Slaying an Emperor!

Whether an opportunity would present itself was hard to say at this moment. Yet the myriad races had made their preparations. Perhaps one would truly appear. At this moment, the God Emperor was still charging straight for Su Yu. The Immortal Emperor remained out of the fight, while the Demon Emperor also barrelled toward Su Yu... intending to deal with the second-rank experts at Su Yu's side. Among the four first-rank experts—the Dragon, Phoenix, Nether, and Spirit Emperors—King Ming was no longer fighting two at once. The myriad races had altered their strategy, pitting the Spirit Emperor, an adept in Dao techniques, against King Ming. The Dragon Emperor and Phoenix Emperor moved against King Zhenwu and Princess Consort Ming respectively. The Nether Emperor was gravely wounded, currently tangling with several second-rank combatants. Meanwhile, the Immortal Emperor still refrained from attacking, busying himself with treating the wounded... To the rest of the myriad races, this offensive seemed no different from the previous ones. In all likelihood, a bunch of people would get injured, Su Yu would retreat, and the scene from earlier today would play out once more. There was nothing special about it. ... "Su Yu!" With a chillingly indifferent expression, the God Emperor glared at Su Yu and threw a punch, unleashing a burst of sacred power. They had engaged in clashes like this many times over. The gap between them was not vast, and hurting a first-rank combatant was extraordinarily difficult. "You are far too arrogant!" The God Emperor cast an icy glance around him. Most of those still standing now belonged to Su Yu's faction. Once Su Yu died, the human side would instantly collapse. The casualties would not be limited to Su Yu's men; if Su Yu's forces were wiped out, every last survivor would be finished! Even the God Emperor had never imagined that the heart of this battle—or rather, the focal point of the standoff that had dragged on between humans and the myriad races for countless years—had now shifted entirely onto Su Yu. Most of the Human Sovereign's men were gravely wounded. The majority of their remaining fighting strength belonged to Su Yu's faction. The clearer the situation became, the more the God Emperor's heart stirred. Not far away, the Demon Emperor was equally formidable, taking on multiple second-rank combatants on his own. It took King Yue, Book Spirit, King Dazhou, and the Martial Emperor joining forces just to fight this top-tier expert to a draw. One look at this deployment, and Su Yu instantly knew that the myriad races were scheming. The reason was simple: against King Ming, they had actually assigned only the Spirit Emperor! That was a departure from before! Previously, facing King Ming had always required two first-ranks. The Dragon and Phoenix Emperors had constantly double-teamed him. The myriad races had plenty of second-rank combatants, and they had previously used several second-ranks alongside the wounded Nether Emperor to keep King Zhenwu or Princess Consort Ming busy. Deploying like that left the myriad races zero margin for error; they could hold the humans on every front while maintaining an advantage. Once the Immortal Emperor joined in, their advantage would grow even larger! Yet now, they were actually taking a risk! The Spirit Emperor alone against King Ming! He was clearly outmatched. However, in a chaotic brawl like this, he could hold out for a while. The moment this formation took the field, Su Yu understood. The myriad races had swallowed the bait hook, line, and sinker. They intended to kill him, and the three giants—the God Emperor, the Demon Emperor, and the Immortal Emperor—meant to join forces to execute him! They certainly thought highly of Su Yu! Of their three greatest experts, the Demon Emperor was nearby, while the Immortal Emperor had yet to make a move, but was definitely poised to strike. Now, that was thrilling, wasn't it? Su Yu mused inwardly. He said nothing, maintaining an utterly detached countenance as he threw punches and kicks at the God Emperor in relentless succession. His immense power shook heaven and earth, sweeping in all directions. He was anticipating their reaction. When the myriad races witnessed the Human Sovereign severing his Dao, what would they think? In truth, their best move at that critical juncture would be to sever Su Yu's connection to his heaven and earth. Once that connection was broken, Su Yu would be far easier to slaughter, and the combat power of everyone under him would plummet. Battle! Endless battle! Both sides were utterly exhausted, but this time, Su Yu was in no rush to retreat, nor were the myriad races. They, too, were feeling things out, waiting for their chance. ... At the rear of the battle lines. The Immortal Emperor's life force pulsed outward continuously, seeping into the wounded Rulers of Rules. His eyes flickered. He was preparing! If they could slay Su Yu, the myriad races would secure an absolute victory—a resounding triumph! When that time came, even if many died, no one would care. If they could crush the human race, who would weep for the fallen? Yet if they failed to crush the humans, if something