With the destruction of the Chi You Banner, the Twelve Heavenly Witches Annihilation Formation was utterly shattered. Fortunately, the twelve Heavenly Witches had fully solidified their true forms, thus avoiding annihilation. However, stripped of the formation's protection, their figures were simultaneously exposed, crashing onto the ground, gasping for breath. Each of them had sustained injuries of varying severity from the formation's collapse.

Lu Ya’s form reappeared, hovering coldly in mid-air, his eyes sweeping over the twelve fallen Heavenly Witches below.

These were the mightiest Grand Witches of the Primordial Era, figures who once dominated the world. Back then, even with his own cultivation, he could never have defeated all twelve in a single encounter; perhaps he was only slightly stronger than Zhu Rong. But after all these years, how much had his cultivation advanced? They remained stuck at their old levels. How could they possibly be his match now? The thought of single-handedly defeating the twelve strongest Heavenly Witches of the Primordial Era filled Lu Ya with smug satisfaction. Ignoring the now combat-ineffective witches, his gaze shifted to Ye Jingyu, who was being protected by the gathered women.

The heir to the Pangu Sacred Emperor, the legendary Chaos Body—now drained of power. This was the perfect opportunity to slay him. Not only would it fulfill his Master’s long-cherished wish, but his Chaos Blood could greatly improve his own physical form. Perhaps he too could become the next Chaos Body? How could Lu Ya resist such a prospect?

Seeing Lu Ya’s attention lock onto Ye Jingyu, Jiu Feng, Xi Yang, and the others tensed, instantly clustering around Ye Jingyu’s body, shielding him. They would never allow this fiend to harm him.

The warriors glared furiously at Lu Ya. Even knowing they were no match for him, they were resolute in preventing him from touching Ye Jingyu.

As for Ye Jingyu himself, witnessing Lu Ya shatter the Twelve Heavenly Witches Annihilation Formation and gravely wound the twelve witches in the blink of an eye, he knew this opponent’s power surpassed Guang Chengzi’s. A wave of worry washed over him. Lu Ya hadn't even deployed any magical artifacts yet. In the Battle of Investiture of the Gods, he possessed an incredibly potent gourd; Ye Jingyu wondered if he still carried it.

Over all these years, even Guang Chengzi had managed to refine the Heaven-Seizing Pearl. What kind of artifacts had Lu Ya forged in the interim? He tried to struggle to his feet, but the manifestation of his Pangu True Form had consumed too much power, leaving him utterly unable to stand.

It was only then that Ye Jingyu understood why those powerful figures above, despite knowing he possessed the Pangu True Form divine ability, had sent others to their deaths. They were mere cannon fodder; even Xuanyuan Jing was just a disposable piece in their grand scheme.

This Lu Ya, Yang Jian, and perhaps others—they were the final players meant to strike him down. The realization sent a fresh chill through his heart. They spoke of the Sages' ruthlessness, and these higher beings truly possessed not an ounce of sentimentality, not even for their most favored disciples.

To see this grand chess game through to completion, were they truly capable of such cold-blooded sacrifices?

Compared to them, he realized, he was far from truly heartless.

Recalling the terrifying might of Lu Ya, Ye Jingyu grew anxious. As the Chaos Body, he didn't fear for his own life; even if the highest powers descended, they could only seal him, never truly kill him. But Jiu Feng and the others beside him lacked such resilience. How could they possibly stand against the formidable Lu Ya? As their man, how could he watch them be slaughtered? Just as Ye Jingyu spiraled in helpless worry, Chi Yixiu, who had remained motionless until now, suddenly stepped forward, planting himself directly in Lu Ya's path.

“Xiu, you are no match for him. Retreat!” Seeing Chi Yixiu step out, Ye Jingyu’s heart lurched, and he cried out in alarm. Though Chi Yixiu’s cultivation had advanced greatly, he hadn't taken that final step. How could he possibly contend with Lu Ya? “If I don’t try, how will I know?” To Ye Jingyu’s surprise, Chi Yixiu replied calmly, his eyes burning with a fierce fanaticism.

Hearing Chi Yixiu’s tone, Ye Jingyu’s expression twisted in shock. “You… you… you are not Chi Yixiu. Who are you?” He knew Chi Yixiu would never speak with such cadence. This person was definitely not Chi Yixiu. But he had been by his side all this time—could someone be possessing him? A flicker of horror crossed Lu Ya’s face as well. At that moment, he distinctly felt a wholly different aura emanating from Chi Yixiu—an aura that surpassed mortal limits, an aura steeped in arrogance.

“Jade Dragon Slays God, Stars descend; Violet Might Demon cries, Jade Dragon maddens; Equal Power Demon God, the Western Freak runs wild; Southern Wenqu Star, the Little Dragon Lord; Northern Dipper Wenchang, General Ouyang; Martial Pride soars across the Nine Heavens; Stellar Labyrinth Step lands upon the world; Heavenly Fiend Star roars; Star Radiance Man fights in all directions, claiming the realm.

