At the Eye of the Sun’s words, both the Golden Pharaoh and Destruction Heaven fell silent, their minds racing to weigh the pros and cons.

"Hmph. You’ve really planned this out. You want us to save the Duke of Destruction to fight that young man. Then, you’ll hand the Spiritual Talisman to us and spark a chaotic battle. That way, you not only escape your awkward position as the common enemy but can also pull back and watch us fight. And in the end, you might even turn the tables, re-enter the game, and maybe even snatch the Spiritual Talisman back from us?"

The Golden Pharaoh was the first to speak, a cold sneer on his face.

They were all intelligent people. He only needed a moment’s thought to see right through the Eye of the Sun’s scheme.

"It is indeed a good plan—killing three birds with one stone. Why should we agree to your demand? I think letting that man kill the Duke of Destruction and cripple your future potential seems to be the optimal choice."

Destruction Heaven also sneered, his gaze shifting to the Duke of Destruction, who was fleeing from Yi Beidou like a cornered rat.

"I prefer to call this plan a win-win-win. You’ll get what you came for. Whether you leave afterward or continue to fight is your business. But no matter what, you’ll at least have a guaranteed prize, won’t you?"

"Even if the Duke of Destruction is defeated, it won’t be easy for you to take the Spiritual Talisman from me. A fight to the bitter end would be bad for everyone."

"That young man from the Mortal World doesn’t understand the rules. You should know full well what will happen if the Duke of Destruction is pushed to the brink. Surely you’re not planning to wait for his defeat just to fight over the Earth Immortal Cells in his body?"

"That would be rather naive. Knowing the Duke’s personality, he will absolutely take everyone down with him. In fact, he was already preparing for Soul Burning before I even contacted you. If it comes to that, he’ll make sure none of you get away unscathed before he’s completely consumed," the Eye of the Sun said calmly.

He wasn’t afraid of them seeing through his plan; he had no intention of hiding his objective. This was an overt scheme, plain for all to see.

The Golden Pharaoh and Destruction Heaven once again fell silent.

Even when devoured and subjected to Refinement by Ancient Ones or even Sleepers, Earth Immortal Cells didn’t necessarily disappear upon the death of their host.

Even if the Ancient One’s physical body completely decayed, the Earth Immortal Cells would remain active. If obtained, these cells could still be devoured and assimilated for one’s own use.

This was the terrifying power of Longevity inherent in Earth Immortal Cells.

Earth Immortal Cells were exceedingly rare. Even these experts who had condensed a Soul couldn’t acquire enough cells in a single lifetime. They typically gathered a portion in one life, then extracted and preserved the Earth Immortal Cells upon reincarnation, accumulating them from one life to the next.

Theoretically, by killing an expert who had condensed a Soul, one could extract that Soul—which was made of Earth Immortal Cells—and then devour and convert it. After some time, one could condense their own Soul, plundering the victim’s years of accumulation.

But this was only feasible in theory. The only real opportunity to covet these Earth Immortal Cells was when these Secret Keepers reincarnated, before their power had returned to its peak. Once a Secret Keeper reached their zenith, successfully seizing the cells was nearly impossible.

This was because while Earth Immortal Cells granted Longevity, they were not truly immortal or indestructible, nor could they regenerate infinitely. Otherwise, how could the "Earth Immortals" who originally possessed them have died? How could they have left behind remains?

Once one had subjected the cells to Refinement and gained control over them, they could be forced into an overloaded state, causing them to rupture and die from within.

In fact, entering a state of Full Immortal Soul Understanding, as the Duke of Destruction had done, could itself lead to the death and reduction of his Earth Immortal Cells. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, experts of this caliber would not easily enter such a state. It was tantamount to expending a precious fortune accumulated over many lifetimes—a one-time-use resource.

Ultimately, the Earth Immortal Cells were not generated by their own bodies but were forcibly devoured and refined. While they enhanced one’s power, they lacked the regenerative capabilities of normal cells.

And a step beyond Full Immortal Soul Understanding was the so-called "Soul Burning."

It involved completely overloading the Immortal Soul. While unleashing immense power, the Earth Immortal Cells themselves would be rapidly destroyed. Simultaneously, the user’s physical body would be obliterated by the impact of this colossal force.

It was a tactic of mutual destruction even more terrifying than a Life-taking Forbidden Secret Technique.

When masters of this level were truly cornered, who would be willing to let the fruits of their multiple lifetimes’ labor be handed to another on a silver platter? They would inevitably risk it all in a final, desperate struggle.

Thus, an unwritten rule in the Hidden Realm was to always leave your opponent an out. The ideal outcome was to inflict an injury that would take a lifetime to heal, not to back them into a corner. The latter approach benefited no one.

But clearly, that young man from the Mortal World couldn’t care less about these bullshit rules. If he really pushed the Duke of Destruction too far, knowing the Duke’s personality, he would undoubtedly resort to Soul Burning. And if Yi Beidou couldn’t handle it, the desperate Duke would absolutely turn on them first.

In that scenario, escape would be difficult, and they would inevitably suffer losses.

