C960 Reborn
"Three hundred years ago, my name was Hong Qi!"
"Three hundred years ago, I was known as Hong Qi!"
The voices of two Yu Yuans echoed simultaneously from different locations.
"Hong Qi!"
"Medicine God Hong Qi!"
"Three centuries ago, the Medicine God Sect's unmatched alchemy prodigy! The very Hong Qi who hadn't yet embarked on the path of cultivation, yet stirred up countless storms of bloodshed across the Boundless Land!"
"Yu Yuan is actually the reincarnation of Hong Qi!"
"..."
Outside the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, powerhouses from across the Boundless Land gasped in astonishment.
At the edge of the Jade Peak Mountain Range, adjacent to the forbidden zone, Chu Yao was perched atop a red copper cauldron, reeling as if struck by a formidable force.
The cauldron beneath him trembled violently, erupting with streams of fiery luminescence.
The gleam in Chu Yao's eyes seemed to dissipate with the cauldron's tremors, leaving him in a trance, murmuring to himself, "He... he didn't perish! The Reincarnation Pill... it worked! He... he's succeeded!"
Chu Yao could no longer bear to gaze upon the barrier, nor the soul's silhouette within it, overwhelmed by a sense of shame and disgrace.
Whoosh!
The red copper cauldron, now a part of his very essence, sensed his inner turmoil and drifted back towards the Medicine Sect's domain.
"Hong Qi!"
On the Mountain of Flames, the usually reticent Mo Baichuan called out in a deep, resonant voice.
Within the depths of Mo Baichuan's eyes, fiery orbs seemed to materialize, as if attempting to penetrate the barrier and discern the true nature of Yu Yuan's soul.
It all made sense now—the reports of a youngster from Darkmoon City who appeared to have mastered the "Glorious Heavenly Wheel"...
Three centuries prior, he and Hong Qi had been friends. The "Glorious Heavenly Wheel," a Spiritual Spell of his own invention, had been personally bestowed upon Hong Qi, a gesture of goodwill to secure an exchange for the pellets crafted by Hong Qi's skilled hands.
Since the "Glorious Heavenly Wheel" was his own creation and not a legacy of the Primordial Yang Sect, he had not violated any sect rules.
Now, with Yu Yuan's confession of his true identity as Hong Qi, Mo Baichuan's lips quirked, revealing an exceedingly peculiar expression.
"Hong Qi!"
A chorus of low exclamations echoed among the old Sword Immortals from the Sword Sect, as well as those from the Thunder Sect, Taiyuan Sect, and Cloud Water Sect. They all stared at the figure within the barrier, their faces mirroring the shock of seeing a ghost in broad daylight.
"Ji... Junior Sister Ji?"
Van Heqing, known as the Shattering Sword, spun around, his gaze fixed on the slightly trembling Starfrost Sword. His voice was stern, "Regardless of his past identity, he is now a traitor to the Boundless Land! Ever since he refused our terms and made his choice, his fate was sealed—no one can alter it!"
"I... I need some time alone."
Ji Ningshuang inhaled deeply, her eyes brimming with unspoken words as they briefly met Yu Yuan's. Then, with a swift motion, she maneuvered the Starfrost Sword and descended into the expansive Jade Peak Mountain Range, vanishing in an instant. She sought the solitude of a place hidden from prying eyes, a place to clear her thoughts in peace.
"Hong Qi!"
The Peacock King, now in human form, reacted as if shot by an arrow, swiftly retracting the splendid feathers fanned out behind her. "You cursed thief! I always knew you weren't so easily vanquished! Three hundred years, and here you are again! The divine feathers you swindled from me—all of them—you will return!"
"Medicine God... Hong Qi!"
Zhou Cangmin, the Demonic Seed of the Red Devil Sect, exchanged a knowing glance with Faang Yao. Then, defying the orders of their leader, Chung Guanyu, the bald and one-armed Faang Yao rose into the air. With a surprised Zhou Cangmin watching, he silently bowed deeply to Yu Yuan. After paying his respects, he quietly retreated to Chung Guanyu's side.
"Master, you once saved my life. Both my late master and I are indebted to your grace," Faang Yao offered an apologetic explanation to Chung Guanyu.
Chung Guanyu sighed and gave a slight nod of understanding. "I know."
"So there's more to the story," Zhou Cangmin mused, realization dawning on him. A prodigy in his own right, he was much younger than Faang Yao, though both were at the Yang God Stage. He was aware of a Hong Qi from the Medicine God Sect three centuries prior, but because Hong Qi lacked the aptitude for cultivation and passed away before reaching a century old, Zhou Cangmin was unfamiliar with the details of his life.
Now, as Zhou Cangmin boldly proclaimed himself to be the Medicine God, Hong Qi, within the barrier, he was astonished to discover that the Peacock King, Faang Yao, the Golden Elephant Ancient God, and Yao Huangqi had all settled down after their initial shock. They chose to believe him.
They were all convinced that he was indeed Hong Qi, the Medicine God from three hundred years ago!
Did this kid really possess such enchanting influence?
"Hong Qi!"
