Dead Spirit Invasion!

"Hetu!" At the entrance to the third floor, Su Yu panted for breath, a lingering dread gnawing at his heart. *Damn it, how did that fellow enter from the first floor?* Something was wrong! Su Yu had swept across the entire first floor and hadn't sensed any dead spirit that powerful. Besides, if Hetu had been there from the start and spotted Su Yu, he would have slaughtered him on sight. Even if Hetu didn't recognize Su Yu by face, he had at least heard his voice—not that dead spirits cared about identity when killing. *The second floor is finished!* Although Su Yu had set traps and killed quite a few people, he had never intended to comb through every inch of ground to hunt down every single person. He wasn't that idle. He only eliminated targets when he saw or encountered them. He hadn't searched and slaughtered systematically like Hetu. *He probably wasn't on the first floor earlier. He might have only appeared after I left!* With that thought, Su Yu swiftly vanished into the void. What a terrifying creature! *He's a dead spirit. Without a passage, how could he enter the first floor? The passage is on the seventh floor, unless he came down from the seventh floor long ago... Impossible. Even dead spirits have to follow the rules!* *In that case... he might have arrived through other means...* *Divine apertures!* Su Yu murmured inward. An ordinary person wouldn't think of it, but Su Yu could, because he had previously wondered how the White Jade Gate was opened. Now, an idea formed in his mind. *The Dead Spirit Realm!* Su Yu's eyes flickered. *Yes, the Dead Spirit Realm!* The Dead Spirit Realm might contain teleportation passages corresponding to the locations and circulation pathways of divine apertures. That would mean Hetu was teleported from the Dead Spirit Realm, meaning he wasn't on the first floor earlier, but underground... Su Yu's gaze shifted rapidly. *Hair? Beneath the first floor, is there a basement floor? Or several basement floors?* Yes, it had to be! Realization dawned on him. This information was immensely critical to him! *A map of divine aperture locations!* *A circulation pathway diagram for divine apertures!* Su Yu drew a deep breath. *The Dead Spirit Realm—it's in the Dead Spirit Realm!* Divine light flashed in his eyes. This was a monumental revelation. It signaled the forward path for his journey as a Civilization Master: opening all 360 divine apertures, opening the yin apertures, and then opening the heaven apertures! Uniting yin and yang, uniting the original spirit! *The Dead Spirit Realm!* Hetu's appearance had provided him with an invaluable clue. Out of 360 divine apertures, Su Yu had discovered only 290 so far, still far from the full 360. Divine aperture distribution was much harder to fathom than yuan apertures, scattered like dazzling stars across the night sky, fundamentally different from yuan apertures. In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Su Yu's mind. The next moment, he rapidly pursued the aura left behind by the little fur ball! He had to locate his people and take them away immediately! There was no telling when Hetu would ascend to this floor. It was far too dangerous. In Su Yu's field of vision, the third floor was magnificent, with rolling mountain ranges and undulating peaks—likely corresponding to Old Zhou's chest. *Where is the Heavenly River Sand region?* Su Yu had never been here before. He had reviewed some rough maps previously, but they weren't necessarily accurate. *Heavenly River Sand... chest... Heavenly River...* As Su Yu traveled through the void, he pondered. After a long while, he grimaced. *Don't tell me it's breast milk!* *No way. Old Zhou is a man, isn't he? Can men lactate too? His voice sounded male. Could he actually be a woman? No way! Who would bother faking their voice after they've already died? That would be utterly perverse.* *Or is it the function of internal organs? Performing a purifying function, with the Heavenly River Sand being the byproduct...* Su Yu made a tentative deduction. The human body was unique; certain organs possessed purification and filtration functions. He still couldn't say for sure which specific part the third floor corresponded to. The area was vast, so he had to search for himself and compare notes later. Su Yu, who had originally intended to explore at an unhurried pace, suddenly ran out of time. He didn't know how long Hetu would linger on the second floor. Hetu might ascend at any moment. He needed to find his allies and run! *** At that very moment. Before a colossal waterfall, hundreds of people stood in confrontation. Heavenly River Sand was relatively important to any race. The utility of Heavenly River Sand had actually been discovered and announced by the human race first, but all races soon learned the secret. Once a secret circulated widely, it ceased to be a secret. Heavenly