Dead Spirit Hell

Three top-tier powerhouses had surrendered. Yet bound by his earlier decree, Su Yu could only grant Jian Kong control over the Sword Dao. The other two twenty-two-Dao experts from the forbidden lands, Hei Long and Xue Lian, had no choice but to merge into existing Daos held by others. Qu naturally took this opportunity to join Shang at the twenty-Dao mark. Blade Master and his circle were green with envy, practically in tears! How was this fair? They desperately wanted to advance quickly as well, yet after struggling for days, Blade Master had only reached eighteen Daos. As for Lady Xuelong, she still lingered at seventeen Daos. It was impossible not to envy them! …… Having merged into the world and taken command of the Sword Dao, Jian Kong suffered no decline in his cultivation. Because Su Yu had ascended to twenty-nine Daos, Jian Kong managed to retain his full strength even after merging, becoming the strongest powerhouse under Su Yu's banner at twenty-two Daos. If Riyue had not been sealed away, he too could have recovered to twenty-two Daos. At this moment, Jian Kong wore a conflicted expression. He had surrendered, but what about his father? Jian Kong could not help speaking up: "Hei—Tribulation Master, my father will never surrender. He is the person the mountain master trusts most, and his strength is vast. He will never lower his cultivation to bow before you!" Most of the others had surrendered because they were rogue cultivators. Jian Kong and his peers had submitted partly under the threat of death, and partly because opportunities still lay ahead. But if the Sword Venerable surrendered to Su Yu… what benefit was there for him? None at all! At least for now, there was nothing to gain; on the contrary, his strength would suffer a steep plunge. Even if Jian Kong ceded his Dao to his father, the Sword Venerable would still be unable to recover to his peak. Unable to restore his prime strength while simultaneously betraying the Lord of Mount Tianqiong, the one who trusted him most, Jian Kong said fretfully, "So if my father truly comes, it is far more likely he will fight the Tribulation Master to the bitter death!" Sword cultivators possessed fiery tempers! With the Sword Venerable's terrifying strength, why would he ever yield to Su Yu? After a moment's hesitation, Jian Kong added, "Furthermore, my father is extraordinarily formidable…" In other words, you might not even be able to defeat him! Indeed, the Sword Venerable was immensely powerful. Su Yu nodded slightly. "I caught a glimpse of him once. He stands somewhere between twenty-eight and twenty-nine Daos, likely shy of thirty Daos." In other words, roughly on par with Su Yu's current level. However… Su Yu narrowed his eyes and grinned. "Setting aside Hei Long, Xue Lian, and yourself, don't I still have eighteen others?" Eighteen first-rank experts! Joining forces alongside Su Yu, even the Sword Venerable would have to kneel! Below thirty-two Daos, clear gaps naturally existed among first-rank powerhouses. Yet such disparities could be overcome through sheer numbers—human-wave tactics! Beyond thirty-two Daos, the disparity would become a chasm. It wasn't that overwhelming numbers couldn't work against such beings, but rather that killing them was exceedingly difficult. Integrating the Dao into the body meant they were one with their Dao. If they chose to flee, pursuing them was nearly impossible. Even if caught, they could dissolve into the Dao's fundamental essence; without the appropriate counters, destroying them was extraordinarily difficult. Jian Kong's expression shifted slightly. That was true! Su Yu did not stand alone; an entire legion backed him. Leaving aside the first-ranks, the second-rank experts were already nearing a hundred! Furthermore, the realm held vast ranks of Rulers of Rules. Across the entire world, even excluding those who had merged into the same Daos, the total number of combatants at the Ruler of Rules level now exceeded three hundred! And that was with quite a few individuals choosing to merge into shared Daos. Su Yu's world currently contained only seven hundred and twenty Daos. Certain obscure Daos had few practitioners, and suitable rulers had yet to be found for them. Three hundred powerhouses! Even the Sword Venerable would be forced to his knees! Su Yu chuckled and asked, "By the way, everyone speaks of how formidable the forbidden lands are. I'm quite curious—just how strong are they, really?" Apart from the forbidden land masters, hall chiefs, and soul-summoning emissaries, Su Yu genuinely knew little about the full depth of their power. In truth, neither did most others; even figures like Qu possessed only