Chapter 369: Just a Single Hair That Broke Free!
"He vanished?" Yun Xiao found himself staring into the void where once stood a man and a monstrous creature, now seemingly swallowed by the earth itself. The chilling aura that had pervaded the air moments ago had dissipated as if it were never there.
"Did he just say he'd be waiting for me on the 18th level?" Yun Xiao mused aloud, pulling a small, black beast from his embrace.
"Yeah!" Blue Star replied with a calm and collected demeanor, a far cry from just a moment ago. "My impeccable deduction skills lead me to believe that this duo must be prisoners within the 18th level of the Immortal Asylum!"
"And you needed to deduce that?" Yun Xiao was amused, noting a slightly startled undertone in Blue Star and Red Moon's reactions. What kind of formidable presence could elicit such a response from them?
"What's with that look?" Blue Star, arms crossed, glared back, his voice taking on a child-like indignation. "Let me be clear, it's not that we were afraid of them. It's just that, having been reborn alongside you, our foundations are somewhat shaky, and it's only prudent to be cautious!"
"I'll take your word for it." Yun Xiao chuckled, his gaze once again drawn into the depths of the Immortal Asylum, murmuring, "So, what we encountered was not their true form, but merely a projection. Their actual selves must still be confined within the darkest depths of the Immortal Asylum."
"Possibly..." Blue Star pondered.
"Possibly what?" Yun Xiao inquired.
"It's complicated. They're not beings of the Dao Realm, meaning they're not your creations. It's uncertain if their entire essence is imprisoned. Moreover, their appearance here raises questions," Blue Star mused, shaking his head.
"Not of the Dao Realm, beyond the reach of the Creator Immortal... Are there other grand worlds beyond the Dao Realm?" Yun Xiao pondered.
"Indeed, unraveling that mystery was your quest in a past life. It's quite the stroke of luck to stumble upon a clue so soon after being reborn. Especially since this fellow could discern your essence as the Primogential Spirit. That's no small feat," Blue Star added with feigned profundity.
"Good thing he didn't seem hostile to Creator; otherwise, I'd be deprived of my demon milk," Red Moon interjected, somewhat startled.
"Don't boost his ego at the expense of your own standing. Trapped in the deepest level of the Immortal Asylum, who knows how long it's been since he's stirred. He might not even be in a position to defend himself," Blue Star retorted with a scoff.
"Not in a position to defend himself?" Yun Xiao recalled the black-robed youth's gaze, which didn't seem to align with that assessment.
"Listen, Brother," Blue Star's tone turned grave, his eyes ablaze with seriousness, "Given the encounter and recognition, regardless of the circumstances, you must seize control of the Immortal Asylum to avert the greatest potential threat to your path of rebirth."
"The greatest threat?" Yun Xiao paused, taken aback.
Even the Primordial Immortal Ancestor hadn't been deemed such a threat.
"Exactly. His ability to recognize you at a glance means that if he breaks free and becomes your foe, he'd have your fate in his hands. Should your identity be exposed, all beings under the Six Ancestral Gods, yearning for your Seed of Creation, would seek your end, cutting off your path of rebirth. In such a case, no one could safeguard you," Blue Star declared.
Yun Xiao got it, clear as day. In a nutshell, he was still on thin ice. Even his nest egg, hard-earned and dearly kept, would do him little good if push came to shove and he met his demise. That would be the end of the line for his last stand as the Creator Immortal.
"Taking control of the Immortal Asylum means I'd hold some cards, whether dealing with friend or foe, right?" Yun Xiao grasped the essence of it. No way was he going to let anyone else have a stranglehold on his fate.
"Spot on! That's crucial," Blue Star concurred.
"But how do I get a grip on this Immortal Asylum?" Yun Xiao pondered aloud.
"That's a toughie. Needs a bit more noodling. With the Nian hogging the first level, it might just be our way in," Blue Star mused, eyeing the depths of the corridor. "At its core, the Immortal Asylum is a top-tier magical artifact. And artifacts can be mastered. Imagine, toting around with an Immortal prison!"
"Carrying around an Immortal Asylum... What's in it for me?" Yun Xiao zeroed in on the crux.
"The perks? Well..." Blue Star paused, "Just the Nian on the first level is a force to be reckoned with, and the deepest level is home to creatures from other Dao Realms. The beings sealed in this entire Immortal Asylum are no small fry. Devour them, and our path to rebirth might just smooth out."
"Devour them?" Yun Xiao couldn't help but chuckle, "Here I was thinking I'd have to win them over, have them serve me, maybe even find a few more mentors to guide me on the Heavenly Dao"
But to devour them? That was the Creator Immortal for youstraightforward and brutal, never playing by the book.
"Devouring, of course!" Blue Star shrugged, "You haven't noticed? The Seed of Creation on that Nian is leagues above your current mishmash of Nine Heavens Star Meridians and Nine Suns Dantian. Perfect for the Divine Desolation Physique. A juicy pig like that, it'd be a waste not to eat."
"Alright, it's a dog-eat-dog world out there. Survival of the fittest, and it all boils down to who eats whom." Yun Xiao wasn't burdened by this. He and the Nian were natural enemies, after all.