went awry and Su Yu survived... he would find it hard to dodge the blame for getting so many of their own powerhouses killed. Even so, the Immortal Emperor no longer cared. If taking this gamble ended in failure, it meant the myriad races were doomed anyway. In defeat, bearing responsibility or not made no difference whatsoever. He continued releasing brilliant rays of light, channeling them into the bodies of the wounded. A few felt uneasy, sensing their injuries were nearly healed. One hurriedly said, "Immortal Emperor, there's no need to treat me further. Don't squander your rule power. I'll be fine after resting a bit..." If you keep healing me and I fully recover, how awkward would that be! The Immortal Emperor replied calmly, "It matters not! If all of you can fully recover, we will seize the upper hand. Once restored, we can deal the enemy a crushing blow!" Knowing what was on their minds, he sent a mental message: "Dragging this out is no solution. Even when injured, that lunatic Su Yu will keep harassing us without end! Our best option is to strike him down!" The hearts of the crowd stirred. We know, but... that's easier said than done. The Immortal Emperor continued, "I will pay a price to mend everyone's injuries in short order... While Su Yu is off his guard, are you willing to unleash a thunderous strike at the crucial moment to execute him? Once he dies, our victory is assured!" The eyes of the wounded powerhouses shifted. One asked via transmission, "We can recover in an instant?" "Yes!" The Immortal Emperor replied, "It merely costs me a heavy price. At worst, I shall follow the Nether Emperor's example and pay a toll nearing the severing of my Dao to restore you all!" He truly possessed the ability to do so. Of course, the price was staggering. Yet if these wounded experts genuinely recovered, perhaps they could slay Su Yu without him having to sacrifice them. Resorting to underhanded means was merely a final fallback. The crowd traded glances, thoroughly tempted. "Will there be any repercussions?" Instant healing—what price do we have to pay? "You? You need pay no great price. Of course... you must open a gap in your Daos to mine, allowing me to pour life force directly into your Great Daos. Only then can you heal swiftly!" The crowd pondered this. It sounded reasonable; treating physical wounds was easy, but Dao injuries were a different matter. They looked at one another—dozens of them in all. At this moment, none of them gave it too much thought. Even if they guarded against one another, the Immortal Emperor was one of the leaders of the myriad races. Besides, there was no reason for him to harm them. After some deliberation, they all agreed. "Killing Su Yu would be best! Ever since that fellow arrived, not only has he slaughtered several of our Dao friends, but he has been an utter nuisance!" They despised Su Yu thoroughly. The Human Sovereign had not initiated an all-out war in years. Yet Su Yu fought from morning till night. Did he ever let anyone rest? The powerhouses began opening gaps in their Daos. The Immortal Emperor's Dao branched out like a great tree, extending offshoots and slowly channeling life force into them. He sent a voice transmission: "Be careful, everyone. Wait until the opportune moment before striking. For now, maintain your disguises and show nothing." Understanding, they concealed their auras and acted as they had before. ... Both sides harbored their own hidden schemes. All that was missing now was a cataclysm in the heavens. After tangling with the God Emperor for a while, Su Yu saw that the overall situation was roughly set. The power of heaven and earth stirred faintly within him. It could begin! Human Sovereign, it's on you now. The bigger the commotion, the more overjoyed the myriad races would be. Opportunities only favored the prepared. ... In the Myriad Realms. Lan Tian's eyes flickered, and he called out sharply, "Your Majesty Human Sovereign, you may begin!" The Human Sovereign's gaze sharpened. It was starting? Su Yu really was impatient! He took a deep breath. In the next instant, his phantom dissipated, revealing his true sea of will. Everyone present shuddered at the sight: it was battered and fragmented, like a massive sphere full of holes and fissures. The waters within the sea of will churned violently, willpower continuously bleeding away as the ocean roiled and heaven and earth trembled. "Your Majesty..." Behind him, the wounded Human Kings paled. Was His Majesty injured this severely? All these years, had he been confronting their enemies in such a state? His entire sea of will was in tatters. Even so, he had previously staked everything, using the power of his sea of will to battle three first-rank powerhouses. The Human Sovereign paid them no heed, drawing upon the power of his Great Dao. If one opened the Heavenly Gate, one would see a golden Great Dao gradually manifesting from the void—immensely formidable, almost on par with the Flesh Dao of the human race. That was his path: the Human Sovereign Dao! What was the Human Sovereign Dao, exactly? Perhaps it was responsibility, perhaps guardianship, perhaps enlightenment. Such were the duties of the Human Sovereign. To