limited knowledge. Different factions within a forbidden land rarely interacted, largely because their status was not high enough. Jian Kong was different. His father was the chief of the Weapons Hall, virtually the second-highest authority in Mount Tianqiong! Hearing Su Yu's inquiry directed right at him, Jian Kong hesitated for a moment and sighed. His fate was now inextricably bound to Su Yu's; hiding things was pointless. Jian Kong spoke: "Mount Tianqiong is among the strongest forbidden lands, comprising eight halls in total: Weapons, Mystic Arts, Reconnaissance, Support, Sky Patrol, Beast Taming, Assault, and Internal Affairs. Each is led by a hall chief!" At these words, not only was Su Yu taken aback, but even Hei Long in the distance gasped in surprise. "Since when does Mount Tianqiong have eight halls? Weren't there only four?" Jian Kong offered a disdainful look, replying coolly, "The latter four rarely operate openly, but their combat prowess is by no means inferior!" Not bothering to elaborate further, he continued: "The Weapons Hall is the strongest. To my knowledge, the Weapons Hall alone possesses nine experts at sixteen Daos and above!" Though now… only six remained. Naturally, that was because he and two others had been captured—excluding the hall chief, of course. "The Weapons Hall is the most potent, and while the other halls are slightly weaker, altogether there are likely around fifty experts at sixteen Daos and above!" Su Yu drew in a breath. "That many?" Could there truly be so many? Though he had encountered plenty by now, such an abundance of first-rank powerhouses still defied expectations. Across the entire Severance Gorge, including the slain and captured and excluding outside rogue cultivators, there were fewer than twenty first-ranks. Where had Mount Tianqiong amassed so many experts? Jian Kong remarked with pride, "Tribulation Master, Mount Tianqiong's reputation as the foremost forbidden land is no empty boast! Ask Hei Long and the others; Mount Tianqiong possesses the greatest concentration of experts. As for Dead Spirit Hell, to my knowledge, the experts at sixteen Daos and above under the Four Great Emperors do not exceed thirty!" Hei Long remained silent. Feeling Su Yu's gaze land upon him, he grunted sullenly, "That is correct. Great Emperor Mingtu is the Eastern Sovereign, the strongest among them, yet he commands no more than six experts at sixteen Daos or above!" With that, he shot an irritated glare at Qu and muttered, "And now… only three remain!" As for the rest? Naturally, he, Qu, and another had all been captured, so they were gone. Without waiting for Su Yu to ask, Xue Lian admitted dejectedly, "Soulfall Valley is comparable to Dead Spirit Hell. As of now… Soulfall Valley is down by three as well!" The other territories were equally formidable. Having nearly thirty first-rank experts made each forbidden land terrifyingly potent. Even so, none rivaled Mount Tianqiong. Combining two forbidden lands barely equaled Mount Tianqiong's strength. No wonder Mount Tianqiong possessed such boundless confidence! Su Yu asked with a touch of curiosity, "If Mount Tianqiong is so powerful, why do they spend all day fixated on the Human Sovereign?" Was that Lord of Mount Tianqiong simply bored with nothing better to do? "The mountain master was once humiliated by the Human Sovereign and has never forgotten it!" Jian Kong explained. "Back then, the Human Sovereign fished for rogue cultivators near our territory from the myriad realms, virtually stripping the entire western region of its experts. In those days, Mount Tianqiong was not at its current location, but further west, closer to the Heavenly Gate!" "At that time, Severance Gorge was much larger than it is today!" He continued, "In the end, the entire western region—an expanse equivalent to the present-day Severance Gorge—was completely cleaned out by him, resulting in the deaths of countless experts! Later, when the mountain master discovered it, the Human Sovereign openly taunted him with unbearable arrogance! Near the end, he even attempted to descend straight through the Heavenly Gate and clashed with the mountain master. The mountain master shattered the Human Sovereign's projection… and only then did this endless fixation begin." Su Yu suppressed a wry smile. Had the Human Sovereign truly been so insolent back then? It made sense. Possessing terrifying strength and never having clashed with a forbidden land master before, the Human Sovereign might seem genial on the surface, but he was domineering to his core. He had intended to suppress all Three Gates—why would he fear forbidden land masters? Yet he had suffered a setback, thoroughly enraging