Don't Come, I'm Calling for Backup!

King Dazhou's move possessed truly terrifying deterrence! A sure-kill method! At that moment, experts in all directions were shaken. Meanwhile, in the distance, Tiangu's cold, indifferent voice echoed out. "King Dazhou, carting humanity's Eternals all over the place... Aren't you afraid that mid-teleportation, the traitor among your human Eternals will shatter your divine character?" A traitor! King Fenhai was already dead, yet Tiangu still brought up the notion of a traitor. Did he truly know something, or was he merely trying to shake the human race's resolve? Or perhaps he was reminding someone: the first time was forgivable, but the second time... they had to act! Do not give King Dazhou the chance to teleport! ... Eastern Rift Valley. As Tiangu's voice drifted over, the eyes of many flickered, and they turned to look at King Dazhou. Someone said in a low voice, "What does Tiangu mean?" King Dazhou replied calmly, "What could he mean? Nothing more than a simple sowing of discord. You've lived all these years only to feed your brains to the dogs? Harbor less suspicion. If I'm not afraid, what are you worried about?" The crowd fell silent. At that moment, Tiangu's voice transmission carried over once more: "If one of you steps forward now—if just one steps out, while the rest remain undercover—humanity will never have another chance!" He was telling that person: if you step out now, the human experts will never trust King Dazhou and the others again. They will never believe there are no traitors left among humanity's Invincibles. With a second traitor exposed, there could be a third! This was the best opportunity! Tiangu's voice droned on, laced with insidious incitement. "Kill Su Yu, kill Wan Tiansheng! I imagine that is what you need to do as well! The opportunity is right before your eyes! Fail to kill him today, and in the future... you may never have the chance again!" "If Su Yu does not die today, having cultivated for merely a few years, he can already kill Eternals. In a few more years, will he be able to slay Dao Integration experts?" "Step out now, and this king will ensure your safety..." With that, he barked, "Men, proceed to the Immortal-human border!" In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen Invincible Immortal Kings did not move to kill Su Yu. Instead, they flew rapidly toward the border between the Immortal and human realms. Tiangu was bolstering the traitor's courage, backing them up, and also warning humanity: there is still a traitor among you! Beware your companions! Beware the hidden hand behind your back! A slight tremor rippled through the human ranks. Was there truly another traitor? After slaying King Fenhai, King Dazhou and the others had asserted that there was no second traitor. Yet Tiangu was so certain, even dispatching a large host of Invincibles. Was he genuinely convinced a traitor existed, or was this merely intended to cow humanity into not daring to teleport at will? If another traitor truly surfaced now, the credibility of King Dazhou, King Daqin, and their peers would suffer a devastating blow. If there was a second, there could very well be a third! King Dazhou and the others' words would no longer command blind trust. Just like when Su Yu had dealt with the Hunting Heaven Pavilion moments ago—once one traitor appeared, even if everyone felt a second was impossible, the moment that second actually emerged, all would begin wondering if there was a third. Surges of Immortal power erupted in the distance. The Immortal race had sent even more Immortal Kings! A great number! Partly to drive a wedge between humans, partly to intimidate them. At the same time, it signaled to the other races: rest assured, our Immortal race will pin down humanity, ensuring they dare not teleport away so easily. In the Eastern Rift Valley, the atmosphere grew slightly somber. The excitement from previously bathing the Dragon race in blood abruptly vanished. Several veteran Invincibles wore heavy expressions. Was there truly another traitor? In truth... they had vaguely suspected it all along. King Fenhai was dead, yes, but certain matters had not been fully explained upon his death, details that seemingly did not tie back to him. What did that signify? For instance, King Fenhai had claimed Ye Batian once sparred with him in private and humiliated him. Having reached that point, King Fenhai had had no reason to lie. Yet as domineering and arrogant as Ye Batian had been, actively humiliating King Fenhai... seemed out of character, didn't it? Everyone had simply suppressed those doubts, but now, Tiangu had brought them to light once more. For a time, strange thoughts churned in their hearts. With a great battle looming, such wedges easily destabilized morale. The