C843 The Empire's Rebellion
In the Absence Relic, Yu Zhu resided on an island nestled in the heart of the lake. Shrouded in the mist of early morning, the island seemed a place of enchantment, where a single breath of its spiritual air could invigorate the soul and open every pore in sheer comfort.
The lake's crystalline waters brimmed with abundant spiritual energy, offering cultivators and great demons alike a sanctuary where their practices could flourish with minimal effort.
At present, a group led by the Python Queen, Xu Zixi, and Zhu Peining stood on the island, their faces etched with concern. They had come specifically to seek an audience with Yu Zhu.
Yu Zhu, having ascended to an Eighth Level Great Demon at the Demon Palace, now spent the majority of her time in seclusion on the island, seldom venturing out. Xu Zixi managed the day-to-day affairs of the Absence Relic, consulting Yu Zhu only on matters of great importance.
Such as the situation at hand.
"Aunt Xu, is my Zhao family... safe?" one asked anxiously.
"And the Zhan family?" another inquired.
Zhao Yafu and Zhan Tianxiang, both from the Demon Palace, had hurriedly made their way from Spider City, breathless. Upon receiving the alarming news, they had utilized the space teleportation array to return from the Quietus Continent and had arrived posthaste.
As word spread, a steady stream of practitioners from the Devil Palace and the seven lower sects followed suit, all converging upon this place.
"Stay calm, both the Zhao and Zhan families are unharmed," Xu Zixi reassured them with a steady voice. "However, the Gao family of Darkmoon City has been decimated, with nearly all its members perishing."
"How could this happen? How did things come to this?" murmured Yan Lu in disbelief.
He had been cultivating within the Absence Relic when the news reached him. Without delay, he sought out Xu Zixi, who received him with a chilling aloofness. "Given the circumstances with your Yan family, it would be wise to distance yourself and sever ties with them henceforth," she advised with a grave undertone.
Yan Gui, the head of the Yan family and the reigning emperor of the Devil Moon Empire, had resorted to a ruthless purge, eliminating numerous families within the empire. Sects with ties to the Demon Palace, the Devil Palace, and the seven lower sects had been eradicated, leaving a trail of devastation and loss in their wake.
No one could fathom why Yan Gui was so intensely stirred up.
Previously, with the Devil Palace's backing, Yan Gui had ousted the Lee family and usurped the throne from the Silvermoon Queen, Lee Yupan, to become the new ruler of the Empire. During that pivotal time, the Devil Palace's Devil Envoy and Zhou Cangmin from the Red Devil Sect were right by Yan Gui's side, aiding him in this coup.
To all onlookers, Yan Gui was unequivocally aligned with the Devil Palace.
Yet, against all expectations, he resorted to a brutal crackdown, enlisting the help of some mixed-blood outsiders to execute a merciless purge within his own borders.
The result was a shocking and comprehensive purge that left everyone speechless.
Moreover, Yan Gui publicly declared that the Devil Moon Empire would revert to its former name, the Silvermoon Empire, and had forged an alliance with the Luan Bird Empire.
"According to intelligence from the Babel Chamber of Commerce, the catalyst was Lee Yupan's clandestine departure from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area to engage in a deep conversation with Yan Gui at the Imperial Palace," Zhu Peining remarked with a soft sigh. "Yan Gui's fondness for the Silvermoon Queen is well-known. It was his affection for Lee Yupan that held him back from leading the Yan family in the contest for the imperial throne."
"After Lee Yupan's tragic incident at the Absence Relic, where her Yin God was separated from her body and she was subsequently imprisoned, Yan Gui remained silent."
"Now, it appears that Yan Gui harbored resentment towards the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace all along. Aware of his own limitations, he bided his time, feigning allegiance to the Devil Palace to suppress the Lee family."
"I have a faint recollection that it was Yan Gui who pulled strings, seeking the Devil Envoy and Zhou Cangmin's intervention, which led to Li Yuchan's Yin God being spared and her body confined."
The Babel Chamber of Commerce holds meticulous records of these events.
Yan Gui's devotion to Lee Yupan was profound; he went to extraordinary lengths to ensure her survival.
Ultimately, when the Silvermoon Queen broke free from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and secretly regained her strength, Yan Gui made a resolute decision to sever ties with the Devil Palace and the Demon Palace.
He also chose to part ways with the current sects and powers of the vast Boundless Land.
