The crystal was scorching to the touch, its surface a dull gray. A slight rub of the fingers could wipe away the ash, as if it were residue from a fire.
Qian Ye examined his surroundings, judging that this crystal was the only thing left by the Celestial Fiend’s avatar. Regardless of other considerations, the fact that it survived in the flow of fire already hinted at its extraordinary nature. He carefully wiped away the ash on the surface, surprisingly discovering that the crystal was soft. Trying to gently squeeze it, he found the edges were incredibly sharp, instantly cutting through his skin.
At this moment, Qian Ye’s body strength was no small feat. Cutting through his skin was as difficult as slicing through iron. Yet, this scorching and soft crystal effortlessly sliced through the palm of Qian Ye’s hand, then transformed into a stream of fire and burrowed in.
Startled, Qian Ye simultaneously felt an unprecedented pain surge from his palm to his heart, causing him to black out on the spot.
After an unknown amount of time, Qian Ye awoke in excruciating pain, curling up and trembling uncontrollably. Struggling to open his eyes, his vision was a blur, as if large patches of light and color were shifting around, and all other sensations had vanished. Qian Ye couldn’t even tell if he was lying on the ground or floating in the air.
Confused, he tried to focus, but the light and color patches kept breaking down into smaller, more varied segments, and this process was happening extremely fast. After a brief moment, Qian Ye felt dizzy and his eyes blurred. He closed his eyes, steadied himself, and upon reopening them, he finally began to see the surroundings clearly.
The world was still the same, but it felt different to Qian Ye. Everything he saw seemed somewhat illusory, as if a little force could tear away their outer shells, revealing their true essence. No matter how hard Qian Ye tried, he could go no further.
Suddenly, Qian Ye understood what he was seeing. The scene before him was similar to a real view, capable of showing the flow of origin power, but this time, it was not just the usual world.
At the same time, Qian Ye’s consciousness filled with unfamiliar memory images, one after another, flickering like scenes from the Celestial Fiend’s memories, mostly of the void.
In the Celestial Fiend’s memories, the void differed from the common human perception. It wasn’t a vast emptiness; rather, it was filled with chaotic streams of void origin power. These invisible currents rarely collided, exploding, or colliding; most moved in a seemingly random yet orderly manner, forming unique safe passages. This was how the Celestial Fiend could traverse the void in an instant.
As Qian Ye grasped this, he realized these images weren’t just visual—they also carried a hint of tactile sensation. With his foundation in the Supreme Combat Technique, he suddenly realized it was the perception of void origin power. Although it was minimal, it acted like a key, opening a door to the void for Qian Ye.
Gradually, Qian Ye’s senses returned to normal. Grasping the hilt of the Dongyue sword, he overcame the weakness in his limbs and stood up.
It seemed the strange, scorching crystal was the remnant of the Celestial Fiend’s avatar after its annihilation. Since it was part of the Celestial Fiend, it offered a glimpse into some of its secrets, much like ancient essences.
Though the Celestial Fiend was clearly not as powerful as the ancient void behemoths, its power level and understanding of the world were invaluable knowledge for those confined to darkness or dawn. No wonder the Marquises who later joined the battle prioritized the Celestial Fiend’s avatar. Fighting such beings had significant benefits.
In reality, both factions controlled this secret within certain ranks, fearing that less powerful young elites would seek out the Celestial Fiend’s avatars and die. Qian Ye’s encounter was a fortunate accident. If not for the primal gun’s effectiveness against the Celestial Fiend’s avatar, his escape might have been uncertain.
Upon merging with the crystal, Qian Ye thought his true vision and the Celestial Fiend’s perspective were quite similar. If the effect could be enhanced, perhaps he could see or even perceive the world at the Celestial Fiend’s level.
This meant that whether it was the True Vision Eye or the Primal Wings, they were all tools designed to master the void. Only now did Qian Ye realize the true value of Anduya’s legacy, originally intended for Dukes and above.
Qian Ye looked around and quickly left the area. The commotion from the primal gun and the self-igniting Celestial Fiend had likely alerted many. He worried that the primal wings’ aura might be recognized by the dark races, especially the Blood Clan. However, as long as he didn’t encounter Dukes, he should be relatively safe.
