Was his objective the Master of the Stopping of Death? Xue Hou Ao Tian was startled, instantly grasping the true intent of the southern sect's Phantom God—namely, to eliminate the Master of Destiny from the team. Whether it was the life essence fluid or healing items, nothing compared to a high-ranking Master of Destiny, especially since the Master of the Stopping of Death himself had integrated the remains of the Huangdi. He could influence a half-divine being in advance or revive the dead. Yet, already wrapped in the blanket of a timid one, he could not actively disengage before the five-minute time limit expired. He could only watch helplessly as the Master of the Stopping of Death endured the "sonic wave" assault, collapsing with a piercing cry, his divine radiance fading, his soul swiftly extinguished. The Red-Sun Justice Officer then manifested a great sword, plunging down from the sky to engage the half-god in close combat. The Southern School's Phantom God scoffed, took a single step to the side, and activated the principle of voidness, instantly extending the distance to a hundred meters. Throughout this process, he continuously employed his void-based techniques, rapidly depleting the Blood Spirit of the Sun Sovereign during the first two cycles of the sun's rise. The Sun Sovereign's blood carried the essence of the Sun's fundamental laws, though not fully complete—after all, only two drops were available, insufficient to fully counteract his enhanced abilities through array amplification. Nevertheless, this significantly weakened his Phantom Arts and Shadow Roar techniques, prompting him to remain at a distance and avoid direct confrontation with the two peak Sun-Wandering Gods. Seeing that close combat was proving difficult, the Red-Sun Justice Officer immediately adjusted his strategy, merging his will into the Sun Disc. The Phantom God, positioned within the golden light's range, suddenly surged upward, igniting a golden flame. The very next instant, the flame infused with the Justice Officer's will was extinguished by the Phantom God, who then swiftly maneuver The Lady of San Dao Mountain swiftly manipulated her hand seals, causing one after another golden circular spiritual strategies to materialize in the air, descending as golden pillars like towering columns reaching toward the heavens. These attacks—powered by the Fumagong杵—would have allowed her to close in on the Southern School's Phantom God if they struck once, yet none of them succeeded. Despite the suppression of the rules' power, the opponent still possessed a century's worth of experience and depth. The Lady of San Dao Mountain continued to pursue the Southern School's Phantom God with her Fumagong杵. "Having just nearly caused the Phantasm to 'conceive' and give birth to a child, he has already regarded the Zhengsha Palace Master as a peer-level powerhouse. A being of this stature—the Fate Weaver—rarely perishes, even when confronted by a half-god. The Zhengsha Palace Master furrowed her brow, then turned her gaze toward Xiahou Aotian, who was huddled in bed, only his head visible, and Zhai Cai, who had transformed into a 'tree root' and remained in the process of revival, saying: 'Only the rules of the Knight class can restrain the Phantasm.' The Chiji Day Official nodded in agreement. A half-god wields the highest of rules; beyond the strength of peers, no equipment or skill can exert influence on the battlefield, thus limiting the Phantasm. This is also the reason he has been reluctant to open his inventory and use items. Seizing the moment when the San Mountain Lady is engaged with the half-god, the Zhengsha Palace Master swiftly approached Zhai Cai, whose revival countdown was nearing its end, and extended countless crimson ribbons from beneath her skirt, weaving them into Zhai Cai's body. The Suddenly, the magnificent tree faded and perished, and the lone knight opened his eyes—three minutes earlier than his originally scheduled revival. The Red-Sun Official immediately summoned a miniature sun, blocking the Phantom God from launching an attack. Zhai Cai executed a springboard, scanning the surroundings warily. Seeing the Phantom God being pursued by three mountain goddesses, though appearing somewhat disheveled, remained steady as a veteran, she sighed in mild disappointment: "We can't seem to catch him... I've just wasted my efforts." The Red-Sun Official spoke with serious gravity: "With our current strength, we can only hold the line." The array provided significant enhancement to the Phantom God's power. Summer Hou Aotian, who had been tucked safely in his bed, chuckled: "If a Sovereign's sacrifice could seriously wound a Half-God, then that Half-God wouldn't be doing anything half-hearted at all." His cotton blanket had thinned noticeably—under pressure from the power of the Sun God. The Commander of the Stopping of Death stated: "We need you to activate the power of the Holy