C942 Return to the past
Above the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan stood up abruptly, his form suspended above the Crucible of Evil in his real body. His gaze pierced through the dark-green wall of magic power, and he could just make out the towering Gold Mountain floating at the entrance to the forbidden area. This was the gateway through which the Silvermoon Empire had last ventured into the forbidden lands. The mountain seemed oddly familiar to him...
With a thought, he commanded, "Open the Third Eye!" His heaven soul, refined through countless trials, channeled vitality and spiritual energy into his eyes. The wall that sealed this realm became as clear as glass under the gaze of the Third Eye.
At the entrance to the Land of Trials, the massive silhouettes of the evilkind and Loong Jie from the Nagas came into sharp focus. Atop the Gold Mountain, the Golden Elephant God took on a human form, alongside a silver wolf king with a body so large it could eclipse the moon, and a breathtakingly beautiful woman with vibrant, fan-like wings—the Peacock Queen.
These three ninth-level archdemons had been renowned for centuries. In his past life as Hong Qi, Yu Yuan had little interaction with the Golden Elephant God, but he had some dealings with both the silver wolf king and the Peacock Queen—especially the Peacock Queen.
The anguished howls of Loong Jie, writhing in his immense golden form, drew Yu Yuan's attention. Could it be that the Dragon Slaying Stage beneath the earth was causing his distress? He had been oblivious to the Lunar Spirit's activities with the Wraithbinding, the siphoning of the frost wyrm, the golden dragon, and the Chronowyrm, until the Lunar Spirit emerged.
Yet, Yu Yuan was aware of the Dragon Slaying Stage beneath him, knew that Yu Yiyi was its guardian, and understood the secret connection between the stage and the prosperity of the Nagas. The ground trembled intermittently, and Loong Jie's agony suggested that some disturbance within the Dragon Slaying Stage was the cause of his suffering.
"With the Soulforge Matrix in place, those three ninth-level archdemons, including Loong Jie, shouldn't be able to see me," Yu Yuan mused, eyes narrowed and hand stroking his chin. "Here inside, in sync with the formation, and with the Third Eye open, I can clearly observe their every move. They outside the rune circle would never imagine that I'm right at the edge of the forbidden area..."
As he pondered, he closely monitored every move outside.
He was aware that it wouldn't be long before forces from the Devil Palace, Ruby Hand, Skyblight Cult, and more archdemons from Shadow's Keep would converge upon the area.
The forbidden area, bordering the Crimson Sun Empire, was a gathering place for the mightiest from the Euwrea continent.
Facing the Silvermoon Empire were the prominent sect powers of the Land of Quiescence.
Once both parties were assembled, they would commence their assault, starting by shattering the Soulforge Matrix and then pouring into the forbidden area.
"I hope the beacon of hope promised by the bronze coffin truly materializes. I must reclaim my true self..."
He whispered to himself, his consciousness fading and his clarity diminishing.
Unbeknownst to him, his Lunar Spirit, adrift in the third Dragon Slaying Stage, was experiencing a similar haze.
At this moment, the bond between his Lunar Spirit and real body was no longer severed by the Dragon Slaying Stage!
The Lunar Spirit, sharing memories and thoughts with the heaven soul, plunged the real body into this peculiar and diffuse state.
...
In the City of Silvermoon.
Atop a towering spire behind the Imperial Palace, the new emperor Yan Gui, Su Xiangtian, the head of the Su family, Yan Yu, Wu Lie from Asenalenor, the Han family patriarch, and other dignitaries of the empire were assembled.
In the distance, the towering Gold Mountain was strikingly conspicuous.
Those with insight into the Shadow's Keep recognized it as the Golden Elephant God, and could also spot a massive silver-gray wolf basking in the moonlight, seemingly drawing in its essence.
Even before Loong Jie resumed his human guise, he was identifiable as a golden dragon.
"Your Majesty," said Yan Yu, the robust female general, her face etched with concern, "might this conflict spill over into the Silvermoon Empire?"
Her question captured the immediate attention of all the assembled dignitaries.