River Sand, capable of purifying willpower, was vital to Civilization Masters and warriors alike. Warriors also needed to elevate their willpower to prevent Civilization Masters from shattering their seas of will directly. As a result, Heavenly River Sand was a treasure fiercely contested on the lower three floors. The waterfall fell straight from the sky—this was what everyone referred to as the Heavenly River. It was as though water were pouring down from the heavens, striking the ground with tremendous force and forming translucent grains of sand. This was the Heavenly River Sand. Currently, experts from all races were gathered here. Heavenly River Sand was a tangible treasure that didn't require ages of accumulation. With the Star Astral Mansion opening once every ten years, a substantial amount of Heavenly River Sand formed here every decade. "Humans, the Heavenly River Sand isn't something you can covet!" A Demon Shanhai barked coldly. Around him, the Dragon race, Immortal race, God race, and Nether race all glared intently at the human contingent. A sizeable human group stood opposite them. More than three hundred people had gathered here, with nearly a hundred humans facing more than two hundred members of the other races. Leading the human side was Heaven Ranking expert Qin Fang, along with geniuses from various prefectures, including Wu Qi and Bai Feng. A few human Shanhai Realm experts were also present, their expressions grave. Ever since the great war ended more than fifty years ago with Ye Batian's fall, the human race's development had plateaued. Few peerless geniuses had emerged, and there was a noticeable generational gap in the Shanhai Realm. Compared to the Shanhai of all races, human Shanhai held no advantage whatsoever, nor did they boast any wildly defying figures. Qin Fang gripped his spear tightly and said coldly, "He'ertai, don't push it! I already said that in an area this vast, our human race will only occupy a tenth of the territory to collect some Heavenly River Sand. What more do you want? If you insist on a bloody battle, does your Demon race really want to be the one to stick its neck out?" He didn't fear them, but the enemy outnumbered his side two to one. They had over twenty Shanhai, while his side had fewer than ten. A fight would be exceedingly difficult to win. The Demon named He'ertai replied impassively, "If you don't want to die, scram!" "Bullshit!" Qin Fang flared with rage. "If you dare attack, the human race will focus solely on slaughtering your Demon race! Try sticking your neck out and see what happens!" He'ertai harbored precisely that concern, which was why he hadn't struck yet. Frowning slightly, he glanced toward the other races. None of the top geniuses of each race had come! Moduona, Zhan Wushuang, Ming Yue, Xuan Wuji... Not one of those renowned figures on the rankings was present. Some were hunting treasures on the second floor, while others had long since ascended to higher floors. They didn't take the third floor seriously at all. Heavenly River Sand was merely a treasure, not a supreme treasure, and fell outside their priorities. Only the humans contested the Heavenly River Sand every single time. He'ertai ignored Qin Fang and sent voice transmissions to the experts of the other races. Among them, the strongest was an expert of the Dragon race. He'ertai transmitted, "Long Ji, you're the strongest. I'll leave Qin Fang to you, and I'll deal with Wu Qi and the others... How about it?" Over a dozen dragons had reverted to their true forms, coiling in midair. Hearing the transmission, Long Ji was about to speak when laughter drifted in from the distance. "Yo, everyone's here!" The next instant, someone recognized the newcomer as a figure strode through the air. Huang Teng arrived grinning, clad in practical short robes. Before Su Yu, Huang Teng amounted to nothing, but in the eyes of the other races, this fellow was a ruthless character not to be trifled with—a sixth-level Lingyun capable of battling fifth- and sixth-level Shanhai. Compared to Qin Fang, he was merely one level lower. Once Huang Teng reached the seventh level, it would be hard to say who was stronger. In fact, Huang Teng was already close to the seventh level, on the verge of breaking through, just a fraction away. Stepping through the void, Huang Teng saw Qin Fang and chuckled. "Old Qin, how are you so useless, getting frightened by just this many people?" Qin Fang snorted. *Nonsense, I'm not afraid of them.