Thousands of silver warships sailed slowly through the star river, their speed far from swift. The silver warships gleamed under the starlight, radiating a beautiful, clear luster. Banners fluttered atop the vessels, marked with the totems of the twelve major clans of the Divine Race—these were the war fleets of the Divine Race, sharp weapons traversing the heavens and earth.

On the deck of one warship, Fick, the current patriarch of the Askott family, leisurely sipped from a wine goblet. Sloan stood nearby, his expression severe, as if waiting silently for something. He remained mute, his gaze cold and chilling. Philp waited in a corner, gazing towards the direction of the Demon Blood Star, a trace of hatred flashing in his eyes.

A beam of light shot from the distance, like a rainbow piercing the sun, arriving in an instant, the spatial fluctuations palpably obvious. Belo of the Shade Race arrived silently. Sloan’s expression suddenly jolted, and he hissed, "Well?"

"It can be confirmed that Yan Chi, Bing Jie, Jing Yuwan, and the others are all currently on the Demon Blood Star. This Demon Blood Star is now the final hope of the Mara Star Domain, gathering the last vestiges of strength for the entire domain," Belo stated solemnly. The Shade Race had always served as the scouts for the Divine Race; they were the most adept race in the universe at stealth, infiltration, and intelligence gathering. As the patriarch, Belo specialized in the profound mysteries of space, moving without a trace. His divine sense could penetrate immense distances. His personal investigation ensured absolute certainty. "Our Shade Race's stealth chariots have been operating near the Demon Blood Star, and we discovered that the Demon Race and the Beast Race have concentrated their forces. It can be said that if the Demon Blood Star is crushed, this Mara Star Domain will truly be within our grasp." Belo respectfully added, "As per your command, Patriarch, I personally scouted the surroundings. I found no fluctuation from any Spatial Profound Array, nor did I sense any sign capable of forming a void passage." Sloan was visibly delighted. "We can clear them out completely!" Fick, however, shook his head with a slight smile and waved a hand. "Don't be so extreme. We haven't come to the Mara Star Domain merely to slaughter every race. We only seek to gain control of the domain and secure its mineral resources." Sloan and Belo lowered their heads slightly upon hearing this, listening intently to his discourse. "For our clan to dominate the universe and conquer so many star domain races and powers, we haven't relied solely on the extreme methods of the Chartres family," Fick said, swirling his scarlet wine glass. "The reason the powers and races in the Mara Star Domain haven't surrendered until now is because they haven't faced true despair. But now... things are different." His son, Philp, suddenly interjected with reverence, "What Father says is true. Once our warships arrive before the Demon Blood Star and completely surround it, those people on the Demon Blood Star will see no hope. At that point, if we extend an olive branch, I believe at least half of them will defect. Faced with death, many will abandon their dignity." Fick smiled and nodded in agreement. Sloan contemplated for a moment. "I understand. I will contact the Fernandez family and the Bai family immediately and explain my elder brother’s intent clearly."

At the Blood Pool. Screech! The blood cocoon covering the Blood Demon suddenly tore open. The naked Blood Demon emerged, massive and broad like a war god, exuding a terrifying aura of absolute supremacy. He resembled a colossal, towering peak, inspiring awe and dread in many onlookers. The realm of the Third Heaven of the Primal God! Boom! The Blood Demon took a step, and the earth beneath his foot trembled. Centered on that single foot, the ground cracked and exploded. Violent energy fluctuations permeated deep underground. He himself froze, displaying an awkward expression, standing still, hesitant to move rashly. Having just broken through to the Third Heaven of the Primal God, his power had increased severalfold, yet he still couldn't skillfully control this terrifying strength.

Outside the crimson halo, Shi Yan, Fu Wei, Feng Han, Lin Xin, and the others were visibly shaken. The leaders of the smaller factions were utterly stunned, their eyes wide as they stared at him. Gute and Bass, the two old dragons, bellowed like booming bells: "Damn it, you probably aren't his match now!" Whoosh! The Blood Demon dared not walk about, so he shot straight into the sky and then slowly descended, stopping gently before Shi Yan. His crimson eyes fixed deeply upon Shi Yan, and he roared like thunder: "You rascal, you finally decided to come back! Tell me, what did you throw into the Blood Pool? Why did it generate such terrifying essence blood energy, more than doubling the supply in my Immortal Demon Blood!" He knew better than anyone that without those seven Blood Essence Stones, he wouldn't even have gotten slightly stronger, let alone broken through to the Third Heaven of the Primal God. The Blood Pool’s energy had been severely depleted after countless years of erosion. Ever since he opened the Blood Pool for the Yang family to use for their rebirth and to refine their Immortal Demon Blood, he knew it would be difficult for him to achieve a greater breakthrough relying on the pool alone. "Blood Essence Stones, Primordial-Grade materials. To us... those stones have unparalleled efficacy," Shi Yan replied with a slight smile. At these words, the Blood Demon was profoundly shocked, his face radiating astonishing divine light. "Primordial-Grade materials! To think they were Primordial-Grade materials—no wonder. Even Fu Wei, Feng Han, and Lin Xin were aghast. They now realized that Shi Yan had played a crucial role in the Blood Demon’s breakthrough to the Third Heaven of the Primal God. The expenditure of Primordial-Grade materials shocked them with Shi Yan's wealth; those were the rarest and most precious substances in the cosmos! "Congratulations, Brother Blood Demon, on breaking through to the Third Heaven of the Primal God." "Congratulations, Senior Blood Demon." "Congratulations, Lord Blood Demon." Instantly, Fu Wei, Feng Han, and the leaders of the minor factions shouted cheers and applauded the Blood Demon’s breakthrough.

