C971 Peacock Queen's Shame in Her Entire Life
The Dragon Slaying Stage was crucial to the destiny of the Nagas.
Every old dragon was aware that only by relocating the Dragon Slaying Stage from the most powerful dragon vein beneath the Everlands could the Nagas' fate be truly altered.
When a Dark Deity perished, so too would a cultivator with a primordial spirit. A ninth level old dragon like Loong Jie, blessed with a long life, might then have the opportunity to progress.
In the present day, there were four giant dragons with ninth level lineage, Loong Jie among them.
Three of them had the potential to ascend further and transform into Dragon Gods.
Should three giant dragons of the Nagas ascend to Dragon Gods, they could stand as exalted as Shadow's Keep, perhaps even towering over the Devil Palace!
Understanding that their destiny was intertwined with the Dragon Slaying Stage, the giant dragons, upon the lifting of the Soulforge Matrix's seal, would set aside all else and focus solely on reaching the depths to shift the Dragon Slaying Stage.
A radiant golden light emanated from the earth where the Dragon Slaying Stage lay.
The ground, once silvery and smooth, now gleamed like a polished golden mirror, within which one could faintly discern the silhouette of a petite, snow-white figure.
Loong Jie's dragon claws, as if forged from gold, relentlessly scraped across the mirror-like surface.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
His claws, capable of rending divine iron and fine gold, failed to mar the surface, leaving Loong Jie's golden anchor-like claws slightly warped.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
His massive dragon head, like a god's hammer, repeatedly struck the golden earth, emitting roars of defiance.
Within the mirror-like golden expanse, the snow-white figure seemed to lift her head, her icy, pitiless eyes gazing out at Loong Jie and the other giant dragons.
As if to say, "Your efforts are futile."
"Peacock Queen, keep your distance from me!"
In that moment, Yu Yuan unsheathed the Titanblade's scabbard, his heart guiding his hand. Wielding the scabbard as if it were the blade itself, he drew forth a crimson River of Swords.
The Peacock Queen's blood-fueled divine rainbow shattered instantly.
The fractured Divine Rainbow transformed into a long, scarlet Celestial Plume in the sky, burning fiercely like a wild flame.
"Hong Qi!"
The myriad rainbows converged, forming a magnificent female peacock with wings spread wide, as if to blanket the heavens with her beauty.
She soared through the void, her wings beating gracefully as she flew towards Yu Yuan.
Her feathers unfurled, resplendent under the night sky, alive with countless currents of electricity, divine radiance, and intense flames emanating from each Celestial Plume.
The Peacock Queen flapped her wings again, and it seemed as if space itself shattered. Spatial blades emerged, echoing her movements.
Zhou You's face paled as he tossed his horsetail whisk into the fray, between the Peacock Queen and Yu Yuan. The whisk vibrated intensely, smoothing out the torn space to prevent Yu Yuan from being dragged in.
"Being defiant, are we?"
Yu Yuan, standing atop the Soulforge Pool, watched the Peacock Queen approach in a frenzied rush, like a sea of iridescent light. He squinted and, within his Mindscape, seven peacocks began to dance into existence.
"Go!"
With a mere thought, in Yu Yuan's Mindscape, alongside the Second Bane Blood Moon, a black Chebus appeared, along with a worn set of armor, a lantern with a murky yellow flame, and numerous Silver Chains.
Outside the Blood Moon, the Chebus, Armor Crusher, Grimlantern, and Silver Chain—all five eighth-level Banes—materialized instantly.
They appeared within Yu Yuan's Mindscape.
The dark Soul Power, meant to protect his Lunar Spirit, dominant soul, and heaven soul, suddenly divided into five streams, infusing the Blood Moon, black Chebus, Armor Crusher, Grimlantern, and Silver Chain.
Empowered by the Soulforge Pool's dark Soul Power, the might of the five formidable Banes surged dramatically.
The Bane encircled by silver chains gave a wicked grin as the chains morphed into numerous pitch-black demonic dragons.
The Silver Chain surged forward, encircling the Peacock Queen's demon soul, which had taken the form of two vibrant peacocks. The chains, like sinister dragons from the depths of hell, coiled around the peacock, dragging it towards the Bane.
