C684 The Situation Was Not Looking Good

Yu Yuan, sensing something amiss, decided to head toward the nearest source of a piercing whistle.

He intended to assess the situation before proceeding further.

Shortly thereafter, like a phantom, Yu Yuan materialized in a house besieged by the soldiers of the Songbird Empire.

"Identify yourself!"

A general clad in heavy armor, mounted on a green horse, and in the late period of the Veil Breaking Realm, with a square face and a determined look, spotted Yu Yuan's abrupt appearance and bellowed.

The tip of his green spear, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen, was aimed directly at Yu Yuan's chest.

Yet, Yu Yuan felt that his body, as sturdy as iron and stone, wouldn't be pierced by the spear even if he remained motionless.

His body, forged through relentless training, filled him with such confidence that he believed no one of lesser standing, regardless of their origins, could match him in battle.

"I am Yu Yuan, from Asvetaesi of the Shadowlight Empire."

Still, to avoid any misinterpretations and unnecessary complications, he promptly disclosed his identity, "I've rented a training room at the Azure Vault. Senior Chen Langzhi of the Chen family has previously escorted me into Afnetalos. I had just left the Skyreach Consortium branch when I heard the whistle and came to investigate."

The soldiers, a dozen strong, were unfamiliar with Yu Yuan and his reputation.

Generals and cultivators from various nations seldom mingled, leaving Yu Yuan's name largely unknown to them.

But they recognized Chen Langzhi!

Upon hearing Chen Langzhi's name, the inquiring general's expression changed, and he commanded, "Hold for a moment!"

A crescent-shaped crystal fell from his sleeve, radiating a pure glow against the darkening sky. The sound transmission array etched within sparkled like a condensed galaxy.

Clearly, he was using this device to communicate with Chen Langzhi of the Chen family.

Yu Yuan wasn't kept waiting long. He swiftly received a response from Chen Langzhi, which prompted the general to respectfully lower his spear and exclaim, "Ah, so you are Mr. Yu!"

"I wouldn't dare," Yu Yuan hastily replied.

"There's a family of seven here," he said, gesturing with his free hand for the encircling soldiers to ease their hostile stance toward Yu Yuan. Dismounting his horse, he took the lead, guiding Yu Yuan toward the house. "These seven didn't want to leave Afnetalos, so they've been holed up inside their home."

Upon reaching the door, he nodded to signal someone.

A general stepped forward to open the door, entering first with Yu Yuan following close behind.

Inside the courtyard lay seven bodies, ranging from elderly to young, all lined up with no signs of life.

The corpses' skin retained its sheen, not yet withered, but their hair was oddly gray and white, giving off an unhealthy, parched appearance.

In the courtyard, there was an ancient well, from which wisps of mist occasionally emerged.

On closer inspection, the mist carried a very faint purple hue.

"We found them dead upon arrival," the general said, his brow furrowed in concern. "How they died, we're not sure. There's no evidence of a struggle, and their bodies are unmarked."

"Mr. Yu, Mr. Yu?" he inquired, noting Yu Yuan's shocked and bewildered expression. "What's wrong?"

Yu Yuan's mouth quivered as he spoke, his gaze fixed on the well's faint purple mist and the seven bodies on the ground. He paid particular attention to the hair of the corpses, all uniformly gray and white.

The elderly having gray hair was one thing, but even the hair of a young man in his twenties and a child barely in his teens was the same gray and white.

"Burn the seven bodies to ashes immediately!" Yu Yuan commanded, his voice strained and his mind racing with alarm. "Trust me, act swiftly! Any delay could be disastrous!"

"Why?" the general asked, puzzled.

"Just relay the message to Mr. Chen that it's my request, my decision," Yu Yuan said, foregoing an explanation. With urgency, he added, "And if similar incidents are happening elsewhere in Afnetalos, instruct them to handle it in the same manner!"

"Burn the bodies to ashes immediately?" the general inquired.

Yu Yuan nodded emphatically.

"I'll speak with General Chen!" Though he was unclear on the details, the urgency in Yu Yuan's demeanor was enough to alert him that something was amiss. Grasping the crescent-shaped crystal, he reached out to communicate with Chen Langzhi.

"Also, where does the water in this well originate?" Yu Yuan demanded.

Beneath Afnetalos lay a smaller city, carved out for the Chen family's cultivators, which meant the depths had long been hollowed out.

The well's water couldn't possibly be groundwater; it had to have been diverted from elsewhere.

