The Primordial Realm, Taishang Laojun, Yuanshi Tianzun, Amitabha, Zhunti Daoist, and the Lord of the Netherworld all intently watched the movements in the lower realm. When Zifeng and the others appeared, astonishment washed over their faces; even the Netherworld Lord felt the urge to descend personally. However, Taishang Laojun ultimately suppressed this impulse. While they had underestimated the planning capabilities of Ye Xingchen and the others, allowing Zifeng and Wang Xiaohu to infiltrate the lower realm, Taishang Laojun still held his trump card: that Puppet, forged from the physical bodies of several Saint Emperors. It was Taishang Laojun’s most prized creation, and only he possessed the skill to melt down the shattered bodies of those great Saint Emperors into a single, powerful puppet whose strength was no less than that of a Saint.

He firmly believed that with this puppet’s might, Zifeng and Wang Xiaohu would surely be no match. After all, though they were ‘Ultra-U’ (Super-Universe level), their cultivation had not truly reached the Saint realm; they merely possessed the qualification to challenge a Saint—nothing more. It was akin to a high school student being qualified to enter university but not yet being an actual undergraduate. What he failed to anticipate, however, was the destruction of the Twelve Heavenly Witch Annihilation Formation. In the end, the Twelve Heavenly Witches transformed their very essence and blood into the most colossal Chaos energy, becoming part of Ye Jingyu, granting him an inexhaustible supply of power. If previously Ye Jingyu’s manifestation of the Pangu True Body had a time limit, now he could manifest it infinitely—in this moment, he was Pangu, the Pangu who separated Heaven and Earth.

The puppet he had painstakingly refined was cleaved in two by a single blade strike. Such power could only belong to the Pangu Saint Emperor, a force of absolute purity. Before they could react, the ground of the Primordial Realm shuddered. Then, a colossal blade light, stretching for a million kilometers, erupted from below, illuminating the entire cosmos... It was a brilliant strike, an overbearing strike, a strike that sundered the heavens, a strike that split the earth, a strike of absolute dominance... One blow, a single blow, made Taishang and the others feel as if they were witnessing the very moment the Pangu Saint Emperor wielded the Pangu Axe to create the world. Heaven and Earth seemed to shatter in that instant, or perhaps they were separating anew, dividing into the Clear Heaven above and the Great Earth below... Everyone was stunned, utterly immobilized by the sheer force of that strike. They had cultivated for countless years, their states of mind having long achieved the tranquility of still water, yet now their faces were moved, and deep ripples spread across their hearts. Was this the true power of Pangu? Did this grand game truly necessitate their direct intervention?

Amidst the stunned gazes of the assembled figures, Ye Jingyu, clad entirely in black, stepped out from the massive fissure, holding the Heavenly Venerate Blade. Close behind him followed the Monkey King, shimmering in golden light, and Zifeng, wielding the Purple Moon Blade, alongside Wang Xiaohu carrying his massive axe. Bringing up the rear was Liang Xiaoke, holding the Four Immortal Slaying Swords. His face was currently ashen, but his eyes were intensely sharp, brimming with profound killing intent. Xiyang also followed, holding the Eastern Emperor Bell, staying close beside Ye Jingyu. As for the others, their cultivation levels proved insufficient, so they remained in the lower realm; at this level of conflict, mere numbers held no meaning. Without the Ultra-U capability, they didn't even possess the qualification to fight those above.

“Master...” Seeing the Lord of the Heavens trapped in the center, Liang Xiaoke let out a soft cry, the ferocity on his face intensifying. “Heh heh, I thought you lot would take another five hundred years before ascending. I never expected it to be this swift. Taishang, Yuanshi, you win every time. This time, though, you’ve definitely lost!” Seeing Ye Jingyu and the others charge forward with such unparalleled dominance, Tongtian broke into a radiant smile. He had endured suppression for tens of thousands of years; today, he could finally fulfill his long-held wish. “Heh heh, Junior Brother Tongtian, perhaps you are celebrating too soon. Even if he truly mastered the Pangu True Body, do you truly believe we are destined to lose? There are five of us. Besides you and him, do you think anyone else here poses a threat to us?” Hearing Tongtian’s words, Taishang Laojun, who had remained steadfastly composed, spoke first.

It could be said that after Dao Ancestor Hongjun and the Pangu Saint Emperor ascended to the Other Shore, his own magical cultivation was the strongest in the Three Realms. Even the ultimate contingency plan for this game—the countermeasure against the Ye Xingchen piece—was his design. Yet, he never foresaw that the Twelve Heavenly Witches and Ye Jingyu would shatter it. This variable not only exceeded the calculations of Ye Xingchen and Chen Xiaolong but also surpassed his own—it was a pure, unforeseen disruption. Even so, Taishang Laojun still did not believe they would lose. Fuxi and the others had already fallen. Could these few younglings truly shake their established order? If they acted with full force, obliterating the current Heavenly Realm would be an easy task.

