Long before the Golden Tribe sent their plea for aid, Eternal Life had already detected the turmoil erupting within the Flower Forest Forbidden Zone.
Bing Sai Chuan was stationed at the heart of Eternal Life.
He convened a discussion with Medicine Emperor, several Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals from the Eight Extremes, and other members.
"A forbidden zone going berserk is no small matter. We cannot ignore it."
"In my opinion, we must first investigate the cause behind the disturbance!"
"Perhaps it has to do with the Sun's extinction and the formation of the Nether Heaven. With the Light Path in decline and the Dark Path surging, the Flower Forest Forbidden Zone—which already harbors a dense concentration of Dark Path Dao Marks—has been thrown into chaos."
After a brief discussion, Bing Sai Chuan personally departed to investigate the forbidden zone, while the others remained behind to hold Eternal Life.
The reasoning was simple: Bing Sai Chuan commanded a Time Path killer move capable of tracing events back to their source, allowing him to witness the truth of what had transpired in the past.
The aperture gateway of Eternal Life swung wide open. Bing Sai Chuan's body shot forth like a streak of frigid light, plummeting downward toward the Flower Forest Forbidden Zone.
Unbeknownst to him, Zuo Ye Hui had long since concealed himself within the Nether Heaven, lurking near the very gateway of Eternal Life's aperture.
He watched the portal open and close, remaining perfectly still.
An open gateway was indeed an excellent opportunity to enter or exit the grotto-heaven, but it also attracted tremendous attention. Even with Zuo Ye Hui's concealment methods, such an action was ill-advised.
Every time an aperture gateway opened, the Gu Immortals inside became most vigilant. If Zuo Ye Hui tried to slip through at that moment, he would be practically volunteering to expose himself—courting disaster while showing contempt for Bing Sai Chuan.
Zuo Ye Hui had no interest in a direct confrontation.
Though he was an illustrious Ancient Legend, when measured against Eternal Life or Giant Sun Immortal Venerable, he amounted to nothing.
From the very start, he had never entertained the notion of barging in by force to rescue You Tian Guang.
A rescue was a delicate operation. Brute force would easily backfire and get him killed in the process.
Zuo Ye Hui continued to conceal his form, gradually channeling his killer move.
"This opportunity is once in a lifetime. Giant Sun Immortal Venerable is locked in battle with three other Venerables and cannot spare attention elsewhere. The Flower Forest Forbidden Zone has also drawn out an Eighth Transformation powerhouse. And the exact location of Eternal Life's aperture gateway has been exposed. I must seize the moment!"
Zuo Ye Hui and You Tian Guang shared an extraordinary, mysterious connection.
Leveraging this bond, Zuo Ye Hui's Dark Path killer move gradually began to manifest its peculiar effect.
Inside Eternal Life, You Tian Guang was imprisoned within the Disaster Fortune Altar.
Suddenly sensing something, You Tian Guang jerked his head downward, staring at his own chest. Then, snapping to realization, he threw his head back and roared, struggling violently against his bonds.
The Disaster Fortune Altar shook incessantly. The Eight Extremes members standing guard outside immediately acted, suppressing You Tian Guang with overwhelming force.
"You Tian Guang, you've tried so many times already. Have you still not understood that on your own, you can never break free from the Disaster Fortune Altar?"
"Surrendering to Eternal Life is your only way out."
"If you pledge allegiance to us, you will receive the protection of Lord Giant Sun Immortal Venerable."
You Tian Guang bellowed, "Give me back my Ninth Transformation Light Gu!"
The Eight Extremes members pressed on: "You Tian Guang, the Light Gu has always been a wild gu. It merely resided in your body for a time—how can you claim it as yours?"
"Exactly. Our Lord Giant Sun Immortal Venerable fought two Venerables in single combat to seize this gu. It rightfully belongs to Eternal Life!"
"You should be grateful to our Immortal Venerable and the Young Master. Had it not been for them, you would have already fallen to Star Constellation or Fang Yuan."
You Tian Guang's suppressed momentum waned rapidly, yet he still shouted, "Return the Light Gu to me, and I will consider surrendering!"
The Eight Extremes exchanged glances, then shook their heads in unison, increasing the suppressive force of the Disaster Fortune Altar once more.
In the end, You Tian Guang, consumed by intense unwillingness, resentment, and fury, exhausted his strength and ceased struggling, once again crushed into submission.
But this time, a new hope had taken root within him.
"Brother, I'm here to rescue you. We need to plan carefully first!" Within You Tian Guang's heart, a mysterious globule of black liquid welled up, condensing into a miniature figure of Zuo Ye Hui.
Zuo Ye Hui paused briefly before continuing: "My killer move has been refined. It will continuously accumulate power inside your body. Once enough has gathered, you can channel my energy to erupt in a sudden burst. At that moment, I will coordinate with you from outside Eternal Life—together, we'll break through a gap!"
Yet You Tian Guang remained uneasy. "Giant Sun Immortal Venerable is no ordinary foe. Be careful around him—whatever you do, don't get yourself caught in the process."
Zuo Ye Hui proceeded to brief You Tian Guang on the current situation.
You Tian Guang was overjoyed. "Four Venerables locked in a chaotic battle—this could last a long time. This is truly the perfect chance for me to escape! It's just a pity that your arrangements in the Flower Forest Forbidden Zone only drew out Bing Sai Chuan."
"Eternal Life is being cautious, likely to guard against Fang Yuan. Fang Yuan's three great clones are wreaking havoc across Central Continent—the Myriad Star Precise Calculation Formation has been reduced to ruins," Zuo Ye Hui analyzed.
The two Ancient Legends conversed in secret, and not a single soul within Eternal Life sensed a thing.
Meanwhile, Bing Sai Chuan departed from Eternal Life and descended silently into the Flower Forest Forbidden Zone.
Tracing the source step by step, he gradually drew closer to the location where Zuo Ye Hui had set up his immortal formation.
"Calamity!" Within the formation, Lu Qingming and Su Guang—the two who controlled the great formation—detected Bing Sai Chuan's approach in advance.
Their faces turned ashen, both understanding the direness of the situation.
If they were discovered by Bing Sai Chuan, survival would be impossible.
The two immortals had considered surrendering, but with Zuo Ye Hui's Dark Path methods embedded in their bodies, any attempt to do so would trigger the mechanism, instantly claiming their lives.
Moreover, they had to continuously activate the immortal formation to sustain and expand the beast tide—they could not stop for even a moment.
Otherwise, the same Dark Path mechanism would activate and dispatch them with ruthless efficiency.
"Zuo Ye Hui is using us as cannon fodder!"
"Alas, who would have thought today would be the day we die?"
Just as despair closed in around them, an unexpected turn emerged.
"Who's there?!" Bing Sai Chuan halted abruptly, his eyes shooting cold light as he entered a state of full vigilance.
Lin Jianxing's heart skipped a beat.
He too had been hiding his presence, having come to the Flower Forest Forbidden Zone to gather rare immortal materials that would help him perfect his Sword Forest killer move.
Instead, he had stumbled upon the beast tide.
For Lin Jianxing, this was actually a stroke of good fortune.