Making use of the saliva distraction, Ye Yu and Little White slipped away from Wuzhong Mountain. But the other gods were quick to give chase. Leading them was none other than Elder Tian Jingzhe, now looking like a fiendâhis once jet-black hair entirely gone, his face pitted with corrosion marks. Gripping his Yellow Bell artifact, he surged forward with terrifying speed. Each ring of the bell amplified his pace, making it only a matter of time before he caught up.
Yet Ye Yuâs real concern was not Tian Jingzhe. During the hunt for the flesh-and-blood Evil God Shen Kangren, nearly all New God Realm experts of Wuzhong Mountain had perished. Though Tian Jingzhe bore the title of Elder, his cultivation only reached the peak of the Heavenly God Realmâif pressed, Ye Yu could have slain him on the spot. Or better yet, Little White could have devoured him. The true threat was Taishi Xiaxin, the Divine Alliance Lord: an Early Ancient God Realm cultivator wielding the
Bell That Subdues Evil
. Against him, Ye Yu held no real advantage across their two-realm gap.
Yet Taishi Xiaxin was nowhere among the pursuing gods. Puzzled, Ye Yu scanned aheadâand spotted him a hundred meters distant, standing before a grove of towering, deathly trees. Taishi Xiaxinâs gaze burned with wrath. âYe Yu,â he called, âthis place is called the Forest of Graves. To die here would be your honor. And youâShen Kangren! Though I know not why you became that monster, today you both die!â
With a low shout of âNine-Radiance Subjugation!â the
Bell That Subdues Evil
rose and, under Taishi Xiaxinâs command, nine beams of scorching light descended, bathing the forest in blinding gold. Then a heavy boom rolled out like concentric golden shockwaves, enveloping the entire grove.
Moments later, Tian Jingzhe and over twenty gods arrived. Raising his Yellow Bell, Tian Jingzhe bellowed, âEvil Gods must die!â and led the charge toward Ye Yu. Taishi Xiaxin, hands weaving seals, summoned a supremely Yangic Heavenly Lightning aimed at Little White.
But Little Whiteâs bloodthirst roared to life. âBrother, ignore himâIâll rip this bastard apart today!â it snarled, charging straight through the lightning without evasion. Its surging blood qi repelled most of the strike, and the remainder tickled like a mere itch.
Ye Yu seized the chance. With the twenty-odd gods closing in, he formed a single hand in front of him and unleashed
Divine Submission
. In an instant they allâElder Tian Jingzhe and companyâdropped †NĐŸvĐ”â ight †(Read more on our source) to their knees, forehead to earth, yet their momentum carried them sliding across the ground straight to Ye Yuâs feet. The spectacle was total subjugation.
Tian Jingzhe and the others stared in shocked disbelief. âSince when did the divine realm have this strange techniqueâone that forces you to kneel so low you canât raise your head?â they thought. Unbeknownst to them,
Divine Submission
did more than bow themâit rapidly boosted Ye Yuâs cultivation and bodily power. In just two breaths, he ascended to the late Heavenly God Realm. Though the effect would last but half an hour, it was more than sufficient.
A clear ring issued from Tian Jingzheâs Yellow Bell. Instantly the oppressive weight lifted from himâan inherent boon of the
Yellow Bell of Ascent
, clearing negative states at intervals, capable of saving lives in dire moments. With a shout, he leapt up to slay Ye Yu, only to find the world turned pitch black. No lightâhis divine power felt like stagnant water, utterly unusable. Then the worst terror gripped his mind, and with a scream he collapsed, lifeless.
This was Ye Yuâs Hell of Fearâa direct fatal strike on the mind. With Elder Tian Jingzhe fallen, Ye Yu showed no mercy to the remaining gods who had come to hunt him. As they pursued him, they should have been ready to die. Soon over twenty gods lay dead at his feet.
Just as Ye Yu turned to rescue Little White, a figure bore down upon him. Ye Yu reacted in an instant, sweeping his leg in a reversed hook kickâthe figure slammed into the ground yards away. Up ahead Taishi Xiaxin hovered in the air. Ye Yuâs eyes widened: the fallen pursuer was Little White!
As dust settled, Little White staggered upright, rubbing its dazed head. âBrother, why hit your comrade so hard?â it complained. Ye Yu waved a hand. âIt was just a minor mistakeâI didnât expect youâd charge so fast I couldnât see you!â
âI didnât charge,â Little White grumbled. âI was kicked! And that guy is toughâI canât bite through him!â It shook its massive body, revealing countless wounds scarring its red hide. Without its uncanny regenerative power, it surely would have perished on the spot.
(Short note from the authorâs little helper: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone! May you enjoy family reunionsâand to my fellow readers, may you grow ever stronger and more prosperous!)