"Impossible!" Jun Bugu certainly knew nothing of Ye Xiu's Death God powers, nor could he fathom that Ye Xiu had reached the level of the Sacrificial Body realm. Now, not only his weapons but his entire body could be augmented by the Death Realm's Purple Flame.

Ye Xiu, completely engulfed in flames at this moment, extended a hand toward Jun Bugu. "I sense a power within your techniques that resonates with my own. Care to step into this fire and test it?"

Jun Bugu hesitated slightly. As he reached out, the closer he got to Ye Xiu, the more unbearable the searing heat became.

Ye Xiu let out a cold laugh and suddenly exerted force, pulling Jun Bugu down the mountain cliff. Instantly, a torrent of flame enveloped Jun Bugu's body—a critical situation.

"Waaah!" Startled, Jun Bugu prepared to leap away again, but he suddenly realized that as the fierce flames burned over him, there was absolutely no sensation of pain. He finally calmed himself, taking in the intense heat. "What is happening? I don't fear this fire after all."

When Ye Xiu first saw the flames erupting from the twin blades, he had assumed Jun Bugu was merely a Death God of the Blood Weapon realm. He hadn't expected him to have broken through to the Sacrificial Body realm as well. "I already told you our origins share similarities. Since that is the case, let me ask: Do you know anything of your parentage?"

Jun Bugu shook his head. "I don't know when it started, but I lived in the Endless Realm with that tyrannical version of myself. Only after meeting you has my life become so rich and colorful. What do you think?"

"Have you ever heard the term 'Death God'?" Ye Xiu sought to guide Jun Bugu further, sensing that this individual held many secrets.

Jun Bugu's mind held few such abstract concepts; he was preoccupied with admiring the flames in his hands. "Who cares about Death Gods or not, let's focus on finding the place of the Boiling Beast Flame."

Ye Xiu began to realize he couldn't approach the matter through Jun Bugu directly. To uncover these secrets, he would likely need to consult the Myriad Demon Empress. He turned in a circle. There were no more exits in this abyssal flame cavern; only one patch of ground seemed slightly different. "See that patch of ground flame? It isn't burning as intensely as the others. That suggests..."

"Could it be the mechanism to insert the Beast Flame Heavenly Key?" Jun Bugu was thrilled. He immediately squatted down and swept aside that patch of flame, revealing a narrow aperture on the ground. "I guessed right."

"For most beings, this type of flame is an absolute forbidden zone. Could it be that the Boiling Beast Flame site was designed specifically for Death Gods?" Ye Xiu murmured to himself. He also squatted down; the two figures wreathed in fire stood close, a sight of peculiar intimacy. "Hurry and open it!"

Jun Bugu carefully drew out the Beast Flame Heavenly Key. The key clearly felt the summons of the aperture. As the two met, a gust of icy wind rushed out of the keyhole, instantly pulling them into another realm entirely.

"Hoo..." The wind of the abyss cavern swept all the way to the uppermost level of the Ferocious Beast Fortress. Elder Beast shivered, staring out the window in disbelief. "The Ferocious Beast Gate Fortress is sealed tight; how could a strange wind pass through? Could it be..."

"Report... Report, Elder Beast! Several Divine Beast Skeletons have arrived outside the Ferocious Beast Gate!" The messenger who came to report was covered in wounds; it seemed the gate guards were truly not on the same level as Divine Beasts.

"Hmm, I already know." Elder Beast grasped his iron staff. He had already ordered the high-ranking members of the Ferocious Beasts to deal with the Divine Beasts. However, the appearance of Divine Beasts in the Endless Realm was indeed causing significant trouble. He regretted that the death of Jiaye unintentionally brought such suffering to the realm. It was a pity the Soul Weapon Talisman had vanished without a trace; gaining control of the Divine Beasts would make them invincible.

...

Sumeru Mountain lay in the northernmost part of the Endless Realm, perpetually snow-covered regardless of the season. Furthermore, since the Limitless Dao Master had unleashed his world-shattering freeze, this place had become a desolate hellscape.

The long-absent green net-like pattern reappeared atop the frozen peak. Waves of black mist drifted into the Endless Realm; the Dark Death Gods had recuperated and were preparing to destabilize the realm once more.

King Zhou possessed an imposing aura, and his tone remained utterly composed. "I didn't expect Sha Jun Tianxia to be trapped by an old Daoist. If the Dark Faction doesn't act now, we might lose our chance."

Shun Yi had suffered considerable injuries during the last battle on Sumeru Mountain, nearly losing his existence as a Death God. Returning to the Endless Realm this time, he was determined to show these ignorant fools the might of the Dark Death Gods. "It will take some time before the ice sealing Sha Jun Tianxia thaws. Why come here so early..."

King Zhou was confident. "Do you think the inhabitants of the Endless Realm will sit still and wait for death? The Limitless Dao Master possesses the power to freeze Sha Jun Tianxia; perhaps someone can eliminate this tyrant. To establish ourselves in the Endless Realm, we cannot do without Sha Jun's help."

"Awoo!" Just then, a pack of massive white wolves suddenly surged up the mountainside. Divine Beasts were appearing even in this land frozen for millennia, and their target was the Death Gods who had just arrived.

