Thousands of warships were anchored in dispersed formation, above each vessel stood numerous martial artists, solemn and ready for battle at any moment.
The supreme leaders of various factions were stationed on their respective flagships. Fú Wēi had distributed communication resonance stones, and they waited silently for the latest intelligence and new directives from the Demon God Palace, fully poised for action.
In the center of the Demon God Palace.
Shāng Chén laughed, "If they try to force a direct charge, the losses will be catastrophic. All those barriers, seals, and arcane formations you've set up are lethal weapons; even I found the crossing difficult. Only continuous, heavy bombardment from warships can gradually shatter those defensive lines."
"But that will take a considerable amount of time," Fú Wēi smiled faintly.
The crystal cannon fire from the warships relied on Divine Crystal energy and could not be sustained indefinitely.
The outermost defensive barrier encircling the Demon Blood Star was also forged and condensed using Divine Crystal energy as its cornerstone. Dozens of layers of barriers could withstand the simultaneous bombardment of ten thousand warships, and after replenishing the Divine Crystals, they would regain their formidable defensive power.
If the Divine Race intended to use warship crystal cannons, both sides would enter a grueling tug-of-war based on their reserves of Divine Crystals, a battle that wouldn't conclude quickly.
Only the most peak experts of the Divine Race, striking at the weakest points to dismantle the barriers, could truly threaten the Demon Blood Star.
Of course, they had long made contingencies: the weak points in those barriers were often filled with formidable artifacts contributed by various races. Even a peak God King, if careless, could be utterly annihilated.
This was precisely why Shāng Chén dared not attempt a brute-force entry.
"So, if the Divine Race wishes to conquer the Demon Blood Star, they truly must pay a heavy price," Shāng Chén murmured, a satisfied smile on his face. "I imagine they are struggling with that thought right now."
Fú Wēi’s bright eyes sparkled, and she responded with a knowing smile, saying nothing.
The external arcane formations were conceived and designed by the Medicine and Artifact Pavilion, with her as the pivotal figure. She knew intimately the terrifying solidity of those defenses and understood that various races had contributed their clan's sacred artifacts specifically to counter the Divine Race; those people were prepared to sacrifice their lives, thus leaving nothing in reserve.
This was the primary reason for the defense line’s impregnability.
"They have Bèi Luò. Bèi Luò is a Second Heaven Peak God King who cultivates the Profound Laws of Space. That fellow… is a variable," Fēng Hán suddenly interjected.
Having battled the Shadow Clan in the Shadow Ghost Prison for years, Fēng Hán knew Bèi Luò’s dreadful mastery well. He was most wary of Bèi Luò’s status as a cultivator of Space Profound Laws. Fēng Hán seemed to have suffered losses against him before, and while others were relaxed, he frowned deeply, inappropriately raising a dissenting view.
"...A Space Profound Law cultivator," Shāng Chén’s brow twitched, and he couldn't help but look toward Shí Yán. "What is your assessment?"
Among those present, only Shí Yán cultivated the Profound Laws of Space. Zhā Duó... was not qualified to be in this chamber.
"At the realm of a Second Heaven Peak God King, I cannot fully gauge the intricacy of his Profound Laws—perhaps... he genuinely possesses the ability to shatter the void," Shí Yán mused for a moment, then addressed Fú Wēi, "Summon Zhā Duó to inquire."
His time in the Third Heaven Void God realm was brief; while he had grasped some subtleties of the Space Profound Laws, his experience was not broad enough. Zhā Duó had been immersed in that realm for much longer and might possess unique insights.
Zhā Duó quickly arrived, bowed respectfully to everyone, and offered his analysis directly: "If Bèi Luò is willing to risk injury and strike at the absolute weakest point, there is indeed a possibility of success."
"The weakest point..." Shí Yán’s expression sharpened. "Where exactly is the location?"
"The southwest corner. The spatial nodes there are chaotic. When the defenses were laid out, we considered the danger of the Void and dared not cause excessive disruption, fearing a spatial collapse," Zhā Duó stated grimly.
"I will go take a look." Shí Yán rose, uttered those words, and with a mere sweep of his five fingers, split open a fissure and vanished through it instantly.
"Zhā Duó, bring us along as well," Fú Wēi commanded.
Zhā Duó nodded, activated his Soul Altar, secretly urged his Profound Laws, and condensed his power. It took nearly five seconds before he managed to tear open a shimmering pathway. Compared to Shí Yán's ease and swiftness, his speed and difficulty were astonishing.
Both were in the Third Heaven Void God realm, yet the gap... seemed substantial.
The gazes of everyone present grew peculiar.
Zhā Duó’s face flushed slightly as he explained, "My divine power is not as pure or abundant as his, so I cannot wield my Profound Laws as effortlessly. Five seconds was my absolute limit."
Everyone understood immediately. Considering Shí Yán's monstrous, almost inhuman nature, they no longer found Zhā Duó inadequate and nodded with slight smiles.
Then, one by one, they stepped through.
Instant teleportation within the same life star was not difficult. In the next moment, everyone appeared beneath the gloomy, gray firmament in the southwest corner of the Demon Blood Star.
As soon as they materialized, they took one look at Shí Yán, and their expressions shifted instantly.
Zhā Duó even cried out, "There are abnormal fluctuations in the space!"
As a Space Profound Law cultivator himself, the moment he arrived in this area, he detected several spatial nodes that were writhing and shifting as if alive. This was a clear sign that someone was forcefully intervening with spatial power. If one intended to tear open a passage through the void, connecting two regions, one needed to utilize the shifting of these spatial nodes.
Zhā Duó instinctively focused his gaze on Shí Yán.
Shí Yán’s expression turned cold, and an incredibly astonishing surge of power radiated from his body. His divine body emitted a faint cracking sound as it underwent a strange transformation.
