On a quasi-Supreme's turf, Lin Moyu spoke so brazenly not because he was reckless, but because he had ample backing.
The Nine-Suns Venerable's expression turned cold. "Do you realize you are already the Enemy of Heaven and Earth?"
Lin Moyu said, "Why ask what you already know? You know exactly how I became the Enemy of Heaven and Earth."
The Nine-Suns Venerable seemed to recall what happened that day. His face changed. "You did it on purpose."
"Not stupid," Lin Moyu said. "Kill me and maybe you can prove the Dao. Want to try? Go on—try."
Hesitation flashed in the Nine-Suns Venerable's eyes. He truly couldn't see through Lin Moyu's depths. This fellow who looked only like a Chaos Realm Perfect was far stronger than that realm implied; killing him would not be easy. Yet if he didn't act, who knew how many more would die? As a quasi-Supreme of the East Extremity, he knew how vital the Sea of Fire's beings were—the bedrock of the East. Many natives of the East are born from the Sea of Fire itself. If the Sea's denizens were slaughtered, the East would suffer grievously.
Block him, or not?
He wanted to stop Lin Moyu, yet did not dare move—greatly torn.
Golden flames surged; someone arrived at the Nine-Suns Venerable's side—the quasi-Supreme earlier driven off by the Wildshade Broodmother. He was the Goldfire Venerable, one of the East Extremity's quasi-Supremes. In the East, besides the September Supreme, there were three quasi-Supremes: the Nine-Suns Venerable, the Goldfire Venerable, and the Soul-Burning Venerable.
In a low voice he said, "Nine-Suns, let's join hands against him."
Nine-Suns gave no answer—neither agreeing nor refusing.
Lin Moyu ignored them and continued searching the Sea of Fire for the passage. At the same time he said, "I'll give you ten breaths. Think it through."
For a Chaos Realm Perfect to talk to quasi-Supremes like this was sheer insolence. Both quasi-Supremes burned with anger, yet did not dare bark back. Lin Moyu had his own confidence; since he dared say it, he could do it.
The Nine-Suns Venerable suddenly asked, "What are you here to do?"
He nursed a thought: may Lin Moyu finish quickly and get out.
Lin Moyu paused. "Right—you know this place well. Do me a favor: is there a passage here? Likely very well hidden, its entrance sealed."
"How do you know that?" the Nine-Suns Venerable blurted. This secret was known to only three in the East Extremity: the two of them and his sister, the September Supreme—no fourth person. How could Lin Moyu know?
"So you do know," Lin Moyu said. "I'm here to find that passage. Take me there. Saves me effort, and fewer of yours will die."
"Impossible," the Nine-Suns Venerable snapped, brooking no negotiation.
"So clean a refusal—seems there's nothing to discuss. Fine, I'll search slowly. If I have to trample every inch of the Sea of Fire I'll find it. When this place becomes a dead land, don't blame me."
The Nine-Suns Venerable's face grew uglier; killing intent surged, his eyes reddening as if he would strike at any moment. Lin Moyu didn't care, continuing his search step by step. The pagoda in his hand did not glow—the passage was not here.
Ten breaths passed quickly. In the end the Nine-Suns Venerable still didn't move; nor did the Goldfire Venerable dare act rashly. But their inaction didn't mean Lin Moyu would stay his hand.
"Time's up," Lin Moyu said softly. "Since you won't leave, I'll just see you off."
A thought—and the Wildshade Broodmother struck. Its attacks pierced timespace, appearing before the pair in an instant. Though prepared, the two's counterattacks had little effect. Flame armor sprang up on both their bodies as they each brought out a treasure. Facing the thousand-blade storm of the Broodmother's feet slashing from all directions, they unleashed streams of attacks.
The attacks passed through the stabbing feet as if they weren't there; the limbs seemed to be right before their eyes, yet were in other timespaces—returning to real space only at the final instant of contact. The two quasi-Supremes' strikes were useless; they could not affect the Broodmother at all. The blade-feet slipped through the flames and landed on their bodies. Firelight towered as both were blown away. Their flame armor had astonishing defense, blocking the Broodmother's blow; only tiny fissures appeared—and, under the fire's glow, quickly knit shut.
"It's Wildshade Insects—wielding timespace," the Nine-Suns Venerable shouted. "I'll pin it down—you go kill that man!"
