In the dead spirit realm.
The Western Heavenly King was retreating step after step!
By now, he was genuinely anxious. Real trouble had arrived; this dog was simply too terrifying!
A moment later, he bellowed, "Northern King, if I die today, you are next! You should know full well the consequences!"
The Southern King had indeed moved to block him!
Yet the Northern King still commanded many dead spirit marquises—more than the Southern King had. Because the Southern King had allied with humanity, the number of marquises under her command was somewhat lower. If the Northern King joined the battle, even if he were pinned down by the Southern King, three to five of his marquises slipping through would give them a fighting chance!
Otherwise, there truly was no hope left!
In the north.
The Northern King’s phantom projection wavered in hesitation. Then, his indecision vanished. The Western King was right: if he stayed his hand and allowed the Western King to fall, his own days would be numbered.
He was wary of both the Western King and Princess Consort Xi, but he had no desire to see them perish like this.
Once the balance broke, how could he expect peace?
The Northern King let out a thunderous roar. "Follow me to meet the enemy!"
In an instant, he tore through the void, leading fifteen dead spirit marquises in a charge toward the Eastern King Domain.
In the south.
The Southern King’s expression turned frosty. The Northern King had chosen to intervene after all!
Her domain possessed fewer dead spirit marquises to begin with, and two human marquises among them had already departed to join the battle. Right now, only ten marquises remained at her side—five fewer than the Northern King brought.
Five dead spirit marquises entering the fray could tilt the scales enormously!
Still, defeat was far from certain.
On Marquis Lanshan’s front, as long as the little white dog could keep the Western Heavenly King at bay, Marquis Lanshan and the Old Turtle’s Dao body were more than capable of holding the line.
"Kill!"
Without another word, the Southern King barked an order, tore open the void, and surged toward the Eastern King Domain!
Behind her, however, the ten dead spirit marquises hesitated.
Yes, they hesitated!
None of them were human marquises.
With humanity once more seeking to unify the dead spirit realm, not all of these dead spirit marquises were pleased about it. Naturally, some among them were humanity’s allies, and having ruled the southern domain for countless years, the Southern King possessed trusted confidants. Even so, as she flew at the vanguard, her heart twitched with unease.
She feared that once the battle erupted, some of the marquises under her command might defect!
After all, none of them were humans!
Yet there was no time to ponder such things. Taking the lead, the Southern King called out, "I will engage the Northern King. The rest of you, go reinforce our allies!"
The other dead spirit marquises broke into motion, flying toward the Eastern King Domain.
Meanwhile, the Southern King rapidly closed the distance with the Northern King in a separate sector. The two were bound to clash in single combat.
From far away, the two Heavenly Kings traded a long-range blow, rattling the Great Daos!
The Dead Spirit Great Dao manifested, and the two respective Daos coiled around it slammed into one another instantly!
The Northern King was formidable!
Faintly, he even held a slight edge over the Southern King.
Even so, deciding a victor would not happen overnight. The decisive clash did not lie between them, but with the Western King—and beyond the boundary, with Princess Consort Xi!
Whichever side gained supremacy would dictate the outcome of the entire war!
"Awoo!"
At that very moment, the little white dog grew thoroughly annoyed, frantic, and enraged!
*So annoying!*
*I still need to go back and water my flowers!*
It let out a fierce roar. In the void, the silhouette of a gigantic white dog materialized, expanding ten million times in an instant!
Not only that, but the little white dog spat out over a hundred divine talismans!
These divine talismans differed from ordinary ones; every single one seemed tethered to a Great Dao!
"Void Lock!"
The little white dog barked, and the hundred-plus divine talismans sealed off every direction around the Western King!
The Western King looked on in sheer horror!
What was this?
He found himself instantly trapped within a tiny pocket of void, while the little white dog roared, "Old Turtle, and you over there, go help Book Spirit and the others kill everyone! Once they’re dead, go kill those over that way!"
The Old Turtle and Marquis Lanshan were both startled, their hearts trembling in disbelief!
This dog… was uncanny!
No, not just uncanny—damn it all, it had too many treasures!
Unable to waste words, and taking advantage of the fact that the Northern King’s forces had yet to arrive, the two charged toward the Western King’s subordinates!
Killing one was one less to worry about!
Every kill brought them closer to victory!
Meanwhile, the Western King struggled violently, battering the surrounding divine talismans, yet he failed to shatter them immediately.
The little white dog was growing frantic with impatience. Its jaws parted once more, spitting out another object—a metallic ring!
A memory surfaced in the little dog’s mind. In the old days, its little master would toss the ring, calling out excitedly, *"Feiqiu, go fetch!"*
And it would scamper off happily to retrieve it!