Knight Armor once more." "Perhaps at least once, Xiahou the Fool speaks unkindly, yet his words hold merit," said Zhai Cai, hesitating. "How many lives can you guarantee for me?" The Master of the Zhishi Palace spoke plainly: "With the degree of fusion I've achieved with the remains of the Wohuang, I can only ensure one life—just as with the Mother Goddess's womb. Even if both form and spirit are completely extinguished, you shall be resurrected." The rules of power inscribed upon the Wohuang's remains are of creation—be it life or objects, they bestow a permanent opportunity for rebirth. Yet, only one resurrection is possible. At the current rank of the Master of Zhishi, multiple resurrections are beyond reach. In her heart, Zhai Cai thought, "Are you trying to make me die a heroic death?" He then asked, "Could you keep me in a state of rapid life restoration, so that I never fully perish? If that's possible, I can utilize the power of my armor twice." "Absolutely!" the Master of Zhishi promptly agreed. From beneath her skirt, dense red filaments once again extended, weaving through the gaps At once, the single-legacy knight felt as though he were immersed in an ocean of life, his vitality boundless and inexhaustible—no matter how severe the wound, he would never die. As long as he remained alive, he could activate the second ability of the Willow Crown: "Spring from the Dead Wood!" As long as he did not die on the spot and still held a thread of life, he would surely recover. The Master of the Stopping Palace turned to the Red-Sun Official at her side, her voice melodious. "Grand Elder, when he activates his ability, you should remove the Rising Sun." Though she now held a status surpassing that of a Sovereign, the Rising Sun, infused with the blood of the sun, still exerted a notable restraining influence upon her. The Red-Sun Official nodded slightly. Zhai Cai took a deep breath, planted her cross-shaped straight sword before her, and drew upon the power of the holy knight's armor, speaking solemnly. "By the name of the knight, I hereby declare the... results of this match." The Red-Sun Official then removed the golden wheel from behind her head. At that very moment, Zhai Cai felt an emotion surge within him, grow wild, and then explode—resentment toward the rigid order, indignation at being outmatched by the many over the few, and a growing sense of alienation toward his companions. By some strange instinct, he uttered a rule that sent the Red-Sun Officials into shock: "…Prohibition of the Rising Sun!" High above, the sun discs behind the three Mountain Queens flickered like light bulbs before going out. From afar, a cold, mocking laugh echoed from the Southern School's Phantom God. Next, he manifested his rule, stepping into the presence of the Red-Sun Official, Xia Hou Ao Tian, Zhi Sha Palace Master, and Zhai Cai himself. As Zhai Cai was struck down by the counterforce and collapsed face-up, the Southern School's Phantom God emitted a powerful, invisible wave of sound—deep, terrifying, and unimpeded by the Rising Sun, amplified by the array, and surpassing even his peak strength. Everything was as he had anticipated. When Zhai Cai, wielding the power of the Holy Knight's armor, forced him out of "Di Kong Star," the Southern School's Phantom God immediately recognized that the Holy Knight's armor was a double-edged sword—capable of countering both him and the power of the Sun God. Thus, he feigned retreat into the Holy Knight's dream realm, evading the relentless pursuit of the two peak masters, while secretly planting spiritual seeds within the inner consciousness of the Court's exclusive Holy Knights. At the very moment the Red Sun Official dissolved the Sun's ascent, these seeds would sprout, triggering an emotional surge in Zhai Cai and ultimately achieving control over him. The reason only the Sun's ascent was sealed, while the Sun God's power remained untouched, was to prevent the exclusive Holy Knights from being instantly reversed and killed—since the rules could only hold for a fleeting moment. He could eliminate two peak masters, but needed time to do so. Therefore, choosing to seal a single ability offered better return on investment. Facing the shadow roar of a half-god, both Xia Hou Ao Tian and Zhi Sha Palace Master were overwhelmed with fear and despair, losing all resolve to resist. This is also emotional manipulation. Without the suppression of the Sun God's power, it is a mere matter of ease for the Southern School's Phantom God to control both sovereigns. Even the Three Peaks Lady and the Crimson Sun Official are affected. The fear and agitation visible in the Crimson Sun Official's eyes last barely a second before being replaced by resolute determination and firmness. He immediately activates his Li Yang War God skill, channeling all the Sun God's power within him to form a golden barrier in front of him, shielding Si Cai, the Master of Zhishi