Inside the great hall, the glow of the night-luminescent pearls cast softly upon the golden throne.

Facing Zhou Huai's questioning, Anubis let out a laugh. He picked up a golden goblet, swirling the dark red date wine inside, his expression filled with reminiscence.

"I cannot say that I provided complete assistance, but at the very least, I provided the inspiration for his resurrection method that deceived the heavens."

Anubis took a sip of wine and said: "During the great purge of The First World, my Law of Reincarnation left a backdoor in the underlying data. That guy Duan is a madman of brilliant talent. He followed the traces of the backdoor I left behind and forcibly deduced an even more Advanced reconstruction logic."

"His method is even more brilliant than the means I had back then." Anubis sighed, his expression tinged with wariness, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have crashed at the turning point of the sixth world, ending up trapped in these ruins as I am now. Yet he... he has been able to live in the present world until now, and is even close to completing his final transcendence."

Speaking of this, the old man slammed his wine glass onto the low table and shook his head in self-mockery.

"To be honest, although he is a junior, I have to admire his strength and talent. In all the eras I have seen, he is the person with the most potential to directly confront the Heavenly Dao."

The great hall fell silent, with only the sound of the anklets worn by the veiled women ringing out.

Anubis raised his gray, pupil-less eyes, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Zhou Huai and Chun.

He took the initiative to change the subject: "However, let us put aside past matters for now. You two, by breaking into my spatial maze and entering my city today, what is your true purpose?"

Chun, who was sitting to the side peeling a banana, let out a snort of laughter.

She tossed the banana peel onto the low table, tilted her head to look at the old man on the throne, and said in a teasing tone: "Anubis, you old fox, don't you understand what our purpose is? Do you really have to play dumb with us here?"

Anubis's expression remained calm, not even moving an eyebrow: "I live deep within these ruins, doing nothing but drinking and making merry every day. What could I possibly understand?"

"Enough, stop pretending." Chun put away her smile, snorted coldly, and pierced through the facade: "Do you really think Duan is so kind-hearted that he would risk being locked onto by the will of heaven just to forcibly awaken you old fogies? And you expect him to take you to see this so-called new world?"

Anubis's expression remained indifferent as he said: "Duan promised that he would shield us from the Heavenly Dao's underlying scans."

"He can shield you, but why would he do that?" Chun sneered, her tone mocking. "He just wants to use you as meat shields to consume the thunder punishment sent down by the Heavenly Dao. More importantly... he wants to turn your power into his own! Haven't you heard the news about the Blood Ancestor's fate?"

"When the Origin of Chaidamen and Francis was drained, the fluctuation of the Law—did you not sense it here at the top of the pyramid?"

At the mention of the names Blood Ancestor and Chaidamen, the corner of Anubis's eye twitched.

He remained expressionless, but the melodious ancient music in the great hall stopped.

The veiled dancing women stood frozen in place, motionless.

"So what?" Anubis leaned back against the golden chair, his voice becoming low. "You came today to form an Alliance with me to deal with Duan?"

"Smart." Chun snapped her fingers and said: "If you want to survive, this is the only way now. Duan's appetite is huge. Once he finishes charging up with the energy outside and turns back, this Ancient Egypt ruin will be his next target. By then, you won't even have the chance to be a puppet."

The great hall fell silent.

Zhou Huai sat to the side, fiddling with a white jade wine cup in his hand, saying nothing.

Zhou Huai sized up the old man in front while simultaneously remaining vigilant of Chun beside him.

An Alliance?

Zhou Huai sneered in his heart.

He had never intended to genuinely form an Alliance with these old monsters who had lived for countless eras.

Every one of these people was a cunning old fox, playing with the Law in the palms of their hands.

If they could band together today because they faced a common enemy, he wouldn't be surprised if they turned around and stabbed him in the back tomorrow once the distribution of benefits became uneven or if Mr. Duan offered a bigger stake.

Moreover, he himself had the Origin of over a dozen top-tier Professionals fused within him; in the eyes of these old monsters, he was also a large battery emitting an enticing aroma.

However, Zhou Huai was not in a hurry.

He suppressed his thoughts and watched Chun perform in front of him; he wanted to see what kind of chips this Nature Goddess could actually bring to the table, and how she planned to drag this old fox into the water.

Just then, Anubis on the throne grinned.

On that thin, wrinkled face, a hideous yet genuine smile appeared.

"Hahaha... great minds think alike!"

Anubis stood up from the throne, paced back and forth in the great hall, and laughed: "Actually, I've had this thought for a long time!"

Zhou {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Huai was somewhat surprised that the other party had agreed so readily.

"You might not believe it." Anubis stopped, turned to look at Zhou Huai and Chun, and said candidly: "Although they call me the God of the Underworld and I control the Law of death and reincarnation... in truth, I am afraid of death."

"I am terrified of the feeling that death brings. It is not sleep, it is not reincarnation; it is endless nothingness... no light, no sound, even one's own consciousness being slowly devoured by darkness." Anubis's withered hands trembled. "I experienced that feeling once in the era of The First World, and I have had enough! I absolutely do not want to die again!"

He stared at Zhou Huai: "Since Duan wants my life, I have no choice but to take his first. So... what do you plan to do?"

Chun lifted her chin. She picked up the tea on the low table and took a sip to moisten her throat, then set the cup down, preparing to speak eloquently and reveal the plan she and Zhou Huai had discussed along the way.

However, the moment the teacup touched the low table—

"Clack."

A soft sound.

Chun's expression changed drastically.

Her pretty face, which had been full of triumph and cunning, turned pale.

Her body froze completely in place, and even her breathing stalled.

"Hmm?"

Zhou Huai was a keen person.

Within a thousandth of a second of Chun's body stiffening, the spatial perception of his 【Void Omniscience】 had already turned into countless ripples, spreading outwards.

However, the great hall was calm; there were no traces of spatial distortion, nor was there the aura of any enemy.

But Chun's state was not faked. The Law of life within her was currently contracting frantically, entering a defensive posture.

Zhou Huai knitted his brows and asked in a low voice: "What is going on? What happened?"

Anubis, off to the side, also became vigilant, his hands hidden in his sleeves quietly gathering the gray Law of the River Styx.

Large beads of sweat rolled down Chun's delicate cheeks from her forehead.

She turned her head and looked at Zhou Huai, her voice trembling:

"Duan..."

"Duan... he has already found me."