Two Fronts

His target was the Palace Master? Xiahou Aotian felt a jolt of shock, instantly grasping the Southern Illusion God's true objective: to eliminate the Arbiter of Fate from their ranks. Neither Life Source Fluid nor healing items could compare to a high-ranking Arbiter of Fate, let alone the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, who had fused with Empress Wa's Remains. Offensively, she could influence demigods; defensively, she could bring the dead back to life. Yet he had already wrapped himself in the Coward's Quilt and could not voluntarily leave it before the five-minute duration expired. He could only watch helplessly as the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter suffered the sonic blast. After a pained shriek, she collapsed with a thud, the light draining from her eyes as her soul swiftly disintegrated. High above, Empress Sandao flicked her sleeve. A beam of golden light shot forth, accompanied by a screech like wind and thunder. The heat released by this golden radiance caused the surrounding temperature to skyrocket. Imbued with a pure, majestic aura, the Demon-Subduing Pestle reached the zenith of its existence after absorbing the power of the Lord of the Sun. Crimson Sun Executioner manifested a broad saber and plunged down from the sky, closing in to engage the demigod in hand-to-hand combat. The Southern Illusion God snorted coldly. Taking a sideward step, he made his form incorporeal through the rules of Nihility and instantly pulled a hundred meters away. Throughout the retreat, he continuously used his Nihility skill to burn through the spiritual energy of the Lord of the Sun's blood channeled by the two Sunrises as quickly as possible. The blood of the Lord of the Sun carried the aura of the sun's primordial rules, but it was incomplete. After all, it was merely two drops of blood, unable to fully suppress him while he was empowered by the formation. Even so, his illusions, Shadow Roar, and other skills were drastically weakened. For that reason, he had no desire to fight two peak Day Wanderers at close quarters for the time being. Seeing how difficult it was to close the distance, Crimson Sun Executioner immediately shifted his strategy, merging his willpower into the solar disk. Golden flames whooshed to life across the Illusion God as he stood within the golden light's reach. A second later, the demigod snuffed out the flames carrying Crimson Sun Executioner's willpower and flashed away, dodging the pursuing Demon-Subduing Pestle. Empress Sandao formed hand seals rapidly. Round, golden talisman formations manifested across the sky, dropping pillars of golden radiance like cosmic pillars propping up the heavens. If any of these attacks—including the Demon-Subduing Pestle—landed just once, she would seize the opening to close in on the Southern Illusion God. Yet not a single strike succeeded. Despite having his rule-based powers suppressed, his opponent still possessed a century of experience and profound foundation. Empress Sandao directed the Demon-Subduing Pestle in relentless pursuit of the Southern Illusion God. Crimson Sun Executioner did not join the chase. Striding over to the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, he examined her intently and found that her primordial spirit had already been extinguished. He waited calmly for a moment. Suddenly, the dead pupils of the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter twitched slightly, and a spark of spiritual light rapidly rekindled. She had resurrected. Crimson Sun Executioner said in a heavy voice, "Empress Sandao and I can only maintain a stalemate by joining forces; we cannot lock him down. What ideas do you have?" After her earlier feat of nearly impregnating the Illusion God and making him give birth, he had long regarded the Palace Master as an equal. An Arbiter of Fate of her status would not die easily, even when struck down by a demigod. The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter knitted her brows. Looking toward Xiahou Aotian, who was curled under his quilt with only his head sticking out, and then toward Zhai Cai, who had turned into tree roots and was in the midst of resurrection, she said, "The only thing capable of restricting the Illusion God is the rule-based power of the Knight profession." Crimson Sun Executioner nodded. A demigod commanded supreme rules. Aside from power of the same level, no items or skills could take effect on such a battlefield to bind the Illusion God. This was also why he had not bothered opening his inventory to use items. While Empress Sandao held the demigod at bay, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter rushed over to Zhai Cai, who was still counting down his revival. Countless crimson ribbons reached out from beneath the hem of her skirt and burrowed into Zhai Cai's body. With tacit understanding, Crimson Sun Executioner dispelled his Sunrise. A moment later, the ethereal giant tree withered away completely, and the sole-heir Knight opened his eyes. This was three minutes ahead of his original revival time. Crimson Sun Executioner promptly summoned a miniature sun once more, denying the Illusion God any opening to attack. Zhai Cai flipped to his feet and swept a wary gaze over the surroundings. Seeing the Illusion God being chased by Empress Sandao—appearing harried on the surface, yet remaining rock-solid underneath—he let out a disappointed breath. "We can't do anything to him... Did I sacrifice myself earlier for nothing?" Crimson Sun Executioner said gravely, "With our current strength, we can only maintain a stalemate." The formation provided the Illusion