Poison God's Heritage

"You look extremely confused," the Blue Sun remarked, a knowing smirk playing on her lips, her eyes glinting with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"That's because if they're the same person, then I'm really in deep trouble," I confessed, my mind racing with the implications. "Even against the Cryptic Sun, I always maintained a careful balance in our interactions. But the Death Sun, if he is Shi Situ, then it's a death grudge between us… fuck," I cursed inwardly, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.

It wasn't fear, for no real cultivator should ever bow down to power. It was the realization that my life would become a living nightmare if he recognized me and decided to act on old grudges.

"The chances of them being the same person are abysmally small. It could be just a coincidence, someone with the same name. Don't worry about it," the Dusking Sun reassured, though I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. His attempt to comfort was sincere, but it did little to ease my growing anxiety.

I sighed deeply, feeling the tension in my shoulders. There was no point in worrying about the uncertainties of the future.

"Regardless," I said, trying to refocus my thoughts on the immediate problem, "What's the plan now?" I directed my question towards Tao Yang, hoping for a clear strategy.

"The bastion suffered minor damage, but it can repair itself in a few hours. The issue remains that there are some Rakshasa in the central area of the bastion. Once they're dealt with, we can safely move the entire structure to the Sea of Demons," she explained with a determined expression, her eyes reflecting her resolve.

"Let me handle that," the Dusking Sun volunteered, his voice steady and confident. "Open a straight path to the central area of the bastion, and I'll take care of the rest."

Tao Yang nodded, manipulating the controls with practiced ease to create a direct passage through the ceiling of the Bastion leading upward. The mechanism hummed softly as it obeyed her command.

The Dusking Sun flew up and disappeared from sight. Moments later, the entire bastion began to vibrate subtly, a faint tremor that hinted at the immense power being unleashed.

Tao Yang's eyes widened as she watched the projection in front of her. "What's going on?" I asked, sensing her shock and curiosity.

"The dots, the red dots that mark the Rakshasa, they're disappearing rapidly… this is… absurdly fast," she said, her voice tinged with amazement and disbelief.

"That's the power of a Sun," the Blue Sun commented, smiling smugly. It was a reminder that she, too, possessed such power and had merely been toying with us earlier. Her confidence was almost palpable, a silent testament to her strength.

I gave her a sour look, to which she replied, "Don't worry. Everyone here agrees that you gave us the best show. I'll reward you accordingly once we're done with everything here."

After about ten minutes, the Dusking Sun returned, a wide smile on his face. "I haven't had such a good stretch in a long while," he said, his voice filled with satisfaction. Only the tips of his fingers were stained with blood, while the rest of his body remained impeccably clean, without a single droplet of blue blood anywhere.

"Since they're all dead, let's move," Tao Yang said as she used the Bastion's controls to initiate movement. The entire structure shuddered as it levitated off the ground, slowly gaining speed as it headed east. The sensation of motion was almost hypnotic, the gentle hum of the machinery blending with the distant sounds of the world outside.

As we were moving, the Dusking Sun spoke up, "Oh yeah, I forgot something," he said, his tone suddenly serious, breaking the calm atmosphere.

Turning to him, my expression was one of questioning curiosity.

"Well, I went out to scout and found that the Rakshasa are gathering a few million miles away from us. They're amassing their forces, the ones that haven't had a chance to join the first attack. They'll be coming at us once their numbers are sufficient, so we don't have much time."

I nodded, anticipating this. The real concern was that my territory would be a primary target without a Sun's protection. I expected some assistance from the Suns if the pressure became too much, but I knew I'd need to pull my own weight. The reality of the situation weighed heavily on my mind.

The Puppets were still being produced, creating more workforce, but I was clearly outnumbered. I needed to develop something more potent to handle the masses of enemies—a more powerful poison that could spread widely and affect as many Rakshasa as possible. Since I still had some Rakshasa corpses, I would be doing a lot of testing. The thought of the work ahead was both daunting and exhilarating.

"You look a bit overwhelmed," Tao Yang said, her voice gentle, eyes filled with concern.

