The Cloud-Mist Domain. Within this naturally formed domain, a monumental shift was underway; the Cloud Clan, masters of this realm for tens of thousands of years, were facing a brutal purge this very day.

One by one, Cloud Clan powerhouses were struck down in moments; even those who fled deep underground found no sanctuary. The continent groaned under devastation, the cries of the desperate Cloud Clan echoing in vain, for no one could offer aid. Dozens of pitch-black chasms, like the gaping, vicious maws of gargantuan demons, ravenously devoured the energy released by fallen Cloud Clan experts, absorbing the Soul Altars. Fear and despair coiled inextricably around the heart of every Cloud Clan member, their efforts proving utterly futile to alter their fate. When Vander led the Phantom Clan invaders years ago, blood was certainly spilled upon this land, but compared to the current cleansing, that massacre was mere child’s play.

At the spatial barrier connecting the Cloud Realm and the Mist Realm, Xuan River and Ming Hao gazed upward at the sky, watching the monstrous, peerless being resembling a demon; the starlike blood-pupils of that entity slowly regained clarity. A wave of relief, like sunlight piercing the fog, washed over them both. Shi Yan, consumed by the frenzy of slaughter, had filled them with deep terror; while he was eliminating the Cloud Clan martial artists, they dared not make a single rash move, terrified Shi Yan might mistakenly strike them down. Thankfully, Shi Yan had not entirely lost his reason; those deadly beams of starlight had deliberately ignored them.

“This fellow is truly insane!” Xuan River exclaimed, shaking his head in awe. “When I first met him, I never imagined he could reach such a height. The Domain Ancestor realm, the Primal Body, fusing Devouring with the Eight Great Evil Forces, mastering the profound truths of Space, Stars, and Life—he truly is heaven’s favored son.”

Ming Hao also sighed with deep reflection. When he first encountered Shi Yan, he had held low expectations, viewing Shi Yan as merely lucky, someone who could never attain the stature of the Blood-Thirst Master. Now, looking upon him, Shi Yan’s cultivation and strength were in no way inferior to Blood-Thirst’s prime. In some aspects, he even surpassed him! For instance, Shi Yan had forged the Primal Body, and furthermore, he was adept in the profundities of Space, Stars, and Life—two achievements Blood-Thirst could never claim. Beyond this, Shi Yan possessed the Rune Talisman Pagoda, and now, the Primal Artifact, the Fallen Star River! As fellow Domain Ancestors, Xuan River and Ming Hao secretly compared the current Shi Yan against the fully realized Blood-Thirst, suddenly realizing that if the two engaged in an all-out battle, Shi Yan would likely emerge victorious! This meant that the Shi Yan of today had completely surpassed Blood-Thirst, transcending even Blood-Thirst’s peak state!

They submitted in genuine sincerity, looking up at the world-destroying fiend that was Shi Yan. Though Ming Hao, Xuan River, Fei Liete, and the others did not physically prostrate themselves, their spirits were entirely conquered, bowing beneath the current Shi Yan. They knew Shi Yan’s future was far from concluded. In the time to come, Shi Yan would reign supreme over every corner of the Star Sea, compelling every race and every clan to kneel in submission.

Nearby, another group trembled, shrinking back fearfully, daring neither to flee nor to move… They were members of the Phantom Clan, including Vander’s elder sister, Fan Huinnai. The usually radiant Fan Huinnai was now cold to the core; with the appearance of the Devouring Black Holes, she realized this fiend was Shi Yan. Terror gripped her soul. Watching familiar Cloud Clan kin being slaughtered, she felt utterly debilitated. Now, Soul Altars floated toward the sky, dropping into those Devouring Black Holes. Amidst the horror of the Phantom Clan members, Fan Huinnai remained silent, staring blankly at the demon-like Shi Yan.