The trial's entrance to the forbidden area was at a distance from the City of Silvermoon that was neither far nor near.
Should any of the Shadow's Keep's three archdemons engage in unrestrained combat, the residual waves of demon energy could reach the City of Silvermoon, potentially bringing harm to its mortal inhabitants.
Mortals, including low-level warriors, simply couldn't handle the aftershocks of demon energy.
They fretted over the battle's potential impact on the City of Silvermoon, debating whether to evacuate its residents to other cities.
"No," Yan Gui stated firmly. "You must recognize that whether it's Shadow's Keep, Devil Palace, or the three upper sects, they all select their disciples from the talented newborns of Aetherius. The various empires of Aetherius are the bedrock of the future."
"Emperors may change, families may perish, but mortals will not be eradicated en masse."
"Out of respect for the rules, the five supreme powers and the various sects won't directly strike at the Human Empires. Should they breach these rules first, the forces of Boulderdawn, as well as extraterrestrial powers, could effortlessly annihilate the rulers and families of the Crimson Sun Empire, Sunblessed Empire, and Empire of Dawn."
"The empires require strong families to maintain internal stability."
He elaborated with earnest.
Su Xiangtian, with his white temples and refined demeanor, nodded gently. "Your Majesty speaks the truth. I also believe there's no need for excessive concern. Regardless of this battle's outcome, we will still only contend with the Crimson Sun, Sunblessed, and Empire of Dawn."
He paused, sighing softly.
What he meant was that as the new emperor of the Silvermoon Empire, if Boulderdawn suffered a crushing defeat in the forbidden area and the returnees from extraterrestrial realms were thwarted, Yan Gui might find himself targeted by the three upper sects using other means.
"I am prepared for that eventuality; do not worry," Yan Gui assured, his expression unchanged.
Su Xiangtian held his peace, his admiration for Yan Gui growing in silence.
Yan Gui, out of admiration for Silvermoon Queen Lee Yupan, had willingly stepped aside in his younger years, content to be overshadowed by her.
In matters of strategy and cunning, he was no less skilled than Zhou Cangmin, choosing to bide his time and keep a low profile.
When the Silvermoon Queen faced calamity, to ensure her soul's survival, he accepted the terms of the Devil Palace, taking her place as the new emperor and striving to preserve her soul at all costs.
Then, when the time was ripe, he renounced all the promises he had made to the Devil Palace and resolutely aligned himself with the Queen.
Yan Gui's actions deeply impressed Su Xiangtian, inspiring him to join the Boulderdawn Sect even before its renown had spread.
He hoped that the Queen would be blessed with good fortune and that Su Yan, unfettered by her family's influence, would find her place within the Abyssal Dawn.
These were the silent reflections of Su Xiangtian.
...
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit, followed by Yu Yiyi in her soul form, emerged from the pit beneath the earth.
Both Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit and his real body seemed bewildered and disoriented.
As Yu Yiyi accompanied him away from the Dragon Slaying Stage, she watched his Lunar Spirit merge back into his real body and couldn't help but softly exclaim, "Master, what happened to you down there..."
Her words cut off abruptly.
She noticed that Yu Yuan's real body, left outside, mirrored the Lunar Spirit form.
It seemed unlikely that he could hear her.
"Why is this happening? How could the Master's real body be influenced by the Lunar Spirit? Isn't the Dragon Slaying Stage supposed to block everything?" she thought, astonished.
At last, Yu Yuan's Lunar Spirit reentered his real body, disappearing with a flash at his brow.
Yu Yuan, who had been staring blankly with clouded spiritual wisdom, suddenly closed his eyes.
Yu Yiyi, linked to him through a profound soul connection, sensed his realm and soul being purified by an extraordinary force.
Yu Yiyi gasped, her face etched with disbelief.
Above the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan slowly settled into a seated position, closing his eyes to consolidate his Spirit Walk state.
A remarkable power surged wildly within him.
Tian Zang's remnant soul also departed the Dragon Slaying Stage, hovering silently in the air, gazing intently at the meditating Yu Yuan, wordless and with an odd expression on its face.
