A world-shaking, baleful aura surged forth limitlessly from beneath the sea of clouds. As the malevolent energy soared, a pair of colossal, blood-red sun-like eyes materialized in the crimson glow.

The members of the Cloud Clan were paralyzed with dread, scattering instantly to flee downward through the cloud sea. Yet, though many clearly intended to escape, their limbs went cold, and their Soul Altars seemed sealed, rendering them unable to channel their soul power.

A terrifying pressure on the soul descended like a deluge, sweeping across every direction, chilling the hearts of all present to the core.

Even Ming Hao, Xuan He, and their entourage looked on in shock, utterly bewildered by what was unfolding, casting fearful glances into the depths of the cloud sea.

There, the layers of spatial barriers had already been torn asunder. Through the thick mist, only a pair of eyes, crimson as the suns, remained visible. Those eyes were brimming with bloody savagery, holding an inexhaustible vein of brutal violence; every person who met their gaze trembled uncontrollably.

Fear, bloodlust, madness, violence, and despair radiated through those eyes, penetrating the depths of every heart and flooding their Sea of Consciousness.

The weaker members of the Cloud Clan, after just one look at the blood-red pupils, had their sanity instantly shattered by the overwhelming negative emotions. Many bled from all seven orifices, driven instantly to madness and self-destruction, their altars shattering from sheer terror.

"Roar!"

A roar directed toward the heavens erupted from the heart of the cloud sea, causing every living being in the Cloud Expanse Domain to feel their souls tremble, overwhelmed by a terrifying sense of impending universal destruction.

Those Cloud Clan members nearest to the source trembled and collapsed to their knees, utterly incapable of even conceiving the thought of resistance.

Xuan He, Ming Hao, and the others were shaken to their very core by the sound, uncertain what monstrous demon lay beneath. As they stood in apprehensive doubt, the layered mists of the cloud sea dispersed, and a colossal creature ripped through the cloud cover, suddenly revealing itself.

It was an entity as vast as a primordial giant!

Its entire body was covered in dense, interlocking scales. Its head touched the heavens, its feet trod the earth; grotesque, sharp spikes jutted menacingly from its limbs and knees, and a pair of skeletal wings stretched from its spine, blotting out the sky.

It was a horrifying creature comparable to the Great Serpent Hui!

Those pair of blood-red eyes held an endless surge of murderous rage. The immense physique rivaled the size of the Continent of Divine Grace. As the being settled its footing, the observers stared intently. They realized that compared to this creature, they were as minuscule and fragile as ants, utterly insignificant.

"Heavens above! What manner of fiend is this?"

"How could such a terrifying being exist beneath the cloud sea?"

"Is the sky truly intent on destroying the Cloud Clan?" Watching the creature emerge, the Cloud Clan warriors groaned in despair. Even Ci Lan and Darsa were frozen like statues, overcome by a crushing sense of helplessness.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Brilliant, dazzling stars suddenly materialized upon the giant creature's chest, instantly forming a glittering river of stars—a River of Falling Stars—breathtakingly beautiful and mysteriously splendid. Each star pulsed with a powerful life force, imposing an intense sense of pressure on those gazing up from below.

"The River of Falling Stars! It is the River of Falling Stars!"

"It's actually beneath the cloud sea! This River of Falling Stars has been in the firmament of the Cloud Expanse Domain for eons, sinking into the cloud sea and never reappearing. Today, it manifests once more!"

"This monstrosity has acquired it!"

As the Cloud Clan members shrieked their realization, the River of Falling Stars instantly transformed, condensing into a brilliant chain woven entirely from stars. This chain stretched for thousands of miles, grasped tightly in the hand of the giant, god-like being. Wielding the River of Falling Stars, the giant appeared as the sole deity reigning over the cosmos. With a single swing, the star-woven chain became the most terrifying weapon, lashing out among the powerful figures of the Cloud Clan across the Cloud Expanse Domain.

As the chain traversed the air, layers of starlight washed out, engulfing one Cloud Clan powerhouse after another.

Every warrior submerged in the starlight dissolved like water, leaving not even a speck of bone behind.

The frenzy of slaughter commenced. Cloud Clan warriors fled in terror, but the chain extended for tens of thousands of miles, seemingly capable of piercing heaven and connecting past and present. As the stars spun, Cloud Clan experts perished in droves.

Ci Lan and Darsa, two formidable Cloud Clan experts, could not evade the chain's annihilation either. They were enveloped in starlight, exploding like fireworks before quickly dissipating.

O'Quinn and the members of the Priest Corps fled in utter panic, scattering in all directions. Unfortunately, the single chain suddenly multiplied, splitting like a gigantic dragon into myriad tendrils of starlight that shot across the sky. Then, vast numbers of Cloud Clan members were struck down, their lives devoured by the beams of light.

However, Ming Hao and Xuan He and their group remained motionless where they stood, untouched by the starlight. The shooting beams seemed to possess independent life; whenever they approached them, and as Ming Hao and Xuan He’s faces turned grim, the rays suddenly altered their course.

Across the vast territories of the Cloud Expanse Domain, starlight streaked, harvesting the lives of Cloud Clan experts.

On every continent within the domain, powerful beings who sensed the immense upheaval in the heavens ascended, seeking to understand the strange events. All of them, caught completely by surprise, were struck by a passing beam of starlight and instantly killed.