shoulder the burdens of the human race, to guard its people, to enlighten them, to awaken their wisdom, and to strengthen the race and its individuals. This Dao shimmered with golden radiance. To any who opened the Heavenly Gate, it would be blinding. At this moment, having connected to the Human Sovereign Dao, his aura grew volatile, and his sea of will deteriorated further. Before merging into his heaven and earth, he had to sever this Dao! Otherwise, carrying the Dao directly into the merge would burst his sea of will. The Human Sovereign looked up at the power of the Dao, a complicated look in his eyes. Severing the Dao! He had opened a heaven at the peak of his power, but back then, the heaven he forged could not compare to the Great Dao. Thus, he had chosen not to merge his Dao into that heaven, lest the resulting disturbance hinder its creation. Today, he had to merge it! The Human Sovereign's aura surged ever higher! His sea of will violently roiled. Throughout the Myriad Realms, the roaring of waves seemed to echo—the sound of his sea of will convulsing, the sound of mighty willpower sweeping through heaven and earth. Step by step, the Human Sovereign walked toward his heaven and earth. In the distance, that small realm trembled as well, as if welcoming back its master. Sever the Dao! Yet at this very moment, the Human Sovereign found himself hesitating. He knew that the instant he severed his Dao, chaos would erupt on Su Yu's side. He truly hesitated! If he did not sever his Dao, the myriad races would remain wary. No matter how many schemes they harbored, they would not dare act rashly against Su Yu. The moment an illusion of him manifested, even with all the Immortal Emperor's preparations, they would likely lose their nerve and hesitate to strike. He wavered! For the first time in countless years, he felt such indecision. If Su Yu fell, the sky would collapse. Over thirty Rulers of Rules on that side—no, plus the twenty or so beneath him, more than fifty Rulers of Rules in total—might all perish. Should he gamble? Wager the lives of over fifty Rulers of Rules on the chance that Su Yu would survive? Seeing his hesitation, Lan Tian seemed to understand. In a heavy voice, he said, "Your Majesty Human Sovereign, Emperor Yu requests that you sever your Dao and open the heaven!" The Human Sovereign snapped his gaze to him and said gravely, "You know the risks!" Lan Tian replied solemnly, "I do! Yet I believe! We have faced far greater crises, staring death in the face countless times. To His Majesty, this is merely a minor hurdle. His Majesty will prevail!" The Human Sovereign drew a deep breath. "Very well. I shall trust him!" In the end, he chose to place his faith in Su Yu. With a low shout, the Human Sovereign commanded, "Remember this! The moment I succeed, merge your Daos immediately! Once merged, rest and recover swiftly, and follow me... to charge the front lines!" "Understood!" The Human Kings roared in unison! A chilling murderous aura swept through the world, causing the Myriad Realms to tremble. Wounded or not, they were still Human Kings, and the Human Sovereign's overwhelming might shook the heavens! The Human Sovereign looked up at the sky and declared loudly, "Today, I sever my Dao to open a heaven—a heaven for the human race! A heaven of responsibility! A heaven of guardianship! A heaven of enlightenment! All humans may enter my realm to forge a new world and recast the cosmos! My resolve stands eternal: this heaven shall take responsibility, guardianship, and enlightenment as its mission! Should the day come when my true heart falters, let this heaven perish, and let me, Xingyu, be cast aside by the human race!" A magnificent heavenly majesty rolled forth! His words became law—the first rule of the Human Sovereign's heaven! If I change, let this heaven destroy me and abandon me! The crowd's expressions shifted. Yet the Human Sovereign burst into hearty, unbridled laughter. "I am the Human Sovereign, Emperor of the human race! Su Yu... is merely mediocre!" "..." Lan Tian and the others were left speechless. Every person who fought to the death seemed fond of cursing Su Yu. Enemies did it, his own people did it, his friends did it, his allies did it... Paying them no mind, the Human Sovereign laughed, cursed, and then let out a thunderous bellow: "Sever!" A roar resounded through heaven and earth! With a tremendous crash, the golden Great Dao snapped. At that instant, the entire River of Time violently churned. The Human Sovereign's Dao was simply too powerful; severing it was tantamount to seizing control of the River of Time itself, plundering its very origin. Rumble! The entire River of Time convulsed. Not just the Myriad Realms, but the upstream, the downstream, everywhere—even within the three gates—shook uncontrollably! At that moment, several figures emerged within the distant Earth Gate. An instant later, eyes surfaced from the depths of the Hell Gate... The moment those eyes appeared, the Human Sovereign's gaze turned chillingly fierce in the midst of severing his Dao. Harnessing the immense burst of power from the severance, he threw a sudden punch! The fist blazed with golden light, illuminating the