C961 Antidote
The Devil Envoy exuded supreme confidence.
As she declared her intentions, Xi Quan, Luo Yue, and the others who had withdrawn could almost visualize the annihilation of the creatures within the forbidden area. The Poison of Plague seemed to spread from her presence, as if she were a deity reborn, ascending from the forbidden lands.
In the desolate Absence Relic, the emergence of Yu Zhu was like a harbinger of potential—a future Demon God in the making.
Should she succeed in merging with the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and ascend to the Unrestrained Stage, she might just become the first Earth Demon in history to rise to the Primordial Spirit Stage, following in Yu Zhu's footsteps.
The Boundless Land's highest echelons were evolving. With the vast expansion and the opening of new territories, breakthroughs were inevitable.
A century ago, there were but twelve supreme seats. The Devil Palace and the three upper sects claimed eight of these.
The Demon Palace and the Desolate God, representing the Demon Race, held four seats between them.
Rumors abounded that the Red Devil Sect's leader had recently attained the Primordial Spirit, expanding the Boundless Land's pinnacle seats to thirteen—a testament to unprecedented power!
With the Divine Soul Sect's return, the standoff between the leaders of various races and the five greatest forces was bound to intensify. The demise of a Primordial Spirit Stage cultivator or a Demon God would inevitably leave a seat open.
As an Earth Demon, if she could master the Devil Spell and integrate with the Forbidden Area to reach the Primordial Spirit Stage within the Devil Palace, it would be an unparalleled achievement.
"Hong Qi!" Xi Quan's voice rang out sharply.
At the sound of this name, both familiar and foreign, the two Yin Gods, stationed in different locales, turned their attention to him.
Yu Yuan, facing the direction of the Rainier Empire, furrowed his brow and said, "I've grown accustomed to the name Yu Yuan. From now on, I will no longer go by Hong Qi, nor will I devote myself solely to the art of alchemy."
"A name is just a formality. It doesn't matter," Xi Quan replied, not dwelling on the triviality, and quickly adapted, "Yu Yuan it is, then. Jee Ningshuang, have you also come to learn of your true identity?"
She had moved away from the Devil Envoy and approached the domain of Yin God Yu. Not spotting Jee Ningshuang beyond the barrier and recalling Yu Yuan's earlier calls, she pieced together her own suspicions.
Yu Yuan nodded in affirmation. "Both sides are aware of the situation."
"Don't let her do anything foolish!" Xi Quan pleaded, her voice tinged with urgency.
She knew all too well how deeply Ji Ningshuang's affections ran for Yu Yuan. Her concern was that her impulsive junior sister might defy the Sword Sect's edict and unsheathe her sword within the forbidden zone.
Should that occur, Ji Ningshuang would be following in Nie Qingtian's footsteps, opposing the will of the five great supremes.
With a resounding "Crack! Crack!", a dark blue glacial light danced across the surface of the Evil Cauldron, crystallizing into chunks of ice.
Within these icy formations, specks of seven-colored light twinkled, eerily reminiscent of the seven-colored clouds deep within the Devil Envoy's pupils.
From the cauldron emerged the Ice Concubine, serene as an ice goddess.
Another crack echoed as the space around the dark cauldron seemed to succumb to the encroaching frost.
More of those tiny, sparkling lights materialized in the air surrounding the cauldron.
"The Poison of Plague for the soul!" Zhou You gasped, a moment of realization dawning upon him. "Could it be that the force of extreme cold and frost can expose and contain the plague's toxins?"
"There is no poison in existence that cannot be neutralized or contained," Yu Yuan spoke with a grave tone. "The depths of the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea could drive even Unrestrained Stage cultivators and Ninth Level Demonic Beasts into a frenzy. Yet, the soul's affliction can be neutralized by the frigid forces at the base of the Cold Abyss. The poison you've unleashed fears neither fire, spiritual energy, Qi, blood, nor divine blades. But it is the solidifying chill of extreme cold that can confine it."