* He was worried that once a full-scale battle erupted, the rest of the humans wouldn't be able to hold their ground. Many in their group were still in the Tengkong Realm, whereas the other races were predominantly Lingyun, with hardly any Tengkong. More importantly, several significant figures were among them. Once battle broke out, the human side would definitely be overwhelmed. In a one-on-one duel, Qin Fang didn't fear any of these guys. "Huang Teng!" He'ertai sneered coldly. "Did you come to die?" Huang Teng's arrival gave the human side a slight boost in morale. Another powerful expert had finally arrived. Just as they thought this, two more figures emerged. Many turned to look again. Seeing Xia Huyou, no one remarked on it. It was normal for Xia Huyou to be around if Huang Teng was here. However, no one recognized the woman beside Xia Huyou—not even the other races. Yet several Shanhai among the other races grew grave. Seventh-level Shanhai! When did the human race produce such a young seventh-level Shanhai expert? Was she from the Xia family? They hadn't seen this woman among the Xia family's forces earlier. Had she been disguised before? The seventh-level Shanhai was none other than Huang Jiu. Meanwhile, Xia Huyou said with a broad smile, "Everyone, we're all here to hunt treasures, not to slaughter one another. The Star Astral Mansion is filled with countless treasures, so why fight endlessly over a bit of Heavenly River Sand? Why not each take a step back? You take the lion's share, and we'll just gather a little..." Seeing someone about to object, Xia Huyou quickly added, "Besides, danger has appeared on the second floor. In my opinion, everyone should calm down and stop fighting!" As soon as he finished speaking, over a dozen more humans followed him up, having ascended from the second floor alongside him. All at once, the human side's strength increased considerably. He'ertai and the others frowned. Long Ji's booming voice resonated with amusement, "Prince Xia, you don't call the shots! And that crisis on the second floor you mentioned—do you mean those tremors? If so, Prince Xia has no need to frighten us!" Watching more humans gather, Long Ji continued, "How about this? The human race can find another place to hunt treasures. We have no desire to make things difficult for you! But you are forbidden from setting foot near the Heavenly River!" This was the most important spot on the third floor. The moment those words fell, a female Immortal chimed in coolly, "Furthermore, hand over Bai Feng and his associates! If I remember correctly, the various prefectures of the human race have little connection with Bai Feng's lineage. Our primary target is Bai Feng. Do you really wish to anger us for his sake?" The female Immortal turned toward the God and Demon races, her voice clear and aloof. "Fellow daoists, your races have the same order, do they not? Purge Bai Feng's faction!" "Of course!" A handsome youth from the God race smiled. "Bai Feng's lineage is the public enemy of all races! The other humans may leave, but they cannot!" Within the crowd, Bai Feng's expression remained calm. In front of Su Yu, he was always grinning lazily, acting idle and nonchalant. Before these foes, however, he was as composed as a grandmaster. Hearing this, he remarked indifferently, "True enough. The others can leave. I'd love to see if you trash actually have the guts to kill me! If you do, I doubt a single one of you will walk away alive. My disciple might not be able to deal with your ancestors, but dealing with you... I think he'll manage just fine!" Flaunting his disciple! Who was afraid of whom? Xia Huyou and the others had arrived, so he figured Su Yu wasn't far behind. With that fellow about to arrive, why would he fear them? Among the other races, several changed color, their gazes darkening as they looked at the gathered humans. Unless they slaughtered everyone present to silence them, killing Bai Feng would undoubtedly reach Su Yu's ears. At that moment, Xia Huyou sent a voice transmission to Bai Feng: "Don't worry, Teacher Bai, don't throw your life away. A solution will arrive shortly... Just stall for a bit longer!" He didn't state that Su Yu was coming, nor did he know whether Bai Feng already knew. In truth, Bai Feng didn't need the reminder. Yet hearing this made Bai Feng even more certain: his calamity-bearing disciple was indeed on his way, really present. *** With so many people gathered, Su Yu naturally sensed them. From far away, he had spotted what looked like a tear in the sky, where a waterfall cascaded down—the Heavenly River. The so-called Heavenly River was simply a massive waterfall. Enormously huge! Its impact was terrifyingly strong. Sensing it from a distance, Su Yu knew that an ordinary cultivator who stepped beneath the waterfall would swiftly be pulverized. *The Heavenly River... a waterfall...* Su Yu looked up at the sky. *Is this a ruptured blood vessel, or something else?* *Where is the Smiling Lotus? Could it be... beneath this waterfall?