heavens! Boom! The punch slammed directly into the Hell Gate. In that instant, the Hell Gate seemed to awaken slightly, cracking open a small slit that dodged the brunt of the blow, yet the fist crashed straight inside! Boom! Wretched shrieks erupted instantly! The Hell Gate seemed to be punched through. Beneath the stunned gazes of all onlookers, three or four Rulers of Rules inside were smashed to pieces by that single punch, their bodies pulverized into dust! The Human Sovereign's voice reverberated through the realm. No longer gentle, it carried an awe-inspiring heavenly might, thoroughly cold and indifferent as it rocked the Hell Gate: "Only when this Sovereign permits you to leave may you leave! If you try without my leave... you die! Be it the Lord of Chaos, Yu, or the Human Ancestor—dare to step out, and I will slaughter you all!" His booming voice swept through the entirety of the Hell Gate! In an instant, the Hell Gate fell dead silent. After slaying several Rulers of Rules, the residual force of that punch swept across the world. Deep within the Hell Gate, countless powerhouses witnessed that giant golden fist sweeping through their realm! He was incomparably, peerlessly mighty! ... At this moment, within the Hell Gate. Figures in shadowed lands watched that punch and heard that majestic, chilling voice suppress the world. "The Human Sovereign!" "It's the Human Sovereign!" "It's him!" "He returned?" "He actually came back!" "Heavens, does he intend to fight his way in?" "..." The Hell Gate had opened once during ancient times, but was ultimately forced shut again. Because... in that era, there was the Human Sovereign, and there was King Wen! At this moment, the entirety of the Hell Gate was shaken. One of the supreme experts of the modern era had displayed world-suppressing might today! With a single punch, even the Hell Gate had yielded to make way. Terrifying beyond measure! Deep within the Hell Gate, several shadowy figures flickered into view. A faint, eerie voice echoed: "He has returned!" "The three gates have not opened... For him to return, someone upstream must still be holding the line!" "Order everyone to pull back. Do not linger near the Hell Gate... Until the three gates open fully, do not approach!" "..." Resounding voices echoed across the void. At that moment, another colossal silhouette blotting out the sky emerged. Carrying an ancient, weathered tone, a voice rumbled forth: "Xingyu, the gate has not opened. I cannot leave, and you cannot enter. There is no need for hostility right now..." The Human Sovereign's booming reply echoed from afar, sounding like a voice from beyond the heavens, icy and ruthless: "Lord of Chaos? What is past is past. Do you still dream of turning the tables? Even in your own era, you failed to defy the heavens, let alone in this era that belongs to us! If you dare step out, I will kill you without hesitation. Disgusting insect, if you step out of line again, the moment the three gates open, this Sovereign will wipe out your Chaos Era first!" The Human Sovereign was incomparably arrogant, exceedingly domineering. In this moment, his majesty suppressed the Earth Gate, one of the three great gates! "Don't say I didn't warn you. If you dare provoke me again, I will shatter the Earth Gate and slaughter your Chaos Era! Scram!" His thunderous roar struck fear into the hearts of the ancient Chaos races. Countless experts fled the vicinity of the Hell Gate in panic. The Human Sovereign! The foremost expert under heaven! Granted, King Wen shared that title, but no one had the luxury to care about semantics right now. Terror consumed them all! Even from inside the gate, they could not prevent the Human Sovereign from killing. It was simply too frightening! There were supreme, peerless figures inside the gate as well. At this moment, some fell silent, some sneered, some scoffed, and some said nothing. The Human Sovereign had returned! He was not Su Yu; he was a titan who had suppressed an entire era, holding countless beings beneath his heel. He had dealt with the Earth Gate before. In ancient times, when countless powerhouses marched out of the Hell Gate, they were butchered on the spot by his vanguard. They had even hosted bonfires outside the gate, roasting ancient Chaos beasts until the savory aroma drifted back into the Chaos Era. That terrifying man had returned. After vanishing for countless years, his reappearance was just as horrifying. ... In the shadows, Tiangu and the others blanched. The Human Sovereign had returned! Whether they hailed from the Human Sovereign's era or not, who among them was ignorant of his strength? Perhaps they hadn't grasped the full extent of it before, but today, they were shaken to the core. The powerhouses within the Earth Gate knew him! More importantly, they feared him! That was the most terrifying part. Back in the day, the Human Sovereign had intimidated even the entities inside the Earth Gate. ... Farther away. Zhou Ji looked up at the sky, seeming to catch a glimpse of the Human Sovereign's silhouette. He sighed softly. "Truly powerful!" Yet something seemed amiss. What was it? Zhou Ji fell into contemplation. The Human Sovereign right now was