C873 Boom!!

Above the Nemo River, Yu Yuan unleashed the "Fiendish Might," causing his vitality and spiritual energy to erupt simultaneously. Every gesture carried the weight of a titanic force, and as he swung his fists, massive orbs of light soared into the sky like blazing suns.

"Now that's exhilarating!" Yu Yuan bared his teeth in a wide grin, finding this intense battle far more thrilling than the meticulous process of potion refinement. It was particularly satisfying when he had full command of the situation, bending it to his will.

His confidence stemmed from knowing the formidable power of the Crucible of Evil that lay at the river's bottom, within its own little world. This knowledge gave him the audacity to roam freely throughout the Crimson Sun Empire.

Puff! Puff! Puff! Giant elephants, mountainous Kylins, serpentine behemoths a hundred meters long, and the imposing Spirit Turtle—all were reduced to mere droplets under the relentless assault of his radiant, sun-like fists.

As the deluge continued, new colossal spirit animals surged from the water's surface, only to be methodically crushed by Yu Yuan's unyielding fists.

With the "Fiendish Might" in motion, the spiritual energy and vitality within his veins surged wildly, culminating in explosive power with each punch he threw. Relying solely on his own strength, he refrained from summoning the sword sheath or employing the Crucible of Evil, instead facing the alien beasts conjured by Yang Chuhe's manipulation of the water, honing his combat skills in the process.

"Without resorting to external powers or aligning with the Lunar Spirit through a sword spell, my sheer physical force should be enough to stand toe-to-toe with cultivators of equal rank from the Forgeroses. And those Forgeroses, known for their terrifyingly conditioned physiques, excel in combat, especially when unarmed—their prowess is unmatched," he mused.

Sects that emphasize physical might are typically filled with warriors who relish in battle, each possessing exceptional martial capabilities. This was true for both the Forgeroses and the Terror Claws.

Years of practicing the "Evil Body Refining" technique had primed him for this moment, allowing him to fully engage and revel in the clash against the water-formed alien beasts. He found that his mind remained serene, even as he expended his vitality and spiritual energy in fierce combat with the elephants and Kylins.

Advancing to the Lunar Spirit state had brought occasional bouts of anxiety and restlessness, but the catharsis of battle had significantly alleviated these feelings.

"Venturing into the Crimson Sun Empire is a journey of cultivation in itself, an opportunity to refine and stabilize my understanding of this new realm."

Leaping into the air, he hovered as he struck the head of the newly-formed Kylin with a palm emanating a faint red glow, scattering the water within.

With a left and right punch, he struck a Luan bird and a giant snake, respectively. His eyebrows relaxed, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

He was aware that all the alien beasts formed by the Nemo River were mere illusions without souls. No matter how many times they were slain, they would not impact Yang Chuhe.

At best, they could only deplete a fraction of Yang Chuhe's vitality.

This dark disciple, who had risen to prominence following the departure of State Preceptor Zhou Cangmin, was merely a Lunar Spirit. Yet, with the power of the Nemo River refined by the state preceptor, he managed to give both Qin Yun and himself a persistent headache.

"If I didn't have the Crucible of Evil and this scabbard, with my current level, I'm afraid I'd truly be at a loss against this man."

With this thought in mind, he turned his gaze to Qin Yun as the next alien beast had yet to materialize.

"Don't use the Dawn Arrow!"

He commanded, his voice deep and resonant. The Cosmos Ring on his hand glowed faintly, and a sword sheath materialized in his grasp.

Yang Chuhe, who stood atop the water dragon's head, looked down and hummed dismissively. The water dragon opened its mouth and released a silver arrow, shimmering and similar to the Dawn Arrow.

The silver arrow, etched with tiny white clouds and slender rivers, seemed to have captured the essence of rivers and clouds, filled with wonders.

He scrutinized the silver arrow, and after a moment, his eyes began to sting, signaling to him the arrow's significance—it was a treasure on par with Qin Yun's Dawn Arrow.

"Hehe," Yang Chuhe chuckled softly.

The massive water dragon burst apart, and a misty white light emerged from within, swiftly merging into the silver arrow.

"My Tide Arrow may not be as precious as your Dawn Arrow, but my realm surpasses yours."

Yang Chuhe noticed Qin Yun's hesitation at Yu Yuan's words. His watery form plummeted, then he deftly caught the silver arrow. Regardless of Qin Yun's thoughts or actions, he swept his sleeve with a flourish.

Whoosh!

A small Tide Arrow was loosed, and upon its release, a sharp streamer appeared in the sky, brimming with an extremely potent sword's will.

Yu Yuan watched the streamer intently, feeling a sense of discomfort throughout his body. He couldn't afford to hesitate, so he quickly pointed his sword sheath toward the streamer.

