As the others spoke, Hui's assault hadn't ceased; the very space remained saturated with cataclysmic explosions and colossal disturbances.

Yet, the combined might of the Xuanhe contingent managed to forcibly contain the surging power. Meanwhile, the God Clan members with lower cultivation levels were shielded by the Four Heavenly Kings, thus remaining unharmed for the moment.

At this juncture, Shi Yan had returned to his normal form, the ferocious appearance that had momentarily surfaced quickly receding as his thoughts shifted.

That state seemed an amplification of his immortal body, a power he could wield at will, capable of reverting to its initial state with a single thought.

The arrival of the Underworld Sovereign Clan instantly drew everyone's attention. Adela, leading the Underworld Sovereign powerhouses, scanned the crowd before her gaze settled on Shi Yan, utterly stunned by his new realm—the third heaven of the Progenitor God.

"Time is short!" Dicalo's eyes were dark, his heart feeling as if lead had been poured into it, weighed down to the extreme.

His words jolted the others into recognizing reality, and their focus swiftly snapped back to Hui.

The fleshy nodules protruding from Hui's body were now subtly writhing, appearing as if trillions of minute creatures were bustling beneath the surface, striving to break free from his planet-sized form.

And, in fact, that is precisely what was happening!

"Crack! Crack!"

With resounding explosions, those nodules burst open, and rigid, icy bodies suddenly shot forth from within.

These were warriors who had previously been drawn in and whose life essence had been completely drained. Those individuals were clearly long dead, yet now, a bizarre energy erupted from their bodies, an energy chilling to the bone, cold and sharp, as if awakening malevolent spirits.

Their expressions were all vacant. Their eyes held no color. Some lacked complete limbs; a considerable number were missing arms or legs.

These reanimated husks numbered in the hundreds, perhaps thousands. Their ruined bodies were frigid, unknown fluctuations coursing through them as they quietly hovered around Hui, gradually spreading outwards.

"Philete, are these the corpse slaves refined using your Corpse Clan's methods?" Xuanhe's face twitched as he turned a chilling gaze towards Philete.

"No," Philete replied, his expression grave, his heart filled with astonishment. "The corpse slaves we refine still possess faint life fluctuations. But these individuals show no sign of life whatsoever; they are truly dead men, yet they contain this bizarre energy within their bodies."

Pausing briefly, Philete added, "A few among them possess terrifying energy, no less potent than that of an immortal-level expert."

Xuanhe's expression shifted subtly.

"Xuanhe, what exactly is going on?" Adela’s eyebrows shot up. Biting her crimson lips, she let out a sharp cry, her graceful and alluring figure flashing to Xuanhe’s side, adopting an accusatory stance. "What kind of devilry have you been up to in the Void Turbulence Domain? Do you realize the immense upheaval across the eleven star regions? How many people have perished?"

She and Xuanhe shared a history as old lovers, having sworn eternal vows millennia ago. Even after so long, she showed no more deference to him than she did back then—which, in itself, was a sign of their deep connection.

"It's just a few dead people; nothing momentous," Xuanhe scoffed. "If this entity's avatars fully converge, I seriously doubt our individual star regions could remain intact."

This statement caused the newly arrived Underworld Sovereign Clan members to blanch in horror, utterly shocked.

They clearly hadn't grasped the severity of the situation.

At that moment, Audrey gracefully moved, her ethereal silhouette materializing beside Shi Yan. Her beautiful eyes flickered, sparkling intensely, and she inquired, "Is it truly that severe?"

Shi Yan gazed deeply at her, silently admiring her transcendent beauty. His eyes lingered briefly on her perfectly proportioned physique before he let out a wry smile. "You have merged with the origin of the Divine Marsh Continent. Use your own origin to truly comprehend it; perhaps then you will grasp how terrifying this fiend is."

Audrey’s beautiful eyes darkened slightly, tinged with a subtle reproach. She thought: Even at a moment like this, this man’s gaze remains so undisciplined.

—Women are perceptive; she saw clearly where Shi Yan’s brazen eyes had wandered over her body.

But this was hardly the time to quibble. Hearing his words, Audrey focused inward. Clusters of spectral souls drifted within her soul altar, and fine wisps of emerald-green flame danced, spreading like electromagnetic waves toward Hui.

After a long moment, Adela’s delicate body shook violently, and horror dawned on her exquisite face. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Primal Beings!"

Her assimilation of Heavenly Fire was second only to Heige, surpassing even Shi Yan’s level, nearing the point of complete unity with the Heavenly Fire. Focusing her senses, she immediately utilized the imprinted memories within her origin, grasping the profound mystery of Hui.

"It can destroy everything in existence," Shi Yan stated in a heavy voice.

"Xuanhe, where are the Underworld Emperor's people? How can he be absent at such a critical juncture?" Adela pressed Xuanhe on another front.

Xuanhe, famed for his romantic exploits and heroic deeds, always seemed somewhat constrained when facing Adela, replying with a bitter smile, "Minghao vanished inexplicably along with the Divine Lord..."

He looked at Shi Yan, adding, "That kid said Minghao and the Divine Lord might have been cast into the Void Sea by Hui. I don't know if it’s true or not."

