Chu Rui had been defeated and returned severely injured.

As soon as the news came out, all of the human sects entered a constant state of anxiety, as if they had shadows hanging over them.

After the Demons’ arrival, Phantasms, Fiends, and Bonebrutes also gathered in large numbers in the Domain of Endless Snow.

Apparently, the portal split open by the Demons had become a gateway through which the outsider races poured into the human world.

A new round of outsider invasions soon spread into the areas surrounding the Domain of Endless Snow.

Realms that were close to the Domain of Endless Snow fell one after another.

Outsider starships charged around in nearby domains, claiming realms that suited their needs and transforming the spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth in them with grand spell formations.

The spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth was either turned into Demon Qi, Phantasm Qi, or corrosive Toxic Qi.

The entire human world seemed to suddenly fall silent as letters were constantly put in the hands of the elders of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, the Heaven Span Pavilion, the Five Elements Sect, and the Void Spirit Society, begging for help.

However, Chu Rui’s defeat had greatly shaken the four great sects.

Since no one could handle Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory, the God domain experts from the four great sects didn’t dare to make any rash moves.

Soon, vicious curses targeting the four great sects started to rise among the Qi warriors whose realms had fallen.

These powerful ancient sects that had stood unwavering, had been worshiped by cultivators from across the human world, and had occupied the richest lands, quickly became the target of public condemnation.

Since they occupied the most cultivation resources, they should take the greatest responsibility.

However, after Chu Rui’s defeat, they hadn’t organized any effective resistance.

Therefore, it was understandable that they were cursed and condemned.

At the Seven Stars Realm Sea.

Wei Lai from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace came to see Dong Li, with a crystal emanating bright starlight in his palm.

Chu Rui’s aura could be sensed from the crystal.

Chu Rui’s image slowly emerged in the crystal.

Dong Li seemed to feel deep veneration as she exclaimed, “Vice Sectmaster!” 

Looking at the crystal and sensing the godly aura it emanated, she asked, “Is this your...?”

“This is a fragment from my shattered god domain.” Chu Rui’s weak voice echoed from within the crystal. “Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory turned out to be much more powerful than I had thought. He could even draw power from the Blood Purgatory Sea in the Second Demon Realm at will. Besides that, he’s rapidly recovering his power by killing human experts in the Domain of Endless Snow and nearby domains, and casting their bodies into the Blood Purgatory Sea.

“That way, the Blood Purgatory Sea can provide him with endless power to help him recover to his peak state.

“The more humans die at his hands, the thicker the Blood Purgatory Sea will become, and the quicker he’ll be able to recover.”

Chu Rui’s soul shadow looked somewhat sad and helpless within the crystal. “Instead of marching on the Seven Stars Realm Sea right away, he’s waiting for the Blood Purgatory Sea to grow thicker. His strength is being restored with every passing day. And his speedy recovery is based on the heavy casualties of the humans in that area.”

All of the God domain experts present, including Yin Xingtian and Yu Suying, had grim expressions as they listened.

“Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory...” Mo Qianfan from the Heavenly Thunder Sect let out a sigh and said bitterly, “Even you lost your battle against him within such a short time. What can we do, even if we know that the reason why he hasn’t marched on the Seven Stars Realm Sea yet is because he’s rapidly recovering his strength?”

“I’m here because I hope you’ll find Nie Tian,” Chu Rui said. “He can communicate with that Ripper Behemoth and has a friendly relationship with the Ancientspirits. We can’t defeat Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory with our current strength. Perhaps if Grand Monarch Primal Wood of the Floragrims and the Ripper Behemoth join us, we’ll be able to put an end to the Demons’ atrocities.”

With all honesty, Dong Li said, “We’re looking for him as well. For some reason, he vanished completely after leaving the Realm of Looming Shadow.”

“Oh...” Chu Rui’s soul shadow instantly grew faint within the star crystal. “Even he disappeared. First, it was the sectmaster. Then it was the grand elder. Now, even he’s missing...”

With these words, Chu Rui’s soul shadow faded completely from the crystal.

Wei Lai grabbed the crystal and said, “He’s so badly injured that even inter-domain communication through his soul shadow in a fragment of his god domain has become difficult. We can only do everything within our power to help him recover. Even so, it may take more than six months to just reforge his god domain.”

“We’ll do everything we can to find Nie Tian,” Dong Li said.

Wei Lai nodded. “We will too. Also, Ye Wenhan has used a secret magic to communicate with Fan Tianze, who’s in secluded cultivation for his breakthrough to the late God domain. We hope that he’ll be able to break through his cultivation barrier before Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory returns to his peak state.”

