C997 First Arrival in Extraterrestrial
"I'm still alive, at least."
With that thought, Yu Yuan sat up to assess his wounds. His body bore injuries of varying degrees. His vitality was somewhat depleted, but his spiritual energy was mostly intact. In contrast, he had lost a significant amount of Soul Power, leaving him feeling exceptionally fatigued.
"It's remarkable how using the power of two Dragon Slaying Stages could deplete so much Soul Power. And the sword sheath, too, relies heavily on Soul Power. It's no wonder that after reaching the Veil Breaking Stage, cultivators focus on their Mindscape, refining their Lunar Spirit to forge the Solar Spirit as swiftly as possible."
Yu Yuan spoke softly to himself as he retrieved several pills from his Cosmos Ring and swallowed them in one go. Some were for the soul, others to strengthen flesh and bones, and some to aid in the condensation of spiritual energy.
The sword sheath remained at his feet, and the Crucible of Evil was not lost. The two pieces of the Dragon Slaying Stage, still resembling ordinary gray stones, rested in his palm.
He hadn't lost a single possession.
Drawing a deep breath, he felt a scorching sensation in his lungs, which made him cough involuntarily.
The air was thick with harmful substances and toxins.
Fortunately, his robust physique prevailed. A quick inspection with his remnant soul revealed the fiery state of his lungs, throat, and airways, now gradually enveloped by a crimson vitality.
Tiny wounds healed in moments, becoming tougher, and his body autonomously adjusted to become more suited to the environment.
"An average human cultivator, even one who has entered the Veil Breaking Realm and undergone a second body refinement, would not endure this."
Yu Yuan quickly surmised that the human cultivators of the Everlands, with their naturally frail flesh, would find it nearly impossible to adapt to the severe conditions of this peculiar land.
He then attempted to employ the Evil Body Refining Technique.
Whoosh!
A tumultuous gravitational field erupted around him.
Dozens of bizarre energies and spiritual energy mingled, violently colliding within the gravitational field created by the Evil Body Refining Technique, emitting a series of "Puff! Puff!" sounds.
Streams of noxious energy, odd vitality, and volatile Soul Power all rushed into his body.
Dozens of energies, purified by the gravitational field, crackled ceaselessly within his meridians. The psionic power that assaulted his flesh, organs, and bones was swiftly subdued by the Evil Body Refining Technique. His damaged body, with its remarkable self-healing ability, recovered in a short span of time.
He mulled over this carefully...
After some time, he ceased the operation of the Evil Body Refining Technique, and a spark of realization flickered in his eyes.
He deduced that in this mysterious land, there were sixty-three types of mixed psionic powers. Among them were spiritual energy, the so-called magic power, the vitality of various Otherkin and dire beasts, along with different kinds of Soul Power and toxins. Additionally, there were seven or eight types of harmful cosmic dust from the depths of the Star River.
This place reminded him of his first foray into the tumultuous depths of the Moonfall Sanctuary, where he had initially employed the Evil Body Refining Technique. Yet, the psionic power here was far more intense than that of the Moonfall Sanctuary. The energies of this realm surged with a complexity tens of times greater.
Ordinary cultivators, especially those not adept at fortifying their bodies, would likely struggle to adapt to this environment. Those with insufficient strength would succumb to the toxic effects on their bodies in no time.
"For me, however, it's hardly an issue," Yu Yuan remarked, a wry smile playing on his lips.
The Evil Body Refining Technique had honed his body to perfection, enabling him to withstand the conditions here. The myriad psionic powers, along with the vitality from various Otherkin and dire beasts, could be directly integrated into his little world of vitality. Once refined by the Altar of Rebirth, they would transform into pure vital energy.
The Soul Power intermingled with the psionic power was also effortlessly refined when he employed the Wraithbinding.
"Spiritual energy, vital energy, and Soul Power can all be replenished simultaneously! The corporeal body, which has been sculpted by the Evil Body Refining Technique, is already self-adjusting and adapting to the environment."
He gazed at the dark yellow sky, observing the fissures that had appeared.
Beyond this realm...
Despite the numerous breaches in the world's barrier, allowing an influx of extraterrestrial psionic power, he assessed that the peril here was still significantly less than the risk of direct exposure to the Star River.
