***, so all along these old fogeys were trying to boost their magical defense. No wonder they switched to those bizarre pieces of equipment; Yan Luo’s deduction was clearly correct—these old men never intended to kill the ZUMA High Priest, only to snatch the ZUMA Head and make a swift exit.

Perhaps I should change my gear too. Wait, what am I thinking? I just remembered I don't need to change anything because I possess the Demon Devouring Body, which is inherently immune to magic. In fact, to increase my speed, I should strip off this heavy armor, even the helmet. It’s just not the right time yet; I’ll wait for them to start fighting and then look for the right opportunity.

Yingzhen Qiuyun found a pillar and hid behind it. That spot was only about thirty meters from the ZUMA High Priest’s platform, twenty meters closer than where I am.

Damn it, this old guy certainly knows how to pick a spot. It looks like he's planning to wait until the ZUMA High Priest is fully engaged with the others, then strike suddenly to grab the ZUMA Head. This significantly reduces my chances, as this old man is much closer to the High Priest than I am. There’s nothing for it; I’ll have to play it by ear.

The other Elders and the remaining elite disciples retreated far back. The Mages stood ready, staffs in hand, and behind them was the gateway leading to the outside world. It seems they intend to lure the ZUMA High Priest there, creating an opening for Yingzhen Qiuyun, who is positioned nearby. I wonder if the ZUMA High Priest will fall for it.

But even if the ZUMA High Priest doesn't take the bait, Mo Zhanting, Longyuan Canghai, and the others will surely keep the High Priest occupied, creating opportunities for Yingzhen Qiuyun.

As I analyzed the situation, I took stock of the group near the gate. Looking closely, I recognized the Elder we met in the ZUMA Hall—it was Huxiao Changyuan. Among the elite from Shabak were Li Xie and a few others I didn't know, but anyone remaining here must be an extraordinary master of incredible skill.

The elite disciples left by the Four Great Sects were all present: Huxiao Shanye, Longyuan Feixue, Xiong Ba Tianxia, and Yingzhen Kuangren. There were a few others I didn't recognize, but Huxiao Shanlin’s presence was somewhat unexpected. It seems that no matter the danger, the Four Great Sects never forget to nurture their younger disciples. They weren't sent away from such a perilous mission but kept at a distance to observe the battle—truly dedicated mentorship.

Composing myself, I shifted my focus back to the five figures currently in the arena. These five were among the foremost masters of the current age. Regardless of success or failure, witnessing them join forces against this enemy was worth the trip. Ordinary people rarely get a chance to see such a magnificent lineup. Thinking of it gave me a surge of bloodlust. It's a shame this world lacks recording devices; it would be amazing to film such a spectacular scene.

In the arena!

“Are you all ready!” Mo Zhanting said in a deep voice.

“Yes.” Everyone looked solemn.

“Begin!” Mo Zhanting, Huxiao Changfeng, and Xiong Ba Cangmang simultaneously retreated over twenty meters. Only Longyuan Canghai remained in the center. Among the five great masters, Longyuan Canghai was the fastest after Yingzhen Qiuyun. It seemed their plan was to use him to awaken the ZUMA High Priest.

Hah! Longyuan Canghai took a deep breath and slowly approached the statue of the ZUMA High Priest.

The moment his foot touched the circle outlined by shimmering black lines—

Boom! Roar! A world-shattering bellow exploded instantly. This sound was far louder and more terrifying than the Tiger Howl Divine Skill I heard earlier from Huxiao Shanlin. Caught completely off guard, I nearly fainted from the shock.

Gritting my teeth to suppress the urge to vomit, I remained prone.

Stones scattered, and countless fragments shot outwards like arrows. Longyuan Canghai, being the closest, had already leaped back at the moment of the roar, but even so, several fragments, moving at bullet-like speeds, struck him. Fortunately, his Dou Qi cultivation was profound, allowing him to withstand the impacts with his protective Dou Qi.

Even so, the sheer force of the debris sent him flying nearly fifty meters away.

“Fire!” Almost simultaneously, the Mages stationed near the gate immediately unleashed potent bombardment magic. Ice Roar, Thunder Art—it fell like a relentless storm upon the demon-god-like figure.

The legendary Ten Great Demon Beasts, the undefeatable myth for millennia, the ZUMA High Priest, finally revealed its terrifying and ferocious true form.

