Just as everyone was gawking, at a loss for what to do, Yue Yang came out again.

With absolute sincerity he informed the room: “It is a divine body, and she is indeed a goddess — but I saw nothing.” He paused, then added: “Who would have guessed — she looked as though she was in a light gauze skirt, but underneath it she had knee-length under-shorts. Seems the goddess had come prepared.”

The scene fell into an even deeper silence.

Nobody knew what to say.

Blue Wolf and the others finally came back to themselves and remembered — right, this Titan Young Lord actually possessed this specific talent.

Back at Windstill Swamp during the earlier attack, he had used precisely this shadow-talent-like body-substitution technique to fool every enemy in the room. Now, using the same body-substitution to slip through and out of the Star Realm space wasn’t out of the ordinary at all. What Blue Wolf and the rest could not work out was — why on earth would the Titan Young Lord walk back out?

Clearly he’d gotten inside. The only one who could.

And yet, in the space of a breath, he had walked back out.

And besides lifting a goddess’s skirt, he had done nothing else.

Was the Titan Young Lord really that well-behaved…? The outward performance was so abnormal that it wasn’t only Blue Wolf and the others staring — even the Hanged Man, the Poet, and the rest of the enemy were staring, working overtime trying to make sense of it, and failing.

The wild-tribe savage looked as if he was about to charge in and simply grab Yue Yang. The Poet — the one who had earlier played the fake Revenge Domain Emperor — quickly stopped him.

If he could come out, he could go back in.

If they moved on the Titan Young Lord, wouldn’t that just chase him back into Star Realm space?

The best play was to pretend nothing had happened and let the young lord do whatever he pleased. Wanted in? In. Not in? Fine, stand there with the group. Offending a young lord of his standing would be a supremely useless move. The Central Divine Hall could steamroll the lower realms all day; in the upper realms, the Central Divine Hall did not dare say the same thing. Certain things — you neither could nor should push all the way.

“You — come here for a moment.” The Freedom Queen was rather upset by Yue Yang’s stunt. In her judgment, Yue Yang was a good young man. So how could he do such a thing?

She decided to educate Yue Yang.

Naturally, in that hall, only Yue Yang was worth educating in her eyes.

The likes of Blue Wolf or the Hanged Man — no matter how furious she felt inside — she would never expend so much as a word on.

The reason was simple.

In the Freedom Queen’s estimation, Yue Yang was the only one worth correcting. As for the rest of the people in this hall, whether their hearts were half-rotted or fully rotted, they were all beyond saving.

Yue Yang trotted over cheerfully — and ended up having to lower his head and accept a session of moral re-education.

See? What happens when you didn’t pay attention in ethics class?

Even after transmigrating, you still get another lecture!

Just as Yue Yang was being remedially taught right and wrong, two more people entered the stone world.

You didn’t need eyes for these two — you could sense their power. Blue Wolf and the other Sky-rank couldn’t visually resolve the deliberately blurred images the pair were maintaining, which by itself told you the gap in strength was vast. The two newcomers looked vaguely alike, but the auras they gave off were completely different: one was a holy, golden gold; the other was an enraged, blood red… The one in the holy blaze of light held a long weapon in his hand, though it wasn’t clear whether it was staff or spear — it was dazzling in the extreme.

The one with the fury-red glow had a sword at his waist.

The sword tip seemed to be dripping blood.

And as this second man took another step, each step of his left a wet crimson footprint on the ground.

Both of them entered together, but they walked at opposite sides of the corridor, and each step each of them took was guarded against the other — as though they were both ready to lash out at the enemy at any second. That much resentment and killing intent, radiating off them — even a torpid, half-frozen snake in the depths of winter would have woken up and fled.

Heaven-sky hatred.

Bone-marrow enmity.

Two lives that could only end one way — no rest until one of them was dead.

“You lot still haven’t found the Star Realm Stone fragments? Never mind, I’ve had enough of waiting. I’ve already collected the blood of one hundred and eight Sky-rank city lords from one of the domain emperors’ banners. It should be enough for the blood sacrifice.” The holy-golden man said this evenly.

“By coincidence, I’ve also collected two hundred-odd Sky-rank city lords’ blood from one of the domain emperors’ banners.” The blood-red man snorted furiously.

“…” Blue Wolf and the others felt cold up and down their spines.

They had already recognized who these two were.