The once bright yellow lantern now burned with a black flame, casting a dark demonic glow.
The Grimlantern opened its maw and with a single inhale, two more Peacocks vanished.
Enshrouded in a black robe, Chebus absorbed the ink-colored Soul Power. With her head bowed, she wept ominously, her wails piercing like a thousand arrows, instantly shattering a Peacock.
The Armor Crusher, shaped like green armor, saw its eyes turn pitch black.
The ancient armor, seeming to have endured for eons, quivered in the void, drawing in the remaining Peacocks who wailed in agony.
The Second Bane, now a Blood Moon, had just consumed and refined the last of Cao Yi's blood-hued shadow.
"Hong Qi!"
As the Peacock Queen flew toward Yu Yuan, the air trembled violently around her, and the vibrant feathers of her Celestial Plume began to ignite.
Her demonic eyes overflowed with blood.
Just as she was about to reach Yu Yuan, she noticed he was gripping his sword sheath, aiming it at her brow. Sensing the formidable sword's will of Nie Qingtian within, panic seized her.
Even as a ninth-level archdemon, she felt a sudden trepidation that further aggression might lead to her own injury.
Yu Yuan's presence radiated an intense danger, as if he was enveloped in sword light.
"You were poisoned three hundred years ago and sought my aid. I helped you detoxify, taking only a few of your feathers. Are you still harboring a grudge?" Yu Yuan's face was somber.
"You don't understand!"
The Peacock Queen's screech was piercing.
In their peacock tribe, to be plucked of one's most vibrant and beautiful feathers while unconscious was akin to a human maiden being stripped and dishonored before her wedding.
She had indeed sought Yu Yuan's help when poisoned, but she couldn't believe that Yu Yuan, as the God of Medicine, was unaware of their customs.
Even if he was initially ignorant, Yu Yuan had since been informed by Shadow's Keep. How could he not know?
Yu Yuan not only failed to return her Celestial Plume, but he also attempted to craft a mystical garment from it, an act she deemed an unforgivable insult.
Three hundred years ago, she had just broken through to the eighth level of her bloodline, and her status within Shadow's Keep was not particularly high.
Yu Yuan, facing the twilight of his life, was merciless and commanded the loyalty of numerous desperados. Among his followers were several evil cultivators from the Unbound realm.
Moreover, Shadow's Keep did not want to provoke the Order of Healing and refused to advocate for her, leaving her powerless against Yu Yuan.
Before long, rumors spread from the Order of Healing that Yu Yuan had perished in a pill-refining mishap, driven mad by the process. The shame she carried turned into an everlasting regret.
That's why, when she overheard Yu Yuan outside the forbidden area confessing to being the Dark Deity Hong Qi from three centuries past, the suppressed memories of her ignominious past resurfaced. She vowed to herself that as soon as the rune circle was breached, she would have her revenge and ensure Yu Yuan met his end before her eyes.
"Are the barbaric traditions of evilkind more important than your life?"
With a cold snort of contempt, Yu Yuan said, "Without my pill, there would be no Peacock Queen today. All I did was pluck a few feathers, and yet you've harbored resentment for three hundred years."
He pointed his sword sheath at the Peacock Queen, his face a mask of ice, "Advance one more step, and you'll be drenched in your own blood!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Blood Moon, Armor Crusher, Chebus, Grimlantern, and Silver Chain burst forth from his brow and the corners of his eyes, hovering ominously in his mind's eye, all glaring at the Peacock Queen.
The dark Soul Power surging into the Soulforge Pool beneath Yu Yuan's feet caused the strength of the five Banes to surge dramatically.
Without the need to laboriously deploy the Soulforge Matrix or fully engage his defenses, he shifted his focus to offensive tactics using the rune circle. The enigmatic rune circle of the forbidden area began to harness the power of the Soulforge Pool.
"The Crucible of Evil, the Soulforge Matrix, and the Soulforge Pool can actually amplify each other's strength!"
Feeling the swirling aura of the five Banes at his back, Yu Yuan's confidence soared. It was as if the Way of Heaven was in perfect harmony with the devils within the crucible, promising a tremendous surge in their collective power.
If each Bane could significantly enhance their combat prowess and then be arrayed into a formation...
At this thought, his eyes slowly began to sparkle with anticipation.