Before long, Shí Yán morphed into his Undying Form: covered in grotesque spikes, encased in natural keratinous armor, a perfect combat posture, his killing intent soaring toward the heavens.
Shāng Chén, Blood Demon, Bā Sī, Gǔ Tè, and Fú Wēi were aware of Shí Yán’s identity as an Undying Demon, so they were not surprised. Lín Xīn and Fēng Hán, however, were visibly shaken, clearly awestruck.
At that moment, they understood that although Shí Yán possessed human features, he carried the noblest bloodline of the Demon Race—the most miraculous lineage in the vast starry sea.
Zhā Duó took a deep breath, forcefully stabilizing himself. He closed his eyes to sense the situation, then turned pale. "He's already fighting the opponent!"
The moment his spatial divine sense entered the intersection of the spatial nodes, he immediately detected two surging soul fluctuations entangled together, tearing and pulling at the spatial node like two massive dragons biting at each other. His spiritual consciousness instantly shuddered violently, and he almost failed to retract it.
Zhā Duó was aghast.
Blood Demon and Shāng Chén also became grim-faced.
Bèi Luò, a Second Heaven Peak God King proficient in Space Profound Laws, was famous within the Divine Race and quite well-known across the vast star domains. Such an individual was certainly not famous without reason.
Shí Yán, who cultivated the same Space Profound Laws, had only recently reached the Third Heaven Void God realm and had done so only for a short time. To engage in a direct soul battle—would he not suffer a massive disadvantage?
Everyone grew extremely anxious.
They were powerless to intervene.
The battle around the void nodes occurred amidst countless spatial rifts. A mere flicker of spiritual consciousness could span countless star domains. Those unfamiliar with the subtleties of Space Profound Laws would become lost the moment their spiritual consciousness entered, forever wandering in the voids, never to return.
In a battle of spiritual consciousness between Space Profound Law cultivators involving the weakening of void nodes, only those cultivating similar Profound Laws could intervene. Everyone present looked toward Zhā Duó, hoping he could assist.
Regrettably, Zhā Duó’s face was ashen, and he shook his head repeatedly. "I can't help. Bèi Luò is a Second Heaven Peak God King; my divine sense and soul are simply not on the same level. I was nearly annihilated just now. I'm not as monstrous as that fellow Shí Yán; I am a normal Void God realm practitioner. I truly have no way."
Everyone frowned, looking deeply at Zhā Duó, and sighed in unison.
They knew Zhā Duó was speaking the truth. A normal Void God practitioner engaging a Second Heaven Peak God King soul head-on was tantamount to suicide.
They stopped pinning their hopes on Zhā Duó and focused their attention on Shí Yán, secretly preparing to offer protection.
At the confluence of the void nodes, beams of light streaked through the spatial rifts like multicolored shooting stars.
There was no trace of elemental energy here. Between the seams of real worlds, between star domains, these void nodes were the confluence points of existence, containing the most marvelous transformations in the universe.
The two souls flashed and darted through the intersecting voids, resembling two meteors. Sometimes they collided, sparking brilliant fireworks; other times, they coiled like entwined serpents, pulling and tearing, striking directly with soul energy, attempting to shatter the opponent's divine sense and consume it.
As soon as Shí Yán arrived, he sensed a divine consciousness lingering around the void node. The moment his soul intruded, the opponent launched a sudden, violent assault.
The soul battle ignited instantly.
"I know who you are. You are Shí Yán, and you seized the Primordial Fruit from the Ancient Continent Wasteland! Hahahaha! You dare to fight me in a spatial node? I will annihilate your soul and steal the Primordial Fruit. Then, my Shadow Clan will become the fifth great race in the universe, finally gaining respect!" Bèi Luò’s soul consciousness shrieked, wild with excitement.
He had never anticipated such an unexpected windfall.
News that Shí Yán obtained the Primordial Fruit had circulated within the Divine Race. Bèi Luò had learned the details from Fēi Érpǔ.
He was intensely envious.
The Primordial Fruit was a divine treasure capable of revitalizing an entire race, irreplaceable by any other ultimate treasure. This was why the Divine Race had gone to such lengths to send Hēi Gé, Hā Sēn, Mǐ Yà, and Fēi Érpǔ to the Wasteland. Bèi Luò never imagined he would ever get this close to the Primordial Fruit.
In his view, by fragmenting and burning Shí Yán’s soul within the void node, he could forcibly seize Shí Yán’s secondary soul, thereby taking the Primordial Fruit to benefit the entire Shadow Clan.
Bèi Luò suddenly felt that if this endeavor succeeded, he could bring about a world-altering change for the Shadow Clan, elevating them to stand among the heavens and completely breaking free from the Divine Race's shackles.
"A nice idea, but unfortunately... it's only your idea," Shí Yán’s consciousness transmitted. His soul, like a fiery dragon, suddenly manifested clusters of scorching flames—the primal flames originating from the Divine Grace Continent, containing the annihilating aura of the Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame.
The Nine Nether Soul Devouring Flame specialized in destroying soul consciousness!
Bèi Luò’s soul consciousness instantly ignited, turning to ash under the bright silver flames. The consciousness Bèi Luò had projected instantly dissolved into nothingness.
Outside the Demon Blood Star.
Bèi Luò’s physical body trembled violently. Beads of blood rained down from his skin, and his face turned terrifyingly pale.
He was falling toward the void, his soul severely wounded, having even lost control over his divine body.
Kě Dá of the Shadow Clan was utterly terrified. He rushed out and hastily retrieved Bèi Luò. His heart filled with immense fear. He cast one glance at the Demon Blood Star, then immediately turned and fled, not daring to linger for even a second.
P.S. Four chapters complete, asking for monthly votes~~