"All the wells in Afnetalos are fed by Cloud Lake," the general replied without hesitation, helping Yu Yuan understand. "The city was designed with an underground water channel even before construction began. It's common knowledge among the residents."

"Cloud Lake!" Yu Yuan's complexion turned pale.

"General Chen, I'll follow your orders," the man said, raising his hand to signal a subordinate. "Light the firestones and incinerate their bodies completely!"

"What about other areas?" Yu Yuan pressed.

"General Chen has already sent word to take care of the bodies as you've instructed," the man considered for a moment before adding, "However, incidents like this are occurring simultaneously throughout Afnetalos. General Chen is concerned that some bodies may not be dealt with promptly."

"If that's the case..." Yu Yuan sighed deeply, a hint of despair in his voice, "Afnetalos might just be doomed."

"Impossible!" the man declared with arrogance, "Afnetalos is the grandest city on the Aetherius Continent. Guarded by the Phoenix Skybreak Array, not even the Ashen Shadowmist can infiltrate. I refuse to believe there's anything capable of threatening Afnetalos or instilling fear in the Songbird Empire!"

"There is something, you're just unaware of it."

With those parting words, Yu Yuan hurried off, making his way directly to the Obsidian Thunder Sect's training hall.

As he traveled, the city echoed with eerie wails from every direction.

The thunderous clatter of hooves on the streets reverberated, drumming against the hearts of the citizens, leaving them in a state of trepidation.

"How could this happen? Why is this happening?"

Throughout his journey, Yu Yuan was deep in thought, grappling with questions only he could comprehend. The emotions stirring within him were beyond the grasp of anyone else in Afnetalos, for he alone recognized the origins of the ominous purple mist—it was a relic of his own creation from a past life. Once, he had wielded this very mist to lay waste to cities, and it was this mist that had cemented his fearsome reputation in his later years.

With a soft whoosh, Liu Ying alighted quietly at the street corner ahead, guiding the Fallen Star Eyes. Her connection to it was so profound that she could locate Yu Yuan the moment he stepped out of the Azure Vault.

"Yu Yuan, there's trouble in Afnetalos!" Liu Ying called out as soon as she stopped. "You might not be aware, but many mortals in the city have died under mysterious circumstances. Their bodies are intact, yet their souls are in turmoil. Despite their deaths, their souls are still surging unnaturally, as if on the brink of some eerie transformation!"

"I'm aware. Take me to the Obsidian Thunder Sect!" Yu Yuan commanded with urgency.

"Right away!" With a delicate tug of her hand, Liu Ying brought Yu Yuan onto the Fallen Star Eyes, which resembled a floating skateboard. With a mere thought, she shrank the Fallen Star Eyes and in the blink of an eye, they arrived at the Obsidian Thunder Sect's training hall in Afnetalos.

Inside the hall, Xie Bin sat immovable as a mountain, while Huang Chuan grinned playfully beside him. Qi Jinghai of the Thunder Sect, along with three elder guests clad in Thunder Sect attire, respectfully stood behind him.

The arrival of Yu Yuan and Liu Ying atop the Fallen Star Eyes startled everyone in the courtyard. Lee Yu, who had been in front of his dwelling, called out, "Yu Yuan!"

"Yu Yuan! Liu Ying!" The expressions of Qi Jinghai and the Thunder Sect's unexpected visitors shifted at their entrance.

"I'll say it once more: the Glacial Storm Seal is lost," Xie Bin declared to Qi Jinghai, his voice cold and brimming with irritation. "And even if the Glacial Storm Seal weren't lost, if it were still in my possession, I would never just hand it over willingly!"

"Mr. Xie, since you've stated that the Glacial Storm Seal is lost, I'm keen to understand what transpired," Qi Jinghai maintained his composed and polite demeanor. "Such a significant rare treasure doesn't just vanish without a trace. We need to know its current whereabouts so we can devise a plan to retrieve it ourselves."

After settling in, Yu Yuan took a moment to survey the courtyard and noticed the absence of a well or any rising purple mist.

He had also observed the surrounding area as he descended from the sky, noting that the nearest disturbance was still quite a distance away.

This indicated that the Obsidian Thunder Sect's training hall was, for the time being, safe.

Feeling somewhat reassured, he turned his attention to Qi Jinghai and the three cultivators from the Thunder Sect who had come with him.

"Yu Yuan! The Crucible of Evil!"

An elder from the Thunder Sect, standing behind Qi Jinghai, had a shift in expression and suddenly spoke up, "The recondensation of Xie Bin's heaven soul, that was your doing, wasn't it?"

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