Finally, after ignoring them for so long, he accepted one of the countless communication requests. The moment the connection formed.

"LORD GOVERNOR!!!"

Belfast’s panicked voice exploded through the link, as calm composure gave way to only terror and frustration.

"The surface has descended into complete chaos! The mysterious giant owl manifestation suddenly appeared across the entire Undead Cradle! Everyone can see it! Every participant! Even the hidden members!

"And we couldn’t reach you...Just what happened?!"

The moment the ’owl’ was mentioned by Belfast, the Corpse Governor’s eyes flared with shock and rage as the ’mural’ of that devilish owl instantly surfaced in his mind.

Furthermore, Belfast was panicking, which means something terribly had gone wrong as his eyes narrowed sharply as he grimly asked, "...Tell me what happened?"

Belfast didn’t tarry and continued rapidly, "Everything was going as planned, but then all of a sudden, the entire Undead Cradle..."

He told everything from the start, and the more the Corpse Governor heard, the gloomier his expression became. The subdued madness within him almost exploded again when he thought about how the Sky Stealer had left that owl symbol in the sky for everyone to see.

"...in the end, we had no choice but to begin retreating members back underground before the Evernight Council notices fully. But it won’t last long because the trial takers seemed to have also received new commands.

"Moreover, the Midnight Duke seemed to have prepared to open the realm gate on their side. I-I...I’m afraid there might be an Evernight King coming here or more. Just...just who is this Sky Stealer?! Is the sudden deterrence of the Undead Boundary related to this entity!?"

The Corpse Governor’s killing intent started to boil instinctively as he also wanted to know just what kind of damnable existence, according to him, was ’sealed’ within the Undead Cradle, and how they were able to escape and then humiliate them instead of just getting rid of them.

But when he thought about how that existence drew the Evernight Council here, and now with that owl symbol outside, the entire world knew now about their vulnerability.

The Corpse Governor knew their hidden advantage would be soon gone, and for a moment, the madness almost swallowed him again, but he forcefully suppressed it.

"I don’t know who this Sky Stealer is, but he’s probably the entity that was sealed within the forbidden grounds."

"W-was?!" Belfast seemed to have realized something as his voice was filled with disbelief and horror.

The Corpse Governor’s voice turned cold, "It doesn’t matter anymore. Right now, listen carefully."

Belfast paused immediately, and the Corpse Governor spoke heavily, "The Undead Boundary’s core formation is gone, and I’m afraid even the Central Repository has been taken by this Sky Stealer.

"The Undead Boundary will probably not hold for long, and the Evernight Council might have already figured it out. But there is one good thing that comes out of this for our Corpse Clan. The restriction on our cultivation has gone!"

After a moment of complete silence, Belfast’s breathing suddenly stopped as if he had even forgotten about the impending danger.

"W...wait...w-what?"

"I can feel it clearly." The Corpse Governor stated gravely with a hint of cruel flicker in his eyes, "My bottleneck toward the Abyssal King Realm has loosened. The suppression affecting our undead souls is also fading, and I’m sure if I try to push with all my might, I’ll become an Abyssal King and take over those Abyssal King Realm ancient corpse vessels!"

Even through the connection, Belfast’s shock was obvious because, in his panic, he truly hadn’t noticed, nor was his foundation anywhere near the Corpse Governor’s level.

Nonetheless, just like the Corpse Governor, the Corpse Commanders, and hidden elders like Belfast were all struck in the Half-Abyssal King Realm peak for a very, very long time, and some of them could’ve already become Abyssal Kings if not for those mysterious restrictions.

Now, after learning about this astounded news, Belfast also focused on his Undead Soul and tried to increase his cultivation, and the next moment, his undead soul trembled faintly.

Belfast’s expression changed drastically because, despite being faint, he could sense it was really there, the sign of progress!

At that moment, a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind, ’Could the destruction of the Undead Boundary... actually be a blessing in disguise?’

But he immediately crushed that thought before it could surface outward because the Corpse Clan was now facing unprecedented danger; still, hope ignited uncontrollably within him.

The Corpse Governor’s voice rang again, "Inform all Corpse Commanders to withdraw everyone, and then tell every Half-Step Abyssal King to attempt a breakthrough immediately while the Undead Boundary hasn’t completely faded."

Belfast inhaled sharply as he knew this was the only hope they had to not only survive the Evernight Council, but maybe even resist them!

"As your command, my lord!"

"If even one more Abyssal King appears..." The Corpse Governor’s corpse flames blazed with terrifying resolution. "Then the Corpse Clan may still survive what comes next."

"Lord Governor..." Belfast’s voice trembled before it hardened with determination, "You must succeed. This breakthrough may determine whether our clan survives... or faces extermination."

The communication ended shortly afterward, and the forbidden region fell silent once more.

At that moment, the Corpse Governor slowly raised his head, and far above, though hidden beneath countless layers of earth, he could faintly see it now. That massive owl hovering across the heavens of the Undead Cradle.

"Sky Stealer..." His voice was low and dangerous.

Abruptly, his corpse flames erupted with unprecedented intensity, and this time not with madness alone, but purpose.

The Corpse Governor vanished instantly, returning toward the deepest chamber beneath the forbidden region to enter seclusion and attempt the breakthrough toward the realm he had dreamed of for countless years.

As the endless corpse Qi began violently converging toward the depths of the forbidden region, his final mutter echoed softly through the darkness.

"I’ll pay back everything..." His corpse flames burned like two collapsing stars, "...even if it’s the last thing I do!"