I Steal when People Fight.

Regarding the legends of the Twelve Forbidden Zone Masters, the Emperor Witch is the most mysterious of all.

Rumors say the Emperor Witch was the original Eye of Formation. In the true Primordial Era, they were also a top genius of a Great Realm, standing at the pinnacle of all geniuses. To put it bluntly, their level should have been equivalent to the Divine Children of the Divine Realm today.

Yet such a talented genius did not ascend and become a Great Emperor. Instead, they were made into the initial Eye of Formation of the Realm Grand Array by many Great Realms, using their body, spirit, and soul to forge the array, along with the combined power of multiple Realms and hundreds of thousands of cultivators forming the Grand Formation. It was only through these means that the formation capable of suppressing the Heavenly Dao Reckoning could be cast.

Afterward, more Eyes of Formation were added, eventually totaling twelve, which finally stabilized the Grand Formation.

It's worth mentioning that among these twelve Eyes of Formation, only a few - around five - had names or titles that could be spoken. The remaining seven Forbidden Zone Masters seemed to have never appeared, with only vague mentions of their designations.

Even in the current battle against the Heavenly Rain Realm, only four of the Forbidden Zone Masters have taken action so far.

The Heavenly Rain Realm is clearly puzzled by this, suspecting that the other two hidden Quasi-Emperors are holding back their true strength as a contingency plan for the Realm.

Now, the two Realms are testing whose reserves are deeper and whose strength is greater. It seems that due to Chen Xia's involvement, the Realm has been forced to reveal its hidden cards first.

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor narrowed his eyes, looking up as he softly transmitted his voice, asking: "Miss Xie, can you sever the connection between the Heavenly Rain Realm and our Realm?"

The red-robed girl furrowed her brow in the Heavenly Canopy timeline, replying in a grave voice: "It seems other existences are interfering with the connection. The causality between the two Realms is extremely complex, in both the past and the future. I cannot find a good way to cut it off."

She was clearly at a loss.

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor didn't know what to do either and could only advise: "Don't rush, take it slow. For now, I should still be able to buy you some time."

His expression darkened. Although he said that, it was merely to console the red-robed girl. If the legendary Eye of Formation who had lived for 230,000 years appeared and joined forces with the current four Forbidden Zone Masters, he was unsure how long he could hold them off.

Under the dim celestial canopy, the old Dragon's expression was as grim as the Shanshui Quasi-Emperor's. Originally, they didn't want to play this Emperor Witch trump card, for if the Emperor Witch took action, they would have to pay an extra price.

It gritted its teeth and cursed angrily, "This is because you fools insist on seeking death!"

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor raised his umbrella high. His white robe fluttered in the wind as spiritual energy gathered and swirled around him, as if whispering faintly.

The shattered mountains in the distance reassembled, and the rivers restored themselves.

He let out a light laugh, his expression gradually calming.

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor had risen to prominence and made a name for himself as a genius in his sect 36,000 years ago. He became the number one genius in the sect after reaching the Mountain-Moving Realm. His subsequent cultivation journey was smooth, only encountering a bottleneck at the peak of the Sky-Mending Realm before Quasi-Sainthood. After pondering for five thousand years, he finally found his own path.

The Path of Mountains and the Path of Water.

The Path of Mountains and Water, though not a supreme Great Dao below the Dao of Heaven and Earth, was perfect for the Shanshui Quasi-Emperor.

He walked amidst mountains and waters, facing the dim celestial canopy, as if treading upon water and the Heavenly Dao itself.

"In my 36,000 years of cultivation, I do not consider myself exceptionally talented. However, I have indeed become a Quasi-Emperor through my journey, not overly formidable, but not so easily slain either."

"The Path of Mountains and Water is supreme in my heart. Today, I shall display my full divine abilities and attempt to ascend!"

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor let out a resounding shout. His figure rose, floating as if carrying the mountains, waters, and the entire world, transforming into a divine being soaring into the air. The umbrella he held grew larger and larger until it no longer seemed to have a canopy, but rather resembled a realm of mountains and waters itself.

Defying the world, unifying mountains and waters.