“What about us?” Just then, a cold snort echoed through the void, followed by the arrival of a massive Black Dragon sweeping in from the distance. At first glance, it seemed miles away, but in the blink of an eye, it was upon them. Standing atop the Black Dragon were three men. The one in the center was handsome, with a devilishly charming gaze, appearing eternally careless. The man to the left was equally handsome, but his eyes held unwavering resolve, as if driven by an unshakeable conviction. The one on the right wore gold-rimmed spectacles, presenting a scholarly appearance. Ye Jingyu’s gaze locked onto the central figure; his appearance, his bearing—he was identical to the shadowy figure who had taught him the Tyrant Origin Art. Could this man truly be his ancestor? Seeing Ye Xingchen and the other two arrive, the Monkey King grinned, and Tongtian also offered a slight smile. Taishang and the others’ expressions turned grim. Did they truly believe they could contend with their combined strength? However, Ye Xingchen and the pair made no grand gestures. He and Ouyang Jun stepped down from the Black Dragon’s head, leaving only Chen Xiaolong standing guard upon it.

“Xiaohu, you and Xiaolong should go down. Aoxiang, Leishang, Luoyin, Old Ku—they have already gone to the lower realm. No matter what, you must protect them...” Ye Xingchen glanced at Ye Jingyu, then turned to Wang Xiaohu. Wang Xiaohu nodded, stepped onto the Black Dragon, and journeyed toward the lower realm with Chen Xiaolong. He understood exactly who Ye Xingchen meant—those they were sworn to protect. None of them possessed Ultra-U capability; if Taishang and the others unleashed their Heavenly Retribution recklessly, resistance would be impossible. Ye Jingyu looked at Ye Xingchen, saying nothing more, but instructed Xiyang, “Xixi, you should go down too? They need you!” Xiyang surveyed the figures around her, sensing vaguely that these present entities were beyond her ability to fight. She nodded gently. Before leaving, she handed the Eastern Emperor Bell to Ye Jingyu. The Monkey King beside her pulled out the Five Directions Divine Flags and gave them to Xiyang. He knew the coming battle would be fierce, and too many people connected to Ye Jingyu were in the lower realm; protection was paramount.

Even though his current physical body was incredibly robust, the opponents they faced were equally powerful; she did not want him to suffer any harm.

In the lower realm, Luo Ruofeng had materialized an immense Dharmic Body, suspended in the air, instantly manifesting the Map of Mountains and Rivers, enveloping his entire domain. He then accepted the Nine Cauldrons from Luo Ling'er’s hands, using the Nine Cauldrons as anchors to deploy the Nine Provinces Barrier once more, completely encasing his nation. By his side stood several men who had followed Ye Jingyu from the beginning: Lin Aoxiang, Luoyin, Leishang, and Kufukasi. These men had also broken through to Ultra-U years ago. When Wang Xiaohu, Chen Xiaolong, and Xiyang descended, this barrier was finally completed. The integration of the Five Directions Divine Flags, in particular, provided the Nine Provinces Barrier with an unending source of energy. Combined with the strength of these great cultivators, while they couldn't guarantee complete defense against the direct onslaught of Taishang and his peers, they could certainly withstand the resulting shockwaves. Naturally, Ye Xingchen’s wives had also descended with Lin Aoxiang and the others; they all understood that the game that had been unfolding for millennia was about to reach its conclusion. If they won, all worries would cease, and they could roam the world unbound. If they lost, annihilation—the scattering of their souls—was the only alternative. After enduring so many years, which of them had not seen through the veil of life and death?

“Hmph, a few younglings who have only achieved enlightenment for a few tens of thousands of years—do you truly think you can overturn the heavens?” Taishang and the others showed no immediate intent to attack, waiting until Ye Jingyu and his company had completed their arrangements. Only then did the Lord of the Netherworld let out a cold snort, his demeanor showing utter disregard for Ye Jingyu, or even Ye Xingchen and his group. Frankly, despite the opposing side always having hidden moves in this game, and the final variable exceeding everyone's expectations, the Netherworld Lord still did not believe these late-blooming cultivators could pose a threat to them. Perhaps the only genuine threats were Tongtian and that little fellow who had cultivated the Pangu True Body?

“Heh heh, if you all truly acted in perfect unity, perhaps we would indeed be unable to thwart the Heavenly Dao. But are you truly united? Oh, yes, Amitabha—who exactly is he? He must be your disciple, correct?” Ye Xingchen smiled faintly, then suddenly produced a round head... Seeing this head, Amitabha’s expression shifted violently. Was this not the head he had painstakingly obtained, even trading Weituo’s life for—his final trump card? Yet, before he could even deploy it, this man had destroyed it. The other great Saints also changed color. They had genuinely not expected that Amitabha would hold back a final resort at this crucial juncture. Did he not understand that this was a moment of life and death?

“Shakyamuni, your selfishness runs too deep; how can you ever become a Buddha Ancestor? Allow this poor Taoist to send you on your way!” At this moment, Zhunti Daoist, who had always stood by Amitabha’s side and advanced and retreated with him, suddenly produced a staff glowing with seven-colored light and brought it down directly towards Amitabha’s head... That was the true Seven Treasure Tree—the Bodhi tree that Shakyamuni had manifested when achieving enlightenment and becoming a Buddha. The instant Zhunti Daoist moved, the Monkey King had already leaped forward, raising his massive golden iron rod, swinging it down toward Amitabha’s body... (Note: In Buddhist doctrine, Shakyamuni and Amitabha are not the same person, but for the sake of this battle narrative, they are depicted as the same entity, much like how Donghuang Taiyi and Dijun are treated! Also, this was supposed to be the finale today, but it seems it won't conclude here. The final ending must be spectacular, must be perfect, so Xingchen must strive, and everyone must strive!)