Blood Fire Falls, the Tide Shifts

"Blood Fire!" A ghostly voice echoed across the entire eighth floor. It was Lan Tian's voice! There was no attempt at concealment. A cultivator of Blood Fire's caliber was hardly so foolish that someone could arrive unnoticed and catch him by surprise. Of course, Su Yu still kept himself somewhat concealed. With any luck, the other party wouldn't detect him. Inside the Blood Cavalry General's Mansion... The Blood Fire Demon King's expression turned cold. Lan Tian! Was anyone else with him? Undoubtedly. Even though Blood Fire was heavily wounded, Lan Tian alone would not find it easy to deal with him! The Blood Fire Demon King made no sound. Right now, he was attempting to unseal a chamber. The estates of these ancient figures all possessed restrictive seals. He had no idea whether treasures lay inside, but he had to open it first regardless. Drop after drop of blood was forced from his body. This was the estate of an ancient demon expert, so demons enjoyed some preferential treatment here. Even so, ancient restrictions would not simply open just because someone belonged to the demon race. If it were that easy, the servants would have stolen every treasure in these ancient masters' mansions long ago. He had to gamble! Yet as he broke the seal, threads of the power of rules converged in the void. What he was doing counted as theft, so even if he succeeded in opening it, the rules would punish him! The Blood Fire Demon King gritted his teeth and took the gamble! This grand chamber had a name: "Hall of Medicinal Fragrance." With a name like that, it was very likely to hold ancient spirit medicines. Even if they could not restore his three-life embodiments, he hoped they could strengthen his past embodiment so his physical body would no longer be so frail. He worked rapidly to break the seal, and Lan Tian seemed to sense his actions. The ghostly voice chuckled, "Found you!" "My little darling, don't run!" Blood Fire ground his teeth, burning with silent hatred! Arrogant little junior! If not for his grievous injuries, he would have swatted him dead with a single palm strike. *Has King Daqin come up too?* What worried him most was the possibility of King Daqin ascending to this floor. Aside from King Daqin, among the remaining human Invincibles, Zhu Tianfang was considered the strongest, yet his cultivation was only around the fifth tier of Eternity. Naturally, that was still formidable against him in his current state, but if King Daqin hadn't come, the human Invincibles were far more likely to stay behind and protect King Daqin rather than scatter and depart. After all, there were still many foreign race experts among their ranks. Weighing all this, the Blood Fire Demon King's gaze turned chillingly sharp. At most, the enemy had brought along one other Invincible... or that lad Su Yu had come. Su Yu... The Blood Fire Demon King sighed internally. Young, monstrous geniuses like that were precisely what old figures like him dreaded most. The young were never to be trifled with. In their youth, experts like him had risen by slaughtering the older generation. Now, it was their turn to grow old. And with age came apprehension. As apprehension mounted, the resolve to fight to the death wore away. Everyone claimed they weren't afraid of dying, but who truly wasn't? In his youth, the Blood Fire Demon King had roamed the myriad realms alone. During the Ninth Tidal Change, he had even ventured into the Human Realm by himself, clashing and killing among those old human masters! The Blood Fire Demon clan had gradually risen during that previous tidal change under his guidance. All of it was built on a willingness to fight and kill! In the end, the Blood Fire Demon race became the greatest power second only to the Origin Demon race, standing as one of the pinnacle factions among demons. One thought followed another as the Blood Fire Demon King suppressed the tremors in his heart. Having survived since the Ninth Tidal Change, had he truly reached the end of his road? He refused to accept it. If he died, the Demon Emperor would likely swallow the Blood Fire Demon race, and all the foundations he had laid would fall into the Demon Emperor's hands. The Blood Fire Demon King had never respected that fellow. The Demon Emperor was neither exceptionally strong nor brilliant at scheming. He wasn't as mighty as Tiangu, nor as sly as the God Emperor, nor as daring as King Daqin, nor as mysterious as the Fate Emperor... He fell short of so many! Under his leadership, could the demon race really survive the Tenth Tidal Change? Alas... it seemed he himself had run out of chances. His own calculations had not been sharp enough either, leaving him stranded in this cursed place. *Boom!