Chapter 869: The Ancient God of Life

Yuan Yi, the World God of the Fey Abyss, had long devoted himself to studying the Dao of Life.

When that single drop of blood burrowed into his heart and started forcibly altering his crystal bloodline chains, a name from ancient legend suddenly surfaced in his mind—Ling Yun!

Like Yuan Yi, Ling Yun had been born in the bizarre mist and had pursued the Dao of Life as his lifelong Dao. His accomplishments also far exceeded Yuan Yi's.

Yuan Yi had never ascended beyond high-ranking godhood. Ling Yun, on the other hand, had achieved Sovereignhood.

In an age long past, Ling Yun had roamed freely through the bizarre mist, uniting the many races that lived in it under one banner and waging fierce war against the Outer Gods.

Though Ling Yun had ultimately perished, body and soul, his legend continued to echo throughout the bizarre mist.

The Sovereign of Life!

Pang Jian's mind trembled. He could sense unseen hands subtly altering the hidden laws governing the Ruin Realm.

Vitality quietly sprouted from the oceans, forests, ground, and shadowy valleys on the continents and stars. Multicolored blood essence emerged from seemingly nowhere, drifting like misted veils through the air, and hovering above the continents like radiant clouds capable of giving birth to new life.

Pang Lin let out a sharp cry, "Ling Yun!"

She had fought many brutal battles during her reign as the Sovereign of the Fey Race. Among them, the campaign to hunt down the World God of the Spirit Race in the bizarre mist remained one of the most grueling she had ever faced.

"So, it was you."

The lightning that had been streaking toward Yu Hang abruptly changed directions, turning instead toward Yuan Yi.

"My Lord, I—!"

Yuan Yi, wielding the Celestial Fey Warhammer, found himself under immense pressure from all sides. His humanoid form abruptly reverted into his ape form.

The ancient ape beat his chest with a furious roar.

Suddenly, his chest caved inward. It was as if his heart had turned into a black hole, dragging his bones, flesh, and fur into it, devouring his towering body in the blink of an eye.

Soon, all that remained above Yuan Yi's blood-colored World God Pendant was a crimson heart. That heart pulsed rhythmically, with a dense web of blood-colored lightning entwined around it.

Even the Duke of Thunder's expression shifted drastically. "Ling Yun!"

Both he and Yuan Yi had once stood among the strongest within the bizarre mist as prodigies of their era. Naturally, they had also heard tales of Ling Yun's overwhelming might.

Still, neither had ever seen him in person. They only knew that Ling Yun, like Demonheaven, was also a Sovereign born within the bizarre mist.

After leaving the bizarre mist, Demonheaven had become the leader of the Demon Races. He elevated the Demon Races into one of the dominant powers across the starry skies, and the Demon Gods revered him.

However, Demonheaven's glory remained confined to the Demon Races alone.

Ling Yun, on the other hand, had emerged from the bizarre mist with a far more audacious ambition. He sought to overthrow the Hall of Gods, rally all the denizens of the bizarre mist, and subjugate the myriad races in the starry skies.

His goal had been to place the denizens of the bizarre mist above all others. That was the reason why the Outer Gods could tolerate Demonheaven's existence but not Ling Yun's.

"There is no body more suited for my return than this ancient ape's," echoed a languid, gentle male voice from the pulsating heart, extinguishing the lightning surging toward the heart as it resonated outward.

The connection between the Ruin Realm and the Thunder Abyss was abruptly severed. No lightning from the Thunder Abyss could descend upon the Ruin Realm any longer.

The thirty-six stars in the upper layer of the Ruin Realm started to rotate in accordance with some profound cosmic law, while the twenty-four continents below spun rapidly in unison.

The Ruin Realm charged forward through the bizarre mist.

Pang Jian, Pang Lin's manifestation, and all the World Gods within felt their surroundings spinning. Their divine souls, bodies, and consciousness were thrown into confusion.

"I'll deepen the ancient ape's Dao of Life."

The Dao of Life and the crystal bloodline chains within the pulsating heart shifted in dazzling complexity.

A deep crimson mist then spread out from the heart. Refined life energy took form within the mist, transforming into bone, organs, meridians, blood, and flesh, coalescing into a new body.

Ling Yun was using the ancient ape's heart to reconstruct his original body.

He was not only the Sovereign of the Spirit Race but also the World God of the Spirit Abyss.

The Sovereign of Wisdom, Fu Ya, also of the Spirit Race, had once been his disciple, someone he personally guided into godhood.

Like Demonheaven had united all the Demon Races, so too had Ling Yun united the Spirit Race within and beyond the bizarre mist. This had been before he attempted to overthrow the Hall of Gods.

"My dear disciple has now become the leader of the Spirit Race in the starry skies and even ascended to become a Sovereign.

"Excellent. She didn't let me down.

"I will reclaim what was lost, right here, in this Ruin Realm! I will once again rule as a Sovereign over all the races of the bizarre mist!

"We will not fail again in this grand event. It's our time to reign over all beings, both within and beyond the Abyss!"

The body of a powerful male Spirit Race warrior with humanoid features rapidly formed from the pulsating heart.

Ling Yun, the Sovereign of Life, held insights into the Dao of Life far beyond anything the ancient ape had comprehended.

Don't let him regain his strength as a Sovereign!

Pang Lin's voice rang in Pang Jian's mind.

If he succeeds in becoming a Sovereign once more, we will lose much of our authority. We could even lose the favor of the Soulstream.

Damn it. My body in the Thunder Abyss can't enter the Ruin Realm. This manifestation still lacks sufficient lightning!

The Divine Court of Thunder swayed uncontrollably from the upheaval in the violently trembling Ruin Realm, leaving Pang Lin unable to command it properly and preventing her from exerting enough force to suppress the forming heart.

"World God of the Wood Race," Ling Yun called with a soft smile.

"Present," Mu Duo responded humbly, bracing himself as he did. "What are your orders, sir?"

"You should know that the Sovereign of Life, regardless of their race, holds dominion over the life and death of your Wood Race," said Ling Yun, still mid-formation.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Mu Duo lowered his head. "I am well aware."

Ling Yun's torso had already materialized, but his limbs and head had yet to form. When he spoke, his voice echoed from deep within his chest. "Then you know what choice to make."

"I do." Mu Duo obediently flew toward Ling Yun, taking up the role of protector.

The Ruin Realm came to an abrupt halt as the upper boundary wall collided with the lower boundary wall of another abyss, much like what had occurred with the Thunder Abyss before.

Suddenly, the World God Pendant in Pang Jian's hand ignited with blazing flames.

"The Fire Abyss!"

The instant the boundary walls connected, Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul, wielding the World God Pendant, caught a glimpse of a blazing abyss. Members of the Flame and Radiant Races were shouting Ling Yun's name within.

It seemed the denizens of the Fire Abyss had long awaited Ling Yun's return, fully expecting him to rise from the dead and lead them once more.