Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin Very quickly, fleets of ancient battleships shrouded in endless light traversed the sky and broke through the horizon, crossing the boundless Boundary Marker Sea as tidal waves beat against the ships ceaselessly as though they wanted to shatter the world inside. Over ten million soldiers of the Upper Realm Army, so ginormous that it stretched to the horizon, enveloping all things, were rushing towards Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. Meanwhile, numerous ancient battleships hovered at the massive mist enveloping the sky outside the Aether Abyss while countless battle cries rang, and the shadows the ships cast spanned so far that it was impossible to measure the distance it had shrouded. As the Upper Realm Army approached the Aether Abyss, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains’s war horn sounded, shaking the sky and the ground. It contained such extraordinary force that even the world shook. “Kill!” “Kill!” As troops of soldiers rushed out of the massive mist, war forts stood strong, lying in wait, like towering mystic mountains. Meanwhile, Runes flashed above the war forts, forming extremely powerful ripples as the rays of dazzling light shot out, shaking the stars in the sky – some even came crashing down. The location of the battle between the Upper Realm and Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains was a chaotic area with countless shattered universes. Many forces from the Upper Realm had dispatched their troops for battle while the Nine Great Mountains had just been obliterated, and those of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were still recovering from the heavy blow. However, to their disappointment, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains cultivators didn’t lose their will to fight. Instead, many put their lives on the line and fought ceaselessly, giving the forces from the Upper Realm a great deal of trouble. On the other hand, numerous soldiers were on standby inside the Immortal Gu Family’s ancient battleship, outside the Aether Abyss. They didn’t attack alongside the other forces but instead waited for the rest of the Upper Realm’s troops to arrive. Inside the chamber, Gu Changge could obscurely be found sitting cross-legged as silvery Chaos Qi glowed ceaselessly. One could find a drop of True Blood emerging by his core, seemingly reflecting the cosmos. He was absorbing its energy, which transcended time, and could crumble world order. “An unbelievable drop of Forbidden True Blood…” Shock enveloped the Sky Deer Goddess’ face as she watched the scene unfold, shaken to the core. She dared not approach Gu Changge at all, for she could sense the horror he currently exuded. The energy was profound and impassive like it could swallow everything and bring endless darkness to the entire world. [What’s strange is this unbelievable drop of Forbidden True Blood… seems to share the same Source as with him? Yes, this sensation. It can only be from one of the same Source. Otherwise, there is no way he could get close to this drop of Forbidden True Blood, given his current ability. Actually, even the legendary Immortals would be nothing against it, let alone Gu Changge.] [Just who in the world is he…] Mixed emotions surged within the Sky Deer Goddess while she dared not ponder on the guess. She had never imagined witnessing all of this when she was acting as his watchdog. She should’ve been happy when he asked her to do so, as it meant that he trusted her to some degree. However, she had witnessed the scene, and it made her second guess. Alas, some things were better left unknown. [The more one knows might not necessarily be the better.] And just when the Sky Deer Goddess was feeling multitudes, the various horrific anomalies inside the chamber disappeared as Gu Changge opened his eyes. “How long have I been cultivating?” he asked casually while standing up, ignoring the Sky Deer Goddess’ enigmatic gaze. “Seven days,” she answered and very naturally went to pick up the robe left on the daybed, dressing him. “To think I’d spend seven days…” Gu Changge mused with a frown. But he dropped the issue very quickly at the thought that he managed to advance to the Fifth-Order Quasi-Nirvana Realm in one go. “How’s the Upper Realm’s battle against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains?” he asked, rather intrigued by the battle at the Aether Abyss. While the Immortal Gu Family had yet to involve themselves, many other forces had long been restless and sent their troops for battle. “Each has its wins and losses, but the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains is suffering more losses,” revealed the Sky Deer Goddess with mixed emotions. To think she’d be in the Upper Realm and even give Gu Changge the update on the battle when she was the guardian of Sky Deer City. No doubt the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would burst into a dire uproar if they found out. That said, Gu Changge still hadn’t ordered his men to spread the word about her even at this point but instead kept it with him as a trump card. She knew what exactly he had in mind, but there was nothing she could do about it either. And now, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains was already showing signs of defeat before the Upper Realm Army had even come charging. In fact, she had already anticipated the bleakness that was to come. “I’ve given Lin Wu half a year. Do you think he can do it?” Gu Changge suddenly chuckled, not surprised by the state of the battle. In his eyes, it was already a certainty that the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would