the Lord of Mount Tianqiong in the process. After a moment's thought, Su Yu suddenly asked, "Even so, having that many sixteen-Dao experts seems excessive. There are plenty of sixteen-Dao experts among the rogue cultivators, but I managed to lure in a massive horde from the gorge and its outskirts… Can a single forbidden land truly surpass all rogue cultivators combined?" Jian Kong shook his head. "It doesn't work that way. The most capable rogue cultivators were long ago recruited into the forbidden lands; the rogue cultivators around today are merely the dregs left behind from those earlier selections." He added, "Furthermore, a portion of the sixteen-Dao experts within the forbidden lands inherited their positions!" Su Yu raised an eyebrow. "Inherited?" "Yes, passed down from father to son!" Jian Kong explained, "Take me, for example. I am a twenty-two-Dao sword cultivator. Though my father and I do not cultivate the exact same Dao, they belong to the same broad category. When my father feels his life is nearing its limit, he will pass down his Dao insights to me, assisting me in merging his Sword Dao at the very end." "Because of this, the vast number of experts in the forbidden lands is not the accumulation of a single generation, but the result of countless generations building upon one another, passing down their Daos through the ages!" That truly left nothing to say. The forbidden lands maintained unbroken lineages. Sons inheriting their fathers' mantles! A father at sixteen Daos would raise a son, and once the son reached seven or eight Daos, the father could pass down his Dao and support him. After the father perished, the son would possess formidable strength. However, Su Yu caught one specific phrase and arched his brow. "Limit of life?" Could Rulers of Rules actually die of old age? He had never heard of such a thing! Naturally, those below the Ruler of Rules realm experienced mortality, but Rulers of Rules? Jian Kong nodded. "A life limit! It is entirely normal; no one can live forever, it is merely a matter of sooner or later. The powerful live longer, while the weak perish sooner." He explained further, "Because this is a broken, decaying world. My father once told me that the Daos here are incomplete and steeped in heavy yin qi! Therefore, life limits exist. Over the years, people have indeed died of old age, beyond all cure!" Nearby, several others nodded. Blade Master affirmed, "This is true. I once witnessed a fellow at seven Daos die of old age right before my eyes. In an instant, his Dao shattered, and he crumbled into ashes!" Jian Kong nodded. "The Tribulation Master may be young and has not witnessed it. Yet youth provides no immunity. In my father's words, so long as one lingers in this world without returning to the myriad realms, death will claim everyone sooner or later!" He sighed softly. "In recent years, the devourer locusts have grown increasingly numerous. I wonder if everyone has sensed it—an aura of devastation is spreading. This world may soon meet its destruction!" "The opening of the Three Gates is our sole opportunity. If we fail to seize the myriad realms this time and cannot return… then once the Heavenly Gate shuts again, all of us will perish!" There would be no way out! An apocalyptic doom! Su Yu fell silent for a moment before remarking, "If we cannot take the myriad realms this time, can't the Heavenly Gate be reopened next time? As I recall, the Earth Gate predates our era, doesn't it?" They haven't perished yet! The others looked puzzled as well. That was true—the Earth Gate was older than theirs, even if its inhabitants were considered weaker. Jian Kong shook his head. "It is different! Many ancient beasts within the Earth Gate are not connected to the River of Time; they cultivate the Chaos Dao. Chaos knows no passage of years, making it difficult for the Time Dao to erode them… Thus, the entities within the Earth Gate live longer than we do, though that does not grant them infinite lifespans. By the era of the myriad realms, they too are nearing their limits. That is why both the Earth Gate and the Heavenly Gate must break out this time… As for the Human Gate, I know nothing of it!" All around, the rogue cultivators wore solemn expressions. "Lord Jian Kong, are you saying that if we cannot claim the myriad realms this time, we will have no retreat left?" "Naturally!" Jian Kong nodded. "Otherwise, why do you think the forbidden lands are acting with such urgency, every one of them practically bursting at the seams to break out?" Su Yu pondered this deeply. A fight with their backs to the wall? In that case, the opening of the Three Gates truly heralded a bloody war! Furthermore, while