Unmatched Dominance/C4 Ruby Parasite!
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Unmatched Dominance/C4 Ruby Parasite!
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C4 Ruby Parasite!

"What?" Ning Ji lowered his head, fixing Yu Cen with a puzzled gaze. "What Ruby Parasite?"

"It's not a fever-induced coma my grandfather is in; he's been afflicted by a Ruby Parasite that's leeching onto his earthly soul, extracting fragmented memories," Yu Yuan explained, raising his hand to point at the elder's forehead, indicating a thread-like line as fine as a hair. "See, this line that resembles a blood thread? That's the Ruby Parasite!"

Ning Ji was taken aback and questioned, "What exactly is a Ruby Parasite? And how can you be so certain about it? How did you come to know this?"

He harbored deep confusion regarding Yu Yuan, the young member of the Yu family who had awakened his earthly and heaven souls. His actions were far from ordinary.

The Yu Yuan who had awakened seemed like a completely different person from the one Ning Ji had previously encountered or heard about. It was hard to believe they were the same individual.

"The Ruby Parasite originates from the Rainbow Ocean in the northern reaches of the Land of Quiescence. This venomous worm is as slender as a thread of blood. Once it attaches to the forehead of a living being, it can siphon the memories from the earthly soul," Yu Yuan explained with an icy demeanor. "Based on your earlier account, Yin Jue's attempt to extract my grandfather's memories wasn't due to his own abilities but rather his reliance on the Ruby Parasite!"

"It's from the Rainbow Ocean?" Ning Ji exclaimed, alarmed.

The northern part of the Land of Quiescence was known to be the most fearsome and wild region in the world, home to the nefarious Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep.

Even the formidable cultivators from the upper sects of Euwrea would not dare to venture into this area lightly, lest they provoke the wrath of the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep.

The entire Everlands, with its three continents and numerous secluded regions, recognized the northern Land of Quiescence's Rainbow Ocean as the birthplace of all manner of bizarre and toxic Alien Bugs.

Upon learning that the Ruby Parasite hailed from the Rainbow Ocean, Ning Ji realized that his old friend's situation was likely dire.

"Yes, the Ruby Parasite is one such venomous insect from that region, and it's also a key component in the creation of the Soul-Capturing Pill. The genuine Soul-Capturing Pill can not only extract the entire spectrum of memories from the earthly soul but also preserve the life of the individual. However, the Ruby Parasite, being unrefined, can only draw out more scattered memories. Moreover, this insect's intense heat can cause its host to succumb to a lethal fever."

"As to how much memory can be extracted, it entirely depends on the endurance of the individual being absorbed; specifically, how long they can resist death."

Yu Yuan's form shook slightly with rage as he spoke.

In his past life, during his final years, he had been unable to clear his blocked meridians through conventional means and had consequently delved into the art of poison crafting.

The Soul-Capturing Pill was a type of poison pill capable of seizing the memories of cultivators who failed to achieve the Lunar Spirit, unearthing their deepest secrets.

Once a cultivator's earthly soul evolved into the Lunar Spirit, they became immune to the Soul-Capturing Pill. They could even infiltrate the pill with their Lunar Spirit, annihilate all the enhanced Ruby Parasites inside, and then harness the parasites to nourish and fortify their Lunar Spirit, thus boosting their cultivation.

However, those below the Lunar Spirit Realm—within the five stages of Spirit Channel, Soul Awakening, Golden Sanctum, Veil Breaking, and Subtlety—would struggle to escape the malevolent effects of the Soul-Capturing Pill without specific arcane techniques or spiritual weapons to shield their earthly soul. They risked having all their hidden secrets forcibly stripped away, leaving them utterly vulnerable.

"How do we exterminate this venomous creature?" Ning Ji asked, his voice low but urgent.

For the moment, he set aside the question of how Yu Yuan came to know the secrets of the Ruby Parasite, secrets even he was unaware of. His primary concern was for Yu Yuan, a man shrouded in mystery, to resolve the affliction tormenting his dear friend.

The Ruby Parasite was actively siphoning the memories from his friend's earthly soul, and the toxic heat persisted relentlessly.

If this continued, his friend would inevitably succumb to the venomous heat.

"Do you trust me?" Yu Yuan abruptly inquired.

