As the Moon Lord found herself unable to curry any favor, she discovered that the Embers had already detected several ancient beings from the Sanctuary.
However, just as the Embers' high-ranking officials focused their attention on the Sanctuary's ancient ones, the Sanctuary's leader also noticed that the Embers had discovered them.
After all, the Lord of the Nine Seas was a supreme ancient god. While the Moon Lord, wielding the authority of light, could conceal her gaze, the Embers' powerful guardians stationed in the City of Burning Flames could not.
A slight smile played on the lips of the Lord of the Nine Seas, with two ancient Sanctuary beings flanking him on each side.
Some wore indifferent expressions, while others were defiant.
The Lord of the Nine Seas, occupying the central position, advanced. Vehicles and pedestrians alike parted ways to his sides, as if forming a ceremonial procession awaiting a distinguished guest.
Yet, the expressions on the faces of these pedestrians remained natural, as if they were still engaged in their preordained activities, completely unaware of the subtle influence they had undergone. This was true even for the myriad of mythic beings amidst the crowd.
The five ancient beings, led by the Lord of the Nine Seas, walked directly to the gates of the Garrison.
Qian Qiu, on duty at the entrance, stood gazing as if he saw an boundless ocean, vaster than any great domain. At the forefront of this ocean was a terrifying figure with nine colossal heads, slowly swimming forward, transforming the land, mountains, and forests in its path into the sea.
"This guy... seems a little too powerful!"
His intuition told him that even if he fought the Lord of the Nine Seas a thousand or ten thousand times with his Illusory Bubbles, he wouldn't win even once. Furthermore, his Illusory Bubbles couldn't last long against such a supreme ancient god.
Fortunately, Qian Qiu had a backing!
The problem wasn't significant; he had some confidence in dealing with the 'minions' on the side. Of course, it would be even easier if he could just play a support role. He was unlike some of his colleagues who craved combat; fighting was such a tiring endeavor.
"Our mentor has been waiting for you for a long time."
Under the expectant gazes of numerous mythic and demigod-level powerhouses, the white-robed mentor emerged from the Garrison.
Following Fang You were Hei Dao, An Jianyou, Xing Jinglei, Yin Luoxi, and others.
The lineup was formidable.
It was in no way inferior to the Sanctuary's side.
"I have long heard of the Human Mentor's name. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary," the Lord of the Nine Seas remarked with a genial smile, his gaze subtly sweeping over Hei Dao and the others.
"In the past, there were some misunderstandings between our Sanctuary and the Embers, as you know. To combat the calamity of the evil gods, many of our members were recruited temporarily, and some ancient beings were inherently rebellious and didn't always heed my commands... However, since a misunderstanding has occurred, I've been contemplating that I should personally visit and resolve it."
"Come, present our apologies to the Embers."
As the Lord of the Nine Seas spoke, a unremarkable ancient being stepped forward, a simple, ancient wooden box appearing in his palm.
Upon opening the box, a vast, profound world unfolded within.
Treasures, each enveloped in radiant divine light, floated within the world. As the box opened, the divine radiance woven by countless treasures surged out, piercing the heavens.
Fang You's eyes narrowed.
There were hundreds of treasures inside. The lowest was a legendary-grade material. There were also many legendary-grade anomalous objects and divine-demonic-grade materials. The most precious item was a divine-demonic-grade heavy treasure.
This gift was indeed extremely valuable.
However, was the Lord of the Nine Seas truly just here to apologize?
He had naturally investigated this ancient being. Through ancient texts and the few ancient beings he knew, he had learned much about the Lord of the Nine Seas' past deeds.
In ancient times, the Lord of the Nine Seas bore titles such as 'God of Oceans,' 'God of Storms,' 'God of Calamities,' and 'Creator of the Sea Spawn,' often unleashing devastating waves that annihilated civilizations. In the current era, the Lord of the Nine Seas now commanded the Sanctuary, an ancient faction, and had annihilated countless civilizations and races to seize treasures, intending to forge a peaceful sanctuary.
This was an ancient being who revered power and focused only on results; he did not possess such a benevolent temperament.
'Clearly, it is the power possessed by my Embers that has made this Lord of the Nine Seas wary.'
'Otherwise, given the Sanctuary's modus operandi, they would not even bother with communication before making a move.'
Two teams of Sanctuary ancient beings annihilated;
He, who had barely revealed his true strength;
Numerous Level Nine Oases, and the oasis city walls that enveloped the hundred domains;
These were likely the root of the Lord of the Nine Seas' apprehension.
However, a wary Lord of the Nine Seas had even less reason to visit. His deliberate arrival at the City of Burning Flames must have a purpose. He was coveting something.
