The shriek of the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame managed to pierce the monumental crash as Yin Beast Mountain crumbled; it sounded desperately panicked within Duolong’s mind.
Duolong’s eyes had gradually lost their luster, the depths of its pupils filled with a chilling, deep silver void. Clearly, in that brief moment, the patriarch of the Gray Wing Clan had his soul immolated by the flame, losing his life.
Di Shan and Yu Rou, the two other Wing Clan patriarchs, watched Duolong die, expressions of profound terror overtaking them.
But the scream of the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame offered them a sliver of hope, compelling them to look upon Shi Yan beside them with renewed gravity, forcing them to seriously reconsider the Ancestor’s final decree...
In the ethereal darkness, had destiny truly been set long ago? Di Shan and Yu Rou couldn’t help but entertain the thought. To actually serve this wet-behind-the-ears brat as their lord, as dictated by the ancestral will, filled them with a feeling bordering on bitter amusement.
Yet, they found no humor in it.
Di Shan understood that without Shi Yan’s arrival, while Yin Beast Mountain might not have collapsed so quickly, and this dimension might not have dissolved into nothingness in such a short span, they would still be unable to break free from the shackles of fate, forever imprisoned here.
Especially since they both had already ascended to the Communication with God Realm and held the potential to reach the True God realm in time.
In this bizarre dimension, once they reached the True God realm, what awaited them would not be celebration, but rather divine retribution descending from the high heavens!
Kaba, Yi Tianmo, and Zha Meng had already vanished without a trace the moment they realized the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame had emerged.
The collapse of Yin Beast Mountain continued unabated, and the earth-shattering thunder from the sky above showed no sign of ceasing.
Those few within the mountain belly knew better than anyone that this place was about to vanish, understood better than anyone that this entire dimension would soon return to the void. Time was desperately short!
“Contain it!”
Shi Yan raised the hand bearing the Blood Patterned Ring, aiming the ring remotely toward Duolong, and gave a cold, sharp command.
Brilliant streams of rainbow light suddenly erupted from the Blood Patterned Ring!
Rays of rainbow light surged like tidal waves toward Duolong, instantly enveloping the already dead creature.
“Hiss!” The delicate, eerie little face hidden in Duolong’s mind was forcibly expelled!
It detached from Duolong’s skull and flew uncontrollably toward Shi Yan.
Di Shan and Yu Rou’s expressions shifted, and they instinctively started to retreat.
They immediately sensed the chill in their hearts, paused for a moment, then hurriedly halted their steps backward.
There was no retreat.
Only by remaining within the blue light could they fend off that entity’s soul invasion. Leaving the protection of the blue light, no matter which direction they fled, it would be difficult to escape its soul incineration.
Therefore, Di Shan and Yu Rou reacted quickly, stopping obediently.
“No! No!!”
The Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame screamed in frantic terror, struggling continuously, trying to break free from the ring’s suction.
But no matter how hard it struggled, under the illumination of the rainbow light, it appeared utterly powerless, fragile beyond measure.
Under the gaze of Shi Yan, Di Shan, and Yu Rou, this miraculous Heavenly Fire, sealed within Yin Beast Mountain, offered no resistance as it was slowly, bit by bit, absorbed by the Blood Patterned Ring.
Shi Yan extended his hand out from the barrier of blue light, pointing remotely at the flame.
Finally, the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame transformed into a streak of silver light, flashing once before vanishing into the Blood Patterned Ring on Shi Yan’s finger.
The Yin Qi swirling within the mountain belly suddenly dispersed, unable to coalesce again.
“Boom! Boom!”
Yin Beast Mountain seemed to have lost its final reason for existence, collapsing rapidly at a speed several times more violent than before.
Di Shan and Yu Rou were still steeped in shock, looking at Shi Yan and the Blood Patterned Ring on his hand with disbelief, unable to fully accept what they had just witnessed.