Ning Ji regarded him, a moment of hesitation passing before he replied, "You, with your awakened earthly and heaven souls, are somewhat peculiar. Yet, I trust you wouldn't harm your grandfather. After all, the hardships he's endured these years have all stemmed from your actions."

A pang of pain struck Yu Yuan's heart. He inhaled deeply and responded, "Very well, since you trust me, help me prepare a few things. My aim is not only to ensure my grandfather's well-being but also to leverage the Ruby Parasite to give that spellcaster a bloody lesson!"

"Isn't the spellcaster Yin Jue?"

"No."

"If not him, then who?"

"It must be someone from Winter's Bite."

"Ah?!"

...

On the outskirts of Asvetaesi, within the forest, there lay a barren, shadowy mountain. A small cave, barely large enough to accommodate three or four people, had been hewn into the mountainside, its entrance largely concealed by jagged rocks.

Inside, the cave was frigid and eerie.

Lyu Yue sat with her back against the stone wall, immersed in quiet meditation. Periodically, during her breathing exercises, she cast a glance at the fist-sized jade stone before her knees.

Within the translucent jade, a crimson line was visible. Magnified a hundredfold, one could discern strands of light converging within it.

This red line was the spectral projection of the Ruby Parasite, condensed from a drop of lifeblood, while the strands of light were the extracted memories of Yu Cen.

"Yin Jue pays his respects to Lady Lyu!"

A soft call echoed from the cave's mouth.

Lyu Yue's brow furrowed as she opened her eyes and spoke with measured indifference, "Enter."

Yin Jue hurried inside, contorting his body as if wary of taking up too much space and displeasing her.

"In Asvetaesi, there are cultivators whom even I regard with caution. I must remain vigilant to avoid drawing unwanted attention," Lyu Yue expressed with a hint of irritation. "Simply follow my instructions. Unless something unforeseen occurs, do not visit me frequently. Your level is still low, making you an easy target, which could inadvertently reveal my presence."

"Guru, I would not dare to trouble you if not for an unexpected event," Yin Jue assured her hastily.

"What kind of event?" inquired Lyu Yue with a note of surprise.

"Yu Yuan is alive. Not only is he alive, but he has also regained consciousness," Yin Jue reported, his voice subdued and his head bowed. "He's no longer impaired; he can even speak. Guru, could there be a flaw in the technique you taught me? Or perhaps an inadvertent error on your part?"

"How dare you question my methods?"

As Lyu Yue sat still, her deep gray robe suddenly shimmered with a ring of silver light.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice dozens of luminous silver serpents slithering across the fabric of her garment.

"Hiss!"

Silver-white venomous pythons, their tails seemingly tethered to Lyu Yue, arched their menacing heads high into the air.

The pythons' necks were adorned with white scales that shimmered like silver, casting a cold, metallic sheen. Their oil-green eyes were enough to send shivers down one's spine.

"Swoosh!"

One of the pythons, swift as a bolt of icy lightning, lashed out and coiled around Yin Jue's neck like a vine, tightening rapidly.

"Great Guru, I beg for mercy!"

Yin Jue, who had been ruthlessly fierce the previous night at the Yu family's old mansion, was now drenched in cold sweat, falling to his knees and pleading incessantly, "The fault must be mine. I implore you, Guru, to forgive me! Grant me a few more days, and I swear I will sever Yu Yuan's head, ensuring he has no chance of revival!"

"You're worthless; it would be better if you were dead." Lyu Yue watched impassively as the silver-white python squeezed ever tighter, slowly draining the life from Yin Jue. "Rest assured, once you're gone, the Lin family will provide a new servant for my bidding."

"Please, I beg..."

Yin Jue's pleas were becoming fragmented.

At that moment.

"Bang!"

The green jade stone resting before Lyu Yue's knees ignited in an eerie blaze.

"Crack crack!"

The stone fractured gradually as the crimson line within it burned, its interior darkening with an ink-like substance, transforming from translucent clarity to a murky black.

"Who dares?!"

Lyu Yue, poised to execute Yin Jue, unleashed a ghastly, fierce scream. The lifeblood of the Ruby Parasite she had placed within her middle elixir field also ignited without warning.

The burning lifeblood felt like a razor-sharp sword piercing her Profound Gate, threatening to tear it asunder.