"Alright!" The Goldfire Venerable answered, his form exploding into flame and plunging into the Sea of Fire, vanishing.
The Nine-Suns Venerable produced a barrel-shaped artifact and hung it upside-down in the air. "Fire Prison!"
With his roar, the Sea of Fire heaved, corralling a vast swath of void; time and space were locked, sealing the region with the Wildshade Broodmother inside—trapped for the moment. Not for long—at most a few breaths. But to a quasi-Supreme, a few breaths can do much.
While the Broodmother was confined, the Goldfire Venerable traversed the Sea, re-forming before Lin Moyu in an instant. Kill Lin Moyu, and it would all end—and as the Enemy of Heaven and Earth, Lin Moyu was his chance to ascend. Excitement, greed, and hunger for power burned in his eyes. He raised his treasure, pouring out flame—an all-out strike. Quasi-Supreme power shook Heaven and Earth, shattering the void.
Lin Moyu's gaze was icy. "Clever of Nine-Suns—to send you to your death."
The words made the Goldfire Venerable feel a twinge of dread, but the arrow was already loosed—no turning back.
Lin Moyu neither moved nor countered; he didn't even pause his steps, letting the attack fall upon him. A quasi-Supreme's strike—enough to grievously wound even a Supreme—would erase a Chaos Realm Perfect in an instant. Flame engulfed Lin Moyu; countless bestial forms and weapons wrought of fire hammered him, intent on pulverizing him. Yet he remained unscathed, bearing it all with his flesh alone. He had wanted to test the Heaven-and-Earth Domain's effect but couldn't activate it.
The Goldfire Venerable's face changed drastically. "Impossible!"
A trace of disappointment crossed Lin Moyu's eyes. "Your power is too weak. Since I can't test the Heaven-and-Earth Domain, I'll test another art—Utmost Undying."
He drew on the Technique Domain, his domains, and the power of Yushen Heaven and Earth; an immense flood of force poured onto him. Lin Moyu's aura surged; a vast might welled up inside and swept through his body. He felt himself greatly strengthened—though to what degree, even he wasn't sure. It seemed he had surpassed the Supreme limit—yet perhaps not fully.
In that instant, his body and soul entered an undying, indestructible state: no matter how great the force, he could endure.
Without further ado he punched at the Goldfire Venerable. A colossal fist manifested over the Sea of Fire, blasting a yawning hole through it; wherever the fist-force passed, flames snuffed out. Before the fist landed, a soul-attack arrived first—the Goldfire Venerable shrieked as his soul was jolted. Though not gravely wounded, he blanked for a heartbeat. That heartbeat was fatal. Lin Moyu's heavy punch, bearing unimaginable might, slammed into him. The quasi-Supreme's formidable body was like tofu, collapsing on the spot—meat scraps spraying through the void and dropping into the Sea.
The great fist smashed the Goldfire Venerable and plowed on into the Sea, heaving waves of flame; the entire Sea of Fire trembled. The force of Lin Moyu's punch had already exceeded a Supreme's.
Above the Sea, a peculiar flame flickered restlessly; within it a half-ruined phantom appeared—the Goldfire Venerable's soul, face contorted in terror. That mighty body of his had proven so flimsy; his flesh destroyed, his soul heavily wounded—without luck he would already be dead.
"W-what realm are you?" he almost screamed. Even a Supreme couldn't cripple him with one blow. Lin Moyu clearly looked like a Chaos Realm Perfect—how could his power be so monstrous?
Lin Moyu wasted no words—he punched again. The Goldfire Venerable screamed and dove into the Sea, fleeing at top speed. Lin Moyu's fist chased into the Sea once more, throwing it into upheaval. Two or three more like that and this Sea of Fire, which had existed for countless years, might be extinguished by Lin Moyu then and there. Whether the Goldfire Venerable survived his fist depended on luck now.
After that punch, Lin Moyu ignored him and looked toward the distant Nine-Suns Venerable. Nine-Suns let out a strangled cry and likewise plunged into the Sea, vanishing along with his nine suns. He fled too—and fast. His eyes were full of dread. He'd known Lin Moyu was strong, but not this strong. To become the Enemy of Heaven and Earth, one's strength truly defied imagination. After all, that title isn't something anyone can just take. In Heaven and Earth's eyes, all beings are ants; even Supremes are just bigger ants. To become the Enemy of Heaven and Earth, you must break Heaven's bottom line, repeatedly provoke it, draw down the rules' severe punishments, and satisfy harsh conditions. Even he—or other Supremes—would find it hard to do. Thus Lin Moyu's ascension to that status was proof of tremendous power—just not to this degree, he'd thought. A near one-punch execution of a quasi-Supreme—face such an existence and if he didn't run, he'd die.
