Nothing More Than This!

The two experts in seclusion had not shown themselves for many years. The reason Hou knew of their existence was that two areas were exceptionally dangerous. Even ancient beasts did not dare enter lightly, because those who went in usually vanished without a trace. This implied that experts might be lurking within. Word had it that during the climactic battles at the end of the Heaven-Opening Era, some powerhouses had suffered grievous wounds and remained in hiding ever since, nursing their injuries. Hou, however, was unfamiliar with this region, and their exact locations remained unclear. …… Su Yu and his party advanced at high speed. Along the way, the Human Sovereign released a faint ripple. It spread outward at a unique frequency, clearly a specialized transmission signal meant to contact the cultivators he had planted here. Su Yu and the others flew continuously. They encountered several ancient beasts along their path—slaying some outright and swiftly evading the stronger ones. After an unknown stretch of time. Ahead, a silhouette flickered into view. Just as Su Yu prepared to strike, the Human Sovereign raised a hand, and Su Yu promptly reined in his aura. Before them stood a beast resembling a pig. It eyed the group, and suddenly its form rippled and shook. The next instant, it transformed into an Iron Eater! January! The moment Su Yu saw this appearance, he knew this was January. The beast had cultivated the Seventy-Two Casts to the absolute pinnacle, thoroughly twisting his physical form. Su Yu had nearly misjudged him at first glance. Quite an impressive skill! "Your Majesty!" That familiar Iron Eater form reminded Su Yu of San Yue and the others. It also brought to mind San Yue's failure to advance earlier and his regret that his grandfather was still alive, making Su Yu want to chuckle. Across from them, January was oblivious to these thoughts. Taking in Su Yu's group at a glance, he recognized several faces. The only stranger was Su Yu, but he quickly realized who he was. Su Yu of the Myriad Realms! His fame had swept across the entire Earth Gate just moments ago. "Greetings, Lords!" January's voice sounded deep and muffled. The Human Sovereign smiled faintly. "Dispense with ceremony! January, it has been many years!" "Indeed, many years!" January sighed with emotion. Su Yu studied January for a moment and nodded slightly. January's strength was decent—approaching first-rank from second-rank, roughly around fifteen Dao. That was genuinely respectable progress! Among the various races enduring to this day, the Iron Eaters were considered formidable, second only to the humans. Naturally, that was likely connected to the Human Sovereign partitioning a portion of the human race's fortune to them back then. Sharing life and death with the humans! Hou fell slightly short, barely holding on to second-rank. This former mount of King Wu had not been weak in his prime, though his progress had not kept pace with January's. January hurried to their side, glanced at Hou, and gave his massive head a slight nod. The Human Sovereign wasted no time on pleasantries, getting straight to the point: "Are you familiar with this region? Word has it there is a forbidden domain nearby..." Upon hearing this, January immediately caught his drift and swiftly replied, "I know a bit! I reside in a neighboring territory, serving an expert of twenty-four Dao. That lord once scouted this place and was not killed; instead, every once in a while, he presents treasures as tribute to this area..." January continued quickly, "This place supposedly belongs to a Taotie, said to be one of the overlords of the chaotic era. Countless years ago, it battled cultivators of the Heaven-Opening Era and was severely wounded. It has been recuperating ever since, devouring massive quantities of treasures and cultivators to mend its injuries..." January genuinely possessed useful information and promptly briefed everyone. At that moment, Qiong's voice echoed in the minds of Su Yu and his companions: "So it's that Taotie's territory! This seat actually knows that fellow. Back then, he truly fought with ferocious courage, slaying a Unity Realm expert. I assumed he had perished long ago, but it turns out he's still alive! Skilled in devouring—there is nothing he cannot consume! As for his strength... back then, he wielded around thirty-three Dao. What he possesses now is anyone's guess." Su Yu and the others swiftly absorbed this intelligence. However, the information was somewhat dated; no one knew the beast's current strength. The Human Sovereign soon asked, "January, has there been any unusual movement around here lately? Have