A towering silver-blue figure stood firm in the shattered region of chaos, though its divine soul and will had dimmed by nearly twenty percent. Anger, fear, and shock radiated from its aura. Guta and its companion stood even further away, their auras even weaker. Their confrontation and words left every powerhouse from the great civilizations across the Ancient Battlefield tense and uncertain. No one knew whom to believe.

The Heavenly Punishment Race had once been the mightiest civilization on the Ancient Battlefield, guarding the region closest to the seventh layer for over a million years. They never interfered with external affairs, unless provoked. When they did act, it always ended in annihilation. Under usual circumstances, everyone should have trusted Guta and its companion; after all, they had known them for countless years.

But the silver-blue undying being, one who had descended from the seventh layer itself, had chosen to abandon its undying true form just to flee downward. In such a situation, its words clearly carried more weight.

The Nine Hells the two had mentioned was not unfamiliar; records of it existed among all nine peak civilizations, including the human race. A million years ago, two eternal-level colossal beasts had clashed in a battle so terrifying that both had been left grievously wounded. The power unleashed by their duel had torn through Supreme Chaos itself, creating what was now known as the Ancient Battlefield.

When those two eternal colossal beasts fell into deep slumber, the site of their battle drew countless alien races and chaotic beasts. It contained the remnants of their shattered bodies, traces of dissipating eternal qi, and leaks of purest energy from the Supreme Chaos.

These were useless scraps to eternal beings, but each fragment was a priceless treasure to primordial beings. Yet just as countless beings gathered to claim these spoils, a cataclysm erupted, an all-devouring calamity known as the Nine Hells Catastrophe.

The Nine Hells was said to be an existence akin to the supreme planes, yet infinitely more dreadful. It lay deep within the endless void, where every creature was unimaginably strong. What made the creatures of the Nine Hells truly terrifying was the Nine Hells Qi that emanated from them, an energy even more corruptive than the void itself. It was a power of death that corroded all life. It twisted everything it touched, turning the living into abominations caught between life and death.

That catastrophe had devoured nearly all life within the Ancient Battlefield. Whether it was true spirits, primordial beings, Primordial Sovereigns, or even undying beings, only those who happened to be outside the eruption zone survived.

Those survivors then spread the tale of what they had witnessed. Thus, in the wake of the Nine Hells' terror, no one dared approach the battlefield again. It took tens of thousands of years before the lingering Nine Hells power dissipated, and only then did a few bold souls venture in once more.

As eras passed, nearly a million years went by, and the Nine Hells became little more than legend. The civilizations that had once explored it perished one after another, some destroyed by war, some by internal strife. Others simply vanished without a trace.

Only one civilization endured for nearly a million years, the Heavenly Punishment Race.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Figures began to appear across the chaotic void, each emanating the terrifying auras of Primordial Sovereigns, Primordial Emperors, and Primordial Supremes. They surrounded Guta and the silver-blue being.

Aside from the Eternal Heavenly Gods of the Golden Divine Race, who had fought the True Reincarnation Emperor and were now suppressed by Chen Chu and the Dragon Emperor, the other five peak civilizations had all arrived, along with thirty-six Primordial Monarchs from top-tier civilizations.

This matter concerned the Nine Hells and the secrets beyond the seventh layer. None of them could stay uninvolved; they had to uncover the truth. The appearance of five Primordial Supremes, seven Primordial Emperors, nearly twenty Primordial Sovereigns, and countless primordial beings released an oppressive might that even made the undying being's expression harden slightly.

Even in its prime, it would struggle to withstand such power if they fought to the death, let alone now, wounded as it was.

Then, a cold and indifferent voice echoed through the void, each syllable carrying an invisible weight of authority, "How can you prove the other side is lying?"

Time and space twisted as the voice rang out. Chen Chu and the True Radiant Sky Emperor appeared. The air seemed to grow heavy. Even the silver-blue figure's eyes filled with wariness and disbelief. It felt a pressure no less than what it had known at the height of its power from the one crowned in black with a radiant light wheel turning behind him.

Impossible!

The aura he exudes is clearly only at the Sixth Primordial Heaven. Even if he has reached the perfected stage, he should not be this overwhelmingly strong. How terrifying!

Even the mighty Heavenly Flame Divine Race's Primordial Supreme and other top beings felt their hearts tremble when they sensed Chen Chu's oppressive presence from up close. It felt as though they were standing before an Eternal being.

Is he really Heng?

No, his aura is different. The presence of that man from the past was more domineering and forceful.

Doubt rippled through the assembled peak civilizations. Today's chaos and conflicting revelations had left everyone uncertain.