God with significant enhancement. Huddled beneath his quilt, Xiahou Aotian sneered at those words. "If a Dominator's sacrifice could heavily wound a demigod, then demigods wouldn't be worth the title." The quilt over him had visibly thinned, worn down by the suppression of the solar divine power. The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter said, "We need you to use the power of the Paladin Armor once more." "At least once, you mean. That idiot Xiahou's words might be unpleasant, but he has a point." Zhai Cai probed, "How many lives can you guarantee me?" The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter answered bluntly, "Given how much of Empress Wa's Remains I've integrated, I can only guarantee you one life. Just like the Mother Goddess's Womb, you can resurrect even if your body and soul are destroyed." The rule-based power within Empress Wa's Remains was 'Creation.' Whether it was a life or an item, it could grant a single chance at rebirth, and it was permanent. However, it worked only once; the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter's current status could not sustain multiple resurrections. *Aren't you just asking me to die gloriously?* Zhai Cai thought. Pondering for a moment, he asked, "Can you keep me in a state of rapid vitality recovery so I don't die completely? If you can manage that, I can use the armor's power twice." "No problem!" The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter nodded without hesitation. Dense clusters of red threads extended from beneath her skirt once more, slipping through the gaps in the golden armor to connect inside Zhai Cai's body. Instantly, the sole-heir Knight felt as though he were bathing in an ocean of life. Vitality surged endlessly through him, giving him the sense that no fatal wound could kill him. As long as he did not die, he could activate the Willow Branch Crown's second skill: Spring Returns to the Withered Tree! As long as he did not perish on the spot and a single thread of life remained, he could recover. The Palace Master of Halting Slaughter looked at Crimson Sun Executioner beside her and said in a pleasant voice, "First Elder, when he unleashes his ability, it would be best for you to withdraw Sunrise." Although her status had transcended that of a Dominator, the Sunrise infused with the sun's blood still exerted considerable suppression on her. Crimson Sun Executioner nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, Zhai Cai plunged his arming sword into the ground before him, channeling the power of the Paladin Armor, and proclaimed solemnly: "In the name of a Knight, I declare that in this match..." Crimson Sun Executioner extinguished the golden wheel behind his head. At that exact instant, an emotion suddenly sprouted, grew wild, and detonated within Zhai Cai's mind. It was hatred toward the Orderly, resentment against outnumbering the weak, and revulsion toward the companions beside him. As if possessed by an evil spirit, he recited a rule that drained the color from Crimson Sun Executioner and the others' faces: "...The use of Sunrise is forbidden!" High above, the solar disk behind Empress Sandao's head flickered like an incandescent bulb several times, then died out. From the distance came the Southern Illusion God's cold sneer. A moment later, he used the rules of Nihility to appear directly in front of Crimson Sun Executioner, Xiahou Aotian, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, and Zhai Cai. The instant Zhai Cai suffered the backlash and fell backward, an invisible, horrific sound wave erupted from the Southern Illusion God's throat. This was a Shadow Roar free from the suppression of Sunrise, amplified by the formation, and far exceeding his peak state. Everything had unfolded according to his calculations. The moment Zhai Cai had used the Paladin Armor's power to force him out of the Dikong Star, the Southern Illusion God had realized that the Paladin Armor was a double-edged sword—capable of restricting him, but equally capable of restricting solar divine power. Thus, he had feigned hiding inside the Knight's dream to evade the two peak Dominators' pincer attack, while secretly planting a mental seed in the Holy See sole-heir Knight's sea of consciousness. The moment Crimson Sun Executioner dispelled Sunrise, the mental seed would sprout, detonating Zhai Cai's emotions to achieve control over him. The reason he had banned only Sunrise rather than solar divine power was out of concern that the Holy See's sole-heir Knight would die instantly from the backlash, causing the rule to last only a split second. Killing two peak Dominators, on the other hand, required a little time. Therefore, banning a specific skill offered far greater tactical efficiency. Faced with a demigod's Shadow Roar, terror and despair flared within Xiahou Aotian and the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, stripping them of every thought of resistance. This was emotional manipulation as well. Without the suppression of solar divine power, manipulating two Dominators was child's play for the Southern Illusion God. Even Empress Sandao and Crimson Sun Executioner could not avoid being affected. The fear and panic in Crimson Sun Executioner's eyes lasted less than a second before being replaced by fierce resolve. Without hesitation, he activated Blazing Sun War God, marshaling all the solar divine power within his body to form a golden rampart before him, shielding Zhai Cai, the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, and Xiahou Aotian behind him. The invisible sound wave slammed into Crimson Sun Executioner. Before his primordial spirit was wiped out entirely, the white-haired, burly elder opened his inventory, crushed a porcelain vial, and swallowed the final drop of golden blood. With that finished, the light in his pupils faded entirely, and he turned into a corpse. A second later, golden flames erupted across the Southern Illusion God, blazing with unprecedented heat and unmatched ferocity. At the final juncture, Crimson Sun Executioner had used the power of the Lord of the Sun to ignite the Illusion God. His soul was extinguished, but his will had not perished—it had transformed into an eternal flame. *** Watching Demon Eye Heavenly King's severed body parts fall from the sky, Fu Qingyang's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately abandoned his control over the soldier puppets. *Thud, thud, thud...