* Behind him, a hand of rules struck out at him. The Blood Fire Demon King let out a muffled grunt and paid it no heed. Spitting a mouthful of fresh blood forward, he ripped a fissure straight through the restrictive seal before him. In an instant, he transformed into a beam of bloody light and plunged inside. Outside the door, Lan Tian had already locked onto his position. Su Yu, taking the form of a clone, slipped straight into the Blood Cavalry General's Mansion, but just as Lan Tian attempted to enter, a loud crash rang out as the restrictive barrier threw him back! Insufficient clearance! His clearance level was roughly the same as the Blood Fire Demon King's, but this was a demon general's estate! Lan Tian could not barge in at will, whereas the Blood Fire Demon King was permitted entry. Outside the main gates, Lan Tian was left battered and bleeding. The seal remained exceptionally potent. Worse still, the power of rules was now gathering in the air, poised to obliterate him. Lan Tian flared with rage! *Fuck!* *Why can't I go in?* Meanwhile, Su Yu, who had originally been blended among the clones, instantly stood out. This was where the advantage of high clearance showed itself. He glanced back at Lan Tian, then looked at the rapidly mending fissure and noticed the large characters reading "Hall of Medicinal Fragrance." His brows furrowed slightly. Was the Blood Fire Demon King looking for treasures to recover? Just how much combat strength did the demon still retain? Su Yu couldn't be certain. Yet an expert at the ninth tier of Eternity was terrifying—King Daqin, even while heavily injured, had still slaughtered multiple Invincibles. Su Yu still felt some apprehension. Lan Tian was strong; if the two teamed up, they could look out for one another. Su Yu hesitated for a fraction of a second, but if the Blood Fire Demon King managed to recover, dealing with him would become vastly more difficult. The demon hadn't even dared to trade blows with Lan Tian, which suggested his strength had suffered a steep plunge. With multiple thoughts racing through his mind and Lan Tian unable to get past the barrier, Su Yu sent a voice transmission: "Senior Lan Tian, seal off the surroundings and watch out for ambushes. I'll head inside first. Find a way to get in slowly!" With that, Su Yu dissolved into a gentle breeze, vanishing into the closing rift. *** Having slipped inside, Su Yu stayed vigilant against an ambush from Blood Fire. Yet there was none. Ahead, a beam of bloody light flashed and vanished as it flew toward the depths of the hall. Suspended throughout the vast chamber were massive cauldrons, each connected to earthfire beneath. This place was undeniably an extraordinary haven for weapon-forging and pill-refining. Passing by the outer cauldrons, Su Yu caught a few scents. Some cauldrons were already shattered or gone entirely, burnt to cinders by the continuous subterranean flames. If a cauldron was not resilient enough, it would have long since cracked across countless eras, destroying whatever pills were inside. It was like stewing a chicken in an earthenware pot: the longer it simmered, the richer the aroma. Yet there was a limit. Simmering over an open flame for a hundred thousand years would leave only a thoroughly ancient fowl, and the pot itself had to be peerless. Evidently, the Blood Fire Demon King understood this as well. He had ignored the outer perimeters and flown straight into the depths in search of precious medicines that had survived a hundred thousand years of uninterrupted heat. Even if the ancient Blood Cavalry General had been weaker than him and the pills he concocted back then hadn't been extraordinary, surviving intact for a hundred thousand years would elevate them into supreme treasures today! If the master here had been a miscellaneous general, his strength might not have surpassed Blood Fire's. Even among titled generals, few had reached the Dao Integration Realm; those at Dao Integration were typically granted the title of Marquis. The Blood Fire Demon King was powerful and had high standards; the treasures he needed to recover had to be of the highest grade. Su Yu also flew swiftly forward. Though some cauldrons remained intact—some with their earthfire extinguished, others still burning—Su Yu didn't spare them a second glance, flying straight toward the chamber's depths. *** In less than a minute... Su Yu spotted a colossal cauldron. Beneath it, seven-colored flames still burned, baking the entire vessel into a translucent, glazed texture. Originally, the cauldron might not have looked like this at all. Within the translucent cauldron, nine pills hovered and leaped like lively spirits. Inside his mind, the little fur ball twitched its nose frantically. "Smells so good!" The fur ball rarely ate things like this. Under normal circumstances, it merely glanced at medicinal pills and had no interest in eating them due to their impurities. Yet at this moment, even the fur ball was tempted by this furnace of precious medicine forged for a hundred thousand years. It smelled entirely too wonderful! A true treasure! A ring of restrictive seals surrounded the cauldron as the seven-colored flames burned. The cauldron continued to slowly revolve. The Blood Fire Demon King stood just outside the seal, frantically working to crack it. Hearing a sound, he suddenly looked back into the void. A look of helplessness surfaced in his