Palace, and Xia Hou Ao Tian behind. Inaudible waves of sound ripple through his body. This tall, white-haired elder, as his spiritual essence nears extinction, opens his inventory, retrieves a porcelain bottle, crushes it, and swallows the final drop of golden blood. After completing these actions, his pupils fade completely, and he turns into a lifeless corpse. The very next moment, golden flames ignite upon the bodies of the Southern School's Phantom God, burning with an unprecedented intensity and ferocity. In the final moments, the Red Sun Official drew upon the power of the Sovereign of the Sun to ignite the Phantom God. His soul was extinguished, yet his will endured, transforming into an ever-burning flame. ... Watching the fallen remains of the Mage-Eye Emperor, Fu Qingyang's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately abandoned his control over the bronze warriors. Thud, thud, thud... The dense ranks of bronze figures collapsed heavily, sinking half into the muddy desert. Fu Qingyang spread out his fingers, and from his fingertips, invisible threads were launched, connecting to the severed limbs and fragments of the Mage-Eye Emperor. As he raised his wrist, those blood-soaked remains rose up, assembling into a single body marred with wounds, poised to disintegrate at any moment. Then, Fu Qingyang swiftly produced three vials of life essence and, using the technique of sword-handling, shook them toward the Mage-Eye Emperor's body. Given the Mage-Eye Emperor's status, as long as his spirit remained intact and his physical form had not been reduced to dust or ash, there was still hope for rescue. After the Life Source Liquid landed, he spun the Mago-King like a fisherman flinging a net, sending him flying away from the battlefield. With these maneuvers complete, the Two-Principles Magic Blades in Fu Qingyang's hands erupted into a surge of intense heat, transforming into a blade of light that streaked toward the King of Fear. As he approached, the man clad in a black cloak spun rapidly, side-to-side, resembling a blazing cutting blade. Ping! The flame blade cleaved through the Fear King's formless body, slicing from shoulder to waist, nearly severing his upper half. Yet the intense heat that instantly enveloped the King also melted the ice shell that had frozen him, causing water to evaporate with a hissing sound. The Fear King's rigid facial features suddenly became supple. Unconcerned about his wounds, dark magical patterns began to emerge on his skin—distinct from the enchanting patterns of the previous magic. "Do you know why I rarely use props?" the King of Fear smiled. "Because I don't need them at all. Everyone's props can become mine. The more rules-based props you use, the stronger I grow." While Shura's strength lies in his unbeatable close combat, and the Mage of the Eyes excels in his supreme ability to captivate, the King of Fear's strength rests in the four words: "Master of All Armies." His authority is directly tied to this. The Lawful order rarely knows of this power, as Shura lacks it altogether. Shura's strength lies in other domains, and the most intense battle the King of Fear has ever endured was against the Master of the Palace of Water Deities. At that time, he only utilized the passive aspect of his power—diminishing and weakening the capabilities of objects. This ability remains hidden and is often mistaken for his physical resilience, enduring damage. Even now, he has not actually suffered significant suppression; the apparent illness and frailty he displays are performances crafted for the two opponents' benefit, designed to lure them into revealing their final reserves. Everyone believes he is being relentlessly pursued by the Master of the Water Palace, a mediocre figure among the half-gods. In truth, he simply lacks the motivation to engage fully. His ultimate reserve, his decisive weapon, has always been the goal of eliminating Fu Qingxuan. Throughout his life, the King of Fear has pursued nothing more than shattering that woman's unbreakable myth of invincibility. Today, I encountered Fu Qingyang and the Mage-Eye at a crossroads within the quest—having no room to retreat, I decided to reveal my reserves and secure a swift victory. "Thud!" Fu Qingyang's eardrums exploded, his heart as if caught by an invisible hand, unable to breathe. The Rain Lord's drumming seemed to be under the command of a King of Fear. Thud, thud, thud! The rhythm grew more intense; Fu Qingyang's heart, which had missed a beat, began to race wildly, as though it would leap out of his chest. At the same time, he felt sharp pains in his lungs and a burning sensation on his forehead. The rain falling upon him was so cold, that he felt as though he had endured a heavy downpour and contracted a severe illness. While the drumming could still be met with steel resolve, the insidious invasion of pathogens threatened the very life of a frail swordsman.