C697 The Cruel Battlefield

In the city of Afnetalos, the southern gate stood wide open, with a thick, green light curtain arched in front of it like a protective eggshell.

Inside the city, Chen Langzhi, Weixian, Jin Xiaolie, Ann Ziqing, Han Ling, and others faced outward, their attention fixed on the scene beyond the barrier. Through the shimmering curtain, they could see lightning streaking across the dense Ashen Shadowmist to the south, where bright, dazzling artifacts emitted blinding lights. A towering archdemon clashed with a sect cultivator, whose Divine Visage was fully manifested. Massive thunder balls burst forth, as if conjured from an extraterrestrial lightning pool.

Qi Jinghai of the Thunder Sect, with a firm clench of his fist, bellowed, "It's Elder Kou from our sect!"

"Kou Poshan! A Solar Spirit Stage cultivator!"

Jin Xiaolie of the Skyreach Consortium trembled with excitement, exclaiming, "Another cultivator on par with Sage Ditdite!"

The group buzzed with excitement. Kou Poshan, who surpassed Sage Ditdite in rank, was a late-period Solar Spirit Stage cultivator renowned for his fearsome thunder balls crafted in the Star River's lightning wonderlands. His arrival signaled that reinforcements from various sects were marching toward Afnetalos.

Those who had been sheltering within the city, clinging to life with the aid of the Phoenix Skybreak Array, could hardly contain their joy at the sight of Kou Poshan.

"With Elder Kou's arrival, it's clear that other sects' experts are also drawing near," declared Qu Jing of the Ethereal Void Sect, his face etched with fury. "I refuse to believe that those lost souls can stir up any real trouble in the vastness of the Everlands!"

Sage Ditdite, one of the seven Sages of the Ethereal Void Sect and a Solar Spirit Stage cultivator, had perished to the south of the city. Qu Jing, who had long envisioned himself as the future master of the Ethereal Void Sect, mourned Ditdite's death and was determined to make the Sky Fiends and archdemons outside pay dearly.

The emergence of Kou Poshan was a beacon of hope. Both Qu Jing and Qi Jinghai were convinced that the dire situation of Afnetalos, engulfed by the Ashen Shadowmist, was about to change for the better.

Gigantic thunder balls, one after another, were penetrated by streams of emerald water within the depths of the Ashen Shadowmist. The thunder balls erupted with earth-shattering booms and disintegrated spectacularly. Along with them, Kou Poshan's Solar Spirit Body, including his real body, was obliterated.

"What is that?" Kong Banbi of the Sword Sect, his eyes fixed on the green streams, gasped in shock, "It's Lord Green Willow, the one who emerged from the Sword Prison!"

"Green Willow of Shadow's Keep! The formidable leader of the evilkind from the far reaches of space!"

"He's a ninth level archdemon! A ninth level archdemon is on par with a human cultivator of the Unbound Stage!"

"It's actually Green Willow! Green Willow is the mastermind behind those Sky Fiends and archdemons!"

"Green Willow was freed from the Sword Prison by Yu Yuan! Without Yu Yuan venturing into the Godsblight Marsh, without his breaking the seals, how could a fiend like Green Willow have been released?"

As the realization dawned that Kou Poshan of the Thunder Sect's Solar Spirit Realm had been slain by the archdemon Green Willow, despairing cries filled the air.

Qi Jinghai, who had been exhilarated moments before, was suddenly crestfallen, leaning against the city wall in a daze, "Elder Kou, he's gone just like that?"

A late-period Solar Spirit cultivator, Kou Poshan was a figure of considerable stature among the seven lower sects of the Thunder Sect. Yet, the Thunder Sect, being a lower sect, did not possess the might of the Ethereal Void Sect or the Starmoon Sect.

Kou Poshan's death was a tremendous blow to the Thunder Sect, leaving Qi Jinghai shaken. He was filled with both sorrow and apprehension for what lay ahead.

"Alas," murmured the crowd, previously jubilant, now shrouded in fear at the sight of Kou Poshan's evident demise and the emergence of Green Willow.

