C833 Returning the Object to Its Original Owner
Despite all my calculations, I never anticipated that Tian Zang would manage to seize Dhoreus's body from the clutches of Boulderdawn's power.
Cao Jiaze of Ebon Star, with the Mark of the Celestials in one hand and the Tears of the Azurefiend in the other, mulled over the situation, a throbbing headache accompanying his thoughts.
His gaze flickered between Tian Zang, Dhoreus, and the Spectres under Dhoreus's command, his frown growing increasingly pronounced.
He was privy to many secrets of the Moonfall Sanctuary...
The most formidable among the Ten Evil Demons of the forbidden area were on par with the Ghost King of the Land of Terror.
The top three Evil Demons were particularly alarming, posing a threat that kept the five great supreme forces perpetually vigilant.
One such formidable demon was the Sky Fiend Youqian.
Legend has it that Youqian was among the earliest Star-Spawned Terrors to venture into the Everlands.
Before humanity ascended to dominance, he was already wreaking havoc in this realm. Eventually, he was gravely wounded by a coalition of Nagas and archdemons, only to slip away quietly, retreating to the Star River's depths.
Every few years, Youqian would return to the Everlands.
As time passed, humans mastered the arts of cultivation, rising to power and supplanting both the Nagas and the evilkind as the preeminent force in the Everlands.
It was during this era that Boulderdawn saw the rise of many remarkable individuals.
The occupant of the bronze coffin was a titan of Boulderdawn, and it was he who laid a trap that ensnared Youqian upon his secret return to the Everlands.
Youqian was then confined within Boulderdawn's domain—what is now known as the Moonfall Sanctuary.
Unforeseeably, after countless years, Youqian swore fealty to that very individual.
Even after Boulderdawn's downfall and his continued imprisonment, Youqian broke free from the Soulforge Matrix, embraced necromancy in the Land of Terror, and transformed into the Tian Zang we know today.
To say that the Ghost King's history spans five thousand years is, in truth, an understatement. Cao Jiaze surmised that Tian Zang's reign as Ghost King has lasted at least seven to eight thousand years.
Tian Zang's true strength was a mystery to all, particularly now that he had possessed Dhoreus's body. "This should be of some assistance to you," Tian Zang said, holding a shell in his palm. He seemed to erase the Shura glyph inscribed within before flicking it towards Yu Yuan.
The shell, aglow with radiant light, soared towards Yu Yuan. He caught it, and instantly, a surge of potent, refined vitality flowed into his little world, merging with the Altar of Rebirth. His physical wounds healed within moments.
Additionally, strands of divine light, reminiscent of the condensed power of the Star River, seamlessly integrated into his Golden Sanctum. His vitality and spiritual energy swelled to their peak, leaving him with an uncomfortable sensation of being overfull.
At the base of the shell, a dazzling light settled. Yu Yuan glanced down, an idea dawning on him, and his gaze shifted to Luo Yue, who had been eagerly watching him—or more precisely, the shell in his hand. The light at the base, harvested from the extraterrestrial Star River, was even more enigmatic and profound than the gift from Zu Ann, and it promised to be incredibly beneficial for mending her flower basket.
"This?" Yu Yuan scratched his head and sheepishly looked at Tian Zang.
"There's no Great Dao conflict between her and me. You're free to do as you please with the shell; it won't bother me," Tian Zang said with a rare display of humility when addressing Yu Yuan. "The divine light within holds no value for Youling. Go ahead and give it to her."
Luo Yue's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Encouraged by Tian Zang's words, Yu Yuan tossed the shell back to her. She caught it in her tattered flower basket and carefully placed it against the blue lining, her smile radiant. "I'm not one to waver. I will always stand by my junior brother."
"Regardless of whom I assist, you're prepared to confront these entities," Tian Zang remarked, his gaze settling on the Pale Reaper and the eight ancient ghosts, with Rhutar at the forefront. "Therefore, I'll take care of Dhoreus."
As Tian Zang finished his declaration, he charged towards Dhoreus, transforming the River of Souls into a dazzling Star River behind him.
He aimed not for Dhoreus's corporeal form but for his soul.
"Dhoreus, I will battle you within the River of Souls you command." As Tian Zang plunged into the Star River, his form shifted, taking on the aspect of the cosmic giant beast known as the Abyssal Leviathan. With a gaping maw akin to the Maw of Oblivion, he engulfed the Star River born from the River of Souls.