For a cultivator, the lower elixir field, the Golden Sanctum, is where the divine force of heaven and earth is gathered, condensed, and refined, eventually flowing through the body in its purest form.

The Profound Gate, or middle elixir field, serves as a reservoir for vitality and vital energy, healing wounds and tempering flesh and bone, and is directly linked to the heart.

The upper elixir field is the dwelling place of the three souls and the convergence point for spiritual sense.

The lower elixir field draws in the divine force of heaven and earth, the middle elixir field sustains vitality and life power, and the upper elixir field is the foundation of spiritual sense.

Any one of the three major elixir fields, if severely damaged, would result in unspeakable suffering and unbearable pain.

Lyu Yue's middle elixir field was struck by her lifeblood, throwing her vitality into disarray. Wracked with pain, she couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood.

"Crush!"

In a frantic rush, Lyu Yue formed a spell with her hands, and dozens of silver-white poisonous pythons, including the one coiled around Yin Jue's neck, transformed into bundles of cold, ghostly lightning and instantly flew into her middle elixir field.

"Crackle!"

The miniaturized silver-white poisonous pythons darted within her middle elixir field, eventually obliterating the mutated lifeblood.

"You will attach the Ruby Parasite to Yu Cen's forehead!" Lyu Yue, wiping the blood from her mouth, her eyes chillingly cold, glared at the nearly dead Yin Jue and demanded, "Are there any formidable individuals in the Yu family you haven't reported to me? My spell was not only broken, but I was also injured by the backlash!"

"Impossible! The Yu family couldn't possibly harbor such a person!" Yin Jue asserted with conviction. "If the Yu family truly had someone of that caliber, would they have allowed me to wreak havoc?"

"Then do you think the blood at the corner of my mouth is self-inflicted?" Lyu Yue barked.

"I wouldn't dare."

"Go back and investigate thoroughly! Apart from Ning Ji, who else has recently arrived at the Yu family? And find out if there are any unusual characters lurking in the shadows of the Yu family!"

Lyu Yue retrieved a dark red pill exuding a rich aroma and swallowed it, her complexion gaining a hint of color.

Yin Jue scrambled out of the cave, disappearing quickly.

He feared Lyu Yue's wrath might once again be taken out on him.

"The Yu family..."

Lyu Yue stood at the cave's entrance, gazing toward Asvetaesi with a heavy heart. "Could the seemingly insignificant Yu family be hiding a powerful figure? Why did the Lin family insist on honoring the marriage agreement against all advice? Someone capable of breaking my spell and wounding me is certainly no ordinary individual!"

In the northern part of the city, at the Yu family residence, a layer of sticky black substance was smeared between Yu Cen's eyebrows. Ning Ji wrinkled his nose at the pungent stench, his expression one of bewilderment.

Beside him stood Yu Yuan, holding a white porcelain bowl containing the so-called remedy he had haphazardly concocted to treat the Ruby Parasite. This "spiritual medicine" was a mixture of twelve poisonous herbs Yu Yuan had instructed him to gather, combined with the remains of centipedes, scorpions, and bamboo snakes, resulting in a viscous and foul-smelling paste.

The paste-like black "spiritual medicine" applied to Yu Cen's forehead covered the crimson bloodline, and as if by magic, Yu Cen's high fever subsided.

Unseen to Ning Ji, beneath the skin at Yu Cen's brow, the slender Ruby Parasite was being consumed by shadowy flames. As it burned, the scattered memories belonging to Yu Cen's earthly soul, previously clustered within the parasite, were now dispersing back into his mind.

Ning Ji was unaware that at the same moment, far away outside the city of Asvetaesi, Lyu Yue of Winter's Bite, who had been covertly casting spells, suffered a severe backlash.

"It's nearly finished," Yu Yuan announced after a moment. He gently peeled away the now solidified layer of black paste from the patriarch's forehead. The red bloodline that had marred the old man's brow seemed to have been absorbed by the black substance.

Yu Cen's fever had abated; his breathing was steady, and his complexion no longer flushed and feverish.

"All is well now. I'm going to head back and get some rest. If anyone asks, Ning Ji, tell them the old master's fever has gradually subsided and he awoke on his own," Yu Yuan instructed.

With those words, Yu Yuan departed, leaving under Ning Ji's curious gaze.

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