One breath, two breaths. Forcibly wielding the True Word technique to twist and reverse time was no longer exceedingly difficult for Lei Dong. However, with any True Word spell, while casting is easy, the expenditure and backlash depend entirely on the strength and scope of the target. In other words, if Lei Dong cast this spell on a powerless mortal, reversing time by a dozen breaths would be effortless.

Undeniably, both Ji Shuangshuang and that Great Void Tunnel were entities brimming with immense power. How savage must the recoil against Lei Dong’s very soul have been as he forcefully warped time like this?

By the time time reversed to the third breath, the immense backlash had already caused him to bleed from all seven orifices. Yet, he remained utterly unmoved, continuing to command the temporal regression. It was only when the Void Tunnel's gate opened wide, and Ji Shuangshuang’s flame-wreathed silhouette became vaguely visible, that Lei Dong violently spat a mouthful of blood and ceased the casting.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lei Dong plunged straight into the opening. Tantai Bingyun could not stop him in time, releasing a streak of black light that adhered to Lei Dong like a shadow clinging to bone.

Boom! As Lei Dong chased after her into the Great Void Tunnel, the tunnel contracted and healed, reshaping itself back into normal space, leaving behind only faint ripples and a trace of ferocious aura.

Tian Mo, Dongfang Fu, the Ghost Emperor, the Purgatory Demon King, and others rushed over, arriving only in time to witness the final scene. Watching Lei Dong vanish along with the Void Tunnel, they exchanged glances, each face etched with grimness.

“You all need not worry. Lei Dong has great fortune and a resilient life force; he should be fine,” Tantai Bingyun said, though her own complexion was stark white, attempting to comfort the crowd.

“Bingyun, why did that Ji Shuangshuang abduct Wanyan? Does she truly intend to possess the body using the child she carries?” Tian Mo, unable to save him in time, was furious. “That Vermilion Bird Divine Hall—they are detestable! Let’s charge toward the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall and rescue her!”

“Sister Tian Mo, please calm down first,” Tantai Bingyun sighed softly. “Ji Ziyan of the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall is one of the top ten most powerful experts in the Three Realms today, second only to the Sovereign. It is rumored she has reached the peak of the Integration Stage. Even when my Master was alive, she could only be considered her equal. However, we haven’t heard of Ji Ziyan having any major ill deeds; she is merely fiercely loyal to the Mother of All Spirits. If one must speculate who needs a rebirth through a fetus, there is perhaps only one possibility.”

The Netherworld Ghost Emperor also lost his composure, exclaiming in shock, “Girl, are you suggesting the Mother of All Spirits?”

“Precisely. During the Ancient Wars, the Mother of All Spirits suffered severe injuries. Later, by forcibly expending massive life force to twist the laws of the Six Domains and the Heavens, she used up seven or eight tenths of her power. Furthermore, she clashed with the Demon Emperor. Although the Demon Emperor was annihilated in the battle five thousand years ago, the Three Sovereigns all sustained grievous injuries. Since that time, the Sovereigns of the Three Realms have been in recovery. Now, it seems the Mother of All Spirits’ injuries must be extremely critical, otherwise, she wouldn't resort to rebirth via a fetus.”

“Even so, why must she target Sister Wanyan?” Little You was so angry her face turned pale white. “There are so many powerful races under heaven, why should it fall to Sister Wanyan? Sister Wanyan is such a good person…”

Tantai Bingyun also fell silent for a moment before sighing, “I haven't been in the Three Realms for very long, but I have read the secret histories left by my Master. When the universe first opened in chaos, the Mother of All Spirits already existed. As time passed, the pure Qi rose and the turbid Qi sank, forming heaven and earth. The Mother of All Spirits then began using her own life essence, leveraging the primal chaos, to gestate life. The original Mother of All Spirits created countless forms of life, including various divine beasts and even the Primordial Giants. My Master, Fairy Bibo, deduced that the Mother of All Spirits must be a powerful being who survived the previous Great Heavenly Tribulation. Her goal in fostering so many divine-beast-level lives was likely to help her endure the next Great Cycle of Heaven and Earth.”

“The Great Cycle of Heaven and Earth Tribulation?” Everyone present was slightly stunned, finding the concept unfamiliar.

“The records left by my Master stated that all things in heaven and earth have a predetermined lifespan; this is the operational law of the Heavenly Dao. Anyone who dares to defy the Heavenly Dao and act against heaven will naturally face exclusion and destruction by the laws of the Heavenly Dao. But if all things have a lifespan, so does heaven and earth. When the lifespan of heaven and earth is exhausted, it will be destroyed; heaven, earth, and all creation will turn to dust, then condense into a single point, subsequently exploding to form another brand-new chaos. This chaos then evolves into heaven and earth, the source material again spawns life, until the lifespan of this new universe is exhausted. This entire process is called the Great Cycle of Heaven and Earth Tribulation,” Tantai Bingyun stated, her face showing deep awe.

Hearing these words, everyone fell silent, deeply shaken. In their memory and understanding, heaven and earth were supreme, their lifespan infinite. Yet, it turned out heaven and earth too could die, be destroyed, and even reborn.

What was even more astonishing was that the existence revered by all demon spirits and humans as the Mother of All Spirits was highly likely a heaven-defying entity who had survived one such Great Cycle of Heaven and Earth Tribulation. For a time, those present were left speechless by the shock.

