'Chaotic… it's all chaotic!'
Zhu Kun muttered inwardly, forcing himself to calm down.
'So this world truly still has a Dou God… It seems I was simply too ignorant.'
As Goku's gaze swept toward him, realization struck Zhu Kun.
"Lord, you've come for the Ancient God Tuoshe's Estate, haven't you? With your strength, Tuoshe should have long since perished. This so-called estate should be no obstacle to you. However, the gate can only be opened with the Tuoshe Jade Keys, unless…"
His words abruptly caught in his throat. His eyes bulged, staring in disbelief.
Before him, a blade of light condensed in Goku's hand. With two swift strikes, slash, slash, the massive stone gate split open, a doorway wide enough for a person to pass through.
"I hate troublesome things. Direct methods are far more efficient," Goku said calmly as his voice echoed.
"Holy shit…" Zhu Kun, a creature who had witnessed countless eras, couldn't help but curse aloud. What he was seeing felt like a dream.
He knew the might of a Dou God. That cursed barrier had trapped him for thousands of years without the slightest chance of escape. Yet the gate before them—many times sturdier than the barrier—had been casually sliced open as if it were nothing.
His gaze flicked to the sword of light in Goku's hand. Even the faint aura it emitted made his scalp tingle and his body run cold. An instinct screamed within him: even as an Ancient Void Dragon, if this man so willed it, he could be cut into pieces instantly.
Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Zhu Kun felt the crushing pressure weighing down on him.
'What kind of monster have I encountered? My very heart is trembling like a drum…'
He thought back to when he had dared to provoke this man earlier, and his spine turned cold.
'Thank the heavens I had a daughter—otherwise I'd already be dead a thousand times over. Speaking of which… how is my precious daughter now…'
At the thought of his child, Zhu Kun's eyes softened for the first time. Seeing Goku step into the stone gate, he hesitated only a moment before following. He had been trapped for millennia, yearning for what lay inside. Even if he couldn't claim it, at least he could witness it with his own eyes and ease a regret.
---
A faint mist drifted through the strange realm beyond the gate, enshrouding everything in a quiet, ethereal haze. The silence felt as though it had lasted for tens of thousands of years.
Floating in the endless void was a piece of land, suspended in midair without any support—like a palace hanging in the heavens.
Buzz!
The long silence shattered as space twisted violently. A massive portal appeared, and two figures slowly emerged, descending onto the floating land.
"After being trapped for thousands of years, I've finally stepped into this place!" Zhu Kun's voice rumbled, his tone full of both exhilaration and resentment. "Tuoshe, you old bastard. In the end, you couldn't hold me back!"
Goku only glanced around briefly, then suddenly shot off in a certain direction.
Seeing this, Zhu Kun suppressed his feelings and hurriedly followed. He lacked the Jade Keys—wandering aimlessly here could be dangerous. Staying near Goku was the safest choice.
"Lord, have you been here before? You move as though you already know the way." Zhu Kun asked curiously.
"This is my first time here."
"…Huh?"
"But in my eyes, this place has already been laid bare."
"Hissss…" Zhu Kun sucked in a breath of cold air.
'Everything in this space, already laid bare? Impossible! Even I cannot probe this realm with my senses. How can he…?'
For the first time, Zhu Kun truly understood:
'Those at his level are utterly beyond our comprehension. No wonder the Dou God realm is so coveted.'
---
The plaza they entered was unimaginably vast. Compared to its scale, the two of them were like ants crawling across an endless desert.
Suddenly, Zhu Kun stopped, eyes widening.
"What's that…?"
On top of a towering stone pillar, a cluster of dark-yellow flames blazed, its aura instantly recognizable.
"That's… the Mysterious Yellow Flame, ranked twenty-third on the Heavenly Flame List."
Not far ahead, another towering pillar appeared, crowned with another flickering flame.
"The Ten-Thousand Beast Flame… ranked twenty-second," Zhu Kun said in shock.
As they proceeded, more stone pillars arose, each holding a different Heavenly Flame. While the flames radiated little power, Goku could tell—they were real, not illusions.
"These flames… what's going on?" Zhu Kun frowned, his voice tinged with unease.
"Merely flames Tuoshe Ancient God collected and sealed away," Goku said flatly.
They continued deeper. Goku saw many Heavenly Flames, some he already knew, others unfamiliar. The deeper they went, the higher the ranking of the flames. Even Zhu Kun couldn't help but sigh repeatedly in astonishment.
"Never imagined Tuoshe had such a hobby. I wonder… are the top three Heavenly Flames here as well?"
