C980 A New Guest!

The divine effigy that emerged from the Grey Wolf King soared more than a hundred feet high, enveloped in cascading silver brilliance. In comparison to the nine majestic palaces, the statue seemed less imposing, lacking the grandeur and solemnity one might expect.

Yet, as its visage became distinct, radiating kindness and amiability, the battling Ebon Star experts in the midst of the nine palaces were miraculously soothed into silence. The savagery, cruelty, and iciness in the Nagas' eyes, along with the ferocity, frenzy, and agitation on the faces of the Ebon Star cultivators, were as if erased by an unseen divine hand.

Whoosh!

More astonishingly, the nine palaces abruptly shrank, coalescing back into the Mark of the Celestials. The nine Marks, gleaming with crystalline light, arrayed themselves behind Cao Jiaze. With a serene mind, Jiaze gazed at the compassionate statue, his eyes filled with bewilderment.

From one of the Marks, the one attuned to the heart, he heard a whisper from his sect master. This whisper, traversing the vastness of space, originated from a distant corner of the starry Everlands, urging him to stay his hand and refrain from rushing into war.

"The sect master's clear guidance..."

Jiaze acted without delay, his remnant soul transmitting thoughts through the different Marks of the Celestials. He informed Cao Yi and the three Unbound cultivators, including Guang Hong, of the unfolding events.

Consequently, Guang Hong and the other Unbound cultivators quickly took control of the situation. Ebon Star ceased their offensive first.

Led by Loong Jie, the dragons hovered midair, their icy crystal and golden scales exuding a formidable dragon's breath. Loong Jie's Dragon Soul, too, found an extraordinary tranquility, and the tumultuous dragon's blood within him stilled.

His golden eyes scanned the area, searching for Yu Yuan. Spotting Yu Yuan seated atop the dragon vein, each hand clutching a Dragon Slaying Stage, he received a nod and a soft command, "Cease the fight for now."

Loong Jie exhaled deeply, emitting a faint dragon's chant. At the sound of his call, all the giant dragons paused, bewildered, in the sky.

The benevolent statue, still bathed in layered luminescence, then turned its gaze towards the Golden Elephant God, Zhongli Dapan, and observed the battling Otherkin, archdemons, and human cultivators.

The battle, destined to determine life or death, was mysteriously halted.

It emerged from the corpse of the Grey Wolf King, the sworn enemy of Shadow's Keep. Yet at this moment, neither the Golden Elephant God nor the Peacock Queen harbored any thoughts of vengeance.

A small, black flower blossomed on the chest of the benevolent statue, an anomaly that seemed to have formed in an instant.

"Something is coming."

"Something is coming."

"Something is coming."

Every human cultivator who had attained the Spirit Walk, Solar Spirit, and Unbound realms, along with their counterparts from the evilkind and the Otherkin, heard a faint voice within their souls as they gazed upon the small black flower. It was as though invisible beings were whispering in their ears, sharing a profound secret.

Suddenly, the Golden Elephant God, Zhongli Dapan, Mo Baichuan, Feng Pu, Van Heqing, Tian Zang, Beru, and Xi Quan...

All the formidable creatures of the forbidden area were taken aback, their eyes flickering as they scanned their surroundings.

The High Oracle Zhou Cangmin and the King of Wraiths had just concluded their conversation. The King of Wraiths, looking pensive, was about to act when he noticed the fierce battle had ceased, a result of the divine statue emerging from the Grey Wolf King.

The ground was littered with the dead: human cultivators, shredded archdemons, and Otherkin mangled by weapons.

Everywhere one looked, there were bodies.

The Silvery Land, like a sponge, silently soaked up the spilled blood and the souls of the deceased.

Too many had perished in this realm in such a brief span of time.

With a crackle, streaks of green lightning split the sky, and Wei Zhuo of the Thunder Sect emerged, his face smeared with defeat.

Another King of Wraiths also appeared, accompanied by a rending space rift.

With this arrival, there were now three Kings of Wraiths within the forbidden area.

One, a specter, stood beside Zhou Cangmin, his foot resting on a Devil Spear ablaze with black flames. Another King of Wraiths remained calm amidst the onslaught of a group of enchantresses.

When the King of Wraiths, previously taken by Zhou Cangmin, abruptly returned from an alternate dimension, the other two Kings joined him, merging into the specter conversing with Zhou Cangmin to form a complete divine body.

