Ye Xiu and the other two rested on the Myriad Dao Mountain. As the day of the assassination of Jun Po approached, there was no longer any safe haven left in this Boundless Realm.

"It seems we must follow the Witch's words," Old Liu declared after a lifetime of sipping tea. "We must hold back Sha Jun Tianxia on Mount Sumeru for as long as possible. If we can just endure for one day, once the entrance to the Heavenly Emperor's cycle reappears, we can drag him inside, minimizing the damage to the mainland of the Boundless Realm."

Ye Xiu glanced at Old Liu, wondering when this fellow had become so concerned for the entire world. "Old Liu, do you still intend to return to the Mortal Realm? Are you suggesting we two get entangled in some Celestial Ranking holy war with these people?"

Old Liu was instantly dumbfounded upon hearing this. He touched Ye Xiu's forehead. "No way. I thought you were the one always trying to pry into the legends of the God of Death within the Boundless Realm?"

"I've already found him…" Ye Xiu pulled over Jun Bugu, who was frantically devouring food. "With him here, I believe the secrets of the Netherworld King of the Death Kingdom will eventually be revealed."

"Bad news, Sect Master!" At that moment, a group of Myriad Dao Mountain disciples rushed over, their bodies bearing streaks of blood. "A purple-haired individual has arrived outside the mountain! He... he has a crimson mark on his forehead!"

"Crimson mark." Ye Xiu exchanged a look with Old Liu, immediately confirming the visitor's identity. "The purple-haired youth must be Yan Shangcheng. How did he find Myriad Dao Mountain?"

"Clang!" Just then, Jun Bugu suddenly went berserk. The mark on his forehead flashed, and he snatched up the Absolute Saber, charging out of the main hall. "Ah... It's the Maddened Meridian Heavenly Pivot!"

"Blast it, could it be that the Meridian of Madness and the Meridian of the Absolute are inherently antagonistic in these two?" Old Liu bolted out after them, frowning. "These two are likely to fight on Myriad Dao Mountain; we have to find a way to stop them."

Ye Xiu sighed and drew his sword, following suit. After all, the Maddened Meridian Heavenly Pivot and the Absolute Meridian Heavenly Pivot were the most miraculous amplifiers of cultivation in the entire Boundless Realm. If the two conflicted, catastrophic consequences were inevitable. "If only these two powers could be aimed directly at Sha Jun Tianxia!"

On the Eight Trigrams Plaza of Myriad Dao Mountain, thousands of disciples had already been thrown to the ground by the sword energy emanating from Yan Shangcheng. They looked as if they had seen a demon. "His power is immense..."

"Whoosh..." Suddenly, countless dragon tails descended from the sky. Jun Bugu spun, bringing his saber down toward Yan Shangcheng. Yan Shangcheng blocked with his sword, the immense pressure instantly scattering the surrounding disciples. "So, you're the one who summoned me!"

"Summoned!" The mark on Yan Shangcheng's forehead was blazing crimson, but he did not appear to have lost control. "The Maddened Meridian Heavenly Pivot is the ultimate power of a realm. I must show you which of us is stronger."

Jun Bugu recoiled, letting the Absolute Saber drop. The dragon tails danced wildly but failed to harm Yan Shangcheng in the slightest. "Heh, interesting! It seems the power residing in both of us originates from the same source."

Yan Shangcheng unleashed the Heavenly Bone Sword Art, a potent sword intent slashing across the sky. He descended in a maneuver that clearly surpassed the ninth level of the Heavenly Bone Sword Art. "Then we shall see if the Absolute Meridian or the Maddened Meridian prevails!"

"Rumble..." Jun Bugu raised his saber to block. The multiple dragon tails instantly converged upon his chest. Yan Shangcheng's sword light struck, hitting him squarely and forcing him back to the edge of the plaza. "Hoo... such formidable strength."

"Hey!" Old Liu, bearing the Ghost Punishment saber, immediately rushed forward to stand between the two dueling figures. He stared coldly at them. "You two share no specific hatred, so why risk your lives fighting atop Myriad Dao Mountain?"

"Hatred?" Yan Shangcheng pointed to the mark on his forehead and chuckled. "This is the origin of hatred. I merely wish to know which Heavenly Pivot lineage is more tenacious."

Ye Xiu flashed forward and arrived beside Yan Shangcheng, reaching out to grip his shoulder. Surprisingly, the murderous aura emanating from the youth was not as intense as it had been the first time. "Yan Shangcheng, did the Witch send you here?"

"It's you!" Yan Shangcheng shook slightly and turned toward Ye Xiu. After the battle at Desolate Bone City, they were enemies because he had been controlled by the Maddened Meridian Heavenly Pivot. Now, he held no interest in Ye Xiu. "I don't wish to kill you; I only wish to contest against the strongest person in the realm."

Old Liu seized upon Yan Shangcheng's words. "The strongest person is still frozen on Mount Sumeru! Why aren't you seeking him out?"

"Who? Sha Jun Tianxia..." Yan Shangcheng, of course, knew how terrifying that figure was. Ever since the Witch's aura entered his body, his violent tendencies had significantly subsided. "I don't care how powerful others are; I only know that he summoned me here, and I must kill!"

"Your powers are needed to confront Sha Jun Tianxia, the primary public enemy of the realm. Why engage in bloodshed here?" Old Liu was becoming impatient. If this continued, he might have to join the fray himself.

Ye Xiu took a moment to play the mediator. "Can't whatever needs settling wait until Sha Jun Tianxia is dealt with?"

Yan Shangcheng was swayed by neither of them. Since the death of Jiaye, his life's trajectory had lost its purpose. His current challenge against Jun Bugu was merely the direction given by the Maddened Meridian Heavenly Pivot. "Let me reconsider..."

"No need to reconsider! Let one sword strike decide the victor!" At this point, Jun Bugu, who had been silent, finally spoke. He channeled energy into his Absolute Saber, and the countless dragon tails wrapped themselves around the blade. His stance suggested he would lose to no one present. "Come."

Seeing this, Yan Shangcheng grinned widely. His Long Bone Sword circled in mid-air, and thick smoke began to billow from his body. "Good, one move!"

Ye Xiu and Old Liu, unable to intervene further, stepped back sequentially. They also wished to witness what a legendary confrontation between these Meridians would entail.

The Heavenly Clouds spun, and the foundation of Myriad Dao Mountain shook violently. The clashing energies of the saber and sword actually summoned heavenly lightning, causing the entire scene to shimmer and flicker as if in a dream.

"Whoosh-boom!" Following two sharp cries, a saber and a sword were seen crossing high in the nine heavens. The figures of Jun Bugu and Yan Shangcheng flickered between the weapons as lightning flashed violently. They fought to an indistinguishable stalemate.

Ye Xiu felt the ground beneath Myriad Dao Mountain growing unstable. "A mere ultimate move causes the earth to shake? Is the power contained within these Meridians truly that immense?"

Old Liu was intrigued, as ancient arts also spoke of drawing upon Meridians to enhance one's cultivation. "Don't you think the Heavenly Pivots in these two are remarkably similar to my Strange Meridian Channels?"

"But they don't have a time limit!" Ye Xiu shielded his eyes from the intense light above as the sword and saber clashed away. No one could discern what happened next. "This..."