lose ground in Aether Abyss. Even without the Sky Deer Goddess, the forces of the Upper Realm could still open up a stable passage through the Aether Abyss, and it was also why the army of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains wanted to fend off the Upper Realm here. In other words, they were making a last-ditch effort. “Lin Wu is resolute, and his Dao heart is hard to waver, but his beloved is in your hands. He will certainly take that into account no matter what he decides on…” The Sky Deer Goddess shook her head. “You think so?” Gu Changge smiled enigmatically. Just then, a Gu Family expert arrived outside of the chamber, reporting deferentially, “Young Master, the Dharma bodies of various forces’ supreme experts have descended and have requested your presence to discuss the battle against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.” These supreme experts were all old. Ancestors, Elders, or living fossil-type characters from the various Immortal or Formidable Forces. Though they had lived arguably longer than the era and had become True Daoists, they could only show up in their Dharma Bodies. And now, their invitation for Gu Changge to discuss with them was tantamount to not seeing him as a Junior but as their peer. “Are they intending to cross over?” Gu Changge nodded with interest. “Alright, you may leave.” With that, he turned to the Sky Deer Goddess and smiled. “Would you like to come with me, my dear Goddess?” “I believe you’ll do just fine without me. Besides, this is the Upper Realm’s issue, and I’m just an outsider. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to join.” The Sky Deer Goddess shook her head. Though she would like to hear how the Upper Realm planned on attacking, she knew it was inappropriate, given that she was still just a hostage. “Are you not my concubine? When have you become an outsider?” Teased Gu Changge as he riveted his gaze on her with great interest, stumping her for a moment before her eyes lit up, suddenly smiling. “Trying to trick me, huh, Young Master Gu? There’s no one else here, and I’m not your concubine. Unless you want my body—” Gu Changge ripped the space in front of him apart and disappeared after stepping into it without letting her finish her words. A mere Sky Deer Goddess wasn’t worthy of making him share her fate of life and death. Meanwhile, many God-like figures stood within a shattered-universe-like void as chaos aura enveloped the entire world. The horrific energy surging within this mysterious space was so oppressive that one’s soul could crumble. Many Upper Realm supreme experts’ Dharma Bodies had gathered here to discuss many things, and the discussion became so intense that it was like roaring tides, making stars shudder like specks of dust. “We should just stay put until the Upper Realm Army arrives. The Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains is also probably recruiting soldiers for a big counter-attack,” Analysed a wise, old True Daoist, who had become prominent aeons ago and was very much reputable in the Upper Realm. “And we’re supposed to just sit back and watch while these vermin run about? I can’t rest until I see the day the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains falls… Why do you think we’ve been wasting away our lives here!? Isn’t it no thanks to them!?” interjected another True Daoist maliciously, looking beyond grim while being enveloped in a glow. It had actually been millions of years since he had reacted so emotionally. He was of an Ancient Immortal Race, He was a light cyan-scaled Ancestor with a pair of dazzling dragon antlers exuded energy so horrifically powerful it could obliterate a realm. “Well, we should at least let them celebrate for a few days, shouldn’t we?” monotoned a True Daoist sarcastically as the galaxy above his head shook, transforming drastically following his emotions and thoughts. “None of us might be able to do anything, but we can have our young ones fight theirs, no? I bet the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains will accept the battle. They won’t want to disgrace themselves. What’s more, Gu Changge had just obliterated the Nine Great Mountains. This is the perfect time to knock them down for good!” It was apparent he had been devising plans for a long time and wouldn’t slacken the attack against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains just like this. His argument got all the other True Daoists narrowing their eyes, smiling as something hit them. Just then, ripples and a tear suddenly travelled from outside the space. It was Gu Changge. He happened to have heard their discussion as he approached them, for he dipped his head with a smile as a greeting, echoing, “That’s a pretty good idea, and as per tradition, the few of us still need a bit of training. So why not use the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains’s young prodigies as practice?” Meanwhile, many True Daoists were stunned by Gu Changge’s appearance. If he hadn’t deliberately created noise when he ripped space apart, they certainly wouldn’t have known when he had arrived. Though they were now standing before him as Dharma Bodies, his abilities still shook them to the core, and their assumption about his true powers also made them fearful. The other True Daoists, too, thought it was a pretty decent plan after deliberation after seeing that Gu Changge echoed the idea. “That’s what I was going to say. Since those old buggers in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains aren’t afraid to die, and their young ones are young and impetuous, they certainly won’t back down from