The Star Radiance rises, all demons perish; the Star Radiance awakens, all ghosts weep. I raise my broadsword to the heavens and question, grasping my sword, I shake the Nine Provinces. I am the Western Freak King, Xiao Hu. Chi Yixiu is but one of my avatars!”

Chi Yixiu spoke these words plainly. Upon hearing this, Ye Jingyu’s face changed drastically. Before meeting the Monkey King, he wouldn't have understood the significance of those lines. But the Monkey King had recounted the entire history of his formidable ancestor.

‘Jade Rakshasa God, Stars descend’ referred to his incredible ancestor. The subsequent lines all referred to his sworn brothers beside him. The Western Freak King, Xiao Hu, was one of them. Reportedly, he was a powerful entity formed from the fusion of Earth and Metal attributes, hailed as a Demon God. No wonder Chi Yixiu had inherited the legacy of the Demon God Chi You.

Suddenly, Ye Jingyu experienced a profound realization: his ancestor had laid this chess game down long, long ago. Even his sworn brothers willingly played the role of hidden pieces at his side. He had sealed his own power, merely waiting for this day. Had his ancestor foreseen this exact scenario eons ago? The thought filled Ye Jingyu with immense respect for his forefather. As for being treated as a pawn himself, he felt no resentment. If his own brothers willingly served as pieces, what was he to complain about? Previously, he had resented his ancestor for imposing his mission upon him, but now he understood: he had never abandoned him. For all these years, he had been by his side, witnessing everything he experienced.

He had never forsaken him.

Whether it was Chi Yixiu or Wang Xiaohu, they were arranged by his ancestor to protect him. Though he had endured countless trials on his journey, looking back, not a single injury had been fatal. Miracles had occurred at every critical juncture.

Was this fate? His fate? And his ancestor had kept this ultimate trump card hidden, only revealing it now.

Considering everything, Ye Jingyu was seized by awe. What profound planning, what deep cunning, what masterful strategy.

“Oh? So it is you? But even though you’ve taken that final step, do you truly believe your power alone can stop the rest of us?” At this point, Lu Ya seemed to recall something. Although he had never met Wang Xiaohu, he had heard mentions of the Pangu successor from his Master and understood there were others residing in the Primordial Realm.

“Senior Lu Ya, I never said I was alone,” Wang Xiaohu replied, a strangely cunning smile spreading across his honest features.

Lu Ya blinked, still processing the words, when he felt two immense auras closing in from behind. Turning, he saw that one of them was the Great Sage, Sun Wukong, who was supposed to have been incinerated, and the other was a grim-faced man with purple hair.

“Violet Might Demon cries, Jade Dragon maddens. Zi Feng greets Senior Lu Ya…” The purple-haired man offered a cold smile as he materialized in the void, nodding toward Lu Ya.

Beside him, the Monkey King sneered, his two fangs looking particularly ferocious now. This fiend had tried to burn him alive moments ago. If Zi Feng hadn't saved his life, he might truly have perished. How could he let such an offense go unanswered? Seeing this turn of events, the expressions of Lu Ya and Yang Jian darkened. They had gone to extreme lengths to trap Ye Jingyu, even using Manshu as collateral damage. Now that they had finally exhausted Ye Jingyu, they never anticipated such a contingency plan.

These newcomers were all top-tier experts who had taken that ultimate step. Though he hadn't seen them fight in years, the mere fact that they dared to show themselves, fully aware of his strength, spoke volumes of their confidence.

Especially Sun Wukong, standing next to Zi Feng—he was alive! Given his current combat power, which of the three of them could possibly match him? Without the suppression of the Qiankun Cauldron, even Lu Ya himself couldn't hope to defeat the Monkey King… Lu Ya glanced at Erlang Shen. Yang Jian offered a wry smile, stepping forward to intercept the Monkey King. Despite knowing he was outmatched by Sun Wukong, he had no choice but to fight under these circumstances.

Lu Ya himself turned his attention to Zi Feng, sensing the scorching aura of flame radiating from him. The third man, radiating profound coldness, fixed his gaze upon Wang Xiaohu, his eyes gleaming with savage intent… Seeing this alignment, the tension finally eased in Ye Jingyu’s heart. With these few standing guard, what did he have to fear? Zi Feng then strode to Ye Jingyu’s side, glanced at the pale young man, offered a faint smile, and then turned toward Xiao Shixuan.

“May I borrow your weapon for a moment?” Seeing Zi Feng’s eyes, which were the same color as her own, Hei Ming Shixuan hesitated for only a second before handing over the Purple Moon Blade.

Hummm… As the Purple Moon Blade settled into Zi Feng’s grasp, it let out a sound like a dragon’s roar, and a brilliant slash of blade-light shot forth, as if in excitement… (Today, I must attend a classmate’s daughter’s full-moon celebration, so I can only update one chapter for now. If I return early tonight, I will continue writing; otherwise, there will be three chapters tomorrow!)