Hunting Heaven Pavilion, for example, could not even muster thirty percent of its strength, and a chief elder had died as a result. King Dazhou remained unfazed, turning his gaze toward the Immortal Realm as though seeing Tiangu at its gateway. "Immortal Realm, you had best mind your own affairs." His voice was calm, yet it resonated across the heavens. "Cease this ceaseless meddling from dawn till dusk, grinding down the strength of the various factions! In your realm's Immortal Transformation Pool, aren't there still dozens of old relics hidden away, rumored to have decayed and fallen? If you can bear the cost, throw them all out at once to slay Su Yu and his companion, and humanity will naturally concede!" King Dazhou murmured faintly, "Didn't King Yu and Hanxiang both emerge from there? A few have walked out, so let the rest follow! Were I you, Tiangu, I would press with all my might. Why resort to this piecemeal tactic of throwing wood onto the fire bit by bit? You worry your Immortal race will suffer too grievous a loss. A fine calculation, but do you truly take the world for fools? Tiangu, why don't you come out yourself?" "Several hundred years ago, when Qin Guang and I penetrated deep into your Immortal Realm, we saw the scene in the Immortal Transformation Pool with our own eyes. A whole cluster of coffins was forged there, and within any given coffin lay an ancient fossil. Back then, I wondered why you were crafting coffins, Tiangu. Later, I realized you were truly preparing them for yourself... thinking that one day, when you decayed, you would lie within, awaiting revival at a critical juncture?" King Dazhou continued softly, "Tiangu, I know the Gods, Demons, and various other races all hide their cards! Yet your Immortal race hides the most of all, wouldn't you say? Right now, with a single command from your realm, another fifty or sixty Immortal Kings could step forth, couldn't they? Among them, no fewer than twenty high-stage Eternals... If you throw them all into the fray, humanity will admit defeat, and Su Yu and his side will accept their fate. Why not do so?" King Dazhou's voice reverberated through the myriad realms! The Immortal race, the Immortal Transformation Pool, countless coffins, countless ancient relics! Those words sent shockwaves through all who heard. Just how many Immortal Kings did the Immortal race possess? Many had already died, and on the All-Heavens Battlefield right now, there were still roughly twenty. Tiangu had dispatched even more to the border to intimidate humanity. Factoring in the dead, there were around forty accounted for already. Yet King Dazhou claimed the Immortal race could dispatch another fifty or sixty at will! Over a hundred in total? Tiangu's voice soon echoed back. "What you saw was merely what I wished for you to see. When you and Qin Guang came last time, everything you laid eyes upon was only what I allowed you to witness. Foolish!" In other words: I deliberately frightened you! King Dazhou showed a face full of contempt. "Tiangu, do not overestimate yourself. If you are truly so formidable, retrieve your own coffin lid first before speaking! Rather than wasting time bantering with me, why not harden your resolve and reveal your trump cards? Who do you think you can intimidate with a mere dozen or so Eternals? Bring another thirty or fifty, and I will immediately lead humanity back behind the borders of the Human Realm! Otherwise... you are merely a laughingstock!" At this point, someone could no longer hold back. The Dragon Emperor's infuriated voice carried over: "Tiangu, since the Immortal race still has strength to spare, must you insist on feeding the flames drop by drop, sending them one by one to die? Bring forth several high-stage Eternals to slaughter Su Yu and the other!" Since you still harbor powerhouses and your Immortal Realm cannot be easily breached, charge out! ... Immortal Realm. Tiangu wore an indifferent expression. Powerhouses—naturally, they had them. The crux was that the struggle for hegemony across the heavens was not merely about the myriad races destroying humanity. Once the human race was exterminated, it would turn into a clash for supremacy among the remaining races. If all his trump cards were squandered now, what would he do afterward? Had the Gods and Demons concealed no strength? Had the Dragons concealed none? Had the Nether race concealed none? Impossible! Yet even with the war raging furiously and countless dying, each race continued to hide its cards. Tiangu understood their calculations all too well. He took a soft breath and turned to look back into the Immortal Realm. Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng still had to be killed. Outsiders could not be relied upon; the Hunting Heaven Pavilion was useless, and the Invincibles of the minor races were terrified out of their wits, complying publicly while defying privately, refusing to expend real effort. Even when they arrived on the scene, they merely acted as spectators. After a moment of silence, Tiangu sent a voice transmission: "King Zhi, please awaken for a brief time!" ... Immortal Realm. Within a vast orchard... Indeed, an orchard, where countless Heaven Yuan Fruit Trees hung heavy with fruit. Beneath each massive tree rested a coffin. Beneath several of the large fruit trees, the coffins had already been pried open, their occupants having clearly walked out. Hanxiang, for instance, and King Yu. These coffins floated in liquid... not water, but liquefied Heaven Yuan Qi. This was the legendary Immortal Transformation Pool! At that moment, beneath another large fruit tree, a coffin of pure white jade trembled slightly. A voice reverberated in the ear of an ancient being resting within. Eyes opened! Sun and moon fell in those eyes as a formidable being heard Tiangu's voice. King Zhi! This ancient existence's hair had long turned silver-white, though his face remained youthful and his skin delicate, looking as though it might break at the gentlest touch. For a moment, King Zhi was slightly disoriented. Soon, he pushed open the coffin lid and vanished into thin air. Moments later, at the gateway of the Immortal Realm. The newly awoken powerhouse saw Tiangu and bowed slightly. "Greetings, my Emperor!" Tiangu exhaled softly, wasting no words as he reached out a hand to touch King Zhi's brow. King Zhi offered no resistance. Soon, clarity returned to his eyes as though he understood everything. He said in a deep voice, "Then I shall go slay Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng!" Tiangu nodded slightly, but added quickly, "Be careful. He can open a passageway to the Dead Spirit Realm, yet he has not done so! I originally intended to wait until he opened it, letting those fellows become the targets of the dead spirits... but the plan was repeatedly disrupted! Beneath the dead spirit passageway, there may be dead spirit monarchs—not just one, perhaps several, or even more..." He knew! Yes, Tiangu knew. As an ancient fossil, there was no way he remained ignorant. Because there was precedent! Hetu had done it before. Those who came after the first tide might have little impression or memory of it, but Tiangu remembered and knew. Thus, he was certain Su Yu still possessed a retreat route. The Dead Spirit Realm! Tiangu could even deduce how Su Yu had exited the Star Astral Mansion: a dead spirit passageway! In that case, Su Yu held another hidden card. The Dead Spirit Realm! Opening the dead spirit passageway to lure out dead spirits! Or fleeing into the Dead Spirit Realm himself to survive! Hearing this, King Zhi understood. "Hetu's old trick?" "Precisely!" Evidently, King Zhi was well aware of Hetu's history. King Zhi chuckled. "Hetu rose through dead spirits, and fell through dead spirits! The Dead Spirit Realm is not so easily brought under control! Dead spirit monarchs cannot be directed! If Su Yu lures out dead spirit monarchs, that would be ideal. An individual blessed with such immense atmospheric fortune is difficult to kill, but... we can redirect the dead spirit monarchs to create slaughter, spreading death qi and forcing Hongmeng to personally execute Su Yu once more! Otherwise, should a Tribulation of Rules descend, none of the guardians will meet a good end!" "If Su Yu does not draw dead spirits out, it will surely be to flee into the Dead Spirit Realm to save his own skin..." He looked toward Tiangu. "Should I pursue him inside?" Tiangu looked back at him. "What do you think? The Dead Spirit Realm is perilous. Pursuing him inside would carry risk even for you or me." "If I act swiftly, hunting down and killing Su Yu without delay, I need only step back out through the passageway immediately. The guardians are outside now; stepping out poses no hindrance. Even if they are present, they will not intervene. That is the rule!" King Zhi pondered for a moment. "What if he opens the dead spirit passageway and flees inside? Should I give chase?" He added, "I will do my utmost not to grant him the time to open it!" Tiangu said nothing, his fingers pinching in rapid calculation. After a long moment, he said in a heavy voice, "I fear there may be danger." With that, a token appeared in his hand, which he handed to King Zhi. "If you truly enter and encounter mortal peril, presenting this token should neutralize the danger once!" "Thank you, my Emperor!" King Zhi offered his thanks with a faint smile, then stepped forward, exiting the Immortal Realm. In an instant, he vanished on the spot. He did not open a temporal channel; rather, he disappeared in absolute