Everyone’s hearts grew heavier after hearing this.

They all doubted that Fan Tianze would be able to match Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory in battle if he came out of his secluded cultivation before entering the late God domain.

It would be unwise to place all of their hopes on him.

More than ten days passed.

An atmosphere of despair and distress continued to spread rapidly among the humans.

Many sects and clans that were based in realms fairly close to the Domain of Endless Snow did everything they could evacuate their people.

Even some of those who were gathered at the Seven Stars Realm Sea feared that Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory would suddenly descend upon them one day, and thus withdrew from the area.

However, the majority chose to stay and hold the Seven Stars Realm Sea.

Figures like Yin Xingtian, Yu Suying, Mo Qianfan, Dong Li, and Master Blood Spirit made them feel that they might be safer at the Seven Stars Realm Sea.

More days passed.

A huge fish suddenly appeared in the cold currents in the Domain of Endless Snow.

Standing on the broad back of the huge fish was a scrawny old man with an ordinary and expressionless face. “I, You Qimiao from the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect, am here to challenge Lord Eternal Purgatory to a duel.” 

“You Qimiao!” Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s voice seemed to rumble out from different parts of the Domain of Endless Snow. “I can sense your power. Both your strength and cultivation base exceed that of that vice sectmaster of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. You seem to be a worthy opponent. I accept your challenge.

“My true form will arrive in three days, then we’ll fight in a duel.

“I promise you that none of us or our allies will further our invasions during this time.”

Every syllable from Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory echoed in You Qimiao’s ears with great clarity, even though his true form was actually all the way in the Second Demon Realm, recovering strength in the Blood Purgatory Sea.

You Qimiao from the Remote Beginning Heavenly Sect appeared in person in the Domain of Endless Snow after Chu Rui’s defeat!

Word of it soon spread, shaking heaven and earth. Many powerful experts that were weighed down with anxiety felt suddenly relieved.

At the Seven Stars Realm Sea, Dong Li sprang to her feet. “What?!”

Jing Feiyang, who brought the news, took a deep breath and said excitedly, “It’s hard to believe that You Qimiao stepped out! I didn’t expect that, and I doubt anyone did! Just not so long ago, he provoked the Ripper Behemoth to destroy the Realm of Heaven Span, but now he enters the Domain of Endless Snow at this moment of peril and challenges Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory to a duel!”

Even Yu Suying couldn’t help but exclaim, “You Qimiao!” 

Dong Li’s eyes shone with excitement as the waves of emotions in her heart took a long time to calm. “Who would have thought that this man, who’s generally regarded to have turned rogue, would stand up against Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory at the most perilous moment?”

“Perhaps he can actually match Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory in battle,” Mo Qianfan said in a grim voice.

Dong Li pondered for a moment before saying, “No matter what major conflicts and unpleasantness there were between You Qimiao and us, his act of challenging Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory at this time deserves our admiration. The battle between Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory and Chu Rui happened so abruptly and ended so quickly that we didn’t even have a chance to witness it.

“Since this battle between You Qimiao and Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory is taking place in three days, how about we go witness it in the Domain of Endless Snow?”

“Sounds great!” Many approved of her suggestion.

The battle between You Qimiao and Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory that was going to take place in the Domain of Endless Snow in three days attracted worldwide attention.

Not only the humans, but the Ancientspirits and Floragrims in the Spirit World also received word of it.

All of a sudden, people from the two worlds started moving in secret. Many who were confident in their strength quietly approached the Domain of Endless Snow after hearing about Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s guarantee.

There were humans among them, as well as people of other races from the Spirit World.

All of them were very curious about how powerful Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory really was after his revival.

Chu Rui was only at the middle God domain, which had been outmatched by Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s bloodline grade and far from enough to force Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory to bring out his true strength.

However, as the great talent who had entered the late God domain most recently, You Qimiao had displayed devastating might in the starry river outside the Realm of Heaven Span.

He had what it took to force Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory to go all-out.

Even Grand Monarch Primal Wood of the Floragrims came out of their ancestral land after receiving the news. He hadn’t done so until now because he wasn’t sure how powerful Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory really was.

Now that You Qimiao had stepped out to fight Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory, he was presented with an opportunity to find the answer to that question.

Also, at this moment...

The floating continent that had drifted in the boundless starry river in the human world for quite some time suddenly came to a stop.

Nie Tian, who had been absorbed in his cultivation, slowly withdrew his soul awareness that was scattered in different corners of the floating continent to his sea of awareness, and woke up.