* A river ran below the waterfall, but was the Smiling Lotus behind the cascade? If anywhere on the third floor was suited for growing the Smiling Lotus, this location fit the bill. He observed for a moment, yet he didn't reveal himself, nor did he make a move. He was waiting! He waited with utter composure. Even though Hetu was coming, he still waited! He was waiting to see who would leave! The other races had offered to let the rest leave and only kill Bai Feng's lineage. Su Yu wanted to see who would walk away. Not out of sentimental attachment! There was no need to talk about sentiment, but Bai Feng and his companions were humans, and all those gathered here were humans. With the other races seeking to surround and kill a faction of humans, Su Yu wanted to see whether anyone would abandon Bai Feng's lineage from the standpoint of their race. This was a racial stance. If many walked away, it meant the entire human race had abandoned this faction, in which case there was no point in Su Yu saving them—none at all. Hetu was on his way, and news hadn't spread yet. Those preparing to ascend from the second floor had been wiped out by Su Yu, and anyone remaining might not get the chance to escape. With Hetu and his retinue being so powerful, ordinary cultivators stood no chance of reaching the entrance. *** Right now, no one realized Su Yu had arrived. Qin Fang raised his spear and said coldly, "Save your sowing of discord! Bai Feng's lineage is still part of the human race! The Immortal race provokes and meddles time and again—do you truly take us for easy prey?" Beside Qin Fang, several experts snorted. "Naive. You think you've already won? If you want to kill us, step up and try!" The female Immortal responded coolly, "You speak only for yourselves. Why speak for the others? Not everyone wants to die! Do you truly believe we cannot kill you? We simply prefer not to waste the effort! Are you certain you want to protect Bai Feng's faction?" One after another, the auras of the alien experts erupted. Even if they couldn't wipe out these humans, sowing division was standard strategy for all races. They were confident someone would step forward and choose to leave. Because it had always been that way. Furthermore, Bai Feng's lineage was indeed a priority kill target for all races. A ferocious beast chuckled darkly, "Bai Feng, don't count on Su Yu! Does Su Yu dare leave the ancient city now? The moment he steps out, our rulers will personally strike him down! Who are you trying to intimidate with his name?" Bai Feng swept a glance over the beast and sneered, "Worthless trash. I don't see you having the guts to speak Su Yu's name anywhere near an ancient city. You only dare bark here!" "Nothing but sharp-tongued bluster!" The God race youth looked around coldly. "Is the human race truly willing to wage war against us for the sake of these few? Killing Bai Feng is our final concession! Do you truly believe this handful of people can hold us back?" The alien experts began to close in. On the human side, several people wavered. Of course, some paid no attention at all. As the foreign races pressed closer and even Qin Fang and the others grew tense, someone behind Bai Feng remained crouched, examining items. Wu Qi grew frantic and sent a voice transmission: "Get up, quick! When the fight starts, run with me!" Wu Lan ignored her sister. She collected several water samples, picked up a few grains of Heavenly River Sand, and operated several instruments beside her, running tests. Beside her, Wu Jia was assisting her. Without turning her head, Wu Lan transmitted, "It's fine, Sister. Stop bothering me, okay?" *So annoying!* *Fatty Xia is here, so isn't Su Yu close behind?* *That big bad guy, that great demon king—once he arrives, all these people are finished. Maybe he's already here right now, just hiding. That guy is thoroughly black-hearted. Whoever runs, he might kill them. Maybe he's waiting right now to see who among the humans flees.* Wu Lan ignored Wu Qi and stared at the data displayed on the instruments, her expression shifting. She turned toward Wu Jia and transmitted, "Sister Jia, record this: Heavenly River water is alkaline, exhibiting a faint yellow tint... containing substances..." She hesitated briefly before transmitting, "Continue recording: this is only my personal hypothesis, but it shares characteristics similar to human bile! If we draw an analogy, the Heavenly River Sand might be bile salts in bile... possessing decomposition, digestion, and absorption properties." Wu Jia hesitated and transmitted, "Are you sure?" "Not sure, I just feel the functions are similar. Record it first!" Wu Lan continued, "Extrapolating further... above the Heavenly River, there might be tissue analogous to a liver, secreting bile, but reflux occurred..." Wu Lan frowned. "Never mind, just record it first! Put down all the data. If we run into Su Yu, even if something happens, I hope these notes reach his hands. Record this too: at the end of this, there might be a treasure that possesses multiple functions—detoxification, absorption, purification..." "Understood!" Wu Jia swiftly wrote it down and looked up at the sky. *A treasure at the end?