Without Old Liu's sword flight, it would still take several days to ascend Mount Wandao. Even with his Hundred Insect Soul fully unleashed, Ye Xiu needed to rest. However, outside a nearby forest, the roar of a divine beast suddenly mingled with the sounds of combat. He instantly surged forward to investigate.

Within the Forest of Lofty Peaks, Garuda, Jiu Liansheng, and several guards were fighting a colossal divine centipede, looking battered. Although their concerted efforts managed to drive the divine beast into the earth, their own casualties were not insignificant.

"Third Sect Master?" Ye Xiu burst into the fray, noting their injuries with surprise. "Was that divine beast so formidable?"

"Ye Xiu, it's you!" Jiu Liansheng, sharing a common background with Ye Xiu, was delighted to see him. He clapped his shoulder and laughed, "Never expected to run into you here. Back then..."

Ye Xiu maintained the proper courtesy toward the Third Sect Master, bowing slightly. "I was being hunted by Yan Shangcheng and had to flee through many places. I never imagined I would see the Third Sect Master again today."

Garuda was equally surprised to see Ye Xiu. He sighed deeply. "Garuda is no longer any Third Sect Master; I am merely a destitute commoner now. How have things been with you lately, Ye Xiu?"

Ye Xiu looked at the exhausted attendants and asked curiously, "Did the Third Sect Master encounter other troubles?"

"The Desolate Bone City is in chaos; the Bone Sect is facing a difficult time. I had joined forces with the Sun-Blind Clan, hoping to utilize the power of the Three Primordial Needles against Sha Juntian. Unfortunately, the effort failed, and some young man in red reaped the benefits." Garuda still couldn't fathom the identity of that crimson-clad youth. "The cultivation level that fellow possessed was far too high, yet why he chose to protect Sha Juntian remains unknown."

"In this realm, besides the Death God of the Dark element, who else would side with Sha Juntian?" Ye Xiu found this strange. He should have thought of Jun Bugu based on the description of the red-clothed youth—that tyrannical Jun Bugu. Since he had been forcibly extracted from Jun Bugu's body, could he have become a source of power for Sha Juntian?

After venting his grievances, Garuda looked toward Ye Xiu with hope, asking, "Where are you headed now?"

Thinking of Jia Yunxin's ordeal, Ye Xiu felt he should inform Garuda of what he knew. "To be frank, I once encountered Yunxin. She told me that the death of the Great Sect Master is connected to Jianan?"

"Yunxin, you met her!" Garuda, having been cautious and refusing to meet Jia Yunxin before, was now deeply concerned about his younger sister. "I have already realized that Jianan colluded with the Ferocious Beast Gate, but I lacked proof, which is why Jianan managed to drive me out."

Speaking of Yunxin, Ye Xiu felt a pang of guilt. "Has the Third Sect Master perhaps heard of a place called the Fire Chart Purgatory in the lower levels of the Boundless Realm?"

"The Fire Chart Purgatory?" Jiu Liansheng was extremely curious. "I have never heard of such a place. How do you know about it, Ye Xiu?"

Garuda nodded grimly, contemplation etched on his face. "The Heavenly Bone Testament records that the Boundless Realm was originally composed of two layers of worlds, and the Fire Chart Purgatory resides within the lower layer, saturated with the power of the Heavenly Emperor's Evil Body. Why do you mention this place?"

Ye Xiu knew that the Heavenly Bone Testament was Garuda's ultimate trump card. "What if I told you that Jia Yunxin is currently trapped in the Fire Chart Purgatory, and that today, she has completely changed into a different person!"

"A different person?" The image of his little sister, Jia Yunxin, in Garuda's mind was still that of an innocent, naive girl. "Did you truly see her?"

"Yunxin's cultivation and power should now be no less than yours or mine. Furthermore, she harbors an extremely intense desire for revenge against the entire Boundless Realm," Ye Xiu recalled the look in Jia Yunxin's eyes—a despair so deep that only slaughter seemed left. "She is a dangerous individual who could threaten the Boundless Realm at any moment."

"Hoo... This is all Jianan's fault." Garuda clenched his jaw, looking solemnly at Ye Xiu. "If I acquire evidence, I will certainly bring Jianan to justice. It's just unfortunate that he currently holds firm control over Desolate Bone City."

"Jianan has already ignited the flames of war; the army of Desolate Bone City is currently besieging the Demonic Insect Gate," Garuda revealed, acknowledging the bond of trust he shared with Ye Xiu. "The Drought Fiend Insect Emperor is incredibly cunning; I believe the Desolate Bone City army will suffer heavy losses. The city's defenses should be weak at this moment. The Third Sect Master could..."

Hearing this news, Jiu Liansheng couldn't help but be pleased. "This is perfect! With you, we can surely achieve great things by storming Desolate Bone City."

"Wait!" Garuda’s composure was steady, and he thought carefully. "This is the perfect opportunity for me to travel to the location of the Testament and open the Heavenly Bone Testament. I believe Fa Liangluo has waited long enough."

"Fa Liangluo, that Bone Sect master who researched absolute defense?" Ye Xiu recalled the master he encountered in the ruins of the Yu Yu Seal Blade, the one who created the Dao Profound Barrier—the very weapon intended to resist Sha Juntian.

Garuda nodded, informing Ye Xiu, "The Heavenly Bone Testament is the true source of power for the entire Desolate Bone City. Jianan naively believes that controlling vast military forces means controlling everything."

"No time to delay; let's go now." Jiu Liansheng was eager to find the Heavenly Bone Testament immediately to deliver a devastating blow to Jianan. He slapped Ye Xiu's shoulder. "Let's move!"

Ye Xiu watched as Garuda's team set off, then said awkwardly, "To be honest, Third Sect Master, I am heading to Mount Wandao this time to find a friend. The Celestial Gate was unexpectedly seized by the Drought Fiend Insect Emperor, and I must find a way to maneuver around that. Regarding the Heavenly Bone Consciousness..."

"No matter." Garuda had already discerned Ye Xiu's intent and did not try to stop him. "Brother Ye, when the battle comes against Jianan, I hope to count on your assistance. I ask this of you."

Ye Xiu nodded, watching the group depart. The Second Battle of Mount Sumeru had concluded once more. The hope of slaying Sha Juntian was dashed for now; they could only wait for the day the Ice Peak shattered and attack collectively. Whether that would be effective remained to be seen.

Jiu Liansheng, walking at the rear of the group, called out a greeting to Ye Xiu before catching up to Garuda. He said, "If the County Mistress truly has become as Ye Xiu described, what then?"

"Alas... Jia Yunxin's fall into the Fire Chart Purgatory is a sin committed by us elder brothers. But the root of all this lies with Jianan." He raised his head, gazing toward Desolate Bone City, convinced that blue skies would eventually appear beneath that dark cloud. "If she intends to use the power of the Fire Chart Purgatory to seek revenge against the Boundless Realm, I will destroy her. For now, the priority is obtaining the Heavenly Bone Testament; only by mastering it can we master everything."

Jiu Liansheng followed closely behind Garuda. He chose to follow this Third Sect Master not due to deep political scheming, but because this man, no matter the adversity, always found a way to cope—a confidence unmatched by the other two Sect Masters.

Divine beasts roared. There was no untainted vegetation left on the Boundless Continent. The approach of the day Mount Sumeru freezes was evidenced by the encroaching chill of the cold air on every level. An era of chaos did not permit peace in the world; there was no absolute justice, no absolute evil; all causality boiled down to two words: interest and emotion.