Not far away, Bai Ao Tu glanced in this direction and then continued at full speed. In front of her, a black mist-like Celestial Fiend avatar was fleeing rapidly, clearly weakened.
Zhao Jun Du sat atop a mountainous beast, holding the Green Sky, a crystal the size of a human head emitting a hazy mist. As the crystal gradually shrank, his aura grew deeper and more mysterious.
Edward, with a grim expression, raced through the endless caverns, killing anything living, including members of the Evernight faction, without hesitation.
In a shadowy corner, Xu Lang appeared. He gazed into the darker depths, his face contorted in painful struggle. The call of the ancient essence was growing stronger, a temptation none could resist.
However, with both factions converging on the center, a great battle was imminent. Xu Lang knew he was only mid-tier among the Marquises. His chances of success were slim.
Moreover, though he had been among the first to enter the behemoth’s slumber due to various reasons, he now hovered on the fringes of the imperial military elite. He had seen a completely different world of power, wealth, and status. Entering that circle had changed his life.
If he died, it would all be lost.
Facing this, Xu Lang hesitated. Was it worth risking his promising future and life for a slim chance? After careful consideration, he chose to remain in the shadows.
Even if he didn’t participate, he still had a chance. The victors would likely be heavily injured, providing an opportunity.
Many, in both factions, shared this thought. Only a few never wavered, proceeding straight to the deepest part of the caverns.
As Qian Ye walked, he suddenly felt a stir in his heart and looked towards the distance. Though the cave walls showed no gaps, he sensed a strong resonance in that direction, evoking a profound sadness within him.
This was the sorrow of something that had existed for a long time, now dissipating. This emotion emitted a mysterious fluctuation, triggering similar resonances in three different directions.
This sorrow was not Qian Ye’s but a remnant of the Celestial Fiend’s will. Clearly, in those directions, other Celestial Fiend avatars had been destroyed. Qian Ye sensed that five out of seven avatars had dissipated.
Contemplating, Qian Ye wondered if the remnants of the Celestial Fiend’s will, like his own, had merged with others. Would they sense each other when using the power they gained?
Yet, this wasn’t necessarily bad. Those who could kill the Celestial Fiend’s avatars were either true geniuses or immensely lucky. Such people would pursue the highest levels of power, a path much longer than today’s. Their true battlefield lay ahead, and if they could recognize each other, they might avoid deadly conflicts. The fact that everyone was moving away indicated similar thoughts.
As Qian Ye walked, he entered a natural, enormous cave. Suddenly, a bright, warm light descended, almost blinding him.
Startled, Qian Ye, feeling no danger, hesitated to retreat. Squinting, he looked up.
Embedded in the cave’s dome was an irregular crystal, radiating a sun-like warmth. The light bathed him, speeding his thoughts and drawing in void origin power, making him feel incredibly comfortable.
“An ancient essence!” Unexpectedly, he encountered one. There had been no prior indication, as if his arrival had activated it.
Qian Ye leaped, reaching for the ancient essence, his defenses fully heightened. This jump was a test. From his experience with the Celestial Fiend’s remnant, he knew these essences were not easy to obtain. They contained immense power and a strong will, which could consume the weaker ones. Even the strong, if not careful, could be rendered defenseless, a dangerous prospect in this underground realm.
Before Qian Ye could discern the essence’s power, a faint sound echoed, and a disturbance in the origin power signaled an attack. Alarmed, he stopped mid-air.
An origin bullet, tinged with blood, whizzed past his head, striking the dome near the ancient essence. The explosion dimmed the sun-like glow, indicating its power.
Qian Ye turned in the air, landing steadily, facing the attacker.
A Blood Noble, middle-aged with a sinister expression and neatly trimmed beard, stood nearby. The purple mandala badge on his collar reflected the light from the ancient essence. He held a short gun, his arms wreathed in a dense blood aura—likely a Count.
Count Monroe spoke, “Leave, boy of the Empire. You are young, there will be other opportunities. This ancient essence is not yours.”
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