# 2014
Chapter 2014
Chapter 1998: Siege of the Key to the Gate!
Sunken Dragon Pass, the border.
A black-robed figure stood calmly in the void, gazing into the distance as if waiting for something.
In the Sunken Dragon Pass not far from him, all weapons had been activated, aimed squarely at his position. The Night Watch members and military personnel stationed here had their hearts in their throats, facing a formidable enemy!
Finally, dozens of streaks of light rushed over from the distance.
"You're too slow, Fate." An Qingyu's gaze fell on the leader of the group, her voice flat.
"An Qingyu." When Fate Monk saw that face, his eyes narrowed. "You've suppressed the Key to the Gate?"
"Yes... but He's about to return." The face beneath An Qingyu's hood was deathly pale. "I can't hold on much longer. Once He returns, the first thing He'll do is completely destroy my soul... But I can't die yet, so I need you all to hold Him off."
Fate Monk's brow furrowed, a few thoughts flickering through his mind. Without much hesitation, he nodded in agreement.
"Alright, no problem."
Seeing Fate Monk agree so readily, An Qingyu couldn't help but glance at him in surprise, then gave a slight nod. "Talking with smart people is indeed convenient."
"No, it's not that I'm smart... It's that the memories in my mind instinctively chose to trust you." Fate Monk met his eyes. "To be honest, I still can't determine what side you're on."
"What side I'm on doesn't matter anymore... Holding off the Key to the Gate is beneficial for Great Xia in every way."
An Qingyu was right. The reason Great Xia found itself in such a dire situation was that they couldn't determine where the Key to the Gate would attack from. Now that An Qingyu had come to them willingly, it was equivalent to handing them the first move, granting them absolute initiative.
As her words fell, An Qingyu ignored everything else, directly closing her eyes to focus on the battle against the suppressed soul at the bottom of her being.
At the same time, Hu Jia, Yuzuri Takishiro, Jinian, Athena, and Artemis—five Chief God-level powerhouses—took positions at five different locations, completely sealing off all of An Qingyu's escape routes.
Fate Monk, Guan Zai, Master Chen, Shao Pingge, Chen Han, Lu Wuwei, and Lina formed a circle on the outer perimeter, their vigilance raised to the extreme.
Five Chief Gods, seven Human Apex-level powerhouses on par with Chief Gods—with the exception of Chloe, whose body had been hollowed out by the Covenant and couldn't participate—all of Great Xia's top combat forces were here...
"Where's Wang Mian?" Guan Zai suddenly realized something, asking with confusion.
"...I don't know, he was here during the meeting just now." Chen Han scanned the surroundings but couldn't find him either.
Wang Mian was, after all, a Chief God—and moreover, a god who governed time. He was also the only one among them who might be able to somewhat limit the Key to the Gate's temporal powers. His absence meant mounting pressure for everyone.
But at this critical moment, with the Key to the Gate's return imminent, they couldn't spare anyone to search for him. They could only try calling his phone:
"The number you have dialed is out of service..."
"..."
Just as Lu Wuwei was about to make a sarcastic remark, a闷哼 came from nearby!
"He's coming!!" Beads of sweat formed on An Qingyu's forehead as she shouted. At the same time, surging gray mist poured forth from the void behind her, and a massive gate descended upon the world!
The ancient and powerful breath of the Pillar God fell like a crushing weight!!
Everyone felt their shoulders sink under an unprecedented pressure. The oppressive presence pierced through that Gate of Truth, nearly suffocating them all. As that enormous gate cracked open, the black-robed figure within struggled violently!
"I told you... you can't suppress me forever." A low voice emerged from An Qingyu's throat. Her pupils rapidly contracted to the size of pinpoints!
"Now that I have descended with my complete consciousness, what could possibly stop me?!"
Under the Key to the Gate's soul pressure, An Qingyu's spirit convulsed violently, seeming on the verge of being torn apart!
"Attack!!" she bellowed.
Swoosh—!!
Several brilliant divine rays bloomed in the air. Athena gripped her spear without hesitation and thrust it toward the Key to the Gate's throat, but with a mere raise of His hand, He effortlessly locked her in place within the space.
Immediately after, an ultra-large-scale pixel star-destroying cannon and a laser cannon crackling with thunder materialized above Jinian and Yuzuri Takishiro respectively. Two beams of world-ending light blasted toward the black-robed figure standing in the void!
BOOM—!!!
Two spheres of blazing blue fire erupted in the sky, like twin suns. The scorching aftershocks evaporated the sea below without a trace!
A急促 reed pipe melody sounded in the air. Hu Jia's spiritual will surged directly into the Key to the Gate's mental world,分担 the soul pressure on An Qingyu within. His brow was locked in a tight furrow, eyes tightly shut, while crimson blood uncontrollably streamed from his seven orifices...
The complete soul of the Key to the Gate was simply too powerful. Even as a god of the mind, he couldn't hold on for long. But no matter what, An Qingyu's soul was temporarily preserved.
"You think you can hold me back by，借用 these people's hands?"
Several Human Apex figures swarmed forward. Various Forbidden Ruins unfurled simultaneously, pinning the black-robed figure in place.
Lina's hand grasped the void, and the Supreme God-tier Excalibur materialized in her palm. With a fierce roar, the phantom of King Arthur's divine power merged with her form, briefly granting her "Supreme" level combat prowess. A golden sword light slashed vertically toward the Key to the Gate's crown!
The Key to the Gate, currently fighting eight opponents at once, furrowed His brow. The space where His form had been exchanged with distant void, and He vanished from where He stood.
In the next instant, all the attacks from the Human Apex ranks and Lina's sword struck nothing but empty air!
His black robes billowing wildly in the wind, the Key to the Gate raised His fingertip. From within the massive gate standing amid the gray mist, countless tentacles poured down from the starry expanse of the heavens, instantly drowning several figures!
"Careful!" Master Chen's pupils contracted sharply. His "Mindscape" expanded to its limit, dragging Chen Han, Lu Wuwei, Shao Pingge and others into the carriage within.
DON—!!
Those tentacles crashed down onto the "Mindscape" with tremendous force, directly crushing Master Chen's Forbidden Ruins. Inside the carriage, he spat out a mouthful of blood. Then, the carriage hurtling through the void exploded into nothingness!