The first light of dawn illuminated the soaring peaks of the snow mountains, while the spectral green shadows underscored an aura of grim.

No one slept through the night, their gaze fixed upon the malevolent green net suspended high above the Nine Heavens. Just as a sliver of the sun's light kissed the edge of that net, a violent gale erupted, stirring the glacial stones of Mount Sumeru into chaos. In that moment, darkness enveloped the cliff faces, a blood-curdling stench piercing through all ages, and the agonizing cries of ghosts threatened to overturn the entire realm of the Avici Hell.

"Wooo..." Suddenly, black light pulsed outward from within the green net, and a series of dark figures shot forth from the shadows, charging towards the surrounding expanse.

"Tushan Dragon-Binding Formation, rise!" The Wuji Dao Master watched everything with cold intensity. At that instant, the disciples of Wandao Mountain brandished their talismans in unison. A long dragon, scales of snow, ascended from the ice, snaking out to ensnare the dark figures. Though incredibly fast, upon nearing the dragon's body, the shadows were tightly bound, unable to move. "Sun-Blind Clan..."

"We are here!" At that, the Sun-Blind Clan spread their wings and leaped towards the sky. Their feathers instantly transformed into razor-sharp blades, raining down upon the throng of dark figures. In a flash, dark blood saturated Mount Sumeru, and the legion of black silhouettes suffered a crippling blow.

"Those fellows are the Death Gods of the Dark Element," Ye Xiu, having exchanged blows with Shunyi several times, clearly understood their attacks. Furthermore, the black blood flowing from them served as proof. "This contingent is clearly just reconnaissance. The Wuji Dao Master is perhaps overly tense, deploying the Wandao Mountain formation so quickly."

"Look, the people behind them!" Old Liu and Ye Xiu, trapped within the encampment, could only observe the spectacle from the sidelines. "It looks like Shunyi!"

"Swish, swish!" A massive cloud of black mist suddenly billowed from the Nine Heavens, churning and moving as if determined to engulf that single long dragon. "Let me, Shunyi, come and see what this pathetic formation is worth!"

"How presumptuous!" The feather-blades of the Sun-Blind Clan followed up, but unexpectedly, a shadow materialized directly behind them, stretching and encircling everyone. In that instant, the sharp points of the Xuan Chang suddenly pierced through them, impaling them alive. "Aiya... Ahhh..."

"Dragon-Binding Kill!" The Wuji Dao Master observed the scene steadily, without the slightest tremor. With his vision spanning all directions, he spoke calmly, "The black mist is merely a diversion. Dao Wan Deng, use the Li Formation against them."

"Yes, Master." Dao Wan Deng's figure moved with fluid grace, separating from the crowd. By this moment, the long dragon was completely submerged in black mist. He soared upwards, rushing straight toward Shunyi. His Spirit-Dotting Brush spun downward, clashing directly with the claw in Shunyi’s hand. "I've waited a long time for you, Death God!"

"Courting death, ha ha!" Shunyi knew Dao Wan Deng's strength, but during their past encounters, neither had unleashed their ultimate move. This time, he was resolved to use his full power. "Don't blame me for the warning—you are no match for me."

"Shwa-ya-ya!" The Dark Element Death Gods moved again. Though few, they were enough to engage the surrounding Avici Realm forces. At that moment, on Mount Sumeru, the sounds of slaughter, the clash of weapons, and the gush of blood rose together, shaking the heavens. Below the Nine Heavens, people of various clans fought fiercely, hands rising and falling, lives drifting away—this was the battlefield; once entered, there was no returning.

"Ah ha ha ha!" Yan Ji, agile as a spirit monkey, darted through the various groups. In her hand, she held a single, long string. Wherever the string passed, whether it was a lightning-fast ferocious beast or a hard-shelled demonic insect, it was instantly cleaved in two. Suddenly, a long whip lashed out, halting her movement. "Hmph, quite the whip you have. Come on!"

"Today, I will show you the might of the Fox Demon Palace!" Ah Bi leaped forward, launching herself at Yan Ji. Instantly, the long whip met the long string. The two exchanged blows, soaring from the snow up into the Nine Heavens, then darting from the heavens back to the mountainside. The spectacle was like flowing clouds and running water, fleeting flowers chasing the moon. Unfortunately, Ah Bi's cultivation was far inferior to Yan Ji's, and after only a short while, a single string strike wounded her arm. "Ya!"