the forbidden lands possessed many powerhouses, Jian Kong's words revealed that a substantial number were second, third, or even fourth-generation inheritors. All of them had inherited their Daos from their forebears, passing down the mantle from father to son! If that was the case… they might not be as invincible as they seemed. Mount Tianqiong was undeniably terrifying, but Dead Spirit Hell and Soulfall Valley were not necessarily insurmountable. Naturally, the Lord of the Dead Spirits was an exception—he was far too formidable. Soulfall Valley! Su Yu rolled the name through his thoughts. Soulfall Valley. He suddenly turned to Shang and Xue Lian, asking with a faint smile, "You two serve under the Shura Emissary of Soulfall Valley. His strength is mediocre, isn't it?" Mediocre? The two stood speechless. Still, Shang quickly replied, "Lord Shura Emissary is by no means weak. He ranks near the top among the Six Great Soul-Summoning Emissaries, possessing at least twenty-six Daos!" To Su Yu, that qualified as weak. What was there to argue? Su Yu considered this and said, "If I capture all Six Great Soul-Summoning Emissaries, what are our chances of taking down Soulfall Valley afterward?" The crowd fell silent. Did the Tribulation Master truly intend to attack a forbidden land? The experts from Soulfall Valley exchanged glances, rendered entirely speechless. Su Yu stroked his chin. "How can we lure the Shura Emissary out of the forbidden land?" Xue Lian could not help asking, "Tribulation Master, why must we attack a forbidden land? Even if you wish to establish a new forbidden land, you can simply do so here…" Su Yu scoffed in exasperation. "Nonsense! If I don't capture more powerhouses, how am I supposed to reach thirty-two Daos? I need vast numbers of experts, and where are they? In the forbidden lands! I grow stronger through battle, and all of you will rise along with me. Understand?" It wasn't that he was itching for war; relying on fishing for rogue cultivators every day was simply too slow! Furthermore, having stirred up such a massive commotion, he would be discovered sooner or later! Rather than waiting passively, striking when everyone least expected it and seizing a forbidden land before anyone noticed was the best way to secure a firm foothold. This time, he had swept up so many experts in one stroke, including personnel from the forbidden lands. While the forbidden lands might not pay attention immediately, they would notice soon enough. "Mingtu might be connected to the Lord of the Dead Spirits' world, and the Sword Venerable is immensely powerful and unlikely to surrender… Thus, we shall make Soulfall Valley our first target, beginning with the Shura Emissary!" Su Yu looked at Shang with a grin. "Is there a way to bring the Shura Emissary here?" Shang sank into deep thought. Her former supreme superior had now become the Tribulation Master's prey. After weighing her options, she nodded. "There is a way!" "Speak." Shang said softly, "The Shura Emissary delights in killing for sport! Among the six emissaries, he is the most obsessed with slaughter, cultivating primarily the Slaughter Dao. However, ordinary people do not interest him, while killing someone too powerful risks triggering conflicts. Years ago, the Shura Emissary slaughtered a forbidden land powerhouse of over twenty Daos, sparking friction between forbidden lands. The valley master warned him afterward… so he has restrained himself considerably of late." Looking at her, Su Yu grasped her intent. Sure enough, Shang quickly continued, "We can keep up the charade. Given the abundance of rogue cultivators here, we can pretend to have captured a large number of rogue powerhouses, including experts from Mount Liufang, and invite the Shura Emissary to come in secret to execute our prisoners. He might very well come in person!" She added, "He enjoys butchering geniuses… We can even send word that the Tribulation Master has returned and broken through to twenty Daos. As the Tribulation Master is not part of any forbidden land's core lineage and merely holds the title of guest elder in Mount Tianqiong, the Shura Emissary will likely find you all the more enticing! If so, the chances of him coming here are exceptionally high!" Su Yu laughed. "Good, then we shall try it! Keep the City of Light open—deceive whoever comes, sweeping up every rogue cultivator in the vicinity! Once the Shura Emissary arrives and we deal with him… we will find a way to bait the other soul-summoning emissaries. Once I reach thirty Daos, perhaps we can test the might of Soulfall Valley!" The crowd felt their hearts tighten. Challenging a forbidden land! This was an endeavor they both