"
Yu Yuan gathered his thoughts and beamed. He saw that Zhan Tianxiang, Zhao Yafu, and three other trial-takers from Shadow's Keep were all unharmed.
These young men and women from Shadow's Keep appeared weary, yet their eyes sparkled with vitality.
"We're fine. Someone rescued us, or we might never have escaped the Ashen Shadowmist," Zhan Tianxiang said with a smile, then turned serious. "Liu Ying, on behalf of Shadow's Keep, I extend our gratitude to the Starmoon Sect."
"Was it Master Tan?" Liu Ying quickly surmised the cause.
"Yes, it was Senior Tan Junshan from your Starmoon Sect who saved us from the clutches of the archdemons in the Scarlet Dunes," Zhao Yafu explained, her face still showing signs of her recent scare. "Unexpectedly, many archdemons expelled from Shadow's Keep had secretly ventured into the Scarlet Dunes. We were nearly overwhelmed after being hunted by them."
"Junior Brother Zhan, Junior Sister Zhao, we should hurry and secure a larger training room in the Azure Vault," a gaunt Shadow's Keep youth interjected, too exhausted for pleasantries. "The Azure Vault, a prime spot for cultivation, will soon be in high demand."
Zhan Tianxiang agreed quickly, "That's true."
"Brother Yu, let's catch up later. We need to rent a training room now. If we delay, the higher-tier rooms will be snapped up by other sects," Zhao Yafu said with a playful stick of her tongue and a light smile, leading the Shadow's Keep group toward the nearby Azure Vault.
Shortly thereafter, Hou Tianzhao and Lin Yue arrived with the disciples of the Ruby Hand and Colddeath in tow.
"Yu Yuan!"
Upon their arrival, they exchanged nods with Yu Yuan before making a beeline for the Azure Vault.
Hou Tianzhao and Lin Yue wore grave expressions, the smiles completely absent from their faces.
The few disciples accompanying them hinted at severe losses.
"Where's Chi Yin? And the Taintborn disciple?" Yu Yuan inquired, puzzled by their absence.
He hadn't spotted a single Taintborn disciple, which prompted his question.
Hou Tianzhao stopped briefly, turned around, and answered offhandedly, "Chi Yin and the Taintborn trial-taker perished in the Scarlet Dunes. Such occurrences are commonplace. If one lacks strength and fortune, there's no one else to blame."
Lin Yue, along with the Colddeath disciples, didn't even glance back.
The demise of Chi Yin and the Taintborn disciples seemed to leave no mark on him or the Colddeath disciples; they were undisturbed, their composure unshaken.
The sect disciples from the Land of Quiescence adhered to the Cosmic Order that dictated survival of the fittest.
For them, death was an all-too-familiar concept.
It mattered little that Chi Yin was not of their sect; even the deaths of those from the Ruby Hand or Colddeath elicited no response.
After all, fellow sect members were often seen as rivals.
The Way of Heaven was unforgiving, and on this treacherous path, anyone could meet their end.
Not even the cultivators of the Unbound Stage, the Solar Spirits, were exempt from this truth, much less themselves.
"What about Kong Banbi?" Yu Yuan called out.
"He seems to be alive, though I'm not entirely certain," Hou Tianzhao responded, "We can discuss it later. I need to head to the Azure Vault first to secure a training room."
Subsequently, Yu Yuan and Liu Ying noticed that, in addition to these younger members, numerous sect guests of the Lunar Spirit Stage had also made their way to the Azure Vault upon entering Afnetalos.
Many bore grave injuries, their garments soaked with blood, their spirits waning.
In haste, they reached the Azure Vault and sought out the Chen family to lease a training room.
"It's surprising," Yu Yuan mused, "considering the major sects have training halls scattered throughout Azure Alley and beyond."
"The Azure Vault's training rooms are not as secure or comfortable as the main temple," Liu Ying clarified. "The training rooms are seamlessly connected to the protective circle of the Azure Vault. Inside, you can recover from injuries without fear of disturbance or attack. Yet, in the training halls of our sect's branches, many still feel uneasy."
"Sometimes, you even have to be wary of your own people."
Liu Ying paused, a hint of sorrow in her gaze. "You've probably noticed too, many from the third-rate sects of Quiescence and Euwrea haven't made it back."
Yu Yuan gave a slight nod in agreement. "Indeed."
He first emerged from the Forgotten Ruins outside Afnetalos, not greeted by the disciples of the major or lower sects, Shadow's Keep, or Devil Palace, but by those from the third-rate sects, making up the majority.
They had assumed that purging the Scarlet Dunes of evil would be relatively easy, laughing it off without a care.
However, the vast majority never left the Scarlet Dunes alive.
"For now, let's not think about leaving," Liu Ying sighed gently. "They chose wisely to stay in the training room of the Azure Vault. The five supreme sects must be aware of Afnetalos's turmoil and the Ashen Shadowmist's onslaught. Once they can spare the resources, they'll surely send powerful figures to resolve the situation. The city's rune circle isn't easily breached; it should hold out for some time."
"Right, we'll stay put for now," Yu Yuan concurred.
Over the following days, he continued his practice of Wraithbinding in the training room he had rented within the Azure Vault, occasionally checking on the external situation.
He learned that the surviving young members of the various sects who had ventured into the Scarlet Dunes were gradually returning to Afnetalos.
Outside, the Ashen Shadowmist continued to spread, shrouding the lands beyond the city.
The Ashen Shadowmist was also slowly advancing towards other cities within the Songbird Empire.
Regardless of day or night, eerie and ferocious cries could be heard from outside the city walls.
The mournful cries of dying cultivators echoed in the air.
It appeared that those who emerged from the Scarlet Dunes met a grim fate at the hands of extraterrestrial Sky Fiends, archdemons, and Terra Fiends on their journey to Afnetalos.
Inside the city, a sense of dread permeated the atmosphere, with residents uncertain of when the malevolent spirits might lay siege.
The Azure Vault, erected by the Chen family, had unexpectedly become a hub for Afnetalos's cultivators. Young disciples and injured elders from various sects flocked to this sanctuary.
On another morning, Yu Yuan, who had been practicing Wraithbinding, regained consciousness after an extended period of oblivion.
Revitalized, with a clear mind, he delved once more into his Mindscape.
"Hmm?"
To his astonishment, he discovered that the prolonged torment had ended. His earthly soul had finally been disentangled from the intertwined heaven soul and dominant soul, thanks to the stripping effect of Wraithbinding.
The initial step had been successfully completed!
