A massive melee unfolded on the back mountain. On this battlefield of over a hundred people, spiritual energy swirled chaotically, and explosions rang out frequently.

In terms of cultivation, the Hongyun Realm held a slight edge.

But in terms of equipment and weapons, Zhutian Realm was light-years ahead of them.

“Brother Dao, these people…” A cultivator at the Fusion Realm was knocked flying and landed right at Dao Si’s feet. Spitting blood, he gasped, “These people… they have so many spirit artifacts… …”

Dao Si looked up, locking eyes with Lao Si, who stood holding a halberd. Suddenly, he kicked the subordinate blocking his path right across the room.

He drew his sword and charged forward.

There was a loud “bang.”

Blade met halberd. In the blink of an eye, Lao Si’s expression changed; he stumbled back several steps, his eyes filled with astonishment.

Seizing this brief opening, Dao Si pounced with his blade.

Lao Si was in the late stage of the Fusion Realm, while Dao Si was at least in the Great Perfection Realm.

Lao Si would likely be unable to block this strike.

Noticing the commotion, Wen Jue kicked aside a Great Perfection Realm cultivator and charged straight toward Lao Si.

But before he could reach him, Lao Si had already raised his halberd to block the blow.

“Boy, you can’t stop this strike! You’ll be the first to fall by my blade today!”

The broad blade came crashing down in a vertical strike.

“Clang—”

A deafening clang erupted where the blade and halberd met.

The Fourth had managed to block this strike.

He held his halberd horizontally before him, blocking the descending blade with a solid thud.

Seeing this, Dao Si was utterly astonished.

The weapon in his hand was no match for the seventh-tier spirit artifact wielded by this kid, but with his Great Perfection Realm strength, that full-power strike should have taken at least half of the kid’s life.

And yet… he’s unharmed?

Feeling the buzzing vibration through the hilt of his sword, Dao Si found it hard to believe.

Dao Si took the opportunity to step back a few paces.

“So it was you, you little thief, who took my sword!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Dao Si’s expression changed. “Your sword?”

It was true that this sword had been a spoil of war he’d plundered years ago, but everyone knew that a spirit artifact recognized its master, and only after the master’s death could it change hands. So, was it possible that…

Lao Si didn’t try to fight it head-on. He retreated behind Wen Jue and shouted, “Big Brother, that knife in his hand is mine! This Hongyun Realm is the very one that invaded our Zhutian Realm back then!”

Lao Si’s voice was loud enough to draw the attention of everyone present.

Dao Si sneered coldly, offering no explanation, and raised his blade to strike at Fourth Brother.

From that earlier blow, he had already sensed the weapon spirit tremble. The spirit had recognized its original master. If he did not slay this boy here and now, his blade would no longer be his!

Dao Si charged forward, but the figure standing before him was no longer Fourth Brother.

Just as the tip of Dao Si’s blade struck Wen Jue’s hair, it was blocked by a small barrier. Before he could react in shock, a fist struck him squarely in the abdomen. Dao Si looked down to see what had happened, but the surge of spiritual energy had already sent his entire body flying backward.

Blood spattered through the air.

Dao Si flew through the air like a kite whose string had snapped.

Yet before he hit the ground, he was caught by someone on his left and right.

The woman in red and the sharp-eyed young man steadied him, their voices firm. “Dao Si, we’re here to help you!”

Dao Si wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. “Charge.”

Three Great Perfection cultivators—no matter what, they could hold off Lu Yi, a Tribulation cultivator, for a while!

The three Great Perfection cultivators unleashed their unique abilities, drew their weapons, and lunged toward Wen Jue!

As long as they can hold him off until the Immortal Sovereign arrives…

Wen Jue stood suspended in midair, watching them fly toward him in silence.

He calmly activated his protective barrier.

A smooth, shimmering membrane flowed around him, shielding his sides; no matter how many tricks they employed, they couldn’t breach his shell in the slightest.

If the Tribulation Stage and the Great Perfection Stage could be considered equal, then there would be no distinction between sages and mortals. Wen Jue watched coldly. Besides, he possessed several seventh-tier magical artifacts.