Even Guta and its companion exchanged grave looks. Chen Chu's pressure in person was completely different from what they had perceived through divine abilities from afar. His strength now was enough to suppress them outright.

A storm of thoughts surged through Guta's mind. Its face hardened as it spoke solemnly, "We all know the deepest part of the Ancient Battlefield connects to the Supreme Chaos. We also know that the Nine Hells Catastrophe of that era was caused by a monstrous entity drawn forth by the power of the Supreme Chaos itself."

"But the Nine Hells cannot merge with this world. Whenever it appears, the will of the Sea of Chaos suppresses it. Thus, that monster was quickly expelled. Yet the creature was too powerful. Even now, remnants of its strength linger above the seventh layer."

"Back then, an immortal who had reached the Eighth Primordial Heaven ventured deep into the battlefield. When he left, he sealed that place and ordered us, who were then only at the primordial star level, to guard it. That immortal warned that the Nine Hells was too dangerous. Unless one possessed an undying body, touching it meant certain death and would bring another great calamity."

Guta continued with a trace of regret, "Our duty since then has been to prevent any being tainted with the aura of the Nine Hells from descending, even those at the undying level. To aid us, that immortal bestowed two strands of decree power strong enough to resist an undying being. Unfortunately, after all these years, most of that power has been spent. It can no longer cross realms."

It then looked gravely at Chen Chu. "The proof you seek is simple. It accuses us of being tendrils of the Nine Hells, does it not? Then let it reveal its soul essence alongside mine. If it has been tainted by the aura of the Nine Hells, its very life essence is already twisted, and that cannot be hidden."

True Radiant Sky Emperor and the others exchanged glances and nodded slightly, agreeing to the proposal. Whether it was a transcendent powerhouse, a divine object, or a primordial being, power, aura, appearance, and even the soul could all be altered.

Yet one's soul essence could never be concealed. That was the truest essence of life itself, representing everything, including one's hidden true name. Thus, Chen Chu said nothing and simply looked at the towering silver-blue figure.

The undying being smiled coldly. "You all released that overwhelming power earlier. Though you hid it well, I still sensed the aura of the Nine Hells within it. Since you are unafraid to reveal your original forms, do you think I would be?"

The undying being was utterly decisive. Facing Chen Chu, whose power rivaled its own peak, and knowing it could not easily escape, it revealed its soul essence without hesitation.

The chest of its colossal, ten-million-kilometer projection split apart, forming a hollow hundreds of thousands of kilometers wide. Blue starlight swirled like a nebula around the hollow, encasing an immense ice-blue figure that stood ten thousand kilometers tall, its form somewhat resembling that of the undying being itself.

The instant the crowd saw that ice-blue figure, a name surfaced in everyone's mind.

Luo Jia. That was the undying being's true name. Yet half of its essence had already been covered in a grayish-black energy. One side of its face was grotesquely distorted, sprouting writhing black tendrils like strands of hair.

The other half of its body was completely inverted. Its legs extended up to its shoulders, splitting open like an eight-petaled flower, revealing black flesh filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its ribs protruded outward, and countless blood worms, slithering along the bones or weaving through its energy-forged organs. crawled through the torn flesh between them.

Its hands, which had become feet, bore twisted human faces on both sides of the palms—faces that struggled and writhed, their hollow eyes staring blankly at the onlookers. The sight sent a cold shiver down every spine.

Many alien powerhouses felt their scalps tingle in horror. Nine Hells Qi was far too terrifying. Even an undying being could not resist it; it eroded life and twisted souls.

The True Radiant Sky Emperor's expression grew grave as she whispered to Chen Chu, "That truly is Nine Hells Qi. This is troublesome. Once it is completely eroded, it will fall under the control of the Nine Hells' power. If that happens and it summons a Nine Hells creature to descend, every civilization nearby will be caught in the disaster."

Luo Jia's cold gaze turned toward Guta and its companion, its deep voice echoing across the void. "You wanted to prove your innocence? I have already revealed my essence. Now it's your turn."

Guta's eyes were calm. "What is there to fear?"

It exchanged a brief look with Gudo, whose body was already half-ruined, and both nodded slightly.

Pshhh!

Their chests burst open, forming two vast hollows ten thousand kilometers across. White blood mist swirled around them, encircling two pale phantom figures. Their essence forms differed greatly from their current white-haired, human-like appearances.

They sat cross-legged like humans, yet their heads were white dragon heads without horns. The white manes upon them floated gently without wind, giving off an otherworldly aura. As the two figures appeared, the true names Yun and Teng surfaced in everyone's minds.

