Ye Liuyun first took a moment to sense the incoming attack—this palm strike was like a towering tidal wave, crashing toward him with overwhelming force. He tried to evade using spatial manipulation, only to realize even the surrounding space had been distorted by the strike.

But this wasn’t enough to stump Ye Liuyun. His mastery over spatial energy was profound, allowing him to narrowly escape the core of the devastating wave. In one fluid motion, he drew his Demon-Slaying Blade and slashed forward, channeling both his advance energy and sword intent to deflect the attack entirely.

Mo Ran frowned. If things continued like this, he might not actually defeat Ye Liuyun. His own True Yuan reserves could sustain only a dozen more strikes. If Ye Liuyun kept dodging, the one to fall might be him instead.

Meanwhile, Ye Liuyun realized the vast difference in energy reserves between a fourth-level and fifth-level Dominator. His advance energy was already depleted—despite having dual energy cores. At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to withstand all of Mo Ran’s assaults.

Thus, both fighters grew cautious. One hesitated to unleash another strike recklessly, while the other had to rely on sword intent to conserve his dwindling energy.

Fortunately, Ye Liuyun’s blade techniques were formidable enough to pose a genuine threat, forcing Mo Ran to expend his own True Yuan on defense.

Cornered, Mo Ran had no choice but to alternate between blocking and attacking.

After enduring several more strikes, Ye Liuyun’s energy reserves—even those stored in his Energy Stone—were completely exhausted. Left with no other option, he activated his temporal power, freezing time momentarily to summon a doppelgänger. To avoid detection, he even handed the Demon-Slaying Blade to the clone.

As time resumed, the doppelgänger immediately swung the blade, leaving Mo Ran no room to think—only to defend. Ye Liuyun’s sword intent was not just overwhelmingly fierce but also eerily unpredictable, seamlessly blending with spatial energy. Attacks would materialize out of nowhere, sometimes even manifesting inside Mo Ran’s body, forcing him to expend both spatial energy and True Yuan to counter them.

The tide of battle shifted. After weathering a few more strikes from Mo Ran, the fifth-level Dominator finally reached his limit.

Truth be told, the doppelgänger had also run out of advance energy—but its sheer sword intent alone was enough to suppress Mo Ran.

Then, abruptly, Mo Ran stopped fighting.

The doppelgänger, sensing his opponent’s exhaustion, lowered its blade.

"You’ve lost," it said coolly.

Mo Ran let out a long sigh, his voice tinged with awe. "I truly never imagined you’d be this strong!"

But then his expression darkened, weighed down by resignation. "Truth be told, my time is running out. Reaching this level of cultivation has already consumed countless years of my life, and I doubt I’ll progress any further. Still, for the sake of the dynasty’s survival, I have no choice but to give it everything I’ve got. Are you really determined to destroy the Hongyu Dynasty?"

Ye Liuyun understood exactly what he meant. The old man was prepared to either burn his core or draw upon the power of the spatial realm. If this fight continued, he would truly be fighting to the death.

With a deliberate motion, Ye Liuyun sheathed his blade and spoke calmly. "The rise and fall of dynasties is the natural order of things. The Hongyu Dynasty has already weakened. Even if you hold on for a few more decades, the outcome will be the same. Surely, after all these years, you can see that?"

"Seeing it doesn’t change anything!" Mo Ran’s voice was resolute. "My duty is to protect the Hongyu Dynasty!" Deep down, he knew the dynasty was doomed—its current strength was no match for the tides of fate. But before death claimed him, he wanted to do his part, if only for his own peace of mind. What happened after his passing was no longer his concern.

Ye Liuyun understood his desperation—the instinct to fight with everything left when life was slipping away.

Without further debate, he activated his temporal power, imprinting Mo Ran with a slave seal. Then, he handed him a small vial containing five drops of Life Spring Water.

Mo Ran stood frozen, bewildered by the sudden control exerted over him and the mysterious contents of the vial.

"Drink it," Ye Liuyun commanded, using the slave seal to compel him. "Then tell me if you still feel like throwing your life away."

The moment the Life Spring Water touched his tongue, its energy surged through his body, mending old wounds and replenishing his vitality. The excess power transformed into pure life force, reversing the toll of time. Within moments, Mo Ran’s aged appearance—once that of a man in his seventies—shifted to that of a vigorous warrior in his fifties. Wrinkles smoothed, and a healthy flush returned to his cheeks.

Only then did Ye Liuyun loosen the slave seal, allowing Mo Ran to regain his thoughts.

"W-what kind of water is this?" Mo Ran gasped, his eyes wide with shock.

Ignoring the question, Ye Liuyun spoke plainly. "Now, do you still wish to fight to the death? I have more of this. Serve me, and when you break through to the sixth level of Dominance, I’ll give you another five drops."

He continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "The reason you’ve been stuck at your current level isn’t just due to weak spirit, body, or spatial power—it’s because you haven’t fought enough. With this renewed vitality, all you need is more combat experience, and your bottleneck will shatter soon enough."

"Stick with me, and we can spar together. I could use someone like you to sharpen my skills—it’s a win-win. As for resources, I’ve got plenty to share. What do you say?"

"Is there really a chance I could break through to the sixth level of Dominator?" Moran asked eagerly, his voice trembling with hope.

"Possible," Ye Liuyun replied honestly. "But beyond that? Unlikely. Your foundation isn’t solid enough. It’ll come down to luck."

Moran didn’t hesitate. He agreed on the spot to become Ye Liuyun’s training partner.

Still, he made one request—that Ye Liuyun spare his descendants in the Hongyu Dynasty.

"Go back and handle it yourself," Ye Liuyun said with a nod. "Take them into your spatial realm or send them into hiding under new identities—whatever works."

"Understood!" Overcome with gratitude, Moran bowed repeatedly before excusing himself to return to Hongyu and settle matters.

Upon his return, the Hongyu Dynasty surrendered to Ye Liuyun without resistance. Moran stashed his descendants safely in his spatial world to shield them from vengeful enemies, then handed the entire dynasty over to Ye Liuyun’s control.

With that settled, he returned to Ye Liuyun’s side, content to serve as his sparring partner. For a warrior of his caliber, finding a worthy opponent was rare—this arrangement suited him perfectly.

News of these events sent shockwaves through the remaining dynasties.

Ye Liuyun’s power was growing unchecked. The Lingyun Dynasty alone now rivaled all the others combined.

Faced with this threat, the rival dynasties set aside their conflicts and banded together against him. With Kuishan still alive, they at least had a supreme commander capable of standing against Ye Liuyun.

Though they no longer held the advantage in elite combatants—especially with Moran now on Ye Liuyun’s side—they still had a fighting chance.

Yet after absorbing Hongyu, Ye Liuyun didn’t press his advantage. Instead, he consolidated his forces, focusing on training and preparation.

Simultaneously, he sent envoys to recruit Kuishan, offering an astonishing bargain—control of the entire Bison Galaxy in Ye Liuyun’s name.

Kuishan, of course, refused. But deep down, he knew the truth: if he ever defected, Ye Liuyun would likely conquer the galaxy without resistance.