Shi Yan's earth-shattering roar reverberated through the dazzling expanse, causing the space itself to emit sharp cracking sounds, as if the very barrier between heaven and earth was being violently fractured.

Clutching chains forged from a fallen river of stars, Shi Yan’s monstrous, terrifyingly large form resembled a humanoid beast of prey. His body was covered in cold, hard scales, his eyes burned crimson, and the sky-piercing, fierce aura emanating from him was so potent that even the ocean engulfing dozens of stars could not conceal it—a pillar of crimson blood actually pierced through the ocean surface from above his head!

Napton, Keith, Xiao Lie, Jia Ni, and the other Realm Ancestor First Heaven experts were currently taking refuge on a fragment of an asteroid, hovering near the edge of that vast ocean, terrified of being swallowed by the waters and having their tracks or souls locked onto by the Yuan, thus exposing their intentions.

Suddenly, from the depths of that boundless sea, a pillar of crimson blood soared toward the heavens. A world-destroying, evil stench instantly spread out, alerting every powerhouse in the entire domain.

Rabbit’s expression shifted drastically, and he shrieked, "The Blood Soul Sea of the Death Profundity!"

"What is its mystery?" Jia Ni inquired coolly.

"The Blood Soul Sea suppresses the soul and condenses negative power, driving living souls into a frenzy of bloodlust. That blood pillar, condensed from the pure Blood Soul Sea, is terrifying. Anyone who merely approaches it will have their minds twisted, plunging them into endless slaughter, only awakening when they have exhausted their very last shred of strength."

Rabbit knew intimately the horrors of the Death Profundity divine ability, adding gravely, "The moment they regain consciousness is the moment true death arrives, for the negative power of the Blood Soul Sea will have already permeated the altar, severing its vitality and causing the soul to wither away."

"Is that Shi Yan?" Jia Ni's eyes sparkled with distinct interest. "I heard Judy mention him. This fellow is a young talent who has recently surfaced in the Void Sea, hailing from an outer domain. Is he truly that formidable?"

Having arrived late, she missed witnessing Shi Yan annihilate Ferriel, and thus had never seen his ferocious might firsthand. Her understanding of him was based solely on Judy's descriptions.

However, in her view, Judy must have exaggerated Shi Yan's strength. She couldn't believe that an unknown nobody could gain such renown overnight and suppress the established powerhouses of the Void Sea.

As these words left her mouth, Jia Ni noticed that Napton, Keith, and Rabbit all wore grim, solemn expressions, which only fueled her curiosity further.

"You will see how troublesome he is," Rabbit sighed bitterly, offering no further explanation.

Jia Ni chuckled lightly, a look of even stronger astonishment blooming on her strange, captivating face. "Then I truly must witness it. A suddenly emerging youth who gives all three of you such a headache must possess something unique. I hope he doesn't disappoint me."

The strange mystic patterns crisscrossing her exposed skin shifted and morphed in bizarre patterns, seemingly adjusting themselves in accordance with the fluctuations of her mood—the patterns were profoundly mysterious.

"Go in!"

Deep within the boundless sea, in that area bathed in radiant light, Shi Yan used chains woven from stars to tightly constrict the serpentine head of the Hui's main body, roaring loudly with blood-red eyes.

His eyes glowed with hideous crimson, and negative emotions surged madly across his entire being, pooling in his gaze. Those eyes stared directly into the sickly green eyes of the Hui's main body. Invisible to the naked eye, boundless negative energy surged, using his eyes as a conduit, pouring into the Hui's core.

—He was suppressing the Hui's soul in his unique way, helping the Yuan withstand the Hui's spiritual assault.

He understood better than anyone: only if Ziyao managed to replace the Hui's soul consciousness and overpower it to claim the Hui's power and body could Ziyao have a sliver of life.

Otherwise, no matter where Ziyao fled, even to an infinitely distant, unfamiliar domain, the Hui could still easily capture her. It could even annihilate Ziyao’s soul consciousness with a single thought.

Even destroying the Hui would not change the situation, because Ziyao was inherently a part of the Hui. If the Hui perished, Ziyao would also be scattered, instantly losing every trace of her life imprint!

This was fundamentally no different from the relationship between the Desolate and the sentient beings within the Desolate Domain. If the Desolate were completely extinguished, all life born in the Desolate Domain—Xia Xinyan, Yang Qingdi, Audrey, Ming Hao, Xuan He, and the others—would perish simultaneously because their very destinies were bestowed by the Desolate and bore the Desolate's soul imprint.

If the Desolate died, none of them could escape; they would all instantly die.

The only solution was for him to counter-devour the Desolate—for his secondary soul to refine the Desolate's soul, allowing him to replace the Desolate, thus unraveling this deadlock.

"He is right. This is your only chance. Miss this opportunity, and you might never have another shot at fighting back."

Seeing Ziyao paralyzed with shock by the primal form Shi Yan displayed, the Dragon Lizard Ancestor, who had remained behind, finally found an opening to intervene. He looked deeply at Ziyao and spoke, "Both the Yuan and Shi Yan are expending immense power because of you and bearing the danger of destruction. Your hesitation will cause greater peril for Shi Yan."