* Densely packed bronze soldier puppets crashed heavily to the ground, sinking halfway into the muddy wilderness. Fu Qingyang spread his five fingers, and invisible threads whipped from his fingertips, latching onto Demon Eye Heavenly King's severed limbs. As he raised his wrist, those blood-drenched pieces rose into the air, stitching together into a mangled body covered in wounds that looked ready to fall apart at any moment. Next, Fu Qingyang immediately produced three vials of Life Source Fluid, flicking them toward Demon Eye Heavenly King's body using sword manipulation techniques. Given Demon Eye's status, as long as his primordial spirit remained intact and his flesh had not been reduced to dust or cinders, there was still a chance of saving him. The moment the Life Source Fluid struck, Fu Qingyang cast Demon Eye Heavenly King away like an angler slinging a line, sending him flying far from the battlefield. Having done that, Fu Qingyang ignited the Liangyi Demonic Blade in his hand with a hiss of scorching flame. Transforming into a streak of sword light, he swept toward Fear Heavenly King. Closing in, cloaked in his black mantle, he spun rapidly sideways like a blazing rotary saw. *Clang!* The flaming blade sliced through the fleshless frame, cutting from shoulder to waist and nearly cleaving Fear Heavenly King's upper body in two. Yet the intense heat that instantly enveloped Fear Heavenly King also melted the icy shell that had frozen him, hissing loudly as moisture evaporated. Fear Heavenly King's stiffened expression abruptly came to life. Utterly unbothered by his injuries, dark demonic patterns surfaced across his skin, distinctly different from the demonic patterns of Bewitchment. "Do you know why I rarely use items?" Fear Heavenly King curled his lips. "Because I don't need items. Everyone else's items can be mine. The more rule-based items you use, the more powerful I become." If Asura's might lay in invincible close-quarters combat and Demon Eye's lay in his pinnacle Eye of Bewitchment, then Fear Heavenly King's trump card rested on four words: Sovereign of All Weapons. His authority was tied to this very concept. Fear Heavenly King's authority possessed three major abilities: mastery, suppression, and subjugation. He was adept with all armaments, capable of suppressing the power and rules of items, and able to force items into temporary submission to him. However, his authority was incomplete. The number of items and the duration he could control were limited. Items below the Dominator stage could be permanently seized, making other people's items recognize him as their master. For items above the Dominator stage, it depended on their grade. A rule-based item like the Rain Master Drumming Statue could be controlled for three minutes, with a capacity of two. Hardly anyone in the orthodox faction knew of this authority, because Asura did not possess this ability—Asura's authority lay in other domains. The most brutal battle Fear Heavenly King had fought in his life was against the Palace Master of the Water God Palace. At the time, he had merely utilized the passive aspect of his authority—reduction, weakening an item's capabilities. This ability did not manifest outwardly, making it easy for others to mistake it for mere thick-skinned resilience enduring the damage. Even now, he had not actually suffered much suppression; the "sickness" and "frailty" he had displayed were merely an act put on for the two of them, aimed at luring them into playing more of their trump cards. Everyone assumed that being pursued and battered by the Palace Master of the Water God Palace made him the weakest among demigods. In truth, he simply hadn't bothered to get serious. His hidden card, his ultimate killing move, had always been aimed at killing Fu Qingxuan. What Fear Heavenly King sought all his life was precisely to shatter that woman's myth of invincibility. Crossing paths with Fu Qingyang and Demon Eye today, with no way to retreat inside the dungeon, he might as well reveal a bit of his hidden cards to end the battle swiftly. *Boom!* Fu Qingyang's eardrums shattered, and his heart felt as though an invisible hand had gripped it, making it hard to breathe. The Rain Master Drumming Statue had been brought under Fear Heavenly King's control. *Boom! Boom! Boom!* The drumming grew increasingly frenzied. Fu Qingyang's skipped heartbeats began racing wildly, as if his heart were about to burst from his chest. At the same time, a stabbing pain flared in his lungs, and his forehead burned with fever. The rain beating against his body was bitterly cold; he felt a profound weakness, like someone caught in a downpour who had contracted a severe illness. The suppression of the drumbeats could still be resisted with Iron Will, but the pestilence's erosion could cost a frail swordsman his life.