Dusk had settled, the wind whipping outside the dwelling, each mournful howl intensifying the terror of the night.

Ye Xiu felt a piercing ache in his chest. He struggled to open his eyes, discovering Yao Qi'er applying needles to treat him. "What happened to me? Did I pass out?"

Yao Qi'er shushed him, signaling Ye Xiu to remain quiet. She motioned to Bafang Jin to approach, while she drove the final needle into Ye Xiu's arm. "Father, this fellow is awake."

Bafang Jin entered the room, the dim lamplight casting his face into sharp relief, making him look exceedingly aged. He looked at Ye Xiu and spoke with steady authority. "Ye Xiu, there appears to be more than just the power of a Death God residing within you. What exactly have you endured?"

Ye Xiu let out a long breath. He certainly understood that he was what others called a 'Three-Transformations Anomaly'—a convergence of Death God soul energy, Ksitigarbha Buddha power, and the force of the Styx Blood Sea. "When I entered the Boundless Realm, I encountered Tian Dao Yi and Yao Ying Qiannian dueling. They were both grievously wounded, and in their final moments, they transferred their cultivation to me."

"Such a thing occurred? Do you realize both of them were paramount experts in the Dao of Wonder and the Corpse Demon Forest?" Bafang Jin had never witnessed such a peculiar physical state. Seeing Ye Xiu’s vitals stabilize, he allowed Yao Qi'er to remove the celestial needles. "Though I don't fully comprehend the intricacies of Wonder Dao Arts or demonic cultivation, I know your Death God soul energy is still stuck at the 'Blood Artifact' realm. In that respect, you are the same as Master Sword Demon."

Ye Xiu had always been puzzled by the Sword Demon's abilities. Logically, how could someone at the Blood Artifact realm become a legend of the Death Kingdom? "Senior Bafang Guling could traverse the cosmos with nothing but the Tianmiao Sword, yet in my hands, that sword has never unleashed its full might. What is the reason for this?"

Bafang Jin looked at the Tianmiao Sword resting by the bed. Its blade still shimmered with an ethereal glow, yet it gave off a sense of blurriness. He pondered deeply. "Though Master Sword Demon's soul energy cultivation wasn't high, his swordsmanship reached the pinnacle of mastery. This owes entirely to the sword techniques contained within the Tianmiao Sword."

"Sword techniques?" The mere thought of sword moves brought a flood of Tian Dao Yi's memories into Ye Xiu's mind. Those cunning, oblique strikes, moves that overshadowed a millennium—they seemed to flash before his eyes. "I have felt the power of the Tianmiao Sword, but I am ignorant of those specific moves. Is there any way for me to learn them?"

Bafang Jin had accompanied the Sword Demon since antiquity; every stance the master made with his blade was witnessed by him. Yet, he found himself unable to articulate them. "The Tianmiao Sword possesses its own spirit. To master the Tianmiao Sword Art, I believe you would need to communicate with the Sword Soul. That is something beyond my comprehension."

"Awoooo..." At that moment, bursts of wolf howls erupted from outside the door and windows. The calls rose and fell in a complex chorus, shattering the stillness of the night with unsettling noise.

"Strange. Why are these demon wolves so restless tonight?" Yao Qi'er peered out the window. The night was deep, the full moon perched atop the mountain, and an atmosphere of killing intent saturated everything. "Did saving Ye Xiu today anger those demon wolves?"

"What!" Ye Xiu scrambled up, looking outside. Although the power flowing through him felt slightly smoother, any large movement sent a fresh wave of stabbing pain through his abdomen. "Damn it, what is wrong with my body?"

Bafang Jin soothed Ye Xiu but rose himself, a complex emotion clouding his face. "Your internal energies are mixed. Used correctly, they are invincible; falter even slightly, and they will clash, perhaps costing you your life."

"Whoosh..." A fierce gale suddenly whipped up outside the house, large branches repeatedly slamming against the roof. Shadows danced like demons on the walls, creating a scene of sheer horror.

Yao Qi'er stood up, slightly tense, gripping Bafang Jin’s hand. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Father, I think I see some white skeletons moving outside the window. Have the Bone Sect arrived too?"