eyes! He was just a step too late! His luck had been decent; the very first estate he entered contained such a treasure. Truly fortunate. To think the Blood Cavalry General's Mansion held such marvelous medicine. The Blood Fire Demon King turned toward the void and sighed. "These are Blood Demon Pills. Under ordinary circumstances, they strengthen the physical body and enhance vitality. But this furnace has been tempered for a hundred thousand years... It might even qualify as divine pills! And this cauldron, forged by Seven-Colored Glazed Fire for a hundred thousand years without crumbling, is now on par with a top-tier Heaven armament..." He continued, "Of course, after being baked for so many years, it might only look formidable on the surface and crumble the moment it's touched." "Su Yu, I don't wish to keep fighting you. You take six pills to help King Daqin recover, and I will take three. The cauldron is yours!" The Blood Fire Demon King spoke calmly. "You tracked me all this way because you're worried I'll leak word about King Daqin, aren't you? I'm the only uncertain factor. The others have likely been bought off by you or silenced." "Sometimes, one's race takes precedence over many things..." The Blood Fire Demon King smiled, carrying an air of majestic composure. "I am wounded, heavily wounded, but killing me won't be that simple for you, Su Yu! How about this: I give you my word that I won't leak any information about King Daqin or about you! You take the lion's share of the pills, and I'll take the smaller portion..." Su Yu slowly manifested in place and looked at the Blood Fire Demon King. This was an expert who didn't appear particularly old—a middle-aged man who must have been strikingly handsome in his youth. Long fiery-red hair draped over his shoulders, and his eyes carried an unusual, bewitching beauty. Between his brows, a flame insignia glowed red, adding an aura of fiendish elegance. The Blood Fire Demon King! Of the Blood Fire Demon race! This clan was the most adept at warfare, and the most fearless in battle. Su Yu looked at him, his white robes billowing gently. A book appeared in his hand, and he smiled faintly at the demon king. "Senior's proposal is quite intriguing! I have no desire to fight to the death with you either, only for someone else to reap the benefits." The Blood Fire Demon King studied him for a moment and smiled. "Then let us break this restriction together. I will handle the unsealing, while you shield against the rules. Your clearance seems quite high, allowing you to ward off the rules far better. Once it's open, we divide the pills and the cauldron and go our separate ways." Su Yu suddenly asked with a grin, "Just how much combat strength does Senior still possess?" The Blood Fire Demon King chuckled. He stared at Su Yu for a long while before speaking: "Not much, but enough to deal with an ordinary Eternity or two. Su Yu... you are very much like I was in my youth. Regardless of how strong the opponent is, your first thought is to charge in and kill them. Had this been my prime, I would have fought you without hesitation. But now... I am old." Old! Su Yu nodded and smiled. "Senior is indeed advanced in years. In that case, you break the seal, and I'll keep the rules at bay. We claim the treasure together!" Blood Fire glanced at him, said no more, and began cracking the seals. Su Yu remained at a distance. He threw out his book to intercept the gathering rules, and whenever too much power accumulated, he personally intervened to shatter the energy. The division of labor between the two appeared completely harmonious. As the Blood Fire Demon King worked on the restrictions, he casually remarked, "What tier is your clearance? The power of rules here seems to yield considerably before you." "Tier four," Su Yu replied with a smile. "And yours, Senior?" "Tier seven." The Blood Fire Demon King smiled. "It seems your fortune is indeed extraordinary. People blessed with immense fortune appear in every era, but few ever become as powerful as you! Your human race is blessed by heaven, coasting on the remnants of the ancient era for ten generations. Your strength must be tied to antiquity." "You could say that!" Blood Fire chuckled. "Is it the Time Master's legacy, King Wen's legacy, or King Wu's? I have seen the legacies of other ancient Human Kings. Hetu, for instance, or that peerless genius from your human race during the previous tidal change—they all inherited the legacy of ancient Human Kings. Formidable, monstrous, yet none reached your level." "I don't know," Su Yu said with a chuckle. "I'm not lying to you. I genuinely don't know." Blood Fire nodded. "You probably have some guesses, but know too little about antiquity. Much like myself. I have always believed I inherited the ancient legacy of the Blood Fire Demon race, yet whether that is true, I cannot say!" He then smiled and asked, "Su Yu, if I invited you to join the demon race, would you accept? Suppose my wounds heal, I successfully integrate the Dao, slay the current Demon Emperor, and unite the demons. You could