The streamer, relentlessly pursuing Qin Yun as if it had a consciousness of its own, refused to relent no matter how deftly Qin Yun tried to evade.

The persistent chase allowed Yu Yuan the opportunity to strike with his sword sheath before the streamer could reach Qin Yun.

"Star Shattering Slash."

A dazzling, crimson light burst forth, shining with an intensity that reached its zenith.

The radiant light struck a segment of the streamer, detonating like a magnificent firework display. The Tide Arrow, meticulously crafted by Yang Chuhe at great expense, was obliterated on the spot.

Meanwhile, Yu Yuan felt the sword light within his sword sheath gradually diminishing.

After delivering a single blow, Yu Yuan ceased his attack and a wisp of his remnant soul escaped. He sensed the accumulated sword radiance at the base of the sword sheath, stirring like a dire beast catching the scent of blood, eager to pounce.

The sword's will that had been infused into the Tide Arrow was naturally dispersed.

The water and cloud essence of sword's will that Yang Chuhe had so carefully studied and refined paled in comparison to the sword radiance at the base of the sword sheath.

Stored there, alongside the Nine Celestial Slashes of the Grand Sword Immortal who had perished in the extraterrestrial Star River, were the sword's wills of other Sword Immortals who had fallen in battle. These sword's wills epitomized the pinnacle of swordsmanship!

"This sword sheath..."

Yang Chuhe murmured to himself, contemplating in his watery form.

It was then that he suddenly felt an intense, bone-chilling cold emanating from the depths of the Nemo River.

"Crucible of Evil!"

Yang Chuhe's face contorted with the realization of impending danger. He quickly disintegrated, and his Lunar Spirit emerged, vanishing into the void with a flicker.

As the Nemo River returned to tranquility, the icy cold at the riverbed sent shivers down Qin Yun's spine.

Looking down, Qin Yun sensed something and gasped, "Why is there a hint of the Frozen Hellscape's aura here? It's unlikely that the Nemo River harbors an object from the Frozen Hellscape, right?"

"It's the Frost Queen," Yu Yuan explained with a smile.

"Ah!"

Qin Yun exclaimed in shock, thinking to himself, had the female Bane who once appeared on the mid-lake island become so powerful that even Yang Chuhe, in the middle period of Spirit Walk, would retreat at her mere scent?

On the journey here, he had observed Yu Yuan occasionally taking out a sword sheath and handling it with care. He had felt the terrifying sword's will within it, so when Yu Yuan instructed him not to use the Dawn Arrow, he complied without question.

He had witnessed the might of the sword sheath and the fearsome sword spell.

He hadn't seen all the Baneful creatures within the Crucible of Evil and had assumed the Frost Queen was as she had been in the past.

To his surprise, when the Crucible of Evil sank to the bottom of the Nemo River, the Frost Queen merely had to demonstrate a fraction of her power to send Yang Chuhe fleeing.

"Yang Chuhe sent a Lunar Spirit to gauge our strength via the Nemo River," Yu Yuan said, looking down as the Crucible of Evil began to ascend. "His real body isn't present, and he lacks his usual tools. In such a state, he's far from his true strength."

"The Midnightshields will be ready for us," Qin Yun stated gravely.

"No matter," Yu Yuan replied, unfazed. "He was testing me, but I was also assessing him. This dark disciple who has refined three great rivers is indeed a formidable opponent. Still, I believe we won't be at a disadvantage."

It was merely a brief interlude. Once the Crucible of Evil emerged from the water, they resumed their journey, heading straight for Yang Chuhe's stronghold—the Midnightshields.

...

With a whoosh, a spectral light shot from the clear water in the stone trough into Yang Chuhe's forehead. He jerked in response, his expression turning grave as he addressed his superior, "Your Highness!"

Liu Xu turned to him immediately, "Teacher, what are your commands?"

"Summon more powerhouses," Yang Chuhe inhaled deeply, as if bracing for a formidable challenge. "Also, please inform the Sunlit Order that the Crimson Sun Empire's forces may be insufficient to contend with Yu Yuan."

Upon hearing his words, the faces of the other Midnightshields members turned grim.

"What? Are Yu Yuan and Qin Yun truly that formidable?"

It was clear to them that Yang Chuhe had employed a mystique, dispatching his Lunar Spirit to test the powers of Yu Yuan and Qin Yun, leading to his new findings.

"You're already familiar with Qin Yun's capabilities. I'm referring to Yu Yuan," said Yang Chuhe with a stern look. "He's a bit of a challenge. Just to be on the safe side, we should promptly seek guidance from the Sunlit Order. They're on their way."

"Understood! I'll take care of it immediately!"

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