* Yet people had tried flying up earlier and simply couldn't make it. Flying up through the waterfall would batter them to death with the current before they even got close. As the two continued recording data, some humans grew restless. Someone transmitted to Qin Fang, "Prince Qin Fang, Liu City... has been showing tendencies toward independence lately. Are we truly going to fight for them?" Without turning around, Qin Fang barked coldly, "Whoever wants to leave can leave! I'm not leaving. I want to see whether these pieces of trash from the other races can kill whenever they please! A bunch of useless cowards who were routed by Su Yu, too terrified to seek him out, only daring to take out their anger on his teacher!" "Qin Fang, who are you looking down on?" Someone in the crowd chuckled. "Let them come and kill! We'd like to see how many they can kill, and how many of them will die in the process! You talk about the myriad races as if you're one big family. If you've got the guts, attack! Let's see which of your races dares step up first!" Opposite them, the God race youth smiled. "Are you certain you won't leave? Everyone, clear a path. Don't forget, whether it's Wan Tiansheng or Su Yu, they haven't been particularly courteous to you lot! That faction isn't made of good people. They brought about countless troubles, and while they survived, countless of your people perished..." Several faces paled again. A moment later, the other races truly parted to open a passage. Flanking the path, several alien experts chuckled playfully. "Your life belongs to you. If you stall any longer, you won't have the chance!" By now, more alien experts were arriving. Scattered treasure hunters from the surroundings joined the encirclement. Gradually, the pressure mounted. The non-human forces approached nearly three hundred! Finally, unable to bear the terror, someone on the human side shouted, "He'ertai, can you guarantee you won't attack us while we withdraw?" He'ertai laughed heartily. "We won't, rest assured! If you're worried... step back a bit further, widen the corridor! Your life is your own. Why throw it away for Bai Feng and his lot?" Drenched in sweat, the man saw many humans glaring at him furiously. Lowering his head, he gritted his teeth, took to the air, and muttered, "I'm not familiar with them... I only came here to hunt treasures to strengthen myself, not for anyone else... I'm sorry!" With that, he dashed through the passage. The other races made no move to stop him, allowing him to fly off into the distance. He'ertai and his allies smiled. After all, nearly a hundred humans remained; a full-scale battle would incur heavy losses. Sowing division was ideal. Once the first left, a precedent was set. These minor figures didn't matter; as long as Qin Fang, Huang Teng, Wu Qi, and Bai Feng stayed, that was enough! If they killed these individuals, they would reap immense rewards upon returning to the outside world! With the first departure, a second followed. "Sorry, I... don't want to die here either!" Another person left. Initially, they offered a few words of excuse, but the subsequent departures occurred in complete silence. Ten people, twenty, thirty... Qin Fang and the others watched quietly. After a while, about a third had departed. Out of a hundred and twenty people, nearly forty left, leaving over eighty behind. Even though many were drenched in cold sweat, they chose to stay. A young woman gritted her teeth in fury. "A bunch of traitors! Cowards! Today you watch the Multiple Divine Characters Faction get slaughtered, and tomorrow it will be you! Can't you see through such a crude divide-and-conquer ploy?" Losing nearly a third of their numbers left many feeling helpless. They were already at a disadvantage, and now the gap had widened. Several Shanhai Realm experts were among those who left, placing even greater pressure on those who remained. Bai Feng looked grim. Glancing at those who stayed, he said in a heavy voice, "If any of you wish to leave, go now! Refusing to leave earlier was for righteousness; staying now is suicide. I don't believe I share such deep ties with any of you..." Someone snapped, "Cut the crap! Human infighting is internal, but against external enemies we must stand united! I know your multiple divine character faction holds grudges, but that's an internal matter. Didn't Wan Tiansheng already slaughter plenty of people for your faction? Vengeance has been taken. Those who ran do not represent the will of the human race!" Human experts and geniuses unleashed their auras one after another, and the corridor began to close. He'ertai smiled darkly. "It seems you truly wish to die! I didn't expect so many of you to stay. Truly unexpected!" *** He hadn't expected it, and neither had Su Yu. Indeed, Su Yu hadn't anticipated this. At