After a brief silence, the Monarch of Endless Tribulations said, “This is somewhat interesting.”

The monk’s gaze was calm but staunch. He gazed down at the world below and whispered, “He didn’t claim the Book of Destiny by luck alone.”

“‘Claim the Book of Destiny?” An unreadable smile appeared on the Monarch of Endless Tribulations’ aged face. “Do you agree to that?”

“I’m leaving it up to fate,” the monk said calmly.

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations blinked. “Shall we watch a while longer, then?”

The monk pondered briefly. “There’s far too much strangeness about Su Yi. Watching and waiting a while longer works, too.”

Meanwhile, Lu Shi stood before Heart-Devouring Ridge, his expression extraordinarily unsightly.

He’d tried to steal a chicken, only to lose the rice he’d tried to bait it with. He’d survived the attempt, but he’d lost the Key to Endless Tribulations in the process.

More importantly, the former River Ancestor Lu Shu clearly had no intention of sparing him!

Indescribable frustration and indignation washed over Lu Shi. He was so furious that he almost coughed up blood.

Su Yi had seized the Writing Brush of Genesis back in the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone. River Ancestor Shen Xiao had repeatedly whipped and humiliated him.

Now, he’d managed to seize advantage of an opening in the Cave of Obsession. It hadn’t been easy, either.

But despite his initial success, a series of unexpected developments led to him losing the hard-won Key to Endless Tribulations.

Who could have accepted this?

Lu Shi didn’t get any chance to catch his breath, either. The former River Ancestor Lu Shu was already attacking.

Boom!

Countless streaks of tribulation light surged forth, brimming with terrifying, destructive power. It condensed into churning lightning and descended with intent to kill.

Behind Lu Shi, Li Shouhu’s avatar was severely depleted and much dimmer.

When the battle with the former River Ancestor Lu Shu resumed, Lu Shi instantly found himself in grave peril.

Su Yi took all of this in, but he didn’t find it strange. The moment River Empress Peacock told him the true nature of the Key of Endless Tribulations, Su Yi was certain of something: something bad would happen to whoever tried to seize the Key to Endless Tribulations.

Just as he thought, both River Emperor Winged Dragon and Lu Shi suffered after trying to claim the key.

Su Yi had similarly anticipated the former River Ancestor Lu Shu’s seemingly strange behavior, too. Lu Shu’s conversation with Mo Hanyi in the Divine Punishment Destiny Ruin had been enlightening, and Su Yi had drawn numerous conclusions as a result.

For instance, he was now certain that there was someone directing all this from behind the scenes.

Lu Shu, the Harbinger of Tribulations, seemed keenly aware that there was more to this death trap than met the eye. There had to be a reason he was so certain that Su Yi couldn’t possibly keep the Book of Destiny.

Su Yi was all but certain that all of this was actually a trap targeting the Book of Destiny!

In other words, the man behind the curtain was after the book.

Su Yi had released Lu Shu from the Book of Destiny earlier to confirm this hypothesis, and indeed, Lu Shu understood the Key to Endless Tribulations well. He was extremely concerned about River Empress Peacock’s survival, too.

Thus began that entire series of events.

But Su Yi frowned. He’d figured out a lot, but he still knew almost nothing about the man—or men—behind the curtain. No, it wouldn’t have been an exaggeration to say that he knew nothing at all.

This was what Su Yi was the most cautious of. Just who was the mysterious person who’d set their sights on the Book of Destiny? And what was their connection to Lu Shu and River Empress Peacock?

Had the Book of Destiny influenced proceedings right from the start?

River Empress Peacock once said that all of this had been preordained from the moment he met her and the white-robed monk on the River of Destiny. Did that mean that the people behind the curtain were connected to the white-robed monk, too?

Su Yi couldn’t figure it out, but if the people behind the curtain refused to show themselves, no amount of guessing would do him any good.

Even as Su Yi pondered, the grand battle raged on. Within moments, Li Shouhu’s avatar ran out of power and shattered into motes of light.

Without his greatest trump card, Lu Shu deflated like a popped ball. He was nowhere near as aggressive as before.

By himself, he was at most a peak Heavenly Monarch, and that was nothing compared to the former River Ancestor Lu Shu.

At this life-or-death juncture, Lu Shi’s face paled. His hopes turned to ash. I’m finished!

He’d made ample preparations for this expedition, but even if you’d hit him over the head, he would never have guessed it would be this terrifying and unbelievable.

River Ancestor Shen Xiao was comparable to a Heavenly Sovereign, and that made him plenty terrifying enough, but this death trap was too much for even him!

When he mentally replayed the expedition, all Lu Shi felt was frustration.

Before he’d even encountered Su Yi, Su Yi had impersonated him, screwing him over in the process.

But it was only after he ran into Su Yi that his nightmare truly began. He was constantly humiliated, constantly screwed over, and constantly running into walls.

It was just too fucking frustrating, dammit!

Boom!

Meanwhile, the former River Ancestor Lu Shu was attacking again, his aura terrifying.

Lu Shi didn’t dodge, or rather, he couldn’t dodge. No matter what he did, he was doomed.

Instead, he fixed his gaze on the distant Su Yi.

Their conflict began in the God Domain, and now, it continued on the River of Destiny, but Lu Shi had never, ever, ever gained any kind of advantage. Every time, all sorts of unexpected developments ruined his plans!

Now, in the face of his imminent death, Lu Shi’s heart filled with indescribable bitterness. Is... Is this perhaps my destiny? Is that guy my natural bane?

He sighed to himself.