unimaginably strong, and the world had convulsed. But why had it convulsed? The Human Sovereign's punch had masked those tremors, but in truth, the world had shaken before the punch was thrown... Lost in thought, Zhou Ji murmured, "Could that have been the final punch of his life?" It was hard to say! Still, throwing a punch so mighty that the Earth Gate briefly awakened just to dodge it was utterly ridiculous! If the Human Sovereign were truly that invincible, he would have shattered the Earth Gate long ago and slaughtered his way inside! Why wait until now? ... Lan Tian and the others were equally dumbfounded. Meanwhile, the Hell Gate snapped shut, vanishing into the void. The Human Sovereign stood proud for a brief second before dashing away as if his tail were on fire, entirely stripped of his earlier domineering aura. His sea of will churned wildly, the power of his Great Dao bleeding out. He dove headfirst into his heaven and earth, his voice shrill with panic: "Quick, merge with heaven! Merge your Daos... Ah, I'm dying..." "..." Stupefaction! Lan Tian and the others were completely stunned. The Human Sovereign... genuinely looked like he was about to die; it was no act. Instantly, they forgot all about the scene from moments ago. A moment earlier, the Human Sovereign had been so majestic, so mighty, so awe-inspiring. A single punch had forced the Earth Gate, one of the three great gates, to retreat! He had cowed the ancient entities within the Earth Gate into silence. For a moment, they had been dazed, genuinely believing the Human Sovereign was invincible across the cosmos, unchallenged for all eternity. Yet now... the illusion shattered. They realized they had overthought it. The severance of his Dao had merely drawn forth an unprecedented burst of strength from the Human Sovereign Dao, creating that unforgettable spectacle! The reality was that if his merger into his heaven and earth failed, he was a dead man! King Ping and the others panicked, roaring, "Quick, merge Daos... Merge the gentle Daos first to stabilize the realm! The rest of you, don't rush..." One powerhouse after another dove rapidly into the realm. They still could not forget that punch, but... reality took precedence. They would save the bragging for later; hadn't they seen that even the Human Sovereign hadn't had time to boast? Under normal circumstances, he would have started gloating long ago about suppressing the three gates with a single blow! At this moment, the entire River of Time violently churned. ... Simultaneously. Both the Heavenly Gate and the Human Gate trembled faintly. The severance of a peerless expert's Dao caused shockwaves far beyond imagination! ... Upstream. Su Yu and the others were locked in combat when the river suddenly surged with tremendous turbulence. A brilliant golden light swept through heaven and earth as colossal waves rose along the river. Beneath the shocked gazes of all, a terrifyingly immense Great Dao emerged within the river. A golden Great Dao! At the same time, the illusion in the distance that had maintained its disguise abruptly collapsed—the phantom of the Human Sovereign crumbled. Along with it, the golden Great Dao snapped with a deafening crash! The Immortal Emperor and the others widened their eyes in disbelief, shock, terror, and a storm of mixed emotions... The Human Sovereign... had fallen? His Dao collapsed! The phantom dissipated—was his Dao truly destroyed? Had the Human Sovereign, who had reigned supreme across the cosmos for countless ages, perished? Or had he severed his Dao in a bid for survival? Countless thoughts flashed through their minds, but in this moment, they no longer cared. Either the Human Sovereign was dead, or he was severing his Dao to seek recovery. Whichever it was, they had to strike now! Kill Su Yu! Furthermore, the phantoms of the other wounded human powerhouses were collapsing as well. The top-tier experts vaguely understood that the Human Sovereign and his men were fighting for their lives. Whatever they were attempting, they were seeking a way for the Human Sovereign to recover. They could not let the Human Sovereign recover! At that moment, the Immortal Emperor roared furiously. His Life Dao thrashed violently as boundless life force surged into the wounded powerhouses. The Immortal Emperor aged visibly before their eyes, his aura plummeting, yet his eyes shone with a manic gleam as he bellowed, "The Human Sovereign is dead! Attack! Annihilate the humans!" The Human Sovereign is dead! Before him, over thirty wounded powerhouses instantly regained their peak condition. Even if it was only temporary, they had recovered their strength. Following the Immortal Emperor's roar, these powerhouses roared in kind, their voices charged with excitement, dread, and tangled emotions as they rallied their courage: "The Human Sovereign is dead! Kill!" They surged toward Su Yu! As long as they killed Su Yu, this battle would be over. An opportunity! A heaven-sent opportunity! Meanwhile, King Ming and the others paled. They knew the Human Sovereign was severing his Dao to merge with his realm, but they had never anticipated that the Immortal Emperor would possess such a method. It was practically