C755 Same Kind

A towering palace, a hundred meters high and radiating a pure divine light, floated into existence from the void.

The palace, as if a dwelling of deities nestled deep within the starry sea, struck awe into the soul with a mere glance.

A mortal of faint heart might find themselves kneeling in reverence before it, overwhelmed by its sanctity.

The grand palace, seemingly bathed in an endless glow, was home to fleeting soul shadows that flitted in and out of sight.

Crack!

The fierce, biting winds of Horror Land swept by, only to be repelled by the light emanating from the palace, unable to penetrate even a sliver.

Then, a towering and distinguished figure emerged, standing out amidst the soul shadows.

This figure took his place at the pinnacle of the palace, on an outward-facing stone platform.

His true visage remained obscured, hidden behind the cascading brilliance that danced before him.

Lee Yuchan, having just departed the Evil Cauldron, cast a single glance at the palace and was instantly gripped by terror. She swiftly withdrew back into the cauldron, her spirit trembling as she exclaimed, "Profound Sky Sect!"

"A Heaven Palace Seal!"

Yu Yuan's face subtly shifted at the sight. He recognized the floating palace instantly.

Years ago, in the Chilly Wind Valley of Jade Peak, Mei Qiurong of the Profound Sky Sect wielded a Heaven Palace Seal, wreaking havoc and causing great distress.

That very seal, in the hands of Mei Qiurong, was cunningly extracted from the valley by Zhou Cangmin, the Imperial Advisor of the Red Devil Sect, with the aid of Ann Jieshan.

Legend spoke of nine Heaven Palace Seals, each corresponding to one of the nine magnificent palaces of the Profound Sky Sect, the keystones of their formidable array.

The loss of even a single seal could diminish the might of the Profound Sky Sect's array, making the disappearance of Mei Qiurong's seal a significant coup for the factions of the Quietus Continent, and a feather in Zhou Cangmin's cap.

Now, another Heaven Palace Seal had emerged in Horror Land, and Yu Yuan was once again taken aback.

But what truly astounded him was the presence of another individual within the grand palace, who, like him, had entered in their true form!

This person was likely the master of the Heaven Palace Seal, wielding its power to ward off the chilling winds of Horror Land.

Within the palace, the remaining soul figures were likely Yin Gods from various sects across the Heavenly Source Continent, here for trials and cultivation.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Suddenly, a number of Yin Gods burst forth from the palace, all in the form of human cultivators. They appeared quite mature, nearly all at the Yin God Stage and Soul Wandering Stage.

"I hail from the Spirit Void Sect, Di Chen."

"I am Huang Ji Hai of the Thunder Sect."

"I am..."

The Yin Gods emerging from the palace called out to the Evil Cauldron from a distance of a hundred meters.

Yu Yuan furrowed his brow, paying no mind to the Yin Gods who had made their presence known first. He didn't even grant them a direct glance, his focus and attention steadfastly on the palace itself.

The soul figures still inside the palace, along with the individual who had arrived in a flesh-and-blood body, were the truly formidable characters.

The ones who had made their appearance first were, unsurprisingly, from various other sects and lower sects of the Heavenly Source Continent.

Their status and cultivation levels were significantly inferior by comparison.

"It's Cao Jiaze from the Profound Sky Sect!"

Lee Yuchan's spirit quivered slightly at the mention of the name Cao Jiaze. "You've heard of him, haven't you?"

"The Profound Sky Sect! Cao Jiaze!"

Yu Yuan inhaled deeply, steadying her emotions before nodding slightly in recognition. "Indeed, a name that resonates like thunder."

Since departing from the Devil Moon Empire and venturing to the Ember Waters for training, then onto the Crack Archipelago where he began liaising with the Babel Chamber of Commerce, Yu Yuan had been acquainting himself with the formidable individuals of the current Boundless Land.

Cao Jiaze was a rising star within the Profound Sky Sect!

He wasn't a disciple of the current sect master but rather an inconspicuous elder who had been recruited from the Kingdom of Driliwyr.

Cao Jiaze's beginnings were humble. Among the myriad of young talents in the Profound Sky Sect, he was considered rather unremarkable.

Yet, through repeated trials and covert struggles against the forces of the Quietus Continent, he had quietly ascended, reaching heights that left so-called geniuses far behind.