Now, that very ring expanded into an immense hoop, descending over the Western King. In the Western King’s eyes, it was no simple ring—it was a death-dealing shackle!
His face drained of color!
*Curse it, could someone tell me what is going on with this dog?!*
To him, that ring seemed like a miniature River of Time, curling into a circle and crashing down upon him!
Before the Western King could even shatter the talismans, the ring hovered right over his head.
The Western King roared, shaking his Great Dao, but the dog’s biting assault kept snapping his Dao to pieces. Howling, he rallied death qi that shook the heavens to forcefully batter the ring. He knew that if this thing settled onto him, he would be in catastrophic trouble!
"Still fighting back, huh?!"
The little white dog was fuming. Even this couldn't trap him?
*Think you’re tough?!*
"Take this then!"
While the Northern King and the others nearly forgot to keep fighting from pure shock, the little white dog spat out yet another object. It was a chain—yes, another chain. In truth, it was a dog leash. Its little master had constantly wanted to walk it, but it had swallowed the leash instead. Its little master had searched endlessly without finding it, growing so angry that he had threatened to butcher the dog to retrieve the cord!
Now, that long-lost leash appeared once more!
Not only did it appear, but it also transformed into a massive chain, lashing out to bind the Great Dao above the Western King’s head!
The Western King was on the verge of despair!
*No, what is this?!*
*What is this now?!*
His strength could shake the heavens. Aside from when King Wu and the others had invaded back then, reducing him to utter helplessness and forcing his surrender, he had never felt so utterly desperate!
Seeing that the Western King was still thrashing and hammering away wildly after being lashed by the chain, the little white dog grew even angrier!
*You’re wasting my time, don’t you know that?!*
"You stinky jerk, you’re dead!"
Beside itself with fury, the little white dog spat out yet another object—a round sphere, resembling a little flowered ball favored by young girls. As the dog expelled it, the ball hurtled down toward the Western King with a deafening boom!
Utterly desperate, the Western King bellowed, "Just who are you?!"
*Boom!*
The leash and the dog’s Great Dao suppressed his own Dao, the metallic ring bound him, and now the flowered ball was bashing him. Mighty as the Western King was, two fists could hardly fend off four strikes!
In truth, the little white dog was panting heavily as well.
It was exhausted!
Controlling so many treasures took a massive toll on its energy.
Yet all it wanted was a quick resolution so it could hurry home!
Seeing the Western King still babbling, the little white dog nearly lost its mind. *You still have the breath to talk?!*
*Does that mean killing you is going to take even longer?!*
"Woof, woof, woof! You’re so annoying!"
The little white dog was beside itself with rage, looking as though it were the one at a disadvantage. *I’m in a hurry here!*
It wasted no more words. This time, its belly seemed to churn.
After a moment, under the thunderstruck gazes of everyone present, the little white dog panted and regurgitated something!
Something that looked almost rotten and decayed!
It was a shoe!
Yes, a shoe!
It couldn't remember which day it had been, but King Wen had been preparing to leave. The little master had been unwilling to let him go, throwing a huge tantrum, yet King Wen had insisted on departing. The little white dog had still been young back then, and it had stealthily sneaked over and swallowed one of King Wen’s shoes left outside the room.
Its childish thought had been that if its master couldn't find his shoe, he couldn't leave!
A naive notion!
Yet King Wen’s shoe… nothing worn by an absolute powerhouse could ever be weak. If it were fragile, it could never endure that mighty foot; otherwise, one kick would blow the shoe apart, which would be an insult to gentlemanly elegance!
King Wen cared about elegance, so his shoes were extraordinarily durable, every bit as resilient as his white robes.
Missing a shoe, King Wen hadn't even bothered looking for it, knowing full well who had stolen it. He had simply run off. As for the remaining shoe, King Wen had taken it with him—who knew whether he had forged another to match it?
Naturally, the little white dog didn't care about any of that right now.
It had held that shoe in its belly for countless years without digesting it, and it had never dared spit it out for fear of being caught by its master. So it had just stayed there!
Now that its masters were nowhere to be found, who cared?!
The next instant, as if someone were actually wearing it, a foot materialized in the void and stomped down toward the Western King!
That stomp felt more terrifying than any weapon!
The Western King felt despair, shock, awe, terror…
"No!"
"No, this… what is this…"
It was merely a shoe!
Yet in that moment, he seemed to see a man—a man who inspired bone-deep dread and horror.
With his Great Dao bound and his physical body locked by divine talismans, he had nowhere to run. The Western King bellowed in rage and despair!
"Impossible!"
"King Wen is dead!"
His howl shook the entire dead spirit realm. He refused to believe this was King Wen, yet that foot seemed unmistakably his, even after endless ages had elapsed.
He could never forget that day when King Wen had entered the dead spirit realm and arrived at the Western King’s manor.