any experts passed through?" January shook his head. All the while, Su Yu kept his eyes fixed on January. At first, January paid it no mind, but seeing Su Yu continue to stare after a while, he asked in a muffled voice, "Lord Su, might I ask why you keep staring at me?" Su Yu smiled. "Senior January, your descendants, San Yue and Si Yue, are both serving under me in the Myriad Realms. Senior has a kindly, familiar face, so I couldn't help taking a few extra looks." January offered a simple, honest smile. Su Yu added, "Senior January, during this excursion, I may kill Prison. How much does Senior know about her?" January instinctively glanced toward the Human Sovereign, who remained silent. January looked back at Su Yu and fell into a sudden quiet. Su Yu smiled. "Does Senior truly know nothing?" January looked at Su Yu again, still saying nothing. Su Yu gave a soft laugh. "What, Senior doesn't trust me?" January replied in an honest tone, "No, it is just that... I know very little about the Prison King..." "Liar!" Su Yu said coolly, "Senior isn't being honest! Facing your mortal enemy—the one who killed your own son—how could you not seek vengeance? Even if you lack the power to take revenge, you wouldn't remain completely ignorant! The necessary intelligence gathering would certainly have been done! What's more, you definitely spared no effort! Senior, acting like this makes it very difficult for me to believe you can provide accurate intelligence!" At this point, Su Yu continued, "As for the relationship between the Human Sovereign and Prison... I don't care about that! Here, I have the final say!" January glanced at the Human Sovereign several times, but the Human Sovereign kept entirely quiet. Seeing this, January's eyes flickered, and he spoke in a subdued tone: "I have only gathered a bit of basic information, nothing comprehensive. If Lord Su wishes to know, I can explain briefly..." "The Prison King entered the Earth Gate around the same time we did, nearly ten thousand years ago by local count..." Ten thousand years? Su Yu nodded slightly. The temporal flow within the Earth Gate differed somewhat from that of the Heavenly Gate. It was likely due to the distinct cosmic positions of the gates. "After the Prison King entered, she quickly slaughtered vast numbers of ancient beasts, drawing the attention of the Lord of Chaos. Before long, the Lord of Chaos appeared to make a move, but the Prison King seemingly received the protection of the Human Ancestor. Ultimately, she established a foothold here and founded Avici Hell!" Su Yu's eyes narrowed slightly. "She received the backing of the Human Ancestor?" "Correct!" January nodded. "I recall that when the Lord of Chaos struck back then, the commotion was immense. Yet from the region of Mount Bihua, a stalk of Longevity Bamboo flew out and held back the Lord of Chaos. Only then did the Prison King secure her footing here. "Afterward, however, there was little interaction between the Prison King and the Human Ancestor." Su Yu found this rather strange. Why was that? January had indeed conducted substantial inquiries into the Prison King, and he continued, "Regarding the Human Ancestor's intervention, news spread later on—mainly propagated by the Yanhuo Demon Emperor himself, flaunting his own accomplishments!" How had Yanhuo gotten tangled up in this as well? Su Yu pondered this, feeling curious. "Yanhuo... now that you mention him, why did Yanhuo enter alongside Prison back then? And why did they even leave behind a combined bloodline outside...?" January said gravely, "That, I didn't know previously! It was only later, when Yanhuo mentioned it himself, boasting of an incomparably powerful lineage beyond being a pure Demon. Only then did the rumor spread that Yanhuo possessed a bloodline passed down from the Chaotic Era... It was awakened later, seemingly connected to the Earth Gate..." Su Yu thought it through and nodded. That made sense! Back then, Tongtian had stated that to cultivate a gate projection, one often needed to possess a bloodline tied to the gate, or maintain an intimate connection with it. Among the human race, only humans of Su Yu's era could cultivate the Heavenly Gate, because the Heavenly Gate had been human—the Primordial Ancestor of humanity. Meanwhile, Hundred Battles and his kin could cultivate the Human Gate, which indicated that the Human Gate was likely connected to the human race as well; otherwise, experts like Xian and Zhou would have struggled to cultivate it. As for the Earth Gate, so far Su Yu only knew that the Prison King lineage had cultivated it; he had never heard of anyone else doing so. He had previously conjectured