The corporeal Ice Concubine glided forth, an embodiment of icy solitude. Her upper form was that of a statuesque and aloof woman, while her lower half resembled a scorpion, her entire being exuding a piercing cold.
Puff! Puff! Puff!
The delicate, rainbow-hued flecks of light could not endure the onslaught of the ultimate cold, bursting one by one into even finer particles, like dust of ice.
Thus, the Devil Envoy's Soul Poison of Plague, a terrifying toxin capable of infiltrating the soul, was shattered.
"The chilling power of the Nether Abyss... it's actually capable of..."
The Devil Envoy's peculiar eyes, swirling with multicolored clouds, suddenly erupted into disarray, as if two spectacular firework displays had burst forth within her gaze.
Unbeknownst to her, the Plague Demon, the Soul Plague that had been unbeatable within the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, could be subdued by the frigid force of the Nether Abyss. Once frozen, the toxin was shattered.
"As an alchemist, I've researched countless herbs and venoms, and I've concluded that there is nothing in this world that cannot be overcome! There is no poison without a cure! From the dawn of existence, all things have their counters. No matter how peculiar, there's always a way to break through."
Yu Yuan spoke with a serene composure.
"You've been undefeated in the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea because no creature can withstand your Soul Plague there, and because it's a place untouched by the icy entities of the Nether Abyss."
"The reason I dared to craft a poison pill and attempt to extract you from the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea is that I had another ace up my sleeve. I had already surmised what could counter you."
"Do you understand why I didn't take you with me when we first met?"
"I didn't bring you out then because, although I suspected the Nether Abyss's extreme cold could limit you, I lacked its power at the time."
"After leaving the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, I went to great lengths to slay the Cold Serpent in the Nether Abyss. My intent in forging a sword from it was to eventually wield control over you."
"Unfortunately..."
He left the rest unsaid.
"The Withered Sword!" Xi Quan exclaimed, her realization dawning abruptly. "That explains why you convinced Jee Ningshuang to join you in the Nether Abyss to slay the serpent! She trusted you so deeply, believing you sought to kill the serpent for her sake, to craft a sword that would resonate with her own Sword Dao, in addition to her Starfrost Sword!"
Both Xi Quan and Luo Yue were privy to these past events.
However, it wasn't until the Ice Concubine emerged, wielding the power of the Cold Abyss, that they were able to shatter the Soul Plague cast by the Devil Envoy. Only then did the truth of Yu Yuan's past actions come to light—the real reason he had slain the Flood Dragon and honed his swordsmanship.
It was all for her...
To devise a method to first restrain the "plague devil," then extract it from the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea for her own use.
"So it's true what the Devil Lord claimed—you've intended to enslave me from the very start!"
The former "plague devil," now the Devil Envoy, retained her peculiar gaze and even-keeled voice, yet everyone could sense her mounting fury.
"A devil born from the most enigmatic depths of the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, with no known countermeasure—how could I dare concoct a poison pill to serve as your vessel without one? Your horrific traits, if unleashed unchecked, could wreak havoc on any continent within the Boundless Land, spawning a catastrophe among mortals."
Yu Yuan remained within the icy confines of the Evil Cauldron, his thoughts commanding the Ice Concubine.
Whoosh!
Like a deity of the bitter cold, the Ice Concubine plummeted from the void, alighting amidst the Dark Elfkind and Banshee Clan.
She then summoned the chilling force within her, born of the Nether Abyss, conjuring a maelstrom of biting frost.
Crack! Pop!
The earth succumbed to ice, and the frail members of the Dark Elfkind and Banshee Clan were enveloped by the merciless cold. Ice encased their forms, drawing out the tiny Poison of Plague, which was then shattered by the relentless frost.
This icy power infiltrated the minds of the two clans, obliterating the toxins within.
With the Ice Concubine's aid, Sansom and Mia, the Ninth Level chieftains, were the first to purge the poison from their spirits, swiftly regaining their wits and clarity.
Subsequently, their kin, along with Beru of the Star Race and the Star Race warriors, gradually came to their senses.