Adela’s phoenix eyes suddenly turned toward them.

"Is that truly the case?" Audrey took the opportunity to inquire.

"It should be. I can't be one hundred percent certain, but I can vaguely sense one or two indications," Shi Yan confirmed.

"How can you sense it?" Adela, unsatisfied with the answer, continued to press.

Shi Yan offered a faint smile, offering no detailed explanation, nor did he feel compelled to explain himself to her. The Underworld Sovereign Clan hadn't openly allied with the Bloodthirsty lineage, so he naturally had no close ties with Adela, and he saw no reason to cater to her demands.

"What is your attitude, young man?" Adela’s beautiful features turned cold, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Do you truly believe you are the new Bloodthirsty Sovereign Lord? Even Minghao, Xuanhe, and I treat you with deference—what airs are you putting on?"

Minghao is your brother, and Xuanhe is your old flame; of course, they are polite to you. What does that have to do with me! Shi Yan inwardly sneered. His expression grew cold, and he ignored Adela’s displeasure, even becoming less cordial toward Audrey beside him, frowning in silence.

"Xuanhe! The person you selected has skill, but quite a temper! He shows such disrespect to an elder. Must I intervene and teach him a lesson?" Adela demanded with a chilling voice.

"Mother, please stop causing trouble," Audrey interjected helplessly.

"Even you are taking his side?" This only angered Adela further. She stiffened her face. "Jilata, teach him a lesson for me! Let him realize he isn't some new Bloodthirsty Sovereign Lord. Let him see the reality—his days of swaggering around are far from established!"

"Stop it now," Xuanhe pleaded with a wry smile.

"I will make trouble!" Adela insisted shrilly.

Jilata, as a member of the Underworld Sovereign Clan, could not disobey her command. Though deeply unwilling, he had no choice but to comply and attack.

Like a darting shadow, he abruptly appeared directly above Shi Yan’s head, reaching out a hand. Innumerable spectral evil energies poured from his fingertips, as if intending to wrench Shi Yan’s soul altar out of his sea of consciousness.

At this moment, the vacant warriors expelled from Hui's nodules had dispersed and were advancing toward the God Clan and Xuanhe’s group, yet Adela seemed entirely oblivious, intent on punishing Shi Yan.

"Uncle Ji, please don't act rashly!" Audrey cried out urgently.

But it was slightly too late.

Adela watched Shi Yan with a cold expression, then turned to Xuanhe, unsure if her anger was directed at Shi Yan or Xuanhe, but she was clearly throwing a tantrum.

Jilata found himself caught in an impossible situation and reluctantly had to strike, intending only a mild lesson for Shi Yan.

Surprisingly, Shi Yan remained utterly still under Jilata’s assault. He merely tilted his head up to observe the spectral evil energy rushing toward his crown, strange pinpricks of light appearing in his eyes.

The sensation he felt was indeed peculiar. That spectral evil energy possessed the mystic art of soul binding, capable of seizing the primary soul and stripping it from the altar. In truth, his primary soul did feel an urge to float away helplessly. If the primary soul were forcibly removed and detained, it would mean his life and death were entirely in another's hands—certainly not a trivial matter.

Of course, he believed Jilata wouldn't dare truly harm him, but just as he gathered his focus to counterattack, the divine consciousness within his mutated sea of consciousness suddenly erupted, surging out like a bursting dam, violently sweeping toward the spectral evil energy Jilata had unleashed.

"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!"

Suddenly, the spectral evil energy released by Jilata ignited into flames. That bizarre divine consciousness followed like a phantom, penetrating the evil energy and heading directly toward Jilata's chest.

A surge of instinctual unease caused Jilata to recoil in shock. He frantically deployed all manner of defensive powers but discovered an invisible energy had already silently infiltrated him.

His body stiffened. By the time he realized something was terribly wrong, that energy had already invaded him. His flesh, divine power, vital essence, and soul—all forms of energy suddenly collapsed. His physical body and soul altar seemed on the verge of splitting apart and exploding.

His face became hideous, and he couldn't help but shriek, "What kind of damned power is this!"

He knew that power was flowing inside him, causing destruction, yet he couldn't precisely locate it, much like being stabbed with a knife or spear but being unable to pinpoint where the pain originated from, or where the weapon lay. But he knew one thing: his body and altar were being destroyed, and collapse was imminent.

It was an extremely bizarre, intangible, and undetectable energy capable of shattering one's mind.

Among the onlookers, the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon’s eyes suddenly brightened. He let out a soft call, "Shi Yan, mercy!"

Shi Yan, lost in the marvelous sensation of that divine consciousness power, was jolted back to awareness by the shout. With a thought, strands of divine consciousness were withdrawn.

Jilata immediately returned to normal, drenched in cold sweat. Looking at Shi Yan, he appeared as if he had seen a ghost, his face turning pale. A few seconds later, he convulsed violently and couldn't help but scream, "It is... it is that power! The power the Bloodthirsty lineage once commanded!"

Upon hearing this, everyone, including the God Clan members, froze in astonishment.

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