A mundane stone chamber. “Do not let anyone disturb me,” Shi Yan instructed Sha Gui.

Sha Gui nodded and retreated without uttering a single question. Among Wu Feng, Mo Fu, Jiao Tu, and the others, Sha Gui was the first to clash violently with Shi Yan.

Upon first entering the Wilderness, the two had fought for their lives, and Sha Gui had harbored a deep-seated hatred for Shi Yan, determined to kill him. Later, a chain of fortuitous events forced them to unite to contend with the pressure from the God Clan.

When Sha Gui faced several crises, Shi Yan saved him without dwelling on past enmity, gradually changing Sha Gui’s attitude. Finally, when Shi Yan and Audrey’s opinions diverged, Sha Gui was the first to stand alongside Shi Yan.

The friendship that slowly bloomed from hatred between him and Shi Yan was deeper than that shared with Wu Feng and Mo Fu. His change in attitude toward Shi Yan was not solely due to Shi Yan’s identity.

After leaving the stone chamber, Sha Gui stood motionless in a nearby stone corridor, his expression somber and silent. He could sense the dissatisfaction brewing in the hearts of Wu Lie, Jiao Mu, and the others.

The absence of powerful figures from the Bloodthirsty lineage had greatly disappointed those who had arrived full of hope. The Wu Dong Star Domain was also being invaded by the God Clan; the situation was dire.

The God Clan, with their formidable strength, was slowly eroding the Wu Dong Star Domain, causing the influence of the Gu God Sect to plummet. Over time, many minor powers in the Wu Dong Star Domain had begun to lean toward the God Clan.

If the Gu God Sect could not demonstrate sufficient power, showing capability to stand against the God Clan, even more forces in the Wu Dong Star Domain would defect into the arms of the God Clan. The situation for the Wu family and Jiao family was much the same.

Sha Gui was extremely anxious. Ignoring the crisis in the Star Domain, he had secretly come to Giant Wave Star, knowing that if he couldn't gather a force to reverse the tide, the Gu God Sect’s position in the Wu Dong Star Domain would be precarious.

A golden-armored venomous insect appeared before Sha Gui, shrieking with a low buzz. The insect quietly transformed, revealing the face of Mu Wei, the Great Elder of the Gu God Sect.

He looked darkly at Sha Gui, his voice low, “Any findings?” Sha Gui looked at Mu Wei materialized from the Gu insect and frowned. “None.” “The Gu God Sect’s situation is not good.

We are channeling forces to support you. You were designated by the Sect Master as the future successor; I hope you will exert yourself for the Gu God Sect!” Mu Wei’s face vanished, and the golden-armored insect let out a soft chirp before instantly disappearing.

Sha Gui’s expression darkened. He stood silently by the stone chamber door for a long time before finally letting out a cold snort.

Mu Wei was the Great Elder of the Gu God Sect, and for many years, they had been at odds. Years ago, one of Mu Wei’s disciples had been killed by him—a disciple who had held significant promise to eventually replace Sha Gui as the rising star of the Gu God Sect.

Because of this incident, a rift had always existed between him and Mu Wei. This time, Mu Wei was unexpectedly enthusiastic about entering the Maya Star Domain, seeming even more urgent than Sha Gui himself, to the extent that even the Gu God Sect Master was astonished, unable to comprehend why the often-antagonistic Mu Wei was suddenly so keen on matters concerning the Maya Star Domain.

But Sha Gui sensed something was amiss. For many years, Mu Wei, as the Great Elder, had been stationed in the Extreme Western Netherworld Chill Domain of the Wu Dong Star Domain—an extremely mysterious place within the domain, whose subtleties were unknown even to the Sect Master.

Mu Wei had cultivated in that Netherworld Chill Domain for a century in his earlier years. When he broke through to the Progenitor God realm and ascended to the rank of Elder, he actively requested to be stationed in that remote western location.

That far western place was the most desolate region of the Wu Dong Star Domain, avoided by other Elders who feared being assigned there. Only he had requested the post.

This fact greatly perplexed the Gu God Sect Master, who maintained a degree of vigilance. Gale had a deep connection with Sha Gui.

He had been secretly instructed by the Gu God Sect Master to pay attention to this matter. When Mu Wei returned to the main sect, Gale secretly traveled to the Netherworld Chill Domain and made an astonishing discovery there.

Deep within the Netherworld Chill Domain, amidst a frigid glacier, another Mu Wei existed! Gale reported this to the Gu God Sect Master, who treated the matter with the utmost secrecy, strictly forbidding Gale from spreading the news.

However, Gale believed that Sha Gui would one day ascend to the position of Sect Master. After Sha Gui returned alive from the Wilderness, Gale placed a significant bet on Sha Gui and revealed the secret to him.

“The Mu Wei here, and the Mu Wei in the frigid glacier of the Netherworld Chill Domain—which one is the real you? And who is the other one?” Sha Gui murmured inwardly, his eyes dark and inscrutable.

Inside the stone chamber. The Blood Pattern Ring floated out, emitting a faint, blood-colored rainbow light that dyed the stone chamber scarlet, instantly generating an aura of fierce hostility.

“There is the Master’s aura within the box,” the Ring Spirit transmitted. After its memories were fully merged, the Ring Spirit’s relationship with Shi Yan had not grown closer; instead, it had drifted slightly further apart.

With all its memories integrated, its own consciousness had grown stronger, developing its own opinions, and it now spoke of many things vaguely. Many times, when Shi Yan encountered trouble and sought the Ring Spirit’s guidance, the Spirit remained sealed, not emitting a trace of energy.

This time, the Giant Wave Merchant Guild had delivered a jade box. The moment Shi Yan touched it, the long-dormant Ring Spirit sent another message.

