C916 God of Light!
In the southern reaches of the Land of Quiescence, there lay a mountain range enveloped in a rainbow-hued divine glow. Majestic palaces towered around the mountains, creating a breathtaking sight. This mountain was known as Skyreach Peak.
At the heart of this splendor stood a grand palace that reached halfway up the peak. Within its tallest hall, figures entered intermittently, each wearing a look of deep solemnity. These individuals were either heads of the Skyreach Consortium's various branches or esteemed counselors within the organization. Feng Zhong, Qin Yan, Zhu Peining, Jin Xiaolie, Zheng Luanjie, Qi Lingyu, and others were present.
Jiang Yurong, Gao Qin, Ma Jianjiang, and others of lesser status were notably absent from the invitation list. Distinguished personages from across the Everlands, the three continents, and the Sundering Isles had all converged here for a momentous occasion.
"Have you heard? The trade feast hosted by the Terror Claws was presided over by none other than President Lyi!"
"Wasn't President Lyi rumored to have perished during his primordial spirit's refinement?"
"He's very much alive. You haven't ascended to the Solar Spirit Realm or ventured into the extraterrestrial realms. Rumors have been circulating for two hundred years that President Lyi was spotted in the Star River of the extraterrestrial. It just wasn't confirmed until now."
"If it truly is President Lyi, then..."
Nearly all the attendees were members of the Spirit Walk and Solar Spirit Realms, with over twenty individuals dispersed throughout the hall. Jin Xiaolie, formerly overseeing the Songbird Empire, and Zhu Peining, now stationed in Gavanas, approached and took their places beside the usually disheveled Feng Zhong, who was uncharacteristically solemn and dignified on this occasion.
"Regarding the Land of Terror, all the Spectres, Taruer, Razses, and Luo Yue have already set a precedent," Jin Xiaolie informed Feng Zhong. "Our people are no longer permitted to set foot in the Land of Terror. Henceforth, we'll only conduct trade with President Lyi's representatives."
"The ghosts of the Land of Terror have turned their backs on us, forgetting past kindnesses!" Qin Yan remarked with a huff of indignation.
Feng Zhong gave a slight nod, signaling his understanding, yet he refrained from offering any commentary.
"Nothing has changed in the Forgotten Ruins," Zhu Peining said with a moment's hesitation. "Chong Xiao has passed away, and the Ethereal Void Sect has yet to appoint someone new to assume his duties. Additionally, the sect's powerhouses have all discreetly departed from Gavanas."
Jin Xiaolie let out a sinister chuckle. "Chong Xiao and Tianjing perished in the Serpent Spine Mountains. The other Sages who were exiled are now being pursued. The Ethereal Void Sect has been severely weakened by the incident with Qu Jing."
"From this point forward, the Ethereal Void Sect will no longer be considered the foremost among the seven lower sects," Feng Zhong declared. He locked eyes with a stately woman responsible for these matters and instructed, "The new hierarchy is as follows: Starmoon Sect, Thunder Sect, Ethereal Void Sect, Forgeroses, Winter's Bite, Abyssal Dawn, and Cloudwater Sect. The power rankings of the sects should be updated to reflect this order and communicated to all branches."
Feng Zhong served not only as the principal guardian of the Celestial Isle for the Skyreach Consortium but also bore the significant duties of the clandestine Windspeaker organization. Often, his Lunar Spirit and Solar Spirit avatars operated in different realms to gather intelligence.
"Understood," the composed woman replied dutifully.
The Skyreach Consortium members within the hall fell into a respectful hush as Feng Zhong announced the reordering of the seven lower sects, attentively absorbing his words. The buzz of conversation resumed only after he had finished speaking.
"The Ethereal Void Sect has tumbled from the pinnacle of the seven lower sects to third place! It's quite unexpected that both the Starmoon Sect and the Thunder Sect have outstripped the Ethereal Void Sect," someone remarked.
"We're only aware of the deaths of Sages Chong Xiao and Tianjing. There might still be more developments to come," another speculated.
"Forgeroses has shown remarkable strength, rising from the bottom to the top four, all thanks to Zhongli Dapan's return," a third observer noted.
"Now leading the seven lower sects, the Starmoon Sect has truly come into its own," commented another.
The crowd refrained from challenging Feng Zhong's rankings, evidently placing trust in his discernment and insight.
Qin Yan couldn't help but ask, "Why has the Ethereal Void Sect fallen behind the Thunder Sect?"