dreadfully feared and eagerly anticipated. They feared the forbidden lands because they were terrifyingly strong. Yet they anticipated it because if they conquered one, they would become the new forbidden land! Not only that, but they could seize massive spoils in the process and grow into true titans! Meanwhile, Su Yu's thoughts shifted. The Sword Venerable was someone he couldn't afford to provoke just yet, as the man's strength might not be inferior to his own. It was best to work from the weakest to the strongest, taking them down one by one, starting with the Shura Emissary! Mingtu was a subordinate of the Lord of the Dead Spirits, potentially tied to the Dead Spirit World; severing his Dao would alert the master immediately. Weighing everything, Soulfall Valley was the only viable opening! Moreover, he couldn't simply sit around waiting. Su Yu had another objective: hunting devourer locusts to swallow their Daos and perfect his Tribulation Dao. The Tribulation Dao held immense utility—masking danger and sensing crises were its greatest benefits! With that in mind, Su Yu addressed the surrounding powerhouses: "Gathering here serves no purpose. Near Severance Gorge, there are still many devourer locusts. Now that the rogue cultivators have been largely cleared out, our next task is to purge the locusts… under the pretext of securing Severance Gorge!" "When slaying devourer locusts, strip their Daos if possible. If not, they don't seem to possess much Dao power anyway—mostly fragmented rules of destruction. Bring all of them back to me!" "Understood!" everyone responded in unison. "Shang, your group stays behind to continue fishing. Lure the Shura Emissary here!" "Understood!" Several people hurriedly nodded. Su Yu added, "Also, continue summoning reinforcements from the forbidden lands to aid in battle! Every day we go undiscovered is another day to expand our strength!" "Understood!" they chorused again, burning with fervor. …… Having assigned his subordinates their tasks, Su Yu was left uncertain when the Shura Emissary would actually arrive. At this juncture, he felt like venturing out for a stroll. Waiting around indefinitely was not his style. Among the four forbidden lands, the one he most wished to visit was Mount Yongsheng. However, that place was currently the epicenter; any disturbance there would easily draw intense scrutiny. As for Soulfall Valley, alerting the enemy prematurely was out of the question. From his very first day here, he had harbored a desire to visit Dead Spirit Hell. Thus… Su Yu decided to go there and take a look, purely out of missing the Lord of the Dead Spirits. Well, in truth, Su Yu wanted to see how the world constructed by the Lord of the Dead Spirits fared in this realm. He wanted to see if he could glean insights to refine his own world. That world opener was, after all, a senior pioneer of the craft! "King Wen… the Time Master…" In truth, Su Yu was also eager to meet those two. Yet after some consideration, he abandoned the thought. Forget it—the two of them were far too conspicuous. Both were trapped directly beneath everyone's watchful eyes! A man of action, Su Yu finalized arrangements, instructed his subordinates to notify him the instant the Shura Emissary arrived, and swiftly departed. Destination: Dead Spirit Hell! …… Across the boundless void. A dark realm stood suspended in the emptiness, seething with death qi. It was like a living hell! Yet compared to the Dead Spirit Realm of the myriad realms, this place possessed a touch more vitality. The cultivators here were no longer the mindless dead spirits of the outer world, but true living beings. At this moment, within a subterranean grand hall resembling the underworld, the Lord of the Dead Spirits was frowning deeply. Clad in black robes, he appeared stern and cold, yet he did not exude an oppressive chill of death. Instead, within the essence of death, a unique, boiling vitality churned. His lustrous black hair fell loosely around his shoulders, entirely unbound. Presently, the Lord of the Dead Spirits seemed somewhat restless. After a long silence, he suddenly let out a low grunt and snapped his eyes open. His gaze resembled the vast starry sky, yet it now burned with irritation. His voice sounded deep and muffled: "Why?" "Life and death still cannot interchange… Is the pinnacle of death truly not life?" Frowning, he murmured, "Back then in the myriad realms, I opened the Dead Spirit Heaven; I shouldn't have opened another Dead Spirit Heaven here. I should have opened a Living Heaven! Those bastards gave me no time!" A surge of fury flared within him! The Lord of the Dead Spirits was an unrivaled overlord, a peerless prodigy! He