C949 Like the Godking Sitting down

"Yu Yuan!"

At the entrance of the forbidden area, a host of Evil Demon magnates from the Land of Quiescence called out in unison.

The presence of the Soulforge Matrix drew them here, but whether through the eyes of their remnant souls or their physical sight, they were unable to penetrate the green-black wall and glimpse the scene within.

Yet, within the forbidden area, Otherkin experts such as Tian Zang, Canli, and Beru could see them.

Since they couldn't see inside, they were clueless about the actual situation unfolding there.

Yu Yuan was the only living creature they had seen so far at the entrance to the trial.

Many were quite familiar with Yu Yuan, which only added to their astonishment.

Yu Yuan's figure slowly became more distinct within the swirling green and black wall of magic power.

Countless streams of black magic power shifted unpredictably as Yu Yuan emerged, intertwining and coalescing into clusters and sections of mysterious arrays.

Without needing to sense with their remnant souls, a single glance was enough for many cultivators to recognize hundreds of intricate and esoteric magic diagrams surrounding Yu Yuan, offering him the highest level of protection.

Crackle! Hiss!

Suddenly, a dazzling display of light, like fireworks, burst forth from Yu Yuan's face, scattering outward like a shower of sparks.

Many who had covertly employed their remnant souls and psionic powers in an attempt to shatter the wall and bring about Yu Yuan's instant demise instead let out muffled groans, suffering a recoil and a minor setback.

"Don't be the butt of jokes!" bellowed the Golden Elephant God.

After his roar, no archdemons or cultivators from the Land of Quiescence dared to make another covert move.

Wu! Wuuu!

Led by Loong Jie, the giant dragons hung their heads, emitting strange and indistinct dragon chants while swaying their massive tails. They began to slowly withdraw after Yu Yuan's sudden appearance.

Loong Jie, having been pardoned by the Sword Sect and receiving assurances from the three upper sects, the Devil Palace, and Shadow's Keep, had led his tribe to the forefront, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Golden Elephant God, Grey Wolf King, and Peacock Queen.

The Nagas had been eager to make a strong impression, aiming to be the first to storm into the forbidden area and attack Otherkin experts like Beru. However, Yu Yuan's abrupt emergence caused their bloodlines to quiver, and they began to pull back with a sense of disquiet.

The sudden anomalies within the Naga clan set off alarms far and wide, drawing skeptical, distrustful, and displeased stares upon the giant dragons.

Loong Jie, their leader, attempted to lift his head in defiance to confront the shadowy figure within the green and black wall. Yet, the constraints of his bloodline and the rules shackled him, making even the simple act of raising his head an impossible task. With his head bowed, he continued to back away until, at a safe distance, he could finally lift his gaze, though it was filled with humiliation.

Still, he dared not look directly at Yu Yuan. Instead, he offered an explanation to the Golden Elephant God and those at the Devil Palace, "This child carries the essence of the Dragon Slaying Stage!"

"Dragon Slaying Stage!" The three ninth-level archdemons from Shadow's Keep and two Unbound cultivators perched atop the Abyssal Winged Lizard's head shifted their expressions, revealing a contemplative look.

The Abyssal Winged Lizard, an extraterrestrial ninth-level dire beast rumored to share lineage with the cosmic Abyssal Greater Basilisk, had been slain by Zhu Zhenlin of the Devil Palace in its earlier years. Its body was forged into an extraordinary vessel for the Devil Palace's use. The three-hundred-meter-long creature, with its spine adorned with pavilions crafted from rust-streaked refined iron, spread its vast wings, which served as a platform for the Devil Palace's many formidable experts. The pavilions on its head and back were reserved for the Unbound and Solar Spirit cultivators.

Yao Huangqi, in the late Unbound stage, and Liu Yi, the early-stage King of Wraiths, were the expedition's leaders from the Devil Palace. These two Unbound cultivators, aligned with Zhu Zhenlin, were renowned figures across the Everlands and even in extraterrestrial realms. At this moment, they exchanged a look with the three ninth-level archdemons from Shadow's Keep, signaling to hold off on attacking the forbidden area.

"Yu Yuan!" Upon their reunion, Mo Yan, standing on the Shadowblade, flashed a radiant smile and waved enthusiastically from a distance, drawing Yu Yuan's attention to himself. It was as if the harrowing near-death experience in the Land of Terror, where the Devil Blade nearly slipped from his grasp, was not at all Yu Yuan's doing.

