C945 Shocking Formation

In the far reaches of the Star River, there lies a dark and mysterious domain, swirling like a vortex and dotted with fragments of shattered land. This place is known as the Hellmouth. On one such fragment, nearly as vast as the Forgotten Ruins, a dark and eerily still lake mirrors the sky above.

Peering into the depths of the lake, one can witness psionic powers churning, sending ripples of spatial tremors through the void. This is the entrance to the Domain Channel leading to the Moonfall Sanctuary. Along the lake's edge, members of the Shura clan stand ready, clad in various armors and wielding sharp blades.

With a whoosh, the wailing souls of Sky Fiends burst forth from the lake's glassy surface, only to be swiftly dispatched by the Shura warriors. The remains of the Shadowkin, Starborn, Silverscale Tribe, and Nightscale Tribe litter different lands or float amidst the spiraling currents.

Above the Domain Channel, on a smaller landmass, a towering Golden Shura stands resolute. Forged from molten goldsteel, the Golden Shura towers over giant dragons, archdemons, and giant beasts, standing several dozen feet tall atop a Golden Chariot, his gaze icy and unwavering.

He observes the Ghoul King below, gathering the lifeless bodies of the Shadowkin, enchantresses, Silverscale Tribe, and Starborn within the Hellmouth. Beside him, the cosmic giant beast, now in the guise of Ming Kun, perches atop the chariot's flagpole, matching the Golden Shura's height.

"Don't be so petty. They're merely seventh and eighth level corpses. I'm simply providing my servant with some Ghouls for amusement," Ming Kun says with a playful grin to the Golden Shura.

"My son, has he truly perished?" the Golden Shura inquires, his face etched with sorrow.

"Yes, the place where he fell is now known as the Forgotten Ruins," Ming Kun confirms with a nod. "You have three sons; the one lost in the Everlands was not even the most distinguished. Why grieve so deeply?"

The Golden Shura before him is the reigning patriarch of the Shura within the Star River. His combat prowess rivals that of the human primordial spirit and the evilkind's Dark Deity. Even Ming Kun would hesitate to claim certain victory over him, thus he holds a measure of genuine respect for the Golden Shura.

Ming Kun entered the Hellmouth and quickly surveyed the remnants of the battle. It was clear to him that the Golden Shura, the Blood Fiend patriarch, and several powerful Otherkin who opposed an alliance between the Boulderdawn sect and other races had decimated the Hellmouth and shattered the Domain Channel.

The patriarch of the Blood Fiend and the Otherkin combatants had already departed.

The Blood King, leading his followers, remained to secure the Hellmouth, determined to thwart any attempt by the God-King of Boulderdawn and Yan Qiling to repair the Domain Channel and foil their scheme.

"The one who perished in the Everlands was my dearest son, who was so much like me," the Blood King lamented with sorrow in his eyes. "The human sects of the Everlands, every last creature, must be annihilated to quell the rage in my heart! I'm aware of your long imprisonment in the Everlands; you surely won't align with them."

Ming Kun gave a subtle nod. "I share your sentiment; I wish for the Everlands to descend into greater turmoil."

"You also desire to witness their civil strife?" asked the Blood King, taken aback.

"Yes, I'm eager to see their internal war erupt," Ming Kun said with a sly smile. "The Human Race has reigned over the Star River for too long. Only when the Boulderdawn, the three upper sects, the Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep are locked in mutual combat, both sides suffering losses, can the lifeforms of the Extraterrestrial World have a chance to reshuffle the deck."

"Since our objectives align, feel free to do as you please with the remains," the Blood King responded.

Ming Kun let out a sly chuckle, about to speak, when he suddenly detected an unusual disturbance emanating from the Domain Channel below.

"The young one's Altar of Rebirth has some delightful offerings to savor. Excellent."

...

Atop the Dragon Slaying Stage.

Tian Zang and Canli arrived first, followed by Beru, Mia, and the other ninth-level Otherkin, whose eyes lacked their usual luster. They all converged on the platform.

Upon arrival, they turned their attention to the golden mountainscape nearby.