The cosmic giant beast, capable of refining and devouring stars, possessed one of the most fundamental divine powers.
The Star River behind Dhoreus was an illusion, and so was Tian Zang's Abyssal Leviathan form. Yet, it seemed to have a slight edge over the River of Souls.
"He's wise to target the River of Souls for his confrontation with Dhoreus," Luo Yue murmured as she refined the shell in her basket, speaking softly to Yu Yuan. "Attacking Dhoreus's soul directly is tricky; he can use the River of Souls to slip away like an eel. Without a direct battle, Tian Zang may indeed find himself at a disadvantage."
"Am I forgotten?"
Cao Jiaze touched his nose, his face a picture of resignation. "I was sent to the Land of Terror to assist Dhoreus in his ascent to the throne of the God of Ghosts. Since I'm here, I must act."
His eyes narrowed, "Elder Tian Zang, I'll take the liberty of testing your mettle. Let's see if you can withstand this Blood Altar!"
The Tears of the Azurefiend erupted skyward, transforming into a brilliant blue star that plummeted into the Star River. Within the Star River, it morphed once more, coalescing into an ice-blue vortex.
Within the vortex, the Soul Altar and Blood Altar shimmered with crystalline clarity, radiating divine brilliance.
The Soul Altar, Blood Altar, and the Spawn of Chaos split into three distinct entities. The Soul Altar positioned itself atop the head of the Abyssal Leviathan, the Blood Altar weighed down its body, and the Spawn of Chaos, now a blue shadowy leaf, adhered to the belly of the Abyssal Leviathan.
Yu Yuan watched the unfolding spectacle with an odd expression, his mind flashing back to the time in the Embers Sea when Hei Xun, the Pale Reaper, and the magnate led by the Crane Rider used the Blood Altar to subdue the Abyssal Leviathan.
It was uncannily similar.
Yet, the Blood Altar remained unchanged. The only difference was that what appeared to be the Abyssal Leviathan was actually Tian Zang, having transformed his body into that very likeness.
"Heh!"
Tian Zang, poised for a decisive battle with Dhoreus, flashed a grin and suddenly morphed into a sapphire-skinned, razor-toothed creature clad in blue scales, assuming the monstrous form of a ferocious brute.
This towering monster, a hundred feet tall with hands bristling with spikes, effortlessly seized the crystal-clear Soul Altar.
With a mere flick, it sent the Blood Altar crashing to the ground, while the Spawn of Chaos, previously adhered to him, was thrust into his chest cavity, serving as a makeshift breastplate.
Cao Jiaze's face turned ashen.
To his horror, he realized that his spiritual link with the Blood Altar had been ruthlessly severed in a mere moment.
"Go!"
From the brow of the sapphire-skinned, razor-toothed Dhoreus, a myriad of ancient glyphs burst forth, descending upon both the Soul Altar and the Blood Altar, transforming into countless little devils.
"Merge once more!"
With a light chuckle from Tian Zang, the divided Blood Altar seamlessly reassembled.
Tian Zang stepped down gently onto the translucent blue altar, his savage and grim visage now in perfect harmony with it.
"Tian Zang, you?"
In that moment, Dhoreus was staggered, seemingly unable to accept the reality before him.
He wasn't alone; White Bone, Luo Yue, and the Spectres all wore expressions of deep contemplation.
"Tian Zang is the Star-Spawned Terror known as Youqian, and Youqian hails from the Azurefiend clan."
Yu Yiyi, the cauldron spirit, discerned the truth and drifted from Yu Yuan's Zigong acupoint. "The Blood Altar that Cao Jiaze held sway over was originally of the Azurefiend clan. It's highly probable that the Blood Altar has always belonged to Tian Zang, only sealed within the Embers Sea."
Yu Yuan, taken aback, gave a slight nod. "That must be the truth."
The Blood Altar, a weapon of doom belonging to the Star-Spawned Terrors, was forged by the collective might of an entire clan.
And this Blood Altar was the Azurefiend's!
Youqian was a Sky Fiend of the Azurefiend clan!
This Blood Altar likely belonged to him, and it was probably the Divine Weapon he wielded during his campaigns across the Star River in the Everlands.
Today, it seems only fitting that it has returned to its rightful owner.
...