silence! ... Meanwhile, Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng were panting heavily from exhaustion. On the Hunting Heaven Pavilion's side, three powerful combatants still fought against them. Naturally, their efforts carried a sense of powerlessness. They were even terrified of being slain and dared not press too close to Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng. On the periphery, the fourteen minor-race Invincibles slacked off, unwilling to draw near. Further away, the Iron-Eating Beast Emperor munched on food while facing off against the Tianyuan Emperor. Neither made a move; both maintained a posture of mutual deterrence without coming to blows. Right at that moment, the Iron-Eating Beast Emperor suddenly looked in a certain direction, grunting in a muffled voice, "Su Yu, your trouble has arrived. Tiangu played his trump card to kill you!" The next instant, the figure of a silver-haired immortal manifested in the distance. He looked toward the distant Iron-Eating Beast Emperor and bowed slightly with courteous demeanor. "Greetings, Beast Emperor!" The Iron-Eating Beast Emperor gave him a sideways glance and said dully, "King Zhi, ninth-stage Eternal, a powerhouse of the Immortal race from the First Great Tide! During that first tide, Hetu suffered two catastrophic losses: once forced to become a city lord, and once falling completely. His transformation into a city lord was engineered by this very person!" Hetu's nemesis! Back then, Hetu had already attained Dao validation, yet he had still been driven to become an undead city lord. Only now did Su Yu learn that King Zhi had been the cause! A ninth-stage Eternal! Someone not to be trifled with! And an ancient ninth-stage Eternal from the First Great Tide at that. The Iron-Eating Beast Emperor added, "He never stepped into Dao Integration. I assumed he was dead, but to think he is still alive. The Immortal race truly enjoys long life; even when grievously wounded and near death, they manage to survive..." He sighed with genuine emotion, yet could only offer an introduction. He was keeping the Tianyuan Emperor in check, and vice versa. The other party was holding him at bay as well! For a Dao Integration combatant to battle a ninth-stage Eternal was neither exceedingly difficult nor particularly simple. Three to five ninth-stage Eternals working together could contend against Dao Integration—King Daqin and his peers had once joined hands to battle a Dao Integration expert. Now that King Zhi had emerged, he was powerless to help. At that moment, the powerhouses battling across the various fronts all felt a wave of relief! The Immortal race had truly spared no expense! This time, the Immortals truly acted as the vanguard race, deploying a vast number of powerhouses: King Yu, Hanxiang, and several other ancient fossils had surfaced, and now even an old relic from the First Great Tide had entered the fray. The Immortal race's desire to slay Su Yu burned far hotter than that of any other race! Su Yu's heart jolted. Just as he was about to open the dead spirit passageway, King Zhi chuckled softly. "Su Yu, preparing to open the dead spirit passageway? Is that your final trump card?" Su Yu's heart lurched! He knew! King Zhi seemed to relish the change in Su Yu's expression, remarking mildly, "Long ago, Hetu opened it as well, and on multiple occasions. I encountered it several times myself. However, think twice before you leap! Once opened, should dead spirit monarchs emerge, they spiral out of control too easily. And once they do, those guardians will face dire consequences! As for ducking inside yourself... dead spirits do not distinguish between friend and foe. Take care not to dig your own grave!" With that, he smiled lightly. "Why not refrain from opening it, and play with me for a bit instead?" Su Yu's expression grew solemn! He had assumed no one knew he could open the passageway, only to find that the Immortal race was fully aware! That meant the veteran powerhouses of the other races likely knew as well. No wonder there were hardly any experts from the major races near him. Only members of minor races and the Hunting Heaven Pavilion. Had these fellows from the Hunting Heaven Pavilion been used as pawns? Since you know I can open the passageway... do you know I have dozens of dead spirit monarchs down below? Su Yu gritted his teeth and glared at him. "Play? Since you know so much, why not accompany me down there to play!" If he could wipe out this bastard, it would be well worth it! A ninth-stage Eternal! A powerhouse from the First Great Tide! If this fellow was slain, the Immortal race would weep bitter tears. He was likely peak combat strength second only to Dao Integration, and in Dao Integration, the Immortals seemingly had only Tiangu at present. King Zhi closed in