that the Earth Gate was originally a powerful chaotic ancient beast. In that case, Yanhuo was likely not a pure Demon, but an inheritance blending Demon and ancient beast? Had an offspring of the Earth Gate coupled with a Demon expert, giving birth to Yanhuo? Once the Prison King discovered this, she brought Yanhuo along because she intended to enter the Earth Gate? And the bloodline left outside had likely been prepared to cultivate the Earth Gate. As for whether it was conceived through mere bloodline fusion or actual physical coupling between the two, Su Yu had no idea. Who could say! Su Yu asked again, "What is Prison's current approximate strength?" "At least thirty-two Dao!" January said gravely, "The Prison King slaughtered many ancient beasts and devoured their origin sources. Afterward, she established Avici Hell. Rumor has it she might be a Heaven-Opener, though whether that is true, I cannot verify." A Heaven-Opener? It made sense. The Prison King had previously imitated the Time Master by gathering myriad Daos; she had secretly slaughtered numerous experts specifically to open a heaven. Had she opened a heaven inside the Earth Gate? Opening a heaven inside the Earth Gate ought to be possible. However, opening a heaven in the Earth Gate would differ from doing so in the Heavenly Gate. The chaotic aura here was far too thick, and the myriad Great Daos were obscured. Opening a heaven here would amount to little more than opening a chaotic heaven! Su Yu had no intention of opening a heaven inside the Earth Gate; it held little value, lacking the yin-yang harmonization effect found in the Heavenly Gate. January added, "Furthermore, the Prison King..." He glanced at the Human Sovereign once more and lowered his voice. "The Prison King may possess ties to the Human Gate. An envoy of the Human Gate once appeared and entered Avici Hell." Su Yu nodded slightly. The Prison King's goal in entering the Earth Gate was undoubtedly to strengthen herself. Reaching out to the Human Gate to communicate and bolster her power was hardly surprising. Su Yu had no interest in that. He asked, "Then let me ask you: does Prison have nine disciples?" "Yes!" January nodded. "Though they are not exceptionally powerful. Her eldest disciple wields only eighteen Dao; I have seen him a few times... Her weakest disciple only stepped into the realm of Ruler of Rules not long ago..." "Yuqing?" "Correct!" Su Yu nodded, then said, "Prison left behind the so-called Sacred Race outside, and their goal has always been to unseal the Earth Gate and welcome the experts back out. Do you know of this?" January nodded again. "I know a bit!" "Why is she in such a rush to open the Earth Gate?" Su Yu questioned, "Even if it opens, what use is it? With her strength, could she possibly contend with the Earth Gate itself?" The Prison King faction outside had always pursued the objective of unsealing the Earth Gate to welcome their powerhouses back. Beyond that, Su Yu added, "Prison also seems to have commanded the Sacred Race to eliminate King Wen's legacy and prevent his return. Stuck inside the Earth Gate, she shouldn't have any friction with King Wen trapped in the Heavenly Gate, right?" This had always been the guiding tenet of the Prison King faction. Regardless of how the human race developed, they rarely took direct action against ordinary humans, but they strictly forbade King Wen's inheritance from surfacing and barred anyone from inheriting King Wen's Brush Dao. The moment it appeared, they moved in for the kill! Yet even if someone inherited the Brush Dao, it wouldn't easily facilitate King Wen's return, would it? The Prison King faction's interference seemed largely pointless. At this moment, without waiting for January to answer, Wen Yu stated plainly, "It was simply to sever all connections between my brother and the Myriad Realms! Forbidding people from inheriting the Brush Dao was because the Brush Dao was a Great Dao my brother cultivated; with its imprint acting as a beacon, my brother could sense it..." Su Yu nodded slightly. "So she feared King Wen might use the opportunity to establish contact with the Brush Dao, transmit messages out, or even have someone inject his heaven's core into it?" Still uncertain of the Prison King's ultimate objective, Su Yu asked, "Even if she unsealed the Earth Gate ahead of schedule, what could she achieve?" The Human Sovereign glanced at him. Seeing no one else answering, he pondered for a moment before speaking: "If she could exit the Earth Gate ahead of time, forcefully assimilate King Wen's heaven, and then assimilate mine, what do you think would happen?" Su Yu started. "She knows where King Wen's