He had kept his head bowed, catching sight of only those feet!
He could not even recall King Wen’s face, but he remembered those feet—so terrifying that he had prostrated himself before him, head down, not daring to utter a single word!
"No… no!"
The Western King collapsed into total despair!
This dog was tied to King Wen!
"No, my foot!" the little white dog panted heavily. "Stomp you to death!"
*Boom!*
The foot crashed down!
There was no dodging it!
*Boom!*
The heavens split and the earth ruptured. It seemed the entire dead spirit realm could see only that descending foot. As it stomped down, the Western King’s death qi surged out in a desperate, full-force strike laden with agony, defiance, and regret!
*I didn’t know! I didn’t know you were King Wen’s hound! If I had known, I would never have fought you…*
*Never!*
*I regret it!*
"King Wen… you’re dead!" the Western King wailed in a near-breakdown. *You’re dead! Even in death, you still have to step on my face?!*
*Bang!*
The foot slammed down. The Western King’s face shattered into fragments, and his entire dead spirit body disintegrated!
Too terrifying!
This scene left the newly clashed Southern King and Northern King frozen in shock, their eyes bulging with boundless dread!
King Wen!
That was a strike from King Wen!
The Western King—the mighty Western King, one of the four Dead Spirit Heavenly Kings—had been shattered by a single stomp! As his Dao body materialized in dark gold, the descending foot pulverized it in the very next instant!
Up in the sky, the Heavenly King Dao coiled around the Great Dao was bitten in half by the little white dog, while the leash wound around it, tightening firmly around the broken, merged path!
The dog's metallic ring plummeted straight down, smashing the Western King's dead spirit mark to pieces!
And that flowered ball instantly blasted the lingering death qi into utter oblivion!
The entire dead spirit void seemed to blow apart in that single moment!
The little white dog sprawled across the void, panting violently and huffing in annoyance, "You just had to make me exert myself before you’d die!"
Stunned!
Across every sector, the battle instantly froze.
The Old Turtle and Marquis Lanshan stared dumbfounded at the dog hovering in the void!
*Holy shit!*
*What kind of nonsense was this?*
*A berserk dog?!*
*Just because you’re King Wen’s dog, you can do whatever you want?!*
Yes, absolutely!
Not only was it King Wen’s dog, but it was also the Time Master’s dog!
Of its two masters, one had been hailed as the second greatest powerhouse in the heavens—behind only the Human Sovereign in status.
The other had been ranked among the top five powerhouses across the heavens—the Time Master. Though the Time Master rarely fought openly, and few witnessed her clashes, every top expert knew one thing: she was unimaginably powerful. Whoever she willed dead died!
Among supreme experts, she was viewed on par with the Four Zenith Heavenly Kings!
With two such masters who lived under the same roof, any scrap they tossed aside gave the little white dog a foundation far superior to these present Dead Spirit Heavenly Kings.
Even a dog in an emperor's household ate better than an ordinary person!
The little white dog feasted on dragons and phoenixes and drank immortal nectar!
At this moment, the dead spirit realm shuddered violently. The Western King… was dead!
Yes, the peerlessly mighty Western King had fallen just like that. He was stronger than the Eastern King, yet his death was far more wretched. He had not even had the chance to demonstrate his might!
He had not even battered any Dao Joiners to the brink of death!
At least the Eastern King had possessed a glimmer of hope and crippled several Dao Joiners under Su Yu’s command.
Yet the Western King, the overlord who had initiated this war confident of victory, was battered to death by a dog throwing a shoe mere moments into the clash!
Too formidable!
It wasn't merely that the little white dog was strong. It was powerful, yes, but still slightly inferior to the Western Heavenly King in raw cultivation. Such a gap would typically lead to an endless stalemate where killing the other was nearly impossible, and mutual exhaustion was the most plausible outcome!
Yet the little white dog had bludgeoned the Western King to death using pure, unadulterated legacy treasures!
The Western King had died with boundless grievance!
In the void, the little white dog kept panting, thoroughly drained. Wielding all those artifacts was exhausting, though the result was splendid: that foul-smelling guy was dead!
At that exact instant, the battlefield collapsed!
Yes, it broke completely.
The fifteen dead spirit marquises rushing over under the Northern King’s command immediately scattered in every direction, fleeing for their lives!
They had not even reached the scene yet!
They had no choice but to run; they were scared out of their wits.
An existence as terrifying as the Western Heavenly King had been stomped to death in one blow. Were they supposed to walk to their deaths?
Not just them—among the Western Heavenly King’s forces battling Tianmie and the others, a dead spirit marquis bellowed, "Run! Run away! Back to the Western King’s manor, wait for the Princess Consort’s return!"
*Boom!*
Death qi ignited!