His words struck the vital point!

"My hesitation will bring more danger to Shi Yan?" Ziyao, who had been wavering, felt her expression shift, suddenly becoming extremely anxious and uneasy.

The Dragon Lizard Ancestor’s heart stirred, and he quickly declared, "That is certain. The longer you hesitate, the more strength Shi Yan will lose!"

He perceived that just as Shi Yan was willing to risk death for Ziyao, Ziyao could conquer her deeply rooted, immense fear of the Hui for Shi Yan.

"I understand!"

Ziyao’s gaze instantly became resolute. Her graceful body swiftly settled into a meditative cross-legged position on the throne, the brilliance in her expression receding as her eyes gradually closed.

Her soul shared a mystical connection with the Hui. She did not need to separate her soul physically; instead, she used that link to travel directly into the deepest recesses of the Hui's mind.

Sensing the gradual recession of her soul energy, the Dragon Lizard Ancestor immediately knew she had acted, returning her soul to the Hui's mind. For Shi Yan's sake, she was disregarding even the fear buried deep in her soul, resolutely plunging into that endless nightmare to engage in the most perilous struggle against the Hui's will.

"She has made her move!" the Dragon Lizard Ancestor roared.

Shi Yan, in the form of the monstrous giant, shuddered intensely upon hearing the Dragon Lizard Ancestor's shout. Brilliant star clusters, each the size of a fist, flickered across his colossal body. These tens of thousands of star clusters were condensed from his profound acupoint power. A scent of clarity for body and mind, of purifying the soul, spread forth, causing the once slightly dim world to become incredibly bright.

"Crack, crack, crack!"

Tens of thousands of brilliant star clusters exploded upon the chains transformed from stars. Starlight poured down like a waterfall, all impacting the serpentine head of the Hui's main body, which the chains encircled like tightening collars locking the Hui's primary head in place.

Simultaneously, the pillar of crimson light above Shi Yan’s head suddenly contracted, pulling downward, converging with the scarlet glow in his eyes, and piercing into the Hui's eyes.

His involvement clearly lessened the pressure on the Yuan. The Yuan, which previously couldn't even maintain a temporary humanoid form, now saw its Primeval Soldier manifestation gradually coalescing around its head, thanks to Shi Yan transforming into his primal body and fighting desperately, regardless of the power depletion.

The Primeval Soldier revealed a look of satisfaction and shouted to Shi Yan, "Suppress it with the Profundity Talisman Pagoda! Envelop the Hui's main head with the power within the Pagoda. Using the Pagoda's internal energy will immobilize its soul, allowing your woman to successfully refine it. Trust me, use the Profundity Talisman Pagoda to awe it immediately!"

Shi Yan, who was using all his might to bind the Hui's head with the star chains, didn't hesitate upon hearing the Primeval Soldier's instruction and released the Profundity Talisman Pagoda.

As soon as the Profundity Talisman Pagoda appeared, it instantly transformed into a terrifying structure hundreds of stories high, floating menacingly over the Hui's main serpentine head.

The colossal tower turned slowly, its body covered in writhing runes that emitted a holy aura purifying heaven and earth. Waves of energy light cascaded down, layer by layer, landing upon the Hui's main body head. The Hui's main body, tightly constricted by the star chains and struggling violently, suddenly weakened when enveloped by those light waves.

Even the Hui's soul seemed to be subdued by the Profundity Talisman Pagoda; its fierce will to break free was significantly diminished!

The Yuan, which had been exerting itself to the limit, felt its pressure greatly reduced. The slightly hazy form of the Primeval Soldier clone began to gradually clarify until it solidified into substance.

"Good, that’s it! As long as you restrain it with the Profundity Talisman Pagoda, it will be hard for it to break free, and your woman can seize the opportunity to absorb its soul consciousness and replace the main body with her clone, seizing everything it possesses!" The Primeval Soldier looked delighted, chuckling gently as he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

With a flicker of his figure, the Primeval Soldier moved beside the Dragon Lizard Ancestor and smiled as he spoke suddenly, "Actually, you shouldn't have stayed. You should have listened to him and left this place earlier."

The Dragon Lizard Ancestor looked utterly bewildered. "What do you mean?"

"Staying here will bring you danger," the Primeval Soldier said, even as the power within his human body gradually solidified and strengthened. This was because the appearance of the Profundity Talisman Pagoda and Shi Yan's desperate exertion to suppress the Hui had greatly alleviated his pressure, allowing him to divert some energy.

"What danger?" the Dragon Lizard Ancestor asked, utterly confused. "The Hui is already subdued by you. Once its main body’s soul is taken, it won't pose much threat."

"Your danger still comes from me, hehe," the Primeval Soldier's smile suddenly turned bizarre, and the aura emanating from him became extremely strange, releasing the scorching heat of magma.

"Ancestor! The scent of the Ancestor!" The Dragon Lizard Ancestor cried out in horror.

"Indeed. Your ancestor, 'Xi,' was devoured and refined by me. I shall send you to join him," the Primeval Soldier’s smile remained gentle, but in the eyes of the Dragon Lizard Ancestor, it looked horrifyingly sinister.

...RQ