But it was then that the former River Ancestor Lu Shu flew backward, his expression shifting dramatically.

Lu Shi had been prepared to die, but when he saw this, his eyes widened. What’s going on?

Su Yi’s brow furrowed. He suddenly gazed into the firmament.

Wang Zhiwu, River Ancestor Shen Xiao, and the others stiffened. All of them felt an indescribably terrifying presence.

Whoever they were, their aura alone was enough to overwhelm the group’s hearts and souls. That absolute suppression was suffocating.

All of them were instantly overcome with horror, their hair standing on end. What kind of power is that?

They weren’t sure when, but all of heaven and earth were now still, silent, and oppressive.

Two figures were approaching from the distant skies.

The first was a grand, stalwart figure with aged features. He was bathed in endless tribulation light, like an unsurpassed ruler of calamities.

The other was a steely-faced, dark-skinned monk in worn-out robes. He, too, was surrounded in light, but his was glowing golden Buddhist radiance, and his presence was as dense and steady as a divine mountain.

Heaven and earth trembled as they arrived, seemingly unable to withstand the pressure.

Even the mighty River Ancestor Shen Xiao felt his hair stand on end in response to this impending lethal threat.

Su Yi was surprised, too. He’d assumed there was just one man behind the curtain. Now, it seemed there were two of them!

The former River Ancestor Lu Shu’s expression shifted. He lowered his head and bowed in greeting to the old man. “Harbinger Lu Shu greets you, Monarch.”

Monarch? Everyone looked bewildered. The pressure bearing down on them intensified. Who could have imagined that someone as strong as the former River Ancestor Lu Shu was this mysterious monarch’s subordinate?

Su Yi’s heart shook. Lu Shu is a Harbinger of Tribulations, yet he addressed that man as ‘monarch.’ Could this perhaps be a ruler from the Abyss of Endless Tribulations?

“Lu Shi cannot die,” said the aged Monarch of Endless Tribulations, his voice surprisingly youthful. “At the very least, he cannot die here.”

Lu Shu was obviously unwilling to accept this. “Forgive my ignorance, but might I ask why?”

“Lu Shi is deeply intertwined with Three Purities Temple,” the Monarch of Endless Tribulations said calmly. “If he dies here, it’ll be trouble. I would hate for the old charlatans of Three Purities Temple to show up at my door demanding answers.”

Three Purities Temple! Su Yi vaguely recalled his first incarnation’s heart devil mentioning this faction.

Lu Shi finally understood, too. Relief appeared on his face as mad delight filled his heart. It seems I’ve escaped just when I thought I’d hit rock bottom! It seems I’m not destined to die here after all. The heavens really do have eyes!

“Thank you for your benevolence, Senior!” Lu Shi hurriedly bowed.

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations said, “I’m not saving you for your own sake. I view you with the utmost contempt, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut up and stay still. When all of this is over, I’ll naturally leave you a path to life.”

His tone was light and airy, but the undisguised contempt in his voice would have been obvious to anyone.

Lu Shi instantly felt awkward, and he was inwardly furious and ashamed. He stood there, head lowered in silence.

The monk paid him no heed. His gaze was fixed on Su Yi throughout Lu Shi and the old man’s conversation, but now, he finally broke his silence. “Fellow Daoist, do you know the last owner of the Book of Destiny, Xiao Jian?”

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed. “I do.”

“Did he ever tell you about the Book of Destiny?” asked the monk.

“He didn’t.” Su Yi shook his head.

The monk seemed enlightened. “Ah, no wonder.”

Su Yi’s brow furrowed. What’s that supposed to mean? Did Xiao Jian know these two?

The monk seemed to realize what he was thinking, and he admitted it directly. “The Monarch of Endless Tribulations wants to end our ancient enmity, and the Book of Destiny lies at the heart of it all.”

He clasped his palms together and bowed to Su Yi. “Fellow Daoist, if you’d be willing to lend me the Book of Destiny, I’ll naturally return it once our enmity is settled.”

Silence greeted this offer. Everyone was flabbergasted. Only now did they realize that the monk and the old man weren’t friends, but rather, irreconcilable enemies!

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations couldn’t help but shake his head. “Monk, this is your first meeting. Do you really think he’ll lend you the Book of Destiny? How could he possibly trust you to give it back?”

The monk said calmly, “I’ve spent my life in pursuit of the Dao, and I’ve always been a man of my word. Everything I say is a reflection of the voice of my heart. Whether others trust me or not is secondary.”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations laughed derisively, then looked at Su Yi. “Do you trust him, little fellow?”

Su Yi didn’t respond. Instead, he asked, “Have you been targeting me right from the start?”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations laughed and shook his head. “The monk says he never lies, so I’ll be straight with you, too. We don’t care in the slightest who you are. What matters to us is the Book of Destiny. Do you understand?”

He spoke without contempt or mockery, yet his words revealed his complete disregard!

“Oh,” said Su Yi. “Does that mean you’ll kill me if I refuse to give up the book?”

The Monarch of Endless Tribulations couldn’t help but laugh. “I wouldn’t call it that. It all depends on our mood. If we want you to live, you cannot die. If we want you to die, you cannot live.”

“Honest counsel stings the ears,” the Monarch of Endless Tribulations continued. “Deliberately humiliating a junior like you is beneath my status. It would make me seem petty and smile-minded, and it would make the monk look down on me. I disdain to do so, too.”

He paused, then looked at Su Yi, his gaze profound. “If you understand your situation, you ought to know what you need to do next, right?”