"Calamities descend, chaos reigns, and with the Nian's emergence, this winter spells the greatest disaster the Nine Hells have ever faced..."
The Immortal Asylum! Yun Xiao was brewing with some ideas about this magical artifact.
"Most importantly, that duo on the 18th level might carry secrets from beyond our Dao Realm, the very mysteries you sought in your past life. You'd reached the pinnacle then, with no room left for growth. Only the Primordial Coffins and Dao Realms beyond ours might offer new opportunities in this life..." Blue Star said.
Yun Xiao clenched his teeth, "So, whether it's about gaining the upper hand, or for the Seeds of Creation, magic treasures, or Dao Realms unknown... I need to get my hands on this Immortal Asylum."
With one last glance at the dark expanse, he turned and vanished in the direction of the mountains and rivers outside.
Before long, Yun Xiao found himself back at the edge of the Radiance Gate, where the mountain streams sang. There, in the midst of nature's melody, awaited Mu Dalong, a tad anxious, her eyes swirling with worry.
"Exile Yun..." She breathed a sigh of relief as Yun Xiao reappeared, her tense shoulders dropping slightly at his reassuring nod and smile.
"I've noticed some Inscription Cultivators and Yang Devils getting restless, plotting to tattle on you to the Primordial Envoys," Mu Dalong shared, her voice laced with concern.
"Well, we'll just have to see who's quicker, their tongues or my sword," Yun Xiao quipped before striding into the heart of the stream.
Beneath a moss-covered rock lay a burlap sack, cradling a mummified corpse within.
"Those Primordial Envoys were too caught up in the ruckus caused by the Nian to notice the demonic aura and devil blood on me. Otherwise, they'd be scratching their heads wondering about the oddities clinging to my being."
Now was the time to release these two potent forces he harbored.
Moon Fairy, having harvested the Desolate Essence of nearly half the Nine Hells, had secluded himself for a breakthrough.
With a flick of his wrist, a mist of blood danced from Yun Xiao towards the desiccated corpse, enveloping it in a dragon-shaped cloud. As the crimson mist seeped in, the corpse began to inflate, transforming from its ghastly state to one of vibrant youth and allure.
The War Princess jolted upright, gasping for air as if she'd just been dragged from the depths of the Endless Netherworld back to the land of the living. Her pallor, once ashen, flushed with life after several heaving breaths, her heart stuttering back to rhythm.
Panting, she flicked her pink tongue out, a full three inches of supple, enticing flesh that could set minds wandering under the moonlit sky. Her figure, enhanced by the Mortal Dust Devil Blood, was nothing short of breathtakinga celestial beauty carved from the very essence of temptation.
Blinking away her daze, she finally focused on the world around her, a whisper escaping her lips, "I... I'm not dead..."
"Of course, you're not," Yun Xiao stated, towering over her, his gaze inadvertently wandering only to be obstructed by an unexpected sight.
"Yun Xiao!" She clung to his arm, desperation in her tear-filled eyes, "Please, no more of this torment. It's unbearable, like being trapped in a confined world, completely immobilized, every inch of me in agony."
"It can stop. You just need to die. Then I won't have to bother keeping your flesh intact anymore," Yun Xiao replied, his tone as calm as the stream that flowed beside them.
The War Princess stared at Yun Xiao, a chill settling in her heart as his words sank in.
"Did you forget our initial bargain? I spared your life in exchange for your service," Yun Xiao reminded her.
"I remember," she murmured, head bowed.
"You said, as long as you could return to the Endless Netherworld and prove your worth, death wouldn't matter," Yun Xiao continued, locking eyes with her.
"Yes..." she whispered, unable to meet his gaze.
"Now, you've nearly fulfilled your purpose, and yet, after a mere feigned death, you seek to renegotiate?" Yun Xiao chided, gently lifting her chin to face him.
"I was wrong," the War Princess admitted, tears streaming down her face.
"Admitting your mistake is good," Yun Xiao suddenly softened, pinching her cheek with a chuckle. "Alright, if I must use you in the future, I'll try to make it quick."
"You..." From his initial indifference to his now tender smile, the War Princess was bewildered, caught between the sting of his rebuke and the sweetness of his reassurance.
In truth, Yun Xiao had been more than fair to her. His scare was merely a caution, a reminder not to take his kindness for granted and grow complacent.
Sure enough, she bit back her pride. Tall and statuesque, she towered over Yun Xiao, yet in his presence, her defiance melted away.
"Yun Xiao..." she began, biting her lip.
"What did you call me?" his voice deepened.
"Master," she conceded, tears of humiliation falling.
"That's better."
Deep within the Immortal Asylum, darkness was shattered by a golden figure, illuminating the ruined Eight Trigrams battlefield with a blinding light. It was the golden-eyed youth. Unfazed by the carnage around him, he looked up to meet the gaze of a thousand Old Immortals, their gnarled teeth bared in malice. Behind him, a shadow with crimson hair lurked, barely visible.
The golden-eyed youth smiled. "I thought you might have broken free entirely... Turns out, it was just a single hair that escaped."
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