One was in fact the very lord above them — the Radiance Domain Emperor. The other was their absolute nemesis, more hated even than the Revenge Domain Emperor: the Rage Domain Emperor. The Revenge Domain Emperor, at least, might leave you alone unless he ran into you. The Rage Domain Emperor was different. He lived to butcher the Radiance Domain Emperor’s people and to strike at the Radiance Domain Emperor himself. Unless the Rage Domain Emperor was dead, he would never leave anyone — not a subordinate, not a friend, not an acquaintance — connected to the Radiance Domain Emperor, the new Water Palace Master, or the Revenge Domain Emperor in peace.

The Poet and the white-bearded elder, each representing his own side, bowed to the two domain emperors.

The bows were identical, given at the same instant, held with the same reverence — nobody could catch a flaw.

But inside, both domain emperors were far from satisfied.

The Radiance Domain Emperor gave a small snort and mastered his anger.

The Rage Domain Emperor could not. He slapped the Poet clean off his feet: “Get out of my sight. There is no true respect in any of you. If it weren’t for the Two-Faced King’s invitation — and the promise that the remaining divine body would be gifted to me — for a few drops of divine blood, this domain emperor would never have agreed to work with you people.”

The Radiance Domain Emperor let out a booming laugh: “There is no reason to negotiate with a rabid dog. Simply hand over the divine body to this domain emperor. Not only will I help you eliminate this rabid dog, but I will also generously renounce my right to contract the Divine Codex. This domain emperor knows perfectly well what your Solar King is really after — it is the Divine Codex. Fine. Let him have the Divine Codex. But you must agree to me on this: kill that rabid dog for me, right here, in the stone world. There can only be one domain emperor in the Tianhua Domain, and that will be me, the true and rightful heir — by strength and by the rules, the position ought by all custom to have passed to the old domain emperor’s son, the Radiance Domain Emperor!”

The white-bearded elder nodded, signaling agreement with the Radiance Domain Emperor’s condition.

On the other side, the Poet did the opposite.

Even with his face swollen from the slap, he politely bowed to the Rage Domain Emperor: “Shall we now perform the blood sacrifice on the Star Realm Stone Gate?”

“That little bastard and I will fight it out right here — decide who is better. You get the Star Realm Gate open, and if the Divine Codex is inside, you find it and get out immediately. If it isn’t there, get out anyway. The Two-Faced King already conveyed your Solar King’s word — the divine body belongs to me. Any move you make on it, you die without so much as a grave to be buried in.” The Rage Domain Emperor waved coldly.

Then, faster than lightning — full-force, heavy sword slamming toward the Radiance Domain Emperor.

The sword-light rolled up like a sea of blood turned upside down.

Blue Wolf and the others almost vomited at the sight.

They had killed until the killing lost all meaning, and had never been nauseated. Now, however, at the sight of that sea of blood, they could not stop their hearts from hammering.

The Radiance Domain Emperor had already seen how many of his own men were in this hall. With a small motion of his artifact, he pulled his own force into a golden orb of blazing light, brushed it briefly against the crimson orb, and rapidly withdrew — carving a meteor-strike-length trench through the floor of the stone world as he did.

Meanwhile the Poet and the white-bearded elder had somehow procured two large vats of refined Sky-rank blood.

They funneled countless Sky-rank demon crystals and Sky-rank blood, compressed, into their hands, then began slowly channeling it into the empty sockets in the Star Realm Stone Gate fragments. Meanwhile the Hanged Man, the Dwarf, and the Fat Man each produced a glittering Star Realm Stone fragment and set them into the remaining three empty slots.

Light erupted like a waterfall.

In an instant it drowned the entire stone world.

Aside from the muffled thunder of the Rage and Radiance Domain Emperors’ skirmish, the whole stone world became a sea of light. Yue Yang found he could not see anything — the light was so bright it was blinding, and there was a strange sensation of hand-in-front-of-your-face invisibility. Inside all that light, Xiao Wenli stood quietly beside him, and the sight of her alone was enough to make certain enemies rethink any approach… No amount of light would affect her combat ability, and while her innate talent was binding, she was equally skilled in control, purification, and sealing. If she wished it, she could seal the light itself.

Aside from Yue Yang’s immediate vicinity, the whole hall had already devolved into an all-out melee.

Everyone could feel it.

The Star Realm Stone Gate had opened.

The divine body sat in front of them, less than a hundred meters away. Anyone could reach out and take it — who could resist?

