Chapter 496: Darkness

At the same time, the Bian Huang Battlefield.

At that very moment when the Ultimate Horror aura spread from the Deep of No Return Path and the ominous conspiracy achieved a staged success.

The Three Sovereigns of the Other Shore… Yongye Zunzhu, Xue Wu E Di, Ku Ji Shi Huang, who were locked in a fierce Dao dispute with Ye Shizu, Kunxu Cai, and Geshu Wuyou, the three Nine Heavens Supremes, almost simultaneously sensed, in the dim void, the anomaly of the Space-Time River and even the situation in the Deep of No Return Path.

The mass of Ultimate Darkness representing Yongye Zunzhu paused slightly, and the annihilation zone colliding with the Supreme Heavenly Dao Force contracted abruptly.

A cold, mocking voice, through the layer of law, resonated within the perception of the battling Supremes:

"Hehe… Nine Heavens Ten Lands, Zhutian Wanjie… Are you ready to welcome… the great Darkness? Hahahahaha…"

Before the laughter faded, three terrifying Other Shore Supreme projections, showing no desire for battle, instantly turned from solid to void, retracting backward like the ebbing tide.

Their purpose had been achieved; further entanglement here was unnecessary and might even be left for the Nine Heavens Supreme who had reacted.

"Want to leave?!" Ye Shizu's eyes chilled, as the Supreme Heavenly Dao Force turned into a sky‑covering giant palm, intending to seal the Space.

However, Yongye Zunzhu and the other two were evidently prepared; their retreat was decisive and swift, and the darkness, Dark Blood, and death aura that had shrouded the heavens evaporated, leaving only the malicious echo lingering over the Bian Huang, along with three Supreme auras that faded rapidly and ultimately vanished deep in the direction of the Other Shore.

In its wake, the Other Shore Army, originally fierce and seemingly mad, appeared to receive a unified command; the offensive surge halted abruptly, commanders at all levels issued sharp orders, and the massive legion began to withdraw in an orderly, extremely rapid manner, retreating backward.

Countless warships, battle fortresses, and individual strongmen, like a black tide, swiftly retreated into the depths of the Dark Star Domain controlled by the Other Shore.

The pressure on the Jiutian Border Pass suddenly lightened.

But on Iron Arm Pass, whether ordinary soldiers, the Titans Kun Buxiu and Yang Buyi seated at the core, or the three Supremes Ye Shizu, Kunxu Cai, and Geshu Wuyou hovering in the air, there was no trace of triumphant joy on their faces; instead, deeper gloom and solemnity spread.

The enemy retreated too quickly, too cleanly!

This is not a rout at all, but… a strategic withdrawal!

Recalling the soul‑piercing mockery just now and the intense ominous fluctuation sensed from the direction of the Space-Time River, a chilling conclusion rose in the minds of all high‑rank strongmen: the Other Shore's primary objective has likely already been achieved!

The Bian Huang war may have been, from start to finish, merely a feint to attract attention and mobilize forces!

"What… exactly did they do?" Kunxu Cai gazed toward the retreating direction of the Other Shore, speaking in a low voice, as the Kun Yuan Universe phantom in his hand slowly contracted.

Geshu Wuyou's transformed celestial blade re‑manifested in human form, brows knit; his blade intent is most sensitive to murderous intent and conspiracy, and now his heart brimmed with intense unease: "Space-Time River… has undergone a cataclysm. A very terrible cataclysm."

Ye Shizu remained silent; his Supreme merciless eyes gazed toward the void above the Nine Heavens, as if piercing the world's barriers, seeing the unfolding disaster of broader scope.

His complexion was unprecedentedly unsightly.

As one of the oldest Supremes, he could feel the despair emanating from the direction of No Return, like the prelude to the final movement of an Epoch, more than anyone else.

The Jiutian Camp, though it held the Border Pass, had no one cheering.

A heavy, future‑Fate worry replaced the post‑calamity relief, weighing on the hearts of every informed person.

As the Other Shore Army fully withdrew, the blood‑colored killing aura and energy turbulence spreading over the Bian Huang began to slowly subside, yet the oppressive feeling in the air grew stronger than before.

After a brief rest and treatment, the various forces, legions, and lone cultivators from the Nine Heavens that came to aid began receiving orders or deciding on their own, setting out on the journey back to the Jiutian Ten Earth Homeland.

The war paused, but everyone understood that this might be only… the final calm before the storm.

……

Above the concealed war star where Ye Zhengrong holds command.

Inside the Great Hall, Ye Zhengrong stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the gradually calming Bian Huang battle markers on the star map; his face showed no relaxation, his brows were knit, and his expression was unprecedentedly solemn.

He, occupying a high position and aware of many secrets, could also sniff the impending destructive aura like a mountain rain from today's abnormal actions of the Other Shore and the covert information transmitted among the higher echelons.

Fu Bo Huangfu Huang stood beside him, his face also full of worry, about to speak but stopped.

Space rippled slightly, and a moon‑white figure appeared silently in the hall, none other than the returning Ye Shizu.

His surrounding vast Supreme merciless aura had largely subsided; facing Ye Zhengrong and the hastily arrived Ye Wuque, his gaze regained the elder's gentleness, yet the solemnity remained unchanged.

"Honored to meet the Ancestor!" Ye Zhengrong and Ye Wuque bowed respectfully in unison.

Ye Shizu waved his hand slightly, his gaze landing on Ye Wuque, bearing admiration, deep expectation, and a hint of… barely perceptible worry.

He offered no small talk, moving straight to the point, his voice deep and steady:

"The Bian Huang affair is concluded; the Other Shore should have no major moves in the short term."

He then shifted his tone, his words as heavy as iron:

"No Return has encountered trouble. The situation… is very unfavorable. It may be worse than the worst case we anticipated."

Although they had long suspected, hearing confirmation directly from the Ancestor made Ye Zhengrong and Ye Wuque's faces change dramatically together!

Their hearts seemed clenched by an invisible hand!