In a single night, he purged all the families within the Empire's borders that were connected to the Devil Palace, the Demon Palace, and the seven lower sects of the Heavenly Source Continent that had partaken in the massacre against the Lee family.
Yan Gui made a grand announcement that he had entered into an offensive and defensive alliance with the Luan Bird Empire, under the rule of Chen Liangquan.
This signified that two empires on the Profound Sky Continent had shifted their allegiances, now aligning themselves with the Divine Soul Sect.
"It's odd that the Zhan and Zhao families weren't subjected to a massive purge," Zhu Peining mused, puzzled. "They were simply commanded to withdraw immediately. And where could they go, if not to Absence Relic?"
Whoosh!
A soul message from Yu Zhu rippled through the swirling mists of the mid-lake island.
Xu Zixi was taken aback, initially thinking Yu Zhu was speaking to her, only to see the Raven abruptly materialize and engage in a covert exchange with Yu Zhu.
After a moment of contemplation, Raven revealed, "The Zhao and Zhan families' narrow escape can be attributed to Yu Yuan."
"Yu Yuan?"
Zhao Yafu and Zhan Tianxiang gasped in disbelief.
Zhu Peining, along with several representatives from the lower sects, were visibly bewildered.
"In Horror Land, a specter known as White Bone ascended to Ghost King status with Yu Yuan's assistance. Recently, this White Bone Ghost King vanquished the Mingdu Ghost King from a millennium ago, forcing him to flee," Raven explained, then grumbled, "The White Bone chosen by Yu Yuan is set to become the unrivaled ghost deity of Horror Land!"
"Yan Gui, as well as his backers, hold Yu Yuan in high regard."
"Thanks to Yu Yuan, the Zhan and Zhao families avoided a bloody purge and managed to flee."
Turning to the visitors from Spider City, who were eager to discern Yu Zhu's stance, he declared, "Absence Relic will welcome the Zhan and Zhao families. However, let's not squander Absence Relic's cultivation resources on other family remnants who have fled the Silvermoon Empire."
His word was final.
"Yu Yuan!"
"Yu Yuan!"
Many of Yu Yuan's allies erupted in astonishment at Raven's words.
Unfamiliar with White Bone, they only knew of Yu Yuan's fortuitous luck in choosing a ghost that was destined to become the ghost deity of Horror Land, stirring a mix of envy and jealousy among them.
*Ring ring*
An urgent alarm sounded from the bracelet on Zhu Peining's wrist, the Absence Relic's overseer, signaling an alert.
Gazes converged on Zhu Peining, and those familiar with the Babel Chamber of Commerce knew that something unexpected must have occurred for her bracelet to react so intensely.
With a thread of her soul's awareness, Zhu Peining probed the situation. Moments later, her complexion turned a ghastly pale as she declared, "The Kingdom of Rewia, under the rule of the current emperor, has proclaimed an alliance with the Luan Bird Empire and the Silvermoon Empire! Within its borders, those of mixed blood can now walk freely, no longer hunted or killed!"
"What?!"
"Chen Liangquan's new policy is now being enforced across the Profound Sky Continent?"
"This is an outright challenge to the five supreme sects!"
The news left everyone in shock, exchanging incredulous looks. They were struck by a realization—the three great sects, led by the Demon Palace and the Demon Palace, were slowly losing their iron grip on the Boundless Land.
The Empire of the Profound Sky Continent's bold defiance of the five supreme sects suggested a powerful backing—undoubtedly, the Divine Soul Sect.
The Desolate God had always stood apart, with the Great Swamp being a realm untouched by the five supreme forces. Now, it seemed that the Horror Land and the Ascension Mountain Range, under Zu Ann's control, were new additions to the list, with three empires switching allegiances...
The entire continent was experiencing an upheaval like never before, a complete overturning of the established order. A heavy silence fell over the crowd, their faces etched with solemnity.
...
In the Horror Land, Yu Yuan remained oblivious to the seismic shifts occurring in the outside world. He was unaware of the multitude of ghosts, Earth Demons, and other entities that were frantically entering this ominously unique territory, focusing solely on his cultivation.
Within the Dark Mountain, the Yin God emerged, drawing power from the void.
Filaments of pure, silvery Yin energy intertwined with the Yin God's soul, fortifying every thread of his spiritual essence, rendering his Yin God increasingly distinct when manifesting in the external realm.
Swoosh!
His Yin God drifted through the cave, acclimating to the form of the soul.
Then, abruptly, he perceived a distant call, a voice reaching out across thousands of miles.