However, those who knew Mo Yan well were aware of the deep-seated hatred he harbored for Yu Yuan.

Otherwise, Mo Yan wouldn't have implored Yao Huangqi to let him enter the forbidden area at any cost.

He was there to witness Yu Yuan's demise!

"Yu Yuan!"

Zhou Cangmin, the High Oracle who had returned from beyond the stars and had reached the middle period of the Solar Spirit Realm, stood shoulder to shoulder with Faang Yao, who had also ascended to the Solar Spirit Realm. They stood behind Zhang Guanyu of the Ruby Hand, gazing at the silhouette within the green and black barrier with complex emotions.

Zhou Cangmin felt as if he were experiencing a sense of otherworldliness...

The Yu Yuan before him seemed so unfamiliar, almost as if they were meeting for the first time.

He vividly recalled his schemes in Gloomhollow against the Ebon Star, as well as the numerous times he had favored and protected Yu Yuan, both overtly and covertly...

Who could have imagined that in such a short time after their parting, Yu Yuan would rise to become the most prominent rising star in this world?

Yu Yuan's radiance was so intense that it cast a shadow over his own luster.

Whoosh!

The Soulforge Pool drifted over, pulsating with green and black Soul Power, and came to rest behind Yu Yuan.

As Yu Yuan took a seat on the edge of the Soulforge Pool, many cultivators from the Unbound and Solar Spirit Realms suddenly felt an extraordinary connection between him and the pool, as if they were perfectly integrated.

It was as if an ancient God-King had taken his place upon his Divine Throne, in perfect harmony with his surroundings.

"He has already progressed to Spirit Walk."

At the Devil Palace, Yao Huangqi stood atop the head of an Abyssal Winged Lizard, his eyes brewing a dark tempest. A twitch of his lips betrayed his realization of Yu Yuan's true level of cultivation from certain subtleties.

Despite his ability to penetrate the essence of Saint Gold Divine Iron with his soul sense, he couldn't see through the barrier to directly observe Yu Yuan's Mindscape.

He had to rely on other clues and his knowledge of the Spirit Walk Realm to make an informed judgment.

"The cultivation level of the Spirit Walk Realm is immeasurable, and his physical prowess is formidable. His true strength cannot be assessed by realm alone," declared the Golden Elephant God, standing in human form atop a golden summit, his voice resonating with gravity.

Upon hearing this, the cultivators who had attained the Unbound Realm all tacitly understood and nodded in agreement.

They unanimously recognized that Yu Yuan's actual power far surpassed the level visible to them.

"Devil Palace, Shadow's Keep, Ruby Hand, Skyblight Cult, Taintborn, Poison Cult, Binders of Shadows..."

As they covertly watched Yu Yuan, his gaze was also drifting, scanning over both familiar and unfamiliar faces.

In total, there were about ten ninth-level cultivators and archdemons.

Over thirty were at the Solar Spirit Realm, with nearly a hundred at the Spirit Walk Realm.

There were three ninth-level giant dragons, and more than ten at the eighth level.

The force that had emerged was already formidable enough to sweep through the Moonfall Sanctuary's Otherkin invaders.

Should the forbidden area's defenses fall, even the mightiest among them, Beru, Canli, and even Tian Zang, would have no choice but to flee in disarray, with no hope of victory.

Moreover, the combined might of the three great upper sects and seven lower sects of Euwrea brought even more formidable experts to the fray.

With thrice the strength and a multitude of treasured artifacts at their disposal, Yu Yuan was convinced that the extraterrestrial visitors stood no chance of victory, let alone escape.

Should the Soulforge Matrix be breached, and they be caught between the two fronts, defeat would be all but certain without any unforeseen events.

"Yu Yuan, your ties with Shadow's Keep run deep, and they have always acknowledged you," the Golden Elephant God stated dispassionately, persuasively continuing, "Regardless of your past actions, if you now willingly open the forbidden area's wall, we can absolve you of all previous transgressions. On behalf of Shadow's Keep and Devil Palace, I can make you a promise."

"I assure you, we will not hold your past against you. I guarantee you the freedom to choose any sect and pursue the highest teachings of the Way of Heaven. Should your talents suffice, a seat for your primordial spirit is assured in the future!"

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