Dao Si’s blade was nearly split in two, yet it failed to shake Wen Jue’s barrier even an inch.

The same was true of the red-clad woman’s claws.

Just as a sense of helplessness and despair began to rise within him,

Wen Jue made his move.

With a mere wave of his hand, vast spiritual energy coalesced into a colossal sword, its blade crackling with lightning, possessing the might to split the heavens and shake the earth.

They had likely never witnessed the true power of a Tribulation Stage cultivator.

Horror was written all over the three men’s faces.

Even those fighting nearby stopped in unison. The sheer might of that sword sent chills down their spines.

The three Great Perfection Stage cultivators stared blankly.

They couldn’t dodge it.

Fourth Brother’s mouth hung open. “I was just saying I wanted to spar with Big Brother…”

Wen Jue’s sword plunged straight down, heading toward the three of them.

“Boom—”

After a deafening roar, the massive sword struck a sudden burst of spiritual light, producing a tremendous explosion.

That spiritual light… had blocked the strike.

Everyone looked up.

Amidst the billowing dust, a figure clad in green robes floated in midair.

He hadn’t blocked the sword head-on; he had merely saved Dao Si and the other two from beneath its path.

But this rescue came at a price.

Blood trickled from his mouth.

“Immortal Lord!!” the three rescued men shouted in unison.

The Immortal Lord paid them no mind, his gaze fixed firmly on Wen Jue: “Lu Yi, it’s been thousands of years since we last met, yet your techniques remain as fierce as ever.”

He knows my older brother? The villagers couldn’t help but freeze in surprise.

Wen Jue repeated his question: “Who are you? ”

Immortal Sovereign: “…Great men are forgetful.”

Wen Jue snorted derisively, “If you’re referring to the defeated foe I faced in the Tongtian Secret Realm, I truly don’t recall him.”

“Tongtian Secret Realm…” The Immortal Sovereign mulled over those words, then suddenly laughed, “It seems your village chief is still keeping you in the dark.”

As he uttered the words “your village chief,” he turned his gaze toward Qin Zhou.

Qin Zhou raised his eyes to meet his gaze, his black pupils calm and unruffled.

“Our world is nothing more than a game to them,” the Immortal Sovereign sighed. He slowly descended from the air, landing near the World Tree.

Shisi, standing beside the World Tree, watched him warily.

But the Immortal Sovereign showed no intention of approaching further. He simply gazed at the emerald-green sapling of the World Tree and smiled faintly: “We were abandoned by the Village Chief, and the World Tree withered away. But now that your Village Chief has returned, the World Tree has been reborn.”

“When, exactly, will this end? When will we finally be able to take control of our own destinies?” He shook his head slowly, as if lamenting this tragic fate. “When will we be abandoned again?”

Only a few of those present could understand his words. Dao Si and the others fell silent as well. They were all villagers who had been abandoned by the Village Chief. Wen Jue stared at him and said calmly, “Are you finished?”

The Immortal Sovereign raised his eyes and saw that Wen Jue showed not the slightest sign of wavering; this startled him. He was particularly astonished when he saw that the other villagers of Zhutian Realm also wore expressions of indifference. Could it be that Zhutian Realm was different from them?

“Even if we were abandoned, it has nothing to do with your Hongyun Realm.”

“Exactly. So what if we’re just a game? We’ve never resented the Village Chief!”

“He raised us from infancy! Only heartless ingrates would harbor such resentment!” The villagers chimed in in unison. In truth, they were neither deaf nor blind. They were all people who had lived for thousands of years. 

There were many things they chose not to speak of, not because they couldn’t see clearly. Raised by the Village Chief, tilling the land, cultivating… After a thousand years of this, they naturally couldn’t fail to notice the Village Chief’s uniqueness; they could always discern hints of the world’s true nature. It was just that no one had ever called it out. 

Perhaps the Village Chief had indeed abandoned them. But so what? They were all grown adults now—what child follows their father around for their entire life? At most, when spiritual energy runs low or fellow disciples fall, they might pathetically think—If only the Village Chief were still here. 

As for resentment. There really isn’t any. 

Qin Zhou said nothing, merely remaining silent. The children he raised were better than those of other families.

