Who are you...

Su Ji felt as if his scalp was about to explode.

He half-knelt on the ground, leaning on his sword, panting heavily. The wound on his arm was still oozing blood, and less than a tenth of his spiritual energy remained.

Before him, in all directions, from the sky to the earth, there were ghostly black shadows.

One, two, ten, hundreds...

Densely packed and blotting out the sky, they completely blocked all his avenues of retreat.

Each black shadow exuded the exact same sinister and cold aura as the one from before. They simply floated quietly in mid-air, their blurry outlines twisting silently, as if mocking his overestimation of his own capabilities.

How was he supposed to fight this?

Let alone the fact that he was currently heavily injured and his spiritual energy was depleted, even in his peak state, facing hundreds of these unkillable, untouchable ghastly things that could shift between ethereal and solid forms, he would only end up being drained to death.

Even if that golden-robed dog Zhao Teng came, facing such a lineup, he would probably die with grievances on the spot, right?

It is over.

Am I really going to die here this time?

How could that be!?

He still had his true ultimate move left unused...

Since that is the case...

A cold sneer surfaced on Su Ji's face.

So what if the sky is filled with black shadows?

Watch him break it with absolute power!

In the next moment, Su Ji made a move that caught all the black shadows completely off guard.

Then, he held his Yinfeng Sword high up in the air.

Assuming a posture of surrender and completely giving up resistance, he used all the strength in his body to scream at the top of his lungs.

Stop fighting! We are on the same side!

Senior, spare my life! I am really on your side!

As his voice faded.

A bizarre scene occurred.

The hundreds of black shadows that were just about to pounce down and kill him actually stopped dead in mid-air.

Their blurry faces turned toward Su Ji in unison. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if in this moment, a trace of... hesitation had appeared.

Time seemed to stand still at this moment.

Su Ji gasped for air, greedily breathing in every mouthful of the decay-scented air.

He could feel that the scythe of death hanging over his head had temporarily moved away.

It actually worked!

Su Ji's heart began to beat wildly due to this sudden turn of events.

However, just as this thought popped up.

Roar—!

A roar more frenzied and inhuman than any before erupted from the mouth of the black shadow he had severely injured with his sword!

The killing intent that had just dissipated actually erupted once more, returning in an even more violent and maddened state!

It seemed to have been completely enraged by Su Ji's shameless behavior!

The other hundreds of black shadows also seemed infected by its fury, once again letting out waves of sharp hisses. Their blurry outlines twisted violently, killing intent boiling!

The heavily injured leading black shadow even transformed into a ray of black light that pierced the heavens and the earth, rushing madly to devour Su Ji!

Su Ji's heart suddenly clenched.

Without a second thought, he forcefully suppressed his internal injuries, leaped up from the ground, grabbed the Yinfeng Sword, and prepared for a final, desperate struggle.

But right at this moment.

Ancient Ancestor! Have mercy!

Su Jiu's clear voice, tinged with a bit of anxiety, rang out.

Another sudden change occurred!

Thump—!

A heartbeat, more muffled and resonant than any before, boomed from the direction of the pitch-black stone pillar!

Immediately after.

Clatter—

The teeth-aching sound of dragging chains echoed, heavy and slow.

Atop that pitch-black stone pillar, the black shadow that had remained motionless from the very beginning, as if merged with the pillar, slowly raised its head.

A terrifying aura, impossible to describe with words and as if awakening from the primordial era, descended with a bang!

That aura carried no killing intent, yet it was more suffocating than the combined killing intent of the hundreds of black shadows from before!

The outlines of the black shadows pouncing toward Su Ji suddenly stiffened.

As if sensing something, they abruptly halted their forward momentum, slowly turned around, and let out a low whimper toward the pitch-black stone pillar.

In that sound, there was unwillingness, fear, and a trace of... grievance?

It was as if a group of guards chasing a thief had been yelled at to stop by their master.

Atop the stone pillar, the black shadow bound by countless thick chains slowly stood up.

Its movements were very slow. With every slight motion, the thick chains wrapped around its body would emit a series of ear-piercing grating sounds, sending sparks flying.

It just stood quietly at the top of the stone pillar, looking down at everything below.

Although its appearance was still unclear, Su Ji could clearly feel a gaze piercing through endless years and darkness to land on him.

That gaze held no warmth and no emotion, much like a deity suspended high in the nine heavens indifferently examining an ant that had intruded into its divine realm.

Su Ji only felt his scalp tingle, and even his breathing became cautious.

This was the true master!

This was the most terrifying existence in this forbidden land!

After a long time.

A cold voice, sounding like rusty iron grating against itself, slowly echoed.

The voice carried a desolation that could rot one's very soul.

Who are you...?

Why...

Do I feel a sense of familiarity...

Please, come closer so we may converse...

Those black shadows slowly retreated to the sides.

Their movements were uniform and completely silent.

They did not dissipate; they merely stepped aside, clearing a path wide enough for one person to pass.

At the end of that path was the pitch-black stone pillar that reached to the heavens.

Leaning on his Yinfeng Sword, Su Ji struggled to stand up from the ground, his chest heaving violently.

He glanced at the bone-deep wound on his arm; the bizarre erosion had actually vanished.

The bleeding was finally, barely stopped.

Su Ji did not say another word.

He sheathed the Yinfeng Sword, then took a step forward, walking along the path cleared by the countless black shadows toward the pitch-black stone pillar.