Outside the battlefield.
A number of Chaos Venerables were intently observing from afar.
The distant space-time had been completely severed from the Mysterious Emperor Universe, forming an independent realm. The nine Chaos Great Saints were most likely engaged in all-out combat within it.
But as they watched—
Something felt off.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
By all logic, when Chaos Great Saints clashed, the mere shockwaves should have been cataclysmic.
Just the previous battle between two newly ascended Great Saints—Nine Phoenix and Shadowfiend—had caused multiple natural universes to prematurely collapse. Even Guming Venerable had been forced to evade, or risk serious injury.
And that was just two fledgling Great Saints.
Now there were nine—and among them, three were elite Great Saints. Nine Phoenix and Shadowfiend were probably the weakest of the bunch.
With so many terrifying figures engaged in combat, how could it be so quiet? That severed realm hadn’t shown the slightest disturbance.
“Could it be that the nine Great Saints haven’t actually started fighting?”
“Not fighting? With a supreme treasure right in front of them?”
“It has to be a Supreme Saint-level treasure. Even a Supreme Saint wouldn’t resist taking action—let alone Chaos Great Saints.”
“If I wouldn’t die instantly, I’d want to fight for it too.”
The Chaos Venerables exchanged confused glances. Logically, they were sure the nine Great Saints would be battling for the treasure.
But this eerie stillness left them deeply puzzled.
“Let’s keep watching.”
“What’s the rush?”
Someone said casually. None of them had any intention of competing for the treasure anyway—watching from afar was good enough.
What they didn’t realize was: it wasn’t that Dual-Source, Heiyao, and the others hadn’t fought.
It was that all their power had been completely swallowed and suppressed by Lin Yuan’s external universe—no shockwaves could escape.
“Can’t escape?”
“Time and space are sealed. I can’t tear open a passage to the outside.”
Tianlu Great Saint felt a chill run through him. After seeing how quickly Dual-Source, Heiyao, and Savage had been crushed—
He realized Dual-Source had grossly underestimated Lin Yuan.
Fight back?
He’d be lucky to survive, let alone resist.
Now, regret flooded his heart.
If only he had agreed to withdraw when Lin Yuan had given the chance…
Instead, he’d chosen to side with Dual-Source.
“Hmm?”
Lin Yuan, while suppressing the top three Great Saints, noticed the actions of the remaining six.
In fact, not just Tianlu—even Nine Phoenix, Shadowfiend, and the others had the same thought the moment they saw how easily the elites were subdued.
Run.
They all made the attempt, scattering in different directions.
But unfortunately—
The surrounding space-time was entirely Lin Yuan’s external universe now.
Ordinary Chaos Great Saints couldn’t escape its shackles.
“Suppress.”
Lin Yuan glanced at the six fleeing Great Saints.
A thought stirred, and boundless space-time surged forth.
The six were instantly frozen in place, unable to resist—like insects trapped in amber.
“It’s over.”
Tianlu’s heart plummeted.
He had already expected to be suppressed once he realized he couldn’t break through to the outside.
But when it actually happened, he still felt a heavy despair.
A Chaos Great Saint—unrivaled across countless void regions—now pinned in place, unable to move.
“I’m not dead?”
He probed his surroundings. Though completely suppressed, his basic senses remained.
“With Milky Way Great Saint’s power, he could easily erase me. If I’m still alive, maybe he doesn’t intend to kill me? Maybe there’s room to negotiate?”
He clung to that hope.
Losing this body would cost an enormous amount of time and resources to replace. If there was any chance to avoid that, he’d take it.
“Now I can focus on those three.”
Lin Yuan’s gaze finally turned to the three elites—Dual-Source, Heiyao, and Savage.
He had to admit, their strength was formidable. He’d had to use most of his methods just to subdue them.
“Heiyao.”
He looked toward the figure still surrounded by darkness, whose domain was rapidly collapsing under pressure.
“Divine ability: Tear the Sky.”
Lin Yuan raised a hand.
In an instant, five devastating marks flashed through the void, slicing directly into Heiyao’s field.
His domain crumbled.
Since achieving the second layer of Infinite Void, Lin Yuan’s foundation had dramatically increased. And the Tear the Sky technique—dependent on that foundation—grew exponentially stronger as well.
Shh-shh-shh!
Heiyao’s body was pierced, destruction energy erasing his vitality and regenerative power.
“What…?”
He stared wide-eyed as his strength plummeted.
“Again.”