In every corner and crevice of the Cloud Expanse Domain, across every continent, starlight pierced the firmament. These rays targeted only those warriors possessing a Soul Altar; anyone who showed themselves was immediately locked onto, the strands of light acting like living souls executing the will of their master to extinguish life.

Only one location remained completely unaffected.

On the Continent of Divine Grace, the former holy land of the Cloud Clan, warriors like Yang Qingdi also noticed the cosmic upheaval and surfaced above the continent.

They could clearly see warriors on neighboring continents being pulverized by the starlight, yet they stood not far from the beams, which actively avoided their location. This bizarre phenomenon instilled a flicker of hope in many Cloud Clan members nearby.

They began to congregate above the Continent of Divine Grace.

Alas, before they could converge, more streaks of starlight pierced the air. Right before the eyes of Yang Qingdi, Fu Wei, and Feng Han, all those approaching individuals were annihilated.

Inks-black vortices gradually began to appear in the skies above the various continents of the Cloud Expanse Domain. As soon as these vortices manifested, they emitted a powerful suction force.

The Soul Altars and vanished divine powers of the fallen were drawn in, plunging into the black whirlpools. Near the terrifying, giant, god-like creature, nine similar black holes opened—like the gaping maws of savage beasts—swallowing the Soul Altars and life essence of the deceased.

Initially, Xuan He, Philete, Ming Hao, and the others were gripped by terror, unaware of what the colossal being truly was.

It was only when the black vortices solidified that Ming Hao experienced a jolt, his eyes blazing with divine light as he roared, "Shi Yan! It is Shi Yan!"

Those belonging to the Bloodthirsty lineage instantly understood, their eyes fixed on the black whirlpools!

This spectacle was a manifestation of the Profound Truth of Devouring! Only a sovereign highly adept in the Devouring Profound Truth could conjure black holes in the heavens to absorb concentrated energy for their own use.

The violently appearing demon lord wreaking havoc across the Cloud Expanse Domain could only be Shi Yan!

Once they reached this conclusion, they looked at the fiend’s savage eyes and were even more certain: Shi Yan was currently caught in a frenzy of slaughter, his crimson gaze indicating extreme agitation. However, they also realized he had not lost control, as the starlight spared them while they remained stationary.

"What... what has happened to him?" Audrey whispered, her lips trembling, looking at the fiercely destructive Shi Yan, her heart filled with profound confusion.

"This body rivals that of a Primordial Being. I have only sensed such intensely concentrated life fluctuations from the Great Serpent Hui. Even the progeny of the Primordial Being 'Lizard,' the Dragon Lizard, could not reach this level when its true form manifested!" The Ancestor Holy Beast Azure Dragon of the Sky Demon Clan, an ancient demon having lived for a hundred thousand years, heard his voice tremble at this moment. "If I am not mistaken, Shi Yan’s physical body has transformed into the 'Primordial Body,' truly akin to creatures like Hui and Shi who have lived for billions of years. I wonder what transpired below for this to happen..."

The Azure Dragon's words left everyone utterly stunned. The Primordial Body! A physical state only attainable by true Primordial Beings, an indestructible divine form existing only in legend!

Shi Yan had attained it!

As they spoke, more Cloud Clan members were slain. The chain, forged from the River of Falling Stars, suddenly shifted again, forming a dazzling, brilliant celestial map.

The star chart hung suspended in the sky of the Cloud Expanse Domain, and streaks of dazzling meteors plummeted from within it. Cloud Clan experts hiding deep in the mountains or buried underground were struck by these falling meteors and began to perish. In a short time, the entire domain suffered its greatest blow in history; its powerful figures were almost entirely wiped out.

"Boom!"

The giant with crimson eyes suddenly swung a fist into the void. As the punch emerged, the light of the entire world was extinguished, plunging everything into darkness.

Darkness enveloped heaven and earth. The power of that punch carried an intent of destruction and despair. The aura radiating from the fist possessed a corrosive, monstrous force that reached immense distances, shattering layer after layer of stellar light curtains before the ensuing darkness swept in and submerged that expanse of light.

Within the starlight, the Vandler Divine Body registered cracking sounds. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, his face pale. He gazed afar in one direction, looking at the brilliant, mysterious star chart. His chest convulsed violently, and he suddenly realized that the River of Falling Stars now had a master, and he knew exactly who that master was.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Rolling waves of condensed energy, carrying the power of destruction, despair, and chaos, surged furiously toward him.

Amidst the intensely malevolent energy signature, Vandler felt a crushing pressure in his chest, his Profound Truths stagnating. Just as he prepared to activate his Star Profound Truth, he saw the star chart shift, actually interfering with his ability to invoke stellar power. Vandler’s expression turned horrified. Shaken to his core, he suppressed his power, hesitated for a few seconds, abandoned the Sea Shark Emperor, and fled desperately toward the domain gate leading outward.

He quickly reached the domain gate, abandoning Ci Lan and forgetting Fan Huine, ignoring his many subordinates, and escaping in ignominy.

Vandler's flight signaled that no force within the Cloud Expanse Domain could now stop Shi Yan’s purge. He would eliminate the stubborn Cloud Clan strongholds with the most brutal methods, then completely dominate the domain, ensuring the Cloud Clan would not recover for at least ten thousand years.

...RQ