"Sky Scorn Divine Sense!" Ye Xiu deployed his ultimate move right from the start. A crimson light intertwined with black flames surged toward Shun Yi and the Shadow. "How about this move!"

"Whoosh..." Shun Yi spun and moved, trying to evade Ye Xiu's attack, but his speed proved insufficient. A sword pierced his abdomen, followed by a searing heat enveloping his body. Fortunately, he had the Shadow to rely on, narrowly avoiding complete defeat in a single blow. "How is this possible!"

Ye Xiu flicked the Sky Scorn Sword, and the black blood coating it gradually advanced on Shun Yi. He said coldly, "What's wrong? Haven't you wanted me dead since the first time we met? What about now? Where is that speed you prided yourself on?"

"Die!" Shun Yi's eyes widened. The two Shadows on the ground sprang to life, lunging directly toward Ye Xiu's feet. They approached from two directions, on the verge of grasping him. "Your speed is indeed fast, but can it outpace the speed of the Shadows?"

"Clang!" Ye Xiu unleashed Sky Scorn Shadowfall. Countless projections of himself swung the Sky Scorn Sword, effortlessly stabbing into the Shadows rooted on the ground. As the Shadows tried to flee, they were pinned down by the myriad sword auras. "Of course, I can be faster than these so-called Shadows. Did you think I was still that Grim Reaper from before?"

"You..." Shun Yi was so shocked that sweat beaded on his forehead. He stood frozen in place, mouth agape. "Who exactly are you, and why before—!"

Ye Xiu smiled, now standing beside Shun Yi. "I only want to know how the Dark System Grim Reaper moves in and out of the Mortal Realm. Tell me, and perhaps I won't kill you."

"You bastard, what are you saying!" Shun Yi could not believe he was being suppressed by such a character. He recast Shadow Dash toward Ye Xiu, but the shadow dissipated before even reaching him, scattered by the surrounding sword qi. "I would rather die than... tell you!"

Ye Xiu let out a long breath, pointing toward the distant King Zhou. "It seems only King Zhou can explain this matter. As for you... you're probably useless now!"

"Hah!" Shun Yi, insulted by Ye Xiu's contempt, roared in anger. His entire body shot forward like a longsword, intending to use a final attack for mutual destruction. "Since I won't live, neither will you!"

"Crack!" Ye Xiu stretched out his arm, which instantly thickened and hardened. A large pincer appendage had fused onto it—undoubtedly the power of the Demon Insects. "I finally understand why the Dark System Grim Reaper always fails!"

"I—" Shun Yi watched Ye Xiu in despair. The massive pincer held him suspended in the air, his body clamped in two. He had lost the will to survive, never imagining this moment. "Why is this happening?"

"Because I am constantly growing stronger!" Ye Xiu showed no emotion toward Shun Yi. With a slight exertion, he crushed the Grim Reaper in half. "Perhaps the reason we Flame System Grim Reapers can become combat machines is that we continuously strengthen ourselves on the battlefield."

"Aah!" The Demon Queen lost her previous captivating allure. Her deep blue eyes had transformed her into a giant fox. With a single downward swipe, she sent King Zhou flying. "Awooo... Never underestimate anyone from the Interminable Realm, Grim Reaper!"

"Hmph!" King Zhou had merely executed a tactical repositioning. His Heaven Shaking Blade was more than capable of blocking the Demon Queen's strike. Energy gathered in his palm, slamming into her. "I usually refrain from striking women, but since you've devolved into a beast, this blow is warranted."

The massive fox form could not dodge King Zhou's attack. The ball of energy struck the Demon Queen, piercing clean through her entire forearm. "Aow ah! You..."

King Zhou leaped onto the Demon Queen's skull, rotating his long blade, preparing to thrust downward. But at that moment, a crimson light shot over from behind the mountain, knocking him away. "What? Ye Xiu!"

"Ah oh, it seems Shun Yi was disposed of quite easily by Ye Xiu." Old Liu knew this was entirely within expectations. He stood with his hands behind his back, observing the scene. Ye Xiu and King Zhou were both standing atop the Demon Queen's massive body, staring at each other without restraint. "This is the main event before Jun Tianxia emerges today."

Garuda surveyed the surroundings. The twin-headed dragon in the Nine Heavens was firmly suppressed by Ren Tianxing. However, the dragon appeared to be a summoned entity of the Interminable Realm's divine beasts, as all the divine beasts below had gathered. The Demon Insects, Ferocious Beasts, and the forces of Ten Thousand Dao Mountain were struggling to cope. "Those without critical tasks should support those below. The few of us are enough here."

Dark energy surged from King Zhou's long blade, pushing Ye Xiu back sharply. He glanced back to see Shun Yi decapitated. "Hmph, I didn't expect even Shun Yi to be no match for you!"

"The Dark System Grim Reapers are depleted, King Zhou!" Ye Xiu remained calmly focused; he needed to extract information. "I wonder if King Zhou knows the reason why Pluto withdrew from the Interminable Realm."