Time flowed quietly by in the stillness. Gradually, the souls and divine power of the slain Cloud Clan members were absorbed by the Devouring Black Holes. These holes, scattered across the Cloud-Mist Domain, converged like dark clouds around Shi Yan, merging into one colossal, abyssal darkness that finally flowed into Shi Yan’s body. Shi Yan’s fierce and monstrous Primal Body, larger than conventional planets, began to contract bit by bit amidst the starlight. Under the condensation of droplets of blood, the world-shattering demon shrank down toward the form of an ordinary mortal. This process was astonishingly swift. In the span of mere dozens of breaths, the demon vanished, and the original Shi Yan reappeared. Identical to before! At a glance, there was no discernible difference. Only beings of Xuan River and Ming Hao’s caliber could feel the boundless, surging life fluctuations within Shi Yan’s flesh—that intense vitality made their very spirits tremble! Having reverted to his appearance, Shi Yan stood with his eyes closed. The Fallen Star River, which had transformed into a sea of stars, plummeted from the heavens as a streak of light, sinking into the crown of Shi Yan’s head and deep into his Soul Altar.

Xuan River and the others naturally gathered near Shi Yan. Even the Holy Beast Azure Dragon and Di Calo’s group watched with reverence, remaining silent and hesitant to speak. Further away, Fan Huinnai restrained the Phantom Clan members, ordering them not to act rashly, but to observe quietly.

After a while longer, the Sea Shark Emperor flew over. His expression complex as he took his position near Shi Yan. Looking at the restored Shi Yan, sensing the towering life force emanating from within him, he murmured, “He has finally entered the Domain Ancestor realm. I have seen many at the first tier of Domain Ancestor, and I believe… none could surpass him. Once his realm stabilizes and his divine power solidifies, perhaps he can challenge those beings ranked among the Top Ten Domain Ancestors. It is truly unpredictable…” The Sea Shark Emperor was deeply moved.

When he first met Shi Yan at the bottom of the Ruined Sea, Shi Yan’s cultivation was low, powerless against Ferrell and Napton. A century flashed by, and Shi Yan had inexplicably ascended to the Domain Ancestor realm, displaying power that was simply terrifying. The Sea Shark Emperor was certain that even the current Shi Yan could not be matched by Ferrell or Napton; if those powerhouses encountered Shi Yan after his realm stabilized and divine power consolidated, they would likely struggle even to escape.

“Was that… really him just now?” Audrey whispered, still finding it hard to believe. “Where is my brother?” Fan Huinnai approached timidly, her beautiful face etched with fear and anxiety as she looked at the Sea Shark Emperor. “My brother, Vander? Is he—is he alright?”

Only then did everyone notice the assembled Phantom Clan members. Shi Yan had purged the Cloud Clan but had not pursued the Phantom Clan to the bitter end. This was clearly an acknowledgment of Mandis’s favor; otherwise, Vander would likely be in grave danger, and these members of the Phantom Clan here would certainly not have survived.

“Vander has already left through the domain gate. He was afraid. He knew that lingering might provoke a decisive strike from Shi Yan,” the Sea Shark Emperor replied after a thoughtful pause, his brow furrowed. He stated calmly, “Shi Yan did not kill you because he still remembers the kindness of Mandis, giving your Phantom Clan face. You may take your people and leave; I doubt he will pursue you further.”

At these words, Fan Huinnai profusely thanked him, bowing repeatedly. “From now on, neither you nor your brother should ever set foot in the Cloud-Mist Domain again. Otherwise, no one can predict what might happen,” the Sea Shark Emperor warned sternly.

Fan Huinnai’s beautiful eyes flickered. She repeatedly stammered, “We dare not! We dare not!” She resolved secretly never to return to the Cloud-Mist Domain again, vowing never to provoke Shi Yan. Had the near-total slaughter of the Cloud Clan experts not been lesson enough? She led the handsome men and beautiful women of the Phantom Clan away, trembling with fear toward the domain gate, terrified that the meditating Shi Yan might suddenly open his eyes and annihilate them on the spot.