The moment the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame entered the Blood Patterned Ring, Shi Yan didn't even spare a moment to observe its interior; he immediately rushed toward the stone platform, snatched up the Flowing Cloud Sky-Breaking Prism resting there, and directly stored it in his Phantom Space Ring.
“Let’s go,” Shi Yan turned to Di Shan and Yu Rou, giving a faint smile. “We should be safe now.”
“Chii! Chii! Chii!” Brilliant radiance emanated from the heavens above, accompanied by an extremely intense energy fluctuation. Amidst the roar of heavenly thunder, tiers of stone steps suddenly manifested out of thin air in the space between the stone platform and the brilliant light above. These steps led directly to the confluence of light in the sky, appearing like a Heavenly Stairway connecting to the deepest recesses of the Ninth Heaven, leading to some mysterious, unpredictable destination.
“The Heavenly Stairway descends… the Ancestor’s decree, it’s… it’s actually real…”
Di Shan looked up at the sky, his expression distant, murmuring to himself, seemingly lost in some ancient memory, completely stunned for a moment.
Yu Rou blinked for a moment, her beautiful eyes gradually brightening. After a long pause, she suddenly let out a delicate giggle, laughing so hard she bent over, clutching her stomach, abandoning all composure.
Shi Yan looked at the two with confusion, utterly perplexed by what sort of nonsense they were engaging in at such a critical time.
“It really is you!” Yu Rou laughed until tears threatened to spill, clutching her stomach and pointing at Shi Yan, giggling uncontrollably. She turned to Di Shan and said, “What more can you say now?”
Di Shan’s mighty frame shuddered suddenly, his expression exceedingly complex.
After a long silence, ignoring the mountain’s collapse and the flying debris, Di Shan abruptly dropped to one knee in the midst of the chaos, bowing his proud head toward Shi Yan, and stated solemnly, “Di Shan, Patriarch of the Black Wing Clan, from this day forth, I swear allegiance to you as my lord, until death do us part.”
“Yu Rou, current Patriarch of the White Wing Clan, swears allegiance to you as my lord, until death do us part!” Yu Rou also composed herself, her laughter gone, kneeling on one knee with a solemn expression, issuing a soft, crisp declaration.
Shi Yan stood there dumbfounded.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Yin Beast Mountain began to break apart completely, its structure cleaved as if by a massive axe, turning into gigantic boulders that rolled outward in every direction.
Dense nets of lightning that had permeated the area vanished without a trace.
In the depths of the sky, a profound silence settled. In the hazy gray expanse, a patch of clear azure suddenly appeared…
“This, this is?” Shi Yan stood frozen, unsure what Di Shan and Yu Rou intended, or whether their commitment was genuine, momentarily at a loss for how to react. Fortunately, the two didn't make Shi Yan wait long. After their obeisance, Di Shan and Yu Rou stood up together, looked toward the Heavenly Stairway leading into the clouds, and Yu Rou smiled softly, “Master, let’s ascend the Heavenly Stairway. We can finally escape this cursed place.”
Master…
Shi Yan carefully savored those two incredibly weighty words, his brow deeply furrowed. “Are you serious?”
“From today forward, you are the Master of our two clans. As for the Gray Wing Clan, without Duolong, we will ensure they obediently follow the Ancestor’s decree,” Di Shan’s eyes flashed with a cold glint. “Master possesses three types of Heavenly Fire; your very existence is the greatest terror to the Yin Charm Clan. Coupled with the pressure exerted by Yu Rou and myself, I believe the Yin Charm Clan will have no choice but to submit!”
“This…”
“Master, your arrival is the arrangement of Heaven; we are merely following Heaven’s decree,” Yu Rou gave a charming smile, winking at Shi Yan. “I explained to Master earlier: whoever can help our two clans escape this desolate place, and who happens to possess the bloodline of the Undying God King, is the Master of our two clans. We must follow our ancestors’ dying wishes.”
“This place is about to collapse, Master. Let’s ascend the Heavenly Stairway first,” Di Shan urged.
Shi Yan could not discern their true motives, but he sensed no malice from either of them. After a moment of hesitation, he stepped directly onto the stone steps that had materialized out of thin air on the platform and walked a few steps upward.
