Somewhere in the boundless expanse of the Meta-Realm, Tongtian sat beaming, surrounded by the Supreme Elder Lord, the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning, Amitābha, the Daoist Zhunti, and even the Netherworld Sovereign. They were positioned around him in a manner that suggested not adversarial rivals, but old friends gathered for a casual chat. Following the demise of Guangchengzi, the smiles on the faces of the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning and the others froze, their gazes snapping toward Tongtian. To secure a flawless victory in this grand strategic game, even the Supreme Elder Lord had personally engaged in a magical duel across the void with Ye Jingyu, yet they had ultimately suffered a crushing defeat.

“Hahahaha, Supreme Elder, Primordial Beginning, surely you haven’t forgotten a cultivation method called Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation? Coincidentally, one of the women beside young Ye possesses the Nine Yin Marrow Defect…” Seeing the astonishment on everyone’s faces, Tongtian laughed with sheer triumph. Witnessing the displeasure of the Primordial Beginning and the Supreme Elder brought him immense joy. “Hmph…” Upon hearing Tongtian’s words, the Netherworld Sovereign merely snorted coldly, while Amitābha maintained his habitual look of suffering. Only the Daoist Zhunti lifted his head slightly, casting a surprised glance at Tongtian, though he uttered no further comment.

“Junior Brother played his move brilliantly, managing to deceive us all. However, such an exquisite maneuver likely wasn't conceived by you alone, was it, Junior Brother?” The Supreme Elder Lord spoke plainly, his tone betraying no hint of anger or rage. As soon as the Supreme Elder posed this question, the others simultaneously realized something, each recalling the individual Tongtian had mentioned previously.

“This Sovereign will go and eliminate him!” Having invested so heavily in this endeavor only to achieve nothing, and worse, losing two major generals—though they weren't his own—the Netherworld Sovereign was seething with suppressed fury and declared it outright. “If Brother Netherworld feels confident enough to kill him, then by all means, proceed!” To the surprise of everyone, Amitābha, who usually clashed with the Netherworld Sovereign, actually chimed in with a scornful hum regarding the plan to slay Ye Jingyu… “Shakyamuni, you…” Hearing such words from Amitābha fueled the Netherworld Sovereign’s rage even further, and he was about to retort when the Supreme Elder Lord interrupted.

“Brother Netherworld, restrain your temper. Although we lost this round, we still maintain an absolute advantage. This game, ultimately, belongs to us. Lu Ya should know what to do now; the time for us to act personally has not yet arrived!” “Hmph…” The Netherworld Sovereign let out a final cold snort after listening to the Supreme Elder Lord, but he said no more. Although he hated to admit it, if he truly went alone, he wasn't sure he could kill Ye Xingchen. That fellow, despite not cultivating the Primordial Overlord Art and not possessing the Chaos Body, was, after all, the true heir of Pangu. Moreover, he had managed to divert the destiny Pangu had placed upon him onto his own descendants, all while secretly planting Ye Jingyu as this crucial piece without their knowledge. Just how profound was his cultivation? The Netherworld Sovereign had absolutely no certainty. Even if he himself was not an equal match, the companions around Ye Xingchen were no saints either. If he rashly attacked alone, he might suffer significant losses. Since someone had offered him a graceful exit, the best course was to accept it quietly.

“Brother Netherworld, while it may not be our moment to strike, we hope you won’t hold back your true abilities any longer. Now is the time for us to unite our efforts!” At this point, the Celestial Venerable of Primordial Beginning also spoke up. “This Sovereign understands!” The Netherworld Sovereign nodded heavily, a flash of ferocious glint crossing his eyes, instantly gone. Listening to them scheme against Ye Jingyu, Tongtian merely smiled, offering no response. He trusted that the young man had accounted for everything, especially Ye Jingyu having comprehended the Divine Ability of Pangu’s True Body—a power capable of directly wounding beings at their level. This naturally caused the Supreme Elder and the others considerable worry. Once the heart is unsettled, flaws multiply, and their own opportunities increase.

Meanwhile, in another sector of the Meta-Realm, there lay a valley of pristine water and lush scenery, encircled by endless towering peaks. At its center rested a vast lake. On the western shore of the lake stood a few simple wooden cabins, while suspended over the center of the lake was a pavilion capable of seating a dozen or so people. There were no boats or bridges across the water, yet the lake surface was covered in blooming lotuses upon which several exquisitely beautiful women were dancing gracefully. Their figures were elegant and alluring, and their movements were supremely graceful, reminiscent of Chang'e ascending to the moon.