“It seems I’ve meddled too much,” the Immortal Sovereign sighed. He appeared to have given up, saying, “The Hongyun Realm has no intention of opposing you, but we must take the sapling of the World Tree with us.”

“What a hypocritical bastard,” Lu Qi snapped. “If you want to steal it, just go ahead and steal it—I’m not afraid of you!”

The Immortal Sovereign furrowed his brow and pointed a finger. A burst of spiritual light shot from his fingertip, aiming straight for Lu Qi’s brow. Lu Er immediately shielded Lu Qi behind him. Wen Jue cast a barrier, blocking the strike. 

Yet this spiritual light was entirely different from the attacks launched earlier by Dao Si and the others. Although the barrier blocked the attack, it developed numerous cracks and shattered completely in an instant. This scene startled everyone. 

What kind of cultivation level does this man possess? He actually managed to break through Elder Brother’s barrier. Could he also be at the Tribulation stage…

“Lu Yi, times have changed.” The Immortal Sovereign smiled faintly, “Back then, I was no match for you. But now, you cannot stop me.”

He transformed the spiritual light into a massive hand, charging straight toward the World Tree sapling, which stood half a person’s height. Yet the instant it neared, it was pulverized into dust by the World Tree sapling. The Immortal Sovereign’s expression turned slightly cold; then he suddenly seemed to remember something.

“Oh, I’d almost forgotten. The World Tree has an owner. It seems I’ll have to kill your village chief after all.” As he spoke, he redirected his spiritual light, transforming it into a thousand thorns that surged toward Qin Zhou like a storm. 

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. Even Wen Jue was momentarily taken aback.“Lu Yi, I told you, you can’t stop this. I’m in the late stage of the Tribulation Crossing! I’m just a step away from becoming a Sage!”

“I never said I was going to block it.”

As the words fell, the thorns had already reached Qin Zhou’s face. But…Qin Zhou raised his hammer and swung it at them. The thorns collided with the hammerhead, and in an instant, it shattered like brittle, withered branches, cracking and snapping apart. This unexpected turn of events left the Immortal Sovereign momentarily stunned. That hammer…

“A divine artifact… You actually have a divine artifact!?” The Immortal Sovereign’s voice turned shrill and high-pitched.

“It’s my turn now.” As he spoke, the golden hairpin in Wen Jue’s hair, the bracelet on his wrist, the pendant at his waist… every single golden spirit artifact on his person lit up simultaneously. 

Empowered by these spiritual artifacts, the spiritual energy he was condensing in his hand expanded severalfold. The surging spiritual energy transformed into spiritual thorns identical to those of the Immortal Sovereign and surged toward him. The gold ornaments Qin Zhou had crafted for Wen Jue were not merely a betrothal gift, though he had indeed not imbued them with any special abilities. 

Meteorite iron from beyond the heavens can serve as the base material for seventh-tier spiritual artifacts, and it inherently possesses a strong ability to enhance and amplify spiritual energy. These few spiritual artifacts could instantly elevate Wen Jue’s overall strength from the early stages of the Tribulation Crossing to the late stages. 

There were a hundred people in the village, and everyone had taken more than enough Marrow Cleansing Pills, yet not everyone could become Lu Yi. He was a genius. A genius raised by Qin Zhou himself!

In an instant, several thorns pierced through the figure in the blue robe.

“Immortal Venerable!!”

The three from the Hongyun Realm shouted in unison. The tide turned at that very moment. The Immortal Sovereign, pierced by the thorns, shuddered violently before bursting into a defiant laugh—“Divine artifacts? Do you think only you possess divine artifacts? After the Zhutian Realm vanished from the Tongtian Rankings, the Hongyun Realm held the top spot for thousands of years!”

The thorns shattered. He floated into the air, clutching a scroll in his hand. The scroll glowed with a golden-red light, clearly a divine artifact without a doubt. Qin Zhou looked closely.

Half the power of Wen Jue’s strike just now must have been neutralized by this object.

The Immortal Sovereign of the Hongyun Realm and Wen Jue stood facing each other in mid-air. He wiped the blood from his mouth and said to Wen Jue—“Lu Yi, you are stubborn and obstinate.”Do you know the truth of this world? We are merely pawns in their game, insignificant characters. If we entrust our fate to the Village Chief, a pitiful end is all that awaits us.” 