step by step, glancing at Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng, then at the trio from the Hunting Heaven Pavilion and the peripheral Invincibles. He said indifferently, "Everyone, will you strike now, or step aside to watch the show?" The crowd wore varied expressions. If we say we want to leave, will you let us? Clearly not! If they truly walked away, unless they followed the example of the one who had fled earlier and ran for their lives, they would have to live in perpetual dread of the Immortal race's retribution! Now that a pinnacle expert of the ninth-stage Eternal realm had arrived, these minor-race Invincibles gained a measure of courage. The next moment, more than a dozen Invincibles unleashed their attacks simultaneously! Since someone was holding down the line, then kill! Su Yu hesitated no longer and threw open the dead spirit passageway. A faint, massive surge of death qi seeped out, but instead of scattering, every wisp was absorbed entirely by Su Yu. At this moment, Su Yu seemed entirely transformed into a dead spirit. He hovered directly above the pitch-black opening, a swirling vortex beneath which lay the Dead Spirit Realm... and the ancient castle! Yes, Xingyue's castle! Su Yu could feel it! Passing through this vortex led straight to Xingyue's stronghold. Down there right now, dead spirits were gathered in terrifying numbers. ... The moment Su Yu opened the passageway. A black vortex appeared above the castle. Inside the castle, dozens of dead spirit monarchs were currently holding a banquet. Hetu, Daidai, and Xingyue were all present. Xingyue had no time to keep watch over the passageway. At that moment, she was saying coldly, "Everyone, regarding what I said..." Before she could finish, the monarchs looked up toward the ceiling. One dead spirit monarch murmured in slight bewilderment, "What is that... I seem to... sense the aura of living beings." A veteran dead spirit monarch turned to Hetu nearby, thoroughly astonished. "Hetu, this... Wasn't it just like this when you opened a passageway back then?" Hetu knew that fellow Su Yu had opened it. Hearing the question, he smiled and said, "Let us watch first; there is no rush! It seems someone wants to summon us up there to help kill people... Do not be reckless. Back then, because of me, a great number of monarchs perished. Once bitten, twice shy. Now, we are in no hurry to go up and serve as targets!" Beside him, Xingyue hesitated briefly before regaining her calm. "Could Su Yu have opened it? Su Yu is a subordinate I converted! Earlier, I had him toss down several corpses of living beings to serve as the banquet's main dish... Could he have prepared them already?" "Living beings as the main course?" A dead spirit monarch laughed. "Xingyue, you certainly know how to entertain! But to us, weak living beings are utterly meaningless!" "They should be monarch-level as well!" Xingyue spoke as her gaze pierced through the castle to the vortex above. "Let us watch a bit longer. If Su Yu comes down shortly, I will ask him about the situation. If there is not enough food, I will slaughter Su Yu to serve as the main dish!" "If there is plenty, I will send Su Yu back up to toss down living beings every few days!" "Su Yu?" Another dead spirit monarch snorted coldly. "If you ask me, we should just kill Su Yu and be done with it! That fellow has provided no small amount of aid to the other guardians. Over by Yuhong, I had nearly broken her guard, only to have that bastard ruin everything!" Hetu smiled. "Why be in such a hurry? Su Yu's existence is a boon, just as mine was back then. Without Su Yu, who could open dead spirit passageways at will? In this era, he is the only one! An opening free from guardian control—killing him would rob us of much amusement!" At these words, a monarch chuckled. "Hetu speaks the truth. If Su Yu is truly willing to open passageways here and there, keeping him around is indeed beneficial!" As they spoke, Hetu rose. "Why don't we go take a look together? See if Su Yu has run into trouble and wants us to lend a hand... We can enjoy the show..." The monarchs laughed. "Then let us go look!" Moments later, dozens of monarchs left the castle and hovered in the air above, faintly catching muffled voices drifting from beyond. ... Above, Su Yu had thrown open the dead spirit passageway in an instant. The surrounding Invincibles rushing to encircle him halted, each showing hesitation. A dead spirit passageway! Were there dead spirit monarchs beneath it? Su Yu said coldly, "Do not force my hand! There are three dead spirit monarchs below, including two at the seventh stage of the Eternal realm! Are you forcing me to summon them out to butcher you all? Must you insist on acting as someone else's cannon fodder?" Three! And two at the seventh