The audience for this display of aquatic ballet consisted of three men seated within the pavilion. The man in the middle wore a black trench coat, his long black hair tied up behind his head. His chiseled face bore a wicked smile, as if everything in the world were merely a game to him. Most arresting, however, were his eyes—eyes that shone like constellations… The man to his left was clad in a white casual suit; his face was infinitely handsomer than any idol drama protagonist, his gaze firm, holding a faint smile, yet shadowed by an inexplicable sorrow. The man on the right wore a plaid shirt. Compared to the other two, his appearance was slightly plainer, though certainly not ugly. What drew attention was the pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, lending him a much more refined air, yet the way he looked at the dancing women was undeniably lecherous, perfectly confirming the idiom of ‘refined appearance but base nature.’

“Xiaolong, we’ve won this round. That boy has comprehended Pangu’s True Body. I truly never expected it. Xiaohu has waited so long he hasn't even had a chance to make a move…” The man in the middle picked up a cup of Pu-erh tea from the low table before him, took a delicate sip, and then spoke. “Victory is certain. Although those old fogeys have higher cultivation than us, when it comes to calculating schemes, how can they compare to me? As for Xiaohu, hehe, the fact that he isn’t acting now just means we have another trump card in reserve, doesn't it? But speaking of which, what if they truly abandon all caution and come after us?” The bespectacled man, referred to as Xiaolong, voiced these cautionary words, yet his face betrayed not a shred of worry.

“If one comes, we kill him. If two come, we fight it out. If three come, we run!” The man in the middle chuckled lightly. In the Three Realms, perhaps only he dared to speak to those powerful beings in such a cavalier manner. “They won't act personally. No chess player is willing to place themselves as a mere pawn. If they make the first move, they’ve already lost!” At this point, the handsome man who had remained silent spoke up. “Ouyang is right. They are even less likely to act personally now. With the influence they command, they still hold the absolute advantage. However, Young Madman transformed into a wisp of Violet Flame Heavenly Fire and descended with them this time. With him down there, destroying the pawns they’ve set up shouldn’t be difficult, right?” The man murmured softly. Though his words were filled with confidence, a faint concern lingered in his heart; after all, their opponents this time were no ordinary individuals—they were the supreme Lords of the great Sects!

“Heh heh, don't worry, Xingchen. Even if we can’t wipe out all the pawns they sent down, your boy has already grasped Pangu’s True Body. Down in the lower realms, they already have the upper hand. It’s about time this game concludes!” The bespectacled man smiled faintly, a powerful confidence igniting within his usually lecherous gaze. It was the confidence of one who held everything under control. Perhaps in terms of sheer cultivation, they couldn't yet compare to the great Lords, but subtly planting a few pieces in this game and altering the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao was an effortless matter for them. Furthermore, they were not alone; behind them stood Pangu, the Holy Sovereign who had already reached the Other Shore. With such a venerable deity backing them, what was there to fear?

“After waiting so many years, it is indeed time for an end. Yun Fei, I will absolutely see you return to the mortal world!” As he spoke, the man in the white suit, Ouyang Jun, murmured softly, the resolute focus in his eyes burning even hotter. Sensing Ouyang Jun’s persistent devotion, Ye Xingchen and Chen Xiaolong simultaneously sighed. His love for her was truly unwavering; how many years had passed, yet he still hadn't forgotten her… Thinking of that woman who was also devoted to love, Ye Xingchen felt a wave of emotion, his gaze involuntarily drifting toward a patch of grass by the lakeside, where several other beautiful women were sitting, chatting animatedly. Compared to Ouyang, he felt truly fortunate; at least they were all by his side, weren't they? Little Jingyu, you must strive harder… Ye Xingchen prayed silently in his heart…

At this moment, in the extreme east of the Celestial Realm, beneath the peach-shaped mountain, within the Universe Cauldron, the Monkey sitting beneath the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree watched the gradually forming male figure with astonishment. “Madman, why did you come down? The Nine Dragons Heaven-Connecting Ladder only allows nine to descend. Have you surpassed the others?” “Hehe, if I had truly surpassed those few, I would have stormed up and torn them limb from limb long ago, not sneak down like this. I descended as an incarnation of the Violet Flame Heavenly Fire, brought down by them!” The long-haired purple-clad man laughed; this was Zifeng, the one Ye Xingchen and the others had mentioned. “You madman! To break the game, why did you sacrifice yourself like this?” Sun Wukong sighed softly upon seeing Zifeng risk descending to the lower realms. Once one descends, even if one has transcended the heavens, one remains bound by worldly constraints… “Hehe, why else am I called Young Madman?” Zifeng seemed utterly unconcerned. Suddenly, he opened his mouth wide and began inhaling the Heavenly Fires… (The finale is approaching. What Xingchen must do is focus on completing this book and conceptualizing the new one for next year’s great contest! I wonder how many stars remain. This month, Xingchen won’t strive for any records. If there are still stars supporting Xingchen, please give the Golden Bricks and recommendation tickets to The Rogue Celestial Master of the Otherworld. Xingchen only asks for your understanding!)D