a challenge. And this is also a great way to crush their fighting spirits.” “They are so used to living a peaceful life that their young prodigies had nothing on ours, who had been battling and killing on their path to achieve the Great Dao.” They believed the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would certainly accept the battle as choosing to back down now would definitely waver their soldiers’ spirits. “Since it’s nearly impossible for us to show up physically, we shall leave the entire situation in your hands, for now, Young Master Changge,” said the True Daoists gravely with a nod. “We, too, are more at ease knowing that you’ll be overlooking this.” “That settles it, then. I’ll write them a challenge right away.” Smiled Gu Changge as an enigmatic glimmer flashed across his eyes. Voom! Gu Changge reached a hand into the void, and instantly, thousands of billions of stars were in it. Then, using his Dao energy, he merged them into a dazzling pen. After scribbling the word ‘battle’ in the air, it ripped through space and flew towards Sky Deer City in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains with a terrifying, ground-shaking howl. This was a Dao Statement, written with World Principles, where each word and sentence contained great power. Buzz! In no time, the dazzling Dao Statement ripped through the sky and shone at the Aether Abyss while blowing the massive mist away. The Principles it contained rendered all the cultivators shocked and shaken. “This is Master’s energy…” In the depths of the battlefield stood a horrifying figure enveloped in a thick mist, looking like an immortal war god. The aura he exuded was so intense that even the sky shook, and his energy alone could suppress all the cultivators and suffocate them, making them truly fearful of him. This was the power of a Quasi-Nirvana Realm expert. He could overlook all that went on in a realm, and his emotions alone could cause the world to alter. He barely ever spoke, and he exuded nothing but majesty. However, even he couldn’t help revealing admiration as he sensed the new energy. Meanwhile, a bloody aura wreathed the surface of the Immortal-Killing Gourd, which was in Ah Da’s hands, as it swallowed puff after puff of smoke that penetrated the sky. All living matter of the dead, like Source, villainy, malice, Qi, blood, and whatnot, could all be used to cultivate the gourd. Troop after troop of Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains cultivators came, and all undoubtedly lay their bodies here for all eternity. On the other hand, the mighty soldier from the Upper Realm Army hovered in the sky outside the Aether Abyss, so majestic that even the heaven and earth shook. Here, there were many cultivators below the Sacred Realm. Naturally, with so many, their bodies tainted the place red, making the scene exceptionally unforgiving. The fields, mountains, water bodies and abyss shook. Though the battle cries that travelled the space weren’t piercing, they were ground-shaking, looking like they wanted to crumble the realm. Of course, to the Immortal-Killing Gourd, this was the best place to feed off of. “Yes, this battle is fraught with danger, but we, as cultivators, fear nothing! So what if it’s a declaration of challenge!?” A True Daoist of Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains snorted icily as he remained in a region far, far away, emitting a horrifying aura. A True Daoist wouldn’t declare such a challenge so easily. It had caused many cultivators battling against the Upper Realm Army to involuntarily shudder, and even more were shaken to the core. [For the Upper Realm to declare a challenge at this time… Are they looking for a final battle?] What was more, they sensed an unrivalled malice in the Dao Statement—just one ripple was already enough to bring many experts to their knees. At that, many grew apprehensive. After all, once the ultimate battle arrived, the Upper Realm would also attack with full force. By then, Sky Deer City would likely be breached, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would fall, and everyone would die. Very quickly, a group of Elders appeared behind the Aether Abyss and inspected the Dao Statement. As they came to a conclusion, their countenances became beyond awful as well. “The Upper Realm plans to dispatch their young ones to fight us. This is a written challenge,” said an Elder of an ancient family grimly. “Is the Upper Realm trying to tell us even their young ones are enough to defeat us!?” raged many the second they came to themselves. The young ones of Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were bent out of shape even more so, wanting nothing more than just to stab those Upper Realm bastards. But, of course, the Elders calmed down very quickly. That said, their countenances were still rather pale, for they knew this was an obvious ploy by the Upper Realm. Whether they accept the challenge or not, it would be a massive blow to Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, as the young ones of the Upper Realm evidently towered over those of Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. This would undoubtedly be a daunting battle. In fact, they might even have to dispatch ‘young’ prodigies of older generations. Followingly, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains Army began retreating to their war fort, hiding within the massive mist in the Aether Abyss. After a discussion, a supreme expert of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains came out and accepted the declaration of battle outside the Aether Abyss, agreeing for both realms to battle out here two weeks later.