stage of the Eternal realm! At these words, many Invincibles wavered. King Zhi could not help but chuckle. "Su Yu, are you certain there are three dead spirit monarchs below?" Su Yu gritted his teeth and suddenly roared, "Lady Xingyue, please lend me a hand!" The passageway shuddered. Moments later, Xingyue emerged. Not just Xingyue—Daidai followed right behind her, and soon after, Hetu stepped out as well. Su Yu burst into loud laughter. "Come! Kill me! These three lords have already reached an agreement with me and are willing to strike down powerful foes on my behalf! King Zhi? Bullshit! What of a ninth-stage Eternal! Come and try to kill me!" The appearance of three dead spirit monarchs brought the surrounding Invincibles to a dead halt. Their faces showed wildly varied expressions. Su Yu had truly summoned three dead spirit monarchs to his aid! Moreover, they were immensely formidable! Even if Xingyue was slightly weaker, she was still a mid-stage Eternal. The other two were bona fide high-stage Eternals! King Zhi furrowed his brows slightly, gazing at the three dead spirit monarchs before speaking slowly: "Hetu?" Hetu looked at him as well. After a long pause, he said calmly, "It's you! To think you didn't die. No wonder I never ran into you all these years. Back then, I recall shattering your sea of will, yet you managed to survive... What stubborn luck!" He remained remarkably composed. This was his enemy, but he had already exacted revenge long ago. It seemed the fellow had simply been lucky enough to cling to life! With three dead spirit monarchs present, Su Yu seemed to gain tremendous confidence! Wan Tiansheng, however, felt uneasy and sent a transmission: "We won't capsize, will we? Are these figures truly willing to help us?" "Naturally, don't worry!" Su Yu replied, then quickly transmitted to Xingyue, "My Lady, are there many down there?" "Many. Over thirty!" That was certainly plenty! When setting a trap, one could not be too obvious. If he failed to summon even a single monarch, wouldn't that make it blatantly clear an ambush awaited below? Absurd—he had monarchs helping him! Three of them! All powerful! Once even these three were overwhelmed, his flight would appear entirely natural! Su Yu hurriedly transmitted his thoughts to Xingyue. Xingyue knitted her brows, wanting to curse him, but held back. She said coldly, "Insolent wretches, to dare bully my subjects—you deserve death! Under my command are millions of dead spirits and dozens of dead spirit generals! If you do not withdraw, I shall slaughter you all!" "..." King Zhi smiled. Dead spirit generals? He knew of them—quasi-Invincible realm. This dead spirit actually tried to intimidate a ninth-stage Eternal with dead spirit generals! Dead spirits were, in the end, merely dead spirits! Their intellect was far too low. Had she failed to grasp just how many powerhouses were gathered here? "Hetu, compared to back then, the gap between your present self and the past is far too vast!" King Zhi smiled and casually unleashed a blast of immortal radiance toward Hetu, remarking lightly, "Were I you, I would return below now to preserve your dead spirit form. Otherwise... you may never have the chance to awaken again!" Hetu roared in fury, "What kind of thing do you think you are? Kill him!" With that, he and Daidai charged at him! Death qi surged violently! Slay this fellow! Yet King Zhi took a step backward, and as they gave chase, took another step back... From behind, Su Yu glanced over and cursed inwardly! These Immortals were truly shameless. He was trying to lure Hetu and the other to chase recklessly, scattering death qi everywhere, wasn't he? Once they strayed too far and death qi dissipated, trouble would follow! "Lord Hetu, do not pursue! It is best if he leaves; slaughter the others instead..." Hetu and Daidai wasted no words, abandoning the pursuit to charge toward the three from the Hunting Heaven Pavilion! Meanwhile, the minor-race Invincibles scattered in an instant! They had been unwilling to act in the first place, only daring to step forward when King Zhi arrived. Now that King Zhi had pulled back, how could they dare continue fighting, especially with three formidable dead spirits added to the mix? King Zhi frowned slightly! As expected, the minor races were utterly unreliable. He had not been fleeing; he had merely wanted to lure the dead spirit monarchs away. He knew these dead spirit monarchs lacked intellect and were prone to anger and impulsiveness. Yet Hetu possessed greater wits than the others, and seeming to share good relations with Su Yu, had actually suppressed his rage. Even so, the minor-race Invincibles shouldn't have scattered so quickly! King Zhi felt helpless! Truly, one should fear not a godlike opponent, but a pig of an ally! If