establish yourself as a king within our race and start a new lineage. Would you be willing?" "No, I wouldn't." Su Yu shattered a burst of rule power with a punch and smiled. "Some things cannot be changed. Race, for example! As long as I am breathing, I am human. That is an immutable fact. Calling myself a demon wouldn't make me one." "True enough. What a pity!" The Blood Fire Demon King said, "Among our demons, I think very highly of Moduona! Alas, the boy belongs to the Origin Demon race... If I told you that I still think highly of him, and have even considered having him serve as the patriarch of our Blood Fire Demon clan, would you think I'm lying?" "Senior has no need to lie. Besides, Moduona's talent is indeed exceptional." The Blood Fire Demon King chuckled. "Conversing with a youngster like you is quite pleasant. The older generation always overthinks everything." By now, he was close to unraveling the restriction. Even so, he continued, "Su Yu, how much do you truly understand about the situation across the myriad realms?" Su Yu shook his head. "Not much. Ancient fossils are beginning to emerge one after another. Ten tidal changes span a hundred thousand years, and time has buried far too many secrets. Even now, I know very little about the history of the previous nine tidal changes, let alone the ancient era! For most things, I only possess half-baked knowledge." "Indeed." The Blood Fire Demon King smiled. "You speak the truth. Your human race failed at the end of all nine preceding tidal changes. That alone proves how many secrets lie beneath the surface. Failing once or twice might be coincidence, but failing nine times in a row? Is the human race truly incapable of rising, or has humanity always been weak?" Su Yu nodded. Indeed, nine times! Nine consecutive defeats! The implications behind that were well worth pondering. The Blood Fire Demon King added, "From those nine previous tidal changes, there should still be humans alive today. But the other races have their share as well, confronting each other in secret. Many have already deduced this! Otherwise, once the realm passageways opened, do you think we would be the only ones invading?" He continued, "King Daqin and his peers are indeed the pillars of humanity, but only for this current tidal change. There ought to be people standing behind them. The same applies to the demons. At the end of every tidal change, a few ancient fossils vanish—either dead or missing..." Su Yu smiled. "Senior means that in a place unknown to us, a group of ancient fossils are in a standoff, keeping each other in check?" "Precisely!" The Blood Fire Demon King smiled. "However, your human race is likely at a disadvantage. The experts accumulated across nine tidal changes should all be gathered there! You wouldn't know, but I lived through the Ninth Tidal Change. In truth, the end of each tidal change often arrives in a bizarre manner. Perhaps victory was decided in the shadows, or perhaps an ancient fossil from one faction managed to break free, instantly turning the tide!" "When the Ninth Tidal Change ended, your human race was defeated. Back then, humanity was exceptionally mighty. Everyone said the human race had hope of rising... Yet in the end, the Human King of that era was killed!" Su Yu showed a look of curiosity. "A Human King?" "Yes. During the previous tidal change, humanity was stronger than it is now, poised to unify the realms. The peerless genius I mentioned earlier was that very Human King from the latter phase, someone genuinely comparable to the ancient Human Kings... He was terrifyingly powerful! In the later stages, he suppressed the immortals, demons, gods, and dragons, fighting countless battles and slaughtering innumerable experts. Yet in the end, humanity crumbled!" Su Yu asked, "Because he was killed?" "Yes!" "Who killed him?" The Blood Fire Demon King pondered for a moment. "It's unclear. The situation was absolute chaos. He was slain during a decisive battle against the emperors of the various races! According to my judgment at the time, the Half-Emperors of the myriad races should not have been able to kill him! Even if they somehow managed it, they should have suffered near-total annihilation. Yet almost all the Half-Emperors returned alive, while he alone was slain and buried in the Sea of Stars! That is why I suspect some ancient fossils intervened and joined forces to kill him!" He looked at Su Yu. "Thus, being too exceptional isn't necessarily a good thing!" Su Yu nodded. "Thank you for the guidance, Senior!" Just at that moment, the Blood Fire Demon King breached the restrictive seal. A dense medicinal fragrance wafted out, intoxicating both of them. The Blood Fire Demon King smiled and looked at Su Yu. "Come, let us step aside. This is a rare treasure, and it would be a shame to destroy it. Whichever of us wins, taking this treasure will be a fine outcome. If I win, I take it to heal my wounds. If you win, you take it to heal King Daqin, or use it for your own cultivation..." Su Yu smiled. "Senior, what are you saying..." "Things have come this