This battle was hopeless. Their Heavenly King had been slain before he could even display his prowess—what point was there in continuing?!
Run!
A cluster of dead spirit marquises fled frantically, seeking to withdraw from the war. Yet at this juncture, would Marquis Lanshan and her allies grant them the chance?
From the void, the Eastern King Seal slammed down!
The Human Lord Seal pressed in!
The Old Turtle’s Dao body descended like an immense mountain, smothering the void with a resounding rumble!
Book Spirit transformed into a massive tome resembling a sprawling net, draped in countless characters that blotted out the sky, enclosing the entire Eastern King Domain. The Tea Tree’s countless branches and leaves spread wide…
A host of powerhouses moved in unison to seal off the Eastern King Domain.
The Northern King’s forces had not arrived yet, so their escape could not be helped.
*But you lot are already trapped here—where do you think you’re going?!*
Without the Western Heavenly King to resist the power of the rules and mitigate the suppression of the Human Lord Seal and the Eastern King Seal, crossing domains was pure suicide!
At that moment.
In the distance.
Without a single hesitation, the Northern King fell back rapidly toward the Northern King Domain, barking, "All forces return to the Northern King Domain! Activate the northern restrictions! Hurry!"
Returning to his domain offered his only glimmer of survival!
As the Northern Heavenly King, he enjoyed domain amplification on his home turf, while his foes would be weakened!
This was his only chance to live!
As long as the fifteen scattered marquises regrouped to mount a defense beside him, even if the enemy pursued, they might not be able to bring him down!
The Northern King was decisive: no more fighting, retreat!
Return to his own territory!
Behind him, the Southern King let out a fierce roar, thrusting her sword forward as she shouted, "Senior… Senior, please assist in cutting him off!"
She was calling out to the little white dog!
Yet the dog simply rolled its eyes, huffing and puffing. *I can barely move, okay?!*
*Did you really think manipulating all those treasures was effortless?!*
*Su Yu even extracted five drops of my blood essence earlier!*
"Can’t fight anymore!" the little white dog shouted back.
Yet the Northern King did not harbor the slightest notion of seizing this opening to strike. *Stop joking. Even if you say you’re spent, I wouldn't dare test it!*
There was no continuing this fight!
He focused solely on fleeing!
Not only him, but the dead spirit marquises under his command kept their mouths shut, pouring every ounce of strength into escaping toward the Northern King Domain.
The little white dog claimed it had no strength left—would anyone believe that?
*I sure don't!*
Even if they believed it, none dared venture into the Eastern King Domain!
The Southern King wished to pursue, but found herself helpless, feeling stifled. Once the Northern King made it back, dealing with him would become immensely difficult.
Ah, forget it!
The Southern King’s silhouette flickered and vanished, reappearing instantly to strike down a dead spirit marquis from the Northern King Domain!
Seeing this, the Northern King roared, "All of you, converge on me, hurry!"
As for the marquis who had been intercepted, he was powerless to help. He could not afford to fight in this intermediate buffer zone; if he were pinned down here, he might not be able to lead a single marquis back alive!
In an instant, the remaining dead spirit marquises flew toward him!
The Northern King unfurled strands of his Great Dao to guide them in!
The Southern King snorted coldly, her longsword flashing out. The trapped dead spirit marquis howled madly under her onslaught, but it was futile!
A Heavenly King battling a Dao Joiner was a dynamic the Eastern King had demonstrated before.
Fighting five at once, he could still triumph.
In a one-on-one duel… it was sheer butchery!
Unless the opponent possessed the strength of the Old Turtle, which this marquis clearly lacked.
*Rumble!*
The crushing force of the Great Dao bore down. In the dead spirit realm, hierarchical differences were stark; they all cultivated branches of the same overarching Dao, making it virtually impossible to overturn a suppression of rank and Dao!
By the time the Northern King brought fourteen marquises under his wing and tore through the void to make his escape, a piercing shriek echoed out—the intercepted marquis had been slaughtered on the spot by the Southern King!
Meanwhile, the ten marquises of the Southern King Domain abandoned all second thoughts. Watching the little white dog in the void with lingering terror, they charged toward the Western King Domain’s marquises!
No more nonsense—their leader had picked the right side!
Whatever reservations they might have harbored before, they cast them aside!
Just kill!
This was their pledge of allegiance.
With the Old Turtle and the others suppressing the area and these ten marquises joining the fray, the combat ratio reached roughly two to one. Before long, a marquis from the Western King Domain cried out in agony and was promptly executed.
One, two…
In the blink of an eye, all thirteen dead spirit marquises brought by the Western King were butchered on the spot!
A few had attempted to surrender, but Marquis Lanshan had shown no mercy whatsoever, sparing none!
