The Land of Reincarnation.
What was once somewhat eerie and deathly silent has now become incomparably chaotic.
The remnants of the Primordial Beings from the first three layers were the first to break out. These were the descendants of the Primordial Beings suppressed by the Dao Ancestor; each possessed an extraordinary Bloodline. Having spent eternal ages there, they had even grown accustomed to the environment of the Reincarnation Purgatory. As for those who hadn't, they had naturally been eliminated long ago.
Now seeing the light of day again, every one of them was incredibly excited.
They had no way of knowing information from the outside world. Most of these beings felt they were still peerlessly powerful, believing that as long as they could get out, they could reclaim their status as primeval overlords.
Because of this, they had no intention of hiding in the Land of Reincarnation, but instead planned to head toward the legendary, beautiful, and fertile Immortal Realm.
The Underworld.
"The seal is broken!"
Su Ming clearly felt the majestic aura appearing from deep within the Land of Reincarnation.
Even the Nether Lord couldn't help but frown, saying:
"Has that old man Tianyuan lost his mind?"
Speaking of which, he had collaborated with the other party a few times before.
But he hadn't expected him to be so decisive—even more crazed than himself.
"It seems the relationship between the Tianyuan Old Ancestor and the Demon Ancestor is likely far beyond our imagination," Su Ming remarked calmly, having discerned something.
"We can only watch from the sidelines for now."
Facing this power, the Nether Lord decisively chose to withdraw into his shell.
If the sky falls, the tall ones must hold it up—this was a truth he had realized over the years.
Hearing this, Su Ming slowly shook his head and looked at the Nether Lord, his voice calm:
"Withdrawing now is likely not the best plan; in fact, it is a path to disaster."
The Nether Lord turned to Su Ming with a scrutinizing look:
"Oh? That old ghost Tianyuan, together with the Demon Ancestor, has pried at the very Foundation of the Reincarnation Purgatory this time. They've released not only Vicious Demons but also terrifying existences like the 'Lord of Ten Thousand Voids,' whom even an Immortal Ancestor must treat with solemnity.
Though our Underworld has been built up over many years, facing such a calamity that sweeps through the heavens, forcibly sticking our necks out would be no different from a mantis trying to stop a carriage.
The steady path is to preserve our strength, hold fast to the root of Reincarnation, and wait for the storm to pass before planning a recovery."
"The principle of preservation that Senior speaks of is indeed the conventional path."
Su Ming bowed slightly to show his respect to the Nether Lord.
However, Su Ming's tone became increasingly clear and firm:
"Yet this calamity is different from those of the past. The Demon Ancestor has been plotting for eternal ages, not for a momentary disturbance, but with the intent to overturn the Immortal Realm.
The Tianyuan Old Ancestor is willing to be the vanguard because he seeks something immense. Their goal is likely the authority over the entire Reincarnation, which is one of the Foundations for the operation of the Immortal Realm. In their eyes, the Underworld is likely a thorn in their side."
He paused, and seeing the Nether Lord listening in silence, he continued:
"Imagine, if we merely hold our ground and watch the Heavenly Court and the Demon Race exhaust themselves in battle, no matter who eventually wins, what situation will our Underworld be in once the dust settles?"
"If the Demon Ancestor gains power and the authority of Reincarnation falls entirely into his hands, Senior and the gods of the Underworld will either have to submit as slaves or be turned into nourishment for his devouring of the Dao. There would be no chance of survival.
And the first person the Tianyuan Old Ancestor would want to eliminate is you, his 'old acquaintance'."
"If the Heavenly Court wins and repels the Demon Ancestor, they will also move to seize the authority of Reincarnation at that time."
An eerie light flickered in the Nether Lord's eyes; Su Ming's words had clearly struck a chord.
It wasn't that he couldn't see the situation clearly, but rather the caution bred over long years and his pride in his own Foundation had made him subconsciously choose the most conservative strategy.
Observing the Nether Lord's expression and knowing his mind was swayed, Su Ming threw out his most crucial suggestion, his tone carrying an unquestionable certainty:
"Senior, the only superior move to break the current deadlock is to go with the flow and clarify our stance.
Siding with the Demon Ancestor is no different from plotting with a tiger. Siding with the Heavenly Court involves too many internal factions, and there are also Righteous Gods of the Netherworld competing for power with you.
