C996 Thirteen Seats
Individuals who have attained a certain level of power and mastery are entitled to uncover the secrets of the Everlands. The Supreme God status within the Everlands is intricately linked to its population, the number of formidable beings, and the expansion into extraterrestrial territories. This world operates by its own set of rules...
The population of the Everlands, the magnitude of its experts, and the conquests in extraterrestrial realms, once reaching a specific threshold, can give rise to new Supreme God positions. However, within the Everlands, a constant emergence of experts necessitates conflict among the sects. It is through such struggles that experts can ascend more rapidly.
The eternal standoff between the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea, along with the frequent sect battles and clandestine skirmishes over the Mysterious Realm, have always been tacitly sanctioned, even covertly encouraged by the five great sects. This is how more individuals achieve the states of Spirit Walk, Solar Spirit, and Unbound.
Exploration and colonization of the extraterrestrial Star River, if beneficial to the Everlands, can also lead to the creation of new Supreme God seats, almost as if it were a boon granted by the Everlands itself. For instance, numerous stars and Domains beyond the Everlands have long been dominated by powerful cultivators and archdemons, thereby increasing the number of Supreme God seats.
The individual from the Ruby Hand sect ascended to a divine position and advanced to a primordial spirit because an additional seat was added to the twelve Supreme Thrones. Each Supreme God seat is predicated on the strength and successive transformations of the Everlands. To date, the maximum number of seats has been thirteen.
Evilkind occupies four of these, while humans hold the remaining nine. Even after Lee Tianxin's demise and Zu Ann's succession, the count of thirteen seats remains unchanged. This is the current apex of the Everlands.
Yet now, as per the Golden Elephant God's implications, it seems that the enigmatic sect master of the Moon Sect, also from the Everlands, is attempting to forge a new seat in the extraterrestrial Star River with the aid of Boulderdawn. Does Boulderdawn possess the power to surpass the Everlands' boundaries and sculpt a new deity for its denizens?
"Based on feedback from extraterrestrial sources, it appears that Boulderdawn indeed has the capacity to offer a new Supreme God seat to the Moon Sect's master," the venerable Golden Elephant God revealed amidst the audience's astonishment. "The exact means remain unclear to us. However, whispers suggest that even for Boulderdawn, the cost of providing a new seat is staggeringly immense."
"What will it cost?" the King of Wraiths demanded.
"We're not certain," replied the Golden Elephant God.
The assembly beside the deep pit consisted of Unbound cultivators, the Golden Elephant God, the Peacock Queen, and a ninth-level archdemon resembling a yellow tiger. They were all astounded by the news the Golden Elephant God had disclosed.
The individual from the bronze coffin, after emerging from the Everlands, had successfully reclaimed the status of a God-King.
Three other God-Kings from the Boulderdawn had also achieved godhood in the remote regions of the extraterrestrial Star River.
None of these four had depended on the fortunes of the Everlands nor claimed the Supreme God seat of the Everlands.
Yet, they had all triumphed.
Had Zu Ann, the leader of the Starmoon Sect, not usurped the spot belonging to Lee Tianxin, but rather achieved godhood independently of the Everlands, it would have demonstrated the formidable power of the Boulderdawn.
Regardless of the cost, if the Boulderdawn could break free from the Everlands' rules and offer a new Supreme God seat, then...
Ann Wen of the Colddeath Sect, Zhongli Dapan of the Forgeroses Sect, Green Willow the archdemon, and other powerful beings who had long been confined to the Unbound state and yearned for a chance at godhood would surely be enticed.
"No wonder..."
Cao Jiaze, upon learning this earth-shattering secret, nodded in understanding.
"The confirmation of Zu Ann's deification is still pending, but the Ape has already ventured into the Marsh. Should the Master of the Starmoon Sect return in the guise of a primordial spirit, or if it's confirmed, the Everlands could very well spiral into chaos," lamented the Golden Elephant God.
The consensus among those gathered was evident.
They knew that if the Master of the Starmoon Sect managed to return as a primordial spirit, many powerful figures who had been stuck in the Unbound state for years, like Zu Ann or the venerable demon Green Willow, might harbor thoughts of rebellion.
The seats that the five major sects couldn't provide, the Boulderdawn could, and this would undoubtedly alter the entire dynamic.
Prompted by the Golden Elephant God's revelation, a wave of contemplation swept over the gathered powerhouses.