heaven is?" "I am not certain." The Human Sovereign shook his head. "She might know, or she might not. But after associating with us for tens of thousands of years, she understands King Wen's mind very well and knows he opened a heaven. If that so-called Prison King faction could truly welcome her out early, she would have the opportunity to grow powerful at terrifying speed..." Su Yu nodded. Turning back to January, he asked, "So Prison is aware of the movements of that so-called Sacred Race outside?" January nodded. "She definitely knows. Because a fissure has always existed in the Earth Gate, communication was never truly severed; it was merely impossible to pass through previously. Furthermore, the exterior was guarded by her people, preventing anyone else from leaving." He continued, "In the early days, when the fissure was small, the Yanhuo Demon Emperor was likely the one handling communications with the outside! Because of his unique bloodline, the external summoning ritual was probably devised by him as well... He acts as the intermediary between the Prison King's faction and the exterior." That cleared things up! Yet Su Yu remained puzzled. "Why would Yanhuo cooperate with her, even serving under her?" January shook his head, offering no explanation. The Human Sovereign, seeing January remain silent, remarked, "Some things don't require an elaborate reason. Some fall head over heels for men, others for women. Though our third sister is cold and ruthless, she possesses her own distinct charm... Once you see her in person, you will understand!" Su Yu fell into thought, nodding without further comment. He advanced for a while before suddenly looking toward January: "I don't know whether you abandoned your revenge because the Human Sovereign pressured you too heavily, or because you prioritized the continuation of your race... None of that matters! When the Human Sovereign partitioned human fortune to your people back then, it was partly compensation and partly a warning that your race's future lay in humanity's grasp... He didn't handle that matter very gracefully!" The Human Sovereign remained silent. January hurriedly said, "My Lord jests..." Su Yu shook his head. "You should be a clever man; you understand these matters in your heart! I say this not to humiliate the Human Sovereign, nor to prove anything to you about my supposed selflessness... none of that. I simply wish to tell you: if Prison knew of the deeds committed outside and did nothing to stop them—or if they were executed on her orders—then I will kill her without fail! No one can stop me! That is the first point. Second, your descendants San Yue and the others serve under me. Er Yue was San Yue's father; with the grudge of a murdered father between them, I have ample reason to stand up for San Yue! "Previously, I thought that if Prison were truly ignorant of external events, then out of consideration for the Human Sovereign, I wouldn't go out of my way to kill her just to avenge you! "However, according to your words and the intelligence I have acquired, Prison knew everything!" Having said this, Su Yu drew a deep breath. "Then I must kill her! Because the greatest troubles I faced in the Myriad Realms were orchestrated by these very people!" The drive to annihilate the Multiple Divine Characters faction had been pushed and propagated by the Prison King faction, causing the Multiple Divine Characters inheritance to be ostracized across the entire Myriad Realms. King Dazhou had played a part as well, but his role had been to ensure the Multiple Divine Characters legacy survived and grew formidable, striking fear into the myriad races. The Prison King faction's fundamental objective, by contrast, had been the slaughter of every single practitioner of that line. Beyond the Liu family, many had died in the Multiple Divine Characters faction. Later, when Chen Yong sought vengeance, most of his targets were subordinates of King Jintian, who had secretly assassinated experts of that line. Senior Sister Wu Jia's parents had been murdered by the Six-Winged God Cult, and that cult had been secretly established by puppets controlled by King Jintian. Thus, an irreconcilable blood feud existed between Su Yu and the Prison King faction! Xia Chen had also been killed by agents of the Prison King faction, and the Western Heavenly Queen had conspired with the Western Heavenly King to ambush Hongmeng, nearly succeeding. The alliance between Hundred Battles and Yueluo, while partly driven by Hundred Battles' own motives, had aligned with the Prison King faction's original intent, inflicting catastrophic losses on humanity... That felt somewhat distant to