Amidst the earth-shattering roar, like a demon emerging from the abyss, the ZUMA High Priest’s massive body suddenly rose. Dazzling arcs of electricity coursed rapidly across its frame, obscuring its true features. All that was visible were its huge, blood-red pupils burning fiercely like raging flames, and its long, curved fangs. Its entire body seemed enveloped in a blaze of brilliant fire mixed with blue electrical light. The space instantly transformed into a massive furnace. Terrifying heat waves, suffocating pressure—everything gave the sensation of the apocalypse arriving, shrouding everyone in fear, helplessness, and despair.

Heavens, is this the ZUMA High Priest? I never imagined such a despair-inducing and terrifying entity could exist in this world. Perhaps compared to the Evil Centipede, the ZUMA High Priest lacked that immediate shock and deterrence, but the purest form of evil, the most concentrated bloodlust and brutality, announced that the creature before us descended upon this world solely for destruction, for slaughter, and to bring humanity the simplest forms of terror and hopelessness.

In that moment, everyone felt regret. Perhaps they shouldn't have provoked this terrifying monster in the first place; its aura alone crushed any thought of fluke or resistance.

But everyone present was a top-tier master with an iron will. While the ZUMA High Priest’s might was hard to counter, it failed to utterly destroy their will to resist. Instead, it stoked their resolve to fight to the death.

“Roar!” Ice Roar, Thunder Art—the distant Mages unleashed their magic with frenzied intensity.

Clang, clang, bang! The rapid explosions continued without pause, an incessant barrage of magic, but every spell hitting the ZUMA High Priest seemed to be deflected by an invisible wall of energy. The High Priest merely swayed slightly, then swept its right hand out.

Whoosh! Accompanied by a sharp whistle, a giant tongue of fire over twenty meters long shot out, aimed squarely at Huxiao Changfeng, who was twenty meters away. Simultaneously, it swept its left hand to the right—a colossal, thick bolt of lightning, like a giant laser broadsword from a science fiction film, cleaved toward Mo Zhanting at the waist, while its mouth simultaneously spat out a massive ball of fire directly at Xiong Ba Cangmang in front.

In the blink of an eye, the ZUMA High Priest locked onto all three targets and unleashed a devastating offensive.

Hah! Roar! Roar! The figures in purple-red on the left, center, and right evaded almost simultaneously, moving like lightning. The giant lightning sword on the left struck Huxiao Changfeng’s afterimage, but the massive blade cleaved the large stone pillar beside the residual image in half. Boom! The stone shattered mightily, sending countless head-sized fragments flying everywhere like shrapnel from a landmine, chasing after the transformed afterimage of Huxiao Changfeng.

The giant fire sword on the right also missed its mark, but its terrifying residual heat carved a massive crack over forty meters long into the ground. Wisps of heat still hissed in the air, and the scattering sparks pursued Mo Zhanting, who had narrowly escaped.

Boom! The giant fireball directly ahead was dodged by Xiong Ba Cangmang, but the incredible shockwave generated when it hit the ground, along with countless massive stone fragments, blanketed Xiong Ba Cangmang like explosive shrapnel.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Splat! Splat! Splat!

In a single exchange, three of the continent's top masters were simultaneously injured, three plumes of crimson mist erupting into the air almost at the same instant.

It was only then that Longyuan Canghai, who had retreated, landed, almost unable to believe his eyes. In a mere instant, his three companions had been wounded by the ZUMA High Priest's casual movements.

Fortunately, judging by the surprise element, their injuries weren't fatal.

Clang! Clang! Clang! The three purple-red figures rolled sideways instantly upon hitting the ground, dodging the assault of the flying debris.

Clang, clang, clang! An endless rain of dense stone fragments hammered down upon the three figures rolling on the ground.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Amidst the thick, gray shower of stone, three dazzling golden lights shone simultaneously, like three enormous golden eggs. Every fragment that struck the golden eggs was repelled without exception.

Having no way to evade, the three activated their protective Dou Qi.

Thus concluded the ZUMA High Priest’s first round of attacks. However, all three appeared quite battered, and even the relatively unharmed Longyuan Canghai’s face had darkened considerably.

They knew the ZUMA High Priest was powerful, but to injure Mo Zhanting, Huxiao Changfeng, and Xiong Ba Cangmang in just one exchange far exceeded everyone's expectations.

Escaping the attack, the three showed no pause, downing healing potions before quickly resuming their fighting stances to face the ZUMA High Priest again.

