Yao Ziyan
The sky was a tempestuous battlefield.
Dark clouds churned as streaks of lightning tore through the heavens, illuminating the gloom. Beneath this oppressive canopy, the beasts of the Nine Stars Mountains cowered in their dens, overwhelmed by an instinctual fear.
High above, a shadowy figure streaked across the sky, moving with such force that even the space around her seemed to fracture. Behind her, several figures pursued relentlessly, their intentions clear.
"Yao Ziyan! Escaping from five Pathseekers? I've wasted nearly a century of cultivation for this farce!"
"Give up, Yao Ziyan! The monster clans won't save you this time. Their days are numbered!"
"Surrender now, and I promise you a whole corpse!"
Their mocking jeers filled the air as they closed in.
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The name "Yao Ziyan" was infamous across the Star Empire and beyond. Known as a shadowy assassin, her reputation as the "King of Killers" instilled fear in her enemies. Yet, she harbored another identity—one that made her a coveted target.
She was a member of the royal beast clan from the Nine Stars Mountains.
When a beast cultivates, it forms an inner core imbued with potent spiritual energy. To humans, these monster cores were treasures of unparalleled value, their uses ranging from body refinement to the forging of spiritual weapons. The more powerful the beast, the greater the core's value.
Months ago, during an assassination mission, Ziyan's true lineage had been exposed, drawing the attention of human experts. Now, as a monster at the peak of Pathseeker, her core was a prize beyond measure.
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Several days earlier, Ziyan had ascended to the peak of Pathseeker and faced the thunderous tribulation required to enter the Eminence realm. For beasts, such tribulations were far more perilous than for humans.
She had survived the ordeal, but the price was steep. Exhausted and vulnerable, she was ambushed by a coalition of Pathseekers who had waited for her moment of weakness.
What made it worse was the revelation that the location of her tribulation had been betrayed. Her purple eyes gleamed with fury. There was a traitor among the monster clans.
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Whoosh!
A streak of golden light shot toward her. Too drained to evade, it struck her squarely, sending her hurtling through the air as she coughed up blood.
The golden light returned, revealing itself as a golden bowl hovering midair.
"Amitabha."
A monk appeared, his dark red robes fluttering ominously. His robes were the color of dried blood, and his presence radiated malice.
"So, even the infamous Demon Monk Wuxiang has decided to join in," Ziyan spat, wiping blood from her lips.
Wuxiang smirked, his lips curling into something monstrous. "A monster core from the Eminence realm is a rare delicacy."
The Demon Monk Wuxiang was infamous across Azure Continent. His power as a second-rank Eminence cultivator made him a deadly adversary.
Surrounded by five Pathseekers and one Eminence-level foe, Ziyan's gaze hardened. She clenched her fists, her expression resolute.
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"Fall back!" Wuxiang shouted suddenly, his face darkening.
He had sensed it—Ziyan's energy was flaring unnaturally. She was preparing to sacrifice everything.
The royal beast clans possessed a terrifying ability. When pushed to the brink of death, they could unleash a suicidal attack by consuming their life essence, creating a devastating burst of spiritual power that far exceeded their normal limits.
A radiant purple core emerged from Ziyan's mouth, shimmering with destructive energy. It resembled polished amethyst, its surface glowing with a dreamlike brilliance.
Boom!
The core detonated, tearing the fabric of space itself. The resulting explosion annihilated the five Pathseekers instantly, their bodies disintegrated by the overwhelming force.
Wuxiang, despite his strength, was forced to retreat. His blood-red robes were shredded as he retreated into his golden bowl, vanishing into the chaotic void.
---
The light of the explosion faded, and the once-luminous purple core was now dull and lifeless.
Ziyan swallowed the spent core, her face pale as paper. Her aura plummeted, and her body began to descend like a broken kite.
Her long hair streamed in the wind, and her mind was clouded with despair.
"Is this... the end?" she thought bitterly.
The rain began to fall, blending with her tears as she plunged toward the earth below.
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