Su Yu, and he cared less about it. Regardless, the Prison King faction was an absolute, mortal enemy! Originally, seeing the Human Sovereign avoid the subject, Su Yu had thought that if the Prison King was truly ignorant, he would likely let it go for the sake of the Human Sovereign and his companions, since there was no need to sour relations over her. Yet now that January confirmed the Prison King knew all along... Su Yu ceased holding back, declaring his intent to kill the Prison King right in front of the Human Sovereign. January felt a jolt of alarm. He looked at Su Yu, then at the Human Sovereign, and hurriedly hedged, "Perhaps I have misunderstood. Given my lowly status, it is possible Yanhuo took charge while the Prison King was in secluded cultivation and paid no heed." "I know what I am doing!" Su Yu dropped the subject. "First, locate the Taotie's hiding place. You have some familiarity with this region; narrow down the perimeter for us. Once the location is identified, you two withdraw!" January tried to speak again, but Su Yu snapped impatiently, "Enough. That's all—follow orders!" January had no choice but to lead the way obediently, his mind churning with shock. Was this newcomer, Su Yu, truly unafraid of falling out with the Human Sovereign over this? …… At this moment, the Human Sovereign said nothing. He merely cast a silent glance at Su Yu, while Wen Yu's voice transmitted to his ear: "Brother Xingyu, if he truly wants to kill Prison, will you stop him?" The Human Sovereign, decisive for countless years, seemed perpetually hesitant whenever it came to Prison. After a brief silence, the Human Sovereign replied via voice transmission: "I will not!" This time, Wen Yu was genuinely surprised. Truly? The Human Sovereign glanced at her, offering no explanation. Indeed, he would not. His duty was not merely to protect Prison. As he had stated before, among difficult choices, sacrifices had to be made: on one side was Prison, who had earned Su Yu's hostility; on the other were the veteran brothers who had followed him for years. If Su Yu insisted on killing her and he obstinately intervened, Su Yu's temperament would inevitably provoke conflict. Such friction... could drive a massive wedge between Su Yu's camp and his own! They might even part ways entirely! When that happened, trouble would not fall solely on Su Yu; his own side would also be plunged into extreme peril. Those old brothers would all face mortal danger. They had originally stood a chance of resisting the three gates, but once they broke with Su Yu, withstanding the three gates would become a pipe dream. The Human Sovereign said nothing. Had he been completely alone, even knowing Prison was in the wrong, she was still his third sister, and he would have chosen family over righteousness. Regrettably, he was not alone. He bore the responsibility of safeguarding the brothers who had fought alongside him across ages of war. At this moment, the Human Sovereign held his peace. Su Yu spoke no further either, simply following January swiftly forward. …… After flying for a considerable distance, they arrived at a dark, deathly silent expanse. January halted his steps and looked into the depths. "It is this area. This is already the narrowest possible perimeter. Advancing any further might cross directly into that lord's territory." Su Yu cast a glance forward and sensed the area. His Calamity Dao twitched faintly—his reliable barometer for danger. An expert was indeed present. Dealing with this powerhouse was not difficult. The true problem lay in the fact that once battle erupted, the tremendous disturbance would alert the entire Earth Gate that he was right here! Yet... did that matter? Killing one meant one less enemy to face! If all else failed, the Lord of Dead Spirits and his allies outside would assault the Earth Gate with full force, turning this into an all-out confrontation. Thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind, and Su Yu said swiftly, "January, you and Hou leave first!" "My Lord, we..." "Go!" Su Yu barked in a low tone. January and Hou did not dare argue further; they knew little about Su Yu, and this time, he clearly held command. The two bowed slightly toward the Human Sovereign and quickly departed. Once they were gone, Su Yu suddenly said, "Head for the other mysterious territory!" "..." The Human Sovereign froze, genuinely taken aback. The Time Master was equally dumbfounded, staring at Su Yu. Ignoring their reactions, Su Yu swiftly flew in another direction. He had inquired earlier about the general vicinity of that second forbidden zone. This time, the Human Sovereign could not hold back: "If you distrust