"Seeking death!" Shun Yi flickered with shadow, instantly flowing toward a white wolf Divine Beast. With a single swipe of his fierce claws, the wolf's intestines spilled out from its abdomen, a ghastly sight. "What are these things?"

"These are Divine Beasts summoned by the Soul Weapon Talisman!" King Zhou, widely knowledgeable, watched the continuous stream of white wolves. He unleashed a Black Dragon Strike with soul energy, knocking them to the ground. "It has only been a few days; I never thought the Master of the Bone Sect had already released the Soul Weapon Talisman. The advent of Divine Beasts spells trouble for everyone."

"Didn't we tell Sha Jun Tianxia that the Soul Weapon Talisman contained the power of the Apocalypse Passage?" Yan Du, who had an arm severed by Sha Jun, looked at Sha Jun sealed in ice with fury. "What will happen if he knows we deceived him when he awakens?"

"No matter!" King Zhou glanced sideways at Sha Jun and said flatly, "In the last battle, I discovered Sha Jun Tianxia's power wasn't as terrifying as rumored. Perhaps his cultivation from the Demon Realm's Nascent Embryo has weakened now that he's left the Demon Realm."

Yan Du nodded, and green vapor began to emanate from his poisonous smoke staff. "Then what should we do now?"

"Wait!" King Zhou's words were firm as he gazed at the vast white expanse of Sumeru Mountain. "The Bone Sect is the pride of the Endless Realm. As long as we can destroy the Bone Sect, this realm will fall into our grasp. Do not forget that when the Death Realm's Underworld King attacked the Endless Realm back then, it wasn't merely a simple conquest."

"What else is there? What treasures does this Endless Realm hold?" Shun Yi wasn't deeply concerned with ancient history. "In my eyes, this place is far more desolate than the Mortal Realm."

"Although I am not entirely clear, I am certain the Underworld King had a reason for invading the Endless Realm!" King Zhou closed his eyes, as if the flames of ancient warfare were igniting in his chest. "I have always felt that the Flame Death Gods and the Bone Sect have some inextricable link, but I could never pin it down."

"It's a pity Yan Ji was nearly killed by Shun Yi that day; otherwise, having another beauty to watch the snowscape would have been nice," Yan Du clearly felt displeasure at Shun Yi's actions, but ultimately, they were all working for King Zhou, so the bigger picture prevailed.

Shun Yi sighed disdainfully. "You just focus on enjoying your scenery."

The frozen northern land welcomed a rare bustle at this moment. Elder Tianyuan of the Sun-Blind Clan led his clan elites to the foot of Sumeru Mountain, the Three Primordial Needles in his hand still gleaming brilliantly. "This battle concerns the Sun-Blind Clan's standing in the Endless Realm; success is the only option."

Elder Potian gave a confident smile. "With the Heavenly Needles, and Sha Jun Tianxia in a state of unpreparedness, our chances of success are very high."

"So, the only current concern is the Dark Death Gods. For some reason, they have allied themselves with Sha Jun Tianxia." Elder Tianyuan didn't understand the Death Gods well, but their combat strength in the Sumeru Mountain battle was not to be underestimated. "Right, where are Garuda and the Bone Sect's forces? This should be the best chance for him to show his sincerity."

"I didn't expect Elder Tianyuan to arrive so early." At that moment, a group of figures advanced laboriously across the snow, and Garuda, wrapped in thick snow-tread fur, approached Elder Tianyuan. "Since I, Garuda, have an agreement with the Sun-Blind Clan, I would certainly not be late."

Elder Tianyuan nodded with satisfaction, surveying Garuda's contingent. "It seems the Third Sovereign was indeed expelled by the Second Sovereign; you only have this few people left by your side."

"That's why I hope we can thoroughly slay Sha Jun this time," Garuda's gaze was sharp, his voice steady. "After this, the next step is to rely on the Sun-Blind Clan to advance on Desolate Bone City. I must announce to the world that Jianan assassinated the Great Sovereign."

Elder Potian certainly understood Garuda's intentions. He pointed to the peak of the snowy mountain. "This time, no matter the cost, we must cover Elder Tianyuan while he activates the Three Primordial Needles. Once the Heavenly Needle strikes Sha Jun Tianxia, his Demon Realm Nascent Embryo will be scattered to dust!"

"Are the Elders afraid of the Death Gods intervening again?" Garuda, possessing extraordinary cunning, had already guessed the Sun-Blind Clan's plan. "Rest assured, it's not about numbers, but essence. Dealing with the Dark Death Gods requires no grand mobilization."

"Enough talk. Since the forces are assembled, let's head up the mountain." The Birdman was already impatient. He was the only one present who had seen Sha Jun Tianxia before—when he escaped from the Gate of Suchness, it was that very figure who severed Ye Xiu's scythe with a single move.

"Depart!" Elder Tianyuan spoke coldly, and the large contingent immediately set off, their goal the summit of Sumeru Mountain.

But no one expected that within the white mist, a purely white figure was already standing firmly. The Shrine Maiden was elegant and ethereal, seemingly everywhere at once. She curled her lips slightly and murmured to herself, "The Sun-Blind Clan really intends to kill Sha Jun Tianxia. It's a pity the Demon Realm Nascent Embryo's power has dispersed within the Endless Realm. No one knows this Sha Jun Tianxia is merely a host body for the Demon Realm's Nascent Embryo."