Gu Jianlin unleashed the domain of Space Freeze, his spirituality burning fiercely, the blade gleaming with a chilling ghostly light.

The charged Dimension Slash was about to strike!

Clang!

At this critical moment, he felt a powerful force emanate from the blade, causing his grip to fracture and bleed, with Jiuyin spinning out into the air and landing precisely at his feet.

"You still have one more chance."

Xu Fu easily ignored his domain and sighed softly: "The last two who intruded were only given two chances, but I'm willing to give you three because you are stronger and have more potential. Moreover, there's something interesting about you that I find incredible, and I want to know why."

He snapped his fingers crisply.

The dragon horn above Gu Jianlin's head suddenly shattered, and the Candle Dragon Mask collapsed with a boom.

Revealing his stunningly beautiful visage, full of astonishment.

He found himself unable to move, surrounded by terrifying dark energy, as if plunged deep into the sea.

"Truly beautiful."

Xu Fu admired, "I've lived for over two thousand years, yet have never seen someone so beautiful, and he's a boy."

Gu Jianlin was never one to give up easily. Even knowing he faced a Ninth Rank Demigod, he still sought a way to act, using all available conditions to create a decisive strike.

Even the old man's chatter was something he planned to exploit.

Yet, in the face of absolute power, any strategy seemed so futile.

"If I'm not mistaken, you have a fragment of the Qilin Wedge, right? Coincidentally, I too possess a fragment, but I'm unable to use it. Why is yours already activated for use? I have captured two Divine Servants of the Qilin Clan here. I want to know, what is the current state of the Qilin Venerable?"

Xu Fu calmly asked, "Please answer my question."

Unexpected.

But not so unexpected.

This old man actually had a fragment of the Qilin Wedge.

Gu Jianlin coldly said, "You are afraid."

"After all, who wouldn't fear an Ancient Supreme?"

Xu Fu sighed, "Years ago, I was first captured by the Qilin Venerable, becoming his Divine Servant. Later, I encountered the Candle Dragon Venerable and was infused with Divine Blood by him. Eventually, I met the Vermilion Bird Venerate, and now I've become this wretched state. Whom should I seek justice from? Across the ages, there should be no one more unlucky than I."

It's indeed a comical joke. Ninety-nine percent of people in this world will never meet a single Ancient Supreme in their lifetime, whereas this old man has met three. Whether this is misfortune or fortune is unknown.

"The two who came before cursed me as a thrice-defecting slave, which made me feel very wronged. You tell me, what choice do I have? I don't want to betray humanity, nor do I wish to betray the Emperor. I've tried so hard, what option do I have?" Xu Fu's expression suddenly twisted, ferocious like an evil spirit roaring, his voice rolling like thunder.

"I was so close to freeing myself from the shackles of the Candle Dragon and Qilin Supremes!"

He shouted, "And yet, the Vermilion Bird Venerate came along!"

Invisible dark energy churned.

Gu Jianlin bled from his seven orifices, his face pallid as paper, his heart pounding.

"I understand, you can create the Summoning Technique, which means that for the past two thousand years, you've been tirelessly trying to break free, always seeking opportunities for humanity. But that was the old you."

He quietly said, "Now, you've utterly fallen."

Xu Fu suddenly regained his composure, calmly speaking: "Yes, ever since the Vermilion Bird Venerate transformed me, I realized how grand their plan is. Even if the five Ancient Supremes have yet to yield a victor, I've placed my bet on the Vermilion Bird. The Vermilion Bird might not be stronger than the Candle Dragon, nor as dangerous as the Qilin, but in this world, the winner takes all."

Gu Jianlin didn't understand what he meant, but just hearing the words Vermilion Bird was enough to set his killing intent ablaze.

"You guessed correctly, I am indeed extremely dangerous to humanity now, because I am no longer the Gatekeeper but the Guardian of the Candle Light Divine Tree, awaiting the birth of the Spiritual Fusion Secret Technique."

Xu Fu murmured: "The two who came before realized my intentions at the crucial moment and abandoned the idea of rescuing me, leaving behind this cursed Heavenly Person Realm, causing me great pain."

Candle Light Divine Tree, Spiritual Fusion Secret Technique!

Gu Jianlin's pupils trembled, perhaps realizing something.

"The Candle Light Divine Tree and You Ying Divine Tree are the supreme Holy Objects of the Ancient God Clan. Candle Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Bai Ze, and Xuanming all originated from them. As for the Qilin, it was the only Supreme born from the Third Power's nurturing. On Earth, the Qilin holds unimaginable advantages, hence its dread by all the Supremes. The concept of Transplantation was also created by the Qilin."

Xu Fu reminisced about events from a thousand years ago, his eyes deep as stagnant water: "It's a pity that the Candle Dragon possesses supreme overwhelming power, to which no Supreme can confront directly. Hence, he was able to seize the Qilin's achievements. But as I've said, the Vermilion Bird's plan was too magnificent; the mantis hunts the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. The Vermilion Bird was the first Ancient Supreme to reach the opposite shore."