C855 Demon Lord's Retreat

The cultivators from the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, who had reached the tenth level of the Primordial Spirit Stage and were known as Dark Deities, remained unseen due to certain constraints.

What kind of constraints, you might ask?

It was an unspoken rule among beings of equal standing. They would watch over each other from afar, each possessing comparable levels of power and vitality.

They could be anywhere in the Everlands or perhaps just beyond, in the nearby Extraterrestrial Star River.

For such high-level experts, the world's wall had lost its significance.

As Yu Yuan pondered this, he instinctively gazed up at the deep blue sky. His eyes seemed to pierce through the Endless Space, focusing on the resplendent Star River.

It was as though he could see the primordial spirit experts of Boulderdawn, the Great Demon Gods of the Sky Fiend, and the chieftains of the Otherkin, all quietly observing.

They watched over this little world.

At Skyreach Peak, Zu Ann used the Mirror of Fates to peer into the mortal realm. These towering, god-like ancient beings also gazed upon the vast Everlands.

The pinnacle forces of the Shadow's Keep, Devil Palace, and even the three upper sects must have all sensed something.

Their absence here was due to caution; they feared igniting an unpredictable Divine War within the Everlands.

After all, a war involving multiple Primordial Spirits and Dark Deities could cause irreparable harm to the entire Everlands.

The Everlands was not only the cradle of humanity but also the ancestral land of the Shadow's Keep.

Whether it was the current sovereigns—the five supreme powers—or the homecoming Boulderdawn experts, or those promised aid—the Sky Fiend and Otherkin leaders—none wished to see the Everlands destroyed.

Hence, a mutual understanding was silently reached.

A flurry of thoughts raced through Yu Yuan's mind like lightning, and he felt he was on the verge of unraveling the truth.

The subsequent events validated his suspicions...

It began with the Dark Herald from the Devil Palace, who appeared to have heard the ancient demonic tongue. Enshrouded in shadows, the Dark Herald gave a slight nod to Zhou You, who had recently freed himself from the Sword Prison.

Then, without uttering a word, she boarded the Silver Rainbow Shuttle and swiftly departed.

She was the embodiment of the Devil Palace, and her departure sent an unspoken signal.

Without warning, the clear skies over Eshvehona and the mountain ranges of the Skyblight Cult turned into an endless night. A darkness, seemingly separate from the natural world, enveloped the sky and the land below. Daylight, which had spanned thousands of miles, succumbed to the night.

Yun Hao of the Skyblight Cult was taken aback with excitement. He nearly uttered a forbidden name but caught himself and abruptly closed his mouth. He gazed into the darkened sky with anticipation.

The Otherkin and the Sky Fiend, who had arrived from the mountain depths, were now silent, their expressions somber as they stared at the transformed sky.

A suffocating aura descended from the pitch-black heavens.

Deep within the Skyblight Cult's mountains, birds and beasts lay prostrate, shivering in fear.

In that moment, Yan Qiling, along with Luo Yue, who clutched a basket of flowers, wore grave expressions. They seemed to sense that the one who stood atop the Devil Palace had turned their gaze upon them.

With a mere thought, daylight had been devoured by darkness—a feat only the preeminent figure of the Devil Palace could achieve.

The Demon Lord, Tan Xiaotian, was an ancient cultivator of the primordial spirit realm.

He was a pinnacle existence within the Everlands, on equal footing with the Dark Phoenix of Shadow's Keep, commanding reverence from the leaders of the three upper sects.

Every cultivator of the Skyblight Cult bowed their heads, invoking his name with the utmost reverence.

Amidst this overwhelming pressure, a profound silence fell. Intelligent life and even insects ceased their sounds, casting the area into a stillness as profound as death.

It felt like centuries might have passed, yet it could have been just an instant before the darkness receded.

Daylight returned in a flash.

Yun Hao of the Skyblight Cult, as if guided by the Demon Lord's will, suppressed his sorrow and spoke to Zhou You above the clouds, "The Skyblight Cult will retreat to its original domain."

Zhou You, still reeling from the darkness's impact, had lost his usual smile. With a stoic nod, he responded, "Everything that belongs to the Crucible of Evil must remain."

He lowered his gaze to the Skytaint Orb and added, "Including the Bane within."

Yun Hao's face was the picture of despair. Clenching his jaw, he managed to say, "Understood."

Zhou You nodded with satisfaction and turned to Yu Yuan, "Let's head to the Terror Claws' mountain range. As the new master of the Crucible of Evil, it rightfully belongs to you."

Yan Qiling offered a knowing smile, "As it should."

Yu Yuan was taken aback.

His soul spun with dizziness, an unreal sensation washing over him as if his three souls were yet incomplete.

The significance of the darkness swallowing the daylight was not lost on him.

The Demon Lord, Tan Xiaotian, had visited but had not altered the course of events. Instead, he had informed Yun Hao, who had obediently relinquished control of the mountains.

Was the Skyblight Cult to return all the artifacts and Banes that belonged to the Terror Claws?

And he, having acquired the Crucible of Evil and being the last member of the Terror Claws, was to inherit the ownership of the mountains?

According to Yan Qiling, that place was destined to become Boulderdawn's first major trading hub for dealings with the extraterrestrial and the Everlands.

As the master, would he not be entitled to a portion of the profits from this vast marketplace?

In a daze, Yu Yuan felt as though he were in a dream, following Zhou You and Yan Qiling with Luo Yue by his side. Under the peculiar stares of Qi Nandou, Lyu Geng, and Chou Muge, he steered the Crucible of Evil towards the mountains.

From above, he watched the spiritual energy clouds fade away and observed the immortal birds and spirit animals moving about with ease.

He saw the disheartened elders and disciples of the Skyblight Cult, obeying orders to pack up and depart one by one.

A sudden thought struck Yu Yuan.

Yun Hao, at the Unbound Stage and merged with the Skytaint Orb, was now forced to abandon this land and relocate to the Skyblight Cult's original forest. Would this not cause his combat power to plummet?

"Has Boulderdawn grown so powerful that it can make even a Demon Lord step back?" Luo Yue drifted into the Crucible of Evil, her soul form beside Yu Yuan. "Junior brother, what stroke of fortune is this? To think that by simply acquiring the Crucible of Evil, you now have it all?"

Yu Yuan smiled enigmatically and said, "It seems I am favored by the heavens."

He was certain that the existence of the Root of the Lunar Meridian in the Land of Terror was no mere speculation.

His life spanned three eras. In his first, he was acquainted with the one in the bronze coffin.

It was for this reason that he received assistance from Yan Qiling and others.

Chen Liangquan, Zu Ann, and everyone connected to Boulderdawn, following the instructions of that individual, supported him both overtly and covertly.

"Mr. Yan."

Drawing in a gentle breath, he turned to Yan Qiling and began, "About my mother's..."

"Don't worry. Her soul is exceptionally weak but intact, with nothing amiss," Yan Qiling comforted him. "Within the Terror Claws, there are plenty of resources to aid in the recovery of her soul. You needn't fret; I'll handle everything."

He then descended upon a principal peak, announcing, "This was once the stronghold of the Terror Claws."

Below, cauldron spirit Yu Yiyi was already celebrating.

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