His eyes still held a trace of apprehension as he looked at Wen Jue, yet his words of incitement never ceased—“Let’s kill him together and take firm control of this world into our own hands!”

Wen Jue paid him no heed, focusing solely on gathering the spiritual energy sphere in his hand. Just then, Qin Zhou suddenly spoke up, “Is the Village Chief of the Hongyun Realm dead?”

At these words, everyone from the Hongyun Realm turned to look. A hint of astonishment flashed across the Immortal Sovereign’s face.

“It’s true that the essence of this world is a game. Without a village chief, ordinary characters cannot enter the Tongtian Arena for matchmaking. Why was the Hongyun Realm able to successfully match on the Tongtian Rankings after losing their Village Chief? The divine artifacts on the Tongtian Rankings aren’t directly distributed to ordinary characters either.”

Qin Zhou’s words were sharp and piercing: “After the game shut down, he did come back, didn’t he?”

The people of the Hongyun Realm all looked at a loss. Even Dao Si and the others froze, instinctively glancing at their Immortal Sovereign. 

The Village Chief… had he… ever returned?

Qin Zhou, seemingly unsatisfied, dropped another bombshell—“Or did you kill him?”

The words struck like a torpedo in water; after two seconds of silence, they exploded. The Immortal Sovereign’s finger trembled. He didn’t deny it, and the people of the Hongyun Realm felt their hearts sink even further. Could it be… that the Village Chief really did come back…

“He was just a good-for-nothing,” the Immortal Sovereign laughed. “If he had the ability to revive the World Tree as you do, why on earth would I have spared him?” The crowd from the Hongyun Realm fell silent. The woman in red was the first to speak up, unable to contain herself: “But Immortal Sovereign, we were also… raised by the Village Chief…”

“Shut up! He raised us, but he was also the one who abandoned us! So what if he came back? The World Tree has withered anyway; he can’t save anyone! Rather than entrusting our fate to him, let me handle it!” The Immortal Sovereign glared at the people of the Hongyun Realm. 

“Why are you all staring at me? If it weren’t for me, you’d all be dead by now! The Hongyun Realm would have perished from this world long ago! Everyone, charge! Kill the people of Zhutian Realm and seize the World Tree! This is our last hope!”

Some in the Hongyun Realm were moved by these words, while others stood frozen in place, unable to take a single step. Wen Jue seemed unable to bear listening any longer. “So he’s a traitor—unfaithful, unrighteous, and unfilial.”

“Qin Zhou, shouldn’t we move in?”

Qin Zhou was taken aback; he had expected Wen Jue to react to the truth that “the world is just a game.” But now, it didn’t seem like the time to dwell on that.

“Let’s go,” Qin Zhou said, cutting to the chase. “His divine artifact isn’t a combat weapon; it won’t block your second strike. Just go all out.”

Wen Jue curved his lips into a smile: “Then I’ll go!”

A flash of light streaked across the sky as Wen Jue leapt forward, engaging the Immortal Sovereign in battle!

The others didn’t stand idly by either.

“Even if they sound kind of pitiful, they still can’t just come and steal our World Tree!”

“That’s right!”

“Charge!”

The battle had officially begun!

The stronger the combatants, the quicker the outcome.

Just as another bolt of lightning split the sky—

The outcome was decided.

His entire body was pierced by Wen Jue’s spiritual energy, suspended mid-air, blood streaming from his seven orifices.

The Immortal Sovereign stared up at the sky with wide eyes.

He had lost.

Yet he still felt such bitter resentment.

“But… Lu Yi, our fate… still lies in… his hands.” He spoke with difficulty and reluctance, blood gushing out to soak his collar. “Unless we kill him, we will forever…”

Wen Jue thrust a hand into his dantian and said in a tone bordering on cruelty: “ The master of the New World Tree in Zhutian Realm is not the Village Chief.”

The Immortal Sovereign’s eyes widened suddenly. He seemed unable to believe it.“How could…”

“He has returned our fate to us.”

Even if Qin Zhou were to leave, this world would never collapse again.