After the excitement subsided, the Blood Demon's expression gradually darkened, and he frowned. "The patriarchs of the Askott, Fernandez, and Bai families—all three are at the realm of the Third Heaven of the Primal God. On our side, aside from Yan Chi and myself, no one else has reached that level. We are at a disadvantage in this regard, not to mention the disparity in overall legion strength." Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent again, their faces grim. They all knew he spoke the truth. "Are there truly only Yan Chi among the Primal God Third Heaven experts in the Mara Star Domain? I heard that wasn't the case?" Shi Yan asked with suspicion. "Indeed, it’s not just Yan Chi; others have reached the Third Heaven of the Primal God. Unfortunately... like Shang Chen, they do not reside permanently in the Mara Star Domain; they often wander through other star domains. Those individuals have their own means of leaving our domain. We cannot contact them, and no one knows where they are," Fu Wei admitted helplessly. "Yes, some have been gone for hundreds of years; who knows where they’ve gone," Feng Han sighed. Everyone looked troubled. The Blood Demon's breakthrough was undoubtedly good news, but it was insufficient to turn the tide. The threat from the Divine Race remained, and when their legions launched their assault, the current strength of the Demon Blood Star would likely prove insufficient to resist.

When the atmosphere was extremely heavy, Shi Yan suddenly looked at Fu Wei and asked, "Do you have any Void Illusion Crystals, the materials needed to forge a Spatial Profound Array? Can they be gathered immediately?" Fu Wei paused. "What are you planning?" "I can refine a Spatial Profound Array, one that can allow those willing to leave to depart the Mara Star Domain," Shi Yan said softly. As he spoke, he erected a spatial barrier, temporarily sealing off their immediate vicinity so his voice would not leak out. Feng Han, the Blood Demon, and Fu Wei’s expressions all changed drastically. Feng Han shouted, "You want to flee?" Shi Yan's face turned icy, and he shot Feng Han a cold glance before replying, "Based on my understanding of the Divine Race, when their main army presses in, they will employ psychological manipulation and extend olive branches, tempting people to surrender and pledge allegiance willingly. Under that despair, many will buckle and defect, and some might even turn their weapons against us, helping the Divine Race attack us." At his words, everyone’s eyes filled with extreme dread. They did not fully grasp the nature of the Divine Race, mistakenly believing they only pursued annihilation. Unlike them, Shi Yan had been to the Ancient Continent and gained a deeper understanding of the Divine Race from many sources. The scenario Shi Yan described would truly be a nightmare if it came to pass. At that time, many forces on the Demon Blood Star, bewildered by the Divine Race, would switch sides to seek survival and fight against their own people. Perhaps the Divine Race wouldn't need to expend much effort; the Demon Blood Star could descend into internal chaos, causing their strength to rapidly disintegrate. —In fact, this method often yielded great results when the Divine Race conquered other star domains. They only resorted to the Chartres family’s approach—extinguishing the opposing race—when they encountered truly fiercely stubborn entities, viewing it as the most vulgar tactic.

"We cannot predict how many people will defect when that time comes, or how many will become traitors against us. To be safe, it is better to send those who might become enemies out of the Mara Star Domain beforehand. At least... for those willing to fight to the death, it removes their worries," Shi Yan said gravely. "You have considered this very thoroughly and deeply. I concur," Lin Xin stated. Fu Wei also nodded. "We can quickly gather the materials you require. Rest assured." "Yes, you are right. We must resolve the lingering concerns first," the Blood Demon agreed. Feng Han also nodded, appearing somewhat embarrassed, as he had initially misunderstood Shi Yan’s intention.

Shi Yan did not reveal that he had backup plans or that reinforcements were en route, because he couldn't be entirely sure that Shang Chen could persuade those individuals, as... he still had no word from Shang Chen. He dared not guarantee something so uncertain in advance. But he possessed an underlying confidence! Because his subsidiary soul was stationed on the Divine Grace Continent, because his main and subsidiary souls were always connected, and because he cultivated the profound mysteries of space... If he wished, he could open a void passage at any moment, allowing him to take his family and friends directly through, entering the Divine Grace Continent. If the final moment truly arrived, he could still retreat composedly. Therefore, he was not in a hurry. "Help me prepare the materials immediately. I need to refine the Grand Spatial Array. You can notify the various factions that anyone who does not wish to fight to the death can sign up to leave; we will not force them." Shi Yan instructed. "Understood," Fu Wei replied, immediately issuing the command.