"The once supreme commander of the evilkind's vast forces! A ninth level archdemon!"

Sighs of despair echoed among them.

Slowly, the tide of opinion turned, and fingers began to point at Yu Yuan. They argued that if not for Yu Yuan's foray into the Godsblight Marsh, if not for his descent into the Sword Prison, creatures like Xi Quan, Zhongli Dapan, Loong Jie, and Green Willow would never have broken free.

And Kou Poshan would not have met his end.

Their predicament may have been unraveled at that moment.

Yu Yuan had unwittingly become a target for many, secretly despised by those around him.

In the crowd, Ann Ziqing of the Colddeath sect confirmed Green Willow's presence in the southern part of the city. Once she knew Kou Poshan's demise was certain, she left.

...

Inside the Crucible of Evil, Yu Yuan employed the Wraithbinding technique to dissolve and refine numerous minor Sky Fiends. With the earthly soul sufficiently refined, he broke through to the middle stage of Subtlety.

Now, the floating Crucible of Evil was nearing the city's southern edge.

He also witnessed thunder balls bursting and verdant streams flowing.

"Green Willow."

In the Godsblight Marsh, where he had personally freed Green Willow from the Sword Prison, he had seen Green Willow protect Zhao Yafu and Zhan Tianxiang and had witnessed Green Willow's theurgy. He instantly recognized the fleeing Green Willow, now concealed within the Ashen Shadowmist to the south, methodically assassinating the sect elders who came to assist.

"I never imagined this ninth-level archdemon would have ties with Zu Ann."

Yu Yuan observed from a distance, not catching the details, but he knew that after so much time, Green Willow must have regained considerable strength.

In the Sword Prison, Green Willow's demon energy had been drained by the peculiar cage, leaving him exceedingly weak.

Upon his release, Green Willow was at his most vulnerable.

By slaying other malevolent beings within the Sword Prison, he had gathered some strength. After so much time, given Green Willow's capabilities, he likely slew numerous archdemons in secret, possibly regaining up to eighty percent of his peak power.

At his peak, with that level of strength, Green Willow could roam freely and act with impunity across the Everlands.

Lacking a cultivator with a primordial spirit or a Dark Deity's direct intervention, Green Willow could come and go as he pleased, battle at will, and navigate the Everlands with ease.

"Zu Ann alongside Green Willow – Tan Junshan is likely in for a tough time."

Yu Yuan stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and then continued to wait.

The fierce battle in the southern part of the city gradually subsided. The clashing of weapons ceased, the roars of archdemons and Sky Fiends fell silent, and an eerie quiet settled over the area.

"Master, the time that Zu Ann has given us is running short."

At that moment, the cauldron spirit could no longer contain itself and spoke up, "The southern city is where the evil aura is thickest, due to the two large-scale, brutal battles that took place there. Since Zu Ann, who is the leader, has granted us this time, we should be safe heading to the southern city, right?"

Yu Yuan hesitated for a moment.

"Master, is it the Sky Fiends you're worried about? Or is it the possibility of more sect disciples flooding in?" the cauldron spirit asked, coming to a realization.

Yu Yuan nodded, then suddenly declared, "Fortune favors the bold!"

With those words, he cast aside his hesitation and steered the Crucible of Evil firmly toward the southern city.

In the direction of the southern city, within the dense Ashen Shadowmist, a long green serpent spanned the sky like a mountain range.

The demon energy radiating from its body made all the Sky Fiends and Otherkin shiver with fear.

The vertical pupil of the serpent, a vivid green, suddenly blazed with light, piercing through the so-called Ashen Shadowmist with ease. It watched as Yu Yuan, piloting the Crucible of Evil, approached with determination.

"In gratitude for your aid in the marsh, and recognizing your mastery of Wraithbinding..."

Green Willow let out a piercing screech.

All the Sky Fiends, archdemons, Otherkin, and Terra Fiends retreated from the southern city like a receding tide.

Upon arriving, Yu Yuan maneuvered the Crucible of Evil through the area, only to find it littered with corpses, devoid of any living creatures.

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