"Ah Bi!" Ye Xiu, confined within the barrier, naturally could not leave. Seeing the battle rage outside, the Dark Element Death Gods were gaining the upper hand. "What is Wuji Dao Master doing? Why isn't he helping?"

Old Liu also pounded his chest in frustration, having nowhere to vent his anger. "That Dao Wan Deng, how can he be so useless? He can't even deal with one Death God."

"Ah ha ha, what other formations do you have?" Shunyi, accompanied by his shadow, attacked Dao Wan Deng. His form tumbled constantly, striking repeatedly at Dao Wan Deng's vital points. Dao Wan Deng activated his Spirit-Dotting Brush again, summoning a thunder array. After dozens of rounds, his own injuries were visibly more severe than Shunyi's. "What's wrong! What's wrong! What's wrong! Are the Taoists of Wandao Mountain so easily defeated?"

Dao Wan Deng gritted his teeth and tossed the Spirit-Dotting Brush into the air. At that moment, a white light shimmered in all directions, and a silver spirit swallow flew out of the formation, charging toward Shunyi: "Spirit-Dotting Curse, Summon the Snow Swallow!"

"Summoning magic?" Shunyi had thought Dao Wan Deng's fate was sealed. Unexpectedly, the spirit swallow moved in tandem with Dao Wan Deng's body. He tried to use his shadow as bait to pounce, but the spirit swallow shattered it with one impact. Shunyi stumbled back into the snow, leaping several times, only to be repelled by the force of the spirit swallow's explosion upon hitting the ground. "Pah... This thing alone won't defeat me."

"What about this?" Dao Wan Deng roared, raising both hands high. Instantly, above the spot where he stood, myriad snowflakes erupted, soaring to the heavens to form several spirit swallows that charged toward Shunyi. "Curse Method: Thousand Snow Swallows!"

Wind and cloud stirred dynamically, sweeping across vast distances. Shunyi instantly transformed into a shadow and burrowed into the ground. However, the spirit swallows' eyes gleamed, and one by one, they plunged toward the dark earth. As a result, nearly one circle of the mountaintop sank down.

"This is bad, Ah Bi is no match for that woman!" Ye Xiu threw a punch, attempting to break through the barrier. The moment his hand touched it, a surge of electricity shocked him, leaving him numb. He drew his Heaven-Scoffing Sword and struck upward, only to be repelled again. "What's wrong with that old man Wuji? Is he just going to watch as the people of the various clans are slaughtered?"

"No, look at his eyes; they haven't left the green net!" Old Liu pointed out to Ye Xiu. The Death Gods no longer appeared above the green net, but black energy was still spewing from within. If the Dark Element Death Gods were here, it meant the Death Kingdom's Cosmos King was nearby, and the Tyrant, Shajun Tianxia, had not yet appeared. "Wuji Dao Master dares not act rashly. Not to mention Shajun, even the Cosmos King's strength is likely beyond our ability to match."

"Swish-chii..." Streams of blood sprinkled onto the pristine white snow. The disciples of the Fox Demon Sect were almost entirely annihilated by Yan Ji. Ah Bi was crimson all over, forced back to the edge of the cliff, her hand trembling. She had never encountered such a formidable foe. "What kind of speed is this? Can't even the Fox Demon Eye track the flow of energy?"

Yan Ji licked the blood from her arm. Her long string drifted in the sky, mingling with the white snowflakes before shooting down toward Ah Bi’s feet. "Do you believe I can slice you into thousands of pieces? Ha ha ha!"

"Boring creature. Are a few foul birds supposed to deal with me?" On the other side, Shunyi evaded the encirclement of the spirit swallows and entered Dao Wan Deng's formation. Shadows were already covering the area beneath his feet. "Taoist, wounding me slightly is quite an achievement, but don't equate me with low-level Death Gods."

Dao Wan Deng unleashed his ultimate move but managed only to scratch Shunyi. Facing close combat, he raised his Spirit-Dotting Brush again, intending to summon lightning to repel Shunyi. Unexpectedly, the Shunyi behind him was merely a shadow; the real one had already leaped above his head. "When?"