Lin Yuan slashed once more.
Another piercing strike shattered the domain, exposing Heiyao’s body.
Without his protective field, he was like a defenseless target—immediately swept up and suppressed by the crushing space-time.
“Savage.”
Lin Yuan turned to the next.
Savage didn’t have many tricks—nowhere near as troublesome as Heiyao.
But his body was absurdly durable—even more so than Tuolong Great Saint’s. He was hard to kill.
Even so, with Lin Yuan’s external universe compressing around him, and under the relentless assault of Tear the Sky, he only lasted a few dozen breaths before being subdued like the rest.
“Dual-Source.”
Lin Yuan turned at last to the most dangerous of the nine.
Of them all, Dual-Source was the hardest to deal with—so Lin Yuan saved him for last.
“Milky Way Great Saint, I admit you’re strong—but you’ll never suppress me like you did them.”
A manic light flashed in Dual-Source’s eyes.
His blue-gray form exploded with fury—burning everything for one last strike.
A narrow rift tore open in the space-time barrier, pointing toward the outside world.
Buzz—
In an instant, he vanished through it.
Lin Yuan simply watched.
His external universe was terrifying—but Dual-Source’s path specialized in breaking space-time.
He couldn’t reach Lin Yuan directly.
But escaping? That was possible if he risked everything.
Whoosh.
Dual-Source fled, rapidly traversing toward the entrance. His voice echoed back through space-time:
“Milky Way Great Saint, I concede! I swear to leave this universe immediately and not return for ten thousand cosmic eras!”
“Oh?”
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He had been ready to pursue.
But he stopped.
Dual-Source had fled—but Lin Yuan could chase him.
That was precisely why Dual-Source had made the vow right after escaping.
“The Heart of Dark Heaven?”
Lin Yuan turned slightly.
The Dark Heaven Hall had already emerged. If he left now to chase Dual-Source, too many things could go wrong.
So he stood still—and turned his hand.
Poof—
The eight subdued Great Saints reappeared nearby.
Now fully restrained, not one of them could resist.
“Milky Way Great Saint.”
Heiyao composed himself and respectfully asked, “What price must we pay for you to let us go?”
Clearly, Lin Yuan had plans. If he meant to kill them, it would’ve happened already.
“What price can you offer?”
Lin Yuan looked them over with interest.
The best move was to ransom their main battle bodies in exchange for treasures and resources.
Killing them would only yield raw materials. But a ransom could bring far greater gain.
After all, even if killed, they’d likely revive elsewhere—so Lin Yuan preferred to negotiate.
“One hundred million Chaos Stones,” Heiyao offered cautiously.
“A billion.” Lin Yuan shook his head, then turned to Savage.
“Same goes for you. If you want to leave, bring a billion Chaos Stones.”
“And for the rest of you—”
His eyes swept over Tianlu and the others.
“Five hundred million Chaos Stones each.”
Tianlu’s heart sank.
For someone like him, five hundred million was an enormous price.
“And you two…”
Lin Yuan looked at Nine Phoenix and Shadowfiend.
“Milky Way Great Saint…”
The two immediately perked up.
Unlike the others, they only had one battle body. Losing it meant complete vulnerability.
As long as Lin Yuan didn’t ask for too much, they’d agree to anything.
“I’ve heard of your grudge,” Lin Yuan said, gazing down on them.
“Since becoming peak Chaos Great Saints, you’ve been fighting non-stop.”
“Milky Way Great Saint, Shadowfiend once—” Nine Phoenix began.
“Hmm.”
Lin Yuan nodded, then asked calmly:
“Have you ever considered how many beings died as a result of your battles?”
“The people of those universes?”
The two were stunned. They hadn’t expected that question.
“Those ants? They’re dead. So what?” Shadowfiend scoffed.
Nine Phoenix didn’t speak—but clearly agreed.
“Ants? I see, very well.”
Lin Yuan nodded.
He said nothing more.
Moments later—
“Milky Way Great Saint, what price must—” Shadowfiend began to ask.
Before he could finish, Lin Yuan’s gaze flicked over.
“Noisy.”
In the next instant—
Their bodies and souls began to dissolve into nothingness.
Just a few breaths later—
Two Chaos Great Saints had been completely erased.
“Milky Way Great Saint… what was…”
Tianlu and the others trembled at the sight.
“Nothing much,” Lin Yuan said quietly.
“Just two ants. Dead is dead. What’s the difference?”
...
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