Dao Blade sealed the Fourth-Tier existence, Lan Ming, within the palace using a Stasis Field, trapping him in the very heart of the Qiduo E'zuo Palace. Firoye, Bada, and Su had deployed every trick they knew, yet they still could not breach the Stasis Field's seal, much to Dao Blade's visual delight. Having witnessed their exquisite secret arts, he saw through every spell using his High-Grade Spiritual Sense Eye, recording them, dissecting them on the spot, and instantly assimilating them into his own power.

He had already discerned that among the three high-ranking Fourth-Tier entities, only Su possessed a spiritual power of seventy million; Bada and Firoye lagged far behind at merely forty or fifty million. The combined strength of these three barely equaled that of two Kalagunis entities.

Of course, spiritual power could not be simply added arithmetically; every step forward on the path of self-perfection revealed an entirely new vista.

Still, looking at the overall picture, dealing with these three high-ranking Fourth-Tier entities would not prove difficult.

“Don’t get too smug,” Bada roared in anger. “If you have the guts, drop this hard shell and let us fight eight hundred rounds outside!” As he spoke, he channeled immense spiritual power into his palms, churning space itself, and slamming it against the Stasis Field’s barrier.

Thump!

A crisp sound resonated, and layers of ripples spread across the ice-blue, transparent barrier, neutralizing the incoming force.

Dao Blade remained silent for a moment, then asked after a brief pause, “Lord Tibuz, he will be returning soon, won’t he?”

He sensed three Fourth-Tier entities rapidly approaching; one among them was immensely powerful, initially tens of thousands of light-years away in the Perseus Arm, but in the span of a single breath, half the journey was covered, and they were now back in the Orion Arm.

“That is correct. We have already informed Lord Tibuz of what is happening here!” Su understood that Dao Blade’s power far surpassed theirs—at least reaching the peak of the Fourth Tier. Knowing their telepathic communication could not be hidden, he admitted it plainly.

“That is very good,” Dao Blade nodded. Telepathic messages from Fourth-Tier entities could envelop the better part of the galaxy. It was not difficult for them to relay news to Tibuz tens of thousands of light-years away. The power of the mind was the most wondrous, capable of traversing time and space; thus, even the Stasis Field sealing space could not block the effect of telepathy.

“Good?” Bada spat viciously. “You dare cause havoc in Lord Tibuz’s residence, and now Lord Tibuz is returning. Aren’t you afraid we will join forces to destroy you, yet you say ‘good’?! What an audacious fellow!”

Dao Blade paid no mind to his poor demeanor and smiled, “We have a saying on Earth: it is better to resolve enmities than to forge them. Having more friends is always better than having more enemies. We bear no ill will toward the Tibuz Residence. Our presence here is solely for Kalagunis; we meant no offense to any of you. If we clarify things, perhaps we can turn foes into friends. That would be better for everyone, wouldn’t it?”

“If it is better for everyone, then could you release us first? You imprison us here while speaking of turning foes into friends—isn’t that rather strange?” Su inquired.

Dao Blade nodded, “It is strange, but there is no alternative. I fear that the moment I release you, Lord Firoye will rush to aid Kalagunis. Our conflict with your side will inevitably escalate. You are also Fourth-Tier entities; you should foresee this. If I let you go, a great battle becomes unavoidable, and turning foes into friends becomes impossible.”

Su and Bada nodded slightly upon hearing this and looked toward Firoye. Firoye, however, was furious. “Lord Kalagunis and I share a bond of life and death; he saved my life twice. Is it wrong for me to wish to help him?”

“There is certainly nothing wrong with that; in fact, I admire it,” Dao Blade stated. “Therefore, I must be even more certain not to release you.”

“Is your hatred for Kalagunis so profound that he must be extinguished?” Su asked. “Can’t you sit down and seek peace? Fourth-Tier entities are noble and rare. To let Lord Kalagunis perish for conflicts among mortals seems a bit excessive.”

Dao Blade did not answer but looked to the side: “Lord Tibuz has returned.” His gaze pierced through countless carved railings and jade pillars. Outside the palace, space suddenly twisted and collapsed, forming a wormhole from which a tall figure emerged.

This person had a thin face and an extremely prominent occiput. His eyes were large and bright. He wore a plain, light-colored robe, radiating immense light, as if a celestial being had descended, possessing incomparable majesty.

He saw Dao Blade in the main hall, tending to the Stasis Field, at a glance, and Dao Blade saw him in return.

After Tibuz appeared, two more figures stepped out of the wormhole. One was clad in white, thin as a bamboo pole, with milky-white skin. His neck was long and slender, like a third arm. Six eyes adorned his face, all shimmering brightly like guiding lamps, gazing toward Dao Blade.