far; it's time to be honest, young man." The Blood Fire Demon King sighed. "You won't feel at ease if I consume the pills, regain my strength, and kill you. And as for me, three pills aren't enough. I want all nine. Offering you six was utter nonsense, and you probably didn't believe it anyway." His smile broadened. "So, we joined forces to break the seal first. That way, if we end up mutually wounded, we won't lose out by lacking the strength to open it afterward! The items are right here. The victor takes all. Regardless of who wins, we may each make one request of the other. What do you say?" Su Yu looked at him, falling silent for a moment as his smile gradually faded. "Please speak, Senior." "It's nothing grand. If you win, I hope you will pass on whatever remains of mine that are useless to you to Moduona. Tell him to resist to the end—that bastard is unfit to be the Demon Emperor!" Blood Fire sneered. "He is completely unfit! Using the geniuses of his own race as stand-ins, forcing them to live in constant terror—that is not the sovereign's path, nor the king's path. That is pure demonic perversion!" "A true powerhouse does not rely on stepping on others' shoulders. Even his Dao Integration is unstable, yet he dreams of reaching greater heights? A joke!" "Relying on him would have ruined the demon race long ago. How could we remain one of the three supreme races?" The Blood Fire Demon King poured scorn upon the current Demon Emperor, holding him in utter contempt despite the other's superior strength! Su Yu was somewhat surprised. "Senior believes Moduona is more suited?" "Naturally!" The Blood Fire Demon King laughed. "That fellow is an absolute fool. You might not understand, but I know! No race ever pins its hope of resurrection on its own geniuses—remember that! The god race has Zhan Wushuang, and the immortal race has Xuan Wuji. Everyone claims they are stand-ins for the God Emperor and Immortal Emperor. Nonsense! Neither of those two emperors cultivate the three-life embodiment method, so why would they need stand-ins? It was all a ruse to deceive that idiot of ours, making him terrify our geniuses until they were nearly ruined... When you fought them, did you ever sense their emperors' essence blood or willpower residing within them?" Su Yu shook his head. "Exactly. Only our race's fool kept placing his essence blood and willpower inside Moduona. Tell me, isn't he an idiot?" The Blood Fire Demon King scoffed. "Last time his three-life embodiments were crippled, he slaughtered a genius on the spot to turn him into his past embodiment... That fool's cowardice and fear of death have reached the absolute extreme. Even if he intended to do such a thing, how could he do it in front of everyone? Now, every demon lives in constant dread. Sigh... I have no words. He fears death, fears someone invading the Demon Realm, but dying isn't that simple! He also feared I would challenge his authority... Su Yu, if I told you that had he not killed that Demon King back then, I would have had no interest in taking his throne, would you believe me?" "I somewhat believe you." Blood Fire smiled. "That's good enough. At least you don't completely disbelieve it. Truth be told, had he not killed that Demon King in broad daylight, I wouldn't have bothered with him. But because he did, I had to step forward. Otherwise... the demon race would have fallen into irreversible decline!" He then chuckled. "Now, tell me your requests. If I win, I shall fulfill them as well!" Su Yu pondered for a moment and smiled. "Nothing complicated. First, ensure my teachers and elders leave safely and return to the Human Realm. Second, leave my divine characters to my master; you can take the other treasures. Third, tell my father to marry another wife and have another child..." The Blood Fire Demon King laughed. "That's all? Your requests are modest indeed!" "Once a person is dead, what use are grandiose demands?" Su Yu chuckled. "Out of sight, out of mind. Don't you agree, Senior?" "Quite free and easy!" The Blood Fire Demon King gestured with his hand, and Su Yu smiled, following him toward an open space nearby—likely an area where pill refiners once rested. The Blood Fire Demon King wanted all the pills, which Su Yu would not allow. Su Yu wanted to silence him with death, which the demon king would not accept... In truth, there was little room for compromise. Both understood the reality clearly. At their level, who would take an agreement of peaceful cooperation to heart? Rather than plotting against one another during the retrieval, it was far better to settle it now. The winner takes all; the loser perishes. This way, the treasures wouldn't be destroyed, and both could leave their final words. Su Yu had to admit that deciding victory against such an expert brought a flicker of excitement and even pleasure. The Blood Fire Demon King was refreshingly straightforward. Schemes existed, but not excessively. Having laid everything bare beforehand gave this clash the air of a martial spar, even though this spar would be settled in blood and death! Amidst the endless wars of the myriad races, such opportunities were exceedingly rare. A one-on-one duel to the death! Stepping onto the open clearing, the Blood Fire Demon King smiled. "You excel in physical strength. My physical body is crippled, but I am still an expert at the ninth tier of Eternity. Why don't we test each other out first?" "It would be an honor!" *Boom! Boom!