The Priestess gazed intently at Jiā Yúnxīn’s eyes, a flicker of delight dancing within her own. She lowered her voice. “You seek vengeance?”

“I will slaughter every last one of them!” Jiā Yúnxīn’s decision was absolute, her eyes unwavering as she spoke. “Whatever it takes to help me achieve revenge, I will pay any price.”

The Priestess rolled her eyes, seemingly having found the perfect path for Jiā Yúnxīn. “The Boundless Realm was originally created by the Celestial Emperor. He forged this entire world using his own lineage, and the various clans subsequently appeared here. The only shortcut to vengeance is to harness the Celestial Emperor’s power.”

“You mean the Emperor’s Ring at the Heavenly Ranking Sacred War Ground?” Although Jiā Yúnxīn usually ignored politics, she kept the major events of the Boundless Realm firmly in mind. “But I have no idea where the Emperor’s Ring is.”

“The Celestial Emperor is a fusion of good and evil entities. The righteous body entered a mysterious realm and initiated the path of the Heavenly Ranking Sacred War. As for the evil body…” The Priestess pointed toward the vast, boundless River of Sorrow. “The Celestial Emperor’s evil body was abandoned beneath this mystical river. Whether you can resonate with the evil body and receive its guidance depends entirely on your destiny.”

Jiā Yúnxīn stared at the surging, crimson river water and swallowed hard. The Priestess’s implication was clear: she was expected to leap into the turbulent current. “What exactly is down beneath this river?”

The Priestess shook her head and turned back to face the river. “River of Sorrow, chilling dread, source of evil, hatred bred… No one knows what lies below. No one knows the power of the Celestial Emperor’s evil body. So, are you willing to risk your life?”

The joys of the past and the hatred of the present warred in Jiā Yúnxīn’s mind. Her family was ruined; what other choice did she have? Return? Return to the dilapidated Barren Bone City, where hope was extinguished? War? Since the entire Boundless Realm was engulfed in chaos, why worry about one more person? “I am willing!”

“Please.” The Priestess held a degree of admiration for Jiā Yúnxīn’s resolve. She extended a hand, clearing a path for her. Suddenly, wind and rain lashed down; the River of Sorrow churned with towering red waves, seeming to howl, to mourn, or perhaps, to rejoice like an ecstatic beast.

The gusts whipped Jiā Yúnxīn’s hair loose; her robes were disheveled. In that moment, she was determined to embrace death. Each step she took was steeped in sorrow, yet filled with hatred. Without hesitation, she set foot into the River of Sorrow, and her entire body was instantly swallowed by the colossal waves.

“My Lady Priestess, will she die like this?” Shuǐ Yuè had served the Priestess for many days and dared not question her actions. But watching a life drift precariously before her eyes now stirred a touch of pity.

“Turbulent times do not allow the world to settle. The world I envision is far more complex than what you see now.” The Priestess clenched her fist; everything was within her control. “If she has the fortune to awaken the Celestial Emperor’s evil body, she will become yet another destabilizing factor in the Boundless Realm. Then, no matter who it is, the era of chaos will never end, hahahaha!”

On Mount Wàndào, the Demon-Quelling Pavilion stood as a dilapidated structure. Behind it lay a vista of scattered stones, its aged, yellowed timber proudly perched high on the peak, looking anything but mysterious.

Yè Xiū yawned, completely uninterested. “So this broken place is the Demon-Quelling Pavilion Elder Wújí Dàozhǔ spoke of? And where would the entrance to this Dao Realm be?”

Old Liu was terrified by the Pavilion’s unimposing appearance. A place where Lóng Xuán nurtured such a high-level incantation as the Grand Profound Dao Charm was nothing more than a complete wreck. “Heaven knows how to enter this place. Lóng Xuán kept saying the Demon-Quelling Pavilion has three layers of realms.”

Yè Xiū stepped into the pavilion, looking around. Its design was that of an ordinary rest stop, the only unusual feature being a square grid etched into the floor at the center. “Don’t these squares look like some kind of chessboard?”

“A chessboard!” Old Liu’s head immediately ached at the mention of such complex concepts. He crouched down for a closer look, realizing it was neither a Go board nor a Chinese chess board. “This thing looks complicated, but I truly have no idea what to do.”

“What about those treasure-hunting tricks of yours?” Yè Xiū had seen Old Liu employ many methods when they infiltrated tombs together. Now, facing the entrance to a Dao Realm, Old Liu was still uselessly stumped. Yè Xiū shoved him aside and reached out to trace the squares on the floor. As his hands touched the markings, a dense white mist suddenly billowed forth. The mist enveloped the squares, causing a faint white light to shimmer above them.

“Whoa, wow!” Old Liu stared in astonishment at Yè Xiū’s single hand. He had never witnessed anything so seemingly magical. “What’s wrong with your hand? Why is it emitting that stuff?”

Yè Xiū was equally confused. The moment he neared the square grid, it began to glow. When he cautiously retracted his arm, the grid slid open automatically, and a grotesque, snarling statue rose from within. “How should I know what this is?”

The statue slowly emerged from the ground with a series of grinding clicks. Its head resembled an eagle, yet it sprouted eight human arms. Beneath that, its limbs resembled beast claws. It was neither bird nor beast.

Old Liu swallowed nervously and cautiously extended a hand. The moment his fingertips brushed the statue’s body, a red flame ignited in the palm of one of its hands. He quickly pulled his hand back; the flame flickered for a moment before extinguishing itself. “This must be the mechanism leading deeper into the Demon-Quelling Pavilion, but how do we activate it?”