---
Meanwhile, outside, the continent trembled. When Goku had cut open the stone gate, an ancient aura erupted, spilling across the Inner Academy and the Black-Corner Region. Countless experts across the land sensed it instantly.
Hun Tiandi was the first to act.
"Hahaha! So the Ancient Emperor's Estate truly lies near the Black-Corner Region. I never expected that instead of luring him out, that man would personally open it himself… Extraordinary! But this is exactly what I hoped for. Hahaha! Strongest of the continent… I've prepared a gift for you. A most mysterious gift!"
---
At Jia Nan Academy, Elder Su Qian and the others ascended into the skies, staring toward the Black-Corner Region. There, the Sky boiled—space twisted violently, black clouds surged, and countless dark figures erupted forth like a tidal wave. Their advance ripped the sky apart, filling the heavens with an oppressive aura.
"What a terrifying force… Are they planning to attack our Inner Academy?!" Su Qian gasped.
"With such might… will our Academy fall in my hands?" His aged face grew pale, despair flickering in his eyes. Even if the Dean himself returned, he feared it would be meaningless. The enemies were too many, too strong. Jia Nan Academy was nothing before them.
Just as hopelessness spread among them, a shimmering space barrier suddenly enveloped the entire Inner Academy, isolating it completely from the outside world.
Startled, Su Qian and the others froze. Then, a familiar voice resonated in their minds—echoing both in their ears and within their hearts.
"I have already opened the Ancient God's Estate hidden beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. This will surely draw countless powers, especially the Soul Hall. You must remain vigilant. For now, I've placed a barrier to shield the Academy. It will remain safe."
"Lord Goku?! The Ancient God's Estate?!" Su Qian and the others lit up with joy, though disbelief quickly followed.
"The Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower concealed such a place? Impossible…"
"No. The magma world beneath the tower is merely the entrance. The Estate itself spans both the Black-Corner Region and the Academy grounds. Enough talk—I've no time to explain further."
Goku cut off the connection and turned. Ahead loomed a titanic stone statue of an old man. Though Goku had never met him, he instantly knew—this was Tuoshe Ancient God, the master of this estate.
Zhu Kun, however, was still reeling. He had just witnessed Goku casually converse across realms, lay down barriers across vast distances with a single thought, and see through the estate's mysteries as though they were nothing.
'Is this truly the power of a Dou God?'
---
"Hehe… It has been a long time since anyone stepped into this place."
A faint, ancient voice drifted from above, shaking Zhu Kun from his thoughts.
Looking up, his eyes widened. The massive stone statue radiated an oppressive aura, as if it alone ruled heaven and earth. Even Zhu Kun felt crushed beneath its weight.
Around the statue floated countless glowing orbs. From a distance, they shimmered like stars.
"These… these are…" Zhu Kun's jaw dropped. "Hundreds of Heavenly-ranked techniques and battle arts?! Tuoshe really was a hoarder!"
Goku smiled faintly. Without a gesture, the orbs winked out, vanishing into his dimensional world in an instant.
"…You've got to be kidding me…" Zhu Kun stood frozen, heart aching as if treasures were being ripped from his very soul. "I guess I'm just here to watch…"
---
"Heh. You're quite bold… and capable too."
The ancient voice echoed again. On the statue's shoulder, a figure slowly materialized—an old man in simple robes, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze fell on the two below, as indifferent as if looking at ants.
"Tuoshe Ancient God?!" Zhu Kun recoiled in shock, instinctively hiding behind Goku. Even after thousands of years, the one who had trapped him still made his heart tighten.
Goku's eyes narrowed slightly at the old man.
"So you're an Emperor-grade Nascent Pill. But why is the difference between you and others of your kind so vast?"
"Oh? From your tone… you've seen another one of my kind?" The old man's eyes flashed with intrigue as he studied Goku.
Zhu Kun blinked, realization dawning. "So he's not Tuoshe… but the Emperor Nascent Pill! Damn, he gave me a scare. Thought the old bastard was still alive…"
Goku's voice was calm, but sharp. "Will you return to your true form, or must I force you back myself?"
"Such arrogance…" The pill spirit chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with malice. "If you want me, then prove yourself with strength."
"That suits me just fine." Goku smiled faintly, body flickering forward as his fist drove toward the Nascent Pill.
The spirit met the strike without fear, raising his hand. A terrifying ripple burst forth, colliding with Goku's blow.
Boom!
The explosion shook the ground, stone splitting, debris flying. Yet an unseen force preserved the estate from destruction.
"Oh? Impressive. Your strength is nearing that of a Dou God," Goku said calmly, withdrawing his fist as his eyes narrowed on the pill spirit.
___
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