Unlike Luo Jia's corrupted essence, Guta and Gudo's essence appeared faint and transparent from their wounds, yet they remained perfectly normal.

"Impossible!" Luo Jia stared in disbelief, its face contorting with shock.

At its level of cultivation, it could not be mistaken. The attack that had wounded its divine soul and will earlier had contained the power of the Nine Hells. Otherwise, how could a mere Sixth-Primordial-heaven force erase twenty percent of its divine soul will in one strike?

And yet, the soul essences of Guta and Gudo showed no trace of Nine Hells corruption. They were untouched by a power that even an undying being could not resist.

"Everyone, this should prove that we spoke no lies," Guta said, its calm gaze sweeping across the gathered powerhouses.

The massive figure wreathed in red primordial flame nodded slowly. "I believe Guta's words. That undying being has been tainted by the Nine Hells. It cannot be allowed to leave."

The Heavenly Silver-Winged Ant Primordial Supreme spoke gravely. "We cannot let the Nine Hells Qi spread any further."

Other alien beings also nodded, their figures shifting as they surrounded the silver-blue giant, preparing to strike together and suppress it. With both sides having revealed their soul essences, most were now convinced of Guta's honesty.

However, Nine Hells Qi was still too dangerous. Among them, only Chen Chu and the terrifying Dragon Emperor possessed the strength to resist or handle it. Instinctively, all eyes turned in the humans' direction.

Chen Chu stood unmoving, not joining the encirclement. He simply examined Luo Jia's essence form, his eyes calm and thoughtful. That gray-black power was indeed dreadful and capable of eroding even an undying being, but its threat to him was not as great as it seemed.

Because at its core, that power shared the same essence as the void itself. Having awakened the Double Void Pupil, mastered the principle of the void, and undergone repeated evolutions and transformations, Chen Chu's true form had long since partially merged with the void.

Thus, he cared little for the Nine Hells Qi corroding Luo Jia's form. What caught his interest was what lay beyond it.

Under countless gazes, Chen Chu spoke evenly. "Can you tell me what lies above?"

Above.

The silver-blue figure paused, glancing around at the wary aliens that surrounded it. Fear flickered across its face as it spoke in a low, trembling voice. "Above is a graveyard, a burial ground for more than a dozen undying beings."

"When we went up there long ago, we were all suppressed by the Nine Hells creature that dwells there. Our true forms were turned into its nourishment, and buried beneath the black soil of its tomb. I did not lie. The place above is not connected to the Supreme Chaos as you believe, but to the Nine Hells itself. There is no so-called eighth or ninth layer."

"Perhaps the rift that once pierced the Supreme Chaos has long since been repaired, leaving only a colossal rift leading to the Nine Hells, along with the creature that—"

Before Luo Jia could finish, Guta interrupted urgently, "Divine Might Supreme, do not believe it. It has already been corrupted by the Nine Hells, its mind is in chaos—"

Before it could finish, Chen Chu's brow lifted slightly and he clenched his right fist.

Boom!

Chaos exploded in an instant as the heavens and earth shattered. A void tens of millions of kilometers wide erupted around Guta and Gudo. Under the absolute destructive power of the supreme divine ability, Vacuum Annihilation, their already-wounded true forms disintegrated completely, bursting apart in a blinding explosion.

"Divine Might, what are you doing!?" A furious roar shook the chaos as two white thunderbolts exploded and reformed into the figures of Guta and its companion far away.

However, their auras had grown even weaker. Both looked at Chen Chu in anger and disbelief, unable to understand why he had suddenly attacked them. Even the Heavenly Silver-Winged Ant Primordial Supreme and the others were stunned, their brows furrowing in confusion.

The True Radiant Sky Emperor, too, was surprised, her eyes filled with puzzlement as she turned toward Chen Chu.

Standing tall in the void, Chen Chu's expression remained cold and detached. "It's simple. I don't believe either of you."

For someone like Chen Chu, who possessed the Insightful Eye and had refined that ability to the highest level, the soul essences of Guta and its companion indeed appeared untainted. Yet he had distinctly sensed a faint sense of dissonance as they spoke.

Likewise, when Luo Jia spoke, he felt the same thing. Clearly, neither side was telling the whole truth, or perhaps mixed truth and falsehood so carefully that it was impossible to distinguish which was which.

But that was irrelevant. What mattered were the dozens of undying corpses lying above. Those corpses, which even the terrifying Nine Hells creature had failed to fully devour after a million years, would serve as extraordinary nourishment for the Dragon Emperor.

Moreover, the Nine Hells creature itself would be an excellent meal.

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