Beyond the Savage Beast Sect's desert, that impregnable fortress still stood firm against the sweeping sands, a final dirge played out by the swirling dust.

Jialouluo brought Jiu Liansheng to the gates of the Savage Beast Fortress, leaving behind the Peerless Divine Weapon, the Yu Yu Feng Dao. "This is the bastion upon which the Savage Beast Sect survives. Legend claims the Earth Guardian protects its security. Today, I intend to shatter that myth."

Jiu Liansheng had never witnessed the true might of the Dao Xuan Barrier. He cautiously inquired of Jialouluo, "What benefit does subduing the Savage Beast Sect serve us at this juncture?"

Jialouluo shook his head and laughed, "You are confused, Jiu Liansheng. Elder Beast has already declared his alliance with Canaan. If we can force Elder Beast to reveal Canaan's true face, then Barren Bone City will return to my hands."

"But just the two of us?" Jiu Liansheng was not lacking in confidence, but confronting the entire Savage Beast Sect with only two men seemed wildly imprudent.

Jialouluo’s gaze was resolute. Today, a set of cyan Qilin robes enveloped him, lending him the aura of someone ascending to the throne. "Worry not."

"Rumble!" At that moment, the massive stone gate finally swung open. Elder Beast emerged, dragging his weary frame. Behind him stood thousands of Savage Beast Sect disciples. "Third Sovereign, you have the leisure for this? I let you go once, and now you deliver yourself to my doorstep."

Jialouluo stepped forward, not giving Elder Beast a second glance. "Elder Beast of the Savage Beast Sect, I demand you return with me and publicly denounce Canaan's wicked deeds!"

"Hahahaha, hahahaha!" Elder Beast raised his iron staff, laughing so hard he nearly collapsed. "Did I hear correctly, Third Sovereign? Do you truly believe you are still the Third Sovereign of Barren Bone City?"

Hearing Elder Beast's sarcasm, Jiu Liansheng immediately drew his sword, but Jialouluo quickly restrained him. "Sovereign..."

Elder Beast’s ridicule escalated. "The former Third Sovereign of the Bone Sect is no more. You are nothing but a stray dog now. Even if you knew the enmity your elder brother suffered, what of it? I suspect you wouldn't dare set foot in Barren Bone City."

Jialouluo let out a cold laugh, snatching up the Ren He Zhi Sword, and materialized before Elder Beast. He curled his lip. "Elder Beast only needs one word: be careful, or I will destroy the entire Savage Beast Sect!"

"What!" Elder Beast felt the killing intent emanating from Jialouluo. He braced his iron staff, summoning a massive tempest of sand that swept toward Jialouluo. The sand struck Jialouluo’s face like razor blades, yet left no mark. "Are you trying to provoke me?"

Jialouluo completely ignored the Elder Beast's attack. At this moment, he activated the ninth level ultimate move of the Heavenly Bone Sword Art. The Xuan Tian One Sword plunged into the earth, heading directly for the Savage Beast Fortress gate. Instantly, Savage Beasts lay slain everywhere, and the entire fortress resembled a city drenched in blood. "I won't kill you, Elder Beast. I will only slaughter your kin!"

"You court death!" Elder Beast moved frantically, finally summoning the Earth Guardian latent beneath the desert. Its hammer-like tail rose from the ground once more, its target fixed solely on Jialouluo. "Guardian, kill this insolent fellow."

"Boom..." The massive hammer tail moved with terrifying speed. It spun once before slamming down upon Jialouluo, its momentum appearing inescapable, like the sky itself descending.

"Be careful, Sovereign!" Jiu Liansheng tried to rush in to help, but at that instant, a flash of blue radiance erupted above Jialouluo’s head. The sky-blotting hammer struck Jialouluo’s form, producing only a resounding clang. However, the ground beneath Jialouluo cracked open into an abyss. "Third Sovereign!"

"How can this be!" Elder Beast was deeply alarmed by the sight. He hastily retreated, attempting to command the Earth Guardian to strike again. "You may possess such cultivation, but Guardian, kill him!"

Jialouluo’s cultivation had already reached the zenith of the Heavenly Bone Sword Art. He moved with incredible swiftness, weaving between the relentless attacks. By the time he closed the distance to the Barren Bone City, the ultimate move of the Heavenly Bone Sword Art erupted once more, turning the Savage Beast Fortress into a river of blood. "Well, Elder Beast? Perhaps now you can consider what I said earlier?"

Elder Beast retreated back into the Savage Beast Fortress. Watching his clansmen being slaughtered as if harvesting crops, his heart ached. "How can this be? What has happened to you?"

A blue light pulsed around Jialouluo’s body as he once again absorbed the Earth Guardian's attack. Each hammer blow descending above his head was effortlessly negated.

He walked slowly into the Savage Beast Castle, ignoring the swords and blades flashed at him by those around him. With a single sweep, he cleared the beasts blocking his path. "I do not wish to continue this slaughter. Come with your Savage Beast Sect members back to Barren Bone City. With your forces, I can crush Canaan utterly. What say you?"

"Elder Beast, the entire Savage Beast Fortress is nearly crippled." Several guard captains had already knelt before Elder Beast. "If we suffer another blow like that, the entire Savage Beast Sect will likely be destroyed by his hands. He is a demon!"

Elder Beast looked at the flying gore surrounding him. The flames in the braziers had already ignited half the fortress. Terrified by Jialouluo's power—this mysterious force capable of wiping out an entire clan by one man—he whispered, "Third Sovereign..."

"What did you say? I didn't quite catch that?" Jialouluo passed with a sword stroke, taking several more lives. He turned back to look at the despair etched onto Elder Beast’s face and laughed. "The way you address me suggests you have made up your mind?"

Elder Beast dropped his iron staff aside and knelt amidst the corpses of his kin. His words were soft, heavy with sorrow. "Elder Beast of the Savage Beast Sect kneels again before the Third Sovereign of the Bone Sect. We shall obey everything the Third Sovereign commands."

Jialouluo walked slowly to Elder Beast’s side, pressing his sword against the elder's shoulder. "From this day forward, the entire Savage Beast Sect will follow my orders."

"Yes!" As Elder Beast knelt, all the surviving Savage Beast Sect members dropped to their knees in unison. "The disciples of the Savage Beast Sect swear to follow the leadership of the Third Sovereign..."

Jialouluo shook his head, clearly dissatisfied, and lightly tapped Elder Beast’s shoulder. "Not Third Sovereign. Sovereign! There is only one Sovereign of the Bone Sect, and that is I, Jialouluo."

Elder Beast was overwhelmed with emotion. This Third Sovereign, whom he had once dismissed, now possessed such formidable power. If anyone was to blame, it was himself for so easily overlooking the seemingly insignificant figures by his side. "Yes, Sovereign!"

"Hoo..." Jiu Liansheng let out a long breath. He saw a sense of catharsis in Jialouluo's eyes. His Sovereign, once obscure, had secretly mastered the most impregnable defense in the entire realm. With this defense in place, he would lead the Bone Sect—no, all the clans of the Boundless Realm—to a new pinnacle, fulfilling the heavy task of striking down the oppressive Emperor.