these people had obeyed orders, never mind three additional monarchs, even ten could have been suppressed with ease. He sighed inwardly, discarding further thought. Forget it! I shall take action myself! It was fine that the dead spirits had emerged; Su Yu's hidden card had now been laid bare. He returned swiftly, striking at Hetu with a blow that sent him stumbling dozens of steps back. Daidai threw a punch, and Hetu quickly followed up. Meanwhile, Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng rushed toward the three Hunting Heaven Pavilion experts, Xingyue included! As Su Yu charged, he transmitted, "My Lady, can those below be suppressed? Don't let them rush up, or it will ruin everything!" If they surged up, everyone would know a horde of dead spirit monarchs was lurking below! "No problem, I can suppress them for a moment. Hetu and I gave them fair warning, but the realm of the living holds great temptation for dead spirits; we cannot hold them back for long!" Su Yu had his answer! "My Lady, feign injury shortly and retreat first. When you run back, shout that you are going to summon friends to assist. These fellows won't give me much time, nor will they grant us the chance to gather reinforcements. When I flee inside, they will surely pursue me!" "Very well!" Xingyue couldn't be bothered to argue. Leave the thinking to him! As for the rest, it was just fighting! With everything coordinated, Su Yu erupted with combat power. Yet as his strength surged, Xingyue showed signs of weakening. Seeing this while suppressing the two seventh-stage dead spirits with ease, King Zhi called out, "Slay that dead spirit! Su Yu's eruption of death qi is draining her strength!" At these words, the North Tower Master thrust a sword toward Xingyue! He felt it too! Su Yu's surge of power seemed to be drawing on this monarch's essence! Su Yu snorted coldly, joining forces with Wan Tiansheng to press violently against the two division heads. Ignoring Xingyue, he gritted his teeth and roared, "Hold on, Lady! Once we kill these two, we will come to your aid!" Xingyue ignored him, falling back under the North Tower Master's onslaught! King Zhi waited a moment, battling Daidai and Hetu while sensing the condition of the dead spirit passageway. For a long time, no other dead spirits emerged. There were likely no other monarchs down there. With that, King Zhi was finally reassured! Boom! A colossal palm smashed downward! Only now did he unleash his true might—overwhelmingly dominant. With a single palm strike, Daidai and Hetu were blasted backward, their death qi showing signs of dispersal. Hetu sighed with mixed emotions. "The dead... are inferior to the living after all!" When he was alive, he had been stronger than this fellow. Now in death, he was far outmatched! King Zhi said indifferently, "Only losers die; the living are the victors! Naturally, the victors are stronger!" With that, he unleashed another palm strike, forcing the two into retreat. At this moment, only Su Yu's side held the upper hand, as he and Wan Tiansheng battered the two division heads, driving them back with every strike! King Zhi barked coldly, "The rest of you, attack! Stop fleeing! If you flee today, can you flee tomorrow?" What were so many Invincibles doing standing around? Su Yu and Wan Tiansheng paid them no mind, fighting with frenzied madness, disregarding injury as their brutal strikes forced the two division heads to cough blood repeatedly! On the other side, Xingyue was heavily suppressed. Suddenly, the North Tower Master's sword pierced her throat! Death qi spilled outward in droves! Xingyue roared with fury, wanting to kill... but quickly recalling Su Yu's words, she bellowed, "Bastard! Wait until I return to gather my friends, and I will come back to slay you!" With that, she dissolved into death qi and plunged into the passageway! Su Yu's expression changed drastically. "Don't go..." Over there, Hetu shouted as well, "Su Yu, we cannot drag this out! We are going down to rally friends from all directions... You never mentioned there would be so many powerhouses!" Su Yu cried out in haste, "Wait, hold on a bit longer, Lord Hetu..." With that, he seized Wan Tiansheng, ceasing his offensive to retreat rapidly toward the dead spirit passageway. At this sight, the minor races regained their spirits and courage, pressing forward once more! Su Yu bellowed, "Do you dare? There are hundreds of dead spirit monarchs below! If you dare try to kill me..." Before he finished, he glanced at Hetu's side, where the two were already suppressed beyond their limits. Without another word, he gritted his teeth and shouted, "I'll retreat first! Hold on a bit longer, lords, we have hundreds of monarchs down below..." Before the words faded, Hetu was blasted backward with a resounding