“Stand aside!” Yè Xiū had already drawn Tiān Zhī Què from his waist. This common-grade sword should be used for the most mundane tasks. “Look, the eight hands all have the same structure. I bet we need to ignite flames on all eight hands simultaneously to activate the mechanism. We need fast swordsmanship!”

“Hmm, but how fast?” Old Liu’s touch had only produced a fleeting flame. Lighting them all simultaneously would likely not be easy.

“Dong, dong…” Yè Xiū’s Tiān Zhī Què struck with crisp sounds. His right arm moved, thrusting, stabbing, parrying, and sweeping. After several quick exchanges, he successfully lit six flames. However, the last two hands remained stubbornly unresponsive. “Logically, my speed should be enough. Why can’t I light the last two flames?”

“Let me try.” Old Liu picked up Guǐ Zhū. The Guǐ Zhū sword was an evil artifact, brimming with inexhaustible energy, but its inherent sword power couldn't compare to Tiān Zhī Què. After several swings, Old Liu couldn't even light five flames. “Hoo… This damned thing. Are we going to be blocked by this mechanism?”

Yè Xiū paced back and forth, studying the statue mechanism. His sword speed had already met the requirement. The remaining two lights weren't responding to his sword power. Did they require Daoist techniques for activation? After some thought, he told Old Liu, “It’s no big deal. This thing clearly requires a dual activation of martial and Daoist arts. I’ll rapidly ignite the first six lights, and for the final two, I’ll use my Black Flame. You channel your incantation and light them together.”

“Let’s try it!” Old Liu shook his arms, channeling the Ice Crystal Spell into his hands. Daoist practices emphasize the unity of all things. Perhaps one strike of fire and one of ice between them could actually break this statue mechanism.

“Dang, dang…” Yè Xiū wielded Tiān Zhī Què with fluid grace. As his sixth strike pierced the statue, his other hand erupted with Black Flame, driving into the statue’s palm. “What are you waiting for? Hurry!”

“Hoo…” Old Liu unleashed his Ice Crystal Spell, sending an attack wrapped in cold ice toward the hand. At that moment, all eight lights blazed, and with a kacha, the entire statue shattered like broken ice, falling to pieces.

Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a fierce wind erupted. The square grid instantly transformed into a gaping cavern, pitch black within. As the gale rushed out, it immediately reversed direction, violently dragging the two men nearby into the hole. The entire Demon-Quelling Pavilion seemed to weep and howl, shaking uncontrollably. Once both men were sucked into the void, it returned to its former tranquility.

“Hey, Old Liu…” Yè Xiū felt his body colliding with cold rock. When his Black Flame illuminated the surroundings, he found himself in a chilling environment. He used his Black Flame to scout ahead and discovered they were on a narrow, perilous plank walkway suspended over swiftly flowing black water. “Old Liu, where are you?”

“I’m above you…” Old Liu had already taken to his sword, soaring into the air. It was only because the space was ceilinged that he couldn't find an exit after looking around. “Looks like we have to follow this walkway. Heaven knows what’s down below.”

Yè Xiū ran his hand along the adjacent rock face. It was exceptionally smooth and damp, and at regular intervals, talismans were pasted upon it. Looking down at the rapid current, he suddenly had a question. “Lóng Xuán said the Demon-Quelling Pavilion is where the Divine Beasts of the Boundless Realm are sealed. Looking at this natural environment, could the Divine Beasts have been released to roam freely here?”

“Don’t scare me…” Old Liu held Guǐ Zhū defensively before his chest. The flickering firelight and the sound of murmuring water mingled. Ghosts could appear here; never mind Divine Beasts. “Who knows what we’ll encounter going down this walkway.”

“Jee-jee…” Suddenly, a strange silhouette flashed through the firelight. They moved in leaps, seemingly clinging to the mountain walls just above their heads. Patches of green light hung in the air like light bulbs, staring intently at the two men.

Yè Xiū blasted that direction with his Black Flame. In the shadows, several mountain-cat-shaped animals were suspended upside down on the cliff face. They bared sharp teeth, their eyes bulging from their sockets, looking anything but friendly. “Lóng Xuán wouldn’t call these little critters Divine Beasts, would he?”

“Kaka-gēzhe…” Suddenly, the sound of shifting human bones echoed throughout the cavern. Those mountain-cat creatures suddenly elongated their four limbs and merged consciously together. Their eyes detached from their sockets and intertwined, forming a massive, eight-eyed monster. The monster hung from the wall like an ape with long arms, roaring continuously at the two men.

“And you called them little critters…” Old Liu sucked in a sharp breath. He sliced out with his Thin Blade, transforming it into a Firelight Beast that illuminated the world on the cavern wall. The eight-eyed monster seemed afraid of fire and immediately scrambled away into the darkness. “We have to figure out how to deal with this thing. It really looks like what they said—these Divine Beasts are running wild in here, totally unrestrained!”

“Swoosh…” Yè Xiū drew Tiān Zhī Què, intending to use his probing sword technique to dispatch such a Divine Beast. He leaped high, charging towards the ceiling. His speed was not slow, but as he lunged toward the eight-eyed ape, it clamped down on him with its two merged feet. “What kind of joke is this? Has this Divine Beast studied martial arts?”

“Be careful!” Old Liu shouted, leaping up from the ground himself. The eight-eyed ape suddenly released its grip, dropping like a cannonball onto the ground, aiming to crush Yè Xiū into meat paste. “Run!”

“Bā kā…” Yè Xiū let go of Tiān Zhī Què, swinging like a pendulum against the rock face. The eight-eyed ape slammed heavily onto the ground, splattering bloody meat paste everywhere. The mushy pulp wriggled, and in moments, it coalesced again, reforming into a cyclopean giant that perfectly blocked the entire passage of the plank walkway.