The hundreds of massive flesh cocoons taking shape took even longer than before, finally completing their transformation after more than ten minutes. This time, the resulting monsters were no different from the previous batch, only significantly larger. Oh, and the giant demon from before was missing. Perhaps realizing that the colossal demon was no match for Zheng Zha, this time only ground-crawling creatures appeared. Then came the same brutal tearing and devouring, reducing the hundred-plus monsters to just five, which then morphed into five colossal, twenty-meter-tall blood-and-flesh cocoons.

"Is it for real this time? Or will they devour each other again, turning trillions of crawlers into one more opponent for me?" Zheng Zha muttered with a cold smirk.

Despite his words, Zheng Zha’s caution intensified. He could already feel the oppressive aura emanating from the five blood cocoons. Unlike the previous monsters, these five radiated an indescribable pressure, as if facing a real danger. His instincts screamed warnings about the cocoons; even if the threat wasn't necessarily fatal, he definitely sensed peril.

"Chu Xuan... something’s wrong. Are you ready on your end? I’m about to come up. Staying down here feels unnatural. Who knows what kind of monsters will hatch next. Why do I feel like you've set me up?" Zheng Zha pulled out the silver metal plate, speaking with a hint of complaint.

"Relax, I won't set anyone up."

Chu Xuan replied with his usual flat tone.

... Such an obvious lie.

"You think I believe that?" Zheng Zha cut him off immediately. "I don't have time for pleasantries. Tell me directly how much longer until you can retrieve me. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling. Hurry up! If I stay down here any longer, I might truly be in danger!" ... "I'll try my best," Chu Xuan responded, his voice as placid as ever.

"Damn it!" Putting aside the banter, the five large cocoons below didn't waste much time in transformation. The moment the first cocoon split open...

Zheng Zha’s eyes widened, straining to see through the bloody mist. Only when the misty residue of the blood cocoon dissipated did he clearly see the creature that emerged.

This creature was no longer blood-red, nor was it twenty meters tall. Within this immense cocoon, a demon of only about three meters in height had been nurtured.

This demon differed from the previous massive blood demon. It exuded a pitch-black aura, clad in dark, soot-colored armor, and gripping a greatsword wreathed in black flame. Coupled with the massive wings on its back, this was clearly the image of a Pit Fiend from Dungeons & Dragons, and a high-ranking one at that—evident from the constantly sputtering black flames on its greatsword.

(Come to think of it, this image is somewhat similar to a copy of myself.)

Zheng Zha suddenly had this thought, but before he could dwell on it, the Pit Fiend below rose from the ground and roared as it spread its wings. The black flames covering its body expanded outward like ripples, gradually extinguishing only about ten meters away. The flames on its greatsword surged even higher. With its roar, the ground beneath it rapidly cracked and withered, the first time the vibrant crimson surface changed color, turning into scorched black earth. The Pit Fiend then stamped its foot, shattering the ground as it launched toward Zheng Zha.

(As a biological entity, this creature is quite strong, but those black flames aren't my copy’s flames—the power difference is vast. And as a combatant, this demon is at best equivalent to me when I'm in 'Explosion' state. Killing it would require 'Destruction' level power. But... can one single demon like this break through my defenses to reach higher levels?)

Watching the rapidly approaching Pit Fiend, Zheng Zha’s heart grew calm. Gripping the Tiger Soul Blade, he activated 'Explosion' and steered the Green Goblin Glider to meet the demon. Leading the charge, when the demon was still a hundred meters away, it casually hurled a massive ball of black flame. Zheng Zha had already unlocked the third stage of the Gene Lock, and driven by combat instinct, he unleashed his Red Flame skill. A clash of red and black fire met in the air. Instead of the violent explosion he expected, the black flame resisted briefly before being entirely consumed by the red flame. Zheng Zha proceeded toward the Pit Fiend as if unaffected.

(Good, the black flame's power isn't too great. Although it reaches several thousand degrees, I can endure it. Still, this demon is formidable; it has reached the stage where it can fight with energy. If there were a few more like it, even I would have to put in significant effort...)

The moment this thought crossed Zheng Zha's mind, the black and red streams of flame collided. A sharp, metallic clang echoed. Both streams of fire retreated dozens of meters, appearing evenly matched. In reality, Zheng Zha had conceded a slight edge to the Pit Fiend. Keep in mind, he was currently using the third stage of the Gene Lock and the power of 'Explosion,' yet he barely fought an ordinary strike from the Pit Fiend to a draw. If this demon used its full strength, Zheng Zha would absolutely need to employ 'Destruction' level power—and this was only one demon...