this moment, he hovered directly above the crowd. He was genuinely surprised! Out of 120 people, 38 had left, leaving 82 behind. He had seen it clearly and counted every single one! Su Yu was truly taken aback. While the other races applied pressure, Su Yu had watched quietly. He had thought it wouldn't be surprising if half left, quite normal if two-thirds left, and entirely reasonable if only a third remained. Yet... that wasn't what happened. Fewer than a third had departed. Not only that... of the 38 who left, Su Yu probed and found that about thirty had truly fled, while the remaining few had actually circled back along the perimeter and were lying in ambush! Were they preparing to launch a surprise attack once the battle broke out? That was a viable strategy! In reality, only a quarter had truly abandoned them. Su Yu stared at the sky, momentarily lost in thought. A quarter! Was that a lot? It was quite a few, but compared to his expectations, it was remarkably few. The multiple divine character faction wasn't particularly well-liked, and Wan Tiansheng's massacre had offended many. Under such circumstances, for this many to remain far exceeded his expectations. Some were plainly terrified; Su Yu could feel their dread. Naturally—between life and death, fear was only normal. Su Yu had felt fear too; facing insurmountable foes and mortal danger, he had been afraid. Yet choosing to stay required sheer grit. "The human race..." Su Yu murmured. At this moment, even as a human, he felt a strange sense of bewilderment. This race was truly peculiar. Their internal strife had once made him want to sever ties with them entirely! Endless infighting, ceaseless factional strife, bickering at every opportunity... Yet... when truly confronted by foreign enemies, even knowing death was certain, some would step forward without hesitation. Even those on poor terms with Bai Feng had chosen to stay. Especially after seeing that those who left escaped unharmed, these people still chose to remain. Even when Bai Feng expressed his thanks, some sneered in disdain... yet they stayed nonetheless. "Complex!" As a human himself, Su Yu now understood that complexity. The human race was genuinely more complicated than the other races. Right now, this wasn't an alliance of convenience; staying offered no benefit whatsoever. Some stayed purely out of a surge of hot blood. "Far too complex..." Su Yu laughed self-deprecatingly. He was still too young. Sometimes he thought he understood everything, yet understood nothing at all. Hardly any of the people he expected to run had actually run. *Truly bizarre!* *Time to move!* Su Yu worried that Hetu might ascend soon. Having witnessed all of this, he had no desire to prolong it. The divine light in his eyes had already swept across the crowd several times. A few among the non-humans possessed Sun Moon blood essence or Heaven armaments in their bodies. Those individuals were his primary targets; the rest posed little threat. The Civilization Chronicle slowly materialized. He would slaughter them all. Hetu would take the blame! Just as the other races were poised to strike, someone seemed to sense something and looked up toward the sky. High above, a small book suddenly appeared. "What is that?" Eyes shifted. A treasure? The Star Astral Mansion was never short on treasures; items falling from the sky were not unheard of. Instantly, many eyes turned toward the book. Sacred! It exuded an overwhelmingly sacred aura. A single glance convinced anyone that it was a supreme treasure, radiating the resonance of the Great Dao and the brilliance of civilization. Phantoms faintly materialized across the pages, seemingly recording the histories and civilizations of all races! There was no sense of impending danger! Because above them, Su Yu was activating the "Calamity" divine character, twisting everyone's perception of peril. They were merely a crowd of weaklings; the strongest was a ninth-level Shanhai, without a single Sun Moon among them. How could they rival him? "A treasure..." He'ertai and the others exchanged glances. This appeared to be a Heaven armament! And an exceptionally sacred one! Far from ordinary! Greed flickered in their eyes. A Heaven armament was a prized possession anywhere. Long Ji of the Dragon race swiftly transmitted, "Kill the humans first, then we'll divide the Heaven armament! Since the treasure has appeared, it won't run away!" He'ertai nodded and shouted, "Kill the humans first, then seize the treasure!" Battle seemed ready to erupt. On the human side, the experts tensed, while Xia Huyou, Huang Teng, and a few others wore peculiar expressions. *These idiots... are rushing to their deaths!