"Lord of Fire, I am not crazy. It is you who are obsessed—trapped within your own obsession."
Upon hearing this, the Lord of Blood Sea remained calm, his pupils incomparably clear.
"You don't even understand how much you can gain by believing in my Lord.
Originally, with my aptitude, breaking through to the Medium-level Universe Lord Realm might have taken eons, and even then, success was uncertain.
But after placing my faith in my Lord, my heart became crystal clear. All distractions faded. My breakthrough felt effortless—I advanced instantly to the Medium-level Universe Lord Realm.
If you were to also convert and believe in my Lord, I have no doubt your cultivation base would no longer stagnate. Each of you would make tremendous progress, and advancing to become Lord of the Medium Universe would no longer be a problem."
He looked at the five Universe Lords with hopeful eyes.
However, upon hearing those words, the Lord of Fire and the others were not delighted—they grew even more panicked.
"Lord of the Blood Sea, you are insane—completely insane! You were once a ruthless devil, committing countless atrocities, treating mortals as ants, slaughtering without mercy."
At that moment, the Lord of Metal trembled violently, his voice full of fear.
"But look at you now—meeker than a sheep, more timid than a mouse, and more obedient than a dog.
Where is your defiance? Your unyielding will? Your spine? Your dignity? Wake up! Return to the ferocious, unrestrained being you once were!"
To be honest, although the previous Lord of the Blood Sea was terrifying and murderous, at least he was understandable.
But now, seeing him transformed into this calm and gentle figure—as if fully humanized—sent chills through their bones.
What kind of power could transform a Universe Lord into such a docile, loyal follower? The thought alone was horrifying.
"That's right! Lord of the Blood Sea, do you even realize what you've become? You're a puppet now—do you understand that?" The Lord of Water roared, trying to jolt him awake.
"A puppet?"
The Lord of the Blood Sea clasped his hands, his gaze tranquil as the ocean.
"What is a puppet? In this life, who isn't one? Who isn't being used by others? Even the Lords of the Universe—can we truly claim to be free?
As long as we exist in this world, we are bound by it.
In truth, restraint is necessary. Only with law and order can the world exist. Without them, there would only be chaos, nothingness—the end of all things.
You are too attached, tangled in the illusion of detachment. It is this obsession that causes your suffering. That denies you peace.
Take refuge. Believe in my Lord, and you will understand true liberation, true bliss—true serenity and clarity."
Waves of chaotic voices flowed from his body—echoes of faith, carrying the supreme essence of the Dao. They emitted a mysterious, transformative power.
Bathed in that radiance, lesser beings would be transformed in an instant, entering a void of stillness where seeds of belief rooted deep within their hearts.
"Damn it. The Lord of the Blood Sea is completely gone. There's no saving him."
"He's turned into a cult fanatic! There's no way back."
"How could this happen? How could someone as ruthless as the Lord of the Blood Sea be converted? What did he encounter?"
The expressions of the Lord of Metal and the others darkened. Truthfully, they had nearly succumbed to his words—nearly accepted them.
Had they not guarded their spiritual altars, they would have fallen already—turned into puppets of the mysterious Universe Lord, just like the Lord of the Blood Sea. There would have been no escape.
This was no longer mere enslavement. It was total brainwashing, a conversion of heart and Dao. One would willingly sacrifice everything—like a saint—for that higher being.
What terrifying divine power this was.
All five Universe Lords stared at Gu Chuan in horror, an indescribable fear swelling in their hearts.
"Are you willing to believe in me?"
Gu Chuan brought his palms together, looking at the Lord of Fire and the others with serene indifference. His voice carried a hint of supernatural power—peaceful, void of the four elements.
"You're delusional!"
The Lord of Fire roared, his temper erupting like a volcano.
"You want me to become like the Lord of the Blood Sea—a puppet like that? Don't even dream of it! I would rather die than submit to you!"
As soon as he spoke, a wave of destructive energy surged from his body.
What?!
The other four Universe Lords turned pale with shock. They hadn't expected the Lord of Fire to act so rashly—intending to self-destruct without hesitation.
They all knew: to become a Universe Lord, one must endure countless calamities and epochs. Every Universe Lord cherished their existence dearly.
Self-destruction was the absolute last resort.
Yet now, the Lord of Fire wanted to blow himself up to take the enemy down. The despair in his heart, the strength of his conviction—both were rare in all creation.
"You want to self-destruct? In front of me, even that is a luxury."
Gu Chuan raised an eyebrow. Though surprised, he'd seen similar defiance many times before. He was prepared.
In an instant, he raised his hand and summoned a Universe Secret Treasure from within—Morning Bell and Evening Drum.
This was a treasure obtained from the Baili Race, which he had refined after many years.
Even Gu Chuan did not underestimate the power of this artifact.
Suddenly, Morning Bell and Evening Drum appeared in midair—one a giant bell, the other a massive drum. They emanated a powerful chaotic aura, filled with profound mystery.
Simply witnessing them caused one to tremble, sensing their immense power and unfathomable depth.
Under Gu Chuan's control, the two treasures began to resonate.
Boom~~ Boom~~ Boom~~
The bell rang, the drum thundered. The reverberations of chaos echoed outward, carrying the rhythm of the supreme Dao, laced with unimaginable divine power.
The chaos sound wave spread across billions of trillions of light-years—instantly engulfing the Lord of Fire and the other five Universe Lords.