Marquis Lanshan understood Su Yu’s mindset: any who refused obedience were to be killed!
Though her interactions with him had been brief, she knew this Human Lord possessed an unyielding, domineering character.
Any marquis from the Western King’s manor who dared march into battle here would not leave alive!
The entire dead spirit realm shook relentlessly, like an impending apocalypse!
Brilliant flashes repeatedly tore across the gloomy sky—the detonation of death qi from slain powerhouses, shaking heaven and earth!
Then, the Eastern King Domain fell silent.
The slaughter was complete!
Yes, completely over.
The little white dog’s decisive strike had instantly killed the Western Heavenly King, bringing an abrupt end to the war.
The Old Turtle’s Dao body wasted no time, quickly asking, "I must head back. Will Fellow Daoist come with me?"
"Head back?"
The little white dog perked up excitedly. *Of course, I want to go back too!*
Just then, the Southern King broke through the void, her aura overwhelmingly potent. She said urgently, "You must not! We should consolidate our advantage right now and seize the chance to storm the Northern King’s manor. Otherwise, once the Northern King activates the Northern King Seal and rallies his remaining marquises to fortify his domain, breaching it later will be exceedingly difficult!"
The little white dog glanced back, blinking. "But my flowers haven't been watered yet! How about next time? Let him run for now. When I come back next time, Su Yu will come along too, and we can definitely beat him to death!"
Then it added, "Besides, I have to go. If I stay… trouble is coming!"
The Southern King’s heart jolted!
Yes, trouble was coming!
Suddenly, the distant Dead Spirit Heavenly River rippled, and a formidable aura surged forth. In the next moment, the towering figure of a mighty dead spirit marquis materialized, cast a glance their way, and promptly vanished back into the depths of the river!
Yet before departing, its eyes had glowed blood-red.
It had been stimulated by the aura of the living!
It had refrained from approaching only because it sensed the terrifying might of the little white dog. Now that it had submerged back into the Dead Spirit Heavenly River, its presence faded so completely that even the Southern King could barely trace it.
Witnessing this, the Southern King’s expression shifted slightly. "You are too powerful, and your blood qi is far too vigorous! Very well… next time then. Lanshan and I will find a way to encircle the Northern King’s manor first. If circumstances permit, we will attempt to breach it!"
"Up to you guys… It’s got nothing to do with me. Go ask Su Yu…"
The little white dog had no interest in meddling with such affairs; it was genuinely busy!
Moreover, its blood qi was indeed so overwhelming that if it lingered, stirring the supreme entities slumbering within the Dead Spirit Heavenly River into awakening, things would turn ugly.
With a swipe of its paw, the little white dog scooped up Book Spirit and the Tea Tree, darting swiftly toward the Spirit Guarding Domain.
The Old Turtle, anxious about his true body’s condition, said hastily, "Tianmie, all of you come with me! Fellow Daoist White Dog has provoked the slumbering entities in the Dead Spirit Heavenly River into waking. Any living being remaining here will be in grave danger!"
Earlier it had been manageable, but not now!
The little white dog had nearly driven those ancient horrors mad. For Tianmie and the others to remain would invite catastrophe.
Tianmie and the rest wasted no words, withdrawing swiftly.
The Old Turtle’s voice drifted back: "Marquis Lanshan, Southern King, let things stand as they are for now. Await the Human Lord’s instructions!"
"The Human Lord…"
The Southern King watched their departing backs with a complex look. Meanwhile, Marquis Lanshan called out respectfully, "Understood! Please inform the Human Lord that all is well here…"
With that, she tossed an imprint toward them. "The Human Lord Seal is still here. The Human Lord might have need of it. General, please return it to his hands!"
"Very well!"
The Old Turtle said nothing further, leading his contingent away at top speed.
In the distance, the little white dog chimed in, "Right, right, right! Su Yu’s still fighting up there, let’s hurry back!"
In a flash, the entire group had vanished!
Under normal circumstances, the Guardians faced no peril here, but with the Dead Spirit Heavenly River unsettled, leaving promptly was the wisest choice!
Once they were gone, the Southern King asked grimly, "Marquis Lanshan, have you met this generation’s Human Lord?"
"I have."
"What manner of man is he?"
"Formidable!"
"Formidable?"
What kind of assessment was that?
The Southern King remarked gravely, "I observed the Human Lord Seal. The strength of its master… might not be terribly high."
Marquis Lanshan frowned. "The Human Lord is still young, yet his progress has been miraculous. His strength will naturally catch up in no time!"
"How does he compare to the previous Hundred Battles King?"
