"Aargh!" The Ghost Mask was sucked into the mighty force within Ye Xiu's body, and the iron chains and fluttering light clusters that had been brandished also scattered and flowed into him. "Ugh..."

"Blast it, this guy simply can't handle this much power." Old Liu lunged toward Ye Xiu, trying to free him from the control of the Tai Xuan Dao Curse energy, but as soon as he moved, he was blocked by an invisible barrier.

"Woo... Ah..." Colorful halos streamed into the center of Ye Xiu's forehead from his limbs, his body began to shake uncontrollably, his eyes rolled back, and his face started to contort.

Old Liu, thinking fast, used the Ghost Slaying Sword to fiercely pierce through the obstruction, striking Ye Xiu directly in the chest. At that moment, a purple halo erupted, and Su Su flew with the Ghost Slaying Sword to Old Liu's back: "Su Su, what do we do in this situation!"

"The power inside the Master's body is chaotic, and right now the strongest element is the Soul Energy within the Great Tripod. Only by drawing it out can he find relief." Su Su, in her urgency, had already attached herself to Old Liu's back. She embraced him, "I'll help you, transferring that Soul Energy into your body."

"Good!" Old Liu exerted himself, driving the Ghost Slaying Sword deeper. Purple electric light surged, and that light instantly leaped along the sword and shot into Old Liu's body. "Aargh!"

"Hold on, that force is too immense." Old Liu felt his head spin and his mind reel; for that instant, his body was beyond his control. Thankfully, Su Su was there to assist, "Luckily, this Soul Energy is inheriting the Dao Arts within your body; the Master can be saved."

Heaven and earth shifted, and the Dao Gate on the ten-thousand-layered staircase had vanished. Brilliant light and phantom images occupied all space; this was the Tai Xuan Dao, and also the starting point for the demise of the entire Demon Extinguishing Pavilion.

"Hoo..." The surrounding environment cleared and became bright. Old Liu let out a long breath, kneeling on the very peak of Ten Thousand Dao Mountain. He looked over at the lying Ye Xiu anxiously, "Ye Xiu, Ye Xiu, are you alright?"

Ye Xiu shook his head, and under Su Su's gentle caress, he slowly opened his eyes: "This time... this time it's better. I guess I was loyal enough, all the power of the Tai Xuan Dao Curse is now yours."

"What time is it to still be joking," Old Liu helped Ye Xiu up. He only felt a powerful current begin to surge through his entire body from his abdomen, an ineffable power beginning to roil. "Doesn't the Tai Xuan Dao Curse require a Profound Root Dao Body to be accepted? Did the power of the Heavenly Dao One in your body also flow into me?"

Su Su moved into Ye Xiu's arm, having the final say regarding his condition: "The Dao Art portion of the power has indeed fully integrated into Old Liu's body, but the other forces are still balancing each other out, so we still need to find a countermeasure."

"The Three Innate Needles?" Ye Xiu finally managed to stand with Old Liu's support. He also felt his internal situation improve significantly, but the Life-Extending Heavenly Needle had just been destroyed; they needed to find Grandmaster Tian Zhen to perform the needle technique again. "The matter of Ten Thousand Dao Mountain is resolved. I think we should return to the Fox Palace; Grandmaster Tian Zhen should be there."

"Guards! Surround them!" Just then, hundreds of disciples from Ten Thousand Dao Mountain, holding long brushes and Dao talismans, rushed to the Demon Extinguishing Pavilion. Leading them was still that snobbish Black-Faced God. "Old Liu, what have you done? You destroyed the Demon Extinguishing Pavilion!"

Old Liu strode steadily to the front and shouted sternly: "Bastards! Haven't you realized that Senior Brother Long Xuan has long been controlled by a demon? I and my friend just killed that guy, and from now on, Ten Thousand Dao Mountain can finally return to normal."

"What, you say Sect Master Long Xuan..." The Black-Faced God sensed the hostility radiating from Old Liu, but relying on superior numbers, he wasn't afraid of Old Liu alone. "Nonsense! Everyone, seize these two villains!"

"How many times do I have to say it!" At this moment, Old Liu glared, and a circle of bone-chilling coldness emanated from his palm. The weapons in the hands of the Daoists instantly froze and shattered on the ground. "I say there is no longer a Sect Master in this Ten Thousand Dao Mountain! What you should be doing is not wasting time here, but heading to Mount Sumeru to see if Dao Master Wuji can still be saved!"

"Senior Brother..." The young Daoists were awed by Old Liu's power. They looked at the Black-Faced God with a hint of doubt. "Senior Brother, what Old Liu says has merit. His power is so strong; there's no need for him to waste words on us. Perhaps we should go check on Sect Master Long Xuan."

The Black-Faced God knew Old Liu's strength, but seeing the vast gulf between Old Liu's power and that of everyone around him now, he swallowed hard and personally retreated with a few disciples: "Watch them for me."

"The Tai Xuan Dao Curse is somewhat interesting." Old Liu glanced back at Ye Xiu smugly; his Ice Dao Art strength had progressed too much. "The chaos of the Boundless Realm is gradually spreading. This headless Ten Thousand Dao Mountain is probably the most dangerous place right now."

Ye Xiu nodded. For his own sake, his primary objective should also be to head to the Fox Palace: "Divine Beasts are running rampant across the Boundless Realm Continent, and the day of Killing the Sovereign and Breaking the Ice is not far off. I need to quickly recover my strength."

"No kidding, I'll accompany you every step of the way," Old Liu clenched his fist, wanting to help Ye Xiu down for some rest, but just then, the Black-Faced God rushed over in a panic and immediately knelt before Old Liu. "Old Liu, no! Senior Brother Liu, we were deluded by Sect Master Long Xuan for too long; he truly was controlled by a demonic Daoist..."

"Cut it out!" Old Liu slowly led Ye Xiu down the peak of the Demon Extinguishing Pavilion. He understood the Black-Faced God's intention—Ten Thousand Dao Mountain was nearly wiped out fighting at Mount Sumeru, and the Black-Faced God simply couldn't manage the entire situation alone now. "My friend and I need to rest."

"Senior Brother Liu, Ten Thousand Dao Mountain is now without a leader. I beg you, for the sake of Dao Master Wuji, stay and lead us to face the chaos of the Boundless Realm." The Black-Faced God knelt as he spoke, and the disciples behind him also knelt to show their loyalty.

Old Liu held some admiration for Dao Master Wuji in his heart, but that couldn't move his brotherhood for Ye Xiu. He scoffed to himself, "See that, Death God? You could become a hall master in the Insect Sect; I could become the Sect Master of Ten Thousand Dao Mountain."

"Then do you want to stay and be your Sect Master?" Ye Xiu shook his head dismissively. He was certain of Old Liu's answer. "Look how eagerly those guys are waiting."

Old Liu supported Ye Xiu as they slowly stepped into the Dao Hall on the mountaintop, accessible only to the Sect Master. He looked down over the entirety of Ten Thousand Dao Mountain; the peaks were boundlessly green, and red clouds scattered, but beneath this peaceful tranquility, the Boundless Realm was being ravaged by a disordered age and the slaughter of divine beasts. "Those who cultivate the Dao all possess compassion. Do you think I might stay?"