He was immediately reminded of the immutable law of the Everlands: only those adept in the Solar Spirit could venture into the extraterrestrial realms to wage war.
The Solar Spirit of a human cultivator was crafted from the heaven soul as its spirited body, refined with the purest spiritual energy, and ultimately forged into a corporeal form that could be seen as a pure energy state.
Such a body, devoid of flesh and blood, was a form solidified by spiritual energy through repeated refinement.
A body of pure, unadulterated energy could withstand the toxins that corrupt flesh and blood in the outer Star River. It could fend off most harmful strange powers, allowing it to soar through the extraterrestrial spaces.
"One must possess either a pure Solar Spirit Body or be an eighth-level archdemon with a body as resilient as ironstone."
Yu Yuan, after a moment of contemplation, attempted a Spirit Walk outside his real body to scout for any signs of life in his surroundings.
Whoosh!
As soon as the Lunar Spirit detached from the real body, it flickered like a candle in the wind, seemingly on the verge of being snuffed out at any moment.
The agony of a torn soul emanated from the Lunar Spirit, mingling with the bizarre forces of over sixty psionic powers, like a bone-scraping gale that caused extreme discomfort to his Lunar Spirit.
The Lunar Spirit not only suffered pain but also seemed to be permeated by sinister thoughts, threatening to lose its sense of self and turn savage and irrational.
Startled, Yu Yuan quickly concentrated his thoughts and ushered the Lunar Spirit back to the safety of the Mindscape.
Within the confines of his own little world, with the support of his real body, he could employ Wraithbinding to counteract, suppress, and even assimilate the peculiar Soul Power, gradually refining it to enhance himself.
Once outside the Mindscape, he was like a rootless, withered leaf, vulnerable and at a disadvantage.
"In the depths of the extraterrestrial Star River, one must exercise caution with the Lunar Spirit, avoiding separation from the corporeal body whenever possible!"
Having learned his lesson, he gazed into the dark, icy expanse of the extraterrestrial through the fissure in the dusky yellow firmament. "This is particularly true in the deeper reaches of the Star River, where one should not hastily release the Lunar Spirit. Moreover, in realms devoid of the Star River wall, extreme vigilance is required due to the infiltration of extraterrestrial impurities."
He no longer dared to act recklessly and attempted to summon Yu Yiyi, the cauldron spirit.
After some time passed.
"I've just awakened."
Yu Yiyi finally replied. The dark cauldron spun, its surface alive with glyphs that swirled like eyes, observing their surroundings. "This isn't the Everlands, Master. Have we come to an extraterrestrial realm? Where... are we?"
"I'm not sure," Yu Yuan replied, shaking his head.
As the cauldron spun, his perspective widened. It seemed that through the cauldron's glyphs, he could see scenes from afar.
"I'll go and have a look around."
Yu Yiyi picked up on his intention and began to ascend from above his head, drifting off into the distance.
"Take care. Do not release any Bane that hasn't yet formed a corporeal body. This place is peculiar. Spirited bodies without physical form will be corrupted by the odd Soul Power here," he cautioned her urgently.
"Don't worry, Master. This isn't my first journey through the Star River beyond our world. Many of my dormant memories have been reawakened," Yu Yiyi's voice was tinged with excitement. "I never imagined we'd actually make it through the Domain Channel so smoothly. Nor did I expect to re-enter the starry expanse so soon."
Having left the Everlands for this extraterrestrial world, she seemed to have acquired a touch of humanity.
She was no longer the numb, cold object she had been before.
Now, there was a hint of the essence of true intelligent life about her.
As the cauldron soared, images flooded Yu Yuan's mind, and he quickly realized he was in a vast valley.
Beyond the valley grew many bizarre, seemingly mutated plants.
These plants had naturally sharp edges, saw-toothed branches, and an innate, predatory ferocity.
As the cauldron descended, it was met with aggression from the plants, their saw-like branches ready to slice through intruders.
Clang! Clang!
The branches struck the Crucible of Evil, casting off a black glow, heavy and sharp as forged steel.
"What a peculiar place," Yu Yuan murmured to himself. Through another vision, he caught sight of a village inhabited by intelligent life.