"The reason is that the Flame System Grim Reaper was too weak!" As he spoke, King Zhou deployed his Shadow behind Ye Xiu, executing his ultimate move: merging with his Shadow at maximum speed to crush Ye Xiu between them. "Die!"

Ye Xiu's emerald eyes flared. Seeing that King Zhou's speed far surpassed Shun Yi's, he didn't have time to jump clear. A flash of bloody light passed—it was the Demon Queen using her claw to shield his back, directly taking King Zhou's killing blow. "Demon Queen, are you alright!"

"I'm fine!" The strike broke the Demon Queen's transformation. She clutched her right hand and retreated toward Garuda. "I didn't expect King Zhou's cultivation to be so powerful; he even managed to injure the Nine Spirit Tail."

Ye Xiu only relaxed once he saw the Demon Queen was unharmed. He turned to face King Zhou, his eyes now completely emerald green. "Is that the move, then!"

"What do you intend to do!" King Zhou retreated two steps, drawing his blade and sending several arcs of light sweeping toward Ye Xiu. "Don't underestimate the power of the Heaven Shaking Blade."

"Clang!" Ye Xiu met the light arcs with his Sky Scorn Sword, blocking them. However, the light from the Heaven Shaking Blade reversed course and trapped him securely. He flipped and tried to dismantle the bindings, but to no avail. "What is this thing?"

King Zhou continually swung yellow light arcs. These arcs spun left and right, completely enveloping Ye Xiu. "These blades won't dissipate until they taste blood! They require the blood of a Grim Reaper, hahahaha!"

"A blade technique like this exists!" Old Liu watched anxiously, ready to intervene, but was stopped by Garuda. "Sect Master!"

Garuda remained composed. "Ye Xiu hasn't even displayed his full strength. I didn't expect this fellow to be even stronger than the legendary King Zhou."

Ye Xiu moved within the confines of the blade light with ease, deflecting the attacks while chuckling, "King Zhou of the Death Nation, I ask you just once more: How do you travel freely to and from the Mortal Realm?"

"Black Accumulated Snow!" King Zhou was enraged by Ye Xiu's nonchalant attitude. He spread both hands, and the blood atop Mount Sumeru turned black, surging toward Ye Xiu. "Don't underestimate the strength of the Dark System Grim Reaper."

"Whoosh, clang!" Ye Xiu executed Shadowfall, unleashing his Divine Sense again. Thousands of illusions emerged, striking down all of King Zhou's attacks. The entire Mount Sumeru instantly fell into quiet serenity. "King Zhou, your moves have no effect on me. You might as well give up."

"Impossible?" King Zhou's face twitched. He knew this Grim Reaper; he shouldn't possess such profound cultivation. "What have you encountered!"

Ye Xiu's battle with Jun Bugu had thoroughly awakened the Kṣitigarbha Buddha Power deep within him. He was currently on the verge of a berserk state. "You have lost, King Zhou! How can the strength of one man shake the entire Interminable Realm? Jun Tianxia lost from the very beginning!"

"Hoo..." King Zhou was forced back beneath the ice seal. He glanced back to see the ice-sealing water slowly dripping away, and half of Jun Tianxia's body was beginning to emerge. "Lost! Hahahaha, you don't know the power of the Demon Realm's Origin Fetus. How could I, King Zhou, lose? All victory and defeat must wait until after Jun Tianxia!"

"Not good, Jun Tianxia is about to break the seal!" Garuda looked up at the heavens; the sunlight was gradually vanishing. When the last trace of warmth left the Interminable Realm, Jun Tianxia's rebirth would usher in darkness.

Ye Xiu looked at the panicked King Zhou and the motionless Jun Tianxia behind him, feeling a chill creep up his own spine. He couldn't believe he felt this way—a feeling that suddenly reminded him of encountering Sha Jun for the first time in the Tathagata Gate, where his weapon had been easily severed: "Damn it!"

"Hahahaha, are you afraid?" King Zhou slowly stood up, relying on the ice seal. With his current strength, he wasn't even a match for Ye Xiu, let alone the inactive Old Liu. But now, seeing the dark clouds pressing down, he seemed to gain considerable confidence. "Jun Tianxia is returning. Are you prepared?"

"Awooo!" Ren Tianxing fought the twin-headed dragon to the end, using his evil body power to blast it down. His fierce words proved too much even for a divine beast to withstand. "Hahahaha, this is the power of the Evil Body! With this power, how can my Yao Feng Sect not rise in the Interminable Realm?"

"Now!" Before Ren Tianxing could successfully land, the Drought Demon Insect Emperor attacked him with a palm emitting green poison mist. The mist enveloped him, instantly corroding his wings. The surprised Ren Tianxing plummeted downward. "Hahahaha, you won't survive this!"

"Rumble..." As the twin-headed dragon fell, stirring up a blizzard of snow, Ren Tianxing fell along with it. He knew exactly who the owner of this attack was. He fiercely tore apart a nearby Demon Insect Gate member. "You forced my hand, Drought Demon Insect Emperor!"