* The moment the words left their mouths, the two collided violently! Fists and kicks flew in rapid succession, shattering mountains and seas, suppressing the sun and moon, battling like Invincibles! Mountain Suppressing Fist! Heaven-Cleaving Blade! In the blink of an eye, Su Yu unleashed dozens of martial techniques. The Blood Fire Demon King, however, was far simpler and more direct, relying entirely on a single fist art and a single leg art from start to finish. Thunderous booms reverberated across the surroundings! The clash shook the earth. In a flash, a deafening blast sent Su Yu flying backward, though his injuries were minor. The Blood Fire Demon King remained where he stood, but his frail physical body developed numerous cracks. He smiled faintly, unfazed, and sighed. "Not bad, I haven't fallen behind yet. But your physical body is truly extraordinary!" It was exceptionally strong! With countless years of combat experience, his techniques and instincts far surpassed Su Yu's, yet his current physical frame was too weak to channel much power. Even so, despite his fragile body, he had still managed to knock Su Yu away. In the distance, Su Yu scrambled to his feet, catching his breath with a smile. "A senior is still a senior; age and experience truly tell. Aside from knowing a few more techniques, I suppose I am a master of none!" "That is only natural. You are still young, and what you've achieved is already remarkable. Few in the younger generation possess more combat experience than you. As for the older generation, those who didn't live through the Ninth Tidal Change don't have much real combat experience either..." The Blood Fire Demon King walked toward him with a smile. "Did you really think every one of them fought their way up? Luck, opportunity, and talent allowed those fellows to rise. Those who truly carved their path through blood and battle are few and far between!" With those words, the two collided once more. Su Yu hurled punches in rapid succession, utilizing oscillation techniques to reverberate through the demon's body. Just as Su Yu felt a surge of joy upon seeing the demon king's body fracture under the shockwaves, the Blood Fire Demon King abruptly seized Su Yu's right wrist! "Ha!" With a low roar, vitality erupted. The Blood Fire Demon King went all out, and with a sickening snap, Su Yu's right arm was twisted clean into a fracture! Having broken Su Yu's arm, the demon king kept his grip, violently reversing his momentum to drag Su Yu down and slam him violently into the ground! Su Yu seized the momentum to drive a savage kick upward, snapping the bones in both of the demon's hands! *Boom!* Su Yu smashed heavily into the ground, blasting a massive crater into the extraordinarily durable floor of the eighth level. After completing seventy-two casts, a protective barrier naturally enveloped his body, yet the demon king had shattered it with sheer brutality. His right arm hung limp with fractured bones. Though his flesh and blood regenerated rapidly, the pain was excruciating. Agony! It was more painful than having an arm chopped clean off! His physical body was significantly stronger than the Blood Fire Demon King's current form, yet the demon had still snapped his arm with practiced ease. The Blood Fire Demon King shook his hands and gasped for breath, laughing, "Truly formidable. Your physical body is horrifyingly strong; if someone told me you were at the middle tiers of Eternity, I might actually believe them! What a monster!" *Boom!* Even as he spoke, his legs slashed out like swords, whistling through the void at peerless speed to strike Su Yu repeatedly—one kick, two kicks, three kicks... He unleashed over a hundred kicks, while Su Yu only managed to counter a dozen times! *Rumble!* Another deafening collision forced them apart. Su Yu was covered from head to toe in bloody footprints, with a dent kicked into his forehead oozing fresh blood. Meanwhile, the Blood Fire Demon King bore only a handful of punch and kick marks, yet each was deep enough to expose bone, blood steadily dripping from the wounds. The Blood Fire Demon King laughed self-deprecatingly. "This is what they call sheer strength overpowering refined skill!" No matter how many times he struck Su Yu, a hundred kicks could not match the devastation of a single punch from the youth. Strength... Indeed, once power was lost, even the most exquisite techniques were rendered futile. There was good reason the world relentlessly pursued higher realms and raw power. Su Yu panted heavily. "Senior jests. If you possessed the same raw strength as I do... I would already be dead." "Living ten thousand years longer isn't just for show, after all, is it?" The Blood Fire Demon King smiled. "Be careful now. It seems my physical body cannot match yours, so let us play with the rules. The rules of time—this is an Invincible's true trump card. You probably aren't very proficient with it, but no matter. Let me teach you how it works!" *Buzz!