"In raw power, he is naturally not his equal yet…"
Marquis Lanshan paused, then added in a stern tone, "The Southern King would do well not to harbor excessive doubts. As you witnessed just now, Senior White Dog, Book Spirit, Tea Tree, General Spirit Guard, and all the other Guardians have submitted to the Human Lord! This generation’s Human Lord has accomplished what none before him could. Since the fall of the ancient era, he is the sole overlord with the hope of unifying the myriad realms!"
The Southern King was taken aback. *Such high praise?*
Meanwhile, in the distance, Hetu led his dead spirit monarchs in scouring the battlefield, swiftly gathering all the marks, blood of death, and remnants left by the fallen dead spirit marquises, including the few scraps remaining of the Western King.
Noticing the Southern King looking his way, Hetu gave a dry chuckle. "Your Highness Southern King, please don't look at these spoils… They can only be distributed once the Human Lord arrives. The Southern King Domain’s meritorious service will be rewarded by the Human Lord himself. We have no authority to apportion the spoils on his behalf!"
The Southern King frowned slightly. "My subordinates made those kills!"
Hetu bared his teeth, revealing dark fangs. "True, but they belong to the public treasury! These are the spoils of an overarching campaign and must be allocated by the Human Lord! Southern King… do not let petty matters sow discord. When the Human Lord arrives, he will certainly not be stingy with rewards! But if we divide them privately, neither you nor I can bear the consequences!"
"Cannot bear the consequences?"
The Southern King fixed her gaze on him. Yet Hetu remained thoroughly composed. "Cannot bear them! The Eastern King is dead, the Western King is dead, and those bastards across the myriad realms will sooner or later be slaughtered. Those above the heavens will meet misfortune in due time as well! Since Your Highness has already picked a side, do not make mistakes over trivial matters and bring ruin upon yourself!"
The Southern King fell silent for a time.
This unseen Human Lord had instantly piqued her curiosity.
This… felt reminiscent of the ancient era, where a single decree from the Human Sovereign commanded total obedience across heaven and earth!
Marquis Lanshan also chimed in, "There is no need for Your Highness to dwell on this. The Human Lord is never stingy!"
"I understand!"
The Southern King murmured. After a brief pause, she continued, "Then I shall take my forces to the border of the Northern King Domain to seal it off and prevent their escape!"
"Much appreciated, Southern King!"
"As it should be!"
With a wave of her sleeve, the Southern King vanished alongside her ten dead spirit marquises. On Marquis Lanshan’s side, only three human marquises remained.
Two of them had previously served under the Southern King.
Initially, when they had rallied to Marquis Lanshan, they had merely considered the plight of the human race, offering their aid as fellow humans. Yet the outcome…
At this moment, one of the human marquises couldn't resist asking, "Lanshan, is this generation’s Human Lord… truly that extraordinary?"
"You saw it for yourselves!"
Marquis Lanshan knew what weighed on their minds and said briskly, "Keep this in mind: when you meet the Human Lord next time, mind your manners! You saw the state of affairs earlier. The Eastern King was slain by the Human Lord’s own hand, the Western King perished beneath Senior White Dog, and all of these forces belong to the Human Lord!"
The three dead spirit marquises grew pensive.
It seemed this new Human Lord was not someone to cross lightly!
Marquis Lanshan spoke with unmistakable reverence, and that Eternal Realm dead spirit appointed as the army's chief steward had dared refuse the Southern King’s demand to divide the spoils—and the Southern King had actually yielded!
Such an occurrence was virtually unheard of in the dead spirit realm.
Yet thinking about how General Spirit Guard and that white dog were both under the Human Lord’s command, they understood.
Too powerful!
"Humanity… weren't they said to be exceedingly weak in this tide?"
One of the three dead spirit marquises couldn't help but voice his doubt.
Weak?
*What a joke!*
The Four Heavenly Kings had survived countless ages, enduring nine tidal shifts without anyone capable of bringing them down. Yet this time, in mere days, two had been killed, the Northern King had cowered back into his shell, and the Southern King had raised her banner in open allegiance!
They even began to wonder if their past intelligence had been flawed all along!
Humanity was not weak—they were terrifyingly strong!
They were beating the myriad races across the heavens into submission!
***
The war in the dead spirit realm had concluded so swiftly that even Su Yu had not anticipated it.
Having just arrived near Hongmeng Ancient City, he paused in surprise.
*My Human Lord Seal seems to be approaching this way!*
*What the hell?*
*The fighting is over?*
*Or did the battle spill into the Spirit Guarding Domain?*
Su Yu raised an eyebrow. The Human Lord Seal showed no violent fluctuations, suggesting it was not actively suppressing anything. What was going on?
If he was puzzled, the others were naturally even more in the dark.
Even the Old Turtle was unaware!
He had nearly severed all contact between inside and outside!
Near Hongmeng Ancient City, three powerhouses were locked in a ferocious void battle. The Old Turtle had maintained a purely defensive posture, not joining the offensive; his true body was severely injured, his shell already cracked. Joining the melee right now would invite disaster rather than help.