had come here intending to break through the shackles binding him in the myriad realms and open a heaven of life, just as Su Yu was currently correcting the imbalances in his own world. He specialized in the Dao of Death, but his original intention here had been to forge the Dao of Life. Yet… the forbidden land masters had obstructed him. To rapidly attain formidable strength, he had been forced to open a familiar Dead Spirit Heaven once more! However, this had never been his true ambition! Frustrated and bitter, the Lord of the Dead Spirits gritted his teeth. "Merging two heavens… both are Dead Spirit Heavens. Even if joined, they remain the same! It cannot resolve my deficiency; life and death remain unbalanced, only driving the discrepancy further apart!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he became! For countless years, he had continually attempted to reverse the situation, seeking to transform this world into a realm of life and death—even if it could not become a pure heaven of life, it needed to hold an equal balance of both. Yet he had never succeeded! This was the very reason he had remained in seclusion all these years, refusing to emerge. He couldn't even be bothered to deal with those people! Don't provoke me; I didn't come here for your squabbles. He had come solely to pursue his own Dao! Not only that, he harbored grander ambitions—though those required far greater strength. For instance… swallowing the River of Time to become the true paramount entity of heaven and earth! What did the Three Gates matter? He had no fear of the three old ghosts incarnated by the Three Gates! Nor did he fear the old fossil embodying the Heavenly Gate. If he had feared them, he never would have come! The Lord of the Dead Spirits was peerlessly domineering. He had allowed the Three Gates to lay their secret preparations, content to reap the spoils in the end. Yet his current power remained insufficient; he had to convert his world into a heaven of life and death first! "Life and death remain inscrutable… Is the ultimate boundary of death truly not life?" Murmuring to himself, his frustration deepened! World openers… Opening heaven and earth—alas, he lacked reference models to observe. "Sigh, is there truly no one capable of opening a heaven of life and death?" No, damn it, could no one else open a world at all? Setting aside those within the gates, had any world openers emerged among those outside? Xingyu? Did anyone else hold promise? "Wait… that kid from last time…" Something suddenly crossed his mind—he recalled that youth from before. Back then, King Wen had even threatened him, claiming the boy had opened a heaven of life and death and would wreak havoc in his Dead Spirit Realm in the myriad realms! "Right… he opened life and death!" Though that youth was weak, when it came to opening worlds, strength was irrelevant; every discipline had its specialists. That the boy could open a heaven of life and death was what truly baffled the Lord of the Dead Spirits. Naturally, every individual possessed their own strengths. Su Yu opening a heaven of life and death was no miraculous feat in itself; the crux was that he, the Lord of the Dead Spirits, had failed to do so! He desperately needed reference points and insights regarding a heaven of life and death! Once he converted this world into a heaven of life and death, his strength would advance. Furthermore, upon returning to the myriad realms and fusing both heavens into one, he would become far mightier than he was now! "A heaven of life and death… Su Yu…" The Lord of the Dead Spirits muttered the name, then cursed under his breath. That scoundrel had dared plunder his Dao origin in the myriad realms! Moreover, the kid was currently in the myriad realms, making it impossible to lay hands on him. Otherwise, he could have examined that heaven of life and death in person. "If all else fails… the moment I step out of the Heavenly Gate, I will seek him out first!" The Heavenly Gate… Thinking of it, he sighed again. Matters regarding the Heavenly Gate were equally troublesome. Just because he had pierced through the realm without greeting it back then, whenever he drew near now, the damn thing flew into a frenzy. The Lord of the Dead Spirits sneered, "What good is throwing a fit? If I want to pierce through, I will!" Naturally, that was easier said than done. For now, the situation was delicate. Excessive contact with it could easily hasten its awakening, which would not be ideal, as it might liberate that fellow ahead of schedule. Restless, the Lord of the Dead Spirits rose to his feet. His failure to interchange life and death left him deeply disappointed! He stepped out of