Hands clasped behind his back, Lin Moyu watched the Nine-Suns Venerable flee. He neither pursued nor sent the freed Wildshade Broodmother to chase.
"Not slow…but where can you run?"
From Nine-Suns' reaction, Lin Moyu already knew the passage truly lay within the Sea of Fire—and his refusal to trade proved the passage was critical to them. Why would a spatial passage matter so much? Intriguing. What lay beyond it? If he guessed right, the September Supreme should be right by the passage. In that case, he only needed to find her.
Lin Moyu thought of a simpler method: rather than groping aimlessly for the passage, just locate the September Supreme. A Supreme's soul is dazzling—easy to find.
"There's an even simpler method," said the Primal Chaos Gem. "Master, just smash this Sea of Fire. I feel it won't withstand more than a few punches."
Lin Moyu chuckled. "What if—"
He broke off as his body and soul shattered together. Violet light flashed; Lin Moyu instantly renewed himself.
"Shatter." The Utmost Undying's undying effect had timed out; the immense power overshot the limit, causing simultaneous collapse of body and soul. Lin Moyu knew his last punch had exceeded the Supreme level, brushing the next tier. Still far from a true Paramount, of course—but trading blows with the Calamity Supreme or the Dao should be no problem. Moreover, he could be reborn again and again, each rebirth letting him invoke Utmost Undying once more. Against the Calamity Supreme or Dao, he might not win, but he could keep from losing. That was enough.
He sighed. "My body and soul still aren't strong enough. Time to find a proper place and die a few tens of thousands more times."
"This place won't be easy to find," said the Primal Chaos Gem.
"There'll be a way." Lin Moyu returned to the point. "Smashing the Sea isn't hard. I'm worried that if I do, the passage could suffer—entrance broken, interior damaged, position shifted, and so on. Better to find it the ordinary way."
"Fair," said the Primal Chaos Gem. "Won't take long anyway."
"Very soon," Lin Moyu smiled. "I think I've already found it."
His gaze pierced layers of flame to a far-distant point—at a blazing soul-fire. It was at least tens of billions of li away: a soul-flame of Supreme grade, far brighter than the Sea itself. That could only be the September Supreme. Tens of billions of li was not far to a Supreme. The fighting here had been fierce, yet she hadn't reacted at all—that was strange. She must be busy with something, unable to break away.
Another, slightly dimmer soul-fire appeared at her side—the Nine-Suns Venerable. He had fled to his sister. Then a damaged soul-fire arrived—the Goldfire Venerable, lucky to have escaped and now lingering on.
Those three flames pointed Lin Moyu the way. He flew straight through the Sea. With a clear target he moved fast; the raw power of his flesh rolled out, and the Sea parted to either side, opening a path. At that moment, the Sea of Fire was suppressed by his aura; it hadn't been able to harm him before—now it couldn't even touch him.
In a span of mere moments he crossed tens of billions of li and saw the three. The Goldfire Venerable was a mere remnant soul. Seeing Lin Moyu, he shrieked, "How did you find this place so fast?!"
The Nine-Suns Venerable looked wretched—he hadn't expected Lin Moyu to locate them so quickly. This was the Sea of Fire; flames on all sides; soul-sensing was suppressed. For Lin Moyu to find this spot should have taken time. They never imagined he could lock on a soul through the blaze—and from that, lock onto them.
The nine suns rose again. At this point there was no avoiding it—only battle.
Lin Moyu ignored them and glanced at the pagoda in his hand. It was glowing now—clearly he was near the passage. Yet there was no trace of a passage here. His gaze swept the scene and settled behind the Nine-Suns Venerable. There, a woman sat cross-legged within the flames, nine moons rising and sinking around her, full and crescent, each different.
"September Supreme," Lin Moyu murmured.
He still couldn't see the passage, yet he could be certain it was here. His gaze, like a blade, searched the surroundings and finally returned to the September Supreme.
The passage was right beneath where she sat. The flames and the nine moons concealed its existence.