"Lunar Spirit, Solar Spirit, assume your positions."

Zhou Cangmin felt a slight ripple in his Heart Lake, immediately understanding what had transpired, and he offered a respectful bow to the King of Wraiths.

As a Hellbreed of the Ruby Hand, he had covertly communicated with his sect before his arrival, leaving only a Lunar Spirit at the sect to relay information to the current master of the Devil Palace. Ostensibly, the expedition was led by Yao Huangqi, who boasted a higher cultivation level, greater age, and more esteemed status.

However, the true power behind the scenes was the King of Wraiths.

This was because, aside from Zhu Zhenlin, Demon Lord Tan Xiaotian held the King of Wraiths in high regard.

Yao Huangqi had reached his peak at the Unbound Stage, with no further prospects for advancement.

The King of Wraiths, on the other hand, was young, exceptionally talented, incredibly intelligent, and possessed an outstanding temperament. He was another formidable force within the Devil Palace, poised to challenge for a seat among the Supreme Gods in the future.

Zhou You was somewhat aware of his unique and formidable abilities, which is why he included the King of Wraiths in his maneuver to pull Wei Zhuo into the alternate dimension.

Yet, even Zhou You, with his surprise attack, could only capture the Lunar Spirit of the King of Wraiths.

"The Domain Channel is now stable."

After the three souls became one, the King of Wraiths stepped forward, advancing directly to the shadowy chasm where the Domain Channel lay. The Devil Spear beneath his feet, ablaze with black flames, suddenly went dark.

In an instant.

Hundreds of grayish-brown vines cascaded from his Devil Spear to the pit below. Upon touching the little world inscribed with the ancient black characters for wisdom, necessity, and injury, the vines burst into oblivion.

The disintegrating vines transformed into a swarm of minuscule black glyphs that burrowed into the character for wisdom.

High above, the King of Wraiths, with his immense specter-like Divine Visage, housed thousands of glyphs writhing within him like a colony of ants on the move, seemingly imparting a profound revelation.

At that moment, every eye—those of the Otherkin, the archdemons, and the evil spirits—was fixed upon the King of Wraiths.

Yu Yuan was no exception.

Whoosh!

Zhou Cangmin, clutching his whisk, appeared behind Yu Yuan just as Yu Yiyi had done. He gazed at the Dragon Slaying Stage in Yu Yuan's grasp with a complex look, tasting the odd temporal turbulence within. Licking his lips, he fought back his inner greed and said, "I sense that something has traveled through the Domain Channel and reached the forbidden area."

Simultaneously, the King of Wraiths, stationed atop the Domain Channel, seemed to have discerned something too, arriving at the same conclusion as Zhou Cangmin: "A new guest is arriving."

At these words, the crowd instinctively turned their gaze toward the Domain Channel and then to the benevolent statue.

The first to sound the alarm was the peculiar statue, followed by confirmations from the King of Wraiths and Zhou Cangmin.

Who could it be?

In an instant, everyone was scanning their surroundings, eager to discover the identity of the newcomer from the Hellmouth.

Thoughts raced through their minds. With the Domain Channel stable and a visitor having already slipped through quietly, what would come next?

Would more powerful beings from the Otherkin traverse the Domain Channel to enter the Everlands?

"Could it be our kin and allies?"

Many Otherkin warriors whispered among themselves, hope flickering in their eyes.

Beru shook his head: "Certainly not!"

"Who are you?"

Yao Huangqi, of the Devil Palace, stood once again atop the Abyssal Winged Lizard. Above him, numerous subdued Terra Fiends within black banners hissed softly.

These Terra Fiends seemed restless, as if fearing something.

"Now that the Domain Channel is stable, why worry about the identity of the newcomer? Aren't we liberated?"

Mia, from the Shadowkin, perked up with this thought. Regardless of who had entered, it was best to leave quickly and not linger in the Everlands.

"Exactly! It's time for us to go back!"

"Let's not concern ourselves with what follows; we should make our exit now!"

"Let's go!"

Numerous Otherkin powerhouses echoed the call, with even the nearby Sky Fiends itching to take their turn.

Whoosh!

A Sky Fiend, with Sidla's nod of approval, took the initiative and charged toward the Domain Channel below.

...