If he were slain by this mysterious woman due to a single misstep, the loss would be catastrophic.
At this moment, the Old Turtle was also filled with shock and bewilderment.
How had King Daqin and King Daxia transformed into ancient beasts?
Were those… Wild Heavenly Beasts?
Their combat strength surpassed that of ordinary Dao Joiners, which was precisely why their joint effort, combined with the Heaven and Earth Inkstone, allowed them to tangle with their adversary.
Both were exceptionally strong Dao Joiners.
Moreover, the Heaven and Earth Inkstone was forged from the carapace of a Wild Heavenly Beast, granting it formidable defensive power!
Princess Consort Xi’s brow furrowed tightly.
*Curse it!*
When had humanity produced two such figures? She could tell they were humans and even recognized their identities—though she had never met them in person, she had her own intelligence networks.
King Daqin and King Daxia!
These two had achieved Dao Integration, seemingly by assimilating the bloodline of an ancient beast!
Princess Consort Xi felt an encroaching sense of foreboding!
Human reinforcements had arrived!
She had also faintly caught wind of Su Yu’s movements. Battles seemed to be raging on the outside as well. What was humanity plotting?
Yet that Su Yu had not called in reinforcements with great fanfare, sending only these two.
Strong as the duo were, defeating her remained a distant fantasy!
Just as that thought crossed her mind, two locks suddenly materialized in the void!
Yes, two locks—locks that originated from King Wen.
The two locks instantly sealed off the surrounding void!
Up above, standing atop the River of Time, Su Yu looked down at Princess Consort Xi, his brow furrowing slightly before melting into a smile.
"Fascinating!"
"Are you King Jintian’s mother?"
Princess Consort Xi looked up coldly, retreating a step. *Su Yu!*
This was Su Yu!
Even though she had never seen him in the flesh, she knew this was the current Lord of Humanity!
She peered into the void, her eyes shifting rapidly. "You think you can kill me? You are courting death—you actually sealed this place with Great Dao power!"
No entrance, no exit!
Combined with her own confinement array, neither Su Yu nor she could escape!
That was an overwhelmingly potent sealing power!
A faint shiver of dread crept into Princess Consort Xi’s heart. Whose power was that?
King Wen?
Most likely!
Breaking a seal of King Wen’s power would require considerable time, given that King Wen was no longer around.
Yet… where had Su Yu obtained such an artifact?
Furthermore, even with Su Yu added to the fray, killing her would still be as difficult as ascending to heaven!
As for the Old Turtle, he was utterly incapacitated. Once the Western King destroyed his Dao body, the Old Turtle would be doomed!
Once she and the Western King established a path between the interior and exterior and eliminated the Old Turtle, even stepping into the Spirit Guarding Domain would not allow the other Guardians to suppress them!
The reason she had refrained from entering the Spirit Guarding Domain earlier was precisely that the Old Turtle could unleash Heavenly King-level combat strength there!
Su Yu chuckled softly. "Can’t kill you, you say? You’ve certainly surprised me, colluding with the dead spirit realm like this. Does that mean you truly entered the dead spirit realm all those years ago and hooked up with the Western Heavenly King? How intriguing! Oh, by the way, I killed your son, King Jintian. Did you know?"
Princess Consort Xi replied coldly, "My son? No, that was the son of a useless weakling! By blood, he should have called me aunt. His father was my younger brother, another useless piece of trash. Dead is dead; my lineage does not lack such worthless fools!"
Su Yu froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Your nephew? He called you mother, yet suddenly he’s your nephew? You people… Holy shit, your Prison King lineage certainly knows how to play! I get it now—you and your brother… Tsk, tsk, who would have thought!"
Princess Consort Xi stared at him coldly, offering no denial.
Su Yu drew in a breath. "Impressive! I was only tossing out a random guess! No wonder it felt strange. In my memories, I saw that King Jintian’s father possessed the Dao of Confinement of the Prison King lineage, and so did you. I was wondering whether this Dao relied on bloodline or cultivation methods! Turns out… to ensure the purity of your mixed-blood, you played that game! Tsk, tsk, incredible! The Prison King lineage is truly something else!"
Su Yu laughed heartily. "Fascinating, truly fascinating! Your lineage is indeed a pack of bastards capable of anything!"
Princess Consort Xi regarded him with chilling detachment. *Buying time?*
With Su Yu’s arrival, King Daqin and King Daxia had merely adopted vigilant stances before him to guard against an assassination attempt, no longer attacking with their prior ferocity.
This brat, lacking immense individual strength, had genuinely managed to subdue these powerhouses!
This tide had completely defied her expectations.