“Roar!” As if enraged by their challenging posture, the ZUMA High Priest roared again. That strange sound resembled a giant, leaky loudspeaker, its pitch sharp and piercing, directly striking the most vulnerable human nerves of hearing. Everyone felt as if their heads had been hollowed out, nearly passing out.

But the distant Mages still clenched their jaws and endured, their dense magic continuing to hammer the ZUMA High Priest like a relentless storm. Even a brief distraction would allow Huxiao Changfeng and the others, positioned closer in, some respite and create an opening for the lurking Yingzhen Qiuyun.

However, the ZUMA High Priest remained completely unfazed, roaring in fury. Then, crossing its hands, it swept them down sharply—Clang! A giant, electricity-laced net appeared out of thin air, descending precisely over the area where Huxiao Changfeng and the others stood.

“No!”

“Run, quick!” Longyuan Feixue and Yingzhen Kuangren, watching from the sidelines, shouted in alarm. If caught in such a terrifying electrical net, the three would surely perish.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Three purple-red figures shot backward with astonishing speed. But Longyuan Canghai moved against the retreat, unleashing a powerful fiery sword qi directly toward the ZUMA High Priest.

Clang! This was likely the first substantial attack the ZUMA High Priest had sustained since awakening. The dazzling fiery sword qi slammed heavily against the High Priest’s yellowish-brown carapace, sparking tiny flares, but the creature remained completely unharmed.

At the same time, the lightning net that missed its targets pulverized the ground, sending countless stone fragments wildly in all directions, causing considerable trouble for the three evading figures.

The ZUMA High Priest roared again! A massive fireball shot out, behaving like a precise guided missile, tracing an eerie luminous arc before slamming toward Longyuan Canghai.

“Roar!” With a shout, Longyuan Canghai rapidly sidestepped to avoid it.

Clang! Just like the fireball that struck Xiong Ba Cangmang earlier, the shattered ground instantly erupted in a storm of debris, engulfing Longyuan Canghai.

Hmph! With a cold snort, Longyuan Canghai could only push his protective Dou Qi to its limit while desperately dodging. Yet, despite his efforts, an endless barrage of stone fragments hammered against his golden protective Dou Qi shield. However, this caused no significant damage to Longyuan Canghai.

But under Longyuan Canghai’s cover, the other three quickly recovered.

Three streams of golden fiery Dou Qi slammed into the ZUMA High Priest at astonishing speed.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Almost simultaneously, the three bursts of fire violently impacted the ZUMA High Priest. Dazzling firelight mixed with blue electrical arcs sprayed everywhere.

“Roar! Roar!” The ZUMA High Priest finally seemed to feel pain, but this only fueled its savage nature and brutality.

A relentless deluge of fire and lightning poured down like a thunderstorm. The four made no hesitation, dodging at incredible speeds. For a moment, only four blurry purple-red afterimages zipped across the field, sketching indistinct arcs of light in the air, making it impossible to pinpoint their true bodies. However, the ZUMA High Priest’s attacks were broad-area magical bombardments, and no matter how fast they moved, injuries were inevitable. Still, because the four moved with breathtaking speed, the High Priest failed to inflict massive damage.

In between dodging, the four managed to spare moments to launch sharp Dou Qi attacks against the ZUMA High Priest. At this moment, technique and complex moves were irrelevant; delivering the strongest possible blow to wound the High Priest was the only effective strategy. Thus, all four unleashed the most taxing attacks—fiery sword qi—against the creature. The battle was intensely brutal. Among them, Xiong Ba Cangmang’s attacks carried the most killing power; every strike elicited a furious roar from the ZUMA High Priest, as his Dou Qi cultivation was the deepest among the four.

Although the ZUMA High Priest roared repeatedly and its attacks grew fiercer, it never moved far from the platform. Clearly, the creature was more concerned with protecting the ZUMA Head atop the structure. This left the group helpless.

Endless lightning and Ice Roars continued to bombard the ZUMA High Priest. The four dodged while maintaining their protective Dou Qi. While defending themselves, they continuously struck the High Priest with fiery sword qi. But the ZUMA High Priest seemed utterly resolved; apart from launching ranged fire and lightning attacks, its body hadn't shifted a single step. It seemed infuriated by the Mages' magical bombardment, and with a great roar, the High Priest swept its massive hand out. A colossal pillar of fire, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, instantly cleaved through the air, aimed at the Mages near the entrance.