Reaching the domain entrance, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. They gathered the clansmen guarding the gate and completely withdrew from the Cloud-Mist Domain. Thus, not a single member of the Phantom Clan remained in the Cloud-Mist Domain, and almost all the Cloud Clan powerhouses were dead.

Of course, numerous other martial artists from various races remained in the Cloud-Mist Domain. Many of these factions were quite strong, and some had originally hoped to seize advantage during the chaos. When they learned that virtually all Cloud Clan experts had been slaughtered, they were terrified out of their wits, hiding away and daring not even open their doors. Some astute faction leaders hastened toward the Divine Grace Continent, publicly declaring their allegiance to Yang Qingdi, Fu Wei, and the others. They swore they would never dare provoke the martial artists of the Divine Grace Continent again and pledged to submit a fixed amount of cultivation materials annually. They were converts; they recognized the shifting tides and understood that the masters of the Cloud-Mist Domain were no longer Vander and the Cloud Clan. They belonged now to the masters of the Divine Grace Continent.

In the blink of an eye, three months passed. During this time, every major and minor force within the Cloud-Mist Domain had visited the Divine Grace Continent to express their fealty. Without Vander and the missing Cloud Clan powerhouses, the Cloud-Mist Domain truly fell into the grasp of the martial artists from the Divine Grace Continent; the domain had definitively changed masters. The domain gradually settled into stability, and the Phantom Clan did not dispatch any experts. The situation stabilized precisely like this.

Deep within the Cloud Sea, Shi Yan sat quietly, having maintained his stillness for three full months. Audrey, Yang Qingdi, the Blood Demon, the Sea Shark Emperor, and the others remained nearby, guarding him, awaiting his awakening and the stabilization of his realm. They all understood that after this massacre and his breakthrough to the Domain Ancestor realm, Shi Yan required time to purify his power and calm his spirit to settle his cultivation. They waited, ensuring all was peaceful, and also preventing any surprise attacks or disturbances during this crucial period.

On this day, Shi Yan, silent for three months, finally expelled a breath of turbid air and awoke to everyone’s anticipation. Opening his eyes, he possessed the same composure and ease as usual. Even Ming Hao and Xuan River could not detect the terrifying aura of a Domain Ancestor upon him. As everyone watched in surprise, he grinned and asked, “The Cloud-Mist Domain has been secured successfully, I trust?”

Xuan River, Fei Liete, and the others laughed, nodding in confirmation that things had gone smoothly. They then eagerly pressed him with questions about what had transpired beneath the Cloud Sea. Now, the spatial barrier beneath the Cloud Sea was thick and sealed once more; no one could see into the world below, nor could they ascertain Shi Yan’s experiences there.

Shi Yan had no intention of explaining. He smiled and stated, “I obtained the Fallen Star River and subsequently advanced to the Domain Ancestor realm. Mandis bringing me here truly offered an immense opportunity. Now that the Cloud-Mist Domain is stable, you all may cultivate here peacefully, while I must depart for a time.”

“Where are you going?” Audrey breathed out softly. “Back when I was in the Ruined Sea, I suffered considerable losses at the hands of Ferrell, Ricardo, and Napton. It is time to settle some accounts,” Shi Yan said gravely.

“I will go with you,” the Sea Shark Emperor’s spirit stirred, and he roared, “It is high time I settled scores with them as well!”

“No! You must remain here for now. The Cloud-Mist Domain requires your presence; I won’t feel secure without you,” Shi Yan stated seriously.

“But?” The Sea Shark Emperor looked troubled. “You have just acquired the Source Talisman and need time to comprehend it, so you should stay.” With a carefree smile, Shi Yan’s gaze swept across the faces of those present. He rose calmly, ignoring their calls, and under their watch, began to dissipate slowly, fading away piece by piece… For book friends reading on mobile devices, if you haven't read Little Ni's older book, "Great Devil King," you can search for it. That book was once censored for certain reasons, but thanks to Little Ni's efforts, it is now available again. Readers on mobile devices can find it to read now~~~RQ