Di Shan and Yu Rou waited until he was on the stairway before following him, taking up the two steps immediately below him.
The massive explosion of Yin Beast Mountain occurred exactly as expected. Amidst the tremendous roar, the peak that had stood for countless years shattered piece by piece, tilting and falling away from the central Heavenly Stairway where Shi Yan and the two others stood.
Shi Yan stood on the steps and was surprised to find that the crushing collapse of Yin Beast Mountain did not affect him in the slightest.
To be precise, the shattering of Yin Beast Mountain seemed to be constrained by some hidden force; not a single piece of rock touched the stairway leading to the heavens. The areas surrounding the steps were completely clear, not even a speck of stone splashing inwards.
This defied all logic, yet it occurred so naturally that Shi Yan felt it was simply as it should be.
Soon, amidst the immense noise, Yin Beast Mountain ceased to exist.
The majestic mountain range collapsed in an extremely short time, its massive stones scattered around. Beneath the azure canopy, where Yin Beast Mountain once stood, there remained only a Heavenly Stairway leading to the clouds, and three figures standing at its base.
The strong cultivators of the two clans who remained outside Yin Beast Mountain had long since retreated far away, seeking safety from the potential devastation of the mountain’s collapse.
When the peak that had stood for tens of thousands of years in the Abandoned Land finally dispersed entirely, they were finally able to see the Heavenly Stairway leading to the sky, and the three people at the bottom of those stairs.
On the side of the Yin Charm Clan, Yi Tianmo, Kaba, and Zha Meng were instantly stunned, expressions of utter disbelief flashing in their eyes as they stared blankly at the Heavenly Stairway and the three figures upon it.
Di Shan frowned, glanced dismissively at the trio from a distance, and spoke calmly, “Yi Tianmo, Kaba, Zha Meng, you three come here. I have something to say.”
The three were stunned for a moment, then immediately flew over.
Tens of thousands of surrounding alien clansmen all looked up at the sky, gazing at the Heavenly Stairway beneath the clouds, at the few major figures standing upon it, wondering what on earth had transpired.
In a flash, the three arrived beside Di Shan, their expressions solemn. Upon arrival, almost simultaneously, they began to speak: “That Nine Nether…”
“He took it,” Di Shan waved his large hand, and a strange ripple spread out, temporarily locking the surrounding space to prevent any sound from escaping.
The expressions of Yi Tianmo, Kaba, and Zha Meng trembled, deeply moved.
“Let me reintroduce them,” Yu Rou suddenly straightened her face, pointing at Shi Yan. “This is our Master, and also the owner of three Heavenly Fires. The blood flowing through his body is that of the Undying God King. I believe you know the Ancestors’ decree. As the three great commanders of the Yin Charm Clan, you should know how to treat him, correct?”
“What?” Zha Meng cried out first.
“Was my explanation not clear enough?” Yu Rou’s delicate brows knitted, and she spoke coldly, “The one who can lead our two clans out of this place, and who possesses their bloodline, is the new Master we must serve in the future! Do the three of you intend to ignore the Ancestor’s decree? Do you understand what that implies?”
Yi Tianmo’s expression flickered, and he couldn't help but ask, “What about Duolong?”
“Dead,” Di Shan’s gaze instantly turned cold, staring menacingly at the trio. “He was burned to ashes by the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame, and the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame is now in the Master’s hands. Even if the Master cannot yet wield the power of that specific flame, his other two Heavenly Fires are more than enough to wipe out your entire Yin Charm Clan!”
Yi Tianmo’s face shifted in horror. After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly bowed respectfully, “Yi Tianmo, one of the Yin Charm Clan commanders, is willing to serve you as Master.” He directed this statement toward Shi Yan.
Kaba and Zha Meng’s pupils contracted sharply. After a long pause, both men let out a breath, their spirits visibly dampened as they bowed, lowering their noble heads toward Shi Yan.
…(To be continued)