Mo Yan, atop the Deep Sea Basilisk, was jolted by the revelation and found some solace, "I suffered defeat in the Ember Waters, couldn't kill him in the Crack Archipelago, and was gravely wounded in Horror Land. At last, there's a plausible explanation! He's Hong Qi, who caused turmoil even without cultivating, claiming countless victims!"
He, who had practiced the Reincarnation Wheel Devil Spell, was well past fifty in actual years.
Repeatedly outmaneuvered by Yu Yuan, Mo Yan had harbored a grudge, leading him to question his own abilities.
Suddenly, upon learning that Yu Yuan was the Medicine God and Poison God from three centuries past, and knowing that Yu Yuan was reincarnated, Mo Yan felt his defeat was not without justification.
"Being defeated by Hong Qi doesn't spell failure for me. I trust my father won't fault me for incompetence once he learns the truth," he mused.
Yao Huangqi and the Mighty Spirit King, along with other Unrestrained Stage cultivators from the Devil Palace, were visibly moved, yet they chose silence.
Within the Voodoo Cult and Ghoul Glyph Sect, numerous followers exhibited peculiar expressions upon learning that Yu Yuan in the azure-black barrier was the Medicine God of old.
Many Voodoo Cult and Ghoul Glyph Sect elders had deep connections with Yu Yuan, having benefited from his guidance and favors.
Thus, armed with the truth, those who had been uncertain now found themselves hesitating once more.
"Congratulations on your successful rebirth."
The Golden Elephant Ancient God, in human form atop Gold Mountain, offered his felicitations to Yu Yuan.
He, too, was an acquaintance of Yu Yuan from three hundred years ago, having interacted before, and they had maintained a friendly rapport.
It was this past encounter that brought an immediate sense of familiarity to the Golden Elephant Ancient God when Yu Yuan disclosed the truth and began to reveal his true self, leaving no room for doubt in his belief of Yu Yuan's words.
Believing it to be true, Yu Yuan was indeed Hong Qi!
"Regardless of your identity, you've made your choice," lamented the Golden Elephant Ancient God, shaking his head slightly. "That choice has predetermined the outcome of this life for you."
"What a waste of a divine ingredient for concocting medicine," Yao Huangqi chimed in with a tinge of regret.
Inside the barrier, Yu Yuan's eyes swept over the Golden Elephant Ancient God, the excited Peacock King, Faang Yao, Zhou Cangmin, and the rest.
His gaze finally settled on Yao Huangqi. "Don't be so sure of your victory. Don't assume the Devil Envoy can turn the tides in your favor."
With those words, his true form and the Evil Cauldron vanished once again within the confines of the barrier.
Whoosh!
The dark cauldron soared out, materializing against the dusky backdrop of the forbidden area. He stood within the cauldron, eye level with the Devil Envoy who was disseminating the Poison of Plague.
"It's been a while," he greeted her, taking the initiative.
Seemingly oblivious to the danger, he was unaware that the Poison of Plague emanating from the Devil Envoy could silently engulf both him and the Evil Cauldron.
The Poison of Plague was a threat to all souls and spirits, including the cauldron soul Yu Yiyi, and every Evil Demon.
"It's been a while," the Devil Envoy responded in a hushed tone. Her peculiar eyes, formed from swirls of multicolored clouds, appeared as if thousands of souls were collectively contemplating. "My mission here isn't to confront you, but to target the Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation you command. Soon, the Poison of Plague will permeate every life and soul within this forbidden area."
"This realm will transform into a place akin to my birthplace within the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea. With the spread of the Soul Plague, there's no need for the formation to be breached; all beings here will perish. My power and the plague I've unleashed will also corrupt the Soul Transformation Pool and the stone effigy formed from the Sword Prison."
"In the end, I will usurp you as the new sovereign of the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area!"
"This region will forge me, allowing me to practice the Devil Spell, unite with the Forbidden Area, and attain the Great Freedom. An Earth Demon achieving such a state of liberation is unprecedented."
"I will create a miracle!"
Hong Qi, Yu Yuan, Medicine God, Medicine God Sect, Boundless Land, Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, Fallen Moon, Jade Peak, Chu Yao, Reincarnation Pill, Medicine Sect, Mo Baichuan, Mountain of Flames, Glorious Heavenly Wheel, Darkmoon, pellet, Spiritual Spell, secret arts, Primordial Yang Sect, Sword Sect, Sword Immortal, Taiyuan Sect, Profound Sky Sect, Cloud Water Sect, Thunder Sect, Shattering Sword, Van Heqing, Starfrost Sword, Ningshuang, Jee Ningshuang, Peacock King, Zhou Cangmin, Faang Yao, Cangmin, Red Devil Sect, Demonic Seed, Chung Guanyu, Yang God Stage, Yang God, Yao Huangqi, Golden Elephant, Golden Elephant Ancient God, Mo Yan, Crack Archipelago, Deep Sea Basilisk, Horror Land, Ember Waters, Devil Spell, Unrestrained Stage cultivator, Unrestrained Stage, Devil Palace, Mighty Spirit King, ghoul glyph, Ghoul Glyph Sect, Voodoo Cult, Gold Mountain, Devil Envoy, Evil Cauldron, Poison of Plague, Yu Yiyi, cauldron soul, Heaven Sealing Soul Transformation Formation, Sword Prison, Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, Soul Transformation Pool, Earth Demon.