"Even so, it’s naive to think I’d cooperate with you so easily," Destruction Heaven said with a cold laugh. "You must understand that you’re the ones at a disadvantage. The Duke of Destruction is the one in a desperate situation. Do you really think you can placate us with a single Spiritual Talisman? We can intervene, but I have one more condition: you must swear an Oath with your own Immortal Soul to withdraw from this secret conflict in the Mediterranean Region."

’Why would we compromise so easily? After all, we’re not the ones in a hurry.’

"That’s a good condition. Or, we could compromise. At the very least, you must swear an Oath that the Illuminati will withdraw from this contest in Jun City," the Golden Pharaoh said calmly. ’I can’t let the Eye of the Sun sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, only to turn on us later. This potential threat must be eliminated beforehand.’

"Gentlemen, don’t push your luck. You need to understand something. I am not begging you; this is a win-win situation. And now is not the time for you to be haggling. The Duke can’t hold on much longer. If he’s truly forced to use Soul Burning, then we all go down together. I’m already prepared for that!!"

The Eye of the Sun’s terrifying voice boomed. High in the sky, the massive manifestation of the Eye of Omniscience began to change. Flames erupted from it, and a crimson tint filled the eyeball, as if it were about to bleed.

Clearly, the Eye of the Sun was prepared to unleash some kind of Secret Technique. If it came to that, he would undoubtedly join the Duke of Destruction’s Soul Burning for a mutually assured destruction.

The eyes of Destruction Heaven and the Golden Pharaoh narrowed.

The next moment, both of their expressions changed simultaneously.

ROAR!!

From the battlefield, a furious roar suddenly erupted from the Duke of Destruction. A pillar of crimson light shot toward the sky, so dense it was almost solid. Black Spells seemed to crawl and spread across its surface as an utterly terrifying aura began to build.

’Damn it, he can’t hold on! He’s really preparing for Soul Burning!’

This was clearly the precursor to Soul Burning!

The Golden Pharaoh and Destruction Heaven understood that the Eye of the Sun was right. They couldn’t wait any longer; they had to make a decision, and fast.

No matter how they looked at it, their baseline goal for this trip was a Spiritual Talisman. The chance to secure one now was an offer they couldn’t refuse.

"Eye of the Sun, make the Oath," the Golden Pharaoh said.

"I agree to your terms as well," Destruction Heaven added.

The two of them simultaneously released the unique magnetic frequency of their Immortal Souls.

HUMMM!!

The Eye of Omniscience in the sky trembled, emitting a faint ripple of its own. The magnetic fluctuations of the three beings intertwined, seeming to coalesce into a unique seal.

This was a special Oath Curse Seal, established through the Immortal Soul by experts who had condensed a Soul. Any violation would cause a dissonance in the magnetic field between one’s Immortal Soul and oneself, potentially even inciting it to rebel.

It must be understood that Earth Immortal Cells were not generated by the body; suppressing them through Refinement was no easy feat. If one’s Immortal Soul were to rebel, the consequences would be severe. Thus, such an Oath carried significant binding power.

The Oath was made.

The next moment.

HUMMM!!

A fluctuation emanated from the Artifacts of Increase and Decrease between Destruction Heaven’s palms. An Invisible Force Field expanded, and he transformed into a streak of light, instantly shooting toward the battlefield where Yi Beidou and the Duke of Destruction fought.

"Protect the members of the Illuminati," the Golden Pharaoh instructed the Abyss Court members beside him.

They nodded slightly. Though they didn’t know the specifics, it was clear that the Golden Pharaoh had reached some sort of agreement with the Illuminati’s Eye of the Sun.

HUMMM!!

Then, a tangible golden light erupted around the Golden Pharaoh, condensing into a pair of golden wings behind him. With a light push of his feet, he leaped from the top of the skyscraper.

The golden wings behind him were clearly a manifestation of some magnetic ability, condensed from thin air, yet they now appeared solid, actually allowing the Golden Pharaoh to glide.

Qi Prohibition, Magnetic Object!!

What Devi Punk could do, this Golden Pharaoh could do as well—and even better!

As he glided, the Golden Pharaoh spread his arms. The golden light around him condensed into a dozen Golden Spears, indistinguishable from real ones and carved with ornate Spells!

Golden Power: Spirit Treasure-like Form.

Horus’ Spear!!

FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!

The dozen Golden Spears shot toward Yi Beidou, moving with the speed of teleportation.

Meanwhile, Destruction Heaven, from dozens of meters away, thrust his palms forward. A condensed, invisible Qi Bomb shot out, pulsing with terrifying power.

Both were masters who had condensed a Soul, pivotal figures in this battle. The various powers present had held back until now, waiting to see what these two would choose to do.

And now, their target was not a member of the Illuminati, but Yi Beidou!

Here in Jun City, on a battlefield that should have belonged to the Secret Organizations and Ancient Ones, an unbelievable scene was unfolding.

Three of the strongest contenders were simultaneously attacking a single person, as if he were the focus of the entire conflict, a lofty being whom they all had to join forces to resist.

This was treatment usually reserved for Sleepers. Yet the one receiving it now was merely someone from the Mortal World—a young man who had never reincarnated, never devoured Earth Immortal Cells, who had achieved his Ascension less than two years ago, and was not even thirty years old!

This scene alone, in the long lives and vast experience of these Ancient Ones who had lived for hundreds, even thousands of years, was nothing short of a miracle!