them, why did you have me contact them in the first place?" Su Yu blatantly showed zero faith in those two! "It isn't distrust; it's a precaution against walking into an ambush!" Su Yu said calmly, "January harbors a grudge against Prison, after all! Furthermore, they have been here for years with meager strength. What if they've been compromised? Right now, news of our presence in this vicinity might already have leaked, and enemies could be preparing to surround us! I'm not saying they are definitely untrustworthy, but sometimes, people who are too weak get used as unwitting pawns! Caution keeps the ship afloat!" The Human Sovereign said nothing, though Wen Yu could not help remarking, "You really are excessively cautious..." They had arrived right at the doorstep, yet Su Yu had turned tail and swapped targets! Completely unexpected! Trailing secretly from behind, Qiong could not resist a sneering voice transmission: "You people are paranoid to the core, distrusting even your own allies!" Su Yu couldn't be bothered to respond. That was precisely why he had survived until now, and why he had grown strong enough to catch up to them so rapidly. He had no familiarity with January and his companion! If the two had truly betrayed them or were being monitored, all the better: drawing the attention of numerous powerhouses toward the Taotie would work entirely in his favor! This was hardly Su Yu's first time pulling such a stunt. Back when he ascended to the Upper Realm, Marquis Anying had established contact with him. Su Yu claimed he would strike the Underworld Race, only to pivot on his heel and assault the Dragon Race instead! It had gone swimmingly! Su Yu was thoroughly versed in feints and misdirection. He never placed easy trust in anyone, especially those he barely knew. Even if everyone else trusted them, he would keep his guard up. If no betrayal occurred, wonderful; if it did, Su Yu suffered no loss whatsoever. Earlier, raising the Prison King in front of January and declaring his intent to kill her had also served to placate him. For these unfamiliar figures, a measure of reassurance sufficed; their true worth would be judged by future actions. …… Soon, Su Yu left the Taotie's territory behind. The Human Sovereign remarked, "If you distrust them, Hou knows Qiong came here, which means Qiong is exposed!" If you wanted to take precautions, why not take them thoroughly? Su Yu transmitted back, "There's nothing wrong with that. If Qiong is truly exposed, the enemy will place even greater importance on him, their first instinct being to eliminate Qiong. Regardless of whether Qiong is currently putting on a front with us or hoping to ambush us... by then, he won't have a choice!" This kid's heart was pitch black! Even the Human Sovereign silently cursed, transmitting, "Kid, is there anyone you actually trust?" Who on earth did he trust? "I trust those who face death and fight alongside me!" Su Yu kept his gaze fixed ahead, his expression calm. "Even if they might turn traitor, up until the second before they betray me, I will trust them!" "What about us?" The Human Sovereign asked another question. "You pass muster. At least for now, we're on the same side. As long as none of you are pawns of the Human Gate... we won't have major conflicts!" These words were direct to a fault. Merely passing muster! Hardly unconditional trust. Wen Yu could not help asking, "Are you always this suspicious? Doesn't it get exhausting?" How tiring that must be! "Which is why you remained trapped for all these years, while I did not!" A dagger to the heart! Wen Yu felt like crying; his retort left her with no room for a comeback. Su Yu paid no heed to her distress, continuing his flight at extreme speed. The other forbidden domain lay far from the Taotie's territory. The forbidden zones were separated by immense distances, as supreme experts preferred not to dwell as close neighbors. Even at their speed, it took nearly an hour of flight. If others wished to come to the rescue, even with teleportation and all-out effort, it would require substantial time. If January and Hou had truly betrayed them and led their pursuers to the Taotie, Su Yu would be delighted. "We only have a general area; finding it will be difficult..." Just as the Human Sovereign spoke, a formidable aura surged across the four directions. Su Yu's willpower erupted outward, forcefully scouring the surrounding void! Beneath the stunned gazes of the Human Sovereign and his companion, Su Yu barked coldly, "Found you!" Boom! In the distance, within the darkness, a patch of void abruptly shattered! A colossal ancient beast emerged, vigilance clear in its massive eyes