“Dodge!” Longyuan Canghai shouted in terror.

But it was too late!

Clang! Ah! Splat! The distance of over a hundred meters was covered in an instant by a single sweep, and it was a terrifying Great Fire Sword. Though the arrayed Mages reacted swiftly, they could not evade this massive Great Fire Sword, nearly ten square meters wide. Those struck were instantly torn to shreds. The few who narrowly escaped were grievously wounded, their magic robes already burned to black ash. Not only their robes, but their hair and eyebrows were scorched clean off—their appearance was utterly pathetic and comical, yet no one dared to laugh, for in that single moment, over thirty Elder-level Mages had been incinerated.

“You all retreat!” Huxiao Changfeng roared. In fact, after that attack, everyone understood: the Mages’ assaults seemed incapable of harming the ZUMA High Priest, yet the High Priest could casually wipe them out with a mere gesture. Mages, after all, lacked the speed of warriors. Beyond serving as targets, they seemed to offer little utility.

“Yes.” The Mages immediately pulled back over a hundred meters but did not leave entirely.

“Damn it, this guy can’t be hurt!” Mo Zhanting growled in frustration.

“Concentrate your power on the head!” Longyuan Canghai commanded. “I refuse to believe its eyes are also impervious to weapons!”

“Agreed.” Xiong Ba Cangmang immediately launched a fiery sword qi straight toward the ZUMA High Priest’s face. Simultaneously, the other three golden fiery sword qis followed closely, striking the High Priest’s head without delay.

“Roar! Clang! Clang!” These fiery sword qis all landed true, smashing into the ZUMA High Priest’s face. This drew forth intense fury and repeated roars from the High Priest, but its blood-red pupils remained sinister and terrifying, utterly unharmed.

Whoosh! The ZUMA High Priest’s massive body, nearly three meters tall, moved for the first time. An afterimage flickered, and its right hand shot out like lightning, unleashing a colossal Thunder Light Sword that swept across the four masters.

“So fast!” Everyone gasped in shock. However, as the leaders of the Four Great Sects and the Lord of Shabak, the four reacted quickly enough.

“Retreat!” With a furious shout, the four purple figures shot backward like lightning.

Clang! The Thunder Light Sword that missed carved a shocking, deep trench in the ground. Everyone felt horror creep up their spines. Heavens, what kind of destructive power was that? They absolutely could not be struck by it, or they wouldn't have enough lives to spare.

“It moved! Keep going!” Longyuan Canghai, though utterly horrified, couldn't hide the joy in his expression.

“Roar!” Having evaded the attack, the four launched desperate counterattacks. The ZUMA High Priest had now moved about fifteen meters from the platform, but that wasn't nearly enough; it needed to be drawn farther away. They barely had time to drink healing potions before launching their fiercest attacks, still focused on the creature’s head.

Boom, boom, boom, boom! Dense fiery sword qis bombarded the ZUMA High Priest’s head like a torrential storm.

“Roar!” The ZUMA High Priest shuddered violently. The onlookers felt a blur before their eyes; the creature’s massive form seemed to vanish into thin air. The next moment, a terrifying, soul-chilling killing intent surged toward them from its side.

“Ah! So fast! It closed the thirty-meter distance as if distance constraints didn't exist!”

The dazzling Great Fire Sword slashed toward the four at astonishing speed.

“Roar!” Although the four purple afterimages moved with incredible speed, they were still grazed by the edge of the Great Fire Sword.

Clang! Splat! Splat! Splat! Splat! Four bursts of blood mist erupted instantly! Each one flew backward like a broken kite. In a single exchange, the four masters were severely wounded.

“Roar! Cover them!” Yingzhen Kuangren saw clearly. “Magic attack!”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Without needing Yingzhen Kuangren’s command, all the remaining Mages desperately hurled their strongest offensive magic. Ice Roar and Thunder Art rained down densely.

“Roar!” The ZUMA High Priest roared, intending to press its advantage.

Whoosh! A purple-red afterimage, ghostly, shot toward the platform where the ZUMA High Priest had been crouching, its target the solitary ZUMA Head.

Such speed! It was Yingzhen Qiuyun, who had been lying in wait, finally making his move.

“Roar!” The ZUMA High Priest sensed Yingzhen Qiuyun’s intent almost simultaneously, casually swinging out several dense Great Fire Swords, aimed at that purple afterimage.