* The void parted as the Blood Fire Demon King instantly appeared before Su Yu, bringing a palm down toward his skull! Not only that, when Su Yu threw a counterpunch, his fist struck empty air, as though the two existed in entirely different dimensions of spacetime. "That won't work. You and I are not in the same dimension. My attack lands in the next moment..." The Blood Fire Demon King waited until Su Yu's punch missed before pressing his palm down, striking Su Yu's arm with a sharp crack that snapped the bone. Enveloped in the power of time, the Blood Fire Demon King laughed. "If this is all you have, you've lost. No matter how strong your power is, you must actually hit me..." *Buzz!* He struck again, attacking from the past or the future rather than the present. When Su Yu lashed out with a kick, the demon delayed his timing slightly, waiting until the kick sailed past before stomping onto Su Yu's leg. With a muffled bang, pain flared through Su Yu's calf! This was an Invincible! This was the power of time, the power of rules. No matter how mighty you were, you could not touch him! Su Yu suppressed the irritation and anxiety in his chest, instantly restoring his composure. In this moment, his agitation vanished. He had experienced death numerous times; he had experience, and he was far from helpless against this! He had ways to counter it! His divine characters flared to their absolute peak. Endure! Calm the mind! The "Quiet" character activated, shielding his perceptions. The "Endure" character took effect, keeping impulses in check. The "Calamity" character sensed impending danger, pinpointing the precise moment of arrival. The "Slow" character activated, dragging down the enemy's speed! The "Blood" character engaged, drawing away the opponent's blood. Su Yu felt as though he had returned to the days of his weakness. Even though his current combat power was technically superior to the wounded demon king's, he was no longer rash. Divine light flickered in Su Yu's eyes. Suddenly, he threw another punch! The moment it shot forward, he abruptly retracted his fist and drove his elbow backward! *Boom!* With a thunderous crash, an arm extending from the void was struck by his elbow, blood splashing into the air! The Blood Fire Demon King retreated rapidly, his figure manifesting as he stared at Su Yu with complex emotions. No one wished to die! Yet Su Yu was truly a monster. He was no mindless brute of brute force; he was a Civilization Master with countless tricks, boundless patience, and ironclad endurance. "You... are too monstrous!" Su Yu said nothing. Battle erupted anew in an instant, and this time, Su Yu took the initiative. His gaze locked onto the river of time flowing around the demon, his eyes brilliant as the sun and moon. That was the source of the demon's rule power! Sever the river! *Boom!* The Blood Fire Demon King fell back, his arm taking a direct punch that drew more blood. Circling Su Yu rapidly, the faint apparition of the river of time shimmered into view! He circled Su Yu, launching relentless strikes, while Su Yu answered with steady counterattacks! At first, for every ten blows the demon landed, Su Yu could only return one. Now, for every ten punches the demon threw, Su Yu could retaliate at least three times. And the damage from ten of the demon's strikes could not compare to the sheer violence of a single punch from Su Yu! *Rumble!* Violent reverberations echoed through the heavens and earth, ringing across the quiet eighth floor. Neither of them spoke anymore. *** At this moment, the others scattered across the eighth floor heard the thunderous din. Before one of the estates, Moduona furrowed his brows and listened intently, mentally reconstructing the battle in his mind—a unique talent of his. He could practically see the clash between Su Yu and the Blood Fire Demon King. "Retreat..." Moduona murmured. Sure enough, the Blood Fire Demon King rapidly backed away as Su Yu unleashed a punch. Before Moduona could even register the exchange, the battle-hardened demon king countered with a palm strike, only for Su Yu to twist his arm and whip a reverse kick upward! *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang across the eighth floor once more. The Blood Fire Demon King was sent flying, blood spraying wildly from his mouth. Moduona seemed to hear it, to see it, and a trace of helplessness and sorrow surfaced in his eyes. The Blood Fire Demon King... was truly no match for Su Yu! He was incapable of dealing a crippling blow to Su Yu, inflicting only superficial wounds. Meanwhile, Su Yu was trading injury for injury. Under such circumstances, prolonged combat meant certain defeat for Blood Fire! *** The battle raged on. *Bang! Bang! Bang!