* At that exact instant, phantoms rose from the book as its aura surged wildly. One Sun Moon phantom materialized after another—one hundred, two hundred, three hundred... In midair, Su Yu's face turned slightly pale! The chronicle drew primarily upon its own power, but it still drained the energy of its master, Su Yu. "Fellow daoists... let us explore civilization together, seeking the past and the future!" A soft murmur drifted out. The next moment, before anyone could even sense danger, three hundred giant beasts struck simultaneously! *Pfft!* Phantoms tore straight through the crowd. How could a bunch of Lingyun and Shanhai withstand Sun Moon power? In an instant, ninety percent of the nearly three hundred alien experts died on the spot. Swallowed directly by the phantoms! The survivors' expressions twisted in horror as they tried to detonate their blood essence or Heaven armaments. Yet the phantoms that had devoured the others converged to suppress them! Ten Sun Moon phantoms suppressing a single Lingyun or Shanhai! They had zero room to resist! "Roar!" "Howl!" The giant beasts roared in joyous delight! In an instant, everyone was devoured. Gone! Nearly three hundred alien cultivators vanished in the blink of an eye. On the human side, everyone was stunned. Several turned deathly pale, trembling all over. What was that? Their minds went completely blank, overwhelmed by pure terror! Too terrifying! At that moment, Su Yu reversed his yuan apertures, transforming his presence into swirling death qi. Drifting downward, he spoke in a cold, detached voice: "The Monarch arrives and shows mercy to the human race. Stand down, humans. My race shall unify heaven and earth!" "..." A dead spirit! Horror, disbelief. A dead spirit? A dead spirit had appeared on the lower three floors! A monarch arrives? At that moment, a voice echoed in Xia Huyou's mind. His expression changed drastically, and he hastily shouted, "Thank you, My Lord! Everyone, retreat, quickly! I just told them a crisis had descended upon the second floor—Monarch Hetu has arrived and will ascend to the third floor at any moment! Thank you for your assistance, My Lord..." Su Yu remained impassive, speaking each word with deliberate gravity: "I was human in life and could only do what was within my power! Once the Monarch arrives... I dare not disobey his command... Leave!" In that instant, grand dramas unfolded in everyone's minds. This being was a subordinate of Monarch Hetu. He had been human in life. Having regained some of his memories, he had chosen to resolve the crisis for the humans. But a dead spirit monarch was about to arrive, and once that monarch came... he wouldn't spare the humans! Instantly, everyone's face drained of color. Run! A dead spirit monarch had actually climbed up from below! And Su Yu, in their eyes, was unimaginably powerful—slaughtering hundreds from the other races in a single blow, likely an existence approaching the monarch level himself! Even Qin Fang blanched and bellowed, "Retreat, fall back immediately!" "Head to the fourth floor, quickly!" Qin Fang was utterly shaken. How could a monarch be ascending? Dammit, this shouldn't be happening. Moreover, that book brimming with sacred power actually belonged to a dead spirit! Unthinkable! Su Yu's chilling voice echoed once more: "Leave quickly. Sooner or later, my race will rule over all under heaven! When that day comes, the human race will be our enemy! I am now a dead spirit, no longer human. This is the only time; there will be no second!" At this moment, even Qin Fang felt deeply moved and grateful, hurriedly calling out, "Thank you, My Lord!" What a noble soul! Even in death, he remembered his human origins. The next instant, he led the others to withdraw. But when he saw Bai Feng and his companions lingering, he couldn't help barking, "What are you waiting for? Run!" Bai Feng opened his mouth, then hesitated. *Run my ass, this brat Su Yu is tricking you all.* Naturally, he couldn't say that out loud. Just then, Su Yu's voice sounded in his ear: "Hurry and leave! Real dead spirit monarchs are coming, I'm not lying to you!" Hearing this, Bai Feng was shocked. He looked toward Su Yu. *You're not lying?* Su Yu nearly rolled his eyes! He knew what his teacher was thinking—did he really think he only knew how to lie? "It's real, get moving! Go to a higher floor! It's not just Hetu—two dead spirit monarchs came up together. I have to run soon too!" Hearing that, Bai Feng grabbed Wu Jia and Wu Lan without another word and sprinted, giving neither woman a chance to speak or linger. As she was dragged away, Wu Lan struggled and sent a voice transmission toward the death-qi-shrouded Su Yu: "Go to the sky! The records are beside the instruments... There's a good treasure here..." Wu Lan managed that single transmission before being whisked away. Su Yu spotted the instruments and notes she had left behind, clearly intended for him. In the blink of an eye, everyone had vanished. Yet the news of a dead spirit invasion spread like wildfire! Terrifying! A dead spirit monarch had arrived!