The cold moonlight spilled onto the deserted path, casting long, thin shadows of the three people.
The two men who suddenly appeared, one burly and the other lean, positioned themselves to the left and right, subtly forming a pincer movement that blocked Zhang Yu's path.
Their faces wore smiles that seemed warm but didn't reach their eyes, like hunters seeing their long-awaited prey.
"Don't you know why I'm here?"
The lean man spoke first, his voice hoarse with a metallic quality.
His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, was fixed intently on Zhang Yu.
At the same time, an invisible yet heavy pressure quietly spread out, sealing off the surrounding space and cutting off any possibility of escape or teleportation.
Clearly, he was wary of Zhang Yu escaping.
At the same time, the burly man also stepped forward.
He didn't speak, but took a deep breath, as if savoring every last trace of the air.
Then, he frowned slightly and spoke in a deep, gruff voice:
"Not bad, not bad."
It seems you have reached the limit of this world.
"Next... shouldn't you refine this world as well, integrate it into your inner world, and at the same time glimpse a higher level?"
His words went straight to the heart of the matter, revealing Zhang Yu's ultimate purpose in "lying dormant" in this realm for the past three thousand years.
That is to absorb the Origin this world, strengthen one's inner world, solidify one's foundation, and seek a breakthrough.
Zhang Yu's heart skipped a beat, realizing that the other party had seen through his true intentions and plans.
A helpless yet slightly ingratiating smile appeared on his face as he shrugged.
"Isn't this... before we even had a chance to make a move, you two colleagues have already arrived?"
As he spoke, he subtly took half a step back, his entire body's Immortal Power already running at its peak, ready to deal with any possible thunderous attack.
It's quite clear that these two people have ill intentions and have most likely reached some kind of tacit understanding or agreement.
He might not even have a chance in a one-on-one fight, let alone a two-on-one.
The tall, thin man nodded, his face still bearing that enigmatic smile, and continued:
"If we had arrived a few days later, and you had completely refined this world, solidified your foundation, and greatly increased your strength, I'm afraid... we might not have been able to secure a victory over you."
This statement was half-joking and half-serious, but it also revealed their apprehension about Zhang Yu's potential.
"Not at all, you're joking, Senior."
"My meager skills are no match for those two Senior."
Zhang Yu chuckled to himself, but his vigilance grew even stronger; he was prepared for the worst.
"Alright, no need for all this veiled banter."
The burly man seemed impatient with this roundabout conversation, directly interrupting Zhang Yu's polite exchanges and looking Zhang Yu straight in the eye:
" Those of the Dao Seed devour each other; this is the destiny etched into our Origin, and also one of the meanings of our existence."
Everyone knows the truth; there's no need to pretend not to.
He paused, his tone becoming heavy. "Presumably, you've already received the same news from the 'Rebellious Dao Seed,' haven't you?"
Zhang Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, but he did not answer immediately.
He was naturally aware of this, which is why he was wary of the two of them.
Seeing that he remained silent, the burly man continued:
"The Heavenly Court, the old forces of Mount Ling, and the ancient heroes of the human race have all been integrated by Number One."
The other Dao Seed carriers, apart from the three of us, have also been unified over the long past years through devouring and merging.
Now, only the three of us 'Number Three' are left."
The tall, thin man beside him spoke up at the opportune moment, his voice revealing a rare hint of urgency:
That's right.
Number One has issued the final call to arms, or rather... an ultimatum.
He will soon personally take action to attack the Ancestral Land of Confucianism.
We no longer have time to fight our own battles and distrust each other.
His gaze swept over the burly man, finally settling on Zhang Yu.
His gaze was sharp, scrutinizing, and carried an unquestionable decisiveness.
Zhang Yu remained silent.
He naturally knew this news; the information transmitted by the Rebellious Dao Seed could not be faked.
Number One, the most mysterious and powerful vessel of the Dao Seed, is finally about to launch a full-scale counterattack.
His original plan was indeed to refine this world as soon as possible, stabilize or even improve his Cultivation, and then go to find the other two "Number Three" to end this fateful conflict.
But man proposes, God disposes. The other party had clearly also foreseen the situation and, before he could complete the final step, came knocking on his door together.
"All right,"
Zhang Yu took a deep breath, and the smirk and helplessness on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by calmness and determination.
Knowing there was no way to avoid it, the Immortal Power within his body began to surge wildly, the illusory image of the Medium Thousand World in his Sea of Consciousness trembled faintly, the Exterminating Immortal Sword Intent was poised to be unleashed, and the Divine Ability of One Qi Transforms Three Pure Ones was also brewing.
"Now that we've laid it all out, let's get started."
Even if I am no match for you, I will never sit idly by and wait to die, becoming your means of advancement.
He adopted a desperate stance, and his momentum suddenly surged.
The aura of Daluo Golden Immortal was no longer concealed; the terrifying power stirred up the winds and clouds for tens of thousands of miles around, and the ground beneath his feet trembled slightly, demonstrating his formidable strength.
However, the anticipated thunderous attack did not arrive immediately.
"Wait!"
The tall, thin man suddenly raised his hand and made a gesture to stop him.
His smile faded slightly, replaced by a more serious expression, even one that seemed to hint at a discussion.
There's no need for such a tense standoff.
The tall, thin man spoke slowly, his gaze shifting between Zhang Yu and the burly man:
"Actually, the three of us share the same fundamental goal: to survive."
No one wants to easily become nourishment for the other to merge and devour, doing all the work for someone else's benefit.
In this respect, I believe you are no different from us.
Zhang Yu's tense nerves did not relax, but the momentum of his attack slowed down, and he said coldly:
So what?
The mutual attraction, devouring, and fusion of the Dao Seed Origin are an inevitable trend and the source of our power.
"You two came here for this reason, didn't you?"
The burly man snorted coldly, but did not refute.
The tall, thin man shook his head:
Yes and no.
Before I came to find you, we had already clashed several times.
He pointed to the burly man beside him, then to himself:
"Their strengths are evenly matched, with each side experiencing victories and defeats, but neither can truly defeat the other, nor can they completely suppress or integrate with the other."
Zhang Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he vaguely guessed what the other party wanted to say.
"So what?"
He asked, his tone still wary.
"So,"
The tall, thin man looked intently at Zhang Yu and stated their suggestion, "We plan to learn from Number Eight's approach."
Number Eight?
Xu Xinwu?
"Three souls coexisting?"
Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Good,"
A burly man spoke, his voice deep yet clear:
"One body, three souls, temporarily merging the Origin and power of the Dao Seed, but retaining their independent consciousness and personality!"
To form a temporary, triune 'common ruler'!
The tall, thin man further explained:
"In this way, the power of the three of us can be instantly combined to form a powerful entity far exceeding that of any one of us, enough to deal with the upcoming great battle."
At the same time, our individual personalities are preserved, and we are not truly swallowed up by the other.
If the opportunity arises in the future, such as surviving this final battle, then the merged personality and power can be separated again, each finding its proper place.
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Yu and the burly man, his tone carrying a cruel frankness:
"Of course, this also carries huge risks."
With three souls in one body and their consciousnesses coexisting, the struggle for dominance and the conflict of their wills can trigger internal strife and even lead to collapse in battle.
Moreover, if they were to lose the next great battle, then all would be lost forever; they would die and their lives would vanish, and all would be in vain.
But..."
His gaze sharpened considerably.
"This is better than us killing each other and fighting to the death right now!"
At least, this is the only path we can see right now that could potentially allow all three of us to 'survive' and 'face' a powerful enemy 'together'!