as it snapped its gaze toward Su Yu and the others. The Human Sovereign and the Time Master exchanged a look... the same profane thought surfacing in both their minds. This kid Su Yu was truly unpredictable at times! Yet thinking it over, erupting so suddenly actually saved time, provided they could dispatch the opponent before reinforcements arrived. Otherwise, once battle commenced, they would be sensed regardless. "You are Su Yu?" The ancient beast bellowed. Because the Lord of Chaos had previously broadcast his voice, even without knowing them personally, the beast deduced from their attire and auras that this was Su Yu's party! "Oh, a bull?" Su Yu was surprised, then smiled. "I love slaughtering cattle. Killing cattle is my absolute favorite, and you actually happen to be a bull!" The next instant, Su Yu shouted in a low voice, his heavenly power erupting to engulf the surroundings! At this moment, in the far distance, several powerful auras surged into being. A grand voice resonated through heaven and earth, laden with fury and deterrence: "Su Yu, how dare you..." It was the same voice as before—the voice of the Lord of Chaos! Rife with rage! Su Yu ignored them. They were still far away, and roaring across the distance was pointless. He glanced toward the Taotie's territory; a powerful aura had flared up there as well, but apart from the Taotie's presence, no other supreme experts were detected. Su Yu smiled faintly! Not bad. This proved the Human Sovereign still had good judgment, and that January and Hou had not contacted outside parties. …… At the same time. Not far from the Taotie's territory, Hou and January suddenly exchanged glances. Hou felt a lingering dread and looked toward January: "Brother January... you... truly didn't contact anyone else?" January remained silent for a moment before speaking: "No, because I must consider my race! Though my son died, my grandson and other descendants still live..." "Thank goodness!" Hou was drenched in cold sweat. When Su Yu's aura rose in the opposite direction, Hou realized that lord had not fully trusted them. Had several powerhouses suddenly ambushed this area, they would never have been able to clear their names. "That one... is not to be trifled with!" Hou suddenly remarked, "Even without knowing him well, one can see everyone treats him with great wariness. His Majesty the Human Sovereign failed to gain the upper hand before him... Brother January, it seems the Prison King may truly be doomed!" Previously, those presiding over the Myriad Realms had been the Human Sovereign and his peers—all sworn siblings of the Prison King. Thus, even if January harbored bitter resentment, he had no choice but to swallow it. Yet now... Hou suddenly felt the Prison King might truly meet her end, because this newcomer... would not care about such ties in the slightest! January looked into the distance and gave a slight nod, offering no words. He did not understand this newly arrived Emperor Yu either, but judging by his tone, he was clearly no gentle soul. "Er Yue... perhaps... your vengeance can finally be exacted!" January silently watched the distant horizon. …… At that moment, auras surged from several forbidden domains. Not only that, the power of gates faintly began permeating through. Great Saints of the Human Gate, having pinpointed Su Yu's location, were preparing to descend. Previously, with Su Yu's whereabouts uncertain—and lacking confirmation that he had even entered—they could not descend rashly lest they trigger retaliation from the Earth Gate. Now, however, Su Yu had indeed arrived! In that case, descending into the Earth Gate was viable, and the Earth Gate would certainly not interfere. Sure enough, in the areas where gate power radiated, no resistance manifested. The Earth Gate did not obstruct them; it had no desire to do so, welcoming even more arrivals. …… Right at this juncture, Su Yu let out a fierce shout, and his formidable heavenly power unfurled in all directions! It surged toward that gargantuan ancient bull! The beast did not dare fight, fleeing swiftly. After all, Su Yu was not alone. "Disrupt the void!" A crisp shout rang out. The Time Master's Time Book jolted the void—one combatant wielding thirty-four Dao, the other thirty-five Dao, two top-tier powerhouses. Their opponent was merely an ancient beast of thirty-two Dao. A surge of chaotic Great Dao erupted, attempting to tear through the encroaching heavenly power. Yet how could the ancient bull rival these two experts? To make matters worse, the Human Sovereign struck at this very moment. A great seal hung suspended, unleashing a unique Great Dao force! Wielding thirty-one Dao, possessing