In my view, it is better to take the initiative to join the Xuantian Dao Palace and follow my Senior Brother, the Xuantian Dao Venerable!"
Su Ming then spoke at length about the many benefits involved.
After all, Han Xuanji did not crave the power of the Immortal Realm and was essentially a hands-off manager, and there were currently no Disciples within the Dao Palace with the strength to control the authority of Reincarnation.
"My Senior Brother is broad-minded and his heart is set on the Great Dao. Following him is not just for the sake of undergoing the tribulation, but for the long-term path. The lineage of the Underworld can also integrate into a broader landscape, no longer confined to a corner of the dark Netherworld."
Having finished, Su Ming waited quietly for the Nether Lord's decision.
He believed that with the Nether Lord's wisdom, he would make the right choice given such clear pros and cons.
The Nether Lord remained silent for a long time, as if an intense weighing of options was occurring within his heart.
Finally, he let out a long sigh, and the eerie light in his eyes settled into a look of resolve:
"Little fellow... every word you said is reasonable and hits the mark.
It was I who was blinded by the experiences of these endless years, thinking only of preservation while forgetting that in the face of such a world-shaking change, without strength, one is nothing."
He slowly rose from his seat, his previously somewhat hunched figure straightening a bit, exuding the decisive aura belonging to a Dominator of a region:
"So be it! Since the calamity is unavoidable, rather than waiting for death or becoming a pawn, I might as well bet the billion-year Foundation of the Underworld and place my trust in the Xuantian Dao Venerable."
Seeing the Nether Lord agree, a heavy stone fell from Su Ming's heart.
At the same time, he felt a bit moved. He actually knew that the Nether Lord had always harbored great ambitions and wanted to carve out a career in the Immortal Realm.
With the current great tribulation, if the Immortals and Demons both suffered losses, and he played both sides, he might have actually been able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and establish himself as the hegemon of the Netherworld.
That he was convinced so easily was partly due to Han Xuanji's unparalleled prestige, and partly because the Nether Lord truly regarded Su Ming as one of his own—a relationship akin to being both teacher and friend, or even family.
"Hehe, I can be considered to have recruited a great general for Senior Brother."
Su Ming was overjoyed in his heart.
His own strength was low, but the Nether Lord was at least a powerhouse at the Peak of Primordial Chaos. With the Xuantian Dao Palace gaining such a powerful expert, along with the numerous masters of the Underworld, it constituted an extremely strong external force.
When the time comes, they can also contribute to Senior Brother's great hegemony!
Han Xuanji was completely unaware of this, not knowing that Su Ming had already recruited a whole faction for him.
Even less did he understand what 'great hegemony' he was supposed to have.
...Meanwhile.
Outside, above the Nether Sea.
"I wonder how that person will react? Will he take action?"
More people turned their hopeful gazes toward the Thirty-Three Heavens.
Han Xuanji's feat of defeating the Lord of Greed and intimidating the Demon Ancestor had long since spread throughout the Immortal Realm. In the hearts of many, he was already an existence like a stabilizing pillar.
It was no exaggeration to say that in the hearts of many Cultivators in the Immortal Realm, Han Xuanji's strength was even above that of the Celestial Emperor.
And now, all the somewhat famous factions in the Immortal Realm had arrived, such as Lu Fan's Myriad Manifestations Divine Dynasty.
As the current Lord of the Human Race, Lu Fan's presence was immense.
He had likewise used the heritage of the Human Race to achieve the Primordial Chaos rank, and his prestige was enormous.
Unlike in the simulations, with Han Xuanji as his backer, the Celestial Emperor naturally would not move to seize Lu Fan's position as the Human Emperor.
Furthermore, the great powers of the Human Race collectively stood by Lu Fan, opening all doors for him.
Even if you were some eternal family or supreme Holy Land, you had to submit to the Myriad Manifestations Divine Dynasty.
This was the momentum of a single person!
Lu Fan was currently wearing the Human Emperor Armor and holding the Human Emperor Sword, his aura peerless.
Suddenly, a smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
"Look! Those are the Disciples of the Xuantian Dao Palace!"
At this tense moment when the clouds of war gathered over the Nether Sea, a terrifying aura suddenly appeared from the direction beyond the heavens, instantly attracting countless gazes.