*Buying time… does that benefit him?*
*Or does Su Yu remain ignorant of the dead spirit realm’s state? Yet he explicitly mentioned my alliance with the Western King!*
*Why?*
Unease stirred in Princess Consort Xi’s heart. Her sea of will churned as she sought to contact the Western Heavenly King to gauge the situation. While communicating with him was possible, it was exceptionally difficult.
Right then, Su Yu caught sight of something: a tiny dead spirit vortex forming beneath her feet.
*How interesting!*
*She can actually use this method to communicate with the dead spirit realm.*
This woman, much like himself, carried the faint aura of a half-dead spirit.
However, it was nowhere near as dense as his own; only a minor portion of her had transformed into a dead spirit, while the majority remained a living being.
Was this a special technique?
Or a unique state of existence?
With those thoughts swirling, Su Yu let out a laugh. In the next instant, the tiny opening Princess Consort Xi had just manifested snapped shut!
Death qi radiated from Su Yu as he chuckled softly. "What game are you playing? Opening a dead spirit passage right in front of me?"
With that, Su Yu commanded sharply, "Kill!"
*Boom!*
King Daqin and King Daxia struck simultaneously. Yet faster than either of them was Princess Consort Xi—a chain whipped out across the void toward Su Yu before the two kings could even detect it!
That was the power of the Great Dao’s rules!
Su Yu smiled. It wasn't an overwhelmingly potent rule power, given that she had to contend with two powerhouses while remaining wary of the Old Turtle.
Against an ordinary Eternal, it would have sufficed.
*But am I an ordinary Eternal?*
Besides, he could see it!
To King Daqin and the others, that invisible rule power could only be sensed, but Su Yu could observe it with his naked eyes!
Neither dodging nor evading, Su Yu let the chain lash toward him. Only when it drew close did he throw a sudden punch!
*Boom!*
The blow landed squarely in the center of the chain, his grip snapping out to seize the severed link!
The next moment, dozens of divine characters manifested, voraciously devouring the rule power!
As Su Yu absorbed it, he contemplated its essence, remarking with admiration, "Such rich rule power—I like it! My divine characters were starving. Thank you very much, and thank you for delivering this Dao of Confinement straight to me for comprehension…"
Su Yu quietly absorbed the insights. A moment later, a tiny divine character leaped forth: the character *Jin*, "Confinement."
Su Yu was delighted. "Ninety-one! Thank you! Come, blast me with some Dao flames; let me see how they differ from the Five Elements Fire! You foolish woman, daring to manipulate rules in front of me… Did that useless ancestor of yours, the Prison King, never tell you that once the Heavenly Gate opens, all your petty rule ambushes are nothing more than a joke?"
"…"
Princess Consort Xi’s face drained of color!
For the first time, her composure cracked. A hidden strike undetected even by three top-tier powerhouses had been spotted instantly by Su Yu, who had shattered her rule chain on contact!
*Curse him!*
He had even seized the opportunity to comprehend a divine character—this was something Princess Consort Xi could not fathom!
Up above, Su Yu chuckled softly. "Foolish woman. Born of a bastard bloodline, it’s only natural your wits are lacking! The sky in my eyes is entirely different from the sky in yours!"
Su Yu smiled faintly. At this moment, he truly looked like a tyrannical overlord swaggering through the marketplace!
King Daqin and King Daxia were his muscle!
Princess Consort Xi looked like a respectable woman subjected to humiliation!
Su Yu beamed, not bothering to intervene directly. There was no rush; he had already sensed his Human Lord Seal approaching beneath the Old Turtle, and the Old Turtle’s body had just shuddered slightly.
Su Yu seemed to realize something: the battle in the dead spirit realm was won!
Since that was the case, a gentleman does not stand beneath a collapsing wall!
With so many bruisers at his disposal, why get his own hands dirty?
Fight a bloody melee himself?
What sovereign did such crude labor when he had plenty of mighty generals to do it for him?!
Su Yu grinned, thoroughly relaxed, and called out, "King Daqin, a bit to the left—she’s trying to lock you down!"
*Boom!*
King Daqin swept his spear across. Though he saw nothing, his spear strike sent Princess Consort Xi’s Great Dao shuddering violently!
"King Daxia, fire to your right…"
"Qin, from above…"
"Xia, behind you…"
*Rumble!*
The two Dao Joiners, who had previously been suppressed, unleashed staggering power in the blink of an eye. Every strike landed dead on her Great Dao. With a soft gasp, Princess Consort Xi coughed up a mouthful of blood as her Dao shook incessantly!
She glared at Su Yu with a mixture of shock and towering fury. *Why?!*
*The Heavenly Gate?!*
*The legendary Heavenly Gate?!*
*Damn him! He opened the Heavenly Gate!*
Chapter 673