# 2004
Chapter 1988: The Third Sacred Covenant
Lin Qiye did not remember how many times he had fused with Ame-no-Murakumo. Each time the duration of [King's Hand] expired and he was forcibly ejected, he would without hesitation activate it once more, merging it into his body.
A streak of light flashed through the deep void at an astonishing speed, vast expanses of nebulae receding behind him. After each flicker, he found himself in a different space.
The side effects of [King's Hand] caused Lin Qiye's consciousness to grow increasingly hazy. Even the Hongmeng Lingtai could not withstand such high-intensity divine artifact enhancement and spatial teleportation.
He was like an explorer carrying pressure and hope, pressing forward through the abyss of despair, wagering everything to find the slim possibility of reversing everything.
The possibility was extremely faint. In the past, Lin Qiye might have found it, but now things were different...
Now, he had no miracles left.
Through countless spatial teleports, Lin Qiye's consciousness gradually fell into Chaos. That enclosed darkness eroded his vision from within the cosmos, bit by bit. Eventually, his sight was completely shrouded in darkness.
The unconscious Lin Qiye drifted slowly toward the depths of the cosmos along a fixed trajectory, like a corpse floating on the sea's surface.
...
Great Xia.
"What did you say? The [Key to the Gate] has vanished?" Upon hearing this news, Guan Zai's brow furrowed tightly.
"Yes, after the Sword Immortal slew the [Black Goat], It disappeared." A Night Watch replied seriously. "We've already cleared the remaining Black Goat offspring and are cleaning up the battlefield... but the [Key to the Gate] is indeed missing."
The disappearance of the [Key to the Gate] should have been good news. What Guan Zai feared most was that after Zhou Ping's death, the [Key to the Gate] would go on a killing spree...
But hearing of Its disappearance, for some reason, Guan Zai felt even more wary inside.
The [Key to the Gate] was destined to destroy Great Xia, but now It wasn't in a hurry to act. Perhaps It had something more important to do?
"Any news from the other shelters?"
"None, all shelters are safe with no enemy attacks..."
"Strange... At this moment, where could It have gone?" Guan Zai mused.
Before Jialin Pass, numerous figures were cleaning the ravaged battlefield, burning every Black Goat offspring corpse to prevent contamination. The Human Apex and deities who had annihilated the final batch of offspring were gradually converging toward the pass.
Yuzuri Takishiro, Wu Tongxuan, Athena, Wang Mian, Master Chen... Guan Zai's gaze swept across the crowd. Suddenly, it was as if he thought of something.
"Shen Qingzhu... Where is Shen Qingzhu?"
"Mr. Shen went with Mr. Wu Quan to ring the bell."
"Ring the bell?"
"Commander Lin said before going to battle that if anything unexpected happened, the Eastern Emperor Bell should be struck... Now that [Black Goat] and [Chaos] are both dead, but [Key to the Gate] has suddenly descended—this should count as the 'unexpected event' Commander Lin mentioned.
So before the battle here ended, Mr. Shen took people directly to Qilian Mountain to ring the bell."
The Eastern Emperor Bell, the Third Sacred Covenant...
Guan Zai contemplated briefly. "When did they depart?"
"About ten minutes ago."
"Ten minutes... At Shen Qingzhu and Wu Quan's speed, they should have arrived long ago." Guan Zai's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze suddenly fixed on a certain direction, his expression grave.
"Then why haven't we heard the bell... even now?"
...
Qilian Mountain.
Two silhouettes streaked across the sky.
"We're here." Shen Qingzhu's gaze fell upon the continuous mountain range before them. His gray wings slowly folded inward as his form descended before one of the peaks.
"Brother Qingzhu, are we really ringing it now?" Wu Quan asked beside him. "Brother Qiye said we should wait until an unexpected event occurs and the situation becomes critical before sounding it... Isn't this a bit premature?"
"We can't delay any longer." Shen Qingzhu spoke with conviction.
"Lin Qiye's分身 has fallen, the Ancestral God Temple and Teacher have all vanished—Great Xia has no one who can stop [Key to the Gate]... Don't forget, [Key to the Gate] is an omniscient, omnipotent god that can foresee the future. It can see the future after the Third Sacred Covenant activates, so It will definitely try to stop us... We must ring the Eastern Emperor Bell before It leaves the battlefield!"
Hearing this, Wu Quan's expression immediately grew solemn.
He had almost forgotten about [Key to the Gate]'s troublesome ability...
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately raised his palm toward the massive bronze bell atop the mountain. With his [Dominion Emperor], he could directly command the Eastern Emperor Bell to ring without needing to approach it—this was also the fastest method to strike the bell!
However, just as his palm was about to make contact, the great bronze bell standing atop the peak suddenly blurred, as if the surrounding space itself had been folded!
In Wu Quan's perception, the Eastern Emperor Bell instantly exceeded his range of control. In the end, his palm could only press against empty air.
Seeing the distorted space, Shen Qingzhu's brow creased tightly.
They had been fast enough, yet still hadn't arrived in time...
Within the twisted space, a虚无 portal gradually took shape. Draped in black robes, [Key to the Gate] unhurriedly pushed it open, standing atop the nothingness above the Eastern Emperor Bell. It smiled as it looked down at Shen Qingzhu and Wu Quan below the mountain.
"As expected of you, Shen Qingzhu... Your reaction was much faster than the others, but unfortunately, no matter how fast you are, you cannot outrun time." [Key to the Gate] spoke leisurely. "When the Eastern Emperor Bell rings, the [Sacred Covenant] responds in kind; the past returns, and desperate lives are saved...
Lin Qiye truly crafted an excellent Third Sacred Covenant!
The past returns, desperate lives are saved... These eight characters allow for countless interpretations. The more ambiguous Its meaning, the more possibilities it contains. In the futures I have seen, there are already no fewer than six ways it could manifest, several of which could pose threats to me.
Unfortunately... the young woman who co-established this Sacred Covenant with Him has already exhausted herself to the brink of death. Several of the manifestation methods most threatening to me simply cannot be achieved now. For instance, the Heavenly Court's return; for instance, Zhou Ping's resurrection...
Of course, these two manifestation methods are far too difficult. If Yerander were to execute them personally, it might be possible, but she is merely a Human Apex. Even if she gave her life, she could not accomplish them."
[Key to the Gate]'s voice echoed through the mist. Below the mountain, Shen Qingzhu's brow furrowed even more tightly.
Zhou Ping was Great Xia's Sword Immortal, the sole Supreme God of the mortal realm—resurrecting him was naturally as difficult as ascending to heaven... But the Heavenly Court hadn't been destroyed, merely fallen into slumber and drifted into the cosmos. Why did [Key to the Gate] speak as if they could never return?
"Since none of the other manifestation methods can threaten you, why go out of your way to block us?" Wu Quan spoke in a low, heavy voice.