There, they observed the Golden Elephant God, the silver wolf king, the Peacock Queen, Loong Jie, and other formidable figures from the Devil Palace and Ruby Hand who had arrived subsequently.

Quero let out a disdainful snort. "Finally, it seems we're almost all assembled."

"Release your lifeblood from within your bodies," Canli urged.

In an instant, droplets of lifeblood, as dazzling as stars, entwined with plant essence, containing soul seas, or as fiery as volcanoes, all shone brilliantly as they emerged from the ninth level Otherkin warriors.

Many eyes turned to Yu Yuan.

Yu Yuan, still dazed, caught the sweet scent of the ninth level lifeblood. As he continued to harness the dragon slayer's residual power to purify his soul, his shoulders quivered slightly.

Then, a crimson altar, like a shard of flame, flew out from his inner world.

The Altar of Rebirth began to spin silently, drawing in the lifeblood.

Without any deliberate confinement, the droplets of ninth level lifeblood gradually merged with the Altar of Rebirth.

"It truly is an extraordinary Altar of Rebirth!" Mia marveled. "This boy isn't a hybrid, yet he possesses an Altar of Rebirth. It's quite astonishing."

"If it wasn't innate, how was this Altar of Rebirth forged?" Quero inquired.

"The cosmic giant beast, the Abyssal Leviathan," Tian Zang provided the answer.

Upon learning that Yu Yuan's Altar of Rebirth originated from the ferocious Abyssal Leviathan, the Otherkin experts fell silent, their expressions filled with awe.

They pondered the significance of "Abyssal Leviathan" in silence.

Yu Yiyi, standing within the Crucible of Evil and hovering above Yu Yuan's head, watched in bewilderment as Tian Zang led the Otherkin experts in offering their droplets of lifeblood.

She had expected Tian Zang to be furious, perhaps even inciting the Otherkin experts to slay Yu Yuan.

After all, Yu Yuan had entered the Dragon Slaying Stage and, through Wraithbinding, had absorbed the legacy power of its original owner, which even repelled Tian Zang, preventing him from using the Tears of the Azurefiend to continue amassing the dragon's vital essence.

Before long, the Altar of Rebirth that had left Yu Yuan's body had absorbed the lifeblood droplets.

The crimson, crystalline altar then slipped back into Yu Yuan's acupoint and vanished from sight.

Yet, there were no immediate signs of turmoil within Yu Yuan.

All eyes remained fixed on him, everyone waiting, anticipating...

"Our ninth level lifeblood has been fully consumed by his Altar of Rebirth in one go. Can it really withstand it?" Quero couldn't contain his impatience. "His Altar of Rebirth isn't innate. It was created by the Abyssal Leviathan, so how could it possibly integrate perfectly with him?"

No one could answer his question.

The mysteries of the Altar of Rebirth were elusive to those who lacked the knowledge, making it difficult to comprehend its inner workings. Moreover, each Altar of Rebirth possessed unique attributes, vastly differing from one another.

Even Canli was at a loss for an answer.

Boom!

A heavy object slammed into the greenish-black magical barrier in the direction of the Crimson Sun Empire, causing a dazzling burst of light to erupt.

"They're here!"

Tian Zang, Beru, Xi Quan, and Luo Yue, stationed near the teleportation circle, instantly picked up on the disturbance. Their expressions shifted as they all turned their focus toward the source of the impact.

Those with keen vision could see seven towering palaces descending like the abodes of deities.

The seven palaces, immersed in an endless divine glow, activated the myriad glyphs adorning their walls, unleashing a cataclysmic force.

"The Marks of the Celestials—seven of them!"

Xi Quan, who was practicing the Withered Sword technique, inhaled deeply, his face grave. "The Ebon Star Sect has really invested heavily. To bring out all seven Marks of the Celestials... aren't they worried about leaving their base vulnerable?"

"With the Ebon Star Sect making such a move, the Sunlit Order and the Sword Sect are sure to follow suit with significant actions of their own," Luo Yue remarked with a light sigh.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As if echoing the descent of the seven palaces, the Golden Elephant God's Golden Mountain transformed into a colossal golden spike, thrusting forward with equal ferocity.

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