"Instant Annihilation! Moon Step!"

Seeing the monster's might, Zheng Zha ceased controlling the Green Goblin Glider. Although the glider was fast, at the level of 'Explosion' combat and above, its speed proved too sluggish. Furthermore, it was an external object; maneuvering and changing direction couldn't match Zheng Zha's subtle movements. In a fight of this caliber, while the glider might conserve a tiny bit of energy, it was functionally useless.

As Zheng Zha engaged the Pit Fiend, another blood cocoon below began to stir. It slowly cracked open, revealing a massive, three-headed hound about ten meters tall. Its crimson body resembled the previous monsters, but its three heads spat out the auras of ice, fire, and lightning, clearly demonstrating its ability to control energy, just like the Pit Fiend. However, it seemed unable to fly and could only roar furiously on the ground, watching the battle between Zheng Zha and the Pit Fiend in the sky helplessly.

Zheng Zha twisted and turned constantly in mid-air. While his speed was immense, every maneuver required energy to maintain. He couldn't afford to waste time and energy against this Pit Fiend. After a few exchanges, it was clear the demon’s strength was immense. Without resorting to 'Destruction,' in this aerial environment unsuitable for sustained combat, he couldn't defeat it quickly. Especially since another monster was hatching below—its appearance strongly resembled the three-headed hound guarding the gates of Hell in lore, meaning its strength likely matched the Pit Fiend's.

(Quick decisive victory! I need to slay this monster as soon as possible! Otherwise, if another flying monster emerges, I'll truly be in trouble.)

Zheng Zha gritted his teeth and activated 'Destruction' directly. His internal energy and vampiric energy collided at his heart. Faster than the eye could follow, the figure the Pit Fiend could still perceive abruptly vanished. When he reappeared, he was right in front of the demon's face. His crimson long saber slashed forward first. Zheng Zha was willing to pay the price; this strike carried distinct magical power. He even forsook the knife mist of True Essence Power, pushing the Tiger Soul Blade’s strength to its absolute limit immediately. The seemingly unchanged blade edge radiated an air of bleakness and immense pressure. The Pit Fiend only managed to raise its greatsword, but in the next instant, an irresistible, crushing force struck it head-on. The Pit Fiend made no sound; it was utterly pulverized into shreds of meat by that single slash.

After delivering the blow, Zheng Zha rapidly retreated backward because the remains of the slain Pit Fiend began emitting intense energy fluctuations. Before he could retreat a hundred meters, the fragments exploded with a thunderous roar, creating a large mass of black flames in the air. Zheng Zha was caught near the edge of the blast radius, and the violent explosion caused him minor internal injuries, leaving a metallic taste of blood in his throat.

——————(I should use this power sparingly. While using magic to wield the Tiger Soul Blade reveals its true potential, the backlash is too severe. Truly, without cultivation techniques, one cannot master these two energies. Cultivation techniques...)

Zheng Zha sighed. When he looked back down at the ground, he almost shouted in rage. The remaining three blood cocoons had all hatched. Besides the three-headed hound, there was a twenty-meter-long obsidian Bone Dragon, and an eight-armed, three-headed female monster that looked strikingly similar to creatures called Nagas from games he used to play. The final monster he recognized all too well—a creature he had seen in The Lord of the Rings... This monster hatched last, perhaps indicating it was the strongest. It was a colossal Balrog, standing about twenty-five meters tall, radiating brilliant white flames. Its appearance suggested it was countless times stronger than the Balrog from Middle-earth—perhaps this was a Balrog whose power had not been diminished.

If it were just these four monsters, it might have been manageable. Apart from the obsidian Bone Dragon, which seemed capable of flight, the other three monsters were merely roaring on the ground. But just as Zheng Zha's tension slightly eased, from the blood-like earth below, the trillions of crawlers from before began surging forth again. Their numbers were nearly as great as before. This time, however, they didn't all devour each other. Instead, half of the swarm overlapped, forming a massive pillar of flesh and blood. This pillar began extending skyward at a visible rate, moving directly toward the opening at the zenith...

"Chu Xuan, hurry! I can't hold them off anymore!"