C964 Genius Cao Yi

Suspended in midair, the elderly cultivator from Ebon Star, akin to Guang Hong, was drawn in by seven Marks of the Celestials. He gazed at Ann Jieshan and Cao Jiaze, appearing somewhat bewildered.

If even an Unbound cultivator from Ebon Star felt this way, what about the others?

Van Heqing from the Sword Sect, Feng Pu from the Sunlit Order, and Mo Baichuan were all silently awaiting Cao Jiaze's explanation.

"Lord!"

Soon after, the cries of the cultivators from Churchsor Hill filled the air.

Tang Zheng's desiccated corpse lay discarded on the ground, utterly devoid of his soul.

His blood had been thoroughly drained, and the blood that had left his body had also stripped away the vital energy from his little world.

The death of an Unbound cultivator was a devastating blow to any sect.

Tang Zheng was a Lord of the Sunlit Order, holding a pivotal position within his sect. Deceived by Yu Yuan into the forbidden area and slain by the Otherkin, his death cast a heavy pall over the hearts of many from the Sunlit Order.

Due to the convergence of the nine Marks of the Celestials in the forbidden area and the arrival of the mighty from Euwrea, even the Frost Queen, who had been assaulting the Dark Herald, ceased her attacks at the behest of a mere thought from Yu Yuan.

The Dark Herald, along with Lord Dusk Raven, who had regained his spiritual wisdom, and the grievously wounded powerhouses from Shadow's Keep and Devil Palace, all shone with eyes alight with excitement and joy.

"The Mark of the Celestials!"

"Nine Marks of the Celestials!"

Upon witnessing the nine seals blazing like suns and moons beneath the green and black wall, they exclaimed in astonishment.

Conversely, Xi Quan, Luo Yue, and the other Otherkin who had been poised to strike at Ann Jieshan, withdrew with grave expressions.

Each one braced themselves as if facing a formidable enemy, ready for a fight to the death.

"Cao Jiaze?" Guang Hong finally voiced the question on everyone's mind, "Isn't he with the Colddeath?"

Ann Jieshan looked at Yu Yuan and let out a light chuckle, "Have you figured it out?"

Yu Yuan, seated at the Soulforge Pool, furrowed his brow and responded icily, "I've only guessed the outline."

"Tell me," Ann Jieshan urged him encouragingly.

"I learned from the Titanblade's sword spirit that you and the founder of Colddeath are contemporaries, and you are the elder brother of the first sect master. You concealed yourself within the mud pellet of a young Ebon Star prodigy, covertly mastering their arcane secrets. Then, when he formed his Lunar Spirit, you seized the moment to consume him."

"Your actions caused such an uproar that the Ebon Star took notice. In their fury, they dispatched a Unbound cultivator to lead the Solar Spirit in pursuit of you."

"Having fused the mystiques of both the Ebon Star and Colddeath, your blood became exceedingly peculiar. Even after your capture, the Ebon Star could not assimilate you and resorted to executing you. Left with no alternative, they confined you to the Moonfall Sanctuary, condemning you to never leave."

"This is a widely circulated tale about you."

As Yu Yuan spoke, seasoned cultivators of the Ebon Star, like Guang Hong, subtly nodded in agreement. Although they may not have lived through that time, they were aware of this shameful chapter in the Ebon Star's history.

The protagonist of this story was none other than Ann Jieshan, the biological brother of the Colddeath creator. When Ann Jieshan broke free and returned to Colddeath, assisting Ann Wen in refining the sect's spells and steering the sect back on course, the tales of Ann Jieshan's past were no longer secret.

Yet, given the current circumstances, it was clear that the widely known legend was far from the actual truth.

"You are not Ann Jieshan, or to be precise, he never fully absorbed you," Yu Yuan shifted the conversation. "It seems that Ann Jieshan and you have always coexisted, with Ann Jieshan suppressing your Lunar Spirit, preventing your consciousness from surfacing. But now, it appears you have had the last laugh."

At these words, the crowd was stunned, their expressions shifting dramatically.

Ann Jieshan, the founding master of Colddeath, was believed to have triumphed over the young Ebon Star genius. Yet, it wasn't Ann Jieshan who emerged victorious after all!

Everyone had assumed that the young genius had been completely assimilated by Ann Jieshan, leaving no trace of his own spiritual wisdom.

No one could have imagined that he would retain his spiritual wisdom and continue to exist within Ann Jieshan's soul!

He eventually grew in strength, shifting from a passive to an active role, ultimately supplanting Ann Jieshan. He may have even slain Ann Jieshan and concealed himself within the ranks of the Colddeath.