"Well, I am. The upcoming trials are going to be difficult," I admitted, feeling the weight of the impending challenges pressing down on me.

"I'll do my best to help. Although I don't have the status of a Sun, I'm close to it. Once my Soul finalizes its fusion, I'll be able to regain a portion of my former power. It should be enough to stop the enemies, if not scare them away," she comforted, her words a balm to my troubled mind.

"Thank you. Hopefully, you'll recover in time," I said, then looked inward. Shen Mo was very weak, incredibly so, while Shen Bao was not up to par. I needed to cultivate. And since the enemy had yet to attack, it was time to go into secluded cultivation. The urgency of the situation called for immediate action.

It had been a while since I last went into full seclusion, and now was the time for it. I steeled myself for the task ahead, knowing it was the only way to prepare for what was coming.

***

Somewhere beyond, high up in the skies where the Cryptic Sun was moving at full speed, his face etched with annoyance as he retreated to his territory, three figures appeared before him. Their sudden appearance was both unexpected and unwelcome.

He halted, one brow arching upward. "Are you planning on doing something foolish?" he questioned, his voice carrying a dangerous edge, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.

"No, your greatness. We're mere slaves ordered to ask you to escort us. Our lord wishes to speak with you," the only female among them spoke up, her voice trembling slightly, the fear evident in her eyes.

The Cryptic Sun wasn't in the mood for this. "I'll only forgive this once. Leave or suffer my wrath! Who do you think you are to dare stand in my way?" His threat was blatant, and the three figures visibly hesitated, unsure of what to do.

"You shouldn't be too harsh on the younger generation, Junfei," a voice echoed in the Cryptic Sun's mind, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end. The voice was familiar, yet unexpected.

"Who is this?" he demanded, raising several protective formations around him, his senses heightened, ready for any threat.

"I mean you no harm, Junfei," the voice continued, a note of calm in its tone.

"How do you know that name? I discarded it a long time ago," he snapped, his anger barely contained, the name bringing back unwanted memories.

"What a sad thing to say to the very man who gave you that name… Junfei," the voice replied, a hint of melancholy in its tone, a reminder of past connections.

The Cryptic Sun's face turned sour as he began to understand. "You should be dead," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief, the reality of the situation sinking in.

"I should be," the voice acknowledged, the calm acceptance in its tone unsettling.

"If they know you're still alive, they'll flip the heavens and earth looking for you," the Cryptic Sun warned, the implications of this revelation enormous.

"I know," the voice replied calmly, the inevitability of the situation clear.

"Then what makes you think I won't simply tell on you, old man?" the Cryptic Sun challenged, his mind racing with the potential consequences, the desire for leverage evident.

"Because you're not someone like that. I know you, Junfei, and I know you've been wronged just now…" the voice soothed, the familiarity of the words striking a chord.

"They wouldn't dare! It was because I weighed my options, and it was less troublesome to fight the Red Sun," he said defensively, the justification for his actions spilling out.

"Junfei, come meet me. It strains me to speak over such a distance, especially while keeping my presence hidden," the voice urged, the strain in its tone becoming apparent.

The Cryptic Sun was about to ignore the plea when the voice added, "I can make you a true Sun, the same as I was before. No one would ever question your ability or your might again."

"You cannot give what you don't have, Death Sun," the Cryptic Sun retorted, skepticism in his voice.

"That is what you are led to believe. If I were truly not a Sun, why would I be followed by Heaven Stage cultivators?" the voice asked, a challenge in its tone.

The Cryptic Sun glanced at the three figures again, noticing that two were on the verge of reaching the Heaven Stage, while one was already there. Only a Sun Stage cultivator could command Heaven Stage slaves, and here were three almost at that level.

He weighed his options carefully. He had enough formations to cause significant destruction if needed and could call for help from the other Suns. Despite their feuds, the other Suns wouldn't abandon him for someone who nearly destroyed the Beyond.

"Fine, lead the way," the Cryptic Sun said. "Let's see where this leads us."