Poison God's Heritage

Some time later, the Cryptic Sun returned to the palace, his clothes smeared with black blood and bits of viscera clinging to the fabric. The once pristine robes were now a testament to the brutal skirmish he had just endured, though his demeanor suggested it was nothing more than a casual exercise.

"You have returned, Junfei," a voice echoed through the grand hall, calm yet carrying an undertone of curiosity.

"Yeah, it was a good way to pass the time and relax a bit," the Cryptic Sun responded nonchalantly, as if battling one of the meanest, baddest, and strongest creatures in the Beyond was merely a trivial diversion for him. His casual tone did little to mask the underlying power he wielded, a power that few could comprehend.

The Death Sun, observing him from a distance, noted, "You seem to be injured."

The Cryptic Sun glanced down at his forearm, where a faint scratch marred his skin, the wound already beginning to heal but still visible against his pale flesh. He snorted, his pride stung more than his flesh. "That bastard actually managed to scratch my forearm. I should have tortured it some more... regardless, where are those two fools?"

"They are resting in the upper room. You should rest as well, Junfei," the Death Sun advised in a tone that bordered on caring, a rare softness that was seldom heard from one as powerful as him.

"No need, I've rested enough," the Cryptic Sun replied, waving off the suggestion with a dismissive hand. The skirmish, while a good distraction, had done little to truly tire him.

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The two slaves, hearing the conversation, understood that they were being summoned. Without hesitation, they immediately appeared before the Cryptic Sun, both dropping to their knees in deference. The shorter of the two, head bowed, spoke first. "Thank you, gracious Sun, for saving us. We would have died otherwise," he said, his voice filled with genuine gratitude and a hint of fear.

The Cryptic Sun's gaze swept over them with thinly veiled contempt. "You call yourselves Heaven Stage? What kind of Heaven Stage can't even beat a Mutated Obsidian Prowler?" His words were sharp, cutting through the air like a blade, leaving the two kneeling figures trembling.

"It is due to our own lack of effort that we needed your help. We'll do better next time," the Death Widow said, her voice steady despite the clear disdain in the Cryptic Sun's eyes. Her body, however, betrayed her weakened state, still recovering from the ordeal she had barely survived.

The Cryptic Sun didn't bother to hide the disgust that curled his lip as he looked at her. Her once alluring features were now marred by the toll of battle, her appearance haggard and aged. "Regardless, what put you in this state?" he asked, his finger pointing at her, moving up and down as if to emphasize the sorry condition she was in.

"It was a woman," the Death Widow began, her voice tinged with a mixture of fear and confusion. "I've never seen her before. She was stronger than the Heaven Stage, but at the same time, she didn't have the aura of a Sun. She was like… like my brother here—not a true Heaven Stage, but above the Origin Shattering Stage."

The Cryptic Sun's expression shifted slightly, intrigue flickering in his eyes. "Oh, I guess it's her—the alien woman. Where did you find her?" he asked, his tone betraying a growing interest in this mysterious figure.

"She's in the capital city of the Sea of Demons. Not only that, there are other women there who are of importance to Shen Bao, women I encountered," she revealed, her voice carrying a hint of satisfaction at providing valuable information.

"Good news, at least you're not a completely useless liability," the Cryptic Sun said, his tone less harsh but still far from kind. "Give me their appearance from your memory, I want it on a jade. I'll take care of the rest," he instructed.

The Death Widow nodded and did as she was asked, transferring the images of the women to a jade slip and handing it over. With this in hand, the Cryptic Sun now had targets he could use to control Shen Bao, whenever the need arose.

"Junfei, let's not focus too much on a child. For now, rest well. We need to finish working on the gate," the Death Sun said, steering the conversation back to their original task.

***

Far above, in the vast emptiness of the Beyond, patrols continued to roam tirelessly. The troops had been on high alert ever since they received word from the Dusking Sun that the Rakshasa were on the move. The tension was palpable, a sense of unease permeating the ranks as they prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

Several Heaven Stage generals were stationed across the empty expanse, their Divine Senses scanning the void for any sign of the approaching enemy. The vastness of the Beyond was eerie, a desolate stretch of space with only the distant, strange sun providing any semblance of light. The Rakshasa's sudden appearance in this part of the universe had left everyone baffled.

They seemed to have emerged from nowhere, defying all logic and understanding.

Yet these cultivators were not paid to ponder such mysteries, nor were they paid at all. They had been recruited to defend their home from an invader, and that required no monetary incentive. Duty and survival were all the motivation they needed. The fate of the Beyond hung in the balance, and each soldier knew that they were all that stood between their world and utter destruction.

The majority of the forces were gathered in anticipation of the impending battle, while Shen Bao's probes continuously scoured the empty void, searching for any sign of the enemy. The terms of the upcoming fight were slightly better than before; they now had a clearer visual of the empty space around them. However, this also meant they understood the true scale of the threat they faced.

The first wave, which had managed to breach the defenses and land on the Beyond, had been nothing more than a scouting force. The real army was still on its way, and the next battle would be the deciding factor—who would live and who would die in the Beyond.

The issue remained the same, however. No matter how many billions of cultivators were stationed high above, it was still not enough to fully cover the vast expanse of the Beyond. The enemy needed only one good foothold to fully invade and wreak havoc.

The territories of the Suns were well-protected, bathed in the protective aura that the Sun Stages emitted. But Shen Bao's land was not as fortunate. Without a Sun to guard it, his territory was vulnerable, even with Tao Yang by his side. Her soul had not yet fully fused with her newly created body, leaving her significantly weakened.

She was a formidable force, but she was not yet at her full strength, and the burden of defending Shen Bao's land weighed heavily on her.

Orders were being issued constantly, and the Blue Sun was at the center of it all. After obtaining the technology and method to build Soulsteel, she mobilized tens of millions of cultivators on a bounty hunt to capture as many demonic beasts as possible for refinement.

Production had begun on a massive scale, creating armor and weapons made of Soulsteel, which could bend and shape themselves to the will of their wielder. The armor was self-repairing, offering unparalleled protection, while the weapons were versatile, able to change form to suit the needs of their user.

Although the Blue Sun had considered building massive bulwarks and bastions similar to those from the Solaris, she had refrained. The cost in terms of sacrificed creatures would be too great, and she needed to prioritize the lives of her people. The army at the front was now almost entirely equipped with Soulsteel, and the soldiers felt a renewed sense of security within their new gear.

As for Shen Bao, he was still deep in cultivation within the lands of the Blue Sun, absorbing Qi like a tireless vortex. His focus was unwavering as he worked to strengthen himself for the battle to come. Meanwhile, his avatar, Shen Mo, had moved to the Red Sun's territory to train in the Slaughter Arts, further honing his demonic abilities.

Back at Shen Bao's pagoda, the women who had remained were diligently absorbing the Qi generated from the reactor, pushing themselves to enhance their cultivation bases. They had nearly reached the Void Stage, each step bringing them closer to becoming a true force to be reckoned with.

Though they still had a long way to go before they could fully assist in the coming battles, they knew that if they could at least reach the Void Stage, they would have a chance to survive—and perhaps even protect Shen Bao if the need arose.

As the forces of the Beyond prepared for the inevitable clash, the stakes had never been higher. The future of their world hung in the balance, and every soul knew that the decisions and actions they took in the coming days would determine the fate of the Beyond. The tension was thick, the air heavy with anticipation, and the shadow of war loomed ever closer.

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