Betrayal in the Shadows

Long Chen streaked through the sky like a bolt of lightning, Cang Zhan closely following behind. His expression was grim.

Through Zhi Zhi’s investigation of Mo Zhan’s memories, Long Chen uncovered a disturbing truth—there were far more traitors within the Nine Heavens World than he had imagined.

Compared to the Ming Dragon Clan, who blatantly allied with the enemy, the real danger lay with those who hid their betrayal—like the Mo Yan Devouring Python Clan. Outwardly, they swore loyalty to the Nine Heavens, yet in reality, they had already turned their backs on it.

These were the ones who would stab you in the back at the worst possible moment.

By searching Mo Zhan’s memories, Long Chen discovered that the clan’s defection was an absolute secret, one known only to the highest ranks. Among all the Mo Yan Devouring Python disciples who entered the Heavenly Domain Battlefield, only Mo Zhan had been privy to the truth.

The others had died without ever realizing they had been nothing but sacrificial pawns.

Long Chen had stumbled upon this revelation by accident. After hearing about the Heavenly Domain Divine Rune from Long Xu, he had tested Mo Zhan, and unexpectedly, his probing had struck gold.

Heavenly Domain Divine Rune vs. Heavenly Domain Divine Stone

It turned out that the Heavenly Domain Divine Stone and the Heavenly Domain Divine Rune were completely different things.

The Divine Stones had been obtained by those who conspired with outsiders during the last opening of the Heavenly Domain Battlefield.

But the Divine Rune could be traced back countless ages, perhaps even to the first-ever Heavenly Domain war.

Though Mo Zhan’s memory was incomplete, Long Chen speculated that his clan’s betrayal might have begun during the Chaos War itself.

Back then, the Devourers had fought to the death against the invading forces, sacrificing countless lives. Many bloodlines had been completely wiped out, all to defend the Nine Heavens World.

And yet, the Mo Yan Devouring Pythons, a branch of the Devourers, had secretly been serving the enemy all along.

It was now clear—those who possessed the Heavenly Domain Divine Rune were the enemy’s most trusted operatives, while those who only had Divine Stones were merely new recruits.

"This is a nightmare..."

Long Chen groaned.

This battlefield was already chaotic and cutthroat, with warriors willing to kill for treasure at any moment.

Now, he also had to watch out for traitors.

How many powerful warriors of the Nine Heavens had already died at the hands of their own so-called allies?

An Unseen Threat

Kun Ding sighed. "That’s not even the worst part. Both the Divine Rune and the Divine Stone have been refined into their bodies.

When you killed Mo Zhan just now, his Divine Rune didn’t emerge. That means... unless the balance of the battlefield completely collapses and the expulsion force activates, there’s no way to tell who the traitors are."

Long Chen looked up at the sky.

The Celestial Balance—the force that determined the battlefield’s equilibrium—was still shrouded in mist. He could only make out a faint shadow of its form, unable to tell whether it had recovered or not.

Kun Ding seemed to sense his thoughts. "Forget it. The only reason I managed to wound it before was because the battlefield had just opened, and the laws hadn’t fully settled yet.

Now, it has fused completely with the battlefield’s rules. Unless you have the power to destroy the entire Heavenly Domain Battlefield itself, you won’t be able to shake it."

Long Chen’s breath hitched. "Destroy the entire battlefield…?"

Kun Ding chuckled meaningfully. "With my current strength, I could try. But..."

Long Chen immediately understood. "You’re saving your power for Qian Ding."

He thought of Qian Jie, the name that had made Ying Wu Dao tremble in fear.

Long Chen took a deep breath. "Senior, save your strength. Leave the rest to me."

A Step Away from Evolution

"And me too! Dammit, I was so close to reaching my second form!" Dragonbone Evilmoon grumbled in frustration.

It had been on the verge of a breakthrough for ages now, yet no matter how much power it devoured, it always fell just short.

That final step seemed insurmountable, like a vast chasm it just couldn’t cross.

The Space-Time Abyss

Suddenly, a deafening BOOM echoed ahead.

Long Chen’s scalp tingled as he spotted a raging river of shattered space stretching across his path.

Within its currents, fragments of shattered dimensions clashed and collided like floating glaciers, producing ear-splitting roars.

"Looks like we have to go around."

Long Chen sighed.

This was the scar left by an ancient battle, where an unimaginable powerhouse had torn through the very fabric of space itself.

Even the Dragon God Nest wouldn’t dare cross it—getting caught in that force would mean certain death.

From a distance, the river had seemed harmless. But now that he was up close, its sheer presence made his soul tremble.

In front of this power, Long Chen felt as insignificant as a speck of dust.

"We’re not going around."

Kun Ding’s voice was firm. "This river is too long. Taking a detour will waste time, and we might run into even greater trouble.

I can shield you from the crushing space force, but you’ll have to withstand the will of the Great Dao on your own."

Long Chen’s heart pounded in excitement—this was going to be a test.

Kun Ding never took risks unless he was sure it was possible. That meant Long Chen had a real shot at surviving this.

"Let’s go!"

Kun Ding flashed above Long Chen’s head, releasing a divine glow that wrapped around him like a protective cocoon.

Then, they charged straight into the space-time abyss.

A Trial of Life and Death

The moment they breached the river’s edge, an invisible space barrier slammed into them.

CRACK!

Kun Ding smashed through it head-on.

But before Long Chen could react, a horrifying force ripped at his soul, trying to suck it straight out of his body.

Long Chen’s face changed. "This river can steal souls?!"

He immediately locked down his spiritual energy, forcefully resisting the pull. Inside his mind-sea, his divine soul gate swung open, anchoring his soul in place.

Kun Ding kept pushing forward, shattering countless space fragments as they carved a path through the river.

But the deeper they went, the more terrifying the pressure became.

Suddenly—

"URGH!"

Long Chen coughed up blood. The crushing force was far stronger than expected.

His bones creaked under the strain. He felt as if his organs were about to be squeezed out of his body.

Kun Ding’s voice was calm. "This force is slightly stronger than I calculated. A bit of space energy has leaked through.

If you can’t endure, use your Emperor Flame to stabilize yourself. We’ll be through soon."

Long Chen nodded. He couldn’t speak—if he opened his mouth, the pressure might crush his lungs.

Kun Ding pressed forward, grinding through space itself, forging a radiant path through the abyss.

The tunnel glowed with countless shifting colors, twisting with the very essence of time itself.

Long Chen suddenly shuddered. "Wait…!"

His eyes widened.

Kun Ding was gone.

The tunnel was empty.

He was alone.

And then—

"My Lord! This is bad—!"

A desperate voice shouted behind him.

Final Thought:

Long Chen just uncovered a terrifying conspiracy, and now he’s trapped in the abyss alone?! Who is calling out to him? Next chapter is going to be wild! 🔥