“The aura of the Bloodthirsty!” Shi Yan’s eyes were deeply shaken, the hand holding the jade box trembled, and his heart filled with a mix of excitement and curiosity. The Bloodthirsty was the master of the Eight Retainers, and also the master of the Blood Pattern Ring.

He was a figure who had swept through the cosmos ten thousand years ago without a single defeat. His appearance directly altered the structure of the Star Sea, breaking the cycle of alternating dominance among the Four Great Races.

Countless outstanding experts from the Four Great Races defected, swearing allegiance to him. The inheritance of the Eight Bloodthirsty gave shook the heavens and earth.

He was the true protagonist of the most recent era, known as the strongest in the cosmos. It took the combined forces of countless God Clan experts and the mighty ancient Giants to cause such devastation that bodies piled up everywhere before they managed to bring about his demise.

Fierce rumors about him circulated within every pinnacle power. Even the mention of his name filled the true powerful forces of the Star Sea with terror.

Many ancient Giants felt their minds unsettled by the mere mention of him. For years, the God Clan Elder Council convened most of its meetings because of this single name.

He was a true Hegemon of the Star Sea. Holding the jade box, his arm trembled slightly.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and asked, “How do I open the lid?” “I will do it,” the Ring Spirit replied. Brilliant blood-light streamed from the interface, condensing into a single mass, forming a blood-colored great hand.

This hand had only three fingers, unlike any normal race, resembling some fierce demonic beast. The blood-colored hand pressed down on the lid and paused for a few seconds.

“Click!” The lid was instantly thrown open. Boom!

A violent, savage, and hostile energy surged skyward. The dense malevolent aura spread out like countless blood seas flooding an area.

In an instant, above this manor, the intense killing intent seemed to coalesce into the phantom image of a colossal Demon God. The souls of all experts on Giant Wave Star trembled.

Many Progenitor God-level experts felt a fear and unease they hadn't experienced in years. They gazed toward the direction of Black Iron City, their eyes flashing with inexplicable shock, their expressions turning extremely grim.

Within the manor, Mu Wei, Wu Lie, Jiao Mu, Bai Yefeng, Sang Ji, and the others shuddered violently, staring in horror at the massive blood-colored phantom image in the sky, their faces etched with dread. Inside the stone chamber.

Shi Yan’s face flushed crimson, as if crushed beneath immense mountains. Unable to bear it, he staggered and knelt down on one knee.

“Crack! Crack!

Crack!” The ground of the stone chamber shattered. Because of his kneeling, a violent tremor shook the manor, causing many stone houses and buildings to collapse.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at the contents of the jade box, his expression utterly shocked. It was a finger.

The finger was incredibly long, nearly the length of a normal hand, and as thick as an infant’s arm. The finger was a dark, bluish-black color, its surface covered in intricate, archaic patterns that perfectly matched the texture on the Blood Pattern Ring’s interface.

In the middle section of the finger, there was a ring-shaped indentation, clearly formed by long-term wearing of a ring. This bluish-black finger appeared forged from metal and emitted a heaven-shaking, fierce, hostile energy.

Looking at the finger, he felt as if he saw an endless crimson tide surging toward him, threatening to shatter his altar. He could not muster the will to resist!

The Blood Pattern Ring, which had opened the lid, flashed with blood-light and suddenly slid onto the bluish-black finger. In an instant, the finger seemed to come alive, releasing waves of profound and unfathomable fluctuations.

These fluctuations contained eight different profound meanings: Soul Control, Death, Corrosion, Darkness, Chaos, Destruction, Despair, and Corpse Qi—all extremely bizarre. The indentation on the bluish-black finger was covered by the Blood Pattern Ring, as if it had always been fitted onto the ring, inseparable from it, forming a singular entity.

Terrifying, violent fluctuations erupted again with even greater intensity. This energy wave pierced directly into the depths of the soul.

Experts in Black Iron City and across Giant Wave Star felt it as if they were being targeted by a colossal demon god, inducing intense anxiety and fear. In the manor, Mu Wei, Bai Yefeng, Wu Lie, and the others all bled from the mouth and nose, their faces turning deathly pale as they struggled to withstand the pressure.

Shi Yan knelt on one knee, holding the jade box in one hand, a trickle of blood also flowing from his lip. He discovered that the connection between him and the Ring Spirit had abruptly severed the moment the ring slid onto the finger.

His heart seized. After a moment of silence, he decisively slammed the lid shut.

A surging killing intent rushed up from the box, pouring into his mind and surging toward his altar, seemingly attempting to draw out the black hole within his altar and drag it into the box. This filled him with even greater fear and unease.

His spiritual energy condensed into a single point, forming a hand within his altar to grip the black hole. The hand holding the jade box quickly let go, and the moment his hand lost direct contact with the jade box, the soul-piercing energy instantly vanished.

At that very moment, the overwhelming, fierce killing intent emanating from Black Iron City abruptly retracted, vanishing without a trace. Wu Lie, Mu Wei, and the others felt the pressure release.

They all sat on the ground, pale-faced, not daring to question Shi Yan. They quickly retrieved elixirs and swallowed them, urgently trying to repair the damage to their altars, their expressions turning extremely grim.

In the nearly ruined stone chamber, Shi Yan looked at the jade box amidst the rubble, his expression fluctuating between dark and bright. The Ring Spirit had departed from his hand, actively fitting itself onto the bluish-black finger, and severing its mental link with him—this series of events unfolded too rapidly for him to react.

Now, looking at the jade box, a chill swept through him. He gazed deeply at the jade box, remained silent for a long time, and then, using a technique from the Illusionary Void Ring, he retracted the jade box into his ring space.