If the Embers had not already displayed considerable strength, they would have long ago suffered annihilation, just like the Shadow Clan and other forces destroyed by the Sanctuary's ancient beings.
The Embers possessed an abundance of treasures.
An innocent man is condemned not because he is guilty, but because he possesses a treasure!
"Lord of the Nine Seas, state your purpose," Fang You sighed softly.
A genial smile still graced the Lord of the Nine Seas' face.
"Very well."
"I am here because I heard that the Embers possess a treasure that can rapidly heal injuries and purge oneself of impurities. And it's highly probable that there's more than one such treasure..."
"We wish to purchase this treasure. Sir, name your price."
"This is also for the purpose of combating the calamity of the evil gods. Surely you wouldn't refuse this small favor."
A treasure that rapidly heals injuries?
Fang You couldn't recall for a moment, and after some thought, he connected it to the Embers' Apostle Dormitory's buff effects.
But how had this information leaked?
He counted on his fingers, and a glimpse of the flowing river of time flashed in the depths of his pupils. He had merely reviewed past events, without involving top-tier powerhouses, consuming minimal energy, and completing the process quickly.
In less than an instant, he understood the reason.
It had been leaked by a VIP client.
It wasn't an intentional leak, but rather an unintentional revelation of certain details, which the Sanctuary's ancient beings later seized upon, deducing the conclusion.
It didn't matter.
From the moment he began to commercialize the rehabilitation center, he had not worried about leaks. It was precisely for this reason that he had invited the Moon Lord to experience the VIP rehabilitation services of their Embers.
But there was never a treasure for healing.
"The only healing sacred item of my Embers is the Crystal of Life. If the Lord of the Nine Seas wishes to purchase some, it's not impossible to provide a small amount."
"Furthermore, trade requires a premise: both parties must be satisfied."
As he spoke, the atmosphere immediately became considerably tense.
Some were worried, but some with less sense were eager to try.
"After all, as long as the enemy is annihilated at the fastest speed, the city won't be destroyed, right?"
The smile of the Lord of the Nine Seas faltered slightly. He narrowed his eyes.
"So, we cannot be friends?"
"That depends on whether you wish to be a friend or something else. My Embers have always been generous to friends, but if you are an enemy..."
The Lord of the Nine Seas turned his head slightly, glancing left and right.
"Humans are indeed a highly creative race, and this City of Burning Flames is a rare spectacle of prosperity. However, it is ultimately somewhat fragile, like fleeting water."
The clouds lowered significantly, obscuring the sunlight.
Vast shadows were cast upon the open space in front of the Garrison.
The wind grew increasingly tempestuous, whipping the space with a rustling sound.
Suddenly, the wind subsided, and moonlight pierced through the clouds, pure and beautiful.
All sense of killing intent seemed to vanish.
A silver-haired woman emerged from beneath the moon, radiating an unspeakable, sacred nobility.
"Stand down, Lord of the Nine Seas," she said calmly.
She knew that the Lord of the Nine Seas had grasped the Embers' weakness—the beings in the City of Burning Flames.
That black-haired human girl possessed world-level abilities, but she could seal away Gui Mian and Jiao Zun, yet she couldn't seal the Lord of the Nine Seas.
This was the opportunity for her, the Moon Lord, to repay a favor.
She had finally found a chance to cash in a favor!
A smile flickered across the Moon Lord's face, exuding a charm that dispersed the killing intent.
"Moon Lord?"
"You are no match for me. Forcing a confrontation will only exacerbate the evil god's wounds."
Despite his words, the Lord of the Nine Seas remained somewhat solemn.
He did not fear an injured Moon Lord.
Nor did he fear the mysterious Embers mentor.
But with these two together, he grew increasingly apprehensive.
Moreover, he had not truly come to engage in a large-scale battle with the Human Embers. If a fight ensued, what if he obliterated the City of Burning Flames? That would not achieve his objective!
Looking at the white-robed youth, who appeared unfazed and colder than expected, the Lord of the Nine Seas hesitated.
If it truly came to a fight, his threats would become ineffective, and he would face human powerhouses who were like mortal enemies.
His hesitation grew.
Was his mindset being manipulated by the Human Mentor?
The Lord of the Nine Seas maintained his cold smile, his thoughts racing.
Fang You's mind was also racing.
Through telepathic communication with his apostles, he had already exchanged countless words with An Jianyou and the others.
He did not hesitate.
Fight!
To repel outsiders, one must first pacify the insiders!
There are only a thousand days for a thief, but not a thousand days for the owner!
They had long harbored enmity with the Sanctuary. There was also a dominant force in the Western Ghost Realm that had been destroyed by the Sanctuary's ancient beings. In fact, he had long considered making a move, but he couldn't find the Sanctuary's base.
And now, the leader of the Sanctuary, the Lord of the Nine Seas, had personally come to their doorstep.