This individual continued to grow stronger beside Ann Ziqing and Ann Wen, all the while mastering the myriad spells of both the Ebon Star and the Colddeath.

"I was mostly right, a testament to having lived twice," he said with a smile, turning his gaze to Guang Hong of the Ebon Star and the other formidable individuals from Euwrea. "Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Cao Yi. Like Cao Jiaze, I hail from an obscure place. Several of my ancestors from the Cao family were cultivators of the Ebon Star, all of whom perished in the extraterrestrial."

"Ann Jieshan of the Colddeath has been thoroughly eradicated. He was eliminated by me before I even left the forbidden area."

"My initial plan upon leaving the forbidden area was to subtly influence and transform the entire Colddeath Sect with my own power. I intended to turn the Colddeath Sect of the Land of Quiescence into a kind of alternative Ebon Star, making it a subordinate sect of the Ebon Star on the Land of Quiescence."

"I was going to seize the opportunity at a critical moment, such as when Ann Wen was refining her primordial spirit and relying on me for protection, to thwart her breakthrough. Then, assuming the identity of the Ann family's ancestor, I would become the new leader of the Colddeath Sect."

"I really didn't want to come here."

Cao Yi, who had just introduced himself, looked rather resigned.

From his demeanor and tone, it appeared as though the Sect Master of the Ebon Star had compelled him to take on two additional Marks of the Celestials. Assuming Ann Jieshan's identity, he was to collaborate with Cao Jiaze from within the Moonfall Sanctuary, exploiting the unique properties of the nine Marks of the Celestials to dismantle the Soulforge Matrix.

He clearly did not wish to reveal his identity and origins prematurely and had hoped to remain undercover.

"Ebon Star's prodigy, Cao Yi!"

Guang Hong, who had many years to his name, suddenly recalled the sect's ancient records praising this individual upon hearing his name again. "Cao Yi was once a luminary, a rising star within our sect, his brilliance unmatched."

Cao Yi, at that time, was a completely different type from Cao Jiaze, who hails from the same region today. The secret book of the sect states that when Cao Yi was taken in by the Ebon Star, his little world within the Golden Sanctum had already undergone the eighth level. He was seen as a shining talent, certain to reach the Unbound Stage and with potential to ascend to the level of the primordial spirit.

In stark contrast stood Cao Jiaze, who, with average aptitude, took each step one at a time, facing numerous trials and hardships, and gradually earned recognition. Cao Yi, in his day, was like the current Chen Qingyan and Liu Ying, capturing the attention of all.

"Yu Yuan, I'm grateful you showed leniency back then, allowing me an easy exit from the forbidden area," Cao Yi said with a smile. "Regrettably, our paths do not align. As a member of the Ebon Star, as long as I live and breathe as Cao Yi, I am bound to serve my sect with unwavering dedication."

He then turned to Cao Jiaze with a smile and a nod, "In truth, I am the protector selected for you by our sect master."

"My original plan was to overthrow the Colddeath Sect and have a renewed Colddeath emerge as a subsidiary of the Ebon Star—a grand gift to celebrate your ascension as sect master. Alas, plans cannot always keep pace with change. Now, all I can do is shatter the Moonfall Sanctuary and let these extraterrestrial guests meet their end in the vastness of the Everlands," Cao Yi expressed with a hint of regret.

"That will suffice," Cao Jiaze responded with heartfelt thanks, bowing respectfully to this esteemed elder of his lineage.

"Lord Feng Pu, Sword Immortal Van Heqing, and all who have entered the forbidden area, there's no need to hide any longer," Cao Yi said as he stepped back, positioning Cao Jiaze at the forefront. With a thought, he relinquished control of the two additional Marks of the Celestials, granting Cao Jiaze the power to wield all nine.

This gesture signified a transfer of power. Cao Yi, once a prodigy with prospects of vying for the leadership of the Ebon Star, knew that his additional training in the Colddeath mystique meant he could never assume that esteemed seat again.

Since they hailed from the same lineage, Cao Jiaze, as a younger member of the clan, could afford to be magnanimous and voluntarily step aside.

"In the Land of Terror, I was outmaneuvered and defeated by your schemes. This time will be different."

Cao Jiaze glanced between Yu Yuan and Tian Zang, lifting one hand high. Nine Marks of the Celestials orbited him, slowly spinning as they unleashed a cataclysmic force field.

"My apologies."

With a gentle motion, his raised hand descended, pointing in all nine directions.

Boom!

The nine Marks of the Celestials abruptly transformed into nine grand and imposing palaces, each taking its place at specific points within the forbidden area.

Instantly, the seventh-level grand array of the Ebon Star unfolded.

​