his grand hall, clasping his hands behind his back as he stared into the distance, lost in thought. The Three Gates would open soon, bringing all four quarters together. Though the myriad realms were weak, they were no easy prey. Who knew how much Xingyu had recovered? Furthermore, how had Zhou fared since entering the Earth Gate? And then… As he pondered, his gaze suddenly shifted toward the east, his brow furrowing slightly. "Mingtu, come see me!" In an instant, Great Emperor Mingtu materialized, bowing low. "Master!" The Lord of the Dead Spirits studied him, his brow tightening further. "Strange. Who has set their sights on you?" "What?" Great Emperor Mingtu blinked in confusion. The Lord of the Dead Spirits glanced at him and said coolly, "It appears an expert has targeted you. Whom have you provoked recently? Misfortune hangs thick over your head!" As a supreme powerhouse who dealt with death qi year-round, his perception was exceptionally sharp. Startled, Great Emperor Mingtu ventured, "The Sword Venerable?" "The Sword Venerable? That fellow from Mount Tianqiong?" "Yes." The Lord of the Dead Spirits looked again and shook his head. "Doesn't look like it! It seems someone is scheming against you, constantly fixated on you. If a sword cultivator wanted to deal with you… they wouldn't use so many convoluted tricks!" Frowning, he asked, "That fellow?" "Master refers to…" "The one named Wen!" The Lord of the Dead Spirits said coldly, "That scoundrel has lingered around my borders several times before! An abominable fellow! I simply couldn't be bothered to deal with him. If he wants to tangle with Fa, that is his business, but if he dares provoke me again… do not blame me for disregarding our shared ties as beings of the Yang Realm!" With that, he sneered, "He is already being watched by the Gate, and Fa is no pushover, yet he still finds the leisure to scheme against my subordinates!" He shook his head. There had to be some connection between Fa and the Gate. A few years ago, unusual fluctuations had erupted within Mount Yongsheng; the Lord of the Dead Spirits had sensed them before they were ushered beyond the portal by the Gate. Fa's origin was highly suspicious. He was likely a disciple of the Gate, or perhaps a diehard loyalist from the ancient past. The Lord of the Dead Spirits was exceptionally formidable and could see through many things, though he couldn't be bothered to air them out, preferring to crush his adversaries through raw power. Glancing at Mingtu, he continued, "Be cautious; it's best you don't step outside lately!" "In addition, dispatch someone to gather intelligence on Changshengtian…" Mingtu looked at him in alarm. The Lord of the Dead Spirits said frostily, "My attempt to convert life and death has failed once more; I likely lack an extraordinarily potent Dao of Life. That figure in Changshengtian is quite powerful… I wanted to slay him back then, but unfortunately failed!" He wanted to eliminate that fellow! Namely, the Immortal Ancestor! "The Three Gates are about to open. If I don't kill him now, once we step outside and he reaps the benefits to grow stronger, slaying him will become far more difficult. Moreover, when that time comes, powerhouses will gather, and all manner of monsters will emerge… making unexpected variables far more likely!" Mingtu was thoroughly shaken! Was the master about to wage war? He hurriedly said, "Master, if we move against Changshengtian, the other forbidden lands… might intervene!" This was precisely what gave the Lord of the Dead Spirits a headache! Those bastards simply couldn't bear to see him thrive. He snorted coldly. "Have that fellow named Wen attack Mount Yongsheng to create chaos, and I will seize the chance to assault Changshengtian!" Mingtu was speechless! He isn't your grandson—how could that ever happen?! Would King Wen attack just because you told him to? He couldn't win anyway! If he could have triumphed, he would have done so long ago! The Lord of the Dead Spirits felt equally frustrated. Indeed, King Wen was hardly obedient! Under such circumstances, attacking Changshengtian would easily provoke intervention from the other forbidden lands, who might even join forces against him! The more he thought about it, the more irritated he became! His power was peerless, yet he found himself constrained by a flock of petty schemers. If they had any guts, they would face him one-on-one! Back then, he had slain a forbidden land master, and he could do so again today. In a duel, aside from that Tianqiong fellow who could put up a fight, what did the rest amount to? As the Lord of the Dead Spirits pondered, he suddenly paused and scrutinized Mingtu once more, his brow