an opened heaven, and wielding the Human Sovereign Seal, the Human Sovereign was by no means weak. Three supreme experts with three heavens bore down upon the beast in an instant! The giant bull bellowed frantically, "Hurry, aid me!" It began calling for help! A mortal crisis had engulfed it! From every direction, auras rapidly closed in. The presence of the Lord of Chaos was the most intense, thick with chaotic aura as he tore through the void, rushing to the rescue! Without aid, the ancient bull would surely perish, and its death would severely diminish the Earth Gate's collective strength! Right then, Su Yu barked coldly, "Mountain Crushing Strike!" Thirty-six apertures blazed with dazzling brilliance, their Great Daos fusing into one. Su Yu unleashed a punch packed with devastating destructive power! Boom! The blow knocked the ancient bull reeling backward. Within the domain of the Time Master's heaven, raging flames erupted furiously. The flames were terrifyingly potent; as a cook, she excelled exceptionally in the Dao of fire! The Human Sovereign's Dao suppressed the four quarters, funneling massive might into the ancient bull's surroundings, carrying a potent mesmerizing intent. "The human race delivers all living beings; lay down the butcher's blade and become a saint on the spot!" The Human Sovereign Seal hung high! The ancient bull struggled, an expression of agony surfacing in its eyes. No, impossible! How could it let down its guard for even a fraction of a second? It must not! This was the most perilous moment. It knew that the slightest lapse meant certain death, yet at this instant, confusion washed over it: The humans... won't kill me. Humans are good people, aren't they? The next instant, it snapped awake! Yet in the midst of high-stakes battle, a single moment of hesitation was enough to claim its life! Both Su Yu and Wen Yu were stronger than the bull. The moment it hesitated, Su Yu's fist had already hammered through. With a thunderous blast, the colossal ancient bull's body was punched through, leaving a gaping cavity! Wen Yu's flames incinerated the wound immediately, wafting the savory aroma of roasted meat. The two supreme powerhouses coordinated in a flash. Wen Yu's Time Book manifested and vanished directly into Su Yu's Heavenly Gate. Wen Yu sat cross-legged, disappearing from sight, only to reappear right beside Su Yu. At this moment, Su Yu's civilization chronicle emerged, and the next instant, the Time Master's Time Book also emerged from Su Yu's Heavenly Gate, seemingly altered by Su Yu. The two books fused into one in an instant. Su Yu exchanged a glance with the Time Master, and both nodded in unison. The next moment, Su Yu flipped a page! A page turned open! Boom! A formidable Su Yu manifested—this was the Divine Dao Su Yu. Another page flipped, and a Wen Yu manifested—this was the Demonic Dao Wen Yu... Phantoms emerged one after another, radiating formidable auras as they charged simultaneously toward the opponent! Rumble! A barrage of resounding blasts echoed. In the blink of an eye, hundreds of Wen Yus and Su Yus materialized together, frantically bombarding the ancient bull! "Moo!" A roar tore through the void, yet the beast lacked any power to retaliate. The moment Su Yu and Wen Yu joined forces, their two heavens nearly semi-fused, instantly elevating Su Yu's strength. At this moment, he reached a terrifying thirty-six Dao! Coupled with the Human Sovereign's relentless interference, within less than a minute, a deafening boom sounded as that colossal physical body was thoroughly blown to pieces! The countless phantoms of Su Yu and Wen Yu instantly converged back into their physical bodies. Next, streams of Great Dao force materialized into chains, shackling the ancient bull's Chaotic Dao, locking down all its chaotic aura. The next instant, the entirety of it was forcefully merged into the Human Sovereign Seal! Boom! The Human Sovereign's physical frame shuddered violently! At this moment, Qiong, concealed in the shadows, could not help sucking in a cold breath. What the hell! These two had such similar Daos and heavens that they could actually merge as one—that was truly terrifying! Under such unity, Qiong felt that even he might suffer defeat! While his thoughts spun, another thunderous boom reverberated! A phantom of the ancient bull surfaced, filled with boundless grievance. With a final roar, the phantom shattered entirely! In all directions, every closing figure halted simultaneously. Filled with utter disbelief! Dead? Dead just like that! Far too fast! And Su Yu's voice echoed through the domain, chillingly indifferent: "The Earth Gate is nothing more than this!"