“If this matter is truly orchestrated by the Mother of All Spirits, I fear we truly are powerless,” the Purgatory Demon King admitted with a touch of fear.

“Old Demon, are you scared?” the Netherworld Ghost Emperor sneered repeatedly. “Are you afraid to die? Have you forgotten that without Lei Dong, you’d have at most a few hundred years left to live? How could you possibly advance to the Void Refinement Stage and have your lifespan multiplied several times over?”

“Hey, hey, Old Ghost, what kind of talk is that?” the Purgatory Demon King became agitated and angry. “Though I, the Purgatory Demon King, am not some figure who shakes heaven and startles ghosts, I have been a hegemon ruling the Purgatory Domain for thousands of years. When have you ever seen me break my word? I am merely stating facts—whether it is the Mother of All Spirits or the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall, we are far from being their match. Even if we want to rescue Lei Dong and Wanyan, we must plan carefully.”

“That sounds more like it; otherwise, my Netherworld has no need for you as a brother,” the Netherworld Ghost Emperor finally relaxed his brow.

Tian Mo’s expression shifted between grimness and fury for a long time. She seemed to suppress some intense impulse, adopting a stern expression. “The two Seniors speak wisely. Charging rashly into the Demon Spirit Realm now is purely suicidal. We must first retreat into the Chaotic Other-Space to accumulate strength. If Lei Dong is lucky, he will return on his own. If he is unlucky and dies at the hands of the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall, then I, Mu Yanmei, swear to the heavens and the cosmos that I will see the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall and that blasted Mother of All Spirits utterly destroyed to avenge Wanyan and Lei Dong.” By the end, Tian Mo’s lips were bitten until they bled.

“Retreating to the Chaotic Other-Space is necessary, but how do we prevent powerful experts from the Chaotic Star Domain from invading and rampaging through our territory?” the Purgatory Demon King frowned. “I fear that with our current strength, we cannot withstand the experts from the Chaotic Star Domain, or even those from the Three Realms.”

“Senior Demon King, you need not worry about that,” Tantai Bingyun stated solemnly. “Although that Heart-Stealing Demon Breeding Base has attracted the attention of some factions in the Demonic Realm, they ultimately do not take it too seriously. I can announce, on behalf of the Bibo Palace, an alliance and cooperation with your side; casual intruders would not dare act rashly. Furthermore, I can donate a defensive array formation. If this array is set up at the spatial nodes, even if enemies attack ten times over, they will be annihilated within your defense perimeter—even Integration Stage experts would hesitate to force their way through.”

“Bingyun, I thank you for this matter,” Tian Mo, being somewhat familiar with Tantai Bingyun, spoke on her behalf. “However, I hope this does not put you in too difficult a position.”

“Sister Tian Mo, rest assured. My deceased Master already designated me as the Young Palace Mistress of Bibo Palace; once my cultivation reaches the Integration Stage, I can formally inherit my Master’s foundation and command Bibo Palace.” Tantai Bingyun stated earnestly. “However, even with the power of Bibo Palace, we can only stand in tentative opposition to the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall; we are in no position to coerce them into handing over Lei Dong. But upon my return, I will certainly mobilize my Master’s old acquaintances and unite to pressure the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall, hoping to save Lei Dong’s life.”

Tantai Bingyun’s words somewhat calmed Tian Mo’s heart. Still, she had firmly decided that if anything happened to Lei Dong, she would use any means necessary to exact revenge. Once vengeance was achieved, she would follow Lei Dong into the afterlife as a pair of devoted lovers.

After urging Tantai Bingyun to depart quickly to handle matters, Tian Mo turned and spoke coldly to everyone else. “Now that Lei Dong and Wanyan’s lives hang by a thread, I, Tian Mo, Mu Yanmei, decide to take charge of the Covenant in Lei Dong’s stead. I hereby swear to eradicate the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall. If anyone has objections, speak up now.”

“Master, I heed your command,” Dongfang Fu was the first to pledge allegiance.

The Netherworld Ghost Emperor deliberated briefly before stating, “Given your relationship with Lei Dong, you are indeed the most qualified to inherit his position. I, the Netherworld Ghost Emperor, am willing to assist you in seeking revenge.”

“That old demon, I also do not believe that a cunning fellow like Lei Dong is destined for an early death,” the Purgatory Demon King chimed in. “Tian Mo, from this moment on, I acknowledge you as the Commander-in-Chief of the Covenant. I will follow your lead.”

The others also expressed their support for Tian Mo. At this juncture, no one would step forward to undermine the effort. Moreover, none present were truly fools; they understood that now was absolutely not the right time to seek vengeance—it would only be foolishly inviting their own doom.

The only viable path now was to continuously accumulate strength until they could confront the Vermilion Bird Divine Hall.

Tian Mo’s face was cold as ice, radiating powerful killing intent. “Let’s go. We will first return to the Chaotic Other-Realm to discuss plans for unifying the Six Domains and Nine Continents and expanding our strength. Furthermore, we cannot ignore this Chaotic Star Domain; we must map out its arrangements as much as possible to accumulate resources and allies for our side.”

“We, the Ghost Emperor and the Old Demon, will handle the matter of the Chaotic Star Domain,” the Netherworld Ghost Emperor mused. Given their Void Refinement Stage cultivation, returning to the Six Domains and Nine Continents was difficult; developing influence within the Chaotic Star Domain would be the better option.