knitting tightly. "Imminent disaster looms over you!" "……" Mingtu froze. The Lord of the Dead Spirits abruptly glanced beyond the realm, frowning. "Could that fellow named Wen have crept near my world?" Was it possible? Highly possible! What tremendous audacity! Did he intend to kill Mingtu, or what else was he plotting? He let out a sudden cold laugh. "Go outside! That fellow named Wen might truly have approached my territory. I didn't sense him; his breath-concealment techniques are first-rate, and an internalized Dao is his hallmark—either he opened a world, or his Dao is deeply hidden! Most likely, he opened a world that remains in the myriad realms, which makes detecting him difficult!" He looked at Mingtu. "He likely wants to deal with you. Seeing how misfortune covers your head, go out and bait him into the open for me!" Mingtu's face turned pale. Me? Bait King Wen? I'm no match for King Wen! If this goes wrong… The Lord of the Dead Spirits snapped coldly, "What are you afraid of? Could he possibly be a match for me? Lure him out, and I will beat this cur to death! Lingering around my territory all this time—if not for those watching me, I would have crushed him long ago!" With that, he sneered again, "Good, let him learn that not just anyone can be provoked! Last time, that Su Yu from the myriad realms swallowed my Dao origin while clad in white robes; he likely shares some connection with Wen, perhaps even from the same bloodline… I'll settle that score on his head as well!" Left with no alternative, Mingtu could only say, "Master, then… I should go out and draw him out?" "Naturally!" "Yet King Wen is shrewd. If I step out of my own accord, won't he realize it's a trap…?" "What if he does? So what if he knows?" Nonsense—he'll swallow the bait whole! Naturally, Mingtu dared not voice that aloud. Dawdling reluctantly under the Lord of the Dead Spirits' stern glare, Mingtu had no choice but to depart, lamenting his rotten luck. Now this was true misfortune crowning his head! His master wasn't always so dependable. After Mingtu left, the Lord of the Dead Spirits clasped his hands behind his back and sank into contemplation. That fellow named Wen possessed no small amount of nerve. To come to my territory at a time like this… if you truly get entangled with me, even if I don't kill you, Fa and the others won't let you off. This upcoming Forbidden Land Conference claims to be about the Heavenly Gate, but it's blatantly aimed at dealing with you! "Perhaps this can be turned to my advantage!" he murmured with a smile, stepping into the void to trail Mingtu, though keeping a deliberate distance. If he drew too close, what if that fellow noticed him? …… At that exact moment. Su Yu had just arrived in the region of Dead Spirit Hell when a powerful aura suddenly surged from within, and an imposing powerhouse flew out from the dark domain in an instant! Great Emperor Mingtu roared with fury, his voice booming across the void: "Two experts at sixteen Daos and above, follow me to the City of Light! How dare Mount Tianqiong bully my Dead Spirit Hell!" In a flash, two first-rank experts flew out after him. Su Yu stood utterly dumbfounded. Why yell so loudly? Why be so furious? Wait, something was wrong! I told Qu not to contact your side, only to keep fishing; it wasn't your turn to take the stage yet! Su Yu was completely baffled. Did they really manage to lure Mingtu out? This was going to be a massive headache. Because Hei Long had already merged his Dao into another's, the moment Mingtu arrived and saw it, everything would be exposed! "What is going on?" "Did Qu disobey my orders?" Su Yu frowned. That didn't make sense! No matter how foolish Qu was, he knew that luring Mingtu over right now offered zero benefit. I told them to lure the Shura Emissary; how on earth did you drag Mingtu into this? "Something isn't right!" Watching the three distant powerhouses, Su Yu sank into thought. Yet for the moment, he couldn't pinpoint what was amiss. I just arrived, and they put on a performance? An act for whom? Surely not for me? Impossible! No one even knew he was here! Su Yu chuckled to himself. Besides, he was the master of the City of Light; if this act was meant for him, Mingtu wouldn't have shouted those words—that would only arouse suspicion. "Wait…" Su Yu paused. If it wasn't meant for him… could it be staged for someone else? Who? A moment later, a faint realization struck him. Could they be staging this for King Wen? Was King Wen nearby? Su Yu sank into contemplation. It was said that King Wen had lingered around this area several times. "Has King Wen come here?" Su Yu glanced around the empty void, his gaze narrowing with suspicion.