While the Poet, the white-bearded elder, the wild-tribe savage, the Fat Man, the Dwarf, and the others began cutting down their own former comrades, Blue Wolf slipped past a lethal blow and hurled himself in a frenzy at the half-body divine form. To hell with the Divine Codex, to hell with the Solar King, to hell with the Radiance Domain Emperor and the Rage Domain Emperor. He wasn’t thinking about any of it.

He was thinking exactly one thing: grab the divine body and hide in the grimoire world.

Even if he had to stay in there for a few hundred years — a few thousand — he wouldn’t come out.

Worth it.

Luoluo and the rest were thinking the same thing.

Blue Wolf, though — as the ruler most famous for his speed — was the fastest.

Just as Blue Wolf reached out to seize the divine body, the Two-Faced King, appearing from nowhere, was already standing in front of it. One scythe stroke severed Blue Wolf’s right hand. A second scythe stroke — as Blue Wolf desperately twisted to save the rest of himself — carved off one of Luoluo’s legs on the follow-through. On a third rotation, the dark scythe took the heads off several Sky-rank cultivators who’d chased in behind him. “Don’t be in such a rush. All of you would do well to be a little smarter. Do not touch the divine body. Because under her body may well be the entrance to the Divine Codex’s world. Once we’ve confirmed whether or not that is the case, this Arbiter will not squabble with ants like you over a lesser treasure.”

Outside the Star Realm’s stone walls, the Radiance Domain Emperor and the Rage Domain Emperor abruptly stopped fighting.

They took up stations at left and right — standing off against each other.

But they both directed one shared question inward: “Two-Faced King — beneath that goddess’s body, is that or is it not the entrance to the Divine Codex’s world? Is the legend true?”

“In legend, yes — such a thing was told. A very great goddess, in order to allow her descendants to succeed in contracting the Divine Codex, used her life and her divine power to open a passage above it — sacrificing herself for the generations that would come after. Today, we’ve finally gathered all the Star Realm Stone fragments, performed the blood sacrifice, opened the Star Realm Space, and set eyes on this reverence-worthy goddess… As for the passage — of course there is one, though I cannot yet confirm it is the passage to the Divine Codex. Radiance Domain Emperor, Rage Domain Emperor — I sincerely apologize; this is the result of our Central Divine Hall’s own labor. After our Solar King Majesty obtains the Divine Codex, this divine body will be generously given to you both. Since you have each contributed four Star Realm Stone fragments, your credit is on the record, and the divine body can be gifted to you. Whether you split it or one of you takes it whole — that is your concern, not ours. Now, both of you — please leave. The Solar King will absolutely provide you satisfaction on this matter.” The Two-Faced King, unexpectedly, told the two domain emperors present to leave.

“So — see the divine body and your true nature comes out.” The Radiance Domain Emperor smiled instead of raging.

“If you think a few pieces of trash like you can bring down this domain emperor, that is a truly hilarious idea!” The Rage Domain Emperor’s fury exploded outward. Blood-light rippled across his body.

“Of course we would not be that stupid… His Majesty the Solar King has said this: the Tianhua Domain has rotted for too long. To clean up the mess, the old things all have to go, and a new one built from scratch. All of you — you can be discarded. Not only you two — the Revenge Domain Emperor out beyond the stone walls is also due to depart.” The Two-Faced King broke into a hissing, ugly laugh.

“Under the Solar King, the Lion King and the Golden Crown King greet the two domain emperors.”

“I’ve always tried to avoid making exceptions. Aside from the two domain emperors — who still have the option of leaving now — everyone else, unfortunately, has to be a blood offering to His Majesty before He obtains the Divine Codex. This is the highest honor I can offer His Majesty. Of course, if the two domain emperors do not wish to leave, that is fine as well. Both of your heads — I’ve wanted to cut them off for a very long time. That is one of the honors that has haunted me longest. The Tianhua Domain, Windstill Swamp — becoming the grave of three domain emperors — what a satisfying scene that would be.”

From somewhere far outside the outer wall, two voices came through — near-simultaneously — as though from just outside the stone world entirely.

Ming Rihao heard them and quietly reached out to touch Yue Yang.

He meant: the Solar King, that top-tier absolute monster, is about to move. Kid, watch yourself — don’t get one-shot by the Solar King!

Watching the Perfect Innate Sovereign tier-eight Ming Rihao pull his shell all the way in like a scared turtle, Yue Yang’s own heart began beating a good deal faster than it should have. The Solar King. Damn it. If he claimed he wasn’t afraid, that would be a lie… A being of the same tier as Ji Wuri — coming here, in person, right now?

(End of Chapter 963)