* Both combatants were soaked in blood. Yet the longer Su Yu fought, the fiercer he became. Youth favored the fist, not to mention Su Yu possessed a terrifyingly durable body and a vast arsenal of divine characters. After nearly half an hour of relentless combat, the Blood Fire Demon King began to flag. His injuries were simply too severe! His physical body was ruined, and his sea of will was depleted. Right now, he was fighting Su Yu with the power of a quasi-Invincible at best. Against an ordinary Invincible, he might have dragged them down with him, but Su Yu's body was stronger than even many newly ascended Invincibles. *Boom!* With another tremendous crash, the Blood Fire Demon King tumbled backward, spewing black, clotted blood. He looked toward Su Yu, his gaze carrying helplessness and bitter regret. "If only... I were in the same realm as you..." Su Yu replied bashfully, "Senior, I'm only at the Lingyun Realm!" *Pfft!* The demon spat another mouthful of blood, whether out of fury or to mask his sheer embarrassment. Indeed, Lingyun! He was merely at Lingyun! He wasn't an Invincible at all! Blood Fire coughed violently, blood pouring from his lips. He looked at Su Yu and sighed. "You are strong... But if you encountered a seasoned Eternity, even at just the first tier, you might not win... You... might not be able to hit them. Your speed is too slow..." Su Yu nodded. "True, but if I do hit them, a single punch will kill them!" "A single punch?" Blood Fire chuckled weakly. Did this lad really think a single punch could have killed him? At this moment, Su Yu took a deep breath. "Senior, I respect you as a true warrior, so I didn't bully you too excessively. But... it is time to end this. Senior... have a safe journey. Allow Su Yu to see you off!" In that instant, death qi surged around Su Yu! He hadn't even utilized his yang apertures yet! He had refrained out of fear that Xingyue wouldn't be able to bear it. Right now, his yang apertures were continuously draining his strength, and Su Yu was nearing his own limit. He had to borrow a bit of Xingyue's power; otherwise, he wouldn't hold out much longer! "Suppress the Mountain!" With a furious roar, he unleashed a punch of unimaginable power! The terrifying force tore through the void, exposing pitch-black spatial rifts. And this was taking place on the eighth floor, a realm governed by countless supreme experts! In an instant, massive amounts of rule power swept down upon them! Yet Su Yu didn't care in the slightest. His punch struck out, shaking the world to its foundations! The Blood Fire Demon King's expression shifted from sheer terror to acceptance, and finally to resigned helplessness... *Fuck!* *Damn it, this bastard hadn't even been using his full strength! Fuck you!* This kid's monstrosity was entirely beyond reason! Across all of history, the undisputed number one at the Lingyun Realm belonged to him alone—even the ancient Human Sovereign could not contest it! "No regrets..." The Blood Fire Demon King gave a bitter smile, yet he did not resign himself to slaughter. With a thunderous roar, his remaining vitality ignited. His physical form dissolved entirely, condensing into a single fist imbued with the power of time that crashed directly against Su Yu's punch! *Boom!* A colossal roar shook the heavens and earth once more as devastating shockwaves swept in all directions! Lan Tian, who had just managed to break through the restrictive seal, was instantly slammed against the entrance doors by the violent blast. His physical body flattened against the surface before slowly sliding down. A single thought echoed in his mind: *Su Yu, you fucking beast! You aren't human!* *Boom!* Along with that earth-shattering boom, the world trembled. A brilliant crimson light washed over the sky. A colossal cloud materialized overhead. The blood-red cloud signified the fall of a supreme expert. Yet alongside it, a golden cloud appeared—a reward from the rules. Not only that, a bolt of rule power descended as well—the punishment of the realm! *** At this very moment, in the outside world... The heavens and earth violently shook! In the far distance... Above the Demon Realm, a boundless, towering silhouette materialized, taking step after step toward the Demon Realm. Suddenly, the silhouette shattered! A colossal blood-red sun crashed down from the sky, accompanied by the falling of countless stars! In that instant, the entire myriad realms fell dead silent. A moment later, five Demon Kings manifested above the Demon Realm, gazing into the heavens before falling to their knees, weeping tears of blood. Their King had fallen! The first expert at the ninth tier of Eternity to fall in the Tenth Tidal Change! The myriad heavens trembled, the Sea of Stars roiled with towering waves, and torrential blood rain poured across the realm. This supreme warrior who had survived the Ninth Tidal Change and led the Blood Fire Demon clan to its pinnacle would never return to the demon lands again! "Farewell, our King!" Tens of thousands of Blood Fire Demons howled in despair, kneeling upon the earth. The king of their race would never have the chance to ascend to the summit again!