"The Thunder Sect still boasts Qi Jinghai, while the Ethereal Void Sect, after the death of Qu Jing, has no successors," Feng Zhong stated definitively. "Considering their overall strength and potential future developments, I believe the Ethereal Void Sect must now be ranked below the Thunder Sect. It's possible that in another six months, even the Forgeroses might overtake them."
"It's unbelievable, truly unexpected," Zhu Peining lamented.
The Ethereal Void Sect, once the foremost among the seven lower sects within the Crimson Sun Empire, had plummeted to fourth place. The death of their future hope, Qu Jing, along with the losses of Tianjing and Chong Xiao, and the assassination of other Sages, had rocked the sect to its core. This was a staggering upheaval that no one could have anticipated!
"President!"
"The President has arrived!"
Suddenly, the arrival of a figure on the high platform captured the attention of all the key members of the Skyreach Consortium.
"Let's have an open discussion. How should we respond to the Terror Claws' recent transaction? And what direction should the Consortium take moving forward?"
...
At Fiendpeak.
The arrival of the Dawnbringers' saintess and the nearing of her miraculous Altar of Rebirth caused even the feeble demons within the Crucible of Evil to shudder with unease.
Yu Yuan squinted, sensing a familiar sanctity emanating from Canli.
In this lifetime, his ancestor, who was on the verge of ascending to the God of Ghosts, practiced the Sacred Writ of the Skeleton. The luminous bones and the clusters of white flames within exuded a radiant light...
Suddenly, Yu Yuan realized that the original owner of these bones was almost certainly a mighty warrior from the Dawnbringers!
Digging deeper into his thoughts...
Such a high-caliber warrior from the Dawnbringers, after stepping into the Everlands, must have perished in the Moonfall Sanctuary, leaving only their skeletal remains, which were then claimed by White Bone.
Before the soul of White Bone discovered and refined these remains, could there have been a connection to the Chen family of the Songbird Empire?
Given that the Chen family carries the bloodline of the Dawnbringers, it stands to reason that their ancestors would have had marital ties with the Dawnbringers.
At that moment, his expression turned inexplicably odd.
"What's on your mind?"
With her fair hand, Canli traced a mystical symbol over her heart, and in an instant, a resplendent light engulfed the mountaintop.
A delicate Altar of Rebirth emerged from her chest.
The endless radiance converged upon the Altar of Rebirth, making the intricate and enigmatic altar seem like the source of all light in existence.
"It came into being alongside me."
Canli, beaming, gestured toward the Altar of Rebirth. "The patriarch and the elders call it the God of Light. Yu Yuan, Chen Liangquan told me that the one within you wasn't innate. Could you show it to me so we can discuss it?"
"God of Light!"
Yu Yuan gazed in amazement at the Altar of Rebirth that had risen from Canli's body. He noticed his eyes gradually adjusting to the brightness without the urge to tear up.
The God of Light, as Canli described, resembled a diamond sculpture, radiating splendor in the sunlight.
Looking at the God of Light, Yu Yuan felt as though he was beholding the sun at its most brilliant.
Within the God of Light, the true essence of luminous power seemed naturally inscribed.
Any Dawnbringer who beheld the God of Light could activate their potent lineage and grasp the essence of light.
"Truly wondrous!"
Yu Yuan couldn't help but marvel. Since he didn't practice these spells and his knowledge of the Altar of Rebirth was limited, he couldn't discern its deeper mysteries.
"And yours?" Canli asked, her eyes twinkling.
After a moment's consideration, Yu Yuan nodded. "Very well."
At his command, his own Altar of Rebirth, hidden deep within his vitality, emerged from the Profound Gate acupoint in his chest. It appeared as a large chunk of crimson crystal, spinning effortlessly, emanating the psionic power of creation.
Upon witnessing his Altar of Rebirth, Canli's frame shook subtly. She immediately remarked, "Yours can accumulate and refine tremendous vitality, purifying oneself in the process. Moreover, your refined vitality possesses the extraordinary ability to regenerate flesh from White Bone, revitalizing the physical body."
"You can sense that?" Yu Yuan exclaimed in surprise.
Boom!
A surge of vitality burst into his forehead, unleashing an uncontrollable bloodlust from his Altar of Rebirth.
He watched as the ruby-like Altar of Rebirth, like a ferocious dire beast, lunged at Canli's "God of Light," eager to devour it whole.