The other figure was dressed in red leather clothing. Her figure was curvaceous; she was actually a female. Bat-like membranous wings grew from her back, covered in minute patterns and structures far more complex than those of a mere bat. Two small horns sprouted from her forehead, making her look exceedingly alluring, her beauty brimming with the destructive allure of a millennia-old femme fatale that took one’s breath away.

“Lord Tibuz, Lord Jilunke, Lady Xierna,” Dao Blade recognized them instantly. Yifei’s files had already mentioned their identities and appearances. Both Jilunke and Xierna were mid-level Fourth-Tier entities.

Tibuz, seeing the situation inside the hall, showed no surprise. He strode toward Dao Blade in a single step and asked, “May I ask your distinguished name? Could you perhaps release them first?”

“My name is Dao Blade. Releasing them is certainly possible. However, can Lord Tibuz persuade Lord Firoye to abandon the thought of intervening for Kalagunis?” Dao Blade inquired.

“So, you are Lord Dao Blade,” Tibuz nodded, then continued, “I have heard the general account from Su and the others, but it is incomplete. I still don’t fully grasp your motivation. If you want me to persuade Firoye, then you must first persuade me.”

“Good, that is only right.” Dao Blade then explained the motivation behind his actions. “Firstly, I must tell Lord Su, this is not solely about a dispute between mortals. A Fourth-Tier existence must also die for Kalagunis. I must avenge him—these are the reasons I must kill him.”

After Dao Blade finished stating his reasons, Firoye countered, “You are twisting words. It is true that Hadake advanced to the Fourth Tier, but it was your Earthlings who killed him!”

Dao Blade replied, “That was also caused by Kalagunis. Hadake led the Ancient Legion and slaughtered billions of Earthlings during the long war. How can Hadake not pay with his life to atone? And Kalagunis is the source of it all; if he does not die, my heart cannot find peace.”

“But—” Firoye started to argue further.

“Enough,” Tibuz commanded, cutting Firoye off. “Firoye, I know your friendship with Kalagunis runs deep, but this matter is beyond your scope to intervene in now. Two peak Fourth-Tier entities are making their move; Kalagunis cannot escape this calamity. Even if we joined, the chances would be slim. Give it up.”

“Lord Tibuz, you don’t support my helping Kalagunis either?” Firoye asked in surprise. Tibuz replied, “The Earthlings of the Sol System have legitimate reasons to kill Kalagunis. We should not involve ourselves in the vortex of this conflict.”

“Then I will participate in a personal capacity—you all stay out of it!” Firoye insisted.

Tibuz shook his head. “That is impossible. You clearly know that if you participate, we cannot stand idly by. If you die, we will avenge you, and the vortex of conflict will only grow larger.”

Dao Blade listened nearby, understanding that Tibuz’s words were also a reminder to him: if he killed Firoye, he would completely sever ties and become an irreconcilable enemy of the Tibuz Residence.

Although he did not fear the six Fourth-Tier entities of the Tibuz Residence—if he so wished, he could dispatch five peak Fourth-Tier existences to wipe out the entire Tibuz Residence—killing was ultimately not the best way to resolve problems. He had no grievance with the Tibuz Residence; he hadn't even heard their names before. If possible, avoiding conflict was preferable.

“How about this,” Dao Blade said to Firoye. “You want to make one last effort for Kalagunis, you may. I will release you so you can go assist him.”

“What!” The members of the Tibuz Residence were astonished.

“And I can guarantee,” Dao Blade continued, “that we will only kill Kalagunis and not you, Firoye.”

Tibuz nodded and sighed, “Magnificent spirit.”

The Fourth-Tier entities present were all beings of great wisdom; they understood Dao Blade’s meaning. The implication was that Dao Blade would allow Firoye to fulfill his obligation and repay Kalagunis’s life-saving grace, while simultaneously showing supreme confidence that he could eliminate Kalagunis even in Firoye’s presence without letting Firoye die.

What confidence! What spirit!

In this manner, even if Kalagunis died, Firoye would have done his utmost, not failing his friend. Furthermore, Yang Ying and Dao Blade sparing his life counted as a grace of mercy. Firoye would then have no grounds to seek revenge for Kalagunis.

Dao Blade asked, “Firoye, what do you think of this proposal?”

“Agreed!” Firoye declared loudly.

“Then come out,” Dao Blade reached out a hand, and the ice seal of the Stasis Field shattered. Firoye, Bada, and Su were all granted their freedom.

“If this time, you fail to kill Kalagunis, then what?” Firoye asked, fixing his gaze on Dao Blade as soon as he was free.

“Then we will grant him another five hundred years. If he does not bother Earth during that time, we will not seek him out,” Dao Blade stated.

“Deal!” Firoye immediately contacted Kalagunis via telepathy. Upon learning his coordinates, he waved his hand, tore open space, opened a wormhole, and plunged inside.