In the depths of Hellmouth, Grec, the formidable Demon God of the Blood Fiend, and Sidla, the nine-headed Demon God, led the Star-Spawned Terrors through the teetering portal.
These extraterrestrial fiends dispersed across various continents, confronting the Abyssal Leviathan with hostile stares. In human form, the Abyssal Leviathan chuckled darkly, its eyes a sinister red and silver. Having returned to the Star River, it had covertly devoured a new sun and moon, regaining most of its formidable power. In such a state, not even Grec could challenge it.
"The young one named Yu Yuan is my creation. I've been waiting for him to mature. With his body and the Altar of Rebirth, I intend to execute the perfect possession," the Abyssal Leviathan said with a laugh, its eerie eyes fixed on Grec's bushy red beard that obscured the lower half of his face. "Don't even think about laying a finger on him!"
"I have no designs on you, and that's me showing respect. As for the human you've crafted, rest assured, I'll find him," Grec replied, his voice a deep rumble.
Without waiting for a response, Grec turned to Sidla, Adler, and Mitts. "Return to your kin and inform the elders that I have personally ventured to the Everlands."
"Understood," they acknowledged, not daring to defy him.
"The only reason I spared your lives and allowed you to return is that Demon Gods are a rare treasure, even among our kind. I'm aware you obey the old one because he still holds the seat of power," Grec said, his brow furrowed, his tone brimming with confidence. "But once I defeat him and take over as the chief, you'll heed my commands."
Adler, with his innate lust for battle, declared, "By clan law, once you ascend as chief, our allegiance will be yours."
"Dismissed," Grec commanded with a wave of his hand. The Sky Fiends who had come back from the Moonfall Sanctuary departed Hellmouth, shepherded by the trio of Demon Gods, to rejoin their respective clans.
Now, the vast expanse of Hellmouth was left with only the Abyssal Leviathan and a solitary figure – the Blood King.
The remaining members of the Shura and the Ghoul King, who had been following the Abyssal Leviathan, were commanded to leave when anomalies appeared in the Domain Channel.
"Grec, I admire your bravery," the Blood King said earnestly.
His audacity to venture into the Everlands and wreak havoc right under the noses of the five Supreme God forces—and to return unscathed—would surely elevate Grec's prestige significantly. The adoration of the young Sky Fiend clansmen for him would only intensify.
"Abyssal Leviathan, that human named Yu Yuan, if he continues to grow, might become a threat to me. I sense that he could be my fated adversary. And I will not allow that to happen."
It was only after the Sky Fiends had departed that the Demon God Grec reiterated his stance.
"I've warned you, if you dare target him, I won't forgive you," the Abyssal Leviathan said with a malicious grin. "The past is the past, and now is now. You once managed to unite and divide us with countless schemes. But now, with the Everlands in existence, you no longer have the capability to focus all your efforts against us like before. You're too preoccupied to concern yourselves with us."
With those words, the Abyssal Leviathan tore through the void and returned to the colossal meteorite where the Ghoul King resided.
"He aims to create a new life form with that human, Yu Yuan. After a successful possession, he plans to propagate in the Star River using Yu Yuan's identity as the progenitor of this nascent race," the Blood King mused darkly.
"I will stop him," Grec declared with a huff. "Now that the boy has emerged, I will surely find him."
...
In an unknown land.
Yu Yuan, clutching the two pieces of the Dragon Slaying Stage, lay in a peculiar valley, slowly coming to consciousness.
The valley was suffused with a bizarre and discordant energy, akin to corrupted spiritual energy.
Occasionally, a bright, slender bolt of lightning would flash through the valley, revealing a sudden space rift before vanishing just as quickly.
The dark yellow sky was marred by numerous fissures, through which odd psionic powers, luminescence, toxins, and cosmic debris from the Star River seeped into this realm at intervals.
Gazing vacantly at these fissures, Yu Yuan recognized them as gaps in the wall.
Typically, a Domain inhabited by intelligent life is protected by either natural or artificially constructed walls, also known as crystal walls, which shield against the harmful psionic powers of the Star River.
Only by doing so can the weaker creatures within the Domain remain untainted and survive.
Yu Yuan, upon observing the numerous fissures in the dark yellow sky, realized that this realm was not the Everlands, but rather a once-whole world akin to the Everlands.
Yet, with so many tears in the starry sky's wall, it seemed unlikely that any lowly life forms could endure here.
"At least I'm still alive."