His law powers began to ripple subtly.
The Lord of the Nine Seas' eyes narrowed, and a magnificent materialized authority emerged from between his brows, quickly elongating into a scepter.
He hesitated.
But when it came to the actual act of striking, he was equally decisive and ruthless. He dared not, and had never underestimated this Embers mentor, nor the Moon Lord standing not far away.
Faster than him was Fang You.
"Time... Freeze!"
Just as the Moon Lord was about to materialize her lunar authority, the passage of time abruptly ceased.
She, the Embers, the Lord of the Nine Seas... the entire vast City of Burning Flames, were frozen.
All things stood still at this moment!
The Moon Lord could feel that this time-freezing power was not directed at her. Therefore, although her divine body was frozen, her mind could still operate, albeit like that of a dying elder, becoming extremely sluggish.
This sensation was excruciating.
She instinctively wanted to break free, but she restrained herself.
Her thoughts were slow, and she could only see the white-robed youth appear before the Lord of the Nine Seas, transforming his power of annihilation into a spear and piercing through heaven and earth.
In reality, Fang You's strike was far more than a single spear.
The Pavilion of Time hung high above the City of Burning Flames, showering down a long expanse of temporal light.
Vast forces of belief and world energy converged through the channels of destiny, held in his palm.
The authority of slaughter, the authority of sharpness, the authority of the underworld, the authority of destruction...
The mighty power of various authorities was augmented.
He stood on the oasis land, with the Tree of Life and the Gate of Infinity at his back, his Nirvana Holy Fire blazing and his Indestructible Furnace roaring within him.
Fang You unleashed his full power, almost without reservation.
He struck with all his might within the frozen space.
Da Mu Da Mu Da Mu Da Mu Da Mu—!
There were no dazzling energy impacts, no deafening roars. All the immense momentum was frozen by time.
Only brilliant orange lightning spears, one strike, two strikes, three strikes, landed continuously upon the Lord of the Nine Seas.
Repeated kidney strikes!
The tenth realm, the root realm, had no inherent weaknesses, but if all of one's law divine bodies were annihilated, even a tenth-realm being would perish.
Possessing several authorities and being a naturally supreme being, the Lord of the Nine Seas' law divine body was immense, in terms of 'quantity' exceeding Fang You's by more than ten times.
However, even that could not withstand his continuous, thunderous piercing.
After about a few moments, the time-stopping power that enveloped heaven and earth could no longer be sustained.
The stagnant time began to flow again.
The Lord of the Nine Seas' robes on his body suddenly disintegrated into dust, and countless xuyên-through wounds appeared, flashing with terrifying lightning, from which divine blood surged forth.
Concurrently, the severe injuries caused the Lord of the Nine Seas to instinctively revert to his original form.
A nine-headed giant serpent, towering between heaven and earth, appearing larger than the City of Burning Flames, would emerge in the next moment.
That would crush the entire city.
"Small."
Fang You spread his five fingers and gently closed them towards the center.
Space folded and collapsed, shrinking inwards like a vortex, along with the shattered, towering body of the Lord of the Nine Seas.
In the distorted streets, the massive creature, dozens of meters tall, let out a low groan.
Under the frozen time, the shockwaves and torrents of law generated by countless lightning strikes also spread and permeated at this moment.
But before the torrents could fully diffuse, tens of thousands of heroic souls arrayed themselves in defense.
They raised their shields in unison, forming a high wall like the barrier of the world.
Simultaneously, a domain of the underworld rapidly expanded, encompassing the exploration space and the surrounding area.
All of this happened in an instant.
The four ancient beings, who had just regained their senses, faced a pair of illusory eyes before they could hastily strike.
Golden tears of blood streamed from Qian Qiu's eyes.
The four ancient beings became disoriented.
Yin Luoxi, Xing Jinglei, Liu Feng, and others swiftly attacked.
Deep within the underworld, the Lord of the Nine Seas, his divine body severely damaged, with seven of his nine majestic heads missing, let out an angry, terrified roar.
The roar abruptly ceased.
Fang You, wielding the spear of causality and destiny, descended, delivering a strike that pierced through destiny.
The Lord of the Nine Seas, who had just broken free from the shackles of time and recovered from his daze, watched as the unwillingness in his eyes gradually extinguished. His remaining divine body transformed into specks of light of law, scattering in all directions.
At the final moment of his demise, he only managed to spawn a thought: Why did I... seek my own death.
The four ancient beings, who were also momentarily stunned by Qian Qiu's strong control, were also swiftly slain.
And at this moment,
At the edge of the underworld, the Moon Lord, who had just materialized her authority and was about to offer assistance, awkwardly lowered her hand again.
Her face was etched with bewilderment.