crash. Su Yu's expression shifted drastically, and dragging Wan Tiansheng, he bolted toward the passageway! Fleeing! Hetu and his companion could not hold out, unable to block King Zhi! King Zhi struck Daidai away with another palm. Killing them outright was somewhat difficult, so seeing Su Yu flee, Daidai and Hetu also dissolved into death qi, vanishing on the spot. At that moment, Su Yu plunged into the dead spirit passageway and began shutting it rapidly! His voice continued to echo out: "If you dare come down, you will surely die..." As he spoke, the dead spirit passageway shrank at high speed! Beside him, heavy beads of sweat poured down Wan Tiansheng's forehead. Moments ago, he had assumed Su Yu was joking, bluffing to deter King Zhi and the others from giving chase. He had honestly believed Su Yu was spouting nonsense just to scare them! Yet when he actually descended alongside Su Yu... The sweat poured! Wan Tiansheng felt as though he had walked into his own grave, because... nearby, there were genuinely dozens of monarchs staring at him with eyes glowing red! It was as though they were contemplating how best to eat him! His heart nearly leapt out of his chest! You brat, you weren't joking at all! Playing hard to get to this extent terrified even Wan Tiansheng. At that moment, Xingyue was hurriedly transmitting to the monarchs: "Wait, don't rush! The big fish is up above—King Zhi of the Immortal race, a ninth-stage Eternal, a powerhouse from the First Great Tide! Using him as the main dish will be more than enough!" The monarchs could barely contain themselves! They wanted to charge out! Yet Xingyue urged them, "Wait a little longer; he will come down. If he comes down voluntarily, he will be easier to kill and unable to escape. There are Dao Integration experts above, making it easy for him to flee!" Reluctantly, the monarchs reined in their impulses. One monarch looked at Wan Tiansheng and asked, "Do we eat this one?" "This one... is too weak. Wait until King Zhi is slain!" "Then... just a moment longer, only a moment. This king can barely hold back!" "This king as well!" "..." The monarchs craned their necks in eager anticipation. Why wasn't he down yet? So impatient! Su Yu was dripping sweat as well. Come down! If you don't come down, Old Wan and I might be in trouble. Can Xingyue and Hetu keep these monarchs in check? Scared me half to death! There are so many! Though he had anticipated it, being stared down by dozens of monarchs terrified him nonetheless. ... Above. The dead spirit passageway continued to compress, a clear sign of closing. King Zhi furrowed his brows slightly. Should he go down? Going down carried a degree of danger. Soon, his eyes turned cold and sharp as he looked toward the others. "We go down together! Rest assured, there are only a handful of dead spirit monarchs below. We can quickly exit through the ancient city's passageway. Once we kill Su Yu, we will return immediately. Without venturing deep into the Dead Spirit Realm, there is no danger whatsoever!" "This..." The Invincibles were reluctant. Venturing into the Dead Spirit Realm was simply too perilous! King Zhi said coldly, "Be quick about it! Do you wish for your races to be exterminated? I am accompanying you personally; can you still not rest easy?" The Invincibles remained hesitant. This truly was exceedingly dangerous. What if they couldn't get back up, or drew the attention of a massive swarm of dead spirit monarchs? "Su Yu said there are hundreds of dead spirit monarchs below..." Fine, when those words were uttered, they didn't even believe it themselves! King Zhi barked coldly, "Nonsense! If there were truly so many dead spirit monarchs, he would have summoned them directly to slaughter everything in sight. Would he still run away?" "You have already struck. Do you truly believe that if someone like Su Yu escapes, he will let you off?" Someone let out a helpless sigh. Seeing the dead spirit passageway on the verge of vanishing entirely, King Zhi's aura flared as he shouted, "Get inside! Those who refuse... wait until this battle ends!" With that, he plunged downward! The dozen or so Invincibles nearby hesitated briefly, then flew downward one after another. There was no choice—a tragic reality! Yet descend they must! In the blink of an eye, including the three from the Hunting Heaven Pavilion, they all plunged down together. Of the fifteen Invincibles from minor races, excluding the one whose past embodiment had perished, the remaining fourteen, plus the three from the Hunting Heaven Pavilion and King Zhi—eighteen Invincibles in total—plunged downward together! They had no choice but to go! As for King Zhi, he was purely bold on account of his supreme skill! Hundreds of monarchs? Utter nonsense! Only a fool would believe that!