"Bone Sect? What business would they have here?" Ye Xiu thought of Jiaye and Falang Luo, feeling a surge of curiosity. But then he remembered the Death God was the sworn enemy of the entire Boundless Realm. If those individuals appeared here together, what did it mean? Were they here to eliminate him?

"What must come will come." Bafang Jin walked calmly toward the veranda, his fists clenched. The Black Flame had already consumed his usual attire, the fire now adhering to every inch of his body—meaning his cultivation had reached the 'Body Sacrifice' realm. "No matter what, I will not let anything happen to you."

"Senior Ba," Ye Xiu watched Bafang Jin's retreating back, feeling a profound sense of helplessness for the first time. He looked at the white snowflakes drifting past the window—this was unmistakably an ancient Wonder Dao spell. It meant the Four Clans had united to purge the Death God presence from the Boundless Realm entirely.

"Rumble!" With an explosive sound, Bafang Jin burst from the room as a sphere of black fire. He stood on the snow-covered roof; the perimeter was already swarming with the ambushers. "You’ve certainly all come in force today. Are you hoping I'll take care of all of you at once?"

"To live openly in the Boundless Realm as a Death God, you must possess extraordinary strength." At that moment, the sound of cracking ice echoed. The ice layer on the rooftop instantly transformed into grasping arms, plunging down to hold Bafang Jin fast. "But today will be your last. The Boundless Realm does not tolerate Death Gods!"

"You think this will finish me?" Bafang Jin stood firm, his entire body blazing with Black Flame. The ice hands melted into steam upon contact. He swept his arm dismissively; a surge of Black Flame swept over the roof, knocking the hidden Wonder Dao practitioners down. "If you wish to fight a Death God, are you prepared to die?"

"Aaaargh!" Seeing the Wonder Dao formation fail, the vicious demon wolves surged forward, swarming the house. Their fangs were sharp, and ordinary stone could not withstand them where they passed.

"Careful!" Ye Xiu saw a demon wolf lunging through the window. He pulled Yao Qi'er into his arms, but his compromised body offered no time to dodge the ensuing pounce. An entire patch of flesh was ripped from his back by the beast. "Ah... Are you alright, Qi'er!"

Qi'er huddled in the shelter of Ye Xiu's arm, appearing delicate and distressed, but she held a weapon too—the power of the Fate Reversal Celestial Needle was not to be trifled with. "Father is still outside. I need to go help him."

"Crack!" A massive beam on the roof suddenly collapsed. Bafang Jin countered with a fiery punch, reducing two demon wolves to ash. He seized Ye Xiu. "For years, the Four Clans of the Boundless Realm have sought and purged the Death Gods who remained here. They have gathered here today with me as their target. You must take Qi'er and flee immediately."

"Flee? What are those creatures to me!" Ye Xiu held the outsiders in contempt. He suppressed the turmoil in his core and seized the Tianmiao Sword. "Let me fight them to the death!"

"Yes, Father, I want to fight alongside you." Despite her fragile appearance, Yao Qi'er was stubbornly resolute. With her Fate Reversal Needles in hand, she darted forward, stabbing at the wolves attacking the window. "I can handle this rabble by myself."

"Swish, swish, swish, swish!" A rapid sound of flying blades descended from the rooftop. It turned out the Sunblind Clan had covered the high sky, raining down feather-blades that bombarded the house, soon leveling it.

Bafang Jin tried his best to shield Ye Xiu and Qi'er, but his body was already riddled with wounds of various colors. In a fit of fury, he unleashed the Primal Chaos Black Flame toward the heavens, burning the winged figures and sending them tumbling down. "I will hold them off. You two find a way to escape!"

"Escape? Anyone associated with a Death God must perish!" At that moment, an elder leaning on a staff appeared before the trio. He shook the bell on his staff, and countless skeletons crawled from the earth. Nearby, groups of small crimson serpents began flicking their forked tongues. "Do you truly believe you can kill all of us with just your strength?"

Ye Xiu surveyed the area. The Four Clans present in this open space were numerous, surrounding them from every direction. There was no path to escape other than a head-on battle. "Since we cannot flee, we might as well fight them to the end."