"Crack..." Shunyi slashed down with his claw, severing the Spirit-Dotting Brush in two. "You are a good opponent, but unfortunately, my strength surpasses yours by a little!"

"Grand Profound Dao Ice-Breaking!" A deep voice resonated from the snow. Suddenly, the ice surrounding Shunyi erupted and instantly encased him, freezing him solid. His face was contorted, but he could no longer react.

"This..." Yan Ji tried to wave her long string, only to find it had turned into ice shards. She spun around and retreated, utterly stunned.

Ye Xiu observed the situation from the encampment. At this moment, the Wuji Dao Master had his arms outstretched, and a spherical wave of energy controlled all the ice and earth across Mount Sumeru. "Is this the power of the Grand Profound Dao Curse?"

"Shadow God Annihilate Dao, Kill!" Suddenly, several surges of arrogant dragon qi spewed out from the green net. Puffs of black smoke coated all the white ice on the mountaintop in pitch darkness. The surrounding long dragons coiled around Mount Sumeru several times before simultaneously converging upon the Wuji Dao Master, striking his chest with a resounding crash. "Ha ha ha, ha ha ha ha!"

"Pfft..." The Wuji Dao Master, whose body was exposed and unable to defend in time, spat out a mouthful of blood and knelt in the snow from the impact. "The thing I feared most has indeed happened."

"Cos... Cosmos King!" Yan Ji retreated under the cover of the black mist. Her failure, along with Shunyi's, had forced the Cosmos King to reveal himself.

"Wuji Dao Master of Wandao Mountain!" The Cosmos King moved with the surrounding black dragons, floating steadily onto the summit. He wore the Shadow-Slaying Battle Robe, topped with the Crown of Karma Sin, and his eyes radiated oppressive yin energy. "I have waited too long for you to make your move. I knew you had no choice."

"Master." Dao Wan Deng flashed forward, intending to shield the Wuji Dao Master. Facing the approaching Cosmos King, he transformed his body into lightning and charged directly toward the King's form. "Heretical fiend, I shall perish with you!"

"Hah!" The Cosmos King extended one hand, blocking the myriad lightning strikes with a black energy shield. As his cultivation flared, a shadow leaped from his body and merged with the lightning behind him. The two figures violently compressed into one, resulting in an eruption of blood, but Dao Wan Deng's figure was nowhere to be seen. "Sacrificing oneself for death is merely the excuse of the weak!"

"Sigh..." A sound like a snuffed flame echoed from the encampment. As the Wuji Dao Master was severely wounded, the Cursed Barrier vanished. Ye Xiu and Old Liu immediately rushed into the fray.

The Cosmos King was greatly surprised by the sudden intervention of two powerful forces. He assessed Ye Xiu with a cold smile. "Death God of the Flame Element. It seems Shunyi failed to kill you back then, and now you deliver yourself to me today. Do not blame me for showing no mercy to a kinsman."

Ye Xiu had already learned about the Cosmos King from Shunyi. A battle today was inevitable. He raised the Heaven-Scoffing Sword, positioning himself to protect the Wuji Dao Master. "You sent Shunyi to kill my master, the High God. I will avenge him."

"Heaven-Scoffing Sword?" The Cosmos King’s eyes narrowed upon seeing the weapon. Back then, he had intended to usurp the Death Kingdom’s Underworld King while his body was weak, but he was obstructed by Sword Demon Bafang Guling, who forced him to make a promise. "That useless High God actually brought a Flame Element Death God like you. Following the Underworld King's destruction, the Flame Element should have long since faded from history."

"Wuji Dao Master, are you alright?" Old Liu hurriedly helped up the Dao Master. Having stayed at Wandao Mountain for several days, he had learned some profound curse techniques. He immediately acted, using a spell to protect the Dao Master's vital energy.

The Wuji Dao Master let out a long breath, knowing the Cosmos King's strength. He gripped Old Liu's hand firmly and commanded, "If I die on Mount Sumeru today, you must return to Wandao Mountain and assist Second Brother Long Xuan. Tell him that the method for the Grand Profound Dao Curse is hidden beneath the Demon Extinguishing Pavilion."