This individual stands in stark contrast to Chen Qingyan of the Sword Sect. Through relentless growth and leveraging his modest cultivation talent, he has consistently defied conventional wisdom, advancing one deliberate step at a time.

He now appears to have reached the late stages of the Soul Wandering Stage and is on the cusp of beginning the condensation of the Yang God.

In comparison to Zhou Cangmin of the Red Devil Sect, who has already formed his Yang God and captured the world's attention, he is significantly older.

His rate of breakthrough falls short of prodigies like Zhou Cangmin, Chen Qingyan, Tang Can, Qu Jing, Lau Ying, and Qi Jinghai.

Yet, he has gained the recognition of the Profound Sky Sect's master and is seen as the primary candidate for the next sect leader!

Barring any unforeseen events, he is poised to become the new sect master of the Profound Sky Sect!

Cao Jiaze, at the late Soul Wandering Stage and poised to begin condensing his Yang God, appeared in Horror Land, bearing the Heaven Palace Seal and manifesting in his true form.

"An ill wind blows!"

This thought flashed through Yu Yuan's mind, casting a shadow over his expression.

"Where are you?"

He reached out with his mind to call upon the cauldron soul, ensuring it was primed for an imminent battle.

"Hehe, right here."

The cauldron soul of the Evil Cauldron responded almost instantaneously.

Just then, a grey silhouette flickered through Yu Yuan's mind, catching him off guard. "You?"

Having spent so much time with the cauldron soul, he was only ever able to sense its range of emotions vaguely—never had he heard it laugh with such a "hehe."

And was that laughter coming from a girl?

The cauldron soul now seemed to be brimming with a complex array of emotions, becoming more sentient and astute.

"The minions of Wang Chuan's Underworld Ghost have bolstered my strength during their condensation of the Evil Spirit," the cauldron soul said, almost with a chuckle. "Master, don't fret over me. It won't be long before I can meet you in an entirely new form."

"Soon? Let's first deal with the situation at hand," Yu Yuan replied with a wry smile.

"Ah, fair point," the cauldron soul conceded.

"He intends to condense the Yang God here, in Horror Land?" Lee Yuchan's sudden realization made her blanch as she exclaimed, "Impossible! Surely no one would dare attempt such a feat in Horror Land!"

Yu Yuan was taken aback, "Impossible!"

In his past life, he had access to privileged information and was aware that the dense Yin Qi in Horror Land made it unsuitable for refining the Yang God.

Moreover, it was rare for a Yang God to even reach this place, as they would be suppressed by the Yin Meridian's source in Horror Land.

The Yang God, an entity of pure energy formed from the fusion of Heavenly Soul and pure spiritual power, was said to deteriorate rapidly in Horror Land, leading to the disintegration of its form.

Even the Yin Gods of those at the Yang God Stage would find themselves overpowered by the Yin Meridians here.

Horror Land remained beyond the influence of the five major forces due to its uniquely harsh environment.

Simply put, this environment was particularly hostile to cultivators who had advanced beyond the Soul Wandering Stage.

"You're Yu Yuan from the Darkmoon City of the Devil Moon Empire, aren't you?"

Ignoring their calls, Yu Yuan instead whispered to Lee Yuchan's Yin God, which infuriated the Yin Gods emerging from the Heaven Palace Seal.

Unfazed, Yu Yuan fixed his gaze on the imposing figure within the floating palace and demanded, "What are your intentions?"

"Do you also recognize me?"

With a flick of his finger, Cao Jiaze caused the dazzling light before him to solidify into a gleaming light shield. He studied Yu Yuan with curiosity and inquired, "Can you explain why, back in Luan Bird City, you disclosed the matter of the Soul Igniting Nether Fog to others, prompting them to be on guard?"

Yu Yuan's brow furrowed. "What purpose does it serve to discuss this now?"

"And why did you suddenly decide to leave the city?" Cao Jiaze pressed on.

Yu Yuan remained silent.

"I, too, have been deeply misunderstood before," Cao Jiaze said earnestly. "Yu Yuan, if you truly haven't conspired with the Outland Devaputra and aren't aligned with Zu Ann, I can offer you my assistance. Should you accept, I could even petition the Sect Master to endorse your cultivation at the Profound Sky Sect."

At these words, the crowd erupted into murmurs of shock.

Even Lee Yuchan was taken aback.

"A recommendation to the Profound Sky Sect?" Yu Yuan's expression was a mix of incredulity and amusement.

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