Yao Qi'er assessed the situation clearly. She raised her celestial needles, spun her body, and sent several darts flying, shattering the front ranks of skeletons. "Yes, Father. If it's the three of us, it should be manageable."

"Manageable, really?" As the words left her mouth, three figures plummeted from the sky, lunging toward Qi'er. One, a Daoist cultivator, wielded a sword; one, a demon wolf, used its claws; and one, from the Sunblind Clan, used an arrow. Their target was Qi'er’s head.

"Be careful!" The attacks of these three were equally matched, but the Wonder Daoist was fastest. His incoming sword aimed directly for Qi'er's heart. Ye Xiu blocked forcefully with the Tianmiao Sword but was driven back several steps. This shock, however, reignited the powers within his body, causing him to convulse violently, barely able to prop himself up with the sword. "Damn it, why now?"

"Shhh..." The demon wolf’s savage claws tore open a void of dense blackness in the sky, and the Sunblind Clan’s arrow deeply pierced Bafang Jin’s body. He stood as the final shield before Qi'er. "I told you to leave, didn't I?"

"But, but how can I..." Though young, Qi'er understood the finality of those words—this was separation unto death. "How could I abandon you?"

"None of you will leave!" The same Wonder Daoist flickered his form, his longsword instantly splitting into three. The spiritual sword descended, aimed directly at the hearts of the three of them.

Bafang Jin mustered all his strength and surged forward. Though covered in Black Flame, he couldn't match the Wonder Daoist’s speed. That sword struck his arm, but it wasn't over; the blade had an accompanying shadow. The remaining two sword shadows flew straight toward Qi'er. "Qi'er, watch out!"

"Ah!" Ye Xiu stifled his pain and flew forward, taking the two strikes with his own body. However, the sword light seemed to have eyes; it deflected off his body, circled once in the air, and flew back toward Qi'er. "This..."

"Ye Xiu, you..." Qi'er tried to rush to Ye Xiu's aid, never expecting the sword shadows to return. Caught off guard, she stumbled and fell to the ground.

"Hiss..." Dense black blood trickled down his body onto the ground. Tonight was destined to be sleepless. Bafang Jin moved to shield Qi'er one last time, as those two beams of light skewered his body completely. He gritted his teeth until his lips drew blood. "Ye Xiu, take Qi'er and find her mother."

"Dad... Daddy..." Qi'er was dazed, clinging to her father's arm like a small child, even though that arm was covered in blood. "I won't go! I want to stay with you."

Ye Xiu met Bafang Jin's gaze. That look of firm entrustment stabbed him deeply. Ignoring his wounds, he pulled Yao Qi'er into an embrace. "I will protect Qi'er for you. You... don't you dare die so easily here!"

"On the honor of the Death God, Qi'er's mother is the Fox Palace Mistress, royalty of the Corpse Demon Forest!" Bafang Jin channeled his soul energy into the Tianmiao Sword in Ye Xiu's hand. At that moment, the sword seemed to obey its master's command, carrying Ye Xiu and Qi'er in a swift ascent into the heavens. This was the action of the Tianmiao Sword Soul, and the last thing Bafang Jin could accomplish.

"Father... I..." As Qi'er soared upward with Ye Xiu, she finally saw the scene below. The land for dozens of miles was a sea of demon wolves and skeletons. This was a meticulously laid trap by those forces, designed solely to annihilate the Death God lineage.

"Kill them! Not one shall escape!" Shouts echoed everywhere. The Sunblind Clan members, having tracked the trajectory of the Tianmiao Sword, transformed into divine eagles, ready to pursue, when they suddenly felt intense heat rising from below.

"Not one of you will run!" Bafang Jin stood rooted to the spot, fists clenched. His entire body was now a massive fireball, within which vibrant, strange energies pulsed. Deep inside the sphere of fire, there seemed to be a vast black hole, the power radiating outward, drawing everyone nearby into its center.

"No... What is this..."

"Waaah!"

"Crack, crack, crack..."

"Boom..." A blinding light illuminated an ultimate spectacle. In this moment, there was a clamor of life; in this moment, there was absolute annihilation. In this moment, a Death God who deeply loved his daughter fell, but he wrote a new beginning for Ye Xiu.