Hah! With a sharp cry, the afterimage mid-air suddenly changed direction, tracing a bizarre S-shaped arc. Not only did it evade the ZUMA High Priest’s attack, but it also landed cleverly on the platform. The speed of the Yingzhen Sect was truly unmatched, and the flexibility of its footwork was ghost-like. As he landed, Yingzhen Qiuyun snatched up the ZUMA Head.

With a deafening, earth-shattering roar, the massive form of the Patriarch ZUMA moved with ghost-like suddenness, appearing instantly beside Ying Zhen Qiu Yun. His colossal steel claws struck downward like lightning aimed at the head. This speed was more than ten times faster than Ying Zhen Qiu Yun had just managed, making the Patriarch ZUMA’s incredible velocity almost unimaginable.

Everything happened in a blink—from Ying Zhen Qiu Yun’s sudden strike to the Patriarch ZUMA’s swift counter-defense, it was all over in the flash of an eye.

So fast! I can’t escape, was Ying Zhen Qiu Yun’s first, immediate realization.

“Take this!” No matter what, he couldn't give up; he had to secure the item. Ying Zhen Qiu Yun put every ounce of strength into flinging the ZUMA Totem toward the exit.

A black arc of light, swift as a meteor, carved an eerie curve toward the doorway.

Roar! The steel claw the Patriarch ZUMA had halfway deployed abruptly changed direction. He drove down with his thick legs, instantly giving chase to the arrow-like ZUMA Totem.

Ah! What astonishing speed! Everyone could see that at the Patriarch ZUMA’s pace, he would absolutely intercept the ZUMA Totem before it reached the door.

If the ZUMA Totem suspended in mid-air could be described as swift as a meteor, then the Patriarch ZUMA’s terrifying velocity could only be compared to lightning—yes, at that moment, the Patriarch ZUMA’s speed far surpassed human imagination. He was agonizingly close, perhaps only five or six meters away from reclaiming the ZUMA Totem.

Clang! Whoosh! However, just then, an abrupt change occurred. The ground exploded without warning, and amid the scattering debris, a blue light flashed into existence. The onlookers only registered a blurring streak—a hazy blue silhouette that materialized from nowhere, snatching the ZUMA Totem mid-flight. Simultaneously, the Patriarch ZUMA’s enormous body collided squarely with this blue figure. Clearly, the Patriarch ZUMA had not anticipated the sudden appearance of this individual, not even having time to react.

Clang! Whoosh! At the instant of impact, the blue silhouette deftly kicked off the Patriarch ZUMA’s broad chest. This contact generated a wave-like ripple of blue electrical arcs. Using the force, the figure soared into the upper air, toward the empty ceiling above—what was he aiming for?

“Who is that!” Long Yuan Cang Hai and the others were utterly horrified. They knew that the Patriarch ZUMA’s protective Thunder Lightning Shield was no less formidable than the Thunder Lightning Sword he wielded. No one dared approach within six meters of the Patriarch ZUMA. Yet this person had not only gotten so close but had collided head-on with him. More frightening still, he seemed entirely immune to the Thunder Lightning Shield, instead using the impact to leverage himself airborne and change direction. No one had time to react, but the Patriarch ZUMA in mid-air let out a furious roar, unleashing countless gigantic fireballs that engulfed the rapidly ascending, escaping blue shadow with incredible speed.

“Stop him!” Ying Zhen Qiu Yun screamed wildly. Only then did the others snap back to reality. In truth, his shout was unnecessary! Xiong Ba Cang Mang, Mo Zhan Ting, Long Yuan Cang Hai, Hu Xiao Chang Feng, and others were already launching potent Fierce Fire Sword Qi, while the mages far off unleashed Ice Roars.

But the distance was simply too great, and the Patriarch ZUMA’s fireballs had already enveloped the blue figure first.

Everyone was certain that this person, whoever he was, was doomed. Even the Patriarch ZUMA paused momentarily as the fireballs struck the figure, seeming to breathe a sigh of relief.

But at that moment, an unbelievable scene unfolded. The fireballs passed through the blue figure as if striking an ethereal phantom. There was no anticipated explosion, no expected scream or roar; they simply flew through the blue shape and disappeared into the distance.

Then, a blinding white light suddenly erupted. The blue figure suspended in the air had vanished into thin air. Yes! Vanished completely!

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