self-mutilation—severing most of his own Dao to instantly restore dozens of wounded combatants. Over thirty of them! With so many powerhouses restored, charging Su Yu all at once, Su Yu... was dead meat! King Ming and the others were stricken. They knew the Human Sovereign was alive, but Su Yu was on the brink of death. If Su Yu died, all was lost! Just as King Ming moved to intervene, he suddenly recalled Su Yu's earlier words: even if Su Yu died, remember one thing—kill the enemy, kill the enemy! Seeing his companions trying to fly toward Su Yu, King Ming roared fiercely, "Hold the line! Kill! Kill! Kill!" In an instant, he unleashed his full strength in a frenzy, summoning lethal arrays to assault the Spirit Emperor. Over on their flanks, King Zhenwu and Princess Consort Ming shouted fiercely, their murderous aura shaking the heavens! "Kill!" Opposite them, the powerhouses of the myriad races were ecstatic, howling in frenzy, "Kill! Annihilate the humans, victory is ours!" To the myriad races, this opportunity was nothing short of divine intervention! At this critical juncture, the Human Sovereign was gone, the wounded human experts were gone, and their own injured combatants were fully restored. If they did not fight now, when would they? An opportunity! The turning point had arrived! The thirty-odd previously wounded experts converged on Su Yu. The God Emperor let out a furious roar, going all out with his sacred power erupting to its absolute limit, relentlessly pouring out everything to suppress Su Yu! He had to pin Su Yu down; Su Yu looked as though he wanted to flee! If Su Yu escaped, it would cause endless trouble. The God Emperor could barely conceal the joy in his eyes. Beside him, the Demon Emperor abandoned all caution, swatting King Yue away with a sweep of his spear before charging madly toward Su Yu. Slaying Su Yu would end this battle! In fact, it would bring an end to the entire war of the heavens! How could he not be ecstatic? Yet Su Yu's face twisted into an expression of utter despair as he roared, "Kill! Taking down one makes it worth it! Kill them all!" The God Emperor ignored his words! The Demon Emperor and Immortal Emperor ignored them as well. Go ahead and kill! So long as they killed Su Yu, what did losing ten or twenty Rulers of Rules matter? "You cannot escape!" The God Emperor's colossal fists swept across the heavens, and his clones manifested to encircle Su Yu. Even if it came at a heavy cost, he would hold Su Yu in place until the others arrived. Su Yu was doomed! Against thirty-odd powerhouses striking in unison, Su Yu would die without a doubt! Even the Human Sovereign couldn't withstand that! At that moment, Su Yu let out a furious howl, unleashing his full power as his aura fluctuated wildly like a man preparing to stake his life. His saber burst with boundless Dao power, slashing down toward the God Emperor! "Demon Emperor!" The God Emperor bellowed. The Demon Emperor also committed everything, roaring as his spear thrust toward Su Yu! Behind the Demon Emperor, King Dazhou's aura fluctuated wildly, as did the auras of King Yue and Book Spirit. Over thirty powerhouses suddenly recovering was something even Su Yu might not have foreseen. No one had expected the Immortal Emperor to possess such a miraculous method without joining the front lines himself. Su Yu's prior arrangements might need to change. Yet while Su Yu appeared deranged on the outside, his eyes remained terrifyingly calm. At that very moment, he reached out to the Heavenly Gate, his voice tinged with frantic urgency: "Gui, I'm dying! Quick, help me kill my opponents..." "A fight broke out?" Gui's clone seemed to sense the world shaking. Behind the gate, Gui's eyes gleamed with delight. Looking at his close companions, he said swiftly, "I'm descending with my true body. Wait for me a short while... Once I capture his opponents and take Su Yu, this world will be ours!" Gui was wild with joy. "Fret not, my friends. Alone, I cannot stand against those supreme beings. Only by joining forces and assimilating the Daos of the myriad realms to strengthen our true bodies do we stand a chance of resisting them before they descend, carving out our own dominion rather than scraping by..." The others were thrilled and excited, calling out, "Descend quickly! We trust Brother Gui!" Gui spoke the truth. Even if he merged with the Daos of the myriad realms, he could not resist those supreme beings alone. Only by banding together would they have hope! Thus, they did not fear Gui breaking his word. Sooner or later, he would have Su Yu summon them all! "Hahaha, wonderful!" Gui's true body squeezed into the gate. A look of agony crossed his face, yet no matter how painful it was, he felt it was entirely worth it compared to what awaited him in the myriad realms. In a flash, Gui squeezed his way through. Behind him, the others looked on with eyes full of envy. "Su Yu is an absolute fool to actually let Gui descend in his true body..." "Going first means he will reap countless benefits... I'm so envious!" "Indeed. He will surely slaughter countless Flesh Dao experts and seize their Dao power. Perhaps... by the time we descend, he will wield over twenty