He gently tossed the umbrella upwards, using it to brace against the Heavenly Dao Reckoning overhead, steadily occupying a portion of the world. It was as if he declared to the heavens:

"Today, I shall ascend and become a Great Emperor!"

An immense pressure instantly descended from the celestial canopy, carrying the aura of myriad Realms, ready to impose the Supreme Tribulation upon him for Great Emperor ascension.

In total, there were three hundred Great Emperor seats across the Realms. Currently, seven were vacant.

And the Shanshui Quasi-Emperor wished to occupy one of these seats.

The other Great Emperors sensed the commotion and gazed through countless Realms, unable to perceive his true form but vaguely sensing a Great Emperor's aura through the Supreme Tribulation.

In the Divine Realm, a Great Emperor scoffed disdainfully: "With such a shallow foundation, this little Quasi-Emperor dares to summon the Great Emperor Supreme Tribulation? He's overestimating himself far too much."

To become a Great Emperor, one must be the paramount existence in their respective Great Dao, unmatched by any other. Only then could one ascend.

But was the Shanshui Quasi-Emperor truly the paramount being in the Path of Mountains and Water?

Evidently not.

For the Dao of Heaven and Earth encompasses mountains and waters, and many other Great Daos also incorporate them.

If one wished to become a Great Emperor by relying solely on the relatively simple Path of Mountains and Water, then they would have to reach the absolute pinnacle of that path.

So why did the Shanshui Quasi-Emperor attempt to ascend without such qualifications?

It was because those who undergo the Supreme Tribulation for Great Emperor ascension can obtain one-tenth of a Great Emperor's power even if they fail.

This one-tenth of a Great Emperor's strength is equivalent to that of a top-tier Quasi-Emperor.

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor had no intention of breaking through or becoming one of the three hundred Great Emperors. He merely sought to obtain this one-tenth of a Great Emperor's power.

That would suffice.

He stood between heaven and earth, questioning the dim celestial canopy: "Where is the Emperor Witch?!"

At first, there was no response. The dark canopy seemed to tremble.

"Shhh."

A chilling voice rang out.

Upon the dim celestial canopy, a slender, jet-black arm had appeared, extending a long, bony finger.

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor's expression remained calm as he ascended, confronting the black arm.

The chilling voice spoke again: "You are rather noisy, a mere Quasi-Emperor. If you die, you die. Why must you shout and yell within the formation?"

Its voice was as frigid as clinging frost. The slender arm twitched, and the palm gestured as if grasping something.

It was as if seizing the mountains and waters themselves.

With a sudden clench.

Breaking waters, shattering mountains!

It intended to directly destroy the Shanshui Quasi-Emperor's Great Dao!

The mountains of the Realm let out a collective rumbling as rivers converged. The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor manifested his divine form, directly clashing against the Emperor Witch's arm. At the first collision, the entire Realm shuddered, even affecting the void beyond.

This was a pinnacle battle across the Realms.

The Shanshui Quasi-Emperor did not retreat, unleashing his full Quasi-Emperor might as he charged straight into the dim celestial canopy, engaging in a fierce battle that caused the canopy to tilt, appearing as if it might collapse and overturn entirely.

The cultivators of the Realm watched the celestial canopy, their faces deathly pale, feeling as if the final hour had come and that the Reckoning for their Realm was nigh. They might not live much longer.

In the middle layers of the Realm, the Zhang Family cultivators knelt, led by Zhang Feiyu, bowing before a towering statue of their Ancestor, kowtowing in unison and shouting loudly:

"We kneel before the Chen Ancestor, beseeching the Chen Ancestor to bless and protect the Zhang Family!"

Thud!

Tens of thousands of kowtowing sounds resonated simultaneously, shaking the ground.

The elderly Zhang Feiyu stood at the front with his hands clasped behind his back. Tears streamed from his cloudy eyes as he murmured nostalgically: "Ancestor Ming, Chen Ancestor..."

The kowtowing sounds continued echoing, carrying for dozens of miles.

What was Chen Xia doing?

He stood within the Forbidden Zone, preparing to raid its treasures.

Could he succeed in stealing them?