Daos!" "More like twenty-five!" "Sigh, what envy. If only Su Yu had summoned us first!" Several of these powerhouses were first-rank combatants of comparable strength to Gui. Right now, their eyes were practically green with jealousy. Descending first carried far too many advantages! Gui could slaughter countless Flesh Dao experts, plunder their Daos, seize the Flesh Dao of the human race, and rapidly advance by uniting Yin and Yang. If Gui proved ruthless enough to kill everyone and strip away their rule power before the others arrived... they would all have to look to him for scraps! How could they not be envious? ... Meanwhile, Gui was overcome with exhilaration. He felt it—he felt the unfamiliar power of heaven and earth. Ecstatic, he also felt a tremendous force pulling from afar. Currently outside the Heavenly Gate, he was within Su Yu's domain, but he could instantly descend to the location of his imprint. A pulling force took hold of him! Su Yu's voice rang out: "Kill!" Delighted, Gui followed the pulling force, instantly materializing right in front of Su Yu. He knew Su Yu had fought his way to the imprint's location, though something felt... unfamiliar? The moment Gui appeared, he felt a strange sense of dissonance. Wait, something's wrong! Last time, my clone didn't appear here, and my imprint never moved! Where is this? It feels like I'm above a massive river! What river? How bizarre! He had no time to look around or think, for he immediately sensed a terrifying, world-shattering force hurtling toward him from the front. He heard Su Yu's wild laughter: "Hahaha! Did you think you had me cornered? My trump card is far beyond your imagination!" Gui's heart stirred. Is he talking about me? Indeed, I am your greatest trump card—a first-rank powerhouse! And I came in my true body! Surprised, aren't you? Meanwhile, the charging God Emperor and Demon Emperor both blanched. A first-rank? Su Yu was hiding another first-rank expert! The two powerhouses roared in fury, pushing their strength to the absolute limit. With Su Yu and this newcomer both being first-rank, things had grown complicated. They had to pin Su Yu down! It would take a few moments for the others to arrive; because the battle had erupted so violently, the wounded couldn't have stayed too close to Su Yu while being healed, lest they be caught in the shockwaves. They needed several seconds to reach them. Gui's joy lasted for only a fraction of a second before his expression warped in sheer horror. What in the world? Such immense power! He focused his vision, throwing a punch with all his might in a bid to execute a sneak attack, but... something was terribly wrong. Two! Two first-ranks! And both were stronger than him! How was that possible? Not only that, but behind him, Su Yu also slashed out with a saber, wielding an overwhelming power that was likewise stronger than his own. Gui's mind went blank for an instant. Wrong—everything was wrong! Where am I? What is this place? Vaguely, he could even sense numerous first-rank auras nearby, none weaker than him! There were multiple first-ranks, plenty of second-ranks, and countless third- and fourth-ranks! There had to be around a hundred powerhouses locked in battle here! How could this be? Am I dreaming? Gui was thoroughly terrified. This was entirely different from what he had been led to believe! Su Yu's urgent voice barked in his ear: "Do you want to die? Go all out! Fight to the death!" Boom! A deafening explosion rang out, followed by a relentless series of thunderous blasts. Gui's punch connected as if striking tempered steel; his fist shattered instantly, yet the blow managed to halt the Demon Emperor's spear in its tracks! Because Gui had appeared so abruptly, the Demon Emperor had also been jolted by the impact, his hand splitting open and bleeding profusely! Yet at this stage, it was a fight to the death! The Demon Emperor roared, pulling his spear back only to discard it, throwing a punch directly at Gui with boundless killing intent! Gui's expression twisted in terror! Yet, as a veteran powerhouse, despite his disbelief, he let out a furious roar and threw another punch. Rumble! Gui's other fist shattered instantly as well! Rumble! Countless Dao forces tore through the air. Gui's entire body ruptured, blood spurting in fountains as his mouth hung open in utter shock and horror. Who the hell am I fighting? Opposite him, the Demon Emperor had already been gravely injured by the Human Sovereign previously. Against Gui's desperate blow, although he had critically wounded Gui, his own arm snapped, blood erupting as he coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood! At that moment, Su Yu kicked the heavily wounded, tumbling Gui straight toward the Martial Emperor in the distance. This time, the Martial Emperor finally showed some wit. He understood where the Dao Su Yu wanted him to merge with had come from! It was this guy! While Gui was still reeling in shock, a fist suddenly flew toward him. In his prime, he wouldn't have feared this blow, but in his mangled state, he couldn't block it. He was going to die! Why? I just got out! I came here to conquer the world! Why is this happening? Su Yu... deceived me! "If you want to live, sever your Dao right this instant and cooperate with the Martial Emperor's merger!" Want to live? Watching the fist rapidly close in, poised to shatter his skull, Gui had no choice between life and death. There was no time to negotiate! I want to live! I don't want to die! With that single thought, he severed his Great Dao in an instant. Simultaneously, Su Yu manipulated his heaven and earth, linking an unoccupied, arbitrarily chosen Dao to Gui to keep him from dying on the spot. If Gui died, Su Yu still had other uses for him. Killing him wasn't worth it! In a daze, Gui merged with the substitute Dao, while his Flesh Dao was instantly seized by the Martial Emperor. The Martial Emperor also possessed the Heavenly Gate; he could see it and grasp it. Snatching the Dao, he roared like a madman, fusing it into his own Dao as his aura surged explosively! Meanwhile, just as the injured Demon Emperor tried to retreat, his expression warped dramatically! "God Emperor!" He roared in warning. The God Emperor was startled; he was locked in combat with Su Yu—what had happened? He wanted to turn and look, but the pressure Su Yu exerted was far too immense, leaving him no room to divert his attention. Yet far in the distance, the Immortal Emperor saw it. His jaw dropped in utter shock and terror as he screamed, "Flee..." For without a sound, a figure had appeared behind the Demon Emperor. The instant Gui and the Demon Emperor exchanged punches, that figure had materialized. King Dazhou! King Dazhou, whom the Demon Emperor had shaken off earlier, had appeared behind him without making a sound. King Dazhou cultivated far too many Daos of concealment and quietude—Endurance, Silence, Slowness, Concealment... At this moment, several of the Daos King Dazhou controlled instantly broke into the Ruler of Rules realm. Merging multiple Daos, King Dazhou stepped into the first-rank in the blink of an eye. Yet he made no grand commotion, remaining completely silent. The moment Gui and the Demon Emperor mutually crippled each other, King Dazhou surfaced behind the Demon Emperor, unleashing countless Dao powers to silence him! Even a momentary silence was more than enough! A faint smile touched King Dazhou's face, tinged with a hint of madness. Killing a first-rank was extraordinarily difficult, even a wounded one. Gui had only capitulated because he was terrified of death; otherwise, even the Martial Emperor would have struggled to kill him. Against the Demon Emperor, King Dazhou knew he could win if he dragged the fight out! However... time was running out! Those reinforcements were about to arrive. In that instant, he converged the power of all the Daos he had just elevated. Looking toward Su Yu with a smile, he thought: I'm merging the rest of my Dao power into your heaven and earth—surely you won't refuse, will you? Boom! Seven or eight Daos detonated in unison directly behind the Demon Emperor! King Dazhou coughed up a mouthful of blood, while the Demon Emperor's physical body was blown apart, his sea of will shattering. Just as he tried to forcibly reassemble it, streams of Dao power surfaced around him, cutting off any chance of recovery! Behind King Dazhou, King Yue and Book Spirit arrived as well. King Yue thrust his spear, Book Spirit sealed heaven and earth, and King Dazhou tore through space... Boom! A world-shaking blast erupted as the three powerhouses struck in concert. The mortally wounded Demon Emperor let out a desperate, unwilling roar: "No... Why... me?" Why! I don't want to die! I am a first-rank expert! In any era, I was an invincible, peerless being. I cannot die! After countless years of warfare, not a single first-rank combatant had fallen; at most, peak second-ranks had perished. Yet today... he was going to die. The death of a first-rank was exceedingly rare anywhere. Behind the three gates, only King Wen had slain a first-rank in all these years. Yet today, Gui had been forced to surrender his Dao, and then... heavily wounded, the Demon Emperor was executed by three powerhouses attacking as one! Boom! A massive Demon Dao manifested, only to be struck and snapped in two. With a crisp crunch, the Great Dao severed completely! The Demon Emperor still possessed a wisp of will, clinging to life with profound grievance, but King Dazhou tore it apart with cold indifference! He gave the Demon Emperor zero leeway! You'd better just die! Rumble! The River of Time convulsed once more, the tremors spreading all the way to the Myriad Realms, and further into the Demon Realm. Even though the Demon Realm was practically empty, its people having mostly been captured by Su Yu, the realm cracked and quaked violently, the entire domain trembling! "I... am not resigned..." The Demon Emperor's despairing will echoed across the world. I am not resigned to this! To think I would become the very first first-rank expert across all the heavens to fall! Boom! The final wisp of his willpower exploded into nothingness! A first-rank who